Talbots for Spring

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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

A Muddy Hodgepodge




Hello, dear friends.  Do any of you, by chance, know how to build an ark?  We have had a ton of rain, and there is more on the way.  The Mister tells me to quit whining because you don't have to shovel snow.  

If it's Wednesday, it's time to join my friends at Hodgepodge.









1.  April is Lawn and Garden Month.  On a scale of 1-10 what's the current state of your lawn and/or garden (10 = showpiece, 1 = send the professionals.)  Tell us about any lawn and garden plans you have this month.


Let me refer your question to my two reporters out in the field.








Let me put it this way... there are only two individuals in our house that are happy that our yard has turned into mud soup.  
They give it a 10.



2.  "Many things grow in the garden that were never sown here." ~Thomas Fuller  What does this quote mean to you?






3.  What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about God?




4.  If we were chatting in person, how would I know you were nervous?



The only place that I get nervous is on airplanes.  If you were fortunate enough to be my seatmate on a plane, you would know I was nervous by the sounds of my deep breathing exercises, my white knuckles, and my undivided attention to the flight attendant who is giving the safety spiel.



That doesn't last long, though.
The flight crew usually finds ways to calm me down.  




5.  Do you like the color yellow?  Would I find any in your home or wardrobe?  Daffodils, tulips, roses, sunflowers, day lily, black-eyed susan... which yellow bloom on this list is your favorite.








I don't have any yellow in my decor or wardrobe, but I have plenty of Kalanchoe plants sporting yellow blooms around the house.  They are my favorite because they last forever.



6.  Flip flops or bare feet?




I don't care for flip flops because I have problems walking in them. 
I do wear Jacks, though.

If you're wondering... yes, those young, long legs are mine. 




7.  Tell us about any Easter plans, celebrations, or traditions you'll carry out this month.



Next week, the Mister and I will probably have our traditional Easter portrait taken.





 And eat Peeps for dinner all week.




8.  Insert you own random thought here.




A cute story came out about Doris Day this week.  It reminded me of the time when I was about 8 years old and was visiting friends of my parents in Hollywood.  One of the friends, Ellie, took us to The Brown Derby for lunch.  Doris Day was sitting in a booth near our table.  Ellie knew her personally and took me over to the table to introduce me.  I was thrilled!  I loved her movies.  Doris was so lovely to me.  I remember that her beautiful face was full of freckles and I loved her raspy voice.  I remember thinking that I wanted to grow up to be just like Doris Day.  

I still do.




Until next time...








Amen










Preppy Empty Nester
Preppy Empty Nester

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Feel free to contact me through comments and email. I love to hear from my readers!

48 comments:

  1. I do get nervous flying. I don't fly all that often so it's always a 'big deal' vs. my hubby who flies often for work. I close my eyes on take off and say the Lord's Prayer (silently) over and over until we are 'up'! Then I try to read and do other things to distract myself and not think about how this huge metal thing is 30,000 feet up in the air.

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  2. I always love your HP's! Our garden is currently hovering at a -5. Still have little pockets of snow. I like yellow. Have none in my wardrobe, some in my home.

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  3. I liked Doris Day too. Especially that she has dedicated so much of her life to animals -- and she sings, too! Love the dogs and the mud. That about sums up my back yard too!

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  4. What a fun post🌷 Your reporters in the field had me gigling and then the Peeps for a skillet dinner looked like a joke my niece would send me knowing how much I like those things. Have a blessed Easter...

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  5. I agree with that Doris Day quote, for sure. And that's why we put up with the mud prints all over the freshly-scrubbed kitchen floor. LOL By the way, it's so much less irritating when dogs drag in mud and sand than when people do it.

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  6. Oh my gosh...you met Doris Day? This is fantastic! I have adored her for years!!! I loved her in "Young at Heart" with Frank Sinatra! among many other movies of course! I just know you are going to be enjoying a stunning spring very soon! Warm hugs Katie!

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  7. Love this Wednesday post, Katie. You have such beautiful legs, too....and those pups in the yard...oh yeah... I assume you have a dog washer on the porch (you know-kind of like the kind the cars go through--only WITH brushes---

    Have a wonderful day and I can't wait to see this year's portrait! xo Diana

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  8. Everything about this post brings a smile. Although I'm jealous of those legs. Your dogs! Precious. But cleaning mud off paws I do not miss. I used to love flying until we had a couple of little scares. Now I just pray and say to myself, all my days are numbered by the Lord and I'll be in Heaven with Him.

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  9. Hi Katie. I just want to tell you that every week when I read your answers to these questions, you crack me up. I wish I had your wit. You're so fun to read; I bet you're super fun to hang out with. :)

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  10. I too live in Massachusetts so I feel your pain as far as the weather is concerned and probably a lot of other things too! I'm feeling sluggish this morning but the sight of the dogs made me laugh hysterically.I so look forward to your posts. I too have no yellow in the house but love all the flowers.We would be great together on a plane.I hyperventilate when I'm nervous. XOXOXO Debbie

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    1. Hi Debbie... more rain is on the way for us this afternoon! Why did I make one of my New Year's Resolutions not to complain? Oh well, we'll have plenty of May flowers to appreciate. Thanks for leaving the note and stay dry, Debbie.

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  11. Love that Doris Day! I guess you are referring to her finding out that she's really two years older than she thought. What a strange story! She's still beautiful at any age! What a treat that you got to meet her. I'm glad to know she's as nice as she seems.

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  12. Another post that just brings a smile immediately and perhaps a bit of green envy from hearing that you were actually at the Brown Derby with Doris Day. I'm sure she is a not so distant cousin of Hubby's with the same last name, but Ancestry.com isn't cooperating with my suspicions. Have a great week and can't wait to see your Easter pic. Especially after all the peeps. Say goodby to those good-looking legs.:)

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  13. Those peeps! Yikes! Maybe they taste better toasted? Cute story about Doris Day. I always loved her too. Happy Easter!

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  14. Always love your Hodge Podge posts. We are getting the storms and rain today. We were supposed to have pine straw put down yesterday while it was nice and sunny...didn't happen, so we too now have a lot of mud!! UGH!!

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  15. Absolutely loved Doris Day movies growing up! Hadn't thought about it 'til now, but I guess those were considered Rom-Coms! In one of her movies, maybe Glass Bottomed Boat, she said that she wished her freckles would grow together so she would have an all-over tan! I could relate!
    Next time you are in Dallas you should schedule a "Meet & Greet" for wine, oops, I meant coffee!

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    1. Hi bjd! I remember that line about the freckles. I think I have seen all of her movies a hundred times. Sounds like a good idea for my next trip to Dallas. Especially the wine part. Enjoy your day and thanks for leaving the note.

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  16. No yellow in my wardrobe as it makes me look jaundiced but I do love yellow roses and really all yellow flowers as they are so cheery. You would know I was nervous because I have the fair skin that turns beet red when I am fretting. Be sure and post your new Easter portrait.lol....

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  17. Katie, I would not be a very comforting mate on a plane. I pray. A lot. The last time I flew, my daughter was seated next to me. I could tell she was quite irritated with me. Maybe because I was clutching her hand so tightly. She told me I needed drugs! Something to calm me on a flight.

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  18. Katie, I was successful in commenting on your blog today! The Tarheel Lady is me, your friend, Maxine,

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    1. Maxine... it's always wonderful to hear from you. I hope you enjoy your day in your beautiful North Carolina.

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  19. Garden isn't a 10, but I'm working toward that goal. And I have the dirty hands to prove it!
    I don't get nervous flying, but riding in a car can make me extremely nervous at times. You would know because I'd be pushing on the invisible brake in front of me. ;-)
    I love the color yellow! Yellow roses were a secret message between my mom and me. After we lost my dad, it was our way of sending sunshine to each other. Always attached was the message, "keep your sunny side up." Yellow tulips are also a favorite. Love your yellow with the blue and white.
    How special that you actually got to meet Doris Day. When I was a little girl, my best friend and I always pretended. She was Doris Day. I was Debbie Reynolds. ;-)
    Can't wait to see the Easter portrait!

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  20. I laughed out loud at the pictures of your "field reporters"! I have 2 as well, and I am very tired of wiping off 8 muddy paws multiple times a day. Also a big Doris Day fan! I remember seeing The Glass Bottom Boat at Radio City, and getting all dressed up to go. I'm old.

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    1. Join the club, Joan. I'm old too. I remember being so excited to go to Radio City Music Hall I practically burst out of my Mary Janes. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week, Joan.

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  21. Great post - love Chowdah and Chili!

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  22. Oh those muddy pups! Your house always looks so pretty - you must have a system for dealing with all that mud. I would be cursing the rain too :-)

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  23. We are finally getting some beautiful sunshine. Chowdah and Chili are so cute! The mud! I feel your pain.

    Doris Day is so charming!

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  24. I too am terrified of flying. I need medication, a cocktail and my rosary. I always have extra rosary beads in case the person next to me left theirs at home. My kids are so embarrassed to be sitting any where near me, and pretend they don't know me.
    I don't know if I am to old or young but I don't know what Jacks are?

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    1. So glad that I'm not the only scaredy cat. The shoes that I referred to are Jack Rogers. I've gotten great deals on them at Marshals and TJM. Have a great day and thank you for stopping by.

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  25. I LOVE your Doris Day story! I am a huge fan of hers! Ok, the pups are adorable! But how do you keep them from getting the entire house dirty with all of he mud?

    Have a great day!

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  26. Oh my goodness! The photos of your muddy dogs are hilarious! Mine came in muddy yesterday morning and I wasn't expecting it. Had to throw her in the bath right before work. Ended up a few minutes late to work because. Wish I would have thought to take a picture. :)

    I love, love, love Doris Day. She made some of the best movies ever.

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  27. I ADORE Doris Day and am so jealous you got to meet her! What a treat that would be! She's just perfect. DD2 and I have been known to stay up and watch her movies on TCM until the wee hours of the morning. We just love her. My mother, who made her own clothes without a pattern, used to fashion her handmade clothing from the styles worn by Doris Day. Question #2 was rather deep, wasn't it? My head still hurts.

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  28. I enjoyed reading your answers today and loved reading about your Doris Day memory. Precious!!

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  29. Another great hodgepodge! I do hope your rain stops soon. I have yellow flowers in my perennial gardens - too many black eyed Susans, and some yellow daylilies. That's a wonderful story about meeting Doris Day. Have you met any other celebrities? -Jenn

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  30. Your star reporters are adorable. :) I'm sorry that you're getting so much rain. Maybe it will let up soon. It is feast or famine here with the rain. We go from all at once rain to dry as a bone earth. Flooding and drought in the same week. OY!

    What beautiful vases, especially the second one!

    I loved Peeps when I was a kid. Either my taste buds have changed or they've changed how they make them because now they taste icky to me. That is a pretty rainbow peeps photo, though!

    Have a blessed week. :)

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    1. Hi Suzanne... always great to hear from you. That second vase that you referred to is from The Enchanted Home - Tina has beautiful things in her shop. Hope you have a great by and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

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  31. You are hilarious. From the muddy dogs to the Easter portrait and peeps casserole, you've got April covered in a nutshell.

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  32. We would be friends if we lived in the same city - I just know it! I laughed out loud at most of your answers!! I especially love the Easter portrait picture and the man duck taped into the seat of the airplane!! I wrote about Doris Day last week - we even have that in common . . .though I've never been to Hollywood.

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  33. I am so sick of rain, but doubt I will feel that way in August.

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  34. Ah the double edged sword of pet lovers...the mud and the silent devotion!-Laurel Bledsoe

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  35. I babble a lot when I'm nervous! Love Black-eyed Susans, but no yellow in my wardrobe. Doris Day -- so sweet -- how cool that you met her! Always loved her freckles since I had freckles too. Rain has finally stopped here after 2 weeks -- sending the sun your way! have a great week!

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  36. Great post! Love the picture of you and the mister. ;) I love Doris Day! Going to google her and check her age. Must be about 90.

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  37. Don't get me started on rain or muddy dog paws! If I tell my pup one more time "OK, this is the last time you can go out today" and then let him out half a dozen more, I'll just spit. My kids, who are in their 20s, were the only kids in the neighborhood who knew who Doris Day was. We'd get her movies from Blockbuster and their favorite was The Thrill of it All when the soap bubbles took over the pool and backyard. They thought it was a hoot.

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  38. I'll fire off the blueprints for the Ark that we're building, Sis. Honestly it's been quite something here in my part of the world too. Have been living in my Sperry rain/snow boots since before Christmas. Unbelievable. A pal went to London and sent back photos of flowering Magnolias. That was 3 weeks ago. Ours are only now starting to show promising buds. Everything is in hibernation. As for messy pups, I cannot begin to tell you what Poppy got into a few days ago. I won't go into lengthy details as I don't want to scare off your bajillion fans, however let's just say I could no longer tell her collar was red. We're miles from home, nothing but a creek, leaves and gravel. I'm standing in the creek, splashing water on her and rubbing gravel into her neck. Hopeless. Water only beading off. She's looking at me like "Whaaaat?" Out of nowhere, a lovely couple arrive and begin to grin. "We've had dogs do something very similar, just not as good a job." He proceeds to give me five folded up individual paper towels that he uses as modern handkerchiefs on his walks. Thank god. I'd still be there if he hadn't. And yes, I did have to wash her collar and leash 3 times. You don't want to know how many times I had to scrub, scour and excoriate my hands ...

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  39. In a nutshell, it flooded and squalled, cleared to 80 degrees then hailed golf balls, so no sympathy from the South! Love Doris Day, but don't want to know she is real and has freckles :) HATE peeps, HATE flying, HATE yellow, but other than that all is GOOD!
    Jenna

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  40. I loved your two reporters out in the field, priceless!!

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  41. When I think of God I feel loved.

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