Wednesday, January 14, 2026
It’s Wednesday and that means it’s time to answer some questions with Joyce!
1. What kind of winter person are you-snow lover, fireplace snuggler, winter adventurer, or indoor hibernator? Elaborate.
A little bit of each. I love watching snow come down during daylight hours. When all of my people were in my house with me and it was snowing, it was just sublime. Those snow days when Tom left for work and the twins and I were left home were wonderful, too!
I love a fire – indoor or outdoor. I love finding restaurants or bars with a fireplace. I love going out in the snow and in winter when it’s not super cold. When it’s really cold, I am happy to hibernate, but I know it’s not healthy to stay inside too long. I think I’ve decided I’m a 30 degrees and up winter person!
I have been seeing lots of things about letting babies sleep outside in my IG feed. I had heard of this – leaving a baby in a stroller outside in Scandinavian countries. I saw a daycare in Holland maybe with outdoor sleeping compartments for kids! I do think all humans need to get outside in the winter!
2. The Pantone color of the year is cloud dancer, described as a gentle, billowy off white shade. The color symbolizes ‘peace, clarity, quiet reflection, renewal, and a soft reset’. Of the terms just listed which do you need most in your life this winter?
Are the Pantone employees on psychedelic drugs? What is a cloud dancer? How can I get that job? I often wonder if they are laughing their butts off at the thought of everyone jumping to their “color of the year”. I feel that I have come to a place of peace and I have clarity after quite a bit of quiet reflection. I have been reflecting on the lives of my parents, the stage of my adult children, my life’s (paid) work from which I recently retired, and a bunch of other things. I am ready for renewal and soft reset.
3. Every cloud has a silver lining, on cloud nine, head in the clouds, storm clouds gathering, or cloud of suspicion...which ‘cloud’ idiom do you most relate to currently? Explain.
Man, Joyce, this is a tough one. I guess the silver lining and on cloud nine right now. right now. It relates to my answers to the last question. I am seeing some silver linings in my life with my kids being older and the stage where I am. I am on cloud nine especially on Monday mornings!
4. coconut, cauliflower, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, onions, ranch dressing…of the white foods listed, which would be the hardest for you to give up? Do you like all or any of the foods on the list?
I like everything except coconut. I would have to say mayo because it is the chef’s kiss to a perfect sandwich and it makes good sauces and dips.
5. Thomas Wentworth Higginson is credited with this quote-
“How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year.”
Agree or disagree? Tell us why.
I agree with this. I think winter is a time to slow down, reflect, rejuvenate, and refresh. Nature goes to sleep and is dormant and we wouldn’t appreciate spring so much without winter. This is why I am deeply grateful to have a four distinct season place of residence. But I have never lived in a place that doesn’t have four seasons so maybe it’s wonderful, too.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
This will always be one of my favorite verses…
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
Agreed-one of the greatest scriptures of all time 🙂 Cracking up at your answer to the paint color- ha!! Sounds like a dream job!
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I often wonder where ANY of the people who come up with color names get them from. But I also find it so odd that the color of the year rarely makes into popularity in the stores and the clothes that are being made… You’d think the color of the year would be everywhere but that is rarely the case so who are they setting this color for? Coconut is probably the only one from the “white” list that I would really miss. I mean I eat them all but none are a favorite. I do, however, use coconut and coconut oil in my granola and granola bars and love most coconut flavored things.
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I know! It would be a fun job! I do like coconut milk and coconut cocktails sometimes.
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Paint names are interesting! Haha
I love winter but prefer if it’s going to be cold, let’s have snow!
I hate mayo …& family and friends know that and give me a hard time…even asking if I have any if they come over knowing I’d say no. I have no clue of my kids like it because I don’t think they’ve ever had it. Trav grew up with mayo on lots of things but doesn’t seem to miss it 🤣
I love that Bible verse too.
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I know you are such a snow lover! How about snow in the morning that still lets you get out by noon?
That is so funny about mayo – Shayshull is the same, I think.
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There was actually controversy with the color of the year with a number of people saying it was ¨racist¨ to elevate the color white. Yep. That´s the state we´re in right now- people are not color blind with regard to people… or anything, unfortunately. I said the same thing about appreciating spring if it weren´t for the winter. I, too, like living where there are four seasons but I can´t say I like it better than one season since it´s all I´ve known. Have a great day!
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No way! That’s absurd! I would regularly have a student say “that’s racist” about anything really and some other student would say “come on!” I asked an Indian kid to help me with my computer once and he said I was racial profiling and I said back that he is the most “American” kid in the class and I just asked because he had helped me before. That’s true for me, too about the seasons.
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That paint name is hilarious! I think I’m a 70 degrees and up winter person but it is currently 35. I hate the cold. I’m even reading a book called How to Winter and feel sure I will learn to embrace it all at some point. LOL Eddie Otis seems happy out in the snow as my labs do, the unbridled joy! I think mayo would be my food choice as well. Stay warm!
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Isn’t it? Ha! I probably need that book, too. I’m doing ok so far this winter! Labs are so happy in the snow!
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I giggled over the thought of the Pantone people being high when they pick their colors of the year. I always love that information, though! I like it when actual colors make the cut, though; I don’t consider cream/off-white an actual color. I loved all of your answers today! I’m so happy for you that you’re on cloud nine with your life at the moment; you earned every bit of this much needed rest. I hope you’re having a great week! Happy Wednesday, friend.
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I know right? I can picture them sitting around a table!
Awe thank you. It’s so different for me. I have my moments for sure!
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Maybe the people who come up with paint colors and those who come up with nail polish colors are the same. Personally I adore having grown children. I went to Hobby Lobby and then for coffee with my daughter (and granddaughter who loves to shop!) yesterday and we had such a wonderful conversation. I’m not a fan of a windy winter day but cold, crisp, and sunny make me want to be out in it. Have a great day!
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I had not heard about the babies sleeping outdoors. So interesting. I have heard you do sleep better when its cooler :). I love that verse at the end. Enjoy your day!
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We had similar answers – I also don’t like coconut and I also mentioned I might like living in a place without winter!
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I like the winter when I can stay inside but sometimes I do like to venture out to get a bit of fresh air.
I think the colours of the year are a bit silly and how many different shades of white are there? lol
There are a lot of silver linings having older kids, I have found that out over the past couple of years.
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Give me all the snow!! I love it except for when it’s melting and covered with all the dirt and grit. I thought last year’s color was bad…well, I haven’t liked any since the periwinkle color a few years ago…but this year is more a non-color than anything. I don’t ever see its influence anywhere. Love coconut, could pass on mayo.
Love you’re on cloud nine!
https://marshainthemiddle.com
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