It’s just about time for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Joyce From This Side of the Pond asks the questions and we answer them. Here are the questions for Volume 344!
1. Best place you’ve been lately?
The best place I’ve been lately is under the same roof with our little grand watching all her new skills and quirks and expressions. We just returned home after spending four days with her and her dear parents.
2. What’s something you should say yes to today? Or this week? Or even this year?
Yes to letting things go and not regretting that I let them go.
3. Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in any way, shape, or form? If so tell us how. In Western cultures the color green is typically associated with jealousy, nature, good luck, and growth. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word ‘green’?
Some years I do set a St. Patrick’s Day table and most years we enjoy some corned beef and cabbage.
The first thing that came to my mind on the subject of green was my kitchen. Our home has many shades of green in it and on it’s exterior, too. We happen to live in the Evergreen state and Seattle is the Emerald city we are happily surrounded by all kinds of green year round.
4. What’s a product or service you love so much you’d happily be their spokesperson? Tell us what makes you such a fan.
I can highly recommend Grace to You and their daily broadcasts and sermon archives. The faithfulness of John MacArthur in teaching the truth of the Bible verse by verse makes me a fan. Dependable, consistent, accurate handling of the Word of God is the best resource to have for life.
While we were at Dan and Jamie’s they pulled out their super duper butter mill to spread on hamburger buns before grilling the buns. We were really impressed with the ease of spreading butter using one of these mills. Here’s what they look like. If you use real butter I would highly recommend one of these gadgets.
5. March 14th is Pi Day. How are your math skills? What’s the last thing you did that required math of any kind? And most importantly do you like pie? What’s your favorite kind? With ice cream, whipped cream, or please hold the cream?
March 14th happens to be my birthday and this year I’m turning 67. How did that happen? I do have some math skills and I had to use those skills to figure out how old I was turning this year.
Berry pies are my favorite kind of pie or fresh strawberry and fresh peach. Al a mode or as my pop would say “pie alamo” is good for the berry pies and the fresh pies require nothing on top for me.
I do NOT like Cherry pie. The texture of the cherries in cherry pie do not appeal to my palate. When I was young one of my aunts served cherry pie and I took a bite and did not like it. She made me eat the whole piece anyway even though it made me gag. Ever since then I’ve turned my nose up and refuse to eat cherry pie. For that reason and many others I did not like this aunt. Just typing this makes me realize I need to talk to God about my ill feelings toward her and forgive her in my heart since she died several years ago.
Boysenberry pie was probably the first kind of pie I had growing up from Knott’s Berry Farm in Southern California. My mother did not bake pies when I was young or even into my teen years.
This is a photo that I love of my parents from Knott’s Berry Farm taken sometime in the 1950’s. Knott’s Berry Farm was one of the very few places we ever ate out as a family. We enjoyed their popular fried chicken dinner with their famous boysenberry pie for dessert. A very special treat for all of us.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Thanking God for another year in the books and for what this new year holds for our family. Lots of changes are coming and I pray that things will move along smoothly. Asking God to provide the right home and the strength to make this big move. Also asking God to lead and guide our youngest and her hubby as he completes his degree in June and he looks for a job somewhere in these United States which will mean a move and a new place to live for them, too. Moving is the theme for the majority of our immediate family in 2018.
An update on my dear old pop. He is spending more of his day in bed these days. His eyesight has deteriorated enough that he can no longer read his Bible or do his jigsaw puzzles. He has got to be so bored! Hopefully he will have his major heavenly move this year, Lord willing.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Have a happy birthday Ellen! Glad you enjoyed your visit with Addy & her parents.
Your Granddaughter is adorable. It’s so great that you got to spend time with her!
Happy Birthday to you!!!! My birthday is March 16th, and I”m a year older than you. As for the cherry pie, just slide your plate over to me because I love it!!! I also really like your kitchen. It’s so bright and cheery!
Blessings on your dad. May things go easily for him…
And one more note regarding Knott’s Berry Farm. My family lived in an apartment just a block from there during the summer of 1963. We had sold our house in Cypress and were in the process of finding another house, which ended up being in Long Beach. I went to Cypress Elementary School and Walker Junior High. Any of that familiar to you?
Happy birthday week to you Barbara. I grew up in Pico Rivera and Montebello. Very familiar with Cypress and Long Beach but not with the schools you mentioned. The summer of 1963 was a huge summer in my family history with my pop, and me accepting Christ plus the birth of my brother and sister (twins).
I have a mother in a nursing home who also cannot read her bible or do anything else because her hands are too weak to grip anything. She loves to listen to music and sermons or the bibel being read. It is so good that at least she has that. Hoping your father will find something to fill up his time.
I will check out the Grace to you ministry. Sounds like something I would like.
Reading your answer about your aunt who made you eat the cherry pie, made me smile, because of what you wrote as your answer to Nr. 2….i.e. letting go. hahaha sorry couldn’t resist.
Don’t be sorry, I appreciate that connection!
…cutie pie times six!
Happy Birthday, Ellen! How wonderful to have pi/pie day as your day! Fruit pies are also my favorite, although I would have a hard time specifying a particular type.
Glad to hear I am not the only one working on ‘letting things go’!
Lots to pray for in your family this year …. keeping all of you in my prayers! Glad we found each other in the blogosphere!
Happy Birthday to you, Ellen! We are quite close in age. I’ll be 69 in October. 🙂 I’m so glad that you were able to spend time with Addy and her parents recently. I so agree with all that you shared about Grace to You and John MacArthur. I’m praying for your Pop.
Happy Birthday, Ellen! Great answers. I like most pies, that is a problem. Addy is so cute, adorable photos. Have a happy day!
Birthday blessings to you, friend!!
I love those photos of Addy. She is a photogenic little thing and I like the setting of this series of pics.
I am not celebrating Pi Day today, but I am making one (maybe two) pies this weekend for a dinner party. It is better for me to make pies when there are more people around to eat them! I am sorry for your cherry pie experience. Such things are a big deal to a child!
What a lovely post, Ellen! Love Addy’s pictures and the one of your parents. Happy Birthday!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉💗
Happy birthday LATE! I hope you had a wonderful day – make it a week long celebration!
Happy Birthday.
Love the pictures of Addy getting in the crate. : ) Nice that you captured the whole sequence.
I sure know what it’s like to eat foods that I don’t like. Grew up having to do that.
I read the Tim Keller devotional last year and enjoyed it very much. Happy birthday to you! No better way to celebrate than spending time with your grand!
” For by me your days will be multiplied and years will be added to your life.”
Proverbs 9:11
Ellen, I hope you have a wonderfully blessed birthday!!!
Happy belated birthday to you! Hope you were thoroughly spoiled! I love pies but my mom was not a pie maker at all and I have never picked up the skill either. Probably a good thing as I’d eat them all. Cherry is one of my faves. 😉
I’m so glad you got to visit with her. Those are cute photos! Great answer on letting go. Happy Belated Birthday to you. I turn 67 this year also. I like berry pies too but not cherry just like you. I didn’t know you grew up by Knott’s Berry Farm. Keeping your family in my prayers.
I’ve noticed not seeing your dad in church. I’m sorry his sight has deteriorated. Will certainly pray for his remaining days on this side of heaven.