I was recently nominated for a Sunshine Blogger award by Nick at Fifty Words Daily. It’s been a long time since I’ve been nominated for a blogging award. I’m really quite tickled because, for me, getting one of these tells me that at least one person likes to visit here. I’ve been blogging since 2005 but I really haven’t gotten into the WordPress community like a lot of bloggers do. Honestly, I don’t blog for “hits” or to try to increase my readership. I rarely look at my stats. I blog because I like to take pictures and I like to write and I like to see it all in living color before my eyes. Plus, it is great when someone else enjoys what I put up here. I’m afraid I don’t peruse other blogs as much as I’d like to but I do have some that I visit regularly, if not as often as I’d like.

Anyway, Nick has a great blog. He writes flash fiction and I do read his blog almost every day. His little stories are skillfully written and always entertain or make me think, hmmmmm. If he hadn’t nominated me I would have nominated him. So, go read over there asap!

Now on to the business at hand:

The guidelines of the award are as follows:

Answer the eleven questions from the blogger who nominated you.
Nominate up to eleven wonderful bloggers and write eleven questions for them to answer.

And here are my questions to answer:

What single piece of advice would you give to your eighteen year old self?
Live on your own for a few years. Don’t go straight from mom and dad’s house to getting married.

If you didn’t live in your current country of abode, where you most like to live?
Italy, without a doubt. I salivate when I see photos or videos on the Italian countryside. I love their laid-back lifestyle and the food! *sigh*

What has been your most extravagant purchase?
I’ve been thinking about this one. I’m not a big consumer, I don’t lust after stuff. To me, being extravagant means buying stuff that you can’t really afford but want intensely. I’ve never bought something I really couldn’t afford and I honestly can’t think of anything extravagant I’ve ever bought. Sorry. Boring answer.

What is the best movie of all time?
I guess that would translate to what is my favorite movie. Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. It came out in the 80’s and I watched it at a theatre and it was big and beautiful and I got completely lost in the story. I like that it’s based on a true story, that the cinematography is breathtaking, that it’s set in another country, that the costuming is phenom, and the story is engrossing. It has everything a huge movie should have. Plus, no super heroes or explosions. Big plus.

Have you ever said I hate you and not meant it?
No. I’ve said it in anger and meant it at the time. Of course, later, after I cooled off I didn’t mean it and apologized.

Whale or dolphin?
That’s a hard one but I’d have to go with dolphin. How can you resist that grin?

What is your favourite first or last line from a book or poem?
Another one I’ve been thinking about. I have a horrible memory so I don’t tend to remember lines even that I really loved. But there is a short poem I love that has especially great opening and closing lines (and everything in between). It’s “There is a Girl Inside” by Lucille Clifton. You can read it here. (Sorry for the ad on the site. Ugh.) The last line is so awesome to me because it’s music, it’s magic, it’s happiness, it’s life. It is:

and her lovers will harvest
honey and thyme
and the woods will be wild
with the damn wonder of it.

How many languages can you speak? Could you teach me how to say ‘you have intriguing ears’ in non-English please?
I only speak English and I’m sure your ears are indeed intriguing.

Why is Donald Trump doing so well? I need answers here….
All I can figure out is “birds of a feather flock together”. Unfortunately.

Should the UK stay in the European Union? (I can’t decide so I thought I’d ask some learned people for their views. But I couldn’t find any so I’m trying you lot……)
I’ll leave that up to the citizens there. I have no idea which would be best.

And most importantly and maturely of all – what is your favourite colour? (Mine is green, which is proven to be the best colour of all by a country mile)
Turquoise. The color of the ocean on a calm day when the surface looks like what heaven must be like. I could look at it forever.

And now for my nominations which I’m sharing strictly so others will discover how great they are. Participation is optional.

• O at the Edges (Poetry)
• Leaf and Twig (Poetry and Photography)
• Finding Time to Write (Book reviews, poetry, personal blogging)
• Eats Writes Shoots (Poetry and photography)
• Angels and People, Life in New Orleans (photography)
• Dragonfly Garden (gardening)
• Exploits of the Volequeen (poetry, writing)
• First Draft (progressive politics, current events)
• Hard Book Habit (book reviews)
• Cooking with a Wallflower (cooking)
• Catwoods Porch Party (photography, cats)

As for my questions, should you decide to accept, I will defer to Nick’s. I think they’re better than anything I would come up with.