Wednesday, April 22, 2026

It’s Wednesday and that means Hodgepodge day with our host Joyce!

1. April 22nd is Earth Day…what’s the most ‘out of this world’ place on earth you’ve ever visited? Tell us something about it. 

Happy Earth Day! I guess I would have to say The Grand Canyon or Glacier National Park. The Bonneville Salt Flats was also cool. I felt like this question required something not man-made or built by man. Closer to home, I would say Red River Gorge, Natural Bridge, Clifty Falls State Park (in my hometown of Madison, Indiana), McCormick’s Creek State Park, Turkey Run State Park, Cumberland Falls State Park (you can see a moonbow if the conditions are right) – I love woods, rock formations, water trickling amongst rocks, moss, and have always loved and even craved being in nature since I was a small child.

Going off on a tangent…

Also, I think I have spent more time than the average bear at the Indiana State Parks. My Dad’s side of the family had a gathering at one once a year and my mom’s side had a weekend stay at one once a year because it was halfway-ish between where we lived and Michigan where they all lived. We did Potato Creek State Park, Fort Harrison, Pokagan State Park, and bounced around to different ones. The Michigan people say the Indiana State Parks are top notch if you are ever looking for a state park. By the way, Indiana is NOT all flat and cornfields. Click on the Clifty Falls link or the Turkey Run link. Look at me showing my Hoosier pride. I was born in Evansville, Indiana and grew up in Madison, Indiana as we moved there when I was five.

2. A favorite quote, verse, or song lyric with the word earth in it? 

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

This one spoke to me since we are in the season of spring.

3. What’s the most trivial thing about which you have a strong opinion? 

Putting your grocery cart in the cart corral. Seriously. That action or lack of action tells me everything I need to know about a person. If you are a lazy jerk, park next to the cart corral. Then, no one will know you are a lazy jerk.

One time, I watched a woman leave a cart next to her car and then it blew into her car as she was trying to pull out. I was smiling like a Cheshire cat. Karma!

4. What’s your most commonly used kitchen utensil or tool? What’s the last thing you made using that tool? 

My coffeemaker! Coffee! I am still using a Cusinart drip coffee pot (hand me down from my SIL) for my morning coffee. After much “research” I have concluded that this is the most economical. I have a Nespresso that I haven’t used in a while. I don’t think it makes the coffee hot enough. I am happy not to buy pods.

I am currently making/mixing my own “half caff” and putting it in a large Mason jar. I just buy already ground coffee. The giant Folger’s is from Costco and the decaf is from Kroger.

And, my frother! I am not being dramatic when I say that my home coffee has totally taken away my desire for a coffee shop purchased coffee all because of my frother!

5. Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me a great book of 3000 questions, and I’m going to try to use one in our Hodgepodge every week. Here is today’s – 

What is your greatest extravagance? 

Happy hour out probably. I love a crisp glass of wine in a perfect wine glass at a place with some aestethic appeal. I love a craft cocktail in a perfect glass at a place with a “vibe”.

This drink was called a “Gonzo” and was foamy and delicious from my event on Sunday:

St. Patrick’s Day drink:

Cheers!

Also, there are really creative mocktails on many happy hour menus these days. I usually one do one drink when I go to these places and chase it with lots of water. But, yes, this is an extravagance.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

All of my thoughts are random!