LOVE. It’s today’s buzzword, the reason behind Valentine’s Day, the universal day of love.
But let’s look beyond the romantic version of love connected to this day. Let’s look at who and what we love. Be specific. I’ll start. In the process, I expect you will learn a bit more about me.
First, I love my family. Obvious, right? Specifically, those dearest to me are my core family of Randy, Amber, Miranda, Caleb, Marc, John, Isabelle, Isaac and Everett. I should note here that my grandson Everett was born just a month ago, widening the circle of our family. I am happiest when we are all together. That last happened in August. Distance separates us and I’m talking Minnesota to Wisconsin to Massachusetts.
I also love my friends. I won’t name them. There are too many. But I feel grateful for friendship, including those who have become friends via the blogging world.
TRAITS I LOVE IN PEOPLE
As long as we’re talking people, here are the traits I love, or most value, in individuals. Empathy, compassion and kindness. Honesty. And the ability to listen. I can’t even begin to tell you how often people turn a conversation around to focus on themselves. Just don’t.
FOODS I LOVE
When it comes to food, I love the following, in no particular order: cheesecake, thin crust spicy Italian sausage pizza from Basilleo’s 2.0 or the Signature Bar & Grill in Faribault, dark chocolate, peaches, homemade soup, cave-aged blue cheese from the Caves of Faribault (a division of Prairie Farms), s’mores, Minnesotan Amy Thielen’s Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish (not casserole; yes, I make this hotdish), treats from a bakery, garden-fresh tomatoes…and potlucks.
LOVIN’ GREEN, NATURE & MORE
I love the color green. Always have. My eyes are green, a rarity in eye color. Green is also the hue of nature, another reason to like it.
I love when spring pops green in a shade that is indescribably vibrant. But I also love autumn, my favorite season actually, with its flaming treelines, its cobalt skies, its crisp air, its cooler days. I can bring out the flannel shirts then. I love flannel. Fashionista I am not. I could care less if my clothes are “in style” or not. I go for comfort. Flannel and boot-cut blue jeans, which I hear are now back in vogue due to a certain rapper performing during half-time of the Super Bowl. (Did anyone understand what he was saying? I didn’t.)
Rap is definitely not my style. But I love oldies music, oldies meaning songs from the 1970s by groups like Chicago, Bread and the Eagles. I also enjoy listening to contemporary Christian music on Twin Cities-based KTIS radio.
FOR THE LOVE OF CREATIVITY
I prefer quiet, though, to music. Quiet allows me to write, which I absolutely love. No surprise there. I love the process, the way words flow and meld into something that becomes something. Something that holds meaning, entertains, fills me with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I feel the same about photography. I love to read, too, especially mysteries or books that enlighten me.
LOVIN’ A WHOLE LOT MORE IN LIFE
This list of “loves” is getting lengthy, so here are some other random things I love: country drives along back gravel roads, visiting small towns, garage sales and thrift shops, art, time at the Horseshoe Lake cabin (not ours, but belonging to family), campfires, water rushing over rocks, vintage tablecloths and drinking glasses, the prairie, the woods, lilacs and zinnias.
Whatever and whomever you love (feel free to share a few of your “loves” here), may you feel embraced by love, especially today. Happy Valentine’s Day!
© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
love your post all about love –
Happy Valentine’s Day, my Michigan friend!
Loving your list of loves 🙂 ((((loveandhugs))))) We need to share the love and the self care with ourselves as well as others. It is the simple things that matter the most too I think. So blessed and grateful to the ones I love and share my life with. I am a lover of the great outdoors that craves a little solitude. I love people who are themselves as well as honest and respectful. Just give me beef tacos and dark chocolate and oh so happy! Happy Valentine’s Day – Happy Heart Month too – Happy Day – ENJOY
I read the love in your comment, Renee. Respect is a great addition to traits I value in others. Happy Valentine’s Day, my Florida (formerly Minnesota) friend!
Jesus, Husband, Son, Daughter, Family & Friends, Midwest, open windows & fresh air, the smell of snow, the smell of crunchy leaves, homemade bread, coffee, chocolate, pizza with pepperoni – sausage – red onion – green & red peppers – jalapeño peppers, and pickles just to name a few
Loving your list. Thanks for sharing all these specifics. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
I should add hanging laundry outside on the clothesline to mine, prompted by your “open windows & fresh air.”
yes, nothing like bedding fresh off the clothes line.
I seldom use my dryer, opting for drying racks in the winter. Yes, love the scent of the outdoors in bedding, especially.
I prefer to dry towels & under clothing in the dryer but I hang a lot of the other clothes. Good thing too because our dryer died last night. I went to take a load of clothes out and they were hot to the touch and smelt hot. Then the dryer wouldn’t start again after that. Lucky the house didn’t burn down with the dryer being so hot.
I’m sorry your dryer died, but so thankful no fire started.
Me too! Luckily going to the new laundry mat hasn’t been too unpleasant of an experience.
Hopefully you can replace your dryer soon. In the meantime, I’m thankful the laundromat experience isn’t too unpleasant.
Love this post Audrey, thanks for inviting us to think about what we love and to share a few things. I’m outrageously in love with my husband (even after 2 years of dating and nearly 30 years of marriage); I love my son (he was the sweetest baby and little boy a mom could ever ask for); I love my gorgeous brilliant grandchildren and am so hopeful for their future; I love my huge family; I love my friends especially my best friends from high school and college they’ve made my life bearable and fantastic.
I love warm summer days and soft breezes and being outside; I love driving my Mustang and my motorcycle; I love the night sky especially when having meaningful conversations with someone I care about; I love reading long thoughtful stories with happy endings and high hopes; I love being free.
I love that I have so many things to love! 💕💕 Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Rose, thank you for sharing your “loves.” Great list. I feel the love in your words.
Thank you for sharing this list of things you love.
Happy Valentine’s day.
You are welcome, my friend.