Sunday, June 21, 2009

Some awards - and happy solstice to all!

A while ago, I was pleased and surprised to find I had been awarded my first-ever blog award by Mel of "From Clutter to Shine" (the award described here). Thanks, Mel! I've really enjoyed your blog, finding out about "unschooling" (I'll do a post sometime on why I kept my kids in school, and about experiences with the first years of Friends School of Minnesota). I especially loved Mel's story about how her little dog Oscar came into the family.

I still feel much like a newbie, and I'm not completely familiar with the folklore and protocol of blog awards, but they are good fun. Here's the award:


Now I have to say something about watermelons, before proceeding with my (drum rolls) awards forward. That is - there's a certain easy rhyme between the fruit and my name which my younger brothers exploited early in life (e.g. "Mary Ellen, watermelon! Mary Ellen, watermelon!). I can't catch any more of the memory than a certain taunting exuberance in their voices. So, yes, I have an affinity for this award, and beyond the "#10 for excellence" I am also attaching to it the meaning of "rich, ripe, juicy, and fun." With that in mind (further drum rolls), I pass this award along - in the spirit of "no obligation blogging" - to a few peeps (and reserve the right to pass it on to more if the fancy should strike):

Leone and Kim, for diving back into the juicy work of painting, committing to doing it for the long haul, and bringing up treasures from your creative souls. (I also wanted to introduce you to each other.)

For Pop and Ice, for being - well - so danged funny and sharp and full of juice.

And for my first-day, first blogger-sister Minka - far away but close at hand. Thanks for introducing yourself that first day of my blog. I enjoy peeks at your days, your travels, and your dedicated teaching of lively ninth-graders (here's the photos from their school trip to Venice ).

Yes, I know I'm supposed to tag six, but I'm not one for the rules. And - again - rules are made for breaking, guys, so take this award and do what you will with it, split open a couple and spit the seeds out far onto the lawn. That's the right thing to do on a hot, muggy, longest day of the year.

Happy solstice - and may our planet be healed and healthy for our children's children and far beyond.

(No obligation blogging, remember!)

10 comments:

Pop and Ice said...

Thank you so much for the watermelon award! I will post it proudly on my blog! I need to set aside some time to dole out some of my blog awards; I'm such a slug - or sick - or someone in the family is sick - be it cats or kids! But I am determined - next week it shall be!

mel said...

I LOVE the image of spitting out the seeds!! Just fab....and so glad you're embracing the No Obligation philosophy!!

~much Love~

Minka said...

Wow! Thank you so so much! Keep peeking at my blog - I'm glad you enjoy it :))
You know I like stopping hre as well. And blogging without obligation - that's just how it always should be!!
:D

beth said...

you are sweet...and actually my father in law is my biggest fan and reads my blog every single day :)

Leone said...

Thank you so much for the award Mary Ellen and for introducing me to Kim. I went to visit her blog and will go back to see her progress. Congratulations for getting the award from Mel.

HAPPY SOLSTICE TO YOU TOO!!!

California Girl said...

thank you for visiting my blog. I like your old nickname, "watermelon". After many years of loving watermelon and thinking they were not particularly nutritious. I've learned they are ve3ry nutritious and full of fibre. Go figure.

Mary Ellen said...

I love watermelon, actually - especially when it's served in large, dripping hunks outdoors. Glad these melons are off on their way as we enter our first really steamy, hot, full summer week. Crack them open, folks, and dig in!

Sultan said...

Sine I got sick I have been eating a lot of watermelon. I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be good for you. Who knew?

Madame DeFarge said...

My old family nickname was HoneyDew Melon, so I have some sympathy. Never knew why. Nothing to do with my name.

Congrats on the award and I hope it's the first of many.

Kim said...

Thanks for the introduction to Leone, and for continuing to write. I love how you started out with a personal blog that you later blended with your public one. I started with a public one and, just last night, started a very personal one. The personal one is really the more interesting part of me, and hopefully, in time (next lifetime?) I'll feel safe revealing it to all.