Last Hodgepodge of October

Wednesday again!  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's surprised you most about your life or life in general? 

 

Oh, my, what a question! I guess maybe "surprised by God's grace" could sum it up.  My life has been far more blessed, far more interesting, far more fulfilling and joyous than I could ever have expected.  It's all due to God's amazing grace and the blessings of being His child.

Leaf line courtesy of my friend Vee

2.  Sweet potato fries, sweet potato casserole, a baked sweet potato, a bowl of butternut squash soup, a caramel apple or a slice of pumpkin pie...you have to order one thing on this list right now. Which one do you go for?


Another tough question!  I like all of these things, though the caramel apple would be last on my list.  I guess if I had to choose just one thing, it would be a toss-up between the butternut squash soup and the sweet potato fries.

3. What's a famous book set in your home state? Have you read it? On a scale of 1-5 (5 is fantastic) how many stars does it rate?

There are a number of well-known books set in New Hampshire.  Some of the better-known ones are not books I could recommend.  Here are a couple of lesser-known titles that I have enjoyed:  String Too Short to be Saved, by poet Donald Hall,  is a book of recollections of summers the author spent on a New Hampshire farm.  I'd rate that one a 5, though it's been some time since I've read it.  A child's book, Sarah Whitcher’s Story, by Elizabeth Yates, is based on a true account of a child lost in the New Hampshire woods just a half hour from here.  I'd give that one a 4.

4. There are 60 days until Christmas...have you started your shopping? 

Yes, I have started my shopping some months ago.  I have a few things stashed away labeled with Post-its with the recipients' names and "Christmas 2017".

How do you stay organized for the holidays?

Well, I have a Christmas notebook and I really try to plan well.  For an introduction to my Christmas notebook, go here: My Christmas notebook, Part 1.  In fact, you might be encouraged by any of the posts found by clicking on "Christmas notebook" in the label cloud over at My Christmas kitchen.

I try to start planning right after Christmas.  That said, my planning is never quite good enough, but if I didn't make any attempt to plan, things would be disastrous.  Planning has been helpful not only with gifts and crafts, but also with meals, decorating, and so on. 

5. October 26th is National Tennessee Day. Have you ever lived or spent any time in Tennessee? Is this a state you'd like to visit one day? 

I have never been to Tennessee, but it's definitely a state I want to visit some day.

The top rated tourist attractions in Tennessee are-
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (Gatlinburg area), Elvis's Graceland (Memphis), Birth of the Music Biz (Memphis and Nashville), Dollywood (Pigeon Forge), Tennessee's Military Heritage (many battlefields), The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home), The Parthenon (Nashville), Oak Ridge American Museum of Science and Energy, Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley Railroad, Downtown Knoxville, Lookout Mountain, The Titanic Museum (Pigeon Forge), The Museum of Appalachia (Clinton), and The Lost Sea Adventure (Sweetwater)
How many on this list have you seen? Which one on the list would you most like to see?

Well, obviously, since I've never been to Tennessee, I've never visited any of these attractions.  The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a place I'd love to visit.  Both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge interest me.   Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley Railroad sound interesting as well.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

What a warm October we've had -- I believe the temperatures have been record-breaking this year. The fall colors have not, for the most part, been as vibrant as usual (though I have seen many notable exceptions -- some glorious red and orange trees) and I think the warmer temperatures are most likely to blame.  We have not had a hard frost here at our home at all yet this fall.

And so ends another Hodgepodge.  Happy Wednesday to everyone!