A Fresh Cup of Coffee

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Wednesday Hodgepodge on Earth 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. April 22nd is Earth Day . . . what's the most 'out of this world' place on earth you've ever visited? Tell us something about it.

I can't help thinking about a couple places I've visited that have otherworldly landscapes or features. When I was a kid my family went on a road trip vacation that included stops at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and Arches National Park in Utah. Craters of the Moon is a huge area of lava flows and cinder towers in a sort of desert landscape. When you're there, the name totally makes sense! We didn't have much time at Arches, and I'd love to go back and see it again. My family drove through the Badlands area of South Dakota a number of times, and that's an otherworldly landscape I've driven through a couple of times as an adult as well. I think these come to mind as 'out of this world' because they are unusual, rugged, harsh, seemingly barren landscapes that look like something from a science fiction movie, but they are also beautiful places where wildlife and plants do flourish.

Craters of the Moon - cinder towers (image from Wikimedia)

Delicate Arch in the Arches National Park, Utah, appearing an orange colour in the evening light

Delicate Arch (image from Wikimedia)

Badlands (image from Wikimedia)

2. A favorite quote, verse, or song lyric with the word earth in it?

This is a favorite Scripture passage, from Paul's speech in Athens:

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

~Acts 17:26-27~

And a quote:

My soul can find no staircase to Heaven unless it be through Earth's loveliness. ~Michelangelo

3. What's the most trivial thing about which you have a strong opinion?

Okay, I'm pretty sure I've shared this one before, but I feel some kind of a way about the kinds of cups I drink from, especially hot coffee. It needs to be in a proper mug or travel mug. Disposable paper hot cups are okay, but I don't like those plastic lids. I use a straw if I have to drink from a paper cup with a lid, and even when I use a travel mug. Styrofoam cups are just wrong, and I have a very strong opinion about that. Which means that at least for me, it's not trivial. Haha.

lid came off immediately after I took the photo

cute cup, but I didn't like drinking out of it

4. What's your most commonly used kitchen utensil or tool? What's the last thing you made using that tool?

Maybe I should have been keeping a tally in my kitchen since Sunday, but even so I haven't done much cooking! Hmm. There's quite a few that get used constantly, like the coffee scoop and spatula and can opener. Obviously I make coffee with the coffee scoop, a couple times a day. I have a skinny scraper that I use for everything from scraping food out of cans or jars, scraping a bowl or measuring cup when cooking, stirring food, and it can even be used as a shallow serving spoon in a pinch. I can't think what the last thing was that I MADE using it, but the last time I used it was to scoop yogurt out of the big tub into a smaller container suitable to take to work.

5. Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me a great book of 3000 questions, and I'm going to try to use one in our Hodgepodge every week. Here is today's -

What is your greatest extravagance?

I think where I'm tempted to spend more money than I should and kind of not care is when it comes to eating out. We don't eat at really expensive top tier restaurants and we don't usually eat out more than once a week on average, but when we do we order what we want without thinking too much about the price, and we often order more than we need. If we are eating out with our kids, we're likely to be extravagant enough to treat everyone.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

House hunting update: We decided on the house we want, made an offer on it, and are currently negotiating a price. Praying, keeping our fingers crossed, and asking for all the good wishes that we can agree and sign a contract this week! We're doing everything we can to make it happen!

How would answer any of these questions? 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 - 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.

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.

Sunday, April 19, 2026

Sunday Stills and Flower Hour - Hoover Mudflats Boardwalk

The theme for this week's Sunday Stills Photo Challenge is "Celebrating Earth Day" and I thought a few photos from our exploration of the Hoover Mudflats Boardwalk at the Hoover Reservoir Nature Preserve in Galena, Ohio would fit. This boardwalk was closed for a couple of years after it was damaged - by ice, I think - and now that all the repairs and upgrades are finished, it reopened about a month ago.

There was a chilly wind and it was very cloudy and threatening rain most of the time we were there, but we still enjoyed a walk out to the end of the boardwalk and then a hike on a trail through some of the wetland area. We heard a lot of birds, and made several sightings, including cormorants roosting on an island in the reservoir and ospreys that nest nearby. The nesting platform we spotted that was surely intended for the ospreys had instead been claimed by a Canada goose, so we weren't quite sure where the osprey nest was.

A few wildflowers for the Flower Hour:

This post is shared at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives for the #SundayStills Photo Challenge and/or #TheFlowerHour Photo Challenge.

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

Scripture and a Snapshot - Confidence

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us ― whatever we ask ― we know that we have what we asked of him.

~I John 5:14-15~

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.

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

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.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Wednesday Hodgepodge on Tax Day

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!

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

This post is shared at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives for the #SundayStills Photo Challenge and/or #TheFlowerHour Photo Challenge.

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

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~

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.

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

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.