Marvelous May Hodgepodge

 Wednesday again, and time to think about the Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond!  Joyce asks the questions (and she's reducing the number to five!) and bloggers answer on their own blogs, then link up.  If you've never joined in, this is a great time.  Five questions are far less intimidating than seven, so why not give the Hodgepodge a try this week?  Here goes with my effort:

1. Share a favorite memory of your mother or share a favorite something from your own life as a mother.

 This is a difficult question.  One of my most favorite memories of my mother was how much she loved blueberry picking.  Some of my happiest childhood days were spent with the family picking low-bush blueberries on a ledgy mountaintop or high-bush blueberries in a cow pasture.  My mother taught us to always wear a belt when blueberry picking so we could hang an empty lard pail from it, and thus have both hands free for picking berries.  When the lard pails were full, we emptied them into larger buckets.  And one of my last, best, memories of my mother was a  day when she was much older and we took a jaunt together to some high-bush blueberries we'd learned about. 

If you're a mother (or stepmom) tell us how your experience as a mom differs from your own mother's experience.

 My husband has always been a hands-on type of dad, even from the newborn stage on.  My dad was not so much, although I remember him washing the dishes almost every night, so he did help.  He also oversaw our tooth-brushing every night, and he administered quite a bit of discipline.  He was also great about letting us kids help with things that he was doing.  But I always had a good bit more help with the kids from my husband than what my mom had. 

2. In May we celebrate teachers (May 9) and nurses (May 6) both. Most every family has at least one in their midst, so tell us something (or a few things) you appreciate about the teacher or nurse on your family tree.

These four little girls all grew up to become teachers.

My mother and her three sisters all ended up being teachers, although they all stepped away from teaching to raise families.  My youngest aunt did go back to teaching later on and would travel from school to school teaching handwriting.  All of my aunts taught me many things by their examples of being wonderful homemakers, fantastic cooks,  and dedicated mothers.

3. Chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad...which would you go for if all three were on the menu? 

Chicken salad, hands down, though I enjoy all of them. 

On bread or a bed of lettuce? If you answered bread, what kind of bread would make it the perfect sandwich?

 Either way is good, although of course lettuce is healthier.  But if I was going for the perfect sandwich, I would pick a croissant with plenty of lettuce, perfectly ripe tomato, and mayo. Or just lettuce, mayo, and sliced cranberry sauce would also be wonderful.

4. Do you have a desk? 

I do -- two, in fact: a computer desk and what I call my "crafting desk".

My crafting desk in a rarely seen, cleared-off moment.

Is it organized?

One is slightly more so than the other: the crafting desk, which is smaller.

 If so, share your secret to keeping it that way. 

I'm hoping to read others' secrets to doing so.

If you don't have a desk, where in your home do you take care of family paperwork and business? 

I do my dad's paperwork and business at my crafting desk as it usually has more free space on it.  My hubby does our paperwork and church paperwork (he maintains the checkbooks for two of the church accounts) at the dining room table.  I work on my Sunday School lessons and writing projects at the computer.

Where do you normally sit to blog?

 At the computer desk as, logically enough, that's where the desktop computer is.  I don't own a laptop and -- although I can blog using my tablet -- I prefer a larger keyboard.

5. When I was nine years old.... 

 

So this must be the thought question.  (Joyce promised she was still going to be making us think, even with fewer questions.)  Hmmm .. at nine years old I would have been in the fourth grade.  One of the few things I remember from that year is that, sadly enough, it was the year I learned to tell time.  Although I was a fast and early learner in some areas (like reading, for example), I was a pathetically slow learner in others.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

A house I pass frequently (on my way to/from the grocery store, etc.) has glorious grounds and plantings.  Here's what it looked like Monday in a part of their yard:

 I thought the juxtaposition of colors just beautiful.  Hope you've enjoyed today's Hodgepodge.  Happy Wednesday!