From This Side of the Pond Questions

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 285 Posted: 24 Oct 2016 09:01 PM PDT First things first...there will not be a Hodgepodge next week because whoohoo! I'm moving! It's only been 13+ months since we got started, but it looks like moving day is finally here. I will do my best to post a Hodgepodge the week after, but that may be dependent on the Internet fairies. I will post something so you'll know, but for now plan on no Hodgepodge Wednesday Nov 2nd, hopefully a Hodgepodge on Nov. 9th, and definitely a Hodgepodge on Nov. 16th. This week though, there is a Hodgepodge and here are the questions. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. 1. Besides your very own house, describe a place where you feel most 'at home'?  That would be my BF's house. I love her family and they love me. I go there and feel pampered. I can regenerate my soul. I totally relax. When there is a family gathering for something I am included. Even in family photos. I love her grandchildren as they were my own. To them I am Grandma Trudy. 2. When did you last 'hit a home run' with something? Explain.  Just this past weekend I had a homerun. It was the annual trip my BF (she doesn't like her name used. But, from now on she will be RLL) and I make to Duluth. We spend the night Friday. We shop til we drop. And eat til we can not eat anymore. We laugh (loudly), enjoy our time together, We are silly and stop along the way so I can take photos. We had a fabulous time and are already planning next year's time. 3. Tell us about something you love in your house or kitchen that is 'homemade'.  In my living room and in the hallway. In the living room is the entertainment center. The top is filled with photographs of family and friends. I have always liked the look of a grand piano that I have seen in movies that has lots of photographs on in. I don't have the piano but I do have a flat surface. In the hallway I have a gallery wall oh photos the cats we have had the privilege of caring for over the years. Many of these photos are of the feral cats that lived here. They are all precious. 4. 'A man's home is his castle'...which of the world's ten most captivating castles (according to The Travel Channel) would you most like to visit and why- Mont Saint-Michel (France), Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Glamis Castle (Scotland), Windsor Castle (England), Chateu de Chambord (France), Hampton Court Palace (England), Prague Castle (Prague), St. Michael's Mount (England), and Leeds Castle (England) I guess I would say Windsor Castle. I would love to have Tea with the Queen and to have her show me around. 5. What's a recent or upcoming plan or project that's required you do a little homework before getting started? Did the homework cause you to abandon your plan or adjust it in some way? I have always wanted to have a dollhouse. My cousin was going to design and build one for me. I have decided I don't have a large enough free space to have a doll house. I will eventually have something of a similar nature, because I love miniatures, just not a 1/2 scale house. Sigh. 6. In your opinion, is homework an unnecessary evil or a valuable practice? Should schools be done with homework? Why or why not? ' I understand the need for additional work outside the classroom. Truly I do. However, when the child comes home with work that they need help with, and the parent isn't up on the latest "new" math that is a problem. I don't agree with the premise that for every year in school there is 1/2  hour of homework. The school district where we live tried to implement that theory, it didn't last long. The child has spent all day in the classroom and needs some down time.  7. Share a favorite memory of your childhood hometown.  I like remembering how safe it felt. It is a suburb of Minneapolis right on it's border. But, it always had a small town feel to it. Even today if feels like going to a small town. It has a main street where the businesses are .  The town/city had a summer festival (don't they all?) it was always the weekend after the 4th of July. It is called Whiz Bang Days. It was such fun sitting on the curb of main street anticipating the start of the parade. Later in the weekend finding the perfect spot to watch the fireworks. ANd through it all being without a parent and being safe. Or being able to walk to the movie theater with a friend or cousin for a Saturday afternoon movie. I gave more than one example.  8. Insert your own random thought here.  Instead of a thought I am going to show of a couple of recent photos I have taken.

Happy Wednesday Hodgpodge

Joining Joyce today for the weekly Hodgepodge. How does she ever keep coming up with new and fun questions? And often thought provoking.

1. Let's all think happy thoughts...share one of yours here. 

This is a good question for me today. I have been having a difficult time being happy the last few days. I know it is in there somewhere. I just need a thought to bring it out.

Here it is: We are having Thanksgiving (baring snow) this next Sunday. My son works on Thursdays, but has Sundays off. I am almost finished getting the house ready, and can now start to bake.  Plus, now that I think about it I am finished with the big gifts for Christmas, and can now get the fun things. Yes, I do have reason to be happy.

2. There's a Chinese proverb that says, "If you want happiness for an hour take a nap, if you want happiness for a day-go fishing...." What say you? If you want happiness for a day _____________.

If I want happiness for the day I leave the house and do the grocery shopping. I go to the thrift store. I buy a book. And I have lunch out. Home can be very stressful so going out and about is a very good thing.

3. Where do you go to decompress from the world around you? 

To regenerate? To become strong again? I go to my best friend's house. She pampers me, she doesn't expect anything from me, she plans her time around what I want to do. Her family plans meals that they know I can't make at home. And, as a bonus I get to be Grandma Trudy to her grandchildren.

4. What song never fails to make you happy? 

Music of any kind makes me happy (except some of the noise kinds).  The songs that make me happy are the kind to bring back memories. Led Zeplin's "Stairway to Heaven"  Harry Chapin's "Taxi" (which I just listened to - Thank you Spotify) . You are my Sunshine and Hush Little Baby that I sang to my son when he was a baby, and sometimes even now.

5. Wednesday is National Fast Food Day. Should that be a thing? Apparently it is, so tell us what's the last 'fast food' you consumed? If you were putting together your own version of a 'happy meal' what would you include? 

All of "National" day for things crack me up. I mean really?  The last fast food I had was actually a Happy Meal. Yes, it was. My fast food would include a taste menu of all my favorite fast foods. Little bits of everything.

6. In a few sentences tell us why you blog. 

I blog because I need to write. I had another blog years ago, but I lost it somewhere. It was called "Random Thought". It feels good to write. It also gives me a place to show my photography.

7. List seven things you're feeling especially grateful for today. 

1.  I am grateful today for a God who loves me no matter what.

2.  I am grateful today for the long fall weather we are having. 

3.  I am grateful today for my family and friends who also love me no matter what.

4.  I am grateful today for for my dishwasher. I went quite a few years without one, and I hate, detest, loath washing dishes. 

5.  I am grateful today for Ozzy and Boo. My 2 girls. They bring me joy continuously. Even when they are yelling at me for breakfast. Oh yeah, they are cats.

6.  I am grateful today that it is almost time to decorate for Christmas. I love to decorate for Christmas.

7.  I am grateful for my eyes to see, my ears to hear, my feet and legs to walk, my voice to let it be heard.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm sorry if I am a bit melancholy  today. I think it is the time of the year and recent events that have me feeling blue.

And on the note I will share a happy photo

As far as the eye can see Sunflowers. With their happy faces that follow the sun all day long.

I am joining in on the Friday fun at Breathing in Grace.

Here in Minnesota we are getting ready for Winter. I always try to put more non-perishable items on my shelves in the winter. Never know when or for how long we could be snowed in. Living 22 miles from town can make for a very long Winter.

Having said that I thought I would share some of the flowers and things from my garden this year.

I needed some whimsy this summer. And, what could be more whimsical than a fairy garden?

A purple flower. I don;t know the name I just like it. If you look closely on the left hand side is some sort of bug. I didn't know he was there when I took the photo.

A yellowish something.

An unwanted but necessary visitor.

A pansy after the rain.

There were twins this year. The little buggers tag teamed me. They came into the yard and munched on everything. The ate my one and only rose bush right into the ground. But I love them anyway.

In honor of all of our Veterans past, present and future thank you.

{ Friday Foto Friends #52 - One Year Linky Anniversary }

I am pleased to join Debbie from Breathing in Grace on her 1 year anniversary of  Friday Foto Friends.
I am joining for a couple of reasons. They are...I love to take photos, and I love for people to see my photos. Being out and about with my camera is like breathing to me. It is something I HAVE to do. Another reason I am glad to be doing Friday Foto is because it is a great habit to develop...getting used to posting on my blog, and possibly making new friends.
A description of each photo is under each photo.

 This is a river scene of The St. Croix River. I cross this from Minnesota into Wisconsin. One morning I need to go into town (Danbury, WI) for a few groceries.

 That morning the river gifted me with a bit of fog, and it's early morning beauty.

 The same morning as the above photos I saw this young bird. He is a young Bald Eagle enjoying his breakfast.

This is an example of the rugs I make. The technique is Knotted Toothbrush Rugs. It is a nice relaxing hobby to have. Sheets are torn into strips and knotted.

Thanks for taking a look at my photos. I hope to do this again next week.

Trudy

Wordless Wednesday..sort of.

I have been absent from the blogging world for a few years. I recently realized that I missed being an active participant. I thought doing  Wordless Wednesday  and other Meme's was a good way to get started back to it.

This is Ozzy. She is a feral rescue. She turned 16 this past June. I was outside looking in at her.

This fawn and it's twin were daily visitors to my yard a few weeks ago. Once they ate all the blackberries and my rose bush they have not returned.

It has been a very long time since I have participated in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. I am hoping to remedy that. I have found that I miss writing, and the best way to start again is to join in on the fun.

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 282 Posted: 26 Sep 2016 09:01 PM PDT Here are the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the roundup.  See you there! 1. Have you ever been to and/or lived near the desert? What did you think? Travel and Leisure lists the 'coolest' American desert towns as-  Nope I have never been to the desert. I doubt I would like it. I don't like the heat at all. Yes, I know it is a dry heat, but hot is hot. Several years ago I was in California visiting an aunt, and the daytime temperatures reached 116 degrees. She refused to turn the a/c on. That felt like the desert to me. Palm Springs CA, Virgina City NE, Bend OR, Winslow AZ, Marfa TX, Grand Junction CO, Silver City NM, Moab UT, Taos NM, Yakima WA, Borrego Springs CA, Terlingua TX, and St. George UT, and Tubac AZ Have you been to any of these? Would you like to visit a desert town? Which on the list would you most like to see? I would chose Grand Junction, CO mainly because I love Colorado. I have never been to Grand Junction, but it is Colorado so the mountains must be nearby.  2. What's a plan or project you've deserted in the past year?  I love miniatures and dollhouses. I have been planning a dollhouse for the last few years All of a sudden this year I realized I didn't have room enough for one in the size I was looking at. Now I am searching for one in a smaller scale. 3. Desert-dessert? Share two or three words you find yourself having to think twice about when it comes to spelling.   The word I have the hardest time with is definitely. I almost always spell it incorrectly, and have to use Spell Check to fix it, like I just did. It is the placement of the e that throws me off.   I can't think of the word right now, but the words ending with er and or require me to think which way is the correct spelling. 4. High and dry, like watching paint dry, dry run, dry as dust, not a dry eye in the house...which phrase can you relate to currently? Explain.  Not a dry in the house. I imagine that in my state of Minnesota there wasn't a dry eye when we were told that Jacob Wetterling's body had been found and that the man responsible had led the police to where he was. We all kept our porch lights on for almost 30 years as a sign of support for the family. We waited with baited breath every time there was something new reported. For me realistically I knew he had left us many years ago, but the hope never fully left. I cried off and on for days when he was found. The strength and courage and grace Patty Wetterling showed us all is in itself enough to make me cry. I don't know if we are finished crying yet. 5. How often do you frequent the dry cleaners? Starch or no starch?   I haven't used a dry cleaners in probably 25 years. I try not to purchase anything that has to be dry cleaned. Sometimes I goof and accidentally  end up with something that needs dry cleaning, but I wash it by hand then. 6. What's a food or beverage you enjoy that's named for a place?  The first thing that comes to mind is Long Island tea. But, experience has shown me only 1 and no more! Then there is Chicago style deep dish pizza.  Oh and don't forget Swiss chocolate. 7. Do you need solitude?  Oh my yes! I purposely get up very early each morning to have my quiet time while my husband is still in bed. I have my quiet time with the Lord in the morning, and afterwards feel I can handle my day, My husband is in the early stages of dementia, and I am his sole caregiver. I take every chance I can to be alone. 8.  Insert your own random thought here. Yesterday morning I checked my local weather forecast. It said rain (of course) and that the temperature was 55 degrees with a wind chill of 46 degrees. It is way too soon for me to read a wind chill number. With that I will share a summertime photo.  The guy/girl was in my overgrown garden patch with it's twin. Which was fine until I realized they ate my rose bush right down to the ground. The flamingo's name is Walter. He is 5 feet tall. He is the official greeter when driving into my yard. He was given to me by my best friend.