Wednesday Hodgepodge #650

I think I've only participated in the Wednesday Hodgepodge once before but, I've been feeling a little uninspired blogging wise, so I thought I would link up this week. The Hodgepodge is hosted by Joyce at From This Side Of the Pond and, according to her blog, this is number 650. That's amazing! Find Joyce here.

1. April 22nd is Earth Day...what's the most 'out of this world' place on earth you've ever visited? Tell us something about it.

I've had the opportunity to visit a few "out of this world" places. Some of them have been here in Canada. Did you know we had deserts in Canada? In the photo on the left, I'm at the Carcross Desert in the Yukon in August 2019. In the photo on the right I'm at the Great Sand Dunes in southern Saskatchewan. Both of these places are incredible!

 

Another "out of this world" place I've been to is Craters of the Moon Park near Taupo, in New Zealand. This place was filled with craters, steam, and bubbling mud. It felt other worldly for sure.

 

As for a less common "out of the world" place, I've also been to Mongolia. My dad and I did a trip on the TransSiberian Railway one summer and had a stop in Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia. We hired a driver for the day and they took us out into the countryside. We ended up riding camels in the desert and it was such a memorable experience! Did you know that edelweiss grow in Mongolia?!

I feel so fortunate to have visited so many "out of this world" places.

2. A favorite quote, verse, or song lyric with the word earth in it?

I love the hymn "For the beauty of the earth." 

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.  

3. What's the most trivial thing about which you have a strong opinion?

Hanging out laundry! I think hanging out laundry is very important and, as Dave would tell you,I think there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to do it! 

4. What's your most commonly used kitchen utensil or tool? What's the last thing you made using that tool?

I have two, larger, stainless steel, serving spoons which my parents bought me years ago. They are so handy and I use them all the time. I can't remember the last time I used them but we tend to pull them out for pasta, salads, rice dishes -- we use them A LOT!

5. Marilyn (Memphis Bridges) gave me a great book of 3000 questions, and I'm going to try to use one in our Hodgepodge every week. Here is today's - 

What is your greatest extravagance?

My greatest extravagance in terms of money is travelling, especially Disney cruises!

 

My greatest extravagance in terms of time is reading. I spend a lot of time reading.

My greatest extravagance in terms of time and money is baseball, especially seeing my Blue Jays.

My daily (little) extravagance is flowers and Coke. I enjoy a Coke almost every single day and I almost always have some kind of flower around so that probably adds up to a greater extravagance than I realize.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

WHY is is still snowing?!?!? I want to enjoy our backyard and it's too cold. I'm ready for some spring warmth. Instead, I'm still wearing mittens. Grrrrrr. Although today might be warmer. Here's hoping...

Thank you Joyce for hosting a fun link up. I'll look forward to reading other posts while I wait for Rachel to have her annual dance photos taken tonight.