Monday Hops

Today is the A-Z Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal. I already blabbed about that though so you know I am crocheting an item for each day- it will be a cat toy or a cat hat. At the end of the month, I will have a giveaway with 2 winners splitting the loot like last year.

We are joining Hi everyone! We are joining Comedy Plus’ Awww…Mondays, McGuffy’s Reader’s Sparks and Mewsic Moves Me ( hosted by Curious as a Cathy, Xmas Dolly, JAmerican Spice and Stacy Uncorked.) I am also joining Book Date’s It’s Monday! What Are YOU Reading?

My Spark today is to pay tribute to Stephen Hawking with a quote of his. ” However different life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.”

This week was your choice on the Mewsic so I decided to pick some Bryan Adams songs. When my niece got married 4 years ago, she told the dj no Bryan Adams songs even if guests requested them. I was surprised she disliked him so much, well, I like him so here are my choices-

  1. Summer of 69 ( 1984), because that is when I was born-

2. The Best Was Yet to Come ( 1983)- This was my junior prom theme song

3. Heaven (1984)- I just like the song.

My book recommendation is one I just finished reading,

Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery.

Emma Gatewood was from a family of 15 children and had 11 of her own. She had been abused by her husband for 30 years. When she was 67 she decided to walk The Appalachian Trail alone, it was 1957. She wore Keds sneakers ( and replaced them a few times along the way), she didn’t even have a tent or sleeping bag. She completed it 2 more times after that too. What an inspiration.

Have you seen Joanie’s latest guest appearance on The Codmother?

96 comments

  1. Ellen,

    Definitely, just because life isn’t what you expected it to be you can find ways to rise above it all. There’s success in all of our lives if we just look for it. Great ‘SPARKS” quote.

    All I can say is your niece no doubt got dropped on her head when she was little and that’s why she doesn’t like Bryan Adams. lol WOW, you shared some excellent hits of his with the 4M gang this morning and I’m lovin’ it!

    I appreciate you visiting my THEME REVEAL post yesterday and I was pretty sure I knew what yours would be, too. Looks like I was right. 🙂 I can’t see all the kitty toys you come up with this year in the A2Z Challenge. Your cats are excellent models or so they seem. Do you give them pay-offs of catnip? Just wondering because they sure seem calm for the photo shoots. 😀

    Thanks for boogieing with the 4M crew & have a sparkletastic week!

  2. That is so amazing, that woman walking the trail with no tent etc. Bet she can tell some great stories. I am going to get that book. Great music. You all have a super day.

  3. Love your Hawking quote – such a wise and amazing man with thoughts worth sharing for sure. You sure have a busy as a bee Monday today!

    Love, Pam and Teddy too

  4. A knitting theme! Should be fun.

    Good choices for songs! Bryan Adams is one of those guys where I didn’t like him enough to buy his albums but liked the songs I heard on the radio.

  5. A nice tribute to Stephen Hawking; such an incredible man! The world has lost one of the best ones. Great choice with Bryan Adams. I am a huge fan of his music!

  6. Summer of 1969 I had graduated high school… you were born then. You are a young gal! Love the tune Summer of ’69. Heaven… Yes! I must have liked Bryan Adams and still do because I like all three of the songs you picked. Will check our Joanie at the Codmother! No easy thing, the A to Z Challenge… wishing you good luck! Good Morning!

    1. Thank you for making me feel young 🙂 I have an old soul, my hubby is 16 years my senior and we get along great.
      Thank you for checking out Joanie 🙂 XO

  7. Love Bryan Adams. Love all three of these songs. Excellent.

    Love your Spark. Everyone can do something very well. That’s a good thing.

    Love the kitty. Awww.

    Have a fabulous day and a purrfect Awww Monday. ♥

  8. I am already falling short when it comes to the A to Z Challenge. I didn’t remember that today was theme reveal day. Woops! I’ll have to reveal my theme this week. I can’t wait to see your crocheted creations!

    Just reading your review of Emma Gatewood’s story has me completely inspired by her. What an amazing woman. And we’re so excited you’re part of The Codmother, Joanie! Happy Monday!

    1. No worries, you will get it done 🙂 I look forward to your posts. Joanie thanks you. XO

  9. That’s a wonderful Spark you’ve chosen to share from Stephen Hawking. There IS always something we can do, we’ve all been given a gift to bring to the world, even if it seems from our perspective to be insignificant or small. One kind word, one smile shared, one tiny gift given, might be lifesaving for someone else! Think of all the joy your little crocheted kitty toys have generated! <3

    I have heard about Emma Gatewood but I haven't read this book, and now you have me really wanting to do so… thank you for sharing! Have a blessed week ahead, Ellen! <3

  10. Wonderful share! Excited to see your crocheted toys! Always so much fun to visit everyone and say hello. HAve a great week! Thanks for sharing.

  11. guyz…..we hope momz niece iz knot reedin thiz post two day !!!!!! 🙂 ♥♥ her mite knot let de “great one” vizit ever again !!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 ♥♥♥

    984 pawz up ta mom for takin on de challenge again thiz yeer !!

  12. I believe the first time I heard one of Bryan Adams tunes is when I joined my husband’s band back in the 90’s. I played keys, we fell in love & the rest is history. ~hehehe~ I love the first & last song… the last tune for sure. We played both tunes in the band believe it or not. Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve heard these. Thanks for sharing… YOU ROCK!

  13. I like Run to You myself!! But I liked your picks!! That is so cool what you’re doing with the A-Z Challenge (which I am signed up for)!!

  14. That was a great quote from Stephen Hawking. He was an inspiration and a truly brilliant individual with a great sense of humor. He will be missed. That book sounds totally interesting as does the lady who wrote it. XOCK, angel Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy and Sawyer

  15. Joannie is an amazing actress on The Codd Mother. I have to agree with your neice re: Bryan Adams but I have weirder tastes in music.

  16. I didn’t listen to rock during the height of Bryan Adams popularity. I guess I was in a country western phase then. But I’ve heard his music and like it. I’m surprised anyone would really dislike it enough to ban it. But maybe she was in a different phase then. 😉

  17. I love Bryan Adams! Thanks for sharing him with the 4M’s.
    Wow, your theme for A-Z will be work but oh, so, fun! I will be checking that out.

    I am doing A-Z too.

  18. Love that Stephen Hawking quote guys, utterly brilliant and we can’t wait to see all your fab crochet toys and hats – btw the orange pumpkin mew sent is still going strong! MOL

    Bryan Adams is pawesome, the P.A. was only listening to some of his stuff the other day!

    Bestest purrs

    Basil & Co xox

  19. 1969 was a looooonnnnnggggg time ago! LOL, I’m even older, so don’t mind me! Am reading “The Lion In The Living Room” and will post about it when I’m done!

  20. Wee DID see Joanie starrin inn “Thee CodFather” an wee were impressed!
    Shee did grate!
    That book you red soundss amazin….
    LadyMum iss stickin to her missteriess. Wee now reedin “A Dedicated Man” by Peter Robinson of UK. It iss one of thee “Inspector Bankss’ seereess. Wee just over half way thru it an wee can not figure out who killed thee nice Purrfessor at all….ususally mee can figure thee misstery out butt this time iss not easy! Mew mew mew…..
    ***nose rubsss*** Siddhartha Henry xXx

    1. That means it is a good book if you can’t figure it out. 🙂 Sammy is in the Codmother this week. XO

      1. Mee-you Aunty Ellen mee figured out it was thee man’ss wife butt mee did not know shee had a younger boyfurend who helped her…it was a twisty endin! Even LadyMum was sirprized!

  21. Hey Ellen,
    I love Bryan Adams! His Cuts Like a Knife and Reckless albums were the backdrop for my last two years of college and every time i hear songs from either of those albums, I’m transported right back there to YSU (Youngstown State University) in Ohio.
    I think my ultimate favorite Bryan Adams song is “She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin” — which fit me perfectly back then!

    And I gotta say: I’m dyin’ to know why your niece was so adamant about “No Bryan Adams songs, even if guests request them” at her wedding. You gotta find out for me. I’ll be on pins and needles until I know why she hates him so much! 🙂

    Thanks for bringing some Bryan Adams into my week…

    Michele at Angels Bark

  22. Grandma Gatewood sounds like an amazingly inspirational woman. Bryan Adams is one of my favorite artists so thanks for including those mewsic videos…Summer of 69 being my favorite. I’d love to get into an ABC blogging challenge again, but my life is entirely too unpredictable right now! Maybe someday……. 🙂

  23. I LOVE Bryan Adams! I saw him in concert way back in the 80’s, and then again just a couple years ago locally, with my girlfriends. It was so much fun….and he was still great all these years later!

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