Blog Hop of Joy (Better late than Never!)

So the Blog Hop of Joy happened on March 1 and even though I signed up for it, I plum forgot about it yesterday. So as a 'better late than never' gesture, I'm putting my post up today. Of course I hadn't totally forgotten about the blog hop - I have been thinking about it. So here is my list of those little, inconsequential things that make me absurdly happy.

1. That short blissful moment of peace in the city.
   Anyone who has ever lived in even a small city knows that you are rarely without the noise of civilization at almost any hour. Although I currently reside in a city of modest size and have previously lived in one of the larger cities in Canada, I prefer the quiet contemplation of nature to city life.
   However, no matter the size of the city there are always those rare and special times where for the briefest of moments the city is silent. For that second you feel as if you are the only human alive. There is just the sound of your own foot steps, the wind in the trees and maybe a solitary bird singing along. No matter what, that moment always gives me pause and fills me with more joy than such a simple moment possibly could.
2. The first real snowfall of the winter.
   Okay, I know there are a lot of people out there who get overly giddy at the first real snowfall, but most of those people are under the age of 20. I am 30-something and seeing the first snowfall of the year gives me that same jump-out-of-my-skin-couldn't-be-happier-if-I-tried kind of feeling. In fact, I have be known to jump up and down and clap my hands excitedly in the middle of my office because of the first real snowfall. And to be honest, I feel the same way for most of the winter time. I love snow. I really do. It gives me far more pleasure than it should.
3. Postcards
   I keep every postcard ever sent to me. I love those touristy pictures of faraway places and even those places I visit often myself. I never buy them for myself, but I very much love receiving them. I don't think I can quite describe how they make me feel, but they usually get posted near my writing space for me to stare at. I don't know what it is, but I love them.
4. That yellowy-green light that comes just before or just after a good summer/late spring rain storm
   Oddly specific, I know, but I love that light. Maybe it's because I grew up in a very rainy place and learned love the rain because it was easier than hating something that occurred almost all the time. There is just something about that quality of light that I call rain-light that just makes me feel relaxed and happy. I wish I could explain it better, but maybe a few of you out there might know what I'm talking about.
5. The stars on a perfectly clear winter's night.
   Nothing against the stars on a summer night, but they miss out on my favourite constellation and there is no challenge to viewing them, but winter stars - they are special. To get a really good staring viewing night it has to be cold - really cold. And that moment I step from my building into the icy night and look up it takes my breath away completely. I will just stand there like an idiot staring at the sky. Sometimes I find it so hard to stop staring that I will start walking down the alleyway without taking my eyes off the sky. When the sky is that perfectly clear you can almost feel like the stars are within your reach. It is a magical and awe inspiring moment.