Taking the lead from my blogging friends, Todd Pack, Izzie Darling, and Lady Justine, here’s a list of the things I learned this year…if you want to read the full story on any of these lessons, search a keyword or click the appropriate tag in the sidebar:
1. Our dog thinks porcupine poop is dessert.
2. Hope loves Jake enough to share her toothbrush with him.
3. Homemade rolls don’t have to be “pretty” to taste good.
4. Egg cartons are not good containers to start plants indoors in.
5. Dogs love to destroy egg cartons with seedlings in them.
6. Jim’s parents are our biggest supporters.
7. Bleachers are hard things to sit on for more than a couple of hours.
8. I am really out of shape.
9. Seeing a toy from your childhood 40 years later brings you right back to that time in your life.
10. If the winter is mild enough, spinach from last year can survive.
11. Maple vinaigrette makes spinach salad a beautiful thing!
12. There’s no such thing as “too many bird feeders.”
13. Squirrels can do amazing tricks to get to a bird feeder.
14. Some people keep their toilet paper in the breadbox.
15. Mothers-in-law are often right.
16. More people in Saint John knew when the new Costco was opening than were aware of the city’s 225th birthday this year.
17. Rhubarb runs amok if left to grow unchecked.
18. Orthodontists make more per hour than most of us.
19. Sometimes plants get a lot bigger than the seed package says they will…my five-foot sunflowers ended up being seven or eight feet tall!
20. I like portobello mushroom/swiss veggie burgers.
21. Our dog enjoys eating Popsicle sticks.
22. Cosmopolitan was a literary magazine back in the early 1900’s.
23. There is only one kind of hummingbird which frequents New Brunswick: the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.
24. I love Mint Crisp M&M’s.
25. I learned what a “fisher” was, after seeing one cross the road in front of our car.
26. Before you construct a really big birdhouse, figure out where you’re going to put it and how to get it up there!
27. My dad’s a good singer, and I’m not the only one who thinks so!
28. They sell live ladybugs at Home Depot.
29. Right after you purchase twenty tomato plants, the forty you started from seed will rally.
30. Ladybugs aren’t always red with black spots…sometimes they’re brown with cream spots.
31. As long as they’re under warranty, Vogue Optical will replace glasses which have been chewed by a dog!
32. We have a cherry tree, and eight high-bush blueberries I’d never noticed before.
33. “Beaver Tails” are too expensive to buy now.
34. Hope really likes getting muddy.
35. Wallpaper is nearly impossible to find.
36. Hummingbirds are fearless.
37. The Chinese cabbage I planted is not the “head” type.
38. How to make good piecrust…the secret is lard.
39. Some people will ignore a sign that says: “Danger – Do Not Touch.”
40. Deer can be aggressive.
41. Organic broccoli often goes to seed faster than I can harvest it.
42. I love rutabaga!
43. I found out what “purslane” looks like.
44. It’s never a good idea to put a chicken burger into a toaster.
45. I don’t hate all sci-fi…I enjoy “Eureka.”
46. You can purchase a sailboat on the Internet.
47. Ripe canteloupe is not a good lunchbox food.
48. Picking things from the garden in the dark is really difficult.
49. I suck at “Musical Chairs.”
50. The blogging community is full of incredible people…I am so happy to have made their online acquaintances!
I’m looking forward to learning more in 2011!
Whew! That’s quite the list!
🙂
have a wonderful day, dearie!
glad I got to know you this year–what myriad blessings are those of a blogger’s!
🙂
jane
Thanks, Jane…I’m glad to have found you too!
Hugs,
Wendy
gee thanks mom (#2)
-Hope
It was already in my blog, Hope!
Hugs,
Mom
Great idea for a post, Wendy! I love the one about not putting a chicken burger in the toaster–will have tor read more about that!
Happy New Year,
Kathy
Glad you liked it, Kathy! Here’s the original post with the chicken burger story: https://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2010/09/06/sunday-seals-siamese-twins-and-sci-fi/ Wendy
You’ve learned a lot, Wendy! From reading this post, I’ve learned that I need to pay attention more to what I’ve learned 😉
Wishing you many more fabulous learning experiences in 2011!
It was fun to go through my archives and discover things that I didn’t know before, Amanda…I love learning new things! Wendy
How can you NOT notice 8 highbush blueberry bushes?! Seriously, is there anything more glorious? If those were in my yard they’d be the centerpiece with possibly even an alter constructed in their honor and for the blueberry gods. (I like them, can you tell?)
#2: Ew!
#36: They’re vicious too. :s
#44: LOL! Thanks. I won’t bother trying that. 😉
#50: Amen, sista!
Hi Koreen:
Funny story about the blueberry bushes (I’m pretty unobservant): https://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/surprise-surprise-surprise/
Hope actually did #44…some dummy who wasn’t paying attention told her they were waffles (that was me!).
Glad we found each other!
Wendy
Wow–and here I am, learning from your list of things you’ve learned. Nicely done. (Cosmo was a literary mag?)
Happy New Year to you, Wendy! May 2011 bring you much happiness and even more knowledge to share!
Yes, Maura…we actually had a couple of early Cosmos at the store from around the turn of the last century…no sex to be found!
Happy 2011 to you too!
Wendy
Love this post! I started thinking of all the things I learned this past year. Hmmm, maybe I will do the same.
It’s really fun, Renée…I just went through my archived posts, and pulled bits…
You’re another one of those people I’m glad to have found!
Wendy
I have no trouble believing that more people knew about Costco than knew about the anniversary of the city’s founding.
And I’m glad to know that about chicken burgers!
Years ago, Dave Barry discovered that strawberry Pop-Tarts, when left in a toaster that doesn’t pop up, will send flames like a blowtorch up to three feet high. I’m just passing that along so you don’t have to learn that lesson the hard way in 2011!
I wish I didn’t know about the chicken burgers, Todd! I hardly ever buy Pop-Tarts, so I think I’m safe from that one!
Wendy
You’ve had a grand year! Happy New Year!! Diane
Yes, it was pretty good, Diane! Glad I found you!
Hugs,
Wendy
Birdhouses and bird feeders are going to be my ‘thing’ for 2011, I feel. I need first to document the twenty or so that exist here already before embarking on my own!!
Wow…20 birdhouses already there…that’s amazing, Lady Justine! Have fun! Wendy
I love all these things that you’ve learned – you always make me smile. And I’m so glad to have found you in my cyber world! May 2011 be a wonderful year for you – it’s our year of special birthdays!
Sunshine xx
Thanks, Sunshine! I’m so happy to have found you too! 50 will be a lot more fun knowing I have a couple of people to share it with!
Hugs,
Wendy
Any poop is dessert for our shih tzu. She’d love something exotic like porcupine for sure.
Happy New Year!
What is it about little dogs loving poop? I’m sure Jake has sampled deer poop as well! Happy New Year to you too, Joey! Glad I found you!
Wendy
I’m still cringing about porcupine poop dessert. Ewww!
Jake is the only one dining on poop, Jane…the rest of us stick to traditional desserts like pie! LOL!
Glad I found you!
Wendy
What a clever idea.
Thanks, JoDee…wish I’d thought of it! Wendy
Loved your list Wendy. Looks like you’ve had a busy year learning. One of my favorite things to do is to learn new things. I’m working on learning Spanish these days.
I’ve never put a chicken pattie in the toaster but once when I was young I decided to warm up my cold peanut butter toast in the toaster and started it on fire. Not cool!
I’m not fond of Jake’s dessert choices. Maybe he’ll try something new in 2011. My in-laws dog used to eat the peas from the garden.
Thanks, Jeanne…glad you enjoyed it! Good luck with the Spanish…I know a little bit of French, but my kids are bilingual. Peas would be far too normal for Jake to eat… Glad I found you this year! Wendy
What a great list. These are the types of posts that are just pure fun to write aren’t they? And yes, deer can be aggressive!
Thanks, Clay…it was really fun to go through the archives! I’ve been in more than one “argument” with a doe…I always win, though! Wendy P.S. Did you get my note the other day about George MacDonald Fraser? WordPress e-mail notification hasn’t been working well for me…will resend if you didn’t!
This was so much fun! I feel like you’ve handed me a basket full of goodies and i can pick anything anytime I want. So, I did! And have really enjoyed my cuppa with you this morning. Happy New Year and thanks for the wonderful treats.
Nancy
This was fun to write, Nancy…I just went through the archives and picked out pertinent points! So glad you’re back! Love, Wendy
What a busy year you’ve had! Thanks for sharing your memories with the online world — looking forward to reading more in the new year!
Thanks, Debbie…glad you stopped by…please check out my archived posts if you have time! Wendy
When I got to #44 my husband said, because…..? He ended with “the toaster caught on fire.”
Fun list, not sure what I’m posting at the end of year.
Glad I found you, Jeanne.
Actually, there was no fire, Jeanne (thank goodness!)…I had put the chicken burgers in an unlabeled bag in the freezer (chucked the box to save space). Hope had asked me (while I was doing something else) if those were waffles, and I said “Uh-huh” the way moms do when we just want the kids to stop bugging us. The next morning, Hope decided to make “waffles” for herself and her friend who spent the night (it was Saturday – I was upstairs sleeping in)…when I came down, I had a big mess to clean out of my toaster! Glad I found you too! Wendy
Wow…porcupine poop huh?
I was not aware of the potential delicacy of Mint Crisp M&M’s…perhaps I’ll have to seek those out, but I highly doubt that we’ll be finding them in Iqaluit.
I fully agree with #50. Since I only started writing my blog this summer, I’ve met a lot of wonderful people…yourself included. It’s great to be a part of such a lovely community!
But seriously? Porcupine poop? Yikes…
Happy New Year!
I’m not sure if those M&M’s are widely available…I’ve only seen them once…found them at the Great Canadian Dollar Store where we went foraging for movie snacks. After some Google searching, I found this link: http://candyaddict.com/blog/2008/04/14/candy-review-indiana-jones-mint-crisp-mms/ Apparently, I was eating two-year-old candy this summer! Yikes… (not as bad as porcupine poop, though!). Glad I met you and Ian too…Happy 2011! Wendy
wait, mint crisp m&m’s…I did not get the memo on that.
Why did the fisher cross the road?
Hi Oma: I found through Google research that the mint crisp M&M’s were a special release to promote the Crocodile Dundee movie release in 2008 (see link in my response to Suzanne, above). I had them this summer, but haven’t seen them again! Re: the fisher…to get to the other side? Wendy
Okay, just reading down the list and a few comments:
Some people keep their toilet paper in the bread box. Did you really mean THE breadbox and not A breadbox?
I am from a place (Kentucky) where practicality is often called Redneck, but toilet paper in the bread box is a new one on me.
Nice to meet you! Loved the blog!
http://timkeen40.wordpress.com
Thanks for stopping by, Tim! I suspect you’re as anal about grammar as I am…I think I like you! You are correct…I should have used “a” instead of “the.” Here’s a link to the original post: https://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/a-day-of-solitude/ Will visit your place to check it out… Wendy
Wow! I’m impressed by all that you have learned this year. Your list is wonderfully entertaining as always. Glad to have met you online, too, Wendy! Here’s to learning more fantastic things in 2011. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Laura…glad to have found you too! Happy New Year to you and your family! Wendy
I LOVED your list. #4 and then #5 cracked me up. I bet this was fun for you to write. It sure was fun to read. 🙂 Happy New Year, Wendy!
Thanks, Vickie…glad you enjoyed it! It was quite easy to write…I just went through the archives and picked stuff I didn’t know before!
Happy New Year to you too!
Wendy
Great list, Wendy! #35 surprises me the most. I don’t have any idea why that is.
I am glad to have joined your blog community this year. Looking forward to an entertaining 2011 from you and your beautifully chaotic life. 🙂
Thanks, Hippie…it seems that people just aren’t using wallpaper any more…I can see why!
“Beautifully chaotic life”…descriptive and accurate!
Glad you’re one of my peeps!
Wendy
Great post and a great list!! I must remember to make mine this year!
I think Vogue Opticals deserve a medal for their approach to dog-chewed spectacles 🙂 I have no idea why people would store toilet paper in the bread box!!
I agree, the Blogging world is indeed full of wonderful people and I’m glad I found several of them this year , including you 😀
Hugs and Cheers to a great 2011!! H.
Hi Harsha: Glad you enjoyed it! My in-laws put the toilet paper in the breadbox at the cottage to keep the mice from eating it! I’m glad to have found you too! Happy 2011! Hugs, Wendy
LOL…the mice, of course!! Why didn’t I think of that?!
What a fun and fascinating list, and great idea for a post 🙂 Here’s to learning even more in 2011, happy new year!
Thanks, Emily…it was fun to write…I just went through the archives! Happy New Year to you and Sweet too! Wendy
These are fun and funny. Trying to come up with a few myself feels like playing Jeopardy where the answer comes before t he question.
I guess don’t know what a fisher is and am smiling at the thought of you playing musical chairs. I hated that game as a child. Too much pressure.
Hi Colleen: Here’s the original post (with a photo) where I talk about seeing the fisher: https://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/monday-mishmash/ And here’s the one in which I lose at Musical Chairs (again with photo…you’re welcome!): https://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2010/10/31/master-carvers-a-masquerade-and-some-minor-mishaps/ Thanks for stopping by! Wendy
Amazing list. I did not know Home Depot sold Lady Bugs–I did know hummingbirds were fearless. You can work on your musical chair skills this year…
♥