A Wintery Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake. When did you last see a snake?  Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers? 

I do NOT like snakes and yes they most certainly give me the shivers! I don't remember the last time I saw a real one, probably in some zoo or some such place, but I try not to go looking for them. If they have some on display somewhere, I usually make a very wide circle around them so I don't have to look. I know they used to get into my parent's barn and hang out until dad would figure out a way to get them to leave. (Nothing like having to look up in the rafters every time you went inside the barn!) I also will never forget one showing up on our back deck and mom was busy so dad required me to help him corner it so he could kill it. Let's just say I still vividly remember that moment and I'd really rather not.

2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck.  Do you believe in luck? 

No, I believe in God's timing, which is always just right. :)

3. sledding-ice skating-building a snowman...if given a choice, which activity would you choose?  Which of the three have you done most recently?  

I would absolutely choose ice skating! I love it. :) I remember many times growing up when we were able to go to a friend's pond and ice skate. Good times! The most recent time I've been would have to be a few years ago (not much snow in CA!). A group of us went to Yosemite National Park and ice skated with a spectacular view of Half Dome. It was a gorgeous day and we had so much fun! Unfortunately I recently heard that they are doing away with the ice skating rink there, to make room for more parking or something I think. I was so sad to hear that. But I'm thankful I got to experience it a couple times. :)

This is not a picture from that trip. But it is a picture of Half Dome! I couldn't find one from that particular day we went ice skating.

4.  Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "The years teach much which the days never knew."  Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?  

This one requires some thought! Mostly I'd say that quote has played out in my life through dealing with my mom's situation. I know I've mentioned before (Probably several times! Sorry that I'm repeating myself again.) that mom has Parkinson's and with that comes many, many challenges. One of which put her in the hospital for a week a couple years ago. In the daily moments of worry and concern, it was so hard to see the bigger picture. (Still is some days, I have to admit.) It was entirely too easy to get bogged down with worry and forget to trust what God was doing. But on this side of it, I can see things much clearer and understand some things better. There were things that happened, really good things, that I couldn't see while I was in VA that week. Does that make sense?

5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?  

I can't remember the exact time, but I know it was at work. My office mates (and me too) usually bring in goodies around any holiday. Or really just any old occasion. There never has to be a reason to bring in chocolate or my Carmelita's! Anyway, cupcakes show up now and again and I don't usually turn them down, especially if there are chocolate ones. Which usually there is! :)

6. What's something you can't say no to?  

Reading a book! But it's also hard to turn down a Dr. Pepper or chocolate or a cookie. Or a friend in need. Many things obviously!

7.  Are you a doodler?  

Not so much at home, but I've noticed that when I'm on the phone at work, I'm usually drawing or writing something. Or just filling in the bubble letters on my desk calendar. It's simply so convenient to have paper and pen right there to use. At home I don't have paper readily available, it has to be dug out of the drawer, so no doodling happens. :)

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Source: ebay.com via Kara on Pinterest

I'm not a coffee drinker. Coffee and I don't get along so well unfortunately. But I am a hot tea drinker! I've been enjoying Starbucks Orange Blossom tea recently. I mentioned this to a friend of mine, and she talked me into taking a tea class offered here in town. Last Friday was our first one and there will be two more. It was so much fun! I learned some very interesting tidbits on tea.

 Did you know:

• When tea leaves are opening up in the water as they brew, this is called "the agony of the leaves"?
• An official cup weight of tea leaves is 2.25 grams?
• That tea sinks and coffee floats?
• That along with tea cups and coffee cups, there is such a thing as a chocolate cup?
• That all tea comes from the same plant and it's part of the Camellia family?
• That almost all tea leaves the world over are still picked by hand?

There! Now you know some interesting facts you can throw out to someone the next time you need a conversation starter! ;D

Toodle-loo kangaroos!