Astonishing

I started this blog because I could never keep a journal and I realized one day that I was having difficulty remembering the previous week, much less the salad days of my youth. Since I am attached to the computer at the hip, I thought blogging might be something that could serve as a quasi-journal and in a year or so I would have something I could look back on to see where I had been. Now four years later, I have a nice little pile of memories, all nicely backed up on my computer, and I am working at the idea of publishing my "journal" via Book Smart, a year to a volume. It will give me something to ponder in my old age at the home.

I really never expected anybody else to want to read my little essays and diatribes. I wasn't too surprised when the kinfolks found me, but I was surprised that they kept coming back for more. A few friends joined the group and then an amazing thing happened. Folks I didn't know began to visit. I would get a stray email or comment from someone on the other side of the country. At first it is a little disconcerting to realize that people are reading your words that aren't there out of some sense of obligation but actually want to hear what you have to say. Mercy.

Today I was tagged with an award from MiniKat, who found me through shared interests of knitting, miniatures and love of animals. I feel honored to be on her list of favorite blogs. The award (see graphic above) comes with the requirement that you list your own 15 favorite blogs. Let's see now....

1) I've been reading Notes from an Eclectic Mind for several years now. I originally found the blog by virtue of Google, looking up some information on an old kiddie TV show that ran in San Antonio when I was a kid. I stayed because the blogger not only shared a lot of common growing up in small town Texas memories, but she is also a caregiver like I am and it has been something of a support group for me.

2) Victoria Pearl's Daily Adventures is written from the viewpoint of a 2-year-old of my acquaintance. She's a pistol, her mother has a unique way of relating the day's events, and I enjoy the heck out of her daily adventures.

3) Yarn Harlot is written by master knitter and writer Stephanie Pearl-Macphee and I've learned a lot about knitting and laughed my arse off, as she would say, at her comic misadventures being a mom, a wife, and a knitter.

4) The Pioneer Woman I learned about from my aunt and it's another fun place to spend time. Ree is a transplanted city girl, who married a Marlboro Man and moved to a ranch in Oklahoma. She's a good writer (funny as all get out), takes great photos, loves animals and likes to cook. Always some fun to be had here.

5) Mini Modern is a place I found to feed my joy of miniatures. This blogger specializes in modern miniatures, an area in which I've not done much work. I am pulled toward stores, shops and vignettes, but thanks to this blog I may have to try my hand at some modern scenes. I particularly love the ongoing saga of Mike and Sheila.

6) Induljence is a blog written by a former co-worker. Jen comes and goes with her blogging, but when she posts, she always has a really thought-provoking photo and some thought-provoking thoughts.

7) Rambling Thoughts is written by a new friend I met recently. Brenda is a super genealogist and helped me round up some records in Kentucky while I rooted from the distant sidelines in Texas. She also writes a history blog about the records she unearths in western Kentucky, which would be blog number 8.

8) Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog.

9) Forgotten Passages is another blog about the history of Crittenden County, Kentucky. Brenda Underdown has a connection to the local newspaper and finds some really great tidbits in its archives to share with us researchers who connect to Crittenden County.

10) The Flyer is little brother's blog and he has been taking a hiatus from blogging recently. I trust he will be back one of these days and will be spitting venom at the Republicans again. I hope so anyway.

Hmm, I'm bottoming out at 10 blogs I read faithfully. There are several I read intermittently and a few that are restricted by invitation only and quite a few I keep an eye on. I'll keep thinking...

LSW