Trying the Hodgepodge

I decided to try writing the Hodgepodge.  I've not really done it much before.  But you gotta try something new sometimes :)    Thanks to Joyce for hosting...

 

1. What's something on your August calendar you're looking forward to? Or dreading if that's easier to answer. 

       

I'm leaving on a jet plane tomorrow!

2. August 5th is National Oyster Day...do you partake? How do you feel about pearls? 

I do like pearls.  My husband bought me a pair of pearl earrings in Sri Lanka when he visited there.

Oysters?  Big NO!  Due to allergies...

3. Tell us about a time when you felt like 'the world was your oyster'. 

During my college years, I traveled to represent the college where I attended.  I sang in a trio and also in the small ensemble (The Reflections).  I thought it was the best way to do two things I love-- singing and traveling.

4. Trip Advisor lists seven islands in the US that require no passport (for US citizens). If you're answering today from outside the US you'll still need to produce yours. An-y-way, have you been to any of the seven? Let's pretend you get an all expense paid trip to one this month...which one do you choose and why? 

Catalina Island California~Martha's Vineyard Massachusetts~Mackinac Island Michigan~Key West Florida~South Padre Island Texas~or Kauai Hawaii

I would choose Kauai Hawaii because I have been to Hawaii six times and never been out of the Honolulu airport!  That's what happens when you fly to and from East Asia via Los Angeles...

My second choice would have been Catalina Island California.  I've been there.  But my focus would have been the before and after times when I could also visit family and friends in Southern California.

5. Sylvia Plath is credited with the following- 

"August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time."

Agree or disagree? In other words, how do you feel about this month? 

Truly, I'm not a fan of August where I live.  I'm just tired of the July heat and humidity that has cooked and boiled me all summer.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

As I sit here typing, I am being entertained by the hummingbirds that are flying in near my window to drink their nectar.  The hummingbirds are one of the joys of  summer.

Candy Canes in August?

 It may seem strange to be knitting red and white striped blankets in hot August.  Why candy cane Christmas colors??

Well, there's a reason.  Actually, there are two reasons.  First, my daughter had bought a bunch of red and white yarn to make a blanket for a friend's daughter who plays softball.  Her team colors are red, white and black.  But the shades of white (ivory?) and red (garnet) weren't quite right for it.  So she passed on the unwanted skeins to me.

My first thought was Christmas!  So, I decided to make some crib blankets for the local pregnancy center.  They give away booties and blankets to expectant moms.  Maybe someone is expecting a December baby and they will want a Christmas themed blanket.

So, onto the needles it went.  I'm almost finished now.  Five rows of red and four of white.  Merry Christmas!

The Very Last Day of July Faves

I'm a bit late posting my Friday Fave Fives because I've been busy celebrating my daughter's birthday (see Fave #5).  But I'm here now to share five blessings from this past week.  I've been doing this for several years and it is important to me to stop and reflect on how blessed I am.

So here are my Faves from this last week and very last day of July 2026.

1.  What's more fun than a fairy trail in the local county park?  PAL and her parents joined us for a ramble at the park and we decided to visit the fairy trail.

Which one is your favorite?

3.  Tall Boy is getting everything in order to begin his freshmen year of university.  It's the local campus of the state university, and it's walking distance from our homes.  One evening, The Professor and I walked over to the uni and strolled around the campus to get a better feel for it.  We have walked past the campus weekly for six years and haven't really wandered around it.   So we did.  One of the interesting bits about the campus is all the statues placed everywhere.

Yes, those are statues, not human fishermen.

4.  Younger Grandson passed his driver's test this week!  So proud of him and his diligence and careful driving.  He's been dreaming of this day for years!

5.  It's Nurse Daughter's birthday today!  Happy Birthday to our youngest!!  We celebrated doing what she loves best.  Walking her dogs and having coffee.  No photos from today.  But here are a couple of her as a two year old, playing outside in our remote Indonesian village.

Some things never change...

And a bonus photo.  Cuz you can't have too many barn pictures.

Fourth Friday Fave Fives

 The month of July is beginning to fade.  This is the fourth Friday.  Soon it will be August.  How do the days move so quickly?  Unless I purposely hit the pause button, life just keeps rolling along.  That is why I am thankful for Susanne's faithfulness in hosting Friday Fave Fives.  Even if I don't post something here at Willow's Cottage during the week, I am still reminded to take the time to write my Five Faves.  Thank you, Susanne!

Here are my Fave Fives from this fourth week of July.

1.  As I am sitting in the chair in my family room writing this, I am watching the birds in my garden.  My favorite is the hummingbird.  Finally, all the bright colored flowers and the two red feeders have attracted two hummers here.  One of the bird feeders is about two feet from the window.  So I can sit here and watch it more closely.  Any photos?  Nope.  My window has a screen on it and it is impossible to take a clear photo.  So I just sit and smile when the hummingbird stops by to sip its nectar.  I am thankful for a back garden large enough to host all the birds.

2.  Another sweet thing about my garden.  I never know what is going to pop up where I didn't plant it.  Usually it's weeds.  But this week as I was wandering around checking to see how soon the next round of raspberries would be ripe, I discovered this:

A sunflower peeking through all the raspberry leaves~

4.  I always love my knit times.  Saturday was our monthly group meeting at the local coffee shop.  And one morning, I met my Nurse daughter for coffee and knitting just to hang out and chat.  

3.  This week T and S met us for our coffee date at a new place.  This coffee shop is fairly new in its town, but had been recommended by several people even though it is located in the county south of us.  It's in a hundred year old house and all the floors and woodwork are original.  And the coffee got a double thumbs up from The Professor.

5.  I am thankful that during the horrible wind and thunderstorm earlier this week that our family remained safe.  At my son's home, there was a several hour power outage, but electricity was back on by 9pm.  You may have seen on the news that the roof of a local church  (about 4.5 miles from us) was blown off and many trees and branches blew down.  That's how strong the storm was.  I am thankful that no one was killed and that my family is safe.  After that storm, our weather has moderated and we have been able to do some weeding in the garden and to take walks two evenings. 

How was your week?  Can you find five blessings?  

More and More Barns

 Last week when we were driving to North Ohio, we passed through miles and miles of rural country.  That meant barns!  My camera was charged and ready to click.

Twelve picturesque barns from north central Ohio.

all in a blur...

side and front views

Mid July Faves

Hello, friends!  How has your week been?  I've had another busy week, but overall, it has been a wonderful one.  Here are some of blessings that I have noticed from this week.  I'm sharing as my Friday Fave Fives and posting them with others who share on Susanne's blog. (follow the link)

1. Friday and Saturday we spent with our friends from California.  We took a walk along the river and they marveled at all the green foliage everywhere (not much like Southern California in the summer)

Then we visited a favorite coffee shop/cafe.  On Saturday we showed them around Columbus and visited a book shop and then watched a play in one of the city parks.  They loved it!  Even the crazy rainstorm that flooded one of the streets where we were driving.  It was hard to say goodbye-- we will miss all the conversations and all the hugs from C and A.

2.  On Sunday afternoon, I attended a workshop to learn how to make hats for women who have breast cancer and are undergoing chemo.  Nightbirde Foundation hosted it as it is local to our area.  You can find out more about the foundation by clicking the link.  I am enjoying making the hats and learning to use a knitting loom and knowing that my creations will bless someone who needs encouragement (and a warm hat).

3.  Monday was shopping day.  I have to admit that neither The Professor nor I are big shoppers.  So we plan a trip into the big city and try to do all the shopping in one day.  Trader Joe's for food.  The shopping mall for shoes and clothes.  And a lunch stop.  It took us most of the day, but we got the shopping done.

4.  Tuesday was our anniversary.  We spent the day driving up to northern Ohio to visit Big Boy Steam Engine.  BUT.  That's not how the day progressed.  The traffic was so bad as we approached within about three miles,  that it took us three hours to move less than a mile.  Then, the area was closed down, so we weren't allowed to get in to see the train.  Oh well.  Because Nurse Daughter and her son were caravanning with us, we decided to just drive to a nearby town and eat dinner.  The restaurant was lovely and the food was excellent!  And one of the onion rings we ordered was shaped like a heart!

The day didn't turn out as we expected, but it was still an interesting way to celebrate our anniversary.  As our daughter commented, we did spend part of our honeymoon driving in our car up and down the Pacific Coast Highway in California.

5.  After our coffee date with our friends, The Professor and I drove over to visit an elderly man from our church.  We spent a couple of hours with him chatting quietly.  As we drove in and out on the driveway, we passed what he calls 'the gnome house'.  Yes, he built it.  It was a privilege to just sit and talk with him.

And now it is Friday afternoon.  Our skies are clouded over with smoke from the fires to the west of us.  I hope all is well with everyone and you are all safe from the fires burning across North America.

Time for Fave Fives

We raced through this week again.  I barely had time to catch my breath because we had lots going on.  That's why I like to join Friday Fave Fives and just pause and remember to be thankful for all the blessings that happened in the midst of the chaos of life.  Thanks to Susanne for hosting Fave Fives faithfully every week.

1.  Fourth of July!  We had a quiet day and then the family all arrived at our house just before dark to hang out and around the bonfire.  That was our 'fireworks' although we did enjoy watching all the neighborhoods around us light up with explosions of color.

2.  How many times have I mentioned that I am thankful for air conditioning?  It has been another humid and hot week, so I am so grateful that we have good AC.

3. We had an extra fun morning with our Daughter-in-law and her two sisters who are visiting.  Our Nurse Daughter had the day off so she joined us.  We sat in one of our favorite coffee shops for a long time and just chatted.  I treasure these days.

4.  Tuesday afternoon we received a text saying that our coffee date couple was at the hospital as he was having some health issues.  That certainly is not one of my faves!  But the fave part of it is that he was discharged that evening and is doing well.  In fact, we had our usual weekly coffee date with them and he is OK.

5.  We have special company visiting us!  A younger family who are part of the church we attended in Southern California arrived Thursday evening and we are so happy to spend this time with them!

How was your week?  How did you celebrate July Fourth?  Did you find blessings in the daily events of your life this week?

Independence Day X 250!

Happy Fourth of July!  Independence Day for the United States of America!  250 years!

Part of the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...

my knitted flag

Our National Anthem, written by Scott Francis Key.

Say, can you see

By the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched
Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?

And the rockets' red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave

Flag flying over Ft McHenry, Maryland

LET FREEDOM RING!

Hello, July!

 Wow. We are halfway through this year.  That's hard to believe.  Where did January, February, March, April, May and June go?  This week flew by, too.  And now we are getting prepared to celebrate Fourth of July!

I really needed to stop for a bit this morning and post my Friday Fave Fives, the weekly list of blessings from this past week.  Thank you, Susanne, for your faithful leadership for FFF!

1.  First and foremost.  The weather here in central Ohio has been HOT! Mid to high 90sF and high humidity! I am thankful for an efficient and stable working AC.

2.  We've been having to water our gardens since there has been no rain.  I am truly thankful and appreciative that The Professor has been watering our large back garden. I'm doing the front which is much smaller.

3.  Our county has published a "passport" program do encourage our residents to travel around the county and find historical information.  This week, The Professor and I enjoyed driving many back roads and searching for the answers to the questions.  We visited two of the many covered bridges in the county as well as several old cemeteries.  I am enjoying learning so much about my new home.

4.  Last Saturday, I enjoyed breakfast and a chat with a friend.  We have so much in common, but we seldom meet up.  It was a wonderful relaxing and affirming time with her.

5.  Yesterday was my brother's birthday!  I am so blessed to have an older brother who has always been a friend and protector for me.  I know that sometimes family aren't close.  But he and I are.  Happy Birthday to my Bus Driver Big Brother!

A few years ago...

And, to all my American friends, Happy Fourth of July!

Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence!

There Goes June

 Hello, friends!  An entire week has passed and I haven't posted anything.  Truly, it has been another busy busy week.  I am thankful for Susanne's faithful hosting of Friday Fave Fives which helps pull me back in from running around and reminds me to focus on gratitude for my wonderful life.

Here are my Five Faves from this past week.

1.  One reason for the busyness is that I have spent many hours working in my garden.  My goal is to remove the grape hyacinth that has taken over the front garden.  Don't get me wrong.  I like grape hyacinths.  But there were too many of them.  I'm almost done!

Another section of the front garden includes a circle where we planted a small tree.  The wild flowers have taken over the edge of the circle.  It's beautiful.  And the bees love it.  There really is a tree sapling in the middle.

I am thankful that I have the time and energy to create a beautiful garden.

2.  Father's Day.  The Professor had a very full day.  In the morning, he preached the sermon at our church.  Then we celebrated three dads at our son's home.  The Professor.  Our son, Chaplain Dan.  Their friend David who with his family was visiting from Southern California.  Then in the evening, we gathered for our weekly Life Group where he again taught a short lesson.  It was a wonderful way to celebrate Father's Day.

3.  I continue to enjoy meeting with the college student to tutor her in writing and composition.  It is fun for me.  In addition, it is pushing me back into recalling and reminding me on how to be a better writer myself.

4.  A walk with family and dogs at the local arboretum.  We mostly walked through the woodland area and then wandered around the lake.  Then, we had to stop the rambling and head quickly back to our cars because a thunder and rainstorm came rumbling in.  Even with the rain soaking us, we had a great time.

5.  I saved the best 'til last.  Today is The Professor's birthday!!  Happy Birthday to my best friend!  He's gone  until tomorrow because our grandson's Trail Life troop is camping for two nights at a state park about an hour's drive from here.   Because he is gone on his birthday and Nurse Daughter is working all weekend at the hospital, we celebrated on Wednesday evening.  Ten of us were around our table.  He asked for cupcakes.   Then we gathered around the bonfire on our patio.  Happy Birthday!!

Bonus!  This week Eleanor decided to accompany us on our weekly coffee date with T and S.  I think it was because the coffee shop is also listed as a cocktail lounge.

And of course, The Professor had to tease her with some bunny ears!

Now I'm off to meet a friend to talk about ... writing!