The Wednesday Hodgepodge

I've missed the last two Hodgepodges but life got in the way as it sometimes does.  I'm so glad to be back today.

1. 'Tis the season to be jolly....so are you? 

I sure am! Shopping is done, gifts are wrapped, cards are sent and the tree is up. I'm not feeling overwhelmed but "cool, calm and collected" and trying to be very intentional about enjoying this most holy season. Our family Christmas will be on the 19th as that is when Bridget and the boys will be here.  They like to be at home on Christmas (and I don't blame them at all), so we celebrate when they will be here. But, it did take a week of my preparation time so I had to "get it in gear" and "get er' done!"

2. Do you trim a tree this time of year, and if so is yours all done? What's something in your home-closet-life that needs to be trimmed in the new year? 

Ours was trimmed last week.  The same "fairy" has been doing ours for around 25 years and she'll continue to do it "til death do us part." ~no joke~  I've pretty much pared down to just a tree and a big arrangement on the bar.  No more hours of putting up and taking down and it makes me all the more jolly. ~smile~

Hummm.....right off hand I can't think of anything that needs to be trimmed except for some of our landscaping.  Hubby is working on seeing that is done shortly.

3. Are you 'dreaming of a white Christmas'? Is that a possibility where you'll be celebrating? According to this site the top ten places in the US you can count on for a white Christmas are- North Pole Alaska, Crater Lake Oregon, Yellowstone National Park, Winthrop Washington, Aspen Colorado, Ketchum Idaho, Mt. Washington New Hampshire, Whitefish Montana, Duluth Minnesota, and the Lake Tahoe town of Truckee California

Of the snowy spots listed which would you most like to visit? 

There's not a chance of us having a white Christmas and that is just fine by me. I don't mind a little snow but not at Christmas when families are traveling. 

If I could snap my finger I would not mind at all visiting Yellowstone National Park.

4. December 8th is National Brownie Day...will you be celebrating? How do you like your brownies-chewy or cake-like, frosted or plain, nuts or no nuts, a piece from the middle or give me the corner? As a child were you a member of a brownie troop? 

Who knew?  Not me, so we will not be celebrating but I do make some of the best brownies on planet earth.  A dear friend gave me her recipe 40+ years ago and it is the ONLY one I have used since.  They are a bit chewy, NO icing, full of walnuts and I bake them in the Pampered Chef brownie pan so they are perfectly formed.  They are not overly chocolate but, as for as "me and mine" are concerned, they are purr-fect!  And, easy peasy to make, no mixer involved, just stir all ingredients together and into the pan they go. They are always a "hit."

No, I was never a Brownie but I had a lot of friends that were.

5. Share a favorite line or two from a Christmas carol or holiday tune. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Everywhere you go..........

This was the first song to come to my mind as our little town is all decked out with lights and murals and many homes are sharing in the spirit.  It adds to my "jolly" state seeing all the decorations, especially the lights.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Isn't he just the cutest? The assisted living facility where Daddy lives asked that all the residents get Christmas sweaters to wear.  When I asked Daddy if he would like to have one, he was very much on board.  He's not into a pull over but loves this cardigan.  He wears it to all his meals and any time he leaves his room.  It thrills me that he still enjoys the Christmas spirit.  He even went to a carol sing-a-long they had yesterday. Due to his very limited sight he will often opt out of participating in many of the activities. ~teary eyed~