Remarkable Women

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Originally, in recognition of International Women's Day, I planned to select one influential woman and write about her. However, I found it impossible to choose just one. Instead, here is a partial list of the influential women I admire.

Learn about some incredible women

To introduce you to these women, I linked either a biography, a historical novel, a book written by them, a class they've taught, a documentary, a film, an interview, or a short article. (Some of these links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on them, I may be compensated but at no additional expense to you.)

To be truthful, I haven't read/seen all the material I've referenced in their entirety yet, but I want to. I did take Jane Goodall's Masterclass, and I learned that she is not just a scientist who did amazing work with chimpanzees, but an activist devoted to conservation. Her passion for preserving the environment is contagious. 

This list of remarkable women is by no means complete, in fact, it is just the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to women who deserve to be recognized and celebrated. I finally had to stop jotting down names (even though so many more came to mind) so I could write and publish this today.

Let's make International Women's Day obsolete.

I look forward to when (hopefully in my lifetime) women no longer have to fight for recognition and equality. When all people are truly equal we won't have to celebrate "International Women's Day." Instead, maybe we will celebrate "International Human's Day." The successes of women like the ones I list here are helping to make that possible.

Which of these amazing women will you decide to learn about first?

Remarkable Women

This list is grouped by category for ease of reference, but many of these women would fit equally well under more than one sub-title. Names are listed in no particular order, other than simply as I thought of them.

Random Acts of Kindness Week

Did you know this week is National Random Acts of Kindness week? Neither did I, until today. 

Staring out at our snowy property while I'm writing this, I pondered what random acts of kindness that I have experienced. One immediately came to mind:

Returning home in the wee hours of the morning, after a long and treacherous road trip in winter weather, my husband and I were dreading our steep driveway. We knew the snow would be so deep we would be unable to get up it. The thought of having to park at the bottom and trudge up the snowy hill, with all our bags and two very sleepy young children, in extremely cold temperatures, was almost more than I could bear in my sleep-deprived and weary state. 

To our immense surprise and gratitude, when we arrived we found that someone had plowed the driveway for us, while we were away. We never found out who kindly did it - but I will forever be grateful. 

As you may have guessed from my posts on February 1st and February 4th, I've discovered that it's fun to check the National Day calendar and see the celebrations or recognitions suggested there. 😊  Since "kindness" is one of my chosen "words of the year" for 2021, I cannot let a week devoted to kind acts go unnoticed. 

Actually, I think every week should be filled with random acts of kindness, but if designating one week of the year as such boosts the occurrence of these acts, then I'm all for it.

I tried to find a definition for random act of kindness. According to Grammarist, it "is an action that is performed for another, usually a stranger, simply to bring that person happiness." Most often, these acts are done without expecting anything in return or any praise or recognition. 

Paying for the coffee order of the person behind or ahead of you in line at the coffee shop, feeding a stranger's meter, or allowing a person to cut ahead of you in a line are some examples of random ways to be kind. Being kind, however, can be just as simple as saying something nice.

For example:

• Telling a grocery teller you appreciate how speedy she is at her job, might just brighten up her day. 
• A word of thanks to the mailperson for delivering mail even in subzero weather will warm them up a little. 
• When you see a parent being patient with a toddler (or a teenager!) tell them you admire such good parenting. Better yet, if you witness an impatient parent (and if this action seems appropriate to the situation), try to sympathize with them and offer to lend a hand; it may defuse their anger and frustration.
• In this hard time of social isolation, give a call or send a letter to someone you think might be lonely.
• If you read an article or see a youtube video that moves you in some way, leave the author/creator a comment, give it a like or a clap, and/or share it with your friends and on social media sites. You'd be surprised how much that positive feedback to the author actually means.

If you are interested in other ideas of how to spread kindness, the Random Acts of Kindness website has a bunch.

Recently, news reports have contained a lot of anger, pain, and sadness. Goodness does still happen, though, and the following stories helped restore my faith in the goodness of humanity. They are worth taking the time to click and read them:

• Last week, Dr. Jill Biden installed messages of kindness on the White House lawn.

• When it snows, health care workers are shown how much they are valued, by the actions of a group of snow angels.

• Volunteers, (some without heat and power themselves) during record-breaking cold and power outages, rescued approximately 3,500 turtles in Texas from the cold.

Remember that while random acts of kindness are often done for strangers, we should also extend these kindnesses to our friends, family, pets, the environment, and ourselves.

Did you know that in addition to being an aviation pioneer, Ameila Earhart was also a writer? She had some wise things to say about kindness.

"No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves."   ~~Amelia Earhart

Have a wonderful, kind, and caring day. 

Please social distance, wear a mask, wash your hands, get vaccinated, stay healthy, and keep making the most -- of all your moments!

Happy Valentine's Day 2021

How can we celebrate Valentine's Day during a pandemic?

This card, showing a masked kitty with a facemask was sent to us by friends of ours and designed and printed by Ritzy Rose in Pickerington, OH.

February 14th is a day for showing sweethearts, friends, and family that we care. 

Are you at a loss for how to celebrate Valentine's day during this year of pandemic restrictions and fears?

Opportunities may seem limited right now, but it seems more important than ever to show others just how much we care. 

Here are a few last-minute ideas for you.

Happy American Thanksgiving

Let's make the most of all our moments

and be thankful

for every one of them!

Happy Thanksgiving from The Most - - of Every Moment

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A few years ago I wrote about how December always sneaks up on me. 

Still looking for a recipe for your Thanksgiving feast? In this post, I shared a complete menu of recipe ideas.

What are your tips for getting organized for the holidays?

Mayday, mayday. I can't believe it's already May 1st!

The title of this post is both an expression of joy and a cry of distress. I am so glad spring is here - but how can it be MAY already?

Okay, so I am not really sending out a distress signal. 

To truly use the established cry for help, I should have typed the words "mayday" three times instead of twice for this title. But, in the United States, it is apparently a punishable offense to falsely declare a "mayday" - and I'm not taking any chances!

May 1st and so much to do.

I went to bed late last night, and the sun was streaming in my window when I awoke. My first thought was a cheery one - "It's May Day - Yay!" Then I remembered. May is followed by June. Actually, I'm okay with it

Happy Earth Day Today and Arbor Day Next Friday!

Today is Earth Day and next Friday is Arbor Day (in the USA.)

The first Arbor Day was celebrated in April 1854 when J. Sterling Morton proposed a tree-planting holiday. The first Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970. Arbor Day (as stated on the Arbor Day website) "celebrates the role of trees in our lives and promotes tree planting and care." The focus of Earth Day is on the environment. These April holidays have their differences, but both are about helping our planet to be healthy and a better place.

If you go back to the post I wrote last year about Arbor Day, you can learn more about Arbor Day and take a quiz to determine which tree your personality most resembles! In that post, I mentioned a tiny pine tree

An Impressive Dessert Recipe: Easy Molten Chocolate Cakes

Have you ever needed a recipe for an impressive dessert? Did you consider baking Molten Chocolate Cakes, but decided they were too difficult? If so, I have the perfect easy recipe for you!

Mindy, a fictional character in a short story I have been writing, is the reason for my discovery of this recipe. In the most recent chapter, Mindy was preparing a Valentine's Day dinner for her boyfriend Ryan and hoping it would inspire him to offer her a marriage proposal. Due to unexpected circumstances Ryan may never