Winning Wednesday

UPDATED to add that Yes, Virginia, there IS a Summer Claus! It's truly been like Christmas in July - just received yet another surprise package in the mail on Thursday, from Piper - another fun prize won, all stemming from taking part in the lovely and creative Vanessa's Mad Hatter Tea Party - and look, it's actually Mad Hatter Tea! With a silvery Star tea infuser (I originally typed 'Wish a silvery Star,'  heehee - what a serendipitous slip of a typo :)  Thank you so much, Piper! Wowza - what a wonder-filled week...thanks, Universe~

Last night's concert was great - unfortunately, I left my camera at home, not that you can tell how amazing music is through photos - but still...there is this urge, to document really good times somehow...but I'll just have to give you my word on it.

This week continues to be just really, really nice. I hope I'm not boring you, with all of the niceness and gratitude around here, but after a kind of dry spell, in the 'things going smoothly' area, this week has felt amazing. Reading here, you might not necessarily have known that, since, though I may let out a little whine every now and then, like that ant and his rubber tree plant, usually I try to keep the focus here, accentuating the positive...

So this week has been nice, in so many ways. The jeep has run all week, without asking for any new parts, thank you very much. Ditto, for the house We're all as well as can be. *knock on wood - where's the wood on this computer thingy? The weather has stayed cooler, thank you, God. So if yesterday's post was like Thanksgiving, then today's - is like Christmas in July.  Because, though I actually won these on another day, the first one during a joyously mad, Mad Tea Party - the winnings just arrived.

I was so excited I had won a charming WWI era postcard from Becky at Vanessa's Mad Tea Party - but I was even more pleasantly surprised today, when I found I had also won sone fun summer reading. Becky's the author of French By Heart, and she generously included an autographed copy of her book - will wonders never cease? Thank you, Becky!

I was intrigued when I found the package in the mailbox, because it was definitely much thicker than just postcard size. I didn't even wait to get all the way into the house with the package, I had to sit down on the garden swing and open it right away. It was incredibly tempting to just kick back right there on the swing and dive into the book, there and then. But everyone's stomach alarms were chiming that it was supperertime, so I made myself come inside and fix dinner.

I'm really looking forward to kicking back on that garden swing with Becky's book soon, though. It's all about her family's adventures living in the south of France for four years. I do love my armchair traveling, especially in the summer, when I'd so much rather be globetrotting to somewhere else, somewhere cool - or at least, cooler than here. Though right now I shouldn't complain - because this past week has been such a wonderful break from our usual July heat. I'm loving every minute of these temperatures below 100 F.  That's practically unheard of for our area, this time of year. I feel like I've won the weather lottery this week, on top of it all.

While I'm counting my blessings here, I also want to thank Tammy for bestowing me with an Arte y Pico award. Thank you so much, Tammy! You really should see all her lovely artwork and jewelry on her blog, if you haven't already. Also, she always includes quotes at the end of every post, for a little inspirational boost. If she hadn't already won it, I'd send this award to her...

This is the part that always stumps me - passing these awards on -- because there are so many award-worthy blogs out there, that I love to visit. For me, it's like choosing between chocolate fudge cake or blueberry cheesecake, peach cobbler or pineapple upside down cake - cupcakes or pie- well, you get the idea...each and every one of the blogs I visit regularly is a favorite for different reasons at different times...amd if all of your favorite desserts are spread out before you, how do you choose? But eventually, you reach that point, where the waiter's tapping his pencil on his pad, the other people at the table are rolling their eyes, wishing you'd just get on with it, so I guess I better just do that now -

Oops, not quite yet, because I forgot to list the rules (also, I had to look up what exactly Arte y Pico means - art and peak, according to the free translator - so I'm interpreting that, as 'the peak of art"):

The Rules: 1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award, creativity, design, interesting material, and also contrubutes to the blogger community, no matter of language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award-winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award.
4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y pico” blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) To show these rules

Caroline, Gemma, SomePinkFlowers, Tammy, Violette - Arte y pico to you~

Whew...though I just remembered there's another award that Greenish Lady kindly gave me awhile back, that I still need to pass on - but I think I'll wait till she's back from her trip to pass that one on -so I don't keep you waiting any longer for dessert, you can visit those links above, for some eye candy~   

Comments

[Lisa "oceandreamer" S.]

I am thrilled to bits that things are going smoothly for you.....that your post exudes that relief and joy!! You deserve weeks like this ALL year!!!
What wonderful winnings you received and that book definitely looks interesting.
I am doing a giveaway tomorrow for my blogiversary so I do hope you'll come by my friend!!!
Sending love, hugs and MANY more days/weeks like this to continue!!
XOXOXOXO

[Lisa]

Tinker, it is so good to "hear" your happiness. I'm glad you're getting cooler temps. It's been really nice here in VA. I've actually needed a sweatshirt a few mornings this week!

Your new blog is so awesome. I don't get around to blogs much anymore but I've been trying to visit some this week. Congrats on the award. I received it, too, and am really happy about it.

Have a great day and a great weekend.

[Wonders Never Cease]

Aren't you sweet to blog about the package! And you're very welcome!

I hope you enjoy the book and the postcard, and that this summer brings you lots of happy lazy days of reading or puttering or just enjoying your swing!
Take care!
Becky

[Tammy]

Wow Tink! She's a beauty and thank you for bestowing me with this lovely award.

XXOO

[kai]

Aloha Tink..
Good luck is shining her happy days on you :) I couldn't think of anyone who deserves it more..
PEace n hugs, Kai

[gemma]

Wow! Thank you Tinker,
All is going good for me too...Today must be Thankful Thursday. Will post this wonderful award on my blog soon!
Love you
:-)

[rochambeau]

You're on a roll Tinker. So much love surrounds!
You deserve it ALL. Isn't Becky a nice person? The Greenish Lady too.

xo
Constance

[somepinkflowerss]

oh my goodness!
thanks ever-so-ever-so!!

does this mean
i am over the top?

:-)

well,
that must be a good thing
if
YOU
got an over-the-top award, too.

{{ so easy to see why you were selected
for over-the-topness,
miss sketch-everything-in-sight }}

me?
if i have to choose
between chocolate fudge cake or blueberry cheesecake, peach cobbler or pineapple upside down cake
well

i will take a bite of everything...

i just will
and
i think you love life
in my same manner
of
Not Wanting To Miss A Thing...

see,
i knew it!

thanks ever-so for thinking of me
and my peakness for art*loving appreciation

[violette]

Thank you so kindly for the award Tink! Your blog is lookign lovely by the way! I"m happy that things are going well for you Tink.....you deserve all the happiness in the world!

Love, Violette xoxo

[Artbrat]

Its so nice to read about good things happening. You really do deserve them. I was the lucky recipient of the other copy of Becky's book! I haven't started it yet, and need to get a thank you post together now, but it looks like it'll be a nice read. I hope you enjoy it too.

[3rdEyeMuse]

Merry Christmas in July! Gotta feel giddy about all that mail love. :) Congrats on the pico. May the easier days and slightly cool weather stay around for a long, long while.

[Carmen]

care packages from bloggy friends are one of a kind but the love OMG is the greatest!
Thank you for all of your love and kindness towards me, i was so humble moved by your words left in my blog.
Thank you so much, and yes I am doing real good.
Thanks to you and your thoughts and beautiful words.
God bless you and your lovely family.

[Pacian]

I'll swap weather with you. It has been quite a chilly, rainy summer so far where I am.