Monthly Archives: December 2025

Sepia Saturday

27 Saturday Dec 2025

Posted by in Sepia Saturday

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Playing in the Snow

Lum, Bertha Boynton, Artist. Snow balls / Bertha Lum. Japan, ca. 1913. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/90713295/.

Johnson, Herbert, Artist, Herbert Johnson, and Publisher Associated Newspapers. When the Snow Falling Is Good. , ca. 1921. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016682048/.
Senate page boys stage their first snow battle on the Capitol Plaza. Washington D.C, None. [Between 1909 and 1932] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/91786800/.

This week Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share images of playing in the snow. To see more winters fun posts, visit Sepia Saturday.

Weekend Coffee Share

27 Saturday Dec 2025

Posted by in Art, holiday, Weekend Coffee Share

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Year in Review

If we were having coffee, I’d ask you about your holidays. What do you celebrate? How did you enjoy yourself?

I’d tell you that we had a lovely Christmas. I missed my nieces and nephews. One niece is now living in New Zealand and another had trouble getting here. My nephew and his family moved to Jordan. I hope to visit them in 2026.

2026 Travel

Immaculate Heart of Mary

I got to go on a pilgrimage to Italy with a side trip to Albania.

Italy
Albania

The Chosen

New Friends

I got to be an extra for Season 6 of The Chosen.

Halloween & Día de los Muertos

National Mexican Art Museum
Old World Wisconsin, Halloween

Open House Chicago

Wisconsin

Milwaukee

Doors Open Milwaukee is a must-see.

Farm Work

I got a joyful job leading school groups on programs at Wagner Farm. Believe it or not, I learned to milk cows and to groom horses.

Christmas

To see more coffee shares, visit Natalie the Explorer.

Weekend Coffee Share

20 Saturday Dec 2025

Posted by in Weekend Coffee Share

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If we were having coffee, we’d enjoy it all the more because it’s so cold outside as I write this. The sun is out which helps a lot, but bundle up if you’re going outside.

Mocktail Class

Last night I went to a super fun class at a local library where we learned to make mocktails, one cold, the other hot. The best thing we learned was about making simple syrups and how you don’t have to use white sugar. In fact, the instructor recommended using raw sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, etc and infusing the syrup with herbs or fruits. This change leads to greater depth of flavor.

Spirit Week

This week one of the schools where I work had spirit week. Each day people were encouraged to wear different colors or clothes. Monday was Grinch Day and I was surprised at all the variety of Grinch-themed clothing. Tuesday was Peppermint Day so I wore a red top, white pants and a peppermint stick pin. Wednesday was Festive hat day and I forgot my Santa hat that lights up but wore it on Thursday along with a bejeweled top since Thursday was Shiny, Glittery Day. Today I’m at a different school and I’m not sure if they’re doing anything special, but at my main school it’s Cozy Flannel Day.

Often I cringe at these days because they add distraction, but the last week before the winter break is full of distraction anyway. If you can’t beat ’em. join ’em.

Farm Christmas Party

Ho, ho, ho

We had an employee holiday party at the Wagner Farm last night. Just like in Christmas Story, we had Chinese food for dinner. Then we had a white elephant exchange, but I had to scoot to get to the Simbang Gabi.

Simbang Gabi

Lastnight I went to my first Filipino Simbang Gabi mass. I was asked to read a petition in Japanese and was happy to get to practice my Japanese.

The tradition of Sambang Gabi consists of a novena or 9 masses usually at night or when it’s dark, i.e. early morning.

Natalie’s got some super elegant photos on her blog. so click here to get to them and to see more coffee shares.

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