1. What pets did you have while growing up? Tell us a little something about them.
When I was little my father decided to build a pigeon coupe in our back yard and he acquired several pigeons. Back then there were only four of us siblings and we each chose a pigeon for our pet. My pigeon was Green Neck because it had a lovely iridescent green neck. Creative name…not so much. We frequently fell on lean times back in the 50’s and during an exceptionally hard time my mother and father killed some of the pigeons to make soup. Oh the trauma the four of us siblings felt when we realized our pets were the base of the soup we were suppose to eat for dinner. We rebelled and would not eat that soup! My poor parents, it must have been hard for them to be forced to take such drastic measures to feed us. I’m not fond of pigeons anymore. We now call them rats with wings.
Other then these pigeons we really did not have pets growing up. It was hard enough to feed 8 children without adding a dog or cat to be fed.
The photo above is of me and my siblings before four more were added. These are the four whose pigeons were sacrificed for broth. I was seven and the youngest when my next sibling was born and then another, rounding up to 8 when twin siblings were born when I was 12.
2. What is one thing you absolutely must accomplish today?
Putting the clean sheets, duvet cover and pillow cases back on the bed!
3. Where were you ten years ago? What were you doing there?
Ten years ago Dear and I were living in Camarillo, California while Dear was working for a company in Thousand Oaks. It was during the time that we lived in Camarillo that I started my blog. Here’s my blog post from that day where I asked for prayer for our eldest who was in an emergency room in Tacoma after he became disoriented and had slurred speech. It was so hard being 1200 miles away.
4. September 26th is National Dumpling Day. Did you celebrate? Apple dumpling, xiao long bao (steamed Chinese dumpling), chicken and dumplings, pirogi, matzoh balls, or gnocchi…which dumpling on this list would be your dumpling of choice? Have you ever made homemade dumplings of any kind?
We did not celebrate dumpling day…
…But I have made Pelemeny with my family which I call Russian dumplings.
These are filled with a combination of ground chicken, lamb or beef. Recipe here.
5. ‘There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find an adventure and those who go secretly hoping they don’t.’ William Trogdon
So which kind are you? I’m all for an adventure!
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Here’s a little color from the beginning of Autumn around this old house. This is our Forsythia Bush.
Linking up to Wednesday Hodgepodge with Joyce From This Side of the Pond. Thanks Joyce for coming up with the questions.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Oh poor you and the pigeons; I can feel your pain. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for your parents. Those Russian dumplings look delicious. B x
What a precious photo of you and your siblings. So sad about the pigeons, though. Childhood can be very traumatizing! Those dumplings look so delicious. I’m not very adventurous these days, but I have been on quite a few 🙂 xx K
…nice to see you all in your Sunday Best!
Oh, Ellen, what a story! How upsetting for your parents to realize they sacrificed your pigeons in vain since you wouldn’t eat the soup!
Love the picture of you and your siblings. So precious!
Hello, the pigeon story is sad. It must have been very hard on your parents. The first sibling photo is adorable. I have never tried making dumplings. Great answers and post. Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!
Howdy Happy Wonderer!
I’m visiting from Joyce’s Hodgepodge today. I can imagine the horror you and your siblings felt. Kids don’t understand what parents have to do sometimes to make sure they are cared for completely. You certainly came from a big family. My mother has six younger siblings. She was born in 1945 (southern WV) and grew up in the 50s like you. My uncle kept pigeons. He trained them to carry messages. I thought that was really neat. I enjoyed reading your answers to these questions. Have a good day and it was nice meeting you. 🙂
Curious as a Cathy
not-so Wordless Wednesday + Hodgepodge
Hmmm, my link didn’t work. Here’s it again…http://curiousasacathy.com/2017/09/red-barns-ww/
Ellen, you are always on adventures & I enjoy your tales from them!
Always enjoy learning more about you.
I’m the adventure kind too. : )
Oh, the pigeon story . . . how sad for everyone involved! We never know what sacrifices we will need to make. And yet, those experiences are a part of who we are.
Indeed, you are adventurous, my friend! My non-adventurous self loves to vicariously experience your adventures! 😀
The Russian dumplings look delicious. I love Autumn and your yard is looking very nice with fall color. Hope your day is nice.
Those poor pigeons – sacrificed for nothing. I don’t think I would have eaten the soup either. My hubby is the eldest of eight and his family never had pets either but fortunately they didn’t have to resort to pigeon soup although his Dad would spend all day Saturday doing the weekly shop finding all the bargains he could.
The pigeon story reminded me that my parents slaughtered one of our bunnies once. It is so hard to believe that now I almost wonder if I imagined it. =) That is such a cute photo of the four of you!
The Russian dumplings look delicious. It’s interesting that different countries have their own way of making them. Suet dumplings cooked in stews helped to make a meal go further when I was a child in the 1950s. More recently I had fun learning how to make steamed dumplings with the help of some Chinese friends.
The pelemeny look delicious (is that pelelmenies in the plural?)…. but even better is the family cooking them together. You started blogging about the same time I did . .. sometimes it seems like a lifetime ago and sometimes it seems like yesterday! Thanks for the link back to post #1 and I’m glad things worked out there — what a scary time that must have been.
Love the photo in #1, your family ended up being quite large. Nothing like clean sheets. Those dumplings look delicious!
OH! Ellen this was such a fun read, I am sorry it took me so long to get here, it has been a very busy week at the farm! Loved the photo of you and your siblings,as the story of the pigeons, I can only imagine the sadness you all felt!
Your dumplings look absolutely scrumptious, thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Sue