Hodgepodging Springing Beauties

 Backyard, daffodils and flowering crab
May, 2016

This year, we were still snow covered in mid April, so it will be a while before we see daffodils and the flowering crab in bloom.  As I write this, it's the first of May, the snow is  [finally!!!] gone, and it's in the lower 70s. Once again, we went from winter to summer in about a day. That is not uncommon in NW Wisconsin.

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 She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Plug them into your own blog post

and join in!

1. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Is there a flower you associate with a particular memory? Explain.

From April of 2012

The type of flower shown above is what I think we called 'springing beauties.'  When we were kids, we'd make May baskets out of construction paper on the first day of May, place a few candies, some springing beauties, and maybe a little note, and sneak to the neighbor's house to hang a May basket on their door before running off. It was intended to be a nice surprise. And I think they were supposed to chase us down to kiss us. (Or am I making that up? They'd probably be arrested these days.)

2. Last time you helped someone? Tell us how.

The last time I helped someone was a few minutes ago when I helped my grandson with a math problem.

3. It's National Salsa Month (the food, not the dance) so tell us, do you like salsa? Hot, medium, or mild? Homemade, store bought, or from your favorite restaurant only?

Mr. C's homemade salsa, the very best

I do like salsa, medium hot, but almost every other salsa, compared to Mr. C's, is a disappointment.

4. When I was twelve years old...

When I was 12 years old, my joys in life were my horse Shammar, playing with the neighbor kids at the creek, building forts, and playing football. Life would be so much easier if we could go from 12 to 25 and just skip those years in between.

 via somewhere on the web,

but looks like my horse Shammar

5. It's the first of May so let's run with it-first things first, don't know the first thing about it, first dibs on something, first impression, first rate, first cousin, first string, first come first served, at first light-which phrase can best be applied to something in your life currently or even recently?

Two grandsons are with us this week and last. So I'd say I'll go with: First things first. Let's get our school work done first, then go outdoors to play - unless it's going to rain. In that case, play first and do school work while it's raining.

 Grandpa's famous French toast and sausages breakfast

before starting school

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

So yesterday morning I was sitting in bed, drinking my early morning coffee, when the 8 year old appeared and slid in beside me. To set this up, I'll have to say that he has always been fascinated with the idea of my first and second hip implants.

G: Does your leg hurt?

Me: No, only if someone puts pressure on it.

G: or something falls on it?

Me: Right.

G: If a penny falls on it?

Me: No.

G: If a nickel falls on it?

Me: No.

G: If a dime falls on it?

Me: No.

G: I have a silver dollar. If a silver dollar falls on it?

Me: Maybe.

Games with friends,

after our Full Moon Walk

 April 29, on our Full Moon Walk
with friends (see above)

***


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Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

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Hodgepodging With A Smile

 Sunrise, January 24
View from our front porch


Join Joyce and the Gang
for

 She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

Plug them into your own blog

and join in!

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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