May the Month of Hope and it is the Hodgepodge

 

May 2023 ~ Yep, that is snow!

 

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. What's something you may do this month?

We hope to go out on our kayaks.

 

2. Hola! Hodgepodge Day lands just after Cinco de Mayo... how do you feel about Mexican food? What's your favorite dish? Do you make it at home or is it a strictly dine out option?  

 I like Mexican food. We are fortunate to have a very good Mexican restaurant in our neighboring city. 

Enchilada are a favorite of mine.

Yes, we have made enchiladas at home. 

 

3. When the children of today grow up what do you think they'll say about this time period? What do you most hope they remember?  

 My neighbor to the right of us has kids. Her son is five and her daughter is a teenager. The other day I was working outside in the garden, they were playing out in the yard. It is often to hear police sirens in the distance. (sad to say) The sirens were getting louder as they came closer to our direction. 

I heard the young girl say, "I wonder what happened?" 

 Her little brother answered, " oh, someone killed someone."

It broke my heart. 

I hope they will remember the kindness they received from their gardening neighbor, instead of the current events on the local news channel.  

 4. What advice would you give a new mother? 

 Remember your marriage ... it is easy to get caught up in motherhood. 

You are busy.

You are tired.

The to do list never ends.

My advice... 

 Make it a priority to make time with your sweetheart. 

It makes you a better mom, wife and your sweetheart will benefit from this time too. 

 

If this advice is going out to a single mom. 

Make time for friends or some self care time.

 

 5. What's a phrase your mother often said to you? If you're a mom do you say it to your own children? 

Sleep tight and do not let the bedbugs bite.   

Yes, I sure did.

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

  May is the month of expectation. The month of wishes. The month of hope.

Emily Bronte

Composting 101

 

 

Hello Friends,

I am going to share some tips I have learned along the way about composting.

The photos I will share are of our new compost bins that my husband built for us last October. Our bins are tucked in the corner of our backyard, you cannot see them from the main garden.

We use pallets to make our compost bins, we have a rotation of three.

We have one pile cooking while we use the other.

Here we go with composting 101...

 

 

 We line our pallets with cardboard.

 You need a mix of brown... dead leaves, old soil from pots, dead plants.

You need a mix of green... kitchen waste, egg shells, coffee grounds.

Oh and you can toss cardboard and newspaper in the compost too.

You do not want to put sick plants in the compost. It would be better to toss them into the garbage if you are able or burn them.

 

 

 We turn our pile as we add more waste.

You may need to water your pile if you do not receive rain for several weeks. The pile should be damp. 

 

 

Black Gold... the compost is added into our raised beds giving fresh nutrients to our old soil in the raised beds.

 

 

 It is FREE, that is the big bonus. If you have room to build a couple of bins to keep your garden waste and kitchen waste, you soon will have your own homemade compost/soil.

 

 

Ernie approves of the compost bins.

Do you spy the little copper dog? 

  ♥

Carla 

High Water and it is the Hodgepodge

 

Hello Friends,

Wisconsin has received rain and lots of it in some areas making our rivers swell.  

It is Wednesday and it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions

 1. Are you feeling more reset, restart, or full speed ahead as we move into May? Tell us why. 

 It is full speed ahead as we move into the month of May. May is always a busy month here with garden planting, spring projects, birthdays, our wedding anniversary and Mother's Day too.

  2. Painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, cinema, theatre, music...what's your favorite form of art? Elaborate.  

Oh this is a hard question for me to answer, I love, love so many forms of art.

If I have to pick just one to take with me to an island, I can only pick one. I will pick literature. I enjoy reading. I will bring a big chest of books with me to the island. 

  3. What time is dinner at your house? How do you feel about leftovers? 

We try to eat before 7 pm.

High Fives in this house for leftovers!! 

 4.What's the last thing you fell down a rabbit hole investigating? 

I have not watched it yet, but I read a few thoughts from those who did.

 Love Story ~ John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette

 Did you watch it?

I fell down a rabbit hole of looking at the fashion of the Kennedy's.   

 

5. And now for a question from the book Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me...

At what are you 'self-taught?' 

I am 'self -taught' at cutting hair. After we got married my husband asked me to start cutting his hair. I had no idea what I was doing, but I did it. I continue to cut his hair today. I also cut our kiddos hair when they were growing up.

  6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.

Laura Ingalls Wilder