Reckoning with the Hodgepodge

The Hodgepodge is always a force to be reckoned with! So join up. What are you waiting for?

1.  Are you a force to be reckoned with? In what way?
Ask my boys whenever they're getting into trouble.

2. What are two things you love about the wintertime? Or, if love feels like too strong a word, what are two things you 'like' about winter? 
I like my fireplace.

And I like that I can wear boots and scarves all the time. I'm sure that will get old, but since I only got to wear them once or twice a year in Florida, I'm enjoying it for now. We no longer have our Christmas tree up, by the way, but this is the only picture I have of our fireplace.

3. Pomegranate, kumquat, persimmon, kiwi, and guava are all fruits said to have health benefits, particularly during the winter months. Do you have a favorite on the list? Are there any on the list you haven't tried? 
I believe I've mentioned before that I like kumquat because I like saying kumquat. I've never actually tasted one; I just like the word. I also like rutabaga.

Rutabaga is not a fruit, by the way, but since I was talking about food words that I liked, I mentioned it.

And now my boys have ruined the word kumquat for me because they're calling it "kumsquat" which is not nearly as pleasant to say. Or picture.

4. I passed a local church yesterday and noticed they had this on their outdoor sign- 'When all else fails, do the right thing.' Your thoughts?
If you do the right thing in the first place, perhaps all else would not fail. 

5. Do you ski? According to one list I've seen, the top 5 ski destinations for 2014 are-St. Anton Austria, Whistler Canada, Cortina Italy, Tahoe USA, and Zermatt Switzerland.  Of the five listed, which would you most like to visit? We can make skiing optional if that helps the non-skiers with their answer. 
If those are the top destinations they'd probably be more crowded than I'd care for, and since I've never done any skiing, and since I would feel obligated to ski if I traveled to a ski destination, I would not care to ski down a hill on my face in front of that many people, so I'm not going.

6.  What's the last thing you looked for online? (Besides my blog!)
My blog.

7. What saying, slogan, quote, or motto have you seen lately that inspires you for the new year?

A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice. --Bill Cosby 

I'm not sure it inspired me, but it made me smile and nod.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 
I don't always wear matching socks.