Hello March and it is the Hodgepodge

 

I spy green.

 

Hello Friends,

It is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 Click here to join the fun!

 

 1.  As the saying goes, 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' Did your March come in roaring or like some other animal? Every month carries with it certain feelings, which is why some people love and anticipate December and others dread it. How do you feel about the month of March? 

If you ask my husband he will say our March came in like a lamb. We woke to 6 degrees, no wind and sun. I on the other hand decided it came in like a lion, because it was 6 degrees. My hopes is for 55 and sunshine March 31st.  

March is the start of mud season here in Wisconsin. It is dirty. The dogs paws need cleaning and belly too. Our shoes get full of mud. We get full of mud. It is just a messy old time until the mud is gone.

It also can be winter and spring all in the same day, which can start to drive one a wee bit crazy when you have spring fever. 

 2. Where in your life are you a lion? Where are you a lamb? 

I will roar like a lion to protect my family.

I am a lamb to creatures that have been abandoned.

The below photo is of Ernie, our rescue dog. He was a mess when we adopted him.

Slowly, with patience and love he started to feel safe.  

 

Patience, love and daily training Ernie has become a gentleman. 

 

 

 3. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pound Cake day.

Do you like pound cake? Yes, I do like pound cake.  

 If so do you have a favorite flavor? I like vanilla and lemon pound cake. Let's play this or that-

• pound cake or layer cake? layer cake
• pound cake or cheesecake? pound cake
• pound cake or angel food cake? angle food cake
• pound cake or brownie? brownie
• pound cake or pie? pie 

  4. What makes you feel childlike wonder right now? 

 

Starting seeds.. the joy of watching a little seed sprout and as the season goes on it grows and grows and grows. 

 

 5. What's one thing you need to add to your wardrobe to get ready for spring? If you're in the southern hemisphere, then answer for fall? 

 

Some new sneakers, tennis shoes, trainers, walking shoes ... hee hee, not sure what you might call them, but you get the idea, new shoes. 

 

  6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I found some jelly beans made with natural juice. 

Me oh My... they are good!

I am happy I purchased two bags.  

 

Wisconsin Cotton

 

 

This growing adventure starts back in the winter of 2024, when my friend L gifted me a package of cotton with seeds for my December birthday. She and her husband had gone on a road trip to the South. On her way home to Wisconsin she picked me up my birthday gift. The challenge was, Carla can you grow cotton?

In early June of 2025 I placed the cotton seed ball in to a big pot in my greenhouse. My hope was the greenhouse would replicate enough southern heat to trick the cotton into thinking it was not in Wisconsin, but really in its home of Missouri. 

Look, we have growth. 

 

Cotton Flowers

The excitement of having cotton flowers, oh boy, one step closer to having Wisconsin cotton.

Late autumn was setting in and I needed to button up the greenhouse. I brought in all the plants I planned to try to save during the winter. The cotton was one of them. We still had to make it to harvest.

December 2025, it is looking good, two pods of cotton have formed and will soon be ready for harvest. One for my friend L and one for me.

 Wisconsin cotton boll sitting in my window sill. I started the cotton in early June and harvested two stems in mid December. 

It worked. 

 ♥

Carla 

Waving Goodbye to February and it is the Hodgepodge

 

Madison, Wisconsin twinkling at night.

 

Hello Friends,

It is Wednesday!

That means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Click here to join the fun! 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

 

1. America celebrates turning 250 years old this year. Primary cities set to lead the celebrations on July 4th are Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C. Other significant locations for celebrating will be Charleston SC and the 'historic triangle' which includes Jamestown-Willimasburg-Yorktown Virginia. 

Of the cities listed how many have you seen in person? Of the cities listed which would you most like to visit this year? Any plans to do so? What's one place in America you think everyone should see? If you're not American what's one place in the US you'd like to see? 

 

 I have visited Boston, Philadelphia and New York.

I would like to visit Washington D.C., nope it is not on the 2026 itinerary.

If you have not visited Wisconsin yet, I would highly recommend it.  Wisconsin is home sweet home for me and most of our family. You can experience all four seasons in one day if you hit your visit just right. Ha ha!

I am sharing photos of our state capitol, Madison. 

 

2. Three sounds you love to hear?  

♥ bird song

 ♥ water in nature

 ♥ the cry of a loon on the lake during a summer evening

 

 3. Three sounds you hate to hear? 

▼ loud vehicles 

▼   fighting

 ▼ hail

 

 4. February 24th is/was National Tortilla Chip Day. Are you a fan? With salsa, guacamole, queso, or just plain please? Do you like nachos? With what on top? Is there anything (besides nachos) you make that calls for tortilla chips? 

 I am a superfan!

I love tortilla chips with salsa, guacomole, queso and plain. 

I love nachos. 

We like everything on top.  

 

 Another thing we make that we like to eat tortilla chips with is taco soup.

 

 

5. We March into March with next week's Hodgepodge...what's one thing on your March calendar that makes you smile? 

We have two music events we are going to attend in the month of March.  

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 The promise of spring!