{My 12th Blog Award}

On November 15, I did receive a 'Best Blog' Award from Veronica, in Spain. THANK YOU VERY MUCH VERONICA!

Veronica has a very lively blog with great photos, called: Los Mundos de Nika Vintage. Showing the most precious vintage and antique items, interlaced with her incredible garden. A joy to visit her and she also can be found on FB with her Page: BookAntic - Libros Antiguos. Quite refreshing to see her items. Don't forget to pay her a visit.

Okay, it's time for passing this bouquet on to others who's blogs I do enjoy tremendously.

Julie Marie from Idyllhours and by the way, I'd love to find out how one can be spending some IDLE hours... For me the time is always gone before I manage to do all I WANT to do. Do you have that kind of problem too?

Lene from THE GREEN GARDEN GATE with her beautiful Norwegian blog. You have to see her inspirational Christmas Decorations.

Bea from Modern Country Lady who is such an incredible talented lady! Check her out and don't forget to follow her. Scroll down for finding her Google Friend Connect.

That's it!

{Happy Thanksgiving - From Pilgrim to President}

Happy Thanksgiving to all American readers!

Hope it is a meaningful day, for you and your loved ones, reflecting on all the things we truly have to be thankful for. Some 400 years ago, life was not the way as we know it now... Therefore we should not take for granted what we have, our freedom and an abundance of food.  

Thanksgiving Day: Pilgrims were a surprisingly worldly, tolerant lot

Pilgrims who braved the Mayflower were profoundly shaped by their 11 years in Leiden, Netherlands, where they arrived 402 years ago this year. Deeply devout, they were also some of the most tolerant among Puritan groups who headed to the new world. Read more from source here: Thanksgiving Day: Pilgrims were a surprisingly worldly, tolerant lot

FROM PILGRIM TO PRESIDENT

Some interesting information for reading at the Pilgrims Archives, Leiden The Netherlands.

ORIGINS

Leiden, City of Refugees

Where did the Pilgrims come from?

STAY IN LEIDEN

The Pilgrims in Leiden

DEPARTURE FOR AMERICA

Departure for the 'New World'

LEIDEN IN THE US
From 3rd of October to Thanksgiving
Civil Marriage

Elected government

PILGRIM PRESIDENTS

Nine times from Pilgrim to President - read: From Leiden Pilgrim to American president

Obama Bush Related? video

Mayflower 400 Leiden a video about just to better understand where those Pilgrims stayed for twelve years before coming to America.

Read more awesome stories about LIFE IN LEIDEN 

History: The Pilgrims Journey Documentary video

{Post # 484 and my blog is 2 years old today!}

Today marks a very special day as on November 23 of 2009 I did launch my first blog-post about {Romancing the Home}.

At that time I was very sick, in excruciating pain and could not even get to my PC... Only a second blog-post I launched on December 13, 2009 showing our blooming {Fragrant Paperwhite Narcissus flowers in early December}. Together with a reply to Johanna Gehrlein about her question.

By the end of the year I was walking on crutches...

On January 9 of 2010, I was in the hospital being almost totally paralyzed with very high fever that they couldn't knock down at first.

It was on January 11, that I cried in my hospital bed; on the birthday of my still born sister 'Mariet' who would have been almost 13 months older than I am.

I told her that I was NOT yet ready to see her in heaven...

After four days in the hospital they put me on Prednisone and the pain went away.

Again I could MOVE! What a joy.

Being diagnosed with a very rare auto immune disease, I was now on the mend!

♥

For my sister Mariet, trying to live for her as well, I've added 'TE' behind my name.

♥♥

That's the story behind my blog's name: Mariette's Back to Basics.

Anyway, most people here in the US had difficulties pronouncing Mariet, so this works well.

~~0~~

GREAT NEWS...

As of today, I no longer need to take Prednisone!

Had my check up yesterday and things just looked fine.

Now, let's have a look at last year and this year.

Post # 148 I wrote last year on November 23.

Post # 484 is today's...

6,544 Visits came from 74 countries/territories on November 23 last year.

40,701 visits came from 146 countries/territories since last year; almost double the countries and more than 6 x as many visits.

On July 10, 2011 I did put the Flag Counter on my blog and since than it shows 138 countries.

Thank YOU for all the visits from so many countries!

Thank YOU for all the comments!

Thank YOU all 281 followers!

Looking forward to the next Blog Anniversary...

 

Related links: 

{Post # 148 and my blog is 1 year old today!} | previous post by me
{THANKS to 166 Followers from 113 Countries!} | previous post by me