Tweet Tweet Hodgepodge

I'm joining up for Joyce's weekly Hodgepodge. Feel free to join us at From This Side of the Pond or you can answer the questions in the comments!

1.  April 26th is National Audubon Day, honoring John James Audubon, the French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter known for his detailed study and illustration of birds in their natural habitats. Do you have a bird feeder? Any birds in your home decor? Have you ever owned a pet bird? What's your favorite bird?   Normally, we have a hummingbird feeder – sometimes two – in our yard. We will again next year. We actually own several Audubon prints that are framed. We purchased them at the museum in Washington, DC and brought them home a LONG time ago. We’ve never owned a pet bird, but one summer we were the foster family for the bird from Glenn’s class. Birds are messy. I don’t know that I have a favorite bird. I love seeing the blue birds in our park. I love watching the antics of the hummingbirds. They do NOT like to share. I love watching a woodpecker (as long as he isn’t poking holes in my house). We have gorgeous cardinals here, too.

2. What's something you took to 'like a duck to water'? Way back when I was in high school, they offered short hand and typing classes. Even the kids who were immediately college bound were encouraged to take at least a basic typing class. I took both and I remember how quickly I picked it up – just like a duck to water. I loved it. I still type (on a computer, not a manual typewriter) for pleasure (blog), for work (taking notes, emails, etc.), for teaching (both Sunday school and small groups), and now for college (all my classes are online).

3. Empty nest, nest egg, proud as a peacock, free as a bird, birds of a feather flock together, or the early bird catches the worm...choose one and tell us how it currently applies to your life. The first one that popped into my head is nest egg. Since we are upgrading some things in the house, we are dipping into our nest egg. Also, I was talking with someone at church who is about to be an empty nester. Empty nesting is pretty good for us.

4. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds...your favorite seed and a favorite food or dish made with that seed or topped with that seed? Have you tried all the seeds on the list? Any you don't care for? For the young adult dinner on Tuesday night, I served Poppyseed chicken. The topping is ritz cracker crumbs, poppy seeds, and butter. On Monday, these actual words came out of my mouth in the staff breakroom, “Pepitas make a salad a party.” I love pumpkin seeds (pepitas). I also keep sunflower seeds on hand for an Asian slaw that I make. Poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are my three favorites. I have tried and like all of them.

5. Something in the past week that made you 'happy as a lark'? The weather has been amazing – blue skies, sunshine, and highs in the upper 60’s and 70’s. Those things help with my happiness factor. I’m also thrilled that we are finally seeing progress on the house.

6. Insert your own random thought here. I’ve emailed my advisor and she informed me that I have to take Biology 101 and Biology 102. I have emailed with the professor, Dr. Swindall, who will allow me to register even though her class is full. I think I’ve told y’all that in the state of Alabama if you are over 60, you can go to any community college for fees only but the catch is that you can’t register until the day before classes begin.  I can register now but it is about $500 or I can wait and register and pay only $129. Are you curious as to how I will do labs in an online class? I was curious so I asked. It is like a video game – there will be a lab on my screen and I will move things around to conduct the experiments.