Spirit Animal Blogger Award

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I was just awarded the Spirit Animal Blogger Award by Sabine @  incahootswithmuddyboots.com whose contributions to the Blogosphere I truly admire.

Sabine’s blog is filled with tales of world travel, stunning photography, recipes (including great cooking tips) and gardening. I’ve learned alot from her.  To recieve this award from her means a great deal.  I hope you’ll check her out, you won’t be disappointed.

In order to accept this award, I’m to share who I am, what my blog means to me and what animal I would want to be.

Who am I?

Nearly two years ago, I retired at age 57 with a goal to spend time with Spence, learn new things, travel and never be bored.

Spence and I live in Michigan with our two adorable sibling cats, Biscotti and Tipper (who’ve become “famous” when they frequently pop up on my blog). Passionate about travel, writing, cooking, wine and gardening, blogging seemed to be the perfect fit in which I could explore and share my interests. In addition to the aforementioned passions I’m an avid reader, love music and dancing, enjoy movies, make bath products as gifts and study yoga and meditation. Later this month I’ll begin guitar lessons, a lifelong dream. Retirement has been a great blessing. I’m not squandering a minute!

A Blog is Born

And so it began… after a few months of traveling and enjoying my “new normal” I launched this blog on October 31, 2014. I’m honored by every single person that has followed me or liked a post.  I’m loving everything about blogging and I thank you all! Blogging has been a  way to merge my interests and share them with the world, keeping it positive and light-hearted.

What Animal would I want to be?

I can’t imagine anything better than being a cat. Not very original perhaps but I’ve often said I was a cat in a past life. I tend to identify with felines. I find them highly intelligent, loving and admire their ability to play and sleep, purr, snuggle and be great companions.

Paying it forward I nominate the following:

For the final part in the award process, I’m to nominate fellow bloggers for this award. I hope you’ll click on their links and check them out….

  1. thecobaltblonde.com – Kristina is a vibrant young blogger with a interest in finding beauty in everything and an emphasis on style with a budget. She is fun and shares great photography as well.
  2. theviewfromtheporch.com – Nancy is one of those bloggers that you feel as though you’ve known forever and though you don’t see her, you stay in touch.  She projects positivity and humor as she shares what’s happening in her world and with her family, plus Jack the cat.
  3. tastingeverything.com – Anne is a skilled professional chef with an extensive background. Her food is primarily gluten-free, her recipes and plating are absolutely stunning. Seriously, if this is what gluten-free is – count me in.  I could spend hours on this blog. If she publishes a cookbook, I’m buying it.
  4. truenorthnomad.net – Lily is a Canadian blogger who is a writer, photographer and travel enthusiast sharing her passion for all things Canada.  Spence and I adore Canada so this blog has been delightful as I learn about places I’ve haven’t travelled to yet.  Her photography is lovely and she does her country proud.

Spence’s Girl Receives Liebster Award!

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How exciting is this?

I just learned that I was nominated for the Liebster Award by the immensely talented http://incahootswithmuddyboots – thank you, Sabine!  This is especially exciting as I near the one year anniversary of launching this blog – on Halloween to be exact.  It has been gratifying to receive three awards now and from bloggers I so admire.

Please check out: http://incahootswithmuddyboots! Such a great blog including travel adventures, cooking, gardening and photography.

By accepting this award, I was asked to answer the following questions:

  • Your favorite book? Hard to choose one favorite but a truly remarkable book is “Memoirs of a Geisha”
  • Your favorite movie? Again, just one?  “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” – have watched it countless times and it never gets old
  • Your dream vacation?  After seeing all those commercials for the European River Boat Cruises while watching Downton Abbey, that is a dream vacation.
  • Your favorite flower? This is a hard question as I am such a garden geek, but I adore Hydrangeas (which I strangely have no success in getting to bloom)
  • IOS or Android?  I’m Apple all the way!!
  • Which languages do you speak? English, Spanglish and I can read what I call “menu French” as the five years of French I studied in high school escaped me eight years ago when I  traveled to France. (epic fail – ask Spence)
  • Coffee or tea? Tea
  • Favorite color?  Teal blue
  • If you were reincarnated as an animal, which one would you choose? I’d like to be a well-loved cat
  • Are you an early bird or a night owl?  Early bird
  • What is your favorite breakfast?  Everything Bagel toasted with Light Veggie Cream Cheese and a glass of cider (and the aforementioned tea of course)

Now for my nominations for the Liebster Award:

  1. http://lovingleisuretime
  2. http://dawns-ad-lib.com
  3. http://bubblyBEE
  4. https://4wallsnaroof.wordpress.com
  5. https://curvylouise.wordpress.com

These blogs are so well crafted. I’m always happy to see a new post and have featured their posts under my category “From Blogs I Follow”. I invite you to check them out. I promise it will be time well-spent.

Now for 11 questions for my nominees:

  1. What is your favorite birthday cake or pie?
  2. Peanut butter – smooth or crunchy?
  3. What is your least favorite household chore?
  4. Curly, wavy or straight hair?
  5. If you could live anywhere else, where would it be?
  6. Left-handed or right-handed?
  7. What is your favorite adult beverage?
  8. What talent do you wish you had?
  9. What made you decide to blog?
  10. Best decision you ever made?
  11. Person you admire most?

Here are the rules for accepting the Leibster Award:

  1. Make a post thanking and linking the person who nominated you.
  2. Include the Liebster Award sticker in the post too.
  3. Nominate 5 -10 other bloggers who you feel are worthy of this award. Let them know they have been nominated by commenting on one of their posts. You can also nominate the person who nominated you.
  4. Ensure all of these bloggers have fewer than 200 followers.
  5. Answer the eleven questions asked to you by the person who nominated you, and make eleven  questions of your own for your nominees or you may use the same questions.
  6. Lastly, COPY these rules in your post.

High Five! Another Award – Encouraging Thunder

High Five from Biscotti!
High Five from Biscotti!  He just happened to be nearby when I screamed “woo hoo!” and did my “happy dance” after receiving this award!

Today I was delighted to learn that I’d received an award for Spence’s Girl from Janey at Cupids or Cats, a blogger that I truly admire for her humor, candor and creativity! It means so much to be nominated by someone whose talent I regard and who I’ve come to think of as a friend though we’ve never met. Janey, I thank you for this award; you honor and inspire me.

I encourage everyone who doesn’t know of her blog to check it out at:

https://www.cupidorcats.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/awards-and-1000-followers/

Here’s my bright, shiny new award!

It's so awesome!
It’s so awesome!

What you can do with the award?

Post it on your blog – √
Grant other bloggers with the award – read on, I’ll get to that

What you can’t do with the award?

Abuse or misuse the logo  – I solemnly swear – no abuse or misuse
Claim that it’s your own handmade logo – no one would believe me if I tried to claim that (haha)

What you should do after receiving award:

Enjoy the award – I’m thinking about pouring a glass of wine right now!
At least give thanks via comments and likes and/or mentioning the blog who gave the award – first thing I did (see above to refresh your memory)

Mention your purpose in blogging – 

For the last several years, I told people that I wanted to write a book. I ping-ponged around with what kind of book – a cookbook? humorous novel based on comical anecdotes from my real life? travel tales (culled from my voluminous journaling)? a children’s story about the colony of feral cats (all of whom Spence and I have named) and their adventures in our garden? You see the problem? No clear focus.  On October 31, 2014 I quit talking about writing and started this blog.

I was attracted to blogging because it felt like a safe place to talk about my life and adventures with Spence, Tipper and Biscotti, post favorite recipes, share my best photos, interests and passions while doing some creative writing.

I’ve been bowled over by the kind comments, feedback and acceptance from those who visit Spence’s Girl, most of whom I’ve never met – and from so many places around the planet. It boggles my mind that you’ve discovered my little blog; your support brings me incredible happiness. 

To all of you who visit Spence’s Girl, I send out my heartfelt gratitude.


In turn, I’d like to nominate the following blogs for this award:

creekviewcarol.com a blog that brings me endless enjoyment

mangoestomutts.coma blog that truly represents the beautiful heart & mind of this blogger

Between the Cracks

This story captivated me. It’s not far from where I live in Michigan. Make sure to click below to see the whole blog post, complete with photos of the most creative artistry and the story behind this inspired artist. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I will be making the trip to Ann Arbor to find these treasures as soon as spring arrives!