It's That Time Again...Hodgepodge Questions 114

I've been away for a few days, arriving home just in time to join the Hodgepodge.  Here are this week's questions...come back tomorrow to add your link to the party.

Of course I'll catch you up on my trip.
After the Hodgepodge.

Here ya go-

1. When were you last 'on a mountaintop'?  You may answer in the literal or figurative sense.

2.  Do you establish and maintain a strict budget in your household?  What is one piece of financial advice you would offer someone just starting out on their own?

3.  Cherries-yay or nay?  Cherry pie, cherry cola, black forest cake, or a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Cherries Garcia...pick one.

4.  Should you ever discuss religion or politics with people you don't know?

5.  When you take a road trip do you prefer to be the driver or the passenger?  Where were you headed on your last road trip?

6. If we peeked inside your closet, what color would we say is most prevalent?

7. Who's your favorite senior citizen and why are they special?

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Love is in the Air and in the Hodgepodge

Welcome to this week's edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So glad you joined the party today...be sure to add your link to the bottom of my post before you run off to visit the neighbors. Here we go~

1. This week marks the beginning of Lent...will you be giving something up or adding anything to your life during this season of the year?

I didn't grow up in a denomination that practices giving up something for Lent. For most of my life this season of the year has been all about Easter, and I guess for me it still is.  Mostly.  As an adult I've grown more serious in my thinking about the days leading up to that most holy day.  

While I have no plans to give anything up this year, I do plan to focus my quiet time on the real meaning of the season. I have a devotional book written specifically for Lent with forty readings in forty days. They're not light, and it's possible as the season progresses I'll feel prompted to let something go or to add something in...I'm open to that.  

2. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday...tradition states you eat pancakes on this day. In some parts of the world Shrove Tuesday is actually known as 'pancake day'.  How do you like your pancakes?  Or don't you?

I love the idea of pancakes, but rarely eat them. The reality is they are just too heavy for me to enjoy.  Blueberry pancakes with a little bit of real maple syrup and a side of crispy bacon is my favorite. One pancake is enough for me. 

3. I'm sure there are many, but what is one love song you really love?

I like how I emphasized the 'one'. That might have been a note to self-ha! When it comes to music I can never pick just one. Sigh.  

I'll try.   

This one-Everything by Michael Buble

And this one-I Can't Help Myself by The Four Tops. No matter my mood, when I hear this song I smile and feel 20 years old.   



I know that's two songs, but they're completely different, and they both mean something to us.  

4. What are some things you do to let others know you love them?

I say it. I cook for them. I enjoy sending cards and little treats via real mail. Small kindnesses like running back up the stairs to get the glasses they forgot to bring down, even though I just sat down too.  Don't mention that I just sat down too. Sign every text message with xo. Watch television programs like The History of the US Air Force when I'd rather watch a cooking program.  Pray for them.  Listen. Encourage. Forgive.  

5. Roses...red, pink, or some other color?  Can you recall the last time someone gave you flowers?  Given your choice would you like to open the door and see a dozen red roses, a dozen purple tulips, or a dozen pink peonies?

I like roses in almost every color...I'm not a big fan of the blues, blacks, and purples, but anything pink, peach, pinky peach or red I love. Yellow roses are especially close to my heart as they have always been my favorite, and hubs will search high and low to find yellow roses on special occasions.  Or no occasion.  He has a gift for knowing exactly when I need flowers.  I know some people think fresh flowers are a waste of money.  I am not one of those people.  Fresh flowers instantly make me feel better about life.  

Roses, tulips, or peonies?  Yes, please.  Of the three listed I think I'd be happiest to see a big bouquet of pink peonies.  They're my favorite flower.  

6. President's Day will be celebrated next Monday. Does Presidential history and trivia interest you?  Many Presidential homes are open to the public and offer guided tours...Monticello (Jefferson's home), Mount Vernon (Washington's home), Montpelier (James Madison's home), Hyde Park (FD Roosevelt's home) and The White House (home to the sitting President), to name just a few.  Of those listed, which would you be most interested in touring?  Why?

Presidential history and trivia does interest me.  I've lived mostly on the East Coast, including the state of Virginia which I think is where so much Presidential history resides. I love touring big old houses, and have been to a chunk of the ones listed.  

If you've never been to Monticello I recommend.  It's absolutely beautiful, and Jefferson was an interesting man.  I've also been to Mount Vernon and have toured the White House more than once, so I'm going with Hyde Park.  A trip there is on my 101 in 1001 list because it's not too far from here and would make a nice day trip.  I'm waiting until the weather improves because the grounds are supposed to be lovely.

7. Are you good at keeping secrets?

Yes.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I spy...a little red fox in our backyard.  

I guess technically it's her yard too, since she has a den over to one side.  In the spring we love to watch her kits play.  We never get close to the babies, instead we watch from our sun room windows so as not to frighten the mother into moving the nest. She is always very aware of our presence, even from a distance.  Last year the kits found a ski glove someone had dropped in the woods and they batted that back and forth for a long while which was so cute to see.

When the weather warms up, we'll occasionally catch the fox watching us eat dinner on our patio.  Seriously, she'll stare us down, which I don't find quite so cute.  In fact it's kinda creepy.  I much prefer to see her scampering across the snowy woods on a cold winter's day or standing guard over her babes in the den than have her watch us eat.  

I hope your Thursday is full of love and chocolate.  

Hodgepodge Questions Vol 113

The questions for this week's Hodgepodge are below.  Newcomers are always welcome...answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow (Wednesday) to add your link.  See you there!

1.  This week marks the beginning of Lent...will you be giving something up or adding anything to your life during this season of the year?

2. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday... tradition states you eat pancakes on this day. In some parts of the world Shrove Tuesday is actually known as 'pancake day'. How do you like your pancakes? Or don't you?

3.  I'm sure there are many, but what's one love song you really love?

4.  What are some things you do to let others know you love them?

5.  Roses...red, pink, or do you prefer another color? Can you recall the last time someone gave you flowers? Given your choice would you like to open the door and see a dozen red roses, a dozen purple tulips, or a dozen pink peonies?

6.  President's Day will be celebrated in America next Monday. Does US Presidential history and trivia interest you?  Many Presidential homes are open to the public and offer guided tours...Monticello (Jefferson's home), Mount Vernon (Washington's home), Montpelier (James Madison's home), Hyde Park (FD Roosevelt's home) and The White House (home to the sitting President) to name just a few. Of those listed which would you be most interested in touring?  Why?

7.  Are you good at keeping secrets?

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Snow Happens

We had us a little snowstorm here on Friday, although it wasn't quite as devastating as the media built it up to be.

Things rarely are.

It snowed almost all day on Friday and was still snowing hard when we went to bed that night. We ended up with about 10 or 11 inches,  and woke up thankful to be residents of NJ as opposed to Connecticut. They got between 30 and 40 inches of snow there. Yikes.

One thing about living in this part of the country is that counties are equipped to deal with big snow.  I've lived in the south, and two inches of snow in Knoxville Tennessee is more of a problem than 10 inches in Northern NJ. Our driveway was plowed sometime during the night and again on Saturday morning.  The roads were clear and hubs and I trekked to the mall to have lunch and run a few errands.

The best thing about the snow has been watching my dog. She likes cold weather and is so funny in the snow. Hubs was out with the snow blower clearing the sidewalk on Saturday morning, so it was up to me to get her feet in her snow boots. What a workout!

Me, not her.

She resists the boots, which are actually more like booties, and I had a few people asking why we insist she wear them.  Our dog is a Setter and has furry feet. When she walks in the snow it ices up into little balls that stick between the pads on her paws. Once that happens she refuses to put her feet down, hence the boots.

I don't remember where we bought them, but we ordered online a few winters back. You slide her paw into the boot and then it Velcros around her.  Sounds so simple, doesn't it?

First you have to catch her.

Once she's caught, she promptly sits so you can't get to her foot. The next step is to swear a little, but also to remind yourself you squashed a squirmy toddlers foot into snow boots once upon a time, and by golly you will get this dog's foot into the bootie too.

Toddlers only have two feet so 'dressing' a dog is twice the fun. Once the boots are on she walks around very tentatively. She lifts her feet high off the ground which is hilarious, but as soon as she gets used to them she's off.

She absolutely loves to run in the snow and will periodically stop to throw her face in for a snack.

Can we all just agree she's the cutest dog ever?

Sunday afternoon hubs talked me into going for a walk in the woods. I'm still a little draggy, a month after catching whatever respiratory crud I caught, and it was only 26 degrees outside so I balked.  Hubs kept saying it wasn't cold, but even with the sun shining numbers in the 20's are pretty cold.  The sky was a bright beautiful blue, and I was tricked by the gorgeous sunshine into believing him.

I like this particular park.  We walk here often, and for some reason I was thinking the paths would be clear like they normally are when we visit.  

Forgot about that little snowstorm.  I mean I knew there'd be snow, but I guess I was thinking the walking paths would somehow be semi clear.  It was quite the walk through some pretty deep snow.

Gorgeous day though!  I love the sight of a frozen lake-

Well, mostly frozen.

Seems someone felt the need to test it, and fyi-that someone was not my hubs. He is a risk taker, but he's an intelligent risk taker.

It was cold out there yesterday...the lake was frozen and the path was knee-deep kind of snowy, but the sun was bright and the sky was clear blue beautiful.

I never regret a walk in the woods.

Neither does she.

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.

~ Henry David Thoreau

F Words

Relax.
I've got field trips, falling snow, and Friday Fragments.

Technically there is no snow falling yet, but the weathermen and news teams and snow crews are having a field day talking about it.  In what year did news stations begin assigning people to 'snow crews'?  I understand the need to let viewers in on the forecast so they can plan ahead, but we've gone overboard again.  Is it really necessary to send teams out into various communities in frigid temperatures, three days ahead of time,  to stand on the side of a busy road while no snow falls just to tell us snow is coming?

Everything is an event now which means nothing is really an event.  At least if it is we won't know it, because we've all learned to block the ticker tape running at the top and bottom of our television screens day and night screaming alert alert alert.  I will resist going into a media rant tangent here. You're welcome.

I did my duty and hit the grocery store yesterday.  I went right after my dental appointment, but before I took the dog to the vet.  It was that sort of day.  Let me ask you this... am I the only one who can't seem to get out of the vet's office for less than $300? God definitely knew what he was doing when He made dogs cute.

While I'm being random...I host a weekly meme (The Wednesday Hodgepodge), which really is a whole lot of fun (if you're not playing along you definitely should), and the past two weeks a couple of bloggers have linked up, but not played along. In fact, they didn't even mention the Hodgepodge in their post or link back to my blog in any way. Isn't that bad bloggy etiquette?  Kinda like free advertising for them on my blog? What would their mothers say?

She'd say delete, that's what.
 
Quick topic change.
Hey, it's Friday...you're here for the fragments, aren't you?
  
I had a lovely day on Wednesday touring a glass factory with twenty friends.  Are you familiar with Peggy Karr glass?

Her fused glass pieces are carried mostly in high end gift shops across the country, and I had no idea it was made not far from here.  The factory is in an industrial area I pass now and then, and I like to know there is something so creative happening behind the brick.  

One of the designers acted as tour guide and it was so interesting to see how the glass is cut, enameled, fired, and of course sold.  

At the end of the tour we met the artist herself, and she was lovely.  I didn't snap her photo because I was standing right in front of her, and it felt awkward.  Even for me. ahem.
 

There's an outlet store on the premises too, featuring seconds and retired designs. I think everyone bought something, and we capped off the trip with lunch at a local Irish pub.  In my book, any day where I get to look at pottery and have a long, leisurely lunch out is a good day.

As I've been collecting my fragments snow has started falling. We're expecting something close to a foot and a half with high winds so it's likely I'll mention it a time or a hundred before the weekend is over.  I'm on Twitter (Daleyjoy) and Instagram (Daleyshots), and I'm pretty sure those sites were made for days like today.

Hubs is working from home today, and he likes to set himself up at the kitchen island. I get it, but it does add some challenges to my day. There cannot be any noise while he's on a conference call. (He has two this morning).  And I can't walk by his computer in my pjs because he's on video chat. I'm also in charge of making sure the dog doesn't bark and the doorbell doesn't ring. Those last two go hand in hand.

On the bright side, I can't vacuum either.
I love that there's always a bright side.

To read more Friday Fragments hop on over to Half Past Kissin' Time.  

How Can You Say No to the Hodgepodge?

Welcome to this week's edition of the Hodgepodge!  I don't know if it was the questions or the winter weather or too much time spent indoors lately, but it seems I had a lot to say this week.  Kudos to anyone who makes it to the end~

1. Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake.  When did you last see a snake?  Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers?

I think it was late summer when I spied a snake slithering from the grass into the rock wall that sits where forest meets yard.  The rocks in our wall are more boulder than pebble, and apparently snakes love rocks. I'd like to think he was on his own, but hubs and I imagine he was meeting friends.  

Hubs found a snakeskin in the yard when I was out of town one weekend.  I know because he saved it to show  me.  Don't ask me why.  

Actually I do know why.

Hubs finds snakes interesting and knows a lot about them. It's possible he has a framed snake skin stashed somewhere in the basement. His dad killed it when he was a boy and they framed it.  Eww. 

He'll be a little disappointed that I don't mention here what type of snake it is (was?), but honestly I can't remember. I think it might be a copperhead which is why its a big deal. Or it might not be a copperhead, but it's something. Periodically he suggests we hang that framed snakeskin upstairs in the pool table room, but I put the kibosh on that faster than you can say Bob's your uncle .  

When it comes to snakes I'm mostly in the shivers column.  

2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck.  Do you believe in luck?

This is a hard question.  

We all know people who walk under a perpetually cloudless sky, whose lives seem to fall into place when they need them to fall into place, and who in general seem to have things go their way.  That being said, we never really know what went on behind the scenes to get that person to the place they are today. What appears to be 'luck' is oftentimes the result of hard work, good decisions, good timing and/or good relationships established at some point prior. 

Is the same true of someone we might label as 'unlucky'? Are their circumstances always the result of 'bad luck'? More often than not, I think 'bad luck' is the result of bad decisions, missed opportunity, and lack of initiative.    

I suppose there are people who would say they're lucky at games of chance.  In that small context I might say yes, some people are 'luckier' than others.  

3. sledding-ice skating-building a snowman...if given a choice, which activity would you choose?Which of the three have you done most recently?

I haven't been sledding since my kids were young, and probably haven't built a snowman since we lived in Maryland.  That was all eons ago, so I'm opting for ice skating. The last time I skated we were living in the UK, so it's been about four years. In the winter months rinks were set up around London and we used to go with the Young Life group to the one in front of Somerset House.  Such a beautiful place to skate! We also went skating as a family at the rink set up in Kew Gardens which is not too shabby either.  

4. Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "The years teach much which the days never knew." Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?

I've attempted to answer this question about four different times.  It kept wanting to be its own blog post, so I think I'll save the long form for another day and just say, in short-motherhood.  

5.  When was the last time you ate a cupcake?

Hubs birthday (September).  I made Texas sheet cake cupcakes and took them down to my sister's boat where we were celebrating. One of the best chocolate somethings I've ever tasted.  

For reals.  

6. What is something you can't say no to?

Quite a few things...some that popped into my head are-

dessert, a phone call from one of my girls, movie theatre popcorn, hubs calling me to 'come here and look at this deer/fox/coyote/bear/footprint' in our yard, a walk on a not-frigid, blue sky kind of day, someone big or little asking me to read aloud, a trip to Italy/England/almost anywhere, and a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning

7. Are you a doodler?

I used to be, but I don't  find myself sitting with pen in hand very often anymore. 

Sigh...doodling...another victim of the electronic age. 

Don't anybody leave me a comment and tell me there's a doodle app.  As fabulous as I'm sure that is, electronic doodling is no way-no how the same as pen on paper. 

When I was in school I doodled a lot, church too...that's what bulletins are for, right? I had an elaborate thing-a-ma-bob I liked to doodle. It was an intricate swirly shape with a curly cue on the end and I'd connect them until my paper was covered.

Do I need to define any of those words for anyone?  Sometimes I speak in doodles.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm taking a little field trip with friends today...if it's interesting I'll tell you about it tomorrow.  

If it's not interesting I'll probably go ahead and tell you about it anyway.  February blogging calls for desperate measures people.  

Questions for the Wednesday Hodgepodge-Vol 112

Winter is plodding along here on the East Coast.  Guess it's a good thing we have the Hodgepodge to keep our brains engaged. 

You use your brain for the Hodgepodge, don't you? 

We've got quite the party going on here every Wednesday, and I do try my best to get around to everyone who participates. Some weeks I don't quite make it, and some weeks it takes me until the weekend to get there, but I do try my best to eventually make it around to everyone. I also realize most people won't hop to 60 or 70 links, but I want to encourage you to visit at least the two or three who post just before/after you. That way everyone has company and feels welcome.  

Hey, the Hodgepodge is nothing if not friendly.  See ya back here tomorrow to share answers-

1.  Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10th, and 2013 is the year of the snake. When did you last see a snake?  Are you okay around snakes or do they give you the shivers? 

2. The color red in Chinese culture usually means good luck.  Do you believe in luck? 

3. sledding-ice skating-building a snowman...if given a choice, which activity would you choose?  Which of the three have you done most recently?  

4.  Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "The years teach much which the days never knew."  Where have you seen this quote played out in your own life?  

5. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?  

6. What's something you can't say no to?  

7.  Are you a doodler?  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.