Hodgepodge Answers-Volume 491

Thanks to Joyce at From This Side of the Pond

Whoa, Vee, step away from the edit button! 

Questions:

1. Something you've done recently that might be considered a labor of love? 

2. What's one thing you love about being the age you are now? 

3. What do you value more: careful planning or the freedom to be spontaneous? Elaborate.

4. A home cooked meal or a fancy restaurant? pink or red? watch the sunrise or watch the sunset? wine and cheese or champagne and chocolate? 

5. What's your definition of romance? Are you a 'romantic'? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Responses:

1. Honestly, can not think of a thing. Mostly, I am on the receiving end these days. Oh I did spend hours on Amazon shopping for 💘 treats. 

It was fun, but hardly a labor of love. 

2. The thing I love about my age now is that it is not the age it will be by month's end.

3. The freedom to be spontaneous because planning is not my strong point. Anytime that I don't have to fret or agonize in advance is good.

4. home cooked

both pink and red

both sunrise and sunset

cheese and chocolate 🍫  no wine nor champagne for me, thanks! 

5. Oh do I have to? Romance is not an easy thing to define. It is easier to define what it is not as it may have zero to do with genuine love, which I don't have to define since 1 Corinthians 13 explains so very well. 

Am I a romantic? Hope not.

6. Wishing everyone who honors Valentine's Day a blessed one. May it be an opportunity to say, "I love You" to all your favorite peeps.

Love,

Vee

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Hodge Podge

 Many thanks to Joyce for this week's Hodge Podge questions. 

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?  .🎥The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society 🎥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. 

5. What's your favorite chocolate something? A molten lava cake made in a crockpot served with vanilla ice cream is so delicious. 

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. ツ Thanks for reading! You deserve a prize.

Love,

Vee

Falling Leaves Hodge Podge

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'? 

😳

https://www.breitbart.com/education/2022/09/28/maine-department-of-education-promotes-overnight-camp-for-trans-six-year-olds-in-confidential-location/

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. 

7

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. ☺️

Many thanks to Joyce at Across the Pond for this week's questions. 

Love,

Vee

478

 

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! 

Love,

Vee 

Wednesday Hodge Podge

 Let's Get Started...

1. Do you have a sister? Tell us something about her. If you don't have a sister, tell us about a friend who has been like a sister. Or tell us about a sister-in-law if you have one who is extra special. 

2. Resister, assister, insister, persister...choose one of the words listed and explain how it relates to you and your life lately. 

3. Share a favorite song, book, movie, or television program that features sisters.

4. August 3rd is national watermelon day...are you a fan? Do you like watermelon flavored candy? Besides eating the melon as is, do you have a good recipe made with watermelon? 

5. 'Tis August...what are three things you're looking forward to this month? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

1. Yes, I have a sister who shows up from time to time here on the blog. If you peek in the "Who" folder in my sidebar, you'll see her photos. And her grands who are four years old and two years old are also there. (It's lovely to have little folks in the family again.) We have weekly visits when life allows. On Wednesdays as it so happens. Alas, illness struck this week. 

My sister has been a great blessing to me in my health journey often taking me to doctor appointments, hair appointments, and grocery shopping. She has also done laundry, dishes, and cleaning.  Sometimes it helps to have a nurse in the family. ツ

2. Resister—one must be willing to resist in this bizarre day and age. Whenever possible, I throw sand into the mechanism, if needed. No, I am not explaining.

3. Little Women, of course. I am thinking that this will be the number one response. 

Go out more, keep cheerful as well as busy, for you are the sunshine-maker of the family, and if you get dismal there is no fair weather.

~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

4. Yes, I love watermelon. No, I do not enjoy watermelon flavored anything. No, I have no recipes that employ watermelon in the ingredients list.

5. Picnics, Picnics, Picnics

6. Many random thoughts wander about in my old head. Coming in for a landing would be too much of a challenge today. Trust me! 

Thank you for reading. Please join Joyce *here.* 

National Popcorn Day Et Cetera

 1. It's National Popcorn Day-my favorite! Are you a fan? Sweet or salty? A good or great movie you've seen recently (at home or in a theater, either one)? 

2. What's something you didn't realize was going to take so much of your time as an adult? 

3. Your favorite yellow something? 

4. Why do you write? 

5. Share a favorite memory associated with snow.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

1. Yes, I like popcorn a lot. My favorite is buttery so guess that best translates to salty. 

The movie I watched recently on Netflix that I have since thought about more than a little bit is The Professor and the Madman with Mel Gibson and Sean Penn.  

2. Home care or really the care of all those things for which I am responsible from the house to the car to the lawnmower. Sometimes, I can toss myself in there as well. Maintenance takes effort. 

3. Yellow is my favorite color. Some yellows are nicer than others, I think. My preference is a buttery yellow over a lemon yellow. Yellow roses are delightful, lemony or buttery doesn't matter.  

4.  Lately I write because I am ashamed not to. I have become one of those bloggers that I used to poke requesting a new entry on their blogs. Did I ever poke you? Please forgive me. 

5. Snow is king here in Maine for many months of the year. Now that I am olden, I definitely have many snow memories; however, why reinvent the wheel? Tobogganing Over Snowy Roads remains my favorite.

6. It is unwise to wish time away, still I am very pleased that we already are this far through January. Winter months are harsh and dreary and I am always looking forward to spring. 

Thanks to Joyce for coming up with this week's questions. You can find Joyce and the other participants here at  From This Side of the Pond. 

Love, 

Vee

Sweet Domesticity and The Hodge Podge

1. How did you name your blog and do you now wish you had thought about it maybe another five minutes before hitting publish? Would you change your blog title if it were not a huge pain in the derriere? 

2. What bill do you least like to pay? 

3. What is your favorite word? Okay okay, calm down. How about one of your favorite words? 

4. Is the glass half full or half empty? Elaborate. 

5. Were you here for that very first Hodgepodge post? If so, were your answers then similar to what they are today? Tell us what was happening in your life in November of 2010? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

☕☕☕

1. I know that I had the blog and the post and the decor, but I did not have the name. I needed something. Yes, I certainly do wish that I had stalled before hitting publish. Say, why do you ask? I tried changing the name to "Life on Autumn Avenue." It didn't fly.

2. Is there one that is fun to pay? I especially loathe paying the $pectrum bill because I do not watch tv. I use it only for WiFi. 

3. Jesus—there's just something about that name. 

4. In the natural, I tend to be a glass half empty or worse kind of gal; however, give me some time with good music, a good sermon or prayer, and things change. 

5. No, I don't believe I knew about the Hodge Podge from the beginning. The earliest I can find is 2014. 

In November 2010, my family said goodbye to my grandmother who had lived to be 101. After that, she was eager to head home, which she did on my mother's birthday. I missed her terribly as she had been a big part of my life for over fifty years,  yet she is safely home and I will join her one day. 

☕☕☕

Why November days and domestic tasks seem perfect for each other I don't know. I have so enjoyed the light, the fading foliage, and the coziness of November. Some days, I go out to blow leaves or tidy the garden. Other days, I putter inside setting things in order. 

Recently, I received a lovely, perfectly Novembery gift from Mary at A Breath of Fresh Air. It was wrapped so nicely in tissue paper with a ribbon and a card tucked inside. Mary thoughtfully included some extra yarn and the yarn wrap to show me the brand and the name.

 Mary does beautiful knitting and enjoys having something to work on in the evening. If you have never visited Mary, you are in for a treat. Her photography is so good. You'll never see birds and squirrels the same way again. 

I had promised her that I would put on my makeup  when I shared my beautiful cowl. Unfortunately, I lied. If I ever get it together, I'll replace this. (I did run myself through the diffuser, Mary.) Thank you so much for the elegant cowl. 

Please join Joyce for today's Hodge Podge

Welcome Autumn Hodge Podge

 The questions:

1. It's fall y'all. What's something you love about this season and also something you don't? 

2. When you think of the colors of fall, which one is your favorite? Is there somewhere you could easily day trip to see the leaves in all their glory? Will you? 

3. What's one thing you've let 'fall' by the wayside during this season of staying home and staying away? 

4. If you're wearing a sweater is it most likely a cardigan, crew neck, v-neck, or zip up hoodie? 

5. What's your secret to dealing with change? 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

The Answers:

1. Autumn is my favorite time of year for all the usual reasons: apples, pumpkins, leaves, crisp days, cozy sweaters, hearty meals, extra blankets on the bed...

Something I don't like about fall is Halloween. Why, when all the world is showing the glory of God, must I look at a witch splatted on the side of my neighbor's home? 😣

2. Even though yellow is my favorite color, red is my favorite autumn color. It looks like a great year for reds this year! 

3. Though I have been home a lot, I have not felt like "creating home." I'll try to do better this autumn. 

4. a hoodie

5. Oh I hope someone has the answer to this because I sure don't. The best I can offer is to "Trust in The Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understanding."

6. For my regular readers, my daughter has sold her home (closing in late October) and will be relocating permanently up north on the river. When I visited my doctor today, I pulled into my daughter's place to take some photos before it's too late. I think I'll miss that place, but she is sure that she won't. 

She's trading the above for the below...

Thank you for visiting, please visit Joyce right here. 

⬇️

It Has Been Awhile

July 26, 2017 to be exact. 

A lot of my blogging buddies participate in Joyce's weekly Hodge Podge. For lack of an original blogging idea, I have decided to join in this week. Thank goodness, Joyce is still coming up with great questions.

Let's begin! 

1. What's one thing you learned at the ripe old age of whatever age you are now?

Hmmm...I have learned a lot in this particular season of covid, masks, isolation, social distancing, talk of vaccines, etc., etc., You think that I'm going to tell you, right? No, though I will say that I am never putting myself in a place of isolation again. Quite frankly, death would be preferable. Needless to say, this is my opinion only; I am not speaking for you or anyone else. 

2. I read here a list of foods that can help you look younger-

extra virgin olive oil, green tea, fatty fish, dark chocolate, vegetables, flaxseeds, pomegranates, avocados, tomatoes, spices, bone broth

How many of the foods listed have you tried? How many do you eat regularly? Your favorite from the list?

Since I am currently on a sliced tomato drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt kick, guess that that's my favorite.

green tea 😣

fatty fish 😣 wait, is haddock considered "fatty fish"?

dark chocolate 😖

flaxseeds ?

pomegranates 😣

avocados 😖

spices?

bone broth 😏

3. Something you miss from the 'good old days'? When were the good old days anyway?

I miss the days when almost everyone was a patriot. I'm a firm believer in not looking back all the time, but if forced to make a choice, I'd say the 1980s was a pretty good time. My years married to John were very sweet; nevertheless, the politics of the time made life unnecessarily difficult and oppressive. I'm looking forward to better days ahead. Sometimes you might hear me whispering Maranatha... 

4. What are two or three of the most rewarding things to be found in growing older?

For me, Sam and Jake. Grandchildren. ツ I like to see families moving forward and growing. 

5. What's your favorite part of your life right now?

Family, friends, books, flowers, cooler weather, cozy days...

My friend Deanna from Creekside Cottage found these Gladys Taber books for me at her local used bookstore. They arrived today just in time for tea and cozy time.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

It's back to the garage for me. My goal is to have it all cleaned out by the end of September. So many unnecessary extras that have gathered over the years were making it impossible to function. 

It doesn't all belong to me, but since others are content to allow me to deal with it, deal with it I will. No yard sales for me, though I have considered putting things on the lawn with a FREE sign. I'm just worried that others would not be interested in my castoffs. So to the landfill it is... 

Perhaps you've been away from the Hodge Podge for a while and would like to check it out once again. You can find Joyce 

⬇️

Thank you for your visit. 

#315 Hodge Podge Wednesday

1. We've reached edition number 315 here in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So tell us, what were you doing at 3:15 yesterday? 

Napping on Monday (I wrote this post on Tuesday) But wait! Tuesday afternoon at 3:15 I was sewing slipcovers for the camp cushions. I feel better about myself already.

Is that typical? 

napping? no, but not an aberration either

sewing? no, ditto

On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high) what's your energy level usually like at 3:15 PM?

6

2. A frisbee, a tantrum, a towel, a party, a punch, or a curveball...which have you most recently thrown or had thrown at/for you? Elaborate.

Though I just threw a towel into the laundry, I would say that someone lobbed a curveball at me. No elaborating. ッ


3. What are three things that would help you right now. Tell us how or why.

a. wisdom to know proper direction

b. peace in decision making

c. better health


4. Do you think you're strong? 

not so very

Why or why not?

I don't feel strong 

What makes you strong?

My faith in The Lord is the Source of my hope in His strength, not my own.


5. Do you enjoy reading historical fiction?

no 

 What's your favorite book set sometime in the past?

Memoirs are my favorite historical genre.

Out of Africa by Isak Dineson (Karen Blixen's pen name) is a favorite.

💕When you have a great and difficult task, something perhaps almost impossible, if you only work a little at a time, every day a little, suddenly the work will finish itself. ~Karen Blixen 

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💕Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever. ~ Karen Blixen

***

💕God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road. ~Karen Blixen 


Let's see, what innocuous, inane thing can I chat about to disguise what I'd really like to chat about? The weather! Today we are back in sunshine and warmth after two rainy days with much lower temps...as low as the 50s.

Thank you for reading today and now I return you to Joyce and her friends 🌹HERE. 

ツ