Wednesday Hodge Podge - Vol 86

Joyce's Hodge Podge this week is entitled, "The Games of the 86th Hodgepodge".  I know you are asking yourself....what kind of games....right?  Well to quote our hostess, "unlike the Summer Olympics which only occur every four years, the Hodgepodge rolls around every Wednesday. No training, sweat, or heavy lifting required either, so what are you waiting for? Come play along..."

1. The Summer Olympics officially begin this Friday...will you be watching? If you could see just one event in person which one would you pick?  I too love the Olympics, summer and winter, and we'll watch a lot of the coverage. The opening and closing ceremonies are by far my favorite things to watch....but when it coms down to the actual games I will be glued to the gynmastics events.  I love to watch both the men and the women.  There is something mesmerizing to me as they run, jump, twist, turn and fly.  I cannot wait!  We have VBS on Friday night so we are taping the show til we can get home and watch.

2. Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?  I feel rested if I am being lazy and planned on being lazy.  I feel distressed and unproductive if I had planned to accomplish something and chose to be lazy instead.  Since I have been ill I find I am lazier than usual.  I work when I feel like it and am lazy when I get tired and I tend to tire easy these days.  I have several projects I need to finish up before starting back to school.

3. July 25 is 'officially' Threading the Needle day...can you sew? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being not at all and 10 being Betsy Ross-like, how would you rate your skill with a needle and thread?  I would say about a 6.  When my daughter was young I smocked a lot of her outfits, sewed constantly, did french handsewing, candlewicking, cross-stitching, needlepoint, and such.  I tried my hand at quilting but could not meet the little old ladies quilting group I sat in with's expectation....so they let me bring them refreshments and tell stories....sigh....I guess that is my calling. 

4. Threading the Needle can also mean to walk a fine line between two things or issues (think awkward social situation). When was the last time you had to 'thread the needle', figuratively speaking?  I have several issues I walk fine lines through....remember I am a preacher's wife...so religious issues sometimes get a bit out of hand....and I, like Joyce, hate political stuff....especially on facebook. I wish people would leave it for somewhere else.  I am not good at threading the needle.  I am a no waves kind of person. 

5. Kidney, pinto, black, or navy-your favorite bean?  I love pinto beans in chili, pinto beans with cornbread and a slice of Vidalia onion or a Walla Walla sweet onion, or beside a plate of some kind of Mexican food in the refried form with cheese.  Yep...hands down it is definitely pintos.

6. Have you ever hosted a garage sale? Was it more success or bust?  I have both hosted and co-hosted a garage sale many times.  They can be great fund raisers.  I have had some great successes raising over 1500.00 and some busts barely making 100.00.  I have learned that when doing it is a church/school/etc fund raiser....don't take peoples trash and try and sell it.  If it is broken, busted, doesn't work....don't donate it for someone to have to price, try and sell, and then trash for you....throw it away yourself.  You would not believe the bags of one pair of shoes, one sock, a busted screen television that we have dealt with  Thank you for your contribution....but.  I feel like a garage sale is too much work for mostly too little reward. I prefer giving gently used clothes to Goodwill or some other charity.

7. What makes you roll your eyes?  People who text or talk on phones when I am behind them and drive erratically when I am behind them, people who read while driving, and people who make foolish remarks about stuff they know nothing about. (especially when it involves schools and teachers, and the governemt)....

8. Insert your own random thought here. July is National Blueberry Month.  I love the things.  Not only are they good for you....they contain antioxidants....they taste delicious.  So I decided to share one of my favorite Maine blueberry recipes.  I got this in Bangor when Mary and I spent a week with her sister Noel. She is a fabulous cook and I came home with several yummy recipes.

Maine Blueberry Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Sift flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, salt and baking powder together into a large bowl. Dredge the blueberries in the sifted ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the milk, butter and egg. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Let muffins sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

They are delicious for breakfast or as a bread side for a dinner meal.  I hope you will try them out.  My family loves them.