Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

S5 E10: Brian on Transitions Welcome 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 i

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 ye

S5 E8: Rachel McAlpine A Poet’s Voice on Aging What is your job? "What is your job when you no longer have a job? What is your work when you don’t go to work any more? When you retire you gain such a lot—like freedom and time and multiple choice. You left with relief so why this incongruity of grief? Work gave you friends, a schedule, a label a space and a fable a reason to get out of bed a dress code and your daily bread and at your very core a sense of who you are and 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

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

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

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

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

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 wor

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 Anti

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 O

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.

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

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

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 f

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/

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

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 fro

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.

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 b

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. Than