Any soup or stew is instantly comforting to me. I even count chicken and dumplings, though I don’t think they truly fall into either category.
Potato soup, clam chowder, tomato and basil, beef stew, and so many others remind me of home. They’re especially good on a chilly, rainy day.
My mom often made stews in the crockpot when I was growing up, and my husband makes an amazing loaded potato soup, so something about these liquid foods remind me of loved ones and bring me comfort.
I have to start out answering this by saying that I love all animals and hate showing favoritism. However, I also have terrible allergies and cats make them flare up, which means I would definitely choose dogs over cats.
I love cats too, don’t get me wrong. One day when I own a few acres of land I plan on getting outside cats to keep rodents at bay. No litter box to clean and they love to hunt.
I’ve had both dogs and cats throughout my life, but I truly am a dog person at heart. Their loyalty and goofy antics are my favorite. I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog I didn’t like (though I can’t say the same about cats).
All pets are precious and deserve love and protection, but I definitely lean in favor toward a slobbery dog than a scratching cat any day.
I’ve found another fascinating part of my family tree recently that has me itching to take a road trip!
My 9th-great-grandfather, Colonel James wood, founded the town of Winchester, Virginia in the mid 1700s. He was born in Winchester, England, which is why he decided to name the town what he did.
He was a lieutenant in the English navy before becoming a colonel for the Frederick County militia, and even studied at Oxford University. He came to Virginia on a military trip, then bought land there and settled into life away from England.
One of the most fascinating parts of his story to me is that it is said he was friends with none other than George Washington himself! The two served alongside each other against the French in 1754.
Colonel Wood was also the first clerk of Frederick county court, and was said to have a large amount of political influence.
His son, James Jr., also went on to participate in political and government-related positions in Frederick county, and fought as a colonel in the revolutionary war.
I hope to uncover even more about this part of my family history, and I would love to take a trip to Virginia soon to do even further research.
One of my favorite parts of learning history are things like this; finding the most interesting and unexpected facts and information which lead me down rabbit holes to cure my curiosity.
I think it’s rather beautiful that despite all the ugliness in the world, the beauty I experience in the small things often still astounds me.
Seeing a rainbow after a storm, enjoying a warm home-cooked meal with loved ones, the sound of a child’s joyful laughter.
These small moments of delight seem so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But to me, they represent the light at the end of the tunnel during a time of darkness.
I’ve had insomnia since childhood, so my sleep schedule has never truly been normal.
But lately, I’ve been able to follow my own circadian rhythm more closely. I usually don’t get truly sleepy until 2:00-3:00 am, and I find my brain tends to be more creative after midnight for some reason.
I also require a long amount of sleep to feel truly rested, so ideally if I go to sleep at 2:00 I like to wake up around 10:00-11:00 am.
I find it interesting how sleep patterns vary from person-to-person. My husband, for example, is very much an early bird who rises with the sun and requires less hours of sleep than I do.
So currently, I fall asleep around 2:00 am and rise around 10:00 am if my schedule allows it.
Over the weekend, my family and I were about to go out to a restaurant for my sister’s birthday dinner. We all decided to wear nicer clothes for the occasion. My eldest niece was wearing an adorable jumpsuit with a colorful butterfly pattern. As the rest of us were finishing up getting ready, her little hazel eyes drifted to me and she asked, “Should I change into something different? I like what I’m wearing, but I don’t think other people will.”
My heart sunk as I absorbed her words. Only nine-years-old and already worrying herself about the criticism of strangers. I paused, trying to think of the best answer; what I would tell my younger self if I could. So I said, “If you like it, baby, then wear it. The only person whose opinion of your clothes matters is you. Wear what makes YOU happy.”
She seemed to think about my reply, though she asked again whether or not I thought she should change her outfit. Later on, she changed into an equally adorable and colorful striped dress, and asked my opinion on it. I said, “I think they’re both equally cute and you should wear what you’re most comfortable in.” I can only that hope by instilling these thinking habits of self-love in her, she will grow up to be confident.
Despite the dread I felt when I realized society has already begun sinking its claws into the innocent, I also feel honored that my sweet niece values my opinion. That she knows she can come to me with any questions and concerns and I’ll be there for her. And I will forever do my best to ease her insecurities and help her to be her best self.
What could you let go of, for the sake of harmony?
I’ve let go of many things in my life for the sake of maintaining my own inner peace. Draining relationships, toxic habits, and anything I believe was hindering my personal growth.
I think that most things you believe you could let go of are things that you should. If it does not bring peace and happiness, the best thing to do is let it go; whether it’s a bad habit or a someone close to you that is bringing negativity to your life.
Life is too short to hold onto the things that hurt us. Letting go is equally an important yet difficult decision, but holding on often does more harm than good.
Cherish the people and things that are good for you and willingly release anything that is not.
I live in the suburbs of a city (not a great part to say the least), but in the almost two years I’ve lived in this house, I’ve been fascinated by the amount of wildlife we have in the backyard.
There’s lots of street noise and neighbors, but the backyard is surprisingly secluded. There’s tons of fruit trees and nearly untouched ground where animals seem to find a comfortable home in to escape the city.
My husband and I have seen multiple stray cats who seem to hang around our yard, opossums, many species of bird, and wild bunnies. One of my favorite animal guests, who recently reappeared, is a lone chubby groundhog. I don’t know where he lives otherwise, but he seems to like our yard fairly well; though I only see him occasionally and during warm weather.
Despite how much I dislike the area I live in, my backyard is full of life and beauty. Sometimes you have to appreciate the small things, like seeing a cardinal and a bluejay flying together, to get you through until somewhere better comes along.
A.P. Bensler Blog 