Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Hodgepodge Volume 76

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer the questions on your own blog and then hop back here to add your link. Be sure to add the Hodgepodge Button (code on my sidebar) to your post or a link back here so your readers can play along too.


1. My daughter2 is graduating from university this month and plans to teach elementary school. What are three qualities you most want to see evidenced in a teacher?

Just three?

I have a whole list but three qualities near the top would be-

flexibility, optimism, and organization/preparation

I also value good communication skills, high expectations, a sense of humor, and passion for both their profession and the students in their care.

2. You can tell a lot about a person by __________________.

The way they treat children, animals, and service staff.

3. What song makes you think spring?


This song never fails to lift my spirits.
Makes me think of spring. And England.

4. May 1st is Mother Goose Day...share your favorite nursery rhyme.

I always liked the nursery rhyme-

Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
and pretty maids all in a row.

Take a tour of the Tower of London someday and you'll see your favorites in a whole new light. Many have their roots in English history. Mary was reportedly Mary Tudor or Bloody Mary as she was known, the daughter of Henry VIII. Silver bells and cockle shells represented medieval instruments of torture. Maids (maidens) were actually a device used to behead people. Nice, huh?

I prefer to hold on to my childhood illusions of a lovely country garden.

5. What makes someone unforgettable?

Kindness. Selflessness. Humor.

I immediately thought of unforgettable in a good way but I suppose some people will answer from the negative viewpoint. I'm a glass half full kind of girl so that didn't occur to me until I read it back later.

6. Should music and/or art be part of a well rounded education?

Absolutely. There's the obvious answer in that numerous studies have shown an arts education produces better science and math students but I think it goes beyond that. These are the disciplines that help us learn how to see things from another perspective. They are subjects that bring people together from varying backgrounds, socioeconomic classes, cultures and worlds. They're connectors.

Besides all of that, the world is a scary, mean, and downright ugly place on a pretty regular basis. Art and music add beauty to our lives, and who among us couldn't use a little more of that?

7. What social situations make you flustered and nervous?

I am pretty comfortable in any social situation.
Just don't ask me to sing.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

How about a pretty picture?
A weekend hike around a nearby lake, just across the New York State border-


We found the perfect spot for lunch-


Nosed around an abandoned mine site-


And wore somebody out!



37 comments:

  1. We had a lot of the same answers on things.I love the Mary, Mary poem, even the bloody origins, but it walways makes me think of an Agatha Christy short story where that poem helps her to solve the murder.

    http://domesticdivatraining.blogspot.com/2012/05/teaching-hodgepodge.html

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  2. Love your answer on #2 - you are so right, the way people treat those they may feel are "beneath" them truly says a LOT about them. Wish I had thought about that! i agree with you on #5, though - never even crossed my mind to be pessimistic about that one... Glass Half Full baby! :-)

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    1. Well, in lieu of Mr Linky - here's the link to my Hodgepodge! www.fivehenrys.blogspot.com

      have a great day!

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  3. Love your image shares today, of your walk. And like the depth of your thoughts on teachers/teaching.

    By the way...the Linking tool isn't working --it's now after 4 AM Central Time and no linky.

    Here's My HODGEPODGE Link

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  4. I hope the Linky list will get up and running soon! Wow...that looks like such a pretty spot to go for a long hike! That last picture is too sweet! "Here Comes the Sun"...good pick! Now, I'll be singing it in my head all day! :)

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    1. Bummer when linky technology doesn't work! Don't worry...we're all waiting with baited breath...My link is...http://alonethoughts.blogspot.com/2012/05/weekly-wednesday-hodgepodge.html

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  5. I remember hearing a little girl reciting your favorite nursery rhyme by saying, "with silver bells and taco shells." :) I always thought that would be a nice little garden! Have a great Wednesday.

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  6. Interesting facts about your favorite nursery rhyme...Actually they're sort of disturbing!

    My post is up, but I won't be able to link up until later this evening, since I'm going to be away from the computer all day.

    Thanks for hosting :)

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  7. I love your nursery rhyme answer! Everything we read has a history. It's certainly worth digging deeper to get the "true" meaning, eh? I think I might have to try to incorporate your little lesson into my own lesson plans next year. Thank you!!

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  8. This is my first time! I'll go ahead and post the link here and check back for linky in a bit :)

    http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2012/05/wednesday-hodgepodge-5212.html

    Colletta

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  9. I am torn on #6. In theory I think it should be part of everyone's education, but as a non-artist, non-musician I think the money was largely wasted on me. :)

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  10. I love the history of the nursery rhyme, gruesome as it is. Grimm's Fairy Tales are based on morbid things, too. Imagine making a nursery or fairy tale from such incidents, but they all are so innocent.
    I love the pictures. Looks like a beautiful spot. I could feel the fresh air.

    Here is the link for my HodgePodge:

    http://grammiered.blogspot.ca/2012/05/hodgepodge-may-2.html

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  11. Oh I enjoyed your answers....I do so appreciate you hosting this every week. : ) Hope you have a good week!

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  12. Sorry linky is not cooperating today! Hope they figure it out soon! I love the hike pictures! You certainly live in a beautiful area of the country! I love that nursery rhyme too but I had to go with Baa baa black sheep because of a grandmother memory! I also mentioned not being happy when I discovered the politics behind a lot of those rhymes while in grad school. Talk about shattering childhood memories. Sheesh. :)

    Here's my link: http://www.emptynest1.com/ I'll keep checking back for the linky!

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  13. i love your nursery rhyme choice--wonderful pic of that old mine---

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  14. Looks like it was a lovely weekend. Joyce, your answers are perfect. I could not think of anything half as intelligent as yours! I had a busy day in London and when I got to the Tower of London I waited in line to see the Crown Jewels so I didn't have time to do much else but I did love visiting there. Next time I will have to spend more time!

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  15. http://www.thehutchhaus.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-do-i-know-time-flies.html

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  16. Blogger's been having issues too! This is the first time in over a week that my scheduled post has actually posted by itself. Love how technology makes our lives so easy! :-)

    http://mochawithlinda.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-i-hodgepodge.html

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  17. Enjoyed all your answers. I thought our unforgettable answers were pretty close - variations on the same theme. Your pictures were fun! We need to get outdoors more around here.

    Here's my Hodgepodge post:
    http://angiesadlib.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-2-hodgepodge.html

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  18. Ah, technology. What would we do without it?
    http://henscratches.blogspot.com/2012/05/wednesday-hodgepodge.html

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  19. Loved your answers! And that hike looked like a lot of fun!!!

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  20. It's always something with this blogging business, isn't it? Loved the pictures from the hike...makes me want to set out, but it's raining here. :(

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  21. Looks like you had a wonderful hike and picnic. Enjoyed all of your answers. I was worried about not linking up and now realized I am not late it isn't working anyway. Sorry!
    You have done been to mine but here is my link in case anyone else wants to read it.
    http://nelfast.blogspot.com/2012/05/hodgepodging-76.html
    until next time... nel

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  22. I remember my Daughter saying that being in the Band in college was all that kept her sane as she was in Pharmacy school and had not time for much besides studying...She plays in the church orchestra now.
    Looks like a fun weekend. We take simple things for a picnic whenever we have a chance to get out and about.
    Sad about the linky by we can visit each other from the comments.
    Mama Bear

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  23. Great answers...I didn't get a chance to do it today...but I'd pick the same song and please don't ask me to sing either! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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  24. Loved your answers....they made mine hard to come up with. I wanted to just say ditto for most of them. My hodge podge post is here: http://stillmagnolias.blogspot.com/2012/05/wednesday-hodge-podge-vol-76.html

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  25. Bummer on the linky-loo. Lame.

    Does Daughter 2 want to teach my kids? It will be great experience for her. I cannot pay much, but can offer her plenty of farm fresh eggs, applesauce, and elk meat. :)

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  26. What lovely pictures. Looks like so much fun. I'm hoping the weather clears around here soon so we can do the same.
    Just linking up to share in the Hodge Podge Wednesday.

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  27. Your nursery rhyme info is rather scary! lol Good answer to #6 and love the beautiful photos at the lake.

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  28. 1. I agree with your 3 qualities for a teacher. I would add: be in control and firm.
    2. Ooo, good points on how you can tell what kind of a person some one is.
    3. I sing that Beatles song quite often -- especially when the sun breaks through after a cloudy day.
    4. Why oh why are the meanings of those nursery rhymes (for children) so morbid in their origin??? Ewww. I too, prefer to be naive about their meanings.
    5. I would totally agree with those things that make someone unforgettable. I have a friend from our previous town who is dying from cancer. Just learned that this morning. Those three things you mentioned describe her perfectly and why I won't forget her.
    6. Music crosses language barriers.
    7. There are several social situations that could make me uncomfortable, but singing is not one. :)
    8. Pretty pictures from a pretty hike. I'd love to live somewhere where it was so pretty. Here? We could hike through newly planted farm fields... ;)

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  29. Looks like a great spot for a hike and lunch. Thanks for another fun week of hodgepodge!

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  30. I just love your pictures today! Well...er, everyday really. I had to laugh when you mentioned the awful truth about a lot of nursery rhymes. Ring around the rosy has a great plague time history. I find that fascinating!

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  31. Wow so glad you got Linky working. I tried to leave a comment a few times and couldn't so today was computer issue day. Great photos and I love that you the dog was tired. A great place to have a snack.

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  32. No Hodgepodge for me this week. I had too many plates spinning in the air. But for me the #1 quality that I want to see in an elementary school teacher is *drum roll* they have to like kids. All the other things are for naught if they don't have that.

    Have a wonderful rest of your week.

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  33. I'm a half-full glass gal too, but I think my answer to unforgettable actually covers good and bad. Just most of the people I let be unforgettable have been for the good reason!

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  34. I've heard that about the nursery rhymes - the one about London Bridge is Falling Down. Kinda reminds me of how violent the cartoons I watched growing up really were - like the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote always blowing each other up. :)

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