The other day I received an e-mail from Tracy Alteri, acknowledged blogger better known as myretiringlife, telling me that she has nominated my blog for the Liebster Award. Even with my extremely limited German I knew that it means “dearest” or “favorite”. This award is actually a way of “paying it forward”.  I did not enter a competition, nor applied, nor was I judged only appreciated by an earlier nominee.  The purpose is to bring exposure to small, wonderful blogs that may not be well known.  I, in turn, will pass it on to some of my favorite blogs.

So, here is how it works:

When you receive the award, and choose to accept it, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you.  Then:

• Pass the award on to at least 3-5 ( I stretched it to 6) other blogs and ask them 11 questions that you have created.
• Make sure that you let them know that you have nominated them!
• You are not allowed to nominate the blog that nominated you!
• Make sure that the blogs that you choose have 200‑3000 or less followers.   Now, I did some exploration on the origins of the award – and some sites indicate that the number is 200-300 or less.  I took the liberty of choosing somewhere in between.

So here is goes, starting with 11 random facts about myself:

1. I knit with an obsession.
2. I love my skipping rope, after re-discovering my childhood skill.
3. My husband is British.
4. I have a younger brother.
5. I love my fashion magazines. Not only to read, but to look and be inspired!
6. Tea not coffee. I stick to tea, I have never liked coffee.
7. Peanuts is banned in our house, since I have a deadly allergy, and have tested different A&E’s after eating them unknowingly.
8. I like Indian movies – the marvelous colors, how a scene usually turns into a song & dance number makes it hard not be cheered up by.
9. I enjoy walking in marka, the forest which surrounds Oslo.
10. Shades of orange are my very favorite color.
11. I enjoy Danish thrillers like “Forbrydelsen”/The killing. Of course, I did not mind all the interest in her knitted sweaters, see sarahlundsweater.

The questions I have to answer, asked by My Retiring Life:

1. What is the one food that you wish you liked, but you just don’t? For example, I wish that I liked mushrooms – but I can’t stand them. Anchovies, so often included in exciting recipes, and I cannot stand them.
2. How many books a year (or month or week) would you say you read? I usually listen to audio books, so that I can knit at the same time. But have found that I miss BBC Radio 4 since I moved to Norway, and have only listened to podcast since our move. I do however have several audio books ready so I will soon be back to an average of 2 a month.
3. What is one embarrassing memory from your youth that you feel comfortable sharing? Attending a birthday party at the age of 10 wearing a new dress my mum had sewn for me in a fabric I had chosen, and discovering they had chosen the fabric for curtains in the kitchen. My mother did insist it was not a kitchen curtain fabric, and I agreed!
4. Hellman’s Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip?  There’s only one right answer here – so be careful! I do not like Mayonnaise, and I am not familiar with Miracle Whip – obviously not the right answer. I actually prefer Danish remoulade!
5. If you could do something else in your life other than what you are doing right now – what would it be? I would love to work with an organization which promotes Design and Architecture, especially Norwegian!.
6. Favorite all-time singer or musical group? That is an easy one; it would be Norwegian singer Kari Bremnes. Hear her dedication to the coastal ferry Hurtigruta here:  youtube.
7. Do you like riding on roller-coasters, and if so – do you have a favorite one? No, I do not and never have. The few times I tried I ended up screaming my head off…
8. Favorite season of the year? That would be spring with all the flowers coming into bloom.
9. If you could have one talent that you know you don’t have, and will never really have, what would it be? I wish I could play the piano really well.
10. What is your favorite way to spend time by yourself? Knitting and listening to a podcast or an audio book.
11. Would you rather do the cooking, or do the cleanup afterward? I would rather do the cooking than the cleanup, but somehow I usually end up doing both – hm!

And now for the 11 questions I would like my Liebster nominees to answer:

And now it is my turn to pass the Liebster Award on to some of my favourite bloggers:

• Anna of kuduja.
• Jean of jeankaori.
• Ruth of kangathknits
• Heidi of wool-rocks
• Monique of Grønn Fryd (Green Pleasure) gronnfrydhosmoni
• Nina of fiberandart.

Finally, I want to thank myretiringlife for awarding me, and then pay it forward!