This was a happy surprise that a fellow blogger nominated me for this award! It is always nice to be recognized, especially by those whose blogs I enjoy!

Here are the rules:

1.  Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Display your award.
3. Answer the questions you were asked.
4. Nominate 5 other bloggers.
5. Ask 6 new questions.
6. Let your nominees know they were nominated and give them a link to your post

Here I go….

Newblogger20 nominated me! Thank you!!!

I really like this young woman’s blog.  She loves horses, dogs and cats and so do I!  Her energy is so positive, so sweet, full of heart.

Here are the questions I was asked:

1. Why did you start blogging? 
2. What’s your favourite blog? (Leave link)
3. Cat person or dog person?
4. If you could choose one food to live off for the rest of your life (and live no matter what its nutritional values are 😂), what would it be?
5. Do you have any pets?
6. Which song “speaks” to you the most? (Eg. Lyrics are Relatable or Motivational etc.)

My Answers:

1. I started blogging when I lived in Doha, Qatar as a way to share with family and friends back home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada what living in the Middle East was like.
2. That is a tough one, because they’re a few bloggers whose voice and adventures I really enjoy, like Spoon You, Fork Me. Her voice is witty, clever and funny! And just like me, she enjoys sharing her and her husband’s travel adventures and the food they eat along the way!  Spoon You, Fork Me    As well, I really enjoy My Dusty Flip Flops.  This fellow blogger shares her travel adventure in such a heartfelt way.  Her blogs radiate a genuine kindness, reflecting a truly wonderful woman whose writing is intelligent, and articulate.  My Dusty Flip Flops 
3. I’m an animal lover, period!  I love dogs for their loyalty. I love cats for their cleverness! At this time we have two cats – Bob Jazeera and Georgie Jazeera – both cats are rescues from our compound when we lived in Qatar. Our dog is Pooh Bear!  She’s a smaller sized, mixed breed full of love and terrier tenacity!  Later, when we do settle down and build our geodesic dome home in Nova Scotia, Canada – we will be adding horses to our pack!  Maybe even a few pigs, too! The horse and pig barn will be a geodesic dome barn!!  🙂
4. Food.  I love food! Well, who doesn’t!!  One food to live off of? One food to eat for the rest of my life?  Hmmm…… At this very moment I would pick the Paneer Butter Masala at Mom’s Magic Restaurant in Mararikulam, Kerala, India.  My husband and I are in week five of six weeks in Mararikkulam North, Kerala, India.  This has been the best dish of the very few, higher end restaurants in the area!
5. Hey, I already answered that in #3!
6. Gawd, what song??? I’m more of a movie gal myself.  I listen to movies, not music!  I’m going to pick one song for its inspirational lyrics, and the sound of the powerful voice by the woman who sings it. The first time I heard the song, it had a profound emotional affect on me, and still does to this day.  The story of the song begins when I was 27 years old and entered recovery for alcohol addiction. From that point on, my entire life changed because it was here that I was introduced to self-help, inner healing and learning to listen to my true self. It was here where I started my lifelong journey along the path of connecting to my true self.  During my 28 day stay at the addictions centre, a counsellor, I’ll never forget her – Marina –  played a song at the end of a mediation session. This song suddenly broke the huge concrete barrier around my heart. The tears of grief and pain started to flow and I didn’t think they’d stop! Marina didn’t think they’s stop too, as she started to worry!  LoL!!!  It was one of those deep, from my very soul, sobbing, almost hyperventilating crying sessions. During this intense emotional release, in this powerful moment of connecting to my heart, I realized my true purpose on this earth….and that is to love.   The song??

Hero, by Maria Carey

I can’t listen to this song without crying!!!! I’m listening to it now and crying!!!

Nominate 5 other bloggers!

1. Spoon You Fork Me
2. My Dusty Flip Flops
3. Bionic Old Guy
4. Anitha Peters
5. City Girl Vibe

I like these bloggers for their positivity, their voice and how they share their passions with the world!

Six new questions:

1. What was a major turning point in your life?
2. What positive life lesson did you learn from this major turning point?
3. Who is your greatest inspiration and why is this person a greatest inspiration?
4. What is your favorite book and why is this your favorite book?
5. What is your favorite movie and why is that your favorite movie?
6. Potato chips or chocolate?  Which one would you choose if you had a craving for a snack?

Thank you again Newblogger 20!  I look forward to our blogging friendship ahead!

Stephanie, 🌻