There’s no knitting (don’t ask…sleeves are harder than you’d think), and as we bid winter adieu with the crankiness-inducing daylight savings time here in the northeast, here’s a list of what is making me happy right now.  I know, I know, inner happiness and all, but FEBRUARY JUST LEFT.  These things take time, people.  

1.   Sixty degree weather, and the return of the birds to the tree outside the living room window.  There’s been a lot of this:

2.   Molly Wizenberg‘s chocolate chip banana bread, from her book A Homemade Life.  Personally, I leave out the ginger and throw a whole bag of chocolate chips in.  (This should surprise absolutely no one.)  Also?  I’ve used low-fat and Greek yogurt, because whole-milk yogurt is hard to find around here, and it comes out okay.  You sacrifice a bit of texture, but it’s still good.  

3.   The Wailin’ Jennys.  Seriously, the universe was totally holding out on me.  The best explanation I can come up with is they’re the Canadian answer to the Dixie Chicks, except they are three brunettes and the vocal harmonies are a bit more textured/complex.  (Actually, truth be told, they are a lot like Courtyard Hounds, which is the Dixie Chicks minus Natalie Maines.)  I’ve had their album 40 Days on repeat all weekend.  

4.  My iPhone.  A few weeks ago my Blackberry stopped holding a charge for more than an hour or so, and I caved to the Apple Gods.  I only got the 4, because it’s what they had in stock and I really couldn’t wait for them to order me a 4S…plus, having inspected both models I wasn’t sure I really needed a 4S.  Truthfully, as a phone – the thing is like talking into a tin can, and if I spent more time actually talking on the phone I would not be happy.  But in terms of wasting away productive hours?  Well.  I suddenly cannot live without the 7 Little Words game and the NPR Music app, along with several others.  Also?  the cat freaks out when I play bird videos from YouTube on it.    

5.   Anne Lamott on Twitter.  Snippets of pure genius that make me happy at least three times a day.  Here’s hoping the newness doesn’t wear off on her.  

6.  Speaking of baths, these things here from Lush.  My niece picked me out a bunch of stuff from there as a thank you for taking care of their cat while they were on vacation.  It’s a block of what seems to be hardened styrofoam, that you break chunks off and throw in the water.  The water turns pinky-purple, there are bubbles, and it’s all good.  

What’s making you happy right now?