Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Thanksgiving

I haven't had a moment to chat with Patrice and her friends for quite a while. Today she reports that it is very cold, so we will be chatting in the kitchen. It sounds like fun! If you care to join us, respond to Patrice's questions either in a comment on my site or her's, or respond on your blog and link to Patrice's blog, following the link at the end of my post.

This week Patrice's questions are on the topic of Thanksgiving. I will be preparing the meal. It will be very simple this year, with only my younger son, my Dad and his fiancé coming. Yes, you read that correctly.... Dad is getting married. He is 92 and his sweetie is 75 (or is it 74?) She is a wonderful lady and loves my Dad, even as his mental state slows down. Despite Dad's dementia, he is very sweet and happy. 

 Patrice asks:

1. If you are celebrating Thanksgiving, what are you looking most forward to on Thursday?
2. My favorite Thanksgiving dish is_________________.
3. Do you ever go through periods of time when you get hooked on a specific food?
4. What's the best stuffing for a turkey?
5. When you were a child, were you ever in a Thanksgiving play, pageant, mock pilgrim dinner, or anything different to celebrate?

My answers:

1. I enjoy the morning of Thanksgiving day. The Macy's parade is on TV in the background and the kitchen smells wonderful as I begin the stuffing for the turkey. 
2. I like sweet potatoes - in almost any form. 
3. I laughed at this question because Mr. Dreamy is definitely like this. He will go months and months eating the same thing for lunch or breakfast, then one day.... he's done with that and moves to something else. 
4. I like to add pecans and dried cherries to my stuffing. I would love to add cornbread but Mr. Dreamy doesn't care for it.
5. I don't recall that I ever had the opportunity to participate in anything like this, but my younger son dressed as an Indian in preschool and I had a kids' Thanksgiving a few days later. (Do you see our dog, hoping she can get whatever is going to be on the table?)

I have to run. The sun is out and I'm heading to play pickleball.... after I make Mr. Dreamy's breakfast; one egg over easy and a piece of toast. This has been his breakfast since some time around February... I can get it on the plate in a jiffy!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Wha' D'ya Do With the Money Your Parents Gave You for Music Lessons?

I feel like chatting today. We are enjoying one of our first cool days. As I type, it is barely 60 out and the high is supposed to reach 72. Whooo! That sure beats the 92... and the 102 we had last week! I will actually have some energy left to do something!

Patrice, I am so glad that you are feeling better.

You can join the chat too - either leave a comment on my blog, or on Patrice's blog - or respond to the questions and link to Patrice's Everyday Rurality blog.

Here are our points of discussion for the day:

1. Did you ever take piano lessons, as a child or adult?
2. How many times do you eat out each month?
3. If you could snap you fingers and change on thing about your appearance, what would that be? (Temporary or permanent)
4. Do you like looking at art or photography? Do you go to any place that displays them?
5. Do you have new things for your fall/ winter wardrobe?

Here are my answers:

1. As a child? No. I took clarinet lessons in 3rd grade (and was kicked out of class for lack of drive and talent) and guitar lessons in middle school. When I went to college I had to learn how to play the piano - but I have forgotten all of it now. I think I have some sort of learning disability when it comes to music. To this day I have to say the ditty, "Every Good Boy Does Fine" to name the notes. I'm a music flunky!

2. We don't eat out very much. I have probably had 2 lunches out this month and we haven't made it out for dinner.

3. Oh, please, make me thinner at the snap of my fingers. It takes far too long to lose weight these days!

4. I am not much of a looker. (Oh my, that statement could be interpreted in a totally different way!) I enjoy art if I have an expert there to tell me the back story of the piece I am looking at. Museums often make me yawn (I think it is the stuffy air and lack of oxygen)... then tears begin to flow down my face and people think I am all emotional about the art work.

5. Nope, well, not unless you count the T-shirt I got at Kohl's using Kohl's cash, so it ended up being basically free! I 'earned' the Kohl's cash buying a new pair of tennis shoes since my old ones have been worn down from playing pickleball. Does any of that count?!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Moving On

We are on the move this week. We are slowly making our way back towards home, with some planned stops in between. As we drove through Idaho, Mr. Dreamy thought I was having some sort of fit as I suddenly slung off my seatbelt, whipped out my cell phone and got on my knees, hanging over the dash of the motorhome. He doesn't understand. I had to take this picture for Wendell.

You see, Wendell?
You are so famous there is a town named after you!!

We have landed in a place that has the Internet, so I can actually participate in the chat this week. Looking around you wouldn't think we could connect to anywhere, 'cause it looks like we have landed on the moon! It has its own stark beauty.

Along the road in SW Wyoming

Here are Patrice's questions. You can join in the chat by linking your blog to Patrice's site (follow the link below) or by answering in comments.

1. Do you use any type of water filter (pitcher or sink mount)?
2. Do you have any tips for staying hydrated in the warmer weather?
3. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?
4. Are you on top of all the chores/work you do, or are you always running behind?
5. If you could sing a song to Wendell, what would it be?

My Answers:
1. We used a pitcher filter until we caved in and bought a water softener and reverse osmosis system. Our well water was beyond terrible. I didn't even like the small mouthful I had to swallow when taking medication.
2. No tips. I just try to drink water, and fail to drink enough.
3. My hair is curly, unless it is very dry outside. I fought the curls most of my life and finally learned to deal with it!
4. Never. If I were on top of things, what would I have to do?!
5. Since Wendell kinda likes to eat, I'd sing, "Mairzy Doats" (Mares eat oats....)

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Come Sit With Me

I missed Patrice's chat last week. I guess I am spoiled by having fairly speedy Internet available to me 24/7. When we are out of town we are at the mercy of the service (what service?) provided by the campground. We have looked into creating our own hotspot through our cell phone, and we may just have to break down and do that. But, it is expensive and even then, if I don't have a good cell signal, I am not going to get the Internet. Oh, but I am so spoiled. I remember the day when I had to have an ethernet cable, and before that,  dial-up? And, for some folks, that is still all that they have. I guess I shouldn't complain!
It is time to grab a cup of coffee or tea and join Patrice and her friends on the farmhouse porch. Care to join me on my "front porch"? I'm sure Tucker and Gypsy (can you see her ears?) would love the attention.

By the way, I'm not a 'two-fisted' drinker. The coke can is our 'shake can'. If Tucker decides to chat with neighboring dogs, he is more inclined to listen to our request to 'be quiet' if we pick up the can, which has a few rocks in it. He does not care for the sound of the rocks rattling in the can.
But, the other dogs like my saying "hi" to them. I don't understand why you have such a thing about my barking at them.
Anyway, it is week #101 for Patrice's chats. That is a lot of chatting! You can join in the chat in comments on any participating blogger's page, or link your own responses on your blog to Patrice's site by clicking on the image:

This week Patrice asks:

1. Bacon or sausage? If vegetarian, what do you have for breakfast?
2. Do you take time to "smell the roses"?
3. What's your favorite stone fruit? (Peaches,nectarines,plums, apricots, and cherries are i n the stone fruit family.)
4. What is the thing people notice most about your personality? ( quiet- outgoing- polite-funny-etc.)
5. Is there a hobby that you have wanted to do, but haven't started yet?

My responses:

1. Mmmm, bacon. Especially crispy, applewood smoked bacon. Yum!
2. Nope. I tend not to take the time to relax and just enjoy things as they are. I have always been busy, and I continue to keep myself busy. When we are 'camping' I sometimes have more time to just kick back. It is tough to be happy in that mode, but I am learning.
3. I'm not really fond of stone fruits. I'll eat peaches if they are sweet, or if they are in a cobbler or with some cream.
4. Gosh, I don't know. Perhaps that I look at the positive side of things.
5. Just take me to Hobby Lobby and let me loose! There are so many things I'd like to try!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Tulip Tuesday

Holy Tulip Tuesday.... I can actually sit a spell and chat with Patrice and her friends on her porch today! Patrice reports that it is spring in her neck of the woods...

I am crossing my fingers...

and declaring that it is spring here...

finally! 

At least this is the first Tuesday in 6 weeks where we haven't had snow on the ground, or when we weren't expecting snow later in the day!
My spring has been about tulips. I love tulips. Perhaps it's because I lived in the south where tulips were nigh impossible to grow. Two years ago we planted a variety of Dutch bulbs, and last year I dug up and separated some tulips that had magically appeared in my garden, having been planted many years ago by some previous owner or renter. This year it has been all about protecting the tulips from our 'spring' snows and temperatures in the teens.
I became adept at tent making. This lovely tent was constructed and deconstructed 4 times. Each time the component pieces were moved a shorter distance away!

Here is the tent on April 9

Here we are again on May 1

But, the end result made practicing my

Girl Scout skills well worth it...

QUESTIONS 1. How many load of laundry do you do each week (about)? 2. Where do your household pets sleep? If you have no pets, please skip to the next question. 3. What is your favorite thing to listen to while you drive? 4. Do you have to do a big clean-up when you have company, or are you always ready for guests? 5. What's your favorite breakfast food?

Here are my answers to Patrice's questions. You can join the chat, too, by responding in comments on my page, or on Patrice's page, or by linking your blog to Patrice's blog.

Answers:

1. Oh, my gosh! Thanks for reminding me. I started a load yesterday and turned the machine off because the dogs were going to eat dinner. They are afraid of the washing machine and won't go in the laundry room, where their bowls are, if either the washer or dryer are running! Oh, but I digress, I average two loads of laundry a week. When I had the horses I probably had to run at least one extra load as horse dirt magically jumps from horse to human in a heartbeat!
2. Tucker and Gypsy have beds in our room. They don't discriminate about who's bed is whose. Tucker is the funniest sleeper. If when he gets too warm he will move to another location. So he is on and off the bed all night. When he lies down... he groans, a long drawn-out pleasurable groan. It makes me smile to hear it.
3. I switch between an oldies station and NPR when I drive. When the car was a major part of my day, driving hours for work, I would listen to books. I kinda miss that now, but I generally spend so little time in my car now, that it would take too long to get through the book. By the time I got near the end, I would have forgotten the beginning ;-)
4. We always have a 'rush-around, throw things in cabinets, wipe off the counter' type clean up when folks are coming. When my house is neat and clean I swear I'm going to keep it that way, but before I know it, the horizontal surfaces have acquired piles of stuff, dog hair clumps sprout on the rug, and tumblefluffs roll on the floor in the breeze created as we walk by. 
5. If I didn't care about my size, I would eat French toast made with thickly sliced cinnamon bread, and coated in panko bread crumbs. A sweet vanilla sauce on top would be heavenly. Knowing that I wouldn't stop at one piece, and that if I happen to have a loaf of bread like that in the house, I'd be compelled to make it every morning, I just don't buy the ingredients. Instead, I limit myself to a piece of oatnut bread, toasted, or a small bowl of granola. Most mornings I make Mr. Dreamy one egg, over easy. I've become masterful at flipping the egg, and sliding it onto the plate, without using utensils.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! 

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Texas

I am hoping I can get this post completed and 'up' before Mr. Dreamy wants to move one. We have had an interesting trip through Texas. Luckily, we were "deep in the heart of Texas" so we didn't get hit by the storm that dumped 20" of snow on Amarillo. Yes! You read that right! They had major highways closed for hours. However, we were impacted by the storm because it was a massive low pressure area and the winds around the low were very high, with gusts in the 50 mph range, or maybe even higher. I posted this image of a wind map on Facebook the other morning:

We knew the storm was coming so we had planned to hunker down where we were. When we awoke, the winds were calm, not what we had expected at all. However, if you look carefully at the map, you can see the greenish-brown circle just to the right of the 25 mph label... that's where we were when this screen shot was nabbed! We stayed put and our motorhome was rockin' and rollin' all day and well into the night.
Today we will leave Texas behind as we head to Arizona to meet with some friends. But, before we take off, I want to sit a spell and chat with my blogger friends!

Care to join in? You can respond to Patrice's questions and link up to Everyday Rurality, or comment on her site or mine. Here are her questions for this week:


1. Is there a room in your home that you'd like to redecorate or remodel? 2. Did you watch the Oscars? 3. How many pair of blue jeans do you own? 4. What was your favorite toy as a child? 5. If you could visit a country in Europe, which would you choose?


1. When we purchased our house, which had major water damage from a broken pipe, we redid the main floor. The upstairs rooms sustained very little damage and they are clean and quite pleasant. The basement had been partially finished, and after 'the flood' we had the sheetrock restored, but we need to do something with the flooring and continue to finish the job.

2. I did not watch the Oscars. I don't get out to watch many movies. I don't know who is in what and frankly, that is not a huge area of interest for me.

3. Do you mean how many pair that fit?! I have 7 'jeans' with me on the trip: 2 blue, 1 each of black, tan, deep red, purple and a peach color. I live in jeans. I don't own too many pants that aren't jean style.

4. Early on I loved stuffed animals. As I got a bit older my interest turned to horses and I had a small herd of plastic equines.

5. Sweden... in the summer! My maternal grandmother was born in Sweden. I would love to visit the country and connect with distant relatives.

Ah, what a pleasant way to begin the morning. I have enjoyed sipping my coffee and 'talking' with my friends. Click on the link below to visit Everyday Rurality and see how other folks responded to Patrice's questions.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Valentines

Good day to all of you! It is time to join Patrice and many cyber friends for a chat on Patrice's porch. Today my "porch" overlooks a beautiful meadow surrounded by trees, in Piedmont, SC. The meadow begs to have a split rail fence around it with some horses or donkeys in it! Speaking of horses, Wendell would like to have some valentines. Here is one that Doc 'gave me' years ago. Now, some of you might find this offensive, but I think there is nothing nicer than the big, bountiful butt of a beautiful horse! I'll pass it on to Wendell with lots of love and kisses!

Happy Valentine's Day

You can join the chat, too. You can respond to the questions on your own blog, and link to Everyday Rurality, or you can respond to some or all of the questions in a comment. 

Patrice asks:

1. Are you doing anything special for Valentine's Day?
2. When you attend something that isn't totally casual, are you likely to wear dress pants or a dress?
3. Do you use a regular toothbrush or one of the battery run kind?
4. Did you have valentines in school when you were a child?
5. If you could learn a new craft tomorrow, what would it be?

Here are my responses:

1. Do you think having the chassis of our motorhome serviced counts as something 'special'? We will be "homeless" for the day and have to entertain the dogs and ourselves. Maybe, if the weather is nice, we can find a dog park so Tucker and Gypsy can play. I do love the motorhome - so I guess maybe it is a nice thing to do on Valentine's Day!

2. I am more likely to wear pants, but I have been dying to share pictures of this crazy dress I found at the Jockey Store Outlet.... for all of $6.99.

The dress came with 4 black straps with snaps that can be used to gather the sleeves together. It also has a long black scarf that can be criss crossed over the top, worn as a shrug, a belt or draped over the shoulders. The length can be adjusted with snaps, too. I bought the dress, which came with an instruction sheet showing 12 different ways to wear the dress, but have never worn it. I must confess, it doesn't look nearly as nice on me as it does on the model in the picture!

3. My dentist recommended that I use an Ultrasonic Toothbrush. I alternate between using that and a handheld, old fashioned model.

4. One of my fond memories of elementary school was making Valentine boxes for the Valentine Day Party. I think I enjoyed the process and anticipation far more than actually getting valentines.

Source

5. I would love to learn how to paint - either with acrylics or water color. Some day I just may take some lessons.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Enjoying a WiFi High

I'm on a WiFi high! We are at the factory campground (for our motorhome) in Alabama and they have WiFi... and the WiFi is good!

I feel like somebody again!

I can read about what is going on... 

and I can put up posts... 

and I can email...
and I can open posts with pictures...

and I can leave comments....

and I can participate in Patrice's "Chats on the Farmhouse Porch"

Hooray!

Patrice gives us five questions every week so that we can respond and then check out the responses from others who link up to her site. This week we are only imagining we are on Patrice's porch as she says it is very cold. (As if we don't 'imagine' the porch visit every week.... geesh, this is beginning to seem so real!)

Here are this week's questions:

1. What is your favorite time of day to read? If you don't enjoy reading, then what is your favorite time to watch TV/movies?
2. Did you watch the Super Bowl? If so, what was your favorite commercial? If you didn't watch it, what did you do Sunday night?
3. Have you been watching Downton Abbey?Who's your favorite character? If not, have you seen any interesting TV or movies series lately?
4. Do you enjoy home parties for selling items? (like Pampered Chef, Southern Living, Mary Kay)
5. Please finish this sentence. If I work very hard, I can__________________.

Here are my answers:

1. I enjoy reading at any time during the day when I don't feel like I should really be doing something else. As I have aged I have found that I have a harder time keeping my nose buried in the book. I find my mind wandering and thinking of distractions... usually things that need doing. Generally I will read in the evening if TV doesn't interest me and very often for a few minutes in bed before falling asleep.

2. I am not much of a football fan, but I did watch the game and I enjoyed it. Since my son lives in SF I was really hoping that the 49ers would pull it off. As far as the ads go, hands down my favorite was the Clydesdale ad, followed by the ad for the RAM which celebrated our farmers.

3. My son introduced me to Downton Abbey when he was visiting at Christmas. We watched 5 or 6 shows from the first season. I did enjoy them, but haven't watched any since. I am tickled that my son and his wife consider this one of their favorite shows. If I had to pick a favorite character I'd pick Violet. She reminds me of my MIL!

4. I do enjoy participating in home sale parties.... but I usually feel that I must buy something. I have a few things in my cabinets that I never use because of that. I have hosted a few parties, but prefer not to, because then I feel that my friends will feel pressured to buy. Although I often like the products offered for sale, I feel that the prices are a bit steep.

5. If I work very hard I can..... lose some weight and get in shape! Here's hoping (she says as she sips a beer and eats more potato chips!)


Visit Everyday Rurality to see other responses to the questions by clicking on the link below. You can play along, too, but responding in a comment or, if you have a blog, by putting up a post with your own answers and linking them to Patrice's page.

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.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: I'll Be Home For Christmas

It's time to chat with Patrice and all kinds of Blogging friends. Patrice mentioned that the weather in her neck of the woods is perfect for sitting on the porch. Here, too. Well, it might be a wee bit chilly, but the sun is out and our temperatures are quite a bit above average. We are actually wishing we would get some winter weather as we really need the moisture.

This week Patrice asks:

1. Do you have your tree up yet? If not, when will you put it up? If you don't have a tree, please tell me about another tradition you like.
2. What was the best job you ever had? The worst?
3. Do you drive around and look at Christmas lights? If not applicable, tell me something you like to look at when you go for a drive.
4. Does your tea kettle have a whistle?
5. Do you like boots?

My Responses:

1. Our tree is up, but only partially decorated. This will be the first Christmas that we will actually celebrate in Colorado - and we have lived here since 2007. I am looking forward to having Christmas with my family. We'll celebrate with Mr. Dreamy's family in January. 

A Victim of my Late-Night Decorating

2. My best job was working as a Teacher-in-Residence for CERRA, SC. I had the opportunity to support the education profession. I visited schools, talked to students, and conducted workshops. I traveled a lot in SC and had the opportunity to create my own schedule. It was very rewarding work and most experiences were very positive. I think my worst job was with an insurance agency. I really shouldn't complain as my friend's father got me the job - a condition my parents imposed if I was going to live away from home the first summer after college. The job required me to update files for clients and mail out renewal notices. It was boring and I didn't have much in common with any of the 'girls' in the office.

3. We used to drive through a few neighborhoods that were known for stunning light displays, but we haven't done so in a quite a while. I guess that's a victim of high gas prices! This year we do plan to go to the Zoo and the Botanic Gardens, both of which have evening light displays that are supposed to be wondrous.

4. I have a tea kettle from years ago that does whistle. However, the only thing I've used it for in years is to take hot water down to the barn to make warm beat pulp mash for the guest horses on cold mornings!

5. I would much rather wear Crocs or CrocKnock-offs, or something like Teva sandals, than boots. If I must wear boots, because of the weather, I really like my Bog Boots. They are so very comfortable and they keep my feet warm. If I have to do a lot of walking in cool weather, then I enjoy wearing a pair of Ariat  work boots with a Thinsulate lining.


Come join the chat. You can respond to Patrice's questions, too, and we can get to know each other a bit better. You can answer in comments on my site, or her site, or you can link your blog responses to Patrice's site:

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Sleepover

I'm late, again, for chatting on the porch with Patrice from Everyday Rurality and her friends. But, wait, I was on the porch yesterday... I just wasn't chatting. It was more like muttering under my breath! I washed the glass of our two French doors that go out on the porch. I erased a few months of doggie nose prints. So, even if I wasn't exactly chatting on the porch... I was out there!

1. Do you still write letters (snail mail)?
2. Do you sing?
3. Did you participate in Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or Cyber Monday?
4. How many guests can you have spend the night at your house? Could Wendell fit?
5. Have you ever gone fishing?

My Answers:
1.  I write a few letters now and then. Generally, I type them, because I can type faster than I can write, so sometimes I will type a letter and then print it out. I need to get back into the habit of writing a weekly letter to my MIL. I did that for a while, putting a few pictures of something that happened that week, and telling her about it.

2.  I sing in the car. I have little talent, but I enjoy singing along to the radio.

3.  I did some Cyber Monday shopping. I bought the silliest thing. When I got on Amazon's site they had a special on coconut water.  My son and daughter-in-law (that's the first time I've written that :)) It is so nice to say!) will be here for Christmas and they like it. So, why not?! No, I won't wrap that one up - it will just be on hand for them to enjoy.

4.  I could host a sleepover - why don't y'all come for a visit?

green room: double bed

blue room: queen bed

basement: two twin day beds

basement: two couches

living room: one couch

in storage: two twin inflatable beds

RV: queen bed and queen sleeper sofa

and a flop-down sofa that supposedly sleeps two!

2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 2 (if you are really small) = 17

Oh, and Wendell is more than welcome to come, and can bring a friend! We have two stalls with lovely Dutch doors that open into a large paddock. I think Wendell would be very comfortable. 

5.  I've gone fishing a bit. I haven't done it in a while, but hope to go soon, since I gave Mr. Dreamy a fly-fishing trip for Christmas - last year!

Dreaming with her catch - 2 years ago

Hey, SC friends... check out the hat!

Come join the chat. You can respond to Patrice's questions, too, and we can get to know each other a bit better. You can answer in comments on my site, or her site, or you can link your blog responses to Patrice's site:

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Thankful

Patrice is back on the porch. It is another beautiful, sunny Colorado day, so chatting with my friends would be great fun. Please join in! Check out Patrice's questions and respond on your own blog, linking to Everyday Rurality, or respond in the comments section of my blog. It is always fun to see how friends respond to the questions!

1. What's the last thing you baked?
2. What's your favorite condiment?
3. Do you have a smart phone, dumb phone, or no phone(we're talking about cell phones)?
4. Do you have a favorite card game?
5. Tell me ten things you're thankful for - please:)

My Answers:

1. We bought a "Take and Bake" pizza on Sunday. Does that count? I guess the only other thing I've baked is two loves of zucchini bread - probably in August! I love baking and I love eating the baked goods - but my body doesn't like the end results and I have absolutely NO will power!

2.  Just like Patrice, I'd have to say Ketchup. I don't use it excessively - just on fries, burgers and hot dogs.

3. I have an iPhone. I love it. I am in awe of all I can do with it. Technology is truly amazing... and scary!

4. I haven't played cards in years. We used to play Pinochle with friends. I enjoyed that game - I guess because it is a bit different.

5. Here's my 10 things "I'm thankful for" countdown:

10. good health
9. a beautiful home in a nice location
8. enough savings to enjoy travel and treats now and then
7. having my father living nearby
6. pets and ponies
5. the opportunity to go to college
4. an interesting career and a steady job
3. family (including a daughter-in-law) and friends
2. my two sons who have grown into wonderful young men
1. a loving husband who has stuck with me through thick and thin

Click on the image to magically be transported to Patrice's Blog. From there you can hop to answers from other folks sitting on the porch today!


 

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: I've Got a Secret!

How would you answer these questions? You can respond in comments, or you can participate in Patrice's "Chats on the Farmhouse Porch". It's a fun way to get to know friends in cyberspace. Oh, and speaking of fun - Wendell has chimed in with his answers. It is interesting to see things from a horse's perspective.

Wendell... can you get to San Francisco on Oct. 29? My son is getting married! You are the first 'person' in blogland that I've told that to! Shhhh! It's a secret! Don't tell! I think it would be great fun to have you in his wedding party!!

1. Please tell me a fond autumn memory. Or tell me something interesting you're doing now that fall is here.
I used to ride to the hounds. Fox hunting takes place in the fall when the mornings are cool and dew covers everything (we even had lots of dew on the grass out here this morning). Morning mist would hang in the woods and the sun would filter through what leaves remained on the trees as we waited for the hounds to pick up the scent of a fox. There was something magical about the anticipation of a good run, the rustle of the leaves as horses waited impatiently stirring up the earthy odor. Too-to-too-to-toot! Tally-ho! We're off!

Here's a not-so-great picture of the 

Genessee Valley Hunt - many years ago.

I'm in that mass of horses and people.... somewhere!

2. What's your favorite kind of cheese?
I'm with Patrice.... just about any cheese is my favorite. But I guess, if you put a selection out for me, I'd take baked Brie over anything else! Yummy!

3. Have you ever been in a wedding, other than your own (if applicable)?
I have never been in anyone's wedding... but, as I mentioned above. Son 1 is getting married! Woohoo! I guess I won't really be 'in' his wedding - but I think it will be tons better than dressing in a Bride's maid's dress. My heart will be so full! (My eyes, probably, too!)

4. Did you ever do anything as a child to earn money? (Lemon aid stand, crafts, mother's helper, chores, etc.)
We lived near a golf course tee and would sell lemonade on occasion. My brother would also scour the golf course for lost balls and would sell them as well. Several times golfers would find balls they had lost on previous outings. They would laugh and gladly pay my brother the small bit of change he was asking for the golf balls.

5. Do you wear a watch?
I haven't worn a watch for years. I probably quit using one about the turn of the century (doesn't that sound odd?!) when I realized that just about anywhere I was, I could see a clock: on the microwave, in my car, on my computer, on my cell phone, etc. But, I do have a lovely watch that my brother sent to me. It belonged to my mother. We think it was given to her by my dad on the occasion of their wedding. My brother had the works redone and the watched cleaned professionally. I treasure it - even though I have never worn it.

Visit Everyday Rurality to join the chat.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Lost!

Hahaha.... that's funny! Patrice thought she lost Wendell! I mean, if Wendell really had gotten out of the pasture, it wouldn't be funny - but she is right - how can a person lose a horse that weighs what? 1800 pounds?!
But heck, I don't have the right to laugh. How rude of me. Will you forgive me, Patrice? I mean, how can I laugh when I had a momentary panic attack when I thought I had lost my two horses! My two Haffies, weighing in at about 1100 pounds each, sure beat one Wendell! Anyway, I am thinking I probably know exactly how you felt when you thought Wendell might be gone!
One day I had the horses in our back yard. It's just under an acre. There are 5 gates in the fencing, so there is the chance, a small one, but one, none-the-less, that they could open the gate and escape. It so happened that I went out to collect the horses for dinner. I looked to the right, towards the gate that leads to the main road, no horses. So, I headed around to the left. No horses. How could that be? They weren't to the right of me. They weren't to the left of me. Oh! My! God! They escaped. I started running toward the gate leading to the road - the worst case scenario, and almost ran into Pippin's somewhat ample rear end! My Haffies had been 'hidden' behind a tree. A very small Spruce tree. But, since I had been close to the tree, it blocked more of my view, and I simply had not seen the horses there at all (at least that's the story I'm telling folks!) Phew! I was relieved to have 'found' them... but I did feel kinda silly getting ramped up into panic mode!

Can you believe the little Spruce to the right of Pippin

managed to block my view of both Haffies?!
I can't even say that the tree has gotten any bigger since
this picture was taken... in fact, it may be smaller
since a friend drove her trailer over it!

Anyway, Patrice has invited us to her porch for our weekly chat. What a great friend to host us all each week! Here are her questions and my answers:

1. What's your favorite kind of sandwich?
Tough question. It depends on my mood. Sometimes I think there is nothing finer than a PB & J on gushy white bread. Other times I like something a bit more exotic, like a pork, pear and cheese panini. Or, I can easily be enticed with a meatloaf sandwich, with ketchup. I'm not too fussy!

2. Do you have more photos or artwork on your walls of your home?
This one is easy! I have more artwork. In fact, I can't think of a single photo that is actually hanging on the walls. Most of my 'art' consists of old prints. A lot of my prints are horse-related and a few are of dogs. I even have two Currier & Ives' prints that our Realtor was coveting.

3. Do you switch your wardrobe (clothing) when the seasons change?
If, by 'switch', you mean moving summer clothes to storage and bringing out cool-weather clothes, then, no. I don't 'switch'. But, I do change from mostly shorts and sandals to jeans, socks and long sleeves. On cold days I'll wear corduroy pants and throw on a fleece. The thing that I find so amazingly stupid, about the way my brain malfunctions, is that when the season changes, I can't recall what I used to have that 'goes' with a particular pair of pants, or a shirt or whatever... even though the clothes have all been in my closet or chest. It takes me a while to get back into sync and remember what goes with what!

4. How do you keep your recipes: books, cards, computer?
I use all three. I have only a few favorites in books, and I know which books have the recipes I am looking for. I have a small box of cards and then recently I have created a folder on my computer where I stash recipes from Blog friends or that I find elsewhere. That's the modern equivalent of the folder I have in my kitchen cabinet with recipes I've torn out of magazines or that I have previously printed from the Internet, or even ones I have scribbled on some sort of scrap of paper.  Often I will Google what I want in the way of a recipe and go straight from my computer.

5. What are you looking forward to the most in the month of September?
We have signed up to go camping on two weekends with two different groups. One will be fairly small, only about 4 different RV's but they have planned some interesting places to visit that are near the campground. The other trip is to a State-wide meeting so there should be quite a number of people going. We will be guests of a local chapter, and will camp with their group, which consists of about 8 RV's.

If you'd like to join the conversation you can click on the link below to visit Patrice's Blog and you can connect your blog to her's - or you can join in the chat by commenting either on my page or on her's.
I'd love to hear from you!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Wendell Suggests Carrot Cake

Patrice is back with more questions for us to discuss as we sit on the porch and enjoy the summer afternoon. Patrice has flowers on a table. We have really enjoyed seeing the flowers in Oregon - they have been so prolific, so bright and their beauty is truly awesome.

Here are the questions and my answers. You can join the chat by linking your blog to Patrice's page (Everyday Rurality) or by commenting here or there. I'd love to read your responses.

1. What was your biggest fear as a child?
I was afraid of the "Japs". I mean no disrespect to any ethnic group. I wasn't really sure who or what they were, at the time, but I knew they flew in airplanes. Whenever an airplane would fly over and I was out playing, I would run into the woods. I had a plan figured out that if the Japs ever came to my house, I would talk Jap to them and they would think I was not American and I'd be safe. Hmmm... a bit naive, wasn't I? But, I was only 4 or 5. Although this was well after the war my parents must have talked about it enough to cause my fears.

2. Who taught you to cook?
I learned how to cook from my mom. Most of it was just following her example, but even as a young adult I do recall calling her to ask specific questions. The one skill I do recall her actually 'teaching' me was how to tell if a steak is medium-rare while cooking on the grill. To this day my hubby is surprised that I can feel the 'doneness' of steaks.

3. Do you have lots of books in your house?
My kids have lots of books at my house. I have some, but my collection has dwindled with two recent moves. My boys are both avid readers and find it hard to part with their books. I don't mind, since they both enjoy rereading many of their titles.

4. Do you like carrot cake? What kind of frosting do you like best?
I love carrot cake. Yummmmm! I like cream cheese frosting the best. Patrice mentioned a caramel frosting. I've never tried that on carrot cake - but I really like caramel, so maybe I'll need to try my hand and baking a cake and frosting it!

5. What's the last funny T-shirt you read say?
Oh, gosh, I can't remember. Pitiful! I remember reading several shirts just the other day - and I remember enjoying several of the shirts... but, "poof!" that memory is gone!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Musicality

Patrice is hosting another Chat on the farmhouse porch without Wendell. The party a few weeks ago was just too much for him! Patrice was talking about all of the tomatoes she is getting. That made me sad. Our tomatoes were just beginning to ripen when we took off on our trip. Our house sitter is enjoying them! Many of the campers at the last campground we stayed at were permanent, or at least semi-permanent, residents. Several of them had potted tomato plants in front of their campers... with a few almost ripe tomatoes. Do you realize how hard it was not to swing a bit wide and nab a tomato as I walked the dogs past the campers?!

Patrice's questions for this week include:

1. Do you like to sing? What kind of music are you likely to sing?
2. Do you watch soap operas (daytime TV), or have you ever?
3. Do you wear glasses or contacts?
4. What's your favorite easy meal when the weather is hot?
5. Tell me something about the past week.

Here are my answers:

1. If my boys were to read this question they would be rolling their eyes right now! I sang all of the time when they were growing up. As we drove down the road, or raked the yard, or tossed balls back and forth, if one of them were to say something that made me think of a song... I'd begin to sing it! As a teen I fell in love with musicals. I think my young adult life became its own musical! Although I'm not tone-deaf, my singing leaves a bit to be desired. Perhaps that was the reason for the rolling of the eyes!

2. Soap operas make me shudder! I watched one when I was in college. It became 'the' thing to do... we'd all race back to watch the show between classes. As I recall, at one point the characters were caught in a snow storm. It took 3 months for them to live 3 days. The slow pace drove me crazy. I have never liked that pace, nor the 'drama' in music and voice.

3. I wear glasses and have worn them since 8th grade. They are progressive bifocals. It's actually a bit strange because with age, my distance vision has improved so that it is almost 20/20. I could actually manage (except for astigmatism) without glasses for anything but reading. But, when I go without glasses I feel like my eyes dry out - so I choose to get the bifocals and wear them all of the time.

4. Hot dogs and pea salad.

5. We are on the road. We left McCall, ID on Sunday and we're now in Oregon. The weather in central Oregon was very, very hot. We were both uncomfortable. We are now enjoying cooler weather in the Columbia River gorge. 

Care to join the chat? Leave responses in comments, or visit Patrice's blog and link up.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Terrific Trips

Patrice has some great questions for discussion on the farmhouse porch this week. I have to admire her... she hosted a week-long cyber party last week, and is back at it again! I hope you can join us. You can answer the questions on your blog and link to Everyday Rurality, or answer in a comment on my blog or on her's.

1. Do you have any special plans for this fall?
2. Do you collect anything?
3. Have you done any canning or freezing this season?
4. Do you have a friend who lives far away? Where do they live?
5. When in a store, restaurant, or other business, do you ever complain or praise to the management?

1. Special plans for this fall.... Oh, I can't wait to answer that question. My plans will knock your socks off! I'm feeling like I won one of those prizes on a game show... you know, you win the beach chairs and suddenly there is a trip to an exotic beach, and another trip to someplace else and so forth. So our trip of a lifetime will begin with a trip to Rochester, NY. Even though it is not a high school reunion year, my class of 28 seniors learned that we have lost two of the 'boys' in our class this past spring. The recognition of our mortality was shocking to several of us. So, we decided, what the heck... we'd have a reunion regardless of whether it was a 5-year anniversary of our graduation or not. So far almost half the class has committed to returning to the scene of the crime. Then, since we are on the east coast... and 'close' to hubby's family, we'll scoot down to Florida to visit with them. Then we'll head a bit further south and embark on a cruise through the Panama Canal to celebrate 40 years of marriage. We finish that cruise in San Diego - pop up to San Francisco to see our son for a few days, and finally head home to Colorado. Didn't I tell you that it would be wild and crazy?!!

2. Do I collect anything? I am not a serious collector of anything. However, I have a few things that could be considered minor collections that I add to now and then. My most recent acquisition is a wrought iron candle sconce that I found at a consignment store on our trip to Idaho. I have a few varied sconces in my dining room and have thought it would be great fun to add to that so I can have unusual sconces throughout the dining room. We also have some unusual gas and candle lamps on top of our book shelves in the living room.

3. Nope - I haven't done any canning this year. I did help my brother and SIL pick huckleberries today. We have about a quart - and plan to have huckleberry pancakes and huckleberry sauce the day after tomorrow.

4. A friend who lives far away? You bet! Lots of them. My 'adult' BFF lives near Detroit, MI. We try to arrange at trip once a year where one of us will come visit the other for about a week. Our hubby's go along with it - although I'm not sure they 'get it'! My BFF from High School lives in San Francisco. We have had a few opportunities to get together and we really enjoy seeing each other and reliving our youth in stories we tell... for hours on end! I have a lot of friends with whom I used to work who live in the east. I'm hoping to get back there - maybe during my trip in October, to have lunch with the bunch of them. Then... there are my cyber friends. They live far, far away... in a place called "Internet". But, we get to communicate with each other all of the time!

5. Complain or compliment management? I try not to complain - but on occasion I will take management aside and let them know about my displeasure. I do try, on the other hand, to let folks know when I am pleased and think they have done a good job. I feel that too often folks never know when what they have done is appreciated - so if I can share that with them... I'm thinking it will make their day!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Anchors Aweigh

My mother worked to instill manners in her children. Was that the way you were brought up? She would make sure we introduced our friends before we got involved with something. So, I'd like to introduce you to two new followers before I get involved with Patrice's chat!


Janice writes Janice's Footsteps. Janice describes herself as a caregiver. First of foster children and now for the older generation. She also participates in Patrice's chats.


Denise writes a blog called Autumn Sky Ranch. She writes about this and that, and has beautiful photographs on her blog.

Patrice is having her back porch remade into a scullery kitchen, so we'll have to visit on the front porch.   Her description of the project brought back fond memories of visiting my grandmother and grandfather when I was a child. They had a butler's pantry. Their house was actually quite small, but the kitchen (and a maid's room) were at one end of the house. The kitchen connected to the butler's pantry which had cabinets galore, a beautiful old gas stove and an extra sink. There were doors from the pantry to the screened porch and the great room. I find it interesting that this house, built in the 50's had such an open design. My grandmother used to raise her bottle-fed lambs in the butler's pantry, since it had a linoleum floor and it wasn't the food preparation area.

Well, let's get chatting! You can join the chat by commenting, or by linking your blog to Patrice's site.

Patrice asks: 

1. Do you ever go on picnics? When was the last one? Do you go somewhere with benches and tables, or do you take your own blanket?

Geesh, I can't remember the last picnic I went on. I will have to say that my hubby's mom used to create the best picnic suppers, ever! We'd take the boys to a playground near her home, which had a small lake with a swimming area. She knew how to 'do' a picnic. She'd bring everything! Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, classy napkins, a three course meal and dessert!

My boys are playing at one of those picnics....

almost 20 years ago!

It's hard to believe that these kids are now young adults!

2. What's your favorite tropical fruit?
I like a lot of tropical fruits and I love a fruit salad with bits of everything. Perhaps the neatest thing for tropical fruit is our pineapple corer. I made a frowny face at hubby when he wanted to buy it... I mean, how hard is it to cut a pineapple? I have to admit I now love the corer. We can have a cut, chunked pineapple in less than 16 seconds (hubby timed the process one day)!

3. Wendell would like me to ask you if you've ever ridden a horse? Any pony rides as a child?

I think Wendell knows the answer to this one! However, what he may not know is that I didn't start riding until I was about 12. I had severe allergies to pollen, and my reaction to grass pollens was worse than others. So, I often spent hours cooped up in my bedroom, which had some sort of air purifier, playing with my plastic horses. I guess my mother finally caved into my whining about taking riding lessons, saying that I was old enough to suffer the consequences. So, I began taking lessons. To this day I believe that my weekly exposure to grass pollens helped me overcome that particular allergy - kinda like allergy shots! 

4. Describe the purse you are currently carrying. If you don't use a purse, what color is your wallet?

I like small purses. I don't particularly care for lugging around a 'suitcase' and not being able to find something. Then again, since all I carry is a small wallet, keys, a few receipts and chap stick... I'd have to invent other things to carry if I had a large bag. Here is my purse of the moment. I found it at a cute boutique near my son's college. I fell in love with the soft, supple leather and its egg plant color!

5. Please tell me the last funny thing that you just recently remembered. This can be something funny that happened to you in the past, or just something funny that you remember.

Dad and I were reminiscing. I recalled the time he tripped over a cleat on the dock, while carrying a box of assorted objects to his boat. He actually dislocated his shoulder trying to grab a line going from the boat to the cleat on his way in the 'drink' - that part wasn't too funny. However, he one-upped me by reminding me of the time he was setting the anchor after a boat race. To optimize weight distribution Dad would store the anchor in the center of the boat, as low as he could put it... so it was in the 'hall' just outside the head (bathroom), which created its own set of problems. So, upon arriving at the destination Dad would lug the anchor up the companionway and make his way forward on deck, clutching the anchor and all of its line against his chest. With Dad's penchant for tripping, is it any wonder that he tripped and fell overboard? Dad didn't come up. My mother was frantic. She was sure he was caught in the anchor rope or had sustained a head injury and had drowned. But moments later, which at the time seemed like hours, there was Dad, trying to get back on board. It seems that he was under water so long because he wanted to find the end of the anchor rope and bring it up with him. There was no way he was going to lose a perfectly good anchor and its line!

Dad at the helm @ 1970

Its been fun chatting, and I'm a bit late in getting this posted. I put up a post about Donkey Roping yesterday and wanted to leave that up for a bit so more folks could become informed. There is a rodeo in Van Horn, TX this weekend and a group of folks were trying to get them to stop the donkey roping competition. It worked! Enough pressure was put on the organizers of the event that they cancelled this particular competition. However, it will come up again. Until anti-cruelty laws are enforced, donkeys will continue to be subjected to this sort of cruelty. If you haven't read my post, go back and take a gander. Thanks!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Hit the ground running...

It's time for another chat on the farmhouse porch with Patrice and friends. I will have to admit that our weather has been perfect porch weather .... well at least between storms! Hubby and I have been enjoying lunch on our porch, and an occasional evening drink. The sun's position in the sky is perfect for a morning cup of coffee on the back porch. The sun slides in there and warms up my little corner so that it is just perfect for sipping and planning the day.


Patrice has asked us some questions. My responses are below. You can read other's answers on Patrice's blog by clicking on the image below.


So, what about you? How would you answer the questions?




1. What do you do when friends or family pull out a camera? Hide, pose, smile, pull out your own camera and take a photo of whatever they are photographing, or something else?
I really don't care to have my picture taken, but I put up with it. I smile. 

2. Did you take any type of music lesson in elementary school?
I took clarinet lessons in 3rd grade. I was kicked out of clarinet lessons half-way through the school year. This wasn't because of lack of talent... which did happen to be the case, rather, I hid the chalk from the teacher so he couldn't draw his little notes on the board for us to practice. He made me sit in the hall. I still remember sobbing, and telling some kid that passed by that I was crying because I hit my nose with the clarinet case when I was shutting it! I think the instructor may have called my mother. Perhaps because of my utter lack of musicality, I was no longer enrolled in the class. 

3. What is your favorite color of cat (even if you aren't a cat person)?
Oh, this is as tough as asking what my favorite color of horse is. Hmmm... one of my previous barn kitties was a gray and buff tiger striped sweetie. She was really cute. I like the cats that look like Ocelots, with a predominant spot pattern. Blue point siamese are beautiful, too. 

4. What did you have for dinner yesterday?
Mmmmm.... we had beef tenderloin steaks cooked on the grill, fruit salad and green beans.

5. Do your feet hit the floor running in the morning, or do you drag your self out of bed?
I am a 'bounce out of bed and get going' kind of gal. However, I must admit that 'bouncing' is a bit more of a challenge these days! It's more like a hobble for the first 5...10...45 steps!