Wednesday, March 19, 2025
1. I write the Hodgepodge questions so they’ll post on Sunday, which sometimes throws me off in terms of what day it is. St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated on Monday, March 17th. Did you mark the day in some way? Wear green? Make a special meal? Watch or participate in a parade?
I watched the parade two weekends ago:
I wore this on Monday again:
I ate this for both lunch and dinner – lol:
And I made this soda bread after school Monday, so yeah, you could say I celebrated!
My students did shamrocks and they are still in the hallway:
I plan to celebrate all the things – big and small. I need more celebration in my life.
2. Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Explain.
I do think I have had some strokes of luck. I think you have to be ready to take advantage when luck finds its way to you. I think it’s actually a combo of luck, timing, and your own scrapiness. I got the teaching job right next to the house I had just purchased and that has made my quality of life so great. But, I had to call that principal 25 years ago, go interview, show her my portfolio, and wait patiently as there was no opening. She called and asked if I would do part time. I couldn’t. She made a position for me because she liked me! And, I stayed for 25 years!
3. Of the 15 green foods listed, which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list that are a hard no for you? In general do you like fruits and veggies? As a kid did you eat them willingly or did you hide peas in your napkin hoping your momma wouldn’t see?
Asparagus, avocado, broccoli, celery, cucumber, grape, green bean, kale, kiwi, lettuce, lime,
pear, peas, pistachios, spinach
I would say avocado, broccoli, and lettuce. I love guac and a good salad. I love roasted broccoli. I am way more into veg than fruit. I think most people are way more into fruit, but I could be wrong. Give me a roasted veg other any fruit.
I taught my sisters to do the canned pea and lima bean in the napkin trick at dinner. In the 80s we didn’t really know a fresh veg. Canned vegetables are not great. My mom loved her canned goods. They worked well in all the 80s casseroles! I think many people did canned veg.
4. What’s something that makes you ‘turn green’? (with envy or with illness… whichever way you want to run with it)
I turn green with envy at photos of people enjoying the outdoors. I want to be there, too. Dining outdoors, reading outdoors, walking outdoors – everything is better outside!
Something that makes me kind of turn green with illness is people who don’t work for what they have. People who just have things handed to them, I guess. I probably don’t know the whole story, but still…
5. Did you spend a lot of time outdoors as a child? Doing what? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors now? Doing what?
Yes! I grew up in a neighborhood on a lake and we were always outside. We biked, played Dukes of Hazard on bikes, roller skated, jumped rope, swam, explored the woods, built forts in the woods, tried to find the boys’ forts in the woods and I wrote songs and poetry while sitting by my tree in the front yard.
My Dad was running, shooting basketball, mowing, sitting on the porch, tinkering in the garage; he was always outside when he was not working. My mom was indoorsy. My mom’s hair drove many of her decisions and she didn’t want to mess it up – lol. I feel like so many women of that generation were like that. So, I think I got my love of outdoors from my Dad.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
It’s time to clean and spruce up my patios. We are re-doing the upper patio because the wood has deteriorated! I need to decide the theme/decor of the lower patio area. Will it be tropical? Will it be lemons?
Any ideas?
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
Enjoyed reading your answers! Agree with you about luck- I wasn’t sure if the question was person specific or in general (I guess it doesn’t really matter for purposes of answering- you could do either!). That’s kinda funny (and sad) that your mom’s hair drove a lot of her decisions! My mom was not a stylish person at all- sometimes I wished she cared more about how she looked- but the good news about not caring is that her hair drove zero decisions that she made!! It’s always interesting to read how others grew up and were raised. Have a great day!
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I loved how you lived St. Patty’s to the fullest- that is the way to enjoy life for sure! Oh you cleaning up the patio means spring is on its way- yeah! 🙂
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Yep we definitely grew up with canned or frozen veggies but I don’t think my boys have ever had canned veggies (other than diced tomatoes in some casseroles/soups). We eat mostly fresh and I enjoy fruits and veggies equally. I feel like I spent a lot of time outside growing up and I still do. I can not wait for it to warm up enough to eat breakfast or lunch outside again… we’re SO close! At least I only need a light jacket lately to get out hiking/walking.
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Although I made corned beef twice this month, we didn’t have it on Monday. Since my dad died, St. Patrick’s Day just isn’t the same. We used to have a big celebration and it was so much fun. One of these days we will be back at it I’m sure but I don’t go out of my way now.
I do love seeing all the green!
xo,
Kellyann
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Aww I get that. I’m sorry.
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Ahh back in the days of women going to the ‘beauty parlor’ every week. Truthfully I’d love to have someone do my hair weekly lol. We don’t do a lot of patio sitting in April as the pollen is so thick. We keep everything mostly covered to make the clean up easier. It’s just getting started so not bad right now, but April is peak and it’s like it’s own season. We have loads of pine around the lake. I agree with you about luck..part being in the right place at the right time, part being capable and prepared, part being the squeaky wheel. I’m a big fan of lemons in decor so I vote lemon. Have a great day!
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I have always said if I was rich I would pay someone to just wash my hair and give me a scalp massage.
Oh, the pollen stinks. We get a green film over our patio table but it’s not as bad as you describe.
I already have lots of lemon things and have done that on the upper patio. I kind of want to spruce up the lower patio and do something different down there. The green and yellow of lemon decor speaks to me so I think you are right.
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Your St. Patrick’s day meals looked amazing! I loved reading about your childhood; those were the days, right? Kids today have it so much worse than we did, because most of them won’t experience all that we had to do. I feel sad for them! I feel like they’re missing out on so much because of technology.
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I love that green striped shirt on you and your corned beef meal looks so good.
Oh yes, I feel envious of those enjoying the outside, especially when the weather is still a little chilly here.
Good luck with sprucing up the patios.
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You definitely embraced St Patrick’s Day! Your soda bread looked delicious. My mom had a helmet of hair. She sprayed it so stiff it wouldn’t have moved in a hurricane! Have fun designing your new deck. I love doing things like that.
https://marshainthemiddle.com
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I enjoyed your answers. I love how you FULLY celebrated St. Patrick’s Day!!
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Playing Dukes of Hazard…YES! That comment brought back some memories. I definitely like fruit more than vegetables. I agree about turning green when people get things they didn’t work for, but just have to let it go. By the way, I ordered a green shirt from amazon inspired by all your green shirts. I have a couple, and find myself reaching for them more than others so I must like myself in green. Hope you have a good day!
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I love your traditional Irish meal! I love how we all grew up playing outside. It was a great time. Hope its been a good week!
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Thank you! yes! it really was!
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Love the student shamrocks! The story about how you got your job …wow! That’s so cool. Love what you said about your mom and her hair. So funny but sweet. I’ve never seen my Gma with wet hair 🤣
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Gracias! Tom likes to take credit because he told me to do that. Women of a certain age, right?
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