Sounds good

A tiny thrill out of nowhere.  A sense of contentment.  Maybe a sound that reminds you of a memory from your childhood or your grandparents’ house. 

A page from my book of lists, no rhyme or reason, just an assortment of sounds I love. Might be a fun conversation starter as you create your own lists as a family or just for yourself.

• our vehicles finally turning over when it’s -13 (they’re all parked outside, covered with snow and ice, so it’s a miracle any of them start)
• the hum of the refrigerator 
• the water softener gurgling and cycling
• the heater kicking on
• the washing machine and dryer
• water trickling like in those backyard water features
• my name
• crackling fires in our fireplace or when we’re camping
• babies breathing
• country music—it reminds me of my dad
• alternative 80s music—it reminds me of being young
• Avery’s friend picking at his guitar late into the night
• creaky floors
• the gas oven starting up
• Todd and the boys watching a late-night show or playing one of those extra-long board games way into the night while I sneak away to my room
• old music from the 40s and 50s in antique shops—also reminds me of my dad and his upholstery shop
• turning the page in my book
• lawn mowers in the distance
• the birds starting at 4:30 in the morning and when I’m taking a nap on the corner couch of our living room; I feel like I’m in a treehouse surrounded by nature
• the breeze rustling the leave in the trees especially when I’m taking a nap or camping
• rivers
• airplanes, especially the one that flies directly over us a little before 10 each night
• rain on the roof and on our skylights or on our tent when we’re camping
• dramatic thunderstorms
• autumn leaves as they actually fall and then later when we walk through them, kicking them
• cicadas
• my son or daughter's voice on the phone... or my mom's or one of my sisters' and especially Todd's
• sprinklers tsh, tsh, tsh
• geese rounding themselves up in the fall
• shots in the distance on an early Saturday morning in October
• wind chimes
• crunchy snow
• the old fashioned pencil sharpener twisting around a wooden pencil
• the clicking sound of my phone and computer keyboards 
• dogs having dreams
• Bronwyn playing hymns on the piano
• Callum’s band music that he looks up on Spotify and plays for us
• Avery’s van finally rolling in late on weekend nights
• songs like Moon River, A Summer Place, Life is Grand by Silvard (look it up)… soundtracks to Anne of Green Gables and Somewhere in Time and Grease.
• acapella harmony
• frogs in wet grass areas
• oars cutting through the lake water
• Todd next to me in bed

As I tried to make sense of my list, I recognize delightful sounds all around me.  And I realize they provide comfort and cheer because most of them are simply reassurances of everyday life.  They provide the backdrop of a home that’s humming along, the cadence of normal living.  I love the seasonal sounds that remind me we’re moving into a new time of year, that conjure up memories of what I love about each of them. This list is just a start, I’m consistently adding to it mentally as I go about my days. And I know it’s nothing to write about, but I wonder if it doesn’t add a bit of merriment and joy to our days as we listen with a little more gratitude for simple pleasures we hear all around us in our ordinary lives.