A couple of weeks ago I was very pleasantly surprised to be nominated for a Blue Sky Tag by Jane of the Candelo Blooms blog. Thank you Jane very much for thinking of me! The tag is a fun event which runs throughout June, and requires me to answer 11 questions about myself and Postcard from Gibraltar and then nominate 11 other bloggers for the same award.
It feels slightly self indulgent for me to spend all this time writing about me rather than talking about experiences or events I have visited which is my usual style of blog post, for that reason it’s taken me a while to complete this post. Here goes nothing…
1. What do you enjoy most about blogging?
I love that it gives me an excuse to take loads of photos and ask questions. I’m a naturally nosy person and before having children I worked as a journalist so this gives me the excuse to be more than just someone’s mum!
I also love that it has brought me opportunities which otherwise wouldn’t have happened. I now contribute to an online publication and have become part of a craft group all brought about by my blogging.
2. What other hobbies and pastimes do you enjoy?
Oh my word I have so many hobbies! Regular readers to my blog will know that I love to crochet. I also attend weekly watercolour classes and dressmaking classes. I love taking phtotos, which is probably obvious if you read my blog regularly, and I have recently tried wet felting for the first time (a blog post will be appearing on that soon!) I know, I know, I really don’t need another hobby! 🤣
3. Given your time over, without any restrictions, what would be your ideal job? Why?
Well I did have a pretty perfect job for me, I was a journalist which meant I got to visit special places where the public wasn’t allowed and I got to meet so many interesting people and was able to tell their stories. Aside from the (at times) long working hours and unpredictable shifts it was a dream job.
If I could do anything at all though, I would love to be a craftsperson with a talent great enough to make a living from it. I’d love my own workshop (ideally in the countryside or at the end of a large garden) and be surrounded by my crafty things whatever they might be. As it is, I live in an apartment in the fifth most densely populated place in the world (or so I’m told) so it’s not likely – I’m very happy as I am though.
4. Which new country would you like to visit?
I have had a bit of a fascination with Australia since the magical day I was off sick from school and Neighbours came on the TV in the U.K. for the first time! Back then (when I was around 11 yrs old I think) I started saving 50p of my pocket money each week towards my dream holiday to Ramsay Street and the rest of Australia. I had a page cut out from a holiday brochure I’d snaffled from a travel agents with a 3 week tour of Oz including a trip to Melbourne and was saving up for that (it cost over £2000 back in the late 80s) needless to say I never saved enough!
I have to confess that I didn’t have a favourite quotation in my back pocket ready for this occasion, it took a bit of googling. This is the one which I think best sums up my view on life: “I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life” by Louise Hay. I have been lucky enough to have had a great life so far, a happy childhood, a great career until I had a much wanted family, however onwards and upwards…. who knows what lies ahead?
6. If you were an animal, what would you like to be and why?
This is a tricky question to answer, to be honest I am not a great animal lover. I abhor cruelty to animals but I’m just not a huge animal fan. Just the other evening as Mr Postcard and I were sitting on the balcony at dusk, enjoying the golden moment between the cool dusk breeze arriving and the mosquitos arriving we were watching the seagulls swirling around over our heads calling out to each other. Now I’m not saying I fancy being a seagull eating rubbish out of people’s bins and pooping on the people down below, but it would be fab to be able glide on the thermals and take in the views.
Ooh, another tricky one. It rather depends on where I am. In Gibraltar it has to be spring, the days are often warm and sunny, very much like an English summer’s day but it’s not too hot and you can get stuff done without needing several showers to cool down.
In Britain, I love all the seasons and I miss them dreadfully living here in Gibraltar. I love winter for its cosiness, crunchy frost underfoot and Christmas. Spring is so full of promise with bulbs breaking through the soil and the bright acid green of the newly opened leaves on the trees.
Summer is just wonderful when it’s sunny and dry. I love woodland walks and picnics. And Autumn is magical for it’s colourful leaves, conkers and misty cobwebs. Sorry, that doesn’t really answer the question does it?
8. What is your favourite film?
I don’t really have a favourite film as such, I have had a few favourites over the years, The Sound of Music and Dirty Dancing featured heavily in my formative years. As an adult I have to admit to a James Bond addiction….
9. What are the 3 most important character attributes to you?
Honesty, I can’t be doing with having to second guess what people are really thinking. Kindness, there is no need to be mean and a little kindness helps the world go round, don’t you agree? Creativity, nothing fires my own creativity than having creative people to inspire me.
10. What is your favourite book and why?
My favourite book tends to be the one I am reading at the moment. I am a member of a book club and I love that it introduces me to different genres I wouldn’t normally choose for myself. I am slowly working my way through George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series at the moment, in-between my book club books. I am currently on Book 4, A Feast for Crows. I have watched the TV series up to the point where I am reading, but want to read the books before seeing the series.
I love pretty much all gardens. My favourite one here in Gibraltar has got to be the Governor’s gardens at his official residence, the Convent. It’s open to the public once a year for the annual Convent garden party and it’s lovely to take a stroll along the shady agapanthus lined paths and enjoy the beautiful trees. It’s a real oasis in a rather built up environment.
Now to my Blue Sky nominees….
I would like to nominate the following people for this Blue Sky Tag:
Kate at H and Flossiedoodle
Polly at Polly Mixtures
Marisa at Mariwish Crochet & Life
Cathy at Nana Cathy
Sandra at Wild Daffodil
Natalie at Threads & Bobbins
Tinaor Handmade homemade knit stitch design
Shazza at Sunshine & Celandines
Denis at Haiku Hound
Bekki at Dartmoor Yarns
Shiela at Sewchet
The rules of the Blue Sky Tag are:
1.Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Answer their 11 questions.
3. Formulate 11 questions for your nominees.
4. Tag 11 bloggers and let them know.
So to my nominees, I would like to ask you the following questions…
1. What do you most enjoy about blogging?
2. What made you start your blog and how long have you been doing it?
3. What most attracts you to a blog and what makes you keep reading it?
4. What other hobbies and pastimes do you enjoy?
5. Given your time over, without any restrictions, what would be your ideal job? Why?
6. Which new country would you like to visit?
7. What is playing in your headphones right now? Music, podcast, audio book?
8. What is your favourite book and why?
9. If you could go to any point in history to witness it for yourself, when and where would that be?
10. If you could eat anything for your next meal, what would it be?
11. I’m writing this while watching Glastonbury, what would your dream gig line-up be?
There is absolutely no pressure, if you don’t want to take part or don’t have time I won’t be offended! If you do though, please tag me to let me know, in case I miss it.
I really enjoyed reading your answers and getting to know you better. I didn’t know you were a journalist, but I shoulld have gueesed as you write so well. Thank you so much for nominating me, I am honoured and will think up some answers this week
That’s wonderful Cathy! I look forward to reading your answers too 😊. Thank you!
Terrific answers! Thank you for participating! Loved your photos too- there’s nothing quite like the blue of a Summer sky! I related so well to many of your responses! I have always taken a lot of photos, but blogging has given me an extra excuse to take many more! Like you, I enjoy lots of hobbies, though blogging tends to dominate these days, and I totally agree with your choice of character attributes! I reckon a seagull’s life would be pretty good – the best of all worlds- air, land and sea- and reasonably easy pickings when it comes to the search for food, though I wouldn’t enjoy all those squabbles! It’s a great quote too! Definitely start that savings plan for Australia again! Now to check out your nominees! Thanks again x
Thanks Jane again for nominating me, it was good fun, even if it did take me a while to get round to it! 😊
Thank you for your kind nomination! Hopefully I will get round to doing this tag as it is such a nice one. Its cool that you got to keep up with your journalism through your blog. I used to want to be a journalist growing up, but I take ages writing anything! I had my work experience at school at the good old Clitheroe Advertiser. 🙂
Oh the good old Clitheroe Advertiser! How funny! Well I did my work experience as a primary school teacher. That was the best thing I ever did as I realised I didn’t have the patience to work with children. I loved it some of the time but at others I couldn’t handle it. I’m so glad I found out early and was able to change my career path before it was too late!
I’m really enjoying blogging for that reason, it has got my brain back into focus after so long at home with the children (who have taught me to be patient!😉) although what I write here isn’t exactly hard news! I have to say though, everyone’s pretty slow to start with, as with everything, you get faster and hopefully better over time 😊
Thanks so much for nominating me, I will decline the invitation, but really appreciate the thought.
I will just answer the ‘What do I love about blogging” question though.
I love ‘meeting’ like-minded people from all over the world; getting to know more about where they live; I absolutely love the generosity of spirit that I witness and experience through blogging and the supportive and helpful community it fosters; I really enjoy the random, deep, funny, informative discussions that happen spontaneously at all times of the day and night (great for an insomniac like me!); I love the inspiration for creative projects that abound; I love the fact that it gives me hope for World Peace! Is that going too far? No, I don’t think so – visitors to our blogs come from all over the world, a network of peace and co-operation. 🙂
Perhaps now you get a hint of why I will decline your generous nomination – it would take me nearly a year to answer all the questions! Ha!Ha! Thank you again. <3
What a beautiful response Sandra, I think you are totally right. Nothing prepared me for the generosity of fellow bloggers who take the time to read, comment and offer support for each other, the vast majority of whom are total strangers.
I don’t think that’s going too far at all! I think you have hit the nail on the head. Thank you Sandra. X
Lovely! Like minds dancing together on the ether! <3
Indeed they do x
Lovely to read your sharing through the tag with more incredible images of your experiences. I hope you don’t mind me not officially taking up the challenge on my blog, but I can share a brief response to each question here if its OK.
1. What do you most enjoy about blogging?
You will have to read my entire site to understand that, a challenge in itself.
2. What made you start your blog and how long have you been doing it?
I started in November 2014 as a motivation to get into a regular activity to reach out to the world and to share Australia, my photos , Afghan Hounds and haiku poetry all mixed up together.
3. What most attracts you to a blog and what makes you keep reading it?
Great photos, stories and poetry. And shared correspondence on these 3.
4. What other hobbies and pastimes do you enjoy? Writing, (a novel) photography, fighting for our environment, reading, music, bushwalking and travelling in the country to do all the above
5. Given your time over, without any restrictions, what would be your ideal job? Why?
I was almost set to become a diplomat but circumstances saw me do a course at another university and I became a teacher and would not give that up if offered it again.
6. Which new country would you like to visit?
I recently visited New Zealand with my wife Jill for the first time after living as neighbours for so long, I want to get back there again .
7. What is playing in your headphones right now? Music, podcast, audio book?
Pink Floyd The Wall.
8. What is your favourite book and why?
Impossible to answer we have a huge library. I was an avid reader at 5 and never looked back.
9. If you could go to any point in history to witness it for yourself, when and where would that be?
I was a History teacher, again impossible to answer, there are so many wrongs to right. Maybe The garden of Eden and that nonsense with the snake and apple, maybe the world would have always been peaceful ………….
10. If you could eat anything for your next meal, what would it be?
Sushi eel and vegetable tempura at our local Japanese restaurant.
11. I’m writing this while watching Glastonbury, what would your dream gig line-up be?
AS a teenager of the 60’s reared on Rock and Roll, I would need too much space needless to say it would be bigger than Woodstock .
Denis, thank you so much for your wonderful responses. How interesting that you chose teaching over the life of a diplomat, both fascinating careers, but I can imagine the one you chose had more rewarding moments and you no doubt touched more lives that way.
New Zealand looks amazing, that’s a close second after Australia for me. What you see of it on films (particularly Lord of the Rings) and tv looks amazing and a good friend of mine has been to visit her brother there and told me wonderous things about its beauty. Hopefully one day I will see it for myself.
I like the sound of your Rock and Roll gig line-up, perhaps a Woodstock do-over with a caravan serving Japanese sushi & tempura would be the answer- sounds fabulous!
Thanks again Denis, I’ve loved reading your reaponses 😊