My friend Michaela tagged me for the Sunflower Blog Award. I haven't blogged on here in quite a while, and I thought this would be a fun way to get back in the swing of things. So, here goes. First, 11 random fact about myself.
#1 - I really dislike writing with pencils. And most pens for that matter. My favorite kind of pens to write with are gel pens. I guess because it's the most similar to writing with a nib pen and a bottle of ink.
#2 - I love acorns. In fact, I've been a bit hoardishly collecting them this fall. No worries, I DO have plans to do something with them.
#3 - My favorite mug right now is one I got from my brother last Christmas; it was made somewhere in Africa (I think?) and it has a little fish on the inside. That fish is just darling!
#4 - I really love books written by E.D.E.N. Southworth. Good, thrilling, 19th-century novels! The Hidden Hand, Ishmael, and Self-raised are three of my favorites.
#5 - I also have a love a dictionaries. I don't often go in them (ah, the convenience of Google), but big books full of words just make me happy!
#6 - I have always been enchanted with Winnie the Pooh. In fact, I still have a little Tigger plush next to my bed, and two of my favorite gifts from Stephen a few years ago were vintage copies of Winnie The Pooh and The House at Pooh Corners.
#7 - I have a love-hate relationship with roosters. I LOVE decorations with roosters on them (well, most of them....some are just tacky). But, I've learned that REAL roosters can be awfully frustrating - especially the one at work that is constantly escaping the coop.
#8 - I got to play the character of Pretzel Gretel at work last weekend. I even dressed as a pretzel! A light brown under skirt for the soft, chewy inside. A dark brown looped up into by belt for the crunchy, twisty outside. A yellow neck-scarf for the mustard, and a white head-scarf for the salt! Oh, and I twisted by hair into a pretzel bun in the back.
#9 - I have a really hard time throwing away fabric. You just never know when you might need that random piece! But, I've found a good system for keeping at least my scrap stash under decent control. Anything that is big enough to cut out pieces for quilts is an instant keep. Anything smaller gets cut into 1/2 strips for making rag rugs. Anything too small for that I can throw out without hesitation, because there really isn't much more to be done with it.
#10 - I take pictures of and dry a few flowers from every bouquet that Stephen gives me. It's just a tradition that I started the first time he gave me flowers, and I've kept it up ever since. Someday I hope to do something with all those dried flowers and pictures.
#11 - Last year, I found somewhere between ten and fifteen four-leaf clovers at work. This year - none. Oh well, I guess that much luck in one year covers me for the next few years.
Now, 11 questions from Michaela!
What is something you’ve collected over the years?
Snapple bottles! I really love glass bottles, and Snapples were always a special treat from Stephen. I think I have close to 30 now.
What is one dream, whether big or little, that you’ve had?
To own a hobby farm. I love the idea of growing a lot of fruits and vegetables, and I would also like to own chickens, goats, and maybe pigs and alpacas.
What is your favorite poem?
That's hard. I'm sure there are quite a few that I loved when I read them, but I'm not very good at remembering them. I guess the ones that really stick out are the ones from Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. So many lovely, ridiculous poems.
What is a piece of wise advice that your parents have given you?
It's hard to pin-point it down to one, but here's one that comes to mind right now. You're not always going to FEEL ready to do new things or move onto new times of life, but sometimes you just have to do it even if you're terrified, and you'll learn as you go!
Are you named after anyone in your family tree?
No; I was supposed to be, but my name is still just as special. See, right before I was born, my dad went to Arizona for a job. The couple he stayed with were Allison and Staci. He came home and told my mom that he wanted to name me after them!
Would you consider using any of your ancestors’ names for your children?
I might. I want to use the name Clara, and I'm pretty sure that's a family name.
Pepsi or Coke?
Neither. The only sodas that I like are root beer, mountain dew, and sprite. But mostly root beer.
Who is one of your heroes from the past?
This is also a hard question. I was always very interested in Corrie ten Boom. But, I tend to move from person to person; I learn all about one person, and then I'm ready to move onto a new one.
What state would you most want to visit?
Texas? I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about it, and I want to see it for myself. But honestly, I think all the states have something awesome in them, so I would say states where my friends are!
If you could live in a world from a book what would it be?
Narnia! Or, does England count as a "world"? A lot of my favorite books are set in England. It would also be fun to visit Wonderland, but I think I would go bonkers if I had to live there.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
Two of my favorite passages are Psalm 27:13-14 and Romans 4:18-21. But there are so many more!
Lastly, 11 questions for anyone who wants to join in on the fun.
#1 - What is one book that you would recommend everyone reads?
#2 - Which piece of clothing that you own is your favorite, and why?
#3 - Do you play an instrument?
#4 - What is your favorite household chore?
#5 - What is one of your favorite hobbies?
#6 - Do you prefer plain colored or patterned socks?
#7 - If you were to re-do your bedroom, what colors/theme would you choose?
#8 - If you could have anything you wanted for dinner and dessert tonight, what would you pick?
#9 - What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
#10 - What is one of your favorite movies?
#11 - If you could instantly be fluent in any language, which would you choose?
If you do choose to participate, please leave a comment with the link to your blog so that I can see your answers, too! Have fun, everybody!
