I’ve no idea what has been going on with some of my WordPress features. Just this morning my “stats” page seems to have moved residences without leaving so much as a forwarding address. I know it’s here somewhere and I’ll find it sometime during my second cup of coffee. I wish that were the extent of the problems, but NOOOO! For about a week, I didn’t receive any notifications that any of the blogs I followed had posted 
anything. I had to rely upon emails for the notifications — and then they started to go missing. After that, while checking my admin pages, I noticed that I was no longer subscribed to some of you and so I re-subscribed. And repeated the process the next day with a new batch of blogs to which I, for whatever reason, was no longer subscribed. Over the past 2 weeks , or so, things have gotten better — not fully corrected, but better. Notifications of blog posts arrive in groups, usually a few hours after their authors have posted them, And, I guess it’s just for being patient, I now get 2 identical posts every time! So, this morning, with coffee in hand, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I opened my WordPress reader. And there it was, something I would never have expected — and twice!
My blogging friend, Cecelia, of thekitchensgarden nominated me for an award, the Leibster Blog Award. If you’ve not been to her blog, you are missing out on a real treat. Tales from her youth in New Zealand and her life today on a farm here in Illinois are woven together, using recipes as a common thread. Simply wonderful!
Now, back to the Leibster Award. What I love about this Award is that it doesn’t come with any strings attached, meaning no need to examine yourself, your blog, or anything else, for that matter. All I need do is pass the award onto 5 bloggers whose work I read and admire. Well, there’s the rub. I’m certain that I failed to mention some wonderful blogs when I was lucky enough to be given the 7 Links Challenge. It will likely happen again since I can only nominate 5 bloggers here. So, please do not feel slighted if I fail to mention your blog. Ours is a surprisingly small community. If I fail to mention you today, within a week someone else will see to it.
So, with gratitude to Cecilia, I’m going to name these 5 blogs for the Award. All of these are a part of my morning routine. They’re good for a chuckle, a recipe, a bit of knowledge, and, most unfortunately, some first hand accounts of the Summer’s worst weather. I hope anyone who reads this will take a few minutes to check out each of these 5, as well as Cecilia’s. You certainly won’t regret it.
- My Little Corner of Rhode Island
- Savoring Every Bite
- Back Road Journal
- Tales of Ambrosia
- The Complete Cookbook
from the Bartolini kitchens 
Oh dear, you have been having problems! Congrats on the award – hope you were wearing your tux when you typed this. I´m mainly wearing Armani (yeah, right!) WordPress has been a bit all over the place the last few days and the screens keep changing – am having trouble finding my dashboard and that´s before I´ve opened the wine…
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Thank you, Tanya! Yeah, WP seems to be at odds with me of late. On the other hand, coming here every morning certainly lends a bit of surprise to my mornings. I never quite know what to expect.
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Congratulations! And congrats to all those you passed it on to! Hope WP starts to behave!
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Thanks, David. I think WP is trying to clean things up ahead of a certain someone’s arrival next month. I will say, it has been an “interesting” few weeks around here.
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So kind of you to forward the award onto me, I am honoured, thank you very much!
Pleased to know I am not the only one battling with WordPress at the moment!
Have a super weekend.
🙂 Mandy
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You are welcome, Mandy, and certainly deserving of this and many awards to come. In the “misery loves company” kinda way, I, too, am glad to know that others are, also, experiencing problems. The more people affected, the sooner the correction. Enjoy your weekend!
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I love surprises! First I was excited to see “surprise” as your post heading and then I was double surprised to see my blog listed!! Congrats to you, well deserved as I always look forward to your posts and recipes! And thank you dearly, that was incredibly sweet to include me in your 5 pics! I had never heard of this award and googled it to find out it originiated in Germany!!
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Thank you, Linda, and you certainly deserve some sort of recognition. WIth a broken foot, you manage to care for your family, run your household, work at your job, and still find time to post great entries. I salute you! Now we have received a German award. We’re International! You know, I have dual citizenship, the US and San Marino. If I started an award, it would not only cement our reputations as “Internationally recognized” blogs but being that San Marino is the World’s oldest and smallest republic, that award would be highly coveted. Hmm …
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Congratulations on your award. And thanks for the recommendations: I liked four of them, total, and subscribed, but I don’t do blogs with moving parts — can you say “annoying” to those moving pictures? Cheers! — Sharyn
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Thank you, Sharyn,. I’m sure you’ll enjoy these blogs and I’ll store away your objections for moving pictures for future posts. 😉 SHould your feelings change, be sure to go back and check out that blog. It is a good one.
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I’m sure it is a good one — I would have been reading it but for those pictures that flashed in my eyes. The first rule of blogging as I learned it is not to annoy your readers or interfere with their reading in any way: that includes moving pictures, pop-up windows or automatic sounds that you have to turn off. But some people must think these methods are effective, or they would just disappear. — Sharyn
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Well Cecilia is a lady who knows what is really good, and choosing you is full proof of it!!…and…. OMG!! I am so honored you chose my blog, specially since you had to choose only 5 blogs!!! Grazie mille …di CUORE!!!!!
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You are not only welcome, Ambrosiana, you are most deserving of this award, too. Whether you’re sharing a recipe or taking me on some Italian get-away, I’m always entertained when I come to your blog. And thank you, too, for your kind words about my efforts.
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I seem to be the only person not having WordPress issues today. This is a great list you made. I’m a bit intimidated each time I have to do a list, there are far too many people who deserve to be on it. Yours is well deserved.
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Thanks, Greg, and I, too, feel a bit intimidated with these things. You, for example, should be on every one of my nominations — but someone always beats me to the punch. You were the first to take note of my blog and you’ve encouraged me throughout. To be sure, others have been encouraging, as well, and I am very appreciative, but you were the first. So, thank you, “Rufus,” for all your help.
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Lovely post John, and thank you for the link and kind kind words, wasn’t it fun this little flurry! And i was thrilled to see your choices because i had to miss so many people out and you have shared with some of my other most favourites! c
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Thanks, C. As Greg & I just mentioned, it is a problem only nominating 5 blogs. Thankfully, we are a community, of sorts, and if you do not name a blog today, I may name it tomorrow or someone else will the next day.
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I think something is up with WordPress too…the whole home page is different or something. I’m not a fan of change! Congrats on the award, well deserved. You picked some great bloggers! Happy Friday. 🙂
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Thank you, Caroline, and yes, something is going on with WP. Have you noticed some minor changes just appearing over the past few weeks? I hope whatever else they’ve planned will go more smoothly than what was just implemented, whatever that was. Hope springs eternal …
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Facebook is going crazy and now WP? What is this world coming to? 🙂 Seriously sorry to hear about your inconveniences with WP, but congrats on the award….well deserved!
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Thanks, Buddy, Well, I think I’m being sucked into some techno vortex. Last weekend, my satellite cable went out. Tuesday night my DSL was out for 18 hours. And all the while, WP was having fits. I dunno. Maybe it’s time for me to change my aluminum foil hat. I thought it would be good until Oct 1st, but, i could be wrong. Nothing lasts anymore.
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Pingback: The Liebster Award « The Complete Cook Book
Well deserved! Congrats! So sorry for the troubles you’ve had with your blog, technology is our friend…until it is not
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Thank you, Judy. As for WP, this, too, shall pass.
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Congratulations on the awards! 🙂 They are well-deserved. And you know I was having similar problems with email notifications this week. Only mine were with blogs that aren’t on WordPress. There are several that I follow through email on other blog hosts and I haven’t gotten any of those notifications. Maybe they’re out there in email space somewhere. Have a great weekend John!
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Thank you, Kristy. None of this is of major consequence — bit it is an annoyance. For hours, I’ll receive nothing and then, suddenly, I’m notified of 10 posts! They’ll fix, I’m sure. You, too, Kristy, have a great weekend! I’m going to Evanston!
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Wow – a round of applause to you for the award, and a deep bow of thanks for putting me on your list!
Have been having WP issues, too, but most seem to have resolved now – only SOME of the blogs on my ‘following’ list double-posted today. Who, exactly, are they cleaning up for next month?
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You are very welcome! It’s fun being nominated but it is hard to limit yourself to 5 or 7 blogs to nominate. I think Mandy had the right idea. She put all of her favorite blogs’ names in a hat and blindly chose 5. Next time …
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congratulations on the award and I follow some of the chosen ones, but I’m a first time visitor to yours. I too have been having double trouble with wp, and was hoping to catch up tonight but to no awail…darting from fb…i have hit your follow button, but anything is possible and may need to backtrack again tomorrow. Look forward to future posts and visits. Yvette
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Welcome, Yvette, I’ve just returned from your blog where I, too, hit the follow button. We’ll see if either of us have the “lucky touch.”
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I just woke up a bit ago thinking I am to be at school but realize it us Saturday…then read a satellite fell to earth. Perhaps why FB and WP
Have experienced alterations? Congrats on your well deserved award!
(There does seem an extra layer to get to stats now)
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Thanks, Ruth. Your explanation of the effects of the satellite’s impact gave me my first chuckle of the day — thank you for that, too.
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Congratulations on the Liebster Blog Award! You are most deserving! I look at my work email at home on the weekends just to check for one of your blogs! Not only are your recipes fantastic, but I love to read your stories! Two of your recommendations I did not know – and am now subscribed! Thanks!
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Thank you so much. This is quite the little blogging community we have here, isn’t it?
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Congratulations on the award John! You deserve it. I will check your suggestions even though some of them are already on my follow list 😉
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Thank you! Funny but I think many of us are following the same blogs, with each of us having a few additional blogs chosen because of our unique tastes. It’s a nice community that we’ve built and that I’m happy to be a part of.
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I am pleased I am not the only one whose WP has gone wonky! Well done on the award 🙂
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Thank you, Tandy, and yes, WP hasn’t been too reliable lately. Judging by the number of “improvements” I’ve noticed, I’m hoping that things will settle down once they’ve finished with their to-do list. Hope springs eternal!
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It is fun going back to posts from a couple of years back and seeing how remarkable the blog was then and now. Phenomenal blog John!! You incorporate so much into your blog that it is fresh each and every time. Love it!!
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Judy, you are the best. You always leave the most thoughtful and encouraging remarks — and not just here. I’ve seen you leaving the same on any number of blogs. Thank you so much. I really do appreciate your support.
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Thank you John, I believe in saying what you feel in your heart all the time. Because tomorrow could be too late. Kindness only takes minutes. Sorrow takes years.
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How very true. We should all remember your words, Judy.
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