Hodgepodging July in Wisconsin

I don't know how I could have lived in this area for so many years and not known that the red barn above even exists - and right in a residential section of Rice Lake. I'm sure that it was part of a farm that has long since been replaced by homes, sidewalks, curb and gutter. I hope the cute little weathered barn stands for many years to come. I'll check in on it from time to time. I'd sure hate to see it disappear. For any who know Rice Lake, it's just a little NE of the armory.

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1. We've reached edition number 315 here in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So tell us, what were you doing at 3:15 yesterday? Is that typical? On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high) what's your energy level usually like at 3:15 PM?

First of all, Joyce, it is amazing that you have come up with 315 weeks worth of Hodgepodge questions. That is quite a feat. And I know we all appreciate your dedication! Thank you!

I have no idea. That was about three weeks ago - it seems. It's been a busy week already. I was probably eating some almonds and a bite of very dark chocolate. On a scale of 1-10, my energy level at 3:15 PM is about 6, with it dropping to -5 after eating dinner, often with an ensuing nap. I pretty much sleep in installments, rather than one long stretch. That's why it's nice to have my Kindle close at hand at 4 AM.

2. A frisbee, a tantrum, a towel, a party, a punch, or a curveball...which have you most recently thrown or had thrown at/for you? Elaborate.

No tantrum, no throwing in the towel, no parties until August 5, etc. etc. I can't think of anything I've thrown anywhere, except for throwing clothes into the wash.

3. What are three things that would help you right now. Tell us how or why.

1. Self-cleaning floors

2. Self-cleaning bathrooms

3. Self-linens-changing beds

Family coming.

4. Do you think you're strong? Why or why not? What makes you strong?

I'm probably strong in most ways except physically, but that's improving. There is an exception, however, when Mr. C. walks into the room unexpectedly (SNEAKING IN) and I'm reduced to a 'mass of screaming, quivering jelly,' I think he calls it. I know he loves doing that, but of course he says it's completely unintentional that he scares me half to death! If that's true, then why does he ALWAYS have a grin on his face afterwards?? 

But I'd say that any strength emotionally that I might have is because I believe in a sovereign, loving God.

5. Do you enjoy reading historical fiction? What's your favorite book set sometime in the past?

Fiction isn't my favorite thing. I've forced myself to read some of it and enjoyed Jane Austen and others, but it's not my first choice. However, if I read fiction, it would be historical fiction. My recent favorite that I can think of right now is Pillars of the Earth about the building of a cathedral (like Canterbury Cathedral.) It was a lot of fiction but also in an historical context and was entertaining, plus I haven't met a cathedral I didn't love. I just started reading the sequel, World Without End - in between non-fiction stuff.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

 times two

I've just committed to renting two pontoon boats for the afternoon of the birthday party weekend. Should be fun. In August we have our family reunion, a bridal shower for our granddaughter, a wedding, and the next three or four weekends after that are also busy. This is Wisconsin in the summertime. We cram everything into the summer (six birthdays in July and August!) so we can spend all long, cold winter doing nothing at all except complaining about the icy roads and ash from burning wood and having to go anywhere after dinner. It's DARK.

Backyard, Christmas Day, 2013
And of course it just accumulates until sometime in March or April
I really dread this. 

Linking to Maggie's Mosaic Monday
and Eileen's Saturday's Critters
 

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Enjoy the rest of your week!

'Get him off me! I was here first!!!'

(Tommy & Smokey)

Barns, Grandkids, and Books

Over the weekend, we got to visit some of the grandkids (and their parents, of course). They're always so sweet and entertaining. A few minutes after giving the three-year-old a box of 'Frozen' Band-Aids, they were mostly plastered up and down her right leg. They don't last long, but I think she has fun ripping them open and applying them. And that's what counts.

All of the barn photos you see were taken on the way home, north of Highway 29, not far from Wausau, WI. There seem to be several barns that have an addition cantilevered out over a storage space or shelter for animals, as we've seen in Pennsylvania. Apparently that didn't catch on in Barron County, where we live.

It was a gorgeous day, and yes, the skies were THAT blue.

Oh yes, here's a collage of little Frozen Girl and her older brother, who is really into 'K'Nex,' a building toy we also had for our boys when they were kids. In the collage below, Mr. C. is holding Frozen Girl while she pops the bubbles that are blown her way.

He builds quite elaborate contraptions

These are the books that are currently lying around the house with hopes of getting read soon. I'm well into N.T. Wright's Paul For Everyone (Romans Part One), and I'm half done with Mrs. Milburn's Diaries, the fascinating diaries of a British woman who lived near Coventry and kept these diaries of the 'the war to end all wars' and of life in general in the village. 

The other night I was watching a PBS documentary on WWI, and the Lafayette Escadrilles were mentioned, so when it was over, I looked it up on Amazon (It's what's used right after Google, you know) and of the various books on the American fliers who flew for France, this one (First to Fly) by Charles Bracelen Flood looked the most interesting. I downloaded a free sample from Amazon for my Kindle, and now that I've read that and found it necessary to read the book, I'll either get it used on Amazon or get the Kindle copy.

Then there's A Fine Romance, by Susan Branch. Okay, I'm probably the only woman in blogland who had only recently heard of Susan Branch and had never ever read a book she'd written. Last week someone on Instagram had a photo of one of the pages of the book and it reminded me so much of my travel journals I create, that I was immediately smitten and of course bought the one about 'Falling in love with the English Countryside.' Of COURSE. Fortunately, the postman brought it just as we were leaving for Wausau, so I was able to take it along to read on the way. While reading it silently, I laughed so much that Mr. C. became more interested in my book than he was in continuing to listen to some political news, that he turned off the radio and Susan Branch entertained us as she recounted her travels in England (a subject near and dear to our own hearts!)

I found both the Georgette Heyer book and the Ken Follett book at St. Vincent's in Wausau (the treasure store!) when we went there with our daughter and the grandkids. I'd read Follet's book, Pillars of the Earth and liked it (a lot, probably mostly because it was about Canterbury Cathedral and Thomas Becket, etc. etc.). Besides, having read Erik Larson's book, In the Garden of Beasts, this WWII novel The Eye of the Needle definitely calls to me. 

I'm not a huge fan of Georgette Heyer, but I'm going to try her again. For a buck, I really can't go wrong. I'll lay it somewhere around the house so that I run into it from time to time and read a bit now and then.

I find that I love reading that way. Maybe I have readers' ADD or something, but I read Paul For Everyone early in the morning; Mrs. Milburn's Diaries is read while I'm eating my sandwich at noon; all Kindle offerings are read at bedtime or in the middle of the night when the kittens won't leave me alone anyway. (Mr. C. reminds me that our bedroom *does* have a door, but that seems so mean. Besides, I've got a lot to get read.)

So back to Susan Branch, I know there are fans out there, so what's your favorite Susan Branch book. And really? Are all of her books actually  handwritten and illustrated??? It's like reading a picture book for adults. Great fun!

Linking to Mosaic Monday   
and Tom's Barn Collective

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Springtime and Easter Sunday

 The Vultures Across the Road
(I mean real vultures)

There are huge turkey vultures that soar above our place from time to time. They often perch for a while on Neighbor Bill's barn (above) to scope out the landscape below. They're really great ugly birds, but fun to watch. And I'd just as soon stay on the good side of them. I've seen what happens to miscalculating deer.

On this evening's walk, we saw turkey vultures, an eagle's nest high in a pine tree, and heard the repeated dive warning of a nighthawk. I love the countryside.

 From upper left, clockwise:

Our daughter and kids finding the first spring flowers in our woods
Oliver, reading to his puppy (photo by his mom or dad)

Henry, blowing bubbles to entertain the kitties
Tommy, checking out the birds in the front yard

 ***

On Resurrection Sunday we went to church in the morning and then came home where kids grandkids, and some 'borrowed grandkids' joined us for dinner. I think the little ones will sleep well tonight. Lots of fresh air and running around the yard, hunting for Easter eggs should have worn them out.

 The weather was gorgeous for Easter Sunday
The kids taking their Gustafson's Boutique Easter Baskets
out on the hunt.

Son and grandson on the hunt
See how it's really starting to green up in Wisconsin!

Hummingbird Cake for dessert
My first ever, made from Jean's recipe,
although I made it in a 13 x 9 pan, rather than layers.
It was delicious!
(At least three people asked me how many hummingbirds it took.)


***

Linking to Mosaic Monday

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I hope you had a wonderful Easter celebration.,

Hodgepodging Beauty and Hope

What would you use as a point of reference
to straighten this photo??


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 She writes the questions;

we write the answers.

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1. 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder'  What's something you've seen recently that you thought was beautiful?

This little cowgirl,

whose third birthday is today!

2. Our culture and beauty...your thoughts?

I think that a feeling of hopelessness is evident in movies, games, etc. So much is full of ugliness and violence. And as long as people keep paying to see violence and ugliness, we'll get more of it. We need to teach the younger generation about respect, love, and hope.

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope."  There IS joy, love, acceptance, forgiveness, and HOPE, despite what is being portrayed on the big screen. But it's not found deep within our selves. If we're honest, when we dig deep enough, we find fear, emptiness and selfishness. Rather, hope is found in Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God, who gave himself for us.


"But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus^, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—  not the result of works, so that no one may boast."- Ephesians 2:4-9

 A beautiful Wisconsin sunset

3. Age before beauty, beauty queen, beauty mark, beauty sleep...which beauty-ful phrase resonates with you today? Why?

It must be 'beauty sleep.' And every time I look in the mirror, I determine that I am definitely not getting enough of it. 

 I found this collage under 'beauty' in my photo archives.

'For The Beauty of The Earth'

4. I read here a list of the top ten
beasts animals that scare us the most-

alligators, coyotes, black bears, birds (but pigeons in particular), sharks, bats, bed bugs, rats, rattlesnakes, and the black widow spider. 

Which 'beast' on the list scares you the most? What is the liklihood of you having an actual encounter with that particular beast? Did a movie contribute to your fear of this creature? Have you ever had a real life encounter with any of the animals listed?

 In reality, this was a teeny snake in our backyard.

Yes! I've hunted and eaten an alligator, hear coyotes every summer night from our porch, got a photo of a black bear resting in the maple tree in our front yard, and ate a boa burger (not a rattlesnake). On another farm, we had bats in the attic that occasionally got into the house. I HATE bats in the house, although I don't have a problem with them if they're simply flying around outdoors at night, minding their own business, catching bugs. I hate rats more than anything and hope I never have an encounter with one. I'd say that rats probably scare me the most - even the thought of them!  If a rat scene is in a movie, I turn away until the music changes and I know it's over.

And with that in mind, isn't it lovely that Mr. is always hiding fake rats for me to find!! I threaten to throw them away, but he seems quite fond of them.

This one isn't hidden, but Mr. C. put it there to entertain

the postman when he drops off the mail.

Black bear resting in our maple tree

5. Where were you when you last heard a bell ring? Was it alarming or musical?

On a very calm evening, from our house, we can hear the church bells from the nearby village. 

6. What's your favorite carb? How's that for random?

Chicken pasta casserole, pictured above, is my all-time favorite carb. It is the ultimate comfort food. If I want to put on pounds, I know just the thing to eat, and this is it. I'll have to admit, though, that quantity has something to do with it. Gluten-free pasta, chicken, yogurt, sauteed onion and peppers, garlic, cheddar cheese, olives, potato chips crushed on top before baking. I happen to have some in the freezer, but am trying to stick to meat and salad for a while. I make no guarantees about Friday night, however. It seems to be the one day of the week when I get that overwhelming carb craving. And really. What's the worst that can happen? No, I don't want to think about it.

7. Let's wrap up another month of Hodgepodging and life with an acrostic. Recap your month using the word MARCH.

Miserable weather. It's almost

Always windy and cold. At least we got a

Reprieve the past few days, enough so that I

Could get a good walk in, from

Home to the stop sign and back, a nice 2 1/2 mile walk.

Not this stop sign.

I'm hoping to get down to the Westby area in another couple weeks.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

 These little characters

are now 6 months old.
Tommy & Smokey

***


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Hodgepodging Along The Mississippi

Penguins on a Minnesota farm
Probably wondering where all the snow went


Join Joyce and the Gang
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we write the answers.
Plug them into your own blog post
and join in!

1. Have you ever been fishing? Did you catch a fish? If so did you keep it or throw it back? If you haven't been fishing is that something you'd like to try?

 The same penguins are next to the little milkhouse above.

I went fishing once, a very long time ago, but have never caught a fish. I hate the idea of putting a hook through a poor fish's mouth just so I could throw it back into the water. Maybe if I were going to actually eat it, that would be different. But it seems cruel just to catch and release. That doesn't seem like fun to me.

Fish out of water, big fish in a small pond, living in a fishbowl, packed in like sardines, this is a fine kettle of fish, plenty of fish in the sea, fish or cut bait...which fishy phrase most recently applies to some area of your life?

The only one that remotely fits is 'fish out of water,' and only when in large groups of people.

 Do you think this is some sort of chicken coop?

2. What's something you're always fishing for in your purse, wallet, desk, or kitchen junk drawer?

I seem to always be fishing around for a pen that actually works.

3. Your favorite fish tale or movie?

Two fish movies that come to mind are Pinocchio and Finding Nemo, but my favorite is the George Gently episode where he takes the little boy fishing in the River Wear below Durham Cathedral.

 I think this was a photo of our TV screen some months ago.

4. Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight or night? Explain why you chose your answer.

I am definitely sunrise. I love everything about early morning. Sunrise is so positive, so full of hope, anticipation, promise. When I hear the birds singing in the summertime at 4:30 AM , it is a delightful sound. Then comes good coffee, very likely a glorious sunrise, so MUCH to thank God for, a great attitude, lots of energy to start my day, and then... ... ... late afternoon I'm winding down. I'm definitely not night. And I'm definitely not rainy day.

 Sunrise February 19
View from our front porch

5. What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear?

I have a coat that I've had for years and years and can't bear to pass along to someone else or pitch. Also, probably blue jeans. If they get too tight, I put them on a shelf in the closet for the days in the future when they will fit again. LOL And I know very well that I'm not alone in this. Don't even try to tell me otherwise. :-)

And a windmill!

6. We've got one more month of (officially) winter here in the Northern hemisphere. Are you feeling the need for a getaway? What's been the best and worst part of your winter so far?

I was definitely feeling the need for a getaway in COLD, DARK, DEPRESSING January. But this month we've been given the gift of a warm streak. Tuesday was 62 degrees and sunny, and nearly all of our snow is gone. Unfortunately, the forecast is for a free refill on the weekend, but that reprieve from the cold and snow was just what we all needed. It was a major Wisconsin cheer-up. So, to sum it up, the worst part of winter was all of January. The best part of winter has been the past week that took all of our snow.

See? No snow!

7.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge lands on National Margarita Day...will you be celebrating? Frozen or on the rocks? Are you a Jimmy Buffet fan? If so, what's your favorite JB tune?

I've never had a margarita, and alcohol always gives me a headache, so it's really not very appealing. Okay, I would try a frozen margarita if I could be guaranteed that I wouldn't get a headache. Even a small amount of alcohol has the same effect as CherryBerry frozen yogurt, which something I avoid. Now for some reason, I was caught at a weak moment and talked into CherryBerry yesterday afternoon on the way back from Rochester. I was told that we were celebrating a good doctor's report. Aside: Why do I have NO willpower??  Because it was a sneak attack and I wasn't prepared! Anyway, I don't know what on earth I was thinking, but I'll have to say, ... ... ... ... ... ...it was mighty great going down: Chocoholic, Strawberry, and SeaSalt & Caramel, topped with chopped pecans. It was all over in about ten minutes. And there the delight ended. As for JB, I know Jimmy Buffett even less than I know Warren Buffett. 

 Look at those cute little grain bins with the rusty tops

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

We drove to Rochester, MN on Monday night, stayed over, went to Mayo Clinic on Tuesday, and then took a leisurely trip back home. Most of the photos in the post today came from the Minnesota side of the Mississippi River. We stopped in Lake City, MN for a bit and then to Wabasha, where we crossed the big river to the Wisconsin side at Nelson. More photos coming later. With such gorgeous weather, I marveled again at what beauty surrounds us in Minnesota and Wisconsin, especially along The River. It is such a reminder of God's beauty, power, generosity, and love in Creation, and that he delights in sharing all of this with us, his image bearers. Let us praise Him!!

'The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.' - From Psalm 145

Lake Pepin, basically a big bulge in the Mississippi River
At Lake City, MN

***

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