Thursday, November 6, 2008

have you been tagged?

i have..by one of my favorite blogs...casalba news.
now i originally had no idea what this meant..but apparently, if a blogger is "tagged" they need to give six details about themselves.. link back to the original site.... and tag six more people...this presents a problem because..a.) believe it or not, i am a pretty private person..and b.) the parts of my life i feel comfortable sharing have been broadcast in this blog for the past 9 months..but i try to be a good sport so..here goes...

1. i have two sisters who, in addition to being relatives, are my best friends in the world...could not imagine getting through this journey we call "life" without them.
2. i have written many times about my amazing husband, the love of my life dog, mose, my parents and grandparents...but need to add that my family..the entire group of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc..are terrific..we are family..but also, good friends..we really like each other..i am so appreciate of everyone..cause i know how rare this is...

3. i love sports..life long lakers fan...sf forty niners and oakland raiders fan..and a massive sf giants fan because... in my teens i fell OUT of love with the dodgers..and the only way to get back at them was to fall IN love with the giants....(for non-sports fans..i promise this makes sense...)

4. you know i love to cook..no surprise...but.. it must be said....i am addicted to quality ingredients...the best extra virgin olive oils...vinegars...mustards...sea salts..seasonings..condiments..artisan breads...cheese...organic herbs and produce...etc...would forgo new shoes and most clothing if necessary to afford these ingredients...

5. i love to read..and promised myself that when i left my corporate life i would read/reread all the classics...started..but i must admit my guilty pleasure is murder mysteries and courtroom drama novels...shush..don't tell.

6. i would rather have a few really good and true friends than a lot of superficial relationships...those people who want to be your friend based on what they can get..users...people who take..but cannot give...and now that i have my own company, i can associate with honest, kind and ethical colleagues...without exception...you can't do that when you work for someone else...big, big benefit to the self employed thing......
o.k. there you go.. 6 things you did not know about me before... now let me tell you more about the casalba news site....i wrote a blog story last june called..do you like fresh figs?.. it has been one of the most popular posts at napa farmhouse 1885™. i received a wonderful comment from casalba complimenting me on the recipes from that story...i clicked back to review their blog..and promptly fell in love... the 7 th thing about me is that i love italy..have been fortunate enough to have traveled there many times..and love "everything italian"..the food, wine, architecture, people, culture..lifestyle..topography..etc...this blog is lovely..and all about italy... sally, the author, describes her blog this way...

"We are an Anglo-Italian couple who live in Le Marche, (central) Italy.
This the
Casalba Newsletter on our life in Le Marche: the regional cuisine, the local produce, the people and their customs.
This isn’t a food blog or a personal blog. It’s a simple Casalba blog on what you might expect to see, eat and do if you visit this region."

an unexpected benefit of writing my blog is the ability to "meet" people from all over the world..through their comments, emails, and discovering their blogs...for today's thanksgiving memories post, i get to give thanks to one of my favorite new blog friends..sally..and thank her for her encouragement, feedback and comments...they mean a lot....and to urge you to read her blog..it is beautiful...
sally comments on many of my posts....on halloween, i stated that i refused to dress my 115 pound golden retriever, mose, in a costume..she agreed, but said she needed to add a festive scarf to her dog, byron, so he would be safe during hunting season...i asked for a photo..and voila!! i had to share it with all of you for this story!! thank you sally...
"OK I'm wearing your silly scarf! Now, when are we going???" (Byron...the dog)


now for the 6 other sites to tag:
* the nest..because i love their art, their shop, and their commitment to giving back to the artist community...
* aficionada...a new friend..and a wonderful writer..this is a transplant from arkansas, now living in the napa valley..stories about terrific food and wine..and the people who make it happen...
* beekman 1802...you might know dr brent ridge from martha stewart's magazine, or from her show...he also spends his weekends and holidays in a beautiful restored mansion up the hudson river from manhattan...his blog chronicles his life and experiences in this amazing place...plus we are fans of each other's blogs and twitter stories...
* safari west..because this is one of my all time favorite not-for-profit organizations
* folia design..a new friend..and very cool designer in the napa valley..check out her blog..check out her work!!
* everyday food..dinner tonight..the editors of this magazine and blog are the coolest people ever..especially deb...check it out...
best to all..and happy thanksgiving month!!
best,
diane

napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter









7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely responses Diane - thanks - I know it wasn't easy.

I agree about this blogging thing. When I started mine, I had no idea that I would be so very interested in the lives of folk I'd never met.

(It's strange to see Mr B. all the way over there in Napa.)

Napa Farmhouse 1885 said...

thanks sally..it was fun...now, my posts get back to food and recipes!!
diane

Anonymous said...

I read your blog every day. Thank you for telling us a little bit about you.
Jane

Anonymous said...

I love Mo!!!

Anonymous said...

I really like you, and I don't like most people. I prefer animals to people.

Anonymous said...

Jambo, Diane!

We at Safari West are honored by your tag and to be included as one of your favorite places - Thank you! Unfortunately, we haven't yet set up a Blog, but look forward to doing so in the near future.

We also appreciate your mention of our non-profit arm, the Safari West Wildlife Foundation. While a large portion of the proceeds from the Preserve go directly back to our animals and conservation efforts, it is the Wildlife Foundation who generates the funds for our "Discover Africa" program, providing field trips for under-served youth throughout the Greater Bay Area.

We'd love to see you again soon - our ever-growing family now includes a curious pair of White Rhinos and a spunky new baby Zebra!

Wild for Wildlife,
Safari West

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the shout out!!
I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful Thanksgiving. We decided to pardon our turkey this year (he was just too beautiful), but are going to a neighboring farm for one one of their free-range birds.
I'm sure to blog about that experience.