tea time: Comments and conversation

Note:  Every now and then, I share comments that have been left on my blog, together with responses. I really appreciate all of my readers, and I am so grateful for the comments. I like to highlight YOU in my blog. Here in Grand Island, New York, it's kind of a damp, rainy day. In other words, it's a good day for tea, comments, and conversation. Here are some selected comments from the past few weeks.

from "My anti-bucket list: things that I hope never, ever, ever to do", on December 17th:
Kristina: I agree with most of your list but I like snakes and think it might be fun to hang or jump out of an airplane. I would add:

- Clean houses for a living
- Work as a garbage collector
- Camp out in the jungle
- Run for a political position
- Deliver tragic news to people
- swing from a trapeze or walk a tightrope
- Amen to the eating or drinking contests - ugh
- Be on a reality show where you have to do challenges (eat bugs, etc.) or live outside naked or on your own wits.
- Be buried alive or suspended in ice and required to escape
- Hunt for my own food in the woods
- Have or adopt 8 children
- Try out bizarre sex practices involving pain or bestiality

Okay, I think I've taken it to the limit with that one! Thanks, that was fun.

Thank you for participating in the fun, Kristina. I truly enjoyed your responses. If you change your mind and decide to try eating bugs, there are cookbooks that specialize in six-legged delicacies. Below is a link to a page that recommends a few of those cookbooks:
link to Taste Some Delicious Bugs.

from: The Clay Cafe (link), on December 21st.

Alana: I'm not sure there is a business like that where I live in the Binghamton area anymore. Back in the 1970's I painted a few pieces at the local Air Force base when my husband was in the Air Force. It was a lot of fun. I still have a couple of them. Your post brought back memories-thank you.

You're welcome, Alana. It was a fun activity, and I'm glad that it brought back happy memories for you.

from Retrospective of 2016: nature photographs link

Jean: Thank you for sharing your eye for nature.

You're very welcome, Jean.

Rose Mont: I love that you captured images throughout the year. I want to take daily nature pictures next year. It's nice to see the freeze to the surprise crocuses! All the beautiful colored flowers and that tree covered in mushrooms. Mushrooms usually get my undivided attention because they are so unique.

Yes, go for it! I have found that taking so many pictures outdoors has given me much more appreciation for my natural world. I'm glad that you like mushrooms. They are truly amazing. So many different shapes and colors. They are little masterpieces.

SciFiFan: Great job, Alice. You take great photos and describe them beautifully. How about making calendars next year as Christmas gifts. Everyone in the family would appreciate them.

Yep. OK, good idea.

from: Retrospective of 2016: people (July through December link)

Lady Nightwave Brenda Marie: Looks like you had an amazing second half of the year.

I did, thanks to all of the fascinating, wonderful, and inspiring people who were there for the journey. I hope that you had a good year, too, and that this new year will be good for you.

Jlupinacci: What an exciting year. May 2017 be even better! Blessings
Thank you so much! The same for you.

Jean: You had a momentous and moving year.
I did, Jean. Thank you for being part of it.
Mayura Amarkant: Thank you so much for such a brilliantly mapped out blogpost. It was really nice of you to allow us to peek into your life. You have surely had a great year...I love the way you tell stories through the pictures. Looking forward to several such posts from you. Keep writing. 
Thank you very much. Adventures are much more fun when shared. I will definitely try to continue telling stories with pictures. I enjoyed reading your blog, too.

Here is a link: Muyura Amarkant's blog, "Diary of an Insane Writer"

And, my New Year's Day post, in which I introduced my new 52-week photography challenge:

from: "Introducing the 2017 photography project" (link)

The Mommies Reviews: The challenge sounds fun and definitely something I could use as I am horrible at taking photos and need to step it up some. So off I go to sign up. Have a Happy 2017 and thank you for being here for us.
Thank you so much! Have fun taking pictures and don't be so hard on yourself! The beauty of a digital camera is that you get to delete all of the pictures that you don't like.

Mayura Amarkant: Looking forward to viewing some amazing pictures. All the best for Ultimate Blogging Challenge.
Thank you very much. I look forward to future blog posts from you, too.

Shelly Maynard: I love the idea of a photo each day for a challenge! I like to do those on Instagram. Photography is a skill that I definitely need to work on. Good luck with your challenge!!
Thank you very much. I will post updates every Saturday, with the photographs of the week, as well as that week's challenge. There are three main themes: technical, artistic, and story. Please check this blog each Saturday for the updates.

The Gratitude Guru: Welcome back for another round of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, Alice!

I am looking forward to reading/viewing what you post this time around!

Be Well.
Thank you for everything that you do to make the Ultimate Blog Challenge happen. I am very appreciative of this challenge because it has helped me to grow as a blogger and to learn how to advertise my blog to get more readers (I love an audience!).

Alana: No photography challenges planned. Eventually, I will need to do something like that, in order to develop my photography skills. Looking forward to seeing your pictures.
This challenge is based more on the "art" of photography, while the previous challenge was more about me documenting my life. I hope that you enjoy the weekly sets of pictures.

Martha DeMeo: Glad to see you on this challenge again Alice!
It's good to see you, as well. It's nice to reconnect with bloggers during challenges and to be part of a blogging community.

Morgan:  am attempting to do a photo a day for January on my Instagram page. I need to link my instagram account to my blog. Guess that's my challenge for tonight.
I hope that went well. It sounds challenging. I don't do Instagram because my cell phone camera is far from awesome. I hope that you enjoy your photo a day for January.

Anonymous: I want to take a course in photography. But I am going to give this challenge a try :)
Enjoy the challenge!!

shalz75: Photography challenge sounds interesting- waiting for your daily posts to check on. All the best!
Thank you! Take a look at my first weekly update on Saturday!

ALL ABOUT THE WOMAN: Thats amazing challenge to take up & kickoff our new year :) looking forward to it.

I am excited about this challenge and the new year. It keeps me focused on good stuff.

cleansedpalate: Happy New Year! While my husband and I are not doing a challenge of taking a photograph every day, we are doing a huge project centered around our photos (and those of our parents). He has a scanner and we are working to digitize all of our negatives, and clean up the images to preserve them. It is a much larger undertaking than we had initially imagined!! But, baby steps, right? 

I look forward to your photos!! Good luck with the Ultimate Blog Challenge!! :-)
Thank you! Good luck with your own project. It will be a big one, but it is going to be good because it sounds like you are putting together your family history in photographs. That's pretty awesome. And good luck to you, too, with the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Happy New Year, everyone. Thank you for reading my blog and please keep visiting! I'll share more comments and conversation in a few weeks.