Beautiful Blogger (Wake Unto Me?)

I've received an award!  Ordinarily I have asked not to receive tags or awards, but since the re-do of my blog a couple of months ago, I've been so happy with its appearance that I decided to gratefully accept the award and play along.  The award-giver is dear Julie whom I've "known" for about ten years after meeting on an ill-fated swap list.  She's a real peach and someone I'd love to get together with IRL. The conditions for accepting the award are: 

1. Thank the person who gave you the award. Thank you, Julie!
2. Paste the award on your blog (see above)
3. Link to the person who nominated you (see above)
4. Tell 7 interesting things about yourself (see below)
5. Nominate 7 or 8 blogs (see below)
6. Post links to those 7 blogs (see below)

Here are seven things you may not know about me:

1.  The first thirteen years we were married, we moved thirteen times.  It was annoying, but one of the benefits was seldom having to do serious spring cleaning!

2.  I hated gym in school.

3.  I discovered quilts when first visiting my husband's grandmother's home while we were dating.  I hadn't really been conscious of quilts until then and I was so smitten that my future mother-in-law made me a quilt for my bed before we were even engaged!  I still have it, packed away in the attic.

4.  My love affair with William Morris is evident in many rooms of my house.

5.  The Fires of Spring is a book I've read almost as many times as GWTW.

6.  I have M.Div. and S.T.M. degrees from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.  But I didn't pursue ordination.

7.  I have a small collection of primitive style Noah's Arks.

And here are my seven nominees for Beautiful Blogger.  I have that back-in-grade-school feeling of  "will my friends be hurt if I don't pick them," but I'm trying very hard to pick blogs that are unusually aesthetically appealing.

1. Nicole is a woman I wish lived right here in town.  I think about how she would liven up our Saturday sewing days down at the church.  She makes and posts pictures of absolutely exquisite quilts and has inspired me to the most sincere form of flattery.

2. Paula is the generous, creative soul who rehabbed my blog for me.  Hers is clean, crisp, and features a terrific picture in her "About Me" section.

3. Chickpea just changed her header photo.  I loved her old one; it was spools of thread.  Just gorgeous.  She writes about a lot of different things and takes lovely pictures.

4. Diane's blog is gorgeous, spare, clear, and thought-provoking.  She takes terrific photographs and is free in sharing her reflections about what she is reading these days.

5. Emilie doesn't post often.  But she's a beautiful writer and usually has pretty pictures to accompany her posts.  She's led a fascinating life.

6. Lily's blog has been a bit sporadic lately.  She's experienced some life changes.  She's amazingly creative and shares what she's been up to.  She also has a beautiful daughter who is featured in many of her posts.

7. Somehow I'd lost Tracey's blog and couldn't remember the name of it.  I found it again and was so happy!  I love to read about her life in Oz and to see her spectacular photographs.