Category Archives: Meme
Family Moments Hodgepodge
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
‘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.
- My God and Savior Jesus Christ.
- My Bible or several of them.
- My dear Hubby, 3-1/2 weeks shy of our 46th wedding anniversary.
- Our three children, Josh, Dan and Katie.
- Their three beloved spouses, Laura, Jamie and Andrew.
- Our two grandchildren, Addyson and Jaymison.
- Parents who loved the Lord and trusted Him during their lifetime.
- A Bible believing and Bible preaching church and tried and true Bible teachers who I can access online.
- Like minded friends who spur us on in our faith.
- A comfortable home with all the creature comforts.
- 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)
- Prepare small elbow macaroni as per package instructions, drain and rinse under cold water
- In large bowl combine mayo/mustard/vinegar/salt/sugar and pepper.
- Stir in onion/celery/bellpepper and jicama.
- Add macaroni and combine well.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- 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
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.
- 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
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast iron dutch oven or large stockpot over low heat.
- Add the onions and curry powder and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are tender.
- Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot every couple minutes.
- Peel squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut the squash into chunks.
- Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks.
- Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups broth to pot.
- Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the squash and apples are soft, approximately 40-50 minutes.
- Use a food processor or hand blender to puree the squash and apples.
- Return to pot if you used the food processor and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed.
- If the consistency is too thick add a little more broth or water and heat through.
- 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
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.