So, a few weeks ago, we got a comment on the blog from agirlandherchickens.com. She follows this blog and likes some of the posts and has now nominated us for the Leibster award. This is an award given by bloggers to bloggers and has a key pay-it-forward element. If you are nominated for the Leibster Award, you in turn nominate other blogs for the award.
After much consideration and research about this phenomenon (the link agirlandherchickens provided really says it all http://wordingwell.com/the-liebster-award-the-official-rules-my-first-blog-award-and-a-few-personal-secrets-revealed/), I’ve decided to finally accept this nomination. That means, I answers some questions and nominate some other blogs. These answers and recommendations are mine (Elizabeth) and not Gena’s, FYI.
Here are the questions, provided by agirlandherchickens.
1. How may pets/animals do you have?
I have three cats, Shmi (named for Shmi Skywalker, Anakin’s mom), Tiger (She kind of looks like a tiger) and Stormey, who was found on the Garden State Parkway during a storm. We also have three chickens, but we don’t really call them by name. That’s it!
2. What is your favorite hobby and why?
This is tricky. I spend my time doing things, but I’m not sure they are hobbies. I do Barre3, which is a kind of exercise at a studio nearby. I like it because it’s pilates, yoga and ballet barre and that pretty much negates my other hobby, which is chocolate-covered-sea-salt-caramel-eating.
3. What is your dream home?
One with a staff to complete the housekeeping tasks I’m currently in charge of, like cleaning up the cat vomit. Maybe robots, like in that movie “Sleeper.”
4. Who do you admire most?
I basically hate everyone at one time or another. But there is this one mom I know who never ever says a negative thing about anyone else even though she could, and I kind of wish I was more like that.
5. Why did you decide to start blogging
One day, I was in the shower trying to think: how can I be a good housewife and also have a creative outlet that could also be a career? And I had the idea to blog about housekeeping. And at times I feel like it’s God’s hand pointing the way in my brain (I know, sounds crazy, but I was thinking about that last tweet of Maya Angelou: “Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.” She said it more eloquently than I ever could.) Anyway, I went around all day thinking about it and saying, in Oprah’s Voice “It’s God’s work Y’all!” Which she said in that awkward acceptance speech when she and Rosie O’Donnnell shared a Daytime Emmy back in the day. Remember that? Can’t find it on youtube, though.
6. Where is your favorite place to relax?
Um, in bed. I actually am so happy when bedtime comes and all there is to do is read and relax and sleep.
7. What’s your favorite song and why?
Well, this one definitely changes all the time. Sometimes I’ll be loving something because we could perform this as a family, like some of the Hall and Oates songs with killer harmonies and lots of cool keyboards (“Sarah Smile” comes to mind) or something simple but with all the instruments we play (like Yael Naim’s “New Soul” which has a lovely progression and some horn parts I think the girls could do on sax). I love warbling show tunes like “The Wizard and I” from “Wicked.” And right now I always listen when that Katy Perry song comes on and have a laugh when she says “Let me get you in your birthday suit/ It’s time to bring out the big balloons.” I mean, really, Katy?
8. If you could be any animal, what would it be? Why?
Okay Barbara Walters. I’d like to fly, and I’m terrified of airplanes, so being a bird would be good. Confronting your fears and all that. And I’d be a hawk because they are totally badass.
9. What is your biggest fear?
See number 8.
10. What is your favorite article of clothing?
I have this black tank top from Old Navy that is really soft, and it’s flattering when I workout, and it’s also extremely functional in that it is really long so I can tuck it into my jeans with it and not worry about my butt crack showing. I actually have 4 of the same shirt.
11. What’s your favorite . . . pork, beef or chicken?
I like chicken, even though I feel guilty eating it when the live chickens are looking through the window.
Enough about me!
The five blogs I really like are:
Bittersweet Homestead
http://bittersweethomestead.wordpress.com
Great chicken updates and she has really great ideas (love the DIY Brooder).
Charlotte Bronte Meets the Modern World
High Concept (literary figures tackle modern day issues, like Alice in Wonderland’s Wacky Wedding Ideas or Dorian Grey on Amanda Knox) and fun!
The Ugly Volvo
Okay, she probably has too many followers to qualify for this, but I just love this blog! She’s a newish mom in Jersey City who is very funny.
A Madison Mom
This one is also pretty popular.
Back in the day, you used to say that someone from the same place as you was your (spelling phonetically here) Pie-zan-oh. Which technically maybe means someone from Pisa. But A Madison Mom and I are both living in the same place now, and I feel like she’s my Pie-zan-oh. She understands. And she does great book reviews and giveaways and such.
Mommypotamus
I like this blog because there are a lot of really good, good for you, simple recipes. And they are family friendly. The -potamus brand is set to take over the world!
The Ill-Prepared Housewife 