A Lion and A Lamb Hodgepodge

                                             

       A Lion and A Lamb                Hodgepodge

Joyce Asks the Questions

We Answer the Questions.

1.  As the saying goes, 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' Did your March come in roaring or like some other animal? Every month carries with it certain feelings, which is why some people love and anticipate December and others dread it. How do you feel about the month of March? 

March around here came in very gentle.  (Thank Goodness)

March always feels like a doorway month to me.  The opening of Spring and all the beauty it brings. As March stretches towards Spring, I feel an abundance of Hope....like God is unfolding things we have not seen yet.  

2. Where in your life are you a lion? Where are you a lamb? 

I am a Lion when it comes to family and I am a lion when it comes to my Faith.  

I am a Lamb when it comes to seeing people hurt or when I see others needing compassion and some encouragement in life. 

Strength and gentleness can live in the same heart....And I am thankful that they do!!

3. The Hodgepodge lands on National Pound Cake day. Do you like pound cake? If so do you have a favorite flavor? Let's play this or that-

I do love poundcake and I miss my Mom's all time favorite poundcake with a drizzle of icing.  

Plain poundcake or strawberry poundcake 

• pound cake or layer cake?    *Layered Cake  🍓
• pound cake or cheesecake?    * Cheesecake. 🍓
• pound cake or angel food cake?   *Pound Cake.
• pound cake or brownie?    * Pound Cake
• pound cake or pie?   * Pie

4. What makes you feel childlike wonder right now? 

Sunrises!!  Watching the sky slowly change colors reminds me that God still paints every single morning...and HE never repeats Himself. 

Also....Having my grandchildren what through my back door.  

And....Flowers beginning to bloom...🌸

5. What's one thing you need to add to your wardrobe to get ready for spring? If you're in the southern hemisphere, then answer for fall? 

I wish I could say an Easter Bonnet!  No, for real, I need to add more flip flops....That's about it.

My closet is SO full right now.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Shug...

Say Yes to Tacos

 Listen for the crunch in this post

Taco Tuesday… Do You Participate?  Or does Taco Tuesday quietly pass you by without a single taco in sight?  

In my state, most people can't get enough of them...  🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮

Soft or crunchy, beef or chicken, loaded or simple...Tacos are big!!

One thing that strikes me funny is how this one meal has managed to claim an entire day of the week...AND

I often wonder how this day came about??  Did a individual come up with it, or was this a move from the restaurants to bring in more Tuesday business?  I'm thinking then latter.

So tell me......Do you celebrate this day?  Do you make them at home or go out somewhere? Do you pile everything on....or keep it simple?

..... We love tacos around here, but no taco is complete without being dressed in a little ketchup and a good spoonful of my pear relish.  I know it sounds odd adding a "smidgen" of ketchup, but this is something my family has always done.  

Our local Dairy Queen offers a deal every Tuesday and the drive through line is always backed up. Another simple reason why I fix tacos at home.... I can't really say that I love (sorry, LIKE) the tacos they make, but we do sometimes stop by.  I prefer making my own and us adding the extra goodness on them. 

Funny thing....Just recently (the DQ),  went from $1.00 taco night to $1.25 taco night...slight increase!!

I can't help but think that my blogging friend "Billie Jo" and her family might turn Taco Tuesday into a big festive midweek fun day.  Decorations would sure pump up the fun!!

Sometimes it’s not even about the tacos.  I think the bargain price is what pulls people into the love of Taco Tuesday. 

 

Who knew a simple tortilla could turn an average Tuesday into a celebration??  LONG LIVE TACO NIGHT!!

Shug.....🌮

Things about Me!

Things You May Not Know About Me (But Probably Should 😉)

People who meet me now might think I’ve always been outgoing. Let me clear that up right away.

In earlier years, I was painfully shy.

Not the “oh she’s quiet” kind of shy.

The very, very shy kind. The kind who rehearsed what she was going to say before saying it. The kind who would rather disappear into the wallpaper than stand in front of a crowd.

And then somewhere in my 50's, I bloomed.  🌸 🪻

I don’t know if it was confidence, wisdom, Jesus, or just finally being too tired to care what everyone thought… but that shy little girl loosened her grip. And here I am. Writing. Sharing. Smiling a little bigger.

I’m the Second Child (The Quiet Observer)

I was born the second of four children. I had one older sister who left this world far too soon at 28. My youngest brother also passed away in 2024.   Those losses shaped me in ways that don’t always show on the outside.

My other brother? (David).... He lives one mile from me. Just one mile. That makes my heart smile. Life can take much, but it also gives gifts close to home.

My “Career Years” Were Short but Sweet

I didn’t spend decades in an office building climbing ladders.

In my younger years, I worked for an oil company. Later, I worked at our local elementary school as a librarian — which felt much more like me. Quiet spaces. Books. Order. Structure. Little minds discovering stories.

Altogether, My time working out of the home was not very long at all.  Maybe 8 years.

But here’s the thing:

My real life’s work was raising babies… and then keeping all my grand-babies until they started school.

That was my full-time calling. And I wouldn’t trade it for a corner office in Manhattan.

Black and White Are My Love Language

My favorite colors are black and white.

Not beige, Not mauve for sure and not coral.

Black and white. 

I love  the simplicity of it. The strength. The clarity. The clean lines. It feels timeless and steady.

If you dig a little deeper, these colors probably say a lot about me:

   ❤   I like order.

   ❤  I like control (let’s just be honest).

   ❤  I like things neat and intentional.

   Black feels calm on the outside, protecting a sensitive heart on the inside.

White feels like fresh paper. A reset. A new morning.

And yes… I do tend to have a little OCD personality. Things have a place. And I’d really like them to stay there. I also prefer immediate answers or solutions.  

I Owned a Flower Shop (And That Was Pure Joy)

Out of all the things I’ve done, owning my own flower shop still makes my heart flutter.  💐

I loved it.

Although black and white are my favorite colors, I do enjoy the beauty of other colors.   The creativity. The smell of fresh blooms in the morning. The quiet hum of arranging something beautiful out of loose stems and greenery. 💓

I still love arranging flowers. There’s something very sacred about turning scattered pieces into something lovely. Maybe that’s why I write, too.  IDK!!

A Few More Random Truths

   🌼  I love the beach… but I’m more of a mountain girl. Give me cool air and elevation over sand in my shoes.

   🌼  I cannot swim. Not one bit. And yes, we have a pool. The irony is not lost on me.

   🌼  I’m not big on eating meat. I prefer seafood and vegetables.

   🌼  I don’t like to cook. (There. I said it.)

   🌼   I was born in a tiny little doctor’s office that is now a house — just eight miles from where I live now. I haven’t strayed far from my beginnings for sure.  

There’s something comforting about that.

The Biggest Surprise?

The shy girl grew up.

The second child found her voice.

The quiet one became the storyteller.

And if you’d told that painfully shy version of me that one day she’d be writing blog posts for the world to read…

She would have blushed.

And probably hidden behind something black and white. 🤍🖤

Shug....💛