I'm late, I'm late...

crabapple tree, Washington, D.C.

I am late with these spring photos as well as with an award I received a looong while ago from the lovely Kay. Her blog is "Georgia Girl with an English Heart" and so worth visiting. She lives here in northern Georgia and at the same time a piece of her heart is at home in England. Her blog posts are always an interesting mix of thoughts, questions, and gorgeous photos!

azalea in our garden

A while ago she so kindly gave me the Versatile Blogger award in which I am to tell seven things about myself.

chinese fringe tree, Savannah, GA

I thought I'd intersperse those seven items with spring photos, some of which are from our yard, some from Savannah and the rest from our recent travels up the East Coast.

Rather than just telling you seven facts about myself, I thought I tell you seven things (if I can come up with that many) that have surprised me in the last few years.

camellia, Duke Gardens, NC

1. I love to write. 

That's a big surprise! I never considered myself even mediocre at writing, but starting my blog three years ago has changed all that. Not only does this kind of writing come easily to me, I also truly enjoy it and wouldn't want to do without it anymore.

not sure what this was, Washington, D.C.

2. I can no longer imagine my life without making art.

Another huge surprise. I lived very happily without making any kind of art or much of anything creative for 43 years. Then suddenly I started painting and everything has changed. I now consider myself an artist. Just goes to show. It's never too late and life always has surprises in store for us...

tulips, Duke Gardens, NC

3. Blogging has brought me closer to my German roots.

This is something I truly did not expect! Never!! But through a few blog visitors from Germany, I became familiar with the German blog world (my list of great German blogs in on my left sidebar), which is every bit as creative and beautiful as our blog world here. This has brought me in contact with everyday life in many parts of Germany, some of which I've never even been to and I am loving it.  I moved away so many years ago and it's been so enriching being able to connect to that part of myself. Vielen Dank!!

tulips and violas, Duke Gardens, NC

4. Through my blog my world has become much bigger and at the same time smaller.

When I started my blog, it was basically to have a record of my creative unfolding when I started painting. I didn't know the first thing about blogging. I didn't know that anyone could follow my blog. I was doing this only for myself, my close friends and my family.

The day the first "stranger," a fellow artist left a comment for me and I visited her blog, it changed everything. And now, on a daily basis, I visit my blog friends all over the world which has so enriched my life and significantly expanded my horizon. At the same time, there are no barriers of distance in this medium, which makes our world so beautifully small.

magnolia tree (deciduous), Duke Gardens, NC

5. Finding a truly supportive community. 

I did not expect that when starting my blog, but I find that this blogging community is truly something special. Most of us have never met in person, yet we care about each other. Truly. And not just theoretically. I've seen it again and again. In very tangible ways - the uplifting of someone who has had bad news, the support (even financial) of someone who is going through a tough time, or the rallying together of many to send a surprise package or a flood of handmade cards to someone whose life has become overwhelming. It makes me proud to be a part of this group!

dogwood tree, Jamestown, VA

6. I stick with things. 

Here's a big surprise. You know how we all have opinions about ourselves, some of which being incredibly false? Maybe they are leftovers from the past. For me one of those was thinking of myself as someone who doesn't stick with anything. So not true!!

I've been blogging almost daily now for three years - actually yesterday was my blog anniversary if I remember that correctly (yeah!!!) - and I have no plans to stop! In fact, I love it! So, you all are stuck with me for a while longer...

lenten rose, Duke Gardens, NC 

7. I actually finish things.

Another huge misconception being proven wrong. I always thought of myself as someone who loves to start projects but then loses interest and doesn't finish them. Again ... not true! In the last three years I have finished over 150 pieces of art and knitted and crocheted and sewn probably again as many things.

It seems that slowly but surely I am discovering my true self and I like what I'm seeing!

ornamental pear tree, our garden

Now I am supposed to pass this award along to seven other people. Here's something else I've learned about myself - I don't like to exclude anyone. So, instead, just go to my english-speaking blog list on my right and/or my german-speaking blog list on my left sidebar and pick one you haven't visited yet, leave them a comment and maybe make a new blog friend!

I am so grateful for all of you! You are making this creative journey of mine even more fun than it already is...

And thank you again, Kay, for passing this award on to me!! I'm so glad we met in blog land and I am sure we'll meet in person one of these days, both of us living in Georgia...