Now for Part Two!  The Sunshine Award!

What a great name, ‘The Sunshine Award’.  I love all that it means metaphorically (awarded for writing positive and inspiring articles and so bringing some ‘sunshine’ into the lives of others) as well as, quite literally, coming at the perfect time when that old sun is at last shining down on us here in Blighty, warming us all up and bringing with it a renewed optimism, a burst of energy and a lightness of spirit.

Please know that I take none of this lightly, never having had any expectation of receiving any awards, nor even really knowing about them until recently to be totally honest.  So, when my ‘blogging buddy’ Beverly Harvey nominated me for this award, she certainly gave me extra reason to smile! She has a wonderful blog called Moggiepurrs, a beautifully written blog all about cats (all you cat lovers out there, run, don’t walk to this blog) but she is also quick to offer advice for new bloggers with news of competitions and great ideas to help fellow bloggers expand their blogs. She has been very encouraging and supportive of my writing from day one more or less, so a huge thank you Beverly for this and for bringing me some extra sunshine today!

Now, onto business. As with the previous award, there are certain rules to keep to:

Rule 1.  Post the Sunshine Award logo on your blog (makes me smile just to look at it!).

Rule 2.  Nominate 10 fellow bloggers

Rule 3.  Announce their nomination in their blog’s comment section

Rule 4.  Mention links back to their blog, including a link to the person who nominated you.

Rule 5.  Answer the questions.  This is designed to help people get to know you better.

Award logo posted, so now – do I hear a drum roll please? – here are the 10 fellow bloggers I’ve nominated for The Sunshine Award:

1. http://traveltimetalk.com/ Beautiful travel blog with gorgeous photos. Arianna Elise, a young college student eager to travel the world, inspiring us to ‘think outside the box’ when traveling.

2. http://cruisingthroughmylife.wordpress.com/ A moving journal of personal memories

3. http://tomculver.me/ Gorgeous photographic blog capturing nature in all its glory.

4. http://unshakablehope.wordpress.com/ Truly inspirational blog in the face of adversity, beautifully written, you will be richly blessed when you visit this site.

5. http://noordinaryjoy61.wordpress.com/ Wonderfully written blog about seeing the lessons in everyday life.

6. http://citizengallagher.wordpress.com/ To give a little sunshine.

7. http://choppingpotatoes.wordpress.com/ An exquisitely written blog about a lovely mum’s challenges and victories.

8. http://retireediary.wordpress.com/about/ Wonderful blog of ‘thoughts, moods and photos’

9. http://mvschulze.wordpress.com/ ‘Preserving and capturing moments’ is the premise of this fascinating blog.

10. http://rachelmankowitz.wordpress.com/ Lovely blog by a writer who just happens to love dogs!

Now this is the part where I answer the  questions –

1. Favourite Colour

If for clothes, then black. In this case, it has to be orange in honour of this Award 🙂

2. Favourite Animal

Tiger, tiger, burning bright, in the forest of the night…

3. Favourite Number

7 (don’t ask me why, I just like it!)

4. Favourite Non-Alcoholic Drink:

That’s easy, a lovely cup of tea, several times a day (after all, I am English)

5. Favourite Alcoholic Drink

That’s easy too – a chilled glass of champagne, what else?

6. Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook, I don’t do Twitter.

7. My Passions

My family & good friends, my home & garden, walking, new adventures when possible, wildlife, travel (again, when possible) great music (see below), dancing, and of course writing and this blog. Anything I like I’m passionate about actually!

8. Giving or Receiving Gifts?

Definitely giving, I love to surprise people with totally unexpected gifts. I organised a collection from the family for my husband’s 50th birthday for a flight on a Tiger Moth.  The look on his face as he took off was priceless.  Although I have to say I was absolutely thrilled with the personally engraved IPOD my three kids gave me for mine, and all the music my son loaded onto it for me 🙂

9. Favourite City

Has to be London.

10. Favourite TV Show

Got to be Mad Men.

So that’s it!  Phew!  Now I just have to let you all know.

Congratulations to all my nominees,  your turn to spread the sunshine 🙂