“This glorious word Emmanuel means, first, that God in Christ is with us in very near association. The Greek particle here used is very forcible, and expresses the strongest form of ‘with.’ It is not merely ‘in company with us as another Greek word would signify, but ‘with,’ ‘together with,’ and ‘sharing with.’ This preposition is a close rivet, a firm bond, implying, if not declaring, close fellowship. God is peculiarly and closely ‘with us.’”
~Charles Spurgeon
Sitting here thinking of you and how quickly time will get away from us in these last few days before Christmas. It has been such fun visiting your blogs and homes during December. I always think that Christmas Time should be perfect; it never is. This December has had some heartache as I know it has had for many of you. Whatever the burden, whatever the sorrow, it is the reason He came. He will save; He will rescue; He will comfort. All one has to do is ask.
Comments are closed. No one has time for that! π
See you in the New Year, The Lord willing and the creek don't rise. (Flood watches all over the place in my corner.) You take care now...
1. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Have you visited the memorial? no
Any desire to do so? If I could be translated without the headache of travel, yes.
Have you visited other WW2 sites and memorials? yes
Do you think we do a good job of teaching current and younger generations about the events of WW2? Highly unlikely...when I taught high school American history, I realized that the year was never long enough to get to WWII so I began teaching history from the present to the past. I was able to get back to the Civil War. Many parents thanked me for the unique approach and the students were relieved being taught something "new." One of the more shocking things we learned about WWII was that many Jews were turned away from entering the United States even though they had all the required papers and passports. You can read more about that *here.*
Do you think it matters? yes
2. Many books, both fiction and non-fiction have been written with WW2 as the setting. Is this a 'genre' you gravitate towards? not necessarily
Share with us a book (or two) you've enjoyed that is set in some way around WW2. If you're not a reader, how about a movie? .π₯The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society π₯Tora Tora Tora was the first and only movie my family saw in a theater when I was growing up. My father felt that it was important. Whether what was presented was 100% true, I don't know. The
3. According to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, there are seven popular color trends for the holidays this year. They are- red and white, Victorian blue, pops of pink, rich shades of green, rainbow hues, black and white, and nostalgic retro colors. Are you 'trendy' when it comes to holiday decorating in 2022? I hope not.
How so? Oh-oh! A careful look at my wee tree in an antique trunk reveals that my colors are mostly red and white so I may have to rethink my disdain for trendy.
Does your tree have a 'theme'? Now that would imply careful thought and planning — nope!
4. What's a current trend you buck? I like to think that I buck most trends.
6. Insert your own random thought here. My best random thought is this: Sparkle on! We who have invited Christ into our hearts have every reason to rejoice!
I Christmas shopped all day yesterday with my sister. Fun! I followed Susan Branch's advice to "Be an Elf."
This means washing my face dressing up, putting on some make-up, and trying to get my hair to cooperate. It also means finding my mother's poinsettia pin to wear on my coat. Plus I worked on smiling a lot. My face aches today. γ Thanks for reading! You deserve a prize.
Oh my! Yes, Laurel more than surprised both her brother and me. Everything was so lovely, smelled so good, and tasted so fine. I was especially pleased that I did not have to prepare anything more than a pecan pie. Adam made his famous dinner rolls while Michelle baked a pumpkin pie and bought a chocolate cream pie from the library's annual sale.
(We were down by one as Jake has declared himself a hunter who will no longer be attending our Thanksgivings. π’)
This was Laurel's table theme with the sweet table runner that I first saw at Betsy's right *here.* When I saw that runner, I thought it would be perfect for Laurel's riverside cabin up in the semi-north woods. I had no idea that she would be moving to a new home closer to civilization. I also purchased one for Michelle and one for my sister. Both Laurel and Kim have enjoyed theirs.
Michelle has hers packed away because she thought itwas a pillow cover. It might be especially appreciated by Jake at their home these days. π¦ Laurel bought her table and chairs new for our holiday. It was very nice seating...no one was crowded.
Speaking of table runners, Betsy has many beautiful tablescapes from which to gather ideas. Her blog, named after her grandmother, is simply beautiful and, if you don't already, you would certainly love it there. Also, she has the best recipes. I have several on speed dial.
Okay, back to Thanksgiving. Alas, I took hardly any photos. You know how my family is not a fan of picture taking. My grandkitty has no problems with it. He has a ghost cat visit regularly who asks the same question, "Can Charlie come out to play?"
Here's Laurel preparing me a cup of peppermint tea. Yes, into every lovely time a clinker must fall. π
Don't worry, though, because when Laurel was taking me home Friday afternoon, she found a lovely lake side restaurant called Lintonia. It had the added bonus of an eagle in a tree just beside the restaurant.
We had the best cup of coffee and delicious tacos. Laurel just found out that they closed for good the day after we were there. So sad all the businesses that are closing. It was a fabulous little restaurant. My sister and I had already made plans to visit soon.
Thank you for reading my simple Thanksgiving record. I have been enjoying reading yours.
A sigh of relief is always breathedNovember 1st.I am so glad that the entire end of October scene has finished for another year. I am happily moving on to the next big holiday (not Veterans Day). We'll chat about that toward the end of this post, yet let's tidy up on the big day just past—
I say, "There is no such thing as Bigfoot." At which point, Anneke's brother, who is playing with the rotary phone, run on imagination alone, says, "Bigfoot? Is that you? Ackkkk! It's Bigfoot!" Anneke's eyes grow even wider and she clings a little tighter to Grammie.
I may have dialed Bigfoot
So I have no idea how this story ultimately unfolded. My sister agrees with me and says that they will ask their mommy and daddy because parents tell the truth. I am hoping that mommy and daddy didn't decide instead to crank Anneke's chain. One of them can be a bit of a prankster. I just happen to know that for.a.fact. γ
Peach and Mario
Aren't they cute? Peach and Mario...aka Anneke and Emmanuel.
Now I do have news about my own grandchildren. Sam received his driver's license last week. Doesn't he look happy? So proud of him!
Jake got his first deer on Saturday. I'll be careful with that picture because I'd not like to offend those who might keel over. I am thrilled that there will be extra food in the freezer and that Jake is happy too.
A few weeks ago, when sickness hit, we had to postpone plans to see Laurel for her birthday. She graciously joined us a couple of weeks later at a local restaurant where my family made plans for Thanksgiving. I saw a bit of eye-rolling, heard some comments. It boils down to this: I have messed up Thanksgiving dinner one too many times. Instead, we shall celebrate at Laurel's. She's in for the roller coaster ride that is Thanksgivingpreparations. Should be fun!
To my American brethren and sistren, have your plans for Thanksgiving firmed up?
I want a nice sweet ending so I am sharing what I am making this week. I had to check for ingredients and found that I have them all. Yippee!
Now I found this recipe somewhere in the last week or so. I have not named that source because my mind is a sieve. If it was yours or you know whose, let me know so I can include it.
It was *here* with a nice photo of what it should look like, too. My mind really is a sieve.π€¦π»♀️
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
1 cup butter, melted
*Heat oven to 350° F.
*Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan.
*Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
*Pour mixture into greased pan.
*Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.
1. Thursday (Oct 13) is National Train Your Brain Day. What do you do to keep your brain in tip top shape? Is it helping?
Sometimes I amuse myself by thinking that doing Sudokus is helping. I can prove that it isn't because just last week, after simmering chicken bones all afternoon to make chicken broth, I poured it into a sieve that had nothing beneath it to capture the broth—Right down the drain!
2. You can sit with anyone in the world and 'pick their brain'...whom do you choose? Tell us why?
This is a tough question!
Let's see, who meets my criteria?
I insist that said person is attentive, gives me enough time, has great patience, does not make me feel foolish, and is kind, though he or she can and should offer helpful insights.
Okay, there's no one in the world like that! Sounds as if I am looking for a counselor; scripture teaches me that Jesus is a wonderful or is it "the" wonderful counselor? I'm sticking with Him.
But! If I must choose a human being, I guess I'd choose Jordan Peterson who intrigues me a lot, yet with whom I do not always agree, especially on matters of faith.
3. What's something happening in the world (or your corner of it) right now that you have trouble 'wrapping your brain around'?
4. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall in the pumpkin fanclub? (1=blech, 10=make it all pumpkin all the time) Tell us something delicious you've tasted recently that had some pumpkin in it somewhere.
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I have yet to enjoy any pumpkin this autumn, but I have a can of pumpkin and am planning to do something with it.
5. Share a favorite song, book, or movie with an autumn title, setting, or vibe.
(Nat King Cole sings "Autumn Leaves)
(Love this channel...an entire hour plus of pure nostalgia.)
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I've got a pile of random thoughts, just like the leaves in my yard.
Eagerly looking forward to spending time with my kids and grands this weekend. ☺️
Days grow shorter now, the nights chillier...The trees kindle with color, a few at a time, small flashes of scarlet appear in the swamp, and the sugar maples begin to glow, as the great wave of autumn glory rises to full tide. ~ Gladys Taber
October—my favorite month for God's amazing decor; my least favorite for man's. I wonder if my neighbors ever think of how distressing it is for me to see the glowing skeleton hanging from their maple tree. Unlikely. I changed my kitchen curtain situation so I only have to see its dangling feet, which is plenty disturbing enough. γ
October has a boatload of chores to get accomplished. I have never cut back hostas in autumn before, but now that I have watched Laura at Garden Answer for a couple of years, I will be, right after the color fades and before they turn to mush. I also harvested enough chives to get me through the winter.
I already pruned the rose bushes way back. The deer were ravenous even though I had covered the roses in bird netting. The deer also ate all the phlox and the bee balm. Perhaps I just need to rip out my garden. Most people here have their vegetable gardens fenced. It doesn't seem practical for a flower garden on the front lawn.
Since I was listless Thursday, I decided to do some indoor decorating. I have bought nothing new so determined to use only what I already had. I also decided to decorate for Thanksgiving. Yes, I know it is early, unless you are living in Canada. I hope that my Canadian cousins and my blogging friends have a fabulous holiday this weekend.
So with minimal commentary, here are my photo offerings.
1. Volume 478. Sounds like a lot. Where were you in 1978? If you weren't born where were you in 2008?
Four hundred seventy-eight is a lot, Joyce! Thank you for hosting and coming up with all these questions over the years.
In April 1978, I was married and living in Arizona with my husband who was stationed at Fort Huachuca. I had two children, a two and a half year old little girl and a newborn son. By November of 1978, we drove back across the country home to Maine just in time to be horrified by the big news of the day—The Jonesboro Massacre. I still shudder thinking about that.
2. Raise your hand if you remember records playing at a speed of 78 rpm? What's a topic that when it comes up you 'sound like a broken record'?
✋
The past two years politically speaking.
3. What's the last thing you recorded in some way?
This. It's the very last thing that I have recorded. Thank goodness for blogs. Otherwise, I might not know what's going on.
4. Thursday is the first day of fall (in the northern hemisphere). How do you feel about the changing seasons? Something you're looking forward to this fall?
It is my favorite time of year and I am hoping my daughter will take me for our annual foliage drive. I'd be fine with changing seasons if winter never came.
5. In what way (or ways) are you like the apple that didn't 'fall far from the tree'?
Too many to count. I run a little hot like my father. I look a lot like my mother and see her every morning in my mirror.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Today my sister and her grands will join me. Last week, we went to visit my daughter in her new home. We went out to eat at Applebee's. The children behaved so well and ate their dinners all up. My sister said of this photo, "I look like mom from behind." Yes, well that makes two of us.
Join Joyce by clicking through on the opening graphic. Thanks for reading!
Oh I do hate to say goodbye to August. Still, my sister and I and her grands will squeeze out every drop. We are planning a picnic today between rain showers. It probably means eating at Mickey D's and hoping for a bit of clear sky to sail some boats.
Earlier in the month, we made it to my daughter's home for the last time. She sold her cabin on the Carrabassett and has already moved into her new home. I hated to say goodbye to that place, too, but Laurel is happy and content.
(Sorry so small. Nothing cooperates with me anymore.)
Have a blessed final day of August. Here's to a splendid September!
