Natalie’s Challenge, Weekend Coffee Share is three weeks into its second year. She provides her readers a chance to discuss whatever they want with their friends and sum up their week. She usually connects with PPAC each week with beautiful pictures of Toronto. Except for the cold snow, I think I’m ready to move there it’s so beautiful.
While Natalie gives us the opportunity to vent a little, Ju-lyn and Bush Boy urge us to share our month in photo reviews. Since some of them are bound to be odd, I’ll try to kill another bird (sorry bird lovers) with my stoney posts.
Debbie’s only concern is the our post title has six words. I don’t know why I haven’t done this challenge every week. Ah yes I do, today I remembered.
I had some roads included in this month’s review of photos, so Which Way Challenge was another perfect addition. So put on your helments and let’s take off.
January in Review – This Is Odd!
What’s Odd on Your Plate?
Since my overwhelmingly popular interview of the hosts of What’s on Your Bookshelf, I’ve had this powerful urge to cook. Okay, we just didn’t go out much either. Donna and Widow Badass host What’s on your Plate.
On January 15th, Vince came down with Omicron so we had a quiet few days. I spent much of my time playing in the kitchen. Since I went to Australia in 2017, I have tried various kinds of squash to represent the flavor I tasted there which they called pumpkin. Nothing has been quite right. This was my first attempt at fixing butternut squash and my first use of this sugar-free maple syrup.
Result: It replicated the flavor well but not quite the texture. It goes well on salads or as a stand alone treat. It was supposed to have fresh rosemary, but somehow fresh dill made it into the bag of groceries. I substituted cinnamon and poppy seeds. It was and odd substitute, but tasted delicious.
Counting, counting, counting, there might be 13 pecan halves and 17 blueberries on my salad. Please don’t check my counting skills. My salad making skills proved exemplary.
More January Changing Seasons
On January 26th, Vince’s Omicron was officially no longer contagious. We drove downtown and walked the Prescott timeline in front of the Courthouse. About half-way around he was done, done and done! I finished my walk and documentation for PPAC and we drove home. At least he had been out of the house for a few minutes. It felt good but chilly.
On January 31st, you can’t see Puppy Girl sitting at Vince’s feet because I cropped the picture so much, but I thought he had a couple of odd lunch companions. After his snack-like lunch, we took off on an hour drive to Williams.
Odd, Is He a Fake or Real Person? Can You Tell?
I wasn’t kidding when I said it was oddly deserted. Which Way do we turn? Where could we park. We chose not to park, and did a quick drive-through instead.
The lone man on the bench might not have even been real. We were driving 16 MPH and I couldn’t tell at that speed! His bike could be a prop and there was a fake man sitting on the bench acroos the street from him. Based on recropping my photo, my opinion is that he is real. However, it was cold outside, and he doesn’t look very uncomfortable.
That sums up January 2022 in a few photos. I have millions more on both Williams and Wickenburg, but unlike my dad used to do, I don’t want to bore you with every photo I’ve taken in one sitting. It is like eating a bag of Hershey’s Kisses. Dad could devour an entire bag in less than an hour. Vince makes the bag last a couple of weeks. I’d rather be like Vince.
More Coffee Clatch Stuff
It’s in the 20s and high teens here in gorgeous Prescott, AZ, and Vince and I love to lounge around in our jammies and robes drinking coffee and discussing our plans for the day. My day starts with Vince’s delicious blend of coffee to which I add one quarter cup of Muscle Milk to increase my negligible protein intake.
This week I haven’t gone to the library but I’m still reading Geoff LePard’s memoir about his mother, Apprenticed to my Mother. It’s adorable. She had him wrapped around her little finger. My mom was like that with me, too. I love his names for his significant family members, his brother, the Anthropologist, and his wife the Textiliste. His book is very British, so I’m learning new words and phrases as I get to know him better.
Between, reading, curating my pictures, and a couple of trips, I’ve enjoyed a relaxing January. I’m going to borrow Donna’s and Sadje’s words of the year and hope for more in February. I’ll do more than hope – I’ll curate some major adventures. This month my WOTY caused me to:
- Retrieve pictures from a hard drive that I’ve been missing since 2016.
- Have the Geek Squad move photos off my computer, clean it up, and also fix my browser Google to sync woth WordPress so that I can Like posts again
- Call two companies for quotes on catios since cats don’t go outside in Prescott. – too many wild animals at night.
- Super clean and organize the house one drawer and closet at a time.
- Explore short vacay options for February.
- Plan projects for next month.
- Stick to my blogging plans in my Curating Calendar.
Other Challenges that Inspired Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share # 55
- CHANGING SEASONS – BUSHBOY, JU-LYN
- NATALIE’S WEEKEND COFFEE SHARE In Linkz Link Party
- SIX WORD SATURDAY
- SQUARE ODDS
- WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE? DONNA AND WIDOW BADASS In Linkz Link Party
- WHICH WAY CHALLENGE
UPDATES ON ALWAYS WRITE
- If you host or participate regularly in a challenge and would like an interview on Always Write contact me. If not, I love that you read and comment on them.
- Story Chat has a new story on Tuesday. KL Caley’s “HANDLE WITH CAUTION.”
- For a list of topics for WQW 2022 check out my page. WOTY was a popular week. Last week’s post may beat it! See how you can use your friends’ quotes in your posts.
- PPAC is your choice of public art topic every week. We have had a surge of fountains recently. Be sure to check out some of the other participant’s entries.
Now it’s your turn.
Thanks so much for stopping by and having fun dipping into all these challenges with me. The links are all there if you want to do your own dipping. If not drop me a link of your favorite post and I’ll amble on over.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
So many cool and colourful shots! Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cat at the table, classic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very classic cat. Thanks, Robert.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That salad looks great. Wouldn’t mind a plateful
LikeLiked by 1 person
Come on over, I.J. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So happy for you to pop into The Changing Seasons, Marsha!
I love to see all the varied cacti that appear on your posts – they are so fascinating. A friend recently gifted us with a little pot of succulents & I love to visit them daily to see what exciting things are happening with them.
Hope Vince is all recovered and feeling better …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ju-lyn. Cacti are amazing. I used to think they were all boring and green. Since I moved to AZ, I’ve seen so many different kinds of cacti and the blooms are amazing. They are not cuddly plants, though. LOL Vince is doing well.
LikeLike
Your food looks yummy!!!! The photo with the man on the bench is great. Love it. I need to really sit down and organize, and delete photos adn files from my computer. Ugghh…Going to hopefully sit down tonight and write my #WQW post, after I catch up on commenting and making dinner.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Organizing files on the computer is as ongoing as housework or organizing your refrigerator. As you eat food, you have to repackage left-overs, throw away old yucky food, and get creative with what’s there on occasion. Photos are the same thing. Cropping a photo can turn it into a completely different picture. Working with the color balance can turn a yellow, dark or too bright photo into something of beauty. The only ones that seem beyond redemption are the blurry ones.
LikeLike
I’m hungry now and so we’ll do e Marsha! 👏👏👏
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed this good meaty post. I was very sorry to hear Vince had Omicron and equally glad he’s better. My sister is in quarantine with it at the moment but seems mildly affected so far to my great relief. Your salad looks very tasty and I’m with you in thinking the man is real.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, when we go back later this spring or summer, if he’s still sitting there with his cart, we will know for sure. I don’t think he will still be there – at least not wearing the same clothes. 🙂 LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great job with the pumpkin. Don’t forget to make pumpkin soup too. Do you want me to send you the recipe?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, yes, yes and YES!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the cacti
LikeLike
Such a fun post, Marsha. You did so well with different blog challenges. I love the round cacti. I think they’re called barrel cacti. We have them year round in a green house/ conservatory in downtown Toronto. Your salad and roasted butternut squash look delicious. Thank you for the mention and for linking up with #weekendcoffeeshare.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for hosting, Natalie. It’s a great way to share whatever is on our minds. I had trouble responding to a couple of the links. When I went to their posts without Linkz, I was able to comment.
LikeLike
That salad looks so yummy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was so good and the pecans were not even sugared.
LikeLike
That squash looks yummy. There are so many things that we refer to as pumpkin – butternut squash being one of them. It’s what I use when I’m making roast pumpkin or pumpkin salad or pumpkin soup or pumpkin scones (in Aus we don’t tend to use pumpkin in sweet dishes). It’s easier than trying to get a knife through the mighty Queensland blue pumpkin – which is what Mum grows.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can you send me a picture of it. We don’t have anything called that here. I did try using an acorn squash and it is delicious but I still haven’t quite captured the flavors I tasted in Australia yet.
LikeLike
Wow Marsha, where to start. Great squares and I laughed at counting the cacti spines. Try using Moroccan Seasoning on the Pumpkin with garlic baked in the oven. Glad Vince is on the road to recovery, it will take time probably but exercise is best I am told. That bloke sure looks cold but I reckon he is real. The cat at the table made me laugh with that look on his face…..”where’s mine?”
Thanks for adding this post to Changing Seasons 🙂 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Brian, it was a fun post to write! I’ll try the seasoning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a delightful catch up for January, Marsha and an insight into your life. The recipes look delish and squash as you call it, we call it butternut pumpkin here in Australia is a favourite of mine. Thanks for promoting all the link ups and I might even join in the Post Title with 6 words. It is lovely to have connected with you. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too, Sue. Thanks for the lovely comment. You cleared up the pumpkin mystery for me!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
what a delicious post with so much counting to do – I just loved reading your review 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I get lost after about 9. Sometimes even before that oddly. 😳😳😳
LikeLiked by 1 person
Likewise at moment, but that could be because our granddaughter is really only up to counting to 3 at the moment!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When my mom taught pre-school, one of the kids asked her how old she was. At the time she was about 60. With incredulty in his voice he estimated her age, “Are you….. 12?”
LikeLiked by 1 person
awww bless 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like that photo of the cacti! Well, because I love cacti. 😀 The squash dish looked like sweet potatoes to me – still tasty, I guess. Well done doing your cleaning project! I hope to start some serious decluttering soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Squash is delightful, isn’t it? Wonderful as a soup too. And thanks for the mention of my memoir. It’s very generous of you
LikeLike
What an interesting post Marsha, I loved it. The lunch date photo is my favourite though 😂🐈. KL ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, that was not the best picture in the world, but it was so funny, I had to take it. 🙂
LikeLike
Organising one drawer at a time is a great idea, I usually do one and then forget about the rest. It’s surprising how many junk drawers I have!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think everyone does. I was at the home of someone who has a huge home and was surprised that they even have a junk room. I’m a little cluttery no matter how much I organize.
LikeLike
Me too, but in that clutter there is always something useful
LikeLiked by 1 person
Usually after you throw it away.
LikeLike
Haha of course
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Hi, Marsha – This is an absolutely wonderful Coffee Clatch Catchup! I love how you are rocking your word of the year — very inspirational!
Thank you for the mention. Your Butternut Squash and your Salad look amazing — and are definitely my kind of meal. I’ll be borrowing them both! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the kind words, Donna. I even looked at the cookbook section of the library yesterday. Didn’t pull out any books as it was closing time, but just getting familiar with the library layout. You got all that started for me.
LikeLike
So glad that Vince bested that virus. I fully sympathize with his being short winded. Covid left me feeling 15 years older and my only real option was to walk daily to rebuild my lost stamina.
Blessing to both of you.
LikeLike
Your salads are always interesting, but definitely light on protein. I keep meaning to follow your good example and sort my photos out and review and update Restlessjo, but then somebody asks me if I want to walk. When I get home I’m tired and need cake and a good book, and there’s another day gone… Discipline! That’s what I’m lacking in my life. Sad face….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why does everything look more delicious when neatly arranged on a beautiful plate? 🙂
LikeLike
that squash dish looks delish! and I like the way your day starts…
LikeLiked by 1 person