Boo to You and it is 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 do you like most about your family? 

When the going gets tough, we will rally to help one another. Some of our family is spread across the miles, my one uncle and aunt living in Texas. This past year my Texas aunt had hip surgery. The Wisconsin families rallied to send care packages and made phone calls to check in with her. 

  

2. What's something nice that's happened to you recently? 

 

We were given a bunch of apples,  organic, fresh from the apple orchard. I made apple butter and apple sauce with some of the apples. Other are in our cold storage for fresh eating and making other apple treats.

 

  

3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and an actual orange, what's something orange you love?

 

I do like the color orange. Our son Atticus who is sporting that bright orange colored stocking cap below, he would wear bright orange stocking caps all winter long during his growing up years. This started when he was just a little guy, he would pick out an orange stocking cap as his new hat for winter.  

He is holding a bluegill he caught ice fishing in the below photo. 

I love all my photos of him sporting his orange stocking hat! 

 

Below he is older and yep, still sporting an orange stocking cap.

We are on the shores of Lake Superior in the below photo. 

 

4.  What's something you have now you couldn't have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What's possible now because of it? 

 My husband and I worked very hard to become debt free. We are going on year number three, and it feels so good. What is possible? We feel that if any changes in our life were to happen we have the freedom to make decisions that we may not have been able to do if tied in debt.

 

 

5. Let's wrap this one up with an October this or that...
pumpkin bread or apple cider donut ~ apple cider donut
cozy sweater or cozy hoodie ~ cozy sweater
apple picking or pumpkin picking ~ pumpkin picking
scary movie or Hallmark movie ~ Hitchcock movie
hay ride or corn maze ~ hay ride
twinkle lights or candles ~ candles
autumn hike or autumn bonfire ~ autumn hike
 
 
 
 
 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

It will be two years that we adopted Ernie. He is our first rescue dog. Golly what a journey we have had with him. I would not trade it, it has been a fantastic lesson for us. Watching a scared dog who lived over six months on the streets of El Paso, Texas, with gentle care and training turn into a true best buddy.

 

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

 ♥ flowers are still blooming here in Northwest Wisconsin

 ♥ beautiful October weather

 ♥ October sunlight dancing on the autumn colored leaves

 

 ♥ apples gifted from friends

 ♥ making apple butter and apple sauce

 

 

 ♥ warm apple butter spread on an english muffin

 

 

 ♥ autumn hikes 

and

 ♥ finding dinosaurs on that hike

 

 

 Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile.

 ♥

Carla 

On The Road Friday ~ A Castle in Dunn County Wisconsin

 

Hello Friends, last Sunday we took an adventure to find the castle that is dedicated to rural letter carriers of Dunn County, Wisconsin.

 We found the castle. We drove up, up and up a curvy one lane road. It was a very windy day and you can see in the photo above I captured a leaf blowing in the wind.

 My grandma Martha was a rural mail carrier in Price County, Wisconsin. I would ride with her on her route when I was a little girl. She was friends with most of the people she delivered mail to on her route. I enjoyed riding along with my grandma Martha on her route, she delivered mail for 40 years, in all kinds of Wisconsin weather.

 I loved the fact that back in 1938 people thought it important to honor rural mail carriers.

A few fun facts about the castle.

The castle is the only tribute to rural mail carriers in the country.

It is on the registry of haunted sights in Wisconsin. 

 

 The castle was well kept, no graffiti or other noticeable vandalizing. 

Perhaps the ghosts spook those who would want to do harm to the castle.  

 We have much more of Wisconsin to discover.. stay tuned. 

 

Painting 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. Do you make an effort to see/hear live music? Last time you went somewhere for the live music?  

I do like live music. We went to a fun show in early September featuring a local band.

 It was a toe tapping good time.  

 

2.According to HGTV the colors of the year for 2026 are mostly decided. Top paint companies declare a color of the year, and decorators will incorporate that into their new year home and room designs. Here's what's on tap in terms of paint trends for 2026 (check out the link here to see photos)

• Sherwin Williams-universal khaki (inspired by heavy canvas and outdoor gear)
• Behr-hidden gem (a confident shade of teal)
• Valspar-warm eucylyptus (a warm sliver tinted green)
• Dutch Boy-melodious ivory (a honey tinted beige)
• Glidden-warm mahogany (a classic brick red)
• Krylon-matte coffee bean
• Clark and Kensington -Hazelnut Crunch (warm reddish-brown)
• Graham and Brown-Divine Damson (cherry red with a subtle violet undertone)
• Dunn and Edwards-midnight garden (the green that works everywhere) 

First question-did you know there were so many different paint manufacturers? Which color on the list most appeals to you in terms of your own decorating style? Do you have plans to do any painting in your home in the coming year, and if so might you choose a color from this list? 

Now, forget painting walls, which color name appeals to you most? 

I had no idea there were so many paint manufactures.

We just finished painting two rooms and we have one room to go, which we are going to finish next week. We are using Benjamin Moore Paint, which is a favorite brand for us. The color that is close to what we are currently painting would be, Dutch Boy - melodious ivory.

Hmmm.. I will go with midnight garden (the green that works everywhere), I would say that name appeals to me. 

 

3. What's something in your life you have to do-watch-or participate in that's about as exciting as 'watching paint dry'?  

I will say.. painting. I hate to paint. My husband enjoys it and is so good at it. I give a helping hand and I try not to say how much I do not like to paint... but he knows it is not my favorite job. 

 4 . Tuesday, October 14th is/was National Dessert day...did you/will you celebrate? Tell us how? What's your absolute favorite dessert. Yes, just one. I know!! 

We do not eat dessert each day. It is more of a special occasion or once a week. My favorite dessert is pie. I like several kinds of pie, lemon meringue is a favorite. 

 5. Perhaps today is the day I will __________________________________. 

Finish going through a few closets. I am so close to getting done with my downsizing project I started in June.

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 

 Our annual pumpkin carving party is just around the corner.  I am starting to come up with fun ideas. How about you? Do you like to carve pumpkins?

 

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 

 ♥ making the bed up with flannel sheets ... the cozy season is here

♥ exploring a new area of Wisconsin

 ♥ blueberry pancakes for breakfast

 ♥ windy nights ... falling asleep listening to the wind chimes

♥ the full moon

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile.

 ♥

Carla 

  

 

Apples to Apples and it is the Hodgepodge

 

We went apple picking on Saturday with our son Atticus, take a look at this beauty!

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. 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' How does this saying ring true in your own family, either the one you grew up in or the one you made?  

 

I would have to say our youngest is like me in many ways. He is funny. If things get to serious, he will crack a joke. I am the same way. We like to lighten the mood. He also does not let too much worry him, he figures something out. I am the same way, it is figureoutable.  

 2. Something you're nuts about these days? How about something that's driving you nuts? 

 

I am nuts about..  

Jackson's Avocado Oil Sweet Potato Chips, I am nuts about them, do not leave me alone with a bag. 

What is driving me nuts? 

I was stuck not knowing  a baseball players name, I knew his nickname, Thor, but I could not think of his name. I did not want to look it up. Ha Ha. I am trying to use the old grey cells. I did not have to look him up, my husband gave me the answer, Noah Syndergaard.

 

 3. What does abundance mean to you? 

 

For me abundance means an overflowing amount of something special to you. For me, I have an overflowing amount of people who love me, I am blessed, so very blessed. 

 

 4. Caramel apple-caramel cake-caramel corn-caramel sundae-caramel macchiatto...what's your caramel treat of choice?  

 

 Caramel Sundae

 

 5. What's a childhood memory that always comes to mind as the leaves start to fall? 

 

Trick or Treat on Halloween night. 

My mom would drive my sister and me around our country neighborhood. We would get the best trick or treats, because it was just me, my sister and our three cousins that went trick or treating. Our neighbors loved seeing us kids. We would get bags of candy from Kenny Brown and Ed K. Irene W would make us fresh popcorn balls.  The Newton's gave us cans of soda. Trick or Treating out in the country will always be a fun memory for me, and my mom had fun too, stopping to see all the neighbors. 

 

6. Insert. your own random thought here.  

 

  Catch a leaf in mid air, make a wish, kiss it and toss it into the wind. 

 ♥

Carla 

Joy List Monday

 

Joy List Monday 

♥ a weekly reminder  ♥

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 time with our kids this past weekend

♥ warm autumn days with lots of sunshine

 ♥ apple picking 

 ♥ making apple butter and  apple sauce

 ♥ watching the moonlight dance through the autumn leaves that are still hanging on the trees

♥ 

Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile. 

♥ 

Carla 

 

 

Hello October and it is the Hodgepodge

 

Autumn bonfires are a favorite.

 

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 your favorite fall scent? Would we find this in or around your home right now? 

I love the smell of cinnamon. I am baking an apple crisp with lots of cinnamon, yes today you will find that smell in my house. 

2. October is Country Music Month...are you a fan of country music? Do you have a favorite country artist? Ever been to Nashville? In terms of lifestyle are you more country mouse or city mouse? 

I enjoy the "old country music", Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn are a few on my old country playlist.

I like Johnny Cash, he is a favorite because of the memories I have from my grandpa singing along to Johnny Cash songs. 

We drove through Nashville, we did not stop. We were heading home from visiting our military son at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

I am a country mouse.

 

3. How about 'country cooking'? (loosely defined as rich flavors, familiar foods, large portions, often fried, and often associated with the southern region of the US of A)? 

chicken and dumplings-fried chicken-shrimp and grits-biscuits and gravy-mac and cheese-fried green tomatoes-cornbread-collard or turnip greens-deviled eggs-'barbecue'-gumbo-banana pudding 

Which of the foods listed is your favorite? Any on the list you haven't tried or would say a firm no thank you to if offered?

 

 My favorite would be chicken and dumplings.

I have not tried fried green tomatoes or barbecue gumbo.

 

 4. What's something that always has a positive impact on your mood? 

 

I know I sound like a broken record, because I talk about my garden so often. But if I am having a bad day, taking a walk out in the garden will lift my mood. There is always a surprise of beauty as I walk along, even in the winter.

 

  

5. As we say so long to September share a noun, a verb, and an adjective that tells us something about how that month looked for you. 

 

Challenging 

♥ we made some difficult decisions in September

 ♥ current events took a toll on the heartstrings ... they still are

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

Sense of beauty is the gift of God, for which those who have received it in good measure, can never be thankful enough.

Gertrude Jekyll