culture

January 7th is National Tempura Day

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:27:58 +0100

Winter Reading and Shows to Watch

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:27:36 +0100

Here in the Midwest/lower Great Lakes region, Winter can be a mixed bag of "fun." Some days you get rain, others you get snow or cold, and still others are sunny and t-shirt weather. You just never know what to make of the weather around here! When it's nasty outside, I like to stay inspired by reading a book or watching a show. That is just what I did today whilst eating the yummy Blueberry Jam Muffins I made this morning for breakfast (though the blog about THAT is pending due to a technical glitch *boo!!* that has been driving me bonkers!!). I was looking forward to my DVR'd episode of When Calls the Heart...

If you're not familiar with the series, it's a show on the Hallmark channel based on the books by Janette Oke. As a teen, I couldn't get enough of her books, including that series, and I was absolutely thrilled when it was turned into a show a few years ago!

The fact that it was a Christmas special was nice so that I could extend the spirit of Christmas into this week. It really made my day, especially since today was my first official day of being "unemployed" from the 9-to-5 scene as well as my first day as something I haven't been for several years - a Stay at Home Mom but also a Work at Home Mom because of my writing. You would have thought my preteen would have awoken with the smell of yummy muffins baking, but no. At least she was finally awake halfway through the show, at which point she came to snuggle and watch along with me.

Aside from baking and tv viewing, I also concocted my own spa scrub, which you will be able to read all about in another blog in the Inspirations section if the website is working right! So all-in-all, this has been a pretty good Winter's day. May they all be just as cozy this season!

Lights at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:31:40 +0100

(Note: since the time of first writing this, the IMS has upped their game with more and more lights each Christmas season, making it well worth the drive through the Speedway- 2020).

This year, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had a really neat drive-through light show display for Christmas. It was definitely something worth going to see, especially for us track-lovers! We thoroughly enjoyed the impressive display of lights as we circled around the entire length of the track. While it wasn't free, and it was a little bit pricey to buy a special pass to cut down on the wait time, we did it anyway and were glad we did!

Here are some of our favorites:

Tickets for Lights at the Brickyard can be purchased ahead of time at: https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/lights

2016 Toy Drive for Christmas

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:34:36 +0100

Last year, we participated in a fun toy drive by partnering with a local organization in our city - and this year, we are doing it again! Today kicks off the 2016 Child Advocates Inc. toy drive for foster kids! Let the collections begin http://bit.ly/2ee99Dt

California Dreamin'

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:35:57 +0100

To this day, the hubby and I talk about how much fun we had in exploring the city of San Francisco on our honeymoon, and ever since, we have found ways to incorporate its culture into our home. We enjoy an eclectic mix of posters, nick-knacks, and other design elements in our surroundings.

One such recent find was this jigsaw puzzle I bought from Half Price books! It was a kit containing the puzzle, a frame, glue, and a double-sided backing, so that I could put this on display.

Isn't it gorgeous??? So far, I'm trying to disengage it from the surface on which it dried...a faux-pas on my part, I suppose...and maybe require more assembly and gluing when all is said and done...but when it's finally in the frame and on display on the right wall, it will be all better. I love doing these randomly fun projects that utilize what I love (puzzles + scenic places + art). What's life without a little fun?

Summer Reading Fun

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:37:03 +0100

I'm a bookworm, through and through. If given the time, I can pore through a good novel from start to finish in one sitting. But it's not always practical with my family life! Even so, I make the time to read plenty during my free time. I have a whole slew of favorite authors, thanks to my OCD tendencies that led me to make a lofty goal of reading new authors from A-Z by looking through the library's selection. That was about 3 years ago. Since then, I have gained a whole new appreciation for a wider selection of authors in various subgenres such as historical, chick-lit, inspirational fiction, suspense, mystery, and romance. I've even been lucky enough to have remained in contact with some of them - and have won gift cards, received complimentary copies of their books, and hear from them through social media and email!

In fact, after recently participating in a lively book chat hosted by one of those favorite new authors, Colleen Coble, I was excited to finally get a hold of her latest book this past week. If you like intrigue, inspiration, and fiction, you too might enjoy my review of The Inn at Ocean's Edge.

Adventures in Food Shopping

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:38:38 +0100

When it comes to stocking up the fridge, freezer, and pantry, there are so many factors in determining brand value, taste, and price. Where you shop says a lot about you. Are you health-conscious? Do you have special dietary needs? Is your budget stretched to its limit? Do you want to save time and gas?

Let's talk about grocery stores for a minute. In the US alone, there are over 37,716 grocery stores in existence (according to latest statistics from The FMI in 2014). And then you throw in the smaller mom-and-pop grocers found in more rural areas, and the "super" stores that sell everything from pajamas to frozen peas and car tires, and the list continues to grow. There is no shortage of places from which to choose to do your shopping!

Chain stores can be good for brand loyalists and those who are coupon mavens. It can be a boon when your favorite products are on sale, or using coupons can entitle you to something free. However, just because there are sales, doesn't mean that the quality is always there. Think about that for a moment. In the olden days of the last century, we have seen the advent of stores as we know them, who all started as small mom-and-pop type establishments, featuring local meats, produce, and baked goods. Prices were fair, and products were healthier. Oh sure, one can argue that sanitary practices might have made it less healthy for a person, but there were also less chemicals used to grow produce, feed animals, or package products. And that seemed to keep people less susceptible to the diseases that have run rampant through modern society today.

Then of course you have to consider the fact that as industrialization swept in that more and more of what became offered in stores strayed away from the local "little guys" to move on to bigger producers and suppliers. Such moves changed the economy and the way small towns operated. For some it meant the difference between prosperity and being written off the maps. Many towns ceased to exist once the railways, motorways, and airways began shipping products across the country and globally. So the move from locally-owned stores to bigger conglomerates has held more drastic consequences and has shaped the way we look at food as an industry and as a demand. The chains became enticing options for consumers to find "lower-priced" items, which they equated with the ability to buy more of, thus making it to their advantage, especially if having to feed large families.

Now that we are in tthe digital age, we can purchase items online. This takes things to a whole new level. People can buy standard fare, or find supplements, and organic and other specialized products all at the click of a button. While it has allowed many to become entrepreurs, it also has hurt business at physical stores - and this time, it's not just local shops, but chain stores have been affected, too. And as we saw in the hayday of chain stores, the same is being played out with internet stores. So is there a compromise?

I personally believe there is. Some chains have recognized consumer trends by incorporating a little of everything. By that I mean that places like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, and Fresh Thyme Farmer's Market and more, find organic suppliers and producers from as many local places specific to their physical stores, as much as possible. They even find things like supplements or organic lines of facial care and personal products that are commonly sold online and sell them in their stores so shoppers don't have to buy online. Between such stores, as well as road-side farm stands, and meat markets, we can all shop more economically and healthy without having to shell out more money to do so. In fact, you might find that you save as much as if you used coupons in traditional chain stores.

So my advice to you for today is this: find at least one local shop you can buy from today (as opposed to any mega-mart), and test the deals for yourself in terms of value, taste, and price and then tell me what you think.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:40:30 +0100

I have so many memories of watching Julia Child's show on PBS when I was a kid. During the holidays, the movie Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams was on tv, and having seen it once before, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to watch it again! The movie is also one of the reasons for this site (though with much more laid-back goals!!).

Truly, the movie does such a good job of recounting the life of Julia Child, and Meryl Streep was phenominal in her portrayal of her. It makes me smile to see the reenacted snippets of her show coupled with phrases and mannerisms that I hadn't thought about it years until seeing this movie when it first came out. It's also a good lesson to us all - in being passionate about what we love, discovering new things about ourselves, and reaching goals that we might have otherwise not attempted. So from my house to yours, I give Julie and Julia two thumbs up!