Three years and counting

St Patrick's Parade

I will begin this blog post with one of the most anticipated public events that took place today. Here are some pictures from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Waterford. The day was quite gray, but all these beautiful people made it shine.

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

St Patrick's Parade

Another important event is my third blogoversary :). Thank you my dear blogger friends for inspiration, motivation and encouragement during these three years, and for everything I have learned from you.

I use this occasion to share my portraits created by my blogger friends. I know it sounds like I have a diva complex or something, but I do love the portraits, and I also want you to visit and follow these bloggers.

This one is from my beautiful friend Rose. I love to see myself on this paper airplane that also looks like a rocket. Future, here I come! 🙂 Thank you Rose!

This one is from Michael. Thank you for for loving the foxes! 🙂

I had dreamed about blogging, but didn’t have courage to go live. I used to have a silent photography page in 2004, but soon joined Panoramio and it took all my spare time. Three years ago this February I finally went live with ten blog posts related to baby and children photography that I deleted soon afterwards, because of the spam attack issue. Advice for the new bloggers #1: Akismet only stops spam, but cannot stop the spammers from linking to your blog. Check your Spam messages to identify what post or image the spammer has linked to – it is in the column “In response to”. If it is an image, delete it, upload the same image and post it again (URL will be different and the spammer will lose the link). If it is a post that is really heavy spammed ( especially from the certain websites), you can either delete it, or redo it in the same way as the photograph. If your blog is constantly targeted, close comments on your posts that are more than 3-6 month old. If you do all of this, your spam folder will be much lighter, and you will get rid of the most malignant spammers.

Another thing I had to figure out, was my Gravatar page. Advice #2 –  if you want your followers to pay their due visits to your blog, give them a chance, make sure that your Profile image is linked to your current blog page, and your Gravatar page is also linked to your current blog. I have a handful of followers who visit my page but I have never visited them in return because I am not able to. So sorry, but there is nothing I can do.

Now you probably started to wonder, why I am giving advice that nobody asked me for. It is because I have got an award with two questions attached to it:

1 Share an experience that got you started blogging

2 Share a word of advice for fellow bloggers

This is The Blogger Recognition Award from Dwight Roth of Roth Poetry blog.

 

I am really grateful for this recognition, and happy that there are people who like my blog. To tell the truth, it is all recognition I need.

You can check out Dwight’s  books on Amazon.

I have got another award from Nilla of Image Earth Travel . Thank you so much Nilla for Sunshine Blogger Award you find me worthy of 🙂 Nilla has been traveling the world for many years, and she doesn’t treat awards lightly 🙂 Here is a page of her photography awards. You can click on each link and see her award winning images.

 

Here are the questions I am supposed to answer:

  1. Why did you start a blog ? – I wanted to share my memories of beautiful things and places. I did it on Panoramio but got really annoyed by those who used my photographs without permission.  My latest find  –  a website named POINTERST  is using my Panoramio photographs under Marsel Van Oosten’s name. What can I say? I am honored 😉
  2. What amazing countries have you seen? – Not many countries, but each was amazing.
  3. Why do you travel? – I travel to meet people I love and to see places I have read about.
  4. Who has been your biggest inspiration in your life and why? – My biggest inspiration has always been my Dad, and of course many famous people made a huge impact on my life, like Ray Bradbury, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Henri Cartier-Bresson.
  5. What’s the wildest thing you have ever experienced? –  I think the worst was in the 1970s when my best friend and I agreed to take a ride in a small airplane with a guy who had been showing off to impress us. He flew the airplane in a very dangerous manner, to say the least. We were so mad at him, that we left the airplane in silence and never spoke to him again.
  6. What would be your dream job? – I have quite a few such jobs in mind, but none of them would pay my bills 😉
  7. Your favorite read? – any well written book.
  8. The scariest moment in your life? –  The scariest moment is when your loved one’s life is in danger.  This story  might be the one.
  9. Your deepest regret? – I have a few, but it has no point to focus on the past when there is a better future ahead 🙂
  10. The most memorable experience in your life? – I presume, it is about a good experience. Here is one of the latest. We were traveling by train, and there was an accident. My daughter was the only medical professional at the scene, and she made me proud beyond measure by her actions and ability to control the situation. She was a star. I hope she won’t read this 🙂

There are three more awards – I didn’t do the awards for about a year or so.

Gillian from Talking Thailand blog nominated me for The Creative Blogger Award. Thank you so much, Gillian! My award is your friendship 🙂 Please check out Gillian’s book. She lives in Thailand and has every bit of information you might need for your travels.

 

Mythology expert Aquileana nominated me for Treasure Trove Award. Aquileana is blogging many years, possibly ten 🙂 She is a very supportive person. Thank you dear Aquileana, there are many treasures found on your blog.

 

The most recent nomination is from one of my favorite authors, Millie Thom. Millie had a number of awards to choose from, and I like her idea to give a choice to the nominees. I chose The Black Cat Blue Sea Award, because I love cats 🙂 Thank you so much, Millie!

 

Check out Millie’s books on Amazon.

These are the rules:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  • List the rules and display the award.
  • Nominate 10-15 bloggers (or as many as you can) for the award.

I will use Millie’s strategy. There is a list of my nominees. You can choose the award you like, because I don’t know which awards you already have 🙂 You can also choose more than one. Please answer questions about yourself as I did ( these are Nilla’s questions), and if you are Award Free blog, fair enough 🙂 Thank you and happy blogging!

http://www.almostunsalvageable.com/

https://mithaimumblezz.wordpress.com/

https://secretartexpedition.wordpress.com/

https://teagansbooks.com/

https://mythsofthemirror.com/

https://kevinhotter.com/

https://haddonmusings.com/

https://poetrummager.wordpress.com/

https://kyrosmagica.wordpress.com/

http://talkingthailand.co.uk/

https://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com/

https://knittingwithheart.wordpress.com/

http://zoale.com/blog/

Jean Lee

https://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/

https://aquileana.wordpress.com/

https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/

https://caroleecroft.wordpress.com/blog/

https://moodphototeija.wordpress.com/

https://nananoyz5forme.com/

https://lensandpensbysally.wordpress.com/

https://milliethom.wordpress.com/

https://arcillayfuego.wordpress.com/

There are many more great bloggers I would love to add to the list, but I know for sure that their blogs are award-free.

Now I officially announce Making Memories an award free blog.  I will figure out some other way to promote my favorite bloggers, but I really, really have no time for doing awards anymore. I hope you will understand. Thank you again for all the nominations, and for our friendship!

www.inesemjphotography.com Have a wonderful weekend!

156 comments

  1. A belated blogversary. (Nice post) The date April 6 was running in head… Is that the day you’re going to the clinic? Or close. Hope all is fine. Get well my friend.
    brian

  2. Many congratulations on all the awards, Inese! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your answers, particularly about how your blog got started and the incident involving your ‘medical’ daughter. I can imagine how proud you felt. Thank you for nominating me (and for the ‘shout’ about my books!) and I gladly accept. Like you, this award will be my last due to lack of time.
    Your St Patrick’s Day photos are superb. It’s so god to see people having so much fun. Some of the costumes are wonderful.
    Big congratulations on your third blogoversary. Your two ‘portraits’ are lovely, too.

    1. Millie, thank you so much for your kind comment and support. Your books are amazing, and I cannot wait to read more of them 🙂 Your blog is a great source of knowledge, and your friendship means a lot. I have very little time for blogging this year, and I only keep going because of my wonderful blogger friends. These three years would never happen without friendly support.
      Thank you again, and happy blogging! 🙂

  4. Congratulations on the award, you deserve it so much! Thank you for nominating me too! I appreciate it so very much. I am very happy that we are friends, long may it continue. I hope you have a fabulous weekend xxx

  5. Hi Inese! Congratulations on the awards and the 3rd anniversary~ I’m so glad you decided to share your photos with us all those years ago and that you’ve stayed here as we love coming to visit 🙂 Your puffins post is adorable – I just found it through Resa’s reblog and I’m smiling xx

  6. Happy Anniversary and congratulations Inese! I love the St Patrick’s Day photos! Thank you for the nomination and for thinking of me! I am unable to participate this time, and have been thinking of making my blog an award free blog as well. I appreciate the nomination and I hope you understand. Have a wonderful day!

    1. Thank you for your support, Antonia! I understand 🙂 It was my last thank you before I finish doing awards for good. Have a wonderful day you too! xx

  8. Congrats on the Blogaversary, dear Inese… and on the awards, of course. Thank you for the mention, I am honored! ⭐ As to the photographs: it seems it was a cool, enjoyable St Patrick´s Parade. I love it… sending love & best wishes. Happy Spring ahead!

    1. PS: I just saw the nomination!. Thank you. 😀 I will save the link and post on it anytime during the year!!!! Much love! ❤

      1. Thank you friend! I committed a sin, announced this blog an award free blog from now 😦 But I really, really have the time only for blogging and answering the comments. Have to take lessons in time management. ❤ xx

  9. Congratulations, Inese! Lovely awards and so happy I received some in my first years and haven’t for quite some time! It is very time-consuming!
    The St Patrick’s Day parade had such diversity and love displayed! ❤
    I liked the young man with green beard the the beautiful silk sari's on the women (and girl) under the beaded satin umbrella. xo

  11. These photographs are wonderful! Seeing so many people from such diverse backgrounds and cultures coming together to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day amplified the meaning of our common humanity. It is a powerful message that all of us in America need to remember. Thanks for your good work–keep it up.

    1. Thank you! 🙂 These people who came to the parade did it voluntarily. Those who didn’t want to come, just didn’t come. It is not the color that makes us different. You have wonderful people in your country, but they are divided because they have been manipulated into being divided. Your country is always in my prayers.

  12. Happy #3, Lady Inese!!! What a wonderful parade of photos!

    Michael captured you splendidly — I’d recognize that lovely and a bit impish smile anywhere 😀 I wish I could make a portrait of you, too, but I possess no artistic bone. I do keep our friendship in my bosom, so my art for you is in my heart! ❤ Have a fantastic week, lovely Inese!!

    1. Oh thank you dear friend! Your lovely bones are artistic in their core.
      By the way, I went for a walk and came across a Donovan Tunnel. Any relations? 😉 I will post a picture in my blog in two weeks. Thank you again for your kindness ❤

      1. Haha! Sadly, no relations with the Donovan Tunnel; however, if it were a Donovan Wall, then I’d have to probably say, “Yes, indeed!” We Donovans are known for putting up walls to keep undesirables away. All that has changed for me, Lady Inese, for you have torn down my wall brick by brick, and I now stand here in front of you, quite naked and vulnerable. Do be gentle to me, my Lady! 😀

        I look forward to this tunnel you’ll be posting soon! I blow kisses to you for a full recovery. xoxx ❤ 😉

        1. Thank you friend! I looked up that Donovan – he was/is a roadworks supervisor.
          I will always be gentle with you, Dead D. Build no walls. ❤

  13. I enjoyed all the diversity your magic camera captured, Inese! Beautiful. It was wonderful learning a bit about you, as well. I remember that scary story and am glad you fought to remain calm. Ray Bradbury is one of my most favorite authors, too. I loved “The Illustrated Man!”

    Thank you for the kind words and posting my illustration of you. So adorable you are on your paper airplane! It will take you anywhere you want, and you will soar as high as we, your faithful readers do, whenever we see your amazing photographs. Be well, sweet friend! xoxo

    1. Thank you so much Rose! I love the portrait and the symbolism behind it. You know people so well, dear Poet. Thank you for all your support, and for being a friend. ❤

      1. I wanted to make you smile, Inese! You make everyone who reads your uplifting posts happy when they’re visiting. I treasure our friendship very much! ❤

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