Time to Share the Liebe

We have been nominated for the Liebster Award!  What is this award you might ask?  The Liebster is given to new bloggers by their fellow bloggers as recognition for a job well done and a welcome to the blogosphere.  In short, another blogger stopped by Under Open Skies and wanted to show us some love, or liebe, for my fellow German speakers.  Our nomination comes from writer Barbara Gabriel of Steal Just One Day (many thanks!).

The Liebster Award Rules

• Acknowledge and link back to the person who nominated you
• Answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you
• Share 11 random facts about yourself
• Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
• Give your nominees 11 questions to answer on their blog when they post about the Liebster Award.

 Barbara’s 11 Question

1. If you could play hooky for a day, what would you do?  The beauty of doing what I love for a living is that everyday is a “hooky” day.  I write, paint, carve wood, weld metal sculptures, and dream up ambitious projects–whatever my little heart fancies!  Most mornings start with a cup of tea, yoga, and playing with my animals.  I make time to travel and explore since I can take my job with me wherever I go!  I didn’t always have it this good, but now that I do, I won’t be going back to living the old way.
2. “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” or “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”? I haven’t seen or read either.
3. Do you prefer international travel or to explore closer to home? Why? I love travel of all kinds, but particularly international travel.  I have near lived anywhere longer than three years, so exploring closer to home is always a given!
4. What’s your go-to comfort food?  Kraft Mac N Cheese–the good kind, with the powdered cheese.  Although I haven’t had this in a while since I’ve been on a quest to eat more natural, organic foods.
5. Dinner companion: Abraham Lincoln or Betty White?  Betty White because she is hilarious and I love a good laugh around the dinner table.
6. If you left home for a year or more, what would be in your suitcase?  I am a very light traveler, but I would need to have my camera gear, a sketch pad, and a good book.
7. Give us a link to the best or the favorite of your own posts. What made you write that one? I don’t have a favorite post, but I was really excited to write Mapping out a New Direction.  I had just made the decision to refocus Under Open Skies around our homesteading adventures and had started my second blog, Playfully Refined for canine and equine posts.
8. How do describe yourself? Use just three words.  Free-Spirited, Loving, and Adventurous
9. How do others see you? Three words.  Conferred with a friend for this one, he gave me “Courageous, Fun, and Bright”–I’ll take them!
10. What word do you dislike? Hmm, I love my words and tend to think even the negative ones only have the power you give them.  However, I suppose I do dislike any word that my phone’s auto correct gives me the run around on when texting.
11. What interesting thing will you choose to do this week? This week is all about finishing a wood carving art piece called The Flower of Life, and getting our house ready to list for rent.

11 Random Facts

1. My birthday is on Valentine’s Day so I celebrate “Birthday Week”.  It is seven days of utterly insane fun!
2. My favorite books are the Harry Potter series–I have been sorted into the Griffindor house.
3. I have never lived anywhere longer than three years–my “homes” span three different countries.
4. I love a warm cup of tea and a good book.
5. I had dreadlocks, but cut them off and now I rock a pixie cut.  Love it!
6. We have two massive dogs, Fox (Long Haired German Shepherd) and Denali (Siberian Husky)
7. We rescued a little black kitten from outside and named her Onyx.
8. We have one horse, Mahailia, and we be getting her a buddy soon.
9. We are looking forward to our move to New Mexico this year from Washington D.C.
10. I love yoga, namaste.
11. My favorite thing I learned how to do last year was welding steel.

11 Questions for My Nominees

1. What is the biggest personal change you have ever made?
2. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 29, and find line 4. What is the book and does it say?
3. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
4. If you could change one thing about the world, what would you do?
5. Is the glass half empty or half full?
6. When is the last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
7. What did you want to be when you grew up?
8. What is your favorite time of the day?
9. What inspires you?
10. What is your favorite childhood memory?
11. What three things in nature do you find most beautiful?

My Nominees

1. The Chelsea Project
2. FFFrail
3. Kristel’s Food Finds
4. The Healthy Secret Identity 
5. My Lost Lexicon
6. It’s a Wanderlust Life 
7. Year of Awesome You
8. Spanish Moss Series
9. Confessions of a Food Tourist
10. Life and Beans
11. Uncomfortably Optimistic

Your Liebster worthy blogs are looking lovely!  I look forward to reading your answers to my crazy questions and to see your nominees!

Happy Blogging,

Jen