First Day of Spring Faves

 

 It's the first day of Spring and temps aren't really spring-like here in eastern New York. 

Let's share FIVE of our FAVE blessings from the week while we wait for Spring to arrive. I'm joining other thankful bloggers at Susanne's blog, who hosts this weekly meme. 

 

2 lbs of Guatemalan Coffee beans!

• GIFTS!  Dave returned home from the missions trip to Guatemala safe and sound around 2 AM last Saturday morning. After sleeping in, he showed me the gifts he bought me: Two 2-lb bags of whole bean Guatemalan coffee for me to grind for our auto drip coffee maker. He also bought Courtney a pound wrapped in an artsy cloth bag with one of those cute Guatemalan dolls attached, and for Claire, he bought a pound of a different Guatemalan blend for her to grind for her pour over. He also bought his mom a jade cross to give her for her birthday on March 27th. I'm so thankful the missions trip went well for everyone, and that he gifted us with such wonderful treats! If you've never had Guatemalan coffee you are missing out on one of the smoothest blends ever!  Find some that is almost as good as fresh from Guatemala, at St*rbucks. 

The cast of The Addams Family 
Qu**nsbury High School 
photo used with permission

Mady playing the part of Alice Beinke

Uncle Fester and Alice 

Alice and Morticia look through the
Addams Family album 

Wednesday and Pugsley play!

Delaney S plays Wednesday 
The Addams Family 

• HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL!  Dave, Courtney, Tyler, and Claire and I all had tickets to go see my youngest niece (the one I hike with!), Mady, in her high school's musical, The Addams Family. WOWZA! Yet another top notch performance by her high school theater group. We've been to 2 of her sister Emma's shows over the years and all of Mady's shows except her 1st one.  Last year was the Wizard of Oz and before that was Annie. The girl who played Dorothy and Annie played Wednesday this year and I am not kidding that she has the vocals of a college voice major. She is absolutely superb. Our niece played the normal mom (Alice Beinke) and did an outstanding job as well!  Her acting...especially the screaming scene between her and Uncle Fester was just over the top hilarious and so well done. We all are so proud of her!! The sets are always done by professional style artists and the music and choreography helps this high school win state awards.  They truly have THE best musicals at that level for this part of the state, and we are so thankful we all got to see Mady perform in her final musical. 

• DATE NIGHT!  Monday evening after Dave was done with work, was "Date Night" for us.  We chatted all day Saturday and Sunday evening after the musical about the missions trip, etc. so we had our "in home date night" on Monday.  We chose the Grand Finale of Downton Abbey to watch together...the final scene really made me smile but also cry. If you've never seen this series, I highly recommend it. It's one of our faves and everyone in my family has loved it. This last movie is just so poignant. I'm thankful we spent the evening together wrapping up this series that we have so cherished over the years. 

• ENCOURAGING EMAIL:  My friend Joan sent me such an encouraging email. She basically was thanking me for all the work that goes into leading SoulSteps Hiking Group (the hiking season begins today!) and that I am very patient. I had had to address some issues that members were engaged in.....things going against our group guidelines or that it seemed they didn't understand.  Most of it was because the people involved were not actually reading the guidelines set forth and available in their email, on the church center app group page, and also every member from 2025/2026 was handed a hard copy.  I was tired of answering the same questions over and over when the answers are right in the paperwork they were given!! I told her I appreciated her email because I sure did not feel patient when writing the group message. I really had to come down hard (without naming names)and give a warning that if guidelines were not adhered to, they were at risk of being kicked out of the  group). There are currently 54 members (that includes 8 children) with 9 names on a waiting list. It's a large group to manage and although the average hike only has between 6-10 people, I still have to deal with all the RSVP's, Details, etc. I like it but it makes it hard when people don't actually READ what is sent to them. I'm very thankful for friends who are encouraging and kind.  I'm also thankful for the hiking members who do read every message and article. (most do!)

Qamaria Yemen Coffee Shop
sitting area

Qamaria Yemen Coffee Shop
walls are nicely decorated

Sana'a 
a medium roast yemen coffee with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon
very rich and flavorful!

• COFFEE with CLAIRE!  Claire wanted me to try this new Yemen coffee shop located in our town. In fact, our town now has 3 new Yemen coffee shops.  The one we went to is Qamaria I ordered the Sana'a pictured above. I purposely ordered it without oat or almond milk as I have never had Yemen coffee and wanted to experience it as is.  Wowza. First of all, it is one rich, steaming hot cup of coffee! So very flavorful and intensely rich. Some, who aren't used to unAmericano coffees will think it's even possibly bitter. It isn't. It's just super rich and deep.  I can't imagine what the dark roast is like! Yemen is the country, where in the 15th century, the first cup of coffee was brewed! The coffee bean itself originates in Ethiopia (another coffee we love!), but it was in Mocha Yemen where the beans were first roasted and brewed. I learned this because it was written on the wall of the coffee shop!  I then came home and researched it and yup....sure enough..there's tons of good articles about Yemen coffee. Claire and I are kind of "coffee snobs". We are very choosy about our coffee and don't mind paying for a super good cup. The thing I am most thankful for though is the time spent with my youngest girl, 1:1, to have a really good conversation about some spiritual stuff and the upcoming Easter holiday. I'm very thankful for our  conversation and coffee time. 

Those are the things that made me smile this past week and say "Thank You" to God. 

What about you? What are you thankful for this week? 

HAPPY WEEKEND!

St Patrick's HodgePodge

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Hosted by this blog

1. St. Patrick's Day lands on March 17th. Do you believe in luck? Are there things you do thinking they'll  bring good luck or  things you avoid because they're considered bad luck? 

Nope, I don't believe in luck beside God is the one who controls the universe and our lives.  I'll give the answer I did for the Saturday nine blog which had the same question: 

I don't believe in luck...I believe God has a Hand in my life. However, as an Adirondack hiker, like many life-long hikers, I do have a talisman I carry that is just tradition.....I always have some kind of dragonfly on me whether it's one of my many necklaces, one of my 3 bracelets, or  a pair of earrings,  ( I have 3 different pairs of dragonfly earrings). And I always have a certain silver whistle around my neck. 

2. Forest-lime-sage-mint-olive-emerald...what's your favorite shade of green? 

Favorite shade of green is Forest green followed by Sage green.  Next would be emerald and then lime and mint/olive are not on my radar. Although I do have a pair of cold weather hiking pants that are a deep olive color and I love them. A gift from hubby for Xmas. 

3. In Ireland the meal on this day is often a hearty beef or lamb stew served with colcannon (mashed potato mixed with cabbage and leeks). In the US corned beef and cabbage is the more typical St. Patty's Day meal. Will you/did you mark the day with one of these dishes? Baked-fried-roasted-mashed...what's your favorite way to eat a potato?

I don't eat beef but I did buy hubby some pastrami so he could have a sandwich. We definitely don't eat corned beef anymore since his heart attack in 2014 at the age of 48! I was 54 and said no more beef or pork for me as my cholesterol does tend to creep up if I'm not careful and I don't want to go on a statin! In fact, we won't even have dinner together today since he has his mens group at church right after work, and I have my small group here that I host.  Dinner for me tonight is fruit and a coconut milk yogurt since my lunch was dinner today.  (leftovers)

Fave way to eat potatoes for me is is either garlic mashed or roasted (most common for us) with lots of different herbs and spices like Herbs de Provence, garlic, parsley, sometimes tumeric or curry, minced onion, cracked black pepper. Just depends. We only eat potatoes about once a month or so. 

4. What color of the rainbow best represents your personality/mood today? Tell us why. 

I guess since I feel calm but energized (does that make sense) it would be either cerulean blue or forest green. 

5. Which 'lucky' quote resonates with you. Elaborate. 

 'Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men.' E.B. White 

'Diligence is the mother of good luck." Benjamin Franklin 

'Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.' Seneca 

'Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.' Ralph Waldo Emerson 

I guess I have to choose Emerson's. He's a fave of mine anyways, and yeah.....super shallow people believe in luck. It's like they have no idea about God guiding them and that our actions have consequences. I feel that inner strength comes from God Almighty and when we're aligned with His plans, things are easier or at least are things that His strength can get us through. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The First day of Spring is Friday!!!!  Yes, the group I lead, SoulSteps, has our first hike scheduled for that day. Wonder if the weather will cooperate???? 

the SoulSteps "logo" 

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

2026 Book Review #9:The Lost House

 

This author is new to me.  I saw the book listed on Goodreads and it sounded really good so I requested it from our towne library.  Really good book set in Iceland. It's a family drama, town drama, with a bit of mystery thrown in.  I really needed this fiction book the last couple of weeks because I am at the end of a very heavy, very deep Bible study with my small group and I needed some thing "light" to read in my off hours from that study. 

STORY SUMMARY

Forty years ago, in 1979, a young Danish woman (age 26),  married to an Icelandic man and mother to 9 year old son Magnus and newborn daughter Agnes, is found frozen to death with her throat slit. On a snowy field not far from her farmhouse in Iceland. In her arms is her frozen baby girl who had been drowned.  The person who stumbled across this gruesome scene was 6 year old Ingvar whose family lived nearby the farmhouse. 

This case was never solved and rumor has been circulating all of these 40 years that it was Marie's husband Einor who killed her and the baby because shortly after this, he took Magnus and fled to California. In the eyes of just about every townsperson, Einar is guilty although he was never charged. 

It is now 2019 and Agnes, the daughter of Magnus (granddaughter of Einar) is slowly recovering from a horrible surfing accident that left her with a shattered knee and broken ankle. She is desparate to clear her grandfather's name once and for all.  He recently died and she is now in Iceland to see if she can figure out what happened all those years ago, along with the help of a nationally known podcaster who specializes in helping to solve or expose cold cases. Nora Carver, the true crime podcaster invites Agnes to her grandfather's hometown of Bifrost, Iceland, outside of Reykjavik. They are staying in the big house across the road from the farmhouse where Magnus and Einar lived until the Marie's murder. Thor, a gentleman in his late 50s, is the owner of the home.  He plans on turning the old farmhouse, which he now owns with his father Thor senior (who is in a memory care facility), into a retreat type vacation setting. 

When Agnes arrives in Bifrost there is a search party going on for a young college aged woman who has disappeared after attending a party.  The party was in the farmhouse!  Now Agnes' and Nora's investigation is turned upside down because everyone is focused on finding Asa, the college girl. Some people think she simply left town with not telling a soul. Others think she committed suicide. Still others think it has to do with a secret boyfriend. But who's the boyfriend?? None of her friends know. 

Agnes begins to uncover new....and old....secrets and soon finds herself in a web of lies that threaten the redemption she was hoping to deliver regarding her grandfather.....and also they threaten her very life! 

Will Agnes and Nora figure out where Asa is? Will they finally solve the question of who exactly killed Agnes' grandmother Marie?  Is it really Einar? or is it someone who also knows Asa?? 

MY THOUGHTS

This was a really good book.  I liked the character development. I liked the picture of Agnes and her difficult relationship with her father Magnus, and I also liked the back story of Ingvar and his mother. I began to suspect who might have killed Marie and baby Agnes in 1979 around the middle of the book.  But it's so well developed...the plot....that I wasn't totally sure because there are several people it  could be. And then the twist that I was wrong about the suspect. 

I didn't care for the character  Nora Carver. Perhaps because I'm just not a true crime podcast enthusiast but I think it's more that the author does a good job in showing all the wackiness that comes out from people who try to solve true crimes and are not really forensic pathologists or detectives. I know her character is fiction but she reminded me of some of the wacky theories I've heard surrounding the Nancy Guthrie disappearance and it just irks me. 

This is a fast-paced book but I actually took time to savor it. The description of Iceland and the real town of Bifrost really drew me in.  I have several friends who have gone to Iceland and although it's not on my bucket list, it sounds beautiful and stark. The winter setting was perfect for me to read this past week with our return of winter like temperatures.  

Some of the themes in this story include:  same sex relationships, pain killer addiction, kidnapping, father-daughter relationship, facing fears, perseverance, justice, redemption, love, grief. 

There are some chilling moments in this story along with some tightly woven plot lines and twists. 

If you can only read one book this month, make it this one!  I highly recommend it. 

I didn't find any editing errors in this book, nor were there "f bombs" which I totally appreciate.  I think this is the author's 2nd novel. I do plan on looking for her first one at our library at some point. I like her style! 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9. 

IRISH Saturday Nine Meme

Saturday 9: I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover (2001)

Selected in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) This is one of the songs included in Willie Nelson's Rainbow Connection album. He named it after his daughter Amy's favorite song when she was a little girl. She'd been asking him to record "The Rainbow Connection" for 20 years and finally, in 2001, he came through for her. Think of something you had to wait for. Was it worth the wait?

My husband was definitely worth the wait!  I first met him when I was 27. We began to date when I was 29.  I was married at age 30.  I cannot imagine getting married any earlier as my 20s were a time of college, grad school/internship, starting my Special Ed Prek Teaching career. SO busy. So glad I waited! Plus..it was God's plan!

2) Willie can trace his family tree back to the Revolutionary War. Are you interested in genealogy?

Somewhat. My mom did a pretty good geneology of her side of the  family and I have the family tree from her research.  My husband is the great times eight grandson of a Turner who came over on the Mayflower. 

3) Today Willie is legendary performer, but as a child, he was very uncomfortable in front of crowds. He recalled that during his school days, reciting in front of his class made him so uncomfortable he suffered nose bleeds. When did you most recently have a bloody nose?

I never had a bloody nose in my entire life until I was in my 40s and going through Lyme Disease. For some reason, it caused my nose to bleed from time to time. I had a somewhat bloody nose in 2023 when I sneezed during the bout I had with Covid. My sinuses were so swollen! That's it! My sister Joy used to get them all the time when she was a child. 

4) During the 1990s, Willie had problems with the IRS. His management team set up illegal tax shelters and he ended up owing millions in back taxes and penalties. This year's IRS filing deadline is Wednesday, April 15. Will you be early, on time, or will you need an extension?

We already have our federal tax return deposited in the bank! Dave tends to do ours early online.  So easy! I'm sure it will be awhile before we get any money from NYS. 

5) In "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," Willie sings about appreciating something he has previously overlooked. Is there anything positive in your life you feel you may take for granted? 

I tend to take certain friendships for granted as well as my marriage for granted.  I'm getting better at letting the friends and hubby know how much I appreciate them. 

6) Four leaf clovers and shamrocks are considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm? 

I don't believe in luck...I believe God has a Hand in my life. However, as an Adirondack hiker, like many life-long hikers, I do have a talisman I carry that is just tradition.....I always have some kind of dragonfly on me whether it's one of my many necklaces, one of my 3 bracelets, or  a pair of earrings,  ( I have 3 different pairs of dragonfly earrings). And I always have a certain silver whistle around my neck. 

7) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day?

Maybe? When I was teaching special ed PreK we always wore tee shirts or socks with shamrocks on them.  I do have one old cotton tee that has shamrocks on the front.  I also have a green long sweater to go with it since it most likely will be cold that day here in NYS. 

8) According to Irish folklore, if you catch a leprechaun he must either give you his pot o' gold or grant you three wishes. Would you choose the gold or the wishes?

Hm..the wishes because with each wish I can wish for more wishes! 

   

9) Traditional Irish stew is made with mutton or lamb, though here in the US beef is also very popular. What's your favorite soup/stew?

I don't eat beef, lamb/mutton or pork so my fave soup is my stuffed pepper soup made with bison or "beyond meat".  I also make a good chicken stew with apples and honey.  Both are here in the blog under "Faithfixes dinner" label (on sidebar). 

 

For those of you who were asking/emailing/texting:

Dave arrived home at 2 AM from Guatemala.  We are spending the day eating  cherry pie in honor of our oldest daughter who had as one of her  college majors, Math, and Pi Day.....we're also doing laundry and chattting about all the ways he served on this missions trip.  

HAPPY SATURDAY!!