I got a blog award!  And like sunshine it made me very very happy… Thank you so much, Dorothy (from New Vintage Kitchen), it took me a while to compose this post, but better late than never! Life has been slightly hectic, but now that I am for the most part laying in the sun in Hawaii, it seems like the perfect opportunity to say a big thank YOU!

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given by bloggers to peers who they feel are creative, positive, and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.

Rules for the Sunshine Blogger Award

1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 (or so) questions the blogger asked you.
3. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award in your blog post.
4. Nominate 11 (or so) new bloggers & their blogs. Do leave a comment on their blog to let them know they received the award and ask your nominees 11 (or so) new questions.

Being the rebel that I am, I must say that I will not nominate 11 bloggers, so my apologies for that, I hope it’s ok. But here are the answers to the questions Dorothy asked in her nomination

1. Describe your blog and why you started it. My blog is almost 11 years old and it started just to join my passion for writing and cooking. I like to keep it varied, but over the past couple of years there has been a clear increase in baking.
2. Favorite time of day to write? I don’t have a preferred time, usually I write my posts in the weekend or evenings.
3. Music while you write? If so, what? No music. I don’t listen to music while I write or cook. If Phil has music on in the background, it does not bother me, but I never set anything to play.
4. Do you carry a notebook or use notes on phone or tablet to jot things down when out of the house? No.
5. What inspires you the most in regards to your writing? First, the recipe I will be featuring. It all goes around it. But I avoid excessive text before the recipe, I find it too distracting.
6. Have you ever dreamed you could fly? No.  I guess I am a very boring person… No music, no notebooks, no flying… what’s wrong with me?
7. What was the last book you read and did you like it? Man’s Search for Meaning. A difficult, disturbing read but I adored it.
8. What superpower do you wish you had? Time travel (with 100% safe return to present).
9. Dark or milk chocolate? Both. Plus white.
10. Is there a question you wish you were asked? Nothing in particular comes to my mind.

A few more words about blogging. I have perhaps a bit over 3 thousand subscribers to the site, but I doubt that more than 20% of those come and read what I post. I never had a blog post, pinterest or instagram entry go viral. But every time I hit “publish” on a post I feel the same thrill of 11 years ago when it all started. I guess that is what keeps me going. Being nominated for an award by someone who pays attention to my writing and leaves me comments and so much encouragement? That is special. That warms my heart.

THANK YOU, DOROTHY!