Hodgepodging Autumn Colors

 

Rib Mountain State Park

Wausau, WI

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1. When is the last time you experienced nostalgia? 

That was probably when I was putting up an instagram post about St. Michael and All Angels, for September 29. The church pictured is in Stanton, UK, and that made me 'homesick' for England. The excerpt is from this week's newsletter of Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau. Zion's morning and evening prayer/devotional are live every day on Facebook. Zionlutheranwausau.

 2. September 29th is National Coffee Day. Do we need this? Ha! So are you a coffee drinker? If so how many cups per day, and tell us how you like it. Is there a recipe you enjoy that calls for coffee as one of the ingredients? 

If we're talking about measuring cups of coffee, I'm not sure. But I fill my coffee mug at least twice each morning, and don't drink coffee any time after 7:30 AM.

About three weeks ago, I switched from regular coffee to decaf, to see if it would eliminate the coffee jitters. Yes indeed, it made all the difference. There really isn't a good decaf, in my opinion, but the benefits of switching outweigh the desire for that delicious, rich, strong cup of black coffee. Stay tuned.

 3. Do you find praise or criticism to be more motivating? Explain. 

To me, this is like asking are we motivated by love or by fear. Criticism makes me feel small and stuck, squashed down in a dark corner. In fact, I'm so drawn to God by love. Fear of an angry and distant God makes no one joyful. But knowing that we are loved with an overwhelming love by our ever-present and generous heavenly Father, who keeps on giving and giving to us is incredibly motivating.

But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.

From Isaiah 43.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. He redeems my life from the grave, and crowns me with mercy and lovingkindness. - From Psalm 103.

It is Well With My Soul.

Chickens of New Ulm

 4.  What's a television series you keep coming back to and re-watching? 

Vera and George Gently would be two. There aren't any new ones I find appealing, except I did stumble across McDonald and Dobbs, a fun detective show. So far there are only 2 episodes, but I hope they make more.

Fred, the goat of New Ulm

 5. As the month of September draws to a close give us three words to describe your mood. 

Content, joyful, hopeful.

 6. Insert your own random thought here.

Morning in New Ulm

This week we are in New Ulm, MN at the home of our son's family, house-cow-goat-chickens-dog-cat sitting while they head up to the Black Hills for a few days. And next Sunday afternoon we will go back home to Wausau, the long 5-hour drive. At least it's a beautiful time of year and we're seeing a lot of fall color on our journeys.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

Jon me in Instagram: @cranberrymorning

(Yes I got my old account up and running again!)

Judy

Composed and posted from my little Android. 

Hodgepodging - Dealing with Change

Narrows Park,

Rice Lake, WI
 

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One of many beautiful woods in Barron County, WI

 

 

1. It's fall y'all. What's something you love about this season and also something you don't? 

 

What I love about fall is the cool crispness in the air, but still a hot sun. And, of course, the color of Wisconsin's woods. There's nothing like it. What I dislike about fall, of course, is that it is far shorter than the beastly miserable winter which follows it. 

Barn near Ridgeland, WI

2. When you think of the colors of fall, which one is your favorite? Is there somewhere you could easily day trip to see the leaves in all their glory? Will you? 

 

My favorite fall color is probably the burgandy of oak leaves, or the deep red of sumac, but they're most appreciated when surrounded by all the other colors, including the evergreens. I don't need to take a day trip to see the fall color. It is already starting up here and will soon surround us. If you've never been to NW or Central Wisconsin to see the fall color, you should try to do it. It is starting now, which seems a bit early to me, but should be at its peak in another few weeks. And up here we take as much of this beauty in as possible to bolster us from that first blast of winter, following not far behind.

 

 Beautiful burning bush? at

St. Stanislaus Orthodox Church

in Lublin, WI

(photo taken a couple days ago, when we took the longcut home from Hayward)

3. What's one thing you've let 'fall' by the wayside during this season of staying home and staying away? 

 

That would be my Etsy shop. I think I'm still adjusting to a smaller space, so the main reason I've not been making and selling soap is the lack of a dedicated area that would work for drying/curing the soaps. And  besides, right now I'm occupied with supervising the grandkids, especially the 6 year old, with virtual schooling. They're not an excuse. They're a delight. So maybe if I can figure out how to find the space for my soaps, I'll get back to it.

 

This is a long day for a six year old.  :-(((

The schoolhouse did look better back in the day. I took this photo about 5 years ago.

Funny how missing teeth looks cute on a second grader, isn't it.

4. If you're wearing a sweater is it most likely a cardigan, crew neck, v-neck, or zip up hoodie? 

 

It would always be a cardigan or a zip up hoodie. I can't stand crew necks or turtle necks or v-neck sweaters. But I've noticed that it's very difficult to find a substantial cardigan these days. Sweaters seem to be made more for fashion than function, so thin and pretty, but nothing designed for warmth. These days I mostly stick with my London zip up hoodie, purchased one October day on the south bank when I was freezing and Mr. C. felt sorry for me (maybe because he had told me I would NOT need to wear a jacket that day because it was plenty warm. So I had left my jacket back at the B&B. I'm actually not sorry, because I love the hoodie. And now, Mr. C. doesn't bother to answer me when I ask, 'Do you think I'll need a jacket?' when going out.) Smart man.

August 2020

the hoodie

Taken probably March of 2015 in Thirsk, UK

I'm still wearing that jacket. It's a perfect travel jacket!

And if I get hit by a car at night, you'll know it was intentional.

 

Taken March of 2010

The lab coat, which I still occasionally wear when taking a walk

on a dark night.

And you-know-who

Best dog ever.

 

I know. These photos are totally unnecessary.

But since I have my photos tagged according to subject and placed in folders according to month, lots of other photos pop up to distract me when I'm hunting for something. 

 

This cracks me up, a note written by our granddaughter to her mom.

But, for the record, she LOVES real school. It's this virtual school that's the issue - not actually interacting with their friends, the school-side server not working properly, headphones, sitting in one place all day, etc. etc.

5. What's your secret to dealing with change? 

 

Such an interesting question. I do think I try to look on the bright side of change when possible (except the change from fall to winter! I have given up on that project entirely, and as you can tell, my resistance to this virtual school for the kids). In selling the farmhouse, however, I see a happy young family now living there and that makes me happy. I'm also loving living with the grandkids, hearing their 'KNOCK KNOCK' when they want to enter our apartment, and going for walks with them, taking them to the playground. Moving from the country to the city is a big change, such as in going from a huge view of fields and woods to a smaller view of backyard and neighborhood. But the rewards of this change are enormous, including a 3-generational living arrangement and attending the only church that I've ever loved. I can't even explain it. But it definitely starts with Worship. Downsizing from tons of books to just hundreds has been okay, because it forced me to sort through and keep my favorites. But the change that is happening on the political/social horizon is a different animal. Still, I always go to this:

"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - From Romans 8.

So even with any changes that may come, for those who put their trust in Christ, the future is bright!

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

 

A few of the grandkids we saw over the weekend, back in the Rice Lake, WI area:

That look alone makes him look totally guilty, doesn't it! LOL

He actually seemed very happy to see us.

I think he gets tired of smiling for a camera.

 

 The calmest baby ever!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

Join me on Instagram

new account: @cranberrymorning2020

(I gave up on Instagram ever reinstating my old account)

Judy

 

Hodgepodging Labor Pains

Harvest labor
 

 

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1. Something you've done in recent days or months that might be described as a labor of love?

 

I only dare post this photo because it doesn't show the face of this little girl I journal with. Actually, I'd love to show you the photos I took of their first day of virtual school (online) with both her (6 years old) and her brother (10 years old) hard at it. Grandpa and I supervise/assist/get lunch and snacks for these two while their mama's at work. It's definitely a labor of love - and doesn't feel like 'labor' at all!

2. Last time you 'worked your fingers to the bone'?

 

Okay, I did not work my fingers to the bone, and the honest answer to that would have been that I happen to be one of those rare birds who love making pie crust - although this one was gluten-free and that's not as satisfying to roll out as a gluten crust is, but still the challenge was fun and it turned out great. I'm hoping I won't make another for quite a while for I seem to have no willpower when it comes to fresh homemade apple pie. And vanilla ice cream. I know.

 

 

Wausau natives

3. According to a recent survey people named the following ten jobs as the hardest-nurse, doctor, paramedic, police officer, firefighter, surgeon, healthcare worker, bomb squad, farmer, and prison warden. Of the jobs listed which would you say is the hardest? The one you'd most like to do? Least like to do? What's one job you would add to the list?

 

Probably farming is the hardest, at least the job that never ends, not like a 9-5. I think a healthcare worker is the most appealing of those listed above. The least would be bomb squad! Bomb squad?  Right now I'd say that being a police officer is the least appealing, and with all the political grief surrounding that right now, I'm surprised and grateful that we have any police willing to stay on the job. God bless them.

 

4. A recipe you make that is labor intensive, but worth it?

 

 

The answer to that would be lasagna. It's not difficult, just so putzy and time consuming! That's why the photo is from July of 2017. And it's gluten free. Pretty delicious, really. Maybe I'll put it on the menu next week - or the week after - or maybe the week after that.

5. Last job you did or task you completed that required teamwork?

 

 

 

 

 

That would be all the work done on the farmhouse and the Wausau house in the past year and a half. The hardest part was finding someone who was reliable, amazing at construction and tireless - oh yes, that would be Mr. C. So for teamwork, I'd say that I did a hefty 2% and he did a meager 98%. I may have been generous with the estimation of my part, however.

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

 Mr. C.'s Instagram post:

 

Someone ordered a new step-stool. "Some assembly required."  😲

This cute retro Cosco stepstool!

Same red as my KitchenAid mixer.

The old neighborhood

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

 

Join me on Instagram. @cranberrymorning2020  (I've added this new account until Instagram lets me out of Instagram prison and makes my other account - @cranberrymorning -  operational again.) Two people suggested that adding 2020 to my Instagram name might not have been the smartest, considering.

Judy

 

 

 

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Hodgepodging September

Ditch flowers along Fifth Avenue

Join Joyce and the Gang

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Thank you, Joyce!

 

1. The Hodgepodge lands on the second day of a brand new month. Tell us one thing you're looking forward to in September.

 

I'm looking forward to the closing on our farmhouse. After all, we're all moved into the Wausau house and our farmhouse buyers are all moved into the Dallas farmhouse. By Friday, just a couple days from now, it should be all set. It might give us more of a feeling of being settled here in our new location. Living in the city is nice, but I will miss looking out the window at acres of cropland.

 

But I'm sure I'll get used to it.

And if not, I can always drive a few miles to visit

the cows near Wausau - like these. Aren't they pretty!

2. Do you enjoy browsing second-hand shops? Last thing you bought or 'inherited' second hand?

 

I do like browsing second-hand shops, especially Goodwill or St. Vincent's. It's always fun, and won't break the bank when you find something. However, with the project of downsizing I was on for the past two years, I try not to add anything. So, I'd say that the backyard of the Wausau house, shown above, is what we've 'inherited' recently. It is a beautiful place, and makes the transition to the city much more tolerable.

One of the grandsons at his birthday party.

He had fractured a bone in his foot.

He really was happy about the party,

but I can tell that the whole crutches thing was not fun.

3. Something you had second thoughts about after committing to, purchasing, or posting/commenting  online?

 

Well, right now I'm not commenting or 'liking' anything on Instagram because I've been blocked. I've tried all the usual steps to be reinstated, to no avail. But I rarely regret comments or posts. I tend to think better with a keyboard (or even my phone) under my fingers, because it sort of acts like a filter (well, in my brain anyway). I do sometimes regret speaking, however, and am pretty hard on myself afterwards. It takes several times of telling myself to get over myself (pride?!!) and move on.

This has nothing to do with anything, but these stuffed peppers were delicious.

 

 

 

4. What's a product or service you use that you'd rate as second to none

 

I guess I can't think of any product that I find second to none unless it's Stax potato chips, but the electrical grid would be greatly missed.

 

Look! I managed to downsize books once again, enough so that I could get rid of the tall bookshelf and move the piano against the wall, rather than having it stick out into the archway.

 

 

5. Something you do so often or that comes so naturally to you it's second nature ?

 

That's easy - falling asleep during a movie. :-))  I even fell asleep during Endeavour, probably my favorite, and had to rewind it later. I'm an early riser, and probably shouldn't try to watch anything after 9:30 in the evening. Especially if I eat ice cream. Zzzzzzz.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 

Chesterton, one of my favorites!

 

 

I am sad to report that the deer have found several of my 

beautiful red dragonwing begonias, but somehow missed this one. 

Next year I will have to make cages for them

(the begonias, not the deer).

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

Join me on Instagram (if Instagram ever lets me out of Instagram prison, that is).

 

@cranberrymorning

Judy