I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger award by several of my fellow bloggers lately, to wit, Cin, LoveOutLoud, and Danlrene. I must admit to being remiss, because I was nominated before by several other readers, and did not acknowledge the honor, and therefore deserve multiple wet-noodle lashes and hereby submit mucho mea culpas.

But all we can do is what we do, and so now I give thanks and gratitudes for all of you who share my small life. I hope I can make you smile, and I love you all.

You may have noticed that I’ve been a little quiet lately. I’ve been working too much, and really struggling with that, and the anxiety it’s generating. And quite honestly, since Patty of MeanderingMinds died, I have had a hard time blogging. It’s difficult to explain. But it is what it is. And so life goes on.

LoL told me that my gratitudes had inspired her to keep a gratitude journal and that made me feel REALLY fabulously good. So I want to go back to our daily photo and gratitudes, because I, honestly, have been missing my own gratitudes, and I think I need them. So even if the photo doesn’t match the day or my mood, I’m still going to share it. Because I love you guys.

So, the rules (they’re more like guidelines anyway) of the Versatile Blogger Award are as follows:

Those that receive this award are asked to thank the nominator, then post (on your blog) links to the nominator and 15 other blogs you have been reading recently and enjoy, and also 7 things about yourself.  And post a comment on the sites you nominated, telling them you nominated them.

So, seven things about myself:

1. I own more pairs of cowboy boots than one woman ought to.

2. My teeth and fingernails are incredibly strong. I’m constantly accused of having a “coke nail” on my little finger.

3. I chew my tongue when I concentrate really hard.

4. I can’t read music.

5. I have wanted an Easy-Bake Oven my whole entire life. Maybe Kelsea will get me one thiscoming birthday.

6. My eyes are a very versatile green and brown, depending on my mood.

7. I love Slim Jims – yes, the disgusting beef stick snacks – and have since I was a child.

And now, my blogger awards. I actually don’t follow that many bloggers, so I may not make it up to 15. But I do have some favorites:

Misty’s Laws: Misty is a lawyer and a mom with a wicked sense of irony and an amazing covert skill with an iPhone camera.

Darling Ceciliag of The Kitchens Garden, who daily makes me think that I could indeed realize my childhood dream of living off the land and being self-sufficient.

Amazing artist Carly at NakedCarlyArt (totally suitable for all audiences) – her talent is phenomenal, and I love watching her evolve as a creative soul on her blog. She is beyond brave.

The Quotidian Hudson and his wonderful committment to sharing life near the river on a daily basis. He sees beauty where many don’t.

LadyFi, newly discovered by me, and a phenomenal photographer.

A perennial favorite of mine, thesinglecell, who provides wit, wisdom, humor, and political commentaries that should be broadcast on a national scale.

DreamGreendiy, whose thrifty and creative ways have won my heart.

Diamonds, the blog of a lovely young woman just back from a stint in the Marine Corps overseas, and her journey to find her way to peace and health. I so admire her personally, and her writing is wonderful and expressive.

Remarkable travel photographer Dmitrii Lezine. I only wish I could shoot like that.

The Water Witches Daughter – and if the blog title alone, isn’t intriguing enough, Suzicate’s writings will bewitch  you.

SweetPea’s Kitchen, whose yumminess makes each day a bit brighter (though I’ll skip today’s Sauerkraut Balls).

Ellen’s Walking Around, another great photography blog that I started following a couple of years ago.

Middle Aged Plague. I love this woman.

PegOLeg. She is seriously a hoot and a half. I believe I have accused her (and thesinglecell) of making me snarf many a time.

And lastly, but definitely not leastly, The Misguided Parent, the journey of a couple expecting their first child. More power to them. They will be awesome parents.

There are others I read, whom I have not acknowledged here, even though they are excellent writers and I value following their paths with all my heart, but some I thought might be in too personal a space in their writing to want too much publicity right now. You know who you are – and I love you.

So tonight, I leave you with an image, a quote, and my gratitudes.

Photo Title: Remember There Is A Part Of The World That Looks Like This

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

“I just want to be in the sink again. Everything was nice in the sink.” – Kelsea (and since you don’t know the reference, when she was a baby, I used to be able to easily just sit her in the bar sink in the kitchen at the beach house.)

Daily gratitudes:
Black cows against white snows
The giant pig and all her little pigs
A cat on my feet
Flea market finds
Blogging awards and confessions