Did you miss me?

Just kidding.  Couldn’t resist.  I know it’s only been two days.  I’ve enjoyed my two days off, I must say.  It did give me a chance to clear my head.  I didn’t realize I needed it until Wednesday, when I had no blog post to worry about.  It was very nice to be able to roll over and go back to sleep for a little while.  Without having to think.

By yesterday, though, I couldn’t help myself.  Ideas for blogs started permeating my thoughts.  And now, here I am, back at it.  And very happy to be here.

You may, or may not, have noticed there’s something missing.  I’m not keeping track of days.  No need to now.  The other difference is, this story does NOT have a 2-word headline.  That was another challenge I gave myself with the original 365.  I proved I could do that, too, so I’m over it.

Clearly I need a new challenge.  I work best that way.  But instead of banging my head against the wall trying to come up with one, I’m going to just let it occur to me naturally.  It’s better that way.  If and when it happens I’ll let you know.  So you can keep track; and keep me honest.

I’m very proud and happy to tell you the second incarnation of 365 is starting off with a bang!  Regular readers and followers know I’ve had a moratorium on accepting awards for quite a long time.  For no other reason than I’ve been lucky enough to receive more than my fair share, and I think you get to a point when enough’s enough.  When it’s time for other worthy bloggers to get their fair share of recognition.

But I’ve made an exception.  This is, after all, the beginning of a whole new season for this blog — a fresh start, if you will.  And I think it’s kinda nice to kick it off with an award.  It makes me feel like I’m starting off on the right foot.

So many thanks to Lucia Maya over at Luminous Blue, for nominating me.  I am particularly humbled and touched she has chosen me as one of her 15, because I think her blog is one of the most inspiring and beautiful blogs I’ve ever read.  And she inspires me, personally.  She started the blog when her daughter, Elizabeth, was diagnosed with lymphoma, in 2011.  It chronicles their “journey with transformation, cancer, death and love.”  Sadly Elizabeth lost her battle in 2012, when she was only 22.

A truly gifted writer and poet, Elizabeth’s work lives on in her mother’s blog.  You may or may not remember, not all that long ago I was so moved by one of her poems, I devoted a blog post to it.  I hope you take the time to click on the link I’ve provided, and read it.  I still can’t believe she was only in her freshman year in high school when she wrote it.

Those of you who have been blessed with awards know the drill.  You have to display the award on your blog.  You have to thank the blogger who nominated you, and link back to their blog.  Okay, I’ve done that.

Then you’re supposed to share 7 facts about yourself.  I’ve done this several times, but because this is the new incarnation of 365, I will reveal 7 more tidbits you don’t already know about me.  I’ll get to it in a minute.  Right after I tell you who I’ll nominate.  Because that’s another requirement when you’ve been nominated.

Usually it is 15 bloggers.  I am sorry to disappoint, but I am nominating 3.  I try, always, to nominate blogs I haven’t picked before; and those, I follow religiously.  So it’s never about quantity with me.  Last but not least, you have to let them know you’ve passed along the award.

What don’t you already know about me?

1. I’m lousy in math.  Always have been, always will be.
2. I am probably the only Canadian, living or dead, who doesn’t like, or watch, hockey.
3. I have absolutely no sense of direction.  I can get lost while using GPS.
4. I don’t like housework.  I do what I must, but I don’t like it; and get no satisfaction from it.
5. I like nothing better than just-out-of-the-oven bread, with butter.  I could make a meal out of it.  I don’t.  But I easily could.
6. I adore the smell of basil.  I’m easy to spot in the produce section.  I’m the one with my head in the herbs.
7. I’m much more sentimental than you might think.  I snivel at things you wouldn’t believe.

Who are my 3 nominees?

1. Manningtree Archive is the place to go if you love the arts.  Film, theatre, opera, art, music, literature — you name it.  What makes it so special, though, is the amount of research Joe, its author, does.  It is mind blowing.  He doesn’t blog every day.  He simply couldn’t.  Not with all the digging he does. But when he does publish something, you end up knowing whatever there is to know; and, even better, you feel like you’re there, with him, experiencing it.  Bravo, Joe!
2. I cook, but don’t bake.  I never have.  Mostly because I am not a recipe-follower, or someone who measures.  I concoct, I guess.  A bit of this, a bit of that.  I may look at a recipe for inspiration, but then I take liberties with it.  You can’t do that with baking.  So I am in complete awe at the confections I see on Loving Home Made.  For those of you who do bake, every blog post comes with the recipe.  As for me, I gain about 3 pounds just from reading and looking at the photos.  Damn her!
3. I’ve taken many a trip down memory lane in my blog, so it’s not surprising I enjoy The Crayon Files as much as I do.  It’s a blog about rediscovery, beautifully written by Caron Eastgate Dann, a writer, journalist and academic who lives in Australia.  She’s also a very talented artist.  Her stories run the gamut from re-visiting old recipes to favourite travel destinations.  From childhood memories to favourite old books, and everything else you can think of.  Reading Caron’s blog always makes me conjure up a lot of my own memories; and she’s inspired many of my posts.  Thanks Caron!

Think I’m done here.  At least for today.  It’s great to be back!

See you soon!!