I Like... (1/26)

Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. Click on HER BLOG to see what positive things others like. 

I like seeing who's prowling around outside our backdoor.

I like this funny little black chicken with the fuzzy black afro hair do.
I also like those blue serendipity pebbles. They glow in the dark!

I like having real fireplace.
Buff never leaves his spot in front of it.

I like a warm patch of sunlight, but this guy... loves it.

I like making fun little pouches like these from Cross Creek Sewing.
And, I like having a sewing friend (Wendy)
who can help me when I get stuck in the instructions.

I like gathering eggs.

I like visiting Disney World in January.
And my favorite character, Joy was there too!

I like how the cardinals come out after a snow.

I like getting to let the hens out after being cooped up for days.
They flew to a log and avoided putting their feet in the snow.

I like getting a surprise second stalk and blooms on my amaryllis!

I like having a little yellow partner to help me write my blog posts.

JANUARY

1.Do you ever sing in the shower? ( do you have a go to song you sing a lot?) I don't sing in the shower.  I might sing along with the radio in the car.  I'm so lyrically challenged, that when I do sing, it needs to be a song with plenty of repetition! 

2. Have you ever lived anywhere else?  I was born in the boothill of Missouri, raised in the Ouachita Mountains of Western Arkansas, and have lived in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas since I came to college.

3. Do you like calendars either desk or wall real calendars? A few years ago, I made the switch to a Google calendar that I can see on my phone, tablet, and computer.  It's color coded, and I live by it!

4. Do you like puzzles? I do. Jigsaw? I like helping with a jigsaw puzzle if there's one out, but I don't keep one going at my house or work one on my own. Rubik's cube? I never could master that one. Crossword? I used to work the one in the paper every day, but now the newspaper is online.  I work the big on in the weekend newspaper every Sunday afternoon. Sudoku? I  will work one if I'm on a plane or in a waiting room, but they're not my favorite.  What other kind?   I play a game of Double Freecell nearly every night before I go to sleep.  We do the New York Times Wordle and Connections every single morning.

FEBRUARY

I remember in elementary school, exchanging Valentines with classmates, did you? It was a big deal, which cheap card to give to which child. We had to give everyone one... we decorated the box too. 
remember those little cards and the tiny envelopes?  How about let's talk about being a teacher and living through or surviving  enjoying 32 Valentine's Days... excited kids... had candy for breakfast before coming to school... passing out valentines... home room moms bringing in way too much food and wanting to do an organized game when the kids just wanted to open valentines and talk... parents joining and bringing in little siblings... spilled juice... looking at the clock and realizing it was only noon and after those parents left, there were still 3 hours left... AAAAaahhhhh!!!!!!

(But, all the teacher presents of chocolate boxes... that was nice.)

Feb 19 2026
What was your favorite subject in school... elementary, I think I loved everything.  I just loved school.  high school, I loved math & science. I loved taking typing & shorthand & business lab. I loved home ec (my mom was my teacher). Of course, I loved band.  or college...I enjoyed all of my education courses.  or did your favorite subject change over time? Do you still have an interest in that subject?Changes... let's see.  I dreaded any kind of history. That's never changed.  I've always had a math mind, so it just came easily. I didn't particularly love it, I just did it. I've always loved learning science and still do to this day. I was always a good reader, but I don't know that I ever enjoyed reading or literature class.  I don't think I loved reading until I didn't have to do it for a grade anymore. 

My biggest shift in feeling about a subject happened in the last course I took in graduate school. Of course I took some kind of English every single year from 1st grade through college.  So much grammar, usage, mechanics, parts or speech.  Those things have always come so naturally.  They made since, I did the worksheets, I made As. 

At home I always kept a diary or journal, but sadly, I don't remember ever being encouraged as a writer.  It was a complete paradigm shift to realize that excellence in writing was more valuable than circling nouns or diagraming a sentence.

Feb 26 2026
What is the most adventurous thing you've ever done? In 2018 I went to Indonesia with a 4 other ladies.  We spent 10 days in Bali, in the villages not the cities and resort areas.  We spent time in an orphanage, with ladies' groups, in a kindergarten, in two different kinds of high schools, giving out glasses, working, supporting a team that was working there permanently. 

I Like... (6/25)

    Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like that I can pick my salad fresh from the banister.
FYI... The wire over it is because the deer also like a fresh salad bar.

I like watching the garden begin!
FYI... that's a zucchini blossom.

I like my back deck in summer...
It's my bonus garden.

I like finding discovering the first things to ripen in the garden. 
Look at that gorgeous little midnight black cherry tomato!

I like my new little black hen. Her feathers shine green in the sunlight.
My grandkids named her Elfaba. We'll call her Elfie.

I like that she seems to actually like to be petted.

I like that she follows me around whenever I'm outside.

I like the deer that live in our woods.
I like my garden.
(Now you see why every part of the garden is fenced in.)

 I like that my amaryllis has blossomed in a gorgeous way.

Ok... one more... this little hen is crazy! 
She's like the cat. She wants to sit on me and is right underfoot when I'm up.
(The cat would be jealous if he knew.)

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

What piece did you pick when you played monopoly? I liked the little dog. Maybe I'd choose the hat.  Our game was old, so we didn't have all the pieces. Who did you play with, how long would the game go on? I played with older siblings or even friends.  I think we had some made-up rules, and I think we rarely made it to the real end. Were you a buyer of property and put houses on them? Sure. Who kept the bank? Me. I've always liked to keep money neat and tidy, all facing the same way.

Did you learn to swim, and how old were you? Who taught you? I think I always knew how to swim enough to stay afloat and get where I wanted to be.  Were you on a swim team and what was that like? No, my school didn't have a swim team.   My family had a 160 acre farm, and 20 of those acres made up a lake.  We just followed a trail through the woods and down the hill to our very own lake.  There was also a road for driving down.  Our place was the place for church youth swimming, for friend parties, for family gatherings.  On one end was the spillway.  After a flood, water spilled over into the creek below.  Otherwise, that was our shale-covered "beach."  That was the area where we swam.  My dad even built a raft out of 55-gallon drum barrels and a wood floor.  He also made a long diving board that we used.  Another bank  was covered with blackberry vines.  The far bank had trees and picnic tables.  The last side was pasture where cows grazed.  We had a motor for our fishing boat so that we could ski or surf (around in a circle). I suppose growing up using The Lake for swimming, berry picking, or whatever other reason made me unafraid of turtles and snakes.  There were always, always turtles and snakes.   (FYI - The wouldn't hurt us though. For example, if we wanted to pick berries, we'd throw rocks into the vines so they'd all leave.  Or, if turtles or snakes were sunning on the diving board, we'd holler at them until they jumped or slithered off and into the water.  Then it would be perfectly safe to enter the water... *** Insert 61-year-old me shaking my head in disbelief.) If you Google "Powell Lake, Mena, Arkansas" (Powell was my maiden name), you'll see it it.  Click HERE.  Did you go to a neighborhood pool and what was that like?  Our lake WAS the neighborhood pool. Do you still enjoy swimming?  Floating around in my sister's pool, yes.  In a lake, no. I'd much rather enjoy sitting on the shore and looking out at the lake.

We stopped last summer when we were near Mena. 
The Lake is still beautiful.
 (And, most likely still full of turtles and snakes.)

Did you ever go to sleep away camp? Yes. Where and what was it like? Nearly every year in junior and high school, our youth group went to church came.  Each year it was at a different place. I loved it. Nearly every year in junior and high school, I went to band camp.  It was at a college.  I went to a couple of different ones. I loved it. Did you enjoy it or miss home too much? Nope.

Do you play summer sports? Tennis, or golf, or pickleball, etc? Do you have a special outfit for them, or equipment? No.

I Like... (2/25)

 Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like my backyard in every season.  
By the way... the hens were NOT interested in coming out and enjoying the snow.

I like a good snow day... even if I am retired!

I like these two guys! 

I like having an amaryllis to brighten up winter. 

I like catching up with friends I haven't seen in a while.

I like Magic Kingdom... and EPCOT...
and Animal Kingdom... and Hollywood Studios...
in every kind of weather!

I like these sweet little hens. Only 6 these days.
Fancy-Like, Pauline, Twinkle, Ruby Jean, Eleanor, Marie

I like sharing our space with our deer.  
They just lay down and watch me through my kitchen windows.
I suppose I'm entertaining.

I like having chickens... but who laid this itsy-bitsy green one!

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

What’s one of the most exciting things you’ve done in life so far? The first thing that comes to my mind is that I got to spend 10 days in villages in Indonesia about 6 years ago.  I got to participate in three different schools, with different community groups, and in an orphanage.

What is something you have always wanted to try but haven’t yet?  I'd like to write for publication.

Do you give yourself the same compassion and understanding that you give to your family and friends? Yes, I think I do.

Do you compliment your mate and does he compliment you? What kind of compliment feels best to you, and to him? Ha ha... I misread it as "complement."  We do complement each other.  He's good at the things I'm not, and I'm good at doing the things he's not. It works out just fine. And, yes, he does compliment me, my cooking, my art all the time.  He's a keeper.

I Like... (1/25)

Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like having my word-of-the-year words
where I can open a door and be reminded.

I like giving my delivery guys a treat when it's time
for all the Christmas packages to be delivered.

I like looking out the window and seeing
a pink unicorn... grandkid helping Pop-E with the yard work.

I like sewing little bags.

I like to watch them come running when I shake the sunflower seed container.

I like my kitty. He keeps a close eye on me.

I like playing Wordle, Connections, and a game of Double Free Cell every morning.

I like getting stockings ready for our little ones... and our big ones.

I Like... (12/24)

 Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like City Park in New Orleans. 
I think it's the prettiest park I've ever walked through.

I also like the tree across from my mailbox.
Yes, I know I've taken and posted photos of it before.
But, it's fabulous too.

I like a warm fire on a cold day.

I also like hot soup on a cold day.

I like that our ornaments don't match and
that our little ones keep adding more and more strings of beads.

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

What dish would you take to a family dinner this month? Most likely deviled eggs.  I've got the chickens, so I've got the eggs. And, there are never any left when I take them, so deviled eggs is my go-to pot luck dish.

Hot chocolate or hot toddy? I'll go with hot chocolate. Honestly, I'm not even sure what a hot toddy is.

Are you the first person at a party or the last to leave? I don't want to be first, but I do try to be right on time. Then we're probably closer to the first to leave. Mornings start early at our house, so we're not much for late nights.

Real Christmas Tree or Artificial Christmas Tree? Artificial and pre-lit, thank you very much!

If you could eat only one type of cookie this holiday season, which cookie would you be eating a lot of? 

What would be the ideal way for you to spend Christmas Eve?  There would be a fire in the fireplace. I'd be preparing for tomorrow's meal. We'd have a relaxing day then go to Christmas Eve services in the evening.

How was Christmas done in your childhood home/family? The first ones up  banged pots and pans to wake up the rest of the family. First we emptied our stockings. They would have and orange, some nuts, and candy. Next we'd settle down and listen to my dad read the Christmas Story from Luke 2 in the Bible. Next we'd pass our and open our gifts.

Did you ever receive a gift as a child/teen that you really wanted and were totally excited to receive? The best gift I remember was when I was in 8th grade.  I got a brand new Stradivarius Bach trumpet. It was unexpected because I knew it was far beyond the normal budget for gifts in my family.  I loved it played it about every day for the next 5 years.