Memes are due. Thanks are due.

I've been tagged. I've been awarded. I've been a winner. Thanks are due. Memes are due. I've been blogging long enough that I feel I have shared so much in these pages. I thought of writing 7 randoms facts about the drive home last night but decided I really have more to say than that. I also have taken the opportunity to include a few random recent photos.

A while back I was tagged for a 10 questions meme by Katie at Apples and Spice.  Katie has always been a baker extraordinaire, but recently she has been diagnosed a celiac and it is fascinating to see the wonderful GF recipes she is now creating.  I will not pass on this meme to anyone specifically but please pick up the baton if you are interested in it.

Q. Why did you create the blog?
A. I wanted to share and organise my recipes.  Read more here.

Q. What kind of blogs do you follow?
A. Mostly food blogs and a few photo blogs.  I started off reading vegetarian blogs with recipes and still look for these but I have found that if the writing strikes a chord with me, then I am happy with any sort of content.  See my blogroll for an incomplete list of blogs I follow.  I find it hard to keep updates so check out the list at the bottom of the post too.

Q. Favourite makeup brand?
A. Huh?  Last time I bought eye liner I found it had been about 15 years since I last bought any.  I don't remember the brand.

Q. Favourite clothing brand?
A. I have bought so few new clothes lately that I don't have a favourite brand.  Instead I will tell you one of my favourite clothing stores: Retro Star Vintage Clothing on Swanston Street.  It is such a fun place to visit, but it is harder to get to with a pram because it is up a flight of stairs.

Q. Your indispensable makeup product?
A. If all the make up in the world disappeared tomorrow, I really couldn't care less!

Q. Your favourite colour?
A. When I was young my older sister loved pink and I loved purple.  Then as a student I discovered green was the colour of hope so I dyed my hair green.  And of course purple and green are the colours of feminism.  Check out my posts on Purple and Green. 

Q. Your perfume?
A. Elizabeth Arden Green Tea.  I love the scent of green tea but don't use copious amounts.  In fact I just noticed an unopened bottle of this perfume in my bathroom cupboard this morning.

Q. Your favourite film?
A. So many good films.  I had to look to my profile page to where I have written a list of favourite films.  Today I think I might say that my favourite might just be Wonderland (directed by Michael Winterbottom).  The scenery, the music, the characters, the bittersweet plot are all sublime.  London, Pulp, Michael Nyman, Gina McKee, John Simm, kitchen sink drama.  What more could you want!

Q. What country would you like to visit and why?
A. There are many countries I would love to visit (see here) but if I had the choice of any country, I would go to Scotland with E and Sylvia so we could visit E's family.  Why?  Everyone need family.  Phone, mail and internet are great but not the same as sitting down together to share a meal or a moment.  E would love to spend time with his family and I would love Sylvia to know them more.

Make up the last question - I gave this task to Sylvia:
Q. "Are 'ou ok, mummy?"
A. Yes

A couple of months back, I was pleased to be sent the Stylish Blogger Award by both Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen and Rivkia of Healthy Eating for Ordinary People.  Cakelaw has such a prodigious output of wonderful baked goods that I am beginning to wish I worked alongside her as she is very generous with sharing baking at work.  Rivki has many great simple recipes if you are after easy tasty ways to enjoy vegetables, and I love reading her cookbook reviews.

The way the award works is that the recipient (me in this case) posts about the award, links back to those sending the award, writes 7 random things, passes the award on to other bloggers, and lets them know. It is a nice way to create some blogger community. So here goes:

7 random facts:

1. I love swimming but I can't dive.  When young, my local swimming pool was unheated and closed every winter.  I once mastered the art of diving as a child and then forgot it one winter.

2. When I was a kid, the magic of Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street was that he was real to kids but not to adults.  It is a sign of the times that these days he is as real to all the adults as the kids.

3. I was once bitten by a possum in my backyard many years ago.  I was hanging out the washing and the bold little creature sauntered out, took a casual nip at my toe and then sauntered back.  I got a housemate to bang saucepans to keep him away while I hung out the rest of the washing.

4. The most amazing tattoo I ever saw was while doing a conceptual life drawing course.  It was a huge bird that was drawn to follow the curves of the life model's chest.

5. One place I would love to see is the Rock of Cashel in Ireland.  I was on my way there once but got hospitalised in Cork with an allergic reaction to an insect bite.  Maybe another day!

6. I have become very adept at passing a sippy cup to and from Sylvia in the backseat as I drive.  Honestly I keep my eyes on the road.  It is harder to comfort her when she cries in the car but I found the promise of pizza for dinner did wonders last night.

7. I get motion-sick.  I am usually ok in cars and buses if I don't read, and ok on planes if I have pills.  In fact I once spent my time in transit at a Japanese airport walking around the terminal with an interpreter to help me find air sickness tablets.

Now here is my list of seven bloggers to whom I wish to pass this Stylish Blogger award.  As with previous awards, I will not include those I have already awarded, so that I can include some new faces here:

1.The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl -great diet blog by Aussie girl Shauna, who lives in Scotland, lost a shedload of weight and wrote a book about it.  Frank, honest and insightful.  Shauna also has the best quick links to posts that I must read.  Though I still need to read her book, so you can see I am a bit behind.

2. cityhippiefarmgirl - A Sydneysider writing about living life in the slow lane in the big smoke.  Gorgeous photos, great lifestyle reflections, yummy recipes - I must try that Armenian nutmeg cake - and so much wonderful bread.

3. The Kitchen Maid - Lucy's lovely photos and writing are a pleasure to read.  I was comforted to see a photo of Lucy's kitchen and feel I am not the only one surrounded by chaos.  I also love her Sweet Sweet Friday recipes.

4. Months of Edible Celebration - If you want to know about celebrations of any food, Louise probably has a post on it.  From Applesauce to Zucchini Bread, she can give information on when and how it is celebrated.  Her posts often have great little anecdotes, snippets from historic cookbooks and the occasional recipe.

5. Oh She Glows - This is the blog for anyone needs to be convinced that vegan food can be delicious and nutritious.  Ange produces amazing inspiring recipes that are packed with energy and taste.  She has also recently started a series of Vegan Recipe Link Love that features lots of great recipes on other blogs.

6. Sweet Artichoke - Vanessa's blog has lots of inspiring recipes and delectable photos.  I always admire her innovative cupcakes and cookies but am particularly in awe of her recent artichoke and hazelnut sandwich cookies.

7. Veganise This - I love reading how Mel takes a well-known recipe and makes it vegan.  Take for example her tofu ricotta and spinach filled agnolotti which sounds far better than a dairy version to me.  She also writes up useful notes reflecting on the meal.  A great learning experience and lots of delicious recipes I must try.

Lastly a couple of thanks.  I was in the Treadmill Reviews list of healthy eating blogs.  I was also lucky enough to win a cookbook in the Pasta Presto Nights 4th Birthday Bash.  The momentum behind the event, Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, kindly sent me a copy of Pasta: 40 Recipes for Fine Dining at Home By Elaine Elliot, published by Formac Lorimer Publishing. I am looking forward to cooking some of the delicious recipes in it.

Ok that was fun.  I hope you enjoy checking out some new blogs and I will be back soon with more recipes.