You Must Read This

I happened upon a lovely blog the other day (in fact, the photo introducing this post is hers).

I found it just as she was giving away some wonderful old baking tins. The next time I checked in she had a fabulous contest where her readers had to guess what three truly gorgeous and wild pieces of antique silverware were - spectacular.

Today, she wrote what is probably the most beautiful and poignant post I've ever read. Ever.

You just have to read it for yourself.

And the Nominees Are...

I've been nominated for a Sisterhood award.

This is my first blogging award and I am spectacularly pleased and flattered to be nominated. I have to tell you that I feel much the same way the person who nominated me does about this last year: my life has changed dramatically - for the better - and I'm living more the kind of life I was expecting to live when we moved to a tiny little town in the northwest of England.

I haven't talked about it much, but it's been both a trying and an amazing twelve months and I'd complain, but the bad has only served to emphasize how good the good has been.

Sooooo.... On to the awards. The rules of the Sisterhood award are:

- Place the award logo on your blog
- Nominate 10 other blogs which show "Attitude and/or Gratitude"
- Link to the nominee [in] your blog post
- Comment on their blog that you have nominated them
- Share the love and link to the person who nominated you

I don't have 10 women to nominate, but I do have these women (and their blogs, in no particular order) to nominate:

Joli House - These two prolific and talented knitters are also really lovely, sweet, inviting people. I am always in awe of the beauty of their projects and I suffer from pure, unadulterated envy of Minder's photographic talent. She has inspired me to "forget" about the auto setting on my digiital SLR and learn to use it properly.

Himmelbjerget - Stuff the fact that Pendle Stitches already nominated her, I'm doing it again. To know here is to be mighty, mightily, heartily inspired. She's generous, kind and thoughtful; helpful, insightful and very, very funny. There are at least a dozen other reasons that I can cite, but it will have to suffice to say that in small ways, everyday, she inspires me and I am glad to be able to call her 'friend.'

Yarn Snob - Okay, so I don't actually know her. We "met" when we did a yarn transaction through Ravelry. She was lovely to message and seemed friendly and sweet. Then I saw her project page and I instantly hated her. And then loved her. And then hated her, and then, ultimately, loved her. Good god, stop the gorgeousness!! No, wait, don't. Don't stop. The world needs the gorgeousness.

Brownberry - I love the way she talks about her family and the world and the things that mean something to her. I love the way she stops by to comment on my blog and comments on you commenting on her blog. Again, this is a woman that I have not met in person and yet I cannot help feeling connected to her. Funny thing, the Internet.

Mimsie - Not only does her knitting prowess rule, but her day-to-day blog often leaves me in stitches. I adore the way her voice comes through in her posts and I like the fact that she blogs about being an ex-pat without it becoming an "us vs. them" blog (actually, I admire that in any ex-pat blog that can do it). I have to admit that I also like her blog because we come from the same place (even went to the same high school) and it's good - however transient - to have a connection with the place I come from.

And lastly, but absolutely not least, the lovely Pendle Stitches herself (who nominated me) - a gracious and genteel hostess (though that's as far as the gentility goes, which is a good thing), fabulous stitcher and friend extraordinaire. I admire anyone who can admit, out loud, that that Barton Grange lemon cheesecake is better than theirs (it's better than everybody's).

Ladies, thank you for letting me share your virtual and real lives.

Cheers!