Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

Season 3 Episode 3: Robbie Cheadle on Writing Children’s Books Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am travelling the distance of 15,174 kilometers that takes me over the Atlantic Ocean and across the equator to South Africa.  What usually takes 18 hours and 20 minutes by air travel, has been accomplished within minutes via technology. I am meeting up with Robbie Cheadle, a prolific writer whose books span the ages of children, young adults, and adults. In order to clearly separate her children’s books from her adult books, she writes for older readers under the name Roberta Eaton Cheadle. I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.  I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you for joining Robbie and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you to Robbie.  You can connect with Robbie on Robbie’s Inspiration.  There is always an adventure

Season 3 Episode 2: Klausbernd Vollmar on Beauty Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up once again with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art.   In our last podcast, we explored the influence of colour. Klausbernd has come back for another riveting conversation on the concept of ‘beauty’. This promises to be an extraordinary discussion. So, put the kettle on and add to your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia. Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council, he came to

S3 E1: Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia Season 3 Happy New Year 2021. Dear friends, welcome to the third season of Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast. Thank you for listening in and joining the conversation. I am deeply grateful and humbled by your support and encouragement over the past two years. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. As we walk together, let us think of the words of Rainer Maria Rilke, “And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” May peace, love and hope be your constant companions in 2021. Until next time we meet, be safe and be well.

Season 2 Episode 62: Aaron Launches Family Book Challenge 2021 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta to meet up with my nephew, Aaron, who has challenged our family to the Book Challenge 2021. As background, it all started in January 2020, when I received Aaron’s message challenging me to participate in a 2020 Family Challenge which was to read 25 books in the Year 2020. Incidentally, Aaron is a prodigious reader, much like his Aunt Sarah, who is well known to consume vast qualities of books, moving from genre to genre with a dexterity that leaves me breathless. Aaron has joined me to today to launch the Family Book Challenge 2021. I want to be the first to know his plans for the coming year and to have head start on my competitive siblings.  Of course, I do not have a competitive nature, but this is survival of the reading fittest. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. T

Season 2 Episode 61: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Clement Clarke Moore, born July 15, 1799 was a writer and American Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, Divinity and Biblical Learning at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in New York City.   Clement Moore had strong ties to the seminary for I understand that it was his generosity that led him to donate land, which was his private apple orchard, upon which the seminary was built.  The Seminary remains on the same parcel of land, which is located at Ninth Avenue between 20th and 21st streets, in an area known as Chelsea Square Clement Moore became a wealthy man through the ownership of the estate “Chelsea,” an inheritance he received from the passing of his mother and grandfather.   Fast forward to present day, the “Chelsea” area is located on

Season 2 Episode 60: Brian on Music & Celebration Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta. Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation on embracing a greater journey.  In our last two podcasts together, we discussed the stages of life, from childhood to old age and then the idea of FOMO or fear of missing out. As we enter December, the month of festivities, many of us will not be going home for Christmas in the usual way.  We will be joining family and friends through virtual channels to celebrate and connect. Today, Brian and I will be discussing the relationship between music and celebration.   Music has always been integral to memorable events. When we remember important moments in our life, we remember music.   On wedding anniversaries, couples may recall the first song that brought them together.  At graduation, music of pomp and ceremony play as graduates cross the

Season 2 Episode 59: Hanne Siebers on the Art of Photography Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading to Blakeney National Nature Reserve on the north coast of Norfolk, England, to meet up with my dear blogger friend and photographer, Hanne Siebers.  I have been looking forward to once again witnessing the uninterrupted views of the spectacular North Norfolk coastline, feeling the wind coming across the water and breathing in that unforgettable clear air. This is your invitation to join Hanne and me in an extraordinary conversation on how photography increases self-understanding of our environment, nature, other people and society. Over the years, Hanne has taught me that photography embraces a creative journey that gives meaning and purpose. So, put the kettle on add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia Thank you for joining Hanne and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Hanne, for sharing your insights on photogra

Season 2 Episode 58: Elizabeth Gauffreau Reading Telling Sonny “I am drawn to the inner lives of other people – what they care about, what they most desire, what causes them pain, what brings them joy. These inner lives become my characters.  I am here to share their stories.”  Elizabeth Gauffreau, Writer, Poet, Storyteller Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. 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 introduced  bumps in the storyline. Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed.  We are learning to embrace technology in new ways.  Welcome to a new podcast series,  “Authors Reading their Books

Season 2 Episode 57: Dave Astor on Comics, Cartoons & Confessions “Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, ‘Where have I gone wrong’. Then a voice says to me, ‘This is going to take more than one night.”  Charles Schulz Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Dave Astor and I are once again  bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver. Listeners, you will remember that Dave Astor’s book, Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels” was one of my first 2020 reads! It was a marvelous collection of delicious literary trivia. And you know how I love trivia!! Today, Dave has come back to talk about comics, cartoons, confessions, and his first book, “Comic (And Column) Confessional,” which covers an extraordinary period in media history that witnessed the advent of the digital revolution, media mergers, and the shrinking newspaper business that changed journalism forever. This conversation came about when I read Dave’s post on Octob

S2 E56: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene Reading Hullaba LuLu Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Bookstores, libraries, and coffee shops are great places for book readings. There is something special 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. Living in the reality of Covid-19, book readings at public libraries and bookstores have been curtailed.  We are learning to embrace technology in new ways. I am thrilled to introduce Teagan Geneviene, who will be our guest author reading her freshly published book, Hullaba Lulu – a Diesel-punk Adventure. We are embarking on a wild and woolly 1920's fantasy story. I am looking forward to meeting Lulu and tagging along on her adventure. But first put the kettle on and join the conversation  on Tea Toast &

Season 2 Episode 55: Resa McConaghy on Glamour, Fantasy and Art “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named Virginia who lived in the Empire D’Amore. Unfortunately, she was very poor, a seamstress for the wealthy merchants of the kingdom. One day, the Emperor D’Amore demanded that his son, Prince Will, marry. He decreed a holiday with a royal procession throughout the empire.” Resa McConaghy, Empress D’Amore – A Cheeky Fairytale Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over the Rocky Mountains across the Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to the vibrant city of Toronto, Ontario to meet up with Resa McConaghy, a dear blogger friend, artist, photographer, and established costume designer in film, television, and digital media.  Resa has worked her costume designer magic on productions for Showtime, ABC, Disney, CBS, CBC, Hallmark, and more.   She brings out personalities with her costume designs and adds dramatic moods to each

Season 2 Episode 54: Paul Andruss on Myths, Travel, Language & Writing Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am heading across the ocean to Wales, that beautiful country full of magic, mystery, music, and great writers. I am excited to introduce one of those great writers – Paul Andruss. He was born and reared in Liverpool. The city’s legendary Scouse wit and dogged stoicism has left its mark. Keen to get out into the world, Paul dropped out of college at 17. A year later he was taking exams at night school, while working in the local Tax Office.  Today, we are going to talk about Paul’s love of writing. Paul is the author of the Young Adult magical realism trilogy, the Jack Hughes Books, and the forthcoming (very adult) Finn Mac Cool – a mythological saga. He has also written several short stories and novellas. Listeners, thank you for sharing this moment with Paul and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. I invite your to meet up with Paul on Goodreads and on his website, Jack Hughe

Season 2 Episode 53: Sisters Unscripted on The Book Dialogue Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Much to the chagrin of my father, over 500 Harlequin romances were delivered to our doorstep in the early 1970’s, a gift from an uncle who owned a bookstore and had a delicious sense of humour. My sister, Sarah, and I were delighted by the stack of 1950’s and 1960’s romances with such names, if I remember correctly, as “A Promise is for Keeping,”  and “A Song to be Sung”.  Soon the marathon was underway, even as my father tempted us with non-fiction books strategically placed around our home. Sarah has always been a voracious reader, moving from genre to genre with a dexterity that leaves me breathless. While I followed my father’s footsteps into non-fiction, she embraced fiction from sci-fi to fantasy to historical to romance. And then quite suddenly, the trajectory of our reading changed. I have rediscovered the marvelous world of fiction and Sarah has made a pivotal foray in

Season 2 Episode 52: Martha’s Story 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. Manitoba Canada. That was my home growing up. If you look at a map of Canada, Manitoba is the in the centre of the country with its provincial neighbours, Saskatchewan to the west, Ontario to the East, and to the north, the territory of Nunavut. To the South, we share the US/Canadian Border with North Dakota and Minnesota. You may know of some others who came from Manitoba. Neil Young, Burton Cummings/The Guess Who, Randy Bachman/Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bif Naked and Fred Penner. In fact, Tom Cochrane lived for a time in my hometown of Lynn Lake. From literary authur, Carol Shields, to WWII spymaster Sir William Stephenson who was the inspiration for James Bond, to Bobby Hull of the Winnipeg Jets, to the character of Winnie-the Pooh who was named after Manitoba’s capital city Winnipeg – Manitoba is a place of many stories. T

Season 2 Episode 51: The Trio on Dunbar’s Number Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada.  What better time than today to discussion the idea of friendship? I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to consider Dunbar’s number, which is a theoretical limit to the number of people with whom any individual can sustain a stable or meaningful social relationship.  This term was first proposed in the 1990’s by Robin Dunbar, a British anthropologist and psychologist.  The number that is suggested is 150 people. Does Dunbar’s number signify friendship?  How do we define friendship?  Is friendship the same as a stable or meaningful social relationship? We invite you to put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

S 2 E50: Klausbernd Vollmar on Colours of Life "Every colour has its personality and a different impact on us. Colour sends out a vibration like every person does. This vibration interferes with that of its onlooker. That’s why we like certain colours and dislike others even if this is mostly unconsciously.." Klausbernd Vollmar, Scientific Psychologist, Author Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to  Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art. Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by th

Season 2 Episode 49: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene on Writing Steampunk Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. just finished reading a riveting tale of an old lost Valentine and the shenanigans that ensue when it turns up. The intrepid, Fiona Finch, and her brother Steele – along with a helping “wing” from Quellie the duck, work to bring two long ago sweethearts back together.  This story is a Steampunk Novelette. Steampunk is a new word for me and the first time I have encountered Steampunk literature.  I want to know more about this form of writing Today, I am connecting across the miles to meet up with my blogger friend, Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene, the writer who gave us ,“Fiona Finch and the Pink Valentine: A Steampunk Novelette.” Be prepared for an exciting adventure – Teagan is taking us back into time. But first put the kettle on and add your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you fo

Season 2 Episode 48: Mary Jo Malo on a Poet’s Calling A word has power Whether mined by demagogues for control or carved into stone for memorial It can carry us into exile From ourselves From our homes A word can steel the heart or build an edifice of faith in the future It sifts or unites and defines Yet destroy the word You steal time. Mary Jo Malo, Stele 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.  There are times when it is impossible to connect across the miles via technology.  Today, Mary Jo Malo and I are establishing a new dynamic in podcasting in the form of letter writing, which many consider a lost art.  And yet, Mary Jo and I believe that letter writing has not been forgotten. Thank you dear listeners,  for joining Mary Jo and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Mary Jo.  I invite you to meet up with Mary Jo on her blog, This Shin

Season 2 Episode 47: Tides of Change with Joan Dunnett It is May 1704, and we are at sea just off the east coast of Scotland…. “James Lightfoot didn’t want to be put ashore at Figgate Whins. It was a dangerous place. He might be robbed of his remaining few possessions. He waited on the deck of the merchantman while the crew loaded bundles onto the boat: probably luxury goods to be smuggled into England. The ship’s legitimate cargo was bound for Leith.” Joan Dunnett, Tides of Change. Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Pirates, spies, danger, and Scotland are all found in my current read, “Tides of Change.” You will be happy to know that I am heading over to Edinburgh, Scotland today to meet up with Joan Dunnett, the author of “Tides of Change.”  We are going back in time, so take a warm coat and be prepared for an extraordinary journey.  But first, put the kettle on and add to the conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward

Season 2 Episode 46: The Trio on Milestones Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to share our thoughts on milestones.  What are they?  When to they occur?  How do we remember and celebrate these pivotal moments? So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. “Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” Nelson Mandela