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S6 E9: Emily Carter on Nature and Wildlife Photograph

“Nature as Art is something that is felt deep within one’s spirit. Hard to express in words, the connection felt when observing and being part of nature brings unity and a sense of peacefulness in this world of chaos. It is this connection that as a nature and wildlife photographer that I am in continuous search for. Capturing wildlife and nature in its natural state is a challenging task. As a photographer, I recognize that I am an intruder, and as such I must show respect as they have allowed me into their world.” Emily Carter, Artist Statement

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted that I am travelling virtually to Annapolis, Maryland, to meet up with Emily Carter, an award-winning nature and wildlife photographer. Emily believes that art is found in nature through careful observation of the scenery, lighting, and the subject. Through photography, she captures the emotion felt when experiencing a fleeting moment.

Emily and I have known each other ever since she welcomed me to an on-line photography group. I confess being intimidated by the calibre of photographers, but soon felt a kinship and camaraderie within this group. Emily has a passion for nature and her enthusiasm inspired me to take a leap of faith into the world of photography.

How can photography be a way to engage with nature and the environment? How can we preserve, through photography, what was once, but is no more? How can nature photography bring a sense of calm and wellness to our lives? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue !

Thank you, Emily, for sharing your knowledge, experience, and insights. You have been a source of encouragement to me over the years. You remind me that photography is personal because it tells our story and documents, along with all the other photos that circulate in our virtual world, the greater narrative of our generation.

Listeners, I invite you to connect with Emily on her website, Nature is Art, Flickr, Instagram and Facebook. You are only an internet click away from experiencing the beauty of Nature captured within photography.

Until next time we meet dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.Music by Epidemic Sound

Gavin Luke "Dream Corridor" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/eZm5S0GHOe/Jon Björk "Between the Willows" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/kx4H30KIkZ/

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Season 6 Episode 8: Lauren Scott on A Poet’s Voice

“rocks and shiny shells
in all shapes and colors make
young hearts sing and dance
precious works of art
remain forever priceless
time irrelevant
sandy shore offers
troves of tiny treasures for
imaginations
fingers hold paintbrush
brows furrow, fully focused
masterpiece crafted”

“Tiny Treasures” from Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poems by Lauren Scott

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am traveling virtually to Northern California to meet writer and poet, Lauren Scott. Lauren enjoys the tranquil pleasures of small-town living alongside her supportive husband, Matthew, and their beloved lab, Copper. As a dedicated wordsmith, Lauren has explored both fiction and reflections of her own life through her compelling poetry and short stories. Lauren released her latest poetry collection, “Ever So Gently,” in July of 2023. This enchanting anthology artfully communicates the nuances of life, love, and the human spirit.

Today, I am delighted that Lauren Scott has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to the podcast series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.Thank you for joining Lauren and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to reflect on the beauty of poetic words.

Thank you, Lauren for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways. This has been a wonderful conversation.

Listeners you can meet up with Lauren on her website, Baydreamer, (BaydreamerWrites.com) and Amazon. You are only an internet click away from journeys that enrich the soul.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading and reciting poetry. Safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Epidemic Sound

Gavin Luke "Sentient" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/BZeZdCNhcw/

David Celeste "Under Your Wings" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/j3C38gUeUu/

Max Anson "Break of Day" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ygrq37w0oz/

David Celeste "Eternally Yours" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/K8gUW0Gb5B/

David Celeste "Catharsis" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/7Y8Il1GyZs/

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S6 E7: Mandy Henderson on the Poetry of Katherine Mansfield

The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books.”

Katherine Mansfield

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) was a highly acclaimed New Zealand writer and poet. Born in Wellington, New Zealand October 14, 1888, she is regarded as one of the most influential modernist short story writers of her time. Mansfield’s poetic sensibility and expert craftsmanship have secured her a lasting place in literary history.

Katherine’s writings are known for their vivid imagery, introspective themes, and exploration of the complexities of human emotions. Her remarkable ability to capture the subtle nuances of everyday life and convey them through delicate and lyrical language sets her apart. Despite her untimely death at the age of 34, Mansfield’s legacy as a pioneering writer continues to resonate in the literary world.

Today, I am traveling to New Zealand to meet up with my blogger friend, Mandy Henderson to discuss the remarkable life and work of Katherine Mansfield.

I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Mandy, for sharing the life and poetry of Katherine Mansfield.

As Katherine wrote many years ago, “The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books.”

Today we have shared the pleasure of reading her poetry, together.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Mandy and me on Tea Toast & Trivia and celebrating the life and work of Katherine Mansfield.

Music by Epidemic Sound:

Arthur Benson "Have You Tried the Key"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/VXLAqxSdsg/

Yonder Dale "Benevolent"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/shJ71NyU8V/

Johannes Bornlöf "Our Deepest Secrets (Scaled Down Version)"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/R5ym9z47GU/Claude Signet "Together Is Better"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/gPLIAeQ0Cj/

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S6 E6: Mary Lunnen on Your Compass Rose Speaks

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Join me as I travel virtually to Wadebridge, a town in north Cornwall, England, to meet up with writer, artist and Global Life Coach, Mary Lunnen. I first met Mary through a mutual friend and frequent guest on TTT, Liz Humphreys. Liz shared three “rediscovery cards” in an Instagram Post. These rediscovery cards are used by Mary for guided meditation and reflection.

Dare to Blossom Life Coaching with Mary is based around the principle of rediscovering our inner wisdom and awakening to a sense of wellbeing. She has recently published her book, “Your Compass Rose Speaks: Rediscover Your Inner Wisdom”, which is the culmination of her work over the last twenty years since establishing Dare to Blossom Life Coaching in 2003.

Thank you for joining Mary and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you, Mary, for sharing your insights on coaching, on seeking an inner wisdom, on embracing the unknown and being open to possibilities

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Mary on her website, Dare to Blossom, Facebook, and Instagram.

I know that you will be inspired by the Mary’s story and her dedication to living boldly within a complex, ever-changing world.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your journey leads you.

Music by Epidemic Sound

David Celeste: "First Resolution"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/BP26BafzZF/

David Celeste: "The Wind in Her Hair"https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/GEVInFWSj4/

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S6 E5: Elizabeth Gauffreau on the Art of Writing Short Stories

"I should have gone to see Mother sooner, I suppose, but her letters had been arriving with the same regularity as always, so I had no inkling that anything might be wrong. Truly, Mother’s letters were cheerful as ever. She writes such lovely descriptions of the winter birds at the feeder outside the solarium." Elizabeth Gauffreau, A Morbid CravingWelcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in!

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend, writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau, has come back to share her insights on the art of writing a short story. We are once again bridging the 3897 kilometers, as the crow flies, between New Hampshire and Vancouver.

Liz is a gifted writer who specializes in fiction and poetry that delves into the themes of family and place. With a bachelor’s degree in English/Writing from Old Dominion University and a master’s degree in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire, she has honed her skills and crafted a compelling body of work.

I have read Liz’s short story “A Morbid Craving”, published by Lamplit Underground, several times over the past weeks. Her ability to capture four points of view within a very complex narrative was riveting.

It is time to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you Liz for sharing your insights and reading. You continue to inspire me.

Listeners, you can meet up with Liz on her website lizgauffreau.com, Substack, Amazon, and Goodreads You are only an internet click away from a place where stories dwell.

Until next time we meet, safe travel wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Epidemic Sound:

David Celeste "The Heart" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/BNRLqsHty4/Gavin Luke "Dream Corridor" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/eZm5S0GHOe/

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S6 E4: Celebrating “Up Helly Aa” with Sarah McBurnie

January 30, 2024, the Last Tuesday of January. The fire festival of Up Helly Aa is happening. A huge torchlight procession of hundreds of Vikings is marching through the streets of Lerwick, carrying flaming torches and singing traditional Norse skalds.

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I have arrived in Lerwick, Shetland to meet up with my friend, Sarah McBurnie who was our guide on our 2018 Shetland adventure. Up Hella Aa is happening. Sarah has invited us to celebrate Shetland’s Norse heritage with her. I have always wanted to attend Up Helly Aa, so join me for a Viking adventure that promises feasting, music, and dancing!

Up Helly Aa or Up Holy [Day] All A Celebration of Norse Heritage!

On January 30, 2024, the last Tuesday of January, the fire festival of Up Helly Aa is happening in Lerwick, Shetland. This festival carries a rich tapestry of influences that give it a unique flavor and significance.

The first influence stems from the Yuletide celebrations, which traditionally began on the 5th of January, known as Old Yule, and culminated in Up Helly Aa, 24 days later. This final day was marked with fire, feasting, and frolic, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

The second influence is rooted in the old Shetland custom of guizing, where individuals disguised themselves, visited friends’ houses, performed turns, and then revealed their true identities. This tradition added an element of surprise and merriment to the festivities.

The celebration of Shetland’s Norse heritage is a central pillar of Up Helly Aa. In the north of Scotland, the Vikings, who were feared in other parts of the world, are celebrated as symbols of strength and resilience. The Norse heritage is embodied in the iconic sight of a burning longship, symbolizing the journey of a deceased Norse Jarl to Valhalla, an evocative and powerful tribute to the Viking legacy.

The amalgamation of these influences creates a vibrant and captivating Viking adventure at Up Helly Aa, as participants pay homage to Shetland’s rich and enduring Norse heritage.

Northlink Ferries has taken this opportunity to look back at the other years that were significant for Up Helly Aa: Up Helly Aa through the years.

Edgar Hopp "Phoenix Rising" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/IKHlHvgHSN/

Kikoru "Clouds Over Mountains" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EbaDeotpAO/

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S6 E3: Norman Orenstein on Composing, Producing and Recording MusicWelcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am travelling virtually to Toronto, Ontario where the music scene is vibrant and diverse, from indie rock to hip-hop, jazz to electronic. I am thrilled that Canadian musician, composer and producer, Norman Orenstein, has joined me today to discuss music and the creative process.

Norman is the President of NORMAN ORENSTEIN MUSIC INC. (NOM Inc.), specializing in music production and publishing. As a member of The Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL), he brings over 20 years of experience in composing, arranging, and recording live musicians for feature films, television movies, and television series.

Norman is the controller of the NOM Music Library, where he negotiates with record companies, writers, and publishers to secure synchronization and master use licenses. His expertise in the industry has led him to be a panelist at prestigious events such as the North By Northeast (NXNE) Music Festival and the Worldwide Short Film Festival Symposium, where he shares his success stories and insights on the director-composer relationship in film and TV music.

With an extraordinary background in music composition and production, Norman continues to contribute his talents to the world of film and television, creating captivating music scores that enhance the storytelling experience.

Thank you for joining Norman and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Norman's music is featured in the podcast. The introduction piece was entitled "Highliner. The piece featured in the closing comments was from Norman's score for the film "Kidnap Capital."

And a very special thank you Norman for sharing your insights, knowledge, and experience. It is an honour to showcase your music in our conversation. You have given us a deeper appreciation for the artistry behind your work. I am inspired by your passion for music and storytelling.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Norman Orenstein on and his website Norman Orenstein Music to experience his amazing, unforgettable music.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Thank you for joining Norman and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Norman Orenstein- ⁠Norman Orenstein Music⁠ (used with permission)

"Highliner"

"Kidnap Capital" Norman's Score from the film Kidnap Capital

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S6 E2: Celebrating Robert Burns with Address to A Haggis

Robert Burns, also known as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. Burns is best known for his poetry written in the Scots language, with works such as “Auld Lang Syne,” “Address to a Haggis,” and “Tam O’ Shanter.” His poetry often reflects themes of love, nature, and Scotland’s cultural heritage.

Robert Burns’ influence on Scottish literature and culture is profound, and his work continues to be revered and celebrated through events like Burns Suppers, which are held annually around the world to commemorate his life and literary contribution.

Haggis holds a significant place at a Burns Supper due to its historical and cultural connections to Robert Burns and Scotland. The traditional Scottish dish, immortalized in Burns’ poem “Address to a Haggis,” is celebrated as a symbol of Scottish heritage and a tribute to the poet’s legacy. Its inclusion in the supper reflects the deep appreciation for Burns’ work and the rich tapestry of Scottish culture and traditions. The ritual of addressing and consuming the haggis is a poignant and festive way to honour the impact of Robert Burns on Scottish literature and identity.

Come join me to celebrate Robert Burns with his iconic “Address to a Haggis”! The vivid imagery and spirited language invite us to join in the festivities of a Burns Supper and pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Scotland’s beloved national poet.

Music by Traditional "Auld Lang Syne (Traditional Version" Epidemic Sound

⁠www.epidemicsound.com/track/H9ncuJOolx/

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S6 E1: D.G. Kaye on her podcast “Grief - The Real Talk”

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted that blogger, non-fiction writer, memoir author and podcaster, Debby Gies and I are connecting Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.

Debby is a Canadian author, writing under the pen name of D.G. Kaye. She writes about real life and the events that she has had to navigate through and overcome. Her intent is to inspire others by sharing her stories and the lessons that have come along with them.

In her podcast “Grief – The Real Talk”, Debbie speaks from the heart and from personal experience. She takes listeners through the painful journey of her grief after losing the love of her life, sharing her observations about the changes that occur during the grieving process.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this profound and moving conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Debby and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Debby, for sharing your insights on grieving. Losing a loved one is an inevitable part of life. It is a deeply emotional and challenging experience that requires careful consideration.

I invite you to meet up with Debby on her blog, D.G. Kaye Writer.com , on her podcast– Grief, The Real Talk, her Amazon Page and on Goodreads. It is a place that welcomes profound conversations that reminds us to Live, Love, Laugh and Breathe.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.Music by David Celeste "The Bloom of Her Skin". Epidemic Soundhttps://www.epidemicsound.com/track/8KN2JKoLoG/

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S5 E23: A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is a delightful prose work by the Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas. First published in 1954, the piece is a nostalgic and vivid recollection of the author’s childhood memories of Christmas time in Wales. Thomas takes readers on a journey through the sights, sounds, and experiences associated with the festive season.'Through rich imagery, Dylan Thomas portrays the joy and excitement felt by children as they anticipate the arrival of Christmas. He reflects on the small yet significant moments that make the holiday special, like gathering with loved ones, enjoying festive meals, and engaging in playful adventures.The narrative is imbued with a sense of warmth, whimsy, and the universal nostalgia that accompanies the holiday season. Thomas's prose captures the essence of childhood innocence and the timeless magic of Christmas, creating a lyrical and enchanting atmosphere that resonates with readers of all ages."A Child's Christmas in Wales" celebrates the beauty and wonder of the holiday season.This year, I chose "A Child's Christmas in Wales" to celebrate the joy and laughter of the festive season. As I read Dylan Thomas's remembrance of long ago Christmases, I recalled my childhood memories of family and friends, dinners and singing, hugs and laughter. May this festive season bring you warmth, laughter and cherished moments with your loved ones. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!RebeccaMusic from Epidemic Sound: Megan Wofford "Deck the Halls" (piano Version) https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Erq5jycgqC/Home for the Holidays "Home for Christmas" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/sdKFLVmayx/Howard Harper-Barnes "Christmas Wonders" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Jb1FWEg88c/Howard Harper-Barnes "The Gift of Giving" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/UzvWf4Pq8E/Johannes Bornlöf "The First Fall of Snow" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/UzvWf4Pq8E/John B. Lund "A Christmas Lullaby" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Mor63mOsPB/“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is in the Canadian public domain.

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S5 E22: Eglund on The Emergence of AI Technology

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” Marcus Aurelius

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

The future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of debate among experts in the field. AI has been around for decades, but recent advances in technology have allowed for rapid development in the field. As AI continues to evolve, it will become increasingly integrated into our lives and businesses.

Should we fear the emergence of AI technology? Will AI control our lives and take away our jobs and careers? Will AI be used to create malicious software? Will AI replace human creativity and knowledge?"

To discuss these questions, I am travelling virtually over 7900 kilometers to Berlin, Germany to meet up with my friend, Eglund, journalist and writer. Eglund is an engineer and publicist. He worked as a science journalist and reporter in Africa for several German newspapers. Since 2005, his focus has been on the environmental initiatives.

As a specialist journalist for renewable energies, he works within media related to the ecological energy transition, first of all about solar energy. Eglund has in-depth experience with AI in optimizing the efficiency of solar energy systems. As a journalist and writer, he has insight into how AI will impact on creative endeavours.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Thank you to you, Eglund, for sharing your insights on Artificial Intelligence. We are living in a complex world that demands our highest participation. It is heartening to know that we can all make a difference.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Eglund and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Stay tuned for another stimulating conversation with Eglund.

Music by Howard Harper-Barnes "The Light From Within" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/OiHw16ODbX/

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S5 E21: Paul Andruss on Storytelling, Bards, & Sir Walter Scott’s Lochinvar Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia!Thank you for listening in.I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.I am heading across the ocean to Wales, a beautiful country full of magic, mystery, music, and brilliant writers and poets.  I am excited to reconnect with a great storyteller – Paul Andruss.Paul is the author of the Young Adult magical realism trilogy, the Jack Hughes Books. He has written several short stories and novellas.   Over the past several months, Paul and I have been exploring the evolution of storyteller.  Who were the bards of old?  What stories have come through the centuries?  How do we add our stories to the greater narrative of humanity.This is your invitation to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.Listeners, thank you for sharing this moment with Paul and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. I invite your to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and on Amazon.  You are only an internet click away from a daring and exciting adventure.This is your invitation to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.Music by Epidemic SoundBonnie Grace "Portal" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/p6RFg3iUtu/Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen "The Fellowship" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/RvoaSQzcbj/Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen "The Bard's Tale"https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/1mht2puewa/

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S5 E20: Catherine Cavendish Reading “The Haunting of Henderson Close”Welcome to Tea. Toast. and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Public libraries and bookstores have expanded their reach into a global community. Book readings have gone virtual. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome to the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which brings authors and their books from across the world to your home.

I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted that Catherine Cavendish has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from her novel, The Haunting of Henderson Close. In the depths of Edinburgh, an evil presence is released. Listen to Cat’s voice take you to Edinburgh with her atmospheric novel. Be prepared – you will feel the approaching dread of horror.

Thank you for joining Cat and me on Tea Toast & Trivia “Authors reading their Books.”

And a very special thank you, Cat, for reading from The Haunting of Henderson Close. I read this book late into the night with the lights on!

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Cat on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, Mastodon, Goodreads, Amazon, and her website and blog, Catherine Cavendish. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a haunting adventure.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Epidemic Sound: Music

Jon Björk “Colossal Terror”

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uIztS7Sbkb/

Trailer Worx “Basement Nightmares” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/gR4dlFGYNQ/

Trailer Worx “Danger Lures” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/oRcCuDUQej/

Howard Harper-Barnes “Hope and Prayers” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/OF8HRp9uXx/

Epidemic Sound: SFX

Composition Horror https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uIztS7Sbkb/

Piano Keys https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/BcPE25v5uw/

Swoosh https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/DeeA0Vle4F/

Drone Dark Scary https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/UIwDy30jBc/

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"The very first work of art in the street that I took pictures of was in Winnipeg. It is a Charlie Chaplin mural, with a fab story behind it. I posted it in 2013." Resa McConaghyWelcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am heading over the Rocky Mountains across the Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, to the vibrant city of Toronto, Ontario to meet up with Resa McConaghy, blogger, artist, photographer, and established costume designer in film, television, and digital media.

Resa has worked her costume designer magic on productions for Showtime, ABC, Disney, CBS, CBC, Hallmark, and more. She brings out personalities with her costume designs and adds dramatic moods to each scene by balancing texture and colours.

Resa’s passion for photography and outdoor ephemeral art, is captured in her website, Graffiti Lux Art & More, Today, Resa invited us to walk with her as she explores the vibrant art murals found in the alleys, side streets, and neighbourhoods of Toronto.

Thank you for joining Resa and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a very special thank you and shout out to Resa – you live life with compassion, hope, and bold enthusiasm.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Resa on Graffiti Lux Art & More and her website Art Gowns and You are only an internet click away from the world art, adventure, glamour and fantasy.

Exciting News Update: Resa's 1500th post Gala Celebration is happening Thanksgiving weekend 2023!

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Kikoru "Seeing the Truth" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/MRrj00qtFC/

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S5 E18: Brian on Fear of Missing Out

Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia

Thank you for listening in!

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

Today,  I’m heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta.

Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation  on embracing a greater journey. How do we live the fullest in that stage of life that we find ourselves in? How do we embrace the twists and turns that life gives us? How do we gracefully give up the things of youth and embrace the age of active wisdom?  

Today, Brian and I will be discussing FOMO, which is the short form of “fear of missing out.” FOMO is that uncomfortable, even anxious, feeling you get when think that other people might be having a good time without you. FOMO can happen at any stage of life “from childhood to old age”

Thank you for joining Brian and me on this conversation.

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

Music by Eric Williams "When I'm Out With You" Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uHpfYQgRg0/

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S5 E17: D Wallace Peach On A Poet's Voice

moonlight stitches lace

frosty hems on scarlet leaves

glints of fallen stars

D. Wallace Peach, Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The Moons of Autumn: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, edited by Colleen M. Chesebro and JulesPaige is a profound exploration of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. The theme of this journal was influenced by the Harvest, Hunter’s, and Frost moons, which are the names given to the three full moons that transpire during the autumn months. Within the pages of this poetry collection, the diverse mix of syllabic poetry has ignited my desire to explore a poetic journey.

Today, I am delighted that D. Wallace Peach whose poetry is featured in “The Moons of Autumn” has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to podcast series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home.

Diana lives on my side of the world, just south of the Canadian Border. She is a best-selling author of fantasy fiction who loves writing poetry. An avid supporter of the arts in her local community, she organizes and publishes annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography. She and her husband live in a log cabin, situated on a mountain. She has found a place of belonging, surrounded by evergreens in the lush, green wilderness of the Oregon rainforest.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Diana and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to reflect on the beauty of poetic words.

Thank you, Diana for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways. This has been a wonderful conversation.

Listeners you can meet up with Diana on her website D. Wallace Peach Books, Amazon and Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from journeys that enrich the soul.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading and reciting poetry.

Safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by:

Kikoru "Sitting by the Shore"https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/pRliUujadr/

Trevor Kowalski "For What Is Right" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/WzOf5ZyHdy/

Gavin Luke "To the Moon and Beyond" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/H6shp6f3WB/

More Than Family "Choir Hymn" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zLlZB2Y3zt/

Benjamin Monday "The Secretary's Daughter" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/xtiAcqdEac/

Epidemic Sound

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S5 E16: Dr Derek Bryce on Cultural Heritage, Destinations and Tourism

"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” Robert Louis Stevenson, Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am travelling virtually to Glasgow, Scotland, where I am meeting up with Dr. Derek Bryce, Senior Lecturer Marketing, The University of Strathclyde.

Derek’s research has been influenced by his extensive involvement in the UK and Canadian travel management sector and his academic studies in tourism and business. His PhD in Cultural Studies has positioned him to bring a strong historicist and humanities perspectives to teaching and research in the Marketing domain, where his contextual focus is on Cultural Heritage, Destinations and Tourism

Why do we travel? Does our heritage influence our choice of destination. Do we feel a connection with the locations of our ancestors? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Thank you, Derek, for sharing your knowledge, experience, and insights. You reminded me that travel offers us a chance to expand our horizons and gain a better understanding of the world around us.

Travel opens our minds to new ideas and perspectives, to recognize that our personal stories link to the past, influence the future, and become interwoven within the greater narrative of humanity.

Listeners, thank you for joining Derek and me on Tea Toast and Trivia.

“See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask for no guarantees, ask for no security.” Ray Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451

Music by Trailer Worx "Morning Lights" Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/yO0oRrARBw/

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S5 E15: Dave Astor on Being a Blogger and a Writer Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Today, Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between Montclair New Jersey and Vancouver, British Columbia

Dave is the author of the 2017 literary-trivia book “Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time” and the 2012 memoir “Comic (and Column) Confessional.” Dave serves as a National Society of Newspaper Columnists board member and writes the weekly “Montclairvoyant” topical-humor column for Baristanet.com.

Dave’s weekly Sunday morning blog posts on DaveAstorOnLiterature.com generate great conversations, which have prompted me to think, consider and share my thoughts over the past years. I am delighted that Dave has graciously agreed to join me to discuss what it means to be a blogger and writer.

It’s time to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Listeners, thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you Dave for sharing your insights on blogging and writing, sharing ideas, and creating spaces for connections and conversations.

In closing, I wanted to share a quote from Dave’s book, Fascinating Facts:

“Literature can send our minds to another time and place, allowing us to forget our lives and troubles for a few precious hours. It can educate us about history, open our minds, increase our empathy, make us think, give us things to converse about, and/or provide plenty of excitement along with the escapism.” Dave Astor

I invite you to connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. You are only an internet click away from meeting up with a great discussion with kindred spirits.

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by More Than Family "House of Cats and Dogs" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/r0PqZ90QzU/

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S5 E14: Luanne Castle on A Poet’s Voice “Note how the red rose,velvet worn by early frost,clings confidentlyto its own treacherous stem,never accursed by mirrors.” Luanne Castle

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Today, I am delighted that Luanne Castle poet, writer, blogger and art journalist has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to the podcast series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home.

Luanne Castle’s poetry explores the breadth and depth of the human experience. In her book, Kin Types, she speaks of the hopes and challenges of ordinary lives from the past. Her first collection of poetry, Doll God, studies traces of the spirit world in human-made natural objects.  Today, Luanne shares her thoughts and insights on her latest poetry collection “Rooted and Winged.”

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Luanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to reflect on the beauty of poetic words. Thank you, Luanne, for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways.  This has been an extraordinary conversation. Listeners you can meet up with Luanne Castle on her websites Writersite.org, and  Luanne Castle, Amazon,  Instagram, and Goodreads.  You are only an internet click away from poetry that enriches the soul. Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading and reciting poetry.

Music By Epidemic Sound

Jon Björk "Calcifer" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/VLISBRrfkD/ Johannes Bornlöf "Dancing in the Rain" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/5mSFeLx0wa/ Johannes Bornlöf "As I Dream" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/4cUBo6wPFR/ Trevor Kowalski "The Reunion" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/7jwK8DH0WQ/ Aerian "Endurance" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/GQmo9r7nDO/ Trevor Kowalski "For What Is Right" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/WzOf5ZyHdy/

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S5 E13 Julie Riso on A Winter Walk

February 2022, Winter: this one so cold, dark, eternal. Outside the window, a moon encased in ice vapor, cradled in the forest’s naked embrace. A languid ascent from the realm of dreams. A gentle command: release to receive. Be open to that which you never considered.

J.D. Riso La Vagabonde Vs. The Machine February 26, 2023

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that writer, Julie Riso, from her Substack “Wish I Were Here” blog and I are connecting Vancouver and Northern Michigan for a discussion on A Winter Walk.

Julie has created a space that welcomes authentic conversations. She writes that many years ago, she chose to follow an unmarked path – the one filled with detours, dead ends, hitchhikers, kitschy roadside attractions, and unexpected destinations. I knew immediately that I found a kindred spirit.

“Wish I Were Here” is Julie’s travel memoir that explores her journeys through place and time. She inspires readers to live their personal stories and to recognize the connection to nature and all creatures who share our world.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Thank you for joining Julie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Julie for sharing your insights on a Winter Walk, of creating space for personal reflection and communion with nature. You have inspired me, and I know that you have encouraged listeners to recognize the importance of solitude, of seeking an inner journey. It is where our story begins and becomes interwoven within the fabric of all that has come before and all that will come after.

I invite meet up with Julie on Wish I was Here. It is a place that inspires us to wait, listen to our hearts, discover our dreams, and walk with nature in peace with ourselves and with all who walk this earth.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Johannes Bornlöf "Let's Run Away Together" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/k2mc9bQtD4/

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S5 E12: Julianna Wagar on the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion and the Lyon in Mourning Project

Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,

Say, could that lad be I?

Merry of soul he sailed on a day

Over the sea to Skye.

Billow and breeze, islands and seas,

Mountains of rain and sun,

All that was good, all that was fair,

All that was me is gone.

Sing me a Song of a Lad that is Gone By Robert Louis Stevenson Vocals and music by Julianna WagerWelcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

The 1745 Jacobite rebellion has been romanticized in literature and media. However, this was a difficult and complex period. The stories of those who lived during this time have been captured in “The Lyon in Mourning” manuscript, which was compiled by Rev Robert Forbes. The tragic Battle of Culloden shattered the hopes of restoring the Stuarts to the throne. The communities and social structure of the Scottish Highlands were changed forever.

Dr. Leith Davis, Professor of English at Simon Fraser University and Director of Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Scottish Studies, is currently investigating and creating a Digital Humanities project on “The Lyon in Mourning”. This project is a collaboration with the National Library of Scotland and SFU’s Digital Humanities Innovation Lab.

Today, I am joined by Julianna Wagar, Dr. Davis’s research assistant, to share her thoughts on the Lyon in Mourning project. Julianna recently completed her BA at Simon Fraser University in English, Gender, and Women’s Studies. She is currently working towards her MA in English at SFU. Her research interests include eighteenth-century Scottish literature, women’s literature, and Scottish women’s travel writing.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I invite you to meet up with Julianna and Dr. Leith Davis at the Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University. The Centre, located at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby campus, provides a focal point for faculty, students, and all who are interested in exploring Scottish history and culture and the connections between Scotland and Canada in the contemporary global landscape. It is a place where the past reaches out to our time and reminds us to live boldly, with courage and hope.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Trabant 33 "Dreams of the Brave" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zhMobBG9tX/

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S5 E11: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene on Dead of Winter and Creating Epic Stories

“As the moon cast its light on simple grave markers, the air was split by a sliver of pale gray light. It shimmered like the giant star sapphires of ancient Tiglath.

Thunder pealed.

The splinter of light seemed to bulge forward and retract, again and again, until it shattered as if lightning had struck. The sound reverberated through the ground. Gravestones toppled.”

Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene, Prologue, Journey 1 Forlorn Peak

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am thrilled that Teagan Geneviene has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss her epic narrative, ⁠Dead of Winter⁠. The adventure is presented in a series of 14 Journeys that begin in the Flowing Lands at Forlorn Peak. The heroine, Emlyn, is a 12-year-old girl who sees and hears spirits. She receives a supernatural warning that she knows is not about the weather: “Winter is coming!”

Teagan makes brilliant use of serialization to enhance a reader’s experience, encouraging us to savour the narrative and to reflect with expectation to what comes next.

I finished Dead of Winter during a horrendous snowstorm which added atmospheric energy as the storyline moved into the final scene. I marvel at Teagan’s ability to bring together a magnificent epic with elegance, humour, and compassion. I laughed and cried, worried, and fretted over what was to become of Emlyn, Zasha, Osabide and all the characters that she brought to life.

Thank you for joining Teagan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Teagan for sharing your insights and experiences in creating “Winter Is Coming.”

I invite you to meet up with Teagan at Teagan’s Books . You are only an internet click away from meeting up with Emlyn, her teacher Osabide, and The Watcher. You will be swept away on an exciting adventure.

It is time to put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion.

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your journey leads you.

Music by Deskant "As Loch Awe Weeps

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/6PagpxgiQC/

Music by Edgar Hopp "Guarded Skies"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ibxNuh7UM4/

Epidemic Sound

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S5 E10: Brian on TransitionsWelcome to Tea Toast & Trivia!

Thank you for listening in!

Life is full of transitions, from the small daily changes to the major life-altering events. Navigating these transitions can be challenging and overwhelming, but it’s a necessary part of growth and progress. Whether it’s starting a new job, moving to a new city, or experiencing a personal loss, transitions can be difficult to navigate. Perhaps when we experience uncertainty and ambiguity, that is when we do our best work.

Embracing new stages in life is recognizing that change is inevitable. It is our opportunity to experience a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world in which we live and engage.

Brian, my brother, came back to continue the discussion on embracing a greater journey. Today, we are looking at transitions and life cycles. How to navigate the stages of life. (This podcast was recorded during the months of a Canadian Winter. Brian lives in Alberta known for cold weather and sunny skies. I live in Vancouver rainforest.)

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com. I am your host and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you

I will be taking a short break from blogging and podcasting to head out into an adventure. I and will be back soon and look forward connecting over the blogosphere. During this time, comments will be closed. Thank you for your understanding.

Music by Eric Williams "When I'm Out With You" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uHpfYQgRg0/

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S5 E9: Macbeth’s Witches Chant with Shehanne Moore and Catherine Cavendish

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The 400th anniversary of the first folio of Macbeth is set to take place in 2023. Published in 1623, the first folio is considered one of the most important works of William Shakespeare. It is a collection of 36 of his plays, including Macbeth, and is an important part of the literary canon. The anniversary of this folio will be celebrated around the world, with events taking place to commemorate the work of William Shakespeare and the impact the folio has had on literature and culture.

Catherine Cavendish, writer of Gothic horror and Shehanne Moore, writer of exhilarating historical romances, have joined me to commemorate this momentous milestone.

With the magic of WIFI, we have brought Dundee Scotland, Southport England, and Vancouver, Canada together to whisk you back four hundred years to meet the Three Witches of Macbeth, the trio of supernatural beings often referred to as the “Weird Sisters.” They are believed to be the embodiments of fate and destiny. Are you ready????

And a very special thank you, Cat and Shey, for conjuring the drama and force of the Three Witches and celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s first folio.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Cat on her website, Catherine Cavendish, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Amazon and Goodreads,

I invite your to meet up with Shey on her website, Shehanne Moore, Twitter, Amazon and Goodreads.

Thank you for joining Cat, Shey and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music and Foley by Epidemic Sound

Trevor Kowalski "You're Not Hiding Very Well" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/o6WvffFGpS/Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen "Path to the Abyss" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/qZi97YkZ2X/Cobby Costa "Pressure Put" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/OO15NJCT41/Traditional "Sarabandes Version 2" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/wMyNWRkrNC/

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S5 E8: Rachel McAlpine A Poet’s Voice on Aging

What is your job?

"What is your jobwhen you no longer have a job?What is your workwhen you don’t go to work any more?When you retireyou gain such a lot—like freedomand time and multiple choice.You left with reliefso why this incongruity of grief?Work gave you friends, a schedule, a labela space and a fablea reason to get out of beda dress code and your daily breadand at your very corea sense of who you areand what you’re for."© Rachel McAlpine

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am traveling virtually to Christchurch, New Zealand, to meet with Rachel McAlpine, a digital content pioneer, eminent New Zealand poet and author of 30+ books. She joins me today to discuss her poetry and embracing our evolving journey with joyful anticipation.

Rachel became obsessed with the ageing process from a personal point of view. At 75, when she discovered that her life expectancy was 99, she devised a boot camp for her bonus years. The outcome of this initiative was realistic optimism and a sense of control. Now at 82, Rachel is helping others to confront the mixed blessing of longevity. She inspires confidence that we can shape our old age.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Rachel and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss how to be old.

Thank you, Rachel for sharing your profound insights on how the gift of longevity. This has been a wonderful conversation.

Listeners you can meet up with Rachel on her website, Write Into Life, Amazon and Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from journeys that enrich the soul.

Music by Epidemic Sound

S.A. Karl "Castor" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/BUaOZZJ5UG/

Claude Signet "Together Is Better" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/gPLIAeQ0Cj/

More Than Family "This Way My Dear" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/qMY1hUHSLT/

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S5 E7: Mary Lunnen on Embracing our Inner Wisdom

“I cannot know, none of us can, what the year ahead will bring. I can make plans and hope that they will become reality. And they may well change through my choice or through circumstances outside my control. My ‘word of the year’ for 2023 is ‘Presence’…To be in the moment as much as possible.” Mary Lunnen, Dare to Blossom January 2023

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Join me as I travel virtually to Wadebridge, a town in north Cornwall, England, to meet up with writer, artist and Global Life Coach, Mary Lunnen. I first met Mary through a mutual friend and frequent guest on TTT, Liz Humphreys. Liz shared three “rediscovery cards” in an Instagram Post. These rediscovery cards are used by Mary for guided meditation and reflection. I was intrigued! Dare to Blossom Life Coaching with Mary is based around the principle of rediscovering our inner wisdom and awakening to a sense of wellbeing.

It is time to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Thank you for joining Mary and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you, Mary, for sharing your insights on coaching, on seeking an inner wisdom, on embracing the unknown and being open to possibilities.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Mary on her website, Dare to Blossom, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I know that you will be inspired by the Mary’s story and her dedication to living boldly within a complex, ever changing world.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your journey leads you.

Mary’s latest book: Your Compass Rose Speaks

“The culmination of all my work over the last twenty years since establishing Dare to Blossom Life Coaching in 2003, this book offers you a way to explore the tools and processes that I have developed over this time, along with insights of my journey along the way, and stories from those who have joined me.” Mary Lunnen

Music by David Celeste "April in Detroit" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Y3IFt1ExKU/

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S5 E6: Ken Gierke on A Poet’s Voice

warmth of a pale light

found as clouds part

rewarded

while seeking the moon

on a cool autumn night

Ken Gierke, The Moons of Autumn, Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The Moons of Autumn: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, edited by Colleen M. Chesebro and JulesPaige is a profound exploration of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. The theme of this journal was influenced by the Harvest, Hunter’s, and Frost moons, which are the names given to the three full moons that transpire during the autumn months. Within the pages of this poetry collection, the diverse mix of syllabic poetry has ignited my desire to explore a poetic journey.

Today, I am delighted that Ken Gierke, whose poetry is featured in “The Moons of Autumn,” has joined me to give voice to his poetry. Welcome to podcast series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home.

Ken Gierke retired and moved from Western New York to Missouri. Time spent on or near the water has always been important to Ken. In a past life, that meant boating and scuba diving. Today, it means kayaking or walking along a river or stream. It may even mean sitting on a shoreline, writing poetry. Ken finds threefold reward in poetry – reading, writing, and the acceptance of his readers.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Ken and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to reflect on the beauty of poetic words.

Thank you, Ken for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways. This has been a wonderful conversation.

Listeners you can meet up with Ken on his website rivrylogr.com and on Amazon. You are only an internet click away from journeys that enrich the soul.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading and reciting poetry.

Safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by

1) Yonder Dale "To All a Good Night" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/PqpBEBUUhI/

2) Johannes Bornlöf "Burned Letters" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Vchv0ZhyC4/

3) Bonn Fields "Love at First Glance" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Vchv0ZhyC4/

4) Megan Wofford "Starlight Wonder" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/CO9LsVYIWT/

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S5 E5: John Quinn on The Dundee Connection with Mary Shelley

“I lived principally in the country as a girl and passed a considerable time in Scotland. I made occasional visits to the more picturesque parts; but my habitual residence was on the blank and dreary northern shores of the Tay, near Dundee. Blank and dreary on retrospection I call them; they were not so to me then. They were the eyry of freedom, and the pleasant region where unheeded I could commune with the creatures of my fancy.

Mary Shelly, In the introduction to the 1831 edition, Frankenstein

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Who was Mary Shelley? What is her connection to Dundee? What influence did Dundee have on her writing of Frankenstein?

I am delighted that I am travelling virtually to Dundee, Scotland where I am meeting up with John Quinn, writer, poet, and lyricist to discuss these questions.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining John and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, John for sharing your insights and your commitment to the city of Dundee and the memory of a young teenager who would give the gift of her book, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus to the world.

I leave you with this quote,

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be his world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.”

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Trabant 33 "Fountain of Miracles" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/hBLXkhqXiS/

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S5 E4: Celebrating Up Helly Aa with Sarah McBurnie

January 31, 2023, the last Tuesday of January, the fire festival of Up Helly Aa is happening. A huge torchlight procession of hundreds of Vikings is marching through the streets of Lerwick, carrying flaming torches and singing traditional Norse skalds.

Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I have arrived virtually in Lerwick, Shetland to meet up with my friend, Sarah McBurnie who was our intrepid guide on our 2018 Shetland adventure.

Up Helly Aa is happening tonight.

Sarah has invited us to celebrate Shetland’s Norse heritage with her. I have always wanted to attend Up Helly Aa, so join me for a Viking adventure that promises feasting, music, and dancing!

Listeners, thank you for joining Sarah and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you Sarah for sharing the excitement of Up Helly Aa. You were an excellent guide on our visit to Shetland and I’m looking forward to meeting up with you again on Tea Toast Trivia.

Listeners, I invite you to connect with Sarah on her website, See Shetland. Sarah conducts exclusive guided tours with personalized itineraries for visitors to Shetland from all over the world.

We came as visitors to experience this amazing place and left as friends, thanks to Sarah and the many people we met along the journey through the Shetland Islands. You are only an internet click away from a remarkable adventure that will take you from birdwatching, archaeology to the celebration of Up Helly Aa

Until next time we meet dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Kikoru "Clouds Over Mountains" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EbaDeotpAO/

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S5 E3: Celebrating Robert Burns & Address to the Haggis

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.”

Robert Burns is one of the most important figures in Scottish culture and history. Every year, Scots and people around the world come together to celebrate the life and works of the beloved poet. There are many reasons why we should celebrate Robert Burns and his contributions to Scotland.

Regarded as the national poet of Scotland, Robert Burns writings celebrate Scottish culture and identity. He wrote extensively about the history of Scotland, and his works are often seen as a representation of the struggles and triumphs of the Scottish people. He was a great advocate for social justice. His poetry and narratives are often used to inspire people to strive for a more just and equitable society.

Robert Burns’ poetry is varied in its themes and styles, and his writings have been adapted to numerous musical genres. His best-known works include “Auld Lang Syne,” “To a Mouse,” “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye,” and “A Red, Red Rose.” These poems are beloved for their romanticism, their humor, and their insight into the human experience.

Come and join the celebration!

Music by Traditional "Auld Lang Syne (Traditional Version" #EpidemicSound

www.epidemicsound.com/track/H9ncuJOolx/

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S5 E2: On the Road with Bryan Davis and Cary Hubbard

“Cars are almost part of my physiology. I grew up playing amongst the dusty shelves of my family’s auto parts store. In my reckless youth pushing our delivery trucks to the point of mechanical failure was the best way I could find to learn about cars and how they worked. As a responsible adult I channel that interest into connecting with fellow enthusiasts through events, writing and social media.”

Bryan Davis, Esoteric Automotive Antiquarian

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in!

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am travelling virtually to Albuquerque to meet up with Cary Hubbard of Cary’s Garage, who you know from the Project Z Car Revival podcast series at Tea Toast & Trivia. From Albuquerque, Cary and I are winging our way across to New York to connect with Bryan Davis, Automotive Writer, and Social Media Manager. Bryan is known as an Esoteric Automotive Antiquarian who is dedicated to the history, design, manufacture, and “roadability” of the unloved cars of the Malaise Era.

Cary and Bryan are the podcast hosts of Motors and Martinis that take us on amazing road adventures. What is an Automotive Antiquarian? What is the “Malaise Era?” And how can there be unloved cars? These are the questions that will be answered today.

This is going to be a great discussion so put the kettle and join the conversation.

Thank you for joining Cary, Bryan, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Cary and Bryan for a brilliant discussion on memorable cars and memorable moments.

I invite you to meet up with Cary and Bryan on their podcast Motors and Martinis where you will find them talking about cars and all things esoteric. Bryan’s website, Bryan Raab Davis will link you to Malaise Motors, the Little Facebook Group the Could. Join Cary on his YouTube Channel, Cary’s Garage, which is dedicated to his love of Vehicles. Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles. His cars come from all corners of the globe!

Cary and Bryan have promised to come back for another road trip adventure.

Until next time we meet, safe travel wherever your adventures lead you

Music by Plain Stroll "Leave the Lights On." #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/9oOwDuHvGF/

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S5 E1: Catherine Cavendish on Writing Gothic Horror

“1941. In the dark days of war-torn London, Violet works in Churchill’s subterranean top secret Cabinet War Rooms, where key decisions that will dictate Britain’s conduct of the war are made. Above, the people of London go about their daily business as best they can, unaware of the life that teems beneath their feet. Night after night the bombs rain down, yet Violet has far more to fear than air raids. A mysterious man, a room only she can see, memories she can no longer trust, and a best friend who denies their shared past… Something or someone – is targeting her.” Catherine Cavendish, Dark Observation

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Join me as I travel virtually to the sea in Southport, England, to meet up with writer, Catherine Cavendish, who has given us paranormal, ghostly, and Gothic horror novels and novellas. Her novels include Dark Observation, In Darkness, Shadows Breathe, The Garden of Bewitchment. The Haunting of Henderson Close, The Devil’s Serenade, The Pendle Curse, and Saving Grace Devine.

Time to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

As many of you know, Edinburgh feels like my second home. I just purchased Cat Cavendish’s “The Haunting of Henderson Close.” This is the blurb:

In the depths of Edinburgh, an evil presence is released. Hannah and her colleagues are tour guides who lead their visitors along the spooky, derelict Henderson Close, thrilling them with tales of spectres and murder. For Hannah it is her dream job, but not for long. Who is the mysterious figure that disappears around a corner? What is happening in the old print shop? And who is the little girl with no face?

This is going to be an amazing read. I will keep the lights on.Thank you for joining Cat and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you, Cat, for sharing your insights on writing, embracing the unknown and being open to possibilities.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Cat on her website, Catherine Cavendish, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a haunting adventure.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your journey leads you.Music by #EpidemicSound

Spectacles Wallet & Watch "Ghouls"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/i9zCHFRdAJ/

Howard Harper-Barnes "Mysterious Forest"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/jR4dVTZ5wr/

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S4 E46: Season‘s Greetings from Ottawa, Ontario

Wishing You The Joy Of Family

The Warmth Of Friends &

The Gifts Of Laughter, Peace & Love!

Rebecca

A special thank you to my brother, Brian R Brodhead, who provided the music accompaniment of Silent Night.

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Season 4 Episode 45: Merril D Smith on A Poet’s Voice

"frost-specked

the grass glistens

in October moonlight,

silvered pale…a scurry of mice,

ghost-like."

Merril D. Smith, The Moons of Autumn: Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The Moons of Autumn: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, edited by Colleen M. Chesebro and JulesPaige is a profound exploration of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. The theme of this journal was influenced by the Harvest, Hunter’s, and Frost moons, which are the names given to the three full moons that transpire during the autumn months. Within the pages of this poetry collection, the diverse mix of syllabic poetry has ignited my desire to explore a poetic journey.

Today, I am delighted that Merril D Smith whose poetry is featured in “The Moons of Autumn” has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to the series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home.

Merril D. Smith is a writer, editor, independent scholar, and poet. She is the author and editor of several books. Merril’s poetry is often inspired by the natural world around her. Her poetry has been published by several presses, and she is working on a full-length poetry collection, as well as some smaller collections. In April 2022, Nightingale & Sparrow Press published her first full-length collection, River Ghosts.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Merril and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to reflect on the beauty of poetic words.

Thank you, Merril for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways. I have enjoyed traveling virtually to New Jersey to walk along the Delaware River with you.

Listeners, you can meet up with Merril D. Smith on her website Merril D Smith, Amazon and Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from poetry that enriches the soul.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading and reciting poetry.

Safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by:

Claude Signet "No One But Yourself"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/l89C9VoigE/

David Celeste "Everyday People"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/T32oSvAWoI/

Emily Rubye "Remember"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/KSh4jHCiBF/

#EpidemicSound

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S4 E44: Emma Trotter on Lyon in Mourning and the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion

"The Lyon in Mourning is a collection of Journals, Narratives, and Memoranda relating to the life of Prince Charles Edward Stuart at and subsequent to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.The formation of this collection was to a great extent the life-work of the Rev. Robert Forbes, M.A., Bishop of Ross and Caithness.” From the Preface, Lyon in Mourning

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

Dr. Leith Davis, Professor of English at Simon Fraser University is a co-founder of the Department of English’s Master of Arts program with Specialization in Print Culture. She is the Director of Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Scottish Studies. Her current project, which she discussed in a previous TTT podcast, is on The Lyon in Mourning, Memoirs of The Rebellion of 1745. It is a collaboration with the National Library of Scotland and SFU’s Digital Humanities Innovation Lab.

Today, I am joined by Emma Trotter, Dr. Davis’s research assistant, to share her thoughts on the Lyon in Mourning project. Emma is currently finishing up her Undergraduate BA at Simon Fraser University in English and completing her Certificate in Writing & Rhetoric. Her research interests include 17th-century American and Puritan literature, as well as late 18th-century feminist literary criticism.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Emma and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Emma, for opening the doors of the past and demonstrating the power of story to influence our lives today.

I invite you to meet up with Emma and Dr. Leith Davis at the Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University. The Centre, located at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby campus, provides a focal point for faculty, students, and all who are interested in exploring Scottish history and culture and the connections between Scotland and Canada in the contemporary global landscape. It is a place where the past reaches out to our time and reminds us to live boldly, with courage and hope.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Trabant33 "Dreams of the Brave" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zhMobBG9tX/

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S4 E43: Timothy Price on Music and Creative Endeavour

*Reflections dive deep

Into swift waters stilled

Winter’s magic ethereal light

Walks on water, river sprites

Tiptoe under thin light gleaming

Watchful sliver moon alone*

*Slips between shadows, darkness

Chimeric light leads me home*

Excerpt from a Walk in Winter by Timothy Price

@TimothyPrice

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am traveling virtually to Albuquerque, New Mexico to meet up with my blogger friend, writer, poet, musician, and photographer, Timothy Price. He joins me today for a discussion on music and creative endeavour.

I have been following Tim’s blog since my first introduction to him on Resa McConaghy’s blog, Art Gowns, The Art of Glamorous Fantasy. Tim has a marvelous sense of humour and a love of photography and music. What I especially appreciated about Tim is that he provides sustained support and encouragement for artistic pursuits.

Tim reminds me that creativity opens us to experience a deeper understanding of who we are and how we relate to the world around us.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Tim and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Tim, for a brilliant discussion on music and creative endeavours.

I invite meet up with Tim and his friends on his blog Off Centre Not Even. It is a great place to hang out and listen to music,

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you. Music by Martin Landstrom "(Why are you) Telling Me No." #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/lHsD0R61l1/

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S4 42 The Trio on Living the Dream

Welcome to tea Toast and Trivia

Thank you for listening in!

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

Today, I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, for a discussion on what does it mean to live the dream life.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Frances, Sarah and I look forward to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia!

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

Music by Howard Harper-Barnes "Memories of Marigold"  #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/YldSXDgo21/

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S4 E41: D.L. Finn on A Poet’s Voice

blood red trees

autumn’s forest glows

hunter moon

D.L Finn, Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The Moons of Autumn: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, edited by Colleen M. Chesebro and JulesPaige is a profound exploration of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. The theme of this journal was influenced by the Harvest, Hunter’s, and Frost moons, which are the names given to the three full moons that transpire during the autumn months. Within the pages of this poetry collection, the diverse mix of syllabic poetry has ignited my desire to explore a poetic journey.

Today, I am delighted that D.L. Finn whose poetry is featured in “The Moons of Autumn” has joined me to give voice to her poetry. Welcome to the first podcast in the series, “A Poet’s Voice”, which brings words of poetry from across the world to your home.

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, a unique autobiography, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining D.L. Finn and me on Tea Toast & Trivia to share the beauty of poetic words.

Thank you, D.L. Finn for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways.

Music by David Celeste "Wake Up with Me" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/lNvPapTBle/

Music By Rannar Sillard "Worlds Apart"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/DfrxaRrTVW/

EpidemicSound

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S4 E40: Tristan Price and Cary Hubbard on the Project Z Car Revival

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in!

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

A few weeks ago, I attended a family wedding in Squamish, British Columbia, the town famous for mountain biking and hiking in summer and snowmobiling and back-country skiing in winter. When we arrived in the parking area of our hotel, we were surprised to find a Red 1993 Suzuki Sidekick JL parked in a nearby parking space. Even more amazing, when we looked closer, we realized that this was the car that we purchased in 1993. When we met up with the current owner, we were told that she was the fourth owner of our car.

Cars have personal histories, too! Today I am excited that I will be heading back Cary’s Garage for an update on the Project Z Car Revival project. You will recall that Tim Price from Off Center & Not Even introduced me to Cary Hubbard from Cary’s Garage a few months ago. Cary picked up a 1980 Datsun 280ZX that he was going to get back on the road.

Today, a special guest is joining Cary and me on TTT.

Tristan Price, the owner of the 1980 Datsun 280ZX, has come to tell the history behind this special car.

This is going to be a great discussion so put the kettle on, stop by and add to the conversation.

Thank you for joining Tristan, Cary, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Tristan and Cary for the history and update on the legendary 1980 Datsun 280ZX. I have enjoyed this conversation.

I invite you to meet up with Cary on his YouTube Channel, Cary’s Garage. This channel is dedicated to Cary’s love of Vehicles. Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles. His cars come from all corners of the globe! You are only an internet click away from being on an extraordinary road adventure with the Project Z Car Revival.

Until next time we meet, safe travel wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Plain Strolls "Leave the Lights On." Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/9oOwDuHvGF/

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S4 E38: Looking back with Frances on Farming

"There are few left alive now who remember those days.  There were none of the new inventions of tractor driven machinery that became available to the more prosperous farmers in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.  The machinery was horse or mule driven.  For the women, there were no modern stoves or refrigerators.  Milk and butter were kept cold by lowering the items into the cisterns in the warm summer months.  Cooking stoves used for preparing meals made the kitchen extremely and almost unbearably hot in the summertime.” Frances, My Mother's Memoirs

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in!

Today, I am joined by my mother, Frances, to remember what it was like to live on a farm in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

We invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia.

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

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S4 E38: Darlene Foster Reading Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral

Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Public libraries and bookstores have expanded their reach into a global community. Book readings have gone virtual. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome to the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which brings authors and their books from across the world to your home. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce Darlene Foster who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from her novel, Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral (An Amanda Travel Adventure Book 9) which I have pre-ordered to be delivered to me in Kindle and paperback format on September 13, 2022. I confess that I wanted a preview of Amanda’s exciting new adventure in Paris - the City of Light or in French, La Ville-Lumière.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Darlene and me on Tea Toast & Trivia “Authors reading their Books”.

And a special thank you, Darlene, for reading from Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral. I look forward to tagging along with Amanda and her best friend, Leah, as they explore the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles, and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, while being drawn into the mystery surrounding the destructive fire of Notre Dame cathedral.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Darlene on Amazon, Goodreads and her website and blog Darlene Foster, which she created for writers, readers, travelers, dreamers, friends and friends she has not met yet. It is a place where stories dwell.

Until next time, dear friends, save travels wherever you adventures take you.

Music by Jon Alger "Falling Raindrops"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/OIfeErDZZZ/

Music by Trailer Worx "Sunshine in my Pocket"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/6idSWR6vo6/

#EpidemicSound

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Season 4 Episode 37: H.S. Eglund on the Sun and Solar Energy Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. I am travelling virtually over 7900 kilometers to Berlin, Germany to meet up with my friend, Eglund, journalist and writer, to discuss the sun and the energy that comes from the sun. Eglund believes that the topic of solar energy should not be reduced to the technical side of solar cells.  Humanity has had and continues to have a connection to the sun throughout history. Eglund is an engineer and publicist. He worked as a science journalist and reporter in Africa for several German newspapers.  Since 2005, his focus has been on the environmental initiatives. As a specialist journalist for renewable energies, he works within media related to the ecological energy transition, first of all about solar energy. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you Eglund, for sharing your insights and latest developments in solar energy.  It is heartening to know that we can all make a difference. Dear listeners, thank you for joining Eglund and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.  Stay tuned for Eglund’s return for another stimulating conversation. Until next time, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you. Music by Bonn Fields "Can You See the Stars From Here" #EpidemicSound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/h35mpxlwTx/

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S4 E36: Shehanne Moore on Dundee’s Famous Poet, William McGonagall

“I may say Dame Fortune has been very kind to me by endowing me with the genius of poetry.” William McGonagall, The Autobiography of Sir William Topaz McGonagall

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host; Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Join me as I travel virtually to Broughty Ferry, Scotland, Dundee’s Historic Seaside Village, to meet up with my friend, writer, and publisher, Shehanne Moore. Shehanne has given us exciting historical romances – O’Roarke’s Destiny, His Judas Bride, Loving Lady Lazuli, The Unraveling of Lady Fury, and the list goes on.

As many of you know, Shehanne, has extensive knowledge of classical literature. A few months ago, she introduced me to William McGonagall, one of Scotland’s best-known poets. I confess that I had never heard this name before.

William McGonagall was the son of the working-class Irish handloom weavers. He was born in 1825 in Edinburgh and raised in Dundee. Some say that William McGonagall was the worst poet ever to commit pen to paper and yet, his poetry has never been out of print since his death in 1902. His influence is seen in the works of Spike Milligan, The Muppet Show, Terry Pratchett, and Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Who was William McGonagall? Why was his poetry deemed “the worst?” Was he a fool or a genius? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Shehanne for introducing me to an unforgettable poet who persevered despite ridicule by those who looked down on his lowly station and humble verse. The more I read about William McGonagall, the more I see his brilliance.

The poem “Attempted Assassination of the Queen” by Knight of the White Elephant of Burmah, William McGonagall can be accessed on the following link:

Attempted Assassination Of The Queen

Thank you for joining Shehanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I invite you to meet up with Shehanne on WordPress, Pinterest, and Twitter. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a daring adventure.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

Music by: #EpidemicSound

Howard Harper Barnes "Behind Every Powerful Man"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/yKWtfxzmse/

Claude Signet "Together is Better"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/gPLIAeQ0Cj/

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“There is no way to define my engagement in this process other than to call it a passion. A passion for supporting immigrants and refugees in every way possible and for enhancing communication and understanding for all people.” Joseph Macdonald, Strategic and Business Development Specialist

S4 E35: Joseph Macdonald on Engaging within a Global Community

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am travelling virtually across the Canadian Rockies to Calgary, Alberta, where I am meeting up with Joseph Macdonald, an innovative thinker who connects with businesses to facilitate overcoming challenges. Joseph is a brilliant communicator who fosters a sense of purpose and commitment within organizations, both private and public, enhancing opportunities for growth and influence. He believes that collaborative problem-solving encourages personal growth and increased job satisfaction.

Joseph is involved in many projects and initiatives. Today, he has joined me to talk about working with partners from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and three Calgary immigrant serving organizations to deliver workshops on transcultural communication skills.

What is the definition of transcultural communication? How do we acquire this skillset? What are the benefits to us personally and to our communities? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Joseph, for sharing your knowledge, experience, and insights. Although we have never met in person, you have been a source of encouragement to me over the years. You remind me that we are living the story of our generation. Our stories will link to the past, influence the future, and become interwoven within the greater narrative of humanity.

Listeners, I invite you to connect with Joseph on LinkedIn and the website, Transcultural Communications Workshop.

Until next time we meet dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Experia "Never Give Up" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Lv2ddiD84X/

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S4 E34: Looking Back with Frances on Sod Houses

Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

May 22, 2022, The City of Vancouver held a symposium to feature best practices in green roof design, maintenance and policy making on the West Coast. This was in response to Vancouver’s ambitious targets of having all new buildings “carbon neutral” by 2030. One of the strategies is to promote green roofs as a way of managing rainwater. It is called the RainCity Strategy.

The United States Environment Protection Agency supports this strategy: “Green roofs have been proven to help reduce heat islands.” The European Commission recognizes the multiple benefits of green roofs in a new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change.

Green Roofs are emerging as a global strategy. And yet, green roofs have been with us throughout history. We continue to build on knowledge that has come before. As Isaac Newton remarked a few centuries ago: “if I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Today, I am joined by my mother, Frances, to discuss sod houses. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion.

"Carl A. Oman was a tall, very handsome man. He was born and spent his early childhood in Oman, Sweden. His surname came from his birthplace, a choice was made to change the family name when they came to the United States. He came as a young unmarried man, possibly to prepare for the arrival of the rest of his family. Many of his relatives settled in Minden, Nebraska, but he chose to homestead approximately fifteen miles between the towns of Callaway and Arnold, Nebraska. Gothenburg lay 24 miles to the south. There is not much information about his family, but he did have brothers who “made it well”. One settled further to the west and one chose to go to Alaska to mine for gold." Frances, My Mother’s Memoirs

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia as we looked back at how sod houses created family homes.

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Special note: When I entered the world of podcasting in 2019, my first goal was to preserve my mother, Frances’s story. Frances was raised on a farm in Nebraska during the eventful decades of 1930’s and 1940’s. We read about the Great Depression that spanned the years from 1929 – 1939 and acknowledge that it was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. And yet, it is when we hear the stories of those who lived in those years that we come to appreciate how history continues to influence our present reality.

Music by Emily Rubye “In Another Life” #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zBn6lcut8W/

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S4 E33: Traveling to Halifax with Michelle Hunter

Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, travel has been curtailed, internationally as well as domestically. While travel is coming back, I have found that virtual travel is possible through the alchemy of technology.

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia – “The Virtual Journey” which will explore new horizons through the eyes of a friend. As Marcel Proust reminds me, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

Today, I am traveling back to Halifax to meet up with my friend and colleague, Michelle Hunter. Halifax is located in the Maritime Province of Nova Scotia on the Eastern Coast of Canada. Halifax is also the home of my Alma Mater, Dalhousie University, where Michelle and I first met twenty years ago.

Michelle Hunter is the Acting Director of the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education, Dalhousie University. She has been a support for hundreds of graduate students over the years offering a compassionate voice, helping students achieve a home-work-study balance.

Welcome to Halifax!

Time to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this adventure with you.

Thank you, Michelle, for an amazing travel adventure. I felt I was in Halifax with you, walking in Halifax Public Gardens.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Michelle and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. You can connect with Michelle on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by: Trabant 33 "Dreams of the Brave" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zhMobBG9tX/

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S4 E32: Dan Antion Reading “Knuckleheads: Book 1 in the Dreamer’s Alliance Series”

Welcome to Tea. Toast. and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Public libraries and bookstores have expanded their reach into a global community. Book readings have gone virtual. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which brings authors and their books from across the world to your home.

I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted that Dan Antion has joined me from Hartford Connecticut as our guest author reading from his freshly published book, “Knuckleheads, the first book in the Dreamer’s Alliance Series. This story introduces the main characters in this series, in which the next two books will follow in late summer and early winter 2022.

Dan Antion was born outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up and attended college in the area around western Pennsylvania. As many of you know, Dan has written and published the popular No Facilities blog since 2011. A lifelong interest in writing became a reality after he retired from a successful 42-year-long career in information management.

This promises to be an exciting event so put the kettle and add to the conversation.

Thank you for joining Dan Antion and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Authors reading their Books.

And a special thank you, Dan, for taking us on an adventure through your book Knuckleheads. I have enjoyed reading Knuckleheads – Book 1 and look forward to the next two books that will soon to be available.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Dan on his blog, No Facilities, Amazon and Goodreads.

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Bireli Snow "Lightweight" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/D6AkAa8fwM/

Music by Cody Francis "I remember Well" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/LhfEcq46IM/

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S4 E31: Lily Style on the Love Story of Emma, Lady Hamilton & Lord Nelson

Lily Style “Horatia’s Secret” Lady Hamilton, illuminated by the early evening sun, smiled radiantly. “Horatia, my darling, but you are doing so very well. You are walking all by yourself, and so far! Good Lord Nelson will be so proud when I tell him; and I am proud too! God bless you, my darling! Come here and give me a hug.’ She held her arms wide, encouraging her to toddle further, but caught her as soon as she stumbled, and drew her in close. “Oh, you are such a clever, and very good girl!’”

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Lily Style, writer, historian, and genealogist, and I are once again connecting the village of South Brent in Devon, Britain and Vancouver, Canada to discuss the remarkable life and legacy of Emma, Lady Hamilton, the great love of Admiral Lord Nelson.

Lily is the direct descendant of Admiral Lord Nelson and Emma, Lady Hamilton. She explores the past to piece together the real human stories lying behind dry facts. She writes regularly for Nelson-related publications. Horatia’s Secret is her first historical novel. And I understand that she is currently writing her next novel, The Tailor Prince.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia.

A special thank you, Lily for sharing your insights, your dedication to discovering the stories that have been hidden in the folds of history.

Listeners, thank you for joining Lily and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I invite you to connect with Lily on her website, Lily Style, on Amazon, Goodreads, and Emma Hamilton Society.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe wherever your adventures take you.

Music by Trevor Kowalski "Uphill Aspiration" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/E8U9IUJtfs/

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S4 E30: Valerie Peachey on Time and What is Next is Now

Søren Kierkegaard “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia!

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Oxford Languages defines the word “time” as the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. The idea of travel through space and time. It can also be described as a point of time as measured in hours and minutes past midnight or noon.

And that is only the beginning, for there are many meanings embedded in this 4-letter word.

I am delighted that Dr. Valerie Peachey has joined me on Tea Toast and Trivia to share her insights on our relationship with time throughout our lives. Valerie has lived many adventures and continues to add new adventures to her life story. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

A special thank you, Valerie, for sharing your insights on living in the “now,” embracing our personal adventures, welcoming new challenges, pursuing new sources of meaning and ways in which to give back to our communities both local and global.

Listeners, thank you for joining Valerie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. We would enjoy reading your thoughts and ideas on time and “what is next is now.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Francis Well "The Garden Repertoire" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/On6HBsHBxm/

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S4 29: Pete Springer Reading “They Call Me Mom”

Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Public libraries and bookstores have expanded their reach into a global community. Book readings have gone virtual. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which brings authors and their books from across the world to your home. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I am thrilled to introduce Pete Springer who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from his book, They Call Me Mom. Pete is a former elementary school teacher (grades 2-6) in Eureka, California. He said that he retired in 2016, but from what I have read, he is far from retired. His passion will always lie with supporting education, kids, and teachers, which is demonstrated by his dedication to lifelong learning.

Thank you for joining Pete Springer and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Authors reading their Books.

And a special thank you, Pete , for giving us insight into They Call Me Mom. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

I invite you to meet up with Pete on his blog, Pete Springer, Amazon and Goodreads. It is a place that celebrates the joy of learning.

Until next time, dear friends, stay safe, be well.

Music by Trailer Worx "History Among Us" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/xXxitkxwMU/

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S4 28: Colleen Chesebro on the Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry

silver Luna’s soft glow highlights night

sky echoes stars, hoarfrost lace glints

upon fallen leaves of gold

tree shadow skeletons

shiver in the wind

autumn rushes

in the cold

before

dawn.

Colleen M. Chesebro

Word Weaving # 1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse

Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that writer and poet, Colleen Chesebro, and I are connecting Michigan and British Columbia to discuss the art of current and traditional forms of syllabic poetry.

Colleen believes that the art of crafting poetry strengthens our writing skills. In her book, Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry, she writes: “When we create poetry, we gain command of language; cultivate a healthy vocabulary, master literary devices such as metaphor, simile, alliteration, hyperbole, and allegory. We learn to work in imagery.”

Is writing poetry open to all of us? How do we begin a poet’s journey? Where can we find support and encouragement from other poets? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you, Colleen for sharing your insights on how poetry allows us to describe the world around us in unexpected ways. I am inspired by your final words in your book “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry: Be bold. Be creative. Write some syllabic poetry.

Listeners you can meet up with Colleen on Word Craft Poetry, Amazon and Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from the first step on your journey of learning the art of syllabic poetry.

Until next time, keep safe and be well. Music by #EpidemicSound

Sight of Wonders "Hiro"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EByWyMm3WH/

Sight of Wonders "Japanese Garden"

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/4EexXHllhO/

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S4 E27: The Trio on Living the Age We Are, Right Now Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. Today, I am joined by my mother, Frances and my sister, Sarah for a discussion on the question: What does it feel like to be the age that you are, right now?

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. 

Frances, Sarah and I look forward to your thoughts on Tea Toast &Trivia!

Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

Music by Howard Harper-Barnes "Memories of Marigold" #Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/YldSXDgo21/

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S4 26: Travelling to New Zealand with Mandy Henderson

RETURN

*I am home again.

My house seems too large, too empty.

In the silent hollow,

I fill vases with flowers.

Flowers for the kitchen window sill,

Cornflowers, lavender, nasturtiums.

Flowers for the bedroom,

Geranium, roses,

And some for the table.

The old posy ring brims full,

And in the stillness of the blooms,

There travels birdsong witho*ut,

And words within.

Mandy Henderson (Written in Dec 2014, after a family visit in Timaru)

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this adventure with you. Living in the reality of Covid-19, travel has been curtailed, internationally as well as domestically. While travel is coming back, I have found, over the past months, that travel is possible through the alchemy of technology.

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia – “The Virtual Journey” which will explore new horizons through the eyes of a friend. As Marcel Proust reminds me, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

Today, I am traveling to New Zealand to meet up with my blogger friend, Mandy Henderson. New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses: the North Island and the South Island and over 700 smaller islands.

I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I have never been to New Zealand and am excited to be sharing this adventure with you.

Thank you, Mandy, for an amazing travel adventure. I felt I was New Zealand with you.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Mandy and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Homecoming is a place of belonging and well-being, where we are at one with ourselves and with the world around us. As Mandy wrote after a visit with family, “And in the stillness of the blooms, There travels birdsong without, And words within.”

Until next time we meet, keep safe wherever your adventures take you. Music by Claude Signet "Time to Blossom" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/yziSBUL167/

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Season 4 Episode 25: Tea & Oranges

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. This is a podcast in the series called, “It’s all about tea.”

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you. So put the kettle on and join me for Tea, Toast. and a little Trivia, where we will discuss the mysteries and adventures of tea: their origins, stories, aromas, and delicious tastes.

I’m making a special cup of tea today, one that is a reminder of friendships, past and present, and the conversations in between. This story dates to the early 1970’s when I moved from Winnipeg to Edmonton. It was a time of beginnings, and I was eager for new adventures. For me, the 1970’s meant change and forging new possibilities and opportunities. I was ready to meet new friends, live on my own and embark on an academic journey at University of Alberta.

Canada is a huge country. There are 1,304.8 kilometres between Winnipeg and Edmonton, which according to my Google sources takes about 13 hours and 21 minutes to drive. It was no small move.

Tonight, as I wait for my tea to steep, I take a backward glance over forty years and congratulate myself on choosing a city that changed the trajectory of my life.

Edmonton was where I was introduced to a famous blend of tea flavoured with a secret recipe (of course it would be secret) of orange rind and sweet spice. Oh, the aroma was marvelous. It was also a nod to my favourite young Canadian poet, Leonard Cohen.

*"Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river

You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night forever

And you know that she's half-crazy but that's why you want to be there

And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China”*

Ah, Leonard Cohen. Did Suzanne really serve him tea and oranges that came all the way from China? Yes, she did! According to many sources, including NPR, when asked this question Leonard would reply: “She fed me a tea called Constant Comment, which has small pieces of orange rind in it, which gave birth to the image.”

Constant Comment became my constant companion those years. Even now, I keep a stash of Constant Comment teabags, wrapped in colourful foil, that when opened, releases a feel-good cinnamon and orange fragrance. Ahhhhh!!! And I say this, without any prompting from The Bigelow Tea Company.

Speaking of “feel good” sensations, the legend behind Constant Comment adds to the enjoyment of taking tea. You may think that a tea connoisseur fashioned the blend. After all, Constant Comments remains one of Bigelow’s most popular product. It was an interior designer, Ruth Campbell Bigelow, who was the mastermind. For more on this story, I invite you to link to Alan Bisbort’s article “Bigelow Tea – A Connecticut Tea Party” in the Connecticut Explored magazine.

But what to name the tea? Here is where serendipity stepped in. Life has a way of evolving in ways that surprise and delight. We are born for exploration. Our curiosity and imagination have the power open doors of possibilities.

So, until next time, dear listeners, safe travels wherever your adventures take you. And don’t forget to bring along tea.

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Season 4 Episode 24: Lyn Morton on Photography, Stories, and Community Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that I am travelling virtually to Hawthorne, New Jersey, where I am meeting up with photographer, mentor, and personal branding coach, Lynford Morton.

Lyn and I have known each other ever since I joined his on-line photo group that he mentored several years ago. During this course, group members posted a photo a day with a short explanation. I confess being intimidated by the calibre of photographers, but soon felt a kinship and camaraderie within this group. Lyn’s enthusiasm and inclusive approach opened the world of photography for me.

Branding & marketing is in Lyn’s blood. He sold his first logo at 12 years old when his school held a contest to see if anyone could create a logo. Lyn won first place and pocketed a tidy $25 prize. The school is still using Lyn’s logo to this day.

How has photography changed the way we view the world? What is the future of photography in our digital age? How can we engage within a dynamic virtual world? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Lyn, for sharing your knowledge, experience, and insights. You have been a source of encouragement to me over the years. You remind me that photography is personal because it tells our story and documents, along with all the other photos that circulate in our virtual world, the greater narrative of our generation.

Listeners, I invite you to connect with Lyn on his website, Shutterbug Life.

Until next time we meet dear friends, keep safe and be well. Special note on statistics stated in the podcast: How many selfies are taken a day? According to Photutorial’s data, 92 million selfies will be taken daily across all devices in 2022. This number coincides with the fact that 2.3 billion photos are taken every day, 4% of which are selfies.

Music by Max Anson "Heart on Hold" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/okcVNLImxX/

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Season 4 Episode 23: Looking Back with Frances “Milk cows were an asset to any farm. They were “milked” morning and evening. Some were easier to milk than others. The milk was a valuable food source, useful for a healthy drink, for cooking, and of course, for homemade butter. At first, we had a daisy butter churn that resembled an eggbeater. Later we had a large crock and a doweling with little boards attached to the bottom that Dad had fashioned to “stomp” up and down until the cream turned to butter. But, equally important, cream could be sold. This cash could be obtained to trade for food at the grocery store. Mother used to ask: “Where are we going to ‘trade’ today”. That would determine, of course, where the cream was sold.” Frances, My Mother’s Memoirs Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you. When I entered the world of podcasting in 2019, my first goal was to preserve my mother’s story. Frances was raised on a farm in Nebraska during the eventful decades of the 1930’s and 1940’s. We read about the Great Depression that spanned the years from 1929 – 1939 and acknowledge that it was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. And yet, it is when we hear the stories of those who lived in those years that we come to fully appreciate how history continues to influence our present reality. Today, I am joined by my mother Frances to discuss milking the cows. I invite you to put the kettle on and join in the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your thoughts on TeaToast &Trivia! Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia as we looked back at farming in the past. Until next time we meet, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

Music by Emily Rubye “In Another Life” #EpidemicSound

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S4 E22: Elizabeth Gauffreau & Sonia Elwood on Grief Songs - A Family Remembers

Wilderness Tanka *snowy wilderness

cold winter sun, soaring trees

a small lone figure

for a time she stood fearless

my protector, my mother*

Elizabeth Gauffreau from her book of poetry, Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance

Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that my dear friend, writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau and I have come together to discuss her book of poetry, Grief Songs: Poems of Love and Remembrance. I am equally thrilled that her daughter, Sonia Elwood, has joined the conversation to share insights gained from her creative journey.

Sonia is an avid reader who enjoys various types of writing as long as it is compelling and either provides an escape or invokes an emotional response. In her 18 years of experience as a training specialist, Sonia presents new materials and information in a way that tells a story to help learners understand new concepts.

We are bringing together New Hampshire, California, and British Columbia to consider how storyteller through poetic words, offers a way to express grief and celebrate memories of loved ones who have gone on before us.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this conversation on Tea Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for joining Liz, Sonia, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Grief is a deeply personal experience, yet it is an experience all of us have in common. Perhaps Winnie the Pooh says it best: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Thank you, Liz, and Sonia, for sharing your profound thoughts on how grieving is a way to honour those who have gone before. And for the reminder that celebrating the love we have received will sustain us and give courage to live with joy and expectation as we move forward in our timeline.

Listeners you can meet up with Liz on her website lizgauffreau.com, on Amazon and Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from a place where stories dwell.

Music by Peter Sandberg "A Quiet Place" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/UNOgWuwa0a/

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S4 E21: Kim Mooney on Stories of Courage and Reslience Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my long-time friend, Kim Mooney has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to talk about her soon-to-be published second book, which is about profound stories of resilience and courage.

Kim has a degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in leadership. Her career has been an eclectic one, moving between teaching and hospital administration and back to teaching. She retired in 2018 after fifteen years of teaching at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC. In addition to her academic responsibilities at Royal Roads, Kim ran a consulting practice for fifteen years.

How can we learn from stories? How do we give honour to another person’s story? How do we connect with past stories and how do we create stories for those who come after us? These are the questions that we will be discussing today.

Thank you for joining Kim and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Kim’s first book, “Hidden Daughter, Secret Sister” is available on Amazon. I am looking forward reading Kim’s second book which will be coming soon.

A special thank you, Kim, for sharing your profound and valuable insight into the need to tell our story and to hear and learn from the stories of others. As always, your candour and compassion come together to encourage a deeper appreciation and recognition of what it means to live with joy and enthusiasm.

I invite you to meet up with Kim on her website Kim Mooney and on Goodreads. I know that you will be inspired by Kim’s journey.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, stay safe, be well.

Music by Howard Harper-Barnes "Always Remembering" #EpidemicSound

www.epidemicsound.com/track/5jqnwMlYmO/

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Season 4 Episode 20: Dave Astor on Misty’s Adventures

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Neil Gaiman wrote, “I would like to see anyone, prophet, king or God, convince a thousand cats to do the same thing at the same time.”

Cats are mysterious creatures that charm us with their antics and comfort us with their soft purring. I read that petting a cat helps us to meditate and causes a release of oxytocin, which has been found to increase our emotional perception. But do we truly understand them? They retain remarkable control over their lives, coming and going as their please. There are many books that will help you connect with cats, some promising techniques to train and learn cat language.

But I have another source of expertise. Today, I am republishing Misty’s Adventures on Tea Toast & Trivia. Dave Astor and Misty are a dynamic duo. Together, they provide insight on the strong and vibrant relationship humans have with these amazing creatures.

Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey and Vancouver to bring you the first podcast in the Misty series. Every morning, without fail, my mother, Frances, and I meet up via Facebook with Misty and Dave on their adventures. This morning, when we went into the woods, Misty advised that he thought that theatrical productions may be coming back. Misty is a futurist, making brilliant predictions about the future based on current trends.

Thank you for joining Dave, Misty, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you, Dave and Misty, for sharing your stories.

My daily walks with Misty and Dave continue to inspire me. Misty’s wisdom and Dave’s humour is a compelling combination. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading and excellent conversations waiting for your arrival on his blog.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well. Music by Craig Reever "Shine a Little" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/VdKuZX2P9r/

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S4 E19: On Location Victoria British Columbia - Emily Carr, James Bay Inn and Beacon Hill Park (audio version)

Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast hosted by Rebecca Budd On Location, James Bay Inn and Beacon Hill Part Victoria, British Columbia.

Passages from Emily Carr’s Autobiography “Growing Pains” Public Domain (Canada)Voice and photography by Rebecca Budd

Music by #EpidemicSound 1) Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen “End of an Era” www.epidemicsound.com/track/dgEeXjlQge/

2) Howard Harper-Barnes “A Leaf Falls” www.epidemicsound.com/track/vCliROg8VZ/

3) Johannes Bornlof “I Will Love You To The End” www.epidemicsound.com/track/VAhZ2EgIiq/

4) Howard Harper-Barnes “No One Else on Earth” www.epidemicsound.com/track/722bbcNU24/

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S4 E19: On Location Victoria British Columbia  - Emily Carr, James Bay Inn and Beacon Hill Park

Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast hosted by Rebecca Budd

On Location, James Bay Inn and Beacon Hill Part Victoria, British Columbia.

Passages from Emily Carr’s Autobiography “Growing Pains” Public Domain (Canada)Voice and photography by Rebecca Budd

Music by #EpidemicSound

1) Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen  “End of an Era”

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/dgEeXjlQge/

2) Howard Harper-Barnes “A Leaf Falls”

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/vCliROg8VZ/

3) Johannes Bornlof “I Will Love You To The End”

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/VAhZ2EgIiq/

4) Howard Harper-Barnes “No One Else on Earth”

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/722bbcNU24/

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S4 E18: Sarah McBurnie on the Stories of Shetland “You must never call it the Shetlands. Islanders are proud and can be prickly about the name: it’s either Shetland or the Shetland Islands.” Anne Cleeves Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that I am travelling virtually to Unst to meet up with my dear friend, Sarah McBurnie who was our guide on our 2018 Shetland adventures. Sarah conducts exclusive guided tours with personalized itineraries for visitors to Shetland from all over the world.  We came as visitors to experience this amazing place and left as friends, thanks to Sarah and the many people we met along the journey through the Shetland Islands. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia. Listeners, thank you for joining Sarah and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Sarah, for sharing the stories, the history, and myths of Shetland.   You were an excellent guide on our visit and I’m looking forward to meeting up with you again on Tea Toast and Trivia. Listeners, I invite you to connect with Sarah on her website, See Shetland. You are only an internet click away from a remarkable adventure that will take you from birdwatching, archaeology to the celebration of Up Helly-Aa. Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well. Music by Kikoru “Cloud Over Mountain” #EpidemicSound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EbaDeotpAO/

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Season 4 Episode 17: Pete Springer on Embracing Life-Long Learning

”When I think about why I decided to become a teacher in the first place, I believe it primarily was because of the role models who were/are in my life.” Pete Springer, from his book, “They Call Me Mom" Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that I am travelling virtually to Eureka, California where I am meeting up with writer, teacher, and mentor, Pete Springer. Pete is a former elementary school teacher (grades 2-6) in Eureka, CA.  He said that he retired in 2016, but from what I have read, he is far from retired.  His passion will always lie with supporting education, kids, and teachers, which is demonstrated by his dedication to lifelong learning. What is lifelong learning?  When does this journey begin and how is it nourished throughout our stages of life?  How do we inspire others to embrace the joy of learning?  These are the questions that will be discussed today. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting dialogue on Tea Toast & Trivia. Listeners, thank you for joining Pete and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Pete, for sharing your insights, your journey, and your passion for supporting education, kids, and teachers. Your dedication to promoting the teaching profession and lifelong learning inspires us all to explore learning at whatever age we find ourselves in. I want to add this thought that is found in “They Call Me Mom” – If there were one thing that I wish my readers would glean from my thoughts on education, it would be to understand what a profound influence that a teacher can have on his/her students. You are inspiring and empowering the next generation.” Listeners, I invite you to connect with Pete on his website, Pete Springer and  Amazon Author Page. It is a place that celebrates the joy of learning. Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

Music by More Than Family "At the Farm"  #EpidemicSound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/f1F3Bq5ekA/

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S4 E16: Lily Style on Horatia’s Secret and Bringing the Past Alive in Stories

“Horatia Nelson Ward has a terrible secret. She is the illegitimate daughter of British hero Admiral Lord Nelson, while her mother is the despised Lady Hamilton. And if she claims her heritage to redeem herself, she’ll ruin her children. Her silence is tearing her apart. Concerned loved ones coax her to disclose. But a sixty-year-old promise of silence seems impossible to break.” Lily Style “Horatia’s Secret”

Welcome to Tea. Toast. and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am excited that Lily Style, writer, historian, and genealogist, and I are connecting the village of South Brent in Devon, Britain and Vancouver, Canada to discuss the remarkable life and legacy of Emma Hamilton, the great love of Admiral Lord Nelson.

Lily is the direct descendant of Admiral Lord Nelson and Emma Hamilton. She explores the past to piece together the real human stories lying behind dry facts. She writes regularly for Nelson-related publications. Horatia’s Secret is her first historical novel.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Listeners, thank you for joining Lily and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Lily for sharing your insights, your dedication to discovering the stories that have been hidden in the folds of history. It has been a privilege to connect with you and I look forward to reading Horatia’s Secret.

Listeners, I invite you to connect with Lily on her website, Lily Style, on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and Emma Hamilton Society.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S4 E15: Paul Andruss on Writing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am heading across the ocean to Wales, that beautiful country full of magic, mystery, music, and great writers. I am excited to reconnect with one of those writers – Paul Andruss.

Paul is the author of the Young Adult magical realism trilogy, the Jack Hughes Books, and the forthcoming (very adult) Finn Mac Cool – a mythological saga. He has also written several short stories and novellas.

Over the past several months, Paul and I have been exploring the evolution of writing. What will the future bring in a world where different artistic disciplines are blurring: books to movies and the advent of gaming. How will different creative disciplines merge and cross over? Or are they bounded by the current product format? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Listeners, thank you for sharing this moment with Paul and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. I invite your to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and on his website, Jack Hughes Books. You are only an internet click away from a daring and exciting adventure.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well. Music by David Celeste "Catharsis" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/7Y8Il1GyZs/

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S4 E14: Traveling to The Erzgebirge with H.S. Eglund Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Living in the reality of Covid-19, travel has been curtailed, internationally as well as domestically. While travel is coming back slowly, there are places that I will never visit in my lifetime. Over the past months, I have found that travel is possible through the alchemy of technology.

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia – “The Virtual Journey” which will explore new horizons through the eyes of a friend. As Marcel Proust reminds me, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

I am thrilled that H.S. Eglund has invited us to travel with him to The Erzgebirge, The Ore Mountain. I understand that there may be some time travel involved back to the Bronze age.

Eglund is an engineer, writer, journalist, and publicist. He worked as a science journalist and reporter in Africa for several German newspapers. Since 2005, his focus has been on the environmental initiatives. As a specialist journalist for renewable energies, he works within media related to the ecological energy transition, first of all about solar energy

Time to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this adventure with you.

Thank you to you, Eglund, for an amazing travel adventure in The Erzgebirge. I felt I was there in reality. You brought history alive in this conversation.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Eglund and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Stay tuned for Eglund’s return for another stimulating conversation.

Until next time keep safe and be well. Music by Bonn Fields "Can You See The Stars From Here" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/h35mpxlwTx/

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S4 E13: Martina Ramsauer on Adventures in Life-Long Learning Martina Ramsauer“Learning should be a joy and full of excitement. It is life’s greatest adventure; it is an illustrated excursion into the mind of the noble and the minds of the noble and the learned.” Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that my dear friend Martina Ramsauer from Rivella49’s Blog and I are connecting Ticino, Switzerland and Vancouver Canada to discuss travel, lifelong learning and the power of language. Martina believes that the most important adventure in life is learning. She combines travel experiences with the knowledge of language.  Her community is global, a consequence from her dedication to language studies. Why should we learn a new language? What is involved in language studies?  Where do we begin? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

Thank you for joining Martina and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Martina, for sharing your love of learning, of travel, of connecting with other cultures through language. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired others to embrace the challenge of learning throughout our lives. I invite you to meet up with Martina on her blog:  Rivella49’s Blog, a place that welcomes us all to engage in life-affirming conversation.  Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well. Music by Trevor Kowalski “Coastal Romantique” Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/wFFggpwhwq/

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S4 E12: Shetland, Herring & The Gutter Lasses

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Storytelling has been with us since ancient times beginning as an oral tradition. When writing arrived, these oral stories would find new homes in stone, papyrus, and parchment. Found in every culture and civilization, stories have taken on the form of epic poems, chants, rhymes, and song. It is one generation gifting their knowledge and wisdom to the next generation.

My story looks back to the turn of the nineteenth century as told by the good people of the Unst Boat Haven. The gutter lasses have faded into history, but their story remains ever vibrant, a reminder that we are at our best when we build a community based on friendship and common purpose. This then is the essence of belonging, to be affiliated with and accepted by others within a group. To work together in difficult times, to share joys and sorrows, to show respect, to encourage and support each other in our personal journeys and aspirations.

Thank you for travelling back into the history of Shetland. I invite you to listen to the Song of the Fishgutters as we remember a time past. Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S4 E11: Graciela Gonçalves Da Silva on Building Deeper Connections Through Art

Graciela Gonçalves Da Silva “I learned to share silences, paying attention to things that I did not understand, and there was no chance to ask, but just being there was enough to enjoy it. This was deeper than any words I wished to use. Life was suddenly filled with humble adventures.

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am beyond thrilled that I am travelling virtually to Los Angeles where I am meeting up with Argentine artist, Graciela Gonçalves Da Silva

Since 2004, Graciela has been developing images for graphic design, animation, videogames, comics, and toys. She has always felt comfortable expressing things through characters. She says that drawing is like breathing. One day she decided to go out and draw on the streets, and she has never stopped.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Graciela and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you, Graciela, for sharing your insights, your journey, and your connection to the world through your artwork. Your dedication to building compassionate communities through artistic endeavours wherever you go inspires me and all those who have the privilege of meeting up with you.

Listeners, I invite you to connect with Graciela on her website, Animalitoland and Instagram .

Music by Emily Rubye "Finding Rain" Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/LcXQhHd2MT/

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Season 4 Episode 10: Marcelle Glock on The Wood Fired Ceramic Tradition Part 2

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you Today, I am heading back to Mudge Island, located within the scenic Gulf Islands, between Vancouver Island and Gabriola Island. Marcelle Glock, ceramist, and I are continuing the discussion on the wood fired ceramic tradition.

You will recall that Marcelle’s pottery and sculptures sit in private collections around the world. Her artwork encompasses stoneware, raku, and local wild terra-cotta. Marcelle forms clay into extraordinary artworks – from functional to sculptural, wearable and oracle. She imbues each piece with a primal reverence toward the natural world.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Marcelle, for sharing your insights, your journey, and your connection to nature through the medium of clay. Your continued awareness, respect and reverence for your art and the medium in which you work inspires me. I know that you have encouraged listeners to recognize artistic endeavour is a calling and a responsibility

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Marcelle on her website, Mad Mudslinger on Instagram and YouTube.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well. Music by Ryan Freeman "Just Spend Time" #EpidemicSound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uu2jL8Mqaa/

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S4 E9:   Stephanie Ladouceur on Staying the Course

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

We live in a world that demands our time and energy.  These are precious and scarce resources.  There is only so much time and we have only so much energy.   Time to check in with my wellness coach, Stephanie from Bold Moves, for an energy boast and a great conversation on coaching for health and fitness.

So put the kettle on and add to our discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.  I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Stephanie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.  A special shout-out to Stephanie who keeps me focused and inspired by her dedication and enthusiasm for health and fitness.

One last thought comes from Winnie-the-Pooh: “A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.” A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well!

Music by Pastis "Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Instrumental Version) #Epidemic Sound

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/A2mcSsRSzx/

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Season 4 Episode 8: Irena Stropnik on Adventures in Hockey

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Today, I am delighted that my dear friend, Irena Stropnik, has joined Tea Toast & Trivia to bridge the 972 kilometers, between Calgary and Vancouver. If you are taking a road trip it would take 11 hours and 46 minutes via the Trans-Canada Highway. I promise it would be an unforgettable, breathtaking journey for you would be traveling through the majestic Canadian Rockies.

Irena and I will be discussing Hockey, which is defined as a game played on an ice rink by two opposing teams of six skaters each who try to knock a flat round puck into the opponents’ goal with angled sticks. Hockey is one of the most popular sports in Canada.

This will be an exciting discussion so put the kettle on and add to the conversation.

Meet the Russian Babushkas Playing Ice Hockey Thank you for joining Irena and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Irena, for sharing your thoughts and experiences in playing hockey. As you noted, hockey is not an individual sport – it’s played as a team. Scoring goals in hockey is a team effort, regardless of who last touched the puck before it went in the net. You continue to inspire me with your commitment to fostering a sense of belonging within a team environment.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Irena on LinkedIn.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, be well and be bold. Music and Sound Effects: Epidemic Sound

"Victory Theme" by Max Anson

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/AHXCbLjzRC/

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S4 E7: Travelling to Cango Caves, South Africa with Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, travel has been curtailed, internationally as well as domestically. Even though travel is coming back slowly, there are places that I will never visit in my lifetime. Over the past months, I have found that travel is possible through the alchemy of technology.

Welcome to a new podcast series on Tea Toast & Trivia – “The Virtual Journey” which will explore new horizons through the eyes of a friend. As Marcel Proust reminds me, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

I am thrilled that Roberta Eaton Cheadle, aka Robbie, has invited me to South Africa, which is approximately 16,000 kilometres, as the crow flies, from Vancouver Canada. I have crossed an ocean and entered the southern hemisphere.

I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this adventure with you.

Thank you for joining Robbie and me on the first podcast in the series – “The Virtual Journey.”

We have lived the experience of Cango Caves today, thanks to our gracious travel host, Robbie Cheadle! A very special thank you, Robbie, for sharing your amazing country. I invite you to meet up with Robbie on her blog, Roberta Writes, her Amazon Page, Goodreads, Instagram, and YouTube. Robbie has created a space where history comes alive with every page turned.

Until next time, dear friends, stay safe, be well. Music by Epidemic Sound under Creator License

Trevor Kowalski: Of All The Places We Could Go https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/0wLEYqh52F/

Trevor Kowalski: "The Best Way Out" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/PNtq1ar5HV/

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S4 E 6: Cary Hubbard on Cary’s Garage and the Project Car Revival

“This channel is dedicated to my love of Vehicles. Cars, Truck, and Motorcycles. I love cars from all corners of the globe! I will review cars in my current collection and take you along as I work on them and get them fixed up.” Cary Hubbard, Cary’s Garage

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. My father loved cars! When I was a child, our family outings were to car dealerships and car expositions. With that in mind, you can imagine my excitement when Tim Price from Off Center & Not Even introduced me to Cary Hubbard from Cary’s Garage. Cary joined me for a discussion about cars, trucks, cars, and more cars.

On January 2nd, I tuned into Cary’s Garage YouTube channel for the first episode of Project Z Car Revival. Cary picked up a 1980 Datsun 280ZX that he is going to get back on the road. This is going to be a great discussion so put the kettle on and stop by and add to the conversation.

Thank you for joining Cary and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Cary, for sharing how you became involved with cars and the stories that are attached to each car that came into your life.

I invite you to meet up with Cary on his YouTube Channel, Cary’s Garage. This channel is dedicated to Cary’s love of Vehicles. Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles. His cars come from all corners of the globe! You are only an internet click away from being on an extraordinary road adventure with the Project Z Car Revival.

Until next time we meet, keep safe and be well. Epidemic Sound Music under Personal License

Plain Strolls "Leave the Lights On" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/9oOwDuHvGF/

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S4 E5: Shehanne Moore and Dave Astor on Reading the Classics

“A classic is the term given to any book which comes to represent the whole universe, a book on a par with ancient talismans.” Italo Calvino, Why Read the Classics?

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Shehanne Moore from Dundee Scotland, and David Astor from Montclair, New Jersey have joined me in connecting three times zones within seconds to bring you a discussion on “What is a classic? Why should we read classics? And what classics should we read?

Shehanne, also known as Shey, is a published author and publisher under Black Wolf Books, a small royalty paying publisher, presently taking submissions by invitation only.

Dave Astor is an author, journalist, blogger, and writer of the award-winning weekly “Montclairvoyant” topical-humor column for Baristanet.com. He is a National Society of Newspaper Columnists board member.

Shey and Dave are avid readers and have great insights to share.

This promises to be an exciting discussion so put the kettle on and on and add to the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Shey, Dave, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you, Shey and Dave for adding your insights on reading journeys that last a lifetime.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Shey on her website, Shehanne Moore. You can follow Shey on Goodreads as well as Amazon at Shehanne Moore

You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. You can follow Dave on Goodreads as well as Amazon at Dave Astor

I want to close with a quote from Dave’s book, Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time: “Literature can send our minds to another time and place, allowing us to forget our lives and troubles for a few precious hours. It can educate us about history, open our minds, increase our empathy, make us think, give us things to converse about, and/or provide plenty of excitement along with the escapism.”

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading, keep safe and be well.

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S4 E4: Cathy Derksen on Navigating the Process of Transformation

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that Wealth and Success Coach, Cathy Derksen has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia for a discussion on how envisioning and planning are essential in navigating the process of personal transformation.

Cathy is a four-time Amazon #1 best-selling author, coach, and mentor whose career is dedicated to helping women tap into their own greatness. She believes that we owe it to ourselves and each other to create lives that fill us with genuine joy. How do we define success? What benchmarks do we choose to measure success? Does success lead to happiness and well-being? These are the questions that we will explore today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Listeners, thank you for joining Cathy and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Cathy, for sharing your thoughts on how we can embrace the next chapter in our lives whether it be a career change, retirement, relationship shift, and lifestyle adjustment.

You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired others to honour our dreams and move forward with confidence and, with compassion, within a world that needs creativity and innovative thinking.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Cathy on her website, Inspired Tenacity, and on LinkedIn.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, be well.

Gift: 1: Personalized Roadmap to Reignite Your Life Free Assessment

Gift 2: eBook: Reignite Your Life! 8 Strategies for Getting More Out of Your

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S4 E3: Carol Taylor on Tasting Life and Celebrating Food.

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in!

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. 

I am delighted and thrilled that my friend and food blogger, Carol Taylor and I are connecting Thailand and Canada to discuss food, travel, and celebrations. Carol is an amazing food blogger who shares authentic recipes and tips on how to shop local for fresh, natural ingredients.  As a strong advocate for our environment, Carol believes that we can all make a difference.  She says that change starts with us – from within ourselves and our homes. 

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. 

Thank you for joining Carol and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Carol, for sharing your love food, celebration, community, and the environment.   You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired others to head back into the kitchen, to enjoy the goodness of food, and to take care of our world, our home.

I invite you to meet up with Carol on her blog:  Retired? No one told me! It is a place that welcomes us to share a meal, taste life, and live respectfully with the environment. 

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, be well.

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Season 4 Episode 2: A Huge Thank You and Welcome to 2022

A few weeks ago I received an invitation via e-mail from Anchor to upload video files via Anchor that will come through as a video on the Spotify platform.

Your account has now been enabled for Video Podcasts. For step-by-step instructions on publishing your first Video Podcast episode, check out our how-to guide.”

Technology continues to find ways in which to bring us together as a global community. Over the past months, we have learned to work, study, and connect within a virtual environment.

I recall the exact moment when I pressed the publish button for my first blog post in 2010. I felt that same sense of anticipation and trepidation when I published my first podcast in 2019. And now, in 2022, I have accepted Anchor’s invitation to post a Video Podcast. The length is less than two minutes long. It is my thank you for your support and encouragement of life-affirming conversations. January is the month for beginnings!

As Meister Eckhart once wrote: Be willing to be a beginner every single morning. When I upload this episode to Anchor, the episode will be sent to listening platforms which will be in audio format. The Video Podcast will only be available on Spotify. For those who do not follow TTT on Spotify, I have included the video in this post.

Listeners can chose whether to listen to the audio or watch the video. Part of what makes Video Podcasts extra-special is that they can be viewed front-and-center or seamlessly switched to the background, for on-the-go listening.

Welcome to 2022. Thank you for listening in and for sharing your stories.

The adventure continues…

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Season 4 Episode 1: Happy New Year with Liz Humphreys and Elisabeth Van Der Meer

Welcome to Tea, Toast, and Trivia! Thank you for listening in!

Happy New Year! We have entered the Year 2022.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd. Thank you for listening in to this special podcast to bid a fond farewell to 2021 and offer a warm hello to the incoming 2022, a new year of possibilities and opportunities.

Liz Humphreys from Edinburgh, Scotland, and Elisabeth Van Der Meer from Porvoo, Finland have joined me today for a celebration of New Year traditions that bring us together as a global community.

Happy New Year, Liz and Elisabeth! Exciting news coming to you on our next adventure that will take us back to Russia. Stay tuned for more information.

So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Liz, for your willingness to take on this massive project, #WarAndPeade2022, and for your invitation to once again enter the world of Russian Literature. Thank you, Elisabeth, for adding breadth and depth to our understanding. I am looking forward to road ahead and to the many discussions that will come out of this Readalong.

2022 will be the year of Leo Tolstoy. Liz Humphreys has brought together an invaluable collection of resources that will add depth to our reading experience. Books, blog posts, and reading schedules are available and easily accessible at the following links.

WarAndPeace2022 – Related Resources

WarAndPeace2022 – Reading Schedule

Thank you for joining Liz, Elisabeth, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. You are invited guest on #WarAndPeace2022.

As we part, I leave you with the words of Leo Tolstoy to speed you on your journey. “Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly. It is the one thing we are interested in here.”

You can connect with Liz on “Leaping Life” and Elisabeth on “A Russian Affair.” You are only an internet click away from entering a world of books and brilliant conversations.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 52: Is There A Santa Claus?

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am your host, Rebecca Budd. I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

December 24th Christmas Eve has arrived. With the last-minute shopping completed, we ready our hearts for this special evening anticipated since the beginning of December. All the plans have been made, the gifts have been wrapped and the baking completed.

All of December has been in anticipation of Christmas Day. And yet, as I look back, it was Christmas Eve that held the magic. The lights of the Christmas tree flickered, spreading a warmth around us as we sipped hot chocolate and waited for Santa Claus to arrive.

Is there a Santa Claus? There is reliable confirmation that dates to 1897, when eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote her famous letter.

You may recall that it all began when Virginia asked her father, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, whether there really was a Santa Claus. Her father’s answer was brilliant. Instead of responding himself, he suggested that she write direct to The Sun, one of New York’s most prominent newspapers at the time. He assured her that “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.”

Virginia received a response from veteran newsman, Francis Pharcellus Church, a lead editorial writer for the New York Sun. Francis Church, who had seen great suffering as a war correspondent during the American Civil War, was a known skeptic, hardened cynic who had little tolerance for superstitious beliefs. And yet, he recognized the need for hope and faith in society. Perhaps it is when we see sorrow and grief, we are more able to answer a call for affirmation in the goodness of life. For that is what Virginia looked for when she asked whether there is a Santa Claus.

More than a century later, the article written by Francis Church still maintains it standing as the most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

Join me as I read Francis Church’s most famous editorial written in 1897 – Is there a Santa Clause? Dear friends, may the joy of Christmas Eve surround you and yours, with love, warmth, and wonder. Together, may we embrace hope and expectation as we enter a new year.

From our house to yours, A Merry Christmas and all the very best of the Holiday Season. Until next time we meet, keep safe and be well!

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“For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.” Christina Rossetti

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. It happens to all of us. Some time in our life we come to know that we will never read all the books that are on our “to read” shelves. My sister, Sarah, hosts The Book Dialogue podcast, which records our unscripted discussions on the books we read, which is our way of expanding our reading compacity. Sarah is a voracious reader and I confess that I must run to keep up with her.

The Book Dialogue podcast has been on a recent hiatus, while Sarah completed her MBA studies. Good news, Sarah received her MBA with distinction. And more good news is that The Book Dialogue will be back on schedule in 2022. But in the meantime, I found an audio file that was long forgotten and never published. Sarah and I discuss Angela Duckworth’s book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, which answers the question: “Why do naturally talented people frequently fail to reach their potential while other far less gifted individuals go on to achieve amazing things?

With Sarah’s permission, I am publishing this conversation on Tea Toast and Trivia. Sarah and I have different perspectives and we are very interested in hearing what you think. So put the kettle on and add to the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Sarah, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Books have the awesome power to transform, engage and inspire. Looking forward to seeing you on The Book Dialogue in 2022.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe, keep reading and be well!

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Season 3 Episode 50: Debby Gies on Being an Eclectic Memoirist and Conversationalist Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted that blogger and non-fiction writer, Debby Gies and I are connecting Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.

Debby is a Canadian author, writing under the pen name of D.G. Kaye. She writes about life, matters of the heart and women’s issues. Her intent is to inspire others by sharing her stories about events she has encountered, and the lessons that have come along with them.

Debby is an empathetic fashionista and shopper extraordinaire who loves to laugh. She is an eclectic memoirist and conversationalist who writes to empower by sharing slices of life. Her blog is a wide-ranging mix of randomness, where you will find anything from writing tips to tales from the past, to travel tips, book reviews, and author interviews.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Debby and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Debby, for sharing your insights on living life in the now, with humour and expectation. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to head into the unknown with courage and determination.

I invite you to meet up with Debby on her blog, D.G. Kaye Writer.com , on her Amazon Page and on Goodreads. It is a place that welcomes profound conversations that reminds us to Live, Love, Laugh and Breathe.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, keep reading and be well.

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S3E49: Liz Humphreys, Elisabeth Van Der Meer and Mandy Henderson on Farewell to the #KaramazovReadalong and Welcome #WarAndPeace2022

Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The #KaramazovReadalong has reached the end of the journey which started on August 27, 2021. Today, we are saying a farewell to The Karamazov Brothers by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Liz Humphreys from Edinburgh, Scotland, and Elisabeth Van Der Meer from Porvoo, Finland have joined me to look back on what we have learned and look forward to what may come. We have a special guest, Mandy Henderson, from Christchurch, New Zealand who has come to join the farewell celebration.

This is the first time we have linked four time zones on Tea Toast & Trivia. A special thank you to Don, the techie behind the scenes.

You may recall that a few months ago, I received an invitation from my blogger friend and book aficionado, Liz Humphreys to join her on a readalong of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This readalong was to coincide with the 200th year anniversary of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s birth. The stars aligned when Elisabeth Van Der Meer, from A Russian Affair, agreed to join the party.

What have we learned? What are the takeaways that will stay with us? What comes next? These are the questions that will be discussed today. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Liz, Elisabeth, Mandy and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Liz, for your willingness to take on this massive project and for your invitation to enter the world of Russian Literature. Thank you, Elisabeth, for adding breadth and depth to our understanding. Thank you, Mandy for joining the #KaramazovReadalong.

Listeners, you can connect with Liz on “Leaping Life,” Elisabeth on “A Russian Affair,” and Mandy on “Silkannthreades” You are only an internet click away from entering a world of books and brilliant conversations.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, keep reading, and be well.

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S3 E48: Yvonne Thevenot on Mentorship Within a Changing Global World

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my friend and Business Strategist, Yvonne Thevenot and I are connecting Toronto and Vancouver to discuss change management and mentorship within an evolving business world that spans the globe.

Yvonne is a certified change expert and business transformation specialist who employs a client-focused, and people-centric approach to strategic change. As an executive mentor and thought partner, she creates a space that invites a rich and fulfilling dialogue. She is a passionate change agent whose work creates more confident and capable employees. Her goal is to foster a creative and innovative spirit vital to thrive within a dynamic environment

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Yvonne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Yvonne, for sharing your thoughts on mentorship, change management and work/life balance. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired others to participate confidently, with compassion, within a world that needs creativity and innovative thinking.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Yvonne on her on LinkedIn.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 47: Margaret Lindsay Holton on Listening, Repeating, Inventing, Creating ‘Write because you must — respect your body and your brain. Listen carefully. Music helps. Repeat slowly. Then, riff. Invent. Create. Keep trying. Give and Take. Engage. Flow. Grow. And Go.’ Margaret Lindsay Holton

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am beyond thrilled that I am travelling virtually to the southern shore of Lake Ontario where I will meet up with Canadian Artist & Author: Margaret Lindsay Holton MLH) at her fabulous ‘open-loft’ 2-storey studio on the Lake Ontario waterfront

Lindsay is a self-taught, born and bred Canadian artist, author, and filmmaker from Southern Ontario. She was voted ‘Arts Person of the Year’ by City of Burlington’s BEST Committee in May 2017, and an ‘Alumni of Influence’ by the University of Toronto in 2018.

Thank you for sharing this moment with Lindsay and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. And a very special thank you Lindsay for sharing our knowledge and experience. I want to end with these words from your introduction to Sticks & Stones:

"It is my hope that these tales will stimulate greater interest in the reader’s own reading and thinking. I am also sharing them to those in the middle of their love affair with thought and language in the hope that the stories will nurture their own developing thought processes and evolving perceptions."

Listeners, you can connect with Lindsay on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and her blog canadadaPHOTOGRAPHY. It is a place that welcomes profound and rewarding conversations.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 46: Jean-Jacques Fournier on Poetic Interest, Inspiration and Evolution

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend and poet, Jean-Jacques Fournier, is with me today to share insights on the publication of his 17th book of poems, Poetry in Brief – a day in a life –. This collection of short poems comes in a pocket-size-book edition and an e-book version.

In a recent e-mail discussion, Jean-Jacques wrote these words:

“You asking me about my poetic interest, inspiration and its evolution, etc., that instilled the need for me to write in this medium. These are things I haven’t profoundly thought about in years. Despite the adage of old memories being more readily available than newer ones, as we get older, regardless one must awaken the possessive demons that try to prevent memory’s disclosures.”

Jean-Jacques started writing in earnest while living in California in the early eighties. In France, he published his first three books. But his journey started in Quebec, Canada. Today, we will be exploring how personal history and experiences influence our creativity.

This promises to be an exciting conversation so put the kettle on and stop by Tea Toast & Trivia to join the discussion.

Jean-Jacques’s poetry expresses the emotional depth and breadth of the human experience. I am pleased to announce that his eighteenth book of poetry has just been published, entitled, Poetry in Brief – A Blissful Silence.

Jean-Jacques graciously provided the first poem in this collection.

A Blissful Silence

A scarcity you’ll say

May not be far wrong,

So best find a way

For this worthy song,

Tho as fool’s delay

Shan’t likely resound,

In poet’s verse grey

For be a taste of bliss,

That none can deny

Like the pleasure of a kiss,

Bears a blissful silence

Wants bid serenity persists!

written in Sweetsburg

© Jean-Jacques Fournier

July 7, 2021

edit September 21, 2021

Thank you for joining Jean-Jacques and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Jean-Jacques, for sharing your insights on poetry and how our personal journeys influence our creative spirit.

Dear friends, I invite you to meet up with Jean-Jacques on his blog Poetry on a Canapé, a place that celebrates words and encourages profound reflections.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E45: Marcelle Glock, Ceramist on the Wood Fired Ceramic Tradition Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Today, I am heading over to Mudge Island, located within the scenic Gulf Islands, between Vancouver Island and Gabriola Island. I am delighted and thrilled to meet up with Marcelle Glock, Ceramist to discuss the wood fired ceramic tradition.

Marcelle is a remarkable artist. Her pottery and sculptures sit in private collections around the world. Her artwork encompasses stoneware, raku, and local wild terra-cotta. Marcelle forms clay into extraordinary artworks – from functional to sculptural, wearable and oracle. She imbues each piece with a primal reverence toward the natural world.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Marcelle and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

This conversation has been pure magic, Marcelle. I cannot believe that we have been talking for over two hours and it feels like twenty minutes.

Listeners, thank you for joining Marcelle and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. You will be pleased to know that this is just part one of a two-part conversation with Marcelle. Stay tune for our ongoing discussion in part two which will take you deeper into the journey of an artist working in the wood fired ceramic tradition.

And a special thank you, Marcelle, for sharing your insights, your journey, and your connection to nature through the medium of clay. Your continued awareness, respect and reverence for your art and the medium in which you work inspires me. I know that you have encouraged listeners to recognize artistic endeavour is a calling and a responsibility

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Marcelle on her website, Mad Mudslinger on Instagram and YouTube. And if you are visiting Gabriola Island, Marcelle’s work will be featured in the November 2021 grand opening of Free Spirit Gallery on North Road.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 44: Legends & Traditions

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Happy Halloween! On the days of October 31 and November 1, we are celebrating traditions that have come to use through the centuries. The ancients who commemorated the Celtic Festival of Samhain would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts, marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or “darker-half” of the year. All Saints Day originated with Pope Gregory III, in around 731 when he designated November 1st as a time to honour all saints.

Soon, as is the way with legends and traditions, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. What was first known as All Hallows Eve, became Halloween, a day where activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats have entertained us over the years.

I am posting this podcast at the stroke of midnight on October 31, 2021, the very point of transition between Halloween and the coming of All Saints Day. The trick or treaters are safely home with their stash of candy. The candles illuminating the jack-o-lanterns sitting on steps leading to doorways have long since burned out. Now, a ghostly, intense darkness envelopes our side of the world, magnifying the noises of night. Do you hear the whispers? Do you hear the creaks in the floorboards, the cold wind whistling around the corner of the house? What is tapping at the windowpane?

Fears come in the night and are exaggerated by darkness. What better time than now to recite “The Raven” the poem by Edgar Allan Poe. We find a young scholar reading books of “lore” by a dying fire on a dreary night in December. Lamenting the loss of love, the young scholar is seeking a way to forget the death of the beloved Lenore. A tapping at the chamber door reveals nothing. But the tapping is repeated more incessantly, now at the window. When the window is opened, a raven flutters into the chamber and the perches on a bust of Pallas above the door.

As the poem progresses the young scholar begins as “weak and weary,” transitioning to regretful and grief-stricken, before passing into an angry frenzy when the raven says “nevermore” to being reunited with the beloved Lenore.

As we pass into the night, join me in reciting The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.

Thank you for joining me in reciting The Raven.

The dawn in near, morning is coming, and a new day will come again. Having faced darkness, it is time to live in the light.

Until we meet again, dear friends, keep reading, keep reciting poetry, take care and be well. I leave you with these words by Edgar Allan Poe.

“To elevate the soul, poetry is necessary.”

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Season 3 Episode 43: Dan Antion on Random Thoughts, Life Lessons, Hopes and Dreams

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in! I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted that Dan Antion, blogger, writer, woodworker, cyclist, photographer, geek, and I are connecting Hartford Connecticut and Vancouver British Columbia. This promises to be an exciting conversation so put the kettle on and stop on by TTT to join the conversation.

Thank you for joining Dan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Dan, for sharing your stories and your passions that present opportunities for observation and exploration.

I am also sending my gratitude on the wing to Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene, my writer and blogger friend who introduced me to Dan.

I invite you to meet up with Dan on his blog No Facilities Random thoughts, life lessons, hopes and dreams.

I invite you to meet up with Teagan at Teagan’s Books . Stay tuned for a podcast with Teagan that will be discussing the evolving adventure, “Dead of Winter,” that has come to readers in a series of Journeys

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 42: Susan Abernethy on Catherine of Braganza, Queen of England and Regent of Portugal

“Amidst all the commotion created by King Charles II and his flamboyant mistresses, there actually was a Queen. She was Catherine of Braganza, and she led a very interesting life in England as the King’s wife and later as ruler of her country of origin.” Susan Abernethy, The Freelance History Writer

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

My blogger friend and historian, Susan Abernethy from the blog, The Freelance History Writer, has returned to discuss the complex life of Catherine of Braganza, the subject of soon to be released book. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Susan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you Susan, for offering us fresh insight into the life of Catherine of Braganza. Bold, strategic, and determined – a woman who dedicated her life to her king and two nations.

I invite you to meet up with Susan on her blog “The Freelance History Writer.” It is a place where history comes alive. You are only an internet click away from a virtual time travel adventure where you will meet Alfred the Great, find yourself in the court of King Henry VIII and travel to the land of the Vikings.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 41: Happy Thanksgiving

``` ***“Come, ye thankful people, come,

raise the song of harvest home;

all is safely gathered in,

ere the winter storms begin.”***

“Come, ye thankful people, come” 1884 Henry Alford

Tune “St. George's Windsor" by George Job Elvey ```

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Happy Thanksgiving! I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

October 11, 2021, marks the celebration of Canada’s Thanksgiving Day.

Autumn, with its crisp winds and changing colours, ushers in moments of reflection and a feeling of warm nostalgia.  It is harvest time, when visions of canning vegetable and preserving jams and jellies remind me of family and community gatherings.  What better time to commemorate thankfulness?

Thank you for celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with me on Tea Toast & Trivia.  A special thank you to my brother, Brian for his rendition of the hymn “Come, ye thankful people, come,” which was set to St. George’s Windsor, by George Job Elvey.

Until we meet again, dear friends, I leave you with the words of Meister Eckhart, German theologian, philosopher, and mystic.

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”

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Season 3 Episode 40: Liz Humphreys and Elisabeth Van Der Meer on the Midpoint of the #KaramzovReadalong

“For all is like an ocean, all flows and connects; touch it in one place and it echoes at the other end of the world.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

The #KaramazovReadalong has reached a milestone in our journey. We are at the midpoint of the book.

“For all is like an ocean, all flows and connects; touch it in one place and it echoes at the other end of the world.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Liz Humphreys from Edinburgh, Scotland, and Elisabeth Van Der Meer from Porvoo, Finland have joined me to look back on what we’ve learned, and look forward to what may come.

You may recall that a few months ago, I received an invitation from my blogger friend and book aficionado, Liz Humphreys to join her on a readalong of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This readalong was to coincide with the 200th year anniversary of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s birth. The stars aligned when Elisabeth Van Der Meer, from A Russian Affair, agreed to join the party.

Where are we? What have we learned? What comes next? These are the questions that will be discussed.

So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Liz, for your willingness to take on this massive project and for your invitation to enter the world of Russian Literature. Thank you, Elisabeth, for adding breadth and depth to our understanding. I am looking forward to road ahead and to our next podcast in which will celebrate the ending of a journey well made.

Thank you for joining Liz, Elisabeth, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you Liz and Elizabeth for adding your enthusiasm and insights on The Brother’s Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky. His words from The Brothers Karamazov will enlighten the journey ahead.

“This is my last message to you: in sorrow, seek happiness,” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

You can connect with Liz on “Leaping Life” and Elisabeth on “A Russian Affair.” You are only an internet click away from entering a world of books and brilliant conversations.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 39: Sally Cronin on Short Stories and Reading “A New Beginning”

``` Our Legacy

*Writers

seek to inspire

those of us not yet great

to leave behind a legacy

of worth.

Fame and fortune are not required

if we are remembered

for our acts of

kindness.*

Sally Cronin “Life is Like a Mosaic: Random Fragments in Harmony” ```

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19 for the past months, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce Sally Cronin who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading her short story “A New Beginning” from her book “Flights of Fancy.” Sally is a storyteller. As a child, she used poetry, song lyrics and short stories to bring narratives to life. She is an indie author and proud to be one. Her greatest pleasure comes from those readers who enjoy her take on health, characters, and twisted endings… and of course come back for more. Sally’s support and encouragement of the indie community is legendary.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting event on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I invite you to meet up with Sally on her blog Smorgasbord Blog Magazine, on her Anchor Podcast and on her Soundcloud Channel. Sally discusses a wide number of topics to chat about. It is a place that welcomes lively conversations and fresh perspectives.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, keep reading and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 38: Tina Do on Poetry in a Global World

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am excited and thrilled to connect with my friend and poet, Tina Do, to discuss the poet’s journey in a global world. Tina Do is a Vancouver-based poet, unashamed dinosaur aficionado and Master of Arts student at Simon Fraser University living and working on the unceded traditional and ancestral territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the Səlil̓wətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwitlem) and xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

Tina was honoured with her first publication credit from The /tƐmz/ Review and was longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize in 2020. Her poetry will be featured in the forthcoming Best Canadian Poetry, and Canadian Literature. These days, you can catch her reading up on whether or not dinosaurs had lips and trying not to over-love her plants.

Tina and I first met at a Robert Burns celebration in February 2019 when she was the guest poet. As she recited her poem “Multiples of 12” I felt tears comes. Her voice resonated with emotional clarity and compassion.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia

Thank you for joining Tina and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Tina, for sharing your insights, your love of poetry and your poet’s journey. Your continued awareness, and love of words inspires me. I know that you have encouraged listeners to recognize that poetry is a calling and a responsibility

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E37: Miriam Hurdle on Poems of Gratitude and Beatitude

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.  I am delighted and thrilled that poet and writer, Miriam Hurdle and I are connecting California and British Columbia to discuss how nature’s capacity for healing has ignited her poetic journey.  Miriam’s book of poetry, “Songs of Heartstrings: Poems of Gratitude and Beatitude” is an exploration into the breadth and depth of the human experience, of feeling the joy of being alive, of living with hope even when faced with difficult pathways.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Miriam and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Miriam, for sharing your love of poetry, art, and music.  You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to see life as a symphony, to embrace and rejoice in the moments given.

I invite you to meet up with Miriam on her blog The Showers of Blessing,  It is a place that welcomes joyful conversations and profound reflections.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, be well.

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Season 3 Episode 36: The Trio on Safety Nets

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listing in!

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you

Today’s podcast is a look back to a time before COVID-19 changed the trajectory of our global journey.

I came upon an audio file that was located in an old file that was hidden and forgotten in my digital filing system. It seems that, even in our world of organizational efficiencies, things can be misplaced. Perhaps it was meant to be lost until the timing was right.

My mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, discussed the idea of safety nets and how they have evolved over time. Little did we know that in a few months after we recorded this conversation, we would learn how to create safety nets in a virtual world.

A safety net is defined as a safeguard against possible hardship or adversity, a system to help those who have serious problems and no other form of help.

So put the kettle on and add to this discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you Frances and Sarah for being excellent safety nets over the years.

Until next time we meet, keep safe and be well!

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Season 3 Episode 35: Valerie Peachey on Beginnings, Adventures & Life Stories

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am heading over to Spain to meet up with Dr. Valerie Peachey. I have been looking forward to connecting with Valerie ever since my friend and neighbour, Chris, said that Valerie was a kindred spirit and introduced us via e-mail. It was one of those serendipitous moments when you know that a friendship is about to happen.

Dr. Valerie Peachey is a non-traditional, semi-retired university professor. Having grown up in many countries around the world, Spain is now home. She is passionate about helping others create and realize their dreams. As a highly respected educator/leader, she believes that open pathways, flexible and well-designed learning opportunities, can yield transformative results. Individuals gain increased opportunities to reach their personal and professional goals, unhindered by geographical or time constraints As an adult educator and author, she appreciates the impact and power of the written word to make those desires come alive. As an enthusiastic facilitator in the real and virtual worlds, she supports the power of technology to keep us connected to dear friends and help us to connect with new ones.

Valerie has lived many adventures and continues to add new adventures to her life story. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

A special thank you, Valerie, for sharing your insights and philosophy on living our personal adventures, embracing new challenges, pursuing new sources of meaning and ways in which to give back to our communities both local and global.

Thank you for joining Valerie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. We loved to hear about your adventures on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe, be well.

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Season 3 Episode 34: Karen Saunders on Books, Book Clubs & Belonging

“A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.” Madeleine L’Engle

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my long-time friend, Karen Saunders, has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss how book clubs build compassionate communities and encourage life-long learning.

Karen called New Brunswick home. That is, until her family decided to settle on the other side of Canada in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Karen is passionate about literature, languages, and books. She attended the University of Victoria and graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts, a double major in English Literature and French Language. In 1983, Karen obtained a Master of Library Science from McGill University, Montréal, QC. During all her studies, she married the love her of life, Patrick.

Patrick’s medical training and Navy career gave Karen the opportunity to experience the breadth of Canada. Moving from Montreal to Vancouver, to Halifax, then Victoria and back to Langley, British Columbia, while raising three children and running a successful small business, her life has been full of adventure.

At 50, Karen recognized a call to ordained ministry and spent four years in training for the role of a Deacon in the Anglican Church of Canada. Nine years have passed since her ordination, each year offering her opportunities to participate in ministries involving education, liturgical services, and pastoral care.

Karen embraces life with enthusiasm and is open to new possibilities. An avid reader since the age of three, she believes books and book clubs bring people together to learn, to explore and find belonging.

So put the kettle on and add to this discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia. A special thank you, Karen, for sharing how book clubs offer friendship and a place of belonging.

Thank you for joining Karen and me on “Tea Toast & Trivia. “ This is your invitation to join the conversation. We look forward to your thoughts on reading, books, books clubs, belonging and community.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 33: Shehanne Moore on the Writer/Publisher Connection

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am beyond thrilled that I am travelling over 7,000 kilometers to meet up with Shehanne Moore in Scotland to discuss the connection between a writer and publisher.

Shehanne, also known as Shey, is a published author of stories that detail the best and worst of human behaviour, as opposed to pouts and flounces. She set up Black Wolf Books, a small royalty paying publisher, presently taking submissions by invitation only.

Today, Shey shares her thoughts on how to foster an authentic relationship with a publisher motivated by a mutual desire to publish books that resonate with readers. Shey is a storytelling who understands the process required to bring those narratives to readers.

Thank you for sharing this moment with Shey and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. A special thank you, Shey, for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Listeners, I invite your to meet up with Shey on her website, Shehanne Moore You can follow Shey on Goodreads as well as Amazon at Shehanne Moore

You are only an internet click away from being swept away in a daring adventure.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep reading, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 32: Susan Abernethy on Adventures in History “To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?” Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist.

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

My blogger friend and historian, Susan Abernethy, from the blog, The Freelance History Writer, and I have bridged the distance between Denver, Colorado and Vancouver, British Columbia to discuss why we should study history.

Susan Abernethy has a degree in history and is a member of the Rocky Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Association and The Historical Association. Her blog, The Freelance History Writer has been continuously publishing historical articles since 2012, with an emphasis on European, Tudor, medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern and Women’s history.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Susan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you Susan, for sharing your enthusiasm and passion for history.

I invite you to meet up with Susan on her blog “The Freelance History Writer.” It is a place where history comes alive. You are only an internet click away from a virtual time travel adventure where you will meet Alfred the Great, find yourself in the court of King Henry VIII and travel to the land of the Vikings.

Until next time, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 31: Dave Astor on Misty’s Adventures

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.” Charles Dickens Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey and Vancouver to bring you the first podcast in the Misty series. Every morning, without fail, my mother, Frances, and I meet up via Facebook with Misty and Dave on their adventures. This morning, when we went into the woods, Misty advised that he thought that theatrical productions may be coming back. Misty is a futurist, making brilliant predictions about the future based on current trends.

Following Misty is not for the faint of heart. You will walk on fences, jump from opens grates, run across the grass, meet up with deer, and trudge through the snow. Misty reminds me that living in the now, embracing the power of being present creates a sense of well-being and of being whole.

I am thrilled that Dave has graciously agreed to share Misty’s remarkable story.

This is your invitation to put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Dave, Misty, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you, Dave and Misty, for sharing your stories.

My daily walks with Misty and Dave continue to inspire me. Misty’s wisdom and Dave’s humour is a compelling combination. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading and excellent conversations waiting for your arrival on his blog.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E 30: Julie Riso on Awakening to Nature “Each day brings a new surprise – another songbird’s voice, new buds emerge, and, finally, wildflowers. Marsh marigolds first, then violets. The drowsy flight of butterflies and bumblebees. Awaken, sleepyheads. The bewildered emergence of the little furry ones. They stare at me with curiosity, and then skitter away, remembering that my kind is to be feared. The early petals wither while new blooms unfurl. Each one more flamboyant than the last.” Julie Riso, Beneath the Winter

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, Julie Riso, from her blog “Wish I Were Here” and I are connecting Vancouver and Northern Michigan for a discussion on awakening to nature.

Julie has created a space that welcomes authentic conversations. She writes that many years ago, she chose to follow an unmarked path – the one filled with detours, dead ends, hitchhikers, kitschy roadside attractions, and unexpected destinations. I knew immediately that I found a kindred spirit.

“Wish I Were Here” is Julie’s travel memoir that explores her journeys through place and time. She inspires readers to live their personal stories and to recognize the connection to nature and all creatures who share our world.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Julie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Julie for sharing your insights, your journey, your connection to nature. You have inspired me, and I know that you have encouraged listeners to recognize that they are forever linked to nature. Earth is our home. It is where our story begins and becomes interwoven within the fabric of all that has come before and all that will come after.

I invite you to meet up with Julie on her blog Wish I was Here. It is a place that inspires us to pause, listen to our hearts, discover our dreams and walk with nature in peace with ourselves and with all who walk this earth.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, stay safe, be well.

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Season 3 Episode 29: Marina Kanavaki on Art Towards a Happy Day

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I look forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled that my blogger friend, artist, and musician, Marina Kanavaki, and I have bridged the distance between Athens and Vancouver to discuss how music and art bring joy and beauty to our lives. What would take 12 hours and 41 minutes flight time has take 12 sends by WIFI to join Marina and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Music was Marina’s first love. She would crawl up on the piano stool and put her ear on the keys to hear the sounds and their combinations. Then painting came into Marina’s life, influenced by her father, who was an artist. His guidance and strong support allowed her freedom to explore her creativity. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Marina and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Marina’s artistic journey connects music, colour, and symbolism to reach deep into our hearts. Her love of animals and her commitment to animal rights is inspiring. Marina reminds us that each of us has a creative journey to be explored. It is not an easy undertaking, but if we embrace our creativity whether it be writing, poetry, music, dance – our lives with be richer, more fulfilling.

A special thank you, Marina, for sharing your insight how and music brings happiness into our lives.

I invite you to meet up with Marina on her blog Marina Kanavaki. It is a place where music, colour, and symbolism reach deep into our hearts to ignite our desire to embrace a creative journey.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe, be well.

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Season 3 Episode 28: Tommy Douglas & All About Canada

Tommy Douglas “Courage, my friends; ‘tis not too late to build a better world.”

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

This podcast is all about Canada, my home.  It is also a story about Canadians. So put the kettle on and add to the discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I leave you with this thought by Tommy Douglas.

Tommy Douglas “We are all in this world together, and the only test of our character that matters is how we look after the least fortunate among us. How we look after each other, not how we look after ourselves. That’s all that really matters, I think.”

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E27: Sally Cronin on Writing, Marketing and Telling Your Story

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, Sally Cronin and I are connecting Ireland and Canada, a distance of over 7,000 kilometers. What would take 10 hours flight time has taken 10 seconds in the magic of WIFI time.

Sally is a storyteller. As a child, she used poetry, song lyrics and short stories to bring narratives to life. She is an indie author and proud to be one. Her greatest pleasure comes from those readers who enjoy her take on health, characters, and twisted endings… and of course come back for more. Sally’s support and encouragement of the indie community is legendary. Today, we will be exploring writing, marketing, and telling your story.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Sally and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Sally, for sharing your insights and philosophy of writing, marketing and telling your story. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

I invite you to meet up with Sally on her blog Smorgasbord Blog Magazine, which was created to be a watering hole that provides a wide number of topics to chat about. You can reach Sally at sally.cronin@moyhill.com. It is a place that welcomes lively conversations and fresh perspectives.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 26: Liz Humphreys and Elisabeth Van Der Meer on the #KaramazovReadalong

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

“Love is such a priceless treasure that you can buy the whole world with it and redeem not only your own but other people’s sins. Go, and do not be afraid.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Today we are working with the magic of technology to bring together Edinburgh, Scotland, Porvoo, Finland, and Vancouver, Canada for a special event – the launch of the The Brothers Karamazov Readalong.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky has been on my “To Be Read” stack of books for several years but I have hesitated, waiting for the right moment. Then serendipity arrived in the form of an e-mail message from my blogger friend and book aficionado, Liz Humphreys from Leaping Life, announcing that she was organizing a #Readalong of The Brothers Karamazov to coincide with the 200th year anniversary of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s birth. The stars aligned when Elisabeth Van Der Meer, from A Russian Affair, agreed to join the party. Liz, Elisabeth, and I are inviting you to join us on this reading adventure.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Liz, Elisabeth, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you Liz and Elizabeth for adding your enthusiasm and insights on The Brother’s Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky. You have given me courage to open the book that I have always wanted to open. His words from The Brothers Karamazov will enlighten the journey head., “This is my last message to you: in sorrow, seek happiness,”

You can connect with Liz on “Leaping Life” and Elisabeth on “A Russian Affair.” You are only an internet click away from entering a world of books and brilliant conversations.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E25: Roberta Eaton Cheadle Reading “A Ghost and his Gold”

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome the podcast series, “Authors Reading Their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce Roberta Eaton Cheadle who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from her novel, “A Ghost and his Gold.” Roberta is a South African writer specializing in historical, paranormal and horror novels and short stories. Keep you lights on because we are about to meet up with a sinister poltergeist.

Thank you for joining Roberta Eaton Cheadle and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Authors reading their Books.

And a special thank you, Roberta, for giving us insight into A Ghost and His Gold. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

I invite you to meet up with Roberta on her blog, Roberta Writes. It is a place where history comes alive with every page turned.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well. Follow Roberta Eaton Cheadle Website: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19631306.Roberta_Eaton_Cheadle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

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Season 3 Episode 24: Liz Humphreys on 14 Weeks with Dante Alighieri

“Into the eternal darkness, into fire and into ice.” Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy: The Inferno, The Purgatorio and The Paradiso

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

My dear blogger friend, Liz, from her blog Leaping Life and I have once again bridged the 7,059 kilometers between Edinburgh and Vancouver to discuss her profound 14-week journey with Dante Alighieri.

I vividly recalled her January 10, 2021 blog post which started out, “It’s a funny old life. Who would have imagined a connection between one of history’s most iconic and enduring works of literature and a modern novel about travelling the world in a converted bright pink ice cream van.”

Doesn’t that sound like a great first line to a novel?

Liz has a way of igniting my curiosity. There is always an adventure happening on her blog, “Leaping Life.” I am thrilled that she has joined me to share her thoughts on her trek through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso via Nick Senger’s Readalong. This promises to be an exciting conversation.

So, put the kettle on and add to this conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank Liz, for sharing your insights on The Divine Comedy.

Liz has embarked on another readalong voyage – Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero by Henryk Sienkiewicz. I invite you to meet up with Liz on her blog “Leaping Life.” You are only an internet click away from entering a world of books and brilliant conversations.

Until next time, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E23: Eglund on the Art of Communication

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7900 kilometers to Berlin, Germany to meet up with my friend, Eglund, journalist and writer.

Berlin is a center of politics, culture, media, and science, home of the world-famous Berlin Opera, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Berlin is on my must-see places to visit once travel comes back. But for now, I am enjoying my virtual visit with Eglund.

Eglund is an engineer and publicist. He worked as a science journalist and reporter in Africa for several German newspapers. Since 2005, his focus has been on the environmental initiatives. As a specialist journalist for renewable energies, he works within media related to the ecological energy transition, first of all about solar energy.

Eglund first appeared as a writer in 1993 when he won the essay prize of the Mayor of Berlin-Kreuzberg for his short story “The nun and dying”. In 2009 his novel “Die Glöckner von Utopia” was published, in which he processed his experiences during the last years of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and especially during the turning point in autumn 1989 in Dresden, Leipzig and East Berlin. His second novel, Zen Solar, was published in 2016. This year, his third novel: Nomaden von Laetoli will be published.

In March 2011 Eglund founded the culture blog Berg.Link, which he designed together with Urs Heinz Aerni from Zurich.

We live in a world that offers many ways in which to connect and share knowledge and experience. As a journalist and writer, Eglund values authentic communication that fosters life-affirming conversations. What does it mean to communicate? What messages do we send? And do we know how to listen? These are the questions that will be discussed today.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you, Eglund, for sharing your insights on communication within a world that offers us technology for global connection. And a special thank you to Klausbernd Vollmar for introducing Eglund to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Eglund and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Stay tuned for Eglund’s return for another stimulating conversation.

Until next time, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E22: Darlene Foster Reading Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome to the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce Darlene Foster who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from her novel, Amanda in Spain: The Girl in the Painting (Amanda Travels #2) which is available on Amazon. I am looking forward to meeting up with Darlene and joining Amanda on one of her many adventure.

Welcome Darlene! Thank you for joining me on the TTT virtual reading room. Thank you for joining Darlene and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Authors reading their Books.

And a special thank you, Darlene, for sharing your insights and philosophy of writing. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

I invite you to meet up with Darlene on her blog Darlene Foster’s Blog, which she created for writers, readers, travelers, dreamers, friends and friends she has not met yet. It is a place where stories dwell.

Darlene’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/DarleneFosterWriter/

Darlene on twitter https://twitter.com/supermegawoman

Until next time, dear friends, stay safe, be well.

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S3 E21: Elisabeth Van Der Meer & Dave Astor on Enduring Literary Themes

“Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.” Boris Pasternak, Russian poet, novelist, and literary translator

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Why do specific narratives endure? Writers and readers come to these stories over and over again. Is it because the characters are memorable and compelling? Or is it the dialogue, action scenes, or unfolding love that engages? What transforms an ordinary storyline into an extraordinary critical success that attracts readers beyond the life of the writer? The answer: A strong literary theme.

Today, I am thrilled that we are joining Porvoo, Finland, Montclair, New Jersey and Vancouver, British Columbia. Elisabeth Van Der Meer and Dave Astor have joined me in connecting three times zones within seconds to bring you a discussion on “Enduring Literary Themes.”

Thank you for joining Elisabeth, Dave, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you, Elisabeth and Dave for adding your insights on enduring themes of literature. This has been another exciting conversation. You can connect with Elisabeth on A Russian Affair. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on Elisabeth and Dave’s blogs.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E20: The Trio on Letter Writing

Steve Carell once said, “Sending a handwritten letter is becoming such an anomaly. It’s disappearing. My mom is the only one who still writes me letters. And there’s something visceral about opening a letter – I see her on the page. I see her in her handwriting.”

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss letter writing. In our last podcast discussion, we discussed the art of cursive handwriting style. There is beauty in the curving lines and connecting letters. But there is much more about cursive writing to celebrate. I like the idea that cursive writing improves our neural connections and interplay of the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

When we use cursing writing, we enhance our memory retention and improve our fine motor skills. Think of it as an exercise program for our minds. What better way to hone our cursive writing skills, than by writing letters?

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well!

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S3 E19: D Wallace Peach Reading Liars & Thieves, Unravelling the Veil Book One Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome to the podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce D Wallace Peach who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from her novel, “Liars & Thieves, Unravelling the Veil Book One” is available on Amazon. I am looking forward to meeting up with Diana and entering a world of fantasy and imagination. I am ready for the adventure! Are you?

Thank you for joining Diana and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Authors reading their Books.

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S3 E18: Traveling to Orkney with Lorna Brown “A trip to Orkney gives you the opportunity to look back in time: through both world wars, crofting, Norse and Neolithic eras. Locals say if you scratch the surface of Orkney, it bleeds archaeology. Venturing further back, the rugged landscape affords glimpses into the geological heritage that physically shaped our islands many millennia ago.” Lorna Brown, See Orkney Tours

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Join me as I travel across the ocean to Orkney, where the fresh sea air and rugged landscape captures the spirit of daring souls. I am delighted that I am meeting up once again with my friend, Lorna Brown of See Orkney Tours, who was our family’s intrepid guide through the mists of ancient Orkney. We touched the Standing Stones of Stenness and traced the prehistoric path of the Ring of Brodgar.

The last time we met up with Lorna was on the white sandy beach that leads up to Skara Brae, a 5000-year-old Neolithic village. Skara Brae is the best-preserved Neolithic village in northern Europe, which offers a unique window into the lives of the farmers who lived there between 3,100 and 2,450 BC.

In March 2021, I travelled virtually with Lorna back to the 19th and 20th century to see how farming continues to be a vital part of Orkney’s history and present-day activities. It was a sunny, winter day when we met up, perfect for our adventure. So, come back with us, fill up a thermos with hot tea and bundle up with a warm coat and walking shoes.

Thank you for joining Lorna and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. A special thank you to you, Lorna for sharing the stories of Orkney and for promising to come back. Until then, dear listeners, you can meet up with her at See Orkney Tours. As the world continues to experience travel restrictions, it is good to know that we can still travel the world virtually, from our dining room tables.

Until next time we meet, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E17: Kim Mooney on Hidden Daughter-Secret Sister, A Story of Adoption

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my long-time friend, Kim Mooney, has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss her book, “Hidden Daughter-Secret Sister, A Story of Adoption.”

Kim has a degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in leadership. Her career has been an eclectic one, moving between teaching and hospital administration and back to teaching. She retired in 2018 after fifteen years of teaching at Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC. In addition to her academic responsibilities at Royal Roads, Kim ran a consulting practice for fifteen years.

With her first published story in 1970 came a prize—a typewriter. A few short stories and a series of poems were written on that machine and then it was set aside in a drawer. This is her first published book.

Thank you for joining Kim and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. “Hidden Daughter, Secret Sister” is available on Amazon.

And a special thank you, Kim, for sharing your profound and valuable insight into the psychological repercussions of adoption and how they can be addressed. As always, your candour and compassion come together to encourage a deeper appreciation and recognition of what it means to be family.

I invite you to meet up with Kim on her website Kim Mooney and on Goodreads. You will be inspired by Kim’s journey from her life as an emotionally insecure child in 1950s Canada to a determined adult searching for her roots.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, stay safe, be well.

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Season 3 Episode 16: Joan Dunnett on Reading Sir Walter Scott Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my friend, Joan Dunnett, writer of “Tides of Change,” and I have once again bridged the 7,059 kilometres between Edinburgh and Vancouver to discuss, Sir Walter Scott, who is remembered for his extensive literary works and political engagement. Many of his works remain classics of both English literature and Scottish literature. Famous titles include The Lady of the Lake, which was a narrative poem, and the novels Waverley, Old Mortality, Rob Roy, The Heart of Mid-Lothian, The Bride of Lammermoor, and Ivanhoe.

Joan Dunnett has read all of Sir Walter Scott’s books and has just recently re-read Waverley. In a recent e-mail Joan wrote, “Waverly was Scott’s first novel, and in many ways is a good starting point. The main character, Edward Waverley, is a ‘romantic’ sort of person, and I wonder if he is meant to resemble Scott himself.“

Joan accepted my invitation to share her thoughts on reading Sir Walter Scott and has joined me to encourage us to place Sir Walter Scott on top of our “to be read” books for 2021.

This promises to be an extraordinary discussion. So, put the kettle on and add your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Joan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you, Joan, for sharing your enjoyment of the books of Sir Walter Scott. And a thank you to my dear blogger friend and frequent podcast guest, Liz Humphrey from Leaping Life who introduced me to Joan and recommended, “Tides of Change.” I am adding my recommendation to Liz’s and invite you to meet up with Joan Dunnett on Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a daring adventure.

Until next time we meet, keep safe and be well.

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S3 E15: Dr. Leith Davis on The Lyon in Mourning Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am thrilled that I am meeting up with Dr. Leith Davis, Professor of English at Simon Fraser University. She is a co-founder of the Department of English’s Master of Arts program with Specialization in Print Culture and is the Director of Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Scottish Studies.

Leith is the author of Acts of Union: Scotland and the Negotiation of the British Nation (Stanford UP, 1998). Music, Post colonialism and Gender: The Construction of Irish Identity, 1724-1874 (Notre Dame UP, 2005). She is co-editor of Scotland and the Borders of Romanticism (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004) and Robert Burns and Transatlantic Culture (Ashgate, 2012). She is currently working on a monograph entitled Media and Cultural Memory in Britain and Ireland, 1688-1745.

Leith is a collector of stories – stories that have been kept safe in the folds of history waiting to be heard. Today, she shares her thoughts on the Jacobite Memoirs of The Rising of 1745 from the manuscripts of the Late Right Rev. Robert Forbes, A.M. Bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church

This promises to be an extraordinary discussion. So, put the kettle on and add to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia

Thank you for joining Leith and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you to Leith who opened the doors of the past and shared the profound stories of brave men and women who witnessed a pivotal transition in history.

I invite you to meet up with Leith at the The Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University, which was founded in 1998 as a joint venture between faculty and individuals in the community. The Centre, located at SFU’s beautiful Burnaby campus, provides a focal point for faculty, students, and all who are interested in exploring Scottish history and culture and the connections between Scotland and Canada in the contemporary global landscape. It is a place where the past reaches out to our time and reminds us to live boldly, with courage and hope.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, be safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 14: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene Launches “Dead of Winter” Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am thrilled that Teagan Geneviene has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss the launch of her book, “Dead of Winter”. The adventure is coming to readers in a series of Journeys. I have read Journey 1, Forlorn Peak and Journey 2, Penllyn and now await, with great anticipation, the next installment, Journey 3, The Fever Field.

Teagan makes brilliant use of serialization to enhance a reader’s experience. What began in 1836 with Charles Dickens’ “the Pickwick Papers” is making a comeback in our timeline. Serial novels encourage us to savour the narrative, to reflect with expectation to what comes next.

I have been looking forward to this conversation with Teagan. Journey I and Journey II explore themes of resilience and coming of age within a world that is in transition.

Thank you for joining Teagan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Teagan, for introducing “Dead of Winter” in our virtual reading room.

I invite you to meet up with Teagan at https://teagansbooks.com/ You are only an internet click away from meeting up with Emlyn, her teacher Osabide, and The Watcher. There are more adventures yet to come!

Until next time we meet, keep safe and be well! Teagan on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13707141.Teagan_Geneviene

You can also visit Teagan at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Teagan-Riordai…

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teagangeneviene

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeagansBooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/teagangenev…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoM-…

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagangen…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13707141.Teagan_Geneviene

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S3 E13: Tim Price on Blogging, Photography & Connecting Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend, writer, musician, and photographer, Timothy Price has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia for a discussion about blogging, writing about daily life and engaging within the blogging community. I have been following Tim’s blog since my first introduction to his on Resa McConaghy’s Art Gowns, The Art of Glamorous Fantasy. Tim has a marvelous sense of humour and a love of photography and music.  What I especially appreciated about Tim is that he provides sustained support and encouragement to other bloggers. Blogging is a way to connect and find kindred spirits, but we all come to this place for specific and individual reasons. Is it to fulfill a personal goal?  Is it to send out a message?  Is it to connect with people with the same objectives?  These are the questions that will be discussed today. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for joining Tim and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

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S3 E12: Mary Jo Malo, Celebrating World Poetry Day

Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted to meet up with my friend and poet, Mary Jo Malo. We are bridging the distance of 3,420 kilometers between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Vancouver, British Columbia to discuss poetry and a poet’s calling. Driving time is 31 hours, Zoom time, 31 seconds.

We will be marking World Poetry Day, which occurred yesterday, on March 21, 2021, which was adopted during UNESCO’s 30th session held in Paris in 1999. UNESCO recognizes the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.

So put the kettle on and celebrate poetry on Tea, Toast & Trivia.com. This promises to be an extraordinary conversation.

Thank you for joining Mary Jo and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Mary Jo, for sharing your insight on poetry for World Poetry Day.  You inspire me to celebrate poetry every day.

Dear listeners, I invite you to meet up with Mary Jo on her blog, This Shining Wound, Original poetry by Mary Jo Malo.  It is a place where the music of words dwells.

Until next time, keep safe, be well.

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S3 E11: The Trio on the Art of Cursive Writing

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss the art of cursive writing. Cursive handwriting style undoubtedly has an artistic flair. There is beauty in the curving lines and connecting letters. But there is much more about cursive writing to celebrate for it improves our neural connections and interplay of the left and right cerebral hemispheres. When we use cursive writing, we enhance our memory retention and improve our fine motor skills. Think of it as an exercise program for our minds.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well!

“Sending a handwritten letter is becoming such an anomaly. It’s disappearing. My mom is the only one who still writes me letters. And there’s something visceral about opening a letter – I see her on the page. I see her in her handwriting.” Steve Carell

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S3 E10: D Wallace Peach on Writing and Publishing

“My latest trilogy is titled Unraveling the Veil. It’s about three races – goblins, elves, and changelings – and how blame and lies almost destroy their lives and civilization. My trio of heroes are products of their cultures and biases, and yet they have to trust each other and work together to learn the truth of a series of mysterious disappearances. Things get awfully grim before they accomplish their goal.” D Wallace Peach

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, D Wallace Peach, has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia for a discussion about writing, connecting, and engaging within the world of writing and publishing. Diana is on my side of the world, just south of the Canadian Border. She lives in a log cabin, situated on a mountain, with her husband, two owls and a horde of bats. She has found a place of belonging, surrounded by evergreens in the lush, green wilderness of the Oregon rainforest.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Diana and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Diana, for sharing your insights and philosophy of writing. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

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Season 3 Episode 9: Darlene Foster on Writing Amanda Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Thank you for listening in!

Never let a day go by without a dream” Darlene Foster

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my blogger friend and writer, Darlene Foster and I are bridging approximately 8,784 kilometers, as the crow flies, between Costa Blanca, Spain and Vancouver, Canada. A distance that would be 11 hours and 25 minutes by air has taken seconds via technology.

Darlene’s short stories have won prizes and have appeared in several anthologies. She has seven published books in a series about a spunky 12-year-old girl who loves to travel, Amanda in Arabia – The Perfume Flask, Amanda in Spain-The Girl in the Painting, Amanda in England-the Missing Novel, Amanda in Alberta – The Writing on the Stone,Amanda on the Danube-The Sounds of Music, Amanda in New Mexico – Ghosts in the Wind and Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action. Readers from seven to seventy plus enjoy following Amanda and her adventures as she unravels one mystery after another. Darlene’s bilingual book, Pig on Trial/Cerito a juicio is in English and Spanish.

Darlene Foster dreamt of writing, travelling the world, and meeting interesting people. She also believed in making her dreams come true. A world traveller herself, Darlene spends her time in Vancouver, Canada, and the Costa Blanca, in Spain

So, it will not come as a surprise that today’s discussion is all about storytelling. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for joining Darlene and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And a special thank you, Darlene, for sharing your insights and philosophy of writing. You have inspired me, and I know that you have inspired readers and listeners to embrace a creative journey.

I invite you to meet up with Darlene on her blog Darlene Foster’s Blog, which she created for writers, readers, travelers, dreamers, friends and friends she has not met yet. It is a place where stories dwell.

Until next time, dear friends, stay safe and be well. Darlene’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/DarleneFosterWriter/

Darlene on twitter https://twitter.com/supermegawoman

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S3 E8: Klausbernd Vollmar on Ugliness

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up once again with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art. In our last podcast, we explored the idea of beauty. Klausbernd has come back for another riveting conversation on the concept of “ugly” and ugliness. This promises to be an extraordinary discussion.

So, put the kettle on and add to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council, he came to Canada and worked for four years as lecturer at the McGill University, Montreal. He was an editor of several magazines in Germany, Canada, and Greece.

Klausbernd studied and graduated in general and clinical psychology at the Ruhr-University/Germany. Working in Germany and England in a private practice, his writing specialized on colour and symbolism. His website is www.kbvollmar.com

Thank you, Klausbernd, for sharing your knowledge on ugliness and how it influences our lives an choices. I appreciate our friendship that has evolved over the past years and the many conversations that are yet to come. You continue to inspire me and foster a compassionate community spirit.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Klausbernd and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. I know you will enjoy following the extraordinary adventures of The Fab Four of Cley – Klausbernd, Hanne, Siri and Selma on their blog, The World According to Dina. You are only an internet click away from a vibrant discussion that opens new avenues of exploration.

Until next time, stay safe, be well.

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S3 E7: Paul Andruss Reading Jack Hughes and Thomas the Rhymer

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome to a new podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce Paul Andruss, who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading from his novel, “Jack Hughes and Thomas the Rhymer, which is available on Amazon. I am looking forward to meeting up with Jack Hughes and Thomas the Rhymer on their adventures.

Thank you for joining Paul and me on Tea Toast & Trivia, Authors reading their Books. I invite you to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and his website Paul Andruss on WordPress. It is a place where stories dwell.

Until next time, stay safe, be well.

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S3 E6: The Trio on the Family Book Challenge 2021

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss a subject that is close to my heart.  Books! We have embarked on the Family Book Challenge 2021, championed by my nephew Aaron. Join us as we discuss how books transform our lives and how reading within a community of readers expands our knowledge and inspires us to read more.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Looking forward to hearing about your reading adventures.

Until next time, dear friends, be safe and be well.

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” Charles W. Eliot

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Season 3 Episode 5: Elisabeth Van Der Meer & Dave Astor on Why Should We Read The Books We Do Not Want to Read

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in. Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer and co-writer of the 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey said: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.

Today we are working magic by bringing together Porvoo, Finland, Montclair, New Jersey, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Elisabeth Van Der Meer and Dave Astor have joined me in connecting three times zones within seconds to bring you a discussion on “Why should we read the books we do not want to read?”

We are entering a new adventure in podcasting here at Tea Toast and Trivia. Thank you to Elisabeth and Dave for taking the plunge with me. And a very special thank you to Don, my techie, who is in the background making this happen.

Thank you for joining Elisabeth, Dave, and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you, Elizabeth and Dave, for adding your insights and suggestions for embracing books that we never thought we would read.

Listeners, you can connect with Elisabeth on A Russian Affair. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on Elisabeth and Dave’s blogs.

Until next time, dear friends, be safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 4: Celebrating Robert Burns with the Address to a Haggis

Welcome to a special episode of Tea Toast and Trivia.

I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Tonight, we celebrate Robert Burns, affectionately known as Rabbie Burns, the great Scottish poet and lyricist. He has been given the honoured titles of National Bard, Bard of Ayrshire and the Ploughman Poet. He penned in the language of the Scots, even though much of his writing is in light Scots dialect and in English.

This year’s celebration will be different from all other Robert Burns Suppers that have been held throughout its history. January 25, 2021 will be the first time that the Burns Suppers will be going virtual across the world.

Thank you for joining me in celebrating the life and works of Robert Burns.

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Season 3 Episode 3: Robbie Cheadle on Writing Children’s Books Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am travelling the distance of 15,174 kilometers that takes me over the Atlantic Ocean and across the equator to South Africa.  What usually takes 18 hours and 20 minutes by air travel, has been accomplished within minutes via technology. I am meeting up with Robbie Cheadle, a prolific writer whose books span the ages of children, young adults, and adults. In order to clearly separate her children’s books from her adult books, she writes for older readers under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.  I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Robbie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you to Robbie.  You can connect with Robbie on Robbie’s Inspiration.  There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on her blog.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 3 Episode 2: Klausbernd Vollmar on Beauty Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up once again with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art. In our last podcast, we explored the influence of colour. Klausbernd has come back for another riveting conversation on the concept of ‘beauty’. This promises to be an extraordinary discussion. So, put the kettle on and add to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council, he came to Canada and worked for four years as lecturer at the McGill University/Montreal. He was an editor of several magazines in Germany, Canada, and Greece.

Klausbernd studied and graduated in general and clinical psychology at the Ruhr-University/Germany. Working in Germany and England in a private practice, his writing specialized on colour and symbolism. His website is www.kbvollmar.com

I enjoy following the extraordinary adventures of The Fab Four of Cley on their blog, The World According to Dina. I continue to learn from the vibrant discussions that open new avenues of exploration.

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S3 E1: Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Season 3

Happy New Year 2021. Dear friends, welcome to the third season of Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast. Thank you for listening in and joining the conversation. I am deeply grateful and humbled by your support and encouragement over the past two years.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

As we walk together, let us think of the words of Rainer Maria Rilke, “And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”

May peace, love and hope be your constant companions in 2021. Until next time we meet, be safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 62: Aaron Launches Family Book Challenge 2021 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta to meet up with my nephew, Aaron, who has challenged our family to the Book Challenge 2021.

As background, it all started in January 2020, when I received Aaron’s message challenging me to participate in a 2020 Family Challenge which was to read 25 books in the Year 2020. Incidentally, Aaron is a prodigious reader, much like his Aunt Sarah, who is well known to consume vast qualities of books, moving from genre to genre with a dexterity that leaves me breathless.

Aaron has joined me to today to launch the Family Book Challenge 2021. I want to be the first to know his plans for the coming year and to have head start on my competitive siblings. Of course, I do not have a competitive nature, but this is survival of the reading fittest.

I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for sharing this moment with Aaron and me.

Thank you, Aaron, for being the champion of the 2021 Family Book Challenge.

Dear listeners, all the very best on your reading adventures in 2021. As Dr. Seuss wrote in his book, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Until next time we meet, be safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 61: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Clement Clarke Moore, born July 15, 1799 was a writer and American Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, Divinity and Biblical Learning at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in New York City. Clement Moore had strong ties to the seminary for I understand that it was his generosity that led him to donate land, which was his private apple orchard, upon which the seminary was built. The Seminary remains on the same parcel of land, which is located at Ninth Avenue between 20th and 21st streets, in an area known as Chelsea Square

Clement Moore became a wealthy man through the ownership of the estate “Chelsea,” an inheritance he received from the passing of his mother and grandfather. Fast forward to present day, the “Chelsea” area is located on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between 14th Street to the south, the Hudson River and West Street to the west and Sixth Avenue to the east, with its northern boundary variously described as near the upper 20s or 34th Street.

Clement Moore accomplished a great deal in his lifetime. He was a writer and a poet, a professor and scholar. He served twice in the position of President of Columbia College (now Columbia University) and served as a board member on the New York Institution for the Blind.

But what he is most known for is how he changed the way we see Christmas.

He called the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” It was published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel in 1823. He had second thoughts in 1837 when eventually he told everyone that he had penned the poem. Many believe that it is the most well-known and beloved poem written by an American poet. We read it every Christmas, most generally on Christmas Eve, and then reflect on Christmases past when we were young and heard the familiar words read by our parents and grandparents. Santa and the tradition of Christmas gift-giving was transformed by this poem

Clement Moore published several academic works, including A Compendious Lexicon of the Hebrew Language (Collins & Perkins, 1809), but “A Visit from St. Nicholas” more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas” and “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” captured the hearts of children young and old.

Please join me in reading, A Visit form St. Nicholas AKA ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

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Season 2 Episode 60: Brian on Music & Celebration Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta.

Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation on embracing a greater journey. In our last two podcasts together, we discussed the stages of life, from childhood to old age and then the idea of FOMO or fear of missing out.

As we enter December, the month of festivities, many of us will not be going home for Christmas in the usual way. We will be joining family and friends through virtual channels to celebrate and connect.

Today, Brian and I will be discussing the relationship between music and celebration. Music has always been integral to memorable events. When we remember important moments in our life, we remember music. On wedding anniversaries, couples may recall the first song that brought them together. At graduation, music of pomp and ceremony play as graduates cross the stage. Birthday parties, retirement events – and the list goes on.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation and in the singing on TeaToastTrivia.com. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Brian and me in this conversation. And thank you, Brian, for sharing your love of music with us.

All the best coming from our house and Brian’s house to yours during this festive month . May you feel the presence of kindred spirits in your homes and hearts.

Until next time dear friends, be safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 59: Hanne Siebers on the Art of Photography

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading to Blakeney National Nature Reserve on the north coast of Norfolk, England, to meet up with my dear blogger friend and photographer, Hanne Siebers. I have been looking forward to once again witnessing the uninterrupted views of the spectacular North Norfolk coastline, feeling the wind coming across the water and breathing in that unforgettable clear air.

This is your invitation to join Hanne and me in an extraordinary conversation on how photography increases self-understanding of our environment, nature, other people and society. Over the years, Hanne has taught me that photography embraces a creative journey that gives meaning and purpose.

So, put the kettle on add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia

Thank you for joining Hanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Hanne, for sharing your insights on photography and embracing a creative life. You continue to inspire me.

Dear listeners, you are only an internet click away from Hanne on The World According to Dina, where you will meet up with The Fab Four of Cley. It is a place that welcomes life-affirming conversations.

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Season 2 Episode 58: Elizabeth Gauffreau Reading Telling Sonny

“I am drawn to the inner lives of other people – what they care about, what they most desire, what causes them pain, what brings them joy. These inner lives become my characters. I am here to share their stories.” Elizabeth Gauffreau, Writer, Poet, Storyteller

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something extraordinary about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that introduced bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. Welcome to a new podcast series, “Authors Reading their Books”, which will recreate the reading spaces in a virtual venue. I invite you to put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I am thrilled to introduce Elizabeth Gauffreau, who has graciously agreed to be our guest author reading her novel, “Telling Sonny,” a story of a son who became an afterthought, told by a mother who had once loved the vaudeville show. Telling Sonny is available on Amazon.

Listeners, you would be interested to know that much of Elizabeth’s fiction is inspired by her family history, and lately she has developed an interest in writing about her family’s genealogy. Learn about her attempts to stick to the facts of her family history by visiting Elizabeth at http://genealogylizgauffreau.com.

Thank you for joining Elizabeth and me on Tea Toast & Trivia, Authors Reading Their Books. I invite you to meet up with Elizabeth on Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from her website lizgauffreau.com. It is a place where stories dwell. Until next time, stay safe, be well.

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Season 2 Episode 57: Dave Astor on Comics, Cartoons & Confessions

“Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong’. Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.” Charles Schulz

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver.

Listeners, you will remember that Dave Astor’s book, Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels” was one of my first 2020 reads! It was a marvelous collection of delicious literary trivia. And you know how I love trivia!!

Today, Dave has come back to talk about comics, cartoons, confessions, and his first book, “Comic (And Column) Confessional,” which covers an extraordinary period in media history that witnessed the advent of the digital revolution, media mergers, and the shrinking newspaper business that changed journalism forever.

This conversation came about when I read Dave’s post on October 5, 2020 celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1950 debut of Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts.” I have followed Peanuts all my. So how much influence does comics strips have on our society and cultural values? Dave has a unique perspective on this question. Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on his blog.

“Why can’t we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn’t work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” Charles M. Schulz

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S2 E56: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene Reading Hullaba LuLu

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something special about hearing the voice of an author reading their stories. Their voice and intonation are nuanced by the many hours of effort putting pen to paper. They created the characters, structured the plot, and lived every twist and turn that creates bumps in the storyline.

Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed. We are learning to embrace technology in new ways.

I am thrilled to introduce Teagan Geneviene, who will be our guest author reading her freshly published book, Hullaba Lulu – a Diesel-punk Adventure. We are embarking on a wild and woolly 1920's fantasy story. I am looking forward to meeting Lulu and tagging along on her adventure.

But first put the kettle on and join the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Teagan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Teagan for introducing Hullaba Lulu in our virtual reading room.

I invite your to meet up with Teagan at Teagan’s Books. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a daring adventure.

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Season 2 Episode 55: Resa McConaghy on Glamour, Fantasy and Art

“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named Virginia who lived in the Empire D’Amore. Unfortunately, she was very poor, a seamstress for the wealthy merchants of the kingdom. One day, the Emperor D’Amore demanded that his son, Prince Will, marry. He decreed a holiday with a royal procession throughout the empire.” Resa McConaghy, Empress D’Amore – A Cheeky Fairytale

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Rocky Mountains across the Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to the vibrant city of Toronto, Ontario to meet up with Resa McConaghy, a dear blogger friend, artist, photographer, and established costume designer in film, television, and digital media. Resa has worked her costume designer magic on productions for Showtime, ABC, Disney, CBS, CBC, Hallmark, and more. She brings out personalities with her costume designs and adds dramatic moods to each scene by balancing texture and colours.

Resa’s mission is to enable the articulation of character through wardrobe. And she does this brilliantly through storytelling. An illustration of this talent is captured in Empress D’Amore – A Cheeky Fairytale, recently published on Flapper Press, an on-line magazine created by Elizabeth Gracen and an international team of talented artists and writers.

Today, Resa invited us to Art Gowns, the world of art and glamourous fantasy. So, put the kettle on and add your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

And a very special thank you and shout out to Resa – you live life with compassion, hope and bold enthusiasm.

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Resa on Art Gowns and Flapper Press. You are only an internet click away from the world of glamour and fantasy.

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Season 2 Episode 54: Paul Andruss on Myths, Travel, Language & Writing

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in!

I am heading across the ocean to Wales, that beautiful country full of magic, mystery, music, and great writers. I am excited to introduce one of those great writers – Paul Andruss. He was born and reared in Liverpool. The city’s legendary Scouse wit and dogged stoicism has left its mark.

Keen to get out into the world, Paul dropped out of college at 17. A year later he was taking exams at night school, while working in the local Tax Office.

Today, we are going to talk about Paul’s love of writing.

Paul is the author of the Young Adult magical realism trilogy, the Jack Hughes Books, and the forthcoming (very adult) Finn Mac Cool – a mythological saga. He has also written several short stories and novellas.

Listeners, thank you for sharing this moment with Paul and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. I invite your to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and on his website, Jack Hughes Books. You are only an internet click away from a daring and exciting adventure. Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

Exciting News Update: All works, including The Jack Hughes Books Trilogy. are scheduled for release with exciting new, independent Scottish publisher, Black Wolf Books.

BLACK WOLF BOOKS http://www.jackhughesbooks.com/

https://blackwolfbooks.wixsite.com/black-wolf-books/our-authors

https://blackwolfbooks.wixsite.com/black-wolf-books

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Season 2 Episode 53: Sisters Unscripted on The Book Dialogue

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Much to the chagrin of my father, over 500 Harlequin romances were delivered to our doorstep in the early 1970’s, a gift from an uncle who owned a bookstore and had a delicious sense of humour. My sister, Sarah, and I were delighted by the stack of 1950’s and 1960’s romances with such names, if I remember correctly, as “A Promise is for Keeping,”  and “A Song to be Sung”.  Soon the marathon was underway, even as my father tempted us with non-fiction books strategically placed around our home.

Sarah has always been a voracious reader, moving from genre to genre with a dexterity that leaves me breathless. While I followed my father’s footsteps into non-fiction, she embraced fiction from sci-fi to fantasy to historical to romance.

And then quite suddenly, the trajectory of our reading changed. I have rediscovered the marvelous world of fiction and Sarah has made a pivotal foray into the non-fiction arena.

Sarah and I discuss our reading experiences in The Book Dialogue” podcast, an unscripted discussion of books we love, hosted by Sarah.

Tea Toast & Trivia is pleased to present an upcoming podcast scheduled to be published on The Book Dialogue.

Until next time, dear listeners, keep safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 52: Martha’s Story

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Manitoba Canada. That was my home growing up. If you look at a map of Canada, Manitoba is the in the centre of the country with its provincial neighbours, Saskatchewan to the west, Ontario to the East, and to the north, the territory of Nunavut. To the South, we share the US/Canadian Border with North Dakota and Minnesota.

You may know of some others who came from Manitoba. Neil Young, Burton Cummings/The Guess Who, Randy Bachman/Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bif Naked and Fred Penner. In fact, Tom Cochrane lived for a time in my hometown of Lynn Lake. From literary authur, Carol Shields, to WWII spymaster Sir William Stephenson who was the inspiration for James Bond, to Bobby Hull of the Winnipeg Jets, to the character of Winnie-the Pooh who was named after Manitoba’s capital city Winnipeg – Manitoba is a place of many stories.

Today I want to go back to the past, and hear a story from the 1940’s. It all started when I left Lynn Lake to attend college. That was when I first met Martha. Students in residence at the college were given a task. Martha was a library helper, and I was given the task of vacuuming the library. Martha became a librarian, and I well, I still enjoy taking the vacuum out for a spin.

This is Martha’s story to tell, but there are times when it is impossible to connect across the miles via technology. Thankfully, letter writing continues to thrive. While Martha cannot be present in the form of her actual voice, she has given me permission to share the story of her parents, Diedrich and Sarah, and of their life on the farm in the 1940’s. For those who have listened to my conversations with my mother, Frances, you will see the similarities of communities working together.

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this vibrant discussion on Tea, Toast & Trivia.com.

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Season 2 Episode 51: The Trio on Dunbar’s Number

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada.  What better time than today to discussion the idea of friendship?

I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to consider Dunbar’s number, which is a theoretical limit to the number of people with whom any individual can sustain a stable or meaningful social relationship.  This term was first proposed in the 1990’s by Robin Dunbar, a British anthropologist and psychologist.  The number that is suggested is 150 people.

Does Dunbar’s number signify friendship?  How do we define friendship?  Is friendship the same as a stable or meaningful social relationship?

We invite you to put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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S 2 E50: Klausbernd Vollmar on Colours of Life

"Every colour has its personality and a different impact on us. Colour sends out a vibration like every person does. This vibration interferes with that of its onlooker. That’s why we like certain colours and dislike others even if this is mostly unconsciously.." Klausbernd Vollmar, Scientific Psychologist, Author

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art.

Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council , he came to Canada and worked for four years as lecturer at the McGill University/Montreal. He was an editor of several magazines in Germany, Canada, and Greece.

Klausbernd studied and graduated in general and clinical psychology at the Ruhr-University/Germany. Working in Germany and England in a private practice, his writing specialized on colour and symbolism. His website is www.kbvollmar.com

I enjoy following the extraordinary adventures of The Fab Four of Cley on their blog, The World According to Dina. I continue to learn from the vibrant discussions that open new avenues of exploration.

I am thrilled that Klausbernd has graciously agreed to share his insights on colour theory with us on Tea Toast & Trivia podcast. He wrote that “I dealt life long with colours as my friends.”

This is your invitation to join Klausbernd and me in an extraordinary conversation on the vitality and influence of colour in our lives. So, put the kettle on add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Dear listeners, thank you for joining Klausbernd and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

And remember – you are only an internet click away from Klausbernd on The World According to Dina, where you will meet up with The Fab Four of Cley. It is a place that welcomes life-affirming discussions. Until next time, stay safe, be well.

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Season 2 Episode 49: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene on Writing Steampunk

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. just finished reading a riveting tale of an old lost Valentine and the shenanigans that ensue when it turns up. The intrepid, Fiona Finch, and her brother Steele – along with a helping “wing” from Quellie the duck, work to bring two long ago sweethearts back together. This story is a Steampunk Novelette. Steampunk is a new word for me and the first time I have encountered Steampunk literature. I want to know more about this form of writing

Today, I am connecting across the miles to meet up with my blogger friend, Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene, the writer who gave us ,“Fiona Finch and the Pink Valentine: A Steampunk Novelette.”

Be prepared for an exciting adventure – Teagan is taking us back into time. But first put the kettle on and add your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Teagan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to you, Teagan – I enjoy our conversations and following your remarkable blog.

News Update: Hullaba Lulu – a Diesel-punk Adventure is ready to launch! Hullaba Lulu, a Dieselpunk Adventureis finally at the dieselpunk train station. Teagan has given us another brilliant escapade. We are embarking on a wild and woolly 1920s fantasy story. I am looking forward to meeting Lulu and tagging alone on her adventure.

Listeners, I invite your to meet up with Teagan at https://teagansbooks.com/ You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a daring adventure.

Teagan on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13707141.Teagan_Geneviene

You can also visit Teagan at:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Teagan-Riordai…

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teagangeneviene

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeagansBooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/teagangenev…

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoM-…

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagangen…

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Season 2 Episode 48: Mary Jo Malo on a Poet’s Calling

*A word has power

Whether mined by

demagogues

for control

or carved into stone

for memorial

It can carry us

into exile

From ourselves

From our homes

A word can steel

the heart

or build an edifice

of faith in the future

It sifts or unites

and defines

Yet

destroy the word

You steal

time.*

Mary Jo Malo, Stele

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.  There are times when it is impossible to connect across the miles via technology.  Today, Mary Jo Malo and I are establishing a new dynamic in podcasting in the form of letter writing, which many consider a lost art.  And yet, Mary Jo and I believe that letter writing has not been forgotten.

Thank you dear listeners,  for joining Mary Jo and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Mary Jo.  I invite you to meet up with Mary Jo on her blog, This Shining Wound, Original Poetry by Mary Jo Malo.  It is a place where the music of words dwell. 

Until next time, stay safe, be well.

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Season 2 Episode 47: Tides of Change with Joan Dunnett

It is May 1704, and we are at sea just off the east coast of Scotland….

“James Lightfoot didn’t want to be put ashore at Figgate Whins. It was a dangerous place. He might be robbed of his remaining few possessions. He waited on the deck of the merchantman while the crew loaded bundles onto the boat: probably luxury goods to be smuggled into England. The ship’s legitimate cargo was bound for Leith.” Joan Dunnett, Tides of Change.

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Pirates, spies, danger, and Scotland are all found in my current read, “Tides of Change.”

You will be happy to know that I am heading over to Edinburgh, Scotland today to meet up with Joan Dunnett, the author of “Tides of Change.” We are going back in time, so take a warm coat and be prepared for an extraordinary journey. But first, put the kettle on and add to the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Joan and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you, Joan, for sharing your love of history and storytelling. And a shout out to my dear blogger friend and frequent podcast guest, Liz Humphreys, from “Leaping Life” who recommended, “Tides of Change.” I am adding my recommendation to Liz’s and invite you to meet up with Joan Dunnett on Goodreads. You are only an internet click away from being swept away on a daring adventure. Until next time we meet, be safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 46: The Trio on Milestones Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to share our thoughts on milestones.  What are they?  When to they occur?  How do we remember and celebrate these pivotal moments?

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

“Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” Nelson Mandela

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Season 2 Episode 45: Brian on Fear of Missing Out

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am you host, Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.  Today,  I’m heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta.

Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation  on embracing a greater journey. In our last podcast, we discussed the stages of life, from childhood to old age.  How do we live the fullest in that stage of life that we find ourselves in? How do we embrace the twists and turns that life gives us? How do we gracefully give up the things of youth and embrace the age of active wisdom?

Today, Brian and I will be discussing FOMO, which is the short form of “fear of missing out” is that uncomfortable, even anxious, feeling you get when think that other people might be having a good time without you.  Going back to the stage concept, FOMO can happen at any place on that life I understand that this can happen at any point on that “from childhood to old age” timeline.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

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Season 2 Episode 44: Heading into the Library with Dave Astor

Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.” Neil Gaiman

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver. Today, we are heading to the library.

So, listeners, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Welcome Dave, thank you stopping by for a visit. You once said that “Books are there for us, even in the most difficult of circumstances.” If books are the best companions and a comfort during times of uncertainty, libraries are the places to go to build our resilience and courage.

We are entering our fourth month of what I call the Covid19 solitude, which began on March 11, 2020 when the WHO declared a pandemic. During this time, libraries have closed their doors but have continued to be an invaluable resource and guide to the virtual and digital world. Dave and I are celebrating libraries and librarians who share their knowledge, wisdom, and experience.

Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave. He continues to inspire me. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on his blog.

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Season 2 Episode 43: Elizabeth Gauffreau on Tanka Poetry

Wilderness Tanka

*snowy wilderness

cold winter sun, soaring trees

a small lone figure

for a time she stood fearless

my protector, my mother*

Elizabeth Gauffreau, Tanka Poetry

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am delighted and thrilled  that my dear friend,  writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau, has come back to share her insights into an ancient style of poetry.  We are once again bridging the 3897 kilometers, as the crow flies,  between New Hampshire and Vancouver.

Several months ago, Liz introduced me to Tanka poetry.  In a few words, emotions, memories, and intentions come together.  This is going to be an exciting conversation. So put the kettle on and add to the discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

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Season 2 E42: Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge Finale Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. “We still, alas, cannot forestall it This dreadful ailment’s heavy toll; The spleen is what the English call it, We call it simply, Russian soul.." Alexander Pushkin, Eugene Onegin

Elisabeth Van Der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver. We have come to the end, the grand finale, of the Eugene Onegin Challenge. We are at the unforgettable chapter eight, where everything become clear. Or does it?

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

When we first started this journey, Elizabeth wrote in her blog:

“With this challenge I hope to add something extra to your reading experience that will make it more interesting, intense, attentive, and (even more) enjoyable. I will be eating, dreaming, thinking, hearing Eugene Onegin for the next four months and I can’t wait to find out what the end result will be!” Elisabeth Van Der Meer

We may have completed the challenge, but the pathway continues into the far horizon. There are more adventures ahead on A Russian Affair with Elizabeth Van Der Meer. Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 41: The Art of Romance with Shehanne Moore

If her body was fed to the crows in one-inch pieces, before her eyes and all she needed to do to stop it was kiss him, she’d sooner the crows didn’t go hungry.." Shehanne Moore, The Unraveling of Lady Fury

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling approximately 8,000 kilometres from Vancouver to Broughty Ferry, Scotland, Dundee’s Historic Seaside Village, to meet up with my friend and Shehanne Moore, the writer who has given us the exciting historical romance, “The Unraveling of Lady Fury.”

When not cuddling inn signs in her beloved Scottish mountains alongside Mr. Shey, or spending time with their family, Shehanne Moore writes dark and smexy historical romance, featuring bad boys who need a bad girl to sort them out.

Put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Shehanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Shehanne. I invite your to meet up with Shehanne on her blog, Shehanne Moore . Be warned, you are only an internet click away from being swept away in a daring adventure.

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Season 2 Episode 40: Patricia Sands on Telling Your Story

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

“Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities — always see them, for they’re always there.” Norman Vincent Peale

“Sixty-two-year-old Arianna arrives in the South of France for a two-week artists’ workshop full of anticipation but burdened by guilt. Back home in Toronto, she has been living with the devastating diagnosis of her husband’s dementia and the heartbreak of watching the man she has loved for decades slip away before her eyes. What does her future hold without Ben? Before her is a blank canvas.” Drawing Lessons, Patricia Sands

Transitions, art, and France are all found in my current read, “Drawing Lessons.”

I am delighted and thrilled that the brilliant storyteller, Patricia Sands, the author of Drawing Lessons is joining us today and bridging the distance of 3,364 km between Vancouver and Toronto.

We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Patricia’s first book, “The Bridge Club,” which was published in 2010. Based loosely on her bridge club, the story weaves the reader through a maze of life’s inevitable scenarios.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Exiting news for Book Clubs. Patricia has an open invitation to get together in someone’s home to talk about her books via Zoom, phone, or FaceTime! Choose one of Patricia’s novels, decide on a date and time, and have someone from your group email Patricia at patriciasandsauthor@gmail.com or message her through Facebook or Instagram @patricialsands.

A special thank you, Patricia, for this extraordinary conversation. I am delighted that we have connected.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well. And remember you are only an internet click away from Patricia and the South of France on patriciasandsauthor.com

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Season 2 Episode 39: Joan Hudson on the Artist’s Journey. Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over to England today to what has been called Somerset’s most charming town – Clevedon, situated on the Bristol Channel famous for its magnificent pier. The pier was completed in 1869 as a landing point for paddle steamers, carrying passengers along the Severn Estuary from Wales and Devon.

I am meeting up with Clevedon’s famed artist, Joan Hudson, a dear friend who has invited me for afternoon tea in her summer garden. You are invited to join us and share in an extraordinary conversation about art, imagination, and embracing our creativity.

Thank you, Joan for your invitation to tea. I have been looking forward to this discussion.

Thank you for sharing this moment with Joan and me. Your visit and comments are very much appreciated. You can meet up with Joan on Instagram at Joan.hudson3 or her blog On the Bright Side.

Until next time dear friends, take care and be safe.

P.S. In our discussion, Joan mentioned Alice Strang’s initiative in response to the global lockdown, which can be viewed at this link: Digital art in a time of virus.

"Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Alice Strang, is a keen user of social media channels Twitter and Instagram, matching current affairs with works in the National Galleries of Scotland’s collection. With the closure of our Galleries following the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), not only is everyone joined in common concerns but the power of art to boost morale, in digital form, is becoming more apparent every day." National Galleries Scotland

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Season 2 Episode 38: Frances on the Art of Aging Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. A few weeks ago, my mother,  Frances, and I were discussing the aging process, something that we all have in common.  I think of the quote by Andy Rooney: “It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.”

There are many self-help books and articles that promise ways in which we can age gracefully and provide tips on how to stay sharp and look amazing.  When Frances suggested that, for her, it was books that added joy to the aging process,   I asked whether she would share her thoughts on a short podcast.  Since we were on our mobile phones, rather than in-person, we did not know whether the audio would have enough clarity.  Thanks to our techie, we have a short discussion about books, life and embracing who we are at any age.

So put the kettle on and add to this discussion. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia.

Until next time, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 37: The Trio Goal Setting

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss goal setting.  We want to seek progress, to live our best lives, to be recognized and valued for our contributions.  There are many ideas and opinions about goal setting.    We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Season 2 Episode 36: Going Back to Manderley with Liz Humphreys

My dear blogger friend, Liz Humphreys from her blog Leaping Life and I have once again bridged the 7,059 kilometres between Edinburgh and Vancouver to discuss, well, let me give you a hint:

‘Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate to the drive, and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and a chain upon the gate. I called in my dream to the lodge-keeper, and had no answer, and peering closer through the rusted spokes of the gate I saw that the lodge was uninhabited.’

Yes, Liz and I will be discussing Daphne du Maurier.

Put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Liz from the blog, Leaping Life and to heavenali, who hosted Daphne du Maurier Reading week May 11 – 17, 2020.

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Season 2 Episode 35: Traveling the Mists of Ancient Orkney with Lorna Brown Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Join me as I travel across the ocean to Orkney, where the fresh sea air and rugged landscape captures the spirit of daring souls.  I am delighted that I am meeting up with my friend, Lorna Brown of See Orkney Tours, who was our family’s intrepid guide through the mists of ancient Orkney.  We touched the Standing Stones of Stenness and traced the prehistoric path of the Ring of Brodgar.

Travel plans may have been placed on hold, but for today imagine that you have joined Lorna and me on the white sandy beach that leads up to Skara Brae, a 5000-year-old Neolithic village. Do you feel the chilly breeze off the ocean?  It is sunny, a perfect day to begin our adventure.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

A special thank you to Lorna for sharing the stories of Orkney. She has promised to come back for another conversation.  Until then, you can meet up with her at See Orkney Tours

Until next time, keep safe and be well.

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Season 2 Episode 34: Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge Part 2

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Elisabeth Van Der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver.  Elisabeth promised to come back and talk about the  “The Eugene Onegin Challenge” which is happening on her blog, A Russian Affair.

As you know, I have taken up the challenge and am reading Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, which he wrote over the course of eight years. The adventure is underway.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

“With this challenge I hope to add something extra to your reading experience that will make it more interesting, intense, attentive, and (even more) enjoyable. I will be eating, dreaming, thinking, hearing Eugene Onegin for the next four months and I can’t wait to find out what the end result will be!” Elisabeth Van Der Meer

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Season 2 Episode 33: The Trio on Learning a New Language Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia! Thank you for listening in! I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss – should we learn another language? In 2019, UNESCO launched a special website dedicated to the International Year of Indigenous languages (IY2019)

The purpose of this website is to increase the awareness about the urgent need to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages around the world. There are some 6.000-7.000 languages in the world today. About 97% of the world’s population speaks only 4 % of these languages, while only 3% of the world speak 96% of all remaining languages.

IMPORTANT CORRECTION: In the podcast I stated that 7000 languages would be lost by the end of this century. I should have said:

“It is estimated that, if nothing is done, half of the over 6,000 plus languages spoken today will disappear by the end of this century. With the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity would lose not only an irreplaceable cultural heritage, but also valuable ancestral knowledge embedded, in particular, in indigenous languages. UNESCO’s Endangered Languages Programme

So, put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Season 2 Episode 32: Jean-Jacques Fournier The Poetry of Crows & Ravens

I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend and poet; Jean-Jacques Fournier is with me today to speak about crows, and ravens within his poetry. As background, ravens and crows are embedded within our mythologies from ancient times. In Greek mythology the crow was a symbol of Apollo in his role as god of prophecy. In Norse mythology, Odin is portrayed by a raven.  In Celtic mythology, Morrighan, the warrior goddess appears in the form of a crow or raven. Crows and ravens have been envisioned as a mediator animal between life and death.  They have been known as tricksters and mischief makers.

Jean-Jacques has great insight into these magnificent creatures. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion, on Tea Toast & Trivia.

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S2 E31 Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.Thank you for listening in.

Elisabeth van der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver.

Elisabeth issued “The Eugene Onegin Challenge” which is happening on her blog, A Russian Affair. I have taken up the challenge and am reading Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, which he wrote over the course of eight years. Elisabeth has introduced the characters, Onegin, Lensky, Tatyana, Olga, and yes, Pushkin. The adventure is underway.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Season 2 Episode 30: The Trio on Living in the Time of Covid19

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah to share our thoughts on living in the time of Covid19. How do we embrace a new reality within this unexpected worldwide disruption?  Within a few short weeks, the terms “social distancing” and “self-isolation” have become household phrases. Now we must reinvent how we connect, show kindness and compassion to others and ourselves.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”

Wendell Berry

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Season 2 Episode 29: Sylvia on the Joy of Music Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that Sylvia, a remarkable blogger and dear friend, has come back on Tea Toast & Trivia. We are once again bridging the 4,245 kilometres, as the crow flies, between Florida and British Columbia

I have followed Sylvia’s blog, Another Day In Paradise, for many years.  And the name says it all. Sylvia has created a place that welcomes and encourages life-affirming conversations. In our last podcast conversation in February,  Sylvia and I thought to explore the idea of travelling. Sylvia has traveled extensively, visiting forty countries, and embarking on two round-the-world trips.

And then the world changed. Who would have known that the entire world would enter a period of solitude?

In a recent blog post, Sylvia wrote, “Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday. Remember that happiness is the new rich, inner peace is the new success, good health is the new wealth and kindness is the new cool.”

Sylvia’s courage during an uncertain time inspires me. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com

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Season 2 Episode 28: Liz Gauffreau on The Art of Writing

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend, writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau and I are bridging the 3,897 kilometers, as the crow flies, between New Hampshire and Vancouver.

Liz holds a BA in English/Writing from Old Dominion University and an MA in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire. She is the Assistant Dean of Curriculum and Assessment at Champlain College Online in Burlington, Vermont.

Her fiction publications include short stories in Adelaide Literary Magazine, The Long Story, Soundings East, Ad Hoc Monadnock, Rio Grande Review, Blueline, Slow Trains, Hospital Drive, and Serving House Journal, among others. Her poetry has appeared in The Writing On The Wall, The Larcom Review, and Natural Bridge.

So, it will not come as a surprise that today’s discussion is on The Art of Writing. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Welcome Liz and thank you for joining the podcast conversation and sharing your insights on writing.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you and shout out to Liz, who continues to inspire me. You are only an internet click away from Liz on lizgauffreau.com. It is a place where stories dwell. Until next time, stay safe, be well.

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Season 2 Episode 27: The Trio on Communication

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. April 27th is “Morse Code Day”  which commemorates Samuel F.B. Morse and the Morse Code, an event that forever changed the way our world conveyed messages. The sound of the staccato taps reminds me of adventures past and the darker days of wartime when the transfer of information was critical to victory. So, it is serendipitous that I am posting a podcast on communication.

Frances, Sarah and I taped this podcast before the world entered a time of solitude. Little did we know that, once again, our global community would soon experience a challenge that would impact the way we dialogue and connect.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Season 2 Episode 26: Irena on Curling, Connecting Canada & Scotland

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that my dear friend, Irena, has joined Tea Toast & Trivia to bridge the 972  kilometres, between Calgary and Alberta. If you are taking a road trip it would take 11 hours and 46 minutes via the Trans-Canada Highway.  I promise it would be an unforgettable, breathtaking journey for you would amid the majestic Canadian Rockies.

Irena and I will be discussing Curling, the sport that Canada has embraced as an essential winter pastime. What is curling? How many players?  How do you win? Where did it originate? And why is it most firmly established in Canada?

Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia. Irena and I would love to hear your thoughts!

“It might look complicated when you watch curling on TV, but when it comes right down to it, our sport is pretty easy to understand — once you learn some of the basic terminology and strategies. This is where you can start your learning process to find out how the game of curling works. And then you can get onto the ice and have fun with the rest of us!”Curling.ca

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S2.E25 A Hero's Journey

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Thank you for listening in.

I’m your host, Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

As I wait for my tea to steep, I think back to marvelous stories and ancient legends.

Hercules, Perseus, Theseus – these were the myths for which I searched the libraries as a 10-year-old. Magnificent heroes, blessed with superhuman strength and unfaltering courage, forged their destinies through journeys fraught with danger and treachery. As time passed, I chose new stories to take their place. Ones that were more in line with what I considered credible and more suitable for my reality. While I still enjoyed the hero myths, I lost that singular childhood enthusiasm. When I grew older, I became less sure of their relevance in my life. Indeed, the word “mythology” has the implication that what has been written is so fantastic that it simply cannot be true. That being the case, what significance can be given to these narratives? The real question is, do we still need heroes?

The heroic story is not only limited to Greek mythology; rather there are common elements through all mythologies that speak to the need for a hero, a model, someone who can be emulated, someone who makes us proud to be human. Their journeys are more about overcoming an internal conflict than achieving an external victory. The quest pattern begins with a journey over land or sea into the unknown. The hero confronts danger to bring back a person, object or knowledge. Gilgamesh overcame despair and grief in his pursuit of the meaning of life. Jason led the Argonauts on an expedition in search of the Golden Fleece to secure his kingship. Hercules performed twelve labours and achieved immortality.

Our modern world still holds these same qualities is high regard. We pursue a “Golden Fleece”, the symbol of authority, to establish our position within society. We identify with Gilgamesh in our search for the meaning of life. We live in a finite existence, yet we recognize the possibility of the infinite, of immortality. We need hero myths to remind us we are on a personal quest that celebrates the life that has been granted.

A Hero’s journey ends with enlightenment, with a new-found understanding. It is seeing that our decisions and responses within a difficult situation give voice to the greater narrative There is meaning and consequences in everything we do.

We travel the path of heroes.

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Season 2. Episode 24: Dave Astor On Writing

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver. Welcome Dave, thank you stopping by for a visit. I enjoy our conversations.

As you all know, the book on top of my 2020 stack of books, is Dave Astor’s Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time: The Book Lover’s Guide to Literary Trivia. Dave has a marvelous way of going deep to find the story that is hidden in the folds of history.

A few days ago, I read this brilliant comment: “When things are hard, books are there.” Books are the best companions and a comfort during times of uncertainty. They build our resilience and courage.

I have been very interested in the transition from reading to writing. For some, it seems to be a natural progression. Dave is here to answer questions about his experience in writing. So listeners, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave. He continues to inspire me. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on his blog.

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Season 2.Episode 23: Frances on Embracing Change in the 1930’s Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. A few weeks ago, Frances and I were discussing the Great Depression, the severe worldwide economic depression of the 1930’s, which started in 1929. We still talk about with the market crash of October 29, 1929 known as Black Tuesday. It was a decade that experienced the most extensive, deepest, and most widespread depression in the 20th century. It gripped the entire world with devastating consequences. Unemployment was as high as 25% in the United States and for some countries, unemployment rose as high as 33%. Frances lived through the decade of the 1930’s and has talked about those years in a series of podcasts.

This podcast is about the transition between the 1920’s, a decade of plenty and the 1930’s, the decade that would change the world.

Frances and my discussion occurred before we knew that our world would soon face a global challenge, Frances’s memories remind us that by working together we can overcome this challenge. So put the kettle on and add to the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. One last thought – comes from Eleanor Roosevelt:

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life

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Season 2.Episode 22: Frances on The Art of Canning

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.  Thank you for listening in.

A few weeks ago, Frances and I were discussing the Great Depression, the severe worldwide economic depression of the 1930’s, which started in 1929.  One of the questions that came up was food supplies and production. This led to a great discussion on the art of canning, a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in airtight containers.

As our world faces a new global challenge, Frances’s memories remind us that working together we can overcome challenges, such as food storage, production and safety.  So put the kettle on and add to the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. One last thought – comes from J.R.R. Tolkien : “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Season 2.Episode 21: Frances on The Great Depression Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. A few weeks ago, Frances and I were discussing the Great Depression, the severe worldwide economic depression of the 1930’s, which started in 1929. We still talk about the market crash of October 29, 1929 known as Black Tuesday. The 1930’s was a decade that experienced the most extensive, deepest, and widespread depression in the 20th century. It gripped the entire world with devastating consequences. Unemployment was as high as 25% in the United States and for some countries, unemployment rose as high as 33%. Frances lived through the 1930’s and has talked about those years in a series of podcasts.

As our world faces a new global challenge, Frances’s memories remind us that by working together we can accomplish great things. So put the kettle on and add to the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. One last thought – comes from Franklin D. Roosevelt : “If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships – the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Season 2. Episode 20: The Trio on Joy

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss a subject that is very close to my heart. How do we define joy? How do we acknowledge our need for individuality as a well as  connection and belonging within a compassionate community?

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. Rabindranath Tagore

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Season 2.Episode 19: Frances on Building a Sod House Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, Frances looks back to a time when sod houses or soddies were the homes of early settlers on the frontiers of the Great Plains of Canada and the United States. When the prairie lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone, sod from thick, toughly rooted prairie grass was abundant, free, and could be used for house construction.

So put the kettle on and add to the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. One last thought – comes from Maya Angelou “The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Season 2. Episode 18: Elisabeth on Alexander Pushkin’s Dual Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Elisabeth van der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from the far distance of 7,514 km or 4,669 miles. We are connecting Finland and Canada via Russian Literature. Elisabeth has come back to discuss Alexander Pushkin, poet, playwright and novelist of the Romantic era. He is considered the father of modern Russian literature and some say that he was the greatest of all Russian writers. Bold, impetuous and daring, he lived with enthusiasm.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

I highly recommend Elisabeth’s “The Eugene Onegin Challenge” that is happening on her blog, A Russian Affair. Right now, I am reading Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, which he wrote over the course of eight years. Elisabeth has introduced the characters, Onegin, Lenski, Tatyana, Olga, and yes, Pushkin. The adventure is ready to begin…

“With this challenge I hope to add something extra to your reading experience that will make it more interesting, intense, attentive, and (even more) enjoyable. I will be eating, dreaming, thinking, hearing Eugene Onegin for the next four months and I can’t wait to find out what the end result will be!” Elisabeth van der Meer

Music by Leimoti, "Jeanne in a Waltz" Epidemic Sound

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Season 2.Episode 17: Frances on Community and the Ladies’ Aid

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

Frances and I are in the sewing room again, with the material stacked on one side of the room and on the other, the finished costumes for an upcoming dance performance. It’s exciting to see the progress, week to week on the colourful tutus and jazz outfits.

This week, our conversations turned to my mother’s recollection of the Ladies’ Aid Society. As background, Ladies’ Aid Societies were formed during the American Civil War. Women worked tirelessly to provide supplies to soldiers on the battlefield and to care for sick and wounded soldiers. They raised money, sewed quilts and provided sanitary supplies to solders to stop the spread of disease. When the war was over, many Ladies’ Aid Societies continued their good work.

Today, my mother shares her memories of the Ladies’ Aid Society of her community that worked together in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

So put the kettle on and add to the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. One last thought – comes from Helen Keller:

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Season 2. Episode 16: Dave Astor on Books & Creativity Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Dave Astor and I are once again bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver. The book on top of my 2020 stack of books, is Dave Astor’s Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time: The Book Lover’s Guide to Literary Trivia. Dave has a marvelous way of going deep to find the story that is hidden in the folds of history.

In Dave’s most recent post, “More Than Zero Interest in Zero-Year Novels”, he featured some of his favorite (not necessarily the best) novels that were published in 1970, 1920, 1870, and various other years ending in that big ol’ round number of zero.

Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on his blog.

Safe travel wherever your adventures lead you.

Music by Sven Karlsson “Wait for the Night” Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 15:  Stephanie on Coaching

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. We live in a world that demands our time and energy.  These are precious and scarce resources.  There is only so much time and we have only so much energy.   Time to check in with my wellness coach, Stephanie from Bold Moves, for an energy boost and a great conversation on coaching for health and fitness.

So put the kettle on and add to our discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com.  I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Stephanie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.  A special shout-out to Stephanie who keeps me focused and inspired by her dedication and enthusiasm for health and fitness.

Music by Martin Hall (Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Instrumental Version) Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 14: Another Day in Paradise with Sylvia

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that Sylvia, a remarkable blogger and dear friend, has joined Tea Toast & Trivia to bridge the 4,245 kilometers, as the crow flies, between Florida and British Columbia . If you consider travel time, a road journey between us would take 3 Days, 5 Hours, 9 Minutes. I often wonder how a Google search can produce those exact time measurements.  And here we are connected within minutes as if we are in the same room.

I have followed Sylvia’s blog, Another Day In Paradise, for many years.  And the name says it all. Sylvia has created a place that welcomes and encourages life-affirming conversations.   When you visit Sylvia, you enter a place of sunshine, warmth, blue skies, and lush vegetation. It is truly Paradise.

Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

Safe travels wherever your adventures take you.  And remember you are only an internet click away from Sylvia and Another Day in Paradise.

Music by Howard Harper-Barnes "The English Affair" Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 13: The Trio On 25 in 2020 Challenge

“It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.”Oscar Wilde

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Books book and more books. This year Frances, my mother, Sarah, my sister and I have embarked on a challenge to read 25 books in 2020.  This is our first installment, the beginning.  More to come.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Music by Ennio Mano "Birds of Paradise" Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 12: Jean-Jacques Fournier on Poetry Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia.Thank you for listening in. I’m your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.  I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend and poet; Jean-Jacques Fournier is with me today to share insights on poetry. Jean-Jacques Fournier is a native of Montreal and has been living  in the Eastern Townships (QC) since 2010 with his French wife Marianne. Before returning to Canada, he lived eight years in the South of France, first in Vence, which is situated in the hills of the Alpes Maritime overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Then in Grasse, considered the world’s capital of perfume. It sounds marvelous, does it not? Jean-Jacques’s poetry expresses the emotional depth and breadth of the human experience.  I am pleased to announce his sixteenth book of poetry has just been published, entitled. LOVE  – by any definition – A collection of Love Poems He shared a poem from this collection in a recent blog post: “The Gift” of you,  It is a marvelous way to welcome 2020, a new year and a new decade. Join me as I explore the theme of love through the lens of poetry by Jean-Jacques Fournier Jean-Jacques Fournier Facebook Poetry on a Canapé – A journey through Jean-Jacques Fournier’s poetry For more information, and preview of Love by any definition, click here! Music by David Celeste, "Two as One." Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 11: Frances on a Farmer’s Day in the 1930’s

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

All of us have a story to tell.  Our lives are full of drama, celebrations, joys, sorrows – even a little mystery, intrigue, and magic are sprinkled on some of the more mundane moments My mother, Frances was my first storyteller.  Over the years we have shared many stories. So put the kettle on and listen in as mom and I look back on what it was like to be a farmer in the 1930’s.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Music by Gabriel Lucas "Moonlight Night" Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 10: Brian on The Navigating Transitions

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.  Thank you for listening in.  Today, we are linking British Columbia and Alberta.

Brian, my brother, came back to continue the discussion on embracing a greater journey. Today, we are looking at transitions and life cycles. How navigate the stages of life.

Do we recognize that we have stages in life? How do we live the fullest in the stage of life that we find ourselves in? How do we embrace the twists and turns that life gives us? How do we gracefully give up the things of youth and embrace the age of wisdom? How do we applaud the next generation?

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Music by Eric Williams “When I’m Out With You” Epidemic Sound

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Season 2. Episode 9: The Trio on What Happened to the Spoons?

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah to solve the mystery of the missing spoons and discuss the importance of storyteller.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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S2.E8: Celebrating Robert Burns Address to a Haggis

Welcome to a special episode of Tea Toast and Trivia. I am you host, Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.  Tonight, we celebrate Robert Burns, affectionately known as Rabbie Burns, the great Scottish poet and lyricist.  He has been given the honoured titles of National Bard, Bard of Ayrshire and the Ploughman Poet. He penned in the language of the Scots, even though much of his writing is in light Scots dialect and in English.

January 25, 2020, Rabbie Buns will be celebrated with the traditional Address to a Haggis accompanied by the rousing sound of bagpipes.  For those of you who have not tried Haggis, please do – you may be surprised by how much you enjoy the “Trenching your gushing entrails bright.”  Never fear, there is vegetarian Haggis so all can join in the merriment.

For those who have never heard the Address to a Haggis, I have asked Thomas,  my son, to recite these famous words. Truthfully, I am unable to pronounce the words, so will leave the honour to Thomas. Thank you for celebrating this special day with Tea Toast & Trivia.

Music by Traditional "Auld Lang Syne" Epidemic Sound

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S2. E7. Fashion, Closets & Organization Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my sister, Sarah and my mother Frances as we consider the idea of fashion, closets and organization. There are many ideas on how to arrange our clothes and declutter our closets. Join us for a candid discussion on how this trend plays out in real life. So put the kettle on and add to this conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Music by Stonekeepers “A Faded Photograph (Instrumental Version) Epidemic Sound

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S2 E6 Dave Astor on Connecting via Books

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Today, Dave Astor and I are bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver.

Winter is a time for books, tea, great conversations and more books. Dave will be sharing his thoughts on how to decide what to read next, how to write a book review and should you read a book you don’t like?

Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave from the blog, Dave Astor on Literature.

In closing, I wanted to share a quote from Dave’s book, Fascinating Facts: “Literature can send our minds to another time and place, allowing us to forget our lives and troubles for a few precious hours. It can educate us about history, open our minds, increase our empathy, make us think, give us things to converse about, and/or provide plenty of excitement along with the escapism.”

Connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. Be prepared for an adventure.

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels.

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S2.E5 The Cake that Travelled Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.   This is a Christmas retrospective conversation that occurred during the December holiday season. Frances, Sarah and I never had time to make this cake, but the story is a profound reminder that traditions keep our families and communities focused on the things that matter and make for unforgettable memories. So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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S1.E3: Elisabeth on Ivan Turgenev Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Elisabeth van der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has joined me from the far distance of 7,514 km or 4,669 miles. Yes, I am thrilled to report that once again, we are connecting Finland and Canada via Russian Literature. Elisabeth has come back to discuss the life and work of the brilliant writer, Ivan Turgenev, and the complicated relationships that existed between the great Russian writers.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Elisabeth and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you to Elisabeth for sharing your love of Russian literature. I am truly grateful for your willingness to come back and speak about Ivan Turgenev.

I would heartily recommend Elisabeth’s blog “A Russian Affair” which is highly entertaining and an invaluable resource for understanding the complexities of Russian Literature. Stay tune for more from Elisabeth. She will be back to discuss – I will only give you a hint! Something about a dual.

One last thought comes from Ivan Turgenev, “If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you. Music by Leimoti, “Jeanne in a Waltz” Epidemic Sound

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S2.E3: Frances on The Art of Sewing Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Frances and I are in the sewing room, with the material stacked on one side of the room and on the other, the finished costumes for an upcoming dance performance. It’s exciting to see the progress, week to week on the colourful tutus and jazz outfits. Sitting in this vivid assortment of cloth and glitter is a reminder of Frances and my many sewing projects of past years.

Sewing has an ancient history and has been around since the Paleolithic age aka, the “Old Stone Age.” After all, those caves were rather cold in the wintertime, even with the discovery of fire. And well, necessity has always been a motivation for progress. Archaeologists have been busy in their digs finding bone, antler or ivory needles and thread of sinew, catgut and veins. These were the beginnings of today’s enormous fashion industries.

Thousands of years passed before the sewing machine came into being in the 19th century. Now with our computerization, we are in the era of mass production. But there are those who choose a more artistic way in which to design and sew garments.

So put the kettle on and join in the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. Sewing, fashion and clothing are huge subjects that continue to be featured in the mainstream news, magazines and other social media venues. It is also a main topic when we are planning a wedding, vacation, party, or first job interview. Every morning, we chose our fashion statement, which is a nod to the vibrant history of sewing.

One last thought – no, two last thoughts come from Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, worthy opponents in the fashion world of the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Elsa Schiaparelli declared that, “In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.”

Coco Chanel adds that, “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you. Music by Francis Wells “New York City (Instrumental Version)” Epidemic Sound

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S2.E2 Martha on Librarians Are Awesome Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.  Thank you for listening in. Neil Gaiman said “Librarians are the coolest people out there doing the hardest job out there on the frontlines. And every time I get to encounter or work with librarians, I'm always impressed by their sheer awesomeness.” Librarians have awesome, even magical powers.  They are the champions of literacy; they safeguard our stories and keep record of our ideas.  Above all, they are the wizards that facilitate learning.  We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to their determination to preserve and protect our civilization. We live in a world where technology and connectivity are growing exponentially.  Now, more than ever, we need librarians to be our guides.  How to annotate texts?  Ask a librarian.  What is copyright and fair use?  Ask a librarian.  How to determine whether the information is honest?  Ask a librarian. Librarians keep us grounded and create spaces that encourage and support exploration. I am pleased to introduce Martha, my long-time friend from college days, who chose to be a librarian.  Martha joined me in a huge leap into the podcasting unknown from a distance.  We are linking Vancouver and Winnipeg, which is a separation of 2,313 kilometers So, put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you for joining Martha and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.  A special thank you to Martha for sharing her love of books and for agreeing to come back in future podcasts.  One last thought comes from Albert Einstein, who said many years ago. “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Until next time, dear friends, safe travel wherever your adventures take you.  And don’t forget that libraries have the best adventures

Music by Johannes Johannes Bornlof "Flight"  Epidemic Sound

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Season 2, Episode 1 Happy New Year with Frances & Eleanor

Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia. Happy New Year! Thank you for listening in and celebrating January 1, 2020, the beginning of a new decade.

Today, I am joined by my mother Frances to go back in time to another New Year’s Day. January 1, 1936, with Eleanor Roosevelt and her column “My Day.”

Eleanor Roosevelt would have thrived in our social media milieu of 2020. She was blogging before blogging was invented, which incidentally happened in 1997 and became a household name within a few short years. According Merriam-Webster dictionary "blog" headed the list of most looked-up terms on its site during 2004.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s newspaper column made its debut on December 30, 1935. From that day until to 1960, My Day was published, without fail, six days a week. When Eleanor Roosevelt was too ill to work, the columns appeared every other day until September 26, 1962. Readers across the country, indeed the world, benefited from Eleanor’s fearless determination to spread her ideas which included her thoughts on race, women, Prohibition - topics that challenged the status quo. It was her diary, her platform and she used it with enthusiasm.

The recommended citation for the January 1, 1936 column, My Day is: Eleanor Roosevelt, "My Day, January 1, 1936," The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Digital Edition (2017), accessed 01/01/2020,

So put the kettle on and join in the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me as we remember a remarkable woman who chose to share her ideas and her daily life with anyone and everyone. As we move forward, may we have courage to bring forward our ideas in a way that reflects our individual values and adds to the vibrant voices that engage in life-affirming conversations

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

Music by Johannes Johannes Bornlof "Flight" Epidemic Sound

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Episode 49: Stephanie on the Holidays

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. It is December 27th and within a few short days we will welcome 2020, a new year and a new decade.  Have you made your resolutions yet?  Every year, the top resolutions are always about taking care of ourselves.  Whether it is losing weight, getting in shape, learning something new, traveling to new places, or spending more time with family – it is about wellness and reducing stress.

We live in a world that demands our time and energy.  These are precious and scarce resources.  There is only so much time and we have only so much energy.

Time to check in with my wellness coach, Stephanie from Bold Moves, for an energy boost and a great conversation on what’s next in 2020.

So put the kettle on and add to our discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com.  I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Stephanie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia as we welcome 2020.

One last thought comes from Neil Gaiman:  “Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.  Happy New Year

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Episode 48: Merry Christmas from Tea Toast & Trivia

Thank you for listening in...

December 25, 2019. Christmas has arrived. With the last-minute shopping completed, we ready our hearts for this special day anticipated since the beginning of December. All the plans have been made, the gifts have been wrapped and the baking completed.

Merry Merry Christmas! This is the time to feel the magic of the holiday season. Thank you for listening in to a special Tea Toast & Trivia podcast. I am grateful for all your encouragement and support of this podcast. Soon we will be entering a second season and I am looking forward to all the conversations that are awaiting our arrival in 2020, a new year, a new decade. As I look back to Christmases of the past, what I remember most is the time spent with family and friends. Christmas is the quintessential time when we want to embrace the best of life, whatever that may means to us at this moment.

In our modern age, we measure our lives by benchmarks to determine whether we have attained the desired level of excellence. Even at Christmas we use subtle benchmarks as a check-in to see if we have achieved the best of the Christmas spirit. Not that benchmarks are bad. They are very helpful and come from a good place. We measure our abilities to give gifts to our children because we want them to know that they are loved and that we understand what makes them happy. We look for the best eggnog recipe, add a few more names to our Christmas card list so as not to forget a friend. We worry whether we will have enough chairs for guests invited to our dinner table.

We have one simple, yet profound desire. We want our family and friends to know that when they come to our house, they are welcomed with great joy. We exchange Christmas letters that confirm that we have been blessed over the past year and that we remember each other, valuing friendships and connections. Every year, on December 25th we want to create an environment that will be remembered in the years to come.

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Episode 47: The Gift December 19, 1843

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, - wherever you are, thank you for listening in.

The tradition of gifts at Christmas has been with us for a very long time. Tonight, I am going back a couple of centuries to discuss a gift that returns to us every Christmas to remind us of the true spirit of the holiday season.

So put the kettle on and add to the discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 46: Dave Astor on Literature

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Winter is a time for books, tea, great conversations and more books.

Yes, books. I have a stack ready for January 2020 along with a stash of tea: English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast, each with a subtle nuance. Chai, Green, Oolong, and White. I am looking forward to a long winter.

The book on top of my stack is Dave Astor’s Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time: The Book Lover’s Guide to Literary Trivia

Dave has a marvelous way of going deep to find the story that is hidden in the folds of history. He leads you on a treasure hunt that ends with golden informational nuggets that will entice you to read further. From Ray Bradbury and Emily Bronte to Nikolai Gogol and Daphne du Maurier, the lives of writers may even be more exciting than the narratives they write.

Today, Dave Astor and I are bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver

Put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave from the blog, Dave Astor on Literature.

In closing, I wanted to share a quote from Dave’s book, Fascinating Facts: “Literature can send our minds to another time and place, allowing us to forget our lives and troubles for a few precious hours. It can educate us about history, open our minds, increase our empathy, make us think, give us things to converse about, and/or provide plenty of excitement along with the escapism.”

Connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature. Be prepared for an adventure.

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels.

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Episode 45: Frances on Milking the Cows Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, – wherever you are, thank you for listening in. Today, I am joined by my mother Frances to look back to farming in the 1930’s and 1940’s. The United Nations designated the year 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF). This year, on May 29, 2019, the United Nations launched the Decade of Family Farming from 2019 – 2028. My mother, Frances was a farmer’s daughter. She knows first-hand the importance of family farming to provide food.

Today we are milking the cows. So put the kettle on and join in the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me as we looked back at farming in the past. Technology has transformed the Dairy Industry, but one thing remains the same for farmers throughout the years – the love of the land and the animals in their care. The Dairy Farmers of Canada, an organization run for farmers by farmers is committed to:

• Food safety and standards
• Environment and sustainability
• Animal care

Stop by Tea Toast & Trivia and view a video produced by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. They believe that “Dairy cows are a central figure of our dairy farms. They’re a huge part of why Canadian dairy farmers love what they do. See how many Canadian dairy farmers view their cows (hint: it’ll likely make you smile).”BY DFC – PLC, COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

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Episode 44, Rituals & Traditions with Liz

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

December is the season for traditions and gatherings of family and friends. Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, St. Lucia Day, St. Nicholas Day, Christmas and New Year. It is a busy and joyful time of the year.

Celebrations embrace rich traditions and rituals that connect our lives by associations with activities and memories. My dear blogger friend, Liz from the blog Leaping Life and I have once again bridged the 7,059 kilometers between Edinburgh and Vancouver to consider how we create new traditions over the years.

Put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Liz from the blog, Leaping Life!

The hashtag Liz mentioned for people feeling lonely on Christmas day is #JoinIn. Stop by TeaToastTrivia.com and read the screenshot from Sarah Millican’s twitter account. Sarah is a well-known comedienne in the UK– and according to Liz, some might say ‘national treasure’! #JoinIn is a marvellous project and so many people seem to benefit from it. Even now, this hashtag is trending on twitter.

In closing, I wanted to share the quote that Liz mentioned. It is by T.S. Eliot, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”

Connect with Liz on Leaping Life!

Pause, Breathe, Live!

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels.

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Episode 43: Shirley on Wellness

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, - wherever you are, thank you for listening in. Every Wednesday, I meet up with my mother, Frances for tea and a wonderful conversation, which has, over the past few months, become our time to create a podcast discussion. We usually meet in her sewing room among the material, patterns and threads, but today we carried our mic over to see our long-time friend, Shirley, a reflexologist and aromatherapist.

Lexico, power by Oxford defines reflexology as “a system of massage used to relieve tension and treat illness, based on the theory that there are reflex points on the feet, hands, and head linked to every part of the body.”

The Mayo Clinic goes into more depth, confirming that it is a way of seeking relaxation and stress relief. As in all areas of health, you should talk to your doctor whether reflexology will be a benefit for you.

Put the kettle on and add to the discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Shirley, Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. A very special thank you to Shirley, for sharing her thoughts on seeking wellness within a fast-paced world.

One last thought comes from an ancient voice, Virgil who is traditionally ranked as one of Rome's greatest poets. “The greatest wealth is health.”

May we devote our time and effort into investing in our health.

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 42: Tea with E Pauline Johnson

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia

Good morning, Good Afternoon Good Evening – wherever you are, thank you for listening in and joining the podcast conversation.

Today, I am taking tea with a poet that has gone before us – E. Pauline Johnson. Poetry is necessary. It is an intense, emotional language that speaks to our spirit, to our deep need for understanding and belonging. We respond to the sounds, symbolism, rhythm of poetic language.

Poetry gives us the confidence to explore our fast-paced dynamic world. It also gives us a glimpse of past ways that may be unfamiliar to us in our current reality. When we read poetry, we must place the words within the context of history. Poetry cannot be limited to time for it gives power to what comes next. I am learning to see a wider perspective that is not confined to the lens of our time, our values, our societal constructs. Pauline Johnson forged a personal identify, and in so doing, widened the path for others. May we do the same…

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 41: Thanksgiving with Frances

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, - wherever you are, thank you for listening in. Every Wednesday, I meet up with my mother, Frances for tea and a wonderful conversation, which has, over the past few months, become our time to create a podcast discussion. We meet in her sewing room amongst the material, patterns and threads - a perfect acoustic environment for recording our voices. We set up a mic, close the door and talk. It seems simple enough but facing a mic and wondering what to say next is rather daunting. A huge thank you Mom, for heading into the podcasting unknown with me every Wednesday.

Tomorrow, our neighbours to the South will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Frances and I will be joining the festivities as we remember Thanksgiving in the past.

Put the kettle on and add to the discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. Happy Thanksgiving - may everyday be filled with gratitude.

One last thought comes from Maya Angelou from her book Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer, “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 40: The Trio on Time For Us. Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my sister, Sarah,and my mother, Frances, as we consider the idea of what is called a multiplier effect,  which suggests there are ways to boost our personal productivity.  If we adopt efficiency strategies, such as learning to prioritize our day, eliminate nonessential duties, or simply delegate or delay tasks, will we improve our lives? Will we achieve a higher level of effectiveness?

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah and me on Tea Toast and Trivia.

On last thought before we go is by Eleanor Roosevelt, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

Until next time, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 39: Liz On Finding Excellence

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

The search for excellence is intertwined in the story of humanity. Consider the Chinese philosopher, Confucius who said centuries ago, that “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”

In our world, there is a plethora of books that guide us on our search. My question is – will we ever find excellence? Or will we be able to know when we have reached the exalted state of excellence?

For answers, I turn to my dear blogger friend, Liz from the blog Leaping Life. Once again, we are linking Edinburgh and Vancouver, which is 7,059 kilometers or 4,387 miles.

So, Put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. The search for excellence is ongoing. It is a state a mind that celebrates being “excellent in the moment.” As Liz said, “I’m so pleased that I persevered with it all. Those few weeks of trial and much error now seem totally worth all the irritation and frustration.”

And a very special thank you to you Liz, for sharing your insights and wisdom. I’m looking forward to our next conversation coming up in a few weeks.

Connect with Liz on Leaping Life!

Pause, Breathe, Live!

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels.

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Episode 38: Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, is World Kindness Day. Join my brother, Brian, and me as we discuss the question: What is kindness?

So put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  Stop by TeaToastTrivia.com and share your insights. We would love to hear from you. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Brian and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.  And thank you Brian for sharing you thoughts on short notice.  I always enjoy our conversations. For more information on World Kindness Day, check out the link The World Kindness Movement.org

One last thought comes from Henry James:

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”

Safe travels, wherever your adventures take you!

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Episode 37: Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Russian literature has captured my heart ever since I read the opening paragraphs of Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. A funeral and a mother’s grave – profound, moving, unforgettable. I was 15 years old.

Boris Pasternak may have opened the door to Russian literature. Complex, dramatic, haunting – the roots of Russian literature can be traced back to the Middle Ages. But it was my dear blogger friend, Elisabeth van der Meer from the blog A Russian Affair who has been my unfailing guide in the exploration of Russian literature.

Elizabeth has joined me in a huge leap into the podcasting unknown, from the far distance of 7,514 km or 4,669 miles. We are connecting Finland and Canada via Russian Literature.

So, put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Elisabeth and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And thank you, Elisabeth, for sharing your love of Russian literature. I am truly grateful for your willingness to come back to discuss the brilliant writer Ivan Turgenev

One last thought comes from Doctor Zhivago:

“I don’t think I could love you so much if you had nothing to complain of and nothing to regret. I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and of little value. Life hasn’t revealed its beauty to them.” Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago

May we be open to the beauty of our life. Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 36: Stephanie on Bold Moves In Exercise Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thanks for listening in... It is time to check in with my wellness and workout coach, Stephanie who reminds me daily, that being bold moves mountains. Today we are heading into the gym, so wear comfortable shoes and prepare to be amazed by how much fun exercise can be.

According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is now identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Physical inactivity levels are rising in many countries with major implications for the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and the general health of the population worldwide.

Stephanie and I would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Stephanie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And thank you Stephanie for joining me from a distance – a distance of almost 1200 kilometers. One last thought comes from our dear lovable Winnie-the-Pooh:

“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.” A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you. And my hope is that some of those adventures take you to a gym.

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Episode 35. Remembering My Father. Welcome to a special edition of Tea Toast & Trivia – remembering my Father. Thank you for listening in…A special thanks to Brian, my brother who added music to the podcast. In the third chapter of Ecclesiastes (King James Version)it is written “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die;”

We celebrate the first time even as we grieve at the second. And yet, in grieving there is much to celebrate. We have memories to sustain us as we continue our journey. May we create vibrant and joyful memories that build hope and resilience for those who follow after us.

My Father passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. Autumn was Dad’s favourite season. He looked forward to the golden red foliage, the gentle chill against his cheek, and the brilliant sun against a light blue sky. For him, it was a time of rebirth.

When he was a young man, my Father was a cowboy in Wyoming and Montana. He took his last ride on a morning that was filled with sunshine, surrounded by the love of his family and the hope of our faith. He is now on a new journey. We miss him – he had a brave and noble heart. Dad believed life was meant to be lived with optimism, and open to all possibilities.

My Father was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, friend, minister, advocate, scholar, explorer and philosopher. Above all, he was passionately involved and excited about living within a fast paced, ever-changing world. He believed that his grandchildren were the future and prayed that each one would find peace and joy.

Mitch Albom, in his book For One More Day, wrote “When someone is in your heart, they’re never truly gone. They can come back to you, even at unlikely times.”

My Father loved traditional Celtic music. He came back to me when I heard this song…

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Episode 34: Frances on Two Sisters Look Back Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening! Wherever you are, thank you for listening in.

In one of my last conversations with my Father before he passed several years ago, he asked me to tell the stories. I gave my promise, without having a full understanding of what telling the stories meant. Since that time, I have come to know that Dad meant a broader definition of narrative. There are many stories held in the folds of history that must be heard. This thought became the genesis of the podcast, Tea Toast & Trivia

Today, I am joined by my mother, Frances, as we look back to farming in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

The United Nations designated the year 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF). This year, on May 29, 2019, the United Nations launched the Decade of Family Farming from 2019 – 2028. My mother was a farmer’s daughter. She knows first-hand the importance of family farming in providing food.

So put the kettle on and join in the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia.

My grandparents were farmers, but very few of their offspring became farmers. We have lost touch with the land and have placed reliance on our efficient food distribution services. There is a growing awareness that we need to find our way back…

One last thought comes from Wendell Berry:

“For the true measure of agriculture is not the sophistication of its equipment the size of its income or even the statistics of its productivity but the good health of the land.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 33: Stephanie on Bold Moves & Portion Control

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in on Thanksgiving Day in Canada. Family and friends across the country gathered today to celebrate gratitude and share a festive meal, laughter and great conversations. At times like this, there is a temptation to eat more than usual and then worry that we have overindulged. What better time than now to check in my wellness and workout coach, Stephanie for a conversation on portion control.

Stephanie has a refreshing way of looking at meal planning. She says food is awesome – that we should enjoy eating without any guilty sensation. Food sustains us. Being bold in our relationship with food, will move the mountain of regret and guilt.

So put the kettle on join our discussion on portion control. Stephanie and I would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Stephanie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia and for sharing our Canadian Thanksgiving.

One last thought comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.”

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 32:  Brian on The Greater Journey

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Brian, my brother, came back to continue the discussion on embracing our creativity. Today, we are looking at the greater journey by celebrating the past and giving relevance to where we are here, right now.

Brian talks about our father’s love of music and how it continues to influence our lives, long after his passing.

So put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  Stop by TeaToastTrivia.com and share your insights. We would love to hear from you.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 31: The Trio on Meditation

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my sister, Sarah and my mother Frances as we consider the idea of meditation. Is meditation simply a popular trend, a fad?  Or will it help us to achieve a sense of well-being?  How do we practice meditation, especially when many priorities compete for our time?

So put the kettle on. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. Until next time, may we remember Sarah’s words: “May I be well. May I be happy. May I be loved.”

Safe travels wherever your adventures take you today.

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Episode 30:  Living our Creativity

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my brother, Brian,  to discuss integrating creativity within our busy routines that compete for our time and energy.

Do we celebrate or minimize the creativity within ourselves?  Brian has a marvelous understanding of the creative process and welcomes you to share your experience with us on TeaToastTrivia.com

Put the kettle on and join in the conversation.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Brian and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Creativity, at its foundation, is all about connecting. When we value our creative efforts, we accept an adventure that transcends time and location.

We are all creators with a capacity to share our personal stories within the greater journey.

One last thought comes from Henri Matisse: Creativity takes courage. ” May we embrace this call to action and celebrate our creative endeavours.

So, until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 29: Edinburgh to Vancouver with Liz Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. My dear blogger friend, Liz, from the blog Leaping Life suggested a fabulous book written by her friend Maggy Pigott, “How to Age Joyfully: Eight Steps to a Happier, Fuller Life.” Liz, an intrepid writer, artist and community builder joined me in a huge leap into the podcasting unknown. We created a podcast from a distance. How distant is the distance you may ask? It is a very good question. We are linking Edinburgh and Vancouver, which is 7,059 kilometers or 4,387 miles.

So, put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. How to Age Joyfully: Eight Steps to a Happier, Fuller Life is a profound reflection on what it means to embrace every moment of our journey. This is a must-read book for people of all ages. After all, aging begins the moment we are born. Besides being a joyful overview of how to engage within our communities – both local and global, this book provides excellent resources upon which to draw. I will be keeping it close at hand for inspiration and ideas. Thanks, Maggy!

Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 28: Should We Complain?

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss the question – Should we complain?

According to many sources – and you know that there are many sources found in a google search – complaining is detrimental. One article noted that research clearly indicates that listening to complaints of any kind, including venting our personal grievances, will produce a downward trend in our emotional outlook. Another article warned that complaining could alter our brain. YIKES! Why then, do we indulge in complaining?

Should we put on our “happy face” and ignore problems, avoid them, dismiss them? Put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Embracing our moments with gratitude is a choice that will open the pathway to graciously acknowledging concerns and seeking positive outcomes – not only for ourselves but for our families, friends, and communities, both local and global.

One last thought comes from Maya Angelou. “What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.”

So, until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 27: Stephanie on Bold Moves

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my workout coach, Stephanie, for a conversation about embracing an active and healthy lifestyle.

Mark Twain once wrote, “The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not.” This was said in jest, with Mark Twain’s famous tongue-in-cheek style. But how many of us believe there may be an inkling of truth in his words.

Stephanie has a refreshing way of looking at her day-to-day routine. A working mother of two beautiful children, she structures her day for planning nutritious meals and physical activity. Well-being is a life-long journey, she says. And it is worth the effort. Everyone is unique and must be guided by individual preferences, depending upon where you are right now. Her motto is “being bold moves mountains.” For many, including me, that boldness may take the form of baby steps.

So put the kettle on and listen in to our discussion on healthy lifestyles and bold moves.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Stephanie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Embracing a lifestyle of healthy eating and regular physical activity is a gift that we give ourselves and those who love us.

One last thought comes from Jim Rohn, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker: “take care of your body. it's the only place you have to live in.”

So, until next time. dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia, Episode 26

Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my mother Frances for a conversation about the aging process.

I have never really understood the phrase: you are as young as you feel. Birthdays come and go, and I feel the same. It’s only when I look back at photos that show a young woman of 18 ready to take on the world that I realize the passage of time. She recognized the possibilities, while I have lived the possibilities, the marvelous adventures that have come through the years. And yet, we are the same for we live in the moment, with expectation and anticipation.

So put the kettle on and let’s talk about aging. Better yet, the art of aging.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Embracing and celebrating aging is a choice and acceptance of who we are in the moment.

My dear blogger friend, Liz from Leaping Life suggested a fabulous book written by her friend Maggy Pigott, “How to Age Joyfully: Eight Steps to a Happier, Fuller Life.” In the coming weeks, Liz and I will be exploring how we can podcast from a distance - from Edinburgh to Vancouver. Stay tuned for a podcast with Liz on this insightful book.

One last thought comes from Madeleine L'Engle: “The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.”

So, until next time dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia, Episode 25. Thank you for listening in.

Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote,

“You think those dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us.”

I believe this is true because of Daisy, a gentle, beautiful husky that has become an invaluable addition to our family. Today I am joined by Alisha, Daisy’s mother who, along with her fiancé, Ben has given Daisy a welcoming home. So put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  We love to hear from you on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

A special thank you to Alisha.  Check out Daisy’s personal Instagram account, Lazy Husky Daisy.  In September, she will move to Calgary with her parents.  She is going to love the Alberta winters. I can see her playing in the snow.

One last thought comes from Milan Kundara:

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.”

Until next, time dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia, Episode 24!

Thank you for listening in.

I am joined by my sister, Sarah and my mother Frances for a lively discussion on personal growth. Should we have an intentional plan for personal growth, or do we just let life happen and respond as we go along? How do we know whether we have made progress? According to experts, personal growth and development is essential if we are ever to realize our full potential. Personal Growth, Intentional Growth, Full Potential – these are powerful words, but words that hold many meanings and ambiguities

So put the kettle on and join in the conversation. We love to hear from you on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you

Thank you for listening in and sharing this moment with Sarah, Frances and me. Reaching our full potential is a choice and acceptance of the possibilities awaiting our arrival, around the next bend in the road.

As Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden: Or, Life in the Woods:

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

So, until next, time dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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Episode 23:  Friendship Through the Voice of Poet Jean-Jacques Fournier

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia! The refreshing taste of an iced fruit tea on a hot summer afternoon in August adds to the pure enjoyment of reading the poetry of my dear friend and poet, Jean-Jacques Fournier.

Jean-Jacques Fournier is a native of Montreal and has been living  in the Eastern Townships (QC) since 2010 with his French wife Marianne. Before returning to Canada, he lived eight glorious years in the South of France, first in Vence, which is situated in the hills of the Alpes Maritime overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Then in Grasse, considered the world’s capital of perfume. It sounds marvelous, does it not?

Jean-Jacques’s poetry expresses the emotional depth and breadth of the human experience.

Join me as I explore the theme of friendship through the voice and words of poetry by Jean-Jacques Fournier

I’m your host, Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 22: The Power of Listening

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia! Thank you for listening in on Episode 22 of the Tea Toast & Trivia podcast conversation. I am joined by my sister, Sarah, and my mother, Frances, as we discuss the power of listening. How do we engage our sense of hearing to influence communities, both local and global? So put the kettle on and join in the conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you to all those who have joined the podcast conversation and blog, Tea Toast & Trivia! When I first started to blog, and now podcast, I thought it was all about writing and commenting. Over the months, I have come understand that it is more about listening to the voices in the community.  Listening is dynamic, not static.  It is a powerful activity that can influence outcomes and institute radical change. Speaking and writing can only take us part of the way.  Listening is the dimension where next steps are formulated.

Each voice is extraordinary, but when combined in a choir, there is a symphony of elegant and beautiful possibilities.  A last thought come from Ernest Hemingway: “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully.  Most people never listen.”

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Episode 21: Tea With Poet Mario de Andrade

Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

This is the third podcast of the series called,  “It’s all about tea.”

So put the kettle on and join me in discussing the mysteries and adventures of tea: their origins, myths, aromas and delicious tastes.  Today, we are heading to Brazil to meet up with the Mário de Andrade, Brazilian poet, novelist, musicologist, art historian,  photographer and one of the founders of Brazilian modernism

My name is Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 20: The Importance of Being Important

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in. 

It is important to be important? 

I am joined by my sister, Sarah and my mother Frances as we consider how we give value to ourselves and to others.  Are you important? Am I important? How do we define importance?

So put the kettle on and listen in as we take on this, dare I say, important topic.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 19:  It's About Time

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in. 

The conversation today is about time. 

I am joined by my sister, Sarah and my mother, Frances as we consider the gift of time. How do we honour the moments that have been given? What tools can we use to achieve the best possible outcome for living a full and productive life.

So put the kettle on and listen in as we discuss the exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking, to-do lists, day planners, and time management tools. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances, Sarah and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. 

One last thought on "time" comes from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who lived in Ephesus from 535 BCE to 473 BCE. 

“Time is a game played beautifully by children.”

May we remember that our time belongs to us. Let us open this gift with the exuberance of a child.

Until next time, safe travels.

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Episode 18:  In the Chicken Coop

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, – wherever you are, thank you for listening in.

The United Nations designated the year 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF).  This year, on May 29, 2019, the United Nations launched  the Decade of Family Farming from 2019 – 2028.  My mother, Frances, was a farmer’s daughter.  She knows first-hand the importance of family farming to provide food on the table.

So put the kettle on and listen in as Frances and I look back on farming in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 17: Dancing with Daffodils.

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia

Good morning, Good Afternoon Good Evening – wherever you are, thank you for listening in and joining the podcast conversation. Today, I’m taking poetry with my tea.

Poetry is necessary.  It is an intense, emotional language that speaks to our spirit, to our deep need for understanding and belonging.  We respond to the sounds, symbolism, rhythm of poetic language. Poetry gives us the confidence to explore our fast-paced dynamic world.

So put the kettle on and join me as we meet up with William Wordsworth. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 16: Conversations with Frances 

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Good morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, – wherever you are, thank you for listening in.  Your presence is truly appreciated.

All of us have a story to tell.  Our lives are full of drama, celebrations, joys, sorrows – even a little mystery, intrigue, and magic are sprinkled on some of the more mundane moments

My mother, Frances was my first storyteller.  Over the years we have shared many narratives.

So put the kettle on and listen in as mom and I look back on –

Well, I’ll let you find out for yourself.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you

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Episode 15: Celebrating Leonardo

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.  Thank you for listening in… Today, I want to celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s 500th anniversary by looking beyond his list of great things accomplished, his titles of polymath, universal genius, renaissance man.

Who was Leonardo, the person?  What did he eat? What did he wear?  What music did he hear? Who were his friends?

So put the kettle on and join me as I look back on a remarkable life.  A life that was set in a remarkable age and continues to have a remarkable influence on our current reality.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 14: A Ghost Story. Do you believe in Ghosts?  Even the most ardent doubter listens spellbound to  a great ghost story.  We shudder in fear and then try to laugh off the nagging fear that maybe there is something to the spooky narrative. For those who have seen a ghost - well, ghosts are real to them for they have experienced the explainable. They have apparently joined the chosen few who have encountered an invisible world that at times, seems to intersect our reality.   Scientists generally agree that ghosts do not exist and yet they cannot disprove their existence. So, the ghost hunters continue their explorations.  It seems that deep in our DNA we have links to our ancient past and pre-literate cultures, who believed that ghosts do walk abroad.  Closer to home, think of Marley’s ghost  and the opening lines in “A Christmas Carol.” “Marley was dead to begin with.  There is no doubt whatever about that.  The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker and the chief mourner.” Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. Every family a ghost story.  Listen in as my mother and I tell you ours.

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Episode 13: Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia!

Today is Storytelling time.

We love narratives. 

We read novels, watch movies, attend theatre productions  and follow  television miniseries. Why? To find a story, to share the joys, hopes, challenges that will lead to a happily ever after conclusion.

How do we tell our story?

So put the kettle on and  join Sarah, Frances and me as we discuss the importance of sharing our personal narratives. 

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

We encourage you to share your story. As Mary Oliver once wrote, “Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.

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Episode 12: Tea & Oranges

Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

This is the second podcast in the series called, “It’s all about tea.”

So put the kettle on and join me for Tea, Toast and Trivia, where we will discuss the mysteries and adventures of tea: their origins, myths, aromas and delicious tastes.

My name is Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Edmonton was where I was introduced to a famous blend of tea flavoured with a secret recipe (of course it would be secret) of orange rind and sweet spice. Oh, the aroma was marvelous. It also was a nod to my favourite young Canadian poet, Leonard Cohen. Do you remember this...

“Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river

You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night forever

And you know that she’s half-crazy but that’s why you want to be there

And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China”

Ah, Leonard Cohen. Did Suzanne really serve him tea and oranges that came all the way from China? Yes, she did! According to many sources, when asked this question Leonard would reply: “She fed me a tea called Constant Comment, which has small pieces of orange rind in it, which gave birth to the image.”

The legend behind Constant Comment adds to the enjoyment of taking tea. Listen in to the narrative of two women who changed the course of tea history.

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Episode 11: The conversation today is about fashion.

I am joined by my sister, Sarah and my mother Frances as we look back on how fashion has shaped our personal understanding of elegance, beauty, trends and sustainability.  

So put the kettle on and listen in as we discuss sewing machines, patterns, gloves, hats and more.

I am your host, Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

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Episode 10: Today is World Book Day, a celebration that has been in place since April 23, 1995. UNESCO chose the date carefully. In the past, Spanish tradition sets aside April 23rd as “The Rose Day” when friends and family exchange roses, however in 1926 there was a transition to exchanging books to commemorate the passing of renowned Spanish author, Miguel de Cervantes, who passed on April 22, 1616. April 23rd also remembers William Shakespeare’s anniversary of his death 1616. Two great authors who died a day apart, inspire us today to treasure books - not by placing them carefully behind book cases with glass doors, but by reading them cover to cover, again and again. Words carry ideas and ideas transform the way we think, live and engage within a wider community.

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Episode 9: On April 14, 2019, The Sun Run encompassed the Vancouver weekend scene. It is a wonderful event. Participants, both runners and walkers, embarked on a scenic course that runs through Stanley Park, the downtown corridors of Burrard and Georgia before heading over Cambie Street Bridge to the finish line. It was a celebration and testament to months of physical preparation and long hours of planning. Live music filled the streets and added to the high spirits. 

What passed by unnoticed in all of excitement of the Sun Run, was an anniversary of another well-known event that happened on April 13, 1742 at the Fishamble Street Musick Hall in Dublin. That night, the world was given a gift of music that continues to captivate audiences to this day. Oh, to be in that first audience of 700. It was a packed crowd. Men left their swords at home and women agreed to wear dresses without hoops to make room for other concert goers.  

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Episode 8:  Welcome to Tea. Toast. & Trivia. This episode is the first of the series called, “It’s all about tea.” So put the kettle on and join me for Tea, Toast and Trivia, where we will discuss the mysteries and adventures of tea: their origins, myths, aromas and fragrant tastes.

I’m making a special cup of tea today.  And it all started about a week ago, when I happened to meet a friend on the street.  It was early morning and the flow of traffic was in progress. He was on his way to work, carrying a thermal coffee carafe.

“Enjoy your coffee,” I said as we parted company.

“Oh no, not coffee” he said. "Mornings are about tea and this is a tea that very few people dare to drink.”

What tea would be that formidable?  The answer is in the podcast.

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Episode 7: I  walk with crows that share the pathway along the Vancouver Seawall. While they guard their territory with a proprietary determination, they have come to recognize my presence and agree to pose for my camera. I look forward to our conversations, and suspect that I am at the greater disadvantage. They seem to understand my language more than I do theirs. Even within our age of technology, we have a deep need to connect with our earth and fellow creatures.  There is a bond between us. That is, the need for community and belonging. We seek the company of those we love and feel a kindred bond. Just as the crows gather in the fading light of a April evening, we look forward to the shelter and safety of homecoming. 

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Thank you for joining my mom, Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia.  The One Room Schoolhouse is the first in a series of podcasts that look back on a time that will never be again. I am reminded by the words of Søren Kierkegaard who wrote, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”  Conversations with my mother allow me to explore knowledge transfer from one generation to the other.  Your visit and presence are very much appreciated.  Until next time, safe travels.

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Today is Vincent Van Gogh’s 166 Birthday. While he was relatively unknown in his lifetime, he is one of the most beloved artists of our time.  In today’s world, Vincent van Gogh’s artworks rank with the most expensive paintings to have ever sold at auction.  Even so, his legacy is more poignant and profound. Vincent van Gogh’s greatest gift is found in his thoughtful and reverent understanding of humanity’s need to feel complete, to be at peace within nature, to experience and share a deeply felt love that transforms our lives and those around us. “Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.” Vincent Van Gogh

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Join me as I travel across the ocean to Shetland, where the fresh sea air and rugged landscape captures the spirit of the adventurous souls. Shetland is in the northern region of the United Kingdom just above the Orkney Islands. There are many stories held safe in Shetland’s complex geology of faults and fold axes, metamorphic rocks, granite intrusions and the assemblage of rocks called “the Old Red Sandstone.” 

The 1840’s onward were marked by the booming herring industry that propelled Shetland to the pinnacle of Europe’s go-to place for herring. Unst was at the centre of the hubbub. This small island became a vital Herring port - a powerhouse of employment opportunities.    Men would bring in the fish. But a workforce was needed to gut the fish and ready them for market.  It was brave, hardworking women who responded.  They were called Gutter Lasses.

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Episode 3: Let’s talk about artists.  Are you an artist? Am I an artist? Most of us, if asked, “are you an artist?” would hesitate to answer “yes.”    After all, that label applies to the great ones:  Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Cassatt, Picasso, Monet, O’Keeffe and the list goes on. Do we dare compare ourselves to that brilliant assembly? How do we define art, talent, beauty, if we do not have some form of creativity within ourselves? 

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Episode 2: Join the conversation with Sarah Ahmadi sharing her insights on building a compassionate community.

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Episode 1: Join the first podcast of Tea Toast & Trivia. Rebecca Budd discusses procrastination - viewed a different way.

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