A great big thank you!

Another award has come my way from my dear friend in Syndney, Charlotta Ward.

Charlotta and I met a few months ago as I became a more involved blogger. I can't remember how I found her, but it has been a blessing. Sometimes you get to know people very quickly from the things they write, not just as posts, but as comments to your posts. Charlotta has left some of the most insightful comments on things I have written about. I feel she is an old soul, and she and I go way back. Her blog,

Space for Inspiration, is an amalgam of good design, blending her love of swedish, organic, and contemporary styles in a fresh way. Charlotta is a super-woman in my book-- wife, mother, artist, writer, designer, friend. Please stop by her little corner of the blogosphere (click HERE to check her out), and tell her hello.

A condition of this award is to answer the following questions about myself.

1. Why do you blog?
2. What are your 3 best memories?
3. What are the 4 best fiction books you have ever read?
4. What are the 5 best movies ever made?
5. Name 5 things you can't live without.
6. If you could change your name, what would it be?
7. Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself.
8. What do you love best about yourself?
9. If you could have a "Freaky Friday" expreience, who would you change places with?
10. What is the best thing about being a woman?

So here goes:

1. I began blogging early this year as a creative and beautiful way to help me in my grief over losing my son Ryan to suicide at age 18, almost 2 1/2 years ago. Creativity heals my soul, and blogging seemed to be a way to practice my love of photography, express my love of writing, and explore my love of interior decorating, in one neat little package. The reason I keep going is YOU, dear readers. Your comments mean the world to me. You support my habit, and I am most appreciative.

Pictures of Ryan from his self-portrait series taken when he was 16.

2. My 3 best memories from adulthood (excluding the birth of my children) have been spread out. The first one occurred when I was 18 and in love. The man I was dating and I went out to a lovely Italian restaurant in Chicago and meandered back to our north suburban town through the opulent suburbs on Chicago's north shore. We stopped at the Chicago Botanical Garden while it was raining. No one was around, so we had the place to ourselves. We wandered about as if it were our very own big back yard. It was one of the most romantic experiences of my life.

English walled garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois.

My second memory occurred at Cheekwood Museum and Garden in Nashville about 8 years ago. It was in the fall, and once again I was in a botanical garden in the rain. My husband and I stolled around the grounds of ths 1930's estate, whilc are an incredible sight any time of the year. Then we went inside to the newly renovated gallery space in the main house of the former estate. This was another incredibly romantic day.

Cheekwood, Belle Meade, Tennessee

My third memory was in 2004 when my husband and I departed from Gatlinburg, Tennessee leaving behind my parents and my children to finish their vacation together. We headed into North Carolina, traveling backroads through the Smoky Mountains seeking out waterfalls. There are a huge number of waterfalls in and around the Smokies. Some are easy to access , but others are deep in the woods. We hiked to and photographed 6 of them, from little streams tumbling over rocks, to Fall Creek Falls, the largest waterfall in the eastern U.S. He and I travel well together, especially when armed with a camera, iced tea, and some good music to sing along with.

Fall Creek Falls, Pikeville, Tennessee

Since that trip, we still seek out waterfalls. Luckily there are some closer to home.

Burden Falls, rural Pope County Illinois

3. The 4 best books I have ever read:

4. My 5 favorite movies:

5. Five things I cannot live without:

Being able to express creative urges, whether visual, written, or musical.


"The Ties That Bind" 16" x 20" mixed media.

Living with beauty around me--light, flowers, softness.

Spring centerpiece, peony buds ready to burst.

Cats to share my home with.


Max, my male tabby.

Access to the natural world and the sense of wonder it inspires in me.



Bell Smith Springs, rural Pope County Illinois


Moments of solitude.

Bell Smith Springs, rural Pope County Illinois.

6. If I could change my name it would be:

Annick Beaudelaire is the best I can come up with right now. I love how French words feel in my mouth as they roll off the tongue, so it would have to be something French.

7. A unique and interesting fact about me is:

I am fascinated by dreams. For a long time I wrote down the symbols that appeared in my dreams and analyzed them to see what I should be learning from them. In my work as a therapist, I help others to do the same thing. We can learn a ton about ourselves, from our deepest desires to our current anxieties, by examinimg our dreams. The themes in my dreams give rise to my short stories, poetry, and works of art.


8. The thing I love best about myself is:

My compassion for other human beings.

9. If I could have a "Freaky Friday" experience, I would swap places with:

Author, poet, professor, presenter, Diane Ackerman.

10. The best thing about being a woman is:

All the options we have-- for hair styles, shoes, clothing, for presenting different aspects of ourselves. I can go from being a work-boot-and-flannel shirt-wearing, tool-wielding, carpenter-ess to being a red-silk-dress-wearing, jewelry-donning, sweet-smelling belle of the ball. Guys just don't have as many options for expressing themselves. Their hair, pant, and shirt styles are limited.

And now I wish to honor a few of the many fellow bloggers out there who consistently inspire me. You ladies are the best! Your comments over the past several months have made bloggging one of the most fulfilling endeavors of my life. Thank you so much for your generous support and encouragement. If you don't accept blog awards, please the recognition I am giving you for making a difference in my life.

1. Sarah at My Yellow House: http://meandmyyellowhouse.blogspot.com/

2. Janet at The Gardener's Cottage: http://thegardenerscottage.blogspot.com/

3. Kerrie at Sea Cottage: http://seacottage.blogspot.com/

4. Pamela at French Buttons: http://frenchbuttons59.blogspot.com/

5. Kristin at My Uncommon slice of Suburbia: http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.blogspot.com/

6. Anne at Fiona and Twig: http://fionaandtwig.blogspot.com/

7. Jackie at Home: http://home-biba.blogspot.com/

8. Chania at Razmataz: http://razmatazblog.blogspot.com/

9. Suzanne at Privet and Holly: http://privetandholly.blogspot.com/

10. Lara at Air Kiss: http://beachychic.blogspot.com/

11. Carrie at The Vintage Wren: http://thevintagewren.blogspot.com/

Please stop by and check out these wonderful blogs. You will be pleased you did!

Until next time...

Anne

Images 1, 5, 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20: decor naturel. All others via google.

A sweet award

Thank you Charlotta!

My dear friend, Charlotta, at Space for Inspiration has passed on an award to me. Charlotta has infinitely good taste, a discerning eye, and a way with words. She comes to blogland from Sydney but has a variety of influences, which comes from having lived in so many parts of the world. She draws upon her Swedish heritage for design inspiration but mixes things up in a way that is always fresh. Charlotta is also a talented artist who creates whimsical works for children. She runs a blog for her art as well: http://charlottaward.blogspot.com/ . She is one of those people with whom I felt an immediate connection. It always mystifies me when this happens, whether in person or in this virtual world. I try not to over-analyze it, but take it for what it is and just enjoy the relationship. Please stop by her blog: http://spaceforinspiration.blogspot.com/ . You will be so glad you did!

One of the rules with these awards is that the recipient has to share 10 things about herself so that others may get to know her better. Last night in the middle of the night, I kept being reminded that I had to come up with these things to tell you about me. It's not that it caused any anxiety, it's just that I want to make them good ones. So, here goes:

image: google images

1. Right now I am on a moratorium from spending money on non-essentials. This means no trips to Pier 1, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, Goodwill or yard sales (my favorite local sources for household stuff). I get my fix for vintage goods via other bloggers who post about their great finds and also by using what I have already collected. This is partly due to a tight budget, but mostly due to a desire to simplify my life. More stuff means needing more space to put it, more cleaning to keep things in order, and more time involved with both of those tasks. At this stage in my life, simple is better, less is more.

image: Britt, on right, and a close friend.

2. I have a daughter, Britt, who just completed high school. She will be heading off to art school in Boston to study at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (smfa) http://www.smfa.edu/. She is a talented photographer, working in black and white film, who has labored hard to master her craft. The cost of higher education is insane, but as she is our only child, we are sacrificing to launch her on the path of her dreams.

images of Ryan from his self-portrait series

3. As many of you read in my post a couple of weeks ago, I lost my son, Ryan, in 2008 to suicide at age 18. He was a beautiful soul, who lost his way and found life too much for him to bear. I miss him everyday, but am not angry at what he did. He is at peace now, and I am finding peace without his physical presence in my daily life.

image: ballylara.files.wordpress.com

4. I am a mental health therapist who has been in practice for 10 years. I work part time at a group psychiatry practice and deeply love my job. As much as I adore design, and consider a career change, I am doing professionally what I was put here on Earth to do. Being a therapist is in my blood.

image: google images

5. I come from a family of tall, strong, beautiful women, thanks to our German-Dutch heritage. I celebrate the sacred feminine in all women and find the connections I have to other women to be the most meaningful in my life. I believe we all have so much to offer one another and I try to do my part in this.

image: Steve on a bright fall day

6. My husband, Steve, is a daily source of joy. He is energetic (sometimes too much) and funny. He never fails to make me laugh. We have been married 18 years and it has been a wild ride! We have learned a lot from one another, though of course there have been challenges.

image: google images

7. I read books only by women authors. My husband teases me about this, but women writers were unacknowledged for so long, I feel they deserve recognition. My favorite author is the British writer, Jeanette Winterson. Her words and stories resonate in my soul.

image: my male tabby cat, Max

8. Cats are my favorite animals. I don't care if I become the "crazy cat lady" when I am old. So be it. I share my home with 4 sweet felines, and I love them to death. We have 2 dogs also, but in my eyes, the cats are supreme.

image: google images

9. I have some on-going health issues, which is why, at the young age of 40, I only work part-time. For the past 4 years I have struggled with auto-immune disease. I have been diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome and Lupus. They are still unsure, however if it is Lupus or something similar. The diagnmostic process alone is taxing and frustrating. That doesn't include the actual living with the disease. This has prevented me from getting out as much as I would like and from traveling. There are some good days and some not-so-good days. I am finding a way to live peacefully within these limitaions.

image: google images

10. I have undertaken many sorts of creative endeavors (poetry, short stories, essays, painting, mixed media art, photography, sewing, gardening, decorating). The need to create is fundamental to my survival. When I am inspired, there is nothing better to me. It surpasses all other emotions and experiences (better even than food or imtimacy).

Wow, I have really shared myself here. For someone who is the quiet type, I sure have a lot to say!!

Now I must pass on this award to other beautiful blog friends. These women have made my life richer through their posts and their thoughtful comments on my posts. They are now a part of my daily routine, and I find myself looking for them each time I sign on. Please visit them and say that I sent you. In no particular order, I present this award to the following:

1. Janet at the Gardener's Cottage :http://thegardenerscottage.blogspot.com/.

2. A Perfect Gray: http://aperfectgray.blogspot.com/

3. Janice at Canadian Cottage: http://canadiancottage.blogspot.com/

4. Suzanne at Privet and Holly: http://privetandholly.blogspot.com/

5. Kerrie (aka fairmaiden) at Sea Cottage: http://seacottage.blogspot.com/

6. Karen at Strictly Simple Style: http://strictlysimplestyle.blogspot.com/

7. Lara at Fresh + Simple: http://thecountrygirlsplace.blogspot.com/

8. Kelley at the Polished Pebble: http://ppebble.blogspot.com/

9. Jackie at Home: http://home-biba.blogspot.com/

10. Kathy at Kate's Place: http://kathy-cottagedreams.blogspot.com/

11. Carrie at the Vintage Wren: http://thevintagewren.blogspot.com/

Thanks to all you who have brightened my days and made my life more full and complete. I appreciate you all more than you know.

Until next time...

Anne