The queue of awards tripped me a little; doing the math, I have ten awards to pass along times seven to fifteen people for each one equals a LOT of names and posts to select and hyperlink. Â For starters I’ll address the Beautiful Blogger Award, Â which was given to me by three talented and prolific bloggers.
History of the Ancient World:Â http://historyoftheancientworld.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/beautiful-blogger-award/
The Forester Artist:Â http://theforesterartist.com/2012/10/20/the-beautiful-blogger-award/
Campanulladellaanna: Â Â http://campanulladellaanna.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/blogging-award-nominations-you-can-get-it/
I am to thank the person who nominated this blog, post the image on this blog, share 7 things about myself, and nominate 15 other bloggers.
Thanks, all three of you, for your kind and generous gestures of your respect for this creative-outlet of a blog! Â Now for seven tidbits of information that you might find interesting:
1. Â When I was about ten years old, I hoped to move to Argentina when I grew up! Â I haven’t quite made it yet, but I’m probably closer to Argentina than I am to my home state of Mississippi! (Does that count as three?)
2. Â One of my nicknames is “Bruja Blanca” because of my knowledge of medicinal herbs/ethnobotany. Â This past week a reflexologist came to my house and asked if I would brew ‘one of those teas” to help him get rid of a lingering cough and runny nose. Â Several hours later he was basically clear of symptoms, all because of a tea made from the leaves of the guava tree!
3. Â My next goal is to paint enough paintings for a serious archaeological exhibit in Guayaquil, Â informally set for sometime in 2014. Â It will take me that long to paint those serious studies.
4. Â I confessed to an art restorer that I often wished to hide and get locked in museums after hours so that I could study the artifacts without distractions. Â “I can probably arrange that,” he said, “You could come on Mondays when we are closed to the public…” Â I now have permission to paint at all three museums in Manabi province on Mondays. Â It’s so great to sit with those artifacts in total silence!
5. Â The bow of a boat protrudes through the wall over the stairs inside my house. Â The other side of the wall reveals my bathroom, where the rest of the boat serves as a bathtub and a sink!
6.  My artist friend Ian tells me that he loves my stories, and it’s a shame that I’m in  an institution in Mississippi and making this all up!
7.  Ian also commends me on my excellent photoshop skills, where I lift images from sleek magazines and insert images of myself in appropriate places!  He then advises me to take a pill, or risk having my internet privileges suspended!
Now for those fifteen candidates for the Beautiful Blogger Award; Â will you forgive me for stopping at thirteen?
Top of my list is a blog that I nagged my friends into starting!  Like ducklings in their first puddle of water, John and Mary McDonald quickly earned their wings and are soaring to the stars with amazing and entertaining posts.  Here’s their most-recent post which features those beloved ceibo trees that I mention quite often!  johnandmarylivingitupinecuador.wordpress.com John and Mary, have I told you lately how proud I am of you?!!!!
Another beautiful soul – and blogger – is dear Doris! Â Check out her recent post about Amsterdam and enjoy her artistic blog.
Traveler Lynne’s refreshing style and always cheerful comments brighten anyone’s day. Â Visit her blog here at onthegowithlynne.wordpress.com
A veteran blogger, Elizabeth of Mirth & Motivation  surely has more than her share of awards.  Amiga, let this one smile at you or brighten a dark corner if you’ve run out of room for more praises!  (“Z”)
Lynn writes with a style so refreshing that you feel as if she is sitting across the table and brightening your day in person!  Visit her blog and enjoy her fresh way of sharing her life! http://freepennypress.wordpress.com
Some of us live bohemian or gypsy lives;  that wanderlust urge prompts us to see what’s around the next bend in the road or peek over the top of the next mountain or find a way to cross a large body of water.  We enjoy experiencing new cultures and sharing what we learn with others. You have to love someone who calls herself Gypsy Woman!  Enjoy her stories of travel with Jack as they kick around Australia in Matilda.  http://pommepal.wordpress.com/
Recently my blog has crossed paths with other artists’ blogs. Â Eve, an artist and picture framer, and I have swapped stories about the difference in framing in the cosmopolitan world vs framing in a third-world country! Â Enjoy her blog here:Â http://eveamaro.wordpress.com
Ruth Bailey publishes an amazing variety of strong work. Â Enjoy her beautiful watercolors here: Â http://ruthbaileyart.wordpress.com/
Look at Linda’s blog, and you’ll feel as if you’ve weaned from the waking state into a dream world! Â Scroll down from top to bottom and admire the beauty of her blog, then scroll back up and enjoy some of her poems! Â Â http://lindawillows.wordpress.com/
I’ve enjoyed following Jaz, a talented musician who gives us an behind-the-scenes peek into the ups and downs of her life with EZStreet Band. Â Enjoy her posts and music here:http://ezstreetblog.wordpress.com/ Â
I always enjoy a dose of Dean Baker’s poetry;  his poems flow like clear spring water  from his soul.  (Dean, I’m not sure if you participate in awards or not, but I wanted to bring others’ attention to your poetry and your books!)  http://deanjbaker.wordpress.com/Â
Another fun blog is written by Alan, aka The Single Malt Monkey. Â He’d best get accustomed to the tinkling of the awards! Â Here’s one more for the holiday decor; Â see his blog here:Â http://singlemaltmonkey.com
Anne Christine writes with a sensitive touch; Â check out her blog and see if you agree that she is a beautiful blogger! Â http://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com
Bams post brings us a touch of the exotic from his world. Â His images are always stunning! Â See more here: Â http://betigaklaten.wordpress.com/
With a baker’s dozen, I close! Â Thanks again for your support and encouragement!
Z
Did your name and blog end up on the top of the short list for awards? 🙂 Congratulations once again!
These flowers in the market are stealing the show… Gorgeous! ~Lynda
PS: I am loving your comment 6 above.
i burst out laughing when he wrote that!
thanks!
z
thanks so much, lynda, though with a bowed head, i am shamefully tardy on many of them!
it’s great to be able to share the images of the market; i have many many more!
thanks so much for your support!
z
Wow, thank you, Lisa. Also, the boat sounds fun !
you are so welcome, and thank you! the house is evolving into a fun creative outlet, and most people enjoy stepping inside for a unique visual experience!
z
Thank you so much Lisa for the award and also for all the “nagging” to get us motivated to start our blog and for the encouragement after we finally posted. You’ve probably have worn out your pom poms 🙂
NUNCA will i tire of cheering you forward and praising well-earned posts. my heart swells each time i read one of your posts…
as i teacher, i never gave praise unless it was deserved… i might say, ‘interesting colors.’ but i would not praise something that was hurriedly drawn/painted or deserved more time. your posts are beautiful, well thought out and entertaining! they are WELL DONE!
z
Thank you so much for the award! I am honored and grateful! Love, Linda
You are so very welcome and deserving! Z
you’re really on a roll with your awards aren’t you? 😉 Congrats on another award, you certainly deserve it!! and it’s nice to get to know you better through those very interesting facts. do you have a cure for recurring tendinitis in my arm? heh. If I could just learn how to deal with stress…..my arm would no longer hurt. The blogosphere is so interesting isn’t it? Full of so many great blogs and now you’ve given me even more of them to peruse. One could really sit on ones butt all day and read, read, read huh? Ah…but life does get in the way. Thanks for taking the time to amuse, educate and inspire me!
Such a lovely response! Thank you!
Last year I had a case of painful bursitis in my shoulder that came from painting way too much.. a month after a conventional doctor ‘healed’me, the pain returned after my first few hours of painting.
a kinesiologist cured me with a twenty-dollar visit! he found an old issue from a slipped tendon out of place, pushed that back where it belonged, and in half an hour said that i was free to paint whenever i felt like resuming, and that i should not have any more problems unless i had a new injury.
over a year later and probably fifty paintings/projects later, i am still pain free!
have you seen a kinesiologist for your pain?!!!!
hmmmm, so interesting!! I’ve a similar story…when this first came on I got a cortizone shot that took the pain away! until I went back to work and did the exact same motions that caused the injury to begin with. I had to get a different work set-up. And after that and months of therapy i was finally “cured”. but was told I could get flare-ups which is apparently what I’m having now. brought on by tensing up when hubby almost hit a car. It’s not nearly as bad as the initial injury but enough to bug the crap out of me!! it comes, it goes and I notice that when I am stressed it’s worse 😦 So, perhaps I should see a kinesiologist. hmmmm, food for thought. I will consider that, thank you!!
you are so welcome. my friend was seeing the doctor (in costa rica) and i wrote him and asked if he had time for me as well. i stated that even more than fixing the problem, i wanted to know why it was happening and how to keep it from happening again.
(yes, stress trigger lots of problems! )
i hope that you find a way to detour that pain!
z
thanks, me too! I’m obviously not making my deviled eggs yet. okay, off I go! 🙂
I am smiling and am humbled you picked my little blog.. Thank you so kindly!!
Also, look forward to reading the other’s here as well!!
Now let me see where I can put my fresh flowers!!!
How I wish I could hand you those flowers in person! You are so very welcome! Z
>________________________________
Congratulations on your awards! Well deserved : )
muchas grrrrracias! z
Congratulations! You deserve the awards! Happy Thanksgiving Z!
thank you amiga.. hope yours is/was a good one! z
Thanks Lisa for the award. Since you are the chief gardener at an institution in Mississippi, I am overjoyed to receive such a beautiful bouquet. I am still laughing over that one. You need to do a blog about the boat in the house. Living in Florida…you are giving me ideas.
i am so glad that this gave you pleasure.. yes, i can smell the aroma of the turkey and dressing through the airconditioning ducts… they will be calling us soon to come have lunch, so i had better sneak back out of the computer room and go stare out my window with wistful dreamlike expressions!
have a great one, amiga!
z
>________________________________
hey z, always great to have that recognition… much appreciated
Congratulations on the awards Lisa. You are so well-deserving of each and every one of them! BTW, I love #5 and 6 above. Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
thanks so much! i am glad that made you smile! z
Thank you sooooooooooo very much! Peace, Jaz 🙂
you are SOOOOOOO welcome, amiga! Z
Hi Lisa…beautiful….not sure if you got my last email or not…seems like folks are having problems with email down there. We cannot wait to get there.
hey
i am not sure if i received it or not! the last one i answered..(your plan to fly into manta and drive up) i’ll look back and reply to the last to see if there’s one that i missed.
it will be great to see you and jana!
z
No. 5 ….seriously? That sounds awesome, have got to see that 🙂
Many congratulations Lisa 🙂
thank you! of course i’ll share when the workers finally return and finish the most recent repairs and maintenance! z
Congratulations dear – on the award and on passing it on so successfully. I wish i had time to visit all your nominees … a treat that will have to wait, I’m afraid. 🙂
Congratulations on all your awards and Gracias Amiga! Thnak you for including mine in the mix. You know I’m in deep trouble as I now have a collection that will have to be shared with all in a few posts.:-)
it’s great to be well loved, but comes at a price, doesn’t it? thanks so much! z
Congrats well deserved awards! Gracias Liza for the nomination, it is a honor specially coming from you, I don’t believe #6 you are having so much fun and living a great life (I envy you so much having to use a museum on Mondays the good envy though). Ok we need some recipes from la Bruja Blanca would love to try them. Will check everyone and love the photos like always.
you are so very welcome, dear doris, and yes, i will pass on the granny recipes for staying well! the guava-leaf tea is amazing and also is known to lower blood pressure and help stabilize blood sugar! ditto for teas made from red hibiscus flowers!
CONGRATULATIONS!
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
thank you! Z