Tuesday 31 July 2012

It's lovely to be appreciated!

I feel very happy today as 'Minerva Blacke the Shoppe Keeping Cat' in her wonderful blog Mrs Black's This and That has very kindly given me an award.


I must admit to being rather excited as I've never won an award before and on looking up the other lovely blogs who were also chosen, I feel as if I have fallen into very fine company!
As part of the fun, upon acceptance, it is a tradition that the recipients carry out the following instructions. We are to share 10 things which you may not have previously known about us, and to recommend 10 blogs which are worthy of the Kreative Award.
I have really enjoyed thinking of the 10 unusual things but such a battle coping with creating links and other  advanced Internet skills. I do hope I've not made too many mistakes...



1) I make my own perfumes and colognes and would love to be skillful enough to have been a 'nose'.





2) My Grandfather, a political journalist, wrote one of the iconic 'Penguin Books'




3)  As a young girl I reared a tiny blackbird fledgling until he was old enough to be released back into the wild. His name was Brandy and I was utterly devoted to him!





4) I have a guilty weakness for extremely naff Victorian novels. I can't resist them and collect and read them regularly. They are always gratifyingly full of consumptive saintly women, dying children and men who have 'turned to drink'....Wonderful!



5)  I'm a life model.






6) My description of  our childhood game with sow thistle is included in Richard Mabey's Flora Britannica- pp.362 to be exact... I'm extremely proud of this...and can get a little boastful about it.







7) When young, my Mother was a chorus girl and skated with the famous show ' Holiday on Ice'.




8) This is a little convoluted but...A friend who was lady-in-waiting used to keep H.M. the Queen amused by her weekly stories of all the family dramas and details of my marriage preparations. It always makes me smile to think that the Queen of England knew all about my wedding!







9) I keep hens who have a strange habit of ignoring their hen house and sleeping up in the apple tree- whatever the weather!





10) A good friend and I once walked across a Edinburgh's busiest bridge in the pouring rain one Saturday night during the Fringe Festival, wearing only our underwear- merely to prove that you could get away with doing anything during that week- just by calling it 'Art'.


Well, I think that's enough guilty secrets for one day-

Now for 10  writers and photographers who's words and pictures inspire me:




                                                        http://inmyitaliankitchen.blogspot.com/
 Anna was one of the first people to read my blog and hers has continued to delight me with her warm descriptions of her childhood in Italy and her delicious recipes.





                                                           http://fading-grace.blogspot.com/
I love Sophie's blog, it describes her life, her vintage treasures and the English countryside in such an appealing way.




                                                         http://pineconesroses.blogspot.com/
Diane posts nearly every day and her loving thoughts and beautiful photographs are always uplifting.





                                                          http://hestanesta.blogspot.com/
I always look forward to reading Jo's blog, with her tales of vintage finds and her much-loved dogs.





                                                     http://vintage-maison.blogspot.com/
Carol's blog is full of her life in France and the beautiful things she finds in French Brocantes






This blog is a treat for the eye with Belinda's great flare for photographing the flowers she loves.



http://alittlefurinthepaint.blogspot.com/

Part of the fun is reading tales from like minded people in different countries and Anne's is one of my favourites.


http://helentilstonpainter.blogspot.com/
I love Helen's beautiful paintings and am always inspired by her interesting and intelligent writing.




I always enjoy the skill with which Julie illustrates her blog and describes her favourite things






I'm often inspired to pick up my camera and go out and capture the unusual sights in the countryside after seeing John's photographs!


I think that's 10!
 It has been hard to choose when there are so many interesting and unique blogs.
I know that some people do not like to receive awards, so I won't be at all offended if you wish to 'bow out' of this one!
Now back to everyday life- a huge pile of washing (Sam is just back from a festival), a broody hen, some books to photograph ....and supper to prepare.

29 comments:

  1. Congratulations! I had so much fun reading your fascinating facts, especially your walking across the bridge. I am looking forward to checking out the blogs that I am not already familiar with. Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thank you very much! It is a fun way of linking people to really interesting blogs. Jane xx

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  2. Loved reading your facts about yourself, loved the hens sleeping in the apple tree. Thank you for my award, I'll have a think about what I can write about myself (that's decent!)
    Love
    Jo xx

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    1. Hello Jo, I found it quite difficult to think of 10 facts that could be illustrated and interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing yours... Jane xx

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  3. Hello Jane:
    We are absolutely delighted for you. Many, many congratulations which should also extend to the beautiful way in which you have presented this post.

    And such fun too to read about your 'secrets', any of which would make a fascinating post in its own right.

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    1. Hello Jane and Lance- Thank you both, I was really pleased to receive the award. Minerva said that she choose some lesser known blogs, so new people would have a chance to 'find' them. I thought that was a good idea and have generally tried to do the same.
      I might have to go back to the 10 things about yourself idea in the future...Jane xx

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  4. It's so nice of you to think my little blog is worthy of an award. I enjoyed your post today. Verry interesting facts about you, I was chuckling at the picture of you and your friend crossing the bridge. You have some "interesting" things going on in England! Diane

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  5. Hello Diane, I'm glad you enjoyed my daft bridge walk! I look forward to reading your 10 interesting facts. Jane xx

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  6. Oh Jane - I don't know what to say...thank you for my award! Well, fancy that! You are a very interesting person, with lots of secrets...and I can't think of a single thing that I could write about me just now - I'll have to put my thinking cap on...

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    1. Hello Carol, I'm glad you're pleased with the award and I'm certain you will find 10 interesting facts about yourself. I couldn't think of any at first and then I came up with lots... some un-printable! Jane xx

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  7. Been lurking here on and off for a bit, but couldn't resist commenting on that oh-so-recognisable photo of you with the baby blackbird. (And I'm going to try to watch you on 'Come dine with Me' too!)

    And what was the game with the sow thistle? Come to think, it may have been you who taught me how to do 'Mary Queen of Scots had her head chopped off' with a plantain flower...

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    1. Lucy, by all that's wonderful!
      I was so pleased to read your message and discover your blogs. I especially liked 'box elder' and tried to become a follower but my computer is being pesky...I love your comment about the school swimming pool on your profile- so true!
      As to the sow thistle game- you all choose a seed head and at a given signal slit it open with a finger nail and look inside. If the flights are silver and the seeds a rich gold you are the winner. If yours is too young everything is green, too old and the seeds are brown. We called the plant 'silver and gold'. Did we ever play that together? And yes, it might have been me with the plantain.
      It's so good to be back in contact,
      Jane xxx

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    2. I should have de-lurked before really, but I'm generally a lazier blogger/commenter than I once was, I'm afraid. Stuff like Blogger followers, let alone Facebook or Twitter, are more than I get around to. But thanks for following me home; Box Elder's the main one, the other's are occasional or redundant.

      The sow thistle game doesn't ring a bell, but it's much prettier and less gruesome than Mary Queen of Scots!

      I took one of those frogs home in my lunchbox and kept him as a pet for a while; he was called Gaston, and I used to put him in the bath for a swim (not while I was in there I hasten to add). I let him go quite soon, he probably wasn't as happy as your blackbird. Who's the other girl in the picture?

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    3. I relly enjoy blogging but am far to verbose for Twitter!
      I don't remember Gaston but you've reminded me of my pet pill bug King Charles who came to a grusome end when he crawled into my pen lid and I put my pen away....
      The other girl was my friend Andrea, who lived up the road.

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  8. Lovely! I have really enjoyed reading this, love the bit about the blackbird you reared, and all of them actually! Will be off to grab a ladder and get my Flora Britannica down to have a peek. And have a look at the blogs you have awarded. Minerva x

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    1. Hello Minerva, I'm glad you approve! Now I've done mine, I'm going to have another proper look at all the blogs that you recommended too. As to the Flora, it calls me ' a Wiltshire child' but I was actually brought up in Buckingamshire. Jane xx

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  9. Hello Jane,
    Thanks so much for becoming my latest follower, it's lovely to hear from you!
    Essie x

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  10. Thanks Essie- it was great to discover your blog! Jane xx

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  11. Congrats on the award. THese are all very interesting things about you - I have joined your blog!

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  12. Thank you Jenny, how nice to have a new 'blog friend'! Jane x

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  13. Hello Jayne thankyou so much for the lovely award I'm afraid I have been rather rubbish at commenting lately, the summer hols and even though the wee folk are not so wee any more, some one always seems to need something! I will try to have a think about what to tell :-) love to you and yours xxx Sophie xx

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    1. I do so understand Sophie! There are always so many layers of life and I love writing and illustrating a piece but it does take quite a lot of undisturbed time and concentration.
      I've been a bick slack at visitimng and commenting but I always love your blog.
      Hope the rest of the summer goes well, love Jane xxx

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  14. What a lovely list - made me smile at some of the things you have got up to. I am off to find my Mothers Flora Brit to look you up. Karen X

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    1. Hello Karen, I really enjoyed thinking up and writing my list, although it was quite a feat to find suitable photographs!
      Jane xx
      ps I'm actually in Flora 3 times.... boast, boast...

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  15. What a delight to read all of your snippets of history and stories. I love the Penguin Books connection and your love of Victorian novels - all lovely things to reflect upon and glow with pride

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    1. I'm glad you liked my rag-bag of things! Jane xx

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  16. DEar Jane... I just saw this and I am totally and absolutely chuffed!Thank you... thank you so much for adding me to your list of favourite photographers and writers! It's so lovely to know that what you do is appreciated.

    Jane, you are a very special lady and I "spotted" that when you first started blogging and we share a few "likes"... remember Colin Firth?

    PS: Is that your bottom, in the drawing?

    Sorry I didn't see this before, but I was in my house up in the mountains in Campania, Italy, without internet (wouldn't work!)

    Still in Italy... Lots of sun filled hugs

    ANNA

    xxxx

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    1. Dear Anna, I'm so happy you are in your beloved Italy and enjoying the summer there.We have so many shared loves and I always find some connection when I read your lovely blog.
      Enjoy the rest of the summer,
      love Jane xxx
      ps. yes, its me....

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    2. It's very hot here, Jane, and just beautiful. I will miss the sun and the colours of Italy, though we are coming back in October to complete the purchase of a very beautiful town house!

      PS: you are very "photogenic" from behind, Jane!
      LOVE TO YOU, TOO... and THANKS!

      ANNA

      xxxx

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