Everyday Images #81

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. 

January/February Prompts - Everyday Images #81

~~~~~

middle

at work

shadow

weathered

pink

current project (quarterly)

sweet

~~~~~

middle - I had trouble with this prompt! This is a run-off pond in the "middle" between the two driveways and parking lots at work. There are usually quite a few birds around, including Canada geese and green herons.

at work - this little cartoon on my bulletin board to make me smile

shadow - not taken on Groundhog Day, but close. Six weeks more winter it is.

weathered - spotted at Old 42 Antiques - wouldn't this be pretty on a little patio?

pink - I have so few pink things in my house that I just settled for a photo of a highlighter! LOL

current project (quarterly) - I have been working on purging a lot of files and reorganizing stuff. This is the staging area while I was sorting. The box under the envelopes is the extra hanging file folders so now I can finish this project!

sweet - popcorn! I guess more specifically, the popcorn we bought to try, which is in the next photo . . . the blue corn is supposed to be sweet. I'll let you know when we try it!

 And a few bonus photos:

Not many photos during the past couple weeks, mostly because we so seldom ventured outside and sure didn't spend time outdoors! It was brutally cold during most of this time, and certainly not suitable for outside adventures or walks. Plus the pathways cleared around our apartment didn't always follow the actual sidewalk, so when we got a couple of warmer days and things started thawing, it was just muddy. Yuck. I prefer the snow!

Anyway, we did go out to Plain City a couple weekends ago at the request of our daughter-in-law to celebrate her birthday with a fun shopping trip and buffet dinner. We explored a couple of shops, including the Amish market with the popcorn, and an antique store with some interesting curiosities.

Yeah, I don't know about that one. It's so weird.

We've got giant icicles, and unfortunately as the snow and ice on the rooftops melts, there's the occasional water seepage inside so that's fun. Last weekend we had water coming into our apartment from the unit next door and had to have a carpet blower brought in to dry the corner of our place.

But on the plus side, we've spotted robins!

We had the kids over to watch the SuperBowl. Not that super, to be honest, but our food was good!

Guess it's about time to say good-bye to my poinsettia.

Any ideas what I should make for dinner tonight? 

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

February Prompts - Everyday Images #82

~~~~~

pages

numbers

at home (monthly)

red

window view

selfie (quarterly)

architecture

Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to A Fresh Cup of Coffee by email. 

©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.

Show Some Love for the Wednesday Hodgepodge

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.  What's something recent that had you 'tickled pink'?

 

I can't think of anything in particular. Or at least not the way I picture being 'tickled pink'. 

 

2. A bed of roses, everything's coming up roses, every rose has its thorn, stop and smell the roses, rose-colored glasses, a rose among thorns . . . which rosy expression might currently be applied to your life in some way?

Maybe "every rose has its thorn". Even though I'm generally optimistic and see the bright side of things, I'm also realistic. Lately I've had good days and bad days, and have recognized that there are no perfect solutions or outcomes. We make the best of the situations we're given, make the best decisions we can, but there's always something pokey or uncomfortable that we have to navigate around. Like those thorns. You have to pay attention to where they are and work around them.

 

3. What makes you feel loved and appreciated?

 A "thank you" or compliment, some help or a break from household chores, or a small but thoughtful gift. From my husband or my family, a hug or just spending some time doing something together.

4. A box of chocolates or a bouquet of fresh flowers - what's your pleasure? Any special plans for Valentine's Day?

 I'd rather have fresh flowers. I love chocolates too, but I don't need the calories. We haven't got the details worked out, but our Valentine's Day date is going to be going to the home show with friends from church. He works for one of the vendors so they are sharing their passes with us.Works out pretty good because we'd like to see the show, but aren't homeowners here, and it gives us a fun day out without having to compete for tables at a romantic restaurant!

 

5.  Share a favorite quote, scripture, or song lyric relating to love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

~I Corinthians 13:4-7~

Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly.

~I Peter 1:22~

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

~I Peter 4:8~

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. ~Charles M. Schulz 

This is one of the earlier songs my daughter wrote.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm pretty late getting my Hodgepodge posted again this week, so I'll limit my random thought to sharing this Strange Planet drawing that I love. I'll try not to be so late in coming round to visit my fellow Hodgepodgers this time!

 

Have you got fun Valentine's Day plans, or is it just another day? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm sharing in this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge at 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 - Let's Eat Out! I host the Everyday Images photo link-up every other Thursday. And find the Scripture and a Snapshot link-up here every Sunday.

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to A Fresh Cup of Coffee by email. 

 ©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.

Scripture and a Snapshot - A Trustworthy Saying

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

~Titus 3:4-8~

<div style='width:100%;text-align:center;'> <span style='margin:5px;padding:5px;border-radius: 5px;border:1px solid lightgrey;display:inline-block;'><a rel=_nofollow href='https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/search/label/Scripture%20and%20a%20Snapshot'> <img style='border: 1px solid gray;width:330px;height:330px;' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMYBH-E-prT2YPcylM317xxDLmZ5VY3s1GIZzeJiejCkPrqH9glQEKdMuIJGd9hJ1v9vBjdo5hNfP6NpTCGipGSyUjOe4GAVTnum0HCprjwTGZjrIepEuJarDDdpwjJz30eTMklMe1ho/s320/scripture+snapshot.jpg'><p style='align: center;'> </p> </a></span>

Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I also link up at the Sweet Tea & Friends Monthly Link-up Party hosted by Grace-Filled Moments

Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to A Fresh Cup of Coffee by email 

©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/ 

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.

Currently . . . February 6, 2026

The "Currently" link-up at the beginning of each month is now hosted at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa. Our new hostess Amy posts a set of action verb prompts for the month and writers respond. So, without further ado, here are this month's prompts and what's happening currently . . .

***********

Loving - Things I'm loving right now include:

I do love the snow photos. Even though it's still really cold, and I'm wondering whether there'll be a noticeable spike in our utility bills, and even though we're at the point where there's salt and slush to navigate, I still love the brightness of the snow where it's still clean and white, and the hoarfrost we've seen on trees and fences a couple times. I love seeing the photos people are sharing of their winter walks and snowy adventures.

I love coffee, as always.

This week, I especially loved getting together with friends for dinner on Thursday. Columbus Restaurant Week was extended by many restaurants since the weather was so bad last week. We met at Bareburger to try it out, and it was really good! On Friday night we're getting together with friends for a pizza and games night. The truth is, I love having a bit of a social life! I reflected with a friend recently that we feel like we shouldn't complain about our calendars being full and busy, because not so long ago when we had both moved to new cities we felt so isolated and purposeless with nothing on our calendars and too much time on our hands.

Baking/Cooking -  I've baked some bread recently, and wish I had time to bake more. I made my signature Pesto Bread, and tried adding strips of pepperoni to it as well. I feel like the trick to getting that right will be finding the sweet spot for how much pepperoni to add. It has to be enough to have really bold taste, but no so much that the oils in the pepperoni seep out during baking and make a mess. I haven't really had much time to cook or bake this week, since I was only home one evening out of five! We haven't even settled on a definite menu for SuperBowl Sunday, but I plan on keeping it pretty simple since it will be just us and our son's family. 

Watching/Reading - Other than hockey, I haven't watched any TV lately. With the Olympics starting now, we plan to watch some of that coverage as we're able. I suspect we'll often be watching the collections of daily highlights. 

I usually add a Coffee Break Reading List as a bonus at the end of my Currently post. but since "reading" is a prompt, I'm moving that up to this spot. I'm currently working on two books, and I'm working on getting a review posted for the book I just finished, 

I'm currently reading . . . 

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber

The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

 

More reading news and recent reviews are at Just A Second.

Planning - the menu for our little family SuperBowl party, and intending to keep it simple. Also planning to visit the "phone store" this weekend because my phone has been giving me fits since shortly after Christmas - it's way too often that it can't stay connected to any kind of network except when I'm at home, making the phone largely useless. The GPS doesn't stay online so it doesn't recalculate directions properly, and some days I don't even have the ability to call or text! I mean, at the very bare minimum, a smartphone should be allowing me to make calls other than just to 911, am I right? I suspect they'll just push me to a new phone, so I'm gonna have to be prepared for that.

Savoring - good food, good coffee, and company with good people. How's that for a succinct answer?

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

Here's what remains on the short version of the Coffee Break Reading List . . . 

Quotable (I've enjoyed hunting up little quotes to sprinkle into my posts, and I host a regular Wednesday Quotes link party based on interesting quotes. I share one or two here as a sort of teaser for the link-up.):

Shut the door not that it lets in the cold but that it lets out the coziness. ~Mark Twain

I judge a restaurant by the bread & the coffee. ~Burt Lancaster

Consider this your invitation to stop by the current link-up and join us: WQ - Let's Eat out! The link-up is open for two weeks, and the next one will open on February 18th, with the theme: Being Responsible.

 

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

Some fun things I've found during coffee breaks:

Sometimes my Duolingo gets me:

This line from The Princess Bride takes on new meaning in 2026:

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

What's currently happening in your life? Leave a comment and let me know! 

This post will be linked at this month's edition of "Currently" hosted by Amy at Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to A Fresh Cup of Coffee by email. 

 ©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.