Just a very simple and quick question for day 3 of 31 days of questions and answers.
Downy woodpecker
Do you feed the birds? And are you a bird watcher?
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If you’ve been here for any amount of time, you already know my answer is yes. I also like to watch for birds when I’m out and about though I usually just rely on the camera zoom if I have it rather than binoculars.
Just yesterday I replaced my hummingbird feeder with a small finch feeder (for some reason goldfinches are the one bird that just don’t like to visit us much). Also, added another suet feeder.
For fun here’s a little collage of some of the bird pictures I’ve shared on the blog previously:
Welcome to day 2 of 31 Days of Questions and Answers. These questions and answers are going to be completely random. Just like if we were sitting together in that coffee shop or restaurant or even here.
Today’s question idea sparked early this morning. I woke up to J telling me something was off with our milk. Not good for someone who drinks coffee with that splash of milk to start each day.
I needed to go to Menards for bird seed and happened to know they sell milk. Birdseed and milk, my Midwest errand list. Also, Menards is very close to a Dutch Bros coffee shop. And last time I was at Dutch Bros they asked me if I had the app. I’m not an app person but I figured maybe I should get the app for somewhere I frequent. She’d given me a little card to scan.
So this morning, working on limited coffee, I started installing the app on my phone. I knew it was going to give me a free medium drink of my choice. As I input my birthday for that free drink in a couple months, their system calendar showed that my birthday many moons ago occured on a Tuesday.
Remember the old nursery rhyme:
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for a living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
So today’s question for you….do you know what day of the week you were born?
Don’t worry if you don’t, I found this fun little tool to help you out.
What day of the week were you born? Go here and enter your birthday (it doesn’t ask for any other personal info so I think we’re okay).
Do you think the old nursery rhyme holds true according to the day your were born?
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My answers: I already mentioned that my birthday fell on a Tuesday. Am I full of grace? I have no idea. I try to give it freely.
Just for fun, I looked up the rest of my little family here: Both boys were born on Mondays. I’d like to think they are both beautiful and fortunate (see poem analysis above). My husband’s birthday fell on a Saturday and he does work hard for a living.
(Also, after all the work of installing the app, I decided the line at Dutch Bros was too long and just came home with my new gallon of milk and had my regular coffee here.)
Confession: this is a make it up as I go along 31 days series. If you want a little more info about all this go check out this brief post. I may or may not get a page up later this week along with a better graphic.
I want this series to be like we’re sitting in a coffee shop or at my kitchen table or maybe out later. Let’s start with favorite drinks.
Coffee Order, please.
If we’re out at a coffee shop, what are you ordering? Something seasonal? Something fancy? A regular go-to order?
And if we’re here, how do you take your coffee? Black? Sugar? Creamer?
Tea for me
Okay, tea drinkers…what are you ordering at the fancy shop? Or if we’re here, what am I stocking up on to offer you, my friend?
Soda or Stronger
Maybe we’re out to lunch or having lunch here. Are you ordering a soda? (Coke or Pepsi?) Maybe an iced tea (guess that might go in the tea category). Stronger choices: Are you a margarita or a mojito drinker? Just a beer? And if we’re here, I can get you water, lemonade (maybe), juice, or probably something we’ll have to borrow from the 22 year old.
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My answers:
My coffee order
Coffee at home is au lait. Just plain Folgers out of the pot with a splash of milk to make it the special right light brown color. Coffee out is a hodgepodge depending on where we go. I do like to try the seasonal drinks (in season, sorry I’m not going to order a pumpkin anything when it’s 95 degrees out but a cookie dough freeze coffee drink, okay). If nothing seasonal appeals, I’ll most likely order a mocha, cappuccino, or caramel macchiato depending on my mood. Also, I prefer hot coffee drinks unless it’s hot outside, then I’ll have mine iced or blended (as I’ve found iced gives me a lot more ice than coffee at our local shops).
Tea choices
If you come here for tea, it’s either green chai or Earl gray at the moment. Tea is kind of a fall/winter thing for me so I don’t have a lot on the shelf right now. I do have some hot cocoa though. Guess I left that out of the questions up there, oops. If we’re out, I’m ordering a chai latte. My standby favorite. Current favorite though: Dutch Bros caramel pumpkin breve made into a chai. The baristas (or broistas, lol) never lead me wrong.
Soda or Something Stronger
With tea still on my mind, if we’re out for Thai food, I’m ordering one of those Thai iced teas. So good. Otherwise, water or unsweet iced tea (I’d never survive the south, I can’t stand sweet tea). I will sometimes also order the “fancy” iced teas with flavor though. And if it’s an option, I’m ordering the Arnold Palmer. Coca cola is my preference but I’m not picky if we’re out and yes, Pepsi is fine. At home though, I skip the Pepsi unless it’s Mango Pepsi. We do try not to buy a lot of soda though.
If I’m picking my poison, it depends on where we go for our lunch/dinner. Mexican: maybe a margarita, frozen though. Pizza? Just a beer. Out for a night with friends somewhere with fun drinks: I’ll try whatever looks interesting and pretty. I do like to get a cosmopolitan when we do Galentine’s day. And if we’re here, well…let’s see. Leftover wine spritzer from a girls’ trip in June? Those are mine. Now we have to raid my son’s stuff: Angry orchard hard cider? A bit of vodka? Something called a quark? Oh or my husband has some nasty (my opinion) peanut butter whisky?
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Okay, I want to hear your answers. I like to be a prepared hostess. And take my friends to places I know they’ll have something they like.
Just got called into work earlier than I planned so here we go again with a quick Happy Homemaker Monday! SIGH. However, I do enjoy a paycheck now and then, so go to work it is.
Haven’t joined in as much as I’d liked to with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom this late summer/early autumn so I’m determined to get this post out today. Oh, I see new categories as well!
The Weather
Still summer here! Highs in the mid eighties this afternoon. However, a dry cold front (that’s what they said on the news) comes through tonight bringing us some 70’s. No rain. Like always, our weather is all over the place.
Things That Make Me Happy
Hanging out with preschoolers, flowers, birds, butterflies, going on walks. Staying in and watching tv, new shows or football. Reading my book. Being with my family (no order here so that really probably belongs first in the list).
Book I’m Reading
Trying really hard to make my way through Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. (No, I haven’t seen the movie)
What’s on My TV Today
Probably just Monday Night Football at this point as I work 1-5.
On The Breakfast Plate
I had an apple turnover, vitamins, and coffee.
On The Lunch Plate
Great question! Probably a sandwich.
On The Dinner Plate
Spicy Korean chicken and rice (leftovers from freezer)
On The Menu
MONDAY: Spicy Korean Chicken/rice *work 1-5*
TUESDAY: Spaghetti, meatballs, salad, maybe brownies for dessert *Haircut 10*
WEDNESDAY: Waffles/bacon/strawberries *Out to lunch with friends for another friend’s birthday*
THURSDAY: Chicken Fajitas (may change this)
FRIDAY: Thai Basil Stir Fry (New recipe, we’ll see)
On My To Do List
Grocery store *DONE*
Target
Pay bills
Laundry
Transition more plants inside…maybe…weather is making me put this off
Well, starting tomorrow I’m creating a new series for my blog by participating in Blog 31 Days which doesn’t exactly exist any more. However, I’m still doing it and my series is going to be simple: 31 Days of Questions and Answers. Just a nice chit chat topic for each day. Check back 🙂
No Words Needed: Photo
Quote For The Week
This is the day the Lord has made.Let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118: 24).
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Not enough time to really proofread, please excuse any glaring grammar errors!
Oops, once again I seem to have disappeared. I just can’t seem to get back into my blogging rhythm over here. And also, I feel as though I’ve typed that sentence in a previous post. Recently.
So much for a slow September, here we are at almost the end of it. I worked a lot more than I expected during the “slow” time. Guess I’m going to have to make an effort to create my own slower paced schedule for a bit.
Anyway, I do have a plan to get back into blogging regularly in this space and spending some time checking in on all my favorite blogging buddies (I apologize as I’ve not kept up well with that at all either).
October is the unofficial 31 days of blogging time. Used to be official with a site to link up to and all that. However, I just like to do it on my own now. And I’ve decided it’s exactly what I need.
One month, 31 straight days of blogging, one topic (sort of).
I’ve decided to get back to the roots of this blog and keep my 31 days in a chit chat style. So, starting in October, I’m going to do 31 days of questions!
Topics that might come up if you and I were sitting have a cup of coffee (or tea or whatever your favorite beverage of the moment might be….maybe we can pretend were out having margaritas if that’s more your style).
So as just a preview (and because I’m not quite ready to go back to cleaning the house/laundry), here’s one for you.
31 Days of Questions Preview
I don’t have any fancy graphics made yet and I may change the title. Or I might leave it as it’s pretty straightforward. Anyway, here’s an idea of what I’m thinking of doing every day in October.
Spotted this huge rain cloud at dusk one evening and was fascinated by it. I could see the lightning within the cloud striking at different points.
Have you ever watched a storm cloud where you could see the lightning in it before? Are you a fan of a good thunderstorm?
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So be ready to grab your coffee/tea/margarita/water and join me in October for some fun questions and (hopefully) a few answers!
My answers: I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a cloud like that before though my husband thought it was much less fascinating so maybe I have and simply forgot. And yes, I do love a good thunderstorm as long as we’re all safe at home. Driving in one, not so much of a fan.
Bit late today for no good reason. I probably would’ve waited until tomorrow but now I’m working on Tuesday. Maybe I’ll get a full week vacation next week. It’s my new plan.
HOT. I knew we weren’t done with summer quite yet. Heat advisory today, storms tomorrow, not sure about the rest of the week.
Right Now
Had to pause to let the cat back outside. Heat advisory weather is her favorite, we can hardly get her in here. Ice cubes in her water dish and she’s happy out there.
Thinking and Pondering
Need to send an email out to my work that I won’t be working Friday or all of next week. As much as I love the kids, I *need* some time off…
How I am Feeling
Would you believe I’m still trying to shake whatever I had 2 weeks ago. I feel better but the sinus stuff just wants to linger. UGH. I do feel 110 times better than last week, hoping taking an extra day to just rest (sort of) today helped.
On the Breakfast Plate
Yogurt and a sausage patty, vitamins, black elderberry syrup, coffee, and water
On the Lunch Plate
Junk, didn’t really eat lunch
On The Dinner Plate
Hamburgers on the grill, French Fries, watermelon
On The Menu
There’s a great question!
MONDAY: grilled hamburgers, French fries, watermelon
TUESDAY: Shrimp in air fryer (heat n eat), corn on the cob, mini cucumbers (Might make it into cucumber salad if I feel ambitious later)
WEDNESDAY: Spicy Korean Chicken
THURSDAY: It’s our wedding anniversary! Nothing exciting for 26 years but I am hoping I don’t have to cook dinner. Of course, my husband said he thinks he’s getting my cold stuff so yay. SIGH.
FRIDAY: Maybe waffles? I don’t know….
What I Am Wearing Today
Flowered tee-shirt, olive green shorts, and currently my leopard print shoes
On My Reading Pile
I’ve been reading The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk. I watched the Netflix series some time last year, maybe, but didn’t know it was a book. Book is pretty good, series really followed it.
On My TV This Week
Over the weekend, I discovered Ginny and Georgia on Netflix. And…I’ve already finished it. Think a gritty and very dark spin on Gilmore Girls. I loved it! Um, probably wouldn’t want to watch it with younger friends, I’d say older teenagers and above…definitely some mature scenes and topics.
Looking Around the House
Well, I did clean the main bathroom today but it’s still not ready for a photo shoot. Here is a picture of our new living room rug instead.
We had to replace the old one because the edges kept curling, tripping hazard.
On My To Do List
What’s that saying about so much to do so I’ll just take a nap instead. That’s how I feel.
Grocery store *DONE*
Target run *DONE*
Laundry *Uh Oh*
So much cleaning…funny thing is I was out of cleaning supplies. If you run out of cleaning supplies, wouldn’t you think it would mean your house is super clean? Turns out it doesn’t.
Mow the lawn
Measure flower pots for plants that need replanted/make list of plants that need to come inside
Figure out message the blog hosting people sent me, something to do with memory, hoping I fixed things
Pick up my camera!
From The Camera
(phone camera still). Pictures of paintings. A teacher I used to work with does paint nights close to us and I usually try and go. I really liked the ocean pour painting one.
The one last Friday was a sunset, not as fond of it but I’ll share it here as well.
Still struggling to pick up my camera over here (it’s on my list of goals for next week!) but here’s a quick phone pick of my zinnias to go with this post. The brown-eyed Susans are ever present in the background as well.
For today’s post, I thought I’d just share a few happy moments from my week.
Monday
I ended up working on Monday, the first day of school. It was a pretty good start to the new school year.
A coffee for me! One of the parents brought the teachers coffee so I ended up with the drink that would’ve gone to the teacher out sick (coffee doesn’t really keep overnight). A golden eagle from Dutch Bros. Yum
Things kids said that melted my heart and made me smile that day:
“Ms Jean, you look so pretty today!”
“I miss you, when are you going to be in My class again?!”
“I’m just going to hang out with you” (from a brand new student)
Tuesday
Things I said: Bunco!! Six times!! Had the most wins as well. (Bunco is a dice game I go play with friends one a month)
Lavender lemonade
Phone call with my brother
Wednesday
A day off work!
Haircut
Cleaning off the table
Time to relax!
Thursday
Back to work this time in the pre-primary classroom.
Pleasantly surprised by how peaceful the classroom felt (there’d been a few teacher changes, one I knew about but one I did not). I’d been braced from chaos but had a nice calm day instead.
Comment from one of the primary kids passing by: Can you be in our class next?
Husband ordered pizza for dinner so I didn’t have to worry about cooking when I arrived home
Friday
It’s still a bit early today but my day has started fairly well. Quiet morning at home, time to water all my flowers. Looking forward to going in and working just for the afternoon in the class where I spent my summer. And then a paint night out tonight.
I stole this post idea from a radio program I heard on the way home from work yesterday. They were talking about their favorite nonfood smells. The idea was that most of us love the smell of fresh baked cookies or bread but what about our favorite smells that aren’t food related.
Some of the ones mentioned on the program:
fresh-cut grass
the smell of gasoline
a crisp fall morning
your significant other
sunscreen
brand-new books
a grandparent’s basement
air conditioning right as it starts in the car.
A wide range. Some seemed weird to me until they explained. For example, gasoline reminded them of trips to the lake and filling up the boat for boat rides.
Here are a few of my favorites in no particular order.
Hot asphalt
Laundry fresh out of the dryer
Summer rain after a hot day (just summer, fall rain smell different)
Plants and flowers right after they’ve been watered (especially herbs)
Lavender, mint, and sage…
I think my answers have a theme: outside or clean. Hot asphalt is my odd one, I guess. It reminds me of working a few summers at a local amusement park, happy memories.
What are some of your favorite nonfood smells? And all this talk of smells made me think of another one of my favorite childhood books. Did anyone else ever have this wonderful story?
PS: Am I the only person left who actually listens to the regular car radio? Just wondering…
Just a quick one this morning as I was called in to work. On the first day of school, yes. I was feeling sad about not working it, then kind of glad to be home. One thing about covering vacations all summer is that you end up a bit burned out at the start of the school year. It’s like upside down world.
However, I do usually help for a few hours on the first day of school but wasn’t asked this year. Figured they had enough help. Then, just as I was settling my mind about how I’d spend today, late last night, the text came. SIGH. Not a great shift either as it’s 9 to 5:30. I pondered saying no for quite a while but of course, I ended up saying yes.
So I’m attempting to put together a quick Happy Homemaker Monday before I head out today. Joining in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.
*UPDATE: I typed all this up before work but then, the pictures did not cooperate so I’m just now hitting publish at 6:30PM*
The Weather
Nice, feels *almost* fall like but I’m sure it’s going to be a bit warmer this afternoon.
As I Look Outside My Window
All those outdoor chores I didn’t do last week/over the weekend are still waiting.
Right Now
I’m mostly ready for work (still need to do my hair and make my lunch) while I work on this post.
Thinking and Pondering
Debating taking 2 weeks off officially for the week before Labor Day and the week after it.
How I am Feeling
Tired. I feel so much better than last week when I was sick but my energy isn’t quite at 100% yet.
On the Breakfast Plate
Undecided. Probably a bagel. Already had LOTS of coffee and my vitamins
On the Lunch Plate
No idea, need a work lunch calendar but can’t find one.
On The Dinner Plate
Something easy. Probably fake Chik-Fil-A nuggets out of a bag from the frozen section in Sam’s Club
On The Menu
TBD….I know I work until 5:30 today, have Bunco tomorrow (I’m hosting so in charge of snacks) plus I work in the afternoon. Also, I have plans Friday evening. So this week’s menu will hopefully be easy things.
What I Am Wearing Today
White button down shirt, purple skirt, tennis shoes. However, I may change into a dark purple tee-shirt as I’m not sure what’s on the work lunch menu. Don’t want to ruin my white shirt!
On My Reading Pile
I’ve been working my way through Charlie Donlea novels and enjoying them. I just finished up Some Choose Darkness last night.
On My TV This Week
No idea. Last week I watched all TEN of the Fast and Furious movies plus Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (watched that one with G) so probably not going to watch quite as much tv this week.
Looking Around the House
Slightly better than last week but I’d still prefer we don’t look. Maybe next week?
On My To Do List
Find my mind, I think I’ve lost it!
Finish this post
Work
Pay bills
Laundry
Grocery store
no idea…
From The Camera
I did pick up the real camera this week…2 not so exciting pictures to share. Must do better again.
Quote for the Week
Saw this on Pinterest, and I could really use this advice and reminder often as I struggle with this sometimes.
Observe, don’t absorb. (Kate Eckman)
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*Please forgive any spelling/grammar errors in my 20 minute post*
While technically, it’s still summer until September 21, the schools around here start back up next Monday. And so it feels as if summer is ending. It’s gone by in the blink of an eye over here.
I spent a lot of it working. In between, I did do a few fun summer things. Here’s a quick glimpse.
MAY
May? What happened in May? Doesn’t that feel like last year?
This is aptly named the Northland Fountain
J and I went to visit a local fountain in the “northland” part of Kansas City. I was telling him how this fountain runs all year. It really is fun to see frozen in the winter. Still also pretty in the summer.
Also, I found a feather from a barred owl in the backyard one weekend while mowing. I had fun sharing it with my preschool kids.
Other things that happened in May: Preschool graduation (I always help out), Mother’s Day (Thai food, yum!), and G’s birthday! Oh, and he started working (maybe before May?) at one of the local community colleges in the advising offices. He even has his own office.
JUNE
June was actually a fun month despite some minor (though at the time they seemed quite major) work frustrations. Suffice it to say I spent some time checking out my options for other employment for a bit. Ultimately, I decided to ride out the summer. Anyway, back to the fun stuff.
The second weekend in June, I went on a girlfriend weekend trip to Hermann, MO. So much fun. It’s a community rich with German heritage pretty much right on the Missouri River. And also known for all the local wineries.
And I discovered something called a wine slushie (though full disclosure I preferred the ones at a winery different from the one pictured above). We also had fun touring the historic homes in Hermann. And seeing their kitchen gardens. If only….
On the way home, we stopped for brunch at a cute outdoor cafe along the Katy Trail in Rocheport, MO. It’s mostly a biking trail though you can walk it. It runs for 239 miles along our state. Near Rocheport, it runs along the bluffs of the Missouri River.
Also in June, lots of random garage sales with friends (it was our Saturday thing for a while), Father’s Day (we took my husband to a local Mexican restaurant he likes), and the start of a fair amount of working for the summer for me.
JULY
I worked a lot in July! Somewhere in there I did get my hair permed though it’s mostly grown out. It worked well for our excessively hot days. We had a quiet family Fourth of July (J and I bought a lot of fireworks and our neighbors put on quite a show as well).
Always exciting to see what the kids find on the playground. This actually came from a little girl’s backyard. Google lens told us it was a woodpecker feather! I can’t remember the exact species anymore.
Later in July was the visit to the Rabbit HOle Museum. They’ve re-created the whole scene of Goodnight Moon. Smaller children can go inside the little toy house as well as climb up in the bed, not pictured below. Also, again not in my photo, you can pick up the red phone beside the bed to hear the story. It’s so fun!
My photo came out too blurry to share but the museum even had a section for my favorite children book series by Russell Hoban. I still have my Bread and Jam for Frances and Bedtime for Frances books.
I didn’t get to spend as much time in June or July or this month yet tending to my front porch flowers. One thing about brown-eyed Susans is they don’t demand much. Oh, and mine are apparently plotting to take over the world.
At least the pink petunias are behaved despite being a bit neglected.
I did spend some time during the weekend mornings/afternoons hawk watching. Have you ever seen a hawk laying down? A first for me!
(Excuse the terrible photo quality, zoom on a real camera beats zoom on the phone but my camera battery was dead. Paid the price for not touching my camera all summer, I suppose)
And finally, we closed out July with a trip to Saint Louis, Mo for the music festival J participates in annually. This year, he chose to only play with his brass band ensemble so it was a pretty relaxed trip. Other than, I forgot to schedule the weekend off and had to scramble to find someone to cover me half a day. Over all though, it was a nice weekend. Here’s my other photo of the Missouri River in Saint Charles, MO (the only 2 pictures I took that weekend).
August So Far…
If you made it this far in the post, then you are all caught up with my summer activities. Mostly work but a little bit of fun in there. I’ve already noted to myself that perhaps I overscheduled my summer work hours a bit. I worked more to start this month and am finally ready to slow things down enjoying the last few weeks of summer. Once I get over being sick, UGH. Currently, I’m downing vitamins and watching every Fast and Furious movie (I’d only ever seen X all the way through, enjoying these movies way more than I expected).
Perhaps I’ll make a list of the things I’d like to do to close out the summer season. I’ll share it in a different post. How has your summer been? What things do you still have on your summer list?
