Coming Clean In The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. It's the neighborly thing to do in this mid-week little blog hop. 

 

1. Your favorite cleaning product? Do you clean your own house or hire out? Most disliked household chore? What one chore do you not mind so much? 

100 meaningless extra credit points to anyone who figured out what inspired this question...

I can't say I have a favorite cleaning product. Maybe my hubs? Ha! He is really helpful and there are a few tasks he regularly takes care of around the house which I very much appreciate. He vacuums and I clean bathrooms. He takes care of the wood floors and windows and I cook, meal plan, dust, and handle the laundry. 

Housekeeping is definitely a shared job here, and we clean our own because we can. I've had a housekeeper in the past and that was nice too, but right now we're home, it's just the two of us, and we're neat. 

My most disliked chore is ironing. Hubs likes to iron so I rarely have to take this one on. I don't mind washing dishes. I have a dishwasher, but still wash a lot of things by hand. 

 2. It's Canned Food Month...do you use a lot of canned goods? What are the three canned items you purchase most often? Last thing you made using a canned ingredient? 

I don't use a lot of canned food items but the three I purchase most often are probably Del Monte Blue Lake fresh cut whole green beans (they must be whole and I can eat them right out of the can), RO-TEL, and kidney/black beans for chilli. 

Last thing I made using a canned ingredient? Baked ziti...I made my own sauce but used some canned tomatoes. 

 3. Can of worms, anything can happen, can you imagine?, as best I can, kick the can down the road, more than one can take, no can do, not if I can help it...choose an idiom and tell us how you currently relate.

Nothing particular relates but I was reminded of something from childhood that feels like it might fit. When I was a child I spent a week or more at summer camp. Each week had a theme and one week was always Anything Can Happen Week.  The year 2020 2021 feels a little bit like that week. 

4.The last Tuesday in February is National Spa Day. Are you someone who enjoys a day at the spa? Last time you visited a spa? Do you have a favorite spa? Are salons open for business in your area? Have you made changes to your hair and nail routine since Corona hit? In what way? 

I do enjoy a day at the spa, but sadly have not visited one since Corona struck. I especially love the spa at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Ft. Lauderdale but obviously don't get there regularly. 

Salons are open here with safety measures in place. My hair salon is small and I've been several times since March of last year. When I'm there it's just me and the stylist so I feel fine about that. I haven't visited a nail salon in the past year because that felt a bit more risky in terms of exposure. Plus I can live with bare nails more easily than I can gray roots. Just sayin'.  

Also,  for the record I'm not going another whole summer without a pedicure. 

 5. Believe it or not this is the last Hodgepodge of the month. In one sentence sum up your February. 

February? I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that it's 2021. 

Okay...it was cold, gray, and wet but also short so no complaints here. 

 6. Insert your own random thought here.

I know some of you have followed my daughter1's blog for a few years. She's left it quiet for a bit (211 days, not that I'm counting), but is back at it this week with a brand new post. Pop over and say hi if you have the time. The link is here-Sincerely-Shannon

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 409

Here are the questions to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there!

 

1. Your favorite cleaning product? Do you clean your own house or hire out? Most disliked household chore? What one chore do you not mind so much? 

 2. It's Canned Food Month...do you use a lot of canned goods? What are the three canned items you purchase most often? Last thing you made using a canned ingredient? 

 3. Can of worms, anything can happen, can you imagine?, as best I can, kick the can down the road, more than one can take, no can do, not if I can help it...choose an idiom and tell us how you currently relate.

4.The last Tuesday in February is National Spa Day. Are you someone who enjoys a day at the spa? Last time you visited a spa? Do you have a favorite spa? Are salons open for business in your area? Have you made changes to your hair and nail routine since Corona hit? In what way? 

 5. Believe it or not this is the last Hodgepodge of the month. In one sentence sum up your February. 

 6. Insert your own random thought here.

A Penny For Your Hodgepodge Thoughts

Welcome back to another week in the Wednesday Hodgepodge! If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then go say howdy to your neighbor there. Here we go-

1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday which signals the beginning of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? If so tell us more. Did you grow up 'celebrating' Lent? Is attending church part of your weekly routine? Are churches open for in-person worship where you live? 

I didn't grow up in a denomination that put a great deal of emphasis on the season of Lent, but Easter was most definitely a very special day. As an adult I've grown to appreciate this idea of intentional focus on the days leading up to the crucifixion and the great sacrifice made at the cross. I  don't give anything up, but I do try to read something that sets my mind on that sacrifice and what it means to me and for me as we head into Easter. 

I love church and one of the biggest negatives to all this virus mess has been the disruption to our weekly routine of 'going to church'. Some churches are open, others closed, others open but with limited access. Ours was open for a brief period then returned to virtual. We've been attending our Sunday School class via Zoom for almost a year now, and that's worked surprisingly well. 

I'm ready to be back in the building, which I know is just a building, but again I think worship feels more like worship when we're physically in the same space. Far fewer distractions too. 

2. When is the last time you sat beside a 'real' fire? Do you have a fireplace in your home? Wood or gas logs? Favorite thing cooked over a fire? 

A real fire as in a wood fire? Yes I think that's what I meant when I asked-ha! 

We have an outdoor fire pit that uses 'real' wood and I think the last time we had a fire there was sometime in the fall.  It's been a while. I love a wood fire, but gas is so much more practical and for sure less messy. I always feel like I need a shower after we've had an outdoor fire.  

We sit beside a gas fire most days in the winter months. We have a two sided-fireplace with one side facing the keeping room section of our kitchen and the other facing the family room. We also have a gas fireplace on our screened in porch, which is where we live about 3/4 of the year. 

And finally, we have a 'fire table' on our covered deck which I absolutely love! If you're thinking of getting one I highly recommend. It runs on a propane tank hidden on the under side of the table. 

Favorite thing cooked over a fire? Hubs makes a cobbler in the dutch oven and it's scrumptious. 

3. Something that's currently got you fired up? 

I'm trying hard not to let things fire me up these days. All it takes is for hubs to read me a sentence or two of what's going on in our country on so many levels and I feel my blood begin to boil. So I shut it down. 

I am not a hide your head in the sand kind of girl, but most of what is out there is not helpful, often not accurate or even true, and it's definitely not in line with my current way of thinking which is ...'whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...think about these things..."

I think it's okay to take a break from the bickering, the 'but I must make my point' way of thinking and try being still for a while. Where have all the opinions stated as fact gotten us? Nowhere we want to be that's for sure. At least nowhere I want to be. 

4. February also happens to be National Cabbage Day. Who knew? Do you like cabbage? Is cabbage on your menu Wednesday? Of the following cabbage dishes which is your favorite-coleslaw (mayo or vinegar?), sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, cabbage soup, kielbasa and cabbage, grilled cabbage, bubble and squeak, kimchi, or haluski? 

I do like cabbage. I mean I don't want it on the menu every night, but I like most things on that list. It would be hard to pick a favorite but my top three would be coleslaw of any kind, kimchi, and bubbles and squeak, mostly because I like saying it, and also because it wings me back to the days of dinner in the local pub in our little English village. 

5. Do you hang on to pennies? What do you do with them? Last thing you purchased for $1.00? Last thing you purchased for $5.00? 

I make hubs crazy digging for change when change is called for. We rarely use cash these days so it doesn't happen often, but if you tell me I owe x dollars and .62 cents I'm going to dig up 2 quarters, a dime, and two pennies from the bottom of my purse. Is that a woman thing? I feel like it might be. 

Last thing I purchased for a dollar? I paid a library fine that was considerably less than one dollar and told them not to bother with the change. Five dollars it's harder to remember....maybe the donuts we bought from the Donut Wagon a couple of weeks ago? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

A friend shared this with me and I thought it was lovely...a little snapshot of heaven perhaps? It came out quite a while back, but somehow I missed it.  Still timely though-

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 408

Here we are again. Still? You know the drill...answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there-

1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday which signals the beginning of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? If so tell us more. Did you grow up 'celebrating' Lent? Is attending church part of your weekly routine? Are churches open for in-person worship where you live? 

2. When is the last time you sat beside a 'real' fire? Do you have a fireplace in your home? Wood or gas logs? Favorite thing cooked over a fire? 

3. Something that's currently got you fired up? 

4. February also happens to be National Cabbage Day. Who knew? Do you like cabbage? Is cabbage on your menu Wednesday? Of the following cabbage dishes which is your favorite-coleslaw (mayo or vinegar?), sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, cabbage soup, kielbasa and cabbage, grilled cabbage, bubble and squeak, kimchi, or haluski? 

5. Do you hang on to pennies? What do you do with them? Last thing you purchased for $1.00? Last thing you purchased for $5.00? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Stuff On A 2020 Monday

Yes I know it's 2021. It's also another gray Monday in these parts, and I don't know why I say 'these parts' because I live in a neighborhood, not some remote cabin in the woods. Sometimes saying 'these parts' just feels right. 

It's going to be one of those posts isn't it? 

I got nothin'. 

Let's blog anyway. Actually I have many somethings, but I try so hard not to whine in this space and the thoughts in my head feel a teensy bit whiny. Where is the sun???

On the bright side all this rain is not snow. 

I might rather have snow. 

How was your weekend? Did you celebrate Valentine's Day in some way? Mine started early with hubs walking through the door Friday, the most gorgeous red roses in hand-

For the record fresh flowers make February feel less February-ish. 

We rarely dine out on Valentine's Day, or any day lately, but on Valentine's day we typically cook something together at home. This year our local wine store offered a 'to-go' cook at home special which included a half bottle of champagne, two filets, two crab cakes, and a bottle of red so that's what we did. Hubs grilled the steaks, I cooked the crab cakes, we added a wedge salad and shared a baked potato and it was all super delish. 

We made a creme brûlée for dessert. I cooked and hubs fired up the sugary top and I meant to take a picture but wasn't quick enough. Oh well. There's always next year. 

Saturday night our neighbors invited us over for a spur of the moment get together which was really fun. Fun friendly neighbors are a blessing y'all. It was just the four of us and we had tacos and played cards and listened to music and discussed life and marriage and summertime fun. It all felt very un-2020 ish.  

I know!! It's 2021 but somehow 2020 is a better descriptor, don't you think?

I have three books going currently so read a lot, and we watched more television than is probably good for us but we do what we must in the middle of a rainy, gray, corona-y winter. 

We had a fabulous Facetime with our grands, the highlight of which was my 3 year old grandson singing a new song he'd learned that is essentially Proverbs 17:22 set to music. He sings it with great enthusiasm and not a little drama proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that a joyful heart really is good medicine. 

In other unrelated news, I'm hoping to participate in this year's April A-Z blog challenge and am trying to come up with a theme now. I do better with a theme, but blog content is in short supply these days. As evidenced by this post,  ahem. Can I even write 26 posts in a row in 2020 2021? I'm open to suggestions. 

Okay. I guess we're done here. Summer's comin'! but in the meantime let's find our blessings in the small things, k? Have a great week everyone!

I Heart The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave some comment love for the blogger before you. 'Tis the week for it!

Here we go-

1. Something little you are loving right now? 

This little punkin' for one...

I haven't had him on my lap since he was three weeks old and y'all that is just too too long. On the bright side, he's at the age now where he'll engage with us on the phone and it's completely precious. My daughter and her family are supposed to relocate sometime this summer and I'm hopeful they'll be close enough to hang with Nana on a more regular basis. 

There are a lot of ifs and maybes in that sentence but we are definitely hopeful. 

Her other little man is not so little anymore, but can still turn me to mush in an instant. When that Facetime screen lights up he launches into something important he needs to tell me or ask me or show me and there is honestly nothing better in the whole wide world.  

p.s. his mama is little and I love her great big. She counts too. 

2. Red roses or pink peonies? Red wine or pink lemonade? Red lipstick or pink polish? A cotton candy colored sky or a fiery red sunset? A book-movie-song you love with the word red or pink in it's title? 

All of the above? If I have to choose I'll have the pink peonies please, a glass of red, pink polish on my nails, and a cotton candy colored sky. Although I think you know I love a fiery red sunset equally as much. 

A book, movie, or song I love with red or pink in the title? 

Where The Red Fern Grows is one of my all time favorite books, but I also thought of Redwall which my whole family enjoyed. We listened to it on a long road trip once upon a time and discovered my hubs does a great Cluny the Scourge voice. I know when my girls read my answer they'll smile because they'll hear that voice in their head. 

Reading together is good for us in so many ways. 

As far as movies go I think I have to say The Hunt For Red October (although I liked the book too). This flick is one of hubs favorites and if he spies it while scrolling the tv guide (back when my tv service allowed scrolling-ugh) this is one he always stops on. 

Finally, Brooks and Dunn Red Dirt Road would make my list of top 100 songs ever, with or without the word red in the title. 

3. What's something you currently have your heart set on doing-going-seeing-or experiencing?

Seeing is easy...my mom! I haven't seen my mom in person in over a year. It is looking like that will finally happen this month and I've got my heart set on it.  

4. Who would you most like to have a heart to heart with right now? Is that possible? 

One or both of my girls. Technically it's possible, but logistics make relaxed heart to hearts with my oldest rare. Our day is their night, and while she Facetimes us pretty regularly when the boys get up those calls are more about what they have to show and tell me. Which I love, but I miss talking to my girl who is wise beyond her years. 

I talk to daughter2 more often, and of course I love those conversations very much. When I think heart to heart though I picture the three of us together on my porch with a cuppa and nowhere we have to be except right there. 

5. Write an acrostic for the word L-O-V-E. 

Love is patient and kind 

nOt easily angered

it perseVeres

and nEver fails

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My book club is meeting in person today (Tuesday). We've been on Zoom the past few months but it's going to be a sunny 64 degrees so we'll bring our camp chairs and sit outside. I am so ready for a warm sunny day. This month we read Hieroglyphics by Jill McCorkle which I thought had potential, but in the end was just eh. It didn't seem to have much of a plot.  

I recently won a copy of the book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas in a Goodreads giveaway, and let me tell you it's excellent. I'm reading it slowly because it's not light, but it's  fascinating. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 407

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there!

1. Something little you are loving right now? 

2. Red roses or pink peonies? Red wine or pink lemonade? Red lipstick or pink polish? A cotton candy colored sky or a fiery red sunset? A book-movie-song you love with the word red or pink in it's title? 

3. What's something you currently have your heart set on doing-going-seeing-or experiencing?

4. Who would you most like to have a heart to heart with right now? Is that possible? 

5. Write an acrostic for the word L-O-V-E. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Super Fun

Weekends leave a little something to be desired these days, wouldn't you agree? Feels like we've been walking through sludge for a while now, and February isn't helping.  

We're mostly still doing a lot of nothing here and like most everyone we're tired of it. Bored with it. Ready to rejoin the party except there's still no party to rejoin. Which is why I blog about the weather and what's on the grill and the ongoing saga of our television service. 

We did have a very small snowfall Saturday night and that was a little bit exciting. Relatively speaking of course. Parts of the lake had more, but just a dusting here. 

Did you watch the Superbowl? We sorta kinda watched a snippet here and there, but honestly were not the least bit invested in the outcome. We have not watched a single NFL game this year because we are over the NFL, but I love Eric Church and wanted to see him sing the National Anthem. He's country and this was to be a duet with a more hip hop/R & B singer (Jazmine Sullivan) so I was nervous. I hate when singers mess with the anthem and the potential for that felt large with this combo. 

Course by the time we got the tv connected (!!!) team captains were already mid-field doing the coin toss and we missed it. 

Remember when something annoyed us and we'd just say 2020 and roll our eyes and everyone knew what we meant?  Saying 2021 is not nearly as satisfying. 

Anyway, I did go watch a clip of the anthem on youtube and based on comments I'd read was prepared not to like their version, but I actually loved it. They only messed with it a little, plus that sign language interpreter was fantastic and brought a big dose of happy to the whole thing. 

This boy loves my popcorn maker more than even I do and that's saying something. He watches this machine like a hawk-

 

In other Superbowl food news hubs decided to grill wings, a skill he has completely mastered-

We invited our next door neighbors over to share and ended up talking, laughing, not really watching the game, and playing pool until midnight. The girls won which isn't important but does feel worthy of a mention, and the whole evening was so much fun I forgot for a minute it wasn't a party. 

Remember fun? In 2021 I think we have to make our own. 

And so we do.

Five Things Friday

Three posts in the same week-whoohoo! I haven't done that in a while. And there's not even a whole lot to say or maybe there's too much to say? but either way it feels good to try to get back into some sort of rhythm here. 

I say that a lot but maybe this time it will stick. 

Since it's Friday let's go with an old fashioned list of five unrelated things, which used to be a regular occurrence in the blog world on Fridays. Like most things online the blog world is also topsy turvy, but don't worry...today's post won't strain your brain.  

1. This bit of loveliness bloomed big on Wednesday and makes me so happy. 

2. Daughter2 teaches in a snowy state and y'all!!...her students tote their snowpants and boots to school and she helps her entire little flock of 7-year old cuties get into that gear and then outside for recess. Prior to moving to said snowy state the bride spent her entire teaching career in the sunny south so helping a classroom full of second graders into snow gear every day is something new for her. 

I'm so happy they are in person learning and also in person playing. And I guess if they didn't go outside when the playground was covered in snow they wouldn't go outside for a big chunk of the year, so hooray for parents who remember to send snow pants and hooray for teachers doing what needs to be done.  

3. Remember this? 

Three months later and the repair is almost complete. Crazy I know, but the windows for the dormer were backordered and didn't arrive in the shop until January. They couldn't finish the dormer rebuild without the windows and then there were a bunch of other things that needed to happen, but they're happening now and it's just about done. I've almost forgotten what my house looks like without the blue tarp front and center. 

The sky looks almost the same today as it did three months ago. 

Minus the hurricane thank goodness.  

This post is interesting so far, isn't it? Ha! 

4. Something else you'll find super interesting...the TV situation here. It's so annoying. Hubs would add the amount of time I've spent mentioning how annoying I find the whole thing is also annoying but whatever. 

In hindsight we are wishing we'd made a different choice, and probably if we'd been less distracted during the sales call we would have. The agent, who was perfectly nice, turned up at our front door at 6 PM on a chilly evening, three days before the wedding. We reluctantly listened to his entire lengthy spiel and conducted all the signing and account set up on our front porch, six feet apart, because we weren't letting anyone whose level of Covid exposure we didn't know inside the house two days before the wedding. It just seemed easier to say yes, plus the new option was quite a bit less expensive which at the time seemed worth it. Now not so much. 

We're not tech people. I just want to turn on the tv in a single step and have it work. Same for my computer, although the internet portion seems fine. Long story long, hubs called in the professionals and we have someone (not the cable company!) coming to sort everything out for us and I really hope I don't have to be present for the sorting. Ha! Just make it work please and thank you. 

5. Let's finish on a high note...the winter sunrise sky. Swoon! 

Happy Weekend Everyone...may your souls find rest and beauty there. 

Snug As A Bug In The Hodgepodge

New month, still Hodgepodging. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, and since it's February be to share some comment love with the blogger linking before you. Here we go-

1. Feb 2nd is Groundhog Day in the US of A. Tell us about one day you wouldn't mind living over again, and why you chose that day. 

I wrote a whole post about this once upon a time. You'll find it if you click the link here. It was about some of the days I'd maybe like to relive, but really on second thought probably not. Time is a funny thing and I don't think I'd want to tinker with it if that were ever a thing. 

To answer today's question, if I have to choose I'm pretty sure I would pick an ordinary day over a grand occasion or a big milestone event. I'd love to revisit myself as a young mom, with my girls around ages 5 and 7. I'd like to relive for a single day the sweetness and wonder that particular season brought into my life.

 2. Something you know beyond a 'shadow of a doubt'? 

"Jesus loves me this I know..."

3. Give us an example of history repeating itself in some way, in your own life or the lives of your children.

Well I've spent most of my married life living a fair distance (geographically) from my parents and so far my girls are doing the same. I hold out hope that one day they will be at least within a short car ride from us, but in the meantime I'm grateful for their sense of adventure, their confidence, and their optimism which makes the miles feel like less than they are. 

And deep in my heart I know God is teaching them so much about who they are and who He is and I guess He's also still teaching me a few things too. 

4. Snowed under, snow job, not a snowball's chance, snowbird, on thin ice, snug as a bug in a rug, tip of the iceberg, snowball effect, run hot and cold....choose a wintry idiom and tell us how it best applies to your life right now. 

I've never really wanted to be a snowbird. I enjoy the changing seasons and think I would miss that, although a week at the beach somewhere sounds nice right about now. Most evenings I'm snug as a bug in a rug in my warm home, the fireplace burning, a blanket on my lap, and a really good book that isn't light and would probably be a lot for a summer read but is just right for February. 

5. Your favorite sign of spring? 

More daylight. It's a subtle change but with the ever lengthening days I know spring is on her way. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Who cooks duck here, and if you're raising your hand tell me how you like to fix it. Hubs went duck hunting and now we need to fire up the grill. Or the oven. Or the stovetop? I've only eaten duck in restaurants so if you have a favorite recipe send it my way. We have just breast, not whole ducks. 

Let's Talk

About what I don't know because it's that time of year where people are cranky and blog content is a bit thin, still I'm going to ramble on anyway. 

It's cold here in the Palmetto State, BUT! not as cold as the state we previously called home. I heard our little NJ town was mentioned on Good Morning America because they got a whopping 32 inches of snow yesterday. That is a lot of snow people. 

This picture popped up on my Facebook memories today, a photo snapped from my front porch six years ago. I guess piles of snow and groundhogs go together, and we had a lot of both in NJ. 

Hubs is so happy he's not dealing with it right now, but shhh...don't tell him...I kind of miss seeing the beauty of a great big snowfall. Just one though. We're not accustomed to those temps anymore so it's best enjoyed from a distance. I'm here shivering in 45 degree weather counting the days until we're back living life outdoors and on the water, hopefully soon. 

Did I mention here the bride and groom live in the snowy northeast? 

photo credit: the bride

Well they do. Many states away from the warm(ish) sunny southland and their people. Still America so there's that, but a ten hour car ride so not geographically close. I remind myself almost daily that it's good for newlyweds to establish themselves as a family unit separate and apart from their family of birth. And they're happy y'all. So so happy. 

My son-in-law's job means this is where they live right now, and so many things have fallen into place for this precious couple that you can't help but see God's hand in it all. The bride even landed an in person teaching job which she enjoys as much as one can in these weird times, but still...can't one of my girls live nearby? 

Maybe someday. 

This is why I declare technology my best friend. 

Wait, no it's not. I just remembered the cable company was in our house half a day yesterday to switch us over to the high speed internet now available in our community. Which is great except now none of the TVs are working right and I loathe having to deal with this sort of thing. Sorry for the run on sentence but ugh...

Also, hubs would say technically he is the one dealing with it, but ugh... 

In other less than pleasant news, our tax organizer appeared in my inbox today. 

Hello February. You're lucky you come with chocolate. 

And beauty. Because y'all there is beauty if you look for it even in the middle of a winter that feels grouchier than most. So let's throw some beauty into the mix.

You thought I was going to post a wedding picture didn't you?  

I would, but we're still waiting on our photographs. This one a guest snapped of the bride dancing with the groom's granddad is awfully sweet. 

And don't you worry...when we get the pictures back you'll know. Ha! 

When daughter2 started teaching from home back in March of 2020, she brought a half-dead plant to the house with her. A student had given her a 'bulb' which hadn't grown into much of anything save one lonely green stalk. Sadly the pot tipped over in her car enroute to our house and that lone green stalk ripped in half. 

She was going to chuck the whole thing but hubs intervened. He loves to shower half-dead plants with TLC and I want you to know he brought this plant back to life. I kept saying it looked like an amaryllis, and while it grew taller and taller every day for a year, it never sprouted any sort of bud or bloom. Hubs though, did not give up and this week-

Yes he attached a grow light to a pool cue. I told you hubs is serious about bringing life to sad situations. 

The world is kind of sad right now, isn't it? Yet here we are with two buds ready to pop, and another  following close behind smack dab in the middle of a cold gray winter. 

A gentle reminder that a little patience and some tender loving care can make all sorts of thing grow. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 406

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there! 

1. Feb 2nd is Groundhog Day in the US of A. Tell us about one day you wouldn't mind living over again, and why you chose that day. 

 2. Something you know beyond a 'shadow of a doubt'? 

3. Give us an example of history repeating itself in some way, in your own life or the lives of your children.

4. Snowed under, snow job, not a snowball's chance, snowbird, on thin ice, snug as a bug in a rug, tip of the iceberg, snowball effect, run hot and cold....choose a wintry idiom and tell us how it best applies to your life right now. 

5. Your favorite sign of spring? 

6. Insert your own random thought here.