Cornflowers – And Blog Love Part 2

This is a continuation of last week’s post, responding to being given a ‘Liebster Award’ by Liz at Exploring Colour. Thank you Liz, you’re very kind!

In last week’s post I answered Liz’s questions. This week I get to give 11 facts about myself and then think of 11 questions for the bloggers that I nominate. Let’s get started:

1. I was brought up in the most northerly county of mainland Scotland – Caithness. It’s the sort of place where everyone knows everyone else. (And what they get up to.) My husband (Colin) is from there too.

2. My family lived in a house pretty much in the middle of nowhere, in a wild and windswept landscape. Today I prefer to live somewhere much less isolated!

3. I went to a primary school with only around 30 pupils – we didn’t get away with much!

4. My parents met at the Isle of Man TT races, where Dad was taking part. Years later, he started a business selling and repairing motorbikes. I have some very happy memories of zipping along Caithness roads on my own motorbike. (I suppose you could say that I owe my existence to motorbikes, hehe!)

5. It wasn’t until I came south of Caithness as a student, that I came across really beautiful gardens. (Caithness is just too windy!) I fell in love with the lovely botanic garden belonging to the University of Aberdeen and I’ve never really recovered…

6. I love live theatre. Living near Edinburgh for many years meant that I was lucky enough to be able to see lots of Edinburgh Fringe performances and to frequently go to the city’s theatres. (That’s something I miss here.)

7. I had a short outdoor theatre piece performed as part of a promenade drama created for of the 100-year anniversary celebrations for the Forth Rail Bridge. It was a lot of fun – and work!

8. Colin and I love to spend our time off going for long walks beside the sea or meandering along the Norfolk Broads (inland waterways) in a boat. (If money was no object, we’d love a little boat.)

9. My favourite flowers are clematis.

10. One of my interests is printmaking – most recently I’ve been learning drypoint. (Read about it here.) Next I’d like to learn collagraphy.

11. Mixed-media art fascinates me and I’d like to find ways of combining my various creative interests. (Watch this space!)

I’ve previously nominated several of my favourite bloggers for an award, so for the Liebster Award I’ve nominated bloggers who write about gardening and nature. I’m sure you’ll enjoy their writing just as much as I do. They are:

Robyn Haynes at Big Dreams for a Tiny Garden

Heyjude at Cornwall in Colours

Invitation to the Garden

Judith at Beyond the Window Box

The Tiny Potager

Weeds Roots & Leaves

Please don’t feel obligated to take part, but if you do, it will be fun to read your answers!

These are the instructions for taking part in the Liebster Award:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and give a link to the blog.
• Answer the 11 questions given to you
• Share 11 facts about yourself
• Nominate between 5-11 other bloggers
• Ask your nominees 11 questions
• Notify your nominees once you’ve uploaded your post

Now for my (mostly garden-themed) questions:

1. Did you grow plants as a child?
2. If you could grow anything (no problems with climate etc.), what would it be?
3. What’s your favourite plant or flower?
4. What gives you the most pleasure to grow?
5. Is there any plant that you’ve regretted growing?
6. When it’s safe to travel again, where would you most like to go?
7. What’s your happiest childhood memory?
8. What animal would you most like to have as a pet? (If absolutely anything was possible…fantasy time!)
9. What would you like to learn to do, if money and other practicalities weren’t a problem?
10. If you could teach your children (or the young folk around you if you don’t have children) one thing that they would always remember, what would it be?
11. If you could have the most wonderful day ever, how would you spend it?

So this week has been a bit different – I hope you’ve found it entertaining. And to anyone who does take part – thank you!