A HUGE Thank You!

I was recently nominated for a “Beautiful Blogger Award”! My first thought was,”People actually read my blog?!” Seriously, I am humbled by the recognition. Many, many thanks to Erin of Little Dutch Wife who nominated this site. Do yourself a favor and check out her blog which you will find full of warm and honest reflections on life, love and inspiring photography. What *are* her secrets? 😉

So this is how this works….First, I’m supposed to share seven random facts about myself and then I share 7 (10, 15?) sites which bring beauty into my daily life via the miracle of the internet. And for those I nominate, grab the “Beautiful Blogger” icon for your site, and then go forth and do the same! Please link back to my site so I can see who inspires you and we can share the goodness.

Random facts about myself? Hmmm…

1. I moved from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas, Texas, for a job and as a result lost nearly everything BUT FOUND MYSELF. Seriously. And yes, I am seriously grateful, but when I pass over to the Rainbow Bridge, you gotta know I am going to ask my HP if there wasn’t an easier way to learn these lessons. Ha!

2. I wish I had auburn red hair. It just seems so much more elegant and exciting than my regular old brown…so I dye it! Win!

3. Spring is my favorite season of the year.

4. I absolutely freaking love making things! Knitting/sewing/growing/cooking/painting/hammering/gluing makes me indescribably happy!

5. And the corollary to #4 is that although I may start with a pattern or directions, and although I have perfectly good intentions of following the directions through to the end….I always seem to wander off-course and end up with something completely unexpected. Sometimes it’s a Win and sometimes it’s an Epic Fail, but whatever it is, I made it! Whohoo!

6. My favorite place is my garden. Dirt under my nails is a wonderful thing.

7. I can still remember in vivid detail the barn from my childhood. I can distinctly recall the dust motes floating through the air, the warm fragrance of the hay, feel the smooth side of our milk cow while I milked her and the sound of her milk hitting the bottom of the pail. I must have been a weird kid because I absolutely loved being in the barn!

Now, enough about me: Onto the people whose blogs inspire me. Please check them out and give them some well-deserved love!
In no particular order….
1. Lightly Crunchy
I practically squeal with delight whenever I get a new post from Heidi’s blog! She combines beautiful photos with really charming stories about her family. And did I mention her recipes? Heidi posts fantastic recipes using the bounty of her massive garden. Time spent reading her blog is never wasted. 🙂

2. Pinch of Yum
This blog is about a young couple (Lindsay and Bjork) from Minneapolis that moved to the Philippines for one year to work in an orphanage. They post a combination of recipes and stories of the people they live and work among. I am awestruck by their commitment to walk their talk in an effort to make the world just a little bit better. (And their recipes are wonderful as well!)

3. From Seed To Table
Michelle is the author of this *very* inspiring gardening and cooking blog. She lives in a temperate zone along the California coast and as a result, has a long growing season. The quantity and quality of the bounty the pours out of her garden is staggering! Her photos are drool-worthy and enough to make everyone wish they could garden even if they have all brown thumbs.

4. Kmareka
Kiersten is a nurse and social worker and blogs about the side of life we would often like to forget about- the powerless. Sometimes she reblogs applicable commentary from other sites but no matter what she posts, it is honest and compassionate. I have learned so much from her insights and am grateful for the WordPress platform which gave me the opportunity to meet and share this kind person’s blog.

5. A Table In The Sun
Teresa is another blogger from California. She lives in Merced County with its long growing season and as such, shares the bounty of the land with her readers in beautiful recipes and glorious photographs. If you don’t have time for everything, at least check out her recipe for “Pineapple Cucumber Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing”. Trust me, you’ll be thanking me later for this link. 😉

6. New Heaven On Earth
Yvonne has created a blog of spiritual reflections that are simply beautiful. She combines her prose with spectacular photography to deliver simple truths about living a life of wonder and joy. In a world filled with “stuph”, this blog is a great reminder for me that the most important things in life aren’t things. Thank you, Yvonne.

7. A Place Called Love
This is a *gorgeous* blog by a woman from Palestine. Genie has created two blogs that are simply stunning. (Her other WordPress site can be found here: Palestine Rose ) I cannot say enough how much I love this blogger and what she offers to us, the viewer. She is on a brief break due to personal reasons. I hope she comes back soon and wish her every blessing.

Thank you again, Erin, for nominating my blog! May everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving, may your families all get along, may the turkey be moist, the gravy be free of lumps and the pumpkin pie and whipping cream spiked with rum! Okay, maybe not rum. It’s only one day out of the year and we can always diet tomorrow!