The May bees have all gone south Hodgepodge

Wednesday again -- and time for the first Hodgepodge in May.  To join in, head over to From This Side of the Pond and get the questions from Joyce, then answer them on your own blog.

Guess I should quickly explain the title I gave my hodgepodge post.  When in conversation with my Great-Aunt Bessie, if there was too much "maybe this" or "maybe that" speculation, she would invariably interject, "The May bees have all gone south."  That phrase just jumped, or maybe I should say buzzed, its way into my mind as I looked over the questions Joyce is posing this week.  She begins:

1. Can you tell I'm embracing a Cinco de Mayo theme here this week? Do you like Mexican food? What's your favorite dish? How about on the side-black beans, pinto beans, refried beans, rice? What about heat-mild, medium, hot? Will you celebrate with Mexican food and drink on May 5th aka Cinco de Mayo?

We love Mexican food.  I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite dish, but one of the favorite ones that I make is this Chicken Chili Lasagna

Photo from Taste of Home

which is not a lasagna at all but just a wonderful layered chicken, sauce, and tortilla dish.  On the side, I like this Southwestern Rice Bake.

Or, if there's not time to make that, then a purchased yellow rice mix (the one below is my favorite)

works well.  And with any Mexican meal I love to serve this Fruit and Nut Tossed Salad

Photo from Taste of Home

which to me is just perfect with the spicy flavors.

As for level of heat, I like my salsa no hotter than medium.  And as to whether I will serve Mexican food on May 5, I really have no idea.  I haven't planned my meals yet.  It's possible, I guess, but this isn't a holiday I usually celebrate.

2. Ever been to Mexico? For work or holiday? Love it or no? If you haven't been is this a place you'd like to visit? Can you speak Spanish?

Haven't been there, never learned Spanish, although like most people I can recognize a few words and phrases.  I think I would probably enjoy visiting Mexico, but it's not on my bucket list or anything.

3. What's one thing you may accomplish this month?

Finally getting our trip to Nevada planned, finalizing dates and getting airline tickets.  I said I may accomplish this.

4. If you were mayor of your village, city, or town, what's one thing you'd like to see changed, done away with, revamped, or accomplished? Is serving in public office something you've ever seriously considered?

We don't have a mayor.  Cities, even small ones, here in New Hampshire, have mayors, but towns have selectmen: usually a board of three men and/or women.  If I had the power (which I wouldn't necessarily have even as a selectperson), I would do away with that stupid roundabout at one end of town.  Nope, never seriously considered running for/serving in public office.

5. What's something that may be popular, but that you just don't get?

Image from Pinterest

That men's hairstyle that looks like a combination of Dracula and a kewpie doll. Tintin's style (from 1929, I think) isn't exactly like it, but close enough for my purposes.

6. Can't let this week slip by without mentioning Thursday May 4th is Star Wars Day. As in 'May the 4th be with you' ahem. Are you a fan of the Star Wars series? Exactly how much of a fan are you? On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being 'I've seen every film, own the action figures, might have dressed as Darth Vader for Halloween one year', and 1 being, 'what's a Vader?' -where do you land?

I guess I would give myself around a 3.  I'm not really what one would call a fan, although I've seen some of the films,  am aware of the general story line and could recognize a number of the characters.  I have grandkids who love Star Wars, as evidenced by an answering machine message at their home very like this one:

"Reached the Smiths you have.  Come to the phone we cannot.  Leave a message you will."

7. Scroll back through your blog posts and in three sentences or less tell us the general theme of your fourth blog post. Does it still ring true today? Is it a topic you re-visit on your blog from time to time?

The general theme of my fourth blog post, written in August 2005, can be summed up by its title: Saving money in the kitchen, and other thoughts.

 Yes, it still rings true today and I still use all of the recipes in it.  And it is definitely a topic I revisit on my blog from time to time.  Check out the "frugality" label in the label cloud to see how often.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Question 7 prompted me to look at the general theme of my fourth post on my Christmas blog.  It is: The story of my Christmas hutch, which tells how we acquired our hutch.

It still rings true today, of course, and I often revisit the general topic as I decorate the hutch for the seasons.

And that wraps it up for this week's Hodgepodge.  Happy Wednesday, everyone!