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 

★ spending Sunday with my family.. touring apple orchards

our Sam has a girlfriend, Catie, I do enjoy spending time with her and I was so happy her work schedule allowed her to join us Sunday

☆ work continues on our BIG project.. I will show you photos soon

★ having one of our friends come help us with our BIG project 

and she brought lunch 

and iced coffee

☆ autumn has arrived in Wisconsin and is showing off as usual with beautiful colors, red maples, burgundy sumac, orange maples, yellow poplars, brown oaks

★ apple cider donuts.. one of my favorite treats when visiting the orchards 
 

September Color of the month ~ Brown

 Hello Friends,

Each and every month of 2020 I have featured a color.

I do a post on that color using photos I have taken.

For the month of September I have decided to highlight the color brown.

January ~ White

February ~ Red

March ~ Green

April ~ Pink

May ~ Red, White and Blue

June ~ Yellow

July ~ Purple

August ~ Blue

September ~ Brown

 

I will be taking a blog break next week. My husband and I are working on a house project. I will be back and share what we (hopefuly) complete.

It has to do with color! 

Have a great weekend and a new week ahead.

 

The Good Old Day's of playing along with the Hodgepodge!

 

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 one thing you learned at the ripe old age of whatever age you are now?

How to slowly cut the "apron strings" .. I am currently in my second month of empty nest.

 

 2. I read here a list of foods that can help you look younger-

extra virgin olive oil, green tea, fatty fish, dark chocolate, vegetables, flaxseeds, pomegranates, avocados, tomatoes, spices, bone broth

How many of the foods listed have you tried? I have tried all of them! How many do you eat regularly? We use extra virgin olive oil. I enjoy dark chocolate. Vegetables are on our menu for lunch and dinner. Pomegranates are something we enjoy in the winter. Yes, to avocados, tomatoes and spices. Your favorite from the list? Dark Chocolate!

 

 
3. Something you miss from the 'good old days'? SMILES  When were the good old days anyway? I am not sure anymore. 

 

 4. What are two or three of the most rewarding things to be found in growing older?

Learning from my mistakes. I can be very hard on myself. As I grow older, I see how I learned from making those mistakes I did when I was younger. And I can share the mistakes with my two boys in hopes they do not make the same that I did.

 

 5. What's your favorite part of your life right now?

The Empty Nest.. I will admit, I miss my boys. Yet, at the very same time, I am so proud and excited for them as they both have taken on the challenges of year 2020! And they still have dreams, goals and plan to reach them.

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

I delivered Meals on Wheels for several years before I started to work for Daybreak (a program for those with dementia.)

A few weeks ago one of the women I delivered meals to passed away. I sent the family a sympathy card sharing how much I enjoyed getting to know her. 

Yesterday, I received a  card from the family.

 

"She always looked forward to your visits and you had a very special  place in her heart."

 

This note gave me a gentle reminder to not give up on shining your light!  

 

 

 

 

Pressing Flowers

 Pressing Flowers

I almost forgot.. but my cousin Kris continued to remind me. And my friend Angie stopped with her dear friend Sharon to tour my garden, and Sharon also mentioned pressing flowers.

After Angie and Sharon left, I said to myself "you have to press flowers this season."

 I went out and picked a bouquet of flowers to press.

 

 

Lavender 

Cosmo

Sweet Pea's

 

Purple

Pink

Green

 Now I need your help. What ideas do you have for what I should do with my pressed flowers after they have dried?

 ♥

 

Show and Tell

 Hi Friends,

I have a few fun things to share with you. I decided to call it show and tell.

 

One Big Tomato

 

 Wisconsin Maple Root Beer

 

Stick or Caterpillar 

 

It is a caterpillar. 

2020 Graduation Party

We finally got to celebrate our 2020 graduate.

My mom created this collage of photos of Atticus.

Plan A ~  we were going to have a graduation party for family and friends. The party was scheduled in early June. The big bad virus came and with that a lock down.

 Plan  B ~ we were going to have a family only party in late July. My sister ended up needing gallbladder surgery. And scheduling any kind of surgery during 2020 has its own set of challenges.

And to top it off, our county had a spike in COVID cases the week of the party.

Plan C ~ We would gather together during Labor Day weekend with family and celebrate.

Sam was deployed to Kenosha. He returned home Friday night. 

We all celebrated together Sunday afternoon. 

♥

I've been working on the Hodgepodge

 

 Sam when he was a little guy.

My dad during cranberry harvest.

Hello Friends,

Today is Wednesday. And it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Looking at the photos above this Hodgepodge is all about work. Or what we can use to help us do work, the big red tractor.

Here we go.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

1. Something you've done in recent days or months that might be described as a labor of love?

"Can you wash my whites mom?" 

"You are the best at getting my whites clean mom."

My boys have recently moved in to an apartment together. They have a washer and dryer in their apartment, they love that. But when it comes to whites, I guess I am the pro.

 2. Last time you 'worked your fingers to the bone'?

That time is upon me, as we start to put our garden to bed for the winter and as my husband likes to say, "Batten Down the Hatches" as we prepare the yard for winter. 

3. According to a recent survey people named the following ten jobs as the hardest-nurse, doctor, paramedic, police officer, firefighter, surgeon, healthcare worker, bomb squad, farmer, and prison warden. Of the jobs listed which would you say is the hardest?  Oh goodness, I think they all are challenging. I will choose farmer, because I grew up on a dairy farm. My parents worked very hard. There is so much involved in farming. I sadly do not think many are educated in what it takes to grow food, milk cows and more for all the goodies we enjoy. The one you'd most like to do? I would be a farmer. I love to be outside. Even if Mother Nature is not on your side all the time, growing crops is a favorite of mine. That for sure is why I love to garden. Least like to do?  I would not do well as a prison guard. "Gullible" What's one job you would add to the list? TRUCK DRIVERS ... how do they do it?

During the pandemic, they were still going strong delivering what we needed the best they could. And in all kinds of weather. Up and over mountains, from one side the the USofA to the other. Watching out for deer, moose, bear, crazy drivers and city traffic. 

High Fives to the Truck Drivers.

4. A recipe you make that is labor intensive, but worth it?

 

5. Last job you did or task you completed that required teamwork?

Cleaning our garden shed. My husband helped me clean and put up new shelving last week in our garden shed. I love how organized it. *Note to self.. keep it that way.*

 6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

 Thank you, to all of you, for the prayers and support for our Sam.

I am happy to report that his mission to Kenosha is complete. 

He is back to college today.

A Favorite Artist

 Hello Friends,

Today I am going to share one of my favorite artists.

Anne of My Giant Strawberry

Click here to visit her site.

 

I first met Anne when I came across her blog.

My Giant Strawberry 

Anne recently wrote a fantastic post on Self - Care in September.

Click the above link to enjoy it.

 

I love her passion for nature and gardening. She brings all that to you with her art.

She does not give up on spreading joy. Even when life has kicked her down.

She is inspiration!

 

 

I love her acorn watercolor.

I do have so many favorites of her works.

Each year I purchase her calendar for my sister. It is perfect for my sister's office and she receives many comments on Anne's art. 

 

Anne is also extremely generous. And she honestly is working at making the world a better place by spreading her joy to others. 

She sent me a lovely surprise in the mail thanking me for her business.

It came on a day that I was sad about all the junk going on in our world.

Thank you Anne!

We can be the difference!!