Wednesday Hodge Podge

                       Hosted by Joyce!

1. It's been said the best things in life are free...are they? What are some of those things?  The Word of God,  Friends,  clean water,    bird song,  cloud formations,  ocean waves and breezes,    to name a few.

2. Stars or stripes?   I like them both on Old Glory! Red, white, or blue?   I usually use  blue and white  decor in my home with  touches of red this time of year! Apple pie or home made ice cream?   Oh, let's  put them together for  a  dandy  dessert!  Do you like hotdogs?   Better than hamburgers!!!If so, what do you like on yours?   I like a bit of mayo and a bit of mustard,  and  I love a bit of pickle relish , too, if there is no  yummy chili!

3. One thing on your summer bucket list? Any plans to make it happen soon? 

To see our precious girls,,  they a re coming in mid August. That is  really  all we  have planned!

4. What's your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one.   Countdown to autumn..  Summer is not my favorite  season!  It used to be when I was teaching,  but ,  now I  despise hot weather!

5. What's something you love about America? I was a 4th grade  teacher who taught Virginia history.  I  love and actually revere our history and it  truly saddens me to see  liberals  denigrate it,  erase it and  redefine us as a nation. We  should  learn from the mistakes we have made in the past so we do not make them again.  But  this redefinition of  who the liberals  want us to be is    so anti American    and  ungodly,  I  cringe  with every report.

If you live outside of America, tell us something you love about the place you call home. N/A

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It was so terribly hot out today, but hubs and I drove out to Sam's and purchased two  rotisserie chickens, which are cooling on the counter here in the kitchen.  Soon I am  going to strip off the  delicious meat and  make my delectable chicken salad recipe  to take to church tomorrow    as we are having a Mission  project and luncheon.  I  have,  also, purchased  small croissants  and or,  bibb lettuce leaves  for the ladies  to use  as a wrap if they decline bread. It seems more and more folks are  intolerant of bread.  Other  mission committee ladies are  bringing  light salads, and one is bringing a chocolate chip bundt cake.   It should be a lovely time of fellowship. Then  we are  taking the many itmes  each woman is bringing,  sharing them out on the table and  then hopefully filling  24 bags  for the children of La Plancha, Honduras.  Extra items not used will  go to  a missionary  whom, herself is filling  25 bags, so we hope to have plenty left over for her!  We have  scads of school supplies, toys,  toiletries, flip flops, ,  a soccer ball and pump for each bag, and a childrens' Bible written in Spanish for each  family.  I truly pray this event will be a huge success!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce!

1. What are some memories you associate with spring? I remember  rain storms  that would kick up suddenly  beginning in spring and  continuing through summer..  I loved to lie on my bed near an open window and enjoy the pitter patter and even the  fiercer storms...  The smell of the  air after the rain always  brings back those  wonderful memeories of being at home..  I suppose being any only child,  I experienced a rather quiet childhood and little  adventures like the rain and thunderstorms  were  so very memorable.. I remember  letting my imagination  run rampant as I lie there  imagining all kinds of    places,,  jungles,   mountain vistas,   desert islands...    just  wondrous memeories! 

2. April showers bring May flowers...was that saying proven true where you live? Snapdragons, anemones, carnations, lilacs, sweet peas, tulips, lily of the valley, orchids, roses, gardenias...which one on that list is your favorite May bloom? I think I have to add my very favorite one that wasn't mentioned!!!

                         I have always loved Sweet William!

3. What are your top three distractions and how do you deal with them? 

Wow, as  a child  there were so many it is hard to pick jsut one... I truly did live in my imagination as a child. I  still am  a  great day dreamer...  and I really do not remember the catalyst.   except,   like  when I was at my grand mother's farm,  the  "fox fire”  I think that is what it was called,, used to  drift  on  the air across an early evening meadow...   I believe it was  an  effervescent   gas that would  seep out of the ground and  carried  a  light of its own for a space... now that could conjure up  a mystical day dream of far away kingdoms and  fairylands.. I remember sitting on  the porch with my   family watching for it to  waft in  from the  woodland acrossd the meadow. If anyone can remember a name for it  it escapes me...   Secondly, again in the country  I could    dream I was  a bird  soaring across the sky looking down across the vales,,  and in my  imaginings I  would  espy  the  landmarks I knew that were there,  but imagine how it looked from above!  Thirdly,  I can lie awake  at night, even now, and  hear all manner of sounds  that were unintelligible,   but I  would  have to label them all..   And  often  I wasn't to  brave about  what I had imagined!  Imaginings are not always friendly!

4. Do you eat beef? In the course of a week, how often is beef on the menu? A hamburger, steak, prime rib, or a roast beef dinner...which beef entree would you choose and yes you have to choose. Unless you're a vegan, and then you may pass. We opted  to dine  Sunday after church at  Texas Road because I was  hungry for their delicious Sirloin dinner..  I enjoy beef  a couple times of month.   We  mostly  eat chicken and pork, the other white meat!

5. In what way were you creative during the month of April?I did some water color painting,  spring deocrating, and I do enjoy the on-line  game of  redorating  spaces with given materials..

6. Insert your own random thought here. I am so looking forward  to  receiving our  Amazon order  whcih is supposedly arriving tomorrow.  I have ordered  my  very own set of Boom cosmetics!

I mean I usually put my makeup on in the car on the way  out  .. I believe this will really be easy and  work so much better!!!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

        Hosted by Joyce!

1. Is March coming in like a lion where you live? Aslan, Simba, Elsa, The Cowardly Lion...your favorite 'famous' lion? Of course, my favorite lion is Aslan... I  absolutely love the tales of Narnia!Our son-in-law is reading it to our granddaughters  and are  into the Dawn Treader now.  He has to stop regularly and give  some    explanation   to those 5 and 7 year olds but the girls are  loving it and it brings up a lot of  in depth  serious questions  about life to them...I hink  our March is coming in like Aslan  with a roar of wind... all up and down the east  coast.  "R:::O:::A:::R!!!"  

2. In what way do you 'march to the beat of your own drum'? I have pretty strong opinions in my  old age...  I do not think Im known for being the least bit wishy-washy in my outlook  and sometimes I know I have to rein myself in...    That is the drum, I suppose, I march to..   In that I am much like my mother, and  as a teen, I  had a very decided  dislike for the trait!

3. What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own? Any chance of that happening soon? I have been wanting  a recumbent bike ever since I stopped my knee  therapy last spring. Covid had stopped the manufacturing of them.. I  want a Schwinn ... and they are   becoming available now.  It is  now  sort of low on the list but I do need one for my knees!

4. March is National Flour Month...are you a baker? Cookies-cakes-or pies...your favorite sweet treat to bake? What's the last non-sweet thing you made that called for flour?  I do have a sweet tooth for baked goods.  I love to make scones,  and cookies  best..  I am not a pastry  chef at all.   I  love to make  quiches of various kinds.

5. There are 31 days in the month of March...where were you and what were you doing when you were 31? If you haven't hit that milestone yet, then tell us where you were and what you were doing 31 months ago? (if math is not your thing, that would be August 3, 2018)

At age 31 I had been teaching  third grade for 8 years.  I was becoming anxious to  start a family, but  we knew we would have to adopt, so ou r application was in for a  local adoption, The  time frame was becoming so long  we  were  checking out other options.  When I was 32  we  made the decision to go for foreign adoption  from Korea!  15 months later  we were parents.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This will be our view  in a few weeks.. I am really looking forward to  getting there~~  BtW! I got my covid shot today  #1.  

Wednesday Hodge Podge

 

Hosted by Joyce!

1. What's something about Christmas that most people like, but you don't? Elaborate. 

More and more it is about the excessive  spending on gifts..  Oh, we  got into  it  and  bought and bought until it took all afternoon to unwrap and we loved it... but  surely, we also missed the true glory of the day.  This Christmas has brought that home to me in a very real way..  We definitely have had more time to focus on the reason for the season!

2. Tell us about one cherished tradition from your childhood and if you'll make it happen this year? 

That is  exactly the word.. or phrase... "make it happen" ! That has been    a real downer for me because I have come to realize you can never recreate the same   excitement, joy, feeling,  of a great Christmas past.. Believe me, Ive tried..Oh, I have  enjoyed many awesome  Christmases in my younger days  but each one was special in its own way...like the one where  mom had bought a craft  tree skirt and we all gathered around the table to paint  the  sleigh ride scene.. it took all of our time  in the days leading up to Christmas   but it was so much fun... all of  us working on a common goal  full of delight and  Christmas cookies!  Or the Christmas  where   we didn't think anyone much was coming   up to grandmas because  of the snow:   for me,  I got  there before the snow and it  was absolutely beautiful... But suddenly  there was my Aunt from NC.  and her 5 kids  with  sleds and toboggans  and we  sleigh rode  down through the meadow beside the house all evening  .. lit  but the  full moon and  a huge bon fire.  It was glorious!   Out came steaming  cups of cocoa and   dry  mittens.  Try as I might there was no way to recreate the same tone of a Christmas like that...    the people,   the  climate,  the   food..  too special to be recreated...  Just  try as we may to make each  Christmas memorable in its own way!

3. In 1941 FDR declared December 15th Bill of Rights Day. Citizens were encouraged to fly the flag and gather for prayers and other ceremonies as appropriate. Did you know this? Will you fly a flag? Can you name all the rights and protections guaranteed in the first ten amendments of the US Constitution? Of the ten, which two do you value most? If you need a list you'll find one here. 

I've been retired  from teaching  now  for 18 years  and I used to  go over the ten rights  but  can't remember them all, but  like  our host, Joyce, my favorite would have to be freedom of religion   ( not freedom from religion  like many of  like it to say)  and  freedom of speech    both of these have become hot topics in our  democratic form of government... 

I agree with Joyce,  that    these and our press  have been or are being diminished in a shocking way...   a matter for huge intercession!!

4. Do you know someone named Bill? Tell us something about him? Is there a famous 'Bill' you'd like to meet? 

I  have several Bills who are near and dear to my heart  both in my family and  out..    the most famous Bill I know of  is probably  Bill Clinton, not that I would say   I particularly liked him, but I did see him in person when our daughter sang at the lighting of the White House Christmas tree  when she was 10!

 

5. A step in the right direction, on the right track, bragging rights, be in the right place at the right time, get off on the right foot, right as rain, right side up, give your right arm for, have one's heart in the right place...choose a 'right' that applies to your life in some way in recent days and tell us how it's so.

  

I would have to say  it would be bragging rights... with granddaughters like mine, I can't help myself.  To say anything about them sounds like bragging!

  This first grader  got her first  French spelling  test back with an A+ /100

Another beauty, a preschooler,  an almost 5 year old,  got to celebrate at school today ,   her December birthday....   She is the teacher's right hand helper  after school every day! 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I cannot believe that we just had our last prayer zoom meeting of the year 2020  this evening.. So  good to see    the year  come to a close.. now only if I had  the will to hope that 2021 will be any better!   I pray so!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce! 

     

1. It's Mickey Mouse's birthday (November 18)...happy birthday Mickey! He reads here, right? Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?

Hubs and I were among the very first visitors of  Disney World.. We went there in spring of 1972  on our honeymoon very soon after it opened.  My senses were  completely  over charged. I couldnt imagine how wonderful it was.  We were both like  kids  enjoying the wonders of the park!  We went back when Amanda was   a houngster  and  it was still jsut as magical.. Then    for    Amanda's  fiance's  graduation  from gradschool  present we all flew down to go to Epcot..  I loved it best of all. I loved the different countries represented!!!

2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more churchmouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse? 

Well,my Secret Place to  go to the Lord is a special chair  in the living room..  I do  my best praying and study in that spot..  I mostly go there  when I'm home alone.. I  really  need quiet  to  really  dig in!!!  defintely a  churchmouse!

3. The day before Mickey's birthday happens to be National Homemade Bread Day. Did/will you celebrate? Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread? NO, I won't celebrate Homemade Bread Day.  I am not a loaf bread maker,  but I make  wonderful homemade biscuits and scones! My favorte bread is sour dough. I   do make soda bread, but  I  am not good with yeast!

4. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'? I guess Id have to say the Apple ipad..  I certainly use it enough!  I  use it for facetime and zoom!  Facetime is almost as good as a real visit..  except I miss those hugs and kisses!!

 

5. Let's keep the gratitude theme we started last week rolling on through November. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T. Gotta keep us thinking, right? 

Timely answers to prayer

Tasty sweet breads  and desserts

Thanksgiving get togethers

Tearful hellos  when we  see  each other after a long quarantine!

Teal evening skies as the stars come out

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today is the day I took down  the autumn decor and started    organizing the Christmas... We can do it because my Thanksgiving    will be just the two of us, after all.  So  why not!?!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce!

1. What's one part of your everyday routine you'd be better off without? 

I always go to Facebook to  check up on  my family..  we are so spread out and  I devour every bit of news they have to share,  but  along the way I always get caught up in a post that leaves me  in a  state of  something,  I'd say, is not from above!

2. October 5th is/was National Do Something Nice Day. So what did you/will you do? I realized next Sunday is Pastor Appreciation Day so I  wrote a nice email to send out to our church members  to gently remind them of all the wonderful things our pastor has done during this covid season!

3. What question do you hate to answer? Besides how much do you weigh,  it would things of a political nature!

4. Do we have control over technology or does it have control over us. In that same vein, have you watched The Social Dilemma (available on Netflix) and if so what did you think? 

My friends, too, have recommended this towatch.  I could tell from their description it was probably something that would take a toll on me at this time...  I am pretty savvy on  things  and  I have enough  concerns about my grand children    and  what could happen to them..  I think I'll talk hubs into watching it! 

5. What are three small things that make your day better? That first cup of coffee, a free block on the calendar,  and  a  spring/ fall breeze wafting through the house!

6. Insert your own random thought here.Today is the day I designate to  redo the dining room for October/November.  I get a real charge in my spirit at the prospect!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce!

1. The Hodgepodge lands on the second day of a brand new month. Tell us one thing you're looking forward to in September.

As I have written before,  September means  autumn,  and cooler weather... ahhhh!   I can't wait!   But towards the end of the month  our precious granddaughter has  her birthday... I will be wishing  we could be there, but alas, it just isnt possible!  Daggone, this ole co-vid!

2. Do you enjoy browsing second-hand shops? Last thing you bought or 'inherited' second hand?

I do enjoy them very much.  I love finding treasures that accent my Olde English decor. I have found several things, such as some exquisite wrought pieces, and a fabulous painting of St. George slaying the dragon!  As well as, the various colors of transferware  I collect.

3. Something you had second thoughts about after committing to, purchasing, or posting/commenting  online?   Joyce mentioned volunteering  as  one of her  second thoughts. Oh, my when I was  younger I used to be called by the Heart Assoc, The Cancer Society, and The  Diabetes Network  all asking me to canvass and collect for my neighborhood.  I  was too embarassed to consider  not saying yes.  But I was even more embarassed to  go up to my neighbors  begging for money  about every month.. in the  fall or  whenever it was.. I did this for a couple of years and  the second thoughts finally got to me and I just failed to answer the phone,  ever, back then we didnt have caller ID. HUbs knew better than to  call me to one of their calls.  Then they started to just send me the packet and  I  not very nicely threw it in the trash..  they finally got the picture!

4. What's a product or service you use that you'd rate as second to none?
My husband loves  Spray Nine!

Spray Nine All-Purpose Cleaner and Disinfectant

Just one bottle of Spray Nine All-Purpose Cleaner and Disinfectant does the job of several products for all of your household, automotive and professional office or restaurant janitorial cleaning needs. One product cleans and sanitizes all surfaces and does it all! Spray Nine’s professional strength formula has been trusted for over 50 years because it tackles the toughest tasks with less scrubbing. 100% VOC compliant means you can replace the old heavy solvent degreasers with this eco-friendly option. Although it is VOC compliant, it is strong enough to control mold and mildew and destroy bacterial odors.This hospital grade disinfectant kills HIV-1, influenza A2 and other viruses in 30 seconds. It also eliminates Salmonella choleraesuis, E coli. Also Staphylococcus aureus, and other germs in 45 seconds.

5. Something you do so often or that comes so naturally to you it's second nature ?
Again, I must agree with my host, Joyce,  meals  are  so second nature I can get them on the table and not remember cooking them!  Especially  stir fry.. one of our favorites!  
There again,  once a person attains the life experience of 70 years,  you just learn to trust the Lord in all things..  You can go through  all kinds of calamities and hardship,  and you just trust God will either    take you through it,  take you around it, or bring you home..  I can live life happily knowing that!

6. Insert your own random thought here.Life is so    fun..  I mean, even in  odd circumstances,  fun things happens.  Take my gout issue.  It is  not  a bit fun. I mean, it hurts like a son of a gun!   And sometimes you might think it will never  clear up.  Even being on  the  daily medicine to keep it away, for some folks it is in the blood..  my dad had  recurring bouts of it and so do I. My husband was  talking to his barber about mine  a couple of months ago. Lo, and behold the next day  the barber called to speak to me and tell me about his gout and what he does for it.  We talked for an hour.  So funny,  this  guy has hair to his waist  and he wears it in a ponytail..  I haven't  spoken to him a lot but have known him as Hub's barber for decades .  Anyway I found he was a Christian and we had the best conversation.  It was a hoot.  But then Sunday Hubs was talking to  a guy at church who also has  terrible gout pain. Now he is an undertaker.  This morning he called from the funeral home to talk to me about my gout! I didnt realize there was an  unadvertized spport group for gout sufferers, but I tell you,  if your looking   for a way to meet  guys , just let the word get around that you suffer with gout!  Your phone may start ringing off the wall!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Joyce’s page!

1. August 12th is National Middle Child Day...are you a middle child? If not, where in your family do you fall in terms of birth order? Do you hold true to the typical characteristics of oldest-middle-youngest-only child? (A quick list can be found here) Elaborate.

I am  a one and only child  ...I am the oldest of the 15  cousins on both my maternal and paternal side..I do not believe I exhibit the characterisitcs of the alpha chld.  I was the timid one.  Of course, all of my cousins were country kids and I was a city girl who  wasn't used to rough and rowdy!

2. Tell us about a time you felt like (or you actually were) in the middle of nowhere.  WHen AManda was 6, 29 years ago,  we took a vacation to Cape May to see friends who lived more on the quite beach area which was more family oriented,  near Avalon, NJ. We drove  the main highway one evening all the way  around   a marsh to get to Wildwood which is all amusements. Well, as we were leaving Avalon I had seen a Rt. #  pointing south and the sign had said Wildwood.So  after  we had amused ourselves to the limit,  we headed back along that very long  highway to  Avalon and I saw the  RT # sign pointing to Avalon so I said , "WHy dont we take this, may be it is shorter!" HA!

It was almost dark  and at first the  small  barely 2 lane road was  residential and  well lit, then we came to a sort of long bridge.   As we started over it   it became one lane and besides that it was  made of wood.  My stomache   choked me  when we realized this bridge  was  a rattle clapper  bridge that  barely brushed the top of the marsh grass and  extended across the marsh all the way to  Avalon.  And there was no lighting on it at all.  Now going perhaps 7 miles an hour across this rattle trap  with  barely a 3 inch wooden board nailed to the each side of the road which served as a safety rail, you might imagine how long this trip might take...and unfortunately,  unless we backed off of it in the dark,  we were  committed to keep driving straight ahead. Let me tell you,  I really felt like we had dropped off the face of the earth.  Nothing but  black  sea marsh around us as far as the eye couldnt see! NO lights  up ahead ...nothing!Probably any hour later we finally  came to  a  paved  one lane road that  promised  some kind of civilzation ahead and then we popped on the main road. I wanted to get out and kiss the ground!  later we were told that road had been condemned!

3. What's something you're smack in the middle of currently?  Trying to decide  whether    it is safe to meet friends and dine out,  mask in hand, or  let them go on and  leave us  to  sadly face our  regular fare ..

4. What's a food you love to eat that has something delicious in the middle?I suppose a Krispsy Kreme  donut filled with vanilla creme.

5. Share a memory from your middle school days, or junior high if that's what your school dubbed kids somewhere between grades 6-8.  These are not my favorite years.I was terribly gawky at this age and a bit  chubby and my hair was  mousy , dirty blonde. I was a very self conscious... Then   to make it worse, I broke my collar bone in 8th grade and had to finish the year wearing a figure 8  tubular brace around my shoulders which made we  humped    and  horrid to boot as it stretched under   my clothing and ruined just about everything I owned .  I had become the  hunchback of  Junior High and   was ever after seen  huddling around on the shadows.  Thankfully,  I slimmed up and started using Summer Blonde on my hair that summer,  got new glasses  and  when I started   High School,   I think everyone thought I was  the new girl in Hart Hall!

6. Insert your own random thought here.I think Im a bit too depressed from both memories to  dredge up another random thought!I think we are going to get a couple  days of rain and the temps will be  much cooler  That brightens my spirits immeasurably!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Hosted by Joyce!

1. The sweetness of summer...where have you found it recently? If you're in the Southern hemisphere, feel free to find some sweetness in your winter.
Well,  I have enjoyed  the sweetness of blueberries and finally  the North Carolina cantaloups are coming in!  But  the true sweetness in our lives  comes from our precious  girls

 

Doodle Bug and Birdie

along with  their  very sweet momma!

2. Take your sweet time, sweet tooth, home sweet home, short but sweet, the sweet smell of success, sweet talk...choose a sweet idiom and tell us how it fits your life currently?  I suppose it would be"take your sweet time"  there certainly isn't any reason in our lives to rush ...enjoy each day and  smell the roses along the way!

3. Sweet as honey, sweet as sugar, or sweet as pie, which phrase do you use when a sweet phrase is called for? What's the last sweet treat you indulged in?  I have been more known for  actually saying sweet as pie  especially would speaking of our sweeties!!! The last sweet treat I enjoyed was  last night when I ate  my  daiy allotment of vanilla wafers (9).  I do suffer from a sweet tooth.. and I love to let vanilla wafers  just  melt on my tongue...just enough sweetness!

4. First thing that comes to mind when you hear the word fidget?  OH, my, it brings back memories of 17 years ago  when I taught 3rd and 4th grade...  oh, yes,  8 and 9 year olds certainly know about fidgeting!  After 30 years  of their company,  I'd say fidgeting was  one of their mastered  activities!

5. Share with us one of your favorite childhood travel memories.I love my  family,  we didnt    have everything ,  but we had    waht we needed.  ..and my mother  sacreificed  to make sure we ahd a nice piano and  paino lessons for me..  Music was  very important to her.  Well, going on family vacations was very important to daddy. When I was in the fourth grade and  began studying history,  we  drove to Richmond, on to Williamsburg and Jamestown then on to Washington, DC.  It was a whirlwind,  but it was amazing.
The next year we  drove all the way down the Parkway to the Smokey's.  We stopped at lookout and venues along the parkway,   I have  fun photos of  log cabins,   picnic grounds,  with  amazing views, and one of my very favorite memories was  when daddy walked me from our hotel in Gatlinburg   across the street   to the pancake house where I bought breakfast for all three of us  and  we carried it back to the hotel and  served mama in bed.  She was so surprised..  She thought we were just letting her sleep in!. I was  very proud of myself.     

 

6. Insert your own random thought here.I am thinking to make my daughter's birthday cake   when they come..  I know she loves strawberries  s I am thinking perhaps a Victoria Sponge cake with strawberries!