Quiz - Are You Countrified?

Photo: Near Kingston, Tennessee.

This was originally a "redneck" quiz, but in my opinion rednecks don't have an entirely good reputation and there's a bit of a prideful thing about being stupid for some of them. Being a country girl or farm girl is more what I'm used to, so I took the liberty to change the name. You don't have to be stupid to be countrified. :-)  Some of the wisest people I've know where country people.

Have you ever...

1. Owned a pellet or BB gun as a kid? Used my brother's as a kid. We have one now, though. It is mostly used for getting peafowl off of the truck and to discourage the peacock from screaming too close to the house from late winter through summer.

2. Owned a real gun? No. My husband does. I've never shot it.

3. Shot a real gun? Yes, I think so.

4. Gone squirrel or rabbit hunting? No.

5. Gone fishing? Yes. The most fun I ever had fishing was on the pier at Pismo Beach, California. We were fishing for baby red snapper and an old timer from out of town had given my dad a tip on how to set up our lines and how to bounce them to catch the most fish. My little brother and I were catching them so fast that my dad didn't have time to fish himself. The locals were not pleased to be out-fished by a couple of kids who didn't know what they were doing. hehe Otherwise fishing seems boring to me. I'd rather be reading a book without the bother of keeping track of a fishing rod. ;-)

6. Owned or used a slingshot? Yes, used one.

7. Plucked a chicken/turkey?  Yes, when we lived in Kenya I helped a Kenyan lady dress a chicken. I think we plucked feathers, among other things.

8. Eaten poke weed? No.

9. Eaten deer meat?  Yes.

10. Eaten frog legs? Yes.

11. Fed a baby farm animal with a bottle? I don't think so.

12. Gathered fresh eggs? Yes, but very little.

13. Driven a stick shift? Yes. My brother tried to teach me to drive his VW Bug. It was not a big success. I never did it enough to really get comfortable with it. That's the kind version of the story. ;-)

14. Started a vehicle using a manual choke? No.

15. Rode in the back of a pick-up truck?  Yes. 

16. Shucked or shelled corn? Yes. I've also eaten field corn when it was still soft enough to cook and eat off the cob.

17. Waded barefoot in a creek? Yes, but I managed to never get a leech attached to me.

18. Caught fireflies in a jar at night? Yes.

19. Tasted wild honeysuckle? Yes.

20. Gathered wild blackberries? Yes. And I had the poison ivy rash to prove it.

21. Used an outhouse?  Yes. In leopard country and once on a very cold and snowy day in Michigan.

22. Rode a horse? Yes.

23. Smelled the scent of cured tobacco hanging in a tobacco barn? No. But my dad uses tobacco to make insecticide for his plants. That stuff has its own "unique" smell. <insert eyeroll here>

24. Taken the ashes out of a wood stove or wood heater? Yes.

25. Carried in firewood? Yes.

26. Walked barefoot down a gravel or dirt road? Yes.

27.  Slept in a tent? Yes.

28. Been attacked by a rooster? No.

29. Eaten raw apple, potato or turnip off the blade of a pocket knife? Not directly into my mouth. It was someone else's knife.

30. Dipped skoal or chewing tobacco or had it applied to a Bee sting? No. We used baking soda mixed with water on bee stings, I think.

31. Eaten homemade snow Ice Cream? Yes.

32. Used a pump to draw water from a well? Yes, but not the old timey type.

33. Been on a hayride? Yes.

34. Jumped into a pile of raked leaves? Yes.

35. Carved your initials into a tree? I don't think so.

36. Sucked on a piece of water hose to siphon gas out of a gas tank? No.

37. Been shocked by an electric fence? I don't think so, but only because I was chicken. ;-) 

38. Split wood with an ax? No.

39. Hung laundry outside on a clothesline? Yes

40. Eaten fried bologna? No. Well, I have eaten cooked Lebanon bologna (and that is not a Middle Eastern thing. It is a Pennsylvanian thing.). Lebanon bologna is another whole thing than the usual type of pre-sliced American stuff.

41. Eaten grits for breakfast? Yes.

42. Eaten wild hog, racoon or opossum? Yes - racoon. It was terrible. And wild hog, which was meh. And I never did cook the second piece that was in the freezer. The dog(s) got it. 

Other things I've done as a country girl:

1. Picked corn and fruit at you-pick farms.

2. Picked up apple drops at an orchard.

3. Made apple cider. Made maple sugar candy from syrup my brother cooked down.

4. Canned and frozen vegetables we grew and fruit from our own tree (as well as purchased produce).

5. Picked wild raspberries and I think strawberries.

6. Found a bird's nest and watched baby birds grow up.

7. Notified the sheriff's department as to who the owners were of the loose pigs they found. (Not us. ;-) )

8. Had stray animals on our property (before we got a fence). White donkeys one time and goats another. Oh, and that miniature bull.

9. Had wild animals living under the place I lived (woodchuck in Michigan, skunks in Tennessee).

10. Had to think about running across wild animals in the dark and take appropriate precautions.

11. Started a kerosene heater.

12. Been broken down on a country road in the winter.

13. Found abandoned apple trees growing wild in the woods.

14. Cultivated a wild rose.

15. Started a fire in a woodstove.

16. Eaten dandelion flowers and greens and dandelion jelly.

17. Eaten daylilies.

18. Eaten bantam chicken, duck, and peafowl eggs. (Not all at once.) I used to feed green grass to the neighbor's bantams trough the fence too - when I was a kid.

19. Laughed at a city slicker. ;-) (I'm sure I've been laughed at by city people too!)

20. Harvested wildflower seeds.

23. Gone to a country church where there was no air conditioning for hot, humid weather. Played the piano for an old fashioned "sing" in one of those too.

22. Picked pussy willow. 
(I don't remember if I picked this bunch, but I picked a bunch the day I took this photo. It was our neighbor's bush/tree in Tennessee. She let me pick some.)

23. Stored an old appliance behind the house or shed. haha Keeping it real, folks. ;-)

Random Acts of Blogging - Life this Fall and Possibly Other Things

It's been about 100 years - give or take a few - since I did one of these, so I thought it was time...

First, though, I want to thank all those who have prayed for my health lately. As those who read the posts of Facebook may know, I've been having some health struggles. It has been an ongoing thing, which is a story for another day, and it is still being worked through at present. But, I just wanted to say thank you to those who have prayed for me. The Lord is helping us through this and giving light for the way, but on His time schedule. There is still a ways to go before we're hopefully through it, so please do continue to pray if you feel so led. It's appreciated muchly. :-)

Lately I have been...

Making: A mess. We are in the process of moving out of our master suite to the guest room at the opposite end of house so that my husband can work on mold clean up and possibly remodeling of the bathroom in the master suite. Also my dad needs us closer to his house at present so that we can get the signal from the call button receiver in case he needs us in the night. (It doesn't reach our present bedroom.) Do you know how much mess it takes to change rooms after you've lived in one for 13 years. Stuff here. Stuff there. Where should this go? Do we really need this? Etc. ad nauseum. 

Cooking: Yes. I have been cooking. We have to eat, after all. :-) (Oh, the sarcasm. It will come out at times.) <grin> Sigh. Mostly, I've been trying to cook quick and easy things that don't take too much time and energy. I've also been trying to eat three meals a day instead of just two and snacks. I think it's better for me. My husband has been working from home most of the time, and the flexibility has been maybe just a little too easy to take advantage of.

Reading: Less intense things because I'm a little fragile right now. It's the time of year for seasonal affected disorder, and I have to be careful what I read, listen to, watch, and even what I talk about and who I interact with.

Wanting: To feel better and have more energy. There has been improvement - thank the Lord! But, there are still things that need work.

Looking: For stuff we need to buy - a new air purifier, a cleaner small space air conditioner, a new automatic blood pressure monitor, etc. I do not enjoy trying to make decisions about things like that.

Playing: That game of trying to relocate a bunch of possessions out of one room (two rooms, really) into the rest of the house and figuring out where to put it all and what can be gotten rid of and what is really needful and has to be easy to access. And...then too, what is there in the rest of the house that isn't needed and can go away in order to make room for the needed displaced stuff. Does that sound like a cheerful, restful game? It isn't. Just so you know. ;-)

Deciding: So many things. It's exhausting. Making decisions is one of the great challenges of my life in many ways because indecision is one of my besetting faults. Ack! Some of the decisions are quite important and potentially life changing, and others are not that important, but I sometimes treat them all with the same level of intensity. Ho hum. Do we every outgrow these things, I wonder?

Wishing: So many things. But most of all that I would just trust the Lord to get us through this time and stop thinking that something terrible is happening every time a new obstacle pops up. Because they often are turning out to be the thing that leads us to the next important piece of the puzzle we're working on.

Enjoying: Gorgeous autumn weather. And over the last few days - that the allergens are finally going down some. We have opened windows a couple days this week already.

Waiting: For my batteries to recharge so that I can get the next thing done. And not always waiting like I should and sometimes getting myself into a bit of a snarl. And I need to use my waiting time better too without adding to my tiredness, if that makes sense.

Liking: Having my husband's help with things that need doing - especially the kitchen chores and the moving rooms project. Having him working on the clean up in our yard from last February's big freeze (we had a number of dead things that need/needed to be cut down and removed and it was recommended to wait till fall so we could know how much was truly dead.)

Wondering: If we should be repairing this house or trying to make other living arrangements - like a small house we can put additions on later, or a portable small house that we could move later if we needed to. Also, wondering if the new highway that is supposed to go through this area is going to go through our property. It looks like it may go through across the street. By how close? And how bothersome? And should we move or stay or what? With all the stuff going on in our situation it's obvious that the Lord is doing something here, but the steps are still only clearing one at a time. How our flesh dislikes that sometimes.
Also wondering how it got dark so soon. 

Loving: Our quiet life here with just the three of us and the cats. Our property is like a park. We have so much to enjoy and be thankful for and our fellowship and friendship among ourselves has been good this year.

Missing: My mom. So very much. Sometimes it feels like it's more than last year this time. October was their anniversary and this year it was just hard to see my dad alone and struggling to be thankful. And this month is Thanksgiving which is our family's main holiday of the year. Grief surprises us sometimes because we think that it's lifting more and then we get to some point and it comes back so strong that we wonder what is wrong with us or "Why now? Why this again?" It's important to remember that it's OK to feel and yearn for connection because that is what God created us for - connection to Him and to each other. And, if our loved ones were God's children also, we have to try to temper our sorrow and missing of them with hope for a future so great we can't even imagine it. Romans 8:17-19 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

(I can't help myself sometimes. I'm a teacher at heart I guess.:-)  )

Pondering: How strange the world has become. How truly nasty people can be. (2 Timothy 3:1-7) How important it is not to let the ugliness around us make us hard and unfeeling just because most people don't respond well to life in general and specifically to the truth from God's word. It's so easy to harden our hearts and emotions because feeling hurts when there is so much wrong around us.

Considering: Donating a lot of fabric and yarn to others so that I have less stuff and also so that these things will be put to good use. I just have too much fabric and stuff in my sewing room and I don't sew all that much any more, so a lot of the fabric could go to someone who will use it and I could keep just what I really love and would likely use. And I hardly have use of yarn any more as I haven't crocheted much in years. I have already started this on a small scale, but I need to pursue it more. It's hard because I love fabric. But, truthfully, I think I love painting and making greeting cards and writing more. So... 

Watching: This and that. Stuff. I really need to work on watching less, and better short videos (like on Facebook). It's a work in progress. Some of the painting videos have been creatively inspiring. Sermons can be really good too and I was blessed with several over the weekend. Research is more likely to be discouraging or take up a lot of head space. But, watching the cats' antics is always a pleasure, especially when they accompany us on our walks (on our property, not the road). Also, it's been a little weird watching our younger cat, Snickerdoodle, pass up his older brother, Java, in size - just all of the sudden he's a big cat! 

Hoping: For improvement and for less migraines. To make progress with inner struggles. To get the move to the other bedroom completed.

Marveling: At God's amazing creation. The beauty of good friendships and how much they improve our lives and make us better. How God brings things to us in groups to underscore a point He's making sometimes - the same basic message from several different directions at one time.

Needing: To get so many things done. To spend less time on Facebook, even when I actually do need to be resting. :-/  To be more diligent at keeping the kitchen cleaned up because I feel better when there isn't a pile of stuff looking at me every time I go in there, and getting in my way when I need to work.

Smelling: Like ginger a lot because I'm using ginger scented grapeseed oil for deodorant. Ok, I know that wasn't what was intended, but it's true, and I like the smell. :-) Unfortunately a bee did today on our walk too - apparently. I ran a little bit for the first time in I-don't-know-how-long. I actually can still run a little. haha! I also have enjoyed the smell of autumn lately. One day someone was burning leaves or wood somewhere around here and it smelled so much like I remember from my youth in Michigan - back when so many people burned leaves in the fall. :-)

Wearing: My feelings on my sleeve too much. It's not a good look on me. Ugh. Also wearing things that are more comfortable around the shoulders because tightness and discomfort there can move into my neck and then my head and create a migraine or at least a headache. Also, I've been able to break out some of my warmer clothes! Yay! I love the more snuggly things. :-) At least for a few months. ;-)

Noticing: That there are others recently who are getting weary of the bad attitudes and general nastiness and contention going on. This is hopeful. If enough people get fed up and step away and warn others back maybe things can settle down a bit. Also, noticing how many, many Christians and churches I know of seem to be under attack from the adversary these last two years. It has been over the top, constant, and not always entirely obvious. It also seems to be escalating. What does it mean? I don't think we know the final answer on that, but it is important! And the spiritual battle has been so palpable. It has felt harder to get to where I want to be spiritually and to just keep on keeping on.

Knowing: That the Lord is in control. And yet too often doubting that, or doubting myself and thinking that all this is my fault somehow. And yet, the Lord keeps showing Himself strong and wise in spite of my weakness and lack of faith. He has given us the leading or piece of information we needed a number of times in ways that I didn't like when it happened, and yet afterwards or part way through I knew it was Him and it was part of His purpose for us. "O, [me] of little faith!"

Thinking: Sometimes I have to try to just stop. It can become overwhelming and make me so stressed out. And, with the headaches and migraines it can actually make the pain worse. But, I have been thinking about a lot, as I think you can already see from this post. Ha. ;-)

Feeling: Gradually better! Praise the Lord! There are still set backs, and worse days, but my stamina has slowly increased some and my energy is better. Also, I have sometimes felt like writing again and done a little, which is good. :-) Sometimes I feel so discouraged with all the stuff we're dealing with at the present, and other times I feel hopeful and excited to be getting some things done - especially where our house is concerned. 

Admiring: Other people's painting. The autumn sun. The flowers my husband bought me for our anniversary! :-)

Buying: Some new art stuff. Yay! Also a lot of necessities. And, on our anniversary, we got to go to Whole Foods (thank the Lord for strength!) and we bought various useful foods we hadn't had for a long time and some treats and we made ourselves a nice meal at home later. We hadn't been to Whole Foods for well over a year because we had reduced our grocery shopping to two stores and online.

Getting: Tired. And getting things done! Yes, despite my slowness, there has been progress. When I stop to consider what has been done instead of looking just at what hasn't yet, I can see that we're making progress, and sometimes it's very encouraging. :-)

Bookmarking: Painting stuff. Card making stuff. Research. Stuff for the blog. Possible housing options. 

Opening: The windows! The blinds and drapes! Because the weather is cool enough to do both more now. Thank the Lord! :-) 

Giggling: At the cats. With my husband - ok, he doesn't giggle a lot, but I giggle with him. :-) We laugh at the cats a lot. I giggle at myself sometimes too. At random silly thoughts or memories.

Psalm 90:12-17 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. 

Random List - May 2019

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 


Lately I have been…

Making: messes. I can't seem to stop leaving stuff lying around and then I have to backtrack later to tidy it all up.

Cooking: less variety due to my very limited diet for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) combine with my food intolerances. It's a frustration sometimes.

Reading: Just finished a novella by Chautona Havig yesterday. Various and sundry other things. Proverbs.

Wanting: to get our master suite more thoroughly cleaned.

Looking: for athletic shoes that are in my size, not ugly, and feel comfortable for daily wear.

Playing: a word game on my phone. A little with paper crafting stuff.

Learning: the challenges of helping aging parents with the complications of health problems and life.

Deciding: some hard things.

Wishing: I could eat some things that I used to be able to eat without any trouble. Ho hum. Also that I would get more done some days.

Enjoying: time out and about with my husband.

Laughing: at our silly cat and my husband's ridiculous humor. :-)

Waiting: for my digestive issues to improve?

Liking: photographing wildflowers.

Wondering: when life will calm down a little, and how bad the next set of thunderstorms will be.

Loving: hot showers, my husband's helpfulness, the extra green spring we're having, our cats being social.

Pondering: whether it's time to transition into a somewhat different ministry phase - at least for the time being.

Watching: my parents struggle with the limitations of aging. (Very sad.)

Hoping: we can do more in the way of hospitality; that some things become more clear soon.

Marveling: at the variety of wildflowers we've had this spring. It has been a delight from the Lord.

Needing: to take on new challenges, to allow things to be out of control when there's nothing I can do about it, and to rest in the knowledge that the Lord knows all about it.

Smelling: mold. We've had a lot of rain this spring.

Considering: what "wishful projects" I could let go of to stream line my hobbies and art into a more productive direction, and whether a better organizing system would make me more productive too.

Wearing: loose fitting t-shirt dresses that are cooler and more comfortable.

Buying: shoes that don't fit. Argh. Did you know that women are punished in America for having wide feet? Look at the very limited choices in shoe stores. It's discouraging. Maybe it's just where we live?

Noticing: that I'm struggling to keep up with the online writing and ministry.

Knowing: (or trying to know) that the Lord is growing me in ways that may not be entirely apparent or understood at the present, and that He is already in the future that feels so uncertain to me and knows exactly what I will need when I get there.

Thinking: out story plots for books I'll probably never write. Sigh.

Feeling: like life is out of control, and I'm not keeping up.

Admiring: My husband's persistence. My dad's care for my mom. My mom's determination to remain cheerful in the midst of her health struggles. My mom's beautiful red rose bush.

Random Questions - Relationships with Others

Here is a short list of questions from my collection.

--------------------------------

Do you prefer that people shoot straight with you or temper their words?

I think that something in between is the most useful. In Ephesians 4:14-15 we read,  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Some people will speak the truth without love. This is destructive and can cause serious damage. Some people try to speak in love, but they don't pay enough attention to truth. This is unhelpful and can be destructive in a different way. A combination of both is necessary for true usefulness and this is what I like to find in others. It is what I want to do myself.

What are three qualities that draw you to someone new?

This is hard to answer. At the Lord's prompting, I have been trying over the last few years to broaden my friendships and include people who might not have been too high on my list of "perfect friends" in the past. So, I actually try not to allow myself to be overly influenced by my personal preferences. Obviously, I want to be drawn to people who are born again and have a sincere love for the Lord. I also want to appreciate the things God has placed in His children for the help of other Christians, including me.

I do find myself not enjoying interactions with people who are overbearing or always pushing for answers or trying to make you a more spiritual person. Asking hard questions is a useful thing when it is done appropriately, but it is exhausting when someone does it almost constantly. It makes it hard to relax in that person's presence. The first thing that attracted me to my husband was that I realized I was comfortable talking with him and didn't feel tense around him. I don't do well with high tension. :-)

When do you immediately click with someone you just met?

I occasionally find a connection with someone because they "speak my language." This means to me that I don't have to stop and explain every other idea (or comment) that I bring out and I can see that they are grasping my thoughts with understanding even as I speak them. This doesn't apparently have to do with background or geographic location as one might think. I have experienced this with ladies from very different places and also upbringings. It doesn't happen very often, though.

Are you close with anyone now that you really disliked at first?

I would say yes, but "really disliked" is too strongly put. I do have a few what I would call close friends whom I didn't appreciate much at all when I first got to know them. However, for one reason or another we've grown in our friendships, either from necessity or for other reasons, and we've been able to be of mutual service to each other in the Lord.

There are also people whom I thought I liked when I first got to know them, some even contributed some truly useful things to my life, but then later I found them to be problematic or even really unbiblical in their attitudes or behavior. I suppose this is more common than the other in some ways.

How difficult is it for you to forgive someone who refuses to apologize?

It depends on the offense, doesn't it? Some things are much harder to let go of than others. But, I have learned that forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation, and in that there is a certain amount of freedom. This was a realization that transformed my thinking.

We can forgive someone, but if the offense is so great or such an affront to righteousness that an apology is necessary for any relationship to exist, then we cannot reconcile with them until they see their offense for what it really is. This is true of those whom Jesus asked the Father to forgive when He was on the cross. Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. God might forgive them that particular sin, but He could not have a relationship with them until they wanted reconciliation and were repentant (saying the saying the same thing about their sin that God says).

Who is the person who has been the most supportive in your life?

My husband.

There have been many others over the years too, both family and friends. I am very thankful for the supportive people God has placed in my life.

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Painting by Edmund Charles Tarbell

Four Things List - About Me

Here I am writing on my iPad in our living room. My husband bought it and a keyboard for me to help
make writing more comfortable. It has been a very useful tool in several ways.

Four names people call me other than my real name.

May-may - A nickname given to me by my brother who is 3 years younger than I am and couldn't say my name properly at first. He still sometimes calls me that affectionately.

Mary Ellen - My brother sometimes calls, "Good night, Mary Ellen," when we are parting at night - in reference to the Walton T.V. show which we watched sometimes as children. I usually answer, "Good night, John-boy." :-)

My husband has a nickname for me, but he seemed like he would prefer to keep it our own private treasure, so I've decided not to share it here. :-)

Occasionally someone will call me Elizabeth, which is my middle name but, since it is my mother's first name, I don't think of it in relation to myself and it feels odd. :-)

Four jobs I've had.

Of course, the earliest paying job I had was baby sitting, as was the case for many girls in my generation.

I taught piano lessons to a hand full of students when my family lived in Arizona. I also was a church pianist for quite a few years, although that was strictly volunteer.

I helped my parents with their online business off and on for a number of years.

Being a home maker has always been the main one ever since I was in my teens and started really helping my mom.

Four movies I've watched more than once.

Well, there are a number I can pick from, but here are four:
Dr. Jack (Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis)
The Wrong Trousers (Wallace and Gromit)
Lions of Etosha (actually a documentary)
Captive Faith (based on Georgi Vins' real life experiences while in prison for his faith under the USSR)

Four books I recommend.

In the Arena by Isobel Kuhn
The Jungle Doctor books by Paul White
Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
Strawberry Acres by Grace S. Richmond

Four places I have lived.

Ethiopia
Kenya
The Mojave Desert in southern California
Western Michigan

Four places I have visited.

Niagra Falls, Canada.
Amboseli National Park, Kenya.
Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The Glasshouse Mts. in Queensland, Australia.

Four places I would rather be right now.

I'm a home body for the most part. The only other place I'd like to be right now is heaven, but I believe my family and friends would like to keep me around awhile longer! :-)
I would like to be taking a nice hot bath at the time I'm writing this. However, the accommodations of our house in that regard aren't too great. Ho hum.

Four odd things that have happened to me.

I lost my purse in Volendam, Netherlands when I was six years old.
When I was in my later twenties a reader from Canada sent email through The Home Maker's Corner and commended me for being a "wise aged woman." (I never answered it as far as I recall. I didn't know what to say. LOL)
I was with my grandparents at Disneyland when my grandma accidentally threw the ice from her pineapple drink in the ticket receptacle instead of the trash can. (Complicated story. LOL) My grandpa rushed us away before anyone noticed.
I was with my parents when they had to evacuate from Ethiopia because of the Communist coup. I don't actually remember this, but it was a pivotal point in our lives.

Four things I don't eat.

Only four? Most of my food issues are with intolerances and allergies.
Raw carrots
Sweet Peppers
MSG (monosodium glutemate) (Do you know how much food has MSG and closely related ingredients?!)
Corn in any form. (Do you realize how much food has corn in it?!)

Four of my favorite foods.

Cookies
Chocolate
Chicken
Hummus
Ethiopian food (I'll throw that in free of charge.) ;-)

Four of my favorite flowers.

Roses
Violets
Lily-of-the-valley
Dianthus

Four of my favorite colors.

Pink
Red
Purple
Aqua/turquoise

Four things I'm always saying.

Good grief.
For crying out loud!
Thank you.
I love you.
(My husband would probably add - "What did you say?" He's a very patient man being married to a writer! LOL)

Four of my favorite things to watch.

Our cats.
Sunsets.
People I love having a good time visiting together.
Tree leaves blowing in a gentle wind.

Four animal or bug experiences I have had.

I was with my family in a guest hut at Amboseli National Park when the elephants came to raid the trash cans (or try to) and also when the zebras came to graze in the yard.
In Ethiopia I was in an out house with my mom one night when a leopard coughed outside. (My mom decided we would use a can in the house at night until Daddy came home!)
I remember my parents using a coffee can to trap a spider - not the biggest size can, but still a spider of impressive proportions.
My brother and I owned pet ground squirrels for awhile when our family lived in the Mojave Desert of California.

Random Acts of Blogging - What Was the Last...?

This was the last photo I took on my cell phone -

the Dutch iris that was blooming in front of my parents' house.

Just for fun and a change, let's do this tonight. If you want to copy the list of questions and put in your own answers on your own blog or in the comments, please join in! :-) These are not my original idea. I gleaned them from other sites, and edited them and maybe added a few.


What was the last furry thing you touched?
Java Kitty, our black cat.

What was the last thing you said?
Something about Java. He is such a nice and friendly cat.

What was the last song you listened to?
Something playing in the background of some video I guess, and there's a good chance I turned the volume down so I couldn't hear it. I don't listen to music a whole lot.

Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
My mom.

What was the last movie/video you watched?
A video about a new medical device for removing blood clots from veins.

What was the last thing you did before this?
Let Java out to the breezeway. His food and litter box are in the garage.

What was the last song you sang?
The chorus of "Blessed Homeland" by Fanny Crosby.

What was the last thing you ate and drank?
Chocolate and water.

What was the last store you were in?
Whole Foods 365 over a week ago. We went in to explore it on a date afternoon. :-)

Where was the last place you went to away from home?
The chiropractor this afternoon.

What was the last chapter of scripture you read?
Proverbs 30.

What was the last book you were reading?
I think it was Dorothy Dixon Solves the Conway Case - a vintage girls' adventure story. It is rather lame. (add eye roll here)

What was the last thing you bought?
A natural allergy remedy specifically for Texas allergens.

Who was the last person you spoke to in person?
My husband.

What was the last spontaneous thing you did?
Watercolor painting. I painted a couple cards earlier today, and after dinner I just decided to do another one because I could. :-)

Who was the last person you went out to eat with and where?
My husband and I ate at CR Surf'n'Turf.

Who was the last person you texted?
My Texas sister-in-law.