Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 334

1. Where have you found unexpected magic or delight this holiday season?

I don't intend to be Debbie Downer, but this has been an unusually difficult holiday season this year. Plans are so up in the air I don't even know if I'll get to see my precious granddaughter this Christmas and I was so looking forward to enjoying her first real Christmas with her and watching her face as she opens her gifts. 

2. What's your favorite type of holiday gathering? Will you/have you gathered in your favorite way this month?

Lessons and Carols at church with my mentor playing the organ

3. Time has named 'The Silence Breakers' (women who came forward with stories of harassment)  'person of the year' for 2017. Would you agree? If not, who do you think deserves the title?

I haven't given this any thought and for personal reasons I'm not going to comment at this time.

4. How did you spend your time this year? Are you happy about that? Elaborate

I spent my year doing what I always do, taking care of home and family, teaching and serving in the church. It's my calling so I'm at peace with that and yes most days I'd say I'm happy.

5. Bid farewell to 2017 in ten words or less.

This has been a bit of a rough one for me and I wouldn't want to go through it again. I'm ready to shake the dust off and start fresh!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

All I can think of tonight is...T-I-R-E-D

An Ultra Violet Hodgepodge

1. 'Hurry less, worry less'...what's your strategy for making that happen this holiday season? How's it going so far?

I am a big time worry wart. I don't worry about holiday stuff though. I have learned over the years to keep meals and such simple, if someone wants something else, they are more than welcome to make what they like. We're not even exchanging gifts so it takes that worry off,  whether someone will like their gift. 

2. Do you have a list of to-dos that need accomplishing in order to prepare your home and/or property for the winter season? What are some of the jobs on your list? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone to accomplish these tasks

Dear Husband usually does, but not much for me. I just empty any pots of dead flowers, clean the flower beds out, put away my shepherd's hooks, wind chimes, pots of flowers that winter indoors, my gnome, etc. Dear Husband has to take down the garden fence, and till...he never got to it this summer so it will be waiting for him when the snow melts. We have to have all our chores done by mid October...winter has been here for a while already. 

3. According to dietitians surveyed, the most popular health foods for 2018 will be -turmeric, sprouted foods (bean sprouts, breads with sprouted grains, etc), veggies in place of grains, dairy free milk, and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, etc).  What's the first thought that ran through your head when you read this list? Of the foods listed which one might you add to your regular diet? Also, can milk really be dairy free? Is it still milk?

I have been using turmeric for a while now to combat my inflammation. I haven't learned about the sprouted foods yet...heard about them but haven't learned how to implement them. I try to eat lots of green leafies but that's difficult in winter months. We do eat a lot of our garden veggies that I have frozen. I like lentils in soups, I hadn't heard they were a new popular health food though. I stopped drinking milk a long time ago when it would give me stomach cramps. I can have a little and sometimes I crave it...I just have to not overdo. I use coconut milk in my morning smoothies these days. 

4. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2018 is Ultra Violet. According to the Pantone site 'Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking pointing us to the future.' What say you? Do you like the color purple? Did you see the movie or read the book-ha!?  Is purple a color you wear often? Describe for us one purple item in your home without using the word purple.  If you were in charge of such things what color would you select for 2018?

I like some purples. I Googled this one and saw some home decor...not for me, it's a bit too intense. I like what I call a harvest purple that you see in the fall. I don't know what it's real name is but it's deeper, maybe with a touch of gray. I may do some of this trendy purple as accents in my wardrobe, but only a touch. I haven't seen the movie or read the book. Something in my home of that color...the only thing close is my shower curtain, but it's not nearly as bright as the Ultra Violet. I would have no idea what to choose if I were in charge. 

5. Favorite book you read this year?

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I've been in a slump this week. Tired, no motivation...could be my cleanse is starting to work, I can't wait to get over this first hurdle so I can start feeling better. 

Hodgepodge Volume 332

1. What title would you give this current chapter of your life?

I would call this chapter of my life Pressing On While Tying Up Loose Ends. I'm so busy with life right now, my job(s), my ministry, friends yet I have so many projects that I've started that need to be finished...things I really don't want to leave undone. I want to leave some important things and thoughts for each of my children, scrapbooks, heirlooms and such, but organizing them is a task that is taking much longer than I had hoped and I can't seem to find the time to tackle them.

2. December 6 is National Microwave Oven Day. Who knew? Besides popcorn and coffee reheats, what's the most common thing you microwave? Could you get along without a microwave?

Honestly, all I use my microwave for is coffee reheats and leftover reheats. It comes in so handy because of our crazy schedules around here. Often we have to eat separately and because I teach piano during the late afternoon and evening hours, I prepare our supper that morning or the night before and everyone reheats in the microwave when their schedule allows. It's invaluable for that but I don't even use it for popcorn anymore since my husband bought me a Whirly Pop! I've always preferred popcorn on the stove top and now I use coconut oil and love the flavor. I could get along without it...I grew up before they were available for our homes, but it does make my husbands life much easier.

3. If you could insert yourself into any Christmas carol and experience the lyrics in real life, which Christmas carol lyric would you choose and why. 

O Come All Ye Faithful because I always try and picture what it must have been like for those privileged to worship Him at the manger. O come, let us adore Him...the word 'adore' is one of my favorites...can you imagine being able to adore the baby Jesus? Do we take time to adore Him today?

4. Describe the most beautiful drive you've ever taken.

I'm blessed to have lived in two beautiful states. I have taken many beautiful drives through the mountains of Colorado as a child...most beautiful in the fall. Here in Michigan my favorite drive was one winter several years ago when we drove north on Highway 41 towards Copper Harbor in the winter. We had just had a big snow and the trees were heavy with it. It felt like driving through a white tunnel and it was so quiet it was almost eerie.

5. What's something on your Christmas list this year? (an actual list or figuratively speaking, either one)

We're not exchanging gifts this year. I'm a little sad about it and I know I'll miss it come Christmas morning, but it's actually nice not having to figure out gifts. Since I'm not buying for anyone I bought myself a new dress coat I needed for winter. I found a black Friday sale and purchased it for $20. Mostly on my list is for our whole family to be together and getting along...is that too much to ask for?

6. Insert your own random thought here.


We had our first blizzard of the season this week. It didn't drop a great deal of snow but it sure has been blowing around a lot. Most of the hazards have been due to visibility. I need to venture out today...not looking forward to going anywhere.  

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 325 Tuesday, October 10, 2017

1. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your sense of direction? 1=can't find my way out of a paper bag and 10=if I've been somewhere once I can find it blindfolded ten years later.
I would guess about a 5.

When was the last time you looked at/used a map you could hold in your hand? (phones don't count!) 
Probably about 15 years ago.

back east, down south, out west, up north

Choose one of these directional expressions and tell us why you chose it.
North because I live way up north in the U.S.

2. Did you do more talking or listening yesterday? Is that typical? Describe your yesterday in one word.
Listening. Yes that is typical. I'm not much of a talker except to very close friends. Yesterday was exhausting.

3. Time, money, water-power-resources, opportunity...which one on the list are you most guilty of wasting? What might you do to change that?
Time. It's so easy for me to get distracted or there are just things I'd rather do than the things I'm supposed to do. I'm actually working on changing this...making lists helps some.

4. Did  your family take regular vacations when you were a kid? Tell us something you remember about a family roadtrip from your own childhood.
Not regular vacations, but we did travel some. I remember visiting Disneyland and loving it!

5. If you could grow anything you wanted, what would you grow? Why?
Money because I'm so very tired of living hand-to-mouth.

6. Insert your own random thought here.
I'm working hard to catch up on work around the house this week. It's wearing me out, but I hope it will be worth it come the weekend when I can have time to relax and enjoy friends. 

Bible Study and Sunflowers

Lots of random thoughts going through my mind today. 

I already mentioned my mother's birthday which was Tuesday this week. I decided to make her cake after all, it was just the thing to do and because my 9x13 pan was in the sink soaking off the baked on BBQ sauce from the ribs this week, I pulled out her old round cake pans that have the lever (for lack of a better word) that slides around the pan to loosen the cake. They don't make 'em like that anymore...I always thought that was so cool, so much so that I found some at a garage sale and bought each of my daughter's a set. Both girls took them for a while and then returned them saying they would never use them. 😮 I saved them for a while but when my daughter began to complain about how much stuff I had I decided to let the garage sale pans go. My mother's pans will have to be pulled from my cold, dead hands LOL! 

This is an Oatmeal Cake. Funny story...I was recently chatting with my brother online, we don't talk much...haven't talked much...ever. Anyway, we were chatting about things Mom used to cook and he was asking for some of her recipes. I asked him if he remembered Oatmeal Cake and he said no but that he remembered her spice cake. I didn't remember any spice cake but got to thinking maybe he meant the Oatmeal Cake after all. I asked him about the frosting because the frosting on Oatmeal Cake is very different and he said that was the spice cake. I then had to laugh out loud because I remembered my Mom telling him it was spice cake because she knew he wouldn't eat it if he knew it's real name! I even remembered her telling me it was our secret. Oh the memories that story brought back. My brother was a bit put out that I had kept that secret all these years, but honestly, I had forgotten about it. Oddly enough there are many people I serve this cake to that won't take it because of it's name. The same holds true for my Oatmeal Pie. Their loss. 

Technology has not been kind to me this week. Has anyone else recently tried to change the background on their blog? I tried again last night and still no go. I do not understand why this won't work. I even went to a different background site and the same thing happened so it must be an issue with blogger. I will try again when I'm finished posting this. 

A while ago...probably a long while ago now, I posted about taking some friends from church on an organ crawl to several of the organs in our area. This was shortly after we got the new organ at church and I had sent out an invitation for people to come take a look at it and see how it worked and what it could do. These two were the only ones who took me up on it. After we looked at it, it only gave them an appetite for more so we visited pipe organs and had a great time getting to know each other. As a result of that day, they have become great friends and she and I started to walk this summer and have a Bible Study together. I can tell there are many more adventures ahead for the two of us. I had noticed she's been carrying around a tumbler for water that has a lid and a straw...she takes it everywhere and I thought if I had one like it, maybe it would be easier to drink the large amounts of water I'm supposed to take in each day. I looked and looked and couldn't find one and today she brought me one she found and bought for me. It holds a big 32 oz., I have already put it to use and I can already tell it's going to be helpful! 

Is anyone familiar with the movie Calendar Girls? 

I watched it again recently and find myself identifying with the characters so much more this time....probably because I'm much closer to their age this time and have been feeling so pushed aside because I'm old. If you know the movie, you've heard this: 

The flowers of Yorkshire

Are like the women of Yorkshire.

Every stage of their growth has its own beauty,

But the last phase is always the most glorious.

Then very quickly they all go to seed.

Which makes it ironic my favorite flower

Isn’t even indigenous to the British Isles, let alone Yorkshire.

I don’t think there’s anything on this planet

That more trumpets life than the sunflower.

For me, that’s because of the reason behind its name.

Not because it looks like the sun

But because it follows the sun.

During the course of the day,

The head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky.

A satellite dish for sunshine.

Wherever light is, No matter how weak,

These flowers will find it.

And that’s such an admirable thing.

And such a lesson in life.

We talked about this at Bible Study today (not the movie but the idea of feeling put on a shelf or shoved aside) and it seems it's a real problem with many our age in our church lately. I found out it's not just me feeling this way. I don't know what I'm going to do about it, if anything but I can't help but feel I want to be respected and listened to and like the women in the movie I want to make a change...do something that matters. My friend and I invited others to join us in our Bible study and I'm excited to be reaching out to these women who are feeling the same way we are. I hope this is the beginning of something wonderful for us and for the church.  

"Every stage of their growth has its own beauty,

But the last phase is always the most glorious."

The strangest thing happened this year, we had some sunflowers pop up unexpectedly in our garden. We didn't plant them, but there they were and perfectly situated right in the back corner. So lovely! Such a gift! Again I am reminded of the prose from the movie,

"Wherever light is, No matter how weak,

These flowers will find it.

And that’s such an admirable thing.

And such a lesson in life."

The sunflowers in my garden have now withered and gone to seed...but I have not! I still have years of service left if the Lord so wills. So when I think of following the sun, I am reminded to follow the SON.

Hodgepodge

It's been a while, but I am looking forward to touching base with the great folks over at Hodgepodge this week:

 1.  Have you ever spent time on a farm? Tell us a little bit about it. Have you ever grown your own pumpkin? Been on a hayride? Driven a tractor? Milked a cow?

I can't think of any particular visit to a farm, although I think I was on one or two during my years in high school/college when I toured with choirs. I have never grown a pumpkin, but this year my husband planted squash and we enjoyed our first one tonight for supper. It was quite tasty! I have been on a hayride or two but I've never driven a tractor or milked a cow. 

2. What's something younger you would like about you now? 

That's a tough question and I've very interested to read the answers from others. I guess I would have to say that I'm young at heart. 

3. What are three things you'd like to do more often? Three things you'd like to do less often?

Three things I'd like to do more often...exercise, scrapbook, generally have more time for myself. Three things I'd like to do less often...cook, clean, put my needs last.

4. What's on your nachos?

Cheese, onions, black olive, taco meat
5. What's the most random thing in your purse or wallet? Does it need to stay there?

I guess it would be my eyeglass  cleaning cloth. I suppose it doesn't need to stay there seeing as how I never use it...just my shirt tail. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I cannot figure out what's going on with my blog. I have tried for 2 evenings now to change the background with a code from cutest blog on the block. I have completely erased the code I no longer need and replaced it with new code but the old background keeps coming up. Yes...I made sure to hit save. How is this even possible?? 

Good Evening

I wanted to touch base with all of you dear people who read and responded so kindly to my last post. I see I could have some very dear friends here and I hope we get to know each other well and that happens sooner than later. I know the ball is in my court so to speak. 

Thank you Terri D. You're right in many ways and not the first to suggest we leave. My husband and I have discussed the possibility of changing churches, but there are people there we have worshiped with for 30 years now and to think of leaving just makes our hearts ache. Someday that "last straw" may fall, but until then I must find a way to cope while I continue to serve in my limited way. 

Barbara, I LOVE how you refer to your husband as Beloved!! That is so beautiful and I wish I had thought of that. I refer to mine as Hubby, but I don't care for it. I would love to find something else. Thank you for your understanding comments. Our church is indeed trying a blended service, but it just isn't working yet because there is no unity and because they insist on choosing new music that doesn't work well for congregational singing. It's so terribly sad. I would love to visit a church where they have done this successfully. I maintain it can be done...but certainly not the way we're doing it. 

Thank you too Mrs. T. I agree it is more of a heart issue than a music issue, but it seems they always seem to use the music and the organ specifically as a scapegoat. 

I will have an update on the situation again soon...there is more to tell. I have so much to catch up on in my blogging world. 

Today is my mother's birthday. She went to be with her Lord and savior in 2008, but today would have been her 90th. We were extremely close so I always celebrate. If she were here today I would have taken her to the new fish and chips restaurant in town and I would have baked her an Oatmeal Cake. I almost baked the cake anyway, but decided against it for diet/health reasons. I would love to share a picture but I can't get my Chromebook to recognize my external hard drive and I don't know what to do about it. I read somewhere that I would have to back up the files then reformat the drive but that is where I back up my files. I'm a tad miffed. I may have to take over the ancient desktop in the basement. 

I also tried to change the background on my blog today. I love the pink roses, but I wanted something more fall like. I found some nice ones at cutest blog on the block and copied the code etc. but it still comes up roses! How is that even possible when I erased one code and added a new?? I may post this, then try shutting down my computer and trying all over again. 

I have more to share, but I think I will try to visit some of you instead. Daughter and I were watching the moon light up the moving clouds tonight so this sig tag is perfect. 

A Slow Moving Hodgepodge

1. 'Slow and steady wins the race'...tell us about a time this was true in your own life. 

In my life this is true of everyday. I am continually telling my piano students to slow down because when we try to play too fast before we're ready we miss things and we make mistakes. It's a good life lesson as well. 

2. 'As slow as molasses'...Do you like molasses? How about maple syrup? Caramel? Butterscotch? What's your favorite of the slow moving treats mentioned here, and what's your favorite food made with that sweet treat? 

I don't care much for molasses. I do like caramel and butterscotch but my favorite in the list is maple syrup. Living up here in the far north I can get my hands on real maple syrup. I never had the real thing until I moved here, and boy was I missing out on something growing up! My kids got this special treat when they went to grandma's house, but I wouldn't buy it because they would dump on way too much and due to the fact it is expensive and a special treat it should be used sparingly. However, now that we are, for the most part "empty-nesters" genuine maple syrup is now all I'll buy. It's my special treat for growing old and sending my kids out on their own. 😉 Plus, it's better for us than the processed stuff. 

3. Your favorite slow song? 

To Where You Are by Josh Groban

4. Your favorite thing to make in a slow cooker or crock pot? 

Either my lasagna or my enchiladas. Both are favorites in our family and since I found crock pot recipes for them I'll never make them any other way. 

5. 'You may delay, but time will not.' ~Benjamin Franklin Are you more a hurrier or a delayer when it comes to unpleasant tasks that need doing? What are you currently either delaying or hurrying to get through this week or month?

I'm a delayer. I think there are several things on my list that I keep putting off. Life is a bit overwhelming right now and when I'm overwhelmed I tend to just give up until I can find some motivation. 
6. Tell us three things you encounter regularly or even just occasionally that you find to be annoyingly slow.

As a church organist I find some of the songs we sing in church annoyingly slow and that's the perfect description. I set the tempo in my introduction which is what I'm supposed to do as the organist, then the song leader and the pianist come in and drag us all down. There have been lots and lots of complaints about our music lately and I think this is one of the reasons yet they just keep grinding them down into the depths of kill- me- now -boring and most of the people complaining blame the "organ". UGH!

7. March is National Craft Month. Are you crafty? Tell us about something crafty you'll try in the next thirty one days. Or something crafty you'd like to try or wish you had the skill to make happen. 

I am crafty and although I won't be trying a new kind of craft, I'm always working on a new project. I love to scrapbook, make greeting cards and I belong to an Artist Trading Card group so I always have a new challenge. Our crafting group will be getting together on Saturday for an all day craft day. We do this about every 2nd month or so. 

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

My blog time is suffering lately as are some other things in my life. It's been a very busy week and it's only Wednesday. There are several things that have been added to my already busy teaching and practicing schedule by family and church. I'm going to have to sacrifice some practice time this week in order to get it all done and I'm not happy about it. Having to share a vehicle is also making things complicated. I can't wait until Hubby's truck is repaired. 

Thank you for visiting, have a wonderful rest of the week.

Spring Fever

The grocery store had these on display last week which only seemed to fuel everyone's spring fever...including mine. I couldn't help but stop and take a picture. I wanted so much to buy one but I was afraid I'd kill it before I had a chance to get it in the ground. When I stopped in this week I noticed they were all gone. 

We have had unseasonably warm temperatures this year, especially the last couple of weeks. Here's an idea of what I mean:

Our pastor's son trying to clear 3 feet of snow off their porch 3 years ago: 

Downtown last year: 

Downtown yesterday:

Blue skies, bare streets and sidewalks...I'll take it!

Our yard today:

GRASS!!!

I've never seen this in February!!

We've had some beautiful sunrises for this time of year as well:

Temperatures have been in the 40's and last night we had wind and rain which always speeds up the melting process. 

For those of you thinking spring has arrived to the frozen north...no such luck. Winter temperatures and a mix of rain and snow are on tap for the weekend. I am beginning to wonder though if we just might get an early spring. "Early spring" for us means anything before mid April. The snow usually doesn't even consider melting anytime before April 15th. 

The studio has been so quiet the last couple of weeks. The kids in town have all been so sick. There are several bugs moving through, colds, sinus infections and several strains of flu. I have had some of my students out for 2 weeks which means my bank account is getting angry. 

In trying to make lemonade out of the lemons I've been dealt I decided since the students weren't coming it would be a good time to reorganize my craft supplies that live in the studio. 

I made a big mess! 

The upside is things are in better storage solutions but the downside is nothing looks any different. Most of my reorganization was in the closet. It's ok...next time I start a project I should be able to find what I need without too much frustration. 

The spring like weather is making Gibbs extra playful as well. One of my students that actually made it to lessons last week was not giving Gibbs the attention and playtime he thought he should have. Afterall, didn't this young man come to the house specifically to play? 

Yes dear Gibbs...play the piano...not play with you! 😉

"Please, please play with me". Says Gibbs

 Since he didn't get what he wanted, he decided to nap on mom and dad's bed.

One of the books I'm reading talks about being present and in the moment and also to be thankful so I leave you with this today. 

'

Hodgepodge

1. Have you ever been fishing? Did you catch a fish? If so did you keep it or throw it back? If you haven't been fishing is that something you'd like to try? 

I have been fishing, it's not my favorite thing to do. I didn't catch anything but my husband did. We were on a weekend trip to a mountain resort and we borrowed an old beat up pole with brittle line from the lodge. He caught a beautiful rainbow trout  within just a few minutes of being out there which made one of the other guests angry because he'd been out for hours with top of the line equipment and never did catch anything. He was quite jealous when we were eating our trout that evening after it had been specially prepared by the lodge. Oh my was it ever good! 

Fish out of water, big fish in a small pond, living in a fishbowl, packed in like sardines, this is a fine kettle of fish, plenty of fish in the sea, fish or cut bait...which fishy phrase most recently applies to some area of your life?

I almost always feel like a fish out of water. I'm always uncomfortable trying to carry on a conversation, especially in a group...like our small group Bible Study. I'm not sure why but it's always been that way and seems to be getting worse instead of better as I grow older.  

2. What's something you're always fishing for in your purse, wallet, desk, or kitchen junk drawer?

I don't like fishing for things so I try very hard to stay organized and know where my things are. Once in awhile though, especially if I just did some cleaning I'll forget the new home of something. I can't think of any one thing that I am always fishing for. 

3. Your favorite fish tale or movie?

I have two believe it or not. The Incredible Mr. Limpet and one more" recent",  Finding Nemo. 

4. Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight or night? Explain why you chose your answer.

I guess I'd have to say daylight. I am the most productive late morning to mid-afternoon. I like the daylight most especially if the sun is out. Once the sun goes down so do I. 

5. What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear?

Unfortunately my dress size goes up and down so much that I toss things out of frustration. I do have some graphic tees from my days as a Curves For Women Employee that I still wear around the house when I clean or work out. They must be about 10-12 years old by now. 

6. We've got one more month of (officially) winter here in the Northern hemisphere. Are you feeling the need for a getaway? What's been the best and worst part of your winter so far?

I'm not so much in the need of a getaway, I just need spring. The best part of the winter has been the unusually warm temperatures for this area. It's truly been like spring the last few days and it's been so wonderful. The worst part has been Hubbies accidents. In December he was knocked down on the ice while refereeing a hockey game and broke his clavicle and then in January he was on his way home from a game, hit a patch of black ice and rolled his truck. He walked away with no injuries, but the truck is still in the shop for repair. 

7.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge lands on National Margarita Day...will you be celebrating? Frozen or on the rocks? Are you a Jimmy Buffet fan? If so, what's your favorite JB tune?

I most likely will not be celebrating, though I'd love to. We have a restaurant here that makes very good Margaritas. I prefer them frozen. No, not a JB fan. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

We have been teased with spring so much the last few days. I plan to post some pictures. I'm also loving the longer days and the sunrises and sunsets we have been enjoying.