Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Hodgepodging With A Smile


 Sunrise, January 24
View from our front porch


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1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.  
'No end in sight' is what I'm tempted to choose, mostly because the others don't fit, and also because about this time of the year it seems that there's no end in sight when it comes to winter. It was -12F yesterday morning and we still have March and April to endure before spring has actually arrived. And yes I know I've complained about that before. But really. You know it would seem unnatural if you came here, asked that question, and didn't find that particular answer. I didn't want to disappoint you.

Haugen's Village Grocery
2. What was a must have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.

Shoes. Well seriously, I was a kid during a time when no one was into name brand anything. Or if they were, our family and friends were oblivious to it. We had shoes, book bag, bought school clothes once a year, and everyone else was in the same boat. And no, I wasn't alive during the Great Depression. But my parents were, and I think that had a lasting impact.


There's a reason why I don't blog as often as I used to.
#tommyandsmokey


3. Something that made you smile yesterday?

There are many times a day that I smile over many different things. Yesterday's smile got lost in the crowd. I smile over some particular blessing that I've observed, some stupid joke someone has told me, hearing of the antics of the grandkids, watching the kitties snuggle together (is that redundant??), a particularly good point in a book I'm reading, something funny that I think of at an inappropriate moment, a comment on an Instagram post, etc. etc.
 Maybe those horses should look for a different shelter.
Photo taken at a nearby Amish farm
This photo is for Carla
(From the River Flowing blog) 

Do you see a theme here?
And BTW, the above photo was not taken in January.

I'm pretty sure you've seen this one before,
but this is what January looks like. :-((

4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?

I rarely eat croissants but love them. My favorite are strawberry/cream cheese. And I've not eaten one for years. I'd always rather have my chicken salad on a croissant than any of the other choices - and with almonds or pecans and berries mixed in.
But I did eat a blueberry/lavender/lemon scone yesterday morning and it was worth every single moist, delicious, carb-filled morsel.
 Beef stirfry, lots of peppers and onions, salad.
My favorite food.

5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.

Cold, colder, coldest. January can't leave soon enough for me.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 
 An interested audience provides incentive to eat one's lunch.
Visiting grandson and ratty. 
This little guy makes me smile (the grandson, not the rat)

***

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Judy

37 comments:

A Bit of the Blarney said...

My goodness!! What a glorious sunrise!! It is such a joy to visit here!

Sandi said...

Beautiful sunrise!

Smiling at ratfriend. :)

Susie said...

Judy, I love seeing from your front porch. :):) Winter is returning here..waaaa. It's been a crazy winter, but the older I get the less I like it. So we had high temps and extreme low ones. Single digits coming . I love seeing your grand eat with his rat watching. That one barn was looking scary in danger of falling. :( Blessings to you Judy, enjoy those cats. Love seeing them.. xoxo, Susie

MadSnapper said...

your grandson would love my husbands garage, he has a rat, a snake and a giant lizard, just like your ratty. he finds them and brings them home to scare me. for many years all of the suggestions in number 1 fit me, i am happy to say that now NONE of them fit me. YAY! that barn is amazing that it is still standing, hope the horses are safe. it will proably be there when we are dead and gone.... hope your winter leaves soon. for that answer mine is the opposite of yours. I wish we could keep our Florida January for a few months longer. Dec to Feb are my favorite months of all here

Arlene G said...

Yes, I am always happy when January comes to an end because then March is in sight. And longer evenings always make me happy. Today it will be in the 50s here so that is a good thing.

Preppy Empty Nester said...

You and I are on the same channel when it comes to question #1. Ugh. Why can't Jan., Feb., and March go by as quickly as June, July, and August? Stay warm with those cute little kitties, Judy!!

ellen b. said...

Beautiful sunrise and I so relate to the no name brands anything growing up! Also, the one pair of shoes for school, one pair for church and new clothes at the beginning of the school year and that was it. My mother did sew a fresh dress for us girls for Christmas and Easter, too. Hope the rest of your week goes well with lots of smiles!

Trudy said...

As always, I love your photos. Your January is identical to mine. Figures since we are close proximity to one another.
Ratty seems a very good incentive to eat lunch before he gets it. LOL

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

Oh my gosh! That almost looked like a rat! xoxo Su

NanaDiana said...

Great pictures, Judy. Like you I am tired of winter....way tired of winter....lol The picture of your grandson with the 'rat' is so much fun. Don't you love how little boys are all about critters (and in our cases pirates and soldiers and Mario)....lol
I hope you have a great hump day- xo Diana

Chatty Crone said...

Again and I am redundant I love your photos - not too sure about the last one with the rat - but boys will be boys. My end is burning candles at both ends - I have promised too many people things and am under the gun. I love chicken salad and croissants but they are not too good for you. I am looking forward to tomorrow when i get on Medicare. Love, sandie

Cathy said...

As always, I love all your pictures. I need to get out and find some barns to take pictures of, although mine don't turn out as nice as yours, but it's still fun. My favorite picture today is of your grandson and the rat...oh my! Too funny!

Have a great day and stay warm, if you can.

Debbie said...

Well as always we are on opposite sides of our winter weather. How I’d love a little snow or at least some colder weather. We have been In the eighties all week and there appears “no end in sight”. Lol. My air actually kicked on yesterday for a little bit when we reached 88! As always such beautiful, beautiful photos. Enjoy the rest of your week!

Nicole Pyles said...

Growing up my mom didn't have a lot of money but oddly I never really noticed myself as lacking. So I'm so grateful to her for that. She always found a way to provide and make sure we had enough of things. And I'm kind of into your January photos! It's all rain and dreariness here but the occasional cloud breaks here in Oregon reallllly help.

Nonnie said...

Oh, that gorgeous sunrise! Your other pictures of the snow are beautiful and I have to agree that would get tiresome. 12 degrees is cold enough for me and I can't imagine anything below. Your answer to #2 describes our childhood in the 50's and I guess the 60's, too. We really didn't follow trends such as are today. My parents were from the Depression and, of course, the rationing in WWII. I learned a lot about taking care of what you have. Poor horses! Our grandson would get a kick out of the rat, too. What a cute little guy ... your grandson, not the rat.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, Love the beautiful sunrise and your sweet kitties. Your grandson is adorable, love that photo. I think those horses need a new barn. At least the days are slowly getting longer, that is a good thing. Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

Carla from The River said...

Ha, Mr. C is now teaching someone else to play with rats. ;-) LOL

Thank you for sharing the blue barns. :-)
Carla

Debby Ray said...

Winter has the most glorious sunrises and sets. And I do hope the wind doesn't blow that barn down while the animals are in it! I think we actually could be sisters separated at birth...we both loved getting new shoes (you could have been describing the way I was raised), we like croissants but don't eat them, I love nuts and berries in my chicken salad and stir-fry of some sort is one of my favorite meals. Just do some snuggling with Tommy and Smokey and stay warm!

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

loved that first photo ( scenic )

enjoyed the in-betweens ones and commentary

and left cracking up at the last one :)

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

I know you tire of the snow Judy, but those of us who don't get much want snow! We need any kind of moisture we can get. It's very dry here. Your photos show how lovely and clean it makes everything looks! Your grandson is a cutie even with the strange onlooker. ♥

Empty Nester said...

Oh, Lawd! Is that what it's like to have a grandson? Because I might have to trade mine in. LOL You sound like me only my weather issue is summer. So much beauty in your area, even in January. :)

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

That rat looks so very real. I'd have a screaming fit if it showed up on my plate. :o)) Can't believe how cold it is there. Burrrr! Pretty pictures mingled in with your enjoyable answers.

Cindy said...

Wow you have a lot of snow! It looks cold. :) Love that little rat keeping your grandson company while he eats. Unusual, but fun!

Vee said...

I am never disappointed here! Your grandson’s rat companion cracked me up!

Robin said...

Love your pictures of the barns. I love looking at barns. My home town London, Ohio, is a big farming area. My grandparents owned a large farm, so I spent a lot of time there. So much fun playing in the barns with my cousins. I miss seeing farm equipment (tractors, combines, etc) on the roads.

Creations By Cindy said...

Judy I adore all the wonderful pictures. Girl, that beef stir fry looks so good! I could use me a plate of that about lunch time today! Have a good day sweet lady. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Mrs.T said...

"No end in sight" was my choice also. I love the sunrise and the barn photos (especially the red one in snow) and I would have relished every crumb of that scone as well. The rat -- ugh. That would not inspire me to finish my food, but to run screaming from the room ...!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Judy, I always love your barn (and cat) photos, especially when the barns look like they can stand forever. You reminded me, I love my almond-chicken salad on a croissant. Soon, very soon.

Terri D said...

That barn with the horses is surely going to collapse soon! Yikes! I enjoyed reading your HP, all of your photos and laughed out loud at that rat on the plate! Ha!

podso said...

That blue roofed barn not in winter is quite a pleasing sight for the eyes. I don't remember name brands either, and we did go shopping mainly right before school for new shoes and an outfit or two, but most were handed down from my older sister, and from me to my younger sister. I'm wondering if we had church shoes, it seems extravagant as I think on it, but I think we did, and especially fun was when they were patent leather. I did not have a book bag. Did you go on a bus to school? We walked and as we got older, carried quite a stack of books.

Joyce said...

I love the verse in your sidebar (Psalm 8). Our pastor is preaching on the book of Hebrews and referenced Psalm last Sunday so it's been on my mind all week. Your sunrise is gorgeous! I hope February is a bit kinder in the wintry weather department. Have a great weekend!

Cheryl said...

So many reasons to smile! Even in the midst of "no end in sight"! :)

I hope that your daughter's family is restored to good health. (I have prayed for them, but have been too busy to let you know that or to inquire about them.)

Aritha said...

Beautiful photo, the first one! So nice. Also the boy and his rat :-)

Lynne said...

Hodgepodge Time . . .
It’s the little things for me . . . like watching the birds out the kitchen window . . .
Mourning Dove WAY UP in the Hemlock Tree near the feeders . . .
Why a smile . . . they are ground feeders, he was waiting patiently for the “path” to clear below . . .
Papa and Momma Cardinal . . . “teaming up” for food time . . . smiling.
Seven male Cardinals at the feeders yesterday . . . marveling smile.
Snickers bouncing on her feet when it is time to eat . . . tons of smiles.
Watching Mister Irish helping with some shopping yesterday . . . quiet, silent smile.
Looking out the windows this morning at white, many bunches of inches . . . HUGE smile . . .
Enough I question . . . smiling at life, living makes things really sweet . . .

21 Wits said...

Good morning, I always enjoy your photos, you live in a lovely area too, and your cute grandchildren, however the rat oh my not the cutest of meal companions but boys will be boys right!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Enjoyed reading your answers and seeing your photos. Yes that is one strange audience with his lunch.

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

I enjoyed your Sunday post Judy, and the beautiful passage of scripture you chose to accompany such a lovely photo. I also always love your hodgepodge, and get a chuckle out of your life experiences! That Amish barn sure looks pretty sad! I do so love the red barn, gorgeous! Hoping your weather warms up soon :)

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