Unexpected Awards

Wow!  Freda at The Adventures of the Empress of the Universe - Impera Magna has chosen to honor me with the Versatile Blogger Award!  I met Freda when I was in my late teens, and we have just recently reconnected in Blogger-world.  She's the top notch quilting queen!

There are a few rules to receiving the award:

Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.

 What a joy to reconnect with you Freda ~ you're amazing, and I thank you for this honor.

Tell 7 things about yourself that others might not know about you.

1.  My family lineage has been traced as far back as the mid 1400's.

2.  While I like fresh strawberries, I don't like anything else strawberry.

3.  When I was little, I thought dogs were married to cats (dogs were 'boys', cats were 'girls').  Maybe I related it to the phrase "fighting like cats and dogs", lol.

4.  My favorite pickle:  "Grape leaf" pickle, which I now make every summer, just like both of my grannies used to.  Paired up with a minner cheese sammich, it's the bomb diggity!

5.  I lived in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia for 6 years with my sweetie and our 2 sons; I especially enjoy singing Russian folk songs and worship songs.

6.  Did I say I love to sing?  Also play guitar, piano, and flute; my parents gave me a minstrel's harp several years ago, and I really need to learn it.

7.  Five for fighting is a very favorite music CD (video below)

And now to award my new Blogger friends:


Sabrina at Prayer Tracking, Random Thoughts and Yarn Sabrina is my cousin, and we grew up making memories together...many good times, and we haven't quit!  She is an excellent artist and afghan maker.

Andrew at HalfKoreanSpanishLovingAmerican ~ is a friend of the family and buddy of my son; we've known him since he was just a little shaver.  Andrew is a whiz at everything he attempts.

Rebecca at Rebecca ~ is another long time friend's daughter.  Her mother and I have shared many a laugh and a tear raising our children, and now it's a joy to see Rebecca raising her children.

Marcy at Studio Marcy ~ I met Marcy several years ago at a Glass Workshop in the mountains of NC.  She is generous with her knowledge and makes adorable whimsical glass sculptures.  Oh, and a delightful roomie too.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I couldn't resist showing these peonies...I didn't grow them, but received them in trade!

There will be a 5 second commercial at the beginning, but the video makes up for it!