Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Wednesday Hodgepodge on Tax Day




A hodgepodge is a jumble or assortment of things that might not appear to belong together. Joyce at From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly link-up called Wednesday Hodgepodge that is a little collection of questions for bloggers to answer just for fun and to get to know each other. I always look forward to chatting with friends over coffee, so pour a cup of your favorite and let's visit for a few minutes!



Here are this week's questions - and my answers - for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1.  Big week in the US of A . . . do you do your own taxes? What's something you've found 'taxing' lately?
 
Most years we have done our own taxes, and we did this year. We are already planning to go to a professional when the time rolls around in 2027, since there will be some changes we'll need additional help with. 

My calendar has felt pretty taxing lately, to be honest. Appointments and outings and things to take care of almost every evening and on the weekends. Even though they are mostly good things filling up my calendar and to-do list, it just feels like there's so much that every day I have to decide what DOESN'T get done, because I can't get to all of it. And of course there are deadlines - like Tax Day - to put pressure on me. I've been thinking a lot about that meme that says something about being an adult is saying, "but after next week things will settle down" every week until you die. That's what it feels like right now and I could use a breather! 
 
2. When it comes to travel are you a last minute packer or a lay it all out a week in advance type? Do you struggle to pack light? Share a packing tip that has worked for you.

A little of both, I guess. I do the actual packing sort of at the last minute, but I do plan in advance and usually make myself a checklist of what to pack at least a full day before I have to fill the suitcase. I try really hard to pack light, but almost always wind up taking more stuff than I need. My last few trips have been weekend things so I don't know if I have a good packing tip. Just to plan outfits ahead of time to have what I need but with as few pieces of clothing as possible. 

3. April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Hmmmm . . . who knew it got its own month? Do you like a grilled cheese sandwich? What ingredient do you add to take yours to the next level?

 This is fantastic to know - I needed a couple of quick meal ideas for the next few days! I love grilled cheese and always have. One of my all time favorite restaurants was The Melt and I was very sad when it closed its doors in Columbus. A trick I've learned from all the times I've eaten at The Melt is that if you can fit a food item on a slice of bread, you can add it to a grilled cheese sammie. My most basic grilled cheese sandwiches have at least two kinds of cheese - my go-to for grilled cheese is Muenster and Colby Jack. Use lots of butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat for the perfect crisp toasting on the outside. Best next level for grilled cheese is to make it a Monte Cristo. Deli ham and turkey, two favorite cheese varieties (Muenster and Fontina are my choices for Monte Cristo), and thick sliced bread, sourdough if possible. Dunk the assembled sandwich in beaten egg and milk before setting into the buttered pan. Serve with warmed raspberry jam. 



4.  There's a well known quote that says-
'A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.' ~John A. Shedd
Is constant growth necessary or do you think it's more important to prioritize stability and peace in your life?

 Growth and stability need to be in balance, so I think we take turns prioritizing one over the other. However, without constant growth, we can become stagnant or stiff so perhaps it's more important to focus on growth. 

5.  Let's wrap this up with a fun spring this or that-
  • daffodils or tulips
  • lemonade or iced tea
  • gardening or hiking
  • ladybugs or butterflies
  • umbrella or raincoat
  • floral patterns or polka dots
 Tulips!
Iced tea is my spring and summertime favorite, even though I love lemonade. Sweet tea is less likely to irritate my reflux.
Definitely hiking! I always enjoy hiking, but I don't care to take part in gardening.
Butterflies. Ladybugs are great but I have when they get inside the house.
Probably umbrella. Raincoats aren't the most breathable, and I don't like how that feels.
Oh, this is hard because I adore some floral patterns and find others way too much. Still, I think I'll chose floral patterns because there are so many that I do like. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

If I want to get this posted while it is still Tax Day, I'd better keep my random thought really short! We are busy house hunting again this week, and have tons of other things on the to-do list and calendar, as I mentioned above. I'm hoping to sneak in a few short sessions of visiting my blogging friends tomorrow and Friday. I'm trying to stay current - I promise!


From this Side of the Pond

I host the Wednesday Quotes link-up every other Wednesday. Stop by and share a few thoughts and quotes on the current topic here: WQ - Overcoming Fear. I host the Everyday Images photo link-up every other Thursday. And find the Scripture and a Snapshot link-up here every Sunday.



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 This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Fresh Cup of Coffee helps continue the coffee breaks and conversation. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

WQ - Overcoming Fear


If you want to develop courage, do the thing you fear and keep on doing it until you have a record of successful experiences behind you. That is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear. You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind. ~Dale Carnegie

I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

That sounds like it might work, but there are a good many things I fear doing or being part of for valid reasons. For example, I'm somewhat afraid of heights. I could conquer that fear by going up in a tethered hot air balloon or stepping out onto the balcony of a tall building. But it would be foolhardy for me to attempt to conquer my fear of heights by going rock climbing or skydiving! I'm not fit to safely do either of those things at this point. All the same, I appreciate the sentiment, and I do agree that facing things we fear and stretching ourselves to master our fears has great value for our personal growth.


I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. ~Nelson Mandela

One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do. ~Henry Ford

Our greatest fears are usually of the unknown, of evil, or of death and loss. These are the things we don't have control over, and are hard to prepare for. The good news is that we don't have to face these unknowns by ourselves. God loves us so much that he will walk with us and even carry us through any circumstance that terrifies us. His son Jesus has already conquered sin and death, and he offers us eternal life so that we don't have to be afraid.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~Romans 8:37-39~

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
~I John 4:4~



There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them. ~Andre Gide


What fears have you overcome? Leave a comment and let me know!

*********************

Wednesday Quotes is a bi-weekly opportunity for bloggers to share their writing, poetry, photos, or stories inspired by our theme. We've chosen the themes as a starting point for your creativity, and the only requirement is that your post include at least one related quote. Feel free to combine or "double-dip" with other writing or photo challenges as well. Of course, we'd appreciate a link back to us, if you'd be so kind. Add your link and please visit others and leave a comment! The link is open for two weeks.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Thanks to Marsha at Always Write for introducing us to the Wednesday Quotes challenge, and for passing the hosting duties along so we can continue sharing great quotes! Wednesday Quotes is co-hosted by Kym at A Fresh Cup of Coffee and Sadje at Keep It Alive


Quoting reminds me there are other people in the world besides only me. 
And other thoughts besides mine, and other ways of thinking. 
~Gregory Maguire~

Wednesday Quotes 2026 Themes

January 7 - Resolutions
January 21 - Motivation
February 4 - Eating Out/Restaurants
February 18 - Being Responsible
March 4 - Libraries
March 18 - Perseverance
April 1 - Simplicity
April 15 - Conquering Fear
April 29 - Making a Difference
May 13 - Family Ties
May 27 - Courage
June 10 - Teachers/Mentors
June 24 - Connecting with Nature
July 8 - Milestones
July 22 - Sunrise
August 5 - Patience
August 19 - Taking a Break/Rest
September 2 - Learning from Mistakes
September 16 - Best Friends
September 30 - Elegance
October 14 - Reaching Goals
October 28 - Dreams/Nightmares
November 11 - Integrity
November 25 - Generosity
December 9 - Beauty in Nature
December 23 - True Love


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 ©2006-2026 HS Coffee Break/Just A Second/A Fresh Cup of Coffee. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human. https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/ 

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Fresh Cup of Coffee helps continue the coffee breaks and conversation. 

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Sunday Stills and Flower Hour - Crystal and Wildflowers


I've been meaning to participate in the Sunday Stills and Flower Hour photo challenges hosted by Terri at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives for ever so long, and just haven't done it yet. Well, today that changes, and hopefully I can hop in with a contribution at least a couple times a month. It fits into my Everyday Images photo challenge for myself, because it encourages me to look for beauty and interest in places I might otherwise not notice. Sunday Stills also encourages using older photos where appropriate, so that's what I'm doing today. 

The monthly color challenge is Diamond or Quartz. Or crystal. And while I didn't have anything current that fit the description, I thought of our visits to the Ohio Glass Museum in Lancaster. 

I absolutely loved this "Excalibur" paperweight, featuring a letter opener in a glass or crystal-like diamond stone.


One thing I was interested to learn at the museum was the way Anchor Hocking Glass Company got involved in a marketing campaign to promote breakfast oats. Personally, I'm a big fan of breakfast oatmeal, but I didn't realize that up until the 1920s, Americans considered oats to be animal feed rather than people food! One way Quaker Oats tried to get consumers to change their thinking was to offer a piece of glassware inside the box of oats. The campaign was successful, I guess! And what a wonderful prize inside the cereal box, right?


I'm also going to include a couple of flower photos for The Flower Hour Photo Challenge. These were spotted on last week's hike in the Blendon Woods Hundred Acre Wood section.


I'm not a botanist at all, and usually ask my husband the names of plants and trees, but if memory serves, this is a trout lily. I actually liked my photo of it looking away from me better!


Off in the woods, there were areas covered with what I assume are bluebells. Thankfully there were a few near enough to the path for a photo.







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 ©2006-2026 HS Coffee Break/Just A Second/A Fresh Cup of Coffee. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human. https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/ 

 This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Fresh Cup of Coffee helps continue the coffee breaks and conversation. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Scripture and a Snapshot - He Heals the Brokenhearted



Praise the LORD.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

~Psalm 147:1-5~





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©2006-2026 HS Coffee Break/Just A Second/A Fresh Cup of Coffee. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human. https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/ 

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Thursday, April 9, 2026

Everyday Images #85



Welcome to my ongoing challenge and reminder to myself to take photos somewhat regularly. I'm not a photographer, but I enjoy taking everyday photos of things I find interesting or want to remember later, and I'm more likely to notice interesting things when I'm intentionally watching for them. Having some prompts that are open to interpretation has helped me pay a little more attention to what's around me. Here's how it works: Every two weeks I have a few words and phrases to focus on, and I try to find opportunities to take pictures of these things each week. The link-up post will be here every other Thursday, sharing my photos and offering a link-up for participants to share theirs. Right below the link-up is where you'll find the next set of prompts. 

March/April Prompts - Everyday Images #85
~~~~~

evening and/or morning
current season (quarterly)
beside me
bloom
table
bridge
sparkle
~~~~~

evening and/or morning - I usually end the day similar to how I start it, with a cup of coffee. In the evening, it's more likely to be flavored coffee, or possibly an Irish coffee. In the morning it's regular coffee with just cream.

this is evening - don't mix them up!

morning coffee


current season (quarterly) - the forest over at Blendon Woods is coming back to life for spring!




beside me - hubby agreed to stand beside me for a photo op at church on Resurrection Day. But I didn't take that photo myself, obviously, so I also included another one - his car parked beside me - because I just liked the colors of the sky and the reflections on the car.




bloom - I believe this is a trout lily blooming, but facing away from my camera.



table - I made a caprese salad grazing board for our Resurrection Day meal



bridge



sparkle - lots of sequins and sparkle to be seen anywhere there's a Sweet Adelines chorus performing!



 And a few bonus photos:


I was in Covington for Sweet Adelines Regional on the last weekend of March.

view from the convention center



so proud of our friends Y-NOT on the quartet medals!


This past Saturday, we went to Blendon Woods to hike and in particular to see how the eagles were doing.





A couple other families were there and had a nifty phone/binocular/tripod setup that made it easy to see the eagles. They were kind enough to share their view.


Went out for dinner afterwards. Felt lucky to be able to get into the restaurant at all since this Canada goose had appointed itself as a guard. LOL



He is Risen! Hallelujah!



I am sharing my photos every other Thursday, along with my prompts for the next two weeks. You can use all or some of the prompts for your own photo posts, or none of the prompts and just link up a post featuring your photos. Simple rules: Your posts must be family-friendly; the photos must be your own; and the post must be mostly photos. If you do share I'd appreciate a mention and link to A Fresh Cup of Coffee on your post.


The Everyday Images link-up is posted every other Thursday, and is open for two weeks.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

April Prompts - Everyday Images #86
~~~~~

purple
out for a walk (quarterly)
grow
at home (monthly)
trees
big and/or small
birds


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©2006-2026 HS Coffee Break/Just A Second/A Fresh Cup of Coffee. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human. https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/ 

 This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Fresh Cup of Coffee helps continue the coffee breaks and conversation. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat