Hodgepodge 326

With snow predicted for Minnesota this week I predict the end of fall. Parts of NW Minnesota are under a Blizzard Watch. So far, where I am at the forecast is  a rain and snow mix. With this in mind I am joining in on the fun with Joyce and the Wednesday Hodgepodge.

1. What's surprised you most about your life or life in general? 

A couple of things that my mom always said...that losing weight after 30 is difficult, after 50 almost impossible, and after 60 well why bother? She also always told me not to rely on anyone else for my happiness, and to find it wherever I could. In the small everyday things. To look for it in unusual places. But, to always find it for ME.
2.  Sweet potato fries, sweet potato casserole, a baked sweet potato, a bowl of butternut squash soup, a caramel apple or a slice of pumpkin pie...you have to order one thing on this list right now. Which one do you go for?
I love a baked sweet potato with butter, and salt & pepper. If the soup is made correctly it is heavenly. And pumpkin pie, oh my? May I have the 3 I listed? No? Well then, I would go for the baked sweet potato. It is a healthier choice of the 3 I like and will fill the sweet need of the pumpkin pie.
3. What's a famous book set in your home state? Have you read it? On a scale of 1-5 (5 is fantastic) how many stars does it rate?

There are several books from my state. However, my favorites are from William Kent Krueger. He writers a series of books.  Cork O'Connor is the main character. He is/was the sheriff of a small town in northern Minnesota. So far there are 16 books in the series. They are mysteries, but not so full of the grizzly details that many authors seem to think we need or want. 

He has written a couple of other books unrelated to Cork O'Connor. "Ordinary Grace" is a stand alone book that came out a couple of years ago. It is wonderful.

 He writes about Minnesota as if he were born here, and new it inside and out. He is not originally from here, but his first visit here with his wife convinced them this is where they wanted to live.  

Two years ago he came for an evening in support of the local library. He spoke for about 2 1/2 hours and then answered questions. He was amusing. Entertaining. Real.

If you should decide to pick up a Cork book I highly recommend you start with the first book "Iron Lake", and read them in order after that. They follow a timeline.

Here is a link to all of his books in order:

https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/william-kent-krueger/

And one to his web site:

http://www.williamkentkrueger.com/

I guess you can tell that I give these books a great big 5.
4. There are 60 days until Christmas...have you started your shopping? How do you stay organized for the holidays?
I started my shopping back in June. I start early buying small fun things for everyone. As we get closer to Christmas (September) I focus on the main gift. After I am finished with that I fill in with more fun things. I don't have many to buy for and shopping is much easier for me than for some. I buy for 5 people. I like to start early, because it is easier to spread out the money a little at a time. I only use cash. The last few years I have installed the English tradition of poppers. They are great fun, and lead to very silly photos. For those of you who might not know what a popper is I will  try and explain...A popper is pretty paper rolled in a tube shape and about the size of a TP roll. Inside is a  prize, a hat, a joke or riddle, and a piece of candy. The object is almost like breaking of a wish bone. Two people pull on either end and whoever get the largest half wins the prizes. Inside the middle of the popper is a small thing that when broken (by the pulling) makes a popping noise. Because I want us all to have the fun I get a popper for each of us. I haven't purchased ours for this year yet, but they are on the list.

To stay organized I start making my Christmas to do lists early ...like June. They change of course along the way as my mind changes as to what we will have or do or eat. I do not decorate early. Nothing goes up until the week before Christmas. That week is a flurry of activity for me. But, I love it all!

5. October 26th is National Tennessee Day. Have you ever lived or spent any time in Tennessee? Is this a state you'd like to visit one day? The top rated tourist attractions in Tennessee are-
I would like to visit Tennessee one day.
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (Gatlinburg area), Elvis's Graceland (Memphis), Birth of the Music Biz (Memphis and Nashville), Dollywood (Pigeon Forge), Tennessee's Military Heritage (many battlefields), The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home), The Parthenon (Nashville), Oak Ridge American Museum of Science and Energy, Chattagnooa and the Tennessee Valley Railroad, Downtown Knoxville, Lookout Mountain, The Titanic Museum (Pigeon Forge), The Museum of Appalachia (Clinton), and The Lost Sea Adventure (Sweetwater)

How many on this list have you seen? Which one on the list would you most like to see?
I haven't seen any on the list.  However, if the opportunity arose where I could see something I would choose The Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I can only imagine how beautiful it is. I would also like to visit The Museum of Appalachia.
6.  Insert your own random thought here.

The St. Croix River. My favorite local water.

 This what I saw when the leaves came down.

 Fall decorating. Please meet Anna, Franz, Crow and Victor the dog.

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Fall's Finale For Friday Foto Friends

Joining everyone at Debbie's for Friday Foto Friends.

My favorite piece of water. Locally, that is.

The St. Croix. Last weekend I got right down to the water's edge. No editing on this photo.

I tried to get creative with my editing. Almost black and white, but not quite.

This isn't at the river. It is out of order. I think the way the colors blend it looks like a painting.

This is the same as the second photo with different editing.

It was a glorious day!

I really don'e like seeing this in the tree after the leaves are all gone.

, 

I have never ever ever decorated for fall. My first attempt. 

Please meet Anna, Franz, and Crow.

The dog's name if Victor. And, please ignore the propane tank.

Joining in the fun this Fantastically Fall Friday at Friday Foto Friends.

I might not like fall, because winter is soon to follow, but I do enjoy the colors. The sumac a beautiful.

 We have had so much rain this last week that the river is very high. I tried something different with this photo.

 I don't know if you can see or tell how deep the water is, but the trees are in it. This is the overflow for the river. The overflow is almost overflowing.

 The overflow in the other side of the river.

I have put away all of the summer plants. All except this petunia pot. It just keeps on blooming. There are even some new buds on it.

 It is fun to see bird nests in the trees once the leaves are gone. I did not like to see this though.

Does anyone know how to keep the CLOUD from getting the photos? They seem to go there and not my computer, and then I can't edit them.

After the events that started out our week we need a break from the news reports, the tears, the horror. The Hodgepodge will get us all...at least for a little while, away from those things.

1.  Have you ever spent time on a farm? Tell us a little bit about it. Have you ever grown your own pumpkin? Been on a hayride? Driven a tractor? Milked a cow?

The summer  I was 10 we went to Washington state to visit my uncle. He had a dairy farm. Yes, while there I did milk a cow just so I could say I had. The milking was done by machine. I remember seeing the HUGE stainless steel vats that held the milk until the milkman came. This should have been a good memory for a 10 year old, and most of it is, but some parts a truly scary. I saw my first skunk.  Being a city kid I started to chase it. One of the farm hands snatched me up before any damage could be done. My brother and I were told many times not to play in the hay barn. MANY. But, who could resist? Not us. We climbed up into the loft, saw a long rope hanging from a nail. We decided it would be great fun to swing on the rope to the other side of the loft. A space of about 30 feet. My brother who was 6 at the time went first. He swung over as if he were Tarzan. He swung back to me.  My Turn! I swung. And I stopped. In the middle. Hanging in the middle of this 30 foot span. Probably 75 feet off the ground. There I stayed. Brother cried, I cried. I finally, after what seemed like hours, moved my body which moved the rope. Eventually I was able to get enough momentum so my brother could grab the end and pull me to safety. And another reason I am afraid of heights was born. On the way out of the barn I told my brother we could not tell anyone, because we weren't supposed to be in there. What was the first thing he did when we got to the house? Squealed just like a brother would! "Mom, guess what Trudy did?" We did go see to the ocean for a couple of days. Went salmon fishing in the Columbia River. I experienced my first camping adventure.
I did grow a pumpkin once. Sort of. It was very small. It was not of the tiny variety just a very small pumpkin.
When we first moved to the country we tried to get our son into 4H. I say tried, because will it didn't work out. Long sad, horrible story, with a victorious ending. Anyway, yes we went on a hayride that fall with members of the 4H group.
I  don't think I have actually ever driven a tractor. However, I have ridden with the driver.

2. What's something younger you would like about you now? 

For the most part I have to say I am the same person I was when I was younger. I don't think my beliefs have changed any. Fight for the underdog, fight for what is right, and true, and just, fight for children, fight for the freedom of people. Those are things I still do. One thing I would like about myself from younger days was my weight. I was a tiny little thing. I didn't have to worry about what I ate. I never gained. This is until I started to gain. Now I can't get it off.

3. What are three things you'd like to do more often? Three things you'd like to do less often?

1. I would like to go to the city more often. I like living in the country, but I miss the city. I miss my friends, I miss the convenience, the noise, the beauty of Minneapolis, all of it. 2. I would like to go fishing more often. I haven't been fishing since about 1997. 3. I would like to go to church more often. I haven't been able to find a church here that I am comfortable in. 

Less often? 1. Dishes 2. Laundry 3. Deciding what's for dinner

4. What's on your nachos?

The basics. Burger, jalapeno peppers, lots of cheese, onions, tomatoes,  guac, sour cream, and salsa.

5. What's the most random thing in your purse or wallet? Does it need to stay there?

HMMMM. I have a small tape measure, because you never know when you will need to measure something. In my make-up bag I have my eyebrow tweezers, because I can't find it anywhere else. In the bag I also have the tool I use when making rugs. I lose it if it isn't in my purse.  I purposely have a VERY large purse. It is tote bag overnight size. This is so I can carry my camera everywhere I go. Because, well you know, just in case a photo op comes along, Are those random even though they each have a reason for being in the purse?
6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I know that after the horrifying event in Las Vegas many people will wonder when it will end.  I know that evil does not win. God does. God, and all his goodness and all his love. Many people will wonder where God was on that evening. He was there, but he wasn't doing the shooting. A man overcome, overpowered by Satan was. God was there to bring the victims home to Him. I am sure He cried throughout the entire time. We can not barricade ourselves in our homes. We can not live in fear. We must continue on knowing that nothing will happen to us until God calls us home. If we forget that and do become fearful Satan and his minions win. 

And just because we need some beauty...

My driveway. I think it is beautiful. It 450 feet from the road.

God shines His grace on Thee.