The Last Day in October ~Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you're all fine and doing great.  It's the end of another month and it has turned cold and very wet as we close out the month 

Today (Thursday) we had the first snows of the season on the mountain tops. No doubt skiers and ski hill owners are happy. I'll be happy as long as the white stuff remains on the mountains 🏔️.

The months fly by and tomorrow we begin November.  Soon the year will be over!

For dinner on a cold night I made ground beef mixed with baby bok choy and tomatoes in sauce served over steamed rice. It was delicious and definitely warmed me up.

Thanks for stopping by and joining me in checking out today's Skywatch Friday.

Friday Beauty

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope this day finds you happy and well.  After a tremendous amount of rain recently, something called an Atmospheric River, I am happy to say we have enjoyed several fabulous days of clearer skies and sunshine.

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday this week. Thank you for stopping by!

And When October Goes ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's

Tuesday 4.

"And when October goes

The same old dream appears

And you are in my arms

To share the happy years

I turn my head away to hide

The helpless tears

Oh, how I hate to see October go". 

Barry Manilow

 

1. What do you hate to see go?

I hate to see the end of the dry seasons.  Heavier rains can start as early as the middle of October and last well into the new year.

2.  How's the autumn weather in your part of the world right now? 

Today (Monday) it was a beautiful day with sunshine and clearing blue skies.  We've just had 3 days of torrential rainfall. Something called an atmospheric river which is a new phenomenon.  Sadly, many of the surrounding municipalities were flooded and there were a few casualties around the province.

Sunday sky

Monday sky

3.  Anything on your reading list for autumn? What are you reading/watching right now that you would share with us.

I'm about to begin reading several books including:  The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence.

I can't yet say that I recommend them because I haven't read enough yet.  They were all random books I picked up at the library a few days ago.

I've also been watching a few different series on Netflix:  Pachinko and Slow Horses and I'm looking forward to the new season of both. I understand that Pachinko hasn't yet been renewed but Slow Horses has been. If you are a fan of Gary Oldham you will enjoy his performance in Slow Horses but really, the entire cast is a delight.

4.   For many religion keeps them going with promises of better things to come.  But there are other things that help along the way.  What things/people/thoughts, keep you going on your way?

At the moment, the thought that keeps me going is once I get through major decluttering and reorganizing, I will be 'free' to do other things wholeheartedly and enjoy life more. I do enjoy life right now but I hope to enjoy it more with greater free time to do hobbies and maintain or make new friendships. I also want more time to host people for dinner including loved ones and family members and time to plan travels and projects with my dear hubby.

October Marches On & Gives Me a Beautiful Gift

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are well today.

October gives us a mixed bag of weather. We've had some spectacular, sunny days and clear blue skies and we've also had days where it pours like cats and dogs. The particular day I snapped these sky photos for you, we had a brief spell of pouring rain. 

I had gone to the post office to check mail. Imagine my surprise when I came outside to see the rainbow.  Initially I thought it was just the very faint rainbow I saw near the church steeple but when I turned my head, I was amazed to see a full rainbow arc and it was a beautiful sight.

 

I hope you enjoyed the rainbow as much as I did! 

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday this week. Thank you for your visit.

Lunch at Woolworth's ~ Tuesday 4

Click to see full size.

It's time again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.   

Prices are soaring and there is no end in sight!  Wouldn't it be nice to go back in time to do our buying? Even restaurants were affordable back in the day.
You can click on the menu to see it full sized. 

1. Did you ever eat at Woolworth's?  

Yes!  When I was growing up we lived in a small city in the far north of my province. There weren't many restaurants. In fact, I only remember 3, Woolworth's, a Chinese restaurant and a cafe at the local Co-op and a few fast food joints. There was a Dairy Queen (DQ) but I think it was only open in summer for take out ice cream items only.  We also had a KFC which in those days was called Kentucky Fried Chicken or Chicken Village.  There may have been more restaurants but I don't remember them.  Anyway, back to Woolworth's. Mother took me and my siblings (3 of us in those days) to town once in awhile and it was a treat because she took us to Woolworth's for lunch. I don't think we ate anything other than French Fries with gravy and a Coca Cola but it was always a treat. I remember these days very fondly.

2.  What would you order from this menu?

Definitely the French Fries and gravy and maybe, on occasion, a Hamburger Platter.

3. Woolworth's had banana splits and sundaes.  Do you like sundaes? What kind?

I love both banana splits and sundaes. If I order a sundae it's usually a strawberry sundae.  Sometimes I ask for 2 toppings (strawberry and pineapple or strawberry and chocolate).

4. What restaurants are you favorites and what do you usually order?

I enjoy all kinds of food but when I go out I normally have Asian food, either Vietnamese or Japanese. I order Vietnamese House Special Soup (with the works) and Prawn Salad Rolls. Sometimes I order a bowl with noodles, peanuts, shredded carrots and celery, and topped with deep fried spring rolls and grilled skewered pork. At the Japanese restaurant, I order a Bento Box most often with beef or chicken teriyaki and mixed tempura along with miso soup, salad and a California roll.

I also crave 'Western Food' now and then but there are extremely few places to get it these days. I'm talking about places with menu items similar to the old Woolworths and then some. I like having pork chops, mashed and veggies or something like a soup and sandwich. 

Last but not least, I love some good Mediterranean food like Chicken Souvlakia, roasted lemon potatoes, Greek Salad, and Middle Eastern vegetarian dishes and foods like Morrocan Chicken Tagine. I'm thinking of making a Tagine later this month for my brother's birthday dinner.

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday Skies

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you had an awesome week and are looking forward to an even better weekend. I had a decent week and have been busy trying to adjust to the cooler season. I'm enjoying the dramatic skies when the gray clouds get broken up by the blue sky.
 

On this particular day, I managed to capture a bit of pink and the sunset reflected in the windows of the distant high-rise.
 

 

I'm joining other skywatchers today at Skywatch Friday. Thank you for stopping by!

October Memories ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to October's first Tuesday 4 kept in memory of Toni Taddeo.   

1. What memories do you have of Octobers past?

I have 2 memories of Octobers past. The first is when I was 13 years old and the last time I participated in October 31st trick or treating. I lived in the far north of my province and though we didn't have snow at that time of year it usually got quite cold at night. Children and teenagers of course almost never worry about the cold, especially when out having fun.  

My siblings and I covered many miles that night with our pillow cases, going house to house.  The moon was full and the hoar frost was out in abundance.  It was cold and we weren't dressed for it but it didn't stop us.

My outfit that year was as a hippie.  I was dressed in bell bottoms, a t-shirt, an open button down blouse (striped), some kind of necklace and a scarf tied around my forehead with the sides hanging down the side of my face. It was back in the day when you put together your own outfit and mother's seldom sewed them for their children like they do today.  I don't know why I remember this particular Hallowe'en. Perhaps I got a load of candy more than usual, perhaps it was extra cold that night, perhaps it was because I knew it would be my last outing as a 'trick or treater'.  In any case, I remember that night well.

My second memory is of living in our nation's capital, Ottawa, Ontario. My mother had come for a late fall visit and we greatly enjoyed going for walks and tours soaking in the beautiful fall foliage. Here we are at the farmer's market, called the Byward Market in Ottawa with all the gorgeous pumpkins. Forgive the quality of the photo. It was in the days before smart phones. I think I was even using a disposable camera.

2. Besides here in New Jersey, some of the coziest neighborhoods I've driven through were in rural Ohio and Pennsylvania.   The picture reminds me of those times.  Does this photo bring any thoughts to mind for you?

The photo reminds me of scenes in and around Ottawa, Ontario. When you go out of the city a bit to the villages you will see a variety of cottages, old wooden homes and of course trees in the fall with their beautiful, autumnal colours.

3. As weather cools I do enjoy Pumpkin Spice and Pumpkin Latte flavors in my coffee.  Do you like flavored coffees or teas? Which are favorites for you?

I'm not found of flavoured coffees especially those with mixes you add to your coffee at home. Occasionally, I do enjoy a Pumpkin Latte at Starbucks but I seldom order such things. I used to go on regular coffee dates with a friend who has now passed on and she loved Pumpkin Lattes and coffee in general. Since her passing I still do enjoy coffee but seldom at a specialty coffee shop. I don't drink much tea but I have a variety of fruit flavoured teas and also I love my Earl Gray with Oil of Bergamot.

4.An orchard near me not only sells apples but pies and their famous apple cider donuts in the fall.  What kind of pies, cakes and pastries do you like to eat?

Don't get me started, lol. I do enjoy pastries of all kinds. At this time of year apple pies are especially good and apple fritters too. I have never had an apple cider donut.

I join with like minded people in asking God to bless and protect all the precious people in North Carolina, George, Tennessee and all areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.   I also ask for protection of Floridians who are at this moment expecting another Category 4 Hurricane.  

The Sky This Week

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all well. Today I'm sharing several photos taken this past week. We had several days that covered us in gray skies but we also had a day here and there with bright, clear blue skies.

The one thing you can count on is the sky is always changing and giving us interesting things to look at.

I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday today. Thank you for stopping by!

Advice: 5 c ~ Tuesday 4 Meme

You are very welcome here at Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  

We all take and give advice at least once in our lives.

Oxford dictionary says that advice is: guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action.

1. Is there one piece of advice you  were given that you feel has been very important in your life?

Yes, to stand up for what I think is right even if I have to stand alone.  In my lifetime there have been occasions when I've had to implement this advice and stay strong on my own (and of course with the help of God).

In later adult, years I heard a quote by Sir Winston Churchill I also took to heart. Perhaps you've heard it. 

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” (Sir Winston Churchill).

The reason I found it helpful is I have a tendency to drop everything to help someone else who perceives they need a listening ear.  I get this from my later mother who was very giving and very self-sacrificing.  It's a symptom of how she was raised as a motherless daughter and the expectations others placed on her. Over a long period of doing this, I realized that it was hampering my ability to get things done, whether large or small, because there could be so many interruptions in a day. 

These days,  I strive for a better balance between making myself available, especially at crucial times, and focussing on my own goals and priorities.  It's a form of self-care and it's also a way to be a better steward of the time God has given me. 

 2. What advice do you think is important for building good personal relationships?

Understanding that every person has a story and sometimes they need someone to listen to it. It's also important to really listen to others and try not to give them too much unsolicited advice.  The longer and the better I get to know someone, the more I get a sense of when to keep opinions to myself and when to offer advice.  Of course, some people straight out ask for advice.  

One thing I've learned in this life's journey is that there are also people who are known as energy vampires.  These are people who sometimes intentionally, drain your emotional energy.  They feed on your willingness to listen and care for them, leaving you exhausted and overwhelmed.  I have actually met several of these kinds of people especially when I was just starting out on my own.  Once I recognized the situation, I had to learn to put up boundaries and sometimes even cut out certain kind of people, especially those that like to complain a lot and look to you to prop them up emotionally.  We all need a bit of this kind of emotional support, however when it is constant and overwhelming, it's my belief that someone needs professional assistance. 

3. Do you give advice to friends when they have problems to solve or do you refrain unless asked?

When I was a young adult I often gave advice, solicited or not. These days I refrain from giving advice unless I'm asked.  Even then I don't readily offer detailed advice. 

4. What advice can you give us today?

Be grateful for each day because tomorrow is not promised to us. That is what I'm trying to do myself. Also, it's good to learn to be content in life and to honour what the Lord has given to us. I get inspiration from the Apostle Paul in this regard who said (Philippians 4:11-13, NIV).

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Take care everyone. Thank you for stopping by!