Versatility

LuckyBunny passed the Versatile Blogger award on to me. She writes Our Forest Haven. I feel so honored! Thank you for thinking of me!

The rules for this award include that you write a post listing 7 things about yourself, and then pass the award along to fifteen other bloggers. 

First, I thought I'd share what the dictionary says about 'versatile'....(I LOVE having my computer dictionary at my finger tips... and it makes me think of all of those years of teaching children how to use the dictionary.... I know they still teach those skills, but at what point will that skill set become a lost art?)

versatile |ˈvərsətl|adjective1 able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities: a versatile sewing machine | he was versatile enough to play either position.2 archaic changeable; inconstant.

So, I've decided to change that up a bit. I am going to write 7 things about me that prove how versatile I can be! So here we go....

1. I usually sip coffee (soda in the afternoon), watch television AND write blog posts or comments at the same time. I use a MacBook Pro that I purchased from my son when he upgraded to a bigger, better, faster, smaller machine, and I sit in a comfy chair in my living room.
2. I enjoy many different hand crafts: knitting, crocheting, sewing (including hand smocking and French 'hand' sewing by machine), appliqué and now... rug hooking.
3. I wanted to get a pasta machine to make my pasta dough thin enough to use for ravioli, but I found a "Pasta Express" machine at the thrift store and came home with that instead. I love it. I get my water on the stove, my pasta sauce bubbling and then I put the ingredients in the machine, turn it on... it mixes it, then with a flick of the switch, it extrudes the pasta through the die I have selected. I can't wait to experiment with different types of pasta now.
4. I have trained several dogs to perform obedience maneuvers and have titled one dog. I have trained Tucker to do basic obedience. We have also done some agility activities; jumps and tunnels. But, I can not make the dog come!!! There's a leak in my versatility, I guess!
5. For an aging lady (I won't cave in to 'old') I am still pretty active. Not only do I ride my horses and run around with them a bit when I do some long reining, but I have begun to do indoor climbing, I can ride a bike (and chew gum at the same time) and I enjoy snow shoeing. I have participated in some horseback riding clinics and have even passed 'versatility' on to my horses by doing a bit of Ranch Horse Versatility training with them!
6. Although technology is beginning to outpace me, I am still quite adept at maneuvering through and around different software programs and/or web pages. I can write a little HTML code and I can still put together a mean PowerPoint!
7. In redoing our home I have: painted walls, ceilings, soffits and railings; tiled floors, tub surrounds, and back splashes; installed can light conversions (which only require that I get up on a ladder... but one of those ladders was pretty high); installed wood flooring; crafted nifty dividers for the kitchen drawers; planted, staked, watered, and wrapped trees; and I have moved landscaping rocks and reworked planting beds. I am sure I will demonstrate additional versatile behaviors as we continue to transform our project house!

And to pass it on....

I'm gonna change this one up, too. I am bestowing this award to all of you that meet this criteria:

1. I follow your blog.... and you follow my blog
2. You post at least once a week (or, at least think about posting once a week).
3. You respond to comments, at least once in a while - either on your blog or via email, or even by mumbling a response as you read the blog.
4. As you live your life you hear something, or see something, or take a picture of something, or read something, and you think: "Oh, that would make a great blog post" and some day we will read about it on your blog.

I nominate any and all bloggers who fit the criteria I have adapted for this award! Congratulations!

Please leave a comment or send me an email with your acceptance!

Lovely Blog and Welcome

My blog received the "One Lovely Blog" award.... from three different bloggers! Wow! Do you realize how nice that makes me feel? Evidently there are real people (at least three of them!) out there that like to read what I write. In fact, I have two new followers I'd like to welcome:

Sheryl, author of ain't for city gals, began following my dreamy adventures a few weeks ago. Sheryl loves camping and renovates vintage campers! I would love to go off camping in a trailer, or a motor home.... but with the horses that becomes a bit impractical. Corinna is my other new follower. She writes a blog that is intriguing to me, Ribbons and Red Tape. Corinna has graduated from Law School and is awaiting her Bar Exam results. She writes about horses and laws specific to the equine world. Her posts are very interesting!

Anyway, back to the award... Thanks for thinking of me and appreciating my blog:

 Wolfie from What Was I Thinking

Allison from Adventures With Shyloh 

and

Minus Pride who writes a blog with that title. 

I am to pass this Lovely Blog Award on to 15 other bloggers. That is tough! All of the blogs I follow are lovely. Many of the blogs I follow have received the award. But, I will choose 15...if I must!

My first two choices are for blogs I love reading... and both bloggers are facing some tough medical times. They are both lovely people with great spirit, incredible strength and beautiful blogs. Prayers to you...oh, and if you don't follow the 'rules' of the award - I understand. That's fine with me! Just enjoy it!

Four Leaf Clover Tales

"Go West" Feral Woman

And on to other Lovely blogs that truly deserve this award for Lovely bloggers take the time to put up beautiful posts! I look forward to learning from you every day!

Between the Fenceposts

Familiar Spirits

Far Side of Fifty

Farmer's Wifey

A Garden of Thoughts

The House on Hilltop Farm

Life in a Little Red Farmhouse

Living Retired in New York State

Moondance Ranch

Morning Bray Farm

7MSN Ranch

The Skoog Farm Journal

Equestrian Ink 

Hmmm this last blog ought to count for 8 awards 

since the site has eight authors writing wonderful posts!

OK...finally, I have to tell seven things about myself. Now, that should be easy, since I love to talk and write... but gee, golly... only 7?!

1. I'm feeling old :-(    I'm not happy that my hands hurt... and now my feet hurt. I am a very, very active person. I am on my feet almost all day (except when I'm sitting here blogging!) and I hate that my feet let me down. So... sometimes I do get that wee little pity violin out and play a sad song!
2. I am a huge fan of therapeutic riding. I have been involved with therapeutic riding programs for over 10 years. I have just signed up to volunteer at another center in this area - so now I will be at one center on Monday's and another on Wednesday's. If you've never seen a program like this, and you care for kids or horses, it is a  'must see' and maybe a 'must do'!
3. I am a 'do-it-yourself' kind of gal. I like getting down and dirty: painting, building, tiling, digging in the dirt. Love it all! I also sew and currently I am working on getting some window treatments up in the house... but they often always take a back seat to the outdoors when the weather is nice!
4. My Dad lives 21 miles from my new home. I try to visit him several times a week. He just turned 90 and his girlfriend just moved into his apartment with him! Oops... this isn't exactly about me! OK... so sometimes his mind isn't as sharp as it was - that's where I come in. I have to work with helping him remember and understand some things. It can be tough! I started a blog about my experiences... but I haven't been a great blogger on that one - trying to get better. That blog is Driving My Dad if you care to visit!
5. I had terrible allergies as a kid. I was allergic to just about every grass. For a while the doctor suggested that I stay in a room with a special air purifier when the pollen count was high. You can just imagine how I felt about that! I did play with my Breyer horses then... a lot! When I was 12 I revolted. I wanted to learn to ride a horse. My mom, wise lady that she was, figured I was old enough to suffer the consequences. If I had terrible allergic reactions from being out at a barn - so be it! I began taking a weekly lesson and learned the basics. Loved those lesson days! I think the repeated exposure to all things allergic actually helped me overcome my allergies! 
6. My husband is the last male in his family line. His grandfather told him he had to have seven sons to carry on the name. I tried! I had seven pregnancies but many miscarriages that just about tore my life apart. But, I do have two wonderful sons. I am so proud of both of them. They are truly the light of my life. Just watch my face when either of them calls! One guy, my oldest, lives in San Francisco. He seems to be living a wonderful life - I hope it continues! My 'baby' is in college about 40 miles from us. He is very busy, but does stop by on occasion. 
7. You know that T-shirt about so many books and not enough time to read? I feel that way about life. There is sooooo much out there that I want to do - and time just gets away from me!