Liebster Blog Award

I was nominated back in June by S. Lauren of the Riding Again blog. I think I was busy with fires or floods or something so I must have missed it! Sorry Lauren! Thanks for the nomination, I really appreciate it!


11 random facts about myself

1) I have a large 40 gallon Crabitat where I keep 7 hermit crabs. I plan on expanding this to a 90 gallon tank that replicates the tidepool areas of beaches....and getting more crabs!!

2) I have a pet tarantula named Shelob

3) I'm a beer lover and enjoy my hubby and friends home brews as well as Colorado micro brews (our "brewery" is called The Parched Pony).  Steve and I at the Salida MicroBrew Fest.

4) Though I haven't done it in a while I make my own soap from scratch (chemical reaction of lye with fats and oils to make the soap....I don't do melt and pour!).  My website is way outdated, I've made soap more recently than 2008!!!

5) My husband sewed my wedding dress and his wedding tunic back in 2009.  I sewed the trim, belt and arm bands and made banners for a wedding arch.

6) I'm a big Sci-Fi and Fantasy fan (Dani is named after Daenerys the Khaleesi from Game of Thrones afterall)


7) My favorite city in the world is Rome. We went there on our honeymoon and I loved it! I have the Rosetta Stone for Italian but haven't spent the time to learn it.

8) I'm fascinated by Entomology. I studied insects in many classes as an undergrad and a graduate student. So far I've only had one position working with insects (West Nile and Plague- public health) but those programs don't exist anymore in my county :-(

9) In high school I was really into industrial/goth/grunge music.  Still am, love it!  I'm very eclectic in my music tastes...not too much I really dislike.  Country, Classical, Pop, World, Rock, Heavy Metal......

10) I always have painted toe nails- my one girly thing; even though I rarely wear open toed shoes in which you can see them!

11) Chickadees are my favorite Passerine (studied Ornithology in college as well). My favorite Falconiformes is the Peregrine Falcon, I spent 4 months in Gunnison Colorado working on a project that observed known nests (sitting on a cliff with a monoscope). I got paid to watch baby falcons grow up!!!


The following questions were given to me by Lauren to answer on my blog. Here I go!


1. Describe your dream horse.

My dream horse is a horse that has spunk but brains. Someone trustworthy and stable but not boring. A horse that learns easily and is forgiving. Affectionate yet independent. They should also be a mare, chestnut and of the Morgan persuasion! LOL. Really, Daenerys is pretty close to my ideal, she's a great horse!

Of course in a fantasy a gorgeous black Freisian who is push button and gentle and never shies would be up there too!


2. What kind of pets do you have?

Freshwater fish (in a planted tank: angels, neons, gouramis etc), 7 hermit crabs, 1 tarantual, 2 dogs (Jack Russel and Aussie Border Collie mix), and 1 cat (tuxedo cat named Armani)

3. Your favorite food.

Mexican always tends to be my favorite food though I love a good medium rare steak. Mmmm, mmmm!

4. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I've been to Rome but I'd go back in a heartbeat! I think to try something new and what hubby and I plan for the next trip would be Ireland.


5. What are your favorite stores to shop at?

Big R and Dover Saddlery. I hate shopping but if it's horse stuff, even horse clothes, I have a better time with it. Work clothes or going out clothes....just shoot me please.


6. What are some things on your "bucket list?"

To see a whale in the wild

See and touch an iceberg
View the Northern Lights
Visit the Ngorongoro Crater
Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef.....

There's more but those are what I thought of right now


7. What are you talented at?

I'm out of practice and haven't whipped out my SLR camera in a while but I've taken some nice shots. I love photography but like other hobbies I sometimes don't have the time for it.


8. What are your pet peeves?

Biggest one...when people say Washington but they really mean D.C. I grew up in the D.C. area so it just irks me. We have a state too!!!  Be specific!!


9. Favorite quote?

"Who ever said diamonds are a girls best friend never owned a horse"



10. If you magically got $1,000 how would you spend it?

Easy I'd save it towards the trailer I want to buy by spring!!

11. What's an act of kindness you've done?

I don't know....I sent a ton of information and a book to my cousin who is spending a year in Antarctica. He's new to cameras and wants to take pictures of the Aurora Australis and of course snow pictures can be a challenge. So I did a lot of research and printed off probably a books worth of stuff, included a basic book I had and a card and sent it to my cousin so he has it before leaving for the South Pole.  I guess that's an act of kindness.  I try and just help people out when I can

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Now I will select 11 Bloggers to nominate...some are horse blogs some are not. I've decided to have different questions for the horse bloggers and more general questions for the non horse blogger. Click on each blog below, hopefully they will display a Liebster Award post soon! Unlike me who completely missed out by several months! LOL.  Hopefully I can make it to each blog to let them know they are nominated before they see it here.  I'll try!!!


Nominated Blogs


1) A Horse Crazy American in Germany

2) Cash's Steppin Up

3) Drafty Hafy Girl

4) Good Morning Starshine

5) Mistress Trinity

6) Actually Ashleigh

7) Old Morgans

8) The Soap Bar

9) Boots and Saddles

10) Luke, The Large Black Mule

11) Brays of Our Lives


How to Accept the Award: The Liebster Blog Award is a way to recognize blogs who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word that means beloved and valued. Here are the rules for accepting the award:

• Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their blog.

• List 11 random facts about yourself.

• Answer the 11 questions given to you.

1. What is your first memory of a horse?
2. What other hobbies do you have?
3. Describe a favorite pet that wasn't a horse
4. What do you do?  Work/kids/volunteer etc
5. Where is your "happy place"?
6. Describe a favorite memory you have with your grandma
7. What type of books do you like to read?
8. What is your favorite color and why?
9. If you could move to any state in the U.S. right now, no issues, where do you think you'd go and why?
10. What are some top items on your "bucket list"? (I liked that question!)
11. If aliens landed on the planet and took humans as captives which would you prefer...to be in their zoo or in their traveling circus and why?

• Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.

• Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or fewer followers to nominate and include links to their blogs.

• Go to each blogger's page and let them know you have nominated them.