No reason

Ok...so normally my pictures are somehow related to the subject I'm blogging about...but I'm going to be upfront with you....today's picture is really just me trying to hold on to summer in the midst of another chilly PNW day. I am missing being close to the ocean. Missing the sound of the waves and the soft sand between my toes. Being near the beach is great any time of the year..winter or summer...and being so far away from it would have to be one of the top 5 things that I miss about living in Sydney.

Having said that though, there is a bright spot in my otherwise chilly January weekend! Not too long ago I stumbled upon Jennifer's blog. It was witty and fun and has a lot of thought provoking themes and some great photos. Well she has given me the "Blogging Friends Award". I am blushing. How thoughtful. And the wonderful thing about this award is that you don't have to do anything except pass it on. Jennifer has eloquently listed the rules for the award here so I won't repeat them...but all I have to do is pass them onto 8 other bloggers who I count among my friends.
There are some new friends that I have met on this blogging adventure and some old ones from my pre blog days. So here goes....
With all the fanfare and drum rolls I can muster I officially pass this award along to....

1 - Michelle from Michelle Sidles Photography
2 - Sebrina from SunMamma
3 - Melissa from 365
4 - Liss from A Memory Forever
5 - Cheryl from Al Ain Notebook
6 - Victoria from 13Mimosa
7 - Toni from the Daily Vignette
8 - Shalet from Peculiar Momma

All of these women are talented, creative and fun and their blogs are always filled with cool ideas, great photographs and interesting stories. So if you get a free moment be sure to visit them for a bit of inspiration.

Blog Award

The lovely Kyla at Kreative Life gave me this "Marie Antoinette Award". How exciting!!!! I don't feel much like Marie Antoinette most days....no enormous wealth, no real extravagences or excesses to speak of, certainly no great beauty or political influence. And I must say... I am hoping for a much less violent fate than hers at the hands of Madame Guillotine.

The award is called the "Real Person Award". This made me curious. It seems almost incongruous that such an award would have Marie Antoinette as its patron. A woman who historically has been attributed to almost single handedly bringing about the end of the French monarchy.

But as with most people there are a lot of other less glamorous details about her that are not nearly as widely known or well documented. She was in fact an avid reader and was interested in music, science and philosophy. She was devoted to her children and had a enjoyed close friendships with an inner circle of women (Société Particulière de la Reine) who gave her support and companionship. Doesn't sound a lot different from me after all!

So in celebration of this award I am passing it on to some other bloggers whose blogs I enjoy.....

Michelle
Dana
Elaine
Shawna
Blazey
Mom23boys
Elk

To all of you I say..."Let them eat cake!"