Seven Secrets about Me...and Seven Blogs I Love

Linda O'Connell,  over at Write from the Heart has graciously included me in her awards for Versatile Blogger. I think she's being very kind. Nonetheless, I have gratefully accepted her award which means it is my task to link back to her, pass the award to seven blogs that I enjoy reading; and then reveal 7 secrets about moi! (Please Note: If I nominated you, and you accept the award, you'll need to do the same; which would mean 1. link back to me  2. reveal 7 secrets about yourself, and 3. name seven other recipients and notify them)

Seven Secrets about Me

1.   I got married when I was 17 years old. Had to go back and get my GED and many years later got to go to college. Kinda did things in reverse which is a little like driving with your eyes on the rear view mirror! My first marriage ended after 15 years, but I remarried; and am on my way to happily ever after with hubby Kelly; after 23 years.

2.   I was the International Sales Manager for a company with a distribution network into more than 30 nations.  Also did Materials Management and sold insurance. I gave up the corporate gig to pursue my passion; teaching children.

3.   I play the fiddle-but not as well as I'd like. I need to practice more, but this blogging thing kinda gets in the way. When I do play, Celtic, Bluegrass, and Country are my favorites.

4.   I became a Christian when I was 18 years old. It changed the entire course of my life (maybe saved my life), and the lives of my children.

5.  I need to be near the ocean. Really. The idea of being land-locked makes me feel very uncomfortable-sort of claustrophobic. Somehow when I'm by the water, I feel that I have a means of escape. I can't really say what I'm escaping-all I can say is that when I am on the beach...I feel free.

6.  When I was a child, our TV was often broken, and there were no kids my age nearby to play with. So I started doing crossword puzzles. Someone bought me a dictionary to help me with the puzzles. Then I just began reading the dictionary. Thus began my love affair with words.  I still love words.

7.  I believe that words are a powerful force for good or for evil--and that we must be responsible for what comes out of our mouth because we're bound to reap a harvest of what we've said. So I get very perturbed with folks who speak negatively, even in jest. Don't tell me that bad things come in threes, or that it's 'Murphy's law', or that you are dumb--or I just might reply that good things come in dozens-- that the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it--and that you are as brilliant as those flowers growing in your garden...and far more precious!

And now, without further ado, here are my Awards for The Versatile Blogger...


Chickory  is keeping it real and folksy down on the edge of the Cohutta and Big Frog- I just can't wait to see what she's gonna do next. Especially love those birds and chickens she paints!

Anneliese  from the Mennonite Girls can Cook blog, who cooks up comfort food for the soul and for the body.

teresa  of  Meadowbrook farm- born with a green thumb on one hand and a camera in the other. Her photography is breath-taking.

Jo-jo of My Random Insanities- don't let her fool you; she's saner than most- and she is an artist who paints with words.

Chris is just down the road a piece; at Redgate Farm. Shes a fellow Pacific Northwesterner with an eye for all things vintage.

Alicia  of Posie Gets Cozy  is my crafting hero. Truly. I'm in awe of how she combines colors in her knitting/crocheting/embroidery. Amazing

Leo  of Zen Habits keeps me smilin', breathin', and goin' slowly.

Ellen the Happy Wonderer whose travel photos make it like I am there; and she tells the best stories!

I know if you're the accounting type, you've noticed that I posted 8. Oh well,  you'll have to live with imperfection if you hang around here very long!

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