Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Ornamental

Brrrr, I wouldn't want to be on our porch chatting today. It is cold and we have a bit of snow! Hooray. However, we need a lot more snow to do anything about our drought.

So, the questions for the chat are listed below. You can join the chat too, by responding in a comment or by posting on your blog and linking to Patrice's Everyday Rurality blog. To read other responses, visit Patrice by clicking on the image for Farmhouse Chats, below.

  1. What's your favorite ornament on your tree? If you have no Christmas tree, please tell me about something pretty in your home that you enjoy.
  2. What do you do when a telemarketer calls?
  3. What was the last kind of candy you had? Admit it- you had one tiny little bite. We understand:)
  4. Do you send out Christmas cards? If not applicable- do you use snail mail?
  5. Please finish this. I sometimes wonder___________________________.
Here are my answers:

1. There is no way that I can pick just one ornament as a favorite. So, here are a few of my favorites

This was given to us on our first Christmas as a married couple. My next-door neighbor gave it to me so I would always have a nest in my tree that would bring us good luck. This nest has been on every tree for 40 years!

I went to Michigan to visit my best friend several years ago. We had an overnight in Frankenmuth, where they have a huge Christmas shop. I bought so much that I was given the spiderweb ornament on the left. I actually explained about the ornament in a Chats on the Farmhouse Porch post last year!
The shell ornament was given to me by my dad quite a few years ago. He rarely picked out gifts, letting my mother do the shopping. However, this is one he picked out... and wrapped... by himself!

I am so proud of my son... he will be graduating from The School of Mines on Friday! I love that he gave me a school ornament a few years ago!

2. I do not care for telemarketers. I feel they are infringing on my privacy by calling and interrupting whatever I am doing. When they call I tell them I never buy anything over the phone, or never donate anything based on a phone call, but would be happy to look over information they send me by email or snail mail. They never want to send anything, so I thank them and hang up.

3. I am laughing about the candy question, as I was going to post about making candy. I have two lovely hard candy molds. I am going to a cookie exchange party later this week, and will be taking 'vintage candy toy' lollipops. I made 4 batches last night and 12 today, including the one I had to throw away because I took the thermometer's word on the temperature of the sugar solution, and it never hardened. I only need to make 2 more batches - but I need to make a run to the store to get more sticks, baggies and corn syrup. Anyway, I tasted more than my share of scraps from the candy!


4. I have not sent out Christmas cards this year. Many years I wait until after the holiday, and then send a "New Year's Note" along with a card. I am currently operating on the 'do one thing at a time' mode, so I'm not sure whether I will do a note, or not. 

5. Finish this sentence: I sometimes wonder how my boys turned out to be such wonderful young men. If I could figure out what facets of life made them who they are, then I could write a book and help other parents with their own children.

Everyday Ruralty




9 comments:

  1. I had a conversation with a lady today about our daughter's, wondering how God could have blessed us with such amazing daughters and wondering if they're really ours!!! ;-) You've done a great job on the candy...wish I was going to the exchange!!!

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  2. 1. My favorite ornament. Not sure. I have a bunch from when I was a kid and a few from being an adult. I can't pick just one!
    2. I don't get telemarketer calls. We don't have a house phone.
    3. I had some Whoppers today. Not my favorite, but my work was donated about 50 lbs of candy after Halloween. Since we can't really give it out to the kids (can't make it seem like a bribe for what they come in for), we have been sharing with our multi-disciplinary team partners and ourselves.
    4. I don't do Christmas cards. I do snail mail on rare occasion.
    5. I sometimes wonder. . .a lot of things! But currently I wonder when it will snow :)

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  3. Congratulations to your son! That's a huge accomplishment, and a great Christmas present to you and Mr. Dreamy.

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  4. How proud you must be of your boys...It is sweet that you would share if you knew where you went right...Have a blessed week:O)

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  5. Those lollipops look so cute I have a recipe but I am intimidated to try it due to the hardening I ruined 2 batches of brittle and caramels because of temperatures what a great answer on 5 it was fun chatting with you on the porch today have a great week ~Janice~

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    Replies
    1. I ruined 2 batches this year (so far). It is easy to do as the temperature seems to reach a point and soar! It is so frustrating to have to clean up the mess and start all over again!

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  6. What's your favorite ornament on your tree? I have way too many..but I have one that I painted back in 1975..a Sheltie in a stocking..it always makes me smile.
    What do you do when a telemarketer calls? I do the same thing as you tell them to snail mail it.
    What was the last kind of candy you had? Admit it- you had one tiny little bite. We understand:) Oh those Hersheys Drops..they are so little!
    Do you send out Christmas cards? If not applicable- do you use snail mail? Yes, I snail mail about 100 of them..some with notes:)
    Please finish this. I sometimes wonder___________________________. Why I don't go south for the winter:)

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  7. So your son graduated today from Mines! That is awesome. When I was studying geology years and years ago at Acadia University in Nova Scotia I knew about Mines! It has such a good reputation. I have a nephew who is seriously considering going to Mines after he graduates from high school. You must be so proud!

    I haven't started my Christmas cards yet! They may very well be New Years cards.

    I love the little bird's nest on your tree, Our tree topper has always been a pair of doves my maid-of-honor gave us for our wedding reception. She died unexpectedly young, so the doves are beyond special to me.

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  8. Sorry it took me so long to drop by. I'm so behind this Christmas. You'd think they changed the date each year or something else that catches me by surprise! Have a great week.

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