A day of eleven questions

My good friend Becca and her friend E jointly write the lovely blog Make, Do and Spend ....and they've kindly nominated me along with others for a Liebster Award ...Kerry from Kerry Cooks, Fiona from Big Hungry Gnomes, Holly from Holly Loves Cake, and Ruth from Clarendon Spark 

But this isn't one of those awards where you get a gong....no, you have to answer lots of questions!

So, the rules of the award are:

- List 11 random facts about yourself
– Answer 11 questions given to you by the nominator
– Set 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate
– Tag your chosen bloggers and wait to read their answers- List 11 random facts about yourself
– Answer 11 questions given to you by the nominator
– Set 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate

All clear as mud? Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll  begin.....here's 11 facts about me....

1. My glass is always half full - I'm naturally optimistic.

2. Whoops....I'm so clumsy, always have been , always will be.

3. I adore reading .

4. I love recipe books...I seem to have a collection...about seventy of them. And food....I love food

5. I need some more bookshelves.

6. I love being outdoors ..in my garden or on the allotment..

7. I haven't got a bucket list per se, but there's quite a few countries I'm desperate to visit sometime soon. I really need to see Canada for the first time, and I want to go to New Orleans, and California visiting farmers markets and vineyards there.. Oh and Scandinavia...and Mautitius....I only had a day there the last time.
     My favourite countries are ...in no particular order...are Australia, (OK I lied) , France and Italy.

8. I've got three children , and without a doubt being a Mum is wonderful, so fulfilling, so exciting,   so incredibly emotional and I physically ache if I don't see the little darlings  for a long time....

9.My darling dog is up the duff and I can't wait for puppies in five weeks time.

10. My tipples of choice - A lovely merlot in the autumn and winter, rose and a sauvignon blanc in spring and summer and prosecco or crème de Bourgogne at anytime darlings! Just open the bottles.....

11. I haven't been to enough gigs or festivals this year.


Then we have to answer these questions

1. What’s the best thing about blogging?  Having lots of people interacting with something I've written, finding a blog and instantly getting who that person is, being part of a like minded community , finding something that interests me
 

2. And the worst?  Spammers, but that's about it....
 

3. What do you like most about the area you live in?  I live in a tiny village with quirky other people, in a beautiful area which constantly inspires and refreshes  me. I literally breathe a sigh of relief as I leave the city and drive into the greenery...
 

4.  What is your favourite season and why?It has to be summer....I need to see the sunshine and feel the warmth on my bones
 

5. What’s your favourite form of transport? A ship...I worked on a cruise ship for a year before I went to university, and three years ago I cruised down the Nile... I loved the rhythm of each day, waking up in a different place to explore after a comfortable night's sleep, the camaradie on board, and on days at sea, never being bored  by watching the horizon and hearing the waves
 

6. Your top three most-loved pieces of clothing?  Does that include footwear? If so, my DuBarry boots top the list. I 've had them for 14 years and they're still going strong. Years ago, I had the most beautiful white cotton sundress which really suited me. I wore it with red leather sandals.
 

7. What was the last thing you watched at the cinema? And theatre? Cinema...Oh I haven't been for ages. It was January....and a comic caper called Last Vegas, that my Mum wanted to see on her birthday. She loves Michael Douglas, Robert de Niro and Morgan Freeman who were in it, but for me the saving grace was Kevin Cline...

Theatre? Dial M for Murder
 

8. Favourite childhood book? Only one? Ok then, A  Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett which my uncle gave me for my birthday when I was 11. I've still got it...

9. What one piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about starting/just starting a new blog? Think about why you're blogging, and who you want your audience to be?

10. Now for the important question – whippy or scooped ice-cream? Scooped of course!
 

11. Which flavour? Well it has to be Italian.....blackcurrant first, and then pistachio


Now it's my turn to nominate!

The wonderful Hazel at It's Not F***ing Rocket Science...the adorable Lucy at Little Old Goose, the lovely Rosalind at Rosalind Adam is writing in the rain,  Alex at Alex Gutteridge writes ...and my gorgeous friend from across the pond Shannon at http://www.shannonlane.com/


Your questions ladies are....

1. What was the first band you ever saw perform live?
2. What was the worst meal you ever cooked?
3. You can only afford two courses so do you have a starter and main, or main and pudding?
4. What's your favourite word in the English language?
5. You have one colour to paint the inside of your house...which do you choose?
6. Your favourite holiday destination?
7. What are your three favourite blogs?
8. Looks or personality...which do you go for most?
9/What book are you reading at the moment?
10. What music track makes you cry and why?
11. You have only three plants to put in your garden...what would you choose?

Let the fun begin!