Commencing With Summer 2026

 

Although summer's heat has been in my area for close to 2 months (!!), this is the first Hodgepodge of "official" summer. If you want to link up your blog with others to answer these summer-related writing prompts, click on the link below.

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/06/hodgepodge-questions-volume-659.html

1. Summer's here!  In the northern hemisphere anyway. If you're in the southern hemisphere, substitute winter for the word summer. What do you love most about summer? What's your biggest summer pet peeve? 

Me, hamming it up the summer of 2018
on the boat dock of friends
in Lake Weedowee, Alabama

I enjoy the 4th of July parades, fireworks, and grilled menus.  If I have a pet peeve about summer, it's that I don't like the feeling of sweat running down my back. 

Our patience is tried in crowds of people and traffic, so In recent years Gary and I have been absolutely content to watch the 4th of July celebrations unfold on TV while we enjoy air conditioning, our automated recliners, and the convenience of food and bathrooms just steps away.

The current trend of drone "fireworks" shows are interesting but I hope the old-fashioned kind are not abandoned.

2. What song always reminds you of summer? 

Summer Place by Percy Faith's orchestra (one of my husband's favorite songs).

3. What's something you remember about your childhood summers? Do you think kids today get to enjoy summer the way you did as a child? Elaborate. 

my family lived in the greater Los Angeles area
1958-1961

My mother was the secretary at the church of which my family was a member the summer between my 4th and 5th grades in school. Since Sister and I were too young to spend day after day at home by ourselves, Mama brought us to work with her. We would bring our dolls and each take over a Sunday School classroom and play "school." The church had a good gymnasium, so we could run and play there in a safe place while Mama was in the nearby office. There was also a Coke machine, so we got to drink pop with our sack lunches. 

As for kids' summers these days, social media and greatly increased crime have darkly colored the activity options. It's just not the same. We would go outside and play with our friends for hours on end, coming inside just to use the bathroom and to get a drink of water. 

4. We celebrate Fathers Day on June 21st. Do you favor your dad in looks or temperament? Tell us something about your dad. Or your husband as a dad. Or a son/son-in-law as a dad. Or your grandpa. 

Of my two parents, my face and personality are more like my dad; my body and health are more like my mother. My father enjoyed people and made friends easily. He died of cancer when I was 36 years old. His work as a corporate pilot took him all over the USA.  After his death many people sent letters to my mother expressing how much they liked my dad. 

5. Let's wrap up with a summer this or that-

• flip flops or sandals: sandals, although I wear both daily
• beach or pool: beach but I don't swim any more 
• watermelon or peaches: both
• shorts or sundress: BERMUDA shorts (no short-shorts)
• iced coffee or ice cold lemonade: lemonade
• amusement park or water park: amusement park, but really just for walking around and sitting in the shade to watch people. And ice cream. Eating ice cream in the summer is fun. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Recently Joyce did a "day in the life" type of blog post. Here is my version that I'm titling: 

How 2 Retired Seniors Spend Most Days

Our general routine: we get up early (5:30am) to take advantage of the cooler temps for our daily bike ride of 5 miles, chores and appointments.  

Our bikes, are a year 'round habit,
even on Christmas morning --- note:
this is the only time we did not wear helmets

After lunch we are usually relaxing on the cheerful lanai with the windows open wide and fans blowing. If or when the air gets too hot, we move inside to the air conditioning, but the lanai is so bright and close to nature that we stay out there as long as we can bear it.

The palm on the very far right and the very far left
are the ones that got trimmed.

For all the visions of romance that palm trees convey, they make for a lot of upkeep to look their best. Yesterday Gary cut down about 20 very long, thorny branches from our 2 tallest palms. 

Then I helped drag them to the driveway where Gary cut them into short lengths for disposal. Years ago, I never imagined my Colorado Waste Management bins would hold Florida tree trimmings!

After lunch (our biggest meal of the day) and a short nap in front of the noon TV news, more progress is made on our current puzzle. As much as we both enjoy puzzles, we are finding one of the challenges is how the humidity causes puzzle pieces to stick to our finger tips, sometimes pulling apart what has already been fitted together!! (To Gary's credit, he's done more on this puzzle than I have.)

On Monday I finished reading this book while cooling off in front of a fan. Now that I no longer spend hours every day with needle-in-hand, the number of books in my personal library has greatly increased.

Most of the time, I can't just read. Highlighting meaningful sentences and margin notes are my reading and study style. I have a code or system with pencil colors:

red = general information, statements

green = instructions, things I should do

blue = sin, things to be avoided

purple = actions of God

And occasionally a scribbled star filled in with gold (or tan) pencil indicates something that really spoke to me, answering a question I've had or really highlighting an important truth I want to remember.

This system enables me to flip through the pages at some later date to re-live the impact the book has made on me without reading every single page all over again.

the lanai faces east and looks out
on a lot of tall trees

After an afternoon of puzzles, reading (and sometimes a small ice cream cone), we head for the kitchen to decide on a light supper (soup, a sandwich, or sometimes just peanut butter on crackers). 

After that, even though it may hardly be past 6pm, I floss and brush my teeth, turn down the covers on our bed, and find my jammies. We catch up on the day's news and our shows or movies. At 9pm the TV is turned off, and by 9:15pm both of us are usually fast asleep like two worn out old dogs. #much4which2Bthankful!

Sister's two Basset Hounds

"For I know the plans I have for you,"

declares the Lord,

"plans to prosper you

and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope 

and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Father's Day Weekend Post 2026

Allow me to share a little about some of the prominent men in my family in observance of Father's Day. 

Daddy probably in 1956
Tulsa, Oklahoma

I've written tributes to my father (Daddy) many times.. After battling cancer he passed away when he was only 58 years old. That was much too soon for Mama, Sister, and me, as well as other family members. But in his absence we are left with pictures and good memories of a devoted Christian man who did his best by each of us. 

Tom on Father's Day 2016

As most of my blog readers know, my first husband passed away in late 2020. While the Lord gave him 70 years + 3 days on this earth, and 50 years of marriage to me, his life, like that of my father, ended too soon. But also like my father, I know he's in Heaven with Jesus. He and I together did all we knew to do to teach our 3 children to know the Lord and to grow up to be good people. 

Tom and me in 1973

With tongue-in-cheek I share this "undercover" photo of our eldest son, who was born just a couple of weeks after this snapshot was taken. That was over half a century ago. My life has never been the same since. Parenthood has been happy, at times scary, and full of the unexpected. By the mercies of the Lord, we and our 3 children survived. Our kids are responsible, self-sufficient adults who have given us eleven grandchildren.

our second-born son

One of them has given us "grand animals" instead of human grandkids. Besides the 3 house cats they have now, there is a mule to make our FaceTime conversations even more interesting and entertaining.

This post is focused pretty much on the influential family men in my life, so all I'll say about my daughter is that she met and married her Prince Charming as a result of their mutual employment in the shadow of a well-known castle frequented by a mouse and his cast of cartoon characters. A very skilled and resourceful man, our son-in-law has recently launched their son into what appears to be a very promising adulthood.

Gary on this morning's bike ride

Then of course this story would not be complete without a snapshot of my Gary, the man the Lord allowed into my life a year after my widowhood began. Nearly every blog post I've written over the past 4 years has included adventures and travel with Gary that I never dreamed to experience at this stage of my life.

As Gary likes to say, "I used to be a very private man." While I've learned to embrace zip lines, canoes, kayaks, bicycles, air boats, and such, perhaps the biggest change I brought into Gary's life has been his designation as "blog fodder." He is also my proof reader and editor.

The Lord uses the people in our lives to influence us into who we are. This post has been devoted to men that had a part in the opinions, beliefs, achievements, and physical surroundings that make me who I am. 

colorful tokens of friendship
from Diane

But as I close today's post, I want to say females have shaped me, too. Just this past week we met up with Diane for lunch. Many of my readers follow her blog, Lavender Dreams, and are aware of the sadness that overwhelmed her. 

You will be pleased to know that she has returned to her enjoyment of hiking and capturing examples of the animal kingdom with her camera. She looks really well. Her current blog post shares what's new with her, so I encourage you to visit her at this link: Through Thick and Through Thin

shared from Sue B. on Facebook

The Lord is close 

to the brokenhearted and

saves those who are

crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

From An Empty Nest to Ocean Travel

free image by StockCake.com

Joyce's writing prompts for this week ushered me into some pleasant thoughts and recollections of family, food, sports, and travel. If you would like to link up your blog with this meme, click here:

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/06/hodgepodge-questions-volume-658.html

1. June 17th, 1994 was the day of the infamous O.J. Simpson car chase. What were you doing in 1994? I'm guessing somebody is going to tell me they weren't born yet but that's part of the fun of the Hodgepodge. Lots of generations are represented here. 

In 1994 I was living in Colorado Springs. I had two sons in college and a daughter beginning her senior year in high school. The "Empty Nest" season of my life as a parent was fast approaching.

(internet photo)

2. What's your favorite summer salad that isn't the traditional tossed green lettuce kind of salad? Do you like fresh fruit in a salad (other than in a fruit salad of course)?

I like just about any salad. Taco Salad comes to mind right now because it is hearty with ground beef, beans, and cheese and crunchy corn chips. 

Yes, I like fresh fruit in a salad, especially blue berries and pineapple.

3. Is chivalry dead? Should it be? 

Chivalry is not dead. It has a lot to do with how Gary won my heart! 

Us in Gainesville, Florida
April 2025

(By my observation) rare is the woman whose heart cannot be won with kindness, gentleness, and genuine consideration. While it seems to be overlooked (maybe even intentionally avoided?) by younger people, chivalry remains a wonderful asset to relationships . . . . . And the women who are treated with such generosity of manners should not resent it.

4. Would you rather spend a week of your summer vacation in Hawaii or Alaska? Have you ever been to either? Are they two places you really would like to see? How do you feel about 'Hawaiian pizza' aka pineapple on a pizza? Have you ever eaten Baked Alaska? 

I've been to Alaska* and enjoyed it. I've never been to Hawaii and probably never will at this stage of my life. For one thing, that long airplane ride to get there is not appealing. As for pineapple on pizza, yes, I like it. As with salad, I seldom encounter a pizza I don't like. 

Over half a century ago at my high school senior dinner in a downtown ritzy hotel ball room, Baked Alaska was served for dessert. The waiters brought it in on trays held high with sparklers brightening up the presentation. 

Baked Alaska with sparklers
(internet photo)

5. World Cup play is happening now...are you interested? Watching any matches? Did you or your children play soccer/futbol? There are eleven US cities hosting matches-

-Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York with the stadium in NJ, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle

along with  three cities in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey)

and two in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver)-

Forgive me, sports fans, but the World Cup does not especially interest me. If it's on, I'll give it some attention to be polite. My children were active with track, dance, wrestling, and cheerleading. There was a brief venture into soccer by one of my sons, but the arguing of the parents on the sidelines with yelling at the players turned us off. Other interests were pursued with no regrets.

You get free tickets to one of these matches. Which city do you choose? Tell us why. 

As for free tickets (and since we're dreaming here, I assume those tickets include free airfare, lodging, and food), I would choose Vancouver, British Columbia because I lived there for 5 months as a teenager and would love to see it again. Sooo beautiful!

Vancouver, British Columbia
Stanley Park is the large forested area above downtown.
(internet photo)

My family lived in one of the downtown high rises while looking for an apartment. The apartment we found was just outside to the left of this photo, en route to the University of British Columbia. We lived on the 8th floor with a balcony and had a beautiful view of the ships entering and leaving the harbor. The Pacific Ocean is to the left (west) of this picture, beyond Vancouver Island. This photo is looking north.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

*Since Alaska came  up in Question #4, I pulled out the photo album from my cruise within Alaska's Inside Passage  in August 2006. Here are just 3 photos from the 8-day trip:

our ship, Princess cruise lines;
photo from my camera

For me, the ship itself was exciting enough. HUGE, BEAUTIFUL, very interesting, lots to do, comfortable.

photo from my camera

We arrived at our first stop in Ketchikan at dawn. I remember the ship's engine got quieter as we glided slowly into the harbor. I got out of bed to peek out on our balcony to see the sleepy town's first lights dotting the hillside down to the water's edge. It was serene, so peaceful, very beautiful. That experience alone is one of my very favorite memories of this trip.

the small pilot boat that guided our ship into the harbor;
photo from my camera

Another aspect of ship travel that fascinated me was the small pilot's guide boat that would appear as we approached each harbor. I leaned out over our balcony to take this picture. It was interesting to me that this huge ship with all of its navigational equipment would rely on this (by comparison) itty bitty water craft to show the ship's captain where to "park" at the dock. There were several other large cruise ships just like ours and we all traveled pretty much the same route, so "parking attendants" were needed. 

Of course, I have many more snapshots from this trip, but these 3 are special to me. 

While I'm on the topic of ships, here are the lyrics to an old hymn that I love:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me

over life's tempestuous sea:

unknown waves before me roll,

hiding rocks and treacherous shoal.

Chart and compass come from Thee:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore,

and the fearful breakers roar

'twixt me and the peaceful rest,

then, while leaning on Thy breast,

may I hear Thee say to me,

"Fear not, I will pilot thee."

Author: Edward Hopper, 1816-1888

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Post Script: We finished our jigsaw puzzle that was featured in my previous post. I did most of the work, but Gary found a lot of pieces, too. For the last ten, he called me to the table to finish the project. Yes, he is very chivalrous!

500 pieces, extra large pieces
that fit together very well