Saturday, March 13, 2010

Three Things (and it’s not too late to enter the Giveaway)

As I write this, it’s early Saturday morning and our area is being hit with a massive nor’easter that’s brought heavy rains and wicked winds. I’m staying inside, thank you.

Three things happened this week that I wanted to share with you.

The big cherry tree came down. Finally. This is the other half of the old tree that came down last fall and split the lilac bush. It was completely covered with poison ivy and vines and was such a mess. My husband sprayed roundup on it all and let it lie all winter. And just last week, during that wonderful warm spell we experienced, he cleaned up the whole area. And we both wondered when the rest of the tree would come down.

It came down in the winds last night. Here it is in the picture below. Too bad you can’t tell how badly it’s raining! But how fortunate are we that there was nothing planted in the garden?

DSC_0057 copy 2

I caught an awful cold at school. There’s really not much else to say about it but I figure it’s a great weekend to be sick. I’m staying in my pajamas.

Pioneer Woman e-mailed me. I opened my mail one morning this week to find one from “Pioneer”. What is this, I wondered. In it, she asked me if she could link my blog to her favorite sites in her ‘Good Reads’ section. I wrote her back and asked if it really was Pioneer Woman. And immediately I received a reply: “Yes, dear”, she told me. “It’s me”. I told her it would be an honor to have her link to my blog and thanked her.

You all know how highly I regard Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. I link to her often and it was her blog that inspired me to create my own. I’ve been reading her since early 2007 and have learned so much about photography and post processing through her wonderful step-by-step tutorials and those of her guest photographers. She’s a generous and kind person and I’m honored to share a space with the other wonderful blogs that she deems “Good Reads”. I hesitated telling you all this because I don’t want to toot my own horn and I have no idea why she wrote me. But it made my day. Ok, I’ll admit it. It made my whole week.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY

See the post below for your chance to win a 12 x 8 Standout Print of your choice from Mpix.com. It’s my way of saying Thank You to all my followers. I need to tell you about a mistake I made, however. I posted the incorrect size of the print, stating that it was a 12 x 18 when in fact it’s a 12 x 8! I apologize profusely and I really hope you won’t hold it against me. I’ll announce the winner this evening.

Until then, my friends . . .

38 comments:

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Toot away!!! You have created something here of which to be proud. Congrats on being on her "Good Reads" list. You are certainly on the one in my head.

Anonymous said...

WOohooo!... her blog is INCREDIBLE! A huge compliment you've received, I'de say.

and feel better - tea with honey. And Alka Seltzer cold works wonders too, without making you feel like a druggy.

Treasia Stepp said...

How wonderful that Ree has added you to her favorite blog roll. You go Kate! I do hope you get to feeling better. Snuggle up, read a good book and drink some hot tea (or toddy).

abb said...

Hope your cold is short lived.

Raining like crazy here - you should see our bird feeders! They are BUSY!

my wv: unsic I hope you are unsic soon.

Mental P Mama said...

Feel better! And when you get invited to The Lodge, please take me!

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Me too! On that lodge thing. Also, when you are invited to appear on Oprah, I'd like to come there too.

This is such a well-deserved honor and a tribute to just how wonderful your photography and soothing words are.

wv: exterent. I hope they don't charge exterent when I crash the Lodge with Country Girl when she visits Pioneer Woman.

J.L.S. said...

Oh my goodness! Ree e-mailed you! That's HUGE! I'm so so so happy for you! Congrats on making her "Good Reads" list... you deserve it!

I hope you stay dry this weekend and it is exactly what you need to kick your cold!

beth said...

congrats !
and I hope your cold gets better...I'll be over soon with chicken noodle soup, K ?

Laura ~Peach~ said...

totally cool good thing i have your email cause your traffic will get heavy and you might get so overwhelmed for a spell... :) I love her blog too and read it faithfully but many times i dont comment cause there are just so darn many already....

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

Your blog is incredible! Of course The Pioneer Woman would like to add it to her good reads! That is awesome....congratulations!

Low Tide High Style said...

I hope you feel better and how cool to be linked to Pioneer Woman's website, you deserve it!

Kat :)

altar ego said...

Hot diggity! Cool beans about the PW. You're in the big time now, sistah!

Glad the tree came down when it did and that prep had been done previously to make the removal now that much easier. Phew!

Feel better soon! I'm just now about to get out of my jammies.

Shana Putnam said...

That is so great that she contacted you!!

DAnna said...

Add a little lemon juice and whiskey to that tea and honey! And congrats on the Pioneer Woman thing....love her blog (love yours, too!)

Marla said...

Oh my gosh. That is so cool. :)

I hope you start feeling better.

Pony Girl said...

Hope you feel better soon!! I know about schools and catching bugs, LOL!
Big congrats on making PW's blogroll, that must have been a great feeling!

Julie Harward said...

How nice, I'm glad that it made you happy! Staying jammies all day sounds great to me, I can't remember when I did that last! Get well teach! Come say hi :D

Sweetpea said...

Pioneer Woman and YOU...two of my absolute FAVES!!!

well, and then there's George who happens to be in a league list all of his own :>]] "Hi George!"

mrs mediocrity said...

We are having the same weather, I seem to have the same cold...no trees in my yard yet, though, and jeepers, no Pioneer Woman either! Congrats!
Love your photos...

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

So glad the tree came down now and not when there are things planted! We have that happen quite a lot. Trees coming down, that is.

I already told you she contacted you because you rock. Period. ;0)

I am sick too. Today is day 9. Hope it goes quicker for you!

Char said...

congratulations

and of course you're a good read, pioneer woman or not. it's always good to be recognized.

Jayne said...

Sending you some virtual chicken soup and some Posh Puffs... hope you feel better soon!
Shame about the tree, but glad it was not on a full garden.

Unknown said...

While I have huge admiration for P woman....she is a good judge of talent too....so enjoy the moment in the sun....smiles.
PS
Feel better soon...

Skogkjerring said...

1. Poor tree, I love trees so I hate to see them down like that, but it happens...hope you're planning on planting a new one or something nice where the tree use to be?

2. Sorry to hear you're under the weather...hope a weekend in pyjamas does the trick!

3. Congrats with the good reads link on Pioneer Woman. She has a great blog but it's not as personal as yours, you feel almost like you are at a giant shopping mall when you are at her blog versus a quaint and delightful specialty shop when we visit yours...hope you understood that and hope PW's fans don't think I'm ditchin' her...cause I'm not..like I said, I love her blog also, just a bit more commericalized then yours.
Have a super evening and thanks again for following my blog, means as much to me as you getting on the good reads link! ;-)

Chrissykat said...

And just like that you're already at 526! Congrats on the "good reads" although I think it's more like GREAT reads!

Feel better soon.

Caroline said...

OMG...congrats! Your photos are soooo amazing. How exciting!!!

tainterturtles said...

Wow Beth, now you're receiving emails from the famous "pioneer woman"???? I'm impressed girl.

I got a chance to meet Ree in Minneapolis at her book signing. What a sweet person.

Daryl said...

TOOT TOOT .. I'll toot it for you ... it deserves tooting ..

I know that cold well .. in fact I have come to think of the cough as a close friend, it feels as if it will be part of the rest of my life.

I am so glad the tree fell in the direction it did and not toward the house or car ..

Its POURING and WILDLY WINDY here ... just back from beautification™ and a visit w/ToonMan to the eye doctor/eye glass place. He wanted glasses like Dr Linus aka Ben on Lost. Thank Gawd when he tried them on he didnt like them ..

Feel better, sweet pea.

tj said...

...Hee,hee...Still tickled! So sorry too, I kinda tooted your horn for you in my comment yesterday...I shouldn't of done that but I couldn't help myself. Thankfully no one reads my comments anyway so you're okay... :o)

...Sorry to hear that you are not feeling well - hope you get better soon! :o)

...Your follower number is steading climbing! So when's the book tour? ;o)

...Blessings...

Sharmon Davidson said...

Wow- that great about Pioneer woman- congratulations. I can see why she did it, though; your blog is wonderful.
I'm glad I'm not too late for the giveaway- just by the skin of my teeth!
Hope you feel better soon!

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad that you and PW confirm that I have "good taste" when it comes to choosing blogs :) because it was you two that got me "addicted" to looking at blogs.

Sorry to hear about your cold and bad weather! Hope both pass soon!

GillLink

Deb said...

Good for your girl...congrats...

becky up the hill said...

I am so happy for you with the PW email and link...seriously very happy for you.

GailO said...

Oh my Kate!...being a Good Read on PW is certainly worth tooting your own horn about!...Congrats!!

...and I do hope that you are feeling better soon...

xo

Andi said...

Wow! Ree knows YOUR blog?? Pretty darn cool!! I met her on her book tour and she is just as adorable in person, in a real life way. :) Love her! You should be proud of your blog, your photography is terrific! Dh has informed me that I have worked enough extra the last few weeks to earn my new camera! YAY!!! So hopefully besides to awesome scenery I do not have my blog will have more terrific photos like yours!

BB said...

Oh WOW! Congrats Kate... but of COURSE she would love your site (hello Ree if you are lurking!).

Missed you while I have been gone - thanks for commenting at my place while I have been away!!
:-)
BB

Unknown said...

Congratulations Kate! That's wonderful!

The JR said...

Sorry about your tree. Congrats!