The Great Outdoors Hodgepodge

Rice Lake, WI

on a beautiful June 16

Join Joyce and the gang for

She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

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1. June is National Great Outdoors Month. Have you spent any time appreciating the great outdoors this month? If so where, and if not do you have any plans to enjoy the great outdoors before the calendar turns?

I live in the great outdoors and yes, I enjoy it every single day. (More in June than in February, however.)

 East, from our front porch
June 16, 2015 

South, from our front porch

 Also from our front porch

Jazzie, loving summertime

 From our Vegetable (and Berries) Garden

You're noticing a serious lack of traffic and skyscrapers? We also have no noise out here. I keep a fan running at night just to create enough noise to sleep!

2. What's a current hot button issue for you?

The foolishness that passes for serious issues in our country these days.

3. What's a food or treat that 'disappears like hotcakes' in your house?

Besides hotcakes?

Popcorn.

 Mr. C.'s Speciality!

Popped in coconut oil and a bit of REAL butter.

Afterwards, left plain except for a sprinkle of salt and cayenne
JollyTime White Popcorn (the BEST)

4. How hot is too hot?

Regarding temperature, 95 degrees. (Actually 79, but I don't want to seem ungrateful after whining about the cold all winter...)  Regarding picante, enough jalapenos to make my tummy burn. I think I kinda overdid it on the jalapenos in last night's chili.

5. Do you have an artistic outlook on life? What does that mean to you?

If you mean, do I see beauty all around me and take joy daily from God's amazing creation, His grace and blessing, then yes. If you mean, am I flower child, then no. And if that's not what you mean, you'll need to 'splain.

 Westby Sunflowers

6. What's one question you'd like to ask your father, or one you wish you could ask your father?

Tell me again how you trimmed your lilacs?

Actually, I feel so blessed to have lived near my dad most of my life until he died late in 2010, and to have spent a lot of time with him. He was always a joy and comfort to me, a wonderful grandpa to our children, and a kind and godly gentleman to all.

7. Something you learned from your father?

To love God, to recognize His blessing in life daily, to enjoy life and see humor in just about everything.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

The First Gifts of Springtime

I think it's time to let the asparagus crop go to seed. We've had a great asparagus year, and are just about ready to have a different side dish with our dinners. Still, it is always such a treat in early spring, to see the asparagus poking up through the soil (and growing FAST on warm, sunny days). Yesterday afternoon I picked the first little crop of strawberries from our garden. They are incredibly sweet. My phone is in the basket because I listen to the radio on it while I'm picking berries. I'll enjoy sharing them with a friend who's coming for lunch on Thursday (and of course with Mr. C., who would probably always prefer cheese, crackers, and sausages to anything sweet).

 Rice Lake, WI

Rice Lake, WI

Rice Lake. It's where the population looks a lot like Illinois and Indiana during the summertime. It's one of Wisconsin's 15,000 lakes.

Mr. C. says the popcorn's ready!

***

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This post is possibly linked to one of more of the following:

Mosaic Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and Amaze Me Monday and Our World Tuesday and  Roses of Inspiration and  Treasure Box Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Tuesday with a Twist  and  Tweak it Tuesday and It's a Party! and Wild Bird Wednesday and  Good Fences and Skywatch Friday and  Home & Garden Thursday  and Saturday Critters and Home Sweet Home and  Freedom Fridays  and Vintage Inspiration Friday