Here are the rules for the award:

    1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
    2. Share 7 things about yourself.
    3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.
    4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.

So here are seven things about me…

1. I’ve been married to the same woman (Sylvia) for nearly 50 years.

2. We have two sons.  The older is married and has a daughter in college.

3. I spent most of the first half of my working career in broadcast engineering.

4. The second half was spent in technical editing, writing and management.

5. I have been an Amateur Radio operator for over 50 years.

6. Some folks think I’m nuts for having a pet cat, but not to worry . . .  He’s not in the will.

7. I enjoy time spent alone with my thoughts. 

Now for some stylish bloggers whom you should know, if you don’t already:

I was going to include on my list Doreen from My Reflections as I Shutter Along, but she has already included me on her list when she recently received the same award from another source.  So thanks Doreen!  I really enjoy your blog because of your excellent photos.  Also, because you live  in the next county your subjects are frequently familiar sights and sites as seen through your eyes — not mine.  I like that.

I would include The Other Alice from As in a Mirror, but Mike has already granted her the award.  I second the motion.  The Other Alice loves to write about her Christian faith, and she obviously has a heart for missions.  I just hope her life is not as chaotic as the Alice who went into her mirror.

Carrying on with the theme of young people, we come to Lyd from Ramblings From Lyd.  She’s still in High School and loves photography.  Her posts are always pleasant as she shares her life with her readers.  I also follow her mother’s blog as well..

When it comes to style, who can beat my special friend Lin from Duck and Wheel with String?  Humor plays a big part in the life of this wife and mother of two children.  She also has two cats Grace and everyone’s favorite, Hobbes.  I don’t really think he’s 47 pounds of stripey goodness.  (Maybe only 45?)

One of Lin’s friends is Jo from Life’s Perfect Pictures.  Jo is an excellent photographer and from time-to-time shares some of her work with her readers.  I’ve learned a lot about using Photoshop Elements from reading her blog and looking at her work.  Inspiring as well as stylish.

My sister Clara from Coming Back to Life surely belongs on this list.  She was my inspiration to get into blogging.  She helped me get set up and going and has given me the answer to many, many questions.

Speaking of inspiring brings to mind Sharkbytes of My Quality Day.  Her exploits in hiking are outstanding, remarkable and many other superlatives.  Her knowledge of the outdoors is incredible.  She is also a very talented writer.

Rita T of Following 31 is another writer, but not just another writer.  Rita brings style to faith and practicality.  I’ve been following this blog for two years.

Patricia of Subjective Soup is a retired university professor of communications.  She is now a publisher as well as author.  Check out this blog — if you’re female see why you might like to be an emu.  If you’re male, see why you can be glad that you are not.

In Vanilla of String to Short to Tie I have found a friend with common ties.  Be sure to check out this one.

You have to have style if you can do all that Rebecca aka the Freaky Frugalite does.  I was first attracted to this blog by her lady bug avatar.  It caught my eye.  I’ll have to admit that I’m secretly in love with her kitty Livvy. 

I can’t forget the shy publicist that is the Maaaaa of Pricilla.  It’s fun to read about the adventures on the Happy Goats Farm.  The publicist has style as, I hasten to add, does Pricilla.  Style and substance.

Gwendolyn L Day is a fellow Michiganian with an eye for capturing excellent photos.  Her style is mostly visual and it is striking.  See how beautiful our home state is.

San Francisco is home to Jo aka the Poetic Shutterbug.  Images and poetry live on this blog.  You’ll enjoy exploring the city by the bay with this gifted gal.

The home of style might well be Amy Lilley Designs.  With a background in the fine arts, she has an eye for details and it is evident on this blog.

Now I’ve used up my quota, it’s past my bedtime and my hand has been hurting for a while.  I must leave this keyboard.  Now.

Secondary Roads was recently honored by Shark of My Quality Day.  This award was granted on my birthday and with plenty of distractions (that’s my story and I’m sticking . . .) and the keen memory of an old man I’ve been late in acknowledging the honor and passing it along.  Thanks Shark!

Shark says the award is for prolific blogging. I know that means obsessive, as in posting every day. I think that it really means OCD, but don’t care.  It is true.

Now I’m supposed to award this to other afflicted souls prolific bloggers. No problem.  There are plenty of them out there.  And . . . you know who you are . . . you obs . . . er . . . prolific blogger friends of mine.

Lin was awarded the Prolific Blogger by Shark, but has yet to post it.  She must be distracted . . .  I’m giving you a second chance–some folks need that.

Vanilla tried to give up blogging but couldn’t do it.  My friend needs help and this award is just what he needs.

Pricilla there is always something interesting happening on the Happy Goat Farm.  Pricilla shares her adventures with us daily.

Russ it’s hard to believe that I lived just a few miles from this grampy fellow and our paths never crossed.  At least I don’t think they did.  .

Jo since she bought a new camera, she has been an obs prolific shutterbug.
.

Patricia at Subjective Soup has granted Secondary Roads the Happiness Award.

Isn’t it lovely?  Thanks very much Patricia, your kindness is much appreciated.

I’m supposed to tell you ten things that make me happy. Then I’m supposed to pass this on to ten other folks that make me happy. So here they are — ten things that make me happy (in no particular order):

1. Sylvia, my wife.
2. Briana, our granddaughter, who has become a wonderful person.
3. Our sons and daughter-in-law, Bryant, Barbara and Scott.
4. Wendi, Connie and Bud, who send me neat e-mails.
5. My sisters, Barbara, Clara and Maggie.
6. Sylvia’s father and siblings, Leon, Joyce, Karen, Bruce and Gay.
7. Midnight (our cat) when he falls asleep on my lap.
8. A walk with the camera in hand.
9. Sleeping on freshly laundered sheets.
10. A cloudless day in late summer

Ten folks that make me happy, and I’m borrowing this from Patricia, are my ten top EC droppers from the last month:

What makes you happy?

On Tuesday, Secondary Roads announced another photo quiz. Twenty intrepid souls came forward with their answers.

So you are dying to know what it is . . . right? Well, just to remind you here is what our contestants were trying to identify:

The most common answer given was, grass. Justine explained her answer this way, “I think it’s just plain ol’ grass that you made look funky with a photo editor. I’m right, right?” Next was a flower. A brush or broom received as many votes as some form of sea life. Other answers were: carpet, a disco artifact, mold on an old pizza and Pink Floyd at the end of a concert tour. That one may even be believable.

My friend vanilla said, “Or a highly magnified view of a “rinse” gone terribly wrong, in which case I’m hoping not Sylvia.” Another blogger bud replied in a private e-mail to say that she was sure it wasn’t Sylvia’s hair because I was still alive.

One blogger bud and sister of mine who will remain unnamed even talked herself out of the right answer. (She would have been second with it anyway.)

The winner receives: 1000 EC credits, the Tommy Toe Award and whatever fame she cares to claim.

The Tommy Toe is in honor of my mother who called this wonderful fruit by that name.

So what was it?

It is a thistle blossom. If you had posted it, I’d have probably guessed a shaving brush, but that just shows my age.

The winner is Pricilla! Yea! I should have known that a goat, particularly a wise and clever goat like Pricilla would spot a thistle from across the pasture.

Thanks to all 20 of you who participated in this contest and made it the best yet for Secondary roads.

Who let the cat in the house?