Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 311

After months of computer problems I think, maybe, I hope, they are all fixed. I miss the Hodgepodge when the computer is down. I am happy today to join in on the fun!

1. The first day of summer rolls in later this week. What are ten things you'd put on your list of  quintessential summer activities? Will you try to manage all ten this summer? 

1.  Parades

2.  Picnics

3.  Fireworks

4.  State Fair

5.  Fishing

6.  Out of town visits

7.  Family Reunion

8.  Going to Flea Markets

9.  Window Washing

10.  Bear watching

I will more than likely go on a picnic or 2 with friends when I am in the city. While there we'll probably watch the Whiz Bang Parade. And, later the fireworks. I would love to go fishing, but it doesn't seem likely. I will be going out of town several times this summer visiting friends and relatives. In fact,  on the 29th of June I going to go see my best cousin. We will be visiting with an old family friend and going to the flea market in Detroit Lakes. I will not be going to the family reunion. My windows may or may not get washed. And,  YES I will be on bear watch (more on that later)

2. Do you collect seashells when you're at the beach? What do you do with them once you get them home? What's your favorite place to comb for seashells? I don't collect seashells. However, I do walk along the shoreline and collect rocks. Mostly agates. When my son was young we would put them in the rock polisher to shine them up. Once shined they would go into clear jars to show off their beauty. Nowadays, however, I bring them home and put them unpolished into jars. The rock polisher died an agonizing death from overuse many years ago.
How many of these 'best beaches for hunting seashells' have you visited? Which one would you most like to visit? Calvert Cliffs State Park (Maryland), Jeffrey's Bay (South Africa), Sanibel Island (Florida), Shipwreck Beach (Lanai Hawaii), Ocracoke Island (North Carolina), Galveston Island (Texas) and The Bahamas

I haven't been to any of those beaches. When I lived in North Carolina we did go to a beach on the ocean, but I don't know if it had a name. I've been to a beach on the Pacific Ocean but, again I don 't know if it had a name. If  I were to get the chance to go to a beach somewhere I wouldn't choose any of those listed. I would instead go to Maine to walk the shoreline there. Or to England to see the White Cliffs of Dover.
3. At a snail's pace, shell out money, come out of your shell, go back into your shell, drop a bombshell, happy as a clam, clam up...which 'shell' phrase could most recently be applied to some event or circumstance in your life? Explain. If I am waiting for something to happen I want it to happen quickly to be done with the waiting. But, usually things crawl along at a snail's pace. I don't have a shell to go back into. I am always out. Typical extrovert. Most of the time I have to clam up. I have always been outspoken. To the point of bluntness, but the last few years I have been trying to tamper that urge. Sometimes successful, sometimes not so much.

4. What summer activity do you dislike? Why? Does doing a tick check every couple of hours count as an activity? I know what Lyme's can do to a person so I am more than a little cautious about getting the buggers off  me. How about swatting mosquitoes? They are the unofficial state bird. We have more than our share. Wiping the sweat of my face (I don't shine. I sweat)? Killing ants on my kitchen counter? Seriously though I don't like the noise and litter that summer tourists bring. They buy up all sorts of firecrackers, and think nothing of setting them off at all times day or night. They think nothing of throwing an empty beer can out a car window. These are tourists or what we call summer people right in my immediate area. I know not all summer people are this way.
5. What's something you see as quickly becoming obsolete? Does that bother you? Compassion, tolerance, manners, respect, love of God. That loving God is becoming obsolete bothers me more than all of the others. I think if people do love God the other things just naturally  follow...mostly. It is my belief that we are getting close to end times, and to not love God places those people in a very precarious situation. So, yeah it bothers me.
6. Insert your own random thought here. I mentioned being on Bear watch. Every time I step outside I look around before I leave the safety of the stoop. I always wear a bear whistle when outdoors. Even if it is just sitting on the patio. We have bear in the area. Like in my woods! He/she has been here 3 times being nosy. The first time I got pictures which I will share. They were taken from inside the house (duh) so the quality isn't the greatest. He ruined my bird feeder and tried to get into the porch. It is disconcerting to see his claw marks on the outside of the door. I am just glad they are on the outside. My husband guessed between 300-350 pounds.

The dragon fly was having a rest on the antenna of my car. I love the wings. I had to share.