Leaves fall, like sand through the hour glass….

Another month come and gone…  and this week's Hodgepodge asks questions about the good and the bad of September running out of time.    Read on.  Feel free to respond.

1.  Are the leaves turning color where you live?  Have they begun to fall?  Will you have to rake when it's all said and done?  Is that a chore you love or loathe? 

Here in my little part of the world we do not have a lot of maple trees so we don't see the majestic colors that come with sunny days and cold nights.   We get some leaves falling, yes, but not as many as other areas.  Right now the acorns are dropping from the mighty oaks.  Sometimes it's like rain, and I swear the squirrels enjoy aiming them at passer-bys!

Raking?  There will come a time later in fall when some raking is required.  Sometimes I prefer to get the blower out instead.   We have a river house with tall pines around it and they drop a ton of pine needles as they prepare for winter.  So, I rake them up and put them in bedding areas.

I love doing any outdoors work… so raking and blowing are activities I enjoy.

2.  When did you last shake like a leaf? 

When it comes to fear, it's been a long time because I don't put my self in situations that frighten me.

Oh,  I will say I have been known to 'shake like a leaf' when I'm really cold.  My body doesn't like cold weather.


3.  After 20 season with the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter played his last official game Sunday afternoon.  Jeter has been described as a 'class act', both on and off the field.  The NFL is back in action this month too, with several players in that sport making the headlines.  What are your thoughts on athletes as role models?  Should a professional athlete be expected to act as a role model or is that going beyond their job description?  What responsibility do the organizations these athletes work for have when it comes to dealing with off field behavior?  Discuss. 

Well, I could write a long post on this subject but I will try to keep it short for the Hodgepodge.  First,  I think everyone, an athlete or someone in any other profession, should do their best to live their lives as a role model to young people.  We all have a responsibility to our youth. And, if we are Christians we  have rules to follow and are told "to love each other as ourselves."  We do this in response to the graceful love of God.

There is a difference between being a role model and being a "hero"…  and many athletes fall short on that term.   I admire Derek Jeter, and Cal Ripken Jr., and Drew Brees, and…  the list can go on and on. There are many wonderful athletes who behave, who give back, who keep their heads on straight.   Unfortunately, the ones who don't are the ones who make the headlines.   If these players were in another line of work, the behavior would not be front page news.   So, it's not fair to them too I suppose.  But, working in a high recognition field puts them out there.  They sign up for it!

I am a bit confused on where I come down on how organizations should handle off field behavior.   If it comes out as fact that a player has broken a law, then management must respond and let the justice system take over.  If it's "antics" that are unbecoming, but during off hours, I think organizations can certainly talk with the player.  I suppose it depends on what was in the contract from the "git go".   If a player signs a contract about bad behavior then they must face the consequences.

4.  What season of the year is toughest for you in terms of your health?  Why? 

As I mentioned in Question #2, my body does not like cold weather!  So, I can definitely say winter is my worst season in terms of my health.  I tend to stay indoors because it's cold, so I do not get as much physical activity. (No gardening, walking, golfing, etc.)   I am more likely to catch a cold during winter.  Again… indoors with others, heat on, blowing & spreading germs.   I also suffer from light deprivation.  I need sunshine and long days!

5.  The top six healthy food trends of 2014 according to 'Eating Well' are - 

*Clean eating  (more vegetables, less meat sodium, limit alcohol and processed food)
*Trash fish  (you know those fish that get caught in fishermen nets and are thrown back?  Chefs are finding creative ways to make them more appetizing.)
*Cauliflower  (this year's 'it' vegetable)
*Kaniwa  (essentially baby quinoa)
*Fermentation  (think pickling with twists on flavor we're not accustomed to.)
*Community supported food (farms operated with community support/membership.)

Okay - so how many of the hot healthy food trends of 2014 have you experienced, encountered, enjoyed?  Any you've tried and said ew?  Any on the list you'd like to try before year's end? 

First let me say, I am NOT a "foodie" so I don't care much about trends and trying new things just for the sake of trying them.     Of the list above, I think I may follow the "clean eating" way to healthy food.  I prefer less processed food in general…    but limit my wine?   ha!   NO!!!!  

Of the other trends on the above list, I have just discovered quinoa on salads…  so I'm late to that one.   I've never been a big fan of cauliflower. I'd much rather have a green vegetable.   I'm allergic to seafood so I can't eat good fish or trash fish.  And, I like my wine fermented - not my food!

6.  In seven words or less, bid September adieu. 

Please don't leave yet.

7.  What's something on your October calendar that makes you happy just thinking about it? 

Scroll down and read my post before this one and you will see that I am working on focusing on the good things that come in fall and winter because of my answers to #4.     Specifically in October I am looking forward to attending the wedding of one of my daughters's childhood friends.   She is getting married mid-October at Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, an absolutely beautiful spot!

This friend was practically part of our family when we lived in Sparta, NJ.  My daughter and she were best friends all through grade school and beyond.  She spent many hours at our house…and came along on family vacations.   It will be lovely to see her get married, all grown up, so beautiful!  

She is marrying a guy from Charleston so they decided to have the wedding down here….yeah!

And, because I am helping to plan my own daughter's April wedding it will be fun to experience a ceremony and reception to see what special things will happen.  I'm in that "wedding planner" mode.

8.  My random thought.  

My hubby is turning 60 years old on Saturday.  He does NOT want any hoopla, but we are having a family get-together and I have a couple of surprises up my sleeve.  I can't let the occasion go by without saying that it is amazing how when we met and married, and we knew it was "til death do us part" but still old age seemed so far away!   As Kenny Chesney sings "Don't blink"  because just like that time goes by and here we are.   As the song says we "turned into Mom and Dad, and watched our babies grow", and…as much as we'd like "to flip over the hourglass and start again"… we can only "take every breath God gives us for what it's worth."

Make your breaths count!  Have a GREAT day!