Thanks, Joyce!
1. April showers bring May flowers...what have you been showered with this month?
Light snow. More days of light snow than all of winter. Nothing very deep, just ... there... when it should have been sunshine!
2. What is the nature of compassion? Is it learned or innate? Can compassion be learned? If you're a parent is this something you've purposely sought to instill in your children, and if so how?
I think compassion is innate and can not be learned, but needs to be developed. Its one of those things that separates us from animals. Little children understand things like compassion, love, respect by watching and imitating. If this is what they see, they are more apt to show it as they mature and seem to show compassion much more easily/more quickly than older children and adults. If a child is raised in a home with no compassion, it is still possible for them to be compassionate; just takes longer to develop. I believe that adults who do not appear to possess compassion, actually do, but choose to follow their sinful nature and ignore it.
3. Do you prefer to watch romantic comedy or romantic drama...or are you rolling your eyes saying bring on the action flicks?
I'm not much for watching romantic anything, but would probably prefer comedy over drama. Action flicks usually bore me. I'm more of a documentary person.
4. It's April which means baseball season is officially upon us here in the US of A. Humphrey Bogart is quoted as saying "A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz." Agree or Disagree?
Well, I've never been to the Ritz or a pro ball game, but I DO love a good hot dog (all beef) with spicy brown mustard and sleeping in a potato roll. I also love roast beef ... So, I believe that each destination deserves it's own food .. hot dogs at the ball park and roast beef at the Ritz!
5. What's something in your community or city that needs fixing or improving?
My first thought was "My city; period" but that was kind of flippant of me ... so let me say, I appreciate the hard work SOME of the people in my neighboring city do. Urban blight needs to be dealt with BIG TIME and there are codes in place but not enforced... Welfare fraud has been dealt with to some extent, but I'm afraid the problem is rooted at the State level and that's beyond my community's reach. However, the SOME I was referring to are involved with volunteer organizations and are doing a wonderful job! The politicians could take a lesson...
6. Share a song you enjoy that mentions flowers or a specific flower in its title.
Only one? OK ... waxing nostalgic and going back to my 60's roots and The Kingston Trio with "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qt57c7rnHM But my all time favorite is one my mom used to sing to me when I was little; then I sang it to my kids, and I know one of mine has sung it to his:
Dandelion! Dandelion! What golden stars are you.
Shining in the meadow grasses, sparkling with the dew.
Did you shine up yonder, dears, all the whole night through
and then come dancing down with the sun...
because little Peggy loves you?
How I wish you could hear the tune!
7. April 22nd is Earth Day...do you believe there's life on other planets? That wasn't the question you were expecting was it?
No, and no! Oh, there could be micro-organisms, but intelligent life would have found each other by now, I'm pretty sure. But for the sake of imagination, I'll leave a spark of "maybe" in my mind... :-)
8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's been a rough week in the USA ... how anyone can go through this life without a compassionate God is beyond me. He's there to comfort and care; to save and to share ... he's all powerful, all knowing, all seeing and just because he doesn't intervene when sin over takes this land and troubles arise from fire, flood and storm does not mean he's mean, or doesn't exist, but he lets the life he's created, live. He lets us make our own choices, and our choices affect all those around us ... He leads and directs, but we don't always follow. When we do follow but bad things happen, is it His "fault"? Of course not, we are not puppets and this world is not our stage. It's our home...but only for awhile. When people die, it's only for this period of time; in this place. There's more to come; So much more. I don't have all the answers but I know who does and He has the peace that surpasses all human understanding. I've got it! Do you?
1. Share one fun thing you did last week, while the Hodgepodge was on 'spring break'.
I made some venison stew; took a walk up on our hill; did bare minimum housework and read a book during spring break.
2. April 10th is National Sibling Day...do you have siblings, and if so are you close? Share a favorite story featuring one or all of your siblings. If you don't have siblings, did you ever wish you did?
I have 3 half brothers and 1 half sister. 2 of my 1/2 brothers were much older than me so our relationship was a distant one for the most part, simply because of time and well, distance :-) They were my father's sons and have both passed from this earth to heaven. My mom's son was 8 years older than me, but we were as close as a big brother and baby sister could get. We are separated by distance, now, but keep in touch. My mom's daughter is my 1/2 sister and she was much older than me. However, we were pretty close in that we did lots of fun things together and even argued as we got older! My sister's children are my age, so my niece and nephew were more like a brother and sister to me. People have asked me if that felt strange and my answer is always, "Not at all. We all had a great time growing up together and I didn't know any other way!" My sister has since passed, but I am still in touch with my niece and occasionally my nephew.
3. Is it important to you to 'buy American'? Why or why not? How much of an effort do you make to 'buy American'? If you're not American, insert your own country in the blank.
I look for quality. If I have a choice between 2 products that are of equal value, I'll choose American made every time...if the quality is there.
4. Besides The Bible, what book has impacted your spirituality in some way?
Probably the first book to impact me as a very young woman (other than the Bible) would be The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom (also her book, Tramp for the Lord.) In more recent history, I have been inspired by the writings of Patsy Clairmont ... one book being, "God Uses Cracked Pots" .. I also remember a book titled, "Change Points" by Joyce Landorf that had an impact on me over 25 years ago as I was working my way through motherhood with 3 boys ... probably still a good read!
5. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Do you find rainy days calming or depressing? When were you last caught in a rainstorm? What's blooming in your neck of the woods today?
The first rainy day of spring or late winter is awesome! I love to hear it hit the windows and watch the droplets run down our window panes. If those skies stay gray and drippy for a 2nd day, though, I become antsy... especially in the springtime! In the fall, a rainy day is fine ... again, as long as there are not too many of them! A cold rain in November reminds me that snow will be coming ...maybe any minute!
I was caught in a real "gully washer" one summer; no umbrella; had to wade through ankle deep water and then made it to the neighboring business' car port to wait for my husband to pick me up. There was lots of thunder and lightning and NO WAY was I waiting in our little mini golf clubhouse with all those big pine trees towering over head! I was soaked and scared!
Although it is spring here in upstate NY, we have nothing blooming, yet, this year. Last year the crocuses and even some dandelions were already blooming with daffodils and tulips just ready to burst! This year? Crocuses little green shoots just broke through the ground.
6. What's your favorite yellow food?
Hands down, Butter and Sugar variety of corn on the cob and the butter to go with it!
7. April is National Poetry Month...what's a poem that holds special meaning for you, and why is it special?
I'm a bit nostalgic about poetry. Certain ones stick and always for a reason. I write my own, but often find myself "hearing" my mom's voice as she had memorized "The Children's Hour" by Henry Wadsowrth Longfellow and "The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers" by Dorothea Hemans. In her late 70's, my mom started writing her own about life on the farm and when dementia set in, she would recite them over and over and over and over ... my sister, niece and I all agreed that we could just about not stand it any longer BUT would one day miss hearing her voice and those very same poems. We were right. 8. Insert your own random thought here.
Long shadows at sunset on the beach...ahhhhh!
