I've Been Tagged (In the Nicest Kind of Way)

I frequently check up on the blogs of all our special visitors to the pond and imagine my surprise when I found that one of the most special had given me (or maybe I should say our blog) a special award. Rose (Rose DesRochers - World Outside my Window) has given us the 'SMILE AWARD" for the smile some of our photo's bring to her.


Thank you Rose for the award.Thank you also for all the help you give to new (and old) bloggers at BloggerTalk and of course for the smiles you bring us so often with your posts on your own blog.

Here are the rules for the award
1. The recipient must link back to the award’s creator (http://www.thebabblingsofmere.blogspot.com/)
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award, as posted by Mere.
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.

Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times–we are all human)
2. Must love one another
3. Must make mistakes
4. Must learn from others
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world
6. Must love life
7. Must love kids or animals

In keeping with the rules I would like to pass the award on to a few fellow bloggers that often bring a smile to me. For now I'm going to post just two of the those I want to pass along and save the other 3. I will be passing them along to the surprise 'smiles' I get from blogs I visit in the next few days.

Avril Brand For the smiles (and amazement) her animal portraits always bring to me

Nature Mama - For the great photo's and the excitement that comes through in her commentary that so often includes neat little tid-bits of information on her subjects

Now as an aside I thought I would leave you with at least one photo. We found this monstrous moth just a couple of nights ago on the window screen clamoring to get to the kitchen lights. It appears to be a Royal Walnut Moth. The Royal Walnut is best known for its caterpillar known as the Hickory Horned Devil due to its menacing appearance in the final stages of development. The caterpillar can grow to over 5 inches long.

The species does all it's eating in the caterpillar stage. The adult lacks a functioning mouth and does not eat which dictates its short life span at that stage. It usually mates the 2nd day after emergence and lays its eggs at dusk on the 3rd day.

And always remember this. A smile is one of the few things you have that you can give away to everyone you meet, but still have an endless supply for yourself.