A sign that spring is coming! Plus, IWSG WSG and Hodgepodge Q&A

~Click image to enlarge~ Every thing I’ve planted in our yard has died. This red clay soil is horrible but over the years Mother Nature with the help of her little friends have carried seeds from neighbors’ flower beds/yards to ours springing forth delightful surprises such as this.  🙂

I put a lot of bang in each post.  Some prefer to have separate entries but I like keeping it all together.  Don’t feel obligated to read every word but you’re certainly welcome.  I more than understand if you’re looking for  a particular thing and don’t have time, just scroll down to find the segment that brought you here today.

I’m going to begin by joining the IWSG.  This is my second month in a row to participate.  See, I’m committed.  At least, I’m trying to be. 🙂   This month’s question is  Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?   I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it but I don’t enjoy reading anything of great length.  I wrote many years ago briefly how I never got into the reading click.  My initial disinterest stems from bad childhood experiences.  I stumbled through the whole learning how to read process and I had a teacher who lacked patients and tenderness to deal with a child who fell behind.  The truth is every child learns at a different pace. The worst part is this teacher ridiculed intentionally or not those who couldn’t keep up.  Nothing is worse to a young child than to feel belittled in front of her peers.  It really causes one’s self-esteem to bottom out.   From that point, I felt less intelligent and less accepted by others.  Around grades five and six, my best friend, who was an avid reader introduced me to the world of reading.  Her parents encouraged her interests by building her private library with some of her favorites.  She let me borrow me her Nancy Drew books.   I had no problem reading silently and soon found I enjoyed books. This helped to boost my confidence in time.  Throughout my childhood years continuing through high school, my BFF, shared her book collections ranging from Harlequin Romance to Dean Koontz.  I don’t know if I ever thanked her for sparking this interest but I do give her the credit.  Once I started college, reading for pleasure didn’t happen often and then career life followed.  I did manage to squeeze in a few novels once in awhile but after our first child was born then I really lost all interest in reading anything more than magazine articles or bedtime stories.  As our family grew, I only had time for short spurts of reading and if I attempted to read anything of length, like a book I found I couldn’t keep my focus on the material.  That’s when I pretty much gave up reading books.  I feel I’m out of touch with this month’s question but in a way I could say I prefer non-fiction because after all I do a lot of blogging reading which is mainly people sharing their interests with me, real life stuff.  What motivates me read the blog content that I do is you.  In the 10 years of blogging I have made some good friends.  The common bond that brought us together keeps our relationship rolling along fueling a desire to read these daily posts to researching the Internet for blog content.  Blogosphere not only opens my mind to what others share but spurs my curious side.  I really can’t imagine my daily activity to not include my blog or my blog friends.      

I invite you to take part of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group community,  just click the button below and you’ll find you’ll be transported to their site. 😉

 

Moving right along with today’s song challenge.  This week’s picks popped in my head fairly quickly.  Sarah McLachlan, In the Arms of an Angel always comes to mind when I think of angel songs.  A song with bad grammar in the title brought to mind a big complaint of an elementary English teacher on double negatives.  We were really bad for saying something like “That ain’t no reason…” for which she was quick to correct our poor English.  The Rolling Stones’  (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction is a perfect example of double negatives. Two negatives give you a positive so Mick was really saying “I can get satisfaction”. 😀   The third prompt ‘ a number’, was a no-brainier as I went with One is the Loneliest Number by the Eagles.  Anytime, I think of a number song this one comes to mind but it so happened I  recently had to repair an older post featuring this tune.  You’re invited to listen to my choices, just hit play.

Visit Mary from JingleJangleJungle for Weekly Song Challenge week 9!

 

I’m rounding things out with this week’s hodgepodge Q&A  hosted by Joyce from this side of the pond.  

1. Is March coming in like a lion where you live? Aslan, Simba, Elsa, The Cowardly Lion…your favorite ‘famous’ lion?  March came in more like a lamb.  My favorite lion character is perhaps Aslan.

2. In what way do you ‘march to the beat of your own drum’?   I am not one motivated by fashion or what’s in and what’s not, and I don’t cave to peer pressure.  I’m true to myself.  It blows my mind when I see kids who act and dress like every other person yet they say they are unique.  While it’s true they are unique in God’s eye, you’d never know it looking from the outside, though.  These poor individuals are merely sheep.

3. What item that you don’t have already, would you most like to own? Any chance of that happening soon? A new-to-me house.  Yes, there is a chance of this happening but first we must find it.  An investment like this needs to be weighed carefully.

4. March is National Flour Month…are you a baker? Cookies-cakes-or pies…your favorite sweet treat to bake? What’s the last non-sweet thing you made that called for flour? Yes, I like baking.  The last thing I made that wasn’t sweet is pizza.

5. There are 31 days in the month of March…where were you and what were you doing when you were 31? If you haven’t hit that milestone yet, then tell us where you were and what you were doing 31 months ago? (if math is not your thing, that would be August 3, 2018)  I turned 31 in December 1992.  That doesn’t give me a lot of time to do much, but in March of 1993 we were hit with a blizzard dumping almost two feet of snow on Knoxville.  That was so wild because prior to the storm our weather was spring-like.  We had just gotten our young daughters’ swing set a few days earlier with plans to put it up the weekend the snow arrived.  No one did anything except stay indoors while we waited for Mother Nature to clear our street.   

6. Insert your own random thought here.  Years ago I made a spicy chicken casserole that we loved.  I went to pull my recipe but couldn’t find it.  After looking on the Internet I found one that sounded close to the way I remember the one I used.   I served this for dinner Thursday night with some left over Green Chile Rice on the side which was a perfect compliment to the casserole.  I’ll share the casserole recipe with you in just a minute.  I had a large package of chicken in the freezer which was more than I needed for the recipe, so I decided to use part of it to make for the first time homemade chicken salad.  I served the chicken salad on whole wheat bread with pickles and plain potato chips on the side.  We had the sandwiches Friday night and again on Saturday.  Both recipes turned out well but  I think our favorite might have been the chicken salad since we had two nights in a row.  Here are the modified recipes I used from various sources.  Feel free to download your copy and adjusting to fit your taste if you want. 😉

Click button to visit Joyce & my hodgepodge friends

Tomorrow I plan to be back for Rain’s art date along with another blog hop participation.  I hope to see you here.   Here’s hoping your day is as wonderful as I think you are!




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51 comments

  1. I read Nancy Drew when I was 10 years old and then followed it with Trixie Belden series. Thanks for the nostaglic trip

  2. I remember that March 1993 snowstorm. I had flown home that Friday night and it was misty and rainy and kind of warm. I got home and Mary told me they were expecting snow overnight, which seemed crazy because it was nowhere near cold enough to snow. We had an outside cat, and I wanted to lt her in but Mary decided the cat would be all right until morning. I got up the next morning and it seemed like there was a foot of snow outside. We ran down and let the cat in. Poor thing was covered with snow, but we dried her off and put her in the spare bedroom and she was fine. We were stuck in for almost two weeks…

    1. John,

      That snow storm hit us in the blindside for sure. We certainly weren’t expecting anything. The next morning our world was transformed into a winter wonderland. Three big ole pine trees on the wooded side of our house fell silently in the night. Our house barely escaped impacted. The largest tree that stood tall in our yard was so weighted down by the snow that it was closed up like an umbrella. It was a major chore to walk around the house in two feet of snow with two toddlers. The youngest couldn’t even manage it so I had to carry her. They loved all of that snow and had great fun playing in it. We didn’t stay outdoors long, as wanted to check for damages and our electricity was out, too. Thankfully, it wasn’t down for long. The rest of the time we kept power. But, your poor little kitty got covered with snow. I know that was miserable but it’s a bit comical to think about. lol

  3. In my view reading is a bit like playing music: You’ve got to get into the groove and once you’ve got the rhythm going and the melody established it gets easier to keep on reading and you want to finish. That’s how it works for me at least. Lately though I just can’t get started in the reading. It’s something I need to force myself to do, but once I get started I want to keep going until I’m done.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

  4. Cathy, you do pack a lot of punch in your posts and that is why they are so enjoyable. I never was much of a reader during my childhood and read only what was required while in school. I still am not into reading books but I enjoy reading blogs. My eyes are very sensitive to light so I adjust my screen to have a black background. I also had earaches as a child and now my hearing is very sensitive. But, we just keep on keeping on! ❤️

    1. Eugenia,

      It’s nice knowing there are others like me who isn’t big into reading books. That used to make me feel bad, like I was normal, but all can’t be the same. We need to do what we like. My eyes are sensitive to bright sunlight but indoors I don’t have too much issue with it. What do you mean your hearing is sensitive? Do you have trouble hearing or do your ears hurt? I still have the one tube in my ear. The other one fell out several months after the insertion. I think that hard fall outside knocked it lose as it was on the same side. I continue to deal with uneven pressure in both ears. Some days it drives me nuts. I generally have some muffling all the time but some days is far worse. I’m more sensitive to it when there’s a change in our weather especially where there’s a storm move this way. Yes, we definitely keep on keeping on!

      1. I don’t have trouble hearing and my ears don’t hurt but everything seems to be too loud in my left ear! It drives me crazy when I am in a place where a lot of people are talking or loud music is playing, however, I haven’t been exposed to those conditions since Covid. Have a great weekend.

  5. i am an Aslan lover, too.
    If we (don’t) want to look alike, let’s wear uniforms. That’s how it looks when you go to the mall…

    1. Willow,

      Oh good heavens if you tell people to wear uniforms then there would be an uprising. They are already wearing them and don’t even know it.

    1. Jacqui,

      I’m not familiar with the Cherry Ames Student Nurse series. Did you know there’s a Nancy Drew TV supernatural mystery series on the CW (2019) channel that’s aimed for an older audience? I think it’s kind of good. Thanks for visiting, my friend!

  9. That is simply horrible what your teacher did. I loved reading but I was bullied by kids because I didn’t conform and was terribly shy. No matter, when a teacher bullies, it is reprehensible. I love your music list and I love the first one but, here, they have that angel song showing the animal abuse that happens around the world, it makes me cry every time. I didn’t even think of that Rolling Stones song and love the last song. The Hodge podge answers are fun to read and I would pick Elsa the Lioness. I always beat to my own drummer and have been that way from day one. I agree with your sentiment on that. I would love to own a Misti for card making. Basically, you place your card on the platform and position your stamp where you want it to be. This misti comes with folding cover that the stamp will stick to. You can ink it up and fold it onto the card. If the colour doesn’t take to one area, no matter, you can reink the stamp and just fold it back on the card again. I made beef stroganoff and I always make my own gravy which calls for flour. I was 31 in 1995 which doesn’t seem that long ago and that was the year my ex and I with a friend went for a week to a cabin near Algonquin Park. It was so much fun and I got to revisit my dad’s home town of Barry’s Bay.

    1. Birgit,

      I survived my childhood and am a better person for the experiences. That’s a cool way to stamp cards. Yep, that would be nice for someone like you to have.

  10. I love tht song. The recipes sound great-thank you for them. XO

  12. awww springtime. It’s a great time of year. Glad that the snow is over and it’s not too hot yet. Although, here in Idaho, while the sun is out.. it’s still a bit cold. Still in the teens overnight. Looking forward to when that ends. Great song choices for the challenge. My favorite of the topics this week was the bad grammar. Thanks for joining in!

    1. Mary,

      Oh good gravy, it’s still in the teens there! Well…we rarely get that cold here and when it does drop like that then boy can I ever feel it. It’s been in the low 30s at night here but this weekend they are forecasting it to drop to the mid-20s. That’s not going to be fun. Stay warm, my friend!

  13. Hello and thank you for the visit. I think it is your new blog, or I am a little bit confuse?
    Thank you for the lovely music!
    Don’t try to enter on my WP blog because it’s not started yet. 🙂
    I made it just for comments, for the moment.
    All the best and Happy WW!

    1. Suzana,

      I’m not sure what you’re confused about with my blog. Maybe this is your first time to visit. Curious as a Cathy has been my home blog for several years. The obvious place I thought of is you found me on Joyce’s linky party for hodgepodge but I didn’t see a blog with your name listed so I don’t know. Perhaps, you found me through the Wordless Wednesday connection. Now, I’m curious to know how did you find me? Do you have a blog at all? Thanks for visiting. Have a good day!

        1. Suzana,

          Thanks for sharing your blog URL. I found your link up at Sandee’s blog but I see you know a few other friends…actually I think everyone you mentioned linking up with I know. lol Have a wonderful evening!

  15. My goodness but you have a robust menu on your blog, and you allow us to pick and choose what we are interested in. Like I could skip everything else! ha. Glad to see you join in IWSG. I hope you do stay with it. There are so many inspiring, encouraging, fun bloggers. Since reading blogs interests you, you have over 160 to choose from. Happy IWSG Day!
    JQ Rose

    1. Absolutely, you can read anything and everything you want here. It won’t hurt my feelings in the least. We all need to what’s best for us and doing things this way seems to work well for me. Thanks for stopping by!

  16. I always read every word. You always have interesting and ponderous posts. Nice shot of the flowers. I have been wanting a Kitchen Aid mixer for years. Ya know they are very expensive. The other day my land lord came by with a RED (my color) Kitchen Aid. It has only been used a few times. He said it is just sitting at his house so it is now mine. YAY!! Yes I bake all the time. Have a great day today.

    1. Nicole,

      Ahh, you’re so kind to read my post in its entirety. WOW, how nice of your landlord to give you a Kitchen Aid mixer. Years ago, I was gifted a new one by some very good friends. It totally knocked me over when it arrived at my door. I’ve used it many times since getting it and now can’t imagine not having one. They are really wonderful mixers, too.

  17. Hi Cathy:
    Oh goodness where do I begin.
    I love the spring flowers and what a surprise for spring.
    Your post is packed full and I really enjoy reading it!
    I hope I didn’t leave anything out that I wanted to say, I tend to do that.
    I too have a problem reading. I don’t comprehend very well on what I’m reading.
    What a terrible thing for a teacher to make any child feel the way you did.
    Your recipes sound yummy.
    I’m so glad you visited my blog so I could come visit you.
    Have a good day.

    https://gloriasretiredlife.blogspot.com/

    1. Gloria,

      When I was in elementary school I had trouble with comprehension. I credit part of that with poor self-esteem. That’s something a small child doesn’t understand. They just feel inferior to others. It took me well into my 30s before I realized that I’m just as smart as the next person. I just learn differently and am smart in other ways. We all are. Perhaps as this teacher got older, I like to think that she became more mellow. My sister had the same teacher in 4th grade and she loved her. My sis is 9-years younger than me, too. So, perhaps time did make the difference for her.

  19. I read it all today and enjoyed it! Your chicken salad recipe sounds really good except for the onions. I just can’t do raw onions. They give me a splitting headache! The casserole recipe sounds really good. When I was reading your story about why you don’t read, I was hit once again with how our comments can affect each other for many years.

    1. Lisa,

      That’s interesting that onions give you headaches. I hadn’t heard this before. If you don’t eat them, just leave it out of the recipe. You probably won’t miss that ingredient like others would. You’re right about one’s words, sometimes it acts like a sword. I heard others remarking this teacher didn’t have the best disposition but who knows what was going on in her life at the time. I just hope I’m remembering it all wrong and despite my shortcomings I got over my insecurities. I’m not a world class reader and still stumble with some words but I don’t let it bother me. I push forward.

  20. The flowers of spring. Beautiful.

    Shame on that teacher. There are so many wonderful teachers, but there are a few that need to find a different profession. Shame on that teacher.

    Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. Big hug, honey. ♥

    1. Sandee,

      Sometimes, I wonder if I’m remembering the whole thing wrong. Emotions are a powerful thing. What someone says or does you might forget but the way someone made you feel lives on forever! Yep, I’m probably remembering it wrong. However, I do know I struggled with the reading process and I believe part of that problem relates to childhood ear problems. I suffered with horrible ear aches which I learned caused scaring and some hearing loss. I’m sure I couldn’t hear sounds right making it hard for me to understand. I know it’s difficult to give 20+ children proper attention for each one’s learning needs but hopefully schools today can learn from past mistakes in the classroom.

    1. Carol,

      Oh betcha did, I betcha did! I would not be a happy girl in Michigan. DH worked in central Michigan in 2000 for four or five months. At one point, I thought we were doomed to uproot and move there but then a job opened closer to home and he too that opportunity. I’m really glad that we didn’t have to move.

    1. We were happy with how well it turned out and I’m actually looking forward to making it again. Next time, I’m going to use dark meat. The chicken breasts was a bit too dry.

  25. I always had a problem with the reading thing too, I tend to nod off when reading. We enjoyed your tunes too. Hey, that blizzard of 93 is why we ended up moving from WV to SC.

    1. Brian,

      I tend to nod off, too. One of my biggest problems with reading is I can’t keep my mind on it. Everything else comes to mind at the moment I’m trying to absorb myself in an interesting book. South Carolina has much milder weather than West Virginia for sure. At least you don’t have to worry about the snow but it does get cold at times. Not like WV cold but cold for the area. When DH’s parents were still living, we’d keep up with the weather in southern WV. There were times where we saw it 10 degrees cooler than what we were having in Knoxville. These days we now compare our conditions to what our daughter is Maine is experiencing. Surprisingly, the temperatures aren’t as horrible as I first thought but they do get a lot more snow and often have wickedly bad winds. Overall, I don’t think I’d like spending my winters in Maine.

  26. I remember the blizzard back in ’93 and shock it was! Your recipes sound so yummy. I am a huge chicken salad fan.

    1. Tammy,

      I think many remember the blizzard of ’93. That was really a shock for sure. I keep expecting something like that to happen again. This winter has been a snowier one for us than usual, so I’m not ruling anything out until mid-April. 🙂

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