A Cup Of Pumpkin Spice Hodgepodge

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 hop over and leave a comment for your neighbor there. Here we go...

1. What's something that scares you? 

Besides our government you mean? I kid. Sort of. 

I'm going with bats. They give me the heebie jeebies. 

2. Do you care where the food you eat comes from? To what degree? 

Do I care? Yes. I read labels, am on the lookout for the GM tag and do my best to steer clear, we eat very little processed foods, and if I were ever to have dinner with Bill Gates I'd tell him real meat only please, none of that synthetic stuff he thinks Americans should be eating. 

Just to be clear, Bill Gates is not someone I'd care to have dinner with. 

3. What's something you wish you'd spent more time doing when you were younger? 

Oh wow, lots of things I suppose, but realizing that is part of growing up. A few things that come to mind would be speaking French, asking my dad about his childhood, keeping up with a journal, and learning to play the piano. A few more serious bits too but I don't think they're for sharing here. 

4. Let's play autumn this or that....pumpkin spice or apple cider? Corn maze or haunted house? Horror film or Hallmark movie? Blanket or sweatshirt? Watch football or watch the World Series? Foliage-red, yellow or orange? 

I'm not a pumpkin spice fan at all so cider it is. I've never cared for the scary elements of Halloween so I'll go for the corn maze. I definitely don't watch any horror movies, but it's also a rare day I watch a Hallmark movie so really neither. Hallmark if I have to choose. I love a cozy blanket, and college football is what fall Saturdays are all about. As far as the foliage goes, I love a mix of all three colors. 

5. This time last year where were you and what were you doing? 

This time last year hubs and I had just returned from a fabulous trek up the coast of California (mucho posts about that trip starting with the link here).

On the first Tuesday in October of 2022 we were finally back in the southland. I spent that morning in the orthopedic surgeon's office having my fractured elbow assessed. Good times. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

October, 2023. It's not the coast of California...

...but it's awfully pretty here too. 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 522

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. What's something that scares you? 

2. Do you care where the food you eat comes from? To what degree? 

3. What's something you wish you'd spent more time doing when you were younger? 

4. Let's play autumn this or that....pumpkin spice or apple cider? Corn maze or haunted house? Horror film or Hallmark movie? Blanket or sweatshirt? Watch football or watch the World Series? Foliage-red, yellow or orange? 

5. This time last year where were you and what were you doing? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Falling For The Hodgepodge

Welcome to fall's first 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- 

1. It's officially fall y'all. In the northern hemisphere anyway. Any signs of it where you are? What's your favorite thing about this time of year? 

There are a few signs of fall in our area, but for the most part it's still pretty summer-like here. Temps are cool in the early morning, but warm up to shorts-wearing weather by noon. We have more pine than hardwoods on our property, but we've seen small pops of red when we're out walking.  This tree says it all...

...a little bit of summer, a little bit o' fall. 

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the cozy feeling ushered in.... coffee by the fire, blue jeans, a pot of chili on the stove. I like the change in wardrobe, menu, and mindset. 

2. Have you visited any 'falls' in person? Tell us about one of your favorites? Of the following top ten famous falls (according to this site ) which would you most like to see in person-

Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe/Zambia), Igazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Niagara Falls (US/Canada), Angel Falls (Venezuela), Yosemite Falls (California), Dettifoss (Iceland) Kaieteur Falls (Guyana), Plitvice Waterfalls (Croatia), Gullfoss-Golden Falls (Iceland), or Sutherland Falls (New Zealand)

We live in an area known as the mountain lakes part of the state and there are more than 150 waterfalls in our county alone. Not all are huge, but every waterfall is beautiful in its own way. Hubs and I (and the little brown dog too of course, can't forget him!) enjoy hiking to a waterfall and we're slowly working our way through some of the ones in our area. We have a long way to go lol. 

There were some pretty falls not far from where we lived in North Jersey too (Bushkill Falls) and we used to visit fairly often. Of the falls listed I guess the one I'd most like to visit would be Victoria. A friend of ours went years ago and I still remember the photo he sent standing beside them. Absolutely breathtaking!

3. What's something you'll miss about summer? 

Daylight at 9 PM. 

4. A favorite fall recipe?

I made a big pot of vegetable beef soup the other day and that's definitely a favorite here. It was 52 degrees when I started cooking early morning, but by the time dinner rolled around it was more like 85. We still enjoyed it though. I make Paula Deen's recipe which calls for short ribs, and they make it extra extra. I don't use quite the amount of salt she does, but other than that I follow her instructions ( recipe here) It makes a lot! 

5. Something you enjoy but lately have allowed it to 'fall by the wayside'? 

I made a scrapbook for Daughter2 for her birthday, the first I'd done in a long long time. Putting it together was so much fun and made me realize how much I miss doing something creative. I used to really enjoy scrapbooking, but life and all that jazz meant it needed to fall by the wayside for a while. I'm determined to get back into more creative pursuits this year. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My other favorite thing about this time of year is the morning sky...

Swoon! 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 521

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. It's officially fall y'all. In the northern hemisphere anyway. Any signs of it where you are? What's your favorite thing about this time of year? 

2. Have you visited any 'falls' in person? Tell us about one of your favorites? Of the following top ten famous falls (according to this site ) which would you most like to see in person-

Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe/Zambia), Igazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Niagara Falls (US/Canada), Angel Falls (Venezuela), Yosemite Falls (California), Dettifoss (Iceland) Kaieteur Falls (Guyana), Plitvice Waterfalls (Croatia), Gullfoss-Golden Falls (Iceland), or Sutherland Falls (New Zealand)

3. What's something you'll miss about summer? 

4. A favorite fall recipe?

5. Something you enjoy but lately have allowed it to 'fall by the wayside'? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hiking Through 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 blog, then leave a comment for the blogger before you. Here we go- 

1. If your life had a theme song for this past year what would it be? 

Goodness of God by Bethel Music...you can listen to it here. 

2. Chocolate cake, chocolate milkshake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate truffle, chocolate mousse, chocolate candy bar or a fudgy chocolate brownie...of the chocolate treats listed, which one is your favorite? Which one have you tasted most recently? Or maybe you don't like chocolate???

Oh my how do you choose? A well baked, slightly chewy, fudgy brownie is probably my favorite chocolate dessert. It's not too heavy and I could eat a brownie every day and not get tired of it. That being said, I do love a fabulous chocolate cake and hubs always gets me a fabulous chocolate cake (with a raspberry filling-gotta have the raspberry filling!) for my birthday, and this year was no exception (see random thought). 

3. What has surprised you recently? 

That it's somehow the middle of September. 

4. September 19th is National Voter Registration Day in the US. Are you registered to vote in whatever state or country you happen to live in right now? If not, why not? Not counting a political race, what's something you've had to vote on recently? 

I am registered to vote and yes, I do vote in every election I'm eligible to vote in. 

Besides a political race something I've voted on recently? Hmmm...my favorite chocolate treat lol? We voted on an HOA decision in our neighborhood a few weeks ago so that's probably it. Technically hubs voted but it's one vote per household so that counts. 

5. Do you like to hike? If so, when's the last time you went hiking and where'd ya go? If you're not a hiker are you a walker? Is walking (for exercise, etc.) part of your daily/weekly routine? 

I do like to hike and it's something hubs and I enjoy doing together. The little brown dog too of course. He never wants to be left behind when he hears there's a hike on the agenda. 

There are a lot of waterfalls an easy drive from us, and we're trying to see them all. Most recently we hiked to one 70 feet high in the middle of a thick forest.  It was gorgeous and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. I posted pics in my Monday entry linked here. 

I like walking as a form of exercise, but our neighborhood roads and trails are steep and my achilles hates that. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Like I said... 

How do you choose? 

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Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 520

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

1. If your life had a theme song for this past year what would it be? 

2. Chocolate cake, chocolate milkshake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate truffle, chocolate mousse, chocolate candy bar or a fudgy chocolate brownie...of the chocolate treats listed, which one is your favorite? Which one have you tasted most recently? Or maybe you don't like chocolate???

3. What has surprised you recently? 

4. September 19th is National Voter Registration Day in the US. Are you registered to vote in whatever state or country you happen to live in right now? If not, why not? Not counting a political race, what's something you've had to vote on recently? 

5. Do you like to hike? If so, when's the last time you went hiking and where'd ya go? If you're not a hiker are you a walker? Is walking (for exercise, etc.) part of your daily/weekly routine? 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It Might Be My Birthday

There are two kinds of people when it comes to birthdays. Those who try their best to keep theirs a secret, who don't want anyone to make a fuss of any kind, and who definitely do not want anyone to know their actual age. 

And then there are those who make sure everyone knows it's their birthday. 

I think you know which camp I land in, although it's possibly been a little over the top this year, even for me. For some reason my hubs has been hosting a weeklong Facebook celebration to mark the day, which has me feeling like I need to lay low for a while. Too much me on social media lol. 

Except here I am blogging so whatever. 

This year isn't a particularly 'big' birthday but he has posted a lot of pictures (a lot!!) anyway, and he's written words and it's been sweet and only a teensy bit embarrassing. Hubs can rally people around some fun y'all, which is why I've been wished happy birthday more times than I can count in the past seven days. 

I usually place some imaginary pressure on myself to write something profound when this day rolls around, but right now I'm not feeling it. Maybe this is the year I'll just quietly become a year older.  

Quietly being a relative term, ahem. 

I am going to do a bit of a phone dump because catching up here makes me happy, and hey, it's my birthday! 

In viewing hubs online photography extravaganza I realized I never posted any pics from the beginning of the month when my whole family was here. We were celebrating the life of my brother-in-law, and it felt so good to have everyone together. 

The two youngest grands had not met many of my extended family and it was so nice to be able to introduce them to everyone in person. The two oldest grands spent one whole entire complete day in the lake with my nephew, who happens to be a teenager with boundless energy. Even he had to admit the little ones have him beat. 

Solidarity nephew. I get it.

In other September happenings we went to a fun float party in a quiet cove one afternoon. Summer is still in full swing on the lake mid-September, and we take advantage of that as much as we can. 

I'm a cloud groupie and the sky showed off big early one Wednesday morning.  

Two Wednesday mornings actually. 

Really every morning.

Hubs and I have taken a couple of hikes this month and yes, the little brown dog came too. He is not one to miss a walk in the woods. 

One hike was to a nearby waterfall we hadn't seen before.

In the middle of a thick forest water rains down from 70 feet above, as it runs over huge slabs of rock and fallen trees.  

The hike is described as relatively easy, and in terms of elevation it was. 

It was also a narrow 'rooty' trail and you had to duck under downed limbs and clamber over rocks and across a 'balance beam' to find your footing on the small strip of sand. 

We ate  lunch perched on a big ol' rock as we soaked up the quiet of the forest and the beauty of creation. 

Shifting gears, or venues if you will, Saturday night we saw a Bee Gees cover band in a neighboring small town. Hitting those high notes like Barry Gibb ain't no small thing, but these guys did it, and we loved the show. 

I've been so spoiled this past week with cards and gifts, phone calls, chocolate cake, a fun little getaway too. I think for now I'll just share my usual profound thought about birthdays...

...it's so good to have them.