Hello Friends,
The other day I peeked out at the bird-feeder, what did I see?
A rascal of a squirrel at my feeder.
Looking closer I see that this squirrel is sporting a white tip on that tail.
The acrobat that this squirrel is to get to a favorite treat.
"Today I embrace what makes me beautifully unique and beautifully me."
Have a great weekend my friends!
♥
Carla
Hello Friends, it is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.
Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.
1. Have you done more binge watching this past year than in 'normal' years? Any plans to break that habit in 2021? Tell us one or two shows you binged last year that you really liked.
No change in our normal watching of T.V.
We recently watched the following movie. I give it a thumbs up.
2. January 26th is Australia Day. Have you ever visited or lived in
Australia? Have you ever tasted Vegemite, and if so what did you think?
Is a trip down under on your bucket list? We answered a question about
travel three months ago (the October 21st Hodgepodge), but let's revisit
now...where are you when it comes to planning or even imagining travel this year?
My dear friend Judy has a daughter who lives in Australia. And my dear friend Lori, who is Judy's daughter has a sister who lives in Australia. Judy has visited and she took her grandboys on a trip to Australia. We were blessed with gifts from the trip, stories and seeing photos.
I have not tasted Vegemite.
I don't think I will be visiting Australia anytime soon.
As far as travels for 2021, no travel plans out of the state of Wisconsin are planned.
3. Something that zaps your energy? Something that energizes you?
Something that zaps my energy would be cold, cold weather. We have been fortunate this winter here in Wisconsin with a mild winter. Last week I was reminded how cold, cold weather feels as we had temperatures in the negatives. I delivered Meals on Wheels last week on a very cold, windy day, I was zapped of energy at the end of the day.
Something that energizes me. Coffee, chocolate and walks in the woods.
4. On a scale of 1-10 what are your eating habits like these days? (1=all junk food all the time and 10= juicing every green thing in the frig) Healthiest meal you've eaten in the last week or so?
No change in our eating habits. We are on a quiche kick. I have been trying a few new quiche recipes. I will be sharing on the blog soon.
And a meatloaf recipe, using bourbon. I have to tweak this one a bit more before I share.
5. What's your most often 'Back in my day....' thing to say?
My husband and I were just saying "Back in my day..." to our son on Sunday during the football games. Back in our day, football was different. The rules have changed, players have changed, the NFL has changed.
My husbands favorite was QB Joe Montana. I enjoyed watching football with my dad. My dad and I both loved loooong passes and Joe Montana was a QB that could do that.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Another "Back in my day..."
Everybody likes to find a letter in the mail, but it doesn't happen as often as it used to. Remember a phone call is nice but a letter is forever. Makes someone's day.
During the lockdown my sister sent me Pandemic Postcards. I just received another in the mail from her the other day.
The new rug for the guest room, looks to be Penelope approved.
I asked my mom if she could design and create a fun rug for our new guest room using the color grey. She did a fantastic job matching the colors. I like the design.
My mom is a seamstress and master at crocheting. The rug is crochet.
Penelope's colors match as well.
♥
Hello Friends,
Are you hanging in there?
It is not easy to stay positive during these times, that is the honest truth.
My friend Anne of My Giant Strawberry
recently shared a few ideas to help one stay focused. We can get sucked into the watching and reading of the news.. having it suck our positive feelings right out of us. Using Anne's questions, I am sharing some of my ways that help me stay positive.
1. How do you want to feel?
Work on ways that help you get to that feeling. Avoid the negative or at least try to expose yourself to less of the negative.
Remember the little things that make us smile in a day.
This afternoon we went for a walk along the Red Cedar river, we have not seen the sun in weeks. What joy to have the sun dancing on the river this afternoon.
A ray of sunshine on the floor. A kitty curled up on your lap, purring. A phone call or text message.
2. How do I want to make others feel?
This week I am delivering Meals on Wheels. I do not want to add worry.. so I never talk about negative current events with our participants. I will share what I saw on my drive, a deer, or squirrel or if people are ice fishing on the lake. If they have a pet I will ask about the pet. One of our participants has a huge Amaryllis blooming, we talk about the size of the flowers.
3. Can we make the world a better place? Little old me?
I think I can do my part to spread JOY where I can. That is why I love having my Flower Shack full of flowers during the garden season. If you are new to The River, I sell fresh cut flowers. It brings me great joy to grow the flowers and share them. What I love most is when I receive feedback from my customers. During 2020 I had so many people share "I am so happy you are open, it is something normal."
4. What are you struggling with and can you let go of what is making you struggle?
I struggle with fear.
I have to let it go.. or it will control me.
Afraid for our National Guard son and his teammates as they continue to do all they can to protect during this time of terrible unrest.
Afraid of what is happening to our country and what my young men's future will look like.
These are just a few of the fears that have taken hold of me these early weeks of January. I have to chase those fears away. I have to concentrate on, how do I want to feel? I want to feel happy. I want to do my best to spread JOY. I want my boys to see a brave mom who keeps doing what she can to make the world a better place.
♥
Carla
There are two ways of spreading light ~ to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Whartom
The Guest Room!
We recently painted our boys room and created it into a guest room. We still have some finishing touches to do. We plan to replace the light fixture. It was a light and ceiling fan. During the teen years of the boys growing up it became a two bladed ceiling fan, creating a noise that was like a helicopter.
When asked"how did two blades of the ceiling fan come off?"
"We don't know mom?!?" A mystery yet to be solved.
I also plan to sew curtains, add furniture and art work.
The room was blue with a wall paper border.
Miss Penelope checking out the bed.
My decorating theme for the guest room is travel. I am using some of the boys travel LEGO sets in decorating. I also am using some of my husbands vintage camera's.
We used Benjamin Moore paint, the color is Timber Wolf. My mom crocheted a lovely rug for the room that I will share soon.. more updates to come.
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| We have enjoyed a week of frost here in my neck of the woods. One of my dear friends shared " it is like living in Narnia." |
Hello Friends, it is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.
Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.
1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone's home? Tell us about it. Do you enjoy having guests in your own home?
We visited my parents for Christmas. We traveled to the farm and shared Christmas together with my parents, my sister, her husband and our family of four. It was a true blessing, with lots of belly laughs!!
I do enjoy having guests in my home.
2. What has you 'tied up in knots' currently or recently? Are you any good at tying actual knots?
My stomach is in a knot regarding the violence our country has endured in 2020 and the first week of 2021. Last week I asked for prayer for our National Guard son regarding the possible unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This week I will ask for prayer for our National Guard son for the possible unrest at Washington DC or Madison, Wisconsin.
I am not very good at knots. I have my own style of knot and my husband usually asks "what is this?" The Carla Knot?
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| A note of thanks from one of my participants. |
Hello Friends,
I wanted to give you all an update. Many of you know that I started to deliver Meals on Wheels in 2016. June of 2019 brought a change for me and I started to work part time for Daybreak of Barron County. Daybreak is an outreach for families that are caring for loved ones with dementia.
Families can have their loved one come to Daybreak from 9am to 2pm for a day of activities, memory exercise, music and lunch. Transportation is provided.
Because of the virus, Daybreak had to close the doors March 17th, 2020.
Barron County hopes that we will be able to open again in the summer of 2021.
In the meantime, I asked my supervisor if the county needed help in any other area. She said, "yes, we do! Our enrollment in the Meals on Wheels program has doubled, tripled... we could use your help delivering meals."
In December was my first two weeks back on a Meals on Wheels route.
I tag team with another driver named Kenny. We deliver two weeks and then we are off for two weeks.
I deliver to 15 rural participants. It has been a joy to be out and about spreading some cheer as I deliver the meals.
We are masked and wear gloves. We sanitize before and after each delivery. We sanitized the county vehicles we use each day we are done with our routes.
In the past I shared some of the stories on the route. From the people I meet, to the things I see on the roads and more.
I received a sweet note and treats from one of our participants. Each and everyone is so happy to see you. They are so appreciative of the meal and the friendly chit chat, we can visit for about 5 minutes and then have to get going.
I am on the route this week and the next. During these winter months, I always appreciate good weather and clear roads.
Hello Friends, it is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge!
Joyce asks the questions.
We answer the questions.
1. What advice would you give yourself as we begin this new year?
Stay Calm and Carry On
My husband thinks our country and world will be enduring a difficult 2021. He keeps saying "Fasten Your Seat Belt, this is going to be a wild ride."
2. If you could throw a themed party for yourself what would the theme be?
A Garden Party!
3. Tell us where you were and something about what life was like when you were 20- 21.
I was working full time for Marquip, located in Phillips, Wisconsin.
I was working in Accounts Payable. I loved my work.
And at the very same time I met a boy named Jeremy, who was finishing his college career at MTU. The start of a love story!
Leftovers ... we had our boys home for the long weekend. We cooked up a lot of good eats! We had them take some leftovers and we still had enough leftovers for Jeremy and I to be creative for most of this week when it comes to dinner.
5. What should you do more of this year? Less of?
I am going to spend more time with friends and family. If that takes getting creative in how we meet up, we will get creative. Outdoor tea in the garden, walks in the park .. whatever it takes.. I want to spend more time with friends and family.
I am going to worry less.. not sure how well I will do, but I am going to try!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Please be in prayer for my state of Wisconsin.. at this time our son has not been called to duty, he is on standby.
Gov. Tony Evers on Monday announced the mobilization of 500 members of the National Guard to Kenosha.
Praying for peace.
Hello Friends and Welcome 2021!
Will 2021 be a wild ride? I hope not. Yet, I have some worries. My state of Wisconsin is already dealing with unrest in Kenosha. I pray for a FRESH start in 2021 and that we can come to love each other again, as citizens of this great nation we call home.
My friend recently shared this daily blessing with me. I want to share it with you.
May JOY fill your heart.
May PEACE flood your soul.
healthy and peaceful year.
