Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. When did you last 'swim against the tide'? Explain.

I don't know. Seems to me most of the time we're not swimming with the tide. We left the Amish nine years ago which was a huge swimming against the tide event. Basically everything after that pales in comparison.

2. What's the last self-help or self-improvement book you read?

I don't like calling the Bible a self-help book, because it is so much more. I don't read other self-help / self-improvement books though. We had been given one on marriage as a wedding gift and I think we may have read two chapters before calling it ridiculous and it's been banished to the attic ever since.

3"Tolerance is a tremendous virtue, but the immediate neighbors of tolerance are apathy and weakness." (Sir James Goldsmith) 

Agree or disagree? Discuss. With civility please, because I think we have a good thing going in our very diverse (in geography, age, religion, political persuasion, ethnicity, marital status, upbringing, and cooking abilities) neighborhood here on This Side of the Pond.

I agree, and I'll leave it at that. I've seen too many Facebook conversations spiral out of control over the past few weeks to elaborate any further.

4. What is one of your most vivid memories of the kitchen from your childhood?

We spent the majority of our time in our kitchen when I was a child. It was large and the only room on our main floor that we were allowed to be in. The other three rooms, one was my parents bedroom which was strictly off limits, and the other two had been turned into a store/showroom for our furniture shop and quilts. We weren't allowed to play in there, but could walk through it to get upstairs to our bedrooms.

The kitchen was such a happy place though, it had a sofa, desk, china cupboard, and a table where we did puzzles, played games, or any projects we were working on. The other part of the kitchen had a nice woodstove, an oil stove we used during the summer, two treadle sewing machines, a rocking chair, and our dining table and chairs. There was a nice blackboard on the one wall where we had tons of fun writing, drawing, and playing games.

Our counter tops were bright orange, a color I always detested. It was in this kitchen where I got my love of cooking and baking, learned how to sew, did tons of canning during the summer. It was where we entertained our guests. It was also where I was proposed to.

I never once heard my Mom complain how we basically lived in one room, It was a cheerful, happy place, thanks to her.

5. How did/do your own children's summers compare with your summers as a child? If you're not a parent, answer as it relates to what you've observed about the current generation of children vs. your own childhood.

My summers were busy preserving food for winter, but on days where there wasn't any canning to do I loved roaming the countryside with my brother. We would traipse through the woods, along the creeks, and anywhere our hearts desired. That is something our children don't do. Would it still be safe to walk over anyone's land? Maybe, but maybe not. At any rate it's something they're not allowed to do, that we used to.

6. Tell us what body of water you would most like to be on or near today, and why?

I would love to be at the beach on Prince Edward Island.

7.  Share a favorite song about water, or a favorite song with the word water in it's title, or a favorite song to listen to as you sit beside the water.

As I Went Down to the River to Pray by Alison Krauss

8. Insert your own random thought here.

It's raining again, much like it has almost everyday this summer. Looks like another day of writing, cooking, and some type of crafty project will be enjoyed at our house.

25 comments:

  1. Sounds a lot like our kitchen, except the canning process. Prince Edward Island, oh reminds me of the books Anne of Green Gables. Such a picturesque vision I imagine.

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    1. It was the Anne books that first got me interested in Prince Edward Island. It's a lovely province!

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  2. I love the sounds of the kitchen of your childhood. What a wonderful room that must have been. I can imagine leaving the Amish was your 'swimming against the tide.' And I agree about conversations on Facebook spinning out of control. Maybe why I don't spend much time there. Have a nice week!

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  3. If I would have thought sooner...I would have made my song the little childhood rhyme of Rain, rain, go away, come again another day!!

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  4. Love your description of the kitchen and your choice of song came to my mind too. I love that song and have it on CD. I will now be singing it to myself all day. Thanks!

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  5. Your kitchen sounds like it was a real beehive of activity. I think people should express their views with respect and civility, but they should express them. I hope the rain subsides soon.

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  6. I love that song. I didn't even think of that one.

    Your kitchen growing up sounds like it was a fun place to be.

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  7. We're attending a wedding in PEI in August. I've been once, and am so excited to be going back. It's a beautiful little part of the world.

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  8. I always enjoy reading your responses because you bring such a different perspective which I find so refreshing. It is different from life as I know it. I don't can, or sew any more or have a garden or do crafts so thank you for a glimpse into your life. Isn't it great that a group of women from all over the country with different interests and personalities and lifestyles can come together once a week in complete unity? Thank you Joyce!

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  9. I'm sure leaving the Amish community must have been very difficult - definitely swimming against the tide. The kitchen sounds the real hub of the house.

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  10. Your childhood kitchen must have been pretty large! Such nice memories you have of doing a lot of things in it.

    I think you have the best 'swimming against the tide' story, of all. How difficult that must have been!

    Love your song choice, and may the rain give you a break, soon!

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    1. It would be nice to have several days in a row without rain, but I don't mind it too much.

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  11. Oh, rain! I'm beginning to think about seeing if Home Depot sells gopher wood! If the sun *ever* comes out, the grass is going to grow right up your pants legs and you'll be stuck in the middle of the lawn.

    Your kitchen sounds a lot like my grandmother's place. My mom didn't like people "underfoot" when she was cooking, so I was hopeless when I first got married. However, I can read a cookbook with the best of them, and nobody starved.

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    1. We had a gopher wood discussion the other day. :) So far we're trying to dash out and mow the yard between showers. It's been a challenge.

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  12. Did you have a bed in your living room? Our neighbors living/kitchen are open but they all have a bed in there. I have read some weird things about it but was hoping it was just easier in the winter to keep the fire going... or maybe easier to rest and change a newborn diaper on it?

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    1. Some Amish churches aren't allowed to have a sofa so they use a twin bed or day bed instead and use it much the same as others would use a sofa.

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  13. The kitchen always holds so much joy... the center of every home.

    Our grass is growing like crazy with all the rain we're getting too

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  14. We live in our kitchen, its where the woodburner is, the sofa's, we love it!:)

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  15. I bet leaving the Amish was really a HUGE experience of swimming against the tide!! When my girls were young we really lived in our kitchen. Enjoy your week!

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  16. Thanks for visiting...Nice to meet you...I will be back to visit...Blessings

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  17. It is sad that our children can't just go out and roam anymore. I would be too afraid to let them!

    I loved reading your Hodgepodge and would love for you to come visit:

    http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2015/07/hodgepodge-7815.html

    Colletta

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  18. I also like Alison Krauss.
    I enjoyed reading your answers.
    Carla

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  19. Oh! One of the red beaches on Prince Edward Island? PEI has been on my lists to see for a while, to camp there, near the water, to see the Anne of Green Gables stuff. From Maine (us) it's about 550 miles...

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  20. Oh! One of the red beaches on Prince Edward Island? PEI has been on my lists to see for a while, to camp there, near the water, to see the Anne of Green Gables stuff. From Maine (us) it's about 550 miles...

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  21. Well now, I see we have something in common. I would love to go to PEI, it is on my bucket list, and I love Alison Kraus' song. I have listened to it many many times.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.