Awards, Fun Stuff, Gratitude

I've been terribly negligent about acknowledging the awards that have been given to my blog for the past stretch...I'm very honored and appreciative, and totally distracted and caught up with this other whole agenda of photos, art pieces, weather, etc. and all...so I postpone and procrastinate. Today, I will catch up with some of these, and publicly thank these fellow bloggers who have noticed my blog recently. Unfortunately, this list isn't complete (sorry!) so I'll have to return to it when I can......

Nearly a month ago (ooops!) Threads of Magique sent me a KreativeBlogger Award with the following rules:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you.

2. Copy the logo and place it in your blog.

3. Link the person who nominated you.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.

5. Nominate seven 'Kreativ Bloggers'

6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

OK, well at least I said thank you right away...and the logo is above!
And my thanks to Threads of Magique - a blog just full of magical and curious objects made by a couple of sisters from beautiful Oregon! Now, I'm NOT going to pass this on specifically--but I will give a few of the "7 things" a quick shot, I guess....
1.) In 1997, I was a Fulbright Fellow and was based in Lodz (pronounced Woodge) Poland where I did research and taught at an art academy for Spring semester.
2.) I love Europe and have been traveling and staying in different places there since 1983, mainly, through work I've gotten centered around my artwork (so not really "vacations" so much as "work.")
3.) I used to write an art review column for the weekend edition of a daily newspaper in Anchorage, where I lived and worked for about 8 years.
4.) And while I lived in Anchorage, I did some teaching at the University there--beginning drawing and intro to art history classes--classes I got to teach as an adjunct professor.
5.) I love green tea and apples, every day!
...................................Ha ha, that's plenty for now....I'm feeling sort of uncomfortable delving into my personal stuff like this!

So that brings me to the next award, sent to me by Cher and Rich of the provocative blog "Ask Cherlock", with no strings attached! (Whew, very cool she says tentatively......) And I love the spirit of this award as it acknowledges the idea that really amazing friendships get formed through the connections made by blogging. And it's true...I keep meeting some of the most interesting people through the regular (or semi-regular) visits to blogs that I've discovered in one way or another! And it's so intriguing by how you sort of get to feel like you "know" these bloggers and care about them, even though you've never met face to face....although I admit, the virtual world here does take some getting used to!

And finally, a challenge given with this award from Brenda over at Split Rock Ranch--one word answers to 35 questions...OK, one word isn't too hard, is it? Yes, when one becomes two or three...ha ha ha, well, I tried!

1. Where is your cell phone? Misplaced
2. Your hair? Ponytail
3. Your mother? Brilliant
4. Your father? Kind
5. Your favorite food? Waffles
6. Your dream last night? None
7. Your favorite drink? Green Tea
8. Your dream/goal? Art Career Continues
9. What room are you in? Office/studio
10. Your hobby? Horticulture
11. Your fear? Violence
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? More travel
13. Where were you last night? Out with Friends
14. Something you aren't? Organized
15. Muffins? OK
16. Wish list item? Kitten
17. Where did you grow up? Woodstock (IL)
18. Last thing you did? Designed ads
19. What are you wearing? Sweats
20. Your tv? Very old
21. Your pets? 2 cats, 1 dog
22. Friends? Many!
23. Your life? Evolving
24. Your mood? Mellow
25. Missing someone? Rebecca (friend)
26. Vehicle? Subaru
27. Something you're not wearing? Bra
28. Your favorite store? Etsy
29. Your favorite color? All!
30. When was the last time you laughed? One hour ago
31. Last time you cried? One week ago
32. Your best friend? Brother & Sister
33. One place I go to over and over? Campground
34. One person who emails me regularly? Sister
35. Favorite place to eat? Taco Bell

OK, so I know this is probably incomplete by blog award standards....but I really need to get back to finishing some new pieces here. I'm doing my first "holiday show and sale" of the season this weekend, and I DO NOT have my act together...that's right, I'm disorganized! Thank you to all my "blogging friends!" And thanks for stopping by.....

Enjoying Late Blooms I

Between the mums, the asters and the rudbeckia, there is still bright color, in spots, between the fading and dying plant material. Some blooms are a bit battered and chewed and the nights are getting colder and colder. Since October begins today, a frost is possible any time in our area.

I love how my copper bucket planter has developed, now that the sedums are nice and pink.

I labeled this collection of photos #1 because I have another set of blossoms that are more pastel, fresh and just opening, despite the lateness of the season. I'll display those images in a day or two.

The comments left about my Wordless Wednesday were really fun this week! The "critters" in the secret garden were wild boars and a free range chicken, in case you are still puzzled. The chicken is a little harder to make out, but if you look closely, you can see a beak, made of sticks, of course. A year ago, the end of October, I spent 10 days in Tuscany doing day hikes in the hills and yoga in a castle. That's right a castle! We stayed on an amazing estate which is still a working organic farm. The gardens were wonderful, including this secret garden where an artist had made these neat critters. I'll post more about this amazing place and area, and our adventures there, as the month winds down.

Thank you for all your help with voting in the blog poll - WillOaks Studio landed in first place for "Other Blog" and I think I get some kind of badge to put here on the blog. I'm waiting to see what's up with that, now that voting has closed.

Some Fun Odds and Ends

A few unrelated things that need a little attention.

My niece, Claire (performer, musician, songwriter), who I introduced via her song "Quit You" last week, headlined at Martyr's nightclub in Chicago over the weekend. That's impressive on it's own. But she was also written up in TWO (!!) publications last Friday, including the Chicago Tribune! If you're curious, I'm posting the links about her here:

Chicago Tribune Entertainment Section

NewCity.com, Music Section


Next, my final Clematis, called "Sweet Autumn Clematis," has just begun to bloom! This version is very different from the earlier vines I've posted here, and not everyone is familiar with it. It can get huge--I've heard it can cover the side of small barns!! I've confined ours, so far, to a free-standing structure in the center of what I call our "Welcome" planting at the entrance to the campground. I'll post more pictures as more blooms open and as it reaches its' full glory. But sweet definitely describes the wonderful perfume these blossoms exude! And the bees just love this plant.




Finally, last but not least, I was given not one, but 2 blog awards during the past week!!
Icy BC of Reach Beyond Limits has passed both the French (I love your blog) and the I Love Lucy (You Cheer Me Up) awards to me, and the rules are:

* Copy the award image above.
* Pass it to the bloggers whom you think are deserving for these awards.
* Leave a message for them.
* Pass as many as you want.
* Leave a comment for the person who gave you this award.

It's practically impossible to just pick a few blogs as I try to check in on quite a lot of them on a regular basis, and really, there are so many good ones out there. So I thought it might be fun to mix it up with some you may know and a few that may be less well known to the EC readers, just in case I can turn anyone on to a new blog, thanks to this exercise:

Ponder and Stitch

Nfall2r * Design Studio

In Terms of Colour - Enroute with the Camera

Florence Wang Designs (I really recommend her needle point pieces--so cool!)

Created and Felted

Eyelet Sage Studio - The Designer's Blog