Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I passed an upscale resort and spa. Standing in the middle of the swimming pool was the Statue of Liberty. I had to find out what she was doing there. I asked:

 

Uh, excuse me Statue of Liberty, why aren’t you standing in New York Harbor? Aren’t you still a universal symbol of freedom and democracy? Have you retired?

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Of course not.

So what are you doing in a swimming pool?

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Listen, I haven’t had a vacation in 132 years. I came here to take a break and figure out where I belong in the world at this time in my life.

Me too.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: I mean, I’m passionate about what I stand for, but I need to branch out. No one walks around carrying a torch anymore. It’s totally dated. Plus this pointy crown on my head is so yesterday. I need to feel more part of the modern world.

I see what you mean.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: I’d love to represent something related to social media.

OMG. You just gave me the best idea.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Spill.

Well, during the past few months, I’ve been nominated for three blogging awards. I’m totally and completely honored, but I can’t bring myself to say thank you and nominate other bloggers because there are so many of them I want to mention. Every blog is unique. I can’t narrow down just a few that mean more to me than the others. So I just sit and do nothing about it.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Don’t you think you’re being just a tad oversensitive?

All I know is the whole thing keeps me up at night. Every blog I read is an expression of creative freedom—through words, art, photography, fashion, cooking, and on and on.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Uh huh. So, what’s your idea?

It involves you. In addition to holding up your torch, you could hold up blogging awards that honor creative freedom across social media.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Are the awards heavy? I don’t want to pull my back out.

Nope. They’re virtual. And! You’d be standing for every blogger who is bold enough to express herself/himself creatively online and share heartfelt thoughts with others around the world. Some of those bloggers will appear on my lists below, others will not. But they’re all equally important and must be celebrated.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Works for me. I’m in.

 

Great! Okay bloggers! If you’re reading this post, it would mean a lot to me if you could scroll down to the bottom and add a link to your blog in the comment section. I am now officially honoring ALL OF YOU.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: Here’s a word of warning. It will take a while to get to the end of this post, so grab a snack before you start scrolling.

As you’re scrolling down to the bottom of this post, please stop and take a look at the bloggers I thank and nominate for three different awards. They will all open new worlds for you. Lastly, if you have been nominated, but awards are not your thing, no worries. There’s no obligation to follow up on this.

My first award is: The Blogger Recognition Award:

I’m beyond thrilled to thank Aggie from her blog:  http://inspiredlife101.com/  for nominating me. It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by Aggie because I always find spiritual strength within myself when I read her posts. Definitely check out her beautifully expressed sentiments about riding through life from the inside out.

To earn this award, I need to answer the following questions:

1. Write a brief story of how your blog started:

I’ve been a writer for children’s television for a really long time. My internal “adult writing voice” was screaming and begging to come out. I wanted to let out that creative voice without editors and producers recommending I alter it for marketing purposes. So, I was relieved when I discovered blogging (last June). It’s incredibly freeing to write exactly the way you want to, to follow through on your vision, and during the process become part of a talented, supportive virtual community.

2. Give a piece of advice to new bloggers:

Write from your heart. Those who understand you will follow you.

Now, I’m proud to nominate the following fifteen inspiring bloggers for the Blogger Recognition Award:

1.https://thereckoning.blog/2018/04/04/shoah-wilde-taylor/

2.https://ayearoflivingkindly.com/2018/04/04/my-memorable-encounter-with-the-rudest-waiter-in-the-world/

3.https://profoundjourney.com/deep-play-a-z-challenge/

4.https://www.retirementreflections.com/a-to-z-challenge-day-three-c/

5.https://katzenworld.co.uk/about/

6.https://thehumblefabulist.com/2018/04/04/running-up-that-beacon-hill/

7.https://makeartmagichappens.com/2018/04/04/v-and-w/

8.https://baffledmum.com/2018/04/04/what-the-heart-wants/

9.https://pearsnotparsnips.com/2018/04/04/curried-squash-leek-soup/

10.https://lismorepaper.com/

11.https://janebasilblog.wordpress.com/

12.https://thismademesmiletoday.wordpress.com/

13.https://secretartexpedition.wordpress.com/

14.https://popcornandpigtails.com/

15.https://ayearoflivingkindly.com/2018/03/06/preview-of-coming-attractions-a-year-of-living-kindly-the-book/?c=1266#comment-1266

16.https://dorindaduclos.com/

17. https://jmlkanewischer.wordpress.com/

Congratulations! (Okay, there are 17. I couldn’t make up my mind.)

Here are the Rules for the Blogger Recognition nominees:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide links to their blog.
2. Write a post to show your award
3. Attach the award to your post.
4. Write a brief story of how your blog started
5. Give a piece of advice to new bloggers.
6. Select the other 15 blogs you want to give the award to.
7. Comment on each blotgand let them know you have nominated them.
8. Be inspired to live your best life every day.

My next award is The Growing Self Blogger Award:

I’d like to say a deeply heartfelt thank you to Lisa from: https://lismorepaper.com/2018/02/17/growing-self-blogger-award/

Lisa nominated me, and coming from her, it’s a huge compliment. Lisa creates stunning prints combining vintage backgrounds with enchanting floral and wildlife designs. Each print makes me gasp in awe and brings me to a warm, magical place.

According to the blogger who created The Growing Self Blogger award (Roda at: https://growingself.blog/2018/01/16/be-the-change-take-7/) here is the way to follow up on your nomination:

Put the award logo/image on your blog. Then:

• List the rules
• Thank the individual that nominated you and provide a link to their blog
• Describe the award and mention the creator: Roda  – Growingself.blog
• Nominate up to 5 blogs.  Remember, the purpose of this award is to specifically celebrate those individuals that have made a difference in your life or the lives of others.
• Give at least 1 reason why you nominated each individual.
• Notify your nominees of the award

I’m honored to nominate five amazing bloggers for this award:

1. Kim at: https://kimwilbanks.wordpress.com/. We’re two empty nesters who coincidentally share many of the same life challenges. I appreciate the way she writes about what she’s experiencing and love the way she looks at the world.
2. Candace at: https://thismademesmiletoday.wordpress.com/ I love that Candace looks for something that will make her smile each day. It always inspires me to do the same. Her posts give me lots to smile about.

3. Derrick at: https://derrickjknight.com/ His photos always tell me an enchanting story or take me on a beautiful adventure. They always end with a great meal.
4. Tony at: https://guysandgoodhealth.com/2018/04/04/how-soda-impacts-your-body-infographic/ He reports on an incredible variety of ways to stay healthy as we grow older. He touches on topics I never would have imagined and inspires me every day.
5. Ann Coleman at: https://muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com/ Ann writes about her life experiences now that her kids have grown. She’s an absolutely incredible writer. Every post is moving and beautifully expressed.

Next! I have been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger award for the second time:

I’m most grateful and flattered that Tim at: https://timnjugiwordpresscom.wordpress.com/ nominated me. His blog about living in Kenya and the experiences he has there bring me to a part of the world I know little about. It’s a privilege reading about each honest and heartfelt moment.To earn this award, the nominees need to do the following:

Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.

1.Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.

2.Nominate at least 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

3.List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and your blog.

Here are my 11 nominees:

1.https://osyth.org/

2.https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/

3.https://easyrealfoodrecipes.com/

4,https://happinessbetweentails.com/

5.https://yarnandpencil.wordpress.com/

6.https://bluefishway.com/

7.https://www.biculturalmama.com/

8.https://nutsrok.wordpress.com/

9.https://haddonmusings.com/

10.https://birdsbloomsandallthingsbeautiful.com/

11.https://huldermn.wordpress.com/

And just for the record…here are the eleven bloggers I nominated the first time around:

https://www.shallowreflections.com/

https://3cstyle.com/2018/01/21/the-nature-of-change-and-the-nature-of-fashion/

https://deepasthoughts.wordpress.com/

https://grapegravy.com/2018/02/01/spicy-green-salsa/

https://sevencatsandcounting.wordpress.com/author/sevencatsandcounting/

https://claudiamcgillart.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/scrutinized-people/

https://roseelaineblog.com/2018/02/15/five-little-angels-10/

https://rabbitpatchdiary.com/

https://muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com/

https://mainepaperpusher.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/guest-in-jest-30-over-the-hill-on-the-yellow-brick-road/

https://soulgifts.com.au/author/soulgifts2012/

Here are the answers to Tim’s questions:

1. Which blogger brings sunshine into your life? They all do.
2. Who is your blogging inspiration? All inanimate objects
3. What does genre mean to you and which genre suits you best? Humor/spirituality
4. What is the one thing you intend to stir in your readers? Thoughts about the phases we all go through during our lives and how they’re in sync with nature…with a comic twist.
5. What kind of stories inspire you most? Autobiographies written by artists.
6. How much do you read? Do you mean blogs? If so, every day.
7. How consistent are you in posting new content on your blog? Once or twice a week.
8. What is your weakness in writing? Self-evaluation
9. What is your strength? Self-evaluation
10. Where do you draw most of your creativity? Nature, interactions with other people, observing the aging process
11. Share the one blogging tip that has made you a better blogger. Go with your niche, even if it’s offbeat.

Here are my questions for my eleven new nominees:

1. If a celebrity could discover your blog, which celebrity would you hope would read it?
2. What’s your favorite color? Why?
3. If you could have a second home anywhere in the world or universe, where would it be?
4. What’s your favorite childhood memory?
5. Who is your favorite fairy tale character?
6. What’s your favorite food?
7. If you could be a flower or a tree, what kind would you be?
8. Where do you go if you want to have a quiet, spiritual moment?
9. If you could live one part of your life over again, what part would it be?
10. Who is your favorite artist?
11. What’s an adventure in your life you’d still like to have?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

TA-DAAH! Congratulations to all bloggers! You made it to the end of this post! As I said before, I follow way too many blogs to include them all on the lists above. If you know me virtually, then you know we’re connected. I hope everyone will add his/her link in the comment section to honor and celebrate creative freedom online…together.

STATUE OF LIBERTY: This is the happiest day of my life.

Copyrightoverthehillontheyellowbrickroad2018