Tag Archives: Wednesday Hodgepodge

Stars and Stripes Hodgepodge

Time to celebrate the Hodgepodge again. Jo From This Side of the Pond asks the questions and we ponder them for answers.

1. It’s been said the best things in life are free…are they?

There has been a price that has been paid for the best things in life like salvation in Jesus Christ.  We didn’t have to pay for that but Christ did and our new life in Him costs us. “Take up your cross daily and follow Him.” When we are faithful and obedient to the Word of God there will be a price to pay.

On a National note there is a cost that has been paid for our freedom. It is good to be free but we can’t forget to be grateful for the sacrifices made for our freedom.

What are some of those things? The Free Things…

*There are good things that are free like hugs, a sunset, smiles, lovely views, etc. etc.

2. Stars or stripes?
Mostly stars but I do enjoy stripes, too.
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Red, white, or blue?
How about all three…
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Apple pie or home made ice cream?
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I do enjoy ice cream but unfortunately it doesn’t like me anymore so I’ll go with apple pie!
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Do you like hotdogs?
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Yes, give me a good Hebrew National Hot Dog, Nathan’s or better yet a Chicago Dog!
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I love a good Chicago dog (see above) and all the things they put on it but can’t get one of those locally, sigh.
If so, what do you like on yours?
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I enjoy hot dog relish on mine. Side note: Hot dog relish has been scarce in my area grocery stores.
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3. One thing on your summer bucket list?
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To make it to the “Coast” for some visits.
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Any plans to make it happen soon?
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No…people are way too busy right now.
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4. What’s your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one
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A few came to mind like Summer in the City and Schools Out for the Summer but since I don’t live in the city and I’m not in school anymore I’ll go with, You Are My Sunshine.
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5. What’s something you love about America? If you live outside of America, tell us something you love about the place you call home.
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So much to love about America if you ignore the crazy politics going on and the absurd redefinition of basic biology.
I love how you can travel from shore to shore, north and south and see so many different topographies and enjoy small and large towns, seashores and deserts, mountains and plains, regional dishes, amazing architecture, historical sites, iconic landmarks, etc. etc.
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We are in the middle of planning a road trip from Washington State to North Carolina for a wedding in early October. So far some of the diversions along the highways we will travel will be Deadwood, Mt. Rushmore, Wall, Badlands, The Ark Encounter, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, A Shaker Village, Pigeon Forge, and Asheville. After the wedding, Lord willing, we plan to journey to Dallas to visit my brother’s family. We’ll go through Nashville and Memphis on our way to Dallas. From Dallas home we are waiting to see weather patterns before we make those plans.
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6. Insert your own random thought here.
Hope you all have a good 4th of July weekend here in the States and to our Canadian neighbors, Happy Canada Day on the 1st.

Moving Up Hodgepodge

My parents, sister and nieces were some of the first visitors we had in Washington State after our move in 1988.

Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for coming up with the Wednesday Hodgepodge questions each week.

1. Something you’ve seen recently that’s ‘cuter than a June bug’?

Our little grands wrapped up like burritos.

2. Tell us something about where you were and what you were doing in June of 1988? If you weren’t born yet, June of 1998. Or if that doesn’t work, June of 2008. 

In June of 1988 we were getting ready for a major move from Ventura, California to Bothell, Washington. A huge life change for all of us. We were packing up our stuff and all of my mother-in-law’s stuff as she was moving up with us. Dear was accepted to the University of Washington to study and pursue a new career as a Pharmacist. Our kids were 9, 7 and 2-1/2. Dear had been working as a Frontend Loader operator in a quarry before he was encouraged to pursue this new career. We are thankful to God for all this decision afforded our family. It was a wonderful choice all around and we never regretted it. Our kids got a whole new education in moving from Southern California to a state with 4 distinct seasons! Experiencing snow right in our front yard was such a treat for these three!

3. A place in your home or outdoor space where you feel ‘snug as a bug in a rug’? 

Inside it has to be my bed and especially when there are no big plans for the following day. Outside my snug as a bug in a rug spot is on my riding lawnmower with my headphones listening to my favorite preacher.

4. June is National Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Month. 

Do you normally get your 4-5 servings each day?

To get 4-5 servings per day we’d need to buy those green and red bottles of processed vegetables and fruits.

What’s a favorite summer dish you make/serve/like to be served-ha! made with one of your favorite summer fruits.

My favorite summer fruit are nectarines and I like them just as they are. I’d like to be served a fresh peach pie with flaky crust please.

A favorite summer dish made with a favorite summer veg?

Corn on the Cob!

How do you feel about cooking in the summer months? 

I feel Dear should do the majority of cooking outside on his Traeger in the summer months.

5. Do you have a summer reading list? If so share a title or two we can add to our own. 

I do not have a summer reading list. I read the Bible everyday and some of Spurgeon’s writings, too. If I was going to have a summer reading list I’d re-read some books by Elizabeth Goudge like The Dean’s Watch.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I had my initial appointment with the surgeon for my cataract surgery and I’ll know some dates as soon as the surgery scheduling people call me. The decision I need to make is whether I want the monofocal fix, that Medicare covers, or the multiple corrective zones. We’d have to put up some big bucks for the full meal deal but we are leaning that way after talking with people who didn’t make that choice and regret it.

Hello June Hodgepodge

It’s Wednesday and time for the Hodgepodge  Jo From This Side of the Pond has a set of questions for us to ponder.

1. Besides the flag, tell us about something red, something white and something blue from your weekend. 

I’m going to lump the red, white and blue all together. We had a weird Memorial Day Weekend. Dear and I facilitated the food for a rehearsal dinner on Friday night and wedding on Saturday for a family from church so we were in the church kitchen for several hours. We didn’t have anything else planned for the weekend into the holiday on Monday and we found it relaxing to work on my London jigsaw puzzle which is mostly red, white and blue and on a blue tablecloth.

2. June is here and it’s National Give A Bunch of Balloons Month. Who would you give a bunch to if you could? Tell us why. 

Dollar store has their helium tanks again so I’m excited to buy a bunch of balloons to have here for the grands to enjoy when they visit. I will also buy a few to put out at the street so my Tea guests know which driveway to pull into. Our driveway is easy to miss and since it’s on a 50mph road it’s nice to give ample warning! My Tea date is June 19th.

3. What are three adjectives you associate with the month of June? Something you’re looking forward to this month?

Growing up in southern California we associated June with gloom because of the weather, June gloom. June is also associated with blooms so bloom June. “June is bustin out all over” Honeymoon June since June is associated with weddings.

I’m looking forward to having a Tea for Eight guests in my home on June 19th. I don’t have to cook or serve. I will set the table.

4. Tell us about a time (besides the obvious Corona answer) when you felt stuck in second gear.

Lately I’m stuck in second gear as far as meal planning goes. I’m unmotivated to come up with a weeks worth of meals or even a couple days worth of meals.

5. Sum up your May in fifteen words or less.

A month filled with flowers, joy and sorrow, special hellos and unreasonable goodbyes for now.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Highlight of our Memorial Day Weekend was this little guy coming to play at our house. More to come.

A Real Optimistic Hodgepodge

 

From this Side of the Pond

It’s time to answer some questions again. Thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond!

1. Realist, idealist, optimist, pessimist…which one are you? Elaborate. 

I would say I’m a combination of a realist and optimist. Because I have embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind, and salvation, I know the reality of my sinful condition and the depravity of the world we live in. Being born again I have peace with God, the Sovereign Creator, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ provided the atonement for my sins. I know that God will bring me safely home to heaven with Him and that all things will work together for His good and my sanctification.

2. What’s something currently on your wish list? 

Freedom to move about the country in a carefree way.

3. Three things on this week’s shopping list? 

Tissue, eggs, conditioner.

4. According to Trip Advisor here’s a list of the top ten things to do in the US this summer-

Chicago Architecture River Cruise, Skip the Line Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour, New York In A Day  guided sightseeing tour, Charleston’s Old South Historic Horse and Carriage tour, Grand Canyon helicopter tour, Full day iconic sights of LA, Beverly Hills, Beaches and more, D.C. at Dusk guided night tour, Beneath the Streets Underground History tour (Seattle), New Orleans Swamp and Bayou Boat tour, Gangsters and Ghosts tour in Chicago…read more about each excursion in the link here. 

Of the ten attractions listed which do you find most appealing?

Charleston’s Old South Historic Horse and Carriage Tour.

Have you already experienced anything on this list? 

Yes. I’ve done the Architecture River Cruise, D.C. at Dusk guided night tour. I was born in East Los Angeles and raised in southern California and have been to several beaches and iconic sights of LA and Beverly Hills. We moved just north of Seattle in 1988 and have enjoyed taking many car loads of visitors to see the Seattle sights. We never went on the Underground tour, though. Oops!

5. Besides home and work where do you spend the most time? 

Both Dear and I are retired so we do not leave home for a workplace. I would say time wise we regularly spend most of our time away from home at our kids’ homes or at church.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

If you have Rhubarb you might want to try this recipe posted on my blog yesterday.

Mama said, Hodgepodge

It’s time for Wednesday Hodgepodge where Jo asks the questions and we provide some answers. The first question is about mama so I’m sharing this photo of our mom from 2009 at a Mother’s Day gathering in Southern California. She escaped to heaven in 2013.

1. It’s like my mama always said, “____________________________________________.”

It’s a Russian saying that gets lost in translation. For scrapes and bruises and other things that we would get upset about the saying goes, “by the time of your wedding it will heal”.

2. May 11th is National Eat What You Want Day. What will you be having by way of celebration?

Everyday is eat what you want day around here. We hosted a card night on the 11th (last night) and I made a batch of my loaded Chocolate Chip cookies for the table while we played “Hand and Foot”. Everyone had their fill of cookies.

3. Describe your idea of a perfect spring day.

Bellefontaine 016

75 degrees with a blue sky and puffy clouds enjoying a stroll in a garden or very old cemetery filled with a variety of Spring flowers and blossoming trees like Dogwood and Lilac.

Bellefontaine 154

4. Success, fulfillment, growth, achievement…pick one and tell us how it relates to your life in some way, either currently or in days gone by.

I’m going with growth. I’m a strong believer of continued Biblical learning so that we can continue growing up in our Faith. Study to show thyself approved...

5. I saw this going around on various social media sites and thought it would be fun to answer here. The last thing you bought on Amazon is your weapon in battle. How will you wield it?  (if you’re not an Amazon shopper, then the last thing you bought online anywhere)

Well we have an order arriving on Friday of 3 items, Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat, a fluted tart pan and a book, With the Master on Our Knees: A Ladies Bible Study on Prayer, by Susan J. Heck.

I’ll fling the tart pan at my enemy injuring the villain and then squish him with my Prince Lionheart Squish Booster Seat all the while praying to my Lord and Master to give me the victory!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

On May 4th we had our Colville kids over for dinner and the weather was nice so we spent some time outside after dinner.

These Johnny Jumpups are taking over!

It’s time to get our soccer goal out on the grass again.

A little snack was in order after playing hard and before they headed home.

Hope May is flowering for you!

The Merry Month of May Hodgepodge

Our first Wednesday Hodgepodge in the Merry Month of May. Thank you to Jo for asking the questions.

1. What’s something you ‘may’ do this month? 

Our church is having an auction of many items donated by our congregation to raise money for special projects our missionaries need support with. I just may bid on something at the auction. One item I’ve seen already is an English Tea for 8 guests put on in your home. That sounds like fun.

And…maybe I’ll refill our hanging baskets with some fresh potting soil and flowers.

2. Last time you literally or figuratively shouted mayday!? 

During the event we were in charge of a few weeks ago I shouted quietly to my right hand man (Dear) to grab something, lend a hand, or run to the store. Mayday! Mayday!

3. Let the chips fall where they may, come what may, maybe, Cape May, mayflies, devil may care, you may now kiss the bride,  much to our dismay, mayhem, mayonnaise…choose a ‘may’ word or phrase from the list and tell us how it relates to your life in some way right now. 

In the current climate of our world (and any time) it’s a comfort to believe in Almighty God who holds our future in His hands so I’ll say, ‘come what may’. And may we be prepared by drawing closer and closer to Him for whatever comes our way.

4. If someone were serving you breakfast in bed this weekend, what would you like to see on the menu?

Something easy to deal with in bed. A nice egg scramble with veggies and ham served in a croissant with strawberries on the side and a big cup of black coffee.

5. Tell me one true thing you believe about motherhood. 

That God uses motherhood to make us more like Christ and to help us understand His love for us.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

Not So Taxing Hodgepodge

Wednesday Hodgepodge is back this week thanks to Jo From This Side of the Pond.

1. What is something you currently find ‘taxing’? 

Getting my brain to stop organizing an event that I’m in charge of the kitchen for when I’m trying to fall asleep.

2. I’ve seen this question asked in various forms on several social media sites…you can only keep three-

coffee, jewelry, tacos, wine, books, dogs, chocolate, Netflix, make-up, leggings, cheese, cats

Which three do you keep and how easy or hard was it for you to decide? 

This was not hard for me. My three would be coffee, books, and chocolate.

3. Tell us something you know or have learned about forgiveness? 

If you are a believer in and a follower of Jesus, we are commanded to forgive. It is not an option. Sometimes it is hard but forgiveness brings peace. We have to grasp the fact that without forgiveness we would be lost in our sins and damned to hell. But thanks be to God that we can be forgiven and because we’ve been forgiven from so much we need to extend forgiveness. When we forgive we acknowledge that God is in control and we are not.

4. What’s something you’d recommend that is often overlooked and under appreciated? 

Reading the Bible everyday not just a devotional.

I heard this yesterday and will quote it here.

“Sloppy sentimental devotionalizing of all the scriptures just doesn’t get at the issues. Teach with exactness.” from a sermon in Acts by John MacArthur

I’ll add, go to the exact source and read for yourself what it says.

Here’s another quote:

“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

5. Give us a favorite word that starts with letter K and tell us why this is the one you chose. 

Our daughter’s name starts with a K and I thought of her first but since you want a word not a person I’m going with Kindred Spirit, (okay it’s two words but one of them starts with a k) a person whose interests or attitudes are similar to one’s own.  In this day and age it is so comforting to find those with whom you can express yourself and not be silenced by or condemned. I get weary of social police…but I will forgive.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We have a busy weekend coming up and next week that event that my brain is not shutting off for will demand all of my attention from Wednesday through Friday so I’ll be absent from my blog and from visiting other blogs.

In the meantime I’m posting this photo again that our DIL sent along to make you smile. He’s turning two on Friday!

Get Ready Hodgepodge

If it’s Wednesday it must be time for the Hodgepodge! Thank you Jo From This Side of the Pond for the questions!

1. The Hodgepodge lands on the last day of March…in ten words or less bid the month adieu. 

March ushered a new decade with joyous celebrations and love.

2. March 31st is National Tater Day…your favorite way to have a potato?

Baked and loaded

Given a choice would you opt for sweet, white, or red?

Depends on what they are a side to. I like them all.

How often are potatoes on your menu in one form or another?

Maybe once a week.

Ever been to Idaho?

Yes, we were just there to celebrate my 70th birthday. It’s our next door neighbor state and only a short drive away.

3. Last time someone or something ‘rained on your parade’? Explain. 

The obvious ever present culprit is the virus. I miss the ease of traveling and just being out in the world. Not a fan of masks and fear and mixed messages.

4. Put all your eggs in one basket, get cracking, nest egg, bad egg, good egg, egg on, have egg on your face, or walk on eggshells…choose a phrase from the list that applies to something in your life currently and tell us how or why.

‘Get Cracking’ With Easter coming this Sunday the song “People Get Ready” is on my mind. If you haven’t made peace with God through Jesus Christ it’s time to ‘get cracking’ people!

5. If I visited your home would I find a lot of baskets there? Something you like to keep in a basket? 

Not a lot but a few. We keep comfy socks/slippers for company in a basket under our entry bench. Hats and gloves, too.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Tomorrow we remember the Last Supper and the time that Jesus spent with His disciples preparing them for his coming death and resurrection. This photo is a life sized artist’s depiction of that night that I took at the Monumentale Cemetery in Milan Italy in 2013. “Do this in remembrance of me”

This next photo I took at Wells Cathedral in England.

Hope you have a meaningful and joyful Easter Weekend!

Full of Hope Hodgepodge

2016-04-13 pablano soup

Thank you to Jo From This Side of the Pond for the Wednesday Hodgepodge Questions!

1. “Hope springs eternal”…discuss.

I’m taking the quote out of the realm it came from and putting God’s eternal twist on it.

From a mother’s perspective I always hope for our children to progress in their walk with the Lord, to be content, to stay faithful in their marriages and to look forward to their eternity with God.

From a grandmother’s perspective I ask the Lord continually to have mercy on and save our grandchildren and my hope is for their salvation.

This is my same prayer for any friends or family who are not born again.

For me personally, my hope is in eternity with my Lord and Savior.

2. Last time you needed to ‘spring into action’ or ‘spring to someone’s defense’…explain.

These days my springing into action generally happens around our grandchildren quickly diverting them from danger.

3. Tulips or daffodils? baby birds or baby bunnies? The cherry tree or the dogwood tree? Jelly beans or peeps? March madness or spring training? Peas or carrots?

Tulips, Baby birds, Dogwood Tree (see photo at the top of this post), Jelly Beans, Spring Cleaning no madness or training, Carrots.

4. I read an article here on the South’s best cities on the rise. They are-Baton Rouge Louisiana, Fayetteville Arkansas, Greenville South Carolina, Huntsville Alabama, Lexington Kentucky, Norfolk Virginia, Tulsa Oklahoma, Waco Texas, Wilmington North Carolina, and Winston-Salem North Carolina. Of the cities listed how many have you seen in person?

Katie and I drove to Airlie Gardens in Wilmington North Carolina when our Son-in-law was stationed at Camp LeJeune.

Which one on the list would you most like to see?

Waco Texas because of the Fixer Upper phenomena. Would be fun to visit Magnolia.

Have you spent much time in the southern states (USA)?

We’ve spent more time in the Southwest vs. Southeast being born and raised in Southern California. We’ve spent time in Arizona and New Mexico. We’ve visited family in Dallas, Texas. We’ve been to San Antonio (for a conference).We’ve spent time in North Carolina when our Andrew and Katie lived there during his Marine days. Katie and I traveled to Beaufort, S.C. for Andrew’s Marine Corps graduation. Dear and I spent a few days in Florida for a medical conference he attended. We’ve been to Atlanta, Georgia for another conference. On a road trip from Seattle to Jacksonville, North Carolina, Katie and I spent nights in Tennessee, Asheville N.C., Raleigh Durham.

Any spring road trips on your calendar?

Only a short one across the mountains to our kids home after Easter.

We are making plans for a longer road trip to North Carolina for a wedding in October. On the way we do plan a stop in Lexington, Kentucky after we visit The Ark. Our route home from North Carolina will take us through Dallas to visit my brother’s family. Looks like we could hit a few of those cities on the way to Dallas from North Carolina if we wanted to.

5. Tell us how your outdoor space needs sprucing up this spring?

We still have a lot of grassy bushes that need some work, pulling out the old to get ready for the new growth. Now our front acreage has a million small pine cones that the trees have shed. Those are a bear to clear.

Which do you enjoy more (or hate the least-ha!) yard work or house work?

I enjoy riding my lawn mower to cut the grass. Not a big fan of pulling weeds and less of a fan these days since it makes my back sore. The housework that I’m the least happy to do these days is to clean our shower. I’d love to have the unit replaced. There is calcium deposits that are impossible to remove that look like dirt. We are on well water here. So all that to say there are parts of outdoor work that I like and parts of indoor work that I like. Other parts are not pleasant both indoors and outdoors.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We are catching our breath after a celebration filled weekend with our kids from the ‘Coast’ here. A belated birthday dinner for me on Friday and then our granddaughter’s 4th birthday on Saturday. We were all in church together on Sunday morning. We had all our meals together from Friday dinner to Monday lunch except for Sunday morning. The ‘coast’ kids flew home on Monday evening.

Springing Ahead Hodgepodge

Hodgepodge lands on St. Patrick’s Day this week so Jo From This Side of the Pond has come up with questions surrounding that theme. Thank you Jo for your creative questions!

1. This week’s Hodgepodge lands on St. Patrick’s Day.

Will you wear green?

Yes! (If I remember)

Eat corned beef and cabbage?

We enjoyed corned beef and cabbage last evening at our son and DIL’s home.

Drink green beer?

No to drinking green beer but I have used a Guinness pint glass as a flower vase coloring the water green.

Have you ever been to Ireland? Is it on your travel ‘bucket list’? 

No never been but would love to!

2. Something you think is ‘worth its weight in gold’? 

My riding lawn mower. And very soon it will be time to start riding it again.

3. Something that makes you ‘green around the gills’? 

When someone else ‘tosses their cookies’.

4. What puts a ‘spring in your step’ these days? 

Whenever I know our family will be gathering like this coming weekend!

5. Write a limerick using one of the following as your theme….March, St. Patrick’s Day, Covid, 2020 and/or 2021, the color green, or life lately. Yes, you can do it. 

I’ll admit up front that hubby helped came up with this.

There was a nice gal from Seattle

Who rarely engaged verbal battle

She blogged with her friends

Entertained to no end

And tried to avoid empty prattle!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My kids have planned the following for this Friday. Our DIL Laura created this gif. It will be good to be together! My actual birthday was March 14th but our kids are flying over to celebrate two birthdays in one trip. My family dinner party is Friday night and Addy’s 4th birthday will be celebrated on her day, March 20th.

St. Patrick’s Prayer

May the Strength of God pilot us.
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.

May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.

May the Host of God guard us
Against the snares of the evil ones,
Against temptations of the world.

May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!

May Thy Salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.