Hodgepodging Mallo Cups and Good Fences

Audrey, getting rest while she can.

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1. Besides your very own house, describe a place where you feel most 'at home'?

Besides our house, I guess I'd have to say I feel most 'at home' here on our farm (creek, woods, hills)  - or Harper's Ferry, WV. or Yorkshire, England or Duluth, MN. It's got to be the hills, trees, and water that attract me to all of these places. Harper's Ferry is at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers; Yorkshire has many rivers; Duluth, MN is at the edge of Lake Superior. Which reminds me, did you know that Duluth is an international port city 1100 miles inland (as the crow flies), ships having to travel 2,340 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to get there?? Nor did I. Until last night. That's farther than Minneapolis to Los Angeles or London to Gibraltar - but not as far as Montreal to Red Deer, Alberta, in case you were wondering.

 Potomac River at Harper's Ferry

 River Swale behind Richmond Castle, Yorkshire

Lake Superior at Duluth

Lift bridge in the distance

2. When did you last 'hit a home run' with something? Explain. 

I think that would have been our family's Early Thanksgiving. Unless they were all lying, I think almost everyone had a good time. In case you missed that long, drawn-out post, you can view it, along with a ton of autumn photos, HERE. 

Grandson, viewing the scenery from the back of the hay wagon

Just a couple of cute weirdos who crashed our Thanksgiving

3. Tell us about something you love in your house or kitchen that is 'homemade'. 

That's easy. That would be natural, vegan soap. And right now I'm having a Fall/Christmas Giveaway. Ends Friday at 10 PM CDT, so hurry and enter on Monday's blog post.

The other homemade thing would be the lavender/blueberry scones I'm going to make this weekend. Find the recipe HERE. 

 I can't help putting mini semi-sweet chocolate chips in my scones

along with the blueberry and lavender.

I'm trying to think if there's anything else around here that's homemade. I guess Audrey's kittens would be the only thing that comes to mind. And we're hoping that she's only going to have 1 or two.  An 'only kitten' would definitely be a blessing.

Audrey, dreaming of her former life as a stray

4. 'A man's home is his castle'...which of the world's ten most captivating castles (according to The Travel Channel) would you most like to visit and why-

Mont Saint-Michel (France), Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Glamis Castle (Scotland), Windsor Castle (England), Chateau de Chambord (France), Hampton Court Palace (England), Prague Castle (Prague), St. Michael's Mount (England), Leeds Castle (England), and Swallow's Nest (Ukraine)

I tried Windsor Castle, and that turned out a disaster; I'd love to visit Edinburgh Castle if it weren't so far north from anyplace else I want to visit in the UK; I'd like to visit Prague Castle or just Prague in general, because that part of the world seems fascinating, especially after watching a documentary on what lies beneath Prague - if only I could teleport.

Windsor Castle. Getting off the train. It was all downhill from there.

5. What's a recent or upcoming plan or project that's required you do a little homework before getting started? Did the homework cause you to abandon your plan or adjust it in some way?

Homework? The first thing that comes to mind is the upcoming election. But since I'd like to have some friends after this Hodgepodge is over, I'll skip politics and go to something more pleasing - like travel. I did all the planning for Mr. C. and our son's trip to England. I LOVE the planning stage: Researching points of interest, accommodations, car rental, train travel, airlines, etc. etc. It's so much FUN!

 Victoria Station

6. In your opinion, is homework an unnecessary evil or a valuable practice? Should schools be done with homework? Why or why not? 

I think that homework is a necessary evil. If kids (high school) want to learn something, and have any aspirations for life beyond high school, they will have to work, and that work most likely will not be able to be accomplished within the school day. However, I don't think there should be homework assigned to little kids. Good grief, it's hard enough for them to sit still during the school day, and then go home to more of the same? No. Little kids, especially, should be playing.

Audrey, between a rock and a hard place

7. Share a favorite memory of your childhood hometown. 

We all loved the Treat Shop, across the street from the old Junior High building, where we could go during recess to buy Mallo Cups and eat ourselves into an afternoon sugar coma, just in time for government class.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Tuppence, staking her claim.

Lying next to me on the sofa during breakfast coffee.

At least she's no longer hissing or clawing at Audrey.

Linking to Theresa's Good Fences

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Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!