Stars, Stripes, and The Hodgepodge

Here we are at the end of June, still random-ing on. If you've answered today's questions add your link at the end of my post, then leave a comment for your neighbor there. Here we go- 

1. It's been said the best things in life are free...are they? What are a few of those things? 

Hmmm...what do I think are the best things in life? Relationships and daily interaction with the people I care for, the beauty of creation, God's love, grace, and forgiveness...

None of the things listed cost money but there is a cost of another kind that comes with each one. I feel like this is somehow a trick question.

2. Stars or stripes? Red, white, or blue? Apple pie or home made ice cream? Do you like hotdogs, and if so what do you like on yours? 

stars-blue-home made ice cream

I like hot dogs topped with mustard and relish, but haven't had one in over five years. 

3. One thing on your summer bucket list? Any plans to make it happen soon? 

Swimming, boating, story reading, ice cream churning, and lots of hugs around the neck, stolen kisses, and lap time with my grandsons. 

Are there plans to make that happen soon? Yes there are!!

4. What's your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one. 

I don't know if it's my anthem, but this song gives me all the feels for the sweet days of summer, for youth, for small town country life...

5. What's something you love about America? If you live outside America, something you love about the place you call home. 

Her beauty. Her optimism. The men and women who defend our flag and the freedoms it represents all around this world. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

c. 1998

For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wishing you all a safe and happy Independence Day! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 425

Winding down the month of June today in our weekly random. Answer the questions on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the world wide webbers. See you there! 

 

1. It's been said the best things in life are free...are they? What are some of those things? 

2. Stars or stripes? Red, white, or blue? Apple pie or home made ice cream? Do you like hotdogs? If so, what do you like on yours? 

3. One thing on your summer bucket list? Any plans to make it happen soon? 

4. What's your summer anthem? Yes, you need to have one. 

5. What's something you love about America? If you live outside of America, tell us something you love about the place you call home. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Coming Up Roses In The Wednesday Hodgepodge

When I restarted the Hodgepodge we were mid-pandemic with a little too much time on our hands. The pace has for sure picked up here and I'm once again back to being somewhat busy. Fun busy, but busy all the same. 

I am going to continue the HP because I enjoy the mid-week motivation to blog, and also keeping up with my favorite reads, but it's likely I will take a break now and then too. There are weeks where something has to give, and this is often that something. I'll try to give you a heads up and appreciate you rolling along with the current here. 

It's on today so if you've answered the questions add your link at the end of my post. Be sure to leave a comment for the blogger before you, because everybody loves company. In blogland anyway! Here we go- 

1. What's something that reminds you of your grandmother? Tell us why. 

Many things, but one of the first that comes to mind is iced tea. My grandma made the best iced tea, each glass hand-crafted with care. No big pitcher in the frig,  instead there were pretty tall glasses on the counter with just the right amount of ice, lots of sugar, and the perfect squeeze of lemon. 

She stirred each serving with a long iced tea spoon and we never drank iced tea in the winter months. I live in the south so it's a year round beverage here, but no matter the season I always think of my Gigi when I pour a glass. 

2. Is your life currently more 'moonlight and roses' or a little more 'every rose has it's thorn'? Elaborate. 

I'm pretty much a moonlight and roses girl, even when life feels thorny. 

3. June 23rd is National Pink Day...favorite thing you own in any shade of pink? Favorite thing found in nature in any shade of pink? Your favorite pink food or beverage? Your favorite shade of pink? 

I don't own a lot of pink but I love it in nature. Our mandevilla, dogwoods in bloom, the evening sky just after sunset...

My favorite would probably be a peony painted in a soft shade of blush, which is also my favorite shade. I have some bright pink sandals that are fun to wear. 

4. Last thing that had you 'tickled pink'? 

The cutest big and little brothers in the world sharing an ice cream cone...

photo credit: Sincerely-Shannon 

Be still my heart. 

5. What are two or three words that describe your style. 

Classic and relaxed most days, but I can do fancy too. I love dressing up, but fancy dress is not often required when you live the lake life. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Two of my nephews have birthdays the first week of May and I was feeling pretty pleased with myself this year for getting their cards and gift cards mailed more than a week before the dates. Postmark April 24th for the record.

The cards were traveling just a couple of states over but days went by and nothing. 

They waited and waited and waited some more and I texted with my sister-in-law a number of times but still no cards. Mothers Day came and went and another week went by and not a word. We debated about what to do, but then her Mother's Day card to me postmarked April 22nd arrived on May 21st. We decided maybe we should wait a bit longer and yes, her card arrived here 29 days after mailing.

Finally, convinced the cards had been swiped somewhere along the way I did the very impersonal thing known as Venmo-ing birthday money into my nephews accounts. 

And then- on Saturday June 12th, my sister-in-law texts me a picture...they got the cards. 

49 days later. 

What in the world is happening with the mail??

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 424

We're back! And here are the questions for this brand new week. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to add your link to the party. See you there! 

1. What's something that reminds you of your grandmother? Tell us why. 

2. Is your life currently more 'moonlight and roses' or a little more 'every rose has it's thorn'? Elaborate. 

3. June 23rd is National Pink Day...favorite thing you own in any shade of pink? Favorite thing found in nature in any shade of pink? Your favorite pink food or beverage? Your favorite shade of pink? 

4. Last thing that had you 'tickled pink'? 

5. What are two or three words that describe your style. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Monday Dusting

Happy Summer everyone! It's official! It definitely feels like summer here and we are back to busy. So much so that I didn't post a single entry on my blog last week. I plan to make up for that today though, with an extra long post. 

As opposed to my normal long posts I mean. 

So let's talk about last week and life in general. Remember the adorable newlyweds? 

They were finally able to take their honeymoon trip and spent last week celebrating married life in a beautiful tropical locale. Only four different Covid tests were needed to get there and back but one does what one must when the sea is calling. I think Daughter2 plans to blog about their getaway on her own blog, which you'll find here (It's Elementary). 

While the kids were away we kept their sweet pup who is so sick and the dearest best dog we've ever known. Dogs y'all...

They fill up your heart but they wrench it real good too. 

Meanwhile on the other side of the world...daughter1 and her family also spent a week vacationing in a beautiful tropical locale. Jeju Island which is sometimes called the 'Hawaii of Korea'. 

If you follow Daughter1 on Facebook she's posted a bunch of pictures, and hopefully will share the fabulous vlogs she made on her own blog soon. (Sincerely Shannon)

We have their sweet pup too, but I think I've told you he's technically our dog now. Saturday morning we took him for his first official boat ride of the season and he was, as per usual, living his best life. 

Everyday is your best life when you're him. 

Always helping the Captain-

Retrieving til the cows come home. 

He would swim after this rubber duck all the ding dong day if we'd let him. 

The lake was quiet Saturday morning so hubs and I had breakfast and iced coffee while the little brown dog wore himself out. 

fyi-he never wears out. 

In other last week news, hubs and I celebrated an anniversary...37 years so whoohoo! Go us! A random number to be sure, but I say every year is a milestone and should be marked. We had a lovely dinner at a restaurant we enjoy and talked about how both of our girls were vacationing somewhere fabulous while we're at home with the dogs. Not mad about it at all though, because happily married children are a true gift. 

Early in the week hubs brother and sister-in-law drove over from their lake in Tennessee to our lake in South Carolina. We did some boating and some grilling and lots of porch sitting which was fun. The men went skeet shooting one day while we girls shopped and lunched and we look so forward to more family fun with them soon. 

I'm all over the map here so this post might feel like more than a week's worth of recap, but I promise it's really only a week. 

I had plans to make hubs his favorite breakfast on Father's Day but just before church the power went out and was out all morning. Blueberry waffles for lunch are okay too. It rained all day so we watched movies and then he opened gifts and facetimed with his girls and I capped things off with his favorite dinner- meatloaf. 

The skies cleared so we met up with neighbors for an evening kayak to a nearby island. 

Gray days can surprise you with their beautiful endings. 

Note to Hodgepodgers

Apologies for the late notice, but there will not be a Hodgepodge this week. We’ll be back to the random next week, June 23rd. See you there! 

Hodgepodge Bounty

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. Or all the bloggers before you if you've got the time. Here we go-

1. Something you've seen recently that's 'cuter than a June bug'?

This-

Nobody's surprised are they? 

2. Tell us something about where you were and what you were doing in June of 1988? If you weren't born yet, June of 1998. Or if that doesn't work, June of 2008. 

On this day in June of 1988 I was spending all day every day marveling at my newborn baby daughter. 

I marvel at her still-

3. A place in your home or outdoor space where you feel 'snug as a bug in a rug'? 

I'm going to say curled up on the screened in porch... no real bugs allowed. 

4. June is National Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Month. Do you normally get your 4-5 servings each day? What's a favorite summer dish you make/serve/like to be served-ha! made with one of your favorite summer fruits. A favorite summer dish made with a favorite summer veg? How do you feel about cooking in the summer months? 

I always get my 4-5 servings of fruit and veg, but summer's bounty is my favorite. I love a homemade peach cobbler. I live in peach country and look forward to making one soon. Vegetable is a little tougher because so many are my favorite...a caprese salad made with basil from my herb garden and fresh from the vine tomatoes, a summer squash casserole, corn on the cob right off the farm...there's not a summer fruit or vegetable I don't love. 

 I don't mind cooking any time of year, but I do enjoy a break now and then. 

5. Do you have a summer reading list? If so share a title or two we can add to our own. 

My reading list is not specifically for summer, but is something I work through year round. It's never ending because every single day new books are born and added to the list. I always have a long list of 'want-to-reads' and a few near the top currently are-

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate (our July book club choice), The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker, God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China by Liao Yiwu, A Hundred Suns by Karin Tanabe....

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Somebody was in his happy place this past weekend-

May your summer days be filled with all the things you love!