Wednesday Hodgepodge - December 13, 2017

I've taken a break from doing the Wednesday Hodgepodge due to a rather homeschool-intensive Fall. Am happy to be back this week to read what others have written and answer some questions.

1. 'Hurry less, worry less'...what's your strategy for making that happen this holiday season? How's it going so far?

I've intentionally been trying to scale back this year and be fully present in each activity. Although we have done something holiday related almost every day so far this month, it's not an excessive amount of activities like we have done in the past.

As for worrying less...that, unfortunately, is not something I've done well with this year. It's been a challenging year and medical bills have certainly affected what we are able to do and purchase. I haven't even begun Christmas shopping yet and am not sure when that's going to be possible. It looks like it's a certificates-for-something-in-the-future and homemade-gifts-with-what-I-have-on-hand type of year.

2. Do you have a list of to-dos that need accomplishing in order to prepare your home and/or property for the winter season? What are some of the jobs on your list? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone to accomplish these tasks?

Much of what needed to be done to prepare our home and farm for the winter season is done back in the Fall - before the snow falls. That being said, there are still some jobs that need to be done now that it looks like the cold weather is here to stay.

The most important things are to cover the rose beds and flower bulb beds with straw. With 50 degree weather up until about a week ago, it wouldn't have been good to cover the beds with straw. Now that it is down in the 20s, it is good to do that.

One of the lilies we grew this summer.

We also didn't cover the beehive yet. Again, the sporadically warm weather would have made the covering we put on the hive too hot for the bees.

We also have to get the snowblower out of the barn and closer to the house; and cover it with a tarp so that it is ready to be used for the season.

I also would like to clean out the barn completely before it gets too cold and get all new wood chips down for the horses. Will need to order a shipment of chips while I'm at it.

These are all jobs that we do on our own. We don't hire people to do things that we are capable of doing. We hire people for doing things that are out of our skill set and/or requires specialized knowledge - like electricians and plumbers.

3. According to dietitians surveyed, the most popular health foods for 2018 will be: turmeric, sprouted foods (bean sprouts, breads with sprouted grains, etc), veggies in place of grains, dairy free milk, and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, etc).  What's the first thought that ran through your head when you read this list? Of the foods listed which one might you add to your regular diet? Also, can milk really be dairy free? Is it still milk?

Some of the items are consistent with the Whole30 program and others are not. I did the Whole30 back in October and will be doing another round in January. On it, there's no sugar, grains, corn, beans, soy, or dairy. Basically, most processed food is out and all homemade food is the norm.

A typical meal on the Whole30 program.

I felt great while I was on the Whole30 - more energy, no digestive issues, and lost 8 pounds. Re-introduced foods in November and December that were not part of the Whole30 and noticed that the same challenges I was having before have come back. So, there's definitely food that I can't eat if I want to feel healthy.

Fresh fruit also is good on the Whole30.

This was a combination of strawberries, peaches, and lychee fruit.

So, out of the 2018 health foods, turmeric, bean sprouts, vegetables (with the exception of corn and beans), and dairy-free milk (that has no sugar added and isn't soy or rice) would be fine. I probably wouldn't drink the dairy-free milk as a beverage, but would use it in recipes as needed for liquid.

4. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2018 is Ultra Violet. According to the Pantone site 'Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking pointing us to the future.' What say you? Do you like the color purple? Did you see the movie or read the book-ha!?  Is purple a color you wear often?  If you were in charge of such things what color would you select for 2018?

When I was 8 years old, my family moved to a new home. Each of us kids could choose our own bedroom color. The color I picked: violet. As a teen, I stenciled purple flowers around the top of the walls near the ceiling. There was even purple carpet. 

My bedroom was changed into a sewing room after I went to college. 

The carpet was replaced at some point too.

However, the walls and stenciling - and

even the purple blinds remained.

I still like the color purple, though I would use it more as an accent color than an entire room's color at this point in my life. We have African violets which bloom purple.

I did see the movie The Color Purple when I was in college. It was very moving.

In terms of clothing, I had a purple sweater. However, I donated when I was streamlining my closet using the Konmari method.

If I were in charge of the color selection for 2018, I would pick a color that was unusual. It would be visually pleasing and have a memorable name. "Ultra Violet" seems like such a mundane name for something that's supposed to communicate "originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking."

5. Favorite book read this year?

I've read books this year, but there isn't one that stands out as a favorite one. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Olivia put together this 2,000-piece puzzle last month. It shows the wildlife that is typically seen in each state. There are pictures on the map that show the animals; and charts around the perimeter of the U.S. that name particular animals and what region(s) you can see them.

She glued it together and it is being framed so that the puzzle can be kept in good condition. She likes having a map on the wall plus loves wildlife - so this is the perfect thing for her bedroom.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - September 6, 2017

From this Side of the Pond

1. When you think about your future what do you fear most? Hope for the most?

When I think about my future, I reflect on my parents and the struggles they had towards the end of their lives with Alzheimer's Disease, dementia, strokes, diabetes, and a heart attack. I think about the financial challenges that healthcare poses.

My parents on a trip to Pella, Iowa, during the tulip festival.

(Taken April 30, 2009.)

Fortunately, for them, my dad had a pension and both had enough savings to draw upon to cover their healthcare expenses. Had my mom lived even six months to a year longer, things could have been very different for her since at-home healthcare was quickly depleting her savings. I don't have nearly the resources or the pension that they had.

My hope lies in what I can do to make a positive impact on others - my family as well as those who I will never meet. Seeing Sophia and Olivia having hearts filled with a desire to help and serve others - that gives me an incredible sense of hope that they will continue our family's legacy of wanting to make a difference in this world.

2. September is National Chicken Month. How often is chicken on the menu at your house?

We eat chicken about once a week for dinners. Often times, there are leftovers so we'll have chicken for lunches too.

What's a favorite dish made with chicken?

When I was growing up, my mom made oven-fried chicken by putting some butter in a 9"x13" pan and melting it. She would dredge chicken pieces in liquid (milk or egg - I can't remember off-hand) and then roll them in crushed up potato chips. A healthier version is using corn flakes rather than chips.

Mom, Dad, Olivia, and Sophia having lunch together

at my parents' home.We weren't having chicken, 

but this was one of many meals we shared together.

(November 4, 2009.)

There are certainly fancier and better recipes that I've tried. This one brings back good memories of sitting together as a family having dinner, so that's why it's also a favorite recipe.

What's something you're a 'chicken' about doing or trying?

After adopting Sophia and Olivia I decided that aiming to get my private pilot's license wasn't worth it - even though I was very close to getting it.

When I was doing touch-and-go's one day (the last day that I ever flew in the pilot's seat), I had a bad landing that my flight instructor and I couldn't explain. The entire plane was shaking on impact and it was difficult to regain control of it.

This isn't the plane I was flying,

but it is similar in size to the one I flew.

Sophia and Olivia are next to this plane

at an airport show on September 8, 2007.

I asked how I could have handled it differently and why it would have occurred, he had no explanation or suggestions. I never flew after that, despite his encouragement to do so. I never wanted to go through a similar - or scarier - situation like that. 

3. What are three things you don't own but wish you did?

I'd like to own these things if money were no object:

- a fully-furnished art studio that would have multiple rooms for different types of creative arts. This would be something that we could all use plus - potentially - could be a source of income if we offered classes or studio rental time.

- a sauna to help relieve muscle and body pains.

Source

- sensory equipment for both the girls to help them with sensory processing disorder including teen/adult-size items that provide what they need, but are multi-functional (e.g., hammock, hammock swing)

Source

4. Would you rather be a jack of all trades or a master of one? Elaborate.  If you answered one, which one?

Being a jack of all trades would be more rewarding for me because I would be able to do a variety of things. My life would always be exciting because there's something different to do. Having the knowledge to do many things - even house repairs - would be satisfying for me. 

5. Ketchup or mustard? On what?

I use both ketchup and mustard on hamburgers, hotdogs, and brats when I occasionally eat them.

Olivia and I roasting hotdogs at Itasca State Park.

(Taken on September 5, 2012.)

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

We spent three days at the Minnesota State Fair last week so the girls could compete with their 4-H projects. Olivia earned a trip to the fair for her video "A Better World for Animals" and Sophia earned a trip for the website she created. Both won blue ribbons; and Sophia won a purple ribbon (grand champion).

The girls also did a joint judging for the 4-H club's One Stop Donation Drop - the big community pride project that was done in November 2016 that enefited 23 non-profit organizations.

We were able to spend one day at the fair on our own. No competing or having to oversee anyone else's schedule. It was great! One of the highlights was seeing beautiful kaleidoscopes of flowers and plants in the Ag-Hort building.

Sophia had the idea to use her iPhone to take photos of the images that were created as the flower pots were spun.  My images from my camera pale in comparison to what she was able to capture. 

Another fun thing we did that was also very relaxing was an aquamassage. You lay on a massage/chiropractic table and the top of the machine goes over you. There's a layer of thick plastic between you and the water. A powerful jet spray that is the width of your body goes from your neck to toes.

Needless to say, when we were done with the 15-minute massage, we were very relaxed and felt rejuvenated. It helped our feet and legs make it through the rest of the fair. We definitely will be doing this again next year at the fair!

Wednesday Hodgepodge - August 30, 2017

From this Side of the Pond

1. Can you believe we're rolling in to the Labor Day weekend? What's a project you'll labor over this fall?

Labor Day always seems to arrive quickly. The summer goes by so fast. 

This Fall, I am focusing on going through my home office and getting it back to a workable space. It became a "holding spot" for a lot of my parents' items when we sold their home after they died.

Cluttered with a lot of projects and work that

needs to be addressed. The piles on my desk are all things

I need to go through and do.

I want the space under my desk back again 

so I can sit there.

Part of the process is crafting since my Mom left many projects unfinished - quilts that had squares cut, but never sewn together; or quilts that were partially done.

Two of the quilts that I want to work on are

between the file cabinet and desk.

They are completed, but need mending and

other repairs (e.g., new batting). 

She had patterns for soft toys (e.g., stuffed dog, Humpty Dumpty) that I remember from my childhood that I'd like to try my hand at this Fall.

2. Tell us about the best perks you ever had in a job?

When I worked for Spirit Square Center for the Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina, I was in a creative environment every day. There were artists-in-residence who had studios at the Center, so I could go down on a lunch break and see them at work. There were artist-educators who taught the arts to children from the local schools.

The multiple art galleries were filled with a variety of artwork. There was one in which we could participate one year. The walls were covered with a special photograph paint that was then covered with dark plastic.

We could bring in a photograph to have included in the exhibit. The artist would turn off the lights and remove a section of the plastic. The photograph was projected onto the wall that had the special  paint. Somehow it created the image onto the wall.

This was the photo I had the artist put on the wall.

It's a picture of my Mom as a little girl with her doll.

One-by-one, the sections of the wall were covered with photographs. It was an amazing historical collage of meaningful images to people who participated in the project.

3. August 31st is National South Carolina Day. Have you ever been to South Carolina? Any desire to go?

When I lived in North Carolina, I went to South Carolina a couple of times for vacation.

According to Southern Living, these are the top ten things to do in South Carolina...

Explore Charleston, bike, golf or relax on Hilton Head Island, see the beach and the boardwalk at Myrtle Beach, visit the state museum in the capital city Columbia, observe the wildlife and natural beauty of the Ace Basin, take a walk or hop on a trolley and check out Greenville's charming main street, visit Fort Sumter where the Civil War began, stroll through Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden in Bishopville leaving time to check out The Button Museum, also in Bishopville, see Morgan Island (also known as Monkey Island)-home to nearly 4000 Rhesus monkeys. 

Which is most appealing to you today? If you're a SC native, resident, or frequent visitor what would you add to the list?

I've been to Charleston and Myrtle Beach. We drove there, so we went through many town to get there...I don't remember what ones, though.

4. Beef, pork, country-style, barbecued, baby back, spare or short...your favorite kind of rib? 

Ummm....I guess I never really noticed a difference or have had ribs that much to know the difference between all the types mentioned. To me, it's the barbecue sauce and the quality of meat that makes good ribs. 

What's a dish you enjoy that really "sticks to your ribs?"

Scrambled eggs with shredded cheese, chopped vegetables (peppers or onions), and a bit of meat (ham or crumbled bacon) is a meal that is quite filling.

These are not the typical eggs I make. 

Back in April 2011, when we were doing a unit study on Mexico, 

we made Mexican scrambled eggs. 

The recipe called for more vegetables than eggs. 

The scrambled eggs I make typically have more eggs than fillings.

Oatmeal with raisins is another meal that fills me up in the morning.

5. What's one important skill you think every person should have? Why?

Every person should know how to prepare simple meal for themselves - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Sophia made a beverage with fresh fruit.

This one had dragon fruit - a new fruit we hadn't tried.

It's the white one with black seeds on top of the oranges.

In the back are 20 quarts of pickles that we canned last week.

They need to be labeled and put away still.

There is no reason to go out for every meal because one doesn't know how to make their own food.

I made beef with vegetables and cashews stir-fry

that was served over rice for dinner on Monday.

It's healthier to eat at home, saves money, and creates a sense of togetherness for families to eat meals together.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

National Dog Day was last week. People were posting pictures on Facebook. I didn't get them uploaded in time. So, here's a photo of our dogs with Sophia. It's rare that all four are sitting so nicely together.

Can't forget about Eenie. He's sitting with Olivia as she was reading on her bed.

There's Meenie, too. She's Eenie's sister.

Also, am so excited that the African violets are blooming.

I have three plants on the east windowsill in the kitchen that are doing well and have lots of blooms. 

Two of the plants have never bloomed before - so it's a real treat to see them with flowers.

They were ones that the girls and I grew from an individual leaf that we bought at an African violet show several years ago.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - August 23, 2017

From this Side of the Pond

1. Did you watch the solar eclipse? Your thoughts?

Sophia, Olivia, and I went to the Minnesota Zoo for part of the day; and watched the solar eclipse there. As it got closer to the peak of the eclipse, we went outside and enjoyed watching the snow monkeys.

It was cloudy, yet we were still able to see the eclipse.

There was a notable change in the amount of light in the sky (even with the cloud coverage) and the temperature dropped quite a bit. 

This final picture shows the amount of the coverage that was visible in Minnesota.

We were very happy with where we saw it. It was fun to combine a visit to the zoo with the solar eclipse.

Sun Chips, Moon Pies, Starburst candies, a Blue Moon beer, a Sunkist orange, or a Milky Way candy bar...what's your favorite eclipse related snack on this list?

A Sunkist orange would be my ideal snack. Fresh fruit is always refreshing!

2. What are you 'over the moon' about these days? What's something you enjoy doing every 'once in a blue moon?'

One of the things that I'm very happy about and enjoying is trying new recipes using fresh vegetables from the farmers market and CSA.

I made a salad with fresh raspberries, pears, macadamia nuts, and dried cherries. The dressing was homemade - a raspberry vinaigrette with honey.

Sophia made roasted potatoes that were lightly covered with olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and rosemary from the garden.

Something we don't do often is see the Minnesota Twins play at the stadium in downtown Minneapolis. My sister is a nanny for a family who has tickets to the Delta 360 Club.

The seats were off of third base and under an overhang which was nice - so we were in the shade when the sun came out.

We had a great view of the game.

Indoors, there's an air-conditioned lounge with a variety of places to get food. This one had wood-fired pizza which we had. It was very good.

There were cases with Twins memorabilia.

We had a fun afternoon and enjoyed being in the 360 Club. It made that outing even more special.

3. Tell us about something in the realm of science that interests you. How do you feed that interest?

Wildlife is something that interests me. I feed that interest by going to the zoo, visiting nature centers, and spending time outdoors - either in the backyard or at state parks.

At zoos, sometimes I am able to observe animals that I have seen in the wild (like black bears) up close and in a safer way.

At other times, the animals bring back memories of ones I've seen when I've traveled - like the kangaroos and wallabies that are at the Minnesota Zoo now.

I learn about how some animals are endangered and what people can do to help save the remaining animals of a particular species.

At a recent visit to the Minnesota Zoo, the girls and I sat down or spent an extended period of time at a few of the animal enclosures so we could watch the animals for more time and see what they do. This grizzly bear was sitting in the shade and watching man-made geysers and water fountains.

We watched the sea otters for a long time and there was one who kept coming right up to the window and looking at us. This is the otter swimming past us cleaning its arm. Another time it found a shell (food) and came swimming by with it - almost as if to show us what it had found.

We watched a morning feeding time in the shark tank. These are all carnivorous fish and aquatic wildlife. Although that stingray looks like it has eyes and a mouth on its underside, the two "eyes" are actually ways that it smells food on the floor of the ocean.

This past year, I was fortunate to be able to also visit two national parks. A highlight was seeing elk at the Grand Canyon.

Olivia and I had never seen elk before, so it was exciting seeing these two eating leaves near the road and then another group of elk with three babies further back in the woods. 

4. What are a few things you remember about going back to school as a child?

A good memory: I remember getting new school supplies and clothes. It was always exciting get a school box that could be filled with new pencils, Elmers paste (when I was very young) or liquid glue (when I was in elementary school), and crayons.

Getting new clothes was also very special because we only got new clothes three times a year: at Christmas, on our birthdays, and when school started. Otherwise, we made do with what we had which was fine. It made getting new clothes - especially for that first week of school - such a joyous time! We couldn't wait to wear our new clothes to school.

A bittersweet memory: I do remember getting a small box of crayons - 24 colors at the most. I wanted to have the 64 crayons, but my parents - who were on a limited income - couldn't afford them. They said 24 colors was a sufficient amount.

Source

It made me sad to see the other kids have the big boxes or crayons with all the colors. I loved to color and used all the crayons in the box they bought for me. I often wondered what I could have created if I had more colors to work with, though.

The smaller box of crayons also reinforced the fact that we were poorer and had limited resources than the other kids did. I didn't notice it when we lived in the inner city. It was only when we moved to the suburbs - a move that my parents made to provide a better life for us kids and them. It was a very good life.

It was just when I was at school that I noticed how much my parents had sacrificed to give our family a nice, safe home on the lake.

It wasn't extravagant or excessively large like homes nowadays. We used all the space and were so grateful for the opportunity to live where we did.

I never mentioned my disappointment to my parents because I knew they were giving us everything they could provide. In my heart, I knew I couldn't - and shouldn't - ask for anything more.

5. I've seen several versions of this around the net so let's make one of our own...share with us five words that touch your soul and briefly tell us why.

Family - because they are with you for the long-term and support you when you need it.

Home - the place I feel most comfortable and want to be.

Nature - a place of inspiration, comfort, and discoveries.

Compassion - an essential character quality for those who are in my life and who I choose to spend time with (in all aspects of my life).

Creativity  - something that sustains and challenges me. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

We are in the middle of canning season now. The last time that I did a lot of canning was 2014 and early 2015 - before my mom died. After that, I didn't do much of any food preservation like I had done in the past.

This summer, I resigned from being the leader of the 4-H club I started; and it has freed up a tremendous amount of time for me to do things that I once enjoyed doing - including canning.

This weekend, the girls and I went to the Minneapolis Farmers Market to get a variety of produce to can and freeze.

We were happy to see that we did not miss the cucumber season. They have both been asking for homemade pickles. The last time I made them, the girls enjoyed them so much that we ran out of pickles by December.

This time we bought a bushel of cucumbers of varying sizes. They all needed to be scrubbed, the blossom ends cut off (otherwise the pickles would be soft), sorted by size, and then cut (either slices or in lengths). Both the girls did this part of the canning process.

Sophia stayed to help with putting the dill, cloves or garlic, and vinegar-mixture into the jars. She also helped with putting the lids and bands on the jars.

Putting the jars into the water-bath and taking them out is still my responsibility.

Before and after the pickles, I was working on the stewed tomatoes. My mom used to remove the skin from the tomatoes. I don't do that. I just take out the part of the tomato where the stem grew, cut the tomatoes into chunks, and put them in a big kettle to cook.

When they are done cooking, they are transferred to quart canning jars along with two tablespoons of lemon juice in each jar. Tomatoes take a long time to process in the water-bath - about 45 minutes. So, this is a rather long time-commitment once you start with the tomatoes. (In contrast, the pickles only take about 15 minutes of processing time.)

We made 20 quarts of pickles (kosher dill, polish dill, bread & butter, and a homemade dill); 11 quarts of tomatoes (for chili and goulash); and froze lots of peppers (green, red, and jalapeno) and onions.

Today, I have the remaining bushel of tomatoes to can (probably another 11-12 quarts) as well as peaches (two boxes).