One Lovely Blog Award

What a lovely surprise!  Sharon from Strong Foundations nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award.  I'm pretty sure I "met" Sharon and her lovely blog through participating in the Sepia Saturday meme.  Sharon shares my love of Family History and finding fabulous articles on Trove.  Thanks Sharon!

Here are the Rules for the "One Lovely Blog Award":

1. Thank the person who nominated you and link to that blog
2. Share Seven things about yourself - refer below
3. Nominate 15 bloggers you admire (or as many as you can think of!) - also listed below
4. Contact your bloggers to let them know that you've tagged them for the One Lovely Blog Award

Seven things about me:

Alex reading a little book in Edinburgh - as you do.

1. I'm an only child (can you tell????)
2. I love words and finding new words.  My husband Robert and I joke that we only buy The Guardian to do the Quick Crossword and the Sudoku. He does the Sudoku and we share the Crossword.  I was excited to find a new word today on one of the blogs Sharon recommended - taphophilia - a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries - who knew???
3. Robert and I suffer from Tsundoku - aka book hoarders.  I don't ever remember a time I didn't like books and I find them particularly difficult to resist.  Finding decent bookshops is a joy.
4. I am quite nutty about animals.  I particularly like cats.  Horses know that I am a pushover so I won't ride them, unless pressed, but I do love seeing them and being near them.  I find donkeys particularly adorable. I dream of living on a larger block and having a menagerie.
5. I have a very loud laugh.  This is not an asset working in my new career in libraries.  I have tried to tame it and I know that it is not particularly attractive.  But there you have it.  I do like a good laugh and pounce on comedies and funny people with delight. 
6. I am shockingly lazy when it comes to exercise.  I know I need to do it. When I'm actually out doing it, I quite enjoy it.  But I really need an exercise buddy.  I want to share the enjoyment with someone and it needs to be kind of purposeful e.g. going for a bushwalk or catching up with someone while I'm doing it.
7. I love getting lost in a good movie.  It's a cheap way of traveling to another country or world.  I think it is a sublime art when it works well. It is quite a treat to sit in a cinema with a whole bunch of strangers and all be transported to another world and be moved to tears or laughter together.  What an extraordinary species we are!

My father introducing me to the world of movies

15 Bloggers I admire

Crikey - this is tough because there are so many - here we go...and be prepared to be surprised by the range of topics - remember - I'm a frog and jump all over the place.

1. Male Pattern Boldness - Yes I know this isn't a genealogy blog.  I told you to be prepared to be surprised.  I have inherited my mother's love of fabrics and design (which doesn't mean I'm a great or prolific seamstress - just that I have a cupboard full of fabric).  Now whilst Peter says he's lost his Mojo in his latest post, I can only believe that it will be for a minute.  The exuberance in this blog is completely infectious.  
2. Julie Goucher at Angler's Rest.  What a woman!  What a great idea Book of Me, Written by You is and what a champion to have given us this gift. Thanks Julie. Not to forget Worldwide Genealogy - another great blog idea from Julie and Jill Ball.  But they're not the only authorial voices.  To quote from the blog "Each day a blogger from across the genealogy or historical community will post to Worldwide Genealogy." Brilliant! 
3. Diane Bohlen from Adventure Before Dementia has a great blogging voice and tells an absorbing story.  I just love the title of her blog.
4. Have I said that this list is not in any particular order?  Did I mention that I jump?  If I had to choose one blogger over the rest the lovely Jill Ball is probably my favourite at Geniaus.  Powerhouse is the only way I can describe her!  Thanks for all that you do Jill. Yes, she's been nominated already but I can't not nominate her. But don't worry Jill you don't have to do this exercise all over again - just bask in the glory.
5. He's probably been nominated so many times that he'll groan at this nomination again but Thomas MacEntee must be acknowledged for all the hard yakka he does in bringing the genealogy blogging community together through such blogs as Geneabloggers and Hack Genealogy
6. Did I mention that I love food?  I have a particular penchant for retro cookbooks and one particular blogger made me howl with delight with her account of a retro-dinner party. Skiourophile has several blogs and her blog Bibliothas has already been nominated for one lovely blog too. Don't worry Skiourophile you don't have to do it again - like Jill, just bask in the glory.
7. I haven't lived in Brisbane all my life and so am always keen to learn more about it's architectural heritage.  The foto fanatic is to be commended for his great blog called Your Brisbane Past and Present. Every post is well constructed and so interesting.
8. Shauna Hicks and her blog Diary of an Australian Genealogist  is always illuminating and her website well worth exploring in terms of resources.
9. I've always been a bit of a fan of women's writing and collect Virago Books and have recently been introduced to Persephone as well.  Imagine my delight when I discovered the Australian Women's Writer's Challenge blog.  It is so meaty, there is always something of interest there and I love being exposed to new authors.
10. I have never been to Canada but there is just something lovely about every Canadian I've met.  I think sometimes Canadians and Australians are kindred souls, yes?  Check out North of 49 for some great photos, whimsical musings and just a great escape from our hemisphere.
11. I told you these were in no particular order....yes Alan Burnett and Kat Mortensen, I haven't forgotten you - thank you Sepia Saturday for keeping me focused on blogging and introducing me to so many other lovely bloggers. Bask in the glory, bask in the glory.
12. I like a bit of fun and some blogging exercises - Randy Seaver from Genea-Musings never fails to provide inspiration.  Thanks Randy.  
13. Another great blogging "voice" is the lovely Kristin from Finding Eliza.  I don't know why but her blog posts always speak to me and trigger all sorts of thoughts/memories.  Thank you Kristin.
14. I love knitting, yarn, wool and stories of courage, determination and perseverance - if you haven't checked out Kate Davies blog you are in for a real treat.
15. And for a bit of whimsy - what about Bent Books blog Stuff in Old Books. 

Oh my goodness.  Please don't be offended if your blog is not included in this list.  It's difficult to limit it to 15.  Thanks again Sharon for your nomination.