Arte Y Pico Award

This past week I was notified by two separate bloggers that they had nominated me for the Arte Y Pico Award... Choralgirl at Choral Reef and Doxy at Wormwood's Doxy. Women, I am honored! These two bloggers are exceptionally grace-filled and honest, and I am, well, truly honored to be selected by them. Thanks, gals.

Here's what it's all about:

1) Pick five blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte Y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award which is here: Arte Y Pico.

Alex at BesoMami has gone through a number of permutations of her blog, and has landed on a visual style that I think is exceptional, snappy, modern and cool. She posts gorgeous pictures of her gorgeous children, and her own commentary on life, church, family, etc... lucid, faithful, succinct... always a pleasure.

Songbird at Reflectionary has also lived in a number of different styles. Her current blog design is luscious... gorgeous colors and photos set of her beautiful, insightful prose. I am so grateful that she posts her sermons there!! Her honest sharing of her struggle with recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis is moving and grace-filled.

I nominate FranIAm because... well, her honesty and passion are searing, she makes me feel like a child or a poseur in terms of my own political convictions. And, to paraphrase Popeye, She Is Who She Is. And she is wonderful.

Speaking of Searing Honesty, there is "Ask Sister Mary Martha." I hardly know what to say about this woman, a Roman Catholic Nun qua Catholicism-Emily-Post (she answers questions from readers about All Matters Catholic). She includes photos/ illustrations that are brilliant. She is beyond hilarious-- acerbic, dry-- I hardly ever agree with anything she says. But I love how she says it. She would be appalled by me, I feel confident. But I must give the lady her props. (On reflection, I don't want to appear disrespectful to the good sister by claiming to disagree with everything she says. She certainly represents Catholic doctrine and practice accurately, from what I am able to discern. It's just that... I know we part ways in rather significant places... ah well. She is a pleasure to read. That's all.)

And finally, meet Mary Sue at the Order of Santa Ignora. Read her post "Who Is Santa Ignora?" (in the banner across the top). I'm probably twice her age, but I feel dwarfed in wisdom by her writing. And her style.