Monthly Archives: December 2025

a NEW reading challenge

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Hip Hip Hooray! I’ve finished up the timeline reading challenge (link here). So that means I’m on to the next NEW challenge. I’m pretty sure this one will take a decade or more to complete! Haha! But here goes…let’s do it! The Around the World reading challenge! I’ve decided that I’ll count books that are either set in the country or if the author is from that country.

READ AROUND AFRICA CHALLENGE (specific countries added below as I finish books)

READ AROUND ASIA CHALLENGE

Vietnam: The Women by Kristen Hannah

Philippines: When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner

READ AROUND EUROPE CHALLENGE

England: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

Poland: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

Russia: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

READ AROUND NORTH AMERICA CHALLENGE

Haiti: Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

READ AROUND OCEANIA CHALLENGE

READ AROUND SOUTH AMERICA CHALLENGE

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And I might as well keep track of states as well!

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California: The Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky: The Last Blue by Isla Morley

Louisiana

Maine: Inheritance by Nora Roberts

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota: This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania: The Amish Groom by Mary Starns Clark and Susan Meissner

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia: A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

If you have any recommendations, I’d LOVE to hear them!

Have a great day, and I hope you do or learn something NEW today!

a few NEW get-to-know me Qs

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Happy Thursday!

I recently read a fun post on a blog I follow that had some get-to-know me questions. Although I have something similar on my About page, I thought I’d add a few more. Here goes:

  • Do you like road trips or airline flights better? Hmmm. I like both, but road trips are definitely more affordable. I was just recently dreaming up some possible road trips for the next few years. One idea is to travel the entire Route 66. The image above is of the iconic Studebaker still rusting out near Route 66. This was taken when we visited Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
  • Would you rather cook or order in? I think I’d rather cook, especially if I already had all of the ingredients (because…shopping…ugh! :o). I don’t know if this counts as cooking, but I just made a VERY delicious dip: Cranberry Jalapeno Dip. YUM!
  • Who or what never fails to make you laugh? Lately, the comedian, Nate Bargatze! He’s a funny, funny guy! Last week we attended his Big Dumb Eyes Tour. And if you haven’t seen his Saturday Night Live George Washington skit – go look it up. So funny!
  • Do you collect anything? Yes, I collect experiences and photographs of experiences. We used to collect salad tongs, since we picked a set up in New Zealand, Canada, Italy etc., but you only need so many salad tongs. We don’t collect them anymore. Earlier, we started collecting those collectible spoons. Also don’t need. haha!
  • How do you interact with someone who disagrees with you? I try not to bring up the issue(s) that we disagree on. I prefer cordial conversations and believe everyone can agree on something! If the other person can calmly converse about the issues we disagree on, I’m more than willing to have a discussion. But I find that somewhat rare.
  • Do you think you’ll accomplish all your dreams? Most likely not. I have too many, and they keep multiplying!
  • Can you write in cursive? Yes. And it’s a shame that some schools don’t even teach cursive writing anymore!
  • What’s your opinion on modern art? Well, sometimes I just don’t “get it”! But I always appreciate the artist’s talent and effort.
  • What does your fridge typically look like? On the outside, there’s nothing on it. I like a clean, clutter-free look. On the inside, well, it depends on the day. :o)
  • What’s your favorite smell? Oh! Hard Question! My #1 is probably lilacs, but I also love cinnamon. It’s a toss-up!

Let me know what your answers to a few of these Qs are! I hope you have a terrific day and get to learn or do something NEW!

a NEW photo challenge entry

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Happy Wednesday!

This photo is my entry for “The Space Between” prompt for the Monochrome Madness photo challenge.

The space between allows for a pixelated view of the powerful waterfall, but the distorted perception stops me from having a complete experience and divides me from fulfillment.

However, I appreciate these challenges for the kick in the pants to review my files for appropriate images to use. How about you? I haven’t been out shooting much lately (I’m basically a lame, fair-weather photographer, and it’s COLD outside!). I hope you have a terrific day and get to do or learn something NEW today!