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Ronda Bowen

Ronda Bowen is a writer, editor, and independent scholar. She has a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Northern Illinois University and a B.A. in Philosophy, Pre-Graduate Option, Honors in the Major from California State University, Chico. When she is not working on client projects from her editorial consulting business, she is writing a novel. In her free time, she enjoys gourmet cooking, wine, martinis, copious amounts of coffee, reading, watching movies, sewing, crocheting, crafts, hanging out with her husband, and spending time with their teenage son and infant daughter.

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Food & Drink

New Clairvaux New Release Party

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 9, 20121 Comment on New Clairvaux New Release Party

  New Clairvaux Vineyard is a personal favorite. They always deliver when it comes to good, quality wine. They had a release party for their Aimée Old Vine Zinfandel and Napa Valley Primativo, and they allowed us to taste many of their quality wines. Here’s a rundown of our notes.   2011 St. James Viognier …

Food & Drink

Taste the Gold!

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 8, 20122 Comments on Taste the Gold!

  This week’s tasting at Creekside Cellars focused on Gold and Double Gold winners from the 2012 California State Fair. We tried all 10 wines this week, and there wasn’t one that we thought was bad out of the lot.   NV Korbel Brut Rosé, California ($14) – We’re not big champagne or sparkling wine drinkers, …

Food & Drink

Grey Fox New Release Party

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 7, 2012Leave a Comment on Grey Fox New Release Party

We were excited about the prospect of a new release wine-pairing dinner. We readied ourselves for an exciting wine experience when we received word that Grey Fox would be hosting a wine-pairing dinner. Traditionally, when I’ve heard the term wine pairing, I think of a dinner of several courses where each course is paired with …

Food & Drink

Five Classic Cocktails for the Young and Fabulous

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 6, 2012Leave a Comment on Five Classic Cocktails for the Young and Fabulous

  Wine is great, but sometimes you want to mix it up a bit. The return of the cocktails from days before – the Negroni, Sazarac, Manhattan  and even the Martini should be recognized. These are all timeless cocktails, but sometimes you want to mix it up. Here are a couple of drink recipes for those …

Food & Drink

Three Grocery Outlet Wines

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 5, 2012Leave a Comment on Three Grocery Outlet Wines

  Out of curiosity, Wining Husband and I decided to pick up three wines from Grocery Outlet recently. They were fine, not great, but not awful either, as many cheap wines can be. For those on a budget, we’d recommend any of these three.   2010 Les Deux Rives Corbières Blanc ($10) – This wine is …

Celebrations & Traditions

Labor Day

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 3, 2012Leave a Comment on Labor Day

  This labor day, why not look into supporting unions? Historically, unions have been there to protect the rights of those who are employed. They serve as a bargaining agency when there is a dispute between the laborers and the employers. Many companies are anti-union, and some even punish their employees for being members of …

Running

Running Gear – Finding Shoes

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 2, 2012Leave a Comment on Running Gear – Finding Shoes

  When running, it’s so important to have the proper gear. One of the best parts of starting up a running routine is that you need very little by way of equipment. That equipment, however, is very important. The shoes you run in can make or break your run. The wrong shoes can lead to …

Food & Drink

A Labor of Love Tasting

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025September 1, 2012Leave a Comment on A Labor of Love Tasting

  This week’s tasting at Creekside was called “A Labor of Love.” The wines at this tasting were all made by family-owned wineries, and the cheeses were provided by family-owned dairies and cheese-makers. We tried eight of the ten wines (We skipped the Frank Family Chardonnay only because we’ve had it before and quite enjoyed …

Causes & Community

Getting Involved

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025August 31, 2012Leave a Comment on Getting Involved

It is so important to be involved with community. There are so many different causes that one can take part in. One can get involved with helping victims of domestic violence, natural disaster relief, animal rights causes, etc. What’s really important is that you take the first steps and put yourself out there. That’s why …

Food & Drink

Wine Review: Sandeman Port

by Ronda Bowenupdated on October 10, 2025August 30, 2012Leave a Comment on Wine Review: Sandeman Port

  If you’ve ever watched the television show, Frasier, you may be aware of the wonderful after-dinner treat known as “Sherry.” Port is also quite a nice after-dinner treat. Lately, Wining Husband and myself have been sitting down to watch old TV shows on Netflix, and sipping on either Sherry, dessert wine, or port while …

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wellcaffeinatedmom

Mom of 5, homeschooling family, coffee fanatic, Girl Scouts troop leader, blogger, author, editor

Squirrel punch needle project pre-frogging... I no Squirrel punch needle project pre-frogging... I now wish I hadn't frogged it bc/ it doesn't look NEARLY as bad in the photo as my brain said it did yesterday. So yeah. First punch needle project ever. Trying to figure it out as I go. It said it was a "beginner" project buuuuuut....For more about my life this past week, check out my Sunday Brunch post. Up on the blog now, link in bio.
The Algorithm of Us by Anh Sphabmixay – Rom-Com / The Algorithm of Us by Anh Sphabmixay – Rom-Com / Women’s FictionAmazon: https://amzn.to/4dLIbkj@RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #TheAlgorithmofUs #AnhSphabmixay #Romance Maya Lin never wanted to become the headline.As the architect behind HeartSpark’s revolutionary dating algorithm, she built her career on one belief: love could be understood through data, patterns, and predictability. But after a viral breakup puts both her reputation and her company under public scrutiny, Maya finds herself forced into the spotlight she spent years avoiding.Enter Eli Torres — sharp-tongued podcast host, relentless skeptic, and one of HeartSpark’s loudest critics.When public backlash pushes them into an uneasy collaboration, their clashing beliefs ignite a tension neither of them can explain away. Maya trusts logic. Eli believes love is chaos. But the more time they spend challenging each other, the harder it becomes to ignore the connection growing between them.Now Maya must decide whether love is something that can truly be calculated… or something that has to be felt.
When I was asked if I would be interested in revie When I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing A Brighter Year's mini coloring books, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. On the surface, the coloring pages looked super simple and like something I would be bored with. However, I'm glad I agreed to check these cute coloring books out. Not only is their small size super-portable, but it makes for a…...Keep reading:https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2026/05/22/a-brighter-year-mini-coloring-boo/
Book Blitz: Welcome to the World of Not Giving a F Book Blitz: Welcome to the World of Not Giving a F*ck by Oliver TurnerNonfiction / Self-Help Publication Date: October 9, 2025 What happens when life strips away everything you thought defined you? In Welcome to the Wonderful World of Not Giving A F*ck, Oliver Turner delivers a bold, brutally honest, and deeply motivational guide to self-love, spirituality, resilience, and personal empowerment. This Amazon Bestselling book is a fresh and unapologetic take on personal growth for readers who are tired of living for everyone else's approval.... Finish reading on the Blog - Link in Bio.
The Best Brush for Kids Who Still Hate Getting The The Best Brush for Kids Who Still Hate Getting Their Hair Done (But at Least It’s Faster)My four-year-old hates having her hair brushed. I don't think we've ever had a session where she doesn't cry. This reality has me on a quest for any hair products or tools that can help me tame tangles with fewer tears. To make matters worse, she has thick, fine hair that tangles when she moves. Often (perhaps too often) our solution has been to throw it up in a messy bun and go....https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2026/02/26/denman-d95-wet-detangler-brush/@denmanbrush
Happy Halloween Happy Halloween
Theme Song: "Little Girl Gone" by CHINCHILLA1 Yest Theme Song: "Little Girl Gone" by CHINCHILLA1 Yesterday marked three of my dad's birthdays, when he wasn't here. Well, I mean, his body's here. It's in a tin-can-urn-thing on my bookshelf in my family room (don't get me started on how weird that is.) I already know it's weird. I don't know where to put him. I figured this way he gets a "view" of the grandkids he never really got to meet…...https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2025/10/11/its-been-two-years-three-birthdays-two-halloweens-two-thanksgivings-and-counting/
We’re celebrating the release of Shattered Compass We’re celebrating the release of Shattered Compass by Lenore Greiner - MemoirAmazon: https://amzn.to/4jIvEhr@RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #ShatteredCompass #LenoreGreiner #memoirHow does a young woman cope when she cannot speak the truth?When nineteen-year-old Lenore experiences sexual assault while studying abroad in Italy, her entire world shifts. Survival becomes the focus of her daily life, physical illness grabs control of her body, and no one can free her from her pain. A ghost of herself, she takes the path of denial, believing it’s the only way to protect her loved ones and herself from her harsh reality.On her journey toward peace, she assumes the expected roles of mother and wife, but a traumatic diagnosis puts her at a crossroads. She must start living the life she wants or roam her days as a victim in the chaos of fear. Lenore’s escape through travel allows her to reconcile the imprisonment she’s suffered over the years.However, when another family tragedy strikes, Lenore understands she must finally come to terms with the silence she’s kept. But what if one incident that happened decades ago is too destructive, too deep to be excavated? Will she be able to find herself in the rubble? Or will she be lost forever?
My birthday was not yesterday but the week before. My birthday was not yesterday but the week before. I got to go to lunch with one of my good friends, then my husband and kids took me to @halfpricebooks to pick out books and @loweshomeimprovement to pick out some plants. And then we headed off to dinner. This is one of the things I picked up from the bookstore. It looks pretty cool, lots of concrete actions to take for those who want to change things. Some of them are simple, some of them take more effort. Just thought I'd share.
Saw this super - cute bee on our walkway today, so Saw this super - cute bee on our walkway today, so I had to try out the new phone's Camera Zoom feature. Turned  out  pretty  cool. #samsung24ultra #bee
Today's guest post comes from Joaquin Miranda of B Today's guest post comes from Joaquin Miranda of Build & Renovate. As global awareness of sustainability and carbon footprint grows, it's crucial to build your home's surroundings to be resilient and low on energy consumption. Adopting energy-efficient landscaping practices is one legitimate way to do that. The residential sector accounts for approximately 20% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from fossil fuels used to heat, cool, and power such built environments. ...https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2024/07/19/implementing-energy-efficient-landscaping-design-in-2024/
I mentioned in my previous post about starting to I mentioned in my previous post about starting to clean when you're not sure where to begin that making the bed daily is super important to me. I wanted to talk a bit more about how making the bed helps me and why I feel it's an important part of my daily routine. It's a Reminder That There's No "Done" in Cleaning…...https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2024/07/09/why-i-think-making-the-bed-is-so-important/
Self Help, Spiritual Inspiration Date Published: 0 Self Help, Spiritual Inspiration Date Published: 06-12-2024 Truths beautifully expressed Toby Negus, author and illustrator of The heart knows what the mind cannot see, has created a collection of lyrical inspirational prose messages coupled with colorful and mesmerizing symbolic illustrations that speak to the soul. The author has continued his exploration of the most transformational psychospiritual concepts that lie deeply within all humans, bringing the…...https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2024/07/08/book-blitz-heart-soul-by-toby-negus/
When you're bored, it's easy to check out. We watc When you're bored, it's easy to check out. We watch movies or listen to podcasts while cleaning. We mindlessly scroll through social media while waiting for more exciting things to happen. But if we're not careful, we can scroll long enough that life starts passing us by. Even worse, we start to become bored with our normal lives and long for the lives we see depicted by those we follow on social media....https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2024/07/07/lifes-more-fun-when-youre-fully-present-for-it/
I hate to admit it, but after the events of last y I hate to admit it, but after the events of last year, my home became a bit of a depression nest. We've finally come out of it, but knowing where to start when everything needs to be cleaned can be overwhelming. Here's the trick I used to fool my brain into thinking we were playing a game. Before I get into my trick, I want to share some things that have helped reclaim our house from the clutches of messiness....https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2022/01/05/dont-know-how-to-get-started-cleaning-try-this-trick/
At the end of 2021, when I changed the name of thi At the end of 2021, when I changed the name of this blog from Wining Wife® to Well-Caffeinated Mom, I also put some other projects into retirement. I changed the name of this blog to reflect changing priorities (I still enjoy wine and spirits from time to time, but there are other things I want to write about) with the idea that I could swallow the other two blogs into this one....https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2024/07/04/bringing-back-two-of-my-blogs-just-a-secular-homeschooler-and-activism-my-way/
I don't know about you, but I've had friends and s I don't know about you, but I've had friends and strangers recently both make comments that have led to me feeling bad at first then getting angry second. When friends and loved ones (let alone strangers) share their big scary hair audacious plans with you, are you someone who cheers them on, or do you start up with all the ways things might go wrong -- or worse tell them outright that it's not possible?Here's a post about why we should keep our fears about what others are doing to ourselves. https://www.wellcaffeinatedmom.com/2024/07/03/stop-asking-people-to-tamp-themselves-down-for-your-comfort/#supportotherwomen #stoptearingeachotherdown #buildupothers
Laughing is Forever by Jason Stocks – Poetry Amaz Laughing is Forever by Jason Stocks – Poetry Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VKXdN3@RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #LaughingisForever #JasonStocks #PoetryLaughing is Forever is my second book. And while it’s gritty, rhythmic, dark and dangerous it’s also fun, quirky, and inquisitive. Topics range from growing up in the Deep South to questioning the mainstream narrative of how it all . . . came to be. I want people who don’t read much and who hate poetry (the largest demographic) to give this collection a chance and fall in love with books by reading something that they can relate to and/or be awed by. Laughing is Forever is a standalone book, a brand-new beast, but follows in the footsteps of Blameforest in the sense that it’s reinventing what poetry can be. And hopefully inspiring folks to take risks with their own work and stand out from the maddening crowd.
Do you like tea? You might want to give the teas f Do you like tea? You might want to give the teas from The Art of Tea @artofteala a try. Today, I will review their products on the blog. #artoftea #teatime #teasforpoetryteatime #poetryteatime
When your partner takes you to a plant nursery to When your partner takes you to a plant nursery to pick a plant out for your 12th anniversary and buys you two because you were having a hard time deciding, they are a keeper for sure.#plantsofinstagram #variegatedplants
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