Shannon put my blog up for the blogger-driven Liebster Award. I confess I wandered around on Google for a while to discover that it is, simply, an award given to bloggers by bloggers. The “rules” very from being a newbie blogger with less than 200 followers to no restrictions, and to answer a list of questions of the nominator’s choosing… Since I’ve been blogging for many years, and have many followers, I’m not exactly a noob. But I’ll play along and will, as requested, nominate some of my other favorite bloggers for you to visit.

What is your favorite topic to write about? (This may or may not be what you write about most often.)

Real life. Stuff that makes me laugh, scratch my head, get a little weepy. Usually there’s photography involved. I do a lot of photo-blogging.

What are your highest goals and aspirations as a writer?

I’d love to write a book. Possibly historical fiction, based on the life of my great-great-great-grandmother, Ellen. She kicked butt in an abolitionist, pre-feminism, suffragette kinda way.

Do your family members read your writing? If so, what do they think of it?

They do. They are hugely encouraging. I do my best not to embarrass them (or myself) with too many family photos.

What is your best travel story?

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to places where my family emigrated from in Germany, England and Ireland. I am not a genealogist, but I have family members who are! Being able to walk in and near the places where our immigrant ancestors lived was an incredible experience. I even got to try my hand at playing a pipe organ in an ancestral church!

What is your favorite piece of writing OR what piece was the hardest to write?

Probably the blog post on my dad.

What is your favorite movie and do you believe it’s the best movie you’ve ever seen? (It may not be!)

Mona Lisa Smile hands down.

What is the scariest thing you’ve ever voluntarily done?

I went on one of those high-ropes-challenge courses as a “team-building” exercise. I have now checked that box. I will absolutely NOT do it again. Period.

Who is the biggest celebrity you have ever met?

Artur Rubenstein, a concert pianist. I was probably 11 or 12 years old. My piano teacher arranged for her students to meet him… and all I can remember was how huge and muscular his hands were. A favorite quote by him: To be alive, to be able to see, to walk, to have houses, music, paintings – it’s all a miracle. I have adopted the technique of living life miracle to miracle.

What is your favorite children’s book?

Oh dear. There are so many… Probably the James Herriot short stories for children. Well loved and read many times over!

Where is your favorite place to have lived?

I really love where we are now, right here in Narnia.

What was the best part of your day yesterday?

I got to spend time with family, good friends and like-minded Christ followers! WIN-WIN-WIN!!!

NOW THEN… I nominate…

MINDY!! at Bits and Odd Pieces of Mindy’s Kingdom

JAN at A Church for Starving Artists

TERRI at Seeking Authentic Voice

JAN at Painted Prayer Book

DENISE at Soula Scriptura

Did I forget you? Please nominate yourself!

AND… here are my questions!

1. Why blog in an era of Facebook, Twitter and everything else?

2. I can’t, for the life of me, finish Eat, Pray, Love. Tell me a book that you can’t finish (and if you can figure out why, share that, too.)

3. Oxford Commas, diagramming sentences, and cursive writing. Discuss.

4. A photo of the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited and share why it stirred your soul.

5. Write a haiku about cats. Or dogs. Or having to write haiku. 

6. The craft or hobby of your choice. Bonus points for a photo.