Thoughtful Memories on a Rainy Day

our roses enjoying the rain

On this rainy afternoon, Joyce's weekly questions have me thinking about mental recollection, memories, strategies to remember, and embracing the pleasant things of life.   If you want to link up to her blog with your answers to these questions, click here.

On the subject of memories, recently I came across this very special family snapshot:

my maternal grandparents; 
photo probably taken about 1924

1. What's something you recently forgot to do? Is your memory these days more like a sieve or an elephant? 

My memory is pretty good but I have to work harder to concentrate when there is noise nearby. As for what have I recently forgot to do? I don't remember! 🥴

2. Share a trick/strategy you have to help you remember things you need to remember. 

I have all sorts of things I do to help me remember things I need to do:

- my calendars (hanging on the pantry door, on my desk, on my phone and computer)

- sticky notes to myself

- plastic vitamin containers with a compartment for every day of the week

- when I want/need to do some chore but am not ready to do it yet, I pull out an item I'll need to carry out the chore. Example: once a month I run distilled white vinegar through our coffee maker. The other day I pulled the jug of vinegar out of the pantry and set it on the kitchen counter. That reminded me to take care of the task later in the day when I had the time to do it.

3. What's your favorite fall vegetable to cook with? Do you prefer your fall veggies roasted, blended into a warm soup, or fresh in a crisp autumn salad? 

I love vegetables, all of them. I like them in a warm soups and in salads, but my favorite is roasted.

4. October 5th is/was National Do Something Nice Day. Did you? If so tell us about it. Or maybe someone did something nice for you, and if that's the case please share. 

Of course I did something nice for someone else on National Do Something Nice Day -- because I try to be nice every day! Ha-Ha! But lest I come across as bragging I'll say that Gary did several nice things for me when he turned on my bicycle blinker lights before I joined him outside, and he keeps the tires pumped up. (going back to question #1, I do tend to forget to turn my bike blinker lights OFF but Gary notices if that happens.)

5.  Nathaniel Hawthorne is credited with the quote "I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."  

Do you tend to spend more time outside this time of year? 

Do you actively pause to soak in fleeting moments of beauty in your daily routine? Elaborate. 

Yes, oh my yes! When the heat and humidity here in Florida ease up, I definitely enjoy being outdoors more. We ride our bicycles about 5 1/2 miles nearly every morning after breakfast year 'round, so no matter what the temperature, we're out there getting our exercise, fresh air, and sunshine. Often after we get back from that, we do whatever yard work is needed. My big thing is to keep up with the weeds and pruning back our 3 rose bushes while Gary cuts the grass, does the edging, and trims the bushes.

Do I actively pause to soak in fleeting moments of beauty in my daily routine? Sure. Since we're retired now, pausing to appreciate [whatever] is easier to do.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Per my usual habit of closing out with a Bible verse, here is one that has recently been an encouragement to me:

If any of you lacks wisdom,

let [her] ask of God,

who gives to all liberally and

without reproach,

and it will be given to [her].

James 1:5

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Moving Into Autumn Themes

created per my instructions to Chatgpt

Today I am responding to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions, concluding with more photos from our recent road trip to Kentucky and also a few words about dinosaurs. (!!) If you want to link your blog to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions, click here.

1. When you think of autumn what sounds come to mind? 

Autumn always reminds me of Roger Williams' piano version of the song, The Autumn Leaves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH0d7lgO0Js

2.  Is a trip to the mountains something you enjoy? What's your favorite mountain? 

I-70 heading west into the Rocky Mountains
outside of Denver, Colorado

Mountains will always hold a high place (😉 pun intended) in my heart since I've lived alongside Colorado's Rocky Mountains more years than any of the many other places in my life.

3. What's something that once felt like a mountain, but is now just a molehill? 

Taking on the financial bookkeeping after my first husband died was a mountain for me. My daughter and my second husband have been a big help to me, but the reality is that I've had to take on the responsibility myself. While I now (almost 6 years later) won't go so far as to label that responsibility as a "molehill," I am handling it with relative ease. I literally thank the Lord every day for getting me through that, one of the most intimidating, scary experiences of my life. God has been faithful to me!

click here  to listen to the song

4. Let's play this or that-fall foods edition. Yes, you have to choose. 

• pumpkin spice latte or chai latte 
• apple cider or hot chocolate  
• stew or chili
• sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole 
• butternut squash soup or creamy mushroom soup 
• cranberry sauce or gravy 

5. Sum up your September in a sentence or two. 

Weary of our summer's heat and humidity, we escaped to Kentucky and grabbed some cooler weather to bring down to Florida as we drove home. (My last post addressed part of that trip; #6 below will tell more.)

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

After we spent time at The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky (40 miles south of Cincinnati), we drove Southwest to Hodgenville to visit the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, his boyhood home, and the Lincoln Museum. Pictures follow:

This is a reproduction of Abraham Lincoln's birthplace and boyhood home in Hodgenville. I say that this is a "reproduction" because the real birthplace house was physically moved to the Abraham Lincoln Visitor Center, a few miles away. See the next picture .....

This photo was taken at the Lincoln Visitor Center. The actual house in which he was born was moved to the inside of this awesome building. You see all of the steps required to see it -- we chose to observe from afar. 

The area is beautiful with lots of trees, manicured grass, and benches positioned periodically along that staircase.

Also at this location is a Visitors Center (with restrooms) and a gift shop area. Here Gary is closely examining one of the display cases.

We then drove a little farther into Hodgenville to visit the Lincoln Museum. It's located in a couple of store fronts on the downtown traffic circle ("roundabout"). We were easily able to park right in front of the main door. This picture was taken from the outside, looking into some of the several windows from the sidewalk.

My sister has a rich history with miniatures. Because of her, I know that here we are looking at "room boxes", one-room scenes depicting some of President Lincoln's life. The one on the far right is his deathbed.

Inside the museum, which is absolutely full of Lincoln-era memorabilia, this is a life-size scene of young Lincoln working as a store clerk. You may have heard the story of how at one day's end, he realized he had not given the correct change to a customer. He sought her out to make it right, validating the saying, "Honest Abe," as he was called.

A quote by Mr. Lincoln. The picture is dark and hard to read, but the quote is worth repeating:

"Better to remain silent

and be thought a fool 

than to speak out and

remove all doubt."

There were several life-size scenes from his life, but I captured only two of them. This is Robert E. Lee on the left with Ulysses S. Grant on the right at the McLean home at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, where they met on April 9, 1865 for the surrender of the Civil War.

My souvenir purchases: 3 refrigerator magnets, a book about Lincoln's four sons, and a bookmark.

Our last stop during this Kentucky trip was to Mammoth Cave National Park.

Unhappily, upon our arrival we were told the power had gone out. They did not know the cause yet, nor how long it would take to restore the power. They could not even allow us into the visitor center, and certainly not into the caves. 

After giving the matter some serious thought, we decided to head for home. While on the road we shared with each other our experiences of visiting other caves: (Gary) Luray Caverns in Virginia , (me) Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs, some mines in the Rockies, and Carlsbad in New Mexico. We have no plans to return to Mammoth but the pictures on the internet are very impressive.

The question was brought up in the comments on my last post about dinosaurs not being mentioned in the Bible and/or on the ark. Perhaps this explanation will help:

The Bible does not explicitly use the word "dinosaur" because the term was not invented until 1841. However, some Christians and creationist groups interpret certain massive creatures described in scripture—such as the Behemoth and Leviathan in the Book of Job (Job 40–41)—as descriptions of dinosaur-like animals. 

Job 40:15–24 (The Behemoth): God describes a powerful plant-eating land creature "which [He] made along with you". The text notes that "its tail sways like a cedar," leading some to suggest a large sauropod, though mainstream scholars and other commentators often identify it as a hippopotamus or an elephant. 

Job 41:1–34 (The Leviathan): A formidable, fearsome sea creature described with great strength and armor, which some connect to marine reptiles, though others view it as a crocodile or symbolic imagery. 

Genesis 1:21 (Great Sea Creatures): Mentions that God created great sea monsters (tanin in Hebrew, sometimes translated as "dragons" or "serpents"), which some believe encompasses large aquatic reptiles.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Touching on Pleasant Topics

Today I'm featuring Joyce's questions on the Hodgepodge for Sept. 16: if you would like to link up with your blog, click on the link below.

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/09/hodgepodge-questions-volume-671.html

1. How do you define beauty? 

framed artwork in our home

I define beauty as calm with a respectful reverence that encourages peace and kindness with cheerful colors ranging from bright to subtle. This description can apply to people, landscapes, home design, art galleries and probably everything else.

framed artwork in our home 

Truly, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," because not everything I consider to be beautiful is acceptable to others, and vice-versa.

Speaking of cheerful colors, our puzzle (assembled on the glass table top) is FINALLY coming together. (LOTS of beach umbrellas)

2. Have you ever taken a trip by train? If so where did you go and what did you think of the experience? If not do you have any desire to do so? Where would you like to go? (You might find inspiration here-The Best Train Trips in The World)

I've never taken an overnight trip by train although I think it would be nice to experience. I'd want my own place to sleep in privacy (as opposed to sitting in the same chair/recliner for the entire trip) and I would want to dine on train food (whatever that is) while watching mountain scenery or water views.

3. Shell shocked, bombshell, bandshell, shellacking, in a nutshell, walking on eggshells...choose one and tell us why you chose it, or how it relates to your life in some way currently.

I'll go with "in a nutshell." I prefer brief, well-worded responses over long explanations. 

4. Tacos, pistachios, oysters, clams, eggs...your favorite food on the list that comes in/with a shell? 

Tacos for lunch on Labor Day weekend

Tacos. You can put anything inside the shell, which makes tacos a good way to use up refrigerator leftovers. I prefer soft flour tortillas over the crunchy corn tortilla shells; but if somebody else is doing the cooking, I'll take a taco any way they want to prepare it.

5. Are birthdays a big deal in your house? Is your own birthday a big deal in some way? Elaborate. 

Both Gary and I have said we didn't think we would get this old! The cards we give and receive are really special.

We like cake and ice cream and do something to make the day special. Sometimes that's a trip out of town, out of state, or just to a favorite local restaurant.

For Gary's first birthday after we got married, we were visiting Sister and her hubby on a road trip. She baked his favorite, German Chocolate, in the form of cupcakes, for us to take with us in the car. That was so nice.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Here is a thought-provoking statement that I have found to be true:

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

True Grit and Comforts

We are told that Wednesday, September 2, is National Grits Day. There seems to be a day for everything. My taste buds read them as "bland." They're not my favorite; but since I am now a "southerner," I do eat them when served. (combined with cheese, they are better)

In my last post I asked if and how any of you have used Chatgpt. The responses have been varied and interesting. I appreciate every one of your comments. Thanks!

my most recent Chatgpt project

Here is my latest project. I asked Chatgpt to picture a woman checking off her To Do List. After viewing their initial drawing, I asked them to change the hair style from long to a bob, change the long-sleeved sweater to a sleeveless top (appropriate for today's hot weather), personalized the items on the "To Do" list, and added a framed photo of my husband with the classic 2002 Ford T-Bird that he purchased the week of our first date. 

It's amazing what Chatgpt can do! On the maybe scary side, Chatgpt knew which initial to put on the coffee mug.

💐   💐   💐

Here are Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week. Click on the link if you want to join up with your blog.

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/08/hodgepodge-questions-volume-669.html 

1. What's something you wanted to do this summer that you never got around to doing? 

Frankly, nothing. My goal during this summer has been to survive the heat and humidity without a cranky attitude. The feeling of relief every time we entered our home after a bike ride has been a sincere sigh of gratitude for air conditioning. 

I look forward to our local weatherman's prediction that (historically) our nighttime low temps tend to slip down into the upper 60s during the first week of September. 

remembering the gold Aspen trees 
in Colorado's autumn
Photo by Lars Leber, Colorado Springs

2. Were you the student who sat in the front row or hid in the back of the class? If you could go back and take one high school class again just for fun, which would it be? 

I usually preferred to be in the 2nd or 3rd row. I wanted to be able to see and hear what the teacher was saying but feel maybe less likely to be called on too much if I'm not in the front row. The misbehaving kids tended to sit at the back. I was a well-behaved student and did not want to get caught up in any of their trouble. 

What class might I want to re-visit? Glee Club, harmonizing with the altos.

3. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher (this can be applied to anyone who teaches, not just classroom teachers)? 

Patience and forbearance, compassion, a good sense of humor, and of course, a thorough understanding and reasonable experience with the subject being taught.

4.  September 2nd is National Grits Day. Have you ever eaten grits? Are you a fan? If so how do you like yours? Would people describe you as 'having grit'? 

Grits are okay but if given a choice, I prefer hash browns. 

Do I have grit? Nope, not in my own strength at least. The recent past has tested my character with just the stuff of life. Any "grit" I may have has been in short supply. I continue to daily thank the Lord for being my help and my strength, and for giving me Gary to help me think straight when I feel overwhelmed.

As you may already know, Gary is my editor and proof-reader. So when he read the above paragraph, he strongly disagreed. He says I don't let people walk all over me and I set goals and achieve them. That's nice.

5. What's something you're never too old or too young to enjoy? 

A good clean joke. And ice cream. Let's include ice cream.

All customers at Southern Pig and Cattle
get a free ice cream cone with their meals

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Returning to the subject of "grits," earlier this week, while Gary's patience was being tested, he told me that his disposition would vastly improve if I were to make him some Rice Krispy treats. 

They are disappearing fast!

Until next time, grace and peace,

Barbara