Want to make someone’s day?  Encourage them.  Whether it’s a smile, a pat on the back, a heartfelt compliment or a hug, the ripple effect of encouragement leaves a lasting impression…

This week I was encouraged by an unexpected honor: Isabelle (from Isabelle At Home) gave me The Versatile Blogger award.  What a surprise — thank you!  Your lovely, light-hearted blogging style and enthusiasm for cooking keep me “smiling out loud.” :)  Someday I hope we can cook together — wouldn’t that be fun?!

This award comes with a few clauses:  Thank the person who sent it to you, pay it forward (aka pass it on), e-mail everyone you’ve selected, and list seven things about yourself.

In researching how many blogs to pass it along to, I’ve discovered a range of “right” answers — from 3 to 15!  Seven seemed like a median number — seven random facts/seven “honorees” — so I went with it.  (Not without difficulty, I might add…)  It’s tough to narrow down the field with so many excellent writers out there.  (I’m talking about you, my Blog Roll buddies!)

Drumroll, please… and The Vesatile Blogger Award goes to:

1)  Jenna’s Everything Blog (it’s as versatile as its name!)

2)  Sing For Your Supper (food and music — my favorite combo)

3)  Gourmantine’s Blog (sigh…)

4)  The Fromagette (I watch the slideshow every time!)

5)  Dessert For Two  (need I say more?)

6)  Bell’alimento (for the wanna-be Italian in me — with connections to Paula Deen and butter — ciao, y’all!)

7)  Quiet Life (extraordinary photography and writing)  (I linked to Donna’s February 4th post because it puts blogging in perspective for me — scroll to the bottom of that page for her Archives.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Time out!!!  Insert Mushroom Crostini here…

These savory appetizers were part of my Mother’s Day brunch.  Thank you for the recipe, Paula (the Italian one.)  (Thank the Southern one, too — I buttered the crostini first!) :)  While I realize it’s a form of denial to segue into “food” in the middle of an acceptance speech, it’s hard for me to leave people out.  All of my Blog Roll friends contribute “ripples” in my life and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them!

There, I feel better now.  Food has that effect on me.  (That’s a lifestyle, not a random fact.)

Speaking of which… here are Seven Things About Me:

1)  I used to type cookbooks for a living.  It was the ideal job, “working from home,” but I found myself wanting to cook more than type.  (Especially when my computer was just three steps from the kitchen.)  So many recipes, so little time…  The advent of internet cookbooks made “home typists” obsolete, so I was laid off.  (Nothing like becoming unemployed and discovering you’re obsolete all in one day… but I had more time to cook.)

2)  Blue M & M’s give me the heebie jeebies.  There’s something unnatural about them.  (Not that there’s anything natural about red, which finally found favor and returned to the fold in the mid-90’s.)  Or was it the mid-80’s?  (…70’s?!)  No matter — I voted for hot pink.  Close enough.

3)  My favorite books are: The Bible, “The Call” by Os Guiness, and “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas.

4)  Gumby keeps me company when I’m blogging.

5)  I won the Betty Crocker Award in high school.  (Do they even have that anymore?)  Refer to #1, obsolete…

6)  My eyes have freckles in them.  Really.

7)  And if that photo doesn’t explain me in a nutshell, consider this…  I was born in the same town as Spam.

Thanks for your encouragement.  Have fun making ripples!

~ Kim