Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Hodgepodge Favorites

Welcome to another week in 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. Here we go-

From this Side of the Pond
1. What was your favorite part about growing up in your hometown? 

Without a doubt it would be the neighborhood. We walked to school, rode our bikes with abandon, chased fireflies and played big games of tag and kick the can with all ages teaming up together. We knew our neighbors and there was a strong sense of community. Family. Friends. Fun. And the freedom to figure out life and our place in it.


As I was answering this question I remembered writing a post in my early days of blogging on this very topic. You'll find it here-My Very Own Wonder Years

"There was a time when the world was enormous...Spanning the vast, almost infinite boundaries of your neighborhood. The place where you grew up. Where you didn't think twice about playing on someone else's lawn. And the street was your territory that occasionally got invaded by a passing car. It was where you didn't get called home until after it was dark. And all the people, and all the houses that surrounded you were as familiar as the things in your own room. And you knew they would never change."
Kevin Arnold, The Wonder Years

2. Do you prefer 'material' gifts or 'experience' gifts? If you answered experience, tell us about one you've received and enjoyed. 

Here's how I feel about gifts...when I receive a gift I want it to say 'I thought of you'. Or 'I remember once you said you loved x and I saw x so I got it for you'. 

Some of my favorite material gifts are small inexpensive things that in some way suggest the giver has taken the time to really think about me before they just go out and buy something for the sake of buying something. It could be a hedgehog apron or a weekend in NYC. They're of equal value in my mind because they show intent and thought and planning...my favorite kinds of gifts. 

My hubs has planned two birthday getaways with an element of surprise and both showed a lot of forethought and planning. To me that was the best part of the whole thing. 

3. Is brown a color featured prominently in your home decor? Your wardrobe? What's one brown thing you own and love? Of the brown foods listed here which one is your favorite and/or most often consumed.. brown sugar, brown rice, pretzels, coffee, dates, cloves, German chocolate cake, whole wheat bread?

Is it featured prominently in my home? I guess you could say that. I like real wood and we have a lot of it in the form of beams, furniture, and wainscoting. Our wood leans toward the darker hues, which to me make a house feel warm and cozy.  The dark tones need to be balanced with light coming in somewhere, but for the most part I love the dark woods. 

Off the top of my head I don't think I have a lot of brown in my wardrobe. I do have a pair of heels I love and some brown boots, but in terms of tops, dresses etc no brown. 

I like all the foods listed, but if I have to pick a favorite I'm going to say pretzels. I always have pretzels in the house. 

My favorite brown thing I own and love? 


The little brown dog of course. 


Always livin' large. Remember his money shot-

Except there was no money lol. He did get his ten minutes of fame and was a happy distraction for over 91,000 voters during that very strange season we dubbed 'the pandemic'.  

4. Which 'Charlie Brown' character do you relate to most? If you're not sure, you can take a fun quick quiz by clicking here-Which Charlie Brown Character Are You?  or another one here-Charlie Brown Quiz. I got the same answer on both. 

I could have answered this without the quiz-Charlie Brown. 

Chuck is an ambivert and so am I. As the quiz describes...both introverted and extroverted depending on your mood or the situation (true). You're gentle and lovable (I hope so), determined (some might say stubborn) and hopeful (an eternal optimist). You mean well and care deeply about your friends (yes). When it comes to failure, you stay optimistic (of course), press on, and cheer for your friends to keep on going (keep going friends!)

 5. Favorite item you've purchased this year? 

I feel like I've made a lot of purchases this year, both large and small. We recently bought a slew of new outdoor furniture, two outdoor rugs, and a couch for the lower level family room so declaring that my favorite. Technically it's not going to be delivered until sometime in the new year, but since the deposit hit the credit card in this calendar year it counts. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

How about some random cuteness? Time is a-flyin' and I never posted any pics from our quick 24-hour visit with the Tennessee grands, which happened a whole week and three days ago. I meant to, but somehow I seem to always be a few steps behind here.

Sugar with her double ear infection and sweet baby J wanting to bust loose, but we powered through and snapped a photo. They're the sweetest-

Happy Wednesday Hodgepodgers! 

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20 comments:

  1. Hi Joyce, I don't know why the waterfall listed 3 times. I only hit the button once. I really like the picture of you with the grands. The waterfall is beautiful! Childhood was so much more fun being outside with friends. You are right, there was more community in the neighborhood.

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  2. Aww! Great picture you guys and the grands. Thoughtful gifts are the very best kind for sure! It sounds like you had an idyllic childhood in a community/location kind of way, anyway. That is what my kids´ childhood was like- they had many friends on our street and spent a lot of time outside when the weather was nice. Have a great day!

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  3. Brown furniture I like too, we had all in English style, but now here in "my" castle I love everything clear and light and only a light brown. Your character looks a bit like mine :) !

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  4. That photo of your grands is cuteness for sure! I loved reading about your childhood and reminds me of my own. Thanks for hosting!

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  5. Great pictures and great answers and our childhoods sound very similar. I was always outside. I was always on my bike, roller skates, or playing Chinese jump rope (not sure how I got started with that but all my friends and I did it).

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  6. Yes to the small gifts that were purchased with the person in mind! The kids were watching our home video of 2013 Christmas and my daughter opened a gift from one of her brothers and my husband said how he'd picked it out because he knew she'd like it. It's those little personal thoughts that mean so much - so much more than the actual item itself.

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  7. Happy Hodgepodge!
    As I get older, I find myself thinking a lot on my childhood. At times, I miss it. Mostly I miss my family who are no longer here. It’s just me and my memories!
    Oh that dog is adorbs! Oh and those grandbabes of yours are precious. I like real wood as well so that would be my brown as well.
    As always, I enjoyed your post.
    God bless.

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  8. I totally agree with your answer for #1. We could play outside all day long. It was so joyous. Awesome answer on gifts. You are such a great writer. I agree, the woods make our homes so beautiful. Love the little brown dog. I love the description of Charlie Brown you shared. Can't wait to see your new furniture. That is one precious photo. They are so adorable. I'm so happy for you. Take care.

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  9. Love your very own wonder years thoughts and your thoughts, too, on the gift question. It is so good to find that perfect gift for someone or receive one, too. Double ear infection...owie. Sweet photo of the 4 of you. Happy Wednesday!

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  10. I thought I would be Charlie Brown because of the whole ambivert thing so I was surprised to be a combo Sally/Lucy according to the two quizzes. Your brown dog is definitely a cutie!!

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  11. Freedom to figure out life is a lost art now a days! Students today phone their parents to figure something out; I see this with my 8th graders and it makes me sad.
    I just remembered a material gift I received from my grandsons this summer. It was a picture they drew of me and gave me flowers. I cherish this the most.

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  12. Aw, that last picture is great! I too love gifts that are bought with real thought in mind. I am a total Marcie; the introvert that always has her nose buried in a book.

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  13. I enjoyed the questions this week. That's a pretty picture with your grands.
    I feel the same about gifts...it can be some small thing but it means so much to me if someone got it because it make them think of me or they knew I'd like it.

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  14. Kudos to you for spending time with a little peep with a double ear infection. She's still so very cute, and her brother, too!

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  15. Some pretty good answers, growing up we seem to have more freedom then kids now days. A great gift doesn't have to cost much if it comes from the heart.

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  16. Oh, those kiddos are so adorable!! Joyce, you gave us another fun Hodgepodge! Voting for your little brown dog was such a fun time and a great distraction during those pandemic months. Wasn't that just yesterday? Good golly. Sending a hug!

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  17. I loved what you said about gifts and I feel the same way. Some of my favorite gifts are relatively small things like a coffee cup or specialty coffee or bubble bath, but that's what I like. Doing something together with my people is always a great gift though! Your grands are absolutely adorable!

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  18. Look at those sweet babies! Also, I love your favorite brown item! What a cutie!

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