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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Following Highway 29 to Green Bay

 Farm somewhere along Highway 29
between Chippewa Falls and Green Bay, WI
(and a very uncomfortable looking cow)

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Thank you, Joyce.

1. What would you say is the best and worst thing about moving house?

The best would be moving to England for 6 months. You did say that, right? The worst would be trying to sort out 27 years' worth of accumulated 'treasures.'

 Teddy Bear Puppies??

I miss my huge German Shepherd.

2. What's moved you recently?

The movie 'Sully.' It's nice to be reminded that there really are some decent people out there who aren't simply striving for power and fame.

Ye Olde Farmhouse

Within probably a 20 mile radius of Shawano, WI

(not pronounced 'shaWANo' as one might think,

but SEAN-o (SHAWN-o)

I guess the second 'a' is silent.

3. Do you feel your life is moving forward, backward, or is on hold? How so?

I'm hoping that it's moving forward, certainly not backward or I wouldn't be seeing as many wrinkles when I look in the mirror. It still feels a bit on hold, but overall, I'd say progress.

 Awwww, the fam

on Shell Beach

4. On the move,move mountains, get a move on, it's your move, or bust a move...which phrase best applies to some aspect of your life right now? Explain

I've never heard the term 'bust a move.' Maybe 'it's your move,' in that I've been given the go-ahead for some exercises that should strengthen my leg.

 Shell Beach, the beach made of itty bitty shells of

zebra mussels

5. What song makes you want to get up and move?

As I'm writing this after 11:23 PM, there isn't much that makes me want to get up and move. My next move will be to take a quilt out of the washer, hang it out, and go to bed.

 It was a bit nippy, but a beautiful day nonetheless.

6. Your favorite snack to grab when you're 'on the move'?

Olives, cheese, almonds, dark chocolate.

 Remember those zebra mussels' shells?

This is what the beach is made of. Tiny, razor-sharp shells.

7. What one accessory makes your house feel like home?

d) the 1913 Home Comfort range 

b) books

c) wood-burning stove in the living room

a) cat(s) or dog(s)

e) all of the above

 I liked the juxtaposition of the colorful, beautiful, and natural woods

behind the colorful, not so beautiful,
but useful equipment.

If you squint, it looks better.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

We enjoyed the past weekend with our daughter and son-in-law who live in Green Bay. Can you believe we were THIS close to Lambeau Field and got detoured to Seroogy's chocolate shop instead. (Please forgive me, Packers fans.) I enjoyed seeing Green Bay for the first time, staying with our 'kids' in their new home, visiting the sandy beach at Two Rivers, Shell Beach at Green Bay, going to watch 'Sully' at the movie theater, stopping in at Seroogys for chocolates, and just spending time with family before Beautiful Autumn turns to Wretched Winter. 

 Audrey, looking rather smug.

Very pleased to see us return, and even posed for a selfie.

No, I haven't forgotten Tuppence.

I'll take her picture as soon as she retracts her claws quits hissing.

 Linking to
Theresa's Good Fences 
Eileen's Saturdays Critters
Tom's Barn Collective

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Farm Scenes, Late November, Old Dogs New Tricks

Top:  Jazzie, frosty field

Middle: Harvesting corn, barn at sunset

Front porch at night, porch rail and fence in morning light

(and SNOW...it's only a matter of time...)

I'm telling a tale of Jazzie, because I was very impressed with her yesterday. Here's the story:  She was lying on the window seat, her favorite place to keep an eye on wildlife, including deer, bunnies, UPS, FED EX, USPS, the dumpster man, employees, and Mr. C. coming home. She started barking, just a couple sharp barks, but as I was trying to see what she was barking at, a big deer caught my eye. He was running south, across Neighbor Bill's Triangle and disappeared behind the spruce trees.

 Just off the right edge of the photo is the stand of spruce trees

(photo taken mid October)

 And to the right of the barn is where she was expecting 

to see the deer next

I was amazed when Jazzie suddenly jerked her head to the right, watching for the deer to come out from behind the barn, which it would do, if it continued its track. I knew she was smart, but didn't realize that she had that kind of logic capability. This morning, she showed me again:  She was out in the back yard, near the barn. I was standing out on the front porch, walked to the end to get the photo of the frosty fields (above in collage), and said, 'Hi Jazzie.' Well, she couldn't get to me directly, but she knew enough to go to the back door and pound on it (yes, she does) so that Mr. C. would let her in. She made a beeline to the front door, because she knew that's how I get onto the porch - from the front door. Smart little dog! ('Little' is relative, I realize.)

Anyway, you're all probably thinking, 'yeah, so my dog does that too.' I just didn't know she could THINK like that. Mr. C. then asked me if I thought that she ever thinks about her former life. I told him that I was pretty sure she didn't think about the previous five minutes. But oh well. She really did impress me. That's one smart little grandpuppy!  If she lived in northern England, she would probably have the fun and interesting job of herding sheep. Here, she only has bunnies to occasionally chase, catch, and devour. Poor dog. I'd love to have a flock of sheep (like maybe 8), but you-know-who isn't budging.

Just look at that photo of her in the collage. Don't you think she needs a flock of sheep??

So now I'm going to give you equal time to tell me what smart thing your dog did, because I know they're all remarkable animals. Feel free to brag.  I mean it. You'll notice that I did.  :-)

Wouldn't Jazzie have fun!

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This post is linked to

Mosaic Monday
and
Amaze Me Monday
and
GOOD FENCES
and
Saturday's Critters

Have a great Monday, everyone!

 

Woods on an October Afternoon

Mr. Cranberry and I took a walk in our woods on Saturday afternoon so that he could spray paint a large, orange X on the trees he wants to get out of the woods this fall. Among the many maples, I noticed some ironwood, oak, and a few elm.

When I first stepped into the woods from the alfalfa field, I remarked at how beautiful it was, the afternoon light filtered by the leaves. But in the picture I got with my cellphone, the golden beauty disappeared and everything was covered with a blue haze (below).



Mr. Cranberry handed me his blue-blocker sunglasses and said, 'Here. Look through these.'  I did. The blue haze vanished. Since I only had my cellphone with me and not my regular camera, I took the photos by holding his sunglasses in front of my cellphone lens.

A little birch and maple vignette.

And I just noticed a couple oak leaves lying there also.

I think the birch looks like something from Dr. Who.
Can you see Matt Smith in there?

(Didn't get the glasses over the lens this time)

We'll be lucky to get this one down before it falls down!

This one must go. It's in the path we'll use to get the truck or tractor into the woods.

Woodhenge. Remains of former family powwows.

And you can see on the right side of the picture that the sunglasses didn't completely cover the lens.

 What you need for this experiment

And now you're going to tell me that my cellphone has a blue-blocker setting on it??  Probably.

 The Neighbor's Barn

For THE BARN COLLECTIVE

Have you been out to the woods yet this fall? Better hurry.

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties:  Amaze Me Monday and Inspiration Monday and Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective and    Treasure Box Tuesday and Vintage Bliss Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Rubbish Tuesday and Our World Tuesday and Tuesdays at our Home and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Vintage Inspiration Wednesday and Ivy and Elephants Wednesday and Adorned From Above  and Artsy Corner Thursday and  All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Saturday's Critters

Kids and Fences

Cute kids, former residents of our neighborhood

Aren't those the cutest kids! I wouldn't mind having a few goats if they would be sweet and stay as cute as these.

I think this type of fence is called 'hog panel.'  I'm planning on using hog panels to give my pole beans something to climb on.  I sure like picking pole beans better than bush beans! I'm looking forward to canning green beans, so it would be great if we'd  keep getting this perfect garden-growing weather.

Feeder and Fence - with a kind thought of the bluebirds

I was sad to awaken to the news that the storm had taken the top and part of the side of our very tall spruce tree in the front yard. The tree had been hit by lightning quite a few years ago, which had split the tree. Only the top part died, but the split was still there, making it weak. Both went over in the storm. An occasional eagle would perch at the dead top and scope out things in the field below. More recently, a catbird has enjoyed the perch from which he can serenade us.

And yet, it was just part of a tree. I know that many people have suffered huge losses in the tornadoes that have been hitting the midwest.

Irises in late afternoon

I was glad to get that photo before the wind and rain rearranged most of my irises at a 30 degree angle.

Another farm down the road

I thought it was about time that I posted a photo which showed an operating farm without rust.

In our neighborhood

***

Have you ever raised goats or sheep? What are your thoughts on that. Easy? Difficult? One of your biggest regrets? (either way)

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