An Award!

and my sincere thanks go to Tiffany for awarding it to me...According to Tif's blog, as a recipient of the Beautiful Blogger award, one must:

1) Add a link and note of thanks to the person giving the award

2) Pass the award on to 15 bloggers whose blogs you have recently discovered that you love

3) Share 7 things about yourself

So here are my 15 (but please note my caveat at the bottom of the list?)
* Kate my "most beautiful of Beautiful Blogs." This award should be all about Kate, a gifted, amazingly brilliant young woman, feminist, knit designer, accomplished sewist, who just recently and at a terrifyingly early age, was blindsided by a stroke. She is coming back to herself, and her posts are sporadic. But every one is a blessing in my eyes. She's a delight, and I only wish her a full and speedy recovery (tho' I know the challenges she faces will take longer than ANYONE would like...)

I do not expect her, or anyone else I list here to feel a responsibility to either reply to my award posts, or to feel that they have to pass the award on. I'm simply sharing these incredible artists with you.

* Ruinwen a good friend and talented knitter, with a heart of gold.
* Jocelyn also a good friend (a blog-buddy I've actually MET!) whose mind just blows me away. Another feminist, she thinks the way I wish I could!
* Birdsong my "sister from another mother" a blog-buddy I hope to meet one day. Her lifestyle is one I admire, and those burros are too cute.
* Dear Margene. First 'just' a good knitter friend, now a "sister of the heart" tho' I surely wish it hadn't had to be that way! Margene helps me to realize that it's all about the process...
* Ellen & Jan. I've met one twin, Ellen, and enjoyed our talk at the Ravelry Party at Sock Summit so much. Jan is just as fun, and it's fun to know that Ellen and I both have sisters with the same name! (tho' mine isn't a twin!)
* Carole. For photography, food, and knitting, Carole is an inspiration...
* Hazel, she of the wondrous lace, fanciful doll creations, and jewelry. I've *known* Hazel a long time, tho' she lives 'cross the pond, as they say...
* Wendy. My sock knitting guru, with the lovely Miss Lucy as her knitting assistant.
* Judy. Of the Magic Cast On. Another West Coaster I finally got to meet at Sock Summit, and just one fun gal.
* Jane at Yarnstorm I don't know Jane, I haven't corresponded with Jane. But I veg in the evening with her The Gentle Art of Domesticity and will be eagerly awaiting her newest book on quilting (and shhh...I hear there's a knitting book on the horizon). Another amazing photographer, her blog is full of sunshine.
* Anne for her wonderful designs, the photos of yarn, and knitting, incredible food and summer garden produce, and for the inklings she gives us into the workings of that marvelously mathematical mind of hers!
* Jude. Off the path of knitting, this artist speaks to the embelishing quilter that hides inside me.
* Suzanne. Of Roses and vintage lace, if you've not stopped by and you love a touch of romance, do visit her!
* Vanessa For the color play in both knit and crochet - rich and amazing!

Ok. Remember no one needs to respond, but know to me you all have the most beautiful blogs.

(hmmm...there's a third thing I have to do?)

SEVEN things about me? Like you don't know everything already?
1. I have Another Blog which is focused on my crazy attempts at creating Weight Watchers recipes, living smaller (not just in physical size, but in my homespace, too), learning and supporting the local food movement, educating myself in environmental issues, and practicing voluntary simplicity. It's updated periodically with links to the sites on all the different topics I'm interested in. Do stop by once in awhile, won't you?
2. I periodically declare that I'm going to knit only from stash and then almost as quickly turn around and new yarn finds its way into my world. Usually via my own hand, which means I have a hard time sticking to that "knit from stash" rule. (sigh) So much for my ability to practice my voluntary simplicity philosophy, right?
3. I'm determined to find a free weekend to unearth my kitchen. It's going to take at least that long. It's way overdue. It's almost (but not quite) impossible to cook in it...counterspace being approximately 2 feet long and 1/2 a counter deep (b/c of the *stuff* on it). Depending on whether I have the nerve or not, you might get to see "before" photos. Probably, tho' it will just be the "after" shots!
4. More than anything else, I'd rather be knitting. Which puts a crimp in my bank account, of course...b/c if I'm just knitting, I can't work for a living (anyone know a nice-looking, intelligent, older guy who wants a newly slender-ish knitter in his life?) - haha! (Oh! Check out that ticker up above? I'm down another 1.6 pounds this week!)
5. I suspect that if I tried #4, The Meezer would find a way out of the house and into someone else's life. She's just not that into men...
6. I'm seriously considering a non-Siamese, big red (or red and white) tabby boy kitty for The Meezer to see if I can mellow her out a bit towards the opposite sex.
7. I once considered investing in yoga teacher training (Yes, I wanted to become a yoga instructor). It wasn't all that long ago (6 years), but I simply couldn't figure out a way to devote that kind of time for the training. Now I just want to take as many yoga classes as possible (financially) and go on retreats that combine - what else? - Yoga and Knitting! Ok, that would be nirvana for me...

See, not so much you didn't already know. Well, except for maybe #4 - did you have any idea I'd be interested in a possible Sugar Daddy?
*wink*

Thanks again, Tiffany!!!