A Beachy Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then be sure to leave a comment for the blogger before you. Here we go...

1. When does time pass slowly for you? When does time past quickly for you? 

Slowly? I could answer this in a number of ways but let's go with the obvious...time passes slowly while  wearing a boot in the middle of summer in order to heal a stress fracture. 'nuff said. 

Quickly? Now. This season of life. After a certain age you are just hyper aware of the passing of time, or at least I am. 

2. Do you have a favorite beach? What's your favorite 'beach' activity? Tell us what we'd find in your beach bag.

I wrote a post on Tuesday about my favorite beach. I love many beaches but if I have to pick a favorite the one I wrote about would be numero uno. Marco Island Florida. You can read the post here-Just Beachy

My favorite beach activity-a low beach chair at the edge of the water,  just far enough in to the surf to feel it wash over my feet, but not so far in that the water swamps me and the book on my lap. 

In my beach bag-sunscreen, a towel, a book, snacks, goggles, a coverup, chapstick with spf,  diving rings for the kids, a comb, a pair of quick dry shorts, and my accupressure bands for any unanticipated rocky boat rides.  

3. Your favorite book or movie with a beach setting? 

Book-The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher...if you've never read this one I recommend. 

4. What's a food you love, but find it's a pain to eat? Is it worth it? 

Steamed blue crabs coated in Old Bay. Is it worth it? 1000% yes. Now look at these babies...

This picture was taken the day we met our now son-in-law for the very first time. He was doing a stint at Walter Reed Hospital, daughter1 lived in D.C,  and we were in Annapolis for something, so we all met to spend the day together. You should know we lived in Annapolis for nine years and are crab snobs. 

Maryland blue crabs (they're blue before they're steamed) eaten beside the water are the best and I won't argue about this. 

Anyway, we walked around town and made him  asked him to pose in front of the Naval Academy sign, much to his dismay (he was Army). Afterwards we had a crab feast at one of our favorite places on one of the hottest days of the year. And now here we are twelve years later, they have three kids and are living 4 miles from us in a South Carolina lake town. Time is funny. 

5.  Do you like roller coasters? What's the best (or worst) roller coaster you've been on? 

I am not a fan of roller coasters. I have never been a fan of roller coasters. In fact, I will go so far as to say if I never get talked into taking a ride another roller coaster ever ever ever it's all good. 

I liked The Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney. Is that considered a coaster? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We've been living on tomato sandwiches this month. Daughter1's mother-in-law brought us a big bag full from their garden,  and now we're dining on some from our own plant too...

I know I'm breaking one of the cardinal rules of tomato sandwiches here by making ours on wheat bread, but we don't eat white bread and wheat, very lightly toasted, is delish.  I do use the required mayo which is a no-brainer since I live in the land of Dukes. 

Also it's the best. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 612

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday, July 23rd to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. See you there! 

1. When does time pass slowly for you? When does time past quickly for you? 

2. Do you have a favorite beach? What's your favorite 'beach' activity? Tell us what we'd find in your beach bag.

3. Your favorite book or movie with a beach setting? 

4. What's a food you love, but find it's a pain to eat? Is it worth it? 

5.  Do you like roller coasters? What's the best (or worst) roller coaster you've been on? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Monthly Musings-May

It's the last Thursday of the month which means it's time for the Monthly Musings link up with Holly (Pink Lady Blog) and Patty (Good Better Best). Feel free to play along...

1. What am I looking forward to most this summer? 

Lots of things...dining al fresco, lake floats, the 4th of July, sipping iced coffee beside the waterfall, sunset cruises...

...jumping off the dock hand in hand with my grands, homemade peach cobbler, and casual entertaining with friends and family. 

2. Any favorite summer traditions? 

Some of these overlap with my answers to the first question but...

I always jump off the dock holding hands with my oldest grandson to help kick off summer. Hopefully his little brother will join us this year.  I tell him he will never be too old. 

We'll have to see about Nana but so far so good. 

We always watch the fireworks from our dock and shoreline because we have the best view of my across the cove neighbor's spectacular show. 

I make one peach cobbler every summer because summer says you must. Same goes for home made ice cream. 

3. Any summer travel plans? Please dish. 

We typically don't travel in the summer months. We live on a lake so people travel here lol. 

We're a little out of the box this summer as we've rented a beach house for a week for the whole family, and I'm really looking forward to that. The trip won't happen until later in the summer so there will still be plenty of lake time before and after. 

4. How do you red, white, and blue?

First of all, I love the colors...so festive! July 4th is one of my favorite days of the year. We have the flag flying on our dock and on the boat too,  plus a windsock on the dock and flag bunting hanging from the deck of the house. 

I have several t-shirts with patriotic themes/colors so will wear one of those on the holiday. This year I bought cute dresses for the grandgirls and will probably find something coordinating for the boys. 

We typically have a crowd here on the 4th. My girls are usually here with their families and we sometimes have additional houseguests around that time too. Last year hubs brother and his wife came, and we're hoping they come back again this year for the holiday. 

There are a lot of firework shows around the lake, some put on by people who live here, and then the marinas have pretty big displays too, so we'll definitely see fireworks. Not exaggerating when I say the best show on the lake is the one my across the cove neighbor hosts. 

Boaters come from all around the lake and anchor, both in our cove and in the waters around it, and she does an amazing job. When there's an especially beautiful firework all the boaters honk and it's so much fun. It stirs up feelings of pride in America and I love that. 

Hubs will grill something, and I like to make some sort of patriotic dessert, sometimes a trifle since I feel like you need a lot of people to eat one and we'll have a lot of people around. 

Oddly enough we don't usually take the boat out on the 4th. The lake is so busy that day, and since we can boat anytime we opt out of the crazy this day can bring. 

5. Beach, lake, or pool. 

Since I live on a lake it feels wrong not to answer with that one. Plus no salt-no sharks so winning! We swim in our lake and it's crystal clear. 

6. Favorite summer sweet treat? 

Strawberry shortcake, peach cobbler, and homemade blueberry pie. Just give me all the fresh fruity desserts please. 

7. Favorite sunscreens and self-tanners. 

I don't use a self-tanner. I wear sunscreen every day and like a lotion as opposed to a spray.  We go through it here and I'm not particularly loyal to one brand. I've got Neutrogena Ultra Sheer,  Bare Republic Mineral,  Tula Daily, Coppertone Sport, and Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch which might be my favorite. 

8. Best flip flops or sandals? 

I need a little arch in my flip flops, and while they're not inexpensive I do love the Olukai brand. 

I think this is the pair I currently own. As far as sandals go I like mine cute. I also like cute tennis shoes for summer and have several pair. 

9. How are you staying fit this summer? 

Lake life means you stay pretty active. Hubs and I joke we make about fifteen or twenty trips going back and forth to the dock every day, and while it's not steep it's also not flat, so there's that. 

We have kayaks and paddle boards and I love to swim. We have a pool in our neighborhood too, and I like to swim laps there. 

10. Favorite summer themed movies? 

Here's my top five...The Parent Trap (the Lindsay Lohan remake), Jaws, Dirty Dancing, Mamma Mia, and  The Deep (with Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte). 

Come on summer...

We're ready for ya!

A Love-ly Hodgepodge

Love is in the air in this week's edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions, add your link at the end of my post, then leave a love-ly comment for the blogger before you. Here we go- 

1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What's your favorite game day snack for  whatever sport is happening? 

I did watch the Super Bowl. Truthfully I slept through a fair chunk of the third quarter, but was really happy with the win. I grew up just across the bridge from Philly and the Eagles are my team. Hubs grilled wings and brats for dinner before the game and they were so good. My favorite game day snack would probably be nachos, which were not on the menu but are still my fave. 

2. What's your 'superpower'? 

Napping? Loading the dishwasher? 

3. Will you do anything special on Valentine's Day? If so do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday? Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love. 

Daughter1 is in a wedding Valentine's Day weekend, one that requires travel, so we'll be home manning the fort. And by fort I mean the grands. We were invited to the wedding as the bride is a college friend of my daughter's, a sorority sister, and she was also her roommate in DC after college so we know and love her.

We decided to let the 'kids' have a weekend away and just enjoy their time together without us tagging along too. Also, we're tired and not up for another road trip at the moment. I'm sure staying home with the grands won't be tiring at all.  

A favorite verse-'For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 8:38-39

4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so what's one of your favorites? If you're not a movie go-er then what about a book you love that features a great love story? How about a favorite love song? 

I like a rom-com now and then, but prefer legal thrillers, mysteries, or drama more. My favorite rom-coms are Sweet Home Alabama and When Harry Met Sally. There are probably others, but those two popped in to my head first. 

Books-The Thorn Birds would be one of my favorite love stories. 

Love Song-well there's no way I could pick just one. A few favorites are-More Today Than Yesterday by Spiral Staircase, Love Will Keep Us Alive by The Eagles, Everything by Michael Buble, How Deep Is Your Love by The Bee Gees, and for me and the hubs especially I Love You by Climax Blues Band. 

5. Let's get creative...write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E. 

L-love is lots of things, including patient and kind

O-it offends not

V-values the other more than oneself

E-and endures all things

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We had our wine club dinner Tuesday evening and it was as usual delish. One of the courses was filet tartare with tomato short rib stock, soy cured egg yolk and pickled vegetables. Have you ever tried tartare, and if so what did you think? 

When we lived in North Jersey hubs and I used to go in to the city and we would sometimes go to Sardis and order their tartar. It was served on a fancy platter with all kinds of garnishes and was so good. 

While I neglected to snap a photo of the tartare I did manage a picture of dessert. Priorities, right? Dessert was a hazelnut crunch bar with nutella drizzle and whipped cream. Yum! 

Thanks for joining in today...happy Wednesday and happy heart day! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 589

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (Feb 12th) to add your link and share the love. See you there!  

1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What's your favorite game day snack for  whatever sport is happening? 

2. What's your 'superpower'? 

3. Will you do anything special on Valentine's Day? If so do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday? Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love. 

4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so what's one of your favorites? If you're not a movie go-er then what about a book you love that features a great love story? How about a favorite love song? 

5. Let's get creative...write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

THANKS For The Hodgepodge

Welcome to our Thanksgiving 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. I'm truly grateful for all who participate here each week and for the friends I've made, both online and in real life, via my little corner of the Internet. 

1. Talking turkey...are you cooking the turkey this year? Does ham belong on a Thanksgiving day menu? When it comes to gravy do you pour it over your whole plate, skip it altogether, or land somewhere in between? Cranberries-homemade or jelled right out of the can? Do you look forward more to the main course, the savory sides, or the desserts? 

*I know there are at least a couple of bloggers who participate here who live outside the US and won't be celebrating Thanksgiving. If that's you feel free to adapt the questions to your December (or any) holiday meal.

I'm not cooking the turkey this year. We'll be celebrating with my daughter and son-in-law, and he'll smoke  the turkey on the grill. He's got skillz. I love ham and am not opposed to having one at Thanksgiving as long as there's also turkey. I've never served ham at Thanksgiving, but my son-in-law's family always has both, so we're having both this year too. 

 As far as gravy goes, I'm not a huge gravy/sauce person. I like to keep it light. I like gravy on my turkey and maybe just a tiny bit on the dressing but my plate definitely won't be swimming in it. I like both homemade and straight out of the can cranberry sauce and we'll have both this year. I definitely look most forward to the savory sides, with dressing being my fave. 

2. Holiday movies...tell us your favorite and what it is about the film that makes you love it. Is it the film itself or a memory it stirs? 

White Christmas. Partly because I love the story and the music and especially the dresses (swoon!), but also because my girls used to love to recreate the Sisters song whenever we watched, and that's a sweet memory. Daughter1 might have even sung the first line of that song in the toast she made for Daughter2's wedding. Pass the tissues please. 

3. A favorite way to give back and help others? 

I volunteer in a local soup kitchen every week and I really enjoy that. We make a hot lunch and I enjoy the team I work with and interacting with the folks who come in. It's generally the same crowd so you get to know some of them a little bit. It's not my reason for doing this, but one of the effects this weekly task brings is the way it shifts my perspective about so many things in my own life. 

Besides the soup kitchen we support several organizations with our dollars and our prayers too. Samaritans Purse, World Vision, Compassion, Young Life, and St. Judes. I also like to donate the cost of an ultrasound to pregnant moms considering abortion. Seeing and hearing their baby's heartbeat is often a game changer. 

4. Name a place or setting you encountered this month that made you feel grateful. 

We had friends visit a couple of weeks ago and the Saturday weather was sheer perfection. The sky was a brilliant blue and we were outside most of the day. 

There's something about a beautiful sunshiny blue sky day that stirs my soul. Beauty in the great outdoors stirs up feelings of gratitude for me. 

5. Knowing what you know today, if you could redo yesterday what would you do differently? 

I'm answering these on Tuesday so yesterday was Monday. Would I do anything different? Yes, and I'm just gonna leave it at that. 

6. Spill your own random thought here. 

Let the games begin...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 579

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Guess what our theme is? Answer the questions on your own blog, then waddle back here tomorrow to add your link 'to the table'. See you there!

1. Talking turkey...are you cooking the turkey this year? Does ham belong on a Thanksgiving day menu? When it comes to gravy do you pour it over your whole plate, skip it altogether, or land somewhere in between? Cranberries-homemade or jelled right out of the can? Do you look forward more to the main course, the savory sides, or the desserts? 

I know there are at least a couple of bloggers who participate here who live outside the US and won't be celebrating Thanksgiving. If that's you feel free to adapt this question to your December (or any) holiday meal.

2. Holiday movies...tell us your favorite and what it is about the film that makes you love it. Is it the film itself or a memory it stirs? 

3. A favorite way to give back and help others? 

4. Name a place or setting you encountered this month that made you feel grateful. 

5. Knowing what you know today, if you could redo yesterday what would you do differently? 

6. Spill your own random thought here. 

Nothing Scary About The Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's 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. Thanks for playing along today. Here we go- 

1. When the Hodgepodge lands on September 11th I want to acknowledge that. Will you purposely pause to remember, pray, or attend any sort of ceremony on 9/11? Share any thoughts or memories you'd like to share about this day. 

I do like to pause, to remember and pray too. How can we not remember? That bright blue sky and the absolute shock and disbelief seem to hit fresh every single year. We normally don't have the tv on here in the morning but I will turn it on to watch some of the coverage of the day's events, and also to hear the names read. 

I'll pray today for the families whose lives were changed in an instant, and for our country which feels as if it has been in constant turmoil ever since. 

Here's something I wrote on my blog back on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 (2021)-

"Twenty years ago I was the Director of a church preschool and kindergarten located just outside of D.C. Many families in our school worked in the Pentagon or were Secret Service Agents so it felt very personal to us.  At the time we didn't even have a radio in our office so when we noticed our copier repairman just sitting in his car outside our building we were annoyed. Why wasn't he coming inside? We he finally came in he broke the news to us and life shifted. 

There is America before 9/11 and America after 9/11 and they are not the same." 

2. Growing up, did you spend a lot of time with your grandparents? What's something you learned from a grandparent? 

Not a lot as we didn't live geographically close to either set. They usually came to us on the east coast maybe once or twice a year and some years we went west, but not every year. We did write letters though, which I know is kind of a lost art in the age of email, but I looked forward to them. 

When I was a year old we lived with my mom's parents for a year while my dad was overseas with the Marine Corps. And then that grandmother lived the last years of her life with my mom so I spent a lot of time with her as an adult. 

What's something I learned from a grandparent? From my maternal grandma mentioned above I would say a love of God's word and the power of a praying woman. 

3. What's your go-to breakfast? 

In general yogurt, berries, and a sprinkling of granola. We do eggs at least once a week, and oatmeal too although not so much in the summer months. 

4. Tell us the story behind one of your favorite photos. 

I have a lot of favorites but the question asks for just one and it's this-

Not a holiday or a birthday or even a summer vacation. 

Just me and my first born caught in ordinary life on a sunny summer day more than twenty years ago. Hubs snapped this picture of us chatting on the swing at a friend's river house and it still gives me all the feels. The light is perfection. When I look at this picture I remember for a minute how it felt to mother my girls in those middle years. 

5. This week Friday lands on the 13th. Are you superstitious in any way? Do you like scary movies, and if so what's your favorite? 

I'm not superstitious at all. 

If scary means horror flicks then no, I don't like scary movies. I do like suspenseful movies and mysteries, but please no Freddy Kruegers or slasher films of any kind for me. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hubs and I spent the weekend at our Daughter2's house and I always like to bring a little something for the grands when I visit because that's just what grandparents do. This time I brought my grandson a sensory kit from the company Young Wild and Friedman. 

If you have young children or  grandchildren, work with preschoolers in some way, or need a great gift for a niece or nephew, I highly recommend. 

These kits are so well made, and the packaging is top notch too. They're about so much more than just the dough, which is all natural and high quality. Every little detail in these sensory kits has been thoughtfully considered and is designed to encourage independent, imaginative play. 

YWF make quite a few kits and I chose the construction themed set because our little guy is in to all things construction. 

It was so much fun watching him set up various 'road works', carefully filling the dump truck with the 'boulders', and lining up the cones. The dough was almost an afterthought but he enjoyed that too. 

This is not a paid plug for the company, I'm just letting you know they have a terrific product. If you're not familiar with them check out their website here-Young Wild and Friedman. I will definitely order another for Christmas. 

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

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Hello Monday Tuesday

If you're looking for this week's Hodgepodge questions you'll find them in the post before this one. 

Good morning friends. Linking up with Holly and Sarah for their weekly Hello Monday party, happening this week on a Tuesday due to the holiday. Am I the only one who will be a day off all week because of the extra weekend-ing? 

Even though in retirement every day is technically the weekend?

It's officially September and September means a month of birthdays in our house, starting with hubs. Daughter2 has a birthday next week, then mine rolls around the following week. I'm all about making a birthday celebration last more than a day, and will no doubt mention mine more than once before it actually arrives. If you've read here for any length of time you already know this. 

Our backyard construction project is moving right along, but it's all a lot. Hubs likes to stand on the upstairs deck and survey the work from above. He goes in and out at least a hundred times a day, he paces and frets about that one rock he thinks is leaning in a downward direction more than it should, and all that to say it was time for a break. 

He reluctantly agreed, so on Friday we went to the late afternoon showing of Reagan. Fantastic! I'd seen a preview and wasn't sure how I'd like Dennis Quaid in this role (even though I love Dennis Quaid in pretty much everything), but he did a great job in his portrayal of 'Dutch'. Penelope Ann Miller plays Nancy and she was wonderful too. 

I won't say too much about it, except this...I miss having an articulate leader who inspires with wisdom and wit and common sense, one who is unafraid to say the hard things, and who lives out the courage of his convictions no matter which way the wind blows. I miss when nearly the whole of America loved America. 

At the end of the movie everybody clapped. 

Saturday I made my second trip to the supermarket to get some last minute things for hubs birthday dinner happening the next day. I got home in time to watch our favorite college football team (the Tennessee Vols) crush their opponent and also watch our second favorite college football team (the Clemson Tigers) get crushed by their opponent. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and baking. I made a key lime pie which is what hubs wanted for his 'birthday cake', and I also slow roasted tomatoes for one of our favorite appetizers, Pomodori al Forno, all for Sunday. 

When you spend hours cooking it feels like you shouldn't also need to make dinner, but meals just keep on coming. About a week ago Amy (Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa) shared a recipe for an egg roll bowl and we tried that on Saturday night. It was good. I added slaw to my bowl like she suggested, and Siracha too because we like Siracha. 

On Sunday hubs officially turned a whole year older. I offered to make him a blueberry waffle which is one of his favorite things, but we had a big dinner on tap so he declined. Do you have Publix where you live? Have you tried their bakery cinnamon bread? I'd picked some up the day before and it's super delish, so that was his birthday breakfast. 

We spent the day getting the house in order. The dust y'all. It's everywhere. Everywhere! I don't think there's a surface inside or out that isn't wearing some dust. It's impossible to get on top of just now, but we tried. Plus I had to make yet another trip to the store for three things I'd forgotten. Bother. 

Friends came Sunday evening to celebrate and hubs grilled steaks because that's what he wants on his birthday. I'd made twice baked potatoes (forgot how labor intensive they are), a salad, and fresh green beans. 

One of our guests is a wine aficionado and he brought a fabulous highly rated bottle to share. It's a Vineyard 36 cabernet called Five Bands. The bottle has five silver bands across the front, with the design intentionally made to resemble the Stanley Cup. Vineyard 36 was started by two former NHL players, along with a vintner named Jason Earnest. This one is hard to get so it was really fun to have a taste, and it made dinner feel like an occasion. 

Which it was. Happy birthday hubs! We'll see both girls this month which is the best present of all. 

Monday morning was beautiful, and while we wanted to lounge we thought exercise would be the better option. 

We got the kayaks out and had a nice long paddle around the neighborhood. The weather was perfect, warm and sunny with a gentle breeze. 

We got back to the dock and swam for a bit, then went in for lunch and a nap. Actually hubs napped and I worked on my blog. Neighbors who live here part time were in town and invited us over for happy hour so we walked to their house about 4:30 and enjoyed catching up with them. 

Has anybody watched Grantchester? It's a British drama series set in the village of that same name. Hubs and I watched the first several seasons a while back and enjoyed it, and then last week my daughter told me they went to Grantchester for the day, and she found it so charming. We decided to pick up the series again this weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing the village up close and in person when we visit the UK in a few weeks. 

The list of people and places we need and want to see while we're there is a long one. I'm trying to manage my expectations, but haven't been too successful so far. I'll keep you posted. 

Hey, did I mention I have a birthday this month? 

Happy Monday Tuesday everyone! 

Three Cheers For The Red, White, And Hodgepodge

Welcome to our first Wednesday Hodgepodge in the month of July! I love everything about the July 4th holiday here in America and hope you have a great week celebrating in some way. 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-

1. It's a big week in the US of A as we celebrate Independence Day. Do you have any special plans? How will you mark the day? BBQ? pool-lake-beach time? fireworks? homemade ice cream? If you're not an American you can tell us what's happening in your corner of the world on Thursday. 

It's always a fun day on the lake, but the water gets busy. We normally don't take the boat out on the 4th because we live here and can boat when there are fewer people out. We'll play it by ear. Conveniently our across the cove neighbor puts on one of the best firework displays on the lake and we're in the prime viewing zone. Boaters come from all around the lake to watch (we sit on our dock) and when there's an especially pretty firework everyone honks. So fun! 

Normally my girls are here on the 4th with all the grands, but because my daughter1 has movers coming next week, and once they finish the pack and load, she'll be at the lake right after, both girls decided to wait. Daughter2's hubs is currently extending their patio so his parents went to TN for the holiday so his dad could help with that. Parents are great, aren't they?  

The girls want to both be here at the same time, so we'll have the whole crew in a couple of weeks, and we'll make homemade ice cream then. A lot of noise too I'm sure lol. 

Hubs brother and sister-in-law are coming here for the 4th, and we always have a great time with them. Hubs plans to BBQ ribs, and it'll be HOT so we'll spend a lot of time relaxing in the water on our floats. 

2. What's your favorite 'All-American' dessert? 

Is a brownie an American dessert? 

The answer is yes. I checked the internet and apparently the brownie was developed in the USA at the end of the 19th century. A brownie is one of my favorites. Strawberry shortcake feels All-American and that's another favorite. 

I'm not making either for the holiday though. I'm going to make a frozen strawberry pie that sounds yummy and also refreshing. I'll let you know. 

3. Does that patriotic feeling come easily to you, or are you having to work for it more these days? What's something that makes you proud to be a citizen of your country?  

It comes pretty easily to me. I mean as long as I don't watch too much TV or surf social media for too long. The men and women who serve our country make me proud. The way neighbors pitch in and help neighbors and strangers alike in times of tragedy or following natural disasters makes me proud. The volunteer spirit in America makes me proud. 

4. Your favorite 'patriotic' movie? Favorite patriotic song? 

This is a tough one. I think I'll go with Saving Private Ryan for my favorite patriotic movie. 

There are so many really good patriotic songs, not sure I can choose just one. A lot of country music has a patriotic bent to it and I love that. 

Some of my favorite patriotic songs are Only In America by Brooks and Dunn, Whitney Houston's version of The Star Spangled Banner which never gets old, and The Marine Corps Hymn which makes me think of my dad. Whenever that one's played it makes me proud to be an American. 

And I love Rodney Atkins 'It's America'. 

5. One simple pleasure on your July 'bucket list'? 

Make a peach cobbler. I generally make just one a summer and it feeds a crowd, so will probably do that when the kids and grandkids are here. I like to get the peaches from a farm store that's a bit of a drive from our house so I need to get hubs on board with a ride out that way.  Hi hubs! And yes I could buy them in the grocery store but these are worth the drive. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

America is a bit of a mess but it's still the land I love. May God bless and keep her...

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