Tea. Toast. and Trivia.

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.

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.”

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.

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.”

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:

May we be open to the beauty of our life. Until next time, dear friends, safe travels wherever your adventures take you.

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.

One last thought comes from our dear lovable 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.

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…

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.

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.

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.