The Arte Y Pico Award

Thank you Carol at Charlie and Me for this blog award. Charlie and Me is a blog worth visiting. We share many of the same interests as Carol blogs of adventures with her dog Charlie, favorite books, her garden, love for tea, and other life events. I was honored to be chosen for this award.

This award is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity. They see dedication, creativity, camaraderie, joy, and above all ART, much art. I wish that this prize is entertaining to all those bloggers and to bloggers who day by day share this space and enrich it a little more each day." Arte Y Pico at http://arteypico.blogspot.com/

Now for the rules:
1) Select 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award, creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter what language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award-winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4) The award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show a link of "Arte y pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin of the award.

My first award goes to Dog's Eye View. This blog shows the life of a woman and her two dogs through the lens of her camera. The photography is inspiring and the design of her blog so creative. I always leave her blog wanting to try a different shot with my camera. Stop by and check it out. You can also purchase unique gifts.

My second award goes to The Rocky Mountain Retreat. Rocky Mountain Girl reminds us each and every day the beauty that can be found in her corner of the world in eastern British Columbia. She shows us images of wildlife, rivers, lakes, and mountains in stellar photography. Her blog is worth the trip and she also has photos for sale.

My third award goes to Ramblings by Reba. I was just visiting her site and am amazed at her photograhy. She takes simple things and turns them into masterpieces using color and light. Her blog illustrates joy and creativity in her daily life.

My fourth award goes to Katney's Kaboodle. Katney shows us other parts of my state as she hikes and travels to beautiful places and makes us feel like we are there with her photography. We share a love of books and the written word and both have a passion for finding a cure for breast cancer. She does such a variety of photos, you never know what to expect when you visit.

My final award goes to Marmite Toasty at Twaddle Everyday Rubbish. With every post Marmite shows us how words can be art. With a creative, humorous style, she shares the sunny days and the cloudy days of life "across the pond." Her blog has had me laughing out loud, crying, and thinking deeply and she has shown courage and creativity in the stories she has revealed. Stop by and learn about her nippers, her day-to-day adventures at home , and learn her beloved chicken Janet.

Catching Up on Memes Pt. 2: Pet Names

Crafty Green Poet tagged me with the Pet Name Meme. In case you aren't familiar with The Naming of Cats, in the Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, by T.S. Eliot, cats all have three names! (or you can use any other animal here) Here are the rules:

You must link to the originator of the meme ( that is Tara ), list the following rules, and then tell:

1-The name that the family uses daily (such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James ).

2-The name that is particular, a name that is peculiar, and more dignified ( such as Munkstrap, Quaxo or Coricopat )

3-What you are doing when you are thinking of the name only you know, and will never confess, that deep inscrutable name?

Then tag a cat ( or other creature) to give us his/her names.

My cat's answers:

1. Kit

2. KitKat WhiteSox (more peculiar than dignified!)

3. Snuggling up and napping with my best friend Annie.

All you pet lovers out there can try this meme. I won't tag anyone this time.

Catching Up on Memes Pt. 1: Book Meme

I have been slow at getting to memes. Here is a book meme from my blog friend Nonizamboni over at Peacock Blue.

1. Pick up the nearest book.

2. Open to page 123.

3.Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The book I just finished is Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon. If you are familiar with the Mitford series by Karon, this is the first installment of her new Father Tim series. In this book Tim goes back to his birthplace and meets old and new friends. Here is what was found on page. 123. It is a meeting with his childhood sweetheart Peggy.

“The room wasn’t greatly changed from his visits many years ago, though the overall spirit of it was brighter. They sat in high-backed velvet chairs in the bay window, at a table furnished with a silver tea service and a vase of roses. Three petals had fallen onto the white cloth; a small cake, ornamented with a curl of shaved chocolate, was displayed on a crystal stand.
“After I wrote the note, I was sorry to have used chocolate at a bribe.”

This first book in the new series gives a foundation to the character of Father Timothy in the Mitford series. I find it interesting that she went back to his childhood in the new series. There was a certain intrigue in this book that kept me reading long into the night.

I now tag Silver Valley Girl at Silver Valley Stories, Yolanda at Perfectly Imperfect, Shelby at Time With Shelby, Marcy at My Knitting and Other Stuff,and Becca at Ravenous Reader.