An Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award

Many thanks to Yvette of in so many words (one of my favorite blogs) who's bestowed The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award upon me. Little does she know that I'm a law unto myself when it comes to the rules and regs of blog awards!

The rules and regs on this particular award are to give it to twelve other bloggers and to list seven random facts about myself. I won't be passing it on-- not because I'm an award hog, but because I hate choosing other blogs to award. Some deserving soul always gets left out. Always.

As for the seven random facts about myself... hmm.....

1. I am the granddaughter, daughter and wife of Navy men. I didn't plan on the last one, but I certainly wasn't stupid enough to pass him by!
2. My original major when I started college was French.
3. My hair started turning gray when I was sixteen. I've decided to no longer dye my hair, and I have my fingers crossed that it will be snow white once the dye's all gone. (There are advantages to gray/white hair. I know from experience!)
4. I have a storage unit that contains nothing but Christmas decorations. (Inside-the-house ones.)
5. Until recently I've been amicably sharing my pool space with a black widow spider.
6. For my first wedding anniversary/birthday, Denis took me up in a hot air balloon.
7. I love maps.

Oh... and whatever you do, don't any of you tell Yvette that I'm allergic to strawberries!

Thank You, Dorte!

Now that Dorte is convinced I've forgotten all about her award, I'll apologize and get busy!

She's given me the "I'm a Literacy Builder Blog Award" because of Kittling: Books and because she would love to see the words that I love.

Partial Award Conditions:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Display the award logo on your blog site.
3. Tell us five of your favorite words and why you like them. (I'm going to throw in an extra since I took my time posting this.)

Partial Award Conditions? I can see Dorte smiling now. She knows I'm contrary. Perverse, too.  (Don't mind me. I'm just getting my word picker limbered up.)

This isn't as easy as it may seem. There are a lot of words out there, and normally my favorites are ones that I love saying aloud. There's something about my favorite words that just rolls trippingly off my tongue. Ask me sixty seconds after I publish this post, and I can almost guarantee that my list will have a fresh batch of words. What are my top five right this minute?

1. Minion. I've always wanted minions. Some synonyms: henchman, underling, lackey, toady, flunky, lickspittle. Oh-- Flunky! Lickspittle! There are two more candidates!
2. Mellifluous. Ever notice how M's and L's can be so much fun to say? Some synonyms: dulcet, melodius, musical.
3. Pop. Words don't have to contain a lot of syllables to be fun to say!
4. Scuttle. To run or move with short hurried movements; scurry. Oh oh. Scurry would be on my next generation list....
5. Saunter. A careless leisurely gait: "He walked with a kind of saunter as if he hadn't a care in the world."
6. Huckleberry. Blue-black berry similar to the blueberries of the eastern United States. I also think of Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday in the film Tombstone when he told Wyatt Earp, "I'm your huckleberry." You can also find it in the song "Moon River".

As a grand finale, I'll use all six of my words in a sentence:

My minion with the mellifluous voice pops his chewing gum, trying to decide whether to scuttle or saunter around the huckleberry bush.

Thank You, Elysium!

Elysium of Book Ramblings has given me The Versatile Blogger Award, for which I send many thanks back to her. If you haven't visited her blog, I really hope you take the time to do so!

One of the rules that comes along with this award is sharing seven things about myself, so here goes:

1.  When I began talking, my first words were "woo woo" (translated: "dog").
2. If Denis and I won the lottery, we'd have a house outside Wickenburg, Arizona and one on the Waternish Peninsula of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. (I'll be taking window screens with me for the Skye house, since I don't believe in sharing the summer with midges!)
3. My favorite thing to do each January is to watch over 20,000 Sandhill Cranes flying and feeding in Cochise County, Arizona.
4. I'm using up some 30-year-old yarn by needlepointing in the evenings while watching television.
5. I'm so well-trained that I do not throw my book in the pool even when I'm a target for bees, wasps, lizards and geckos. (And no, I do not enjoy having any of that list crawling up the back of my neck!)
6. I love to watch Midsomer Murders to see if I can identify the village(s) in which each episode is filmed.
7. I'd long ago stopped watching animated films-- until I married Denis.  In many ways (like this one), we're two kids in disguise.

No being a kid right now, I'm afraid. I have to finalize my shopping list and go to the grocery store. Life would be so  much simpler (and cheaper) if we didn't have to eat!

Thank You, Vicki!

A big Thank You goes to Vicki of Reading at the Beach for giving me the XXtraordinary Blogger Award. (Of all the blog names on the Internet, I think hers is my favorite!)

Many of you regulars know how unpredictable I am with awards, but I'm actually following one of the rules this time, which states that I must share one extraordinary thing that has happened to me.

Well... there have been quite a few extraordinary things that have happened to me, but the one that's been on my mind tonight and closest to my heart is that, being a confirmed loner who wasn't looking for a relationship, I somehow stumbled across the love of my life and married for the first (and only) time at the age of 47.

Being that confirmed loner and an independent cuss to boot, it took me a couple of years to get used to the whole relationship/ living together thing, but now I can't imagine my life any other way. (I don't want to imagine my life any other way!)

Like my wedding band says, "Vous et nul autre," Denis!

Prolific Blogger Award-- Thanks, Cheryl!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Cheryl of CMash Loves to Read for bestowing me with the Prolific Blogger Award. It is much appreciated!

Many of you already know that I normally do not pass awards along, but I do encourage you to check out Cheryl's blog-- especially if you enjoy reading crime fiction!

Poll Results... and an Award!

The question?

You have won an all-expense paid "Literary Giants" trip to one country. Which country would you choose?

My thanks to the 57 people who cast a vote. That number is significantly lower than in many past polls, but since no one voted to stay home, I think the choice of countries had everything to do with the fewer number of votes.

There were a few choices (besides staying at home) that received no votes at all: Canada, France, and Chile. With the earthquake in Chile, it's a bit understandable, but Canada and France were a bit puzzling.

The countries that received votes?

• With one vote (1%) each: Germany and Greece.
• With 2 votes (3%) each: Russia and Spain.
  
• With 3 votes (5%) : Japan.
• With 4 votes (7%); Australia.
• With 5 votes (8%): the United States.
  
• With 6 votes (10%): Ireland.
• With 10 votes (17%): Italy.
• With 23 votes (40%): the United Kingdom.

How did I vote? Russia. After reading Tolstoy, Chekov, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Pushkin and so many others; after knowing the vastness of the land, I just couldn't resist.

Did the poll contain any surprises for me? Yes. I was surprised that the US got as many votes as it did. This must mean that I have more non-North American readers than I thought! Italy was a surprise, too. Part of me wonders if some of those ten votes had more to do with the landscape and the food than Italian literary giants? (I'm smiling here and not being snarky.)

It wasn't a surprise that the UK was such a runaway winner. It's safe to say that most of my readers are from North America and are English speakers who've read Dickens and Austen and the Brontes (and many others) as part of their school curricula. If I'd broken it down into England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I would bet that England would be the overwhelming winner.

What do you think?

=================

On a completely different note, I'm honored that author, Margot Kinberg, honored me with the Sunshine Award on her blog, Confessions of a Mystery Novelist. If you haven't ever visited her blog, please take the opportunity to do so!

The Sunshine Award is to honor "bloggers whose contagious positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging universe.” Wow, what an honor! Thank you so much, Margot!

Kim, You're the Bee's Knees!

I'd like to thank Kim of Queen Bee for bestowing upon me the Honest Scrap award. Those who've been to Casa Kittling often enough know my rather ambivalent attitude toward awards... and that I seldom follow the rules.

The rules state that I'm supposed to tell you ten things about myself and then pass the award on to ten other bloggers. I think I'll follow the first rule and pass on the second!

Let me put on my thinking cap for a few moments. At times like these, I never know what in the Sam Hill to tell y'all!

--When I was learning to talk, I couldn't pronounce my L's, which made the adults around me smile whenever I wanted to see 'assie, my favorite television program.
--It also caused problems when I tried to sing. According to me, my favorite song to sing to everyone was The Purple Peter Eater. I actually remember a time or two when I got miffed when all the adults started laughing. It took a few years before I caught the humor.
--I didn't own a car until I was 40.
--I have a phobia about wringer wash machines because of my great aunt Lois.
--I was once thrown out of a Walmart because of my attire. You see, I went in straight after work. When they saw me wearing Target's khaki and red (complete with spiffy name badge), they were convinced that I was doing a comp shop and not looking for lazy susans. It's the first and last time I've been frog-marched out of a store, and to this day I categorically refuse to give any of the Walton clan a penny of my hard-earned money. (Not that I carry a grudge....)
--When I was a senior in high school, I lost eleven pounds during the 24 hours of Homecoming. (All sweat, unfortunately!) That was also the day I marched two miles in a parade with a rock stuck to my sock right underneath the ball of my right foot.
--I had a 14-year-old black toy poodle that saved me from a rapist one night.
--I once had two Wire-Haired Fox Terriers who took turns pulling each other around the pool on their very own boogie board.
--I'll take jeans over sequins any day.
--I own ten pairs of shoes which include 2 pairs of flip-flops and 2 pairs of "cowboy" boots.

Mostly a trip down Memory Lane, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless!

Prolific Blogger Award-- Thanks, Kerrie!

I'd like to thank Kerrie of Mysteries in Paradise for thinking of me!

Receiving this award means:
A Prolific Blogger is one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.

I am honored by this award, and I intend to honor its precepts of keeping up an active blog that's filled with enjoyable content. Once again... thank you, Kerrie. Your blog is one that I use as inspiration.

"Creative Writer" ... Me?

I am the very proud recipient of the inaugural "Creative Writer" Blogger Award given to me by Lesa of Lesa's Book Critiques. Thank you so much, Lesa!! Here are the rules (although many of you know how I am about rules):

1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell us up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Allow your readers to guess which one or more are true.
6. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
7. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
8. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

I'm going to be more than happy to carry out rules 1 through 5, but I respectfully decline to carry out rules 6 through 8.

Which one of the following 7 things about me is the truth?

1. Robert Redford once stood behind me in a checkout line at Albertson's supermarket.
2. I met an acquaintance from a neighboring small town in central Illinois by a waterfall on the side of Mt. Rainer in Washington state. We hadn't been in touch with each other for decades.
3. I once had to rescue an adult Vietnamese pot-bellied pig from my swimming pool.
   
4. The Frankfort, Kentucky, restaurant in which I was dining was evacuated due to a bomb threat.
5. I met five different Osmonds on five different days as they left JC Penney in the mall at Orem, Utah.
6. I lived six blocks away from where Gary Gilmore went on his last crime spree.
7. I was shopping in a mall in Salt Lake City at the same time as Ted Bundy. Needless to say, our shopping lists were completely different.

Have you spotted the truth? Leave a comment to tell us which fact you believe to be correct! (There just may be a surprise in store.)

BBAW-- Best Series or Feature Awarded to Scene of the Blog

I think I'm still in shock. I was sitting here going through all the posts in my Google Reader when a light yellow background on a tweet informed me that someone was speaking to me on Twitter.

I'd just won the Book Blogger Appreciation Week Award for Best Series or Feature for Scene of the Blog. I (rather incoherently) mentioned it to Denis, who practically jumped up and down in his chair. He was excited for me. I was...stunned.

Just look at the other shortlisted features:

• 451 Fridays at As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves
• Author Recipes at Maw Books Blog
• Spotlight on Bookstores at She Is Too Fond of Books
• What a Girl Wants at Chasing Ray

Looked a bit like a battle between Book TV, the Food Network and HGTV. Although that comment sounds smart-alecky, I didn't think my HGTV series had a prayer against the other two networks. (By the way...if you haven't checked out those other "networks", what are you waiting for??)

Stunned or not, Kittling: Books won, and I'd like to thank each and every person who stuck with Scene of the Blog all the way through the nomination and voting process. I'd also like to thank the competition because they are all absolutely great. I've participated in two of the series and I read the other two, so none of them are strangers to my Google Reader. No way, no how!

It's odd how I won an award for the weekly post that is the easiest to write. Since photos and text are provided by the participants, all I have to do is put them together in my editor without screwing anything up, and add a couple of Master of Ceremonies bits. Easy peasy! It just goes to show...

One thing Scene of the Blog reinforces is the feeling of community amongst all of us book bloggers. Of the 31 book bloggers who've participated in this series so far, one third of them were also nominated for BBAW awards. When I emailed all these folks about my harebrained idea, they agreed to help a newbie out. Their trust in me blew me away. How can you not love being in a community like this?

I'd best cut this gush short. There are more Scenes of the Blog to come, and it won't be long before I'll be looking for more. (If you're interested, let me know!) And all of the events throughout Book Blogger Appreciation Week have given me even more ideas.

Watch out...you never know what this mad scientist will cook up!

I Keep Coming Back for More! Awards

A month has passed, and it's time to dust off the boomerang and send it on its way to the next round of recipients. This is my very own award that sprang to life last month. If you're new here to Kittling: Books, you may be wondering what it's all about:

The I Keep Coming Back for More! Award is for a blog you just can't stay away from. If you've been busy and your Google reader is over 1,000 unread posts, these are the blogs that you single out to read. These are the ones that are never victims to the dreaded Mark All As Read. There may be many different reasons why you can't stay away: a taste in books that mirrors your own, the same sense of humor, always knowing the latest in the book world... for whatever the reason, these blogs are flat out addictive and you have no wish to be cured!

Since I am a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. method, the rules are rather simple:

• Enjoy the award. If you don't want to put it on your blog, don't. Just get the warm, fuzzy feeling that I'm sending your way!
• You don't have to reveal any deep, dark secrets about yourself or answer any sort of questions. You've already earned it!
  
• You don't have to link back to me.
• You don't have to give it to anyone else.
  

Simple, huh? Now, if you do want to give this award to someone else, that's a whole 'nuther kettle of fish.

If you do want to pass it along to some of those addictive book blogs in your reader, just follow the same four rules I outlined above. This is a pay-it-forward award. Nothing is to be expected in return!

This month, the bloggers and their addictive blogs that I want to give the award to are:

• Marie of The Burton Review
• Corey of The Drowning Machine
• Margot of Joyfully Retired
• Caite of a lovely shore breeze...
• Michele of A Reader's Respite
• Molly of my cozy book nook

I could give testimonials for each of the aforementioned blogs, but instead of doing that, I'd like you to visit each and every one yourself. It's my hope that (if you don't already) you'll find them as addictive as I do!

Channeling Sally

I've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the hives, so I want to apologize to Beth for not acknowledging the award she gave me in a timely manner. Beth of Beth Fish Reads shared the love by bestowing upon me the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thank you so much, Beth!




The past couple of days, reading email around here has been just like opening Christmas presents. I'm sending many, many thanks out to an unknown number of my readers who nominated me for FIVE Book Blogger Appreciation Week Awards. In my heart of hearts, I was hoping for one. Five just blows my mind!

Thank you so much for thinking I deserve to be in the running for the following awards:

• Most Eclectic Taste Blog
  
• Most Humorous/Funniest Blog
  
• Best Series or Feature
• Best Thriller/Mystery/Suspense Blog
• Best Writing

The next step in the process was to choose five posts that I felt best represented Kittling: Books in each category-- not an easy task, but it's done! Those who are shortlisted for the awards will be notified, and general voting will begin on September 7.

Each nomination for one of these awards represents so much hard work. I want to congratulate each and every book blogger who received one. It's a grand feeling, isn't it?

Good Luck to All of Us!
Thank You to Everyone Who Participates!

Roses from Down Under

My favorite Aussie curmudgeon was recently awarded the One Lovely Blog Award, and he's graciously given it to me. Thank you, Archie! I'll cherish it always, even though I've never been much for ribbons and roses.

(I have to admit that part of the fun of accepting this award is picturing Archie holding a ribbon-trimmed teacup filled with pink roses!)

A Day to Be Thankful

It's a day to take stock of blessings, like the friendships I continue to make in the book blogosphere. I've been given two awards by fellow bloggers this week:


Natalie of The Book Inn bestowed upon me the Let's Be Friends award. Thank you so much, Natalie. The feeling is mutual!

If you haven't checked out her blog yet, please take the time to do so.



Fellow Arizonan, Charlie of Professor B. Worm, surprised me with the Straight Shooter award which is given to bloggers who are:

Direct.
Honest.
When you like a book, you say why.
When you don’t like a book, you don’t mince words or sugarcoat it.
That’s why you get the Straight Shooter award.

This award from a man who's straighter than a ruler when it comes to the opinions on his blog! More than once, his direct, honest style has caused me to wipe a tear, laugh till I choked or clean the tea off my monitor. Thank you, Charlie! (You folks out there don't forget to check out his blog!)

I Keep Coming Back For More!

Just what the world needs-- another blogging award-- right? There are several book blogs that I want to show my brand of appreciation to, and this is why I've come up with my very own award.

The I Keep Coming Back for More! Award is for a blog you just can't stay away from. If you've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the hives and your Google reader is over 1,000 unread posts, these are the blogs that you single out to read. These are the ones that are never victims to the dreaded Mark All As Read. There may be many different reasons why you can't stay away: a taste in books that mirrors your own, the same sense of humor, always knowing the latest in the book world... for whatever the reason, these blogs are flat out addictive and you have no wish to be cured!

The blogs I'm giving this virgin award to are:

• Jenclair of A Garden Carried in the Pocket
• Natalie of Book, Line, and Sinker
• Margaret of BooksPlease
• Jackie of Farm Lane Books Blog
• Belle of Ms. Bookish
• Bernadette of Reactions to Reading
• Kerrie of Mysteries in Paradise

The rules for the recipients are simple. (I'm a believer in the KISS method.) What are the rules?

• Enjoy the award. If you don't want to put it on your blog, don't. Just get the warm, fuzzy feeling that I'm sending your way!
• You don't have to reveal any deep, dark secrets about yourself or answer any sort of questions. You've already earned it!
  
• You don't have to link back to me.
• You don't have to give it to anyone else.
  

Simple, huh? Now, if you do want to give this award to someone else, that's a whole 'nuther kettle of fish.

If you do want to pass it along to some of those addictive book blogs in your reader, just follow the same four rules I outlined above. This is a pay-it-forward award. Nothing is to be expected in return!

(In case you're wondering, this isn't a one-time only award ceremony. It will appear again in future because...I'm a blog junkie!)

Yikes! It's Monsoon Season and It's Raining Awards!

It's monsoon season in the Sonoran Desert. So far we're getting wind and dust instead of rain, but here at Kittling: Books, it's raining awards!


Tina of Tutu's Two Cents has awarded me the True Fairy Tale Award because "the magic of her posts always gives me a positive feeling." What a wonderful thing to say, Tina. Thank you so much!

If any of you haven't checked out Tina's blog, I suggest that you click on the link above. It's excellent!





Suzanne of Chick with Books has given me the Let's Be Friends Award.

Thank you so much, Suzanne! If you're not familiar with Suzanne's blog, by all means click on that link!




And Missy of Missy's Book Nook has given me the Heartfelt Award. Thank you, Missy! Everyone...please make sure you visit her blog!

Speaking of heartfelt...my heartfelt thanks to all three of these bloggers as well as all the others who have given me awards.

Thank You, Sheri!

Sheri of A Novel Menagerie has just given me the Humane Award:

“The Humane Award is to honor certain bloggers who are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. This award is to thank them for their growing friendships through the blog world.”

I'm honored to receive this, Sheri, especially when I saw the company I was keeping. Wow! I'm soooooo glad I decided that I didn't want to keep a book blog just for myself, not caring if anyone else ever read it. If I still thought that way, I'd be missing out on 95% of the fun of blogging!

Thank You, Cathy!

No...I haven't gone around that last bend. I am not talking to myself! Cathy of the One eyed stuffed bunny has graciously awarded me the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thank you so much, Cathy! This comes at a particularly opportune moment, since I'm modifying a new template on my test blog, inventing new language that will never appear on Bermudaonion's Wondrous Words Wednesday (another C/Kathy!), and hoping to have everything up and running here on the real thing by next week.

I am supposed to list seven favorite things and pass this along to seven favorite bloggers. Most of you know that I loathe trying to pick and choose friends to give awards to, so here is a list of seven favorite things:

1. cloud watching
2. summer reading time spent in the pool with Denis
3. dragonflies
4. UPS deliveries
5. broccoli and bacon salad
6. my 1992 Lumina that runs like a dream
7. the ents in Lord of the Rings

Thanks again, Cathy. You really made my day!

Thank You, Natalie and Wisteria!

It's been a quiet weekend here at Kittling Acres. Just our jobs, a few chores at home, a bit of reading, and snuggling together on the couch to watch a video or two. Have you ever noticed? It's the Quiet Weekends when awards arrive. I think of them as "owls". (What? Not read Harry Potter!)

This weekend two lovely owls swooped in, and I want to take the opportunity to thank the bloggers who bestowed them upon me.



Natalie of The Book Inn gave me the Humane Award. Here is a description of this award:

"The Humane Award honors bloggers that I feel are kind-hearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing, and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendships throughout the blogging world.”

Thank you so much, Natalie!



Wisteria of Bookworm's Dinner gave me the Proximidade Award:

This blog invests and believes in Proximity - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!

Thank you, Wisteria!

Both of these awards mean a great deal to me!

Thank You, Louise!

Louise of Lou's Pages honored me with the Lemonade Award which spotlights blogs with great attitude or gratitude. Thank you so very much, Louise!

If you haven't stopped by Louise's blog yet, please do so. I certainly missed her while she was up to her ears in school work!