Sunday, February 15, 2009

Interview with Linds

Linds sent me these questions a few days ago - she gave me some goodies! Here goes.


  1. What do you love most about living in Colorado and why?

    My parents moved to Colorado while I was in college. I'll never forget the first trip my sister, brother, and I took to our parents' new home - spring break my junior year. We loaded our common car with kids from Colorado, who helped pay the gas. That was my first time in Colorado. Three years later, after graduation and teaching in southeast Kansas, I moved here. I've been here ever since - 37 years and counting.

    What do I love most? That's a hard one to narrow down. I love the mountains - not so much hiking in them, but watching them from a distance, the changing colors at different times of the day, the snow on the peaks shimmering in the sunshine, the smell of the evergreens drifting down here on the summer breezes, driving through them, photographing them. I love the fact that it can snow one day and it's gone the next. (Of course, there is the occasional blizzard, which isn't so much fun). But what I really like about living here is the dry air. It does get hot in the summertime, but most nights, it cools off so that you actually pull a cover over yourself during the night. I don't do well in humidity, so this is the place for me. I love the four seasons - sometimes spring is gone in a flash, but autumn usually goes on and on. It all boils down to the air - I love the air in Colorado. And the blue, blue sky.


  2. If you could have chosen a different career, what would it have been and why?

    When I was a little girl, I played three main things - teacher, secretary, and mommy. I grew up to be all three. Turned out I didn't like teaching all that much after all. The mommy gig was great, but when we needed another income, I was fortunate to have three great, different, interesting jobs as secretary, or as it's called now, administrative assistant. I can't say I ever longed for a different career. I loved staying at home with the kids and I was blessed to enjoy the jobs I ended up doing. So it's good.


  3. What is your favourite hobby and where did you learn to do it?

    My favorite thing to do, which I guess you'd call a hobby, is reading. It always has been - as I've mentioned in the past, I read while I'm walking, on the elliptical, on the treadmill, on the exercise bike, at the doctor's office, at stop lights, in line anywhere - give me a book and I'm a happy person.

    Other than reading, I have loved sewing, knitting, crocheting, crewel embroidering, and cross-stitching. Before I had to go private with my blog, I did a 6-week series on "Friday Show and Tell" which I called, "I Used To . . . " Because, you see, I don't do any of those things any more. I used to love to create my wardrobe and Kristen's. It was my delight to find a pattern and make it my own - putting fabrics together, choosing trims and buttons - it was such a great creative outlet. I learned sewing basics in 7th through 9th grade home ec. Those were the days when we had an entire semester of sewing and a semester of cooking through all of junior high. I learned so much, and loved it. I was also fast, so got to do extra projects and/or help those who were slower. I'll never forget the thrill of putting in my first set-in sleeve, my first zipper, my first belt. I didn't sew too much until after college, when my roommate taught me so much - she was a very accomplished seamstress and she was a great teacher and role model.

  4. What is your favourite school memory?

    I loved school, so narrowing this down is difficult as well. I loved learning to read, writing, belonging to clubs, choir, newspaper staff. I didn't like anything related to science. I loved most of my teachers. We moved several times, so I experienced school in the north, south, and midwest. I went to small schools and big schools. I think I'd have to say my best school memory is my time spent as co-editor of the Ram Tales - the newspaper in our small high school. I've blogged about this before, but some of it bears repeating. Our journalism teacher was also my favorite English teacher - she was such an inspiration. She challenged us every day. She was instrumental in facilitating so many interviewing experiences. She prepared me for college and was the one that I kept in touch with and went back to visit until her death just about two years ago.

  5. And, because I loved answering this one in my interview, how would you describe yourself as a flower, a car, or a food?

    I would like to think of myself as a daffodil - such a cheerful, encouraging flower - coming up through snow and ice - full of determination and optimism.

    Food - well, make me something chocolate or a fresh-out-of-the-oven caramel roll. Comfort food. I like to comfort people!

    Car - I think I resemble my minivan - utilitarian, not fancy, able to carry lots of "stuff" and keep on rolling.

    Thanks, Linds, that was fun!

15 comments:

Unknown said...

This interview was fun to read!

The dry air would be nice. It gets unbearably humid here in the summer!

Hootin Anni said...

I love the last question AND your answers!!! A beautiful description of you as a sweet lady comes through on that!!!

You posted in my comments: "I had something else to say today, but my brain has gone and locked up on me - again! I'll get back to ya."....this is what we call HALFheimers. [kidding, I couldn't help myself....and trust me, I've been there for decades now myself.]

Susie said...

Hi Dawn,
I enjoyed reading your interview! Many of your answers are quite similar to mine, although I haven't got it much more than draft form. I need to get busy and finish it.
(I love the image of you as a daffodil!)
xo

Sam said...

You make Colorado sound so wonderful. It's so humid in summer here and I hate it. I love crisp, dry air as well.

Great answers! My favorite is the last one.

Linds said...

I loved this, Dawn! Thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed! Colorado sounds absolutely beautiful, and one day I will visit your state. It is really great to get to know each other a little better, and this is a great way to do that.

Midlife Mom said...

Dawn I enjoyed this post so much! What a great idea to be interviewed by Linds! I wish they still had home ec in the schools. I think it would be good for girls AND boys to learn how to cook and sew. Even if it is just to put a button back on or fix a hem. I think you definitly are a daffodil but not a minivan!!! This post was such fun!

Jess said...

Hi Dawn...I've missed you so much! I hope all is well with you, and I enjoyed your meme.

Thanks so much for encouraging me with my challenge while I was away and for checking on me.

Love, Jess

Laurie in Ca. said...

Great interview and answers Dawn! I have heard that Colorado is a beautiful place to live. I love mountains too and listening to the wind rushing through the trees. I don't do humidity well either. Reminds me too much of hot flashes and menopause. Been there, done that!! Love you Dawn and praying for our boys.

Love and Hugs, Laurie

Carole Burant said...

Good morning dear Dawn:-)

I'm finally back in the land of blogging, after having had Steve here for a few days I didn't get a chance to do any visiting so blame him! lol

I so enjoyed reading your answers to the questions Linds gave you. Like you, I don't care for humidity at all so the dry air would be most preferable! I envy you being able to see the mountains every day...when I went to visit my two oldest brothers in Vancouver, BC years ago, I was enchanted by the mountains there and really missed them when I came back home. Also loved how you described yourself:-) xoxo

groovyoldlady said...

That was fun to read!

We visitied Colorado and the dry air made my hair all frizzy!

And sewing. Ew. I do it, but it's one of the very few activities that's pretty much guaranteed to make me swear!

nancygrayce said...

Dry air, that has to be nice! You must have very good hair days! I love reading too, but find it not as enjoyable with glasses!

Needled Mom said...

It was a fun read too, Dawn. It is always great to read more about those with whom we blog.

Have you ever done the "What Flower am I" questionaire. I came out to be a daffodil on it. It would be interesting to see what flower you would be.

Have a great week.

Mary said...

Dawn,

What a great interview. It helped me to get to know you a little better. I did know that you worked and raised a family.

I share your love of the mountains, though I'm not lucky enough to live near them. If I could retire to anywhere on earth, it would be to an area within the range of the Rockies.

Loved your answer to the last question. It defines you very well. Thanks so much for sharing.

Blessings,
Mary

Sharon Lynne said...

Your area sounds so beautiful. And the name is nice too! Too bad Spring is so short. I love your description of the daffodil.

I loved my beginning sewing class in Junior High. I remember, during the first couple of weeks, feeling superior to everyone else because my mom taught me to sew earlier. Then...

When my friends were struggling to sew a straight side seem, I said, "just wait till you have to do a dart!" When the gals learned how to do a dart, they commented, "What's so hard about that!?" That put me in my place!

Nadine said...

You give a great interview - very interesting to read.