Wednesday Hodgepodge, End of March

Good morning!  It's Wednesday and the last day of March!  Here are my answers to the Wednesday Hodgepodge questions shared by Joyce at From This Side Of The Pond.  Follow the link!

1.  The Hodgepodge lands on the last day of March...in ten words or less bid, the month adieu.

        March was shamrocks, birthdays, daffodils.

        Bye, 'til we meet again.

2.  March 31st is National Tater Day...your favorite way to have a potato?  Given a choice would you opt for sweet, white, or red?  How often are potatoes on your menu in one form or another?  Ever been to Idaho?  If not, is that a state you'd like to visit someday?

        I love my white potatoes mashed.  I do love sweet potatoes; they must be savory not sweet.  I would say that potatoes are most likely to be added to soups at our house, about once a month.

        Idaho is the state just east of my home state where I was born and raised, Oregon.  So yes, I've been to Idaho more times than I can count.  My memory is that the first time I crossed the Snake River into Idaho was when our high school choir met in Boise for a musicale with other Christian high school choirs from the Pacific Northwest.

        Recently, several friends have moved to Idaho from California, so I would always like to visit them.

        

3.  Last time someone or something 'rained on your parade'?  Explain.

   

        Currently, I am on a short road trip with The Professor, Older Daughter and Grandson.  Grandson, The New Boy, has been in charge of finding restaurants.  He chose the perfect one we all wanted to try and it was just a few blocks from our Air BnB.  What disappointment!  The restaurant is closed until Friday for renovations/construction work.  We were sad, especially New Boy.  But we found another wonderful place to have dinner.

4.  Put all your eggs in one basket, get cracking, nest egg, bad egg, good egg, egg on, have egg on your face, or walk on eggshells...choose a phrase from the list that applies to something in your life currently and tell us how or why.

        It's time for me to 'get cracking' on starting seeds for my garden!

5.  If I visited your home would I find a lot of baskets there?  Something you like to keep in a basket?

        I think I have maybe four baskets in my whole house.  Two are in my studio room, filled with yarn and knitted items (mostly hats).  In the family room, there is a basket filled with some of my handknitted blankets, folded and waiting for someone to grab and cuddle in if they are cold.  The fourth basket is empty and sitting on the landing at the top of the stairs.  When we moved in the house in October, I plopped it there, and it hasn't moved (but it is kinda cute).

6.  Inset your own random thought here.

        Have you ever heard of Longaberger Baskets?  The company built their headquarters to look like a huge basket.  It's in the county where I live now. 

 Yep.  It's a real place. (BTW, it's for sale, if you're interested...)

All About Daffodils

 I love daffodils.  I always have.  I always will.  Perhaps I come by my love of these cheerful yellow spring flowers honestly.  It seems like daffodils are the preferred spring flower of England (and yes, I am half English heritage).  In searching for photos of sheep,  I found picture after picture of daffodils from our trip to England in March and April 2019.  Enjoy!

Daffodils with Tintagel in the background

Daffodils gracing the Cornish hedgerows

 

 Glastonbury Abbey daffodils 

Daffodils in the middle of a field near Avebury

Daffodils decorating York town wall

 

Windy Week

 Wow!  This past week has flown by.  Literally.  We have been experiencing extremely strong winds.  Older Daughter's power is out, but at least we have not had any tornados.  It's time for Willow's Willow summed up with FRIDAY FAVE FIVES. The link will take you to where you can read other FFFs and join in, too, if you wish.

1.  SPRING flowers!  Lots of daffodils.  (Yes, I mentioned that last week, but these daffodils make me happy all day long!)

2.  More HIKES and WALKS.  Just like last week.  Notice a pattern here?  I do love being outside seeing God's creation, even if the trails are muddy.

3.  The Professor and I also ventured out on our BIKES this week.  We are slowly working up to longer rides.

4.  I asked my grandson The New Boy what I did this week.  His response:  You taught me alliteration.  Ah, yes.  I enjoy TEACHING writing/composition and find it fun to teach my grandson as part of his homeschool curriculum.

5.  My art group friends and I were 'zooming' this week, discussing the book we chose to read for Lent.  As usual, we got a bit off topic and our conversation ended up at this quote (which I have written over one of my photos.

Celebrating St. Patrick and Spring!

 Did you know that the Spring equinox is this weekend?  In my time zone, spring will arrive at 11:48 tonight!  Today the weather is celebrating with sunshine (and a lot of wind thrown in for 'interest').  Since it is also Friday, I am celebrating Spring with Friday Fave Fives, my weekly collection of examples of gratitude.  This is the link to join Susanne and others in being thankful on Fridays.

1.  This is my birthday week.  Yes, I was born on St. Patrick's Day!  I appreciate how people celebrate my birthday with parades and parties and green things like beer and shamrocks.  Here at Willow's Cottage, we enjoyed a meal together.  All my family called or came by.  One of my favorite things is that my six year old grandgirl informed me that March 17th is not St. Patrick's birthday; it's the day he died.  (She looked up that information on her own!)

2.  Lots of cards from friends.  I love receiving snail mail.  Oh!  And a package, too!

3.  A week can't go by without my being happy for hikes.  In fact, we did two hikes as well as a couple of shorter trail walks.  On Sunday we explored Infirmary Mound Park, which is a 316 acre park that includes a prehistoric Hopewell mound. 

Then on Wednesday, we visited the arboretum and hiked on the east side which is described as for 'our more adventurous visitors'.  That area also has a pre-historic mound.

4.  My younger daughter and I "attended" a baby shower for one of her life long friends.  "Attended" means it was a zoom shower.  Mom-to-be's mother lives even farther away than we do, so there were people from all over the US attending the shower.  Yes, that is the baby for whom I made that hoodie sweater (I'll have to ask her for a picture!).  I'm so glad we were able to celebrate with this sweet family.

5.  The garden progresses!  I love being surprised by what shows up in this garden.  I have positive identification on three flowers.  Crocus.  Yes.  Daffodils.  Yes.  Tulips.  Yes.

And here is a bonus.  A bit of St. Patrick's Day humor.

St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here are some fun answers to Hodgepodge for this week.  Click on the picture to join in.

                                               

 1.  This week's Hodgepodge lands on St. Patrick's Day.  Will you wear green?  Eat corned beef and cabbage?  Drink green beer?  Have you even been to Ireland?  Is it on your travel 'bucket list'?

        I am wearing green.  And shamrock necklace and earrings.  No corned beef and cabbage and no green beer. I am choosing all my favorite foods for dinner tonight. Why?  Because it's my birthday!!  We will have triple berry pie for dessert.

         Although I haven't been there yet, I do want to visit Ireland and find out more about where one of my ancestresses lived there.

2.  Something you think is 'worth its weight in gold'?

         Obviously, my morning coffee!  And shamrocks!

3.  Something that makes you 'green around the gills'?

         Very few things bother me.  I don't mind bugs, spiders, dead things.  Except snakes.  I don't like snakes.  What makes me 'green'?  Turbulent airplane rides.

4.  What puts a 'spring in your step' these days?

          SUNSHINE!

5.  Write a limerick using one of the following as your theme...March, St. Patrick's Day, Covid, 2020 and/or 2021, the color green, or life lately.  Yes, you can do it.

          There was a St Pat’s girl who wore green

Every Irish birthday she could be seen

Sporting a shamrock

And bright colored sock

And drinking her liquid coffee bean.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

             It's a perfect birthday today!  Sunshine and blue skies!  Calls from my kids and favorite (only) brother!  Birthday dinner and birthday pie to look forward to this evening! 

It's (almost) Spring!

 Friday Fave Fives.  Here is Willow's Week in five little peeks into my life.  Are you looking forward to spring as much as I am? 

1.  Most the days this week have been sunny and almost warm.  That makes me so thankful!

2.  Mystery plants popping up in my new front garden area.  Maybe hyacinths?  And tulips?  Stay tuned for identification when the flowers bloom.

3.  We found an off the paved trail hiking (and mountain bike) path.   And this was sitting on the side perched on a downed tree.  I love finding those hidden trails!

4.  A knitted sweater has been sent to celebrate a new baby boy.  Of course I forgot to take a photo of the finished sweater before I popped it in to the mailing box.  Just imagine a 6 month sized cardigan with a hood made with the darker grey and stripes of the lighter grey.  And another two year old green sweater has been started.  Hopefully, I will remember to take pictures of that one.

5.   Do you ever do this?  Lately, I have had to drive about twenty-five miles each way for some physical therapy appointments.  Driving on the highways is boring.  So I've been  returning home via alternate routes. I love taking the country roads and learning about the area where I am living.  What makes this a fave?  I can explore and I have gas in my car to do it.  And it's even more beautiful because it's ALMOST SPRING!

Hikes and Walks and All Things Good

So far, March has been quite kind to us.  The skies have been blue.  The temperatures have moderated a bit.  I kinda like the month of March.  There is always much for which to be thankful.  Here are five things that stood out to me when I was thinking about what I could write about for Friday Fave Fives (follow the link to join!).

1. and 2.  The reason I am late posting my Fave Fives is because we took TWO walks today.  Our daughters both wanted to get out for a good long walk, but their schedules didn't mesh.  So we walked with one (and her dog), took a coffee break with our new friends (that's the #2 fave), then took another longer walk with our other daughter and her dog.

3.  A fun hike.  On Saturday, we all jumped in our cars and did a family hike at a local state reserve Blackhand Gorge.  It was a wonderful warm day. And there were lots of people out on the trails.  It was so much fun to be out on the trails!

4.  We ordered blinds for most of the windows in our new home.  This week they arrived and were installed.

5. The Professor got an all clear from his doctor for something that had been causing a lot of pain in his neck and shoulders.  Physical therapy has worked wonders, and he is so much better that the doctor doesn't need to see him again unless the pain returns.  Good news! 

March Comes Marching In

The month has Marched in with sunshine and wind.  I am happy March is here because that means the end of winter is in sight.  It is the first Wednesday of March and that means Wednesday Hodgepodge.

 

1. Is March coming in like a lion where you live? Aslan, Simba, Elsa, The Cowardly Lion...your favorite 'famous' lion? 

            So far, March has come in hopping around like a bunny on weed.  Cold, cold nights and sunny days.  At least there hasn’t been snow.

            Without a doubt, Aslan is my lion of choice!  There is so much symbolism in CS Lewis’s depiction of Aslan.

 

2. In what way do you 'march to the beat of your own drum'? 

            Most people live in their homes and communities all their lives.  From childhood, I have been an adventurer.

 

3. What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own? Any chance of that happening soon? 

            I have everything I need and most everything I want.  We have been looking for furniture for our family room.  In the near future, we will be purchasing chairs and a sofa.

 

4. March is National Flour Month...are you a baker? Cookies-cakes-or pies...your favorite sweet treat to bake? What's the last non-sweet thing you made that called for flour?

            I enjoy baking pies and cookies.  Cakes, not at all.

            It has been so long since I baked a sweet treat, I honestly am not sure.  Maybe the Christmas cookies I baked in December?  As for a non-sweet flour food, I guess it was the dinner rolls I baked for Thanksgiving.

 

5. There are 31 days in the month of March...where were you and what were you doing when you were 31? If you haven't hit that milestone yet, then tell us where you were and what you were doing 31 months ago? (if math is not your thing, that would be August 3, 2018)

            When I turned 31 in March of that year, I was living in the jungles of Papua, Indonesia, which is the western half of the island of New Guinea (which is directly north of Australia, for those who don’t know South East Asian geography).  In March, we were living in mission housing away from our home because I had just given birth to my third child, a son, and was waiting for him to be old enough to receive a whooping cough vaccination since there was a breakout of that disease in the village where we lived.

Yes, he was adorable!

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

        March means SPRING!

Bye, February!

 Hello!  It's FRIDAY!  TGIF, right?  And TGIFFF!  Thank God It's Friday Fave Fives!  It was a quiet week, but that doesn't mean there aren't things to make me thankful.  Here is Willow's Week.

1.  Everyone around here is talking about 'warm weather'.  And it has been sunny most of the days this week, so we have been out for walks.  Yay!

2.  Sunny days often mean nights where the moon is shining.  I love those clear evenings and am thankful it is nearing full moon, too.

3.  Cold weather has reminded me how much I appreciate and am thankful for a warm, heated home.

4.  Second haircut since moving.  I love my new stylist.  The Professor and New Boy got haircuts this week, too.  I am so thankful that salons are open here.

5.  I don't believe in chance meetings.  I think this was supposed to happen.  On Saturday, we were in a locally owned coffee shop where they roast their own beans.  While we were waiting for our coffee, we were talking to the owner who was in the process of roasting a batch of coffee beans in the shop.  Long story short, when the owner asked where we had moved from and we replied, another couple who was waiting for their coffee, too, piped up and said, "Really?  We recent moved here too and are from the town next to yours!"  We discovered so much in common that we met this week for morning coffee to get better acquainted.  We know we've found new friends!  That just doesn't happen by chance when the towns are 2,400 miles away.

Bonus:  I am really loving that book I am reading during Lent.  A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Philip Keller.  I highly recommend it!

Cleaning up February

        Good morning!  It's Wednesday.  The sun is out!  I'm feeling cheery!  Here is Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce's questions for this week.  Click the cute picture to add your own answers in a post.

                                                

1. Your favorite cleaning product? Do you clean your own house or hire out? Most disliked household chore? What one chore do you not mind so much? 

            Windex is a miracle product for getting grandchildren's finger (and nose) prints off windows.  My own citrus scented vinegar spray is a close second for favorite cleaning product. 

            I have always cleaned my own house (except when I lived in the jungle and had house help).  I figure all the moving and activity will help keep me active.  However, I do not like cleaning the shower.  That's mostly because of the horrible odors of most cleaning products.  I don't mind dusting.

 2. It's Canned Food Month...do you use a lot of canned goods? What are the three canned items you purchase most often? Last thing you made using a canned ingredient? 

                We use canned sauces like salsa, spaghetti sauce, alfredo sauce.  Usually, I keep some canned beans available although I prefer to cook my own in large batches and freeze them in smaller amounts.  That way I can better control the amount of salt in the beans.

            Last week, I made nachos topped with refried beans--the beans were canned.

 3. Can of worms, anything can happen, can you imagine?, as best I can, kick the can down the road, more than one can take, no can do, not if I can help it...choose an idiom and tell us how you currently relate.

                CAN YOU IMAGINE?  My daughter and I love England and have traveled there twice together (and each at least twice with others).  Last week, we sat down to scroll through my photos of our 2019 trip and we both said,  "Can you imagine living there?"  "There" was numerous places in Southwest England.

Yeah, I could go on and on with pictures!

4.The last Tuesday in February is National Spa Day. Are you someone who enjoys a day at the spa? Last time you visited a spa? Do you have a favorite spa? Are salons open for business in your area? Have you made changes to your hair and nail routine since Corona hit? In what way? 

                I have been to only one spa and only two or three times to that one.  Skamania Lodge in Southwest Washington.  Located overlooking the Columbia River, it has hiking trails, hotel accommodations and restaurants as well as the spa, hot tub, and swimming pools.  When we visit my brother and sister-in-law in Oregon, we drive up there for dinner and a couple of times we have treated ourselves to a spa visit.

                As for salons in my area, yes, they're open.  I have scheduled a haircut for this week.  This is only the second cut I have had since lockdowns began almost a year ago.

 5. Believe it or not this is the last Hodgepodge of the month. In one sentence sum up your February. 

                Snow, rain, sleet, ice

                did not make February nice.

 6. Insert your own random thought here.

                The sun is out, the snow is melting, and the temperatures are rising.  I am thankful.

Another Week of Winter

Hello!  It's Friday! Susanne hosts Friday Fave Fives and I love joining.  It makes me always be more thoughtful through the days, watching for those thankful moments.  Here is Willow's Week on a snowy day.   

1.  Our microwave died (nope, that's not the fave).  As soon as our older daughter heard about our household disaster, she said, "No problem!  I have one in the garage that came from my rental house."  So... thanks to her, we have had a working microwave while we look for a replacement for ours.

2.  On Sunday, we took a drive in the county south of us.  The roads were clear and it was wonderful to see a new area.  I wrote a blog post with several photos if you want to see more snow covered barns and old houses.

3.  After our drive, we met the family for a winter hike at the arboretum. There, too, the paved trails and roads were clear.  It was great to get out and have a walk.

4.  The weather outside is frightful!  Snow!  I am thankful that we have a warm house and warm clothes.  And even occasional sunshine!

5.  Another blanket story.   Little Warrior (our younger grandson) loves his 'meema blanket'.  Evidently a doggie (who no longer lives in the house) loved it, too, and chewed holes in it.  Meema to the rescue.  Honestly, sometimes I wondered if the worst of the damage could be repaired.  But I persisted.  The blanket is back home on LW's bed.

A Penny for My Thoughts

Wednesday Hodgepodge.  (If you click on the drawing below, the link will take you to Joyce's blog)

1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday which signals the beginning of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? If so tell us more. Did you grow up 'celebrating' Lent? Is attending church part of your weekly routine? Are churches open for in-person worship where you live? 

        Although I did not grow up in a tradition that observes Lent, I have become more involved in the past decade or two.  My art group buddies always do a Lent Bible study (and an Advent one, too).  This year we are reading Phillip Keller's book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.  We meet via Zoom every Friday morning anyway (they all live in CA and I am the one who moved to OH) so we just move our focus to our current study book.

        Our church here has services on Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Usually, we attend the Saturday service with our daughter and grandson.  The church is open for in person services with distancing protocols in place.

2. When is the last time you sat beside a 'real' fire? Do you have a fireplace in your home? Wood or gas logs? Favorite thing cooked over a fire?

        I love fires!  We now have an outdoor fireplace which we used the last time in early November.

        Our new home has a gas fireplace which can be redone into a wood burning fireplace.  This we plan to do and use an insert to help heat this area of the house. 

3. Something that's currently got you fired up? 

        What has me fired up?  People's lack of preparation for emergencies.  Nuf said.

4. February also happens to be National Cabbage Day. Who knew? Do you like cabbage? Is cabbage on your menu Wednesday? Of the following cabbage dishes which is your favorite-coleslaw (mayo or vinegar?), sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, cabbage soup, kielbasa and cabbage, grilled cabbage, bubble and squeak, kimchi, or haluski? 

        Not a cabbage fan.  I will eat coleslaw if it is made with a vegan mayo.  Many years ago, our friends gave us some kimchi which they had made.  I liked it.

5. Do you hang on to pennies? What do you do with them? Last thing you purchased for $1.00? Last thing you purchased for $5.00? 

        I collect pennies (and nickels and dimes).   My uncle got me started in coin collecting when I was about six years old.  I still find coins fascinating.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

        It is vewy vewy cold here.  I woke up this morning to my phone showing me that it was 1F.  Now it is a balmy 21F.  Snow and ice everywhere.  And more snow and ice expected.  BUT!  I have heat!  And I am so very thankful for that.

A Winter Drive

 We decided to venture out on a Sunday afternoon drive and explore the area south of our town.  The roads were clear, but the fields were snow covered.

I love the old farmhouses, churches, schools, and barns!

I would love to know the stories behind these buildings.

And now, we are snowbound for the next few days.

I'm glad we were able to get in a scenic drive between storms.