He Grew Hair

 

 This fella is along our river walk.  In early spring he was bald. 

 

During our walk last week, we noticed he has decided to grow his hair out.

Ha Ha!

Happy Monday!

 ♥

Carla

 

 

Hello Summer and It is the Hodgepodge

 

 

Hello Summer and it is the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

1. Summer officially begins this week (in the northern hemisphere)...what was your favorite thing to do in the summer when you were a kid? What do you like most about summer now? 

Family would come to visit from Southern Wisconsin. I enjoyed playing and visiting with my aunts, uncles and cousins.

And what do I like most about summer now? The same thing, we get together as a family one weekend every summer. We laugh, get out on the water kayaking, fishing, campfires, enjoy delicious food and we have s'mores.  

 2.  Something you'll celebrate this summer? 

I guess I answered this above. We will celebrate family. 

  3. Summer tastes like? Smells like? Sounds like? 

Summer tastes like?

Watermelon!!

Summer smells like?

The beach!!

Summer sounds like?

Road construction .. the below photo was taken from our bedroom window.

 

 4. June 18th is National Splurge Day...what's the last thing you splurged on? What might you splurge on today? 

What is the last thing we splurged on? Cheese! We love Gouda cheese. Marieke Gouda in Thorp, Wisconsin makes the best Gouda. We don't live close by, so when we had a recent road trip that way, we stopped and splurged to fill the cheese drawer in the refrigerator.

Click here if you want to learn more about Marieke Gouda 

 

I will not be doing any splurging today.

 

 5. Share a favorite summer quote, saying, song lyric, or meme. 

 

"And you know it's not so much the heat as it is the gosh darn humidity"

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We enjoyed a special Father's Day with our boys. 

We went to a local baseball game, it was a fun game, lots of action and of course spending the day with family, that is what it is all about.

  ♥

 

Early June in the Garden

 

 

Hello Friends, the garden changes daily. I will probably be a week behind in showing you the changes here on the blog. The garden keeps me busy, but I love it and would not want it any other way. Today I am sharing some photos of our garden in early June.

 

 

 

Be on the look out for a green garden friend in the below photo.

 

 

Did you find him?

 

 

We feed the orioles oranges, that is why you see oranges hanging on a bird-feeder. 

 

 

I will be excited to share this pot with you as it fills out. I am excited for the combination I planted in this pot. Yes, you spy maple seeds in the pot. We had HUNDREDS of maple seeds fall this season. Since this photo was taken, this pot has been cleaned of maple seeds. We had buckets and buckets of the maple seeds. My aunt Sharon shared with me it happens every three years or so, the maples go crazy producing their seeds.

 

Note... clean the rain gutters of all the maple seeds.

If I could have .05 cents for each maple seed, I just might be rich.

 

 

I seek quiet joys. 

John Clare 

 

Enjoy your week my dear friends.

♥ 

Carla

 

Cinnamon and Sugar and Everything Nice Hodgepodge

 

Hi Friends, it is a cinnamon and sugar homemade doughnut Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 1. June 10th is National Herbs and Spices Day. Besides salt and pepper what herb or spice container do you reach for most often? Is there a spice you truly dislike? What's a recent dish you made that called for more than salt and pepper?  

I love herbs and spices. During the summer months I head out to my herb garden and pick fresh herbs for my cooking. Fresh dill and chives for my scrambled eggs this morning. I cannot think of a spice I truly dislike, but one that I do not use a lot of is cardamom. 

I made a pasta last week for dinner and I added lovage. I absolutely love lovage, it is easy to grow and adds that celery taste to dishes.

 

 2.  It's been said 'variety is the spice of life'...in what way is this true for you? Elaborate.

  Oh yes, I am always learning something new. I am a very curious person, I rarely sit still.

 

 3. What's something in your life that adds 'spice' (excitement, intensity) even if also comes with challenge or unpredictability? 

My kids add "spice to my life" ..

deployments

flipping cars

(our youngest buys cars and flips them with the help of his older brother)

letting me know of the next up coming adventure

"hey mom, we are heading to a car show in Tennessee."  

♥

and the best adding of spice is our future daughter in law.

 ♥

 

 

4. If you could instantly master one skill or hobby, what would it be and why? 

I would love to master another language. I have shared this with my husband many times. If I could just wake up one morning being able to speak French. 

Ha Ha... I have tried to learn, but I struggle.

 5. We're halfway through the year...what's one book, movie, or activity you've loved this year that you'd recommend to others? 

The 2025 Old Farmer's Almanac 

I listened to a podcast about the farmers almanac in 2024. I decided to pick one up and just see how well it predicts the weather. I have been following what the almanac says about the week and will record our weather. So far this year the almanac has been about 90% correct. There is tons of other information in the almanac. I have enjoyed following some of the garden tips and tricks it provides.

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Halfway through the year... GULP!!

 

 

 

Sharing a Story

 

My mom shared the following story with me and I want to share it with you.

 

A 2 week old olive egger chick named Olive is the star of Maple Hill Feed and Farm located in Maple, Wisconsin. She is the star thanks to her ability to hide, according to the Superior Telegram. Olive arrived at Maple feed store with about 499 other chicks for the annual Chick Day sale.

When the business opened at 8 a.m. May 3, the line of buyers stretched out the door. The chicks sold out by 9:30 a.m. or so owner Dawn Massier thought. 

That night, the store's motion camera's captured a video of a tiny chick following one of the five shop cats. The next morning Olive was at the store, alive and peeping, after spending the night alone with the cats. The owners posted about Olive's antics on their Facebook page, and people have offered to buy her. But the Massiers decided to keep the plucky chick around as shop mascot.

 

♥  

Carla

 

 

Say Cheese and it is the Hodgepodge

 

Happy June

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 do birthdays look like in your house? How are they celebrated? Any special traditions? What about birthdays growing up? 

We love to celebrate birthdays, but it usually is not on that loved one's day because of distance and busy schedules, but we do celebrate with a lot of fun for the entire day.

Below is a photo of last year's birthday celebration that we had for our son Sam. We celebrated by meeting up at a favorite Wisconsin state park. We hiked, had a picnic, opened gifts, explored Lake Superior and then went out to our favorite bar for burgers.

I completed Sam's T-shirt quilt for his birthday. 

My birthday is in December and my sister is a New Year's Baby. Our joke when we got older was how many times our birthday gifts were wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. Our parents always made our birthday's special.
 

2. Someone is sending you a dozen roses...what color are you hoping for? Are you someone who gets accused of seeing the world through rose colored glasses? Is your accuser correct? Elaborate.

 Pink or Yellow

I do get accused of seeing the world through rose colored glasses. 

My accuser might be correct. I limit my intake of current events, so I do not always know what society is up too.

 3. June 4th is National Cheese Day...will you celebrate? What's something (besides a burger) you make in the summer months that calls for cheese? 

We do a lot of picnics during the summer months. We usually will have cheese and crackers in the picnic basket. 

Oh yes, we will celebrate. We have a cheese drawer in our refrigerator, I eat cheese just about everyday. I am from Wisconsin. Hee Hee!

 4. 'tis the season...any weddings on your June calendar? What's the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage? 

No weddings in June, but we have one in July.

 What's the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage?

COMMUNICATION

and 

TEAMWORK

I think communication is the key. And teamwork makes the dream work!!

 

 5. What are you most looking forward to this June? 

My husband and I are going to Bayfield, Wisconsin to take part in some garden tours. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.

Alfred Austin

 

 

 

  

Getting Started

 

The Flower Shack

 

Hello Friends, today we are going to spark some conversation. The question.. 

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." Mark Twain

Do you agree or disagree?

Do you have examples from your own life?

 

 

 

I agree.

In 2012 I started my fresh cut flower stand in our front yard. It was a simple card table, with bouquets of flowers. I was getting started. Fast forward to 2016, my husband and boys built me a flower shack, an enclosed structure that was much better for my bouquets and I started to sell other items as well. Fast forward to 2017, I started to give classes on flower arranging.  Today I continue to have my flower shack, I create bouquets for friends and family. I also give classes on flower arranging. I do not think any of this would have happened if I did not try.

I do agree. "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." 

♥

Carla