Monday, July 7, 2008

Beauty in Unexpected Places, and Two Awards!


A weed is but an unloved flower.- Ella Wilcox


I was walking along a very busy Brooklyn street recently, on my way to the store, and I saw this beautiful thistle plant growing out of a crack in the curb of the sidewalk! I was so surprised that this little piece of beauty was able to survive and prosper in such an inhospitable place, that I had to go back the next day to take this photograph. It spoke a message of strength and hope to me!

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.- Ralph Waldo Emerson -1878.

Two wonderful blog awards have been presented to me recently!

Steviewren, the owner of the delightful blog "A Little Birdie Told Me So" presented me with the above award on July 1.

I love Steviewren's blog because she is my contemporary, and always has an interesting insight to share about life, art, being a grandparent, books, places and posts some fun quizzes, now and then, to keep us all on our toes!

Thanks, Stevie, for choosing me for this very sweet award! You know I would choose you for the same!

In the spirit of *passing it on* I'd like to choose a few blogs that always make me smile, and that are so much fun to read:

A Haven For Vee

The Stone Rabbit

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Proud Italian Cook

Lisa Retro Style

Finding La Dolce Vita

My Cottage In The Making

Thank you ladies for the joy that you give to me each and every day!

This award was designed by the "Out and About in New York City " blog, and she asks that you pass it on to those blogs that are " Just Plain Fun To Read."


Next.......

Dana, owner of the fun and cheerful blog "The Stone Rabbit," kindly presented me with the "Arte y Pico" award yesterday!

The rules to follow with this award are:

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribution to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and link to his/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 presented her/him with the award.
4) The award winner and one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin to this award.

I chose the following blogs that always have the most interesting posts which have taught me so much lately, and who have also enhanced my day with their warm friendship:

Life At Willow Manor

Love White Linen

My Five Men

The Birdbath Chronicles

Cross Roads

Congratulations to all!

It's always a hard decision to choose from the many, many blogs I read and enjoy everyday.

I love to be able to pass on an award to each and every one of you someday!

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! Thanks so much Pat....I thought about giving you an award, but you looked like you had quite a few! It's not suprising to me! Thanks for this new one...it is greatly appreciated.
Diane

Tess Kincaid said...

Pat! Thank you so very much!! This is a beautiful award and I am so very honored to recieve it from such a wonderful blogger as yourself! :)

I'll proudly take it back to the Manor and pass it to some other lovely bloggers.

Betsy Brock said...

What a wonderful surprise, Pat! You are so sweet. You are definitely deserving of your two awards, here! Thank you for thinking of me....I'll get on this honor right away! :)

Kathy said...

Hi Pat, I love your quotes about weeds and your little thistle is both colourful and cute.
Congratulations on your two new awards and upon your recommendations I will enjoy visiting the sites of those you have passed these awards on to, congratulations to those bloggers to. Kathy.

Lisa's RetroStyle said...

What a cute little award you've given me Pat! It's darling...I will display it proudly in my sidebar!! Thank you so much and I so glad you find me "...fun to read"!! I will find time later this week to check out all the other blogs you have recommended.

Contratulations on both of you awards!! Always well deserved!!!

I love the thistle...I mean I really love the thistle! I have some growing in my own garden. Mine aren't open yet, but they are very big. I'll add a photo of it to my post today. Emerson and I are so on the same page!

Dorothy said...

Oh my Pat .....this is quite an honor receiving this award from you....I do so enjoy my visit to your blog each day...such beautiful and interesting places to read about and see...Best wishes my friend...Dee Dee

Lavinia said...

Pat,why thank you! I see that I am in very good company amongst my fellow winners...which makes the honour even more of one.

Strider said...

RoundUp works pretty well on the thistle! :-)

Kathy said...

Hi Pat, sorry to hear you hurt your hip, exercising is supposed to be good for you haha. anyway I left something for you on my side bar, come and pick them up, hope they cheer you up. hugs, Kathy.

I bet your hubby misses Italy, I do and I am not even Italian. Kathy.

Proud Italian Cook said...

Pat, You're to kind! Thank you so much for this award, I will proudly display it. Your blog is really so much fun for me to read, because I feel like I'm there hanging out with you, touring that great city of yours!!

Anonymous said...

You are such a sweety for thinking of me! I will display it proudly. Kisses!
Maryann

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your awards, two I didn't know about. You definitely deserved them. Your posts are always interesting and fun. Enjoy the honor.

Take care,

Jeanne

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Pat. You see, we all love you.

Mrs. B said...

Hi Pat! Congratulations on your awards! You truly deserve them!

I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately! I've been such a bad blogger! I love your 4th of July pics. I bet those were spectacular fireworks!

Alexandra MacVean said...

Congratulations, Pat!! =) I enjoy stopping by your site each day to read your daily blog.

Rosie's Whimsy said...

Congrats on your awards! You are definitely deserving of them all!

My sister thinks I am crazy when I saw how pretty a weed flower is :-) Glad to know I am not alone!

Unknown said...

Congrats Pat...and I looked into my crystal ball and see a long list of awards waiting for you :)
hugs always

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Congratulations on your awards! Most deserved, assuredly! Thanks so much for stopping by our little place today. Both Edward and I really love the names of your grandcats!

steviewren said...

Thank you Pat for the nice things you said about my blog...we could form a pretty nice mutual admiration society. : )

Anonymous said...

Hi Pat! Congrats on your awards---you deserve 'em (specially cuz I gave one to YOU (-: ) What a surprise to see you had given one to me!! What a thrill that you feel my blog is a fun one to read! Thank you so much---I will certainly pass it on. I adore your thistle photo and the quote--so true!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Pat, thank you for the beautiful NY postcard. That was so kind of you.

Congratulations on winning 2 awards! Well done. Your blog is always interesting to read.

Love the thistle by the way. Sheer determination to grow.

ROSA E OLIVIER said...

"intima semente baila em meu reino
ao sabor de tuas doçuras"...

"O Rose thou art sick.
The invisible worm,
That flies in the night
In the howling storm:..." !?...

Thank you Mille.

Vee said...

Congrats on your award and thank you for passing it along to me. I was visiting Trish a bit ago when I discovered that this sweet little award had been given to me twice. I love that because it means that I can share it with six wonderful blogs!