June 20 Hodgepodge

 Yes, it's Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond. Why not join in this week?  Joyce's questions and our answers make for some interesting reading.  It's always fun to learn more about our fellow bloggers! So head on over, copy the questions, then paste and answer them on your own blog.  Go back over to Joyce's to link up, and you're done!   Here are this week's questions: 

1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list.

• Ice cream with Vee
• Miniature golf with friends
• Time with faraway friends who'll be visiting in our state

2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime?

 Let's see.  At the pond by our family summer cottage, we used to collect pails full of freshwater mussels (and then throw them away).  When I first saw the photo below, I assumed that's what was in my hand.  Recently my cousin had the photo enlarged for framing and she told me the object in my hand was actually a large bloodsucker.  That explains the odd look on my face.

Another thing I remember was that sometimes when family visited we would all spend time on my grandmother's spacious front porch and there would often be homemade ice cream.  Usually either chocolate or vanilla, and then my very favorite, pineapple sherbet.

3. Rooftop or backyard? Why?

Backyard, because our roof is not flat.   Realistically, my choice would likely be the gorgeous back deck that my son-in-law built.  We recently bought at a very good price a patio table and chair set, something we have never owned.  I see us spending more time out there this year than ever before. 

Not my back yard, but the one at our extended family's cottage

4. Do you read food labels? Place importance on them? Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from?

I do read food labels.  And mostly I do place importance on the information I'm looking for.   I always look for, and avoid, high fructose corn syrup.  I like to see what oils are used and where fats and sugars are in order on the ingredients list.  Recently I was looking for a specific flavor of salad dressing at the supermarket,  and a lady stocking shelves was interested when I picked up an extra virgin olive oil version -- I think it was Wish-Bone.  She commented that she cooks for someone with a soy allergy and that nearly every bottled salad dressing contains soybean oil.  Yes, she was right -- even the "EVOO" one I had picked up, and even Newman's Own.

And I am interested in where my food comes from.  Our local supermarket is good about making it very clear when fruits and veggies are locally grown, and when dairy products, meats. and other products like maple syrup are local.  Having said that, our store has been having sweet corn from Florida on sale at great prices, and our local corn won't be ready for weeks yet.  I am very impressed with how sweet and good that Florida corn is, even after traveling all this way.

5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer?

Probably none.  I don't tend to listen to songs over and over.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 
 The gorgeous rosebud above is on a wild rosebush in the backyard of my childhood home.  So pretty!

So ends another Hodgepodge.  Happy Wednesday!