Springtime Memories on the Hodgepodge

Another week to join the Hodgepodge with Joyce

All the World's Alive Again
The rabbit hops its gentle step
The lark sings lyric songs
All the world's alive again
Spring rights the winter wrongs

1. What are some memories you associate with spring?

My memories as a child are particularly about Easter and wearing new shoes and dresses that our mother had made.  In the picture above, she had even embroidered roses on our white socks to match the ones in the scallops of the dress.  I also have some not-so-good memories of Easter Egg Hunts which I never enjoyed.

As a young person, spring brought all things outdoors such as softball and track, both of which I looked forward to doing.  

As a mother, it meant our family would be involved with soccer, and baseball and all outdoor activities the kids participated in.  It meant flowers growing and blooming and brightening the yard.  Spring always meant Easter Cantatas at church, dying eggs, and choir picnics, and so many activities that we all enjoyed doing together.

As a grandmother, there are wonderful memories of Spring Follies, orchestra concerts, lots and lots of soccer and rugby and not always in good weather.

A special spring memory was when all our family was together.  These times have been too few.

Most of all spring reminds me of new birth and specifically the birth of our daughter in April, 1971.

2. April showers bring May flowers...was that saying proven true where you live? Snapdragons, anemones, carnations, lilacs, sweet peas, tulips, lily of the valley, orchids, roses, gardenias...which one on that list is your favorite May bloom? 

Since this is our first spring in North Central Texas, we really aren't sure what to expect weather wise.  Evidently, this has been a rainy month so far for this area and even after the harsh winter storm, flowers are blooming and are brilliant in color.  We are expecting more showers this week.

Tulips are more late March and early April in this part of the country, so those are out. Some of the others are not typical for our hot temperatures, but gardenias will always be a favorite.

3. What are your top three distractions and how do you deal with them? 

My own self doubts about certain things, iPad, wanting to be outside

Let's just say I'm working on the first two and try to do the third as often as possible.

4. Do you eat beef? In the course of a week, how often is beef on the menu? A hamburger, steak, prime rib, or a roast beef dinner...which beef entree would you choose and yes you have to choose. Unless you're a vegan, and then you may pass. 

Yes, I eat beef, and we have it on the menu once or twice during the week in forms of meat loaf, patties, and an occasional roast beef.  A medium cooked filet mignon is always my first entrée choice.

5. In what way were you creative during the month of April?

Creativity has really been on the bottom of my list this month for some reason.  I have had a hard time getting motivated to do much of anything.  I suppose, picking out and planting flowers in our little yard took some thinking and some work.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This week I gifted myself with a special facial treatment.

My daughter told me about it and I decided to try.  The HydraFacial process cleans, exfoliates and deeply cleanses the pores and hydrates.  There are actually five steps and it left my skin feeling so soft and clean.

Thankfully, my skin was found to be in excellent condition and there were no red flags - other than it's getting old. This treatment is definitely something I will do again.

This weekend, we will be going to north Arkansas for an outdoor wedding.  Our nephew built this gorgeous "cabin" overlooking the Arkansas River where it will take place.  It should be glorious and I look forward to sharing it with you next week.

Penny For Your Thoughts Hodgepodge

Happy to be joining Joyce for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge, and celebrating a special person at the same time.

1. Find a penny. Look at the date and tell us something about your life or what you were doing that year? 

Mine was a shiny new penny dated 2019

Looking back over all that we did during that year, it is as if we knew that life would never be the same afterward, and we had to cram as much into those 365 days as possible.

The main events were:

 Getting to meet a new family member we had only recently learned about.

Several interesting road trips in Louisiana and other states

Granddaughter's high school graduation held at Notre Dame that also included some really fun extended sight seeing trips into Michigan.

Visits with my sisters and discovering all sorts of interesting places in Cajun Land

A granddaughter's October wedding in Fayetteville, AR and a week of falling in love with that part of the state.

Special times with family at Thanksgiving in Dallas and Christmas in Northern Indiana

Watching Ava Grace in two different theater performances

Fun parties and time spent with friends

Spending our last time with special friends before Nancy died the following March with Covid

2019 was a very full, interesting and memorable year that we will look back on with great treasure because it was spent freely and doing exactly what we wanted to do with no reservation.  Or masks!  Or vaccines!

2. Were you given an allowance as a child? Did you have to earn it in some way? Did you learn to save money when you were a child or is that something you figured out as an adult? 

I was not given an allowance as a child and I did not save money as there was none to save, although the concept was taught.  Thankfully, saving was something that made sense to me as an adult and I married a man to whom preparing for the future was very important.  For that I am most grateful.

3. April 23rd is National Take A Chance Day...what's a chance you need or want to take?

Today, I will begin doing volunteer work at our church's pregnancy center one day a week.  This will be new for me and I am taking a chance that I will be able to do what is required and can complete my one-year commitment.

4. What's some outdated slang you seem to use a little too often? 

I don't know about it being outdated, but I find myself saying "Can you believe this?" an awful lot lately.

5. It's National Poetry month and I always like to make us work our brains a little...

Roses are red
Violets are blue
....you fill in the rest with something original...

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I want the carefree days of the '50's

How about you

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today is our beautiful daughter's --th birthday.  How is that possible?

Christy's childhood nickname by my dad was "Our Little Joy!" and that she was.  She is a wonderful mother, wife and daughter and we are so proud of her.  Her full-time job makes her responsible for the medical care planning for city and state employees all of the state of Texas. She is endowed with wisdom beyond my comprehension and is tireless when it comes to keeping up with a very busy 14 year old daughter as well as three adult daughters and parents who just moved near by.

Happy Birthday, Christy.  You are loved deeply.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

After missing the Hodgepodge last week, it is good to join in again today.  Hope you will enjoy catching up and seeing what questions our host has given us this week.  Thank you Joyce.

1. What is something you currently find 'taxing'? 

Since our move, I have not gotten back to putting all our tax info for 2021 into the Excel sheet that I maintain.  At this point it is not only a 'taxing' thought but a most daunting prospect, not to mention exhaustively time consuming.  Can you just imagine the receipts and expenses we have incurred during a move?

2. I've seen this question asked in various forms on several social media sites...you can only keep three-

coffee, jewelry, tacos, wine, books, dogs, chocolate, Netflix, make-up, leggings, cheese, cats

Which three do you keep and how easy or hard was it for you to decide? 

It was a pretty easy task because I have learned to live with less.  My three are:

Make-up, leggings & cheese

I will admit I could have added jewelry simply because without earrings, I could pass as a male with my short hair (reason for make-up).  I could have also added Netflix because that is about all we watch on TV.  Of course, chocolate makes any ordinary day a bit more interesting.

3. Tell us something you know or have learned about forgiveness? 

It is amazing grace to receive and without that grace, sometimes difficult to give.

4. What's something you'd recommend that is often overlooked and under appreciated? 

Encouragement!

I had already considered this word; however, before I could formulate my thoughts, I received a phone call from a lady I had worked with back many years ago.  Linda tracked me down just to tell me she is retiring and to thank me for the support and encouragement I had given her when she started her first job with us.  How dear, after all these years to be remembered for having been an encourager to someone who needed it.

5. Give us a favorite word that starts with letter K and tell us why this is the one you chose. 

Kangaroo

I chose this because the Kangaroo Paws plant is a recent addition to our little garden.  It is such an interesting plant and is supposed to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Don't you just love the paw-like flowers?

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

You may recall that the Texas winter storm of 2021 created quite a havoc with the landscaping.

This is what our street view was after having all the dead shrubs removed.

After a sizeable investment of both time and money, this is a portion of the landscaping that should last longer than we do, regardless of the weather.  Have I mentioned that our house sits on a bedrock of sandstone and there is only 3 to 12 inches of soil on top?  This does not make planting an easy task.

We inherited what I lovingly call a "Mystery Garden" because we are still discovering what wonderful floral gems were planted in our little flower bed by the previous owner.

These irises have brought so much joy and pleasure and we still have one more variety to go.  It is full of buds and it appears it will be a deep purple.

I have also added hosta, lambs ear, foxtail fern, butterfly bush, lavender plant, and lots of red pentas and some coleus in pots.  Not to mention my small herb garden in a pot.  And of course the Kangaroo Paws.

Yes, it is becoming home and we love sharing it.