A Fresh Cup of Coffee: June 2024

Thursday, June 20, 2024

WQ - Ocean Waves

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I'm participating in the Wednesday Quotes link-up hosted by Marsha at Always Write. In order to simplify her blogging schedule, Marsha has decided to choose themes for her posts as she goes, and has invited those of us who participate to simply include a quote in our post and choose our own themes as well. I still have the original list of prompts that I'll probably use from time to time, or I may combine my WQ posts with something else. Simplifying sounds like a good option for me as well!

Simplifying isn't going so great for me. Well, I'm simplifying, but I'm not keeping up with the blog the way I'd like to. Someday I'll learn some better juggling skills. Anyway, I had some photos and quotes pulled together on the Ocean theme that had been suggested for last week, but didn't finish organizing the post, so I'm doing it now, and maybe I'll do another WQ in a day or two.

Considering I lived in two states that were on the Atlantic coast for over twenty-five years, it may come as a bit of a surprise that I'm not absolutely in love with the beach or the water. I'm just not a beach person, I guess. I do love the ocean, especially the sound of the waves. We actually lived right across from the southern end of the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk during our first year in New Jersey, and it was amazing. Amazing! And every time I've visited the coast, I've been in awe.

Bethany Beach

Delaware

Florida Keys

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. ~Jacques Yves Cousteau

Chesapeake Bay

Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away. ~Sarah Kay

These photos are from the Bay of Fundy. The photo above is taken at low tide, and the one below is about the same spot, at nearly high tide.

The tide rises, the tide falls,

The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;

The little waves, with their soft, white hands,

Efface the footprints in the sands,

And the tide rises, the tide falls.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Prince Edward Island

New Brunswick

Florida Keys

A life on the ocean wave!

A home on the rolling deep,

Where the scattered waters rave,

And the winds their revels keep!

~Epes Sargent

One of the highlights (for me!) of the Atlantic Canada vacation we took many years ago was a tall ship whale-watching excursion off the coast of New Brunswick.

God is always seeking you. Every sunset. Every clear blue sky. Each ocean wave. The starry hosts of night. He blankets each new day with the invitation, ‘I am here.’ ~Louie Giglio

Sunset at Prince Edward Island

Sunrise at Daytona Beach

The LORD merely spoke,

and the heavens were created.

He breathed the word,

and all the stars were born.

He assigned the sea its boundaries

and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.

~Psalm 33:6-7~

Wednesday Quotes 2024 is hosted by Marsha at Always Write. See what we're inspired by this week: WQ#173: Nature Inspires Even If It Pokes Okay that was last week. This week is: WQ#174: Summer Evenings Inspire Gatherings

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Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Summer Splurge

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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. It's National Splurge Day . . . what's something you might splurge on today? What have you splurged on recently?

I didn't know there was a day dedicated to splurging! Is it just once a year? Sounds like the perfect time to buy a couple of little things I've had on my Amazon wishlist for a little bit. New in-ears, and a book I wanted to pre-order. I also wanted to buy some flowers for the dining room yesterday and didn't see what I wanted, but I probably won't splurge on those until the weekend. Let's see . . . recently I splurged on a new pair of shoes because I saw them on sale and had been toying with buying a new pair for a few weeks.

2. Do you have a beach bag? What's in it? Is a trip to the beach on your summer bucket list? Do you have a summer bucket list?

I don't have a beach bag. It's not like we go to a beach all that often. I haven't got a beach trip listed specifically on the summer bucket list, but we are thinking that a day at the lake is something we can add to our family vacation itinerary. That summer bucket list is mostly in my head, by the way. Nothing written down.

3. What's a song that makes you think of a summer past? What comes to mind when you hear it? What memories does it stir up for you?

I was surprised how hard I had to think about this one. I settled on Footloose - the original Footloose soundtrack from 1984. I graduated high school that year and I remember seeing the movie with my friend group and how much we loved the music. In a way it set the mood for that summer right out of high school, when it seemed important to do "all the things" in those last couple of months before we would be expected to begin acting more like adults! In my close friend group, just one of us started college immediately, and he went to a local school instead of going away. The rest of the group started working full time in the fall, and then a year later I went away to school and that's when our friend group dynamic really changed. And of course, we didn't know any of that in the summer of 1984!

4. Sushi - yay or nay? Have you actually tried it? If you love it what's your go-to order?

That's definitely a NAY for me. But no, I haven't actually tried it. I know there's more to it than raw fish, but that's all I can think of, and it skeeves me. There's not a lot of seafood that appeals to me.

I might eat a "dessert sushi" like this
one from the Peep Show, but I'm
not a big fan of Peeps either! LOL

5. I own a ridiculous amount of ____________.

Coffee mugs. At least that's what my husband would say, and has said a few times! I do have more than I need, but at least it's a collection that I make use of.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Last week we had summery weather but it was still comfortable. This week it feels much hotter, and sort of muggy already. I'm not complaining! It's just that it SEEMS to be a big change from one week to the next, but maybe it's not that big a jump after all. Here's to another day in the 90s!

What are you splurging on? And what's your weather like? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm sharing in this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.

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Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Everyday Images #38

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Welcome to another installment of my 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 find that I 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. Every two weeks I have a few words and phrases that I'm focusing on, and I try to find opportunities to take pictures of these things each week. These were the prompts I assigned myself for the past couple weeks:

June Prompts - Everyday Images #38

~~~~~

curved

weather (quarterly)

garden

open and/or closed

station

road

~~~~~

curved

weather (quarterly)

garden - had to pull this photo from the previous week because I don't have a garden! And somehow didn't find the chance to photograph one either.

open and/or closed - the canopy walk at Blacklick Metro Park opened recently and we went to check it out. So did a lot of other people!

station - When we first drove by this building in downtown Cleveland I assumed it was a train station, but that didn't make sense, so I took a second look. Obviously something being built around what remains of an old church. Do you think it looks reminiscent of old train stations? I did a little googling and found out it was once the UCC office headquarters and was sold to a developer who is converting it to apartments and office space.

road - more like the end of the road, I guess.

And a few bonus photos:

We went to Huron on June 8th, and enjoyed Lake Erie perch on a rooftop bar overlooking the lake.

Walked around a little bit, and tested our memories about which year it was we'd stayed at a hotel just up the block from here. (I was right, by the way. It was in 2016.)

From there we carried on to Cleveland and took in the Calder Cup playoff game.

Couple more photos from Blacklick and the canopy walk:

Went to the Clippers ball game on June 11th, because my chorus sang the anthem. Field level view just before we sang:

And development continues at nearby Taylor Farm Park. The railings are a nice addition!

We're getting a little taste of hot weather this week, and appreciate our pool and our air conditioner!

I am sharing my photos every other Tuesday, 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.

Everyday Images continues in 2024, every other Tuesday. And on the alternate Tuesdays, I'm hosting the Twenty-Six Lists link-up. I'd love to have you join me for that too!

June Prompts - Everyday Images #39

~~~~~

season (quarterly)

at home (monthly)

hills

flag

reflection

books

~~~~~

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