Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. What's one thing you're excited about in the coming month? Flying to Texas for my daughter's wedding and being with both daughters, their hubbies and my grandson.

2. What was your life like when you were ten years old? I was in 5th grade, I shared a room with both my sisters and just before I turned 11, we moved to a new house that dad built and again, I shared a room with both sisters, but this room was a lot bigger and it had red carpet and pink walls.  We loved it, but I can't even imagine those colors together today.  I loved to ride my purple bike with the banana seat and high rise.  I loved to read and go to the Library.  I also loved playing in the little woods with a creek behind our new house.  I was happy and life was good.

3. What's something from your childhood you still enjoy today?  Reading and going to the Library.

4. What state (that you haven't been to) do you most want to visit? Tell us why. Arizona because I would love to see the Grand Canyon.

5. Do you like to drive? Tell us how you learned to drive. Not particularly, but it's okay.  I really don't remember how I learned to drive.  I know I took Driver's Education, so I imagine that's where I learned.  I really don't remember dad or mom taking me driving, but they may have.  I took the training at school when I was 16, but I didn't actually get my license until after I had turned 17.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Thanks for visiting.  

Cathy

Tuesday - Summer Solstice

 

Summer Solstice

 

"Welcome, it's Tuesday 4 time.  I keep it up in memory of my friend Toni Taddeo who really enjoyed her blogs. 

The Summer solstice arrived and some got hot weather and some got chill and rain.  But summer is the time for holidays or vacations, summertime activities and being outdoors more.  It's also a time, like winter, for complaints and we realize that people in Texas, Arizona and Florida stay inside in summer." - From Annie

1. How is summer treating you so far this year?   Could things improve? How do you make summer fun in your neck of the woods? It's actually been pretty good around here.  Some hot days, some rain days and even a bit of the grass already turning brown.  But the rain days have picked up a notch and it's greening up again.  I don't do much outside because I just don't.  I do enjoy getting up early and getting a walk in with the dog...it's definitely best to beat the heat.

2.We give you magic powers! You can change the climate, the surroundings, even  your house and anything you like. Tell us what you are doing to make your summer or your entire year better..... GO!  What I'd really like is to do some remodeling on our house and then sell it and buy a condo, I think.  However, my dad built our house and I think when it came right down to it, I might have a hard time selling it.

3. The puppy on the boat at the right is your new friend.  He wants a name.  What name will you give him and  would you like to be in that picture (if you can't sail we will provide someone for you!) Charlie would be his name and I would love to take a ride on that boat with him, as long as someone else is sailing it.

4.   It's friendship pot luck day at your house this month.  Everyone is  coming. Please assign us what dishes each of us are to bring to make for a great day.(by the way, you needn't use names. Just name some dishes  you would like people to bring along) I'd provide the steaks, hamburgers and hotdogs.  I would really want everyone to bring what they liked best.  That being said, I would love to see some type of potatoes, fresh fruit, and baked beans and anything chocolate for dessert.

Thanks for visiting.  You can link up here.

Cathy

Bits of This and That

 

Good Morning:  

I hope your day has started out well.  I've had a good morning.  First of all I put out 6 bags, plus a suit case for the Vietnam Veterans of America to pick up today.  We are working on purging stuff from our closets, dressers, etc.  Actually, from all over the house.  We have lived here for 27 years and have accumulated a lot of stuff.  It feels so good to be getting things organized and cleaned out.  I did my side of the closet and now I can see what I actually have.  We're both being pretty ruthless and getting rid of a lot of things.  I think the house is starting to give a sigh of relief to be unloaded some.  lol  It's a work in progress, but we'll get there in time.

Another thing we did this morning was put out some solar lights I picked up last week.  Can't wait to see them lit up tonight.  Although, it's so cloudy today, I'm not sure if they'll charge or not.

We stopped at McDonald's for some breakfast and then headed in to church, where I am currently writing this post.  I still just love my little office here.  This is where I do the majority of my Bible Study and blog writing.

On the way to church, we stopped at a Little Library and I found a book to read and I added a bag of my books.  I am so fascinated by these Little Libraries and have been watching this one for weeks.  Today, it finally had room for me to add some.  I seldom read real books as I usually read on my Kindle.  But it was fun to pick one up and I'm looking forward to reading it when I finish the current book I'm reading.  Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a picture until after I had pulled away.  Maybe, I'll remember to get one later, as I have tons of books to be donating.

This is the book I got

Hubby and I had a good weekend, good food, good movies, reading and crocheting.  That all sounds perfect to me.  On Sunday we went to church (pre-recorded video of the sermon is below) and got Chipotle for lunch and brought it home.  Delicious!  Then I went to a 2'nd cousin's graduation party.  Life is so exciting when you've just graduated and are looking forward to the next phase of life.  It was so fun visiting with everyone. Congratulations Tannen! And, of course, no photos taken again.  lol

Here's Tannen on the left with my dad when at Otterbein. 
Dad loved when they visited him and his mom told me
yesterday that Tannen and his sister (Trinity) loved to go
visit my dad. That's their dad behind my dad. 

 

We that's the end for now of my Bits of This and That.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a blessed day.  But before you leave, tell me something you did this weekend.

Cathy

Share 4 Somethings - June 2023

 

I'm linking up with Jennifer at Overflowing With Thankfulness for Share 4 Somethings.  The prompts are things we loved, read, learned and ate in June.

Loved:  Our crochet group.  I'm enjoying getting back to crocheting more often.  But mostly I like this group because I'm making friends.  It's fun just being together and talking and crocheting and building friendship.  I'm so glad my sister invited me to join in with this group. Below is the project I'm currently working on.  In fact, when I get done on this post, I plan to find a movie to watch and crochet a little this morning,

Read:  I have read 4 books so far this month.  If you check my Good Reads in the sidebar, you can see what I've read.  I'm getting ready to download another book to read  Hopefully, I'll get some time to read a little bit this weekend.

I'm still enjoying reading the 4 Gospels along with Annie F. Downs each month.  This month we're reading the Gospels in the New Revised Standard Version.  I love reading a different version every month.

Learned: I like mysteries more that I thought. Earlier this year, I read a complete series of mysteries from Alana Terry and now Hubby and I have been enjoying some of the mystery series movies on Hallmark.  Mystery 101, Martha's Vineyard, Crossword Mysteries, Flower Shop Mystery (with Brooke Shields) and several more.  We save these to watch on the weekend usually.  I think I like them because they are not overly intense.

Ate: Hubby and I went to Ford's Garage for lunch yesterday.  We've eaten there a few times in the last couple of years and we both really like it.  We both got a chicken dish (not the same one though) and both were delicious. In fact I had my leftovers for supper last night,  It was probably one of the best meals this month.  We've also had a Starbucks drink a few times this month. I've also been eating blackberries mixed in with my yogurt...Delicious!  The blackberries are from my sister's yard that she has frozen.  She's got bunches, so she gave me a bag.  When I eat my yogurt, I grab a handful of the frozen berries and drop them in.  I've also been enjoying some melon and strawberries too.  In fact, I need to pick some up from the grocery as I am out right now.   All have been very good!

Well that's my 4 Somethings for June.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a good weekend.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Good Morning:

I only have a minute this morning as I have to meet my sister in just a few.  She is going to go with me and help me find what I want to wear to my daughter's wedding next month.  I have been trying and trying to find something.  I've ordered several things online (I buy cloths on line quite often) but nothing I've tried is what I want.  They've been too small or too big and I was even sent something that was not what I ordered.  We're hoping if we go to the mall an actually shop live, I'll have better luck.  I am so blessed to have a sister willing to hit the trenches with me.  I hate to shop and she loves to shop.  But no matter what, we always have fun together.  So today, I am thankful for my sister!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.  What's something you are thankful for today?

Cathy

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Hello Summer! In the eastern hemisphere anyway. What's something on your summer bucket list? Do you have an actual summer bucket list? If not, use your hypothetical list. I don't have a bucket list but I do love to take day trips to places in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky and hope to do that a few times over the next couple of months.  Also, I will be going to Texas next month for my daughter's wedding.  

2. What for you is the defining scent of summer? Hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill.

3. What's a (music, food, wine, or flower) festival happening in your part of the country that you would like to attend if tickets/travel/timing was no object? I hope to be out to watch the local fireworks on the 4th and I would love to catch a parade too.

4. Apparently a military whistle blower claims the US has a UFO retrieval program. What say you? Do you believe aliens are out there? I don't know, but I don't think I'd be terribly surprised if there were some.  You do know that our newest military branch is called the U.S. Space Force, right?  I think that's kinda cool.  Here's a link if you want to check it out.  Now, I'm not saying they are looking for aliens, but I loved learning we actually have a U.S. Space Force.

5. Besides your wedding day and the birthdays of any children you may have, what are three of your top experiences in life? Any of our several Disney World Trips with our girls and any other family members we met there.  Any of our trips to Myrtle Beach and also our vacations to the mountains of North Carolina. I just really love any vacation with family and any vacation when it's just the 2 of us.

Disney World

Disney World

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Hope you are having a great day.  Click on the button at the top of the page if you'd like to link up.

Cathy

Tuesday 4 - Personal Snapshot and Carrots, Eggs & Coffee

Personal Snapshot

 

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we try to get you talking, thinking and making new friends while you get to know old friends better.

Today is a hodgepodge of questions for you to ponder:

1.  What TV programs that everyone else loved/loves did/do  you  dislike and why? Conversely, what program did you love while everyone else thought it was awful? (or maybe a song, book..etc) I have never gotten into "The Office" or any of the Walkng Dead type shows.  We love "Somebody Feed Phil" (Thanks Terri) and I'm not sure how many people are even aware of that show.

2   Do you resent serving without thanks or do you see a higher purpose behind it? Not really.

3.  What flavor ice cream is your favorite and how do you like it served? (Sunday, Blizzard, cone, dish?) What toppings make your day? Probably chocolate, chocolate chip or raspberry chocolate chip.  I enjoy a good classic Blizzard such as M&M or Oreo Cookie.

4. How many pairs of shoes do you own? How many handbags? Do you use/wear them all? Should you weed them out?  I have no idea how many shoes or handbags I have, and I'm currently in the process of weeding them out.

Thanks for the fun questions this week Annie!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I posted this story back in March of 2010 and I have since forgotten it.  It bears a repeat and a reminder to myself, so I'm re-posting today and I hope you enjoy it. I do not know who wrote this, but it's very good.

Photo from Internet

Carrots, Eggs & Coffee

I received this story in an e-mail from a friend and just had to share it here.  Hope you enjoy.

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee....You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened..

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!

Bits of This and That

 

Good morning on this Monday!

The dog woke up early and was ready to go out, so out we went.  I did not sleep much last night as I drank a Diet Coke with my late supper and the caffeine kept me awake.  I know better than to do do that, but I did it anyway and will be paying for it today.  lol  Anyway, it was cloudy and cool, but the next time we went out, we found out that it's raining.  And I am so thankful for the rain.  Our yard needs it big time and it will save me from having to water the flowers today, which is a wonderful thing.

We've had another quiet weekend.  We watched a couple of Hallmark Mystery movies which is always fun.  We went to lunch on Saturday with my mother-in-law and we didn't do much else.  Except for some cleaning and laundry and sorting trying to get some more stuff out of the house.  I just scheduled a pick-up for next Monday morning.  If I don't do this, I'll never get rid of the stuff I want to get rid of.  I'm such a procrastinator.  lol

I also did some crocheting and reading.  I'm still working on the baby blanket and I've got several books from Libby that I'm reading.  The one I'm reading most is called Spice Box by Grace Livingston Hill.  I believe it was written in 1943.  When I was younger, I read a lot of books by this author.  My sister actually collected them and my grandma loved them too.  I don't know if this is one I read or not, but I'm enjoying it now.  

Hubby started a new series this week and I've posted the pre-recorded message below for anyone who may want to listen.

So what did you do this weekend? Do tell, I would love to know.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great week.

Cathy

Friday Photos

 

Last Saturday, after having lunch with my sister and her husband and hubby and his mom as we were driving home, I saw this mural.  I just love murals painted on the sides of buildings like this.  Just so happened, there was a whole row of open parking spots, so I pulled in and jumped out and grabbed these photos.  Isn't this mural beautiful?

Wilmington, OH

Last Friday hubby and I were driving through our town I saw the train waiting at the train station.   I couldn't resist snapping a photo.  I usually am the one driving, but hubby drove this day, so I was able to snap these photos.  I love our little town.

You can see the engineer in this photo.  I just noticed there is a little
library in this photo.  Think I'll grab some books I've been wanting to
donate and see if there's room to add them here.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great weekend.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

Hello Friends.  It's time for me to be intentionally thankful again.  Being thankful and remembering, acknowledging, and sharing what God has done and is doing in my life is very important for me.  I also hope that it will encourage others.  Here is a short list of things that come to mind this morning that I am thankful for:

• Exercise - Continuing in to this 2nd week of exercising 5 times a week for 30 minutes.  I think already I am feeling better at the end of 30 minutes.  I've been praying some, listening to some of my daily scriptures and even singing a little bit (very quietly) while out walking around my neighborhood.  Mostly, I take Lucy with me and we get some time together and plus it wears her out and she's pretty quiet for a while after because she's sleeping.
• Crochet Circle - Still enjoy meeting with these ladies to crochet together and have lots of good conversation.  I'm still working on the baby blanket.  It's slow but it's coming along.
• The Gospels - I'm still enjoying Reading the Gospels along with Annie F. Downs each day.
• Prayer - I've been working on a slide-show to display on the screens at the front of the church.  On the first Tuesday in July, hubby (the pastor) is starting a new Prayer Open House Program.  He will be opening the church sanctuary for 2 hours on Tuesday mornings and anyone that would like to come and pray, may come.  They can come for 2 hours, or 5 minutes and pray, that's all.  The slide shows have some scriptures and will help us get our focus in the right place.  Then in August he will be having a 31 Days of Prayer for us as a church.  He will give prompts for each day so we can pray separately but as a group focused on the things the church needs to pray for.  I'm so excited for these prayer times and to see what God will do in my life and the life of each one in our church.
• Dentist Appointment - This morning and it's over and I'm so glad.  lol
• Doctor's Appointments - I think they are all done for this go around and all is good...working on a couple numbers from the lab work, thus the walking I talked about earlier.  lol  
• New Glasses - I got my new glasses on Tuesday and I'm still adjusting some to the new stronger prescription.  But their doing better.
• Haircut - Finally went and got a good trim.

That's it for now...it's no longer morning, but better late than never.  Link up with with Jennifer at Overflowing with Thankfulness, if you'd like to.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Bits of This and That

 

Good morning!

Happy Monday everyone.  It's been another nice weekend.  On Saturday I got up early and took another 30 minute walk with the dog and then came home and got cleaned up and headed out to lunch with my sister and her husband and my husband's mom.  It was so fun being with family and eating and laughing and talking.  Such a nice time together.  After that we went home and enjoyed a quiet evening watching a couple Hallmark Mystery Movies.  We both have been enjoying these in the last couple months.  We watched one of the Chronicle Mysteries and Mystery 101 movie series,  And I think hubby has a couple more of these recorded to watch.  We usually only watch movies on the weekend.  I know there are some new movie mysteries coming up yet this month that he has set to record. 

On Sunday we had 2 church services and in between hubby and I had Chipotle for lunch and then took a nice nap.  Below is the pre-recorded sermon from Sunday.  It is the last in the series called Big Promises for Big Problems.  This one is titled God's Answer to Despair.

So it was a really nice and relaxing weekend.  Just the way we like it.  Oh and I forgot, we finally got some good rain Sunday evening, which we desperately needed,  Thank you God.

Cathy

Friday Photos

 I don’t have much in the way of photos this week. But here are two from this morning’s walk with Lucy. 

Skywatch Friday

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great weekend. 

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful for another day.  God is so good and today is really beautiful outside.  I know there's some haze due to the fires in Canada.  But I still think it's beautiful with blue skies and sunshine.  

I had some lab work done on Monday and some of the numbers were not as good as I'd like.  So with that, I'm getting back to walking.  I've done 30 minutes at least for the last 3 days.  Lucy and I walked early this morning and it really felt good.  Doc says I need to do 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week.  So, I've decided it's time to get a little more serious about taking care of myself.

I've got to leave now to meet my sisters (oh and I'm thankful for my sisters), so I'll cut this short.  Suffice to say that I love the Lord and am very thankful for Him and all He has done.

Have a good day and don't forget to be thankful.  It really does make life better.

Cathy

Currently - June 2023

Today it's time for the June Currently Post.   You can link up with Jennifer here, as she is the hostess.  This months topics are Things we are Currently loving, doing, trying, seeing, and reading.

Currently I am:

Loving: My hummingbird feeders and sitting on the porch and watching the hummingbirds feeding.   Here are a couple pictures I took last night of my feeders, but there are no birds in the pictures, but  I did see one or two but I was just not fast enough to catch them.

I love listening to my chimes too.

Doing:   I'm working on this new baby blanket.  It's pretty slow work, as I am not a fast crocheter.  But I'm really enjoying crocheting again.  

There is only one stitch in this blanket
 and it is half-double crochet.

Trying:   I'm attempting to trim our hedges.  I've not done this in years, but I think I'm getting the hang of it again.  I just can't do it for as long a time as I used to.  But that's okay, I'm getting there.  

I've got the smaller ones mostly done here, and
 now I'm working on the big corner bushes. 
In this picture I hadn't started those yet.

Seeing:  Hopefully I'll be seeing a lot better real soon.  I finally went back to the eye doctor yesterday and definitely needed a stronger prescription than the last ones I got about 4 years ago.  Here's a photo of the ones I ordered.  I was texting pictures to my girls (in Florida and Texas) and we all agreed we liked these best.  

You can't really tell in this picture,
but the frames have a lot of blue
in them.

Reading:  I'm reading another Alana Terry book and another Jean Kuhnke book.

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Bits of this and That

 

I didn't get around to my Monday post.  I had 2 doctor's appointments and that took up a big part of my day.  Anyway, we had a good weekend.  Nothing real special, but it was still nice.

What I really wanted to be sure to post (as some of you have said you've watched some of them) was hubby's pre-recorded Sunday sermon as it is # 7 in his series called "Big Promises for Big Problems."  This one is "God's Answer to Anxiety."

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great week.

Cathy