Freedoms Enjoyed Because of Veterans

our back patio

.Hello friends! Come sit with me for a few minutes while I share my thoughts with some snapshots. 

Autumn has truly arrived here in North Central Florida. For our after-breakfast bicycle rides these last couple of weeks I've worn ankle-length yoga pants, socks with my shoes, an undershirt, a long-sleeved T-shirt, a zip-up hoodie jacket and lightweight gloves. When pedaling with even a light headwind, it gets chilly!

a fresh application of red lava rock

We ride for 5 1/2 miles at an easy pace (we are not fast and I like to hug the right side of our residential streets for safety). By the time we get back home (some 35-40 minutes later), I've worked up enough body heat to start shedding the layers. 

We both get something to drink and take that out to the front porch to rest and wave at neighbors as they walk or ride by.

our back yard this week

Often our next activity until lunchtime is to do something in the yard. My task is to pull weeds (I've definitely got "job security" with that!!) while Gary trims bushes and trees, or cuts the grass, or (this week) he spreads rock. It was time to replenish the lava rock in the back yard. He did the hard work while I hung close by as his "go-fer" (go get this, bring back that). 

You see our Asian theme in the yard. There are no Buddhas, or shrines as this is a Christian home, but we do enjoy the artful beauty that reminds us of Gary's military years in Japan (and later in Thailand and Korea).

Our morning routines are good exercise and we enjoy doing things together. There's not a lot of talk as we work. It's good to just "be with" each other. 

Jersey Girl and me

That last sentence is my segue into how good it is to "be with" friends. Jersey Girl and I had lunch together yesterday to celebrate her recent birthday. As you see what we are wearing, you might think we coordinated our clothing choices ahead of time, like teenagers, but we didn't. Both of us were of the mind that this is the right time to wear orange.

Jersey Girl as a Party Girl!

But speaking of how females like to talk about what we'll wear for special occasions, Jersey Girl and I made some special memories 5 years ago when we were preparing to go to a neighborhood Christmas party. I had invited my new beau (who is now my husband) to come with us. 

Gary and I had been dating just a week or so and I wanted to WOW! him that night. I invited Jersey Girl to come to my house before Gary was due to arrive so she could help me get ready, and then she took pictures of us. It was a very fun evening for all of us.

Yes, he was surprised to see me
dressed "all a-sparkle."

Moving on to this week's Hodgepodge questions from Joyce, if you want to link up with your blog, click here:

 http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/11/hodgepodge-questions-volume-679.html

1. Of the following sayings, typically associated with the (American) southern way of speaking, which do you most relate to right now? Explain. 

Bless your heart~too big for yer britches~ madder than a wet hen~you're preachin' to the choir~

knee high to a grasshopper~oh my stars

.The last, although that is not a phrase I like to use. I think of it as expressing unwelcome surprise. Earlier this week I learned of the untimely and very unexpected passing of a longtime friend who is 20+ years younger than me.

2. The Hodgepodge lands on (US) Veterans Day this year. Are you a veteran? Have a family member who's a veteran? If you answered yes, tell us something about them. Will you do anything to mark the day in some special way? 

Both my late husband and my current husband, as well as one of my sons -- all are veterans who served in the USAF. I am proud of all of them and their contributions. One served as a Minuteman missile launch officer, one as military police/criminal investigator, and one as a pilot in Afghanistan.    

me, our mutual friend, Gary

With both of us having been widowed a year earlier, my husband and I met at a Veterans' Day observance here in our +55 retirement community. We were introduced to each other by a mutual friend. I am glad that our friends had the foresight to take snapshots of us on that fateful day! At the time, we had no idea what the future held for us.

Gary and me the day we met,
November 11, 2021

3. Is breakfast for dinner a stroke of genius or a sign of total household collapse? Is breakfast for dinner a regular thing at your house? Are all family members on board? 

Breakfast for lunch is our norm on Sundays after church. The menu is eggs, bacon, and some form of potatoes or mac 'n cheese. It's just the two of us and we like it that way. Then later that day for supper we have bacon-tomato sandwiches with the leftovers from lunch.

4. How do you see the world? 

Literally, I see the world through tri-focal glasses. Politically, I see the world as not getting any better, which is what the Bible tells us to expect. The world is in desperate need of Jesus.

click here to listen to the song

5. And this week's gratitude question-what's something about your surroundings (home, neighborhood, city) you're grateful for? 

I am grateful for ordinary days. This graphic from FaceBook says it very well:

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

While on the subject of gratitude . . . . .

Honoring our Veterans with a paper poppy

The Hodgepodge falls on Veterans Day this year. I think about the young people who sign up for military service, many of whom are probably unprepared for what will be expected of them from their very first day. 

A very short haircut

loud orders barked at them 

eating, sleeping, bathing with a crowd of strangers

hurry hurry hurry to get everything done

unfamiliar skill expectations

unexpected assignments

and so much more.

Character (or the lack of it) is discovered and the challenges to survive come in many forms. May God bless our military!

Until next time, grace and peace,

Barbara

P.S. If you need to leave a comment as "anonymous," please include your first name or initials. Thanks!

Summary of Whataweek

illustration by Chatgpt

It's been an eventful week here with both highs and lows. I'm processing some of it mentally and am not inclined to discuss it much. 

While musing over what to record in this post, I gave [free] Chatgpt the following instructions and the above illustration is the result..

watercolor back of 70 year old woman sitting at desk contemplating what to write, short salt-and-pepper gray hair, wearing dark pink long sleeved t-shirt, Trust the Lord

👉🏻 got good news that a family member's medical situation is better than anticipated -- a highlight, to be sure! Thank You, Lord!!!

👉🏻 one of my grandsons was recognized by his employer for his great work performance. 

👉🏻 we addressed a landscaping situation

👉🏻 Gary bought tickets for us to see 1950s teen idol Frankie Avalon in concert. (the real man, not an impersonator!)

👉🏻 tried to fix a computer problem on my own; had to visit my techie guy who gave me the solution at no charge.

👉🏻 completed one jiigsaw puzzle and started another

👉🏻 we both took care of banking business

👉🏻 attended a meeting for transition of our +55 community from the builder to the residents. 

👉🏻 served as one of several discussion leaders with my ladies' Bible study group; we're in Philippians chapter 3.

👉🏻 on our morning bike ride we observed how recent rains have caused one of our golf course lakes to overflow into the sand trap

👉🏻 the very next day a sink hole opened up in that same lake and the majority of the water had disappeared! Birds are enjoying a smorgasbord of fish!

* note: the sink hole is not connected to the hurricane. We live some 4-5 hours' drive from the destruction of the hurricane.

👉🏻 Hurricane Isaias slammed into the property of my family; no physical injuries but lots of downed trees and fences, etc. Some damage to the house but we don't know the extent of that yet because of the tree that fell against it. As of my last communication with them (and the TV news reports), many of the counties in the Panhandle are without power.

Internet photo of Hurricane Isaias 
a few days ago

👉🏻 continuing my reading of Pastor Robert Jeffress' book, Final Conquest (a Verse-by-Verse Study of the Book of Revelation).

👉🏻 began reading a biography of Abraham Lincoln (purchased at his museum on our recent road trip).

👉🏻 Watched our weekly church sermon on the subject of miracles.

ptv.org

👉🏻 a family member is running a half-marathon through California's Redwoods today.

driving through a California Redwood
(internet photo)

👉🏻 did my laundry, baked more Mini Taco Cups in Wonton Wrappers, and indulged with Gary in one of our favorite treats: Boston-Creme-filled donuts

As you can see, it was an eventful week here. As I've been typing out this post, I'm processing the harder aspects of it and definitely praying for the family and friends who are personally affected. We know the Lord is in control. We  know He allows adversity. For His children any/all trouble is ultimately for a good purpose even if that's not readily apparent at the time. He is good. 

I think of going to the dentist. Sometimes an extraction or a filling, etc is needed. It's not necessarily due to anything wrong or bad that we have done; it's just life and we deal with it appropriately. The same applies to hurricanes and sinkholes. 

A verse from the Old Testament Book of Job comes to mind:

Though He slay me,

yet I will trust in Him.

Job 13:15

And then there is this:

We know that in all things 

God works for the good

of those who love Him,

who have been called 

according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

P.S. If you leave a comment as anonymous, please give your first name in the comment. Comments without a name will be deleted. 

Peace on a Hot Summer Day

 

Summer is nowhere near the finish line here in Florida. August is when we continue to run the AC at full blast while leaning closer to the TV weather forecasts regarding tropical storms (hurricanes). Although storm surge and flooding are not the biggest concern for us. We are far enough inland (about 90 minutes both east and west from the oceans) so that wind, rain, and lightning are the bigger threats.

The following are my responses to Joyce's Hodgepodge meme for this week, and then a summary of my current thoughts. If you want to link your answers to your blog, click here.

1. I saw a meme on Instagram that went like this-'The movie Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was set in 1963, so if remade in 2026 it would be set in 2002. Now I need a little lie down in a dark room for a while." 

Time is crazy isn't it? So...what were you up to in the year 2002? 

My current photo program doesn't allow me to readily retrieve many pictures from 2002. Here's one I took in 2018 that can illustrate the thought of "looking back."

a boardwalk along the Florida Atlantic coast

In the year 2002 my "nest" had been empty for 5 years. My second grandchild was born (out of an eventual total of eleven). We were living in Colorado in a two-story house with 2 cute Cocker Spaniels named Buddy and Pal. Most days I got my housework and other necessities of life done as early in the day as I could so the rest of the time until late afternoon could be devoted to sewing quilts. I kept very busy for years making baby quilts for all of my grandchildren, those of my sister, and for friends and baby showers. 

That was 7 years before I began writing a blog (I didn't even know what a blog was at that time).

2. "Me? I'm scared of everything..." What's something that scares you that you'd like to try anyway? 

I have a healthy fear of a lot of things and I can't think of a one that I'd like to try. 

3. Watermelon-yay or nay? Which melon is your favorite-watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew. 

Cantaloupe is my favorite of these listed, but it's hard to find a good one. You just never know how tasty it is until after you've brought it home and sliced into it.

Of the watermelon food/beverages listed which would you say yes to...

watermelon salsa~watermelon feta salad~watermelon sorbet~

a watermelon Jolly Rancher~a watermelon margarita 

me at the Watermelon Festival 2025
Chiefland, Florida

I prefer my watermelon plain, all by itself, leaning forward to bite off a juicy wedge while the sweet juice drips on my shoes the grass. Watermelon is said to be very nutrient-dense.

my Gary at the Watermelon Festival 2025
Chiefland, Florida

4. August 12th is National Middle Child Day. Are you a middle child? If not, where do you fall in the birth order in your family of origin? Do you think this has influenced your personality? Elaborate. 

I am the first born of two daughters, but I gave birth to a middle child. My husband is a middle child. 

Middle children are blessed to observe the mistakes and successes of the older siblings and to make good choices for themselves.

a recent photo of my middle child
who has officially entered "middle age" 

It has been said that the first-born tends to be bossy. (They are wrong, of course. 🤭)

click here for movie trailer

There is a line in the 2006 biblical movie, The Nativity Story, where the three wisemen have a lighthearted moment. While gazing at the night sky, one of them says, 

“..... if I’m right.. and I usually am....” 

I have quoted that to my family about myself on several occasions, but instead of agreement, I get raised eyebrows and wry smirks! 🥴

5. Would you rather talk to everyone at a crowded party for a short time, or have a significant conversation with two people? Explain. 

I'm okay with attending a "sip 'n smile" (as Gary calls them) but during his career days, he had to attend too many and now avoids them if at all possible. 

I get along well enough at such occasions because I make friends easily. But short conversations at those parties are preferable. It's good to keep the topics light because many times the room is much too noisy to accurately hear everything that is being said. Even my $$$ hearing aids cannot really drown out enough of the background noise to catch all that is being said. 

A significant conversation with just one or two people is best done in a much quieter atmosphere, and yes, I definitely enjoy that, too. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

In 2017, when my late husband shocked me with the idea of a cross-country move from Colorado to Florida, I bought a sign that looked exactly like the arrow below. It was meant to be a rather tongue-in-cheek marquee of our late-in-life change in retirement plan.

However, as time moved on, the sign began to sort of taunt me every time I passed it on the wall in our new home. It reminded me of the multitude of changes, good, bad, and blended somewhere in-between that were building the story of my life.

I began to see the value in the popular term, "mindfulness," directing my mental attention to "right now" instead of mentally chewing on the past or worrying about the future. 

No matter which direction our lives go, our mental state has a huge bearing on our happiness and contentment. 

Since I am a devoted believer and follower of Jesus Christ, the Bible has been my rescue when my thoughts tend to spiral downward into dark places. This one is a favorite with me and covers a lot of ground:

Don't worry about anything;

instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need,

and thank Him for all He has done. 

Then you will experience God's peace,

which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds

as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara