Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for our fresh Wednesday Hodgepodge questions!
1. Monday was National Apple Day…did you eat an apple or enjoy something made with apples on Monday? Do you like apples? Do you prefer your apples raw, baked, or in cider? Do you have a favorite variety of apple?
I did not eat anything apple on Monday. I do like apples but don’t have them often. I enjoy them raw, baked or in cider. I like the tart apples.
2. Do you think there’s any truth to the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. Of the following healthy habits which do you find easiest to incorporate into your life and which is the most difficult for you to adopt-
adequate sleep, a balanced diet, plenty of water, eat breakfast, don’t smoke, exercise, limit alcohol, include fruits and vegetables in your diet, manage stress, limit screen time
There might be some truth to that saying as far as it being a part of more healthy choices.
The easiest for me is; don’t smoke, since I’ve never smoked. Unfortunately I did inhale a lot of second hand smoke in the 60’s and 70’s working in offices where smoking was still okay. The most difficult to adopt is a balanced diet.
3. Who taught you how to drive? Do you enjoy driving? Would you rather be the driver or the passenger? Do you have a favorite scenic drive near you?
My brother, Fred, taught me to drive a stick shift. He even let me learn in his VW Bug. I think I taught myself to drive an automatic. While I’m typing the answers here on Tuesday the 22nd, it happens to be Fred’s 75th birthday.
This photo of my siblings and me from 2009 is the most current photo I have of our brother Fred. Left to right; Kathy, Vera, Fred, me, Lana and Steve. My brothers Tim and Leonard are missing from this photo.
The first car I purchased with a car loan and the first car I owned that I actually liked was this VW Bug.
I do enjoy driving if it’s not snowing or raining hard. On a scenic drive, I prefer to be a passenger so I can take photos. On a shopping trip that involves navigating parking lots and getting to several different store destinations, I prefer driving. We are blessed with many scenic drives in our neck of the woods. Driving to Wal-Mart is scenic. Driving along the Columbia River is a favorite!
4. What small habit has had a big impact on your life?
Smiling. Since early years I have found it easy to smile, especially to smile at people. Smiling has opened up some interesting opportunities and conversations.
5. Tell us about something nice that happened to you recently.
It is so nice living close enough to our grands that we can see them and get that ‘hello’ hug and that ‘goodbye’ hug and any snuggles in between.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
We have been enjoying some beautiful fall colors on all our drives here in Colville.
The golden larches are my favorite!
I’ve figured out my photo issues and I hope my photo platform is slow in making any new changes for me to figure out!!
This is a quote I copied from an article I read this week.
“Discontent makes a wasteland of the greenest garden—-even Eden. But contentment bears fruit in any circumstance.” Andrea Hoglund
Happy Wednesday, Hodgepodgers, Faithful Bloggers, and readers. I’m thankful for you all.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
I like that quote! Thanks for sharing it. Great smile from the get-go! Enjoy seeing all of the photos of a smiling you :). How incredibly nice to live close to your grandkids… and you all get to live in a scenic area to boot- lucky ducks!! Have a great day!
oh my goodness! I love your answer to #4. Smiling is a great habit!! Our leaves are beginning to turn here in Alabama. Your leaves are gorgeous!
Great photos of your grands, the background reminds me of my visit to the Hoh Rainforest.
I do love apples and I love to drive, especially on a road trip.
Take care, have a great day!
Good eye, Eileen, the grands were in the rainier side of the state for that photo.
I love that quote!
I love the smile answer. So true that one smile can turn someone’s bad day into a better one, and it’s such an easy thing to do. You are so fortunate to have grandchildren nearby. It’s special to be a part of their lives on a daily or weekly basis. And you do have so much natural beauty in your state. We loved visiting when my daughter lived there. Have a great day!
What an adorable picture of you as a baby!
Being an introvert I very seldom look people in the eye. Sounds weird I know.
I too am thankful that my grandbaby is so close.
Enjoyed your answers this week!
…what a neat VW!
I like your answer to #4 also. That is a great habit! My mom said something recently about how a smile is a gift that is easy to give and can really make a difference.
I find several in the list of healthy habits to be a challenge. Yikes. Maybe I need to go back to that “an apple a day” thing . . .
I am loving the autumn beauty right now! Our foliage is not as vivid as it usually is due to a very dry fall, but it’s still beautiful and it delights me! You got some wonderful foliage photos!
I enjoy eating apples but I forget to buy them. I buy some for Mark but I usually have a banana each day. I am pretty sure that my COPD is from all the second hand smoke growing up. I hung with my dad a lot and he smoked. Happy Birthday Fred. How nice that he taught you to drive. Love the photo. I had a VW bug too! Love the photo of you smiling. Yes, it is a blessing when we can live close to our grandchildren. The trees are so pretty.
Living close to our grandchildren has also been such a blessing for me!
What a darling smiling baby you were, Ellen. Great photo! A smile certainly can make a difference to us all–the giver and the receiver! Nice to see the lovely fall photos of the lovely larch trees in your area. Have a great evening.
A balanced diet is the hardest for me to do too.
My dad taught me to drive and he is the most patient person I’ve ever known. 🙂
“Contentment bears fruit in any circumstance.” I like that…going to copy it in my “quote book”. It’s so true.
Carroll and I had our first date (as a double date) in a VW Bug. Such fun memories!
I’m glad for you, too, Ellen, that you live close to your grandchildren. They certainly brighten up ones life!
I had a 71 VW camper bus that I dropped two engines in and it finally died in 2000. I had many good times in it as well as with my own family. I wish I still had it!
beautiful fall photos!
Love that photo of you with your VW bug! Great memory! And it is super nice to be able to spend time with the grands! Hope you have a great week!
You know, if I’m honest, I don’t think I smile that much. Someone pointed that out me because I do not have many “smile lines” or crinkles around my eyes. Sad actually. I need to do that more often:) Cute first car!! I really liked my first car as well – although it was a stickshift. And I did not know how to drive a stickshift. Oh boy –
Another splendid hodgepodge Ellen, and I enjoyed the old photos very much, and your grands. Happy Friday to you, and those gorgeous trees.
Loving the blue and gold Autumn beauty and share your gratitude for living in a scenic area. Although a bit different from your one, out routine errand drives also take us past some wonderful natural beauty spots! We have to drive a little bit further than you do to get out to our daughter and sils, but that drive through the countryside is always a beautiful bonus! Always enjoy your family photos.
Sorry that I’ve not been such a faithful reader of late! Life has been happening too fast I guess. Our very first car was a brand new yellow VW Super Beetle – LOVED IT!!! Sometimes I think we have so much in common, you and I! Right down to our grandchildren …