A nice and unexpected gift that was given to me.   Thank you Michele Vecchitto for nominating me for The One Lovely Blog Award.

It is such a pleasant surprise and I believe it demonstrates the value of blogging and how it is able to create communities, connections and support when it might at other times seem out of sight or out of reach.  Receiving her email was completely an uplifting experience as I have been following her blog Steps Times Two  and Michele’s  writing has been something that has kept me company and connected.

Michelle transcends writing by not owning the words instead she elegantly casts them out (and eloquently as well) and shares the experiences of her senses of what is happening in her  moment.  It’s quite a gift.

Okay, now for the One Lovely Blog Award rules: 

The One Lovely Blog Award nominations are chosen by fellow bloggers for those newer and up-and-coming bloggers. The goal is to help give recognition and also to help the new blogger to reach more viewers. It also recognizes blogs that are considered to be “lovely” by the fellow bloggers who choose them. This award recognizes bloggers who share their story or thoughts in a beautiful manner to connect with viewers and followers. In order to “accept” the award the nominated blogger must follow several guidelines:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award. 
2. Add the One Lovely Blog logo to your post.
3. Share 7 facts/or things about yourself
4. Nominate 15 bloggers you admire and inform the nominees by commenting on their blog.

So off I go, feeling a bit like Sally Field and thinking “you like me, you really like me”.

7 Facts

1. The first time I ever got on a plane was when I graduated University in 1983 and I flew to Cairo and backpacked six months on my own overland to Capetown.
2. I went back to school in my 40s to study Zoology and I loved it so much I got a Master’s in Forest Conservation.
3. I believe that music is humankind’s greatest contribution (I have been known to sing out loud in the produce section of the neighbourhood grocery store.
4. My secret career goal is to have my own talk show and be the white, gay, Canadian Oprah Winfrey.
5. I love sleeping in, so essentially I am one party LAZY.
6. If there was one thing I could do knowing that failure was not an option, I would record an album.
7. I would like to live outside of Canada for a year.

15 Blogs (I apologize because I don’t believe I know the first names of the writers so I don’t mean to sound impersonal when I refer to the writer as “him” or “her”).

1. MsTranquility Her blog is is part of the soundtrack of the life I am living now. I want to use the word “kindred”.
2. decidingly bob A blog about a squishy dog is a blogger’s best friend.
3. Beginning Life At 43 Evocative!
4. CREATIVEFREEFLOW A creative couple of guys having fun…I’d have a “bromance” with :}
5. Late Morning Tea The title captures the ambience, the sentiments bring me back to myself.
6. Mudpile Wood It’s got that “je ne sais quoi”, I feel attached to the personality behind the blog, somethings just can’t be explained.
7. Refined By Age This is about a topic that I am very passionate about.  Aging and how we define it and how we let society define us.  It is educational, it is advocacy, it is important.
8. Newcomer Health Matters An important informational blog by a community based Health Centre empowering the marginalized to manage their health and be treated with dignity.  Again something I am very passionate about.
9. CanadianHayes Good story teller and it’s nice to read about young people traveling and having adventures. Read the bio on the writer, he’s a bright young man making a lot of smart decisions.
10. BIPOLAR BY NIGHT Complex? Cryptic? Genuinely awesome.
11. Musings by Xantho Clever and creative.
12. Viby Speaks His Mind A talented fellow, it’s fun to catch glimpses of his journey.
13. The Phoblography Gentle and beautiful, in images and in words.
14. Awakening Our Inner Connection So much good stuff in this and she has a friend who is writing a book about sheep. She’s doing things right!
15. Sunflower Solace Farm A self-identified nemophilist, it’s important we support each other.

And if I am following your blog, I like your blog just as much, I wasn’t too excited when I hate to hit control-A deleted on several other blogs – if I didn’t mention you, I do want to thank you.  I had no idea what to expect when I started, I had one rule which was not to censor myself and the outcome is that I feel connected to different communities, all extremely supported.  You are good for me!

H.