Category Archives: Meme

Be My Guest Hodgepodge

1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone’s home?
The last time we were guests was in December.
Tell us about it.
It was a fun informal dinner and card night. Three couple, six of us for pizza and salad and then a great game of Hand and Foot.
Do you enjoy having guests in your own home?
We do enjoy having guests in our home. Despite what’s going on we have had overnight guests and week long guests and one family were our guests for a few weeks. Great times!
2. What has you ‘tied up in knots’ currently or recently?
Thankfully I can’t think of anything that has had me ‘tied up in knots’.
Are you any good at tying actual knots?
I am not good at tying knots but Dear is and I let him tie the knots that we can depend on.
3. What’s something you’ve been wanting to do and have decided 2021 will be the year you ‘take the plunge’?
Trying to sell off some of my dish collections.
4. Something in your home that’s old?
We have a lot of old things that got passed down from Dear’s parents. This baby grand piano is a 1906 Chickering.
Our kids enjoyed it in years past.
And now a new generation is enjoying it.
Something new?
Dear’s shop is something new.
Something borrowed?
The one thing we borrow now that we live in the country is our son’s tractor about twice a year.
Something blue?
Lots of blue in our home. It is hard for me to walk away from a pretty blue plate. Both of our guest rooms have some blue in them, too.
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5. Share a favorite quote, a verse of scripture, and/or a bit of wisdom for couples getting married in this challenging and seemingly unpredictable season we’re currently/still experiencing.
Even Jesus came to serve and not to be served and in marriage it would be good for both the husband and wife to have an attitude that is ready to serve each other and not have the expectation to be served. With this attitude gratitude for the selfless acts each one will do for the other will be genuine and this will contribute to a joy filled home.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
We are traveling today and I might not be able to get around to all the hodgepodgers until tomorrow.
Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for coming up with the Hodgepodge Questions each week.

Family Moments Hodgepodge

1. Tell us about your favorite moment or share one of the bright spots from the year we’re leaving behind.
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My favorite moment was when our Colville kids decided enough was enough and we were allowed to hug our grandchildren again. Oh Happy Day!
2. What do you wish you’d known at the start of 2020? Elaborate.
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I wish I’d known that travel would be so adversely affected because of the COVID. I wouldn’t have booked our flights to London and our lodging in Oxford. Then I wouldn’t have had to spend any time cancelling and wondering if we’d get our money back. Thankfully we were refunded for everything.
3. Best book you read this year? If you did not read any books this year, what’s the best thing you ate all year? We’ve all eaten, right?
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Nonfiction: Besides the Bible which is by far the best, Only Jesus (What It Really Means To Be Saved) by John MacArthur
Fiction: All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny
This was the only nonfiction book I read all year and it wasn’t until December that I read it!
4. The Pantone Colors of the year for 2021 are ultimate gray and illuminating yellow (a bright shade)…are you a fan? Would we find either of these colors in your home or wardrobe?
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The ultimate gray could be found but I would not choose the illuminating yellow. We have some gray in our home and wardrobes but no illuminating yellow.
5. If you were/are making a list of 21 things to do/accomplish in 2021 what is one thing that would be on it?
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Weeding out things that I don’t want to leave to our children to deal with is one of the 21 things to accomplish in 2021!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
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Our family of 10 had a wonderful few days together over Christmas and we are so thankful for the relationship strengthening time we had!
Our 4 kids from the other side of the Cascade Mountain range left on Tuesday for home. We are thankful for how they honor us, their parents, and how they contribute to our family unity!
Addy asked our “Coast Kids”, “Why don’t you live here with us?” She loves spending time with her aunts and uncles. Addy had several deep questions during our times together. Out of the mouth of Babes…
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Thank you Joyce From This Side of the Pond for your faithful weekly questions that add a midweek boost to our blogging!

Hugs Allowed Hodgepodge

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for the questions!

1. Here we are entering the last month of the year 2020. 2020!! Every year The Oxford English Dictionary publishing team chooses a word that captures the general mood of the year we’re leaving behind, or the one word that will leave a lasting impact on the world at large. This year they needed sixteen words in order to cover the whole enchilada.

While two of the other major dictionaries selected pandemic as their word of the year, Oxford came up with a long list including-bushfire, impeachment, acquittal, coronavirus, COVID-19, lockdown, social distancing, reopening, Black Lives Matter, Cancel Culture, BIPOC, mail-in, belarusian, moonshot, net zero (read more about each word here)

Of the words listed which ONE would you say should be in the number 1 spot? Which word/phrase on this list would you be happy to never hear again?

I’ll have to go with COVID-19 in the #1 spot. 

Which word/phrase on this list would you be happy to never hear again?

There are several of these words/phrases I’d like to obliterate and have little tolerance for but since I can only choose one I’ll go with lockdown because mask wasn’t on the list.

2. What one word from your own list of words describing this year sums up/best reflects your 2020? Tell us why.

Hugs. The best part of this year was when hugs were allowed again in our family. The hardest thing was the few months with no hugging. 

3. Do you like peppermint? Peppermint mocha, a candy cane, peppermint bark, peppermint tea, York Peppermint Pattie, peppermint ice cream…of the peppermint treats listed, which one is your favorite? Will you bake anything featuring peppermint this holiday season?

Peppermint has it’s place. I do enjoy a York Peppermint Pattie in the form of Junior Mints. 

4. Besides Christmas, what do you associate the color red with?

Roses, stop signs, red light, the red carpet, Dorothy’s ruby slippers…

And in the world of soccer the dreaded red card that penalizes a player with ejection from the field and future games depending on how bad the violation was. 

How about the color green?

Grass, Spring, vegetables, Go!, legal immigrants (green card), Irish…

5. Is your tree up?

Yes because we stumbled upon a good deal on a fake tree that was a floor model so it went right up when we brought it home. It is not fully decorated yet.

Real or artificial?

This is the first year we have gone with artificial.

Is your house decorated?

It is on the way to being decorated fully.

Is your shopping done? Started? Wrapped?

Pretty much done because this is a stockings only year. Every other year we simplify Christmas gifts and try to plan a family trip instead. We have our family trip booked for Arizona in January already. Nothing is wrapped. 

On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being Scrooge-like and 10 being Buddy the Elf, how’s your Christmas spirit?

I’m going to go with a Tiny Tim 10 instead of Buddy the Elf. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Sunday December 6th will be our Forty Sixth Wedding Anniversary. 

Usually we would go out for a nice meal or even plan an overnight somewhere…sigh. We will still celebrate and choose joy and thank our God for sustaining and blessing our marriage.

Happiest Place on Earth Hodgepodge

Three of our nieces, our son Josh and daughter in love, Laura at Disneyland in January of 2020 before the lockdowns. Happy Birthday Mickey!
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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?
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Yes, I’ve been to Disneyland in Anaheim. I was there shortly after it opened in 1955. I was there with my whole 9th grade class for a graduation from Junior High excursion. Went there on school busses. That would have been in 1965. I still have part of a ticket book from when rides were classified as A,B,C,D,E.  The E ticket was for the best rides and where the saying “e ticket”, the ultimate of thrills, came from.
Dear and I were there before we were married.
We took our kids there in the 80’s and 90’s and they’ve gone on their own now that they are adults.
I’ve also gone a couple times on my own with my extended family as an adult.
1986 with our two sons and Katie was a wee babe and slept a lot on this Disneyland adventure.
1995 Me with my sisters, our mom, my nieces and daughter, Katie.
2009 with our niece and grandnephew.
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Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that?
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I’m a fan of all the great memories but not a superfan.
Some of these loved ones are superfans!
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They’re open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?
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I wouldn’t go until the mask mandates were lifted. Once that happens (please Lord) we’d love to experience Disneyland with our grandchildren. We were actually planning a trip to Disneyland for March of 2021 but we have cancelled those plans.
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2. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse?
Anywhere that there is no artificial noise.
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Would those who know you well describe you as more church mouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse?
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“Here I come to save the day, that means that Mighty Mouse is on the way…”
I’m neither a church mouse or a mighty mouse. Somewhere in between. I have had my “mighty mouse” moments in protecting my loved ones through the years.
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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?
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I love good fresh bread of any variety. Last night we were at our Colville kids’ home and we enjoyed fresh rolls and the Instant Pot potato soup our daughter in law made. Both the rolls and the soup were delicious.
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4. What’s something you might say is ‘the greatest thing since sliced bread‘?
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I know I’m going to be saying “why didn’t I think of that?” when I read your answers. For now I’m going with remote controls. I do remember when we had to get up and go to the TV to change channels. Mind you there were only a very few channels back then.
And Dear just said, “how about luggage with wheels”?
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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?
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Time with my family and friends.
Tall people at the grocery store when I need something at the back of the top shelf.
Trees, tall trees, tiny trees, trees that I can see from my windows.
Towels, large fluffy (but not too fluffy) and absorbent.
Texts. I didn’t used to text but now I really am a fan for keeping in touch with loved ones, especially when they are on the road.
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6. Insert your own random thought here.
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We made a last minute trip to Spokane yesterday for some electrical supplies Dear needs and we made stops at Costco, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby and At Home. We were relieved to see that people weren’t panic shopping because of the current mandates. We were even able to buy some Bleach wipes that were in stock but going fast.
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Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for asking the questions!

‘The Few, The Proud’ Veterans Day Hodgepodge

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you to all our Veterans who are serving or have served in any of the branches of the military.

1. It’s the 11th day of the 11th month and bloggers often make lists on days like today. Let’s go with a list of eleven things you’re feeling grateful for today.

  1. My God and Savior Jesus Christ.
  2. My Bible or several of them.
  3. My dear Hubby, 3-1/2 weeks shy of our 46th wedding anniversary.
  4. Our three children, Josh, Dan and Katie.
  5. Their three beloved spouses, Laura, Jamie and Andrew.
  6. Our two grandchildren, Addyson and Jaymison.
  7. Parents who loved the Lord and trusted Him during their lifetime.
  8. A Bible believing and Bible preaching church and tried and true Bible teachers who I can access online.
  9. Like minded friends who spur us on in our faith.
  10. A comfortable home with all the creature comforts.
  11. Good food around a happy and grateful table full of people.

2. What’s something you decided to do or act on at the ’11th hour’?

During our move across the state of Washington there were a lot of 11th hour decisions to get rid of stuff instead of packing them up and moving them.

3.  Apparently the Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe contains 11 herbs and spices. What’s a dish you make that calls for exactly eleven ingredients? Feel free to share the list and/or recipe.

Here’s a Classic Macaroni Salad recipe with an added twist.

  • 4 cups uncooked small elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2-1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 bell pepper seeded and chopped (I prefer a red, yellow or orange pepper)
  • 1/2 cup jicama chopped (the twist)
  1. Prepare small elbow macaroni as per package instructions, drain and rinse under cold water
  2. In large bowl combine mayo/mustard/vinegar/salt/sugar and pepper.
  3. Stir in onion/celery/bellpepper and jicama.
  4. Add macaroni and combine well.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  6. If you’d like this to be a meal in itself you could add in a couple cans of Kirkland brand canned chicken breast meat or your favorite.

Cut recipe in half for 2 people

4. Something you remember about your 11-year old self?

 

When I was eleven I was a 7th grader in Junior High School. ( I skipped a grade) Sometime during that school year I convinced my mother to let me shave my legs. I come from a hairy stock of ancestors. When I arrived at school with my freshly shaven legs the news spread like wildfire all across the school halls. Yikes, how embarrassing. Back in those days (the 60’s) we were only allowed to wear dresses or skirts to school so the end to my hairy legs was news!

5. The 11th of November is Veterans Day in the US of A. This is a day to honor those who have served their country in war or peace-dead or alive-although according to the government’s website it’s largely intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices.

Memorial Day is when we honor military personnel who died in service to their country.

Our brother-in-law Nick was buried on Veterans Day in 2015 at the Riverside National Cemetery.

Share a thought relating to Veterans Day or tell us something about a Veteran you know-love-admire.

Our son-in-law Andrew actively served with the Marines and had two tours of duty in Afghanistan. The photo above is of some of his Battalion in Afghanistan. The photo below was taken at the Marine Birthday Ball a few years back.

The next photo was taken at winter training on the border of California and Nevada.

We are proud parents (in-law) of our Marine. We are thankful for his service and that he came home to us and especially to our daughter. Even though he was honorably discharged from active service, once a Marine always a Marine.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This happened early Tuesday morning.

Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for asking the questions each week.

Perfect Peace Hodgepodge

The verses before this verse are: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4: 4-7

1. How do you define peace?

Funny you should ask that question. Tuesday morning as part of my devotions I read these words from a commentary on Ephesians:

Speaking about Jesus…

For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2:14-17)

Jesus alone is our peace.

Jesus Christ came as a babe to earth, and in His sacrifice on the cross He Himself became peace for those who trust in Him. His peace is not temporary but permanent. he made both groups, Jews (those who were “near”) and Gentiles (those who were “far off”), into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Ephesians)

Believing in Jesus Christ as Savior because of his perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins is the only way to peace with God. This is the only permanent peace available.

2. November 3rd is Election Day in the US of A, but did you know it’s also National Sandwich Day? Let’s vote, shall we? egg salad or tuna salad? chicken salad or grilled chicken on a bun? peanut butter and jelly or a bagel with cream cheese? turkey and swiss or ham and cheddar? grilled cheese or pimento cheese? roast beef-corned beef-or make mine veggie? 

I vote for tuna salad, grilled chicken on a bun, peanut butter and jelly, turkey and swiss, grilled cheese and corned beef on rye, please.

3. When did you last say (or feel) ‘no rest for the weary’?

This is my hard working husband every day while he tries to get the shop ‘snow tight’ before the next big snow. Hard to work in freezing temps so his hours are limited but he keeps plugging away.

4. This time last year, where were you?

This time last year we had just had a weekend with my sister Vera in our neck of the woods and I was taking her back to the airport. While she was with us we enjoyed a trip into Canada to enjoy a Persian lunch at Kootenay Kebab in Trail, B.C. and we had a baking day in my kitchen making Piroshky with our kids and our cousin while Dear and our son worked on the shop. (We’re still working on the shop!!) I’m hoping that some day in the future we’ll be able to cross the line again into Canada…

5. Share a favorite song, verse, or quote featuring the word ‘peace’.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

A quote from our pastor this last Sunday that made a few of us laugh out loud.

“The Bible tells us how to live in the nasty now and now.”

Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for asking the questions each week!

Orange Has It’s Place Hodgepodge

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge and Jo From This Side of the Pond is carving out the questions for us to answer.
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1. Boo, boo-hoo, make a boo-boo, boo(ze)…pick one and tell us how it relates to life lately.
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I’m going with Boo since we play a lot of peekaboo around here these days.
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2. Do you like the color orange? Would we find this color in your home? Your wardrobe? Peach-pumpkin-tangeringe…your favorite shade of the three listed?
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The color orange has it’s place but not in my everyday world of house decor or clothing. You’ll find orange in our house in our Fall decor. We have a rug that has rusty orange in it and a couple of rusty orange pillows. Blaze orange is around the house right now because of it being a safety color to wear while hunting. I enjoy seeing orange mixed with green and burgundy in nature! My riding lawn mower is orange!
3. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. What’s the last chocolate something you tasted? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being out of this world delicious, how would you rate it?
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Our son and DIL brought a box of Sees Chocolates for our annual family hunting weekend. I’ll give Sees Candy a 10.
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4. Life is like a box of chocolates or so says Forrest Gump’s mama. Would you agree? Aside from the pandemic fallout tell us one way this saying has played out in your life.
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Should I go deep with this question? I suppose we never know what a day will bring but we can prepare ourselves for whatever comes our way by being built up on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Believing faith in who He is and what He’s done by repenting of our sins and following Him is the beginning. Then continuing in that faith by reinforcing it, reading the truth in the Bible and being obedient to it and staying in fellowship with God. God made this saving faith available to us through Jesus. Ask Him to show you.
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5. As October winds down tell us three things you loved about the month we’re bidding adieu.
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We had a rich time of fellowship during the month of October with three groups of family gathered together. My brother’s family arrived to our property in their 5th wheel and we had an extended visit with them here. We gathered on the west side of the Cascades with more family from California along with my brother’s family. My brother’s family departed our place last Thursday and later on that same day our kids from the west side of the mountains arrived for our annual Family Hunting Weekend. Three solid days of enjoying each other. 
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6.  Insert your own random thought here.
We never dreamed we would be enjoying our 4th Annual Corn Maze adventure in the snow. But you never know what a day will bring. We bundled up and I’ll share our Corn Maze experience on my blog on Friday.

A Flavorful Hodgepodge

For Wednesday Hodgepodge Jo comes up with the questions for us to answer. Click over to From This Side of the Pond to see more answers to the questions.

1. Just your weekly mid-week reminder that it’s fall y’all and it’s my favorite. I love nearly all the flavors of fall but let’s weigh in with an either or today…pumpkin or cranberry? hot apple cider or pumpkin spice latte? cinnamon or maple? apple or pear? ginger or sage? carrot or butternut squash? Yes you have to choose. What’s a favorite dish made with one of the flavors listed here?

Cranberry ~ Cinnamon ~ Apple ~ Ginger ~ Butternut Squash

Here’s a good recipe for a delicious soup for Fall or Winter.

Apple Butternut Squash Soup
  •  2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
  • 2 large butternut squash
  • 4 sweet apples
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast iron dutch oven or large stockpot over low heat.
  2. Add the onions and curry powder and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are tender.
  3. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot every couple minutes.
  4. Peel squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut the squash into chunks.
  5. Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks.
  6. Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups broth to pot.
  7. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the squash and apples are soft, approximately 40-50 minutes.
  8. Use a food processor or hand blender to puree the squash and apples.
  9. Return to pot if you used the food processor and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed.
  10. If the consistency is too thick add a little more broth or water and heat through.
  11. Serve with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds, optional.

2. Do you miss traveling? In this season of almost no travel do you think you’ve grown anxious or fearful about traveling again? Or has all this staying home not going anywhere made you restless to get out and see the world? What book have you read or what movie have you watched that has inspired you to travel?

Yes, I do miss traveling or even being able to plan a trip on paper. The only book I’ve listened to on CD this month about traveling was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Now that’s a special kind of traveling to be sure. 🙂 We’ve done mini travels to Coeur d’Alene Idaho the beginning of October and I’ve traveled to the suburbs of Seattle this month, too. The only movies we are watching these days are Hallmark Movies so I’m inspired to see picturesque little towns around the USA.

3. A time you felt like you were ‘flying by the seat of your pants’? Explain.

I think the place where I fly by the seat of my pants most often is in the kitchen when I have to come up with a meal on the fly and I start throwing caution to the wind with the ingredients I throw in the pot hoping the end result will be edible.

4. Do you struggle with road rage or are you more of a ‘Sunday driver’? Do you like to be ‘in the driver’s seat (literally and/or figuratively speaking) ?

Rage is a strong word. I have been known to strongly criticize other drivers on the road. I do like to be in the driver’s seat both literally and figuratively and the Lord has tempered that tendency in me over my years of being His follower. Many miles yet to go in this tempering!!

5. Something you’ve recently ‘put the brakes on’?

Regularly shopping in Thrift stores.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Our Concrete was poured on Monday and we tried to get some good handprints from Addy and Jaymison. Addy’s were easier since she can follow directions. Their little hands set in ‘concrete’. Since our niece and nephew were here on concrete day they each set a handprint.

Theirs are deep and have a 3D look.

I’m very wrapped up in the day to day with our family visitors. I will try to visit y’all soon.

Sweet Hodgepodge

Sweet Southern livin Jo has come up with questions for Wednesday Hodgepodge.
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1. Let’s start things off right…Wednesday is National Dessert Day. What are we having? How often do you  make/serve dessert? Store bought or from scratch?
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We can have my signature Creamy Cheesecake, pictured above…
or a family favorite; Peanut Butter/Butterscotch Rice Krispy bars
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or in the cake realm; Another family favorite, Applesauce Spice Cake.
We added a new favorite in 2020, Strawberry Ice Cream Cake.
Lately I only make a dessert when we are having company. I made this Ice Cream Cake yesterday for dessert after our Raclette meal that we introduced to my brother’s family.
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I like scratch desserts but am not opposed to store bought. In fact see question #3 for something I always buy instead of bake.
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2. Slow as molasses, icing on the cake, that’s the way the cookie crumbles, have your cake and eat it too, half-baked idea, that takes the cake…which phrase might be applied to something in your life in recent days? Explain.
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I’m going with icing on the cake. Since my brother’s family (originally from Texas) landed in the Pacific Northwest on their RV journeys around the USA some other members of our family gathered here, too, and we were able to have a mini family reunion of sorts.

My sister Kathy sitting to my left is now our matriarch. Four out of 8 siblings plus two spouses and eleven cousins rounded out the group for a few days of food and fun.

3. Something that’s ‘easy as pie’ for you to do?

Sticking with the pie theme here I’m confessing that making pie is not in my wheelhouse. It is not something easy for me and I choose to avoid it by buying good quality pies in the frozen section of the grocery store and popping them in my oven! So ‘easy as pie’ is not a phrase that pertains to me.

4. Are you someone who likes to ‘sugarcoat’ news you think might not be well received, or are you more of a tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may? Do you like to receive your news the same way you give it?

Please don’t sugar coat it. Get it out now and let me know what’s up! I’m a tell it like it is person. Don’t beat around the bush, either.

5. Something you did recently that made you feel like a ‘smart cookie’?

Driving for over 6 hours by myself from Bothell to Colville with stops at the Home Depot and Costco in Spokane. I was smart to bring a book on CD to listen to. That makes the hours go by quicker for me and keeps me awake. For this trip I listened to “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe read by Michael York, delightful.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 

Looking forward to our Western Larches (Tamarack) to turn golden.

October is a busy busy month here at Our Country Bungalow. Still ahead is our annual family hunting weekend and this year we are throwing in our first professional family photo shoot. It’s been fun coming up with a clothing theme so we look a bit coordinated. For the majority of the days in October all of our guestrooms are full to the brim.

A Nostalgic Hodgepodge

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Jo From This Side of the Pond publishes the questions on Tuesdays for us to answer and then we post our answers on Wednesdays to share with other Hodgepodgers.
1. When is the last time you experienced nostalgia?
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I was putting together all the photos of my little Babushka for a post and it got me thinking of her life and all she endured and her perseverance. She died in March of 1980. So many conversations that I couldn’t have with her because of our language barrier. When we were young and she would come over to stay with us I’d hope to be the one who would be able to sleep with her on the fold down couch in the living room. Her left arm was amputated at her elbow in her youth but she learned to do more than a lot of people with two hands can do. She taught me to embroider or I should say she persevered with me as I tried to embroider. One thing she told me as a teenager that I still quote from time to time is something like this, “Nothing good happens in the dark”. She was cautioning us as young adults not to be out at night. She prayed for the salvation of all her grandchildren and their spouses. It would have been fun for our children to know her…
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 2. September 29th is National Coffee Day.
Do we need this? Ha!
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Seems like everyday is a National day of something. Reminds me of handing out trophies to everyone regardless of their talent.
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So are you a coffee drinker?
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I am a coffee drinker. The mug on the left is my current every morning choice of coffee vessel. I bought that mug at TDMaxx (not TJ) in Windsor, England.
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If so how many cups per day, and tell us how you like it.
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One large cup in the morning, strong and black.
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Is there a recipe you enjoy that calls for coffee as one of the ingredients?
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I have had some things that have coffee as an ingredient but nothing that is in my recipe wheelhouse.
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 3. Do you find praise or criticism to be more motivating? Explain.
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My pride gets in the way of accepting criticism. I find it easier to accept when the Holy Spirit convicts me of something that needs correcting.  I’m definitely spurred on by genuine praise but not flattery.
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 4.  What’s a television series you keep coming back to and re-watching?
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Vera, Midsomer Murders, Detective Lewis, Endeavor…there’s a theme going here. British murder mysteries.
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 5. As the month of September draws to a close give us three words to describe your mood.
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Smiling With Anticipation…
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 6. Insert your own random thought here.
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The reason I’m smiling with anticipation is because the month of October will be family filled. We are meeting up with my youngest brother’s family this Thursday in Idaho and then they will be parking their 5th wheel at our place for a bit. My oldest sister’s family is traveling to Washington state next week and we will gather together on the west side of the Cascades for a few days together. Four of our eight siblings will be together along with their families and our “Coast” kids. Then more family time in Colville with all of our kids together for our annual hunting weekend. All the rooms will be full at all the Family Inns for many days in October.
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We are traveling for a few days and I will be late in visiting everyone this week. Cheers!