Hodgepodging The Riverfront

Daughter, picking wildflowers along the riverfront
If she had been selling seashells by the seashore, I could have had a better caption.

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1. Security or freedom? Can you have both? Explain.

When it comes to the USA, 'security or freedom' is like the song that never ends. But I would say that I'd rather live with more freedom than less, even if there's less security in doing so.

2. If you could visit any historical American site what would it be? Why?

The Mississippi River. Because it's huge and awesome. And not far away.

 A barge along the Mississippi River

 Ducks at Wabasha, MN
I took this a few years ago in October.
We were at that very spot yesterday, but no ducks.
We'll have to return in October. 

3. Free as a bird, free reign, be free of, free enterprise, free trip, walk away scot free, free for all...which 'free' phrase can best be applied to your life in recent days or weeks? Explain.

Not really applicable to this question, but I'll go with 'free trip,' because I spent last week with my daughter's family. Great to be with her, to be entertained by the antics of the grandkids, take walks along the Wisconsin River, and viewing the same 20 minutes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone over and over...

 Think it would help to hold my phone the other direction?

River walk companions, always fun!

4. Something in your frig that's red? Gouda cheese (wrapper). Something in your house that's white?  My kitchen sink and my library shelves. Something in your view that's blue? Pencil box.

5. July 27th is National New Jersey Day. Have you ever visited The Garden State? If so where did you go? I went to the edge of the river to pick the wild blackberries that no one else seemed to want. Are there diners where you live?  I think there's one in Rice Lake, but I don't go there. Actually, I rarely go to even a restaurant.  Have you tried Taylor Pork Roll? I have no idea what it is. Do you like to play Monopoly? Yes, if I could find someone who likes to play it. Salt water taffy-yay or nay? Nay. How do you feel about shopping at the mall?  I hate shopping, period. Springsteen, Sinatra, or Bon Jovi-you have to pick one. I'll risk security for freedom here and say 'none of the above,' but if there's a gun to my head, I'll say Bing Crosby. :-) If there's no gun, you'll find me listening to John Rutter.

Raise your hand if you know why these add-on questions are appropriate on National NJ Day. These all originated in New Jersey - or on the Boardwalk??

 Aww. I came across this when looking for the library shelves photo.

This was a year and a half ago. Sleepy kitties!
They definitely didn't originate in New Jersey.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 I'm forcing myself to let go of some of my books.

This is my effort to downsize, at least for this rainy day.

(photo online) 
But now I'm distracted with blog writing, a good stalling tactic.

***

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Hodgepodge for Summer

Wisconsin River

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

In the front yard

Spend a day at one of Wisconsin's 15,000 lakes.

Spend a day at one of Wisconsin's many state parks.

Spend a day at one of Wisconsin's (or Michigan's or Minnesota's) many waterfalls.

Found online somewhere

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

Ride horse, build forts, play football, swim at the creek.

3. Rooftop or backyard? Why?

I've lived with lots of backyard all my life, so I think that rooftop might be a nice change. This video was sent to us by our daughter from her B&B rooftop in Italy when she was there for language study last month. Why? I think it's obvious.

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

Always, always read food labels. If the ingredient list is long, I automatically set it back on the shelf. I look for: autolyzed yeast extract, modified food starch, monosodium glutamate, etc etc etc and avoid a ton of other poisons manufacturers and processors put into their 'food.'

West of Rice Lake

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

Probably 'My Little Pony'

6. Insert your own random thought here.

You know who

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Have a great Wednesday!
(posted from my phone)

Hodgepodging the Rutter-Induced Melancholy

Hey Tommy & Smokey, there actually are TWO cat beds there.


Join Joyce and the gang
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 She writes the questions;

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Thanks again, Joyce, for the Wednesday Hodgepodge!

1. What happens to the mail at your house?  

Anything that isn't a check we pitch. (not quite. The Kohl's ads and anything I really need to keep stay on top of the microwave until I pitch them because they're outdated.). I'm sure no one else keeps mail on top of the microwave. Haha. And I do like to get rid of flyers right away. Hate those things!

 Look at that happy grandkid!
(photo from my DIL. Thank you, Courtney!)

2. Something you always splurge on? Any guilt associated with the splurge?

I don't think I'm a splurger (Mr. C. doesn't know how lucky he is!) At least I can't think of anything, unless it's Kindle books or mp3 lectures or music downloads. And no I don't feel guilty. Life is short.

 I know some of you have sympathy for these creatures,

but red squirrels are so destructive and as soon as I got my feeders full, that rascal was there, chasing away the birds and gorging himself. Grrr.

3. There are many, but what are two important questions you think every bride and groom should ask/answer before they plan their walk down the aisle?

After God and church issues, which in my opinion should come first, then I've copied two other questions from a marriage questionnaire I composed more than a decade ago. It's four pages long, but here are just two questions from it:

  

1. Are there any issues about which you have a very strong opinion and about which you feel there is little or no room for negotiation?  (I should have added, 'Speak now or forever hold your peace.')

 

2. If you owed someone $200, and you told them you would pay them Dec. 1, what would you do with an unexpected $200 given to you November 15?   A) Pay the owed money first or B) Use the $200 for something you want, hoping you'll have the $200 to pay back your friend by Dec. 1.

You probably don't want to hear the other 3 3/4 pages. Now that I've reread the questionnaire, I think Mr. C. and I should fill it out separately, and then discuss the questions. Wouldn't that be fun? After nearly 50 years of marriage, maybe it wouldn't be such a great idea.

 And his back side

4. What's the best advice your father ever gave you?

If you fight with your husband, don't come crying to me. Or maybe that was my mom. They both thought Mr. C. was faultless. They obviously didn't know him well, but they did know me well. :-)

 Why am I showing you all these photos? Because I worked for three

days reclaiming that miserable flowerbed from its slow death by strangulation

and finally have something I enjoy looking at. Must say, though, that nasty little red squirrel knocked over my irises minutes after I took the photos!

5. Your favorite movie where a father features heavily in the storyline?

Downton Abbey. Besides my own father, I like Robert Crawley best. He was my favorite character in that whole series. I liked the unfortunately-and-untimely-named Isis, the dog, next.

 View from the porch

I think the brown field has corn planted in it

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Don't listen to John Rutter on a cloudy day.. I just realized that it really affects me! Anyway, so that it can really affect you too, here's a beautiful (the music) YouTube video of Esurientes, movement 6 of Rutter's Magnificat. Patricia Forbes has the most heavenly voice! Ever. I could listen to her all day (and sometimes I do).

And because I know that you, like I, need to know the English translation, here it is:

From Luke 1:53-55
"He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever" (also found in the Book of Common Prayer, of course.)

Have a wonderful Wednesday! 

***

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Hodgepodging the Greatness of Grandparenting

Join Joyce and the Gang
for

 She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Plug them into your own blog post

and join in!

1.Describe your 30's in one sentence. If you're not yet 30 tell us one thing you hope to accomplish once you hit that particular decade.

We lived in a green (or white, depending upon the time of year) valley in NW Wisconsin, not far from where we now live, homeschooled two sweet kids, had a third baby, and it was a pretty nice decade overall.

 Zinnea

2. Is it harder for you to exercise or eat healthy?

Both are difficult if I've not adjusted my mind to them; both are relatively easy once I've made the decision to do so. And in the case of exercise, it's easy as long as the weather permits me to be outdoors. I hate artificial exercise.

This is one type of exercise I really miss.

I look a bit perturbed that Mr. C. is taking the photo.

3. June 7th is National VCR Day. Huh? Anyway this reminded me of something I saw on Facebook listing household items we no longer have and the VCR was on it. I couldn't put my hands on that list, but found another list here of 21 items we all had ten years ago, but which are now obsolete-

bookshelves (WHAT!!???), drip coffee makers, alarm clocks, file cabinets, desktop computers, printers, printed phone books, answering machines, fax machines, paper shredders, a Rolodex, CD racks, CD burners, china cabinets, home phones, entertainment consoles, DVD players, calculators, takeout menus, incandescent light bulbs, and cable TV

Your thoughts? How many on the list do you still have? Still use?

It's incredible to me also that bookshelves are on that list. I have a Kindle (Mr. C. will complain about the Amazon bill because of it), but we also have a few thousand books on shelves, use a drip coffee maker every single morning, have an alarm clock, file cabinets, desktop computer (Mr. C. - mine is a laptop), printer, printed phone...  OKAY. it would be easier to tell what we don't have: a Rolodex, CD racks, CD burners, entertainment console, takeout menu, incandescent light bulbs, and cable TV. Between Netflix (Dr. Blake, Father Brown) and Acorn (Vera, George Gently), we have more than enough 'TV' through Roku.

4. What's something you see disappearing in the next ten years?

My life. I turn 70 in August, and I have never had a birthday that's been difficult to approach - until this one. I have this sense of impending doom, like I'd better hurry up and make the changes I'm going to make and live life FAST. We're burnin' daylight! And I don't know why I feel this way, for I know lots of people in their 70s and 80s (and several family members who lived well into their 90s!!) who are/were in perfectly good health and enjoying life. (like my dad - see below)

Gave me an excuse to post this photo again,

two of my favorite people.

5. How did you celebrate your birthday this past year? Is that typical?   

The family (kids and grands) was here in early August, which has been typical of the past five or so years, and I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  It's very difficult to make myself sit at the computer for a couple reasons: It's the absolute worst for my back and also because this is Wisconsin's summertime. It's so short, and I'd rather be out in all that GREEN.

Last Saturday I attended the baby shower for our FIRST GREAT GRANDCHILD! Here is a pic of the mama and her sister.  And look at those teeth! I'm sorry, but I always notice when someone has beautiful teeth. LOL

 Sweet granddaughters.

Mama gets the baby bump measured by her younger sister.

 

***


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Buy any 5 or more, Get 1 FREE

Red Clover Tea

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...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at
 
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Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning