About The River

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Pass the Celery Please ... it is the Hodgepodge!


The Wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey!
We save the wishbone and in a week or two the boys will snap the wishbone. Who ever has the longest end of the wishbone, makes a wish!

Welcome to the Hodgepodge!
Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.



 1. Give us three rhyming words that say something about your Thanksgiving holiday (or your most recent holiday gathering if you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving). 

 Driving in the fog
Cutting down our log
Eating like a hog

Translation 
 We had to drive in dense fog for the first half hour of our trip.
We always cut down our Christmas tree at my parents farm.
My mom made a wonderful feast!

2. When did you last say, 'the more the merrier'? Did you mean it?
 
For a party we are planning December 18th.

Yep, I mean it. 

 3. What's one piece of advice you'd give someone who is your same age?

Slow down .... we just seem so busy. Our kids are busy, we are busy, slow down and enjoy.

 4. You're ordering a veggie plate, what four veggies are on it?

Celery, carrots, radish and green onions. 

 5. Shop til you drop! Did you? Have you ever? Will you between now and Christmas?

My sister and I would shop till we dropped when we were in high school and college. 
We had so much fun. 

I ordered most of my Christmas gifts online this year.
I will need to head to the market for my Christmas treats and party food! 

 6. What's your favorite chair in your house, and why is it a favorite?

My grandpa and I were best of buddies. When I would visit him, I would sit in a big wicker rocker, sip root beer and we would solve all the words problems.
When my husband and I got married, my grandparents passed on that wicker rocker to us.
It is still my favorite chair! During the winter months, I have it in front of our South patio door. I can sit and soak up the sun!

  7. Share an early memory of faith, religion, or spirituality.

My dad sharing his stories about the nuns at his Catholic school.
I am not sure if he used the stories for bedtime, but my sister and I were fascinated with the nuns.
We would talk about them after, imagine life of nuns and create our own stories.

 8. Insert your own random thought here. 

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength."
Corrie Ten Boom
  

Monday, November 28, 2016

Joy List Monday

 Joy List Monday
a weekly ritual  ♥
 a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day
 
 ♥ the beauty of frost
 ♥ warm soup ... Butternut Squash Soup 
  warm tea
 the first Christmas carols
 ♥ curling up in front of the fire place
 
 

Hello Friends,
Wishing you all a great week. We enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving and weekend.
Looking forward to the busy of December, yet at the same time, I am going to be intentional about slowing down and enjoying the magic that comes with December.
 

Monday, November 21, 2016

The Thanksgiving Table and Happy Thanksgiving


 Happy Thanksgiving 

Broom corn and acorns are the theme for my Thanksgiving place settings.
I grew the broom corn. I was very happy with the results for outdoor and indoor Autumn decorating. 

The acorns I picked up along hikes in the woods. I found the larger acorns on a hike with some friends over Labor Day weekend. 
 

 A used all styles of acorns to create my place settings.
This is a double acorn. 
I used a glue pen to write the initial of each and used a fine gold glitter.


 I tied bunches of broom corn together with a burgundy thread. 


I think the glitter will add a fun sparkle to the Thanksgiving place settings.


 Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, I will be taking the rest of the week off from the blog.

Enjoy family and friends.

I am thankful for you all!

 ♥
Carla
 

Friday, November 18, 2016

On The Road Friday ~ Black Hills, South Dakota and The Winner Is ....

 Welcome to On The Road Friday
 In September our family took a road trip to South Dakota.
We love to hike. This was a hiking adventure. 
The Black Hills were a favorite for both my boys and my husband.




 I tried to capture the twinkle of the trail. This entire path was scattered with mica.
With the sun shining down on the trail, it looked like you were walking on gold.


 My son Atticus found this face in the ground while we hiked.
Can you see a rock man?


I found this note tied to a tree ... Show me the Way ... the note was stitched on a heavy material type paper. Any ideas?

Our son Sam  found a treasure chest full of gold painted rocks when he went up to explore a cave.
Sam opened the chest and the note attached to the chest said, " Go ahead take a few gold rocks, but do not take the chest."

The Winner of Sage Leary's new album, Already There, is ...
 Beth at PlantPostings

Congratulation Beth! 

 Happy Weekend my Friends
 ♥
 Carla

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Growing Carnations


 This garden season I grew carnations. I purchased my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.


 I was very pleased at how well the carnations did and will plant them again next year.


 They smelled wonderful. The candy cane striped carnation smelled like cinnamon.


 I picked the following bouquet just before our last kill frost. The carnations opened in a few days. I was so happy to enjoy one last bouquet.

  
Still blooming in November! They are a very hardy plant and flower.  I did not cover them during a few of our early November frosts. They continued to bloom.


 A get well bouquet from The Little Garden That Could featuring carnations.


 Petite and Sweet


The fragrance of the carnation is lovely. I can not put in into words.
An easy flower to grow from seed. It is a slow growing flower. If you are set up to start seeds indoors, I would suggest to start indoors. I did have to wait until August for my first bloom.
Well worth the wait! A very hardy plant and flower, as it survived several frosts.

 
 

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

It is Back to the Happy Hodgepodge

It is Wednesday and we are back to the Hodgepodge!

Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.

They are no longer this small...both taller than me, but just as silly!

These two make me smile.  



 
1. Let's all think happy thoughts...share one of yours here. 
My family! Those two in the above photo!! 

2. There's a Chinese proverb that says, "If you want happiness for an hour take a nap, if you want happiness for a day-go fishing...." What say you? If you want happiness for a day _____________.
 If you want happiness for a day let us go outside!

 3. Where do you go to decompress from the world around you? 
I head for a walk. The best way for me to get away from it all is to go for a walk or take a hike in the woods. I love nature and getting outside.

 4. What song never fails to make you happy? 

Norah Jones ~ Sunrise 


5. Wednesday is National Fast Food Day. Should that be a thing? Apparently it is, so tell us what's the last 'fast food' you consumed? If you were putting together your own version of a 'happy meal' what would you include? 
 
Culver's is our family's favorite fast food.

My parents are dairy farmers. We are proud to support Culver's, because Culver's supports farmers. The below statement is from Culver's website.

From Gratitude to Full-Fledged Support

Culver’s wouldn't be what it is today without the family farms that grow and produce the wholesome, delicious food we so proudly serve. From the cattle ranches of the Great Plains to the dairy farms of Wisconsin and south to Georgia’s chicken country, it’s important to us to make sure farm families across the nation clearly see how thankful we are for their hard work and dedication.
So now, through our support for the National FFA Organization, we are giving back to today’s farm families, while helping ensure the future of the next generation.


6. In a few sentences tell us why you blog. 
 
 Blogging is a way for me to share what I find fun in life with others. It is a way for me to practice writing. And it has become a special place to find encouragement and meet so many wonderful people. The friendships built within the blogging community are amazing.
 
7. List seven things you're feeling especially grateful for today. 
 
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Heat ... Wisconsin is starting to get chilly ... snow flurries are forecast for the weekend
4. Garden goodness that we harvested this summer 
5. My husband's employer ... a great company who cares about the employees 
6. Our small town of Cameron, who is still mourning the loss of a police officer ... how this community wrapped its arms around the family
7. My dog Molly, who is my walking buddy 


8. Insert your own random thought here.
 
 
Happy Thanksgiving 
Wishing all my Hodgepodge friends a great Thanksgiving.
I will be taking next week Wednesday off from the blog.
Enjoy your holiday!
  ♥
Carla
  

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Dreams and a Giveaway

This summer at the Bruce Farmer Market, I met Sage Leary and his family.
Sage is a talented young man working on a dream.
He performed during the farmer market for tips and to share his music.

To share with you about Sage, read below or click on the link.

 Guitarist/singer-songwriter Sage Leary has emerged as a powerful creative force on the music scene.  A shining, young talent with a fresh new sound, he recorded his instrumental debut album Feel the Sound at the age of 14.  Two years later, Sage recorded his second album, Already There, featuring his talent at vocals, guitar and songwriting. The result is a work of art that fuses together elements of rock, blues, country, Latin and reggae in a style that is uniquely Sage, and leaves the listener cheering for more.  When not writing new material, Sage stays busy playing local gigs, private parties, and of course, attending high school. Friend/follow Sage Leary on Facebook and YouTube.

I enjoyed visiting with Sage and his parents.
I just loved the family bond that Sage, his parents and brother had. Each Friday, his parents helped him set up and his brother was along too.
 Encouraging him to reach for his dreams.


 Sage came out with a new album in October.

You all know I love all sorts of music. Sage has become a favorite of mine.
To listen to his music, head on over to his website in the link above.
  
Going Home is my VERY favorite of Sage's songs on the album Already There.

Hangin' By The Lake makes me think of my boys.

Thank You Readers ... many of you know I sold fresh cut flowers for the first time at the Bruce Farmers Market this market season. I blogged about the journey, the ups and downs and YOU all sent me encouraging comments.
 
As a Thank You, I am giving away Already There to one of my readers. 
All you need to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment.
My son Atticus will draw a name from a hat on Thursday evening.
The winner will be announced on Friday. 
 


 
 


Monday, November 14, 2016

Joy List Monday


Joy List Monday
♥ a weekly ritual ♥

a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day
  ♥ sunshine .... I know I say this each Monday, I can not tell you how much I love the sunshine. I get tired of cloudy days really fast. November is usually a cloudy month for us here in Wisconsin. We have had sun, sun and more sun

♥ my boys .... getting a hug out of the blue in a public place by my oldest and hearing
 "I love you mom" whispered in my ear

♥ a new recipe I made Saturday night and it was a HIT with all the boys in my house

 ♥ my youngest son is excited to plant tulips with me this week

 ♥ enjoying time with friends on a fun Autumn hike
 

Friday, November 11, 2016

♫♫ This Land Is Your Land ♫♫

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me.

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
Badlands ~ South Dakota  ...  photo from our 2016 Road Trip





 Thank You .... because of you, we have this great land. 
Thank you, Grandpa, Marv, Patrick, Robert, Jeremy, Kayla, Matt, Brendon, Glenn, Don, Cathy,  .... and so many more, because of you we are able to do ...

 As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me.

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie 

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

The Prayers of Jane Austen


The Prayers of Jane Austen

A delightful read, a small size book, perfect for your coffee table. 
I was so excited to find this book at our local library. 
Here are a few of Jane Austen prayers that I was moved by ...

May the comforts of every day, be thankfully felt by us, may they prompt a willing obedience of thy commandments and a benevolent spirit toward every fellow - creature. 
Jane Austen

May thy mercy be extended over all mankind, bringing the ignorant to the knowledge of they truth, awakening the impenitent, touching the hardened.
Jane Austen
and this is my favorite

Incline us O God, to think humbly of ourselves, to be severe only in the examination of our own conduct, to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, and to judge of all they say and do with that charity which we would desire from them ourselves.
Jane Austen
 
  
 

 

Monday, November 7, 2016

Joy List Monday

Joy List Monday
♥  a weekly ritual ♥

a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day



The past week our local community shared some horrible times.
The love and brotherhood we witnessed and participated in as a community, I have no words to express. It does make one believe in the human heart after such sadness.

 Joy List Monday ... I am thankful to all of you, who shared concern, prayed and thought of our community, the officers family and our heroes in blue.
Thank You!

♥ trick or treat night .... we helped our church with our Fall Festival ... another great evening
looking at all the fun costumes the children put together
creativity and fun
Mary Poppins was my favorite costume of the night

♥ November sun ... our weather has been so beautiful, high in the 70's this past weekend
November can be our cloudy month, so thankful for the warm sun this past week

♥ visiting my parents ... checking up with my dad
my parents live about two hours away 
my dad recently had oral surgery
he is not healing very well on one side of his mouth
thankful to visit and cheer him up

♥ still picking flowers .... marigold, zinnia and carnations
carnations? yes, I grew carnations this year ... a blog post coming soon

Happy Monday
 ♥
Carla
 
 

 

Friday, November 4, 2016

On The Road Friday ~ Black Hills, South Dakota


 We are on the road today.
I am taking you back to our trip to South Dakota in late September.
We did a lot of hiking on this trip. Hiking is one of our families favorite activities.
Grab your hiking stick, canteen and .... here we go.


We hiked in the Black Elk Wilderness which lies in the heart of the Black Hills.
Named for Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota holy man, the area is characterized by massive granite outcroppings, pungent pine, and scenic vistas across the hills.


 Looking up at the outcroppings. 


 The weather was perfect. The blue sky was so beautiful. It was such an amazing color of blue.


 The Aspen were just starting to turn color. We hiked into a beautiful valley of Aspen trees.


 This area is rich in history for gold.
We did not find any gold nuggets, but we did stumble on the following treasures.


Hidden waterfalls, the best treasures indeed!


Four hikers make it back out of the Black Hills. When we got home from our week long trip to South Dakota, I asked what was each ones favorite. Three out of four said "Hiking in the Black Hills" ... so when the South Dakota tourism advertisement states ...

Nearly everyone has a special place somewhere in the outdoors. Many have found it in the central Black Hills .... they are right!

Have a great weekend.
Thank you for joining me for a hike in the Black Hills, South Dakota.

"Keep close to Nature's heart, yourself; and break clear away once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean."
John Muir
   

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Fallen Hero's


Our little town of Cameron is preparing for a large funeral on Friday. 
Our side streets are closed along our Arlington Avenue.
The funeral will be held at our former Elementary school just two blocks from our home.

Media trucks and helicopters are buzzing our neighborhood.

Our neighborhood is shining BLUE night and day.
Blue lights are glowing up and down the streets of Cameron.

The funeral is for a police officer who was ambushed  and killed  Saturday night.
He was 33. A husband, a father to three and a hero. A hero who went on the call to check on  a disabled auto.  Only to have a bad man waiting for him, and shot and killed him.


To read the story and see photos of our glowing blue Village of Cameron, please click on the above link. 

Thank you for praying with me.
 

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Hello November

Hello November
 November is the month of thankfulness.
Our family as created a thankful tree in years past.
I create a tree and each of us write down on a cut out leaf what we are thankful for that day. We paste it to the tree and fill the tree with colored 'what we are thankful leaves".
 We do this for the month of November.

SOURCE


A friend introduced me to Ann Voskamp. I like what she came up with for the month of November. I am sharing her calendar below.
If you want more information about Ann click here Ann Voskamp

Looking at Ann's calendar a few ideas grabbed my attention right away...

Give someone the benefit of the doubt.
Give someone 5 minutes when you do not think you have it.
Thank someone older and younger than you today.
Text someone Good Morning or Good Night!

How about you? Do you have a special way of celebrating November, the month to be thankful.