Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joining this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge with From This Side of the Pond. 

1. Do you think the pandemic has had any positive impact on your mental health? Explain.

I hate to say that it has but it most definitely has for me. I have always wanted to return to homeschooling but hubby has a negative view of it as being for 'weirdos'. After having the boys at home for three months, he has been willing to give it a go. Fingers crossed that it will continue!

2. A hot mess, hot under the collar, in hot water, hot button, hot diggity dog!, hot shot, hot seat . . . . . choose one and tell us how it applies to your life currently.

I feel I am in the hot seat as I must prove that homeschooling will be successful. This is pretty stressful but worth the effort, I think. But hot diggity dog!, the boys and I are enjoying it so far!

3. Speaking of the hot seat, do you work well under pressure or do you avoid high-pressure situations?

It depends on the situation. I work well to my own deadlines, so if I am putting pressure on myself. But if it is someone else applying pressure, that is very stressful to me. I guess this is why I have a home business with just me!

4. Hot dogs - yay or nay? If yay how do you like yours? 

I don't think hot dogs in Australia are anything like the American ones! There seems to be an infinite variety - I would love to try a hot dog from one of those stands in New York.

If I have one, it is fried onions, cheese, tomato sauce and American mustard. I don't know what Americans call American mustard, but here in Australia it is a mild yellow mustard. My boys call it squeezy mustard!

5. A list of America's coolest Southern towns: 

Marfa Texas, Greenville South Carolina, Abindgon Virginia, Athens Georgia, Bentonville Arkansas, Florence Alabama, Oxford Mississippi, Abita Springs Louisiana, Wilmington North Carolina, Monroeville Alabama, McMinnville Tennessee, Natchez Mississippi.

How many have you visited in person? Which town on the list would you most like to visit?

I am definitely happier to be somewhere cooler! 

I have never been to the US so have never visited any. But I have always wanted to visit South Carolina and I have heard of Greenville somewhere, I assume a movie or book. Maybe someone knows? 

The waterfalls look lovely and there seems to be lots for kids to do.

6. Random thought

I think we all need a sprinkling of this at the moment.

Have a lovely week!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joining today for Wednesday Hodgepodge with From This Side Of The Pond. 

Question 1

Are you currently making plans of any kind? What kind? What emotions are associated with the planning process. Tell us about one plan you had to cancel due to the current situation which shall remain nameless.

Most of my current plans pertain to my business plans. I am planning to expand my Etsy shops.

Luckily I did not have too many plans that had to be cancelled. But very sadly, I missed both granddaughters' birthdays this year, one being a first birthday and the other a fourth birthday. We will have to make up for all the missed celebrations at Christmas!

Question 2

Last time you saw stars, either literally or figuratively.

Living on a farm with no street lights, we are treated to a beautiful view of the stars every clear night. I love to go out and look at them every night.

Question 3

Blueberries, yay or nay? Blueberry pie, blueberry muffins, blueberry yoghurt, blueberries by the handful . . . . what's your pleasure?

Blueberries, a big fat yay! I love blueberries. I really need to plant some bushes though as they are so expensive here. I can only imagine the luxury of making a blueberry pie - I generally mix them with apple to make them go further.

We used to live near a blueberry farm years ago. That was wonderful as I could buy seconds.

Imagine having bushes like these! I could make hundreds of these! 

Question 4

Swim against the tide, swimming upstream, in the swim, sink or swim, makes your head swim . . . . choose one of the swim idioms listed and tell us how/why you relate?

I would have to say swim against the tide. I have always felt (and been told!) that I am weird and wrong as my thoughts/ideas/feelings about life are not necessarily mainstream. I think that is why I love the blogging world so much. Well, it started with blogging but now has extended to podcasts and Youtube also. All these platforms meant that I could find my 'tribe', if not in person, at least online, and not feel so alone and strange.

There are so many homeschooling, homesteading, simple life, not mass consumerism, families out there in the land of the internet, that I know I am not wrong, no matter what the people around me say. I just see the world differently to them. 

I think I will always being swimming against the tide, but I am OK with that! 

Question 5

Sum up your June in a single sentence.

June has been calm, quiet and uneventful - and I quite like it like that!

Question 6

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joining in today with Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.

1. Saturday marks the first official day of summer! Your favourite thing about the season? 

Can I say not much?! I  DO NOT like the heat at all! But of course, I am heading into winter so that makes me happy. 

The one thing I do like about summer is that it is long school holidays. 

And the produce available and that I have growing is wonderful. Oh, and sunflowers! I cannot live without growing sunflowers! My son is desperate to grow a Van Gogh field of sunflowers one day.

2. Love it! Labour of love, not for love or money, no love lost, love handles, love does, love-hate relationship, misery loves company, tough love, love will find a way . . . . pick one and tell us how it applies to your life right now. 

Love handles - don't ask! The combination of winter, coronavirus and the boys being home has meant I have slacked off on my usual yoga routine. I know it is no excuse but there it is. Something I need to remedy from now on.

3. What's one thing currently causing you to seethe? 0ne thing currently making you smile? 

The current state of the world, in so many ways. I think it goes without saying that this is making me seethe. I seesaw between anger, frustration, desperation and sorrow, which I think is probably the feelings of many at the moment.

But there are still so many things that make me smile. My boys (most of the time!), completing a project, my garden, my kitty. Another cliche, but it really is the little things.

4. Of the following to-dos found on a summer checklist, which three would definitely make your personal list of summer want to-dos?

Go berry or peach picking. When we lived near a pick your own strawberry farm, it was our New Year Eve's tradition to go berry picking with the girls. We were not going out and staying up late with little ones after all! 

Go barefoot in the grass. I do not like shoes at the best of time, so in summer I am always barefoot around the house. In winter, I have to put on socks!

Sit on a porch swing. I have always dreamed of having a big verandah with a porch swing to while away some relaxing hours. Maybe I shouldn't get one - it would be too tempting to neglect my work!

5. Thursday is National Splurge Day. What might you splurge on in order to celebrate?

My splurge shopping is usually done in op shops (thrift stores, charity shops) as you can get a real splurge without feeling guilty afterwards about the amount spent! I cannot wait until they reopen. They are one of the only shops that have not reopened here. Being volunteer and many of those volunteers being elderly, it is just not worth the risk. But boy, I have been missing them! 

I am looking forward to renewing my searches for books, vinyl records, vintage knitting patterns, pretty china and anything from the 30s, 40s and 50s.  

6. My random thought

Wednesday Hodgepodge

This is a link up with Joyce at This Side of the Pond. There are five questions to answer and then a number six for your own random thought.

So here are this week's questions! 

1. Last thing you said yes to? Do you regret it?

This weekend was a long weekend for us - Queen's Birthday. I let the boys have extra time on the XBox. Do I regret it? Yes! I wish the XBox had never entered our house!

2. No big deal, no contest, no dice, no hard feelings, no ifs ands or buts, no kidding, no offence, no pain no gain, no way - - - - - choose one and tell us how it applies to your life currently.

No way do I want to go back to the life I had before COVID. I need to work on altering the aspects of my life that I am not content with but I guess this will be no pain, no gain! It won't be easy, it won't be fun, but it will be worth it. 

3. Thursday June 11th is National Making Life Beautiful Day. In this strange season, how are you adding beauty to your days/life?

I love growing flowers so I try to have flowers from the garden in the house. It is always such a joy to arrange them and see them make the house look prettier. 

And now, looking back over some of my previous flower growing experiences, I am even more determined to grow more than ever when spring arrives! 

4. According to an article found here, these six foods taste better in June than at any other time of the year - strawberries, asparagus, peas, peaches, beets and garlic. How many of these have you tasted so far this month? Anything on the list that you'd say 'no, thank you' to trying? Rearrange the list starting with your favourite (1) to your least favourite (6).

Well, I live in Australia so northern hemisphere June would be my December. So I will just cast my mind back six months!

I love all those foods. I grow garlic, beets and peas and we have a glorious peach tree that produces juicy peaches that are enormous. James and the Giant Peach, eat your heart out! We do still have them all in the shops, except for peaches, but I really do not understand why. The winter strawberries are just awful - mainly white flesh with just an outside red colouring. And they taste of nothing. 

In order from most to least favourite, I would say:

1. Asparagus
2. Peaches
3. Peas
4. Strawberries
5. Garlic
6. Beets

5. Describe your current mood in three words.

Frustrated, weary but hopeful

6. Your own random thought.

I love the embroidery designs that Jenny makes. On her website, Elefantz, she has so many gorgeous designs. There is also a fabulous free patterns page. 

My random thought comes from one of Jenny's designs.

Have a lovely week! 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

This is a new linkup for me but it looks like lots of fun! And I have always loved the word hodgepodge. Like shenanigans and similar words, they just sound fun!

This is a link up with Joyce at This Side of the Pond. There are five questions to answer and then a number six for your own random thought.

So here are this week's questions!  

1. What's something you could do today to feel more peaceful?

I definitely always feel more peaceful when I am crafting. I have lots of knitting projects on the go (I know, I want to be a more organised, monogamous knitter, but I just can't!) So I will pick up some knitting this evening and am planning to rewatch the 1968 Zeffirelli movie version of Romeo and Juliet. It is just stunning and the music is divine.

2. June 2nd is National Rotisserie Chicken Day. Who knew? Are you a fan of rotisserie chicken? You've purchased one at your local market for tonight's dinner. Will you serve as is or make something else using the chicken?

I do love rotisserie chicken. When the boys are all playing basketball on the same night so we have a few games, it is super easy to dash into the supermarket on the way home (if they have any left - that is always a risk!). Sometimes we will eat as is with a salad and chips. But I like to use them in wraps with all the fillings. Very quick and easy to prepare and always a favourite with the family.

3. I read a list recently of 20 of the most beautiful places in America (here is the list). How any of these have you seen up close and in person? Of the sites on this list that you haven't seen, which would you most like to see?

Well, this is an easy one for me as I have never visited America! But of the spots on the list, I would really love to visit Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. I love mountains, lakes, rivers and wide open spaces so it looks perfect to me.

4. What's one pretty spot you'd add to the list in question 3? Are there travel plans of any kind on your calendar right now? Does that make you happy, anxious, excited, sad or relieved?

I will have to add a spot which I haven't visited in a very long time, since before the fires in 2009 destroyed nearly the whole town of Marysville. We were looking at moving to Marysville in 2007 but moved to Hamilton instead. I absolutely love Steavensons Falls and of course, I love the mountains and the snow. 

We have no particular plans to travel at the moment, although we live away from my daughters, granddaughters and parents. So trips to visit family would be the only plans we would make.
Australians are being encouraged to travel and visit regional areas again. We live in a small country town that was relatively unaffected so I must admit that the idea of travelling to the city does not make me feel good. I don't like the city at the best of times so I am quite happy to stay put for the moment.

5. Tell us one un-COVID related thing you're looking forward to in the month of June.

This probably sounds weird, given that the boys have been home for ages and only went back to school two days ago, but I am looking forward to school holidays starting on 19th June! It has been very quiet here the last two days!

6. Hmmm, my random thought! 

This is actually quite hard - to think up something with no structure or guidelines to follow.

But this is what I am thinking about the most.

Black lives matter - everywhere.