Tag Archives: Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge

July 14, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Favorite Holiday (and a Recipe)

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Click here to read everyone else’s replies to this week’s question and here to see the full list of topics for the year. Everyone who participates can sign up to win gift certificates and other prizes, so be sure to do that as well after you’ve added your post to the list.

A pumpkin covered in dew sitting in grass covered in dew. There is an orange leaf leaning up on the pumpkin.Halloween is my favourite holiday!

I love the magic of that season for so many different reasons.

Halloween candy is a delicious smorgasbord of flavours and textures. I love everything from candy corn to dark chocolate.

There are tons of creative costume ideas out there. It’s wonderful to see what folks come up with. I once knew someone who dressed up as a wedding cake for this holiday. How cool is that?

Seeing kids trick-or-treating makes me smile. It’s such a nice way to encourage neighbours to spend time together and be kind  to friends and strangers alike.

Halloween is also one of the rare times of the year when graveyards are mentioned a lot in pop culture. I don’t actually find cemeteries frightening at all. They’re often peaceful, beautiful places to visit in real life.

As far as a recipe goes, why not try something simple like roasted pumpkin seeds?

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups of raw whole pumpkin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of butter, melted (margarine or other fats can work well, too)
  • 1 pinch of salt

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 Celsius)

Toss the seeds in a bowl with the salt and melted butter until every seed is coated.

(This step is optional if you’re like me and also hate scrubbing oily dishes) Put a sheet of tin foil on a baking sheet.

Spread the seeds in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for roughly 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. When the seeds are golden brown, they’re finished.

 

It’s healthy, easy, and delicious. I also find crunchy, salty things like this to be a nice break from all of the sugary foods of the season.

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July 7, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Best Biography or Autobiography

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Shot of daisy growing up from the ground. We can only see the bottom of the daisy and the blue but cloudy sky above.It was difficult to narrow my answer down to only one book this week.

There are so many amazing biographies and autobiographies out there, but in the end I had to go with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou for reasons I’ll get into below.

One, Ms. Angelou had a unique story to tell. Her childhood included very difficult experiences like moving between multiple households/caregivers as a small child and recovering from sexual abuse a few years later. (The incident itself was not included in her autobiography from what I recall, but I thought I should mention it for anyone who would rather not read about the after-effects of that topic).  With that being said, she was also surrounded by adults who loved her and who did everything they could to help her heal.

Two, the author had a poetic and descriptive writing style that is well-suited for an autobiography. She brought the heartwarming moments of her childhood to life in exquisite detail, and there were quite a few of them.

Three, everyone goes through tough times at one point or another. I find comfort in reading about the coping skills other people have relied upon when they experienced loss, trauma, grief, or other hard stuff. No two stories are every alike, but you can find many common threads in them if you pay attention.  It’s also encouraging to see examples of people persevering and eventually finding their way to happier chapters in life.

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June 30, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: People Who Inspire Me

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Every few months, the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge poses a question that makes me wish I could peek into all of your drafts folders as I’m writing my response to it. Will you all choose people you know or famous people?

I decided to nominate one famous person and a couple of people I know in real life.

Foster Parents

Several years ago, my brother and sister-in-law signed up to be foster parents. I won’t go into details about the children they looked after for confidentiality reasons, but I’m so proud of my relatives for the excellent care they provided for the little people who needed a safe place to call home for a while. Foster children deserve families who truly love and cherish them, and that’s exactly what my relatives did for their kids whether those kids stayed a few days, a few months, or forever.

Photo of Malala Yousafzai wearing a green dress and a purple headscarf Malala Yousafzai

I’m sure you’ve all heard Malala’s story already, but I’ll quickly summarize it just in case.

In 2012, she was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban in retaliation for writing blog posts about her experiences living under their rule in Pakistan and advocating for the education of women and girls.

Malala miraculously recovered fully from that injury and has spent the last nine years advocating for everyone’s right to an education.

I also admire her commitment to non-violence and forgiveness. While she has never shied away from speaking the truth and attempting to make the world a better place, her empathy for her attackers is astounding.

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June 23, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Saddest Book I’ve Ever Read

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black and white photo of slumped over man reading a book while sitting on a park bench outdoors The saddest book I’ve ever read was The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

It was a dystopian horror tale about a man who was trying to keep his young son alive in a post-apocalyptic version of Earth in which every plant and animal they found had died.

The writing itself was decent, but there were so many awful things that happened during the course of the plot that I really struggled to finish it.

If you decide to read it, I strongly recommend reading some spoiler-y reviews first or asking someone who has already read it to warn you in advance about certain scenes. Some of them were pretty disturbing, and that’s coming from someone who read horror for years.

I don’t read books like this one anymore. My tastes have since shifted to require more hope in plots and endings, but kudos to those of you who enjoy this type of horror.

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June 16, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: The Best Parts of Each Season

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Can you guess which season I like the most based on these lists?

a chocolate ice cream in a cone held up against a blue and white sky

Summer 

Many different fruits and vegetables are in season.
Lots of sunshine.
The sun is still in the sky at dinner time.
Festivals and parades happen during the summer.
Ice cream is an acceptable dinner on a hot, humid day.
Nearly every day is a good day for swimming

 

A path through the woods in autumn. Red maple trees line both sides of the path and have littered it with their fallen leaves.

Autumn

Halloween!
Leaves changing colour are beautiful.
Candy corn is on sale
Some fruits and vegetables still in season.
Mild temperatures.
New seasons of TV shows begin.
peeled tangerine next to two whole tangerines

Winter 

No seasonal allergies for months on end
Clementines, oranges, and other citrus fruits are in season.
Most TV shows are still airing new episodes.

 

Close-up photo of cherry tree blossoms

Spring

The days get longer, sunnier, and warmer.
Mild temperatures.
Spring thunderstorms are awe-inspiring.
Flowers bloom and bring colour to the landscape.
Migratory birds and other species return to Ontario.
The first green shoots and buds appear in early April here.
All plants once again have leaves and/or flowers by May.
The first spring vegetables like asparagus are available again.
Strawberries, one of my favourite fruits, are in season at the end of spring.
The cherry trees blossom. They smell and look incredible.
One can go outside with a light jacket or even no jacket at all.
Parks that closed over the winter will reopen again.

 

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June 9, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: The Best Gift I Ever Received

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A black gift box with a gold bow on it. The best gift I’ve ever received was learning how to have a wonderful time while spending little to no money.

When I was a kid, my parents taught us to enjoy hikes, camping, picnics, storytelling (courtesy of library books or amusing tales from my parents’ childhoods), and swimming in local bodies of water among many other activities.

This was a tradition they continued even once their financial situation improved and we could technically afford the occasional visit to a movie theatre or amusement park.

Yes, there were times when I was a preteen and teenager that I envied the flashier outings and presents some of my classmates talked about after summer vacation. I don’t intend to portray myself as a saintly kid or anything like that, but the funny thing about growing up is how much your perspective can change over time.

I entered adulthood with a vivid imagination and a long list of hobbies and interests that I can enjoy regardless of how much money is or isn’t left over after all of the bills are paid.

Even when I do go on something closer to a traditional vacation, I’m happiest when I enjoy it by swimming in the hotel pool or wandering around town and pretending I’m a local. You never know what cool parks, monuments, or hole-in-the-wall diners you’ll find if you go with the flow, walk past the tourist traps, and see what hidden gems are a few blocks or miles away.

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June 2, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: My Favourite Book and How I’d Cast It for a Movie

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This is one of those topics I could write an entire book about. There are so many amazing stories out there that have either never been made into films or were made into such terrible ones that I’ll never stop hoping for a remake. (*cough* Clan of the Cave Bear).

TRed, closed cinema curtains.herefore, I narrowed this week’s topic down a little to a recent book that I’m dying to see turned into a film but has not yet been optioned so far as I know.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon was a science fiction novella written about the descendants of pregnant African slaves who were thrown overboard into the ocean as the slave ships sailed to the Americas. (My review of it is here).

The main character, Yetu, lived in a mermaid-like society that chose one member to carry all of their ancestral memories of those events and how the survivors built a new life for themselves on the ocean floor. Being assigned this role was an honour but also a burden.

While there were definitely heavy scenes to read given the references in it to slavery, murder, and the impacts of intergenerational trauma, I loved what this novella had to say about making peace with the past and finding hope in your current circumstances. It also did a wonderful job showing why it’s important to seek out supportive, kind people wherever you may find them who are willing to listen and help during tough times.

This story would be the perfect show to watch in today’s social climate for teens and adults.

An ocean wave curling in on itselfThere weren’t a ton of characters in this novella in general because of how short it was and how much time was spent on flashbacks of the past.

Some of my favourite characters who showed up later on in the plot are too wrapped up in spoilers for me to include here.

I will share actress ideas for two of the main characters who I think would be great for those roles below.

 

Yetu was the main character. She was an intelligent young woman who was roughly in her teens when the events of this tale took place. She was quite nervous about taking on such a huge responsibility and honestly didn’t want it.

I think Coco Jones would be a fantastic Yetu.

 

Amaba was Yetu’s mother. She was a well-respected woman in her community who cared deeply what others thought of her. Her daughter’s success (or failure) would have enormous repercussions on Amaba’s social standing for many years to come.

I’d love to see Danai Gurira play Amaba.

 

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May 26, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: My Fantasy Vacation

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A large mountain next to a sandy beach. there is a rainbow in the dark sky above and seagulls looking for food where the tide has gone outThe photo I included in today’s post is of a fantasy world. If only it were real!

My perfect vacation would include plenty of time out in nature, especially if it involved beaches and mountains. It would be marvellous to be somewhere that made it possible for both of these things to happen in the same day.

Nature is incredibly soothing to me. I love hearing the tide lap up against the shore or leaves rustle in the wind.

There’s nothing like seeing the majesty of sharp mountain peaks reaching up to the sky after hiking for an hour or two.

Ideally, I’d convince my parents, siblings, sister-in-law, and nephews to join my spouse and I on this trip. I’m quite lucky to have a family that all gets along with each other well. We could rent a couple of houses next door to each other so everyone could find the perfect balance of alone time and family time since many of us are introverts!

What would I do during this trip?

  • Build sand castles with my nephews and whomever else wants to join in
  • Swim
  • Hike
  • Create Land Art from leaves, rocks, shells, and other natural materials
  • Eat whatever delicious meals my sister-in-law made because she loves to cook and is wonderful at it
  • Splurge on a professional massage one day
  • Sing or share stories around a bonfire at night
  • Laugh at old funny family stories
  • Nap (Vacation naps are the best ones ever!)
  • Visit nearby historical sites or museums with likeminded relatives
  • Have an alcoholic beverage or two. I virtually never drink, but sometimes the family will recommend or make something sweet that I enjoy a little bit of

In my experience, the best vacations are the simple ones that you allow to unfold as they will. There’s no need to spend a ton of money on specific excursions or events every day to make me happy.

 

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May 19, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Recent Topics I’ve Googled

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Cartoon character holding a magnifying glass and peering through itI love this topic! Here are some things I’ve recently googled and why I looked them up online.

Do pigeons recognize individual humans? 

As you all know, I like to say good morning or good evening to the pigeons who live in my neighbourhood when I pass by them.

I sometimes wonder if they recognize the friendly human who greets them so often.

Yes, it turns out they can recognize individuals.

Isn’t that neat?

 

Signs of a migraine attack

Best ice pack for migraine 

I’ve had occasional but horrid headaches for years. It was during a conversation with a relative who has the same issue recently that I realized my headaches might actually be migraines.

This is something I plan to discuss in detail with my family doctor the next time I have a checkup. In the meantime, I’ve been researching steps I can take to help reduce their frequency, predict when they’re about to happen, and numb the pain without opioids.

(This is in no way a judgement of people who need them, by the way. I’m simply cautious about taking any new medications for a laundry list of reasons that would derail the purpose of this post).

 

How did Victorians make ice cream?

On a more cheerful note, I recently watched a long video called How the Victorians Made Their Exquisite Ice Cream and was curious to learn more about the process as well as what flavours were popular in the 1800s. Imagine spending 5 hours making cucumber ice cream! I think I’ll stick to mint chocolate chip, but kudos to previous generations for trying everything under the sun.

 

Is Harry Potter cheugy? 

I learned about this teen/Generation Z slang term from a recent comedic music video.

Cheugy refers to things that are off-trend and out of date. Some sites say that owning Harry Potter merchandise and/or being too into the franchise in general is cheugy now because that’s only for “old” folks. I can’t stop giggling at that idea.

 

 

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May 12, 2021 · 1:00 am

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: My Favourite Indulgence

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Shar pei dog getting a face massage. This entire post could be summed up into one word: massages.

There is nothing I enjoy more than getting a gentle massage from someone who has a lot of experience giving them.

It’s one of the most relaxing things I can possibly imagine. I carry tension in my back and shoulders that sometimes translates into pain, so it’s glorious to have all of those knots gently loosened and sorted out.

Years ago, there was a massage studio somewhat close to my house that offered back massages at a pretty reasonable rate.

They’ve since closed, but I will be keeping an eye out for future massage opportunities once this pandemic has ended and it’s safe to get them again.

(And, no, that isn’t my dog in the photo in today’s post. I simply wanted to share a photo related to massage that was G-rated for anyone who reads this at work. Some of the massage photos on stock photo sites can be a little risqué!)

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