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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The top 10 things I learned about you

Last Friday, I announced a little contest here. It was no big deal. I wasn't giving away a KitchenAid mixer, or a camera, or any one of a number of items I continue to try to win over on Pioneer Woman's blog. I was just giving away a canvas print of one of my photographs.
No. Big. Deal. The entry requirement was simple: tell me and the other readers of this blog something about yourself to help us get to know you.

Here is a list of the top 10 things I learned about you:

10. Y'all don't follow the rules. 99% of you wrote about me, then you mentioned something about yourselves. That was not part of the deal. I should disqualify each and every one of you. But I won't. Because you made me and my lurking parents very, very happy.

9. Invite the lurkers to say a few words and they do! I love my lurkers! I knew there were a few of you out there but, geez Louise, you are among the most regular readers of this blog! And I don't often use exclamation points! But, look! The lurkers have caused me to use six in just one paragraph!

8. The vast majority of you read this blog in the early morning, with a cup of coffee, and often in the company of kids, grandkids, or your own animals. The visual of all those eyes, sitting in front of all those computers, looking at pictures of my herd... I'm simply stunned. Please note that I'm not visualizing you in your pajamas. We don't know each other that well. Or maybe we do? I'll have to think about that.

7. Nobody from Rhode Island reads this blog...or will admit to it. What's up with that?

6. Some of you think I get up really early. I do get up early, but not that early. I'll let you in on a secret: I write each post in the evening, then schedule it to automatically appear at 4 a.m. Mountain time the next day. This habit started many moons ago when I found out that Pat from East Tennessee started her day by reading this blog at 6 a.m. Eastern time. I figured if Pat wanted to drink her coffee with the herd every morning, the least I could do was make sure there was a fresh post waiting for her when she woke up.

5. You still miss Deets and Lyle as much as I do.

4. A whole bunch of you have learned to love burros and donkeys because of this blog, and many of you want to some day rescue a burro or two for your own. My life is complete. Seriously.

3. If I know what's good for me, I will continue blogging forever. Which seems like a really long time. So I'd better not think of it in those terms. Let's just say that this blog will live to see another day because of you.

2. I wish I had the means to give every single one of you a prize to show you in some token way how much I value and appreciate your friendship.

1. My life was really good before I started blogging. You could even say it was picture-perfect.



But because of blogging and you, my life is even better. You fill the gap and complete the picture.


Now, let's see who the all-powerful Random Integer Generator selects as the winner of the getting-to-know-you contest.  Out of 218 entries, the number chosen is: 94.

Sandy said...
i am a 40+ stay at home mom from n.c. i read your blog everyday and live vicariously through you...my idol! no, really...you are a woman who wasn't afraid to follow her dream. i admire how you struck out on your own and acquired you own little nirvana. you know how to have fun and you know how to handle just about any emergency that comes along. your whole farmily is lucky to have you and so are we...(ok, is that enough sucking up to make me a winner? just kidding...we love you!)


Sandy, e-mail me at the7msn at gmail dot com so we can work out the details.






42 comments:

  1. Congrats to Sandy, the winner! Lucky girl!!

    It was fun reading all the comments and then the top 10 things you learned, and oooh, many thanks for having the blog ready for me in the wee hours as I stumble in here, coffee in hand, wondering what's going to come up for the day.

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  2. Carson, I actually get up at 4 a.m. and do my blogging before I have to leave for school! But, sometimes I do sneak in a post the night before! I do, however, read your blog with my morning coffee, in my pajamas! Beautiful photos to greet me & my coffee this morning. And, yes, I miss Lyle and Deets too. I just didn't want to mention it...

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  3. Glad to see you have had enough rain to get an image with Hank's reflection, great shot. Have a great day!

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  4. I feel the exact same way as Sandy but just didn't know how to put it into words. We all love you Carson, Lyle, Alan, Hank, Wyonna and the girls.

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  5. Congrats Sandy, you lucky thing. I hope we get to see which pic you choose. Have a great day all. Love from Oz.

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  6. Gorgeous photographs as always -- and, yes, Hank does help complete the picture. As much as I look forward to a new post from you each morning, am delighted to know that you're not actually doing the posting at "zero dark thirty." Even a rancher is entitled to a little bit of beauty sleep!

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  7. Congrats, Sandy--I guess the sucking up worked, in a karmic kind of way.

    Now back to lurker-dom...but not before another "Hi Mom and Dad! Glad to know you enjoy this blog as much as we all do! That Linda, she sure is something, isn't she?"

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  8. Congratulations Sandy.
    (As I sit here in my PJ's drinking coffee in Edmonton, Alberta CanadaEH)

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  9. Congratulations Sandy!! Please post what photo you chose.

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  10. Congratulations, Sandy for winning the "Getting to know you" contest.
    Please let us know which one of the herd you chose for your poster. I have my favorite(s),but I won't tell.
    I love 'em all really.
    Best always, Sandra

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  11. You said, "2. I wish I had the means to give every single one of you a prize to show you in some token way how much I value and appreciate your friendship." ............ You give us each a gift every morning, the gift of living life with you and your herd. Thank you for sharing your world with us.

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  12. That's a great photo of Hank and his reflection.

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  13. Wait a minute - I've been lurking from Rhode Island for over 2 years. My day is absolutely not complete until I have checked out what's happening at 7MSN. I only commented one other time - at the devastating and heartbreaking loss of Lyle. You have managed to draw me out from behind the shadows again - just so you would know that you do have a HUGE fan here in Little Rhody!!!

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  14. Congrats Sandy. yeah, yeah, yeah -you sucked up good! Just Kidding...I also enjoyed reading everyone's comments and I just have one thing to say, "HEY YA'LL!"

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  15. Come on! There's bound to be someone in RI who's willing to join us here!

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  16. Well now I know how Pat manages to read this before me. Damn time zones.

    Congrats to Sandy and I too want to see which image you choose.

    I'm heading back into my cave in NH (never to be confused with RI). I do have people in RI & I could try to get at least one to tune in on occasion if that would help.

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  17. Congrats to Sandy! Even though only one won the pic of their choice, we have ALL won because we can read your blog and see ALL your pics! I suspect if we asked nicely, you would OK any of us printing one of your pics ... some bloggers are touchy about that. I cried when Lyle passed and was devastated when Deets disappeared. I kept waiting for him to show up again! I think it is obvious that we all love you, Carson, and all your special critters! Hugs!!

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  18. Congratulations Sandy!! And please share which photo you select. Anonymous from Rhode Island, please come out and join us.

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  19. Congratulations to Sandy!! She couldn't had said it any better. I love your blog and look forward to visiting each and every day. I hope some day real soon I can get the guts to follow in your footsteps out of the "corporate" world and find my piece of heaven.

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  20. I'm laughing because I'm sitting here, sipping my morning coffee, and reading this entry. <3

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  21. Yay Sandy! Congratulations. I can't wait to see what photo you choose!

    *waves HI to Linda's parents *

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  22. Congrats to Sandy in NC. And someone else said it already but it bears repeating....we are all winners because we are part of the 7MSN albeit vicariously. Love, love, love you, and your fur and feather babies. Hi to Mom and Dad from Casa de Cuckoo

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  23. I WON! I WON! It will take me FOREVER to decide on the perfect picture...

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  24. Gah, we're all having morning coffee together on your blog, all over the world. How funny is that?

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  25. Congratulations to Sandy, lucky lady! Linda, you are sure a well loved blogger and deserve all the compliments. 218 entries! That's the biggest entry I've seen on any blog contest.
    I agree that each you give each of us a gift every morning, just by posting.

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  26. Oh crap! I missed the contest! Well, belatedly, here's a little bit of information about me: I'm so wrapped up in my own (expletive) that I'm completely out of touch with everything else that's going on in the world right now. This ranked pretty high up there on my list of priorities and I still missed it. *sigh* Well, no sour grapes here, congratulations to the winner. I'm totally in agreement with what she said. As I've said before, in my opinion, YOU'RE the REAL pioneer woman. They can sue me. *smile*

    Hugs all 'round.
    Carolynn

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  27. Carol in Colo8/2/11, 8:53 AM

    Congratulations Sandy. You are a lucky girl.

    I think all of us are winners as we get to read a blog about an amazing woman and her gang who is willing to share her life with all us.

    Thank you Linda. Waving Hi to her parents.

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  28. Number six is very thoughtful- made me smile.
    Congratulations to the winner. I gotta say: we are all winners so long as we have this blog to enjoy.

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  29. my dad was from RI. does that count?
    Seriously I teared up when you mentioned Deets and Lyle. Congrats to Sandy!!

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  30. Congrats to Sandy, even though I wanted to win! :( But Ill keep comin back anyways. Beautiful Hank photo

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  31. Beauty Full pic of Hank! Congrats! Sandy! I was 10 down from YOU!! Like they say, "almost doesn't count!" hehe

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  32. But I think it's the other way around!
    We should be thanking you for sharing your little place of heaven with us! We should be sending you a prize for making are live just a little bit better by sharing with us!
    Hugs
    Jiller

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  33. i wasn't aware of your contest until today but i want you to know that i worry about you a bit, all alone out there. i know you have neighbors you keep in touch with, but still..

    i miss deets a lot.

    i would love to have a couple of donkeys someday but they are not easy to come by in germany and not cheap. the geriatric donkey (paulina) near us died recently and i miss her.

    your spiders and snakes make me afraid to visit your state. but i would love to see a petroglyph someday. and those green chilis you guys have are calling me.

    so glad someone from rhode island reads you!

    am i your furthest reader?

    am i the only reader who noticed before you told the story, why there was a strange black hole in your window seat? your photos usually don't have glaring disruptions in them like that one did.

    ~lytha in germany

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  34. Ahh, I missed the contest!!! That was interesting to read about the results, though. :) In a belated way, I'm "almost 50" (next year), and I enjoy being a homemaker, I love my family, I love being creative and musical, and I'm a "cowgirl at heart." And have actually learned to do some "real cowgirl things" as I go through life. Best wishes to you all!

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  35. Congrats Sandy! You need to teach me how to suck up like that. LOL

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  36. I can't wait to see what image Sandy chooses.

    Carson as long as you keep blogging we all get a prize.

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  37. Congrats, Sandy! Enjoy your prize!

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  38. Congrats Sandy!!

    Thanks Linda for giving us "lurkers" a chance to come out and say hey!!

    "Hey"!

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  39. Congrats to Sandy :)

    I'm mostly a lurker, I do comment every now and again. Ever since DH got me an Ipad it's too hard to comment and I've found myself reading the blog in the early AM too. 6am Central that is...alwasy nice to find the herd has posted that early.

    Funny how attached one can get to "someone out there". Ok I'm in love with George & Alan. I bought my DD a Donkey (ahem Burro) webkin just because it looks like George. And of course I made her name it George too. Then I took it back and put it on my bed. LOL (Oh and we found a Llama that looked like Dolly formerly of the Critter Farm so I had to get that too) DD took them back.

    I definately see Donkeys in a whole new light and must thank you for sharing all the great things about them. Yes I would LOVE to have a couple...but don't think they'd like my one acre in the suburb, hard to run here. So I guess I'll enjoy yours. Don't stop posting, we love you guys!

    George & Alan Fan in WI

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  40. okay, I followed the rules b/c, well, that's just waht I do. then I felt "left out" for not saying what your blog means to me! but you know I love ya and that you bring many smiles to my household!

    and I know you must feel so uplifted to know just how many folks you bring happiness to through your blogs!

    oh, and congrats Sandy!!

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  41. Yes, I still miss Deets and Lyle. I have a few of my own cats, dogs and horses that I miss, but even the mention of those two gets me a little misty.

    Congratulations Sandy.

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