Mid-November Hodgepodge

Lovely graphic from CrossCards.com

Wednesday again, so that means it's time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond.  Head on over and get the questions, answer them on your own blog and then on back over to Joyce's to link up!   Here are the questions for this week:

1. What takes you out of your comfort zone?

Lots of things!  Probably too many to count.  I tend to have a very narrow comfort zone, I guess. 

2. Your least favorite spice?

Hmmm .... we're talking spices, right?  Not herbs?  I can think of a number of herbs that aren't my favorite.  But off the top of my head, I have to say that I like most spices.

3. What's a small change you'd like to make?

I'm trying to think of a small change.  Seems like many of the changes  I have in mind (especially in regard to the house, say, or lifestyle changes) are big.

4. Do you enjoy visiting historic homes? If so, of the homes you've visited which one was your favorite? What historic home near you is open to visitors? Have you been?

I do enjoy visiting historic homes, and probably of the ones I've visited I've liked Green Gables and other L.M.Montgomery sites the best.  Another favorite was Orchard House in Concord, MA (Louisa May Alcott's childhood home).  There are a few different historic homes in our state, including a number at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, NH (which I have visited, but it's been years).  There are many in our state that I have not visited.
 Southern Living rounded up eleven of the best in the southern part 
of the US and they're as follows-

Monticello (Jefferson's home in Virginia), Nathaniel Russel House (Charleston SC), Swan House (Atlanta), Ernest Hemingway's home (Key West), The Biltmore (Vanderbilt home in Asheville NC), Mount Vernon (Washington's home in Virgina), San Francisco Plantation (Garyville, Louisiana), Windsor Ruins (Port Gibson Mississippi), Longue Vue House and Gardens (New Orleans), Whitehall (Palm Beach FL), and Pebble Hill Plantation (Thomasville GA)

Have you been to any on the list? Of the homes listed which would you most like to visit?

Pretty sure the only one I've visited on this list is Mount Vernon.  I think of those on this list, I would most like to visit The Biltmore.  The home below is a house from my own history ... my grandmother's house. 

5. What's something you think will be obsolete in ten years? Does that make you sad or glad?

I hope this isn't something that will actually happen, but it sometimes seems that good manners and common courtesy (not to mention common sense) could become obsolete any day now.   Obviously, that makes me sad and very concerned for our society. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

First real snow of the season yesterday.  I am not ready for this.  We got about an inch and it is still on the ground, but the weather is supposed to warm up, so I hope it won't stay.

Taken through my living room window during the snowstorm

Gratitude challenge progress

This November I signed up to participate in the Gratitude Challenge over at Revive Our Hearts.  For some reason --who knows why? -- I thought this would be an activity I could do while still keeping up with my regular Bible study in Colossians.  I also wanted to write a few blog posts concerning how the challenge is working in my life.

I guess I tend to be a tad unrealistic in my expectations of what I can accomplish.  A few days into the challenge, I still had not found time to work on it each day.  I came to the realization that I would have to set Colossians aside for the month of November if I truly wanted to keep up with the Gratitude Challenge.

As a result, I'm a few days behind with it, and I hope I can do two days in one a couple of times so that I don't end up taking this into December -- where it will have the domino effect of derailing any Christmas or Advent study I might wish to do.

So, I'm going to share here my study and thoughts from one of the days in the Gratitude Challenge, and hope to do more as the days go on.  For my first post on this topic, I chose Day 2, November 2, in which the theme was focusing on Christ as the Source of light, life, and all joy.

Interestingly, this day's challenge focused on the book of Colossians, so it fit in with what I was already learning in my personal Bible study.  The emphasis of  Day 2 was that as those who have a personal relationship with Christ, our faith and joy emanate only from Him -- and that He calls us to a life of faithful obedience and heartfelt gratitude.

We were instucted to read from Colossians 1:3 through Colossians 4:2, underlining or circling word of thanks.  Then we were to meditate on these verses, praying them back to God and using them as a basis for giving thanks to Him.

I won't tell you what verses I found the references to thanks and thanksgiving in.  You can do that for yourself!  I found six of them.

Here is what I prayed as a result of this day's study:

"Lord, there is so much in these passages.  Colossians is such a rich book!  I am so thankful today for Your Word and its instruction.
"I do thank you today for my fellow believers.  May I be faithful in keeping them and their spiritual growth before You in prayer.  I am so thankful that You have made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.  Truly, this is a work that only You could do.
"Help me, Lord, to be continually growing so that I will be rooted and built up in You and strongly established in my faith.  I am so thankful for the fine Bible teaching I've been privileged to enjoy over the years.
"I pray that You will help me to continue in abounding thankfulness for all that You have given me.
"I am so very thankful for Your peace and I pray that I and my fellow believers will allow it to rule in our hearts.  This is what You have called us to!
"I pray that You will help me, Lord, so that whatever I do in word or deed will be that which is done in the name of the Lord Jesus, that which will bring glory to Him.  His sacrifice on my behalf is the only reason that I can do any of this, so I am everlasting thankful to Him.  Help me to live my life as You'd have me to, as a thank-offering to You.
"Help me to continue in prayer, watchful for all that You are doing in my life and being constantly in the attitude of thanksgiving.
"I praise You for all that You have done in my life, and for Your continued working in my life.  Thank You, Lord!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Another thing I've been doing for the month of November is a simple daily post on Instagram thanking God for a blessing that He brings to mind each day.  I'm pleased to say I've been keeping up with that much, at least!

I also wanted to note that the lovely graphic at the top of the post is from Baptist Bible Hour.

November 8 Hodgepodge

Delightful graphic from Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

 It's Wednesday again, and that means it's time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond.  Head on over and get the questions, answer them on your own blog and then on back over to Joyce's to link up!   Here are the questions for this week (and I warn you, they are tough ones!):

1.  In a rut, in a jam, in the groove, out of sync, off balance, out of touch...which saying best fits some area of your life currently (or recently)? Explain.

From 1953

 I guess I would pick out of sync, though what I really feel is in a time warp.  Cleaning out nearly 70 years' worth of accumulated stuff will do that to a person!  I feel as if when I get home from a cleaning/sorting stint, I need to debrief before I can get back into my everyday life.  I'm planning my days pretty carefully to help with that.

2. What is it about somebody else's style of work (coworker/employee/shared volunteer project/household chore) that makes you crazy? Why?

  Here's one that I'm encountering on nearly an everyday basis -- my mother (now in heaven so her style of work no longer matters), rather than just throwing away junk mail, old letters, etc.  kept what she called "correspondence boxes" containing such items, along with stationery, note cards, address labels, etc. to use in answering her mail.  That sounds good, but the problem came when unexpected company arrived and she would scoop all of her current correspondence into a new box.  There were many of them, scattered all over the house.  Every time I think I have come to the end of correspondence boxes, another one surfaces.

3. What's a tradition that always makes you feel at home?

Hmm .... I am racking my brain on this one.  And I am completely drawing a blank.

4. A favorite song with a girl's name in the title or lyrics? Any reason why this is a particular favorite?


I guess I would say "Mary, Did You Know?" for fairly obvious reasons.  (I wouldn't have thought of this question in a million years.)

5. Share a favorite quote, verse, or saying relating to gratitude or thanksgiving.

"Know ye that the LORD, He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name."

Wish I knew where I had found this; I don't, sadly.  If it's yours, I apologize for not giving you credit.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Christmas is only 7 weeks away!  Not sure where this year has gone, but it has flown.   Anyone out there ready for Christmas?  I've started, but I'm far from ready.

And so ends another Hodgepodge.  Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Our late-October getaway

During the last weekend of October, Mr. T and I were blessed to enjoy three wonderful days and nights on Back Lake in the Great North Woods region of our state.  This was the time we had available, and also the time we were able to book our very favorite cabin.  So, although the time frame was late October and there could easily be the potential for chilly weather and even snow, we planned our getaway, trusting God for whatever weather He would send.

It was raining when we headed out on Thursday, and rained quite hard for much of the way.  We stopped at a McDonalds about halfway into the trip and enjoyed coffee and muffins as we continued to travel north.

By the time we arrived at the cabin, the rain had slowed to a drizzle and we were able to unpack the van without getting anything wet.  Then, Mr. T started a crackling fire in the fireplace as we settled in.  What a treat that was on a chilly, drizzly day!

It was an easy supper night as well; I had made a chicken rice soup in the slow cooker for Wednesday night, and there was plenty left over to bring with us.  We enjoyed a relaxing evening by the fire and a wonderful night's rest.  We did not set an alarm clock the entire time we were there!

The rain had picked up again during the night, but Friday morning was very windy as the storm began to clear out.  After good quiet times in God's Word and in prayer, we took a walk and were very thankful we had brought our winter coats!  We walked as far as the public boat launch, which was a good walk.  Just as we approached the beach area, we saw a very large bird come in for a landing.

It was a blue heron!  We sat at a picnic table on the beach and watched it for awhile; it stalked along the shore but kept at a good distance from us.  We headed back to the cabin, and on the way Mr. T spied the heron again, on the lake shore right next to a house.  He was able to get a a fairly good picture of it.

Our friend Charlotte has a cabin in the area and she had invited us over for lunch.  What a bountiful lunch it was!  Salisbury steak, baked potatoes, squash, and broccoli -- with apple crisp for dessert!  After lunch we enjoyed a lovely visit on her sunny porch.  Amazingly, she had many flowers still blooming around her home.  Near the very end of October, at the 45th parallel -- pretty amazing to still have roses!

When we got back to our cabin, the weather was warm and sunny enough for us to enjoy some time on the water and the dock.  I sat on the dock for awhile soaking up the sunshine, though it was still too breezy to enjoy needlework -- one of my preferred occupations while dock-sitting.  Mr. T took his kayak out for awhile.

Later, we took another walk --one that Charlotte had told us about on Murphy Dam at Lake Francis.   It was still breezy and getting cold as we walked, but it was a lovely walk and one that we would (and did) do again.

Lake Francis, seen from one side of the dam

The village in the distance, seen from the other side of the dam

Supper was more leftover soup and some wrap sandwiches.  After the huge lunch we had enjoyed, I didn't need to prepare the supper I had planned.  While we ate, we watched a beautiful sunset.

The next morning dawned crisp and clear, with mist rising off the lake.  

We went out to breakfast at Happy Corner Cafe, one of our favorite local places.  Mr. T had stuffed French toast with sausage and I had an avocado omelet.  There is so much variety on the menu!

Avocado omelet

Stuffed French toast, sausage patties on the side

In late morning, Mr. T and our friend Charlotte took off to go kayaking at one of her favorite spots. 

I spent the time while they were gone doing all sorts of needlework while sitting on the dock or at the adjacent picnic table.  It was warm and sunny and just perfect for stitching while enjoying the outdoors!  You can read more about what I stitched over at my Christmas blog.

View from the dock

One of my cross-stitch projects

Later that afternoon we walked the dam again.  We went a little earlier this time so it wasn't as cold.  Then we came home and enjoyed a nice supper of pizza and three-bean salad.

The next morning we got everything packed and headed out in time to get to the church service we'd planned to attend.  After a lovely and leisurely lunch with friends, we drove home in a light drizzle -- the prelude to Sunday night's big storm. 

What a wonderful getaway it was!  We felt thoroughly refreshed and are so thankful for the quiet and restful time God gave us up north.

November goals

A new month!  October seemed to fly by, and yet it also felt in some ways like a leisurely month.  Mr. T. and I were blessed to attend a couples' retreat at the Wilds of New England mid-month, and then went to our favorite lake up north for three nights at the end of October.  Now, here are my goals for November:
* Work on Colossians Bible study in my quiet time †
* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones.
* Add 4 pages to my "What Do I Know About My God?" Scripture notebook
* Continue new study for Sunday School -- A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus
* Exercise or walk at least 20 times.
* Get to bed by 9:30 pm each night. 
* Limit sugar and red meat.
* Drink enough water each day.
* Drink kombucha each day.
* Keep up with cleaning and decluttering missions in homemaking zones of the week.
* Post in this blog most weekdays if possible
* Post regularly in my Christmas blog
* Continue working on several UFO craft projects
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and work on crafting any handmade ones
* Declutter filing cabinets and bookshelves
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Clean church and set up for potluck meal
* Sort out and declutter my dad's house; work on estate
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Make and carry out plans for Thanksgiving
* Focus on gratitude each day this month
* Continue upholding my husband as he continues on with our church's pastoral search

 † I'll resume my informal study of Come Before Winter, by Charles Swindoll, probably in December or the new year, depending on how my study of Colossians goes.

NOVEMBER'S HEALTHY HABITS:  Drink enough water/exercise/eat healthfully/drink kombucha

WORD for 2017: Stewardship

And here is how October went:

* Work on Colossians Bible study in my quiet time -- done!
* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones -- done!
* Add 4 pages to my "What Do I Know About My God?" Scripture notebook -- done!
* Continue new study for Sunday School -- A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus
-- done!
* Exercise or walk at least 20 times -- done!
* Get to bed by 9:30 pm each night-- done!
* Limit sugar and red meat -- had a little red meat on our getaway.  Otherwise, limiting that is going very well.  Sugar is still a work in progress, but there is progress.
* Drink enough water each day -- not doing so well with this.
* Drink kombucha each day -- or this, though I will say we took a big jug of it up north with us and drank over half of it.
* Keep up with Flylady's missions in homemaking zones of the week -- not done consistently
* Post in this blog most weekdays if possible -- did fairly well with this
* Post regularly in my Christmas blog -- need to work on this
* Continue working on several UFO craft projects -- working on these ever so slowly
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and work on crafting any handmade ones -- done!
* Declutter filing cabinets and bookshelves -- not done
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family -- done!
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able -- haven't done much of that this month.
* Clean church and set up for potluck meal -- done!
* Sort out and declutter my dad's house; work on estate --this is ongoing
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating -- done!
* Attend a couples' retreat with my husband -- done!
* Meet up with cousins for a Sunday evening-- not done, as they had a conflict
* Take a three-day getaway up north with my husband -- done!
* Continue upholding my husband as he continues on with our church's pastoral search -- done!

 Needless to say, I am hoping for a productive and grateful November!

November 1 Hodgepodge

 Wednesday again!  And a new month!  October certainly flew by, didn't you think?  Since today is Wednesday, that means it's time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond.  Head on over and get the questions, answer them on your own blog and then on back over to Joyce's to link up!   Here are the questions for this week:

1. What does/did Halloween look like at your house this year? Did you decorate? Pick pumpkins? Carve pumpkins? Expect trick or treaters? Wear a costume to a party or event? Make a costume? Feel glad you didn't have to come up with a costume? Cook a Halloween themed treat? Eat all the leftover candy?

Finally an easy question that will take me almost no time or thought to answer!  It looks like any other autumn day here.  We are just not into Halloween at all.  We used to give out candy but no longer do since the trick-or-treaters just stopped coming.  Now we just don't buy the candy and we  leave the porch lights off just in case.

 And the next two questions are going to take more thought ...

2. What are you waiting for? Elaborate.

Good question.   Probably one of the most pressing "waits" is that our church is waiting to find the right pastor.  Ours retired over two years ago and we have been looking (and waiting on God) ever since.  It's not a simple or quick process.  My hubby is heavily involved in leading the church through this process and feels the responsibility keenly.

3. Do you wish you were friendlier, braver, more creative, more athletic, or something else? Explain.

I wish I was different in many ways.  However, I have come to accept that I'm a work in progress.

4. When it comes time to paint are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone? What was the last paint job completed at your house? What room most needs painting now? How do you feel about wallpaper?

We do it ourselves, mostly my husband.  I would be willing to help, but he usually gets it done.  The last paint job was in the upstairs bathroom in 2015.  We painted over a difficult wallpaper removal job just as a temporary fix.  We are planning to put white beadboard over the painted walls, but haven't found time to do that yet.

Wallpaper ... we both used to be fans.  Not any more.  In time, we would like to cover most of our painted or wallpapered walls with pine paneling.  We completely finished the living room in pine paneling and we  just love the look for our house.  I think we both wish we had thought of that earlier.  But I suppose it's very possible we couldn't have afforded it earlier.

5. What is one specific thing you felt gratitude for in the month of October?

Time away with my husband.  We spent a mid-October weekend at a couples' retreat, and we just returned from a long weekend spent up north at our favorite lake.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Wild weather we've just come through here in New Hampshire! Heavy rain and winds. 

A small sample of the water situation

A house floating downstream and getting smashed apart by wild water against a bridge ... a construction truck (unoccupied) being literally blown off a bridge into a river ... downed trees, power outages, evacuations, destroyed roads, and more happened from Sunday night into Monday.  So thankful that here at our house we never lost power, lights never even flickered!

So ends another Hodgepodge!  A blessed Wednesday to you!

From the October archives, part 2

This delightful free image is from Little Birdie Blessings

Here we go with a few more links to posts in the October archives!  I had so much fun browsing the archives to decide what to share.  I hope you'll take a look through the archives for yourselves.  After 12 years, there is a lot here!

Ham and Bean Chowder is a recipe I've had for some time and finally tried it one fall.  It's deliciously hearty and very warming.  Next time you have a ham bone to use, give it a try.

Photo from Taste of Home

From 2013, this grocery shopping perk is a great reminder of the little blessings that come our way when we're simply going about our everyday tasks.

Two nice fall recipes, from 2014, shares a main dish and a side dish filled with wonderful fall flavors.  You'll want to try one or both of these!

Speaking of which, if you enjoy the fall flavors of pumpkin and apples, you really must bake a Pumpkin Dutch Apple Pie!  It's a favorite Thanksgiving pie for us and perfect for any fall event.

And lastly, Autumn in the Air is a nostalgic read about a 2001 visit to Cracker Barrel and how God used it to encourage us on a stormy night.

Hope you've enjoyed this browse through the Kitchen Table archives as much as I have!