Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, cheesecake, food on February 8, 2026| 1 Comment »
Followup notes on yesterday’s cheesecake: Won’t lie, it worked out really well. Both friends and Mr Man said it was my best so far, and that’s feedback I’m happy to hear.
I forgot to take a picture for my notes, but the result was pretty served with blueberries, raspberries, and drizzled raspberry lemon reduction.*
Next goal, upgrading the chocolate version:)
* Cooked to 220F, finished with 1/8t lemon oil instead of orange blossom water, and strained because seeds are annoying.
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Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, baking again, cheesecake on February 7, 2026| 1 Comment »
I have accomplished the impossible! For the first time ever, I have managed to bake a cheesecake without cracks.*
I’ve made cheesecake a number of times but haven’t managed a crack-free surface. Until now.
The secret? Rather than cracking open the oven door for the 10 minute rest period between high and low heat bakes, I opened the door alllll the way. That brought the temperature down so much that the bake required an extra 30 minutes, but it was worth it.
Will the cake cut well, plate well, and taste good? I hope so, but right now I’m just going to enjoy the fact that a goal I thought might be impossible has been achieved.
To persistence, and cake!
* Let me state the obvious and say that plenty of people in this world can bake cheesecake without cracks. And now that number includes me:)
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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
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, persistence, Thoughts, Writers, writing on February 5, 2026| 1 Comment »
“There is a time for any fledgling artist where one’s taste exceeds one’s abilities. The only way to get through this period is to make things anyway.” ― Gabrielle Zevin
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Posted in Entertainment, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Artemis, full moon, inspiration, movies, NASA, science on February 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Sadly, NASA’s Artemis mission launch has run into some issues (hydrogen leaks bad!) and will be delayed until at least March.
NASA Conducts Artemis II Fuel Test, Eyes March for Launch Opportunity
That said, safer is better, so you do what you need to do, NASA. (Maybe rehiring some of the folks who were let go last year might help? Just saying.)
What do we hope to see when the mission does launch? This site has a nice explainer.
The flight path of Artemis 2, step by step
And for more on the long-term goals, see this in-depth article: How Artemis will land humans on the Moon.
As we wait to hear more from the launchpad, here’s something fun I ran across the other day that may help keep you entertained:
We asked former astronauts about their favorite space movies, and this is what they said
I mean, I’m more The Martian and Galaxy Quest than 2001, but that’s me. So many good movies!
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Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, creativity, persistence, Thoughts, Writers, writing on February 3, 2026| 2 Comments »
We admire people at their peak, we don’t get to see the distance they’ve traveled. — Adam Grant
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Posted in Holidays, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, #groundhogday #punxsutawneyphil, NOAA, seasons on February 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Oh hey, it’s Groundhog Day again!
Check out the official website for all things Punxsutawney Phil:
Punxsutawney Groundhog Club – The Home of Groundhog Day!
Just want to skip to the headline? Six more weeks of winter.
Makes me shiver just thinking about it.
The good news is that Phil, while both cute and charming, does not seem to be particularly good at his job. Maybe we get six more weeks, maybe not.
How accurate is Punxsutawney Phil? Here’s what the data shows
Punxsutawney Phil has been making forecasts since the late 1800s, but his predictions have been a little off. How good has he been at predicting winter weather? Not so hot, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
So if you’re wishing for the promise of spring, take heart. Sooner or later, it’s coming!
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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!
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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
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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
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J.R. Johnson 
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