Whew! Only a few months into the year and I've gotten around to being tagged again for the Liebster Award....and this time there are questions to answer (and ask) and facts to give...guess it gets fancier every time, hmmm?
Special thanks to True for tagging me! Go check out her blog ---> A True Writer <--- 'cause it's awesome!
The Rules
Thank the person who tagged you
Answer the 11 questions they gave you
Give 11 facts about yourself
Nominate 11 other bloggers
Give them 11 questions to answer
(What's with all the 11's??)
(What's with all the 11's??)
The Questions
What's your favorite flower?
I think Hydrangeas are really cool. I mean, they change color depending on the soil they are planted in!! Is that not really interesting or what??
If you could be any character for a day, who would you chose? (And what would you do in that day?)
Oy. I'm really happy being me, y'know? But I do think it would be fun to be someone with skills that I don't have, just so I could do something different than normal...like plant a garden or use the Force or throw a battle axe or sing opera.
Favorite part about blogging?
Meeting other bloggers and making friendships and just chatting with other, like-minded writing folks! I've met some pretty epic people in this blogging world, and I love getting to know them, learning about the WIPs, and encouraging them!
Cats or dogs?
Horses all the way!!! (Or cats. Cats are good, too.)
What song always puts you in a good mood?
Jack O' Lantern
I admittedly play this on repeat while driving in my car...it's relaxing and motivating and beautiful and everything I love in a mandolin song.
And I can't help but add Knob Creek, another old favorite that I recently remembered and have been listening to on repeat as well...
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
Somewhere I can trail ride with my horses.
Or are you talking about like "fly across the ocean to Europe" kind of "go anywhere" question? Because if so, I'd kinda like to go to Iceland...and ride some Icelandic ponies.
(I can practically hear Sarah and Evan groaning in despair.)
Favorite ice cream flavor?
Anything with "stuff" in it (besides nuts, I'm not a fun of nuts in my ice cream or cookies). Like Moose Tracks, or ice cream with fudge or M&Ms. Even plain flavors with oreo crumbs or stuff sprinkled on it.
Anything with "stuff" in it (besides nuts, I'm not a fun of nuts in my ice cream or cookies). Like Moose Tracks, or ice cream with fudge or M&Ms. Even plain flavors with oreo crumbs or stuff sprinkled on it.
What's your favorite quote?
"Nothing might happen, anything is possible."
Basically the motto of my family.
What is one achievement that you are really proud of but might seem weird to other people?
Running a 33-Mile Race.
Who is your biggest source of inspiration?
Routine.
I write at the same time, every day. My brain is used to this, and starts kicking into creative mode at 10:00 every night. (Is this why I can be yawning my head off at 9, and then wide awake at 10:30??)
Routine.
I write at the same time, every day. My brain is used to this, and starts kicking into creative mode at 10:00 every night. (Is this why I can be yawning my head off at 9, and then wide awake at 10:30??)
The Facts (all 11 of them)
1. I am ambidextrous. This is good, because I have weak wrists, and it makes it easier for me to switch back and forth when I'm writing for a long time.
This is bad, because whenever I learn a new thing (like tennis), I honestly have no idea which hand to use and end up switching back and forth and not do really well with either.
2. I can back a diesel truck and a four-horse trailer all the way down my driveway and around trees, and frequently do so when I go on horse trips (because it's easier to load things right at the house than further up the driveway, where the trailers are kept).
3. I have a long (2 inch) scar on my hand, and I have no idea how I got it. I was farm-sitting for a friend, and after taking care of all the animals, I got back in my car and noticed I was bleeding. *raises eyebrows*
4. I've been to Belarus, Germany, England, and traveled all over the US. I like to say I'm a homebody, and I kind of am, but I also really enjoy adventures (as in, going to new places).
5. I love bumper stickers, and am slowly starting to build a collection on the back of my car. When I run out of room, I'm going to start putting them on the back ramp of my horse trailer.
6. My entire family loves books, and we have five bookshelves in the den, four in the kid's toy room, 2 in the dining room, as well as three of us have a bookshelf in our own room. (You should see us when we go to used book stores...it's like a child in a candy store.) We frequently buy extra copies of books just so we can give them away to friends (or just have extras).
7. I currently have three horses.
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Cord, a Paso Fino, is my first horse. We had been looking for "that special first horse" for a short amount of time, and learned about him from a friend. We tried him out, and decided to discuss it. A few days later, my family was hiking in our woods, when my Dad got a phone call. He then told us that we all needed to go home. Well, we get back to the house, and guess who's running around in the pasture?? Cord. :) Daddy had bought him and made it a surprise! (Right now, Cord is 30 years old, retired, and ridden by little kids only.)
Pepper, a Friesian, is my go-to horse. I got him four years ago, after selling my crazy previous horse. I went to an auction, hoping to get another Paso, like Cord. Something small, fast, and gaited. The fell beast I came home with was huge, slow, and prone to bucking. I have put blood, sweat, and tears into this horse, and he has finally become a dependable trail mount that I can trust with my life. This guy will do anything - pull a cart, carry the kids, Ride and Ties, obstacle courses, you name it!
Bree is my newest horse (as in, I just bought him March 17th), and he's a Quarter Horse (a breed I never thought I'd own, tbh). I went to the local horse auction with no intention of buying anything, even going so far as to say, "I couldn't buy anything even if I wanted to, as I don't know how to bid at an auction."
Well, I rode this little horse around, liked him pretty well, and thought, "He's going to go way over my price limit, so let me just try bidding. It'll be good practice for me, after all. I'll just stay in for a couple bids and jump out."
Well, after a couple bids, the other person jumped out.
Me: Welp, looks like I have another horse.
8. I love Beta Fish, and at one point in time had over 10 of them, all in separate tanks on my desk. Now I only have one at work, and his name is Chalmers (though Evan insists that his name is Urple).
9. I really like baking cookies. :) Thankfully, my family likes eating cookies.
10. I believe in Exclusive-Psalmody. That means we sing only Psalms in Worship (because there is no clear warrant for singing Hymns). Hymns are fine for singing throughout the day, but when we come before God in public and private worship, let us only sing what He had commanded and given us to sing instead of make up our own songs.
11. I don't have an accent at all, which makes it easy for me copy other accents when I'm in foreign countries (I got mistaken for being Russian numerous times while in Belarus, and came home from English with a Brittish accent which lasted quite a while).
The Re-Tag
Evan
MK
Kalan
Izzy
Ry
Ani
Quin
Ella
Catherine
Sarah
And anyone who has or has had a Beta fish.
Evan
MK
Kalan
Izzy
Ry
Ani
Quin
Ella
Catherine
Sarah
And anyone who has or has had a Beta fish.
Their Questions
1. Would you rather never eat a taco again, or never eat pizza again?
2. If you had to completely remove a character from one of your books, who would it be and why?
3. What sounds more fun to learn - sign language or braille?
4. Who is your least favorite fictional character? (Feel free to unleash a rant!)
5. How did you pick your blogging name (what made you pick a penname or go with your real name)?
6. What song could you listen to on repeat and never grow tired of?
7. What song have you listened to on repeat and actually grown tired of?
8. Favorite horse breed? (Or color, if you're not a horsey person.)
9. First Bible verse you ever memorized?
10. What's a game you would play anytime?
11. Provide a link to your favorite post on your blog.
Please forgive any re-tags, and I can't wait to see your answers!!
Now that the Special is over, I'll be back to posting every Wednesday, and hopefully I'll be able to keep up with replying to other posts. :)
1. Would you rather never eat a taco again, or never eat pizza again?
2. If you had to completely remove a character from one of your books, who would it be and why?
3. What sounds more fun to learn - sign language or braille?
4. Who is your least favorite fictional character? (Feel free to unleash a rant!)
5. How did you pick your blogging name (what made you pick a penname or go with your real name)?
6. What song could you listen to on repeat and never grow tired of?
7. What song have you listened to on repeat and actually grown tired of?
8. Favorite horse breed? (Or color, if you're not a horsey person.)
9. First Bible verse you ever memorized?
10. What's a game you would play anytime?
11. Provide a link to your favorite post on your blog.
Please forgive any re-tags, and I can't wait to see your answers!!
Now that the Special is over, I'll be back to posting every Wednesday, and hopefully I'll be able to keep up with replying to other posts. :)
This was so cool to read and learn more about you! Your horses are beautiful! Beta fish are so pretty, but it's such a shame they can't live in the same tank. I already knew the answer to the first question in the retag. I would never eat pizza again because I don't like pizza. XD XD
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. And I learned something about hydrangeas that I didn't know.
~Ivie| Ivie Writes
Thanks! Yeah...it was a lot of tank cleaning...I think one fish is good enough for me right now!
DeleteWhat?? No Pizza?? Girl....
Yeah, they're pretty cool!!
It was so awesome learning more about you, Julian!! That story about the auction - where you planned to jump out - is hilarious. xD
ReplyDeleteIt was so funny....I was like "there's no way I'm getting this horse, there's just no way..." and next thing I know the other guy stops bidding and the auctioneer is asking for my number. XD No regrets, though. Bree is a nice little horse!!
DeleteThanks for the tag! I was looking for something to post this Friday and now I have something!
ReplyDeleteThat's me. Always being helpful! *bows*
DeleteWonderful tag, Julian!!
ReplyDeleteI love hydrangeas too - I'd rather have them as a filler flower in a bouquet than baby's breath (yick).
I wouldn't mind going somewhere on a trail ride either - that's a rare treat for me.
Oh my gosh, I'm ambidextrous too!! I tend to be more right-hand dominant in some things like writing, but I'll use my left hand to grab doors and do other stuff. And yes, the struggle to find the natural hand to do a task is real.
Oh my goodness, I'm fangirling over the horses. I loved "meeting" them, LOL.
So, I really should pass on this tag, since I've done the Liebster Award already...but I really want to answer these questions. Therefore, I'm going to answer them in the comments instead of on my blog. (Please don't kill me, Lia...)
1. UGH this is hard. I love both tacos and pizza....though I suppose I would have to pick pizza as hard as it is. Tacos are slightly healthier...
2. mmmm...NONE OF THEM. All of them are precious, there is a reason for all their existences.
3. I like to learn both, but sign language is easier for me.
4. Oh gracious. How about every immoral, every badly written character in existence? I literally have too many to pick just one...
5. I picked a pen name in high school - at first to keep with the writerly tradition, second because my name is a bear to pronounce (having your name butchered for 2 decades was enough). Later, I've used it for privacy reasons.
The name Catherine is my confirmation name (I have 4 names: first, middle (baptismal), confirmation, surname). The name Hawthorn...well, I just liked it.
6. I think you know this already, but it's "Song of Kings" by Clamavi De Profundis. A close second is "Never Giving Up on You" by Matthew Parker. And third? Scotland the Brave by a piper band.
7. Quite a few Kelsea Ballerini songs fall under that category...LOL.
8. Oh my goodness...I love a lot of different breeds of horses. My personal favorite color/marking combo on a riding horse is black with a white star. But I love them all....
9. Probably John 3:16. Rather cliche, but it's the only one that I can spout off the top of my head very easily. Being a Catholic, I don't have much of the Bible memorized, though I recognize several books and passages of it from the Mass.
10. Apples to Apples. I love that game.
11. https://catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com/2017/07/turmoil.html. Warning: Much sarcasm, internal drama and hilarity. Read at your own risk. LOL.
Catherine
catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com
Girl, if you've ever in NC, holler...we'll have to go for a trail ride!
DeleteI totally understand the name thing. My real name is fairly simple, but it's just not spelled exactly how it's pronounced. So people are always spelling (and pronouncing, if they see the spelling first) it wrong. Especially at work, when I talk to customers via phone or email. Sometimes I seriously consider answering the work phone as "Julian" just to put all the typos at an end...
I've got a friend who has an all black Tennessee Walker with just a little white star. He's a super nice horse! I do love black horses!!
Though, out of curiosity, how does being Catholic keep you from memorizing the Bible? I mean, if it's the way to Heaven, shouldn't we be reading it and laying it up in our hearts? (Coming from someone who is very guilty of neglecting to memorize passages...)
I love Apples to Apples. My family takes that way too seriously...
Ahhh...let me read this post....
I sure will!!
Deleteheehee, I'm often tempted to do the same and just refer to myself as Ms. Hawthorn for the rest of my life....
In answer to your question, it doesn't keep me from memorizing the Bible. Catholics are highly encouraged to read and memorize Scripture. We just aren't known to spout entire passages from memory. It's kinda similar to a woman cooking in a way. If a woman uses just one recipe, she's have it memorized backwards and forwards. But if she uses a variety of recipes, she knows the essence of the recipes from memory but she sometimes has to refer back to the book in order to get some detail right (otherwise, she may commit an error).
See, Catholics don't just study the written Word, they also study the unwritten. We believe in and strive for a deep relationship with God - something that you can't get from just hearing words, but also seeing and interacting with Him personally, keeping His commandments in thought, word and deed. Also, there is so much that I can study and get some of the same fruits we can from Scripture - apologetics, lives of the saints, writings from the Apostles and Church Fathers, etc.
I must admit that I don't study the Bible as often as I should, (even though I hear Biblical passages every single week) and there is not much excuse for not memorizing it. I'm trying to cultivate more a habit of picking up more spiritual reading (started during Lent this year, and I'm working on improving it for the rest of the year). For about a year or so now, I've been working my way through the Bible from start to finish and writing down all the verse numbers that I want to study further. I think I've gotten to Ecclesiastes...I have to look again.
heehee, so glad you liked Turmoil <3. That was one of my rare spontaneous posts, and I was in a very humourously sarcastic mood that day. I was laughing to myself as I wrote it, LOL.
Catherine
I totally understand what you're getting at!! It makes sense. But I'm mostly just talking about memorizing a verse or two throughout the Bible to always have on hand - perhaps a verse that comforts us, encourages us, or is useful when pointing others to Christ. I have Hebrews 12:1 memorized, just for when I'm feeling tired, discouraged, or tempted to sin.
DeleteYour horses are so pretty! <3
ReplyDeleteAnd the Wingfeather Saga, yasss. XD
Aw, thanks! They're covered in the mud right now, though!
DeleteIt's so good, isn't it???
Fun post! I love your horses, and their stories!!! My horse is named Rosie. She is a chestnut Morgan mare. Rosie has lots of attitude and rules the pasture (she's the lead mare!)
ReplyDeleteWay to go on backing the horse trailer!!! I just got my temporary drivers license and so I've never driven a trailer before but it sounds hard.
You ran a 3 mile race??? That's awesome:-) I'm training for a triathlon in June, so have been jogging. Today we went 3 miles. And we have also done some 5ks. One is on this Sunday!
I'd love for you to check out my blog at bensshowersofblessings.blogspot.com!
-Brooklyne
Opps, 33 mile instead of 3:)!
DeleteOh, mares!! I have a friend who has a Morgan/Haflinger cross, and she's the boss mare, too. :)
DeleteA triathalon!! I could never do that, I hate swimming. :) Biking isn't so bad, though!
I'll be sure to snoop around your blog a bit!
Well, this triathlon is a little different because it's canoeing instead of swimming:-)!
DeleteThanks for checking out my blog!
-Brooklyne
Canoeing??? I think I could do that!!! Where's the sign-up link?? lol
DeleteThis was such a great post - I loved reading it and getting to know you better! (And I was slightly excited that someone did something I tagged them for.) ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm literally listening to Jack O'Lantern right now, and oh my gosh the instruments in this! the mandolin is so pretty, and I just love that this song features it!
You have three horses? That's so cool - and they look so pretty in the pictures. You had me laughing with the story of how you acquired your newest one.
Oh wow, I can't remember the last time I thought about Moose Tracks ice cream, but now I'm getting nostalgic memories of when it was a staple in out house.
You ran a 33 mile race? Thirty-three miles?! Wow - that really is impressive!
~True // atruewriter.blogspot.com
I love the mandolin in it - I've gotten to play with Danny Knicely, one of the players, and that was amazing!
DeleteI'm not going to complain about getting another horse. Especially a nice little one!
It was wild and painful but lots of fun!!
Thanks, unnie! I have so many tags to catch up on...great job on your post. I love when you talk about yourself. It's so cute!
ReplyDeleteWhat?? Me???? Cute? No....
Delete