Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, history, how we became, inspiration, power of stories, Thoughts on February 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Black history is American history. It’s a story of promise, setback, and redemption—all things at the heart of the American experience. We shouldn’t be afraid of this story. We should learn from it, be inspired by it, and celebrate it every single day… — Colin Allred
* * *
Posted in Other, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, full-moon, NASA, science, space, Thoughts, unexpected joys on February 1, 2026| 8 Comments »
We’ve lived in this house for years but this morning I discovered something new. Some confluence of sun angle, time of day and positioning meant that the lampshade in the kitchen reflected a rainbow-colored series of textured light onto the ceiling. It was both joyful and unexpected, reminding me that there is beauty everywhere.
If I look.
Speaking of reflected light, there’s a full moon tonight.
Tonight’s moon is known by many names, including the Wolf Moon, Cold Moon, and Snow Moon. We may finally have clear skies tonight, too, and I’m looking forward to looking up.
Snow Moon: Full Moon in February 2026
February’s Full Snow Moon reaches peak illumination at 5:09 P.M. EST on Sunday, February 1. Step outside after dusk to see the Full Moon in all of its glory!
Since we’re here, I’ll share a link that led to a flurry of conversation in my family.
1969 Apollo 11 First steps on the Moon (16mm footage)
On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin aboard touched down on the surface of the Moon 4 days, 6 hours, and 45 minutes after having launched from Cape Canaveral. At 02:56:15 GMT, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on another celestial body.
My parents were remembering where they were when it happened (at the next-door neighbor’s in Michigan, because they didn’t have a television), and what it felt like to watch the landing. Uplifting.
And looking ahead, NASA’s first crewed mission around the moon in over half a century will be happening soon.
Something to look forward to!
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, freedom, ideas, rights, Thoughts, wisdom on January 31, 2026| Leave a Comment »
“If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all—except the censor.” ― John F. Kennedy in the Saturday Review, October 29 1960
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, life, Thoughts, Writers, writing on January 30, 2026| 1 Comment »
“All you have to do is to pay attention; lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step.”
― Paulo Coelho
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, inspiration on January 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »
I spent some time in high school studying the medical and practical uses of local plants. I may have mentioned that I entertain Mr Man when we go out for walks: “Those ‘weeds’ are edible, that’s good for firestarter, and you can use that to make cough syrup. Oh, but that one’s poisonous.” (I’m sure my brother has stories of mysterious bottles marked with a skull and crossbones in the fridge.)
That’s why this video appeals to me (the useful part, not the poison part):
In Search of Forgotten Colours – Sachio Yoshioka and the Art of Natural Dyeing
Sachio Yoshioka is the fifth-generation head of the Somenotsukasa Yoshioka dye workshop in Fushimi, southern Kyoto. When he succeeded to the family business in 1988, he abandoned the use of synthetic colours in favour of dyeing solely with plants and other natural materials.
So pretty!
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Thoughts on January 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »
A brief content note: My mother is up in arms about yesterday’s post because she insists that I’m important. Thanks, Mom! And I am, in the way that individuals are important to other individuals, and to the world in general. But I try not to feel overly important.
In the interest of clarification, allow me to explain.
There’s a difference between being important and feeling self-important.
I like that Eleanor Roosevelt quote not because I think I’m unimportant, or think that other people are unimportant. My point in sharing that quote from Roosevelt (one of the more important women from the past century) is that I don’t think it pays to feel one’s importance too much.
How you can make a difference in the world, invest time and energy in the people and things you care about, alleviate others’ problems and generally be a good person, those are all things worth thinking about.
I hope I’m not self-important, and I try not to overthink my awesomeness. (Which, to be fair, is real. Just ask my mom*:)
What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other? — George Eliot
* Who is also awesome! And I bet you’re awesome too:)
* * *
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Thoughts on January 25, 2026| 1 Comment »
I’m so glad I never feel important, it does complicate life!
— Eleanor Roosevelt
* * *
Posted in Food and..., Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, baking, change, dessert, food, recipes, Thoughts on January 23, 2026| 3 Comments »
Things change, including tastes. Once upon a time, lo in the darkness of the long ago past, I hated brie.
The flavor, the texture, everything about it struck me as wrong. I have a particularly strong memory of sitting on the wooden steps overlooking the grassy hill leading down to the stream, parental units laughing as I grimaced around a mouth full of bitter cheese.
Reader, I am here to tell you that I got over it.
That’s not the only taste that has changed over the years. I used to avoid almonds in general (dry slices! annoyingly sharp slivers!) and almond flavoring specifically. Too strong, too cloying, too whatever. It was on my list of no thank yous.
Then we started watching The Great British Baking Show and came across frangipane. It seemed quick, easy, versatile, but still, ugh, almond.
Eventually I decided to give it a try despite my almond aversion.
Reader, I am here to tell you that I got over it:)
* * *
The world is going through a lot of changes right now, many with decidedly negative outcomes. (Looking at you, climate change!) But not all of those changes are bad.
My tastes have evolved and I’m happier for it. Staying openminded, staying flexible, those are good things. (Not for my cholesterol, obviously, but baby steps amirite?)
I recently tried out this recipe for Raspberry Puff Turnovers. And heck, while I was at it, why not add a layer of frangipane?
Nothing about my version should have worked. It was my first shot at making puff pastry. It came out of the freezer too cold and was a pain to work. Mr Man offered to help and it was only after he finished beating it into submission that I remembered one should probably treat pastry with more delicacy. It refused to roll out to size and I had to peel it off the silicone mat with a spatula.
Surely, I thought, this is a disaster in the making. But I made the raspberry filling with a bit of lemon and Fiori di Sicilia and the frangipane is all made so let’s just give it a go.
Rolling, sizing, cutting, sealing, bake times, all very much an adventure.
And yet somehow, it worked.
The pastry was shatteringly crisp. The raspberry filling mellowed into sweet and tangy perfection. And the frangipane melted into a creamy layer of subtle flavor that complemented the lot.
So hooray, but that’s only partly why I decided to tell you this story.
It turns out that, if you have leftover frangipane and berry filling, you have all the makings of a quick and easy cookie. (The classic “quick” frangipane dessert is a French-toast adjacent toasted bread called Bostock, but I was out of both time and bread.)
A scoop of frangipane with a dot of jam in the center, baked on parchment paper in the toaster oven at 350F (six minutes for me, maybe more if your cookies are bigger), and voila. I learned something new and got delicious, delicately almond-flavored cookies.
An unexpected bonus, and a reminder that change can be for the better, too.
* * *
Posted in Funny, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, a bit of fun, inspiration on January 22, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Long week, crazy world. Have some fun:)
Adventurous Cat Carries Plastic Tub Up the Stairs, Then Rides It Back Down
Is it safe? Maybe not (although cats are great at landing on their feet!). But it is excellent.
* * *
Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Motivation, Thoughts, Writers, writing on January 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »
You must be logged in to post a comment.