Celebrating 600 with the Hodgepodge

 

Wow, this is Hodgepodge #600 for Joyce and the gang, so I really must join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond. Joyce writes the questions, bloggers provide the answers! Here we go ...

1. My very first edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge was published on November 10, 2010 (linked here if you're curious). Tell us something about your life from that era. 

I had to look back at my blog to see what I was doing in November 2010.  Cooking Lo Mein, harvesting Kaleidoscope carrots from the garden, showing vintage finds from a recent trip to Nevada, and sharing Thanksgiving with friends. 

2. What's a song you love that relates to time in some way? 

My mind's a blank on this one.  All I can think of is "Time in a Bottle" which I like, but there may be others I like more.

3. May is nearly upon us. When did you last need to yell 'MAY DAY-MAY DAY!!'? 

Can't think of a recent time.  But as May approaches, I'm ...

4. How do you feel about food trucks? Is this a dining experience you enjoy?  Do you have a favorite What's something you've ordered from a food truck? 

I like food trucks in general and enjoy the experience.  My favorite so far is probably Grandpa's Tacos in Elko, NV.  We always like to go there for lunch when visiting our NV family.  I think the most recent thing we ordered from a food truck may have been pizza, at an outdoor Christmas event.

5. We're bidding farewell to April...what are three adjectives you might use to describe the month you're leaving behind. 

Windy.  Busy.  Tiring.  But it was a good month.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We're here at our volunteer jobs again this week, and this will be the last time I cook for a work crew until next winter.  It's probably a good thing.  I try to plan so carefully for each time, but this time I forgot several important items, which is very frustrating.

And that's all I have for today's Hodgepodge!

Well seasoned Hodgepodge

 

Making time from my volunteer duties  to join in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond. Joyce writes the questions, bloggers provide the answers! Here we go ...

1. What's a lesson you've learned from a mistake? 

Oh, many,  many lessons learned from many mistakes!  Probably one of the biggest is not to delegate important tasks unless I'm 100% sure the person is ready for that responsibility.  Having to redo things, apologize for the way things were done,  or to undo damage done by others handling a task irresponsibly has taught me that.

2. Do you salt food while you're cooking or let diners add their own?  What's a food you think must be salted? Do you like pepper?

 I usually use the amount of salt that a recipe calls for -- and I've found that some recipes omit salt when really, a little bit should be added.  Sometimes brownie recipes or other chocolate recipes don't call for salt, but I think 1/4 teaspoon or so is usually necessary.

We don't ordinarily keep salt and pepper on our table, but I try to remember to put it out when we have guests.  

A food I think must be salted -- fries, chips for sure.  Some veggies.  Eggs need both salt and pepper, in my book.  

Yes, I love pepper.

3. What was the last gathering you attended and what did you do there? 

Does church count as a gathering?  If so, then last Sunday and I spent time worshiping God in community with others and learning from His Word.  If it doesn't count, then I guess the last gathering might have been our March Ladies of Grace meeting.  We chatted, visited, enjoyed coffee, tea, and some amazing maple blueberry scones, had a devotional discussion, shared prayer requests and prayed together.

4. Your favorite shade of purple? What's your favorite purple flower? 

My favorite shade of purple is probably tending toward a dark lavender.  My favorite purple flower is the humble spring violet.  One of the sweetest things about the violet, to me, is that it will bloom beautifully even in the most surprising, inhospitable places like the edge of a gravel road.  A perfect illustration of blooming where one is planted.

5. Share a favorite spring travel memory. 

A visit to south central Idaho one April.  It was different, so different from New England or even from other parts of Idaho.  Springs gushing out of hillsides, brown pelicans floating down a river, flowering trees in spring bloom.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We had a wonderful time with friends yesterday on our way here to our volunteer jobs.  We met up with them and did some thrift shopping, then visited a vintage home goods store/antique mall.  They then treated us to lunch before we headed out for our time here.  What a blessing it is to have good friends who encourage us in the Lord every time we are together!

Happy April Hodgepodge!

 

Taking a few moments to join in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond. Joyce writes the questions, bloggers provide the answers! Here we go ...

1. No foolin'! April is here. What's one fun thing on your April calendar? 

Getting together with friends next week for lunch and a visit to a curiosity shop.  We also had a fun visit today (April 1) with our friend Jennifer and her four little ones.

2. It's often said, 'A fool and his money are soon parted'...what's the last thing you wasted money on? 

I can't even think.  Maybe a prescription cream that didn't help my hubby's psoriasis? 

3.  April 2nd is National DIY day. Are you a do-it yourself kind of person or maybe you're married to one? If so, what's the last thing you DIY-ed. If you're not a DIY-er what's the most recent job you had to hire someone to complete? 

I am married to a DIY-er but I also like to DIY some things myself (spice mixes, cleaning products, etc.) to save money and up the quality.  I can't remember the last thing he DIYed, but probably my most recent one was  a zesty Italian salad dressing mix.   I usually make 6 or 8 times this recipe and store it in a little jar.  About 1 Tablespoon of the mix equals 1 packet of zesty Italian dressing mix.

 ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING MIX
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each: pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet red pepper flakes
Pinch of paprika
Mix all together. Whirl in blender if a finer texture is desired. This recipe equals one envelope zesty Italian salad dressing mix. It may be doubled, tripled, or whatever quantity you need to make.

 The tea rack below was built quite a few years ago, but it has to be one  of Mr. T's best DIYs ever.  It always gets a ton of compliments from people and a wish to have one of these in their own kitchen.

4. Do you eat lamb? If so do you have a favorite dish that calls for lamb? 

I do not care for lamb, never have.   My mother had a way of preparing it with tomato paste and herbs so that I could tolerate it, but I have never really liked it.

5. Do you fit a stereotype in some way? Explain. 

I don't really think so.  There are some ways in which I might fit a particular stereotype, but other ways in which I shatter that same stereotype. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Getting ready for another week of cooking for my volunteer job.  I have the menus all organized but there is still a lot to do!  I like to prepare a lot of things ahead at least partially so there is less to do on site for each meal.  I just turned a maple apple muffin recipe into a coffeecake and my hubby tried it out.  Stay tuned as I will share the recipe, hopefully soon!

A green new Hodgepodge

 

It's been awhile (since January!) so I'm taking a moment to join in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond. Joyce writes the questions, bloggers provide the answers! Here we go ... 

1. I write the Hodgepodge questions so they'll post on Sunday, which sometimes throws me off in terms of what day it is. St. Patrick's Day will be celebrated on Monday, March 17th. Did you mark the day in some way? Wear green? Make a special meal? Watch or participate in a parade? 

I have often marked the day in some way, wearing green, making Irish soda bread or corned beef & cabbage.  Not this year however.  Just too busy for even thinking about it.

That said, this Glazed Corned Beef dinner is a wonderful slow-cooker recipe I've made in the past.

2. Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Explain. 

No, I don't think luck plays any part in my life.  As a believer in Christ and a child of God, I believe that He orchestrates everything that happens for my eventual good and for His glory.  A wonderful post by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings explains it well: No Luck Here.  Fun graphic below is by Abby also.

3. Of the 15 green foods listed, which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list that are a hard no for you? In general do you like fruits and veggies? As a kid did you eat them willingly or did you hide peas in your napkin hoping your momma wouldn't see? 

Asparagus, avocado, broccoli, celery, cucumber, grape, green bean, kale, kiwi, lettuce, lime, 

pear, peas, pistachios, spinach

Avocados would be my very favorite from this list, though I like every one of these green foods.  A simple homemade guacamole would be my favorite way to prepare avocados.  In general I like fruits and vegetables, and generally ate them willingly as a kid.  Things I didn't like back then were eggs and liver.  (And I love eggs now but still detest liver.)

4. What's something that makes you 'turn green'? (with envy or with illness... whichever way you want to run with it)

Roller coasters.  I think you can guess which way of turning green goes along with that.

5. Did you spend a lot of time outdoors as a child? Doing what? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors now? Doing what? 

I did spend lots of time outdoors as a child.  Sledding and making snow forts in winter, riding my bike and just wandering the farm fields in other seasons.

Now I enjoy time outside, mostly walking or hiking and I also enjoy having my quiet time outdoors in the milder seasons.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I was looking back at some older posts and was reminded of a kids' devotional book I once wrote with an Irish theme.  One of the topics I wrote about was Irish blessings.  I thought it might be fun to share one of those (and my kid-friendly thoughts about it) today.  Here 'tis:

May you always have

Walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain,

Tea beside the fire.

Laughter to cheer you,

Those you love near you,

And all that your heart might desire!

These are good things to wish for your friends. "Walls for the winds" and "a roof for the rain" mean that you hope your friends will always have shelter from the weather.  

"Tea beside the fire" reminds us of a warm, cozy home.  Tea warms us up on the inside and a fire warms us up on the outside!

"Laughter to cheer you" is a good thing to have.  The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22 that "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine."

Of course, "those you love near you" is a wish to always have friends and family nearby.  We like to have our loved ones near.

The last wish is "for all that your heart might desire."  Our Bible verse today tells us that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts.  Delighting in God means that He is more important to us than anything else in our lives.  If we delight in God, we will love to spend time with Him, reading His Word, and talking to Him in prayer.  If we truly delight in God, the things we desire, or really want, will be things that please Him.  When we delight in God, He will give us the desires of our hearts.

*  Thank God for the promises in His Word, the Bible.  Ask God to help you delight in Him more each day.  *

And there you have it!  Hope you've enjoyed this glimpse into my devotional book In Green Pastures.  This particular Irish blessing strikes me as one that I would wish for all of my friends.

• And that's the Hodgepodge for this week!  Glad I got to join in.

Midway through March

 Just taking a couple of minutes to put up a brief post to acknowledge this marvelous month of March!

I never did write a post about March goals, so here are some of my goals for March:

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Get together with my friend Jennifer and her children 
* Possibly have some of our younger friends over for a meal and fellowship
* Post in this blog as often as possible 
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Continue reading through the One-Year Chronological Bible
*  Continue with the book Fix Your Focus for my Sunday Scripture series
* Continue studying and preparing for my ladies' Sunday School class -- to start in a few weeks
* Continue through the wonderful Daily Grace Co. study of Habakkuk, Even If (this is intended to be a 3-week study; it has taken me months since I only work on it on Saturdays)
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan menus and begin food preparation for a ministry opportunity next week
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Get back to memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Continue with the habit of getting outdoors for the morning light
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week

HEALTHY HABITS FOR MARCH:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit carbs/get morning light

It's been a few years since I put up a March archives post, so here are some older March posts for your perusal: 

Maple memories, from 2018, is all about sweet maple sugaring memories.

Chocolate Chai Tea Loaf is from 2019 and features a really yummy tea bread recipe.

In March 2020 I posted Encouragement for your day and these times -- still relevant.

A delightful getaway tells about a 2021 winter sojourn at a Maine Airbnb. 

In 2022, I wrote about Handy homemade helpers I use around the house.

For 2023, I chose a book review on the Gooseberry Patch book Grandma's Favorites.

And lastly, for 2024 I decided to share A surprising vintage find, the story of how I finished a vintage project into wall decor for our little camp.

Hope you enjoy these links.  Happy March, everyone!

A grammatical challenge for the end of February

 

I haven't had time to join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge for a few weeks now, but sometimes one just has to take a few minutes to blog even when life is fairly insane.  So I am picking just one Hodgepodge question to answer:

5. Next week's Hodgepodge lands in March. Is that right? I guess so.  Give us one noun, one verb, and one adjective that tell us something about your February. To make you think a little harder, you cannot use the words cold or snowy. 

Oh, let's see.  For a noun, let's pick LISTS.  I couldn't have gotten through February without them, having spent the best part of a week at my volunteer job, cooking for volunteers and staff working on a building remodel.  Lists of menus, grocery lists, cooking utensils and gadgets ... the lists seemed endless and, in addition, I made a time schedule for each day to have the meals ready at the appointed times.  

 For a verb, let's say DRIVING.  We seem to have done a lot of it in February.  Or perhaps my hubby would pick SHOVELING.  He has shoveled roofs, paths, decks, parts of driveways.  A lot of the white stuff has fallen this month.

So, for an adjective, I will pick WINTRY.  We have had the most snow, the most subzero temps, and the most icicles of the winter in February.  I will say it is pretty, though, and a wonderful reminder of all the references to snow, frost, and ice in the Bible.

 
And that's it!  One Hodgepodge question answered!  And the blogging itch scratched.

Hodgepodge for a winter's day

 

 Again this week I'm joining in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.  Here we go ...

1. At the end of every year (or at least since the mid-1970's) Lake Superior State University posts a list of words they think should be banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year's list includes-

cringe, game changer, era, dropped, IFKYK (If you know you know), 

sorry not sorry, skibidi, 100%, utilize, and period. 

Which of these words/phrases do you use regularly or even just every now and then? How many did you have to look up? Which of these words would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word/phrase not on the list you'd like to add? If so do share, then tell us why. 

I don't think I use any of these on a regular basis.   My hubby does quite often use the word "utilize" which always bugs me, but in general he uses it right in line with the definition "to make practical and effective use of".  As in some of his repair projects at his volunteer job: "We can utilize that scrap of countertop or leftover tile, etc. in the renovation in the _________ building."

I had to look up "skibidi".  I find IYKYK quite annoying and also sorry not sorry.  I think they just annoy me because they tend to be overused, and in the case of the first one, sometimes I don't know, so I don't know, if you get what I mean.

 

Another very annoying phrase is "POV".  I'm sure I've mentioned this one before.  Sometimes one sees it on Instagram and it isn't actually portraying a point of view in any way.

2. Your favorite soup? Do you make this one yourself or is it from a can? 

 

I make many different soups and we enjoy soup often in winter.  A favorite in our family is this one: Cheeseburger Soup. 

3. How do you feel about winter? What's one winter activity you look forward to? 

I like winter in many ways.  It's beautiful.  I don't mind the cold or snow really, though I hate driving on ice or on very slippery snow.   As far as a winter activity I look forward to, a winter walk is fun if the wind isn't too intense and the footing is okay.  I also like taking some time in the winter, when things are less busy, to sew, crochet, and cross-stitch.  Like the sampler below which I finally finished this year and now have displayed in the front hallway:

4. The Pantone color of the year for 2025 is mocha mousse (sample pictured here). What say you? The website describes it as 'a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nourishes us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort'. Is this a color I might find in your home or wardrobe? Is it one you might add in some big or small way in the year ahead? 

I do like this color and in fact have a skirt in a very similar hue, bought at a thrift store for 99¢ some years ago.  I would use it in my home too.   A couch or chair in this color would work well in our pine paneled living room.

In a similar, but not really vein...if I were to offer you a choice right now of either a cup of mocha or a cup of mousse which would you say yes to? 

A cup of mocha!!  It is cold and windy up here in New Hampshire.  13 degrees,  16 mph wind, = feels like -4º.  It stands to reason I would go with the hot drink. 

5. Which of the following winter related idioms can best be applied to your life in some way right now? Choose one, then tell us why you chose it.  

snowed under, on thin ice, tip of the iceberg, chill out, break the ice, snowball effect, not a snowball's chance in hell, get cold feet, the cold shoulder 

Snowed under!  Not with snow, but with stuff!   My hubby and I really, really need to declutter and downsize while we still have the physical strength and energy to do so.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

So thankful for Christian friendship and fellowship!  We had a lovely day with our friends Syd and Cyndy yesterday, ate brunch out, shopped some unique stores, visited back at our home, and then enjoyed an early snack supper before they headed home.  Today, we had our friend Jennifer and her 2-year-old over for lunch (homemade alphabet vegetable soup and grilled cheese), and that was delightful as well.  

That's the Hodgepodge for this week!

The day after Christmas

 

 Just a quick check-in on the day after Christmas.  

Yesterday morning was busy.  Since we weren't going anywhere until 2 pm, and also since we do intermittent fasting, our morning was pretty much our own to do as we liked.  Empty nest + not giving one another gifts or stockings (since we prefer to put the money toward getaways that are year-round gifts to both of us) = a lot of free time on Christmas morning.

Free time that we quickly filled up with cooking and baking, not to mention wrapping a few gifts.  Again this year my hubby wanted to wrap one of granddaughter Ari's gifts in a unique way.  A box of maple cookies became a wagon, the two boxes of Laughing Cow cheese were wheels.  He found a small horse (too small, but he didn't have time to look for a larger one, having only come up with this idea yesterday morning) to pull the wagon and affixed a little Christmas tree atop the "cargo".  It was a fun idea but I think it fell a little flat since he had turned some food gifts into a snowman last year.

However, he would not be deterred.  I think my daughter took a picture of the wagon, so maybe I can share that later.

He baked gingerbread men before starting this project.  Meanwhile I was making some food gifts (spicy peanuts -- peanuts roasted with chili powder and cayenne) and maple barbecue sauce.

We also prepared a salad and maple roasted carrots to take along.

All of us were running late so we ended up not eating until 2:45 or so.  The beef and mashed potatoes were all in crockpots (as were the carrots) so the food stayed nice and hot.  What a feast we enjoyed!

Then we opened gifts and it was lovely to see the thought and care put into each package.

Dessert was a cookie and candy buffet, and those who cared to made themselves, tea, coffee, or hot cocoa.  We nibbled and sipped while watching the animated version of the Grinch.

Above, Carrie's hot cocoa bar from a previous year.   We did not even take the camera with us, but hopefully we can get some photos from Carrie later.  Her decor is always so lovely!

It was an early evening and Mr. T and I came home around 7:15, put things away, and relaxed.

Today we are in puttering mode.  He fixed a couple of issues with hinges and got together a box of cookies to deliver to friends with a houseful of visiting family.

This afternoon we may go for a drive.    

I want to add that I read this wonderful advice this morning -- The Best Way to Spend the Day after Christmas -- and I really want to follow some of the "pondering prompts" that the author shared.  I love the idea of using them to think back over all that God did in this special season.

And that's it from my kitchen table for today!

Friday five

 

 Just a quick Friday five today because I really do intend to post more than once a week!

1.  Getting out for a walk with a friend three times this week.  What a blessing!

A scene from our walking route -- in a previous year

2.  Having our neighbors come over to our cottage for a campfire and dessert.  So good to get to know them a little better.  I served this S'mores Pizza from Five Heart Home.

 

 

3.  Being able to spend part of last Saturday with our dear friends Syd and Cyndy, plus a visiting friend of theirs.  Christian friendship and fellowship is such a rich blessing!

4.  So looking forward to a ladies retreat at The Wilds of New England this weekend!  Getting to attend this with friends from church and learning from Denise Cunningham will be a huge blessing.

 

5. Our local daughter's family has been wondering where their cat disappeared to.  He has been gone for eight days, and there's been a large bobcat in their yard.  Early this morning the kitty woke them up by yowling under a window.  I'm no cat lover, but am so thankful he is safe!

I told you it would be quick!  But I'm thankful I could take a few minutes to post!

Working on the hodgepodge

 

 After a little break, I'm joining in with Joyce and the gang for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.   Today's questions have a Labor Day connection.  And ... here we go!

1. Something you're working on currently?

Confederation Bridge, PEI

Getting back into real life following a short but wonderful vacation in the Canadian Maritimes.  Trying to catch up with housework and other tasks.  I'm also working as part of a team trying to pull together a missions conference at church for early October.

Bouctouche, NB

Bouctouche, NB

2. Tell us something about your first job? Was it a positive or negative experience for you? 

 It was a summer job washing dishes in a busy restaurant.  In general I guess it was a positive experience, but there wasn't much I enjoyed about it at the time.  Particularly terrifying to me was the necessity to light (with a match) the propane burner for the dishwasher.  I nearly always got someone else to do it for me.

Did your parents insist you work while in school (either high school or college) or did you work because you wanted to? 

They didn't insist I work during the school year, only during the summers.

3. Have you ever had a job that required overnight travel? How did you feel about that? 

No, thankfully. I would have hated it.

Have you ever had a job that required you to wear a uniform? 

Yes.  I waitressed at a quaint New England inn where the girls wore flowered dirndl-type dresses.  I also had a "second cook" job at that inn where I subbed for the chef on his day off and the pastry cook on her day off.  You can read about it here: Memories of a summer place.  For that job I wore a white dress similar to a nurse's uniform.  There was a dress shop in our town that also sold uniforms, and that is where I purchased the ones that I had.

Do you work better in the morning or at night? 

In the morning.

4. What's something you bake or cook that is labor intensive? Is it worth it? 

A few Christmas cookies including these:  Eggnog Logs; Sacher Torte Cookies; Mint Chocolate Spritz Trees; and these special-occasion cookies: Spritz Chocolate Sandwiches.

 
The Eggnog Logs in particular are very labor-intensive, but so many people love them that we just have to make them.  I think all of these cookies are worth the trouble it takes to make them.

Sacher Torte Cookies

Mint Chocolate Spritz Trees

Chocolate Spritz Sandwiches

5. One thing you're looking forward to in the month of September? 

A ladies' retreat at The Wilds of New England!   The sunrise photo below was taken at The Wilds of New England during a ladies' retreat one year.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I am absolutely astounded that it's already September and also astounded at how fast our calendar for the month is already filling up.

And there's the Hodgepodge for this week!  Why not head over to From this Side of the Pond and join in?