Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Wednesday Hodgepodge - When (Not) In Rome


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.  Are you a naturally trusting person? Is trust built on logic or 'gut instinct'? Does everyone deserve a second chance? Elaborate.
 
I don't think I'm a naturally trusting person, because I am reserved and cautious about what I share when I meet someone new. I suppose I'm inwardly a skeptic but unless something strikes me wrong right from the beginning, I'll give people a chance to earn my trust. There's an element of 'gut instinct' to it, and generally I say to trust your gut when it comes to safety and to personal information; but that intuition is probably based more on logic than we might realize. I definitely weigh how trustworthy someone is based on the logical conclusions I can draw, but listen to my intuition and instinct as well.  
 
Everyone deserves a second chance, but not everyone deserves a second chance with ME. I believe that everyone makes mistakes, and should get a chance to correct the mistake if possible. I also believe that everyone can change, so just because you lost my trust in the past doesn't necessarily mean you'll never get a chance to earn it back. But that depends on what you did to lose it. I'll forgive, but that doesn't obligate me to open myself up to someone who has proven themselves to be untrustworthy. Some people would just have to do a whole lot more to prove to me that they deserve their second chance FROM ME. And I can think of a number of examples of people that did me dirty in some way that I'm unlikely to trust in any significant way ever again, even though I've forgiven them for what they did, and I'm even still friendly with some of them. I just know the distance that I'm okay with and don't invite them any closer than that.  
 
2. 'Beware the Ides of March' . . . March 15th on the ancient Roman calendar, these words were made famous by William Shakespeare in play Julius Caesar. Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 B.C. Have you read any Shakespeare? If so, do you have a favorite? Have you ever been to Rome?

It's been quite a few years, but yes I've read a fair amount of Shakespeare and have enjoyed all of it. I like the comedies because the humor is so clever and yet so ridiculous in places. Maybe Twelfth Night would be my favorite because it's the first Shakespeare play I remember reading in school and I got a kick out of the wordplay and the obvious farce of it. Some of the speeches and soliloquies in the histories and tragedies are so memorable though. The St Crispins Day speech from Henry V is one that really stands out. When I taught high school English, that speech was studied as an example of persuasive argument so it has stuck with me. No, I've never been to Rome, but I'd love to see it someday.

 


3. Do you like a Caesar salad? If given the choice between a garden/house salad or Caesar which do you order? Anchovies or no? What's your favorite salad dressing?

 No thank you on a Caesar salad! I'll choose the garden salad every time, and anchovies are a hard no in every situation. (This reminds me, one of our favorite local pizza places in Maryland was called No Anchovies. They did, however, have anchovies available if anyone actually did want them on pizza.) My favorite dressing by far is Thousand Island. If this isn't available, I can make do with Catalina or French. 

Distantly related fun fact: The cocktail known as Bloody Caesar was invented at the Calgary Inn in Calgary, Alberta. I know this, not because I have ever had a Bloody Caesar (Clamato juice = blech), but because I stumbled across this info years ago and recognized the name of the hotel in my hometown. It's since been renamed the Westin.

 4.  Where do you typically work (or blog if that's easier) at home? Do you have a dedicated home office space? Are you happy with that space?

 I blog and do the household work related to bills and such at my desk in the spare room. So it's not dedicated as only a home office. There's a sofa in here that folds down into a bed so it can be used as a guest room. I'm pretty happy with the space, all things considered. In my ideal world, we would have a dedicated office space, but it's not totally necessary, and this has served very well. I should keep it tidier though, but that's on me, not the space!

5.  Snow drops, daffodils, lenten roses, crocus, hyacinth, or early tulips . . . what's your favorite early Spring flower?

 I love all of them (had to look up what lenten roses are) but tulips are my favorite. I like having cut flowers in my dining room, but in spring I often get small potted tulips or hyacinth instead or in addition. I'm looking forward to the Tulip Festival coming up at the greenhouse and garden center where my husband works!
 




 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I looked in the archives to remind myself what I found out about the Ides of March a couple years ago for a Wednesday Quotes theme. The Romans had three set points in each month, based on the moon. The Ides was the first full moon of each month. The Nones is the 5th or 7th or 8th days before the Ides, and the Kalends is the first day of the following month. The Ides falls on the 13th of most months, but on the 15th in four months, including March. The Ides of March would be first full moon of a new year, and was the beginning of spring, which naturally meant feasting and celebrating. The Ides of March was also the day that consuls (state officials) took office. At least until 153BC when, for some reason, the consuls started their terms on the first day of January. And then, along came Julius Caesar and in 46BC he changed the Roman calendar to establish January 1st as the start of the New Year. Julius Caesar didn't get to celebrate very many New Years before he was assassinated. He was stabbed to death in the Senate house by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus on the Ides of March in the year 44BC, and of course that's how the date came to be such a well-known one. And it was obviously a huge event that changed the course of Roman history.

From WQ - The Ides of March in 2024.


Which spring flowers are your favorite? Or do you have a fun Rome-related piece of trivia to share? Leave a comment and let me know!



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 - Libraries. 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

Monday, March 9, 2026

Currently . . . March 9, 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 . . .

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Before I get into it, let me briefly explain that yes, I reordered the prompts, and I did that because my answer to "saving my life" was kind of a heavy, so I didn't want to lead off with that! Also my Currently "template" starts with this one and I'm used to starting with it:

Loving - Things I'm loving right now include:

Hockey - it's countdown to playoffs, and every game matters! The Blue Jackets have a chance to grab the wild card spot and we sure hope they do!


Foggy mornings. And sometimes foggy afternoons and evenings. I really like fog, though if it's really thick it's stressful to drive through.



If it's hockey playoffs, and the mornings are often foggy, that means spring is on the way, and I'm loving the hints of green, the growing number of birds to be seen, and the blue skies and warmer days.



Cleaning/Purging - I've been having trouble keeping up, but I am working on cleaning up everything around the desk and purging all the papers we don't need. I've tossed a lot, and will be tossing more as I finish up with taxes. (Taxes were on hold while I waited for a corrected document, and then all of last week because I didn't have the brain power ability to take that on after spending all day in  court.)

It's about time to do a major fridge and pantry cleanout and reorganize as well. Hopefully sometime this week.


Planning (trip wise) - I have a trip planned for the end of this month, for Sweet Adelines Regional competition. I'm sharing hotel with three other chorus members, and I'm not the "room captain" this time, so my travel plan basically consists of deciding how early I'm heading down on that Friday and if I can carpool with someone else or not.

More personally, the family is working on vacation plans for a trip to Niagara Falls for our summer family get-together. My parents are planning to join us this year, so that's exciting, and why we've decided Niagara Falls area will be a better choice than Gatlinburg, which we had originally considered. That planning got stalled thanks to my being in court all week, so we need to get that moving again and book one of the houses we've narrowed it down to.


Saving My Life Right Now - During the past week one of the things that's been saving my peace of mind is the American judicial system. Oh, I know we've been hearing a lot of corrupt and obstructionist judges that insert themselves into political questions, because that makes news. What doesn't usually make the news is the many trials by jury happening all over the country every week, and the weighty matters that are being considered and decided by jurors that are taking seriously their responsibility to reach fair verdicts, under the instructions and guidance given by the judges. I spent the week serving on a jury for a case of murder. Everyone, including the judge and the lawyers on both teams, very conscientiously fulfilled their responsibility to follow the law and do justice. It was hard, heavy, and sad work to reach verdicts. In the end, we did, and while I don't think we could say we were happy about our decisions, we were all settled that we had considered every question before us with full gravity and addressed every doubt. 

So why is that "saving my life"? Because that roomful of diverse citizens that respectfully and thoughtfully - and sometimes passionately - worked their way to unanimity on those questions represents to me that there is a sizeable "jury pool" of people of many backgrounds and beliefs and experiences that love and respect this country and its laws enough to do the hard work necessary to preserve justice and order. I don't know the religious viewpoints of the others on the jury, but it wouldn't surprise me if others besides me prayed hard about our deliberations. I'm encouraged that the vast majority of criminal cases are decided by thoughtful, responsible jurors. And also, they were just wonderful people and I wish it made sense to hang out socially with them.

Taking a Break From - All the seriousness and weight of a week of jury duty, and making this week a more fun and lighthearted week! I started shaking off the mood on Saturday when I went to womens conference with some ladies from church, then to the hockey game in the evening. We went out to lunch with friends after church yesterday (my relationship with Jesus and my connection with church is always saving my life, by the way), and I didn't put pressure on myself to do a whole lot yesterday afternoon and evening. I'm back to work this week (I guess I took a break from work for a week, but it sure doesn't feel like it was a vacation!) and overall I'm expecting this week to be low-key, even though I have plenty I need to do at home!

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Here's a short Coffee Break Reading List . . . 


I'm currently reading . . . 

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber
When the Cranes Fly South: A Novel by Liza Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies)




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

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Something fun found during coffee breaks:


The same way I feel every year - that I heartily wish we could stop with this whole DST nonsense.

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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

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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

Sunday, March 8, 2026

Scripture and a Snapshot - Assurance



Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

~Hebrews 11:1-3, 6~





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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, March 5, 2026

March Into The 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.  As the saying goes, 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' Did your March come in roaring or like some other animal? Every month carries with it certain feelings, which is why some people love and anticipate December and others dread it. How do you feel about the month of March?
 
When it comes to the weather, I'd say March came in more like a lion. A stealthy lion rather than an openly aggressive, roaring lion. March 1st was pretty cold compared to the day before, and then we woke up to snow on Monday and the morning commute was absolutely awful for just about everyone. Other than the weather, it's hard to say whether it was more like a lion or a lamb. Might have to wait and compare it to the situations at month's end and see what I think! In general, I like March and have pretty positive feelings about it. It's got Pi Day (and I love pie), St Patricks Day (and I love Lucky Charms, Irish coffee, and all those fun things that go along with the day), and my daughter-in-law's birthday (and I really love my daughter-in-law!). March brings springtime and the Easter season, even when Resurrection Day falls in April. So lots of positives!
 
2. Where in your life are you a lion? Where are you a lamb?

I'm a lion when it comes to my family. I will defend them and stand with them, and I expect them to do the same. I would say I can be a lion when it comes to certain topics I have strong opinions about. Some topics related to Bible teaching and how Christians should live and behave would bring out a lion like response from me. I feel very strongly about some topics based on politics and law, and I suppose I'm rather a lion about those, even though I almost never bring up those subjects myself and don't start debates. I'm more of a lamb in a lot of small daily decisions, where I don't feel strongly one way or another, and I'm content to just say "whatever" and go along with whatever others want. 



3. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pound Cake day. Do you like pound cake? If so do you have a favorite flavor? Let's play this or that -

  • pound cake or layer cake?
  • pound cake or cheesecake?
  • pound cake or angel food cake?
  • pound cake or brownie?
  • pound cake or pie?

 I do like pound cake, but sure don't have it very often. I think lemon pound cake would be my favorite. I would choose layer cake, cheesecake, pound cake, brownie, and pound cake in those hypotheticals. Depending on the flavors of cheesecake and pie being offered. 

4.  What makes you feel childlike wonder right now?

 Fog. The moon and stars. The first green signs of crocuses and daffodils that are barely poking out of the ground, and other similar signs of spring.





coming soon!!

5.  What's one thing you need to add to your wardrobe to get ready for spring? 

 I've been needing a new pair of shoes for awhile. Not sure they're very specific to spring though. The problem is that there is only one shoe store around here that carries the brand I want, and their hours are basically the same as my work hours. I could order the shoes I want online, I guess, but I'd have to be pretty sure about their return policy before I do that. I'd like to get a new pair of canvas or light sneakers too, and that's more seasonal. Not something I need to acquire, but my spring raincoat has some sticker and tape residue on it that I need to clean and I'd better get it done soon!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This is a very different week. I was summoned for jury duty this week, so instead of going to work each day, I'm going downtown to the courthouse. I am on the jury in a case so of course we can't discuss it at all at this point. What I can say is that it's a really interesting experience.

At the same time I've got all these other things that I need to be making progress on, like all the stuff related to our house hunting, and we still need to make a decision on a vacation home. And I'm working on taxes. I was on the phone with my daughter a couple nights ago and she was talking about all the things on her to-do list and the frustrations she's running into. We are calling these tasks our Overwhelm Lists. Why is no one ever the correct amount of whelmed? We're either overwhelmed or underwhelmed.

A fun reading update - The 52 Book Club Challenge just sent out their March Mini-Challenge info and it's a Pick 3 from a brand new Mystery Genre Challenge, and while the Mini-Challenge is for this month, the entire Mystery Genre Challenge has no deadline date. My kind of challenge, at this point! Mystery is my preferred genre, so that makes it interesting and "doable" but because I don't have the time to read 50+ books a year at this point, a challenge that has no projected end date is fantastic. Go as fast or slow as I like! As you can see, I've already completed my first case!


Did March come in like a lion or a lamb for you? Leave a comment and let me know!



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 - Libraries. 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.

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

WQ - Libraries



I love libraries. What a wonderful invention the lending library is! I don't remember when my first experience with a library was, but I do remember spending lots of time in the library at my schools, from grade school up. I remember being taught how to use the card catalog and how the Dewey decimal system worked, and I was fascinated. I came up with a similar system of organizing the books I owned, and made date due cards for them. I don't think I had occasion to loan books out very often, but I was prepared! I very often walked to one of the two public library branches that were near our house and could spend hours there. 

 When my kids were young, we made regular visits to the library and I allowed them to borrow as many books as we could carry. We homeschooled, so the library was a valuable resource to supplement our curriculum. Every time we've moved, one of the things I've done first is get a library card for the local public library. That was true thirty-some years ago when we moved to Ocean City, NJ, and I was a young stay-at-home mom who didn't know anybody yet. It was true when we moved to Maryland and I was starting my homeschool mom journey and making new friends. And it was true just a few years ago when we moved to Ohio and I was an empty nest mom who didn't know anybody. 

Frederick Public Library

The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library. ~Albert Einstein

New Albany Public Library


The library, I believe, is the last of our public institutions to which you can go without credentials. You don't even need the sticker on your windshield that you need to get into the public beach. All you need is the willingness to read. ~Harry Golden

My mother and my father were illiterate immigrants from Russia. When I was a child they were constantly amazed that I could go to a building and take a book on any subject. They couldn't believe this access to knowledge we have here in America. They couldn't believe that it was free. ~Kirk Douglas

A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert. ~Andrew Carnegie



A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them. ~Daniel Handler

In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern boxes. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson



I don't know much at all about gardening, but this still seems like a pretty accurate statement!

This sums up my library goals:

I feel I want to be wise with white hair in a tall library in a deep chair by a fireplace. ~Gregory Corso

hmmm. Needs a comfy armchair, but close!


Seventy million books in America's libraries, but the one you want to read is always out. ~Thomas Lansing Masson

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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 - Perserverance
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.