Awards and Links to Some Very Good Blogs

Welcome two new followers, Marian Vodyanova from Russia and Ron Joe White.


I was honored to get awards at the end of the A to Z Challenge but then I ran out of steam and failed to pass these two awards to along: 

I got the Stylish Blogger Award from Julie, a new blogger friend I met during the challenge, and I want to pass it along to:
Bobbi and Gracie at http://gracieownsme.blogspot.com
texwisgirl at http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com
Sandy at http://flyingwg.blogspot.com
Syliva at http://homesteadhope.blogspot.com
Kim at http://lifeatgoldenpines.blogspot.com

Then I received The Versatile Blogger Award from Sarah Makela, another new friend I met during the challenge. I want to forward this award to:
Liesl at A Little African Magic
Lori at http://skoogfarm.blogspot.com
Kittie at http://kittiehoward.blogspot.com
Nancy at A Rural Journal
Dawn at http://dawn-dancingintherain.blogspot.com
The Golden Eagle at http://thegoldeneaglesblog.blogspot.com

Thank you Julie and Sarah for these two awards. Those I listed above are but a few of the blogs I love to visit. Please check them out along with Julie's and Sarah's blogs; I know you will enjoy them all. 


Yes, I know I'm now supposed to tell you things about myself and I was, honestly, trying when Google Chrome crashed as I was uploading photos for this purpose. I wanted to tell you some of my favorite things, which would tell you, in turn, something more about me. I have an idea about what I want to do, but I'm running out of steam again, so next week, OK?


Thanks again Julie and Sarah and have a great weekend everyone.

Welcome More New Followers, an Award, and Five Things About Me

First, let me welcome five new followers and then send the first of the awards I received after the A to Z Challenge ended out to five wonderful and creative bloggers. I will also show you five photos that give some background to who I am and where I'm from. 
http://lafotografiaefectistaabstracta.blogspot.com Loevi blogs in Spanish, but it doesn't matter much because her blog is about abstract photography. There you can see the most beautiful photos and so much creativity that it's a joy to visit. It is a pleasure for me to give Loevi the Kreativ Blogger Award, I received from Munir.
http://blog.sarahmakela.com I feel a connection to Sarah, whose blog I found during the challenge. Sarah, who is married to a Finn, wrote posts about creatures of folklore, mythology and the paranormal during the challenge. Like me, she has a strong love for wolves. I would like to give the Kreativ Blogger Award to Sarah also. I should mention that Sarah gave me a Versatile Blogger Award that I will accept in a future post.
http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com Lyn lives in Sydney, Australia and writes Christian devotionals and articles, and loves all things creative.
Welcome Doreen -- I'm sure I read your blog, Doreen, so you must have left a comment on mine. As it is, you didn't leave a link on your Google Friend Connect form, so I can't link back to her blog here.
http://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com Elizabeth is a mother of four and a writer of novels and children's books. Elizabeth's blog reaches out and makes you feel welcome, as if you were friends with her for along time. Elizabeth is the woman who handed out the Zebra Award to all 1200 plus of us who finished the A to Z Challenge. With all that and four kids, I say "Wow!" Elizabeth, please accept the Kreativ Blogger Award and thank you.


I have told you so much about myself, I thought I would go back in time and show you a five things/places you may not have seen before.

I was born on the longest day of the year in Stockholm, Sweden, in the troubled year 1940. I was born under an almost midnight sun, perhaps like in this picture, taken around 10:00 p.m. The tower to the left is City Hall, the other spires are from the three great churches in Old Town. The bridge is the Western Bridge and, as you can see, we grow up around boats there.

I was baptized in Katarina Church, the one in the picture at the top of the cliffs.

As a teenager, I loved to hang out in jazz clubs, deep in the cellars of Old Town. Stockholm celebrated its 700th birthday in 1955 and some buildings here go back that far; the streets are cobblestone and the atmosphere is wonderful.

If I were to go back again, my favorite pastime would be to lie down in a meadow like this and watch the clouds go by overhead, while

perhaps eating some wild strawberries and listening to the birds sing their familiar Swedish bird songs.

I accepted this award from Munir http://focusthroughalens.blogspot.com
on May 4th, but then I got sick and couldn't follow through with forwarding it and letting you know five things about myself. 


It is very difficult to give out awards. I know everyone who blogs regularly deserves one. I want to give this award to five very creative bloggers:


Loevi: http://lafotografiaefectistaabstracta.blogspot.com
Sarah:  http://blog.sarahmakela.com 
Elizabeth: http://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com
Manzanita: http://beajayblock.blogspot.com
Nordis: http://nordisfotohobby.blogspot.com

Please visit these blogs, they are really, really great. And thank you again, Munir.


As for my health, I am over the cold and cough that fractured my vertebrae. The fracture still has to heal but I don't need to see a specialist unless the pain gets worse. So far it seems to be getting better. I am still taking pain medicine at night and resting mixed with being up and about. So it is looking pretty good right now. Thanks for all your good thoughts and wonderful comments. 


Oh, Jim, you didn't read my A to Z Challenge, where the letter P went like this: P is for Pippi Birdie, Parakeet. It tells the story of another rescued parakeet and how Pippi came to live with us.

An Award and Many Links.

First let me welcome four new followers of Desert Canyon Living, an international group of people, I'm happy say: Cathy from Australia, Carmen and Alfonso from Spain, Catherine from France, and Ed and Mona from the Philippines. I have enjoyed reading Ed and Mona's blog about dogs for a while and I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you.

I got this Stylish Blogger Award from my friend Hopeful whose blog http://homesteadhope.blogspot.com I always enjoy reading. Thank you so much for this fabulous award!

I happily accept the award and in order to do so, I have to first link back to the person who gave me the award, which I did above. Then I must tell you seven things about myself that you may not know. I picked some less serious things and here they are:

1. I recently read that Kim of Golden Pines is 6 ft tall. Great I thought, a fellow tall woman. I was once 6 feet tall, as well, now I think I'm about five eleven and a half. We do shrink, so it's good to be ahead of the game.

2. I now live in the desert mountains of California, but I love the ocean and all waters. My husband and I sailed for many years and had a boat in Marina del Rey, California.

3. I love my dogs and dogs in general, but I have a great admiration for cats. I like that they are so easy to live with and I love their calming nature as they snuggle and purr on your lap, your chest, or wherever they decide they want to be. I have lived with many cats, Sindbad was my last. He died in 2006 at the age of 18.

4. My favorite sport as a young person was speed skating and I was pretty good at it. I also liked to ride horses.

5. Donkeys are my favorite animals. I have never met an animal so smart, so kind, so fun, so loving, so protective, and on and on. 

6. While I don't love to cook and I don't have that magic touch, I can make some pretty good meals, as evidenced by the chicken I so bragged about a couple of blog posts away.

7. I love to play Scrabble, other games, solve crosswords, puzzles, and quizzes.

Now I'm supposed to share this award with 15 bloggers. What a difficult task. I decided to forward it to a few new blogger friends and some older ones that I believe I never shared an award with earlier. Some of you may have already received this award, if so just take mine without following all the above directions:

1. nordisfotohobby.blogspot.com
2. negerigeletschtempoit.blogspot.com
3. gowestferalwoman.blogspot.com
4. monirae.blogspot.com
5. corgisinmygarden.blogspot.com
6. http://dawn-dancingintherain.blogspot.com
   
7. http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com
   
8. www.jp-homeinthehollow.com
   
9. a-rural-journal.com
   
10. http://gallimaufrylife.blogspot.com
11. http://skoogfarm.blogspot.com
    
12. http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com
    
13. http://judyscornerstore.blogspot.com
14. http://gracieownsme.blogspot.com
15. http://fadedroseschris.blogspot.com

An Award and Four Great Blogs!

First, I'd like to welcome Daniel Pascau, a new follower of my blog. My blog following is getting more and more international and, being somewhat international myself, I'm very much enjoying that.

Since I'm still kind of banged up and my husband and Samson are still here and we have to run around a lot to see doctors and such, I'm skipping my regular Tuesday and Wednesday features this week. I should be back next week to show you a treasure on Tuesday and, hopefully, on Wednesday, talk about this incredible book I just finished reading called: Strength In What Remains. That's one of those books that you will never forget, so I hope I can do it justice by then.

Instead I would like to accept an award today. It was given to me a few weeks ago by Cat, who has a great blog: http://egginmypocket.blogspot.com Cat actually mentioned that she likes my Wednesday's Book – and, you know how it is, you get a bit insecure about some things, in my case, writing about books, and then…..

Thank you so much Cat for this fine award.

This award comes with the following:

Why do I blog?

 How do I choose topics?

 Pass the award on to three people.

I started to blog because some friends did. Before I began, I was worried about giving up too much of my privacy. Then, a friend of mine, who has a wonderful blog, wrote an email and told me how she saw blogging and what it had done for her. And I was convinced. On the plus-side, I thought at the time it would give me a chance to be more creative with my camera and my writing. Little did I know that I would make such wonderful and supportive friends on the blogs. And that sharing my adventures and misadventures with them, as well as reading about theirs, would be so rewarding, helpful, and just plain fun.

My Tuesday's Treasures & Things I sort of stole from Jabacue up in Nova Scotia, who has a recurring Saturday theme of Retro stuff with beautiful pictures of dishes, books, and other wonderful things. And Wednesday's Books I started because I wanted to work on improving my writing skills and also ensure that I paid attention to any book that I am reading. Enough so that I can later write about it and make sense of it.

Other subjects just seem to materialize: Dogs never stop their antics, wildflowers bloom in the spring, rabbitbrush in the fall, the canyon is full of rocks, ruins, old abandoned trucks, coyotes, bobcats, rattlesnakes, and many other wild critters. There are trips to town, yard work, physical therapy, hiking, walks with dogs, and on and on. To outsiders, it may look like I'm living a boring life here all by myself with two dogs (most of the time), but I am never bored, there is always something going on here worth living through, photographing, and writing about.

 I would like to forward this award to:

Hopeful http://homesteadhope.blogspot.com for her wonderful blog about creating a simpler and more rewarding life. Despite serious setbacks, I feel her blog is about HOPE and I enjoy being inspired by that hope.

Sophie http://fromsophiesview.blogspot.com Sophie's blog truly gives you a perspective on the world from a dog's point of view. A very fortunate dog, may I add, who is living the best dog life there is. You have to read her blog!

Polly of http://pollyspath.blogspot.com Polly is a great writer and a wise woman with a great sense of humor. She also owns the most adorable goats and, as I'm sure you can imagine, when you have goats there is no end to adventures and mishaps that make for a fun read.

Thanks again Cat. 

Thanks for visiting and for all your great comments.

Passing An Award Along From One Donkey Lover To Another

My friend, A. J. Oaks, whose blog A Little Farm With A Big Heart is indeed one of the most heartwarming blogs, created this lovely award and gave it to anyone of her followers who wanted to pick it up. I couldn't resist that sweet donkey face. Thank you!

I would like to pass this award along to Tina, whose blog  My World According To Me makes me smile every time I open it. Why? Because it has donkeys marching all over the top of it! If you haven't already, please check it out. Seriously though, Tina volunteers at a donkey rescue and her love and dedication to these wonderful animals shine through everything she does and writes about on her blog. She recently lost a donkey friend, Augusta, that she truly loved. It was sad to read her account of her time with Augusta, saying goodbye. But so good to know that Augusta had a friend who cared. And she knew....

I also want to say that I feel blessed to have connected to a community of bloggers who rescue, foster, raise money for, provide sanctuary to, or just plain love animals and do the best they can to help. Tina, I love your blog and I too love donkeys.

Part Two of: Two Awards and Let Me Tell You About My Friend

All the prayers, good thoughts, and good energy blogger friends and other friends sent to A Little Farm with a Big Heart made it, with the help of a kind inspector, work out OK. I f you haven't seen it yet, read about it here:  http://wwwaj-oaks.blogspot.com
I also got this sweet award from my friend a while back and this one had some fun questions you had to answer before you could accept it. Thank you so much for these two awards, my dear friend, I am very happy and honored to receive them and so happy that all worked out for you and the donkeys.

For this award, you had to answer these questions about yourself:

1. What would your prefect day consist of?
Sunshine on new snow, a long hike with hubby and dogs, good food, a roaring fire in the fire place, a cat purring in my lap, hugging a donkey and kissing a goat. And of course no more cruelty or neglect of our house pets, donkeys, horses, and all other animals.
2. How would you describe yourself if you were an item of clothing?
Jeans. Simple and tough, but also cool.
3. What hobbies are you currently working on?
Currently photography and blogging.
4. Walking in the woods in wellies or bare foot on the beach?
Walking in the woods.
5. Have you ever hugged or sang to a tree?
Hugged, yes, but my singing would scare any resident birds into flight, so no singing.
6. Growing your own veggies or nipping to the supermarket?
Growing my own would be ideal – farmers market a second choice.
7. Have you found anyone exciting in your family tree?
I found fortitude in my family tree. My husband has the exciting people in his.
8. Slap up meal in a posh restaurant or fish ‘n’ chips from the wrapper?
I would love some blackened catfish in a posh Louisiana restaurant, with that glorious New Orleans jazz playing in the background.
9. Which element do you most resonate with, Earth, Air, Fire or water?
Water.
10. Do you believe in fairies?
Of course, the deep woods in Sweden are full of fairies, elves, trolls, and giants.

This award went around to so many people that I want to pass it along to a dog: Sophie, the Labradoodle, who has a most wonderful blog:  http://fromsophiesview.blogspot.com
To me, her blog shows the world how a dog's life should be: freedom, love, digging, getting wet, running on the beach, playing with her dog friends, chasing balls, snoozing and all those good things.
And also to Sandra, who is helping dogs get lives like Sophie's. Sandra is a true animal lover, rescuer, and foster mom to many dogs while she works hard to find good forever homes for them. Sandra's blog: http://sandra-elephantlover.blogspot.com

Part One of: Two Awards and Let Me Tell You About My Friend

who blogs at http://wwwaj-oaks.blogspot.com/

The name of her blog is very appropriately: A Little Farm With a Big Heart. I think most of you are familiar with this blog, definitely one of the cutest and most heart-warming blogs around. And my friend, who is a staunch supporter of the welfare of all animals, also vents her anger and frustration at animal abuse, abandonment and other issues close to her heart on her blog.
Homeless animals of all kinds seem to find their way to this little farm and no one is ever turned away. My friend also has a real talent for finding animals in need of a good home, like those cats she got at the feed store. Never mind she already had about twenty cats at home (I don't know the exact number, but I know there are many). My friend has a very big heart and a huge capacity for love. I cried with her, from a distance, when she lost her beloved dog, Rose, and her bird Joey. I laugh with her, also from a distance, at the antics of all those kittens. And I love that she named her chickens after her good friends, and it just so happened that the one named after me, Little Inger, became the star of the chicken coop and the blog. 
You may not see this in the blog, but let me tell you that A Little Farm With a Big Heart is home to about 50 rescued animals, probably more now, with Little Inger and all those chickens.
And now someone has complained to the authorities that there are too many large animals at her farm!! See her blog post of June 1. I'm still fuming about this and I want my friend to know that I love you and will support you in any way I can.

This is the first award I got from my friend and I will just be honored to accept it. It was given to me back in March when my internet service was down for a couple of weeks and I found out about it later.

So thank you for this award, thank you for what you are doing for the animals, and for just being you.

Given to me by:   http://wwwaj-oaks.blogspot.com/

I Got A Thoughtful Award – Thoughts On Blogging - The Friend Who Got Me Started - And An Update.

I got this award from Shirl whose blog can be found here: http://indigo-shirl.blogspot.com/  

Shirl lives in Essex in the UK and I was touched because she forwarded this award to five blogger friends who are going through tough times right now. Thank you so much, Shirl for this fun award. It really brightened my day.

Let me give you a short update on my recovery: Today, the fourth week of healing begins and I feel so much better. Today will also be the first day that I will be completely off the pain meds. I plan to rest this week and then start walking and building up my strength next week. Yeah!!!

I have to tell everyone that I'm now, more than ever, so happy that I started this blog last summer. I was very hesitant and ambivalent about it. I like to write and take pictures, but I remember worrying about putting my life out there for any stranger to read. Little did I know I would meet so many kind, caring, and amazing people through my blog. And learn so much. Thanks to my blog, I'm visiting all the way from northern Sweden to Tanzania – at: http://foodfunfarm.blogspot.com  and most recently Namibia – at http://onestonedcrow.blogspot.com. They are both so worth checking out and you can also find them in my sidebar.

I'm very grateful to my friend, Danni, who when I was hesitating last summer, sent me a long e-mail about her blog, what it had done for her, and how much fun blogging could be. That email was the turning point for me. In addition to that, her own blog: http://critterfarmgirl.blogspot.com  is one of the loveliest blogs around. I would encourage everyone to check it out – it's in my sidebar also. And Danni loves donkeys and even has two of her own. So this award is for you, Danni, thank you for opening the door to the world of blogging for me. And thanks for your concern after my recent mishap.

An Award To Share

I got this award from Gunilla, who lives in northern Sweden. Gunilla has a truly great blog: http://norrskenetstradgard.blogspot.com/
which translates to: garden of the northern lights, referring to the aurora borealis phenomenon that takes place in the northern sky.

Thank you, Gunilla, for this award.


Some rules come with the award:

1. Copy the award and place it on your blog.

2. Note who you got it from.
3. Provide a link to that blog.
4. Make some friends happy by forwarding the award to them.
5. Let those friends know they can pick up the award here.



I would like to forward this award to:


One old friend:  http://wwwaj-oaks.blogspot.com/

And my new friends:


Louise at: http://livingretiredineasternnewyorkstate.blogspot.com/

Sharon at: http://lifewithjacknjill.blogspot.com/

Linda May at: http://brboomer.blogspot.com/

And: http://jabacue.blogspot.com/

Have a wonderful day everyone,


Inger