Hodgepodge X2 and Wednesday Quotes: Elegance

 

Happy Hump Day, friends!!  This has been a loooong week.  And we are only mid-way through.  But hey, it is the last day of September and we are looking October right between the eyes.  Overall, time is flying.  

This week has just felt long and slow because we have been twiddling our thumbs waiting for the Hurricane Polo spinoff storm to hit, and waiting to see PC's doctor on Thursday so we know how he is progressing, and getting our bedrooms ready for carpet installation.  

Today I am joining 2 blogging friends for their Wednesday series.  Joining Joyce for another round (or in my case, 2 rounds) of Hodgepodge.  And joining Kym for an edition of Wednesday Quotes.  

Hodgepodge Volume 672

1.  Fall arrives this week in the northern hemisphere. Does it look/feel like fall where you live?  What's something you love to do this time of year that makes you feel its officially fall? 

Last week I would have said that it didn't feel or look one bit like autumn, except where I have sprinkled my fall decorations inside the house and out.  But over last weekend we turned the corner and left summer behind.  We have had much lower temperatures and lots and lots of rain.  The El Paso desert has a monsoon season that generally hits around the 4th of July or Halloween (seems to like to rain on people's parades - literally).  So, yes, it suddenly feels like fall where I live.

 

Our desert just can't handle the volume of water that we get during monsoon season.  So, roads flood, arroyos designed to drain water from roads flood, and the rock walls that surround most residential property are saturated with water and often compromised.  

The road below is about 3 miles from our home in northeast El Paso.

The afternoon highs have been a very pleasant mid-70s.  And lows in the 60s.  Hallelujah, after a very long, hot summer, fall is here!!

*If you're answering today from the southern hemisphere feel free to sub spring for the word fall. 

2.  What's a small daily task or chore that always seems to fall through the cracks when your schedule gets busy?

Hmmm, daily chore.  I generally keep up with the day-to-day tasks that keep our home and lives running.  When we get busy, I might have a project that hangs fire and sits out unattended for a bit.  Right now I have a wind chime sitting on the coffee table in the den that I am restringing with fishing line.  I started work on it yesterday when I had a minute but haven't returned to work on it today.  Maybe tonight.  

Otherwise, the dishes are always washed, the kitchen is pretty much neat and clean, clothes are washed, folded and put up.  Oh, IRONING!!  I can accumulate quite a basket of ironing before I finally tackle it.  However, at this moment I am all caught up.

3.  What's something you're falling for lately? 

Wow, this is a tough one.  I can't think of anything that I am being tricked or fooled by.  I guess I am falling for the rain (in lesser quantities, would be nice) and the cooler temperatures.  And the anticipation of wearing fall clothes very soon.

I stepped away from this question and thought a little more about it and have come up with something that is fooling me.  I keep falling for AI - thinking it is real.  And I just hate it - I can't believe the things I see with my own eyes.  

One bit of AI magic I do like is the Babypop babies on Instagram.  You can fall in love with them here.  I laugh and laugh every time the babies are interviewed about who spoils them more, mom or grandma.  And grandma always come out on top.

4.  Pumpkin is a popular flavor this time of year.  Are you a fan? What's your favorite pumpkin flavored food or beverage?  

YES!!  Huge pumpkin fan.  Prefer pumpkin with a little cinnamon and cloves but I like it mixed into pasta with cream and Parmesan cheese, a little butter, salt and pepper.  I never measure anything but this recipe is close to the way I make it.  

Not sure what my favorite pumpkin-y food would be.  I love it all so much.  Really like pumpkin pie and it is such a treat because we only eat it during the holidays.  Isn't that crazy?  

5.  What's something you wish would never change? Explain. 

My relationship with grandchildren.  I know relationships change and hopefully, grow.  And I feel like relationships with adults are generally more consistent.  But my grandchildren are growing and changing so quickly.  And I know grandparents can be important to the lives of littles but may fall out of favor as they become teens.  Although, I text with Cadence almost daily.  And every Wednesday I send her a happy HUMP DAY message.  It may be hardest with Declan to maintain a close relationship because he is a boy.  But I am so thankful to Brennyn that she has helped me to be a part of his daily life with video calls.  

6.  Insert your own random thought here.  

I haven't subbed at all this year and can't decide whether I miss it or not.  I do miss the paychecks!!  And I miss seeing my El Paso grands at school, with their friends and the other great kids at Lundy.  But I like having my days to do as I want.  Since PC has been recovering from his surgery, I tiptoe out of our room to let him sleep and then enjoy the quiet of the house and the early morning before the day gets underway.  It has been nice.  

Hodgepodge Volume 673

1. When you think of autumn what sounds come to mind?   

Interesting.  What sounds.  Hmmm.  The school bus brakes screeching outside our bedroom window at 8:08 every weekday morning.  This fall, apparently the sound of rain.  It is raining as I type.  With rain and flash floods expected the next 2 days.  Autumn often sounds like wind, too.  It really whips around here most Octobers.  It sounds like children giggling on Halloween and saying 'trick or treat'.  The voices of family reciting prayers and 'gratefuls' around the Thanksgiving table.  

2.  Is a trip to the mountains something you enjoy? What's your favorite mountain?

 Oh, boy, give me all the trips to the mountains.  I used to say that beach vacations were my favorite but now that I am older, mountain vacations rate right up there with them.  We had such a great trip to Creede, Colorado and the Rockies in the summer of 2025.  PC and I have escaped to the mountains of New Mexico quite a bit in recent years.  And we enjoy hiking and walking the Franklin Mountains, here in our own backyard.  But the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee are home.  The beautiful Smoky Mountains.  

Our cabin in Creede with a view of the Rockies

3. What's something that once felt like a mountain, but is now just a molehill?   

I am going to go with Paul's retirement.  Yikes, I was so nervous about it.  Could envision us simultaneously strangling each other after too much togetherness.  But it has been great.  The first months took some adjustment but we did just that - adjusted!!  While we still do most everything together, PC has rediscovered his love of fishing and will go fishing and to his baseball games without me.  And then gives us a little time apart.

4. Let's play this or that-fall foods edition. Yes, you have to choose. 

• pumpkin spice latte or chai latte:  pumpkin spice latte because I can have chai latte the rest of the year
• apple cider or hot chocolate:  hot chocolate, especially Mexican hot chocolate using this recipe.  

• stew or chili:  never have had a taste for stew.  When I eat it, I always seem to get a bite of really tough stew meat that I about choke on.  Chili is much more easier/eater friendly.  I have a whole Pinterest board for soup, chili and stew. Used to do an autumn soup and chili blog hop every year.  Maybe I need to revive that for 2026?  One of my favorite chili recipes calls for bourbon and maple syrup.  It is soooo good!!  

• sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole:  sweet potato casserole, please.  The way my mama made it.  So many great flavors and textures in one side dish.   
• butternut squash soup or creamy mushroom soup:  absolutely butternut squash soup.  Preferably in a bread bowl at Panera.  But if not, then I have recently discovered I can order the soup at Walmart with some crusty bread and enjoy it at home.

 

• cranberry sauce or gravy:  cranberry sauce for the win.  My mom made some pretty yummy cranberry salad with whole berries, carrots, celery and nuts.  Oh, my, it was delicious.  Refreshing.  I have Mom's recipe box.  Wonder if I have the recipe for it and her sweet potato casserole? 

5. Sum up your September in a sentence or two.  

September was a weekend getaway to the mountains, lots of fishing, crafting and decorating for fall, praying for PC's hip replacement surgery and recovery, many good moments loving and being loved by my family.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

We were anticipating 3 days of rain starting today, 09.28 at noon.  But the rain was 6 hours late in arriving and has just begun in the last hour.  It will be spinoff from Hurricane Polo coming out of the California Baja straight for El Paso!!  And it appears that all of the weather models are showing basically the same thing. 

Last week, we had what we call our 'monsoon' season which usually falls in early July or late October.  A number of roads flooded, there were sink holes, collapsed roofs, and water-saturated rock walls that fell in.  Hoping we don't have an absolute deluge but instead a few hours of gentle rain each day.

Anticipating this storm has made me anxious.  Will be glad to be on the other side of it.  

Let's change course a minute before I call this a post.

Wednesday Quotes:  Elegance

When I read Kym's prompt - elegance - for Wednesday Quotes this week, it got me started thinking.  What is elegance?  And I thought about it for several days before writing my thoughts here.

When you hear the word elegance, does a particular person come to mind?  I associate elegance with Audrey Hepburn, Princess Grace Kelly, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.  I don't necessarily think you have to be royal to be elegant but it probably doesn't hurt!!  Those Royals are groomed to be elegant from their first breath.  

 Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.

~ Audrey Hepburn 

But I don't think elegance can be reduced to a certain look or style of dress.  It is a combination of so many things...perhaps its greatest characteristic of all is a self confidence, a comfort in one's own skin, poise, an authenticity.  Elegant people carry themselves comfortably through all situations.  They are polished.  

Elegance is not being noticed, it's about being remembered.

~ Giorgio Armani

I did a little research into the universally accepted definition of elegance and found this AI synthesis of the word.  

Elegance means the quality of being graceful, stylish, and refined in appearance, manner, or design.  

[source] 

And then a WikiHow article popped up in my search results, "A Beginner's Guide to Being a Classy, Elegant Woman" by Jamila Musayeva.  I decided to read over the steps and if being elegant didn't require too much of me, I would give it a go.  The author suggests there are 3 methods for becoming elegant:  

1. Acting classy and elegant: maintaining graceful body language, treating others with courtesy, giving heartfelt compliments, keeping your composure, being authentic
2. Developing personal elegance:  keeping up with current events, expanding your perspective, being a good listener and communicator, resolving conflicts effectively, minding your language and the company you keep
3. Looking elegant:  practicing good hygiene, wearing classic clothing and neat hair styles, applying natural makeup, accessorizing simply

Sounds like work.  I am pretty good about being courteous to others, can be a good listener and I shower regularly.  But I don't keep my composure well, have been known to say a curse word or two when I am really frustrated, and you've seen my hair - bird's nest.

So, I agree with this quote:

I admire those people who hold on to their elegance in old age but I'd rather have fun.

~ Heather Graham

Yeah, me, too, Heather.  I'd rather have fun. 

Your Turn

What are you doing to welcome fall/spring into your world?  If you are in the northern hemisphere, have you indulged in anything pumpkin flavored yet?  When you think of elegance, who comes to mind?  Won't you let me know in a comment below. 

Wishing you a peaceful end of the week.  Thank you for being my friend!!

Hugs and kisses,