Wednesday Hodgepodge - Orange and Other Fall Things

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!

Anyone tired of the Toronto Blue Jays mug photo? I'm not! I made it extra large this week to celebrate the Blue Jays going to the World Series! Woo hoo!!!

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

1.  What do you like most about your family?

 

I love that we all get along well and enjoy each other's company. There's no big drama or little feuds going on. Yeah, of course there are minor annoyances and frustrations, but we are a family who like spending time together and helping each other out. The kids' significant others fit into our family so well and (as far as I know anyway!) they enjoy spending time with the whole gang as well. The kids in Maryland still share our house, and all go to the same church, often serving in the same ministry groups. The only way I could love this aspect of our family better is if we all lived closer together so we could get together more often.  

2. What's something nice that's happened to you recently?

I've received some sweet and unexpected compliments that really made my day. Or days, since I can think of three in the past week or so.

3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and actual orange, what's something orange you love?

 To me, orange is a color for foods and flowers and autumn leaves, but it's not a color I wear (except for my safety orange hoodie that I wear at work) and it's not a color I decorate with. So I like it, in its place. I love sunsets and they are very often orange.

 

4. What's something you have now you couldn't have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What's possible now because of it?

 Season tickets for NHL hockey. To be clear, we don't have our own season ticket package, but we share a package with friends. But even having a quarter season makes us feel really lucky and sort of like we've 'arrived'. When we were first married (way more than five years ago) season tickets in Calgary, where we lived, were next to impossible to get and wildly out of our price range anyway. We put our name on the waiting list thinking that by the time they got to us maybe we'd have made it big and could afford it. When we first moved to Maryland, twenty-five-ish years ago, we got a ten-game package for the Capitals for one or two seasons but it was a stretch to get to the games and then the price went up so we were done with that. Five years ago we would never have considered even a partial package because the Washington Capitals tickets were so expensive, and it was an expensive headache to get to the games. Here the tickets are more reasonably priced and the arena is about half an hour away. As to what's possible? That's a little harder to answer, but personally I pay more attention to hockey news again, and every game is a fun date night!

 

5.  Let's wrap this one up with an October this or that . . .

• pumpkin bread or apple cider donut
• cozy sweater or cozy hoodie
• apple picking or pumpkin picking
• scary movie or Hallmark movie
• hay ride or corn maze
• twinkle lights or candles
• autumn hike or autumn bonfire

 

• although I like both, I definitely prefer pumpkin bread
• cozy hoodie!
• I guess pumpkin picking, since I'd only need to pick one or two and I'd be done
• Hallmark movie for sure, I'm not at all a fan of scary movies
• I find a corn maze more entertaining, and less itchy
• Both!! I guess twinkle lights if I can only choose one
• Can I sit at the bonfire after the hike? This is the hardest choice. I guess I'll choose the hike.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This week is the Sweet Adelines International right here in Columbus and I so wish I could be there! Scioto Valley Chorus is competing at next year's International, which will also be here in Columbus. I couldn't justify taking any days off work to attend, so I'll be watching the live webcast as much as possible, and I'm really looking forward to going to the Coronet Club show on Friday night!

 So many photos in this Hodgepodge! I kept adding them and thinking "I'm overdoing it" haha. I'll share more photos tomorrow in the Everyday Images photo link-up. I hope you'll join me for that!

Also the current Wednesday Quotes link-up can be found here:  WQ - Daily Bread. Stop by and share a few thoughts and quotes!

What nice things are happening for you this week? 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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 ©2006-2025 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 - This Is The Way

 

For this is what the master, the LORD, the Holy One of Israel says:

"If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered;

if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength,

but you were unwilling, . . .

[and you said, "No!" . . . therefore you shall flee . . . till you are left . . . like a signal on a hill.]

For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy;

he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you.

Indeed, the LORD is a just God;

all you wait for him in faith will be blessed.

For people will live in Zion;

in Jerusalem you will weep no more.

When he hears your cry of despair, he will indeed show you mercy;

when he hears it, he will respond to you.

The sovereign master will give you distress to eat

and suffering to drink;

but your teachers will no longer be hidden;

your eyes will see them.

You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying,

"This is the correct way, walk in it,"

whether you are heading to the right or to the left.

~Isaiah 30:15-21~

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All The Colors of 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.  Do you make an effort to see/hear live music? Last time you went somewhere for the live music?

 

Yes, we do. We love music and concerts and wish we had the time and money to go much more often. We don't often wind up in restaurants or bars with a live band, and rarely go in search of a place like that, but we do try to go to concerts. Other than my chorus shows, it has been awhile since the last concert we went to. I think the last one might have been Toby Mac and Crowder in the spring. We tend to go to big concerts more often than small local live music events these days.

 

2. According to HGTV the colors of the year for 2026 are mostly decided Top paint companies declare a color of the year, and decorators will incorporate that into their new year home and room designs. Here's what's on tap in terms of paint trends for 2026 (check out the link HERE to see photos)

• Sherwin Williams - universal khaki (inspired by heavy canvas and outdoor gear)
• Behr - hidden gem (a confident shade of teal)
• Valspar - warm eucalyptus (a warm silver tinted green)
• Dutch Boy - melodious ivory (a honey tinted beige)
• Glidden - warm mahogany (a classic brick red)
• Krylon - matte coffee bean
• Clark and Kensington - Hazelnut Crunch (warm reddish-brown)
• Graham and Brown - Divine Damson (cherry red with a subtle violet undertone)
• Dunn and Edwards - midnight garden (the green that works everywhere)

First question - did you know there were so many different paint manufacturers? Which color on the list most appeals to you in terms of your own decorating style? Do you have plans to do any painting in your home in the coming year, and if so might you choose a color from this list?

Now, forget painting walls, which color name appeals to you most?

I'm familiar with the first five manufacturers on the list, but the final four don't look familiar to me at all! I love Midnight Garden and Warm Eucalyptus and can picture choosing either of those for my home. Universal Khaki would be a really nice neutral. At present, I don't have plans to do any painting - certainly not here in a rental! - but since we're looking to buy something around the middle of 2026 there's a decent chance we'll want to paint a place that's just become ours to do with as we like. 

Warm Mahogany is the most appealing name on the list. 

 3. What's something in your life you have to do - watch - or participate in that's about as exciting as 'watching paint dry'?

 Filing and shredding. Filing is super non-exciting, but it's usually short bursts of time that I spend on it at work. But I also shred old stuff and that's loud and time-consuming as well as being extremely boring.

4. Tuesday, October 14th is/was National Dessert Day . . . did you/will you celebrate? Tell us how? What's your absolute favorite dessert? Yes, just one. I know!!

 We didn't celebrate but I sure would have liked to. I love desserts! All the desserts! I made butter tarts on the weekend and we were still eating those so I guess we kind of celebrated. My absolute favorite is . . . hmmm . . . let's go with tiramisu.

 

5.  Perhaps today is the day I will _______________________________.

 Reset the clock in our bedroom and figure out how to disable the alarm. Every time the power goes out and I have to reset that clock, it takes WEEKS and multiple attempts before I can figure out how to just set the clock so we can see the time without the alarm going off every day. It's really not worth the effort, is it. Perhaps today is the day I will not worry about that particular clock and just go to bed on time.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It was Thanksgiving in Canada on Monday. We love a good Thanksgiving and a good turkey so we celebrated on the weekend. We had friends over for dinner on Saturday evening, and then went out for lunch with another friend on Sunday. It was a good weekend even though the Blue Jays lost their games against the Mariners and we were NOT thankful for that. 

I didn't bake bread for the Thanksgiving meal but I'm planning to bake bread this weekend. I kind of have to because after getting my post ready for the current Wednesday Quotes link-up I was craving fresh bread! The current theme is "Daily Bread" and you can find my post here: WQ - Daily Bread. Stop by and share a few thoughts and quotes! The Everyday Images photo link-up is also open for your photo posts.

What are your favorite desserts or favorite colors? 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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 ©2006-2025 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.

WQ - Daily Bread

Give us each day our daily bread . . .

~Luke 11:3~

I love bread. In fact, it's probably my favorite food. I don't eat bread every day, but oh how I wish I could! Bread has been a staple food since ancient times, and I'd venture to say that every people and culture has some kind of bread that is central to their diet. Almost every culture has their own signature type of bread. When I was homeschooling, we often tried foods from countries or cultures we were studying, and whenever I could include a bread, I did. I flirted with the idea of coming up with a course that would see us baking and sampling breads from around the world in a sort of bakery world tour. 

How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like kleenex? ~Julia Child

I don't know which nation she was referring to, but sadly, dry and tasteless breads do exist, and are a real disappointment. I feel like those breads are meant to be merely containers or carriers of more flavorful foods, and not the feature of a meal. Good bread is full of flavor and texture, and smells glorious. 

An early form of leavened bread was around in ancient Sumeria, the cradle of civilization in the middle east. The Old Testament tells us that God provided a miraculous bread from heaven to the Hebrews during all the decades they were in the wilderness. This is where the references to "daily bread" originate, and why bread is symbolic of God's provision throughout the Bible. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all considered good baking as a sign of civilized people. Once baked, bread can be eaten cold or hot. It can be reheated and toasted. It can be eaten with the hands, and is very often used as the 'utensil' for scooping or holding other foods. It can be savory or sweet, and can be eaten on its own or with spreads or toppings, dipped in gravy or sauce, or as an ingredient in other dishes. 

Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts. ~James Beard

If you have extraordinary bread and extraordinary butter, its hard to beat bread and butter. ~Jacques Pepin

A meal of bread, cheese, and beer constitutes the perfect food. ~Elizabeth I

Bread is symbolic of daily provision or necessities all around the world. Again, that reference to 'daily bread' comes to mind. Richly productive agricultural areas are called 'bread-baskets'. We talk about bread-winners and who 'puts the bread on the table', and might call our tried-and-true basic skills as our 'bread and butter'. Bread and dough are both slang terms for money. 

The best poet is the man who delivers our daily bread: the local baker. ~Pablo Neruda

We light the oven so that everyone may bake bread in it. ~Jose Marti

Bread is also symbolic of home and hearth, and of hospitality. To break bread with someone is to share a meal and gracious conversation. 

The smell of good bread baking,

like the sound of lightly flowing water,

is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.

~M.F.K. Fisher

Here are a couple of my favorite bread recipes, tried and true since my homeschooling days:

Za'atar Flatbread

Rosh Hashanah - Day of Trumpets (recipe for Challah)

A Taste of Italy with Tomato and Parmesan Bread (nowadays I bake this with a good basil pesto instead of the sun-dried tomatoes)

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

Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true brea from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

"Sir," they said, "always give us this bread."

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

~John 6:32-35~

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

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 2025 Themes

January 8 - Planning Ahead/Setting Goals

January 22 - Winter Sleep

February 5 - Love Inspires Us

February 19 - Staying Balanced

March 5 - First Impressions

 March 19 - Looking After Yourself

April 2 - Competition

April 16 - Spring Colours

April 30 - Morning Routines

May 14 - Memorable Vacations

May 28 - Telling Your Stories

June 11 - Summer Fun

June 25 - Patriotism

July 9 - Hobbies

July 23 - Being Adventurous

August 6 - Spirituality

August 20 - Writing Letters

September 3 - Chocolate

September 17 - Making and Keeping Promises

October 1 - Autumn/Another Spring

October 15 - Daily Bread

October 29 - Night Skies/Stargazing

November 12 - Good Manners

November 26 - Celebrating Holidays

December 10 - Winter Wonderland

December 24 - Holiday Memories

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 ©2006-2025 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.