The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. ~ Proverbs 11:25

Not like I’ll ever turn my nose up at a box of chocolates. 

But a gift of encouragement is sweeter still.

Irresistible. 

I can’t do without it ~ particularly as a blogger.

That’s why I’m thrilled and honored to have received a Liebster award! 

In case you’re not familiar with it, the Liebster is an award given by bloggers to encourage up and coming bloggers. It originated in Germany and the word Liebster means darling, beloved, pleasant, and liked very much.

A nomination, to the blogger receiving it, says: “I like what you’re doing on your blog. It’s lovely and I appreciate the hard work.”

So a big shout out of thanks to Anda Galffy of Travel Notes and Beyond for nominating me. Anda’s is a true Liebster blog with fab photographs and info about exotic places and she is herself a Liebster (darling) and very cool. Be sure to visit and get to know her.

Anda posed seven questions to me with her nomination . . . . here are my answers:

SEVEN (7) QUESTIONS & MY ANSWERS 

1) What was the biggest challenge you faced as a blogger?

Becoming clear on “who I am.” I started out writing about travel in Japan. But came a time, I couldn’t decide whether my thing was travel, Japanese food, art, and design, or life in the Southwest ~ my posts reflected interests in all these subjects.

A solo trip to Paris settled all that.

Surrounded by all the sights, sounds, and smells that make Paris so delightful, wherever food was happening was where I most wanted to be. This is still the case. And I want others to experience the same kind of excitement in Paris and elsewhere.

I’m a travel blogger who explores the world through food.

2) Do you ever feel a need to take a break from writing/blogging?

Actually, I took a short break over a year ago, to focus on setting up our new home. I returned to pounding the keys after three months or so.

3.) How many hours a day do you spend on your blog (including social media)?

Some days more than others . . . let’s say an average of one-to-two hours each weekday.

4) What inspires you to blog?

In a word, curiosity. About beautiful places, beautiful food, beautiful people ~  created in all the amazing variety God meant for us to enjoy.

5) If no one seemed to be reading your posts, would you still keep writing?

Ah, there’s the key word ~ seemed. I’d have to be absolutely sure no one was reading before I’d stop. If so, I’d start sharing in another way, through a podcast perhaps ~ I like to talk!

People have got to know they have a responsibility to travel and beaucoup options to do so ~ even if they don’t have loads of coin in the bank. That travel will change your life.

A declaration I made in class my last semester of high school comes to mind: ¡Hay que sacar el jugo de la vida!  Literally, “You’ve got to take the juice out of life!”

I’ve never wanted to miss out on any of life’s sweetness and I don’t want anyone else to either.

6) What is your goal for your blog?

To inspire people to experience new places and foods for themselves, to be an online rallying ground for Las Cruces and other Mesilla Valley locals to celebrate our community.

And to inform travelers who have only heard of Santa Fe and Taos about the awesomeness south of Albuquerque in “the Other New Mexico.”

7) What is your most memorable trip?

Avignon. So much serendipity from beginning to end with that trip. Two hours before my train departed from Paris, I didn’t even know I was going there.

Had a great time doing the town with another American woman who had traveled to Avignon on her own. The staff of the small hotel I found treated me with incredible kindness.

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Since I so enjoyed Anda’s final question, I’ll ask you the same:

What is the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?