A year on and a heartful of thankyous

by | | 11

On July 28th 2009 I took leap in to the unknown and started Playing by the book. I didn’t know how it would evolve, or even if I would still be here a year on. But very nearly 52 weeks later I am still here, and can’t really imagine my life without this little space of mine, where I come to play and connect and challenge myself.

So in this birthday week I’ve got a few fun posts lined up that I’ll hope you’ll enjoy, but I wanted to start the week with some thankyous.

Both these awards share the same “rules”, which are these:
1. Thanks the person who gave you the award 🙂
2. Share 7 things about you!
3. Pass the award to 15 bloggers you’ve recently discovered and think are FABULOUS!

I’m afraid I’m going to break the rules a little but here you go…

Some things you may not have known about me:

  • I’m currently reading Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, having recently read The Grapes of Wrath for the first time. If you haven’t read The Grapes of Wrath please treat yourself and find a copy. If you’re interested in humanity and can bear not a little heartache this book is essential reading. It made me want to re-read If not now, when? by Primo Levi.
  • The most recent book I bought was the audiobook of The Secret Garden – ready to give to M when we finish reading it at bedtime.
  • The two most recently added books on my wish list are Cave Baby by Julia Donaldson and Emily Gravett, and Jekka’s Herb Cookbook by Jekka McVicar.
  • I suspect the next book I shall buy will be For whom the bell tolls by Ernest Hemingway as a gift for my husband.
  • In the last 6 months I have taken 153 books out from the library.



    • As to some of my favourite blogs, to whom I’d like to pass on this lovely award (and of course they can do as they wish with the award as I know not everyone loves awards) here they are:

  • Eat Their Words
  • We Heart Books
  • Redtedart’s Blog
  • Science@Home
  • Teacher Tom



    • If you don’t know these blogs, please do visit them as I love each and everyone of them!

    J reading our gift from Caroline

    I also want to thank Caroline over at Learning Parade for the copy of If you give a mouse a cookie, and the little soft toy mouse which she recently sent us. Caroline’s blog has a special place in my blog-heart as it was the first blog I discovered (only a few weeks after I had started blogging) which included Playing by the book in its blogroll. I couldn’t believe someone had noticed this blog and liked it enough to link back to it! And I still get that thrill whenever I find another blog I love who has already discovered Playing by the book.

    M playing with Maggy's story blocks

    Maggy and her son, who you can find on Redtedart’s Blog sent me and my girls a gift out of the blue this week – a lovely little set of storytelling cubes which they had made themselves. I was so touched by their thoughtfulness and generosity! In fact, if I have one abiding feeling generated by my year of blogging it is amazement and delight (ok, that’s two feelings) at the generosity of the blogosphere. Not just in giveaways and random acts of kindness, but also in the fact that there are so many wonderfully thoughtful and creative people out there who share their ideas and passions and inspire me.

    Finally a thank you to all of you who read this blog. I read thanks to readers all the time on other blogs and I know it can sound trite, but I really do *thank* *you* – it’s great to be part of a bigger community with you, to share ideas and to feel connected.

    11 Responses

    1. maggy, red ted art
      | Reply

      Hi Zoe,

      So pleased you liked the cubes and CHUFFED that you even posted a photo of them :-)!! And thank you for the versatile blogger award! I will respond to it, but it may take a month or two (need to get my act together on the meme front!!!)!

      Love your blog too. You inspired to make mine so much more creative. Love bring Books and Crafts together – and saw that “for the first time” here, with your Penguin Stack! Hurray!

      Maggy
      PS The storycubes will be going into a Mummy Magazine available for free called “London Mums” (http://londonmums.org.uk/), after that I will do a post on Red Ted Art as to “how to”… they are super easy! xxxx

    5. CarolineLennox@LearningParade
      | Reply

      Hi Zoe,
      It’s lovely to see that the giveaway found such a good home! I’m so glad that you enjoyed sharing the story. Thank you for your lovely comments this year… it’s a pleasure linking to your site! 🙂

    7. Katie Fries
      | Reply

      Happy anniversary! I’m so happy I discovered your blog and look forward to more posts in your second year. Thank you for the award, too!

      I’m a John Steinbeck fan too; East of Eden is one of my favorite books of all time and the Monterey area of California is the place where my spirit is happiest. Steinbeck’s books were such a comfort to me when I was living in Chicago and missing California.

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