Go Bears!! And it is the Hodgepodge

 

 

Hello Friends,

That is me. I loved the Chicago Bears. Yep, I know I am a born and bread Wisconsin girl. And now you know a deep dark secret about this Wisconsin girl, she did not cheer for the Green Bay Packers.

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. ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?  On a scale of 1-10 how much of a fan are you? (10 is never miss a game and 1 is I'm just here for the snacks). Who's your team? If you're playing along today, but live outside the US feel free to sub your feelings about futbol for the more American sport of football. 

 

Once upon a time...  I was a big football fan. I was a 10!! Take note of the above photo.

Things changed in the NFL and with the changes my excitement left me. I was seeing more politics on the field than football.

 

 2. What's something you currently have a game plan for managing? 

 

 My husband and I have some upcoming travel plans. It is time to get the planning in motion.

 

 3. Do you like chicken wings? I do like chicken wings.  Hot, mild, or some other flavor? I am more of a mild kind of gal with all foods.  What's a must have food for you on a tailgate menu? We tailgate at Milwaukee Brewer baseball games. Oh it is so fun to tailgate at Miller Park... yep I still call it Miller Park. We have brats.. the good old Wisconsin way.  I know tailgating isn't as big of a thing outside the US of A as it is inside the US of A, but you can also answer the question this way-what's a must have food for you at a sporting event viewing party? 

 

 

Me at Miller Park in 2016.. when it was still called Miller Park. The last time I  was at a game was in 2019. We had a fun, fun tailgate party and  the stadium was renamed, American Family Field. 

 

4. Teams typically have strict playbooks they follow. What is one unwritten rule or piece of advice in your 'life playbook' you think everyone should know? 

 

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church....a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.”
― Charles Swindoll 

 

 

 5. This is the week we remember and mourn all that was lost and changed on September 11, 2001. I always include a spot for bloggers to share anything they'd like to share about 9/11. Share as much or as little as you like. 

 

 

 

The Red Bandanna

Book by Tom Rinaldi

 

 One Sunday morning before church, when Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red handkerchief for his back pocket. Welles kept it with him that day, and just about every day to come; it became a fixture and his signature.

A standout athlete growing up in Upper Nyack, NY, Welles was also a volunteer at the local fire department, along with his father. He cherished the necessity and the camaraderie, the meaning of the role. Fresh from college, he took a Wall Street job on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, but the dream of becoming a firefighter with the FDNY remained.

When the Twin Towers fell, Welles’s parents had no idea what happened to him. In the unbearable days that followed, they came to accept that he would never come home. But the mystery of his final hours persisted. Eight months after the attacks, however, Welles’s mother read a news account from several survivors, badly hurt on the 78th floor of the South Tower, who said they and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly twenty flights of stairs.  After leading them down, the young man turned around.  “I’m going back up,” was all he said.

The survivors didn’t know his name, but despite the smoke and panic, one of them remembered a single detail clearly: the man was wearing a red bandanna.

Tom Rinaldi’s The Red Bandanna is about a fearless choice, about a crucible of terror and the indomitable spirit to answer it. Examining one decision in the gravest situation, it celebrates the difference one life can make.

 

 

 6.Insert your own random thought here. 

 

Our morning glories are making me smile each and every day. 

Here is a smile for you. 

 

 

Ice Cream and the Hodgepodge

 

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

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. August 19th is National Aviation Day...do you like to fly? Last time you were on an airplane? The date is chosen in honor of the history and development of aviation, and celebrated on the birthday of Orville Wright. Have you ever been to the Kitty Hawk area of North Carolina? The city of Dayton in Ohio (their birthplace)

No, I do not like to fly.

My last flight was long, long ago in 2011. 

No, I have not visited Kitty Hawk, North Carolina or Dayton, Ohio.

 2. In what area of your life do you tend to 'wing it'? Is this an area you should be winging?  

Fishing!! I really do not know what I am doing when I go fishing. I do have fun with my son Atticus when I go with him. We usually have some sort of added adventure of me getting my line tangled in a tree.

Yay, I am alright that I am winging it, I am having fun and that is what is important.

The photos below are from a fishing adventure with Atticus a few years ago. 

  

 

 

3. A favorite book, song, or movie that relates to flight in some way?   

Top Gun

" I feel the need, the need for speed."  

 

4. Soft serve, gelato, sherbet, frozen yogurt, or good old fashioned ice cream...what's your pleasure? Your favorite flavor? How often do you indulge?  

 I love my homemade ice cream.

My second favorite is Culver's ice cream.

Mint Chocolate Chip is my favorite.

We sometimes can go on an ice cream high, we have it often. Then all of a sudden we do not have it all that much. That usually happens during the cold Wisconsin winter.

 

 5. I never get tired of______________________. 

Flowers!! 

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We just returned from our summer bash on the farm. We had a great time visiting with family, eating good food, campfires at night, star gazing and laughs!!

Lots of belly laughs.

Yes, I went fishing with my son Atticus. An adventure it was indeed as I proceeded to get my line tangled in a tree, slid down the river bank and landed in the water.  And to top it off, I did catch a fish!!!  High Fives to Mom. 

Atticus caught more fish than I did. But you probably already guessed that. 

♥ 

 

Dreaming of Sailing and it is the Hodgepodge

 

Hello Friends!! 

It is Wednesday, that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 

 1. I saw a meme on Instagram that went like this-'The movie Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was set in 1963, so if remade in 2026 it would be set in 2002. Now I need a little lie down in a dark room for a while." 

Time is crazy isn't it? So...what were you up to in the year 2002? 

 

 I was a busy mom, with a two year old and a new born baby.

 

 2. "Me? I'm scared of everything..." What's something that scares you that you'd like to try anyway? 

 

I would like to learn how to sail. 

Never fear Carla you can do it ....

 

 ▲ learn how to read the wind

 ▲ steer the boat

 ▲ setting the sails

▲ basic navigation

 ▲ how to tie knots

 

 

 

3. Watermelon-yay or nay? Which melon is your favorite-watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. Of the watermelon food/beverages listed which would you say yes to...

watermelon salsa~watermelon feta salad~watermelon sorbet~

a watermelon Jolly Rancher~a watermelon margarita 

 Yay for watermelon.

Cantaloupe is my favorite.

Watermelon salsa.

 4. August 12th is National Middle Child Day. Are you a middle child? If not, where do you fall in the birth order in your family of origin? Do you think this has influenced your personality? Elaborate. 

I am not a middle child.

I am the oldest.

Yes, I think so, according to the Birth Order Theory, the first born may have a deep sense of responsibility. And I definitely have a deep sense of responsibility. 

  5. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time, or have a significant conversation with two people? Explain. 

I would enjoy a significant conversation with two people. 

I am not really into small talk. I like to learn about people, so I would want to spend time doing just that by having a significant conversation.

  6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Happy Late Summer!! 

 

Going Back

 

Hiking at Colfax Day Date #22

Hello Friends,

Well, I just am not going to keep up with sharing my 52 day dates with you. I do not want to feel stressed about it. I will share the real fun ones. Ha!  We are doing something fun each week. It might just be a movie night, it is something I am documenting for my photo book I plan to make for Jeremy. I take a photo of each of our dates. 

Our current Day Date story is here 

 

Going back to Day Date #22  we went to Colfax. We went hiking. It was a beautiful day.

We ate at the Blind Tiger.

It was a fun place sharing the history of the speakeasy.

 A "blind tiger" is slang for an illegal establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, commonly known as a speakeasy. The term originated in the 19th-century United States from venues that charged admission to see a "blind tiger" as a front, but actually provided customers with an illegal drink to evade liquor laws.

 

 Several of our day dates are going for walks.  

 

On the one trail we like to hike we see these three deer often.

Can you spy the turtle?

We always love this view as it changes with the seasons.

A baby turtle.

We should have put something down in the photo to show how small it was, but let me tell you this was a wee little turtle.

 We went thrifting for one of our day dates #19. This was Dell's Architectural Antiques and it was very unique. 

Day Date #23 we watched the "new" Sabrina with Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinner. 

Day Date #25 we had another movie night. We watched the "old" Sabrina.

We both decided we like the "new" Sabrina over the "old". 

 

Walking, cooking together, movie nights and some adventures too. That is just some of our Day Dates. We celebrated day date #29 last week Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 

On to #30!! We are doing it. We can make it to #52!!

 

 ♥

Carla

 

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

 

Hello Friends,

Our 52 dates continue... our kayaking beach day was our # 29.  

It was a good plan. We were going to kayak to the Siskiwit Bay and enjoy the beach.

 

 It was a good plan until the smoke from the Minnesota Boundary Water fires and the Canadian fires began to roll in. 

 

 

Our kayaking and beach day was cut short. 

We planned to try a new place to eat, The Corny Fish Shed. We drove on over to Cornucopia to eat. The meal was very good. Several people were there with the same plans we had as the smoke continued to roll in.

 

Once again on our adventures we came across some sayings and a duck. 

 

The Duck

LIVE FREE OR DIE

AN OWIE TO ONE IS AN OWIE TO ALL

 

 

We enjoyed fish tacos, made with Lake Superior Whitefish.

Guac and Chips.

 Praying for all in the firestorm. The evacuations of the those in the Minnesota Boundary Waters of those canoeing and camping, once again show the love and support we have for each other.

Praying for rain.

Praying for those who have lost so much in this firestorm.

 ♥

Carla 

It is a Tropical Heat Wave and it is the Hodgepodge

 

Hello Friends,

We are in a tropical heat wave here in Wisconsin. It is time to get on the water. I will be doing just that this week and I cannot wait.

Before I do, we will join the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 

 1. "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." Sam Keen

Do you feel less guilty relaxing in July than you do in January? Elaborate. 

 

We will be kayaking this week on the shores of Lake Superior. 

Relaxing outside in July is easier to do in Wisconsin, so yes, I do like to relax in July, especially on the water. But, sitting by a cozy fire on a cold January day with a good book, can be just as relaxing. I do not feel guilty about either... Hee Hee.  

 

 

2. What's a telltale sign you're upset? 

 

I cannot think. I just huff. 

 

3. July 16th is National AI Day. What are your general thoughts and/or experiences with AI? Have you purposely used it? Does it excite you, scare you, or worry you? What do you see as a benefit? How about something relating to AI you see as a negative?   

 

I appreciate the help if I ask it for help. I have asked AI to help me with a few things. I think it can be helpful as long as we have common sense regarding it.

Data Centers are making me nervous, that is a big negative for me regarding AI.

 

  4. You're invited to a summer pot luck and are asked to bring an appetizer, salad/side, or dessert. Which category do you go for and what are you bringing? 

 

I would bring coleslaw, made from our very own fresh garden cabbage, carrots and onions.

 

  5. It wouldn't be summer without___________________. 

 

 

Butterflies and Flowers

Sunsets

Campfires

S'mores 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

 Last week I shared that my optometrist recommended some drops for my dry eye. They did not work. Boo Boo! I am trying some new drops today. I do hope they will do the trick.

 

Conversation

 

A dead sturgeon on the shores of the Chippewa River. Yes, it is a huge dead fish!

 

It is hard to believe fish this size are in our rivers and lakes here in Wisconsin, but they are. I am not sure how this sturgeon died. We just came across it on a hike along the river.

That brings me to our conversation.

G.K. Chesterton once wrote, "Do not be so opened minded that your brains fall out."

What do you think he meant by this?"

 

 

 

 

#15 & #16

 Hi Friends,

For those of you following along with our 52 Day Dates, I am going to do some catch up here the next few weeks. You will notice my photos are of spring, not the full summer that we are currently in. Hang in there with me, hopefully I will get caught up here.

Episode #15

Honey Help and Cook Together 

 

I was busy cleaning gardens. I had my climbing plants to clean off the tip top of our obelisks. Our Day Date became an afternoon of Honey Do. We worked together on the projects that I am not able to do without some help.

 

 

 We made dinner together. 

 

 

 We made one of our favorite one pan meals, Cajun Shrimp. We had sweet corn on the side. It was great to get a few projects done and make a delicious meal.

 

Episode #16 

Spring Walk

We went for a beautiful spring walk at Veteran's Park.

The frogs started to sing, spring, spring, spring. We saw turtles sunbathing. The loons were back on the lake for the summer. It was a fun hike seeing everything wake up from a winter's sleep. And those who migrate back for the summer, loons, ducks and geese.

 

To be continued...  

Happy Summer and It is the Hodgepodge

 

Happy Summer 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. Summer's here!  In the northern hemisphere anyway. If you're in the southern hemisphere substitute winter for the word summer. What do you love most about summer? What's your biggest summer pet peeve? 

 

  I love the long days of summer. 

My pet peeve is the humidity. That gosh darn humidity.

 

 2. What song always reminds you of summer?

I attended girl scout camp each summer as a young girl. I loved singing the songs that we did. In the morning, noon and night we would sing.  It was great fun. I love hearing camp songs. My memories will go right back to all the fun of girl scout camp.

This Land is Your Land

A Boy and A Girl in a Little Canoe

B I N G O

The Other Day I Met A Bear 

 

3. What's something you remember about your childhood summers? Do you think kids today get to enjoy summer the way you did as a child? Elaborate.   

 We would play all day outside. We would play all night outside. At night we would play a game with our neighbors, we would hide and seek at night. It was great fun. I must admit, my friend Paulette was the best at giving you a fright. We loved it. We would do it over and over.

I did not grow up with screens, computers or hand held devices. So life was much different for me growing up in many ways. 

 4. We celebrate Fathers Day on June 21st. Do you favor your dad in looks or temperament? Tell us something about your dad. Or your husband as a dad. Or a son/son-in-law as a dad. Or your grandpa. 

 I have the love of nature. That is something I was taught by my dad. I accompanied him many times in the woods during the hunting seasons. He taught me to listen to the woods. I loved our adventures hiking along the river. He taught me to respect the river, any body of water for that matter. We would have to hike to a special place along the river to go Musky fishing. It was not an easy hike to get there, but once we got there it was a great day. It was one of my favorite adventures we would take.

 

5. Let's wrap up with a summer this or that-

• flip flops or sandals         sandals
• beach or pool       beach
• watermelon or peaches     peaches
• shorts or sundress     shorts
• iced coffee or ice cold lemonade   iced coffee
• amusement park or water park    water park

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 " A Joy Shared Is A Joy Doubled"

 

 

 

Thrift Finds

 

An outside water dish for Ernie. 

Another fun thrift find. I love the paw prints.

 

The thrifting jackpot. 

My husband and I love NORTH. When we ask each other were we want to go spend the day, we will say along the shores of Lake Superior. We get in the car, and head North. I was so excited to find this North highway sign.  I have big plans for the display that I plan to do using the sign. The sign is up. Now I wait for the shelving that will go with it. Stay tuned.

 

I can get swooped in by dishes. I usually have to say no. I do not really need anymore dishes. Hee Hee!  My husband and I could not help ourselves with these. Daffodils are our wedding flower. These are fun happy spring dishes.

My husband also found a tackle-box for his fishing gear. 

I picked up some craft paper. 

We had a fun day out of thrifting.

 

 

Here is to the Red, White and Blue and the Hodgepodge

 

A red, white and blue pot along our daily walk. I snapped this photo last year. We are just starting to plant out our flowers. Last week we dipped down to 35 degrees, but I think we are finally going to be frost free... fingers and toes crossed, this is Wisconsin.

 I too have gotten in the red, white and blue spirit for America's big birthday.  My planters are just getting started, I will share them with you soon.

On to the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 1. Do you like your name? Are you named after someone (grandparent, etc)? If you have children how did you choose their names? 

 Yes, I like my name. My middle name is Jane, that is the same as my grandma Vida. She was Vida Jane and I am Carla Jane.

We are blessed to have two boys.

Our first son, Samuel Charles. Samuel is named after my grandpa Samuel. And his middle name is after my father.

Atticus Roy is our second son. I will let you guess where the name Atticus came from and Roy was my grandpa Lepke's first name.

 2.  A piece of red velvet cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of blueberry pie? You can only have one...which will you choose? If you could pick any red, white, or blue dessert other than those listed here, what would you choose? 

I will have a slice of blueberry pie please.

I would pick strawberry shortcake as my second red, white or blue dessert.

  3.  What's a job you'd like to try for just one day? 

I would like to be a Lineman for a day. I think it is fascinating how it all works, not that I really understand it all, keeping our power grid going in all weather. 

I am sure there is a rush of energy that comes when they are called out after a storm to get that grid back up and running. 

 4. Any patriotic decor in your home currently or coming up this summer? 

Yes, I have our front deck all decked out in red, white and blue. I am just waiting for the flowers to bloom a bit for photos. 

Our American flag is flying proudly and I have some small flags in my pots. 

It is a big birthday for America!!

We are ready to celebrate!!

 5. It's the end of May, so let's exercise our brains. Sum up your month with an acrostic using the word MAY. We can do it!!  

Mother's day fun,

Amongst the busy of spring,

Yes, said years ago, brings a little boys birthday cheer too. 

 I am not good at this.. Hee Hee...

We started our May with  Mother's Day. We are full of spring garden clean up and planting.  We celebrate our youngest son's birthday and on May 31st is our wedding anniversary. 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

From Columnist Harvey Mackay

Time is free, but it is priceless.

You can't own it, but you can use it.

You can't keep it, but you can spend it.

Once you have lost it, you can never get it back.

 

 

 

Sound Off!!

 Hello Friends, 

Today is going to be a sound off, just to get some stuff off my chest.

I first will start with the USPS. 

I do have to say, my grandma was a rural mail carrier for 40 years. I rode with her on her route. We had so much fun together. I would ride in the back with all the mail. She was loved on her route and she took pride in her work.

I am not sure what is going on with today's USPS, but it is a mess. I wonder if we are going backwards instead of forwards.

 

For several years I have ordered our onion sets from a fantastic grower in Texas. I have not had one bit of trouble with receiving our order in fine condition, until this year.

I received confirmation our onions shipped. A week went by, still no onions on my doorstep? I was looking at the tracking and it looked like our onions where stuck in Ohio.

I contacted the company I deal with, they said they noticed the USPS is no longer updating the tracking information on the sight. WHAT??? CRAZY??

The next week our onions came... 

Our box of onion sets came soaking wet, when I opened the box the onions had mold all around them and smelled awful. 

They had gotten wet, left to sit and rot. 

 

 Thankfully the grower we order from sent out a replacement order for us immediately. 

The reason I am sounding off on the USPS is something honestly has happened to the service we once had, I do not know what the trouble is?

Short staffed?

Our carrier is a sweetheart, I know she does the best she can. Is something going on higher up making the USPS crash and burn? We no longer get mail daily. 

Any thoughts?

Next up...  

Below is a peek of just a wee bit of the mess behind our fence from our backyard neighbor.

Click here to get the rest of the story  

I shared the story about our backyard neighbor in the above post.

Sadly, he broke one of our fence panels moving more junk, a freezer, into his backyard along our fence this past week.

My husband fixed our fence and reinforced it to be ready for whatever may come next.

 

 

Keeping it real here my friends. The blog world can look all pretty and perfect, but in honesty we all are dealing with ups and downs. 

  Keep Calm and Carry On!!