Featured Blogger: Barbara Hammond – ZeroTo60andBeyond
“All I have is all I need … and it all comes down to you and me. How far away this world becomes in the harbor of each others arms.” Beth Nielsen Chapman
Featured Blogger: Barbara Hammond...
Barbara is a woman of many parts. She is a renaissance woman who has not stopped creating and living life at full tilt since marrying at 18 and having two children before turning 21. She is a mother, wife, an author, a traveler/adventurer, blogger, an artist, entrepreneur, a floral designer, VW car lover, friend, sister and more. I met Barbara back when I was a lone ranger blogger trying to build connections with others. We connected over a post on gay rights and why everyone should have the right to live their lives as they deem fit. I admired her honest and thoughtful post and we started what remains a wonderful blogging friendship. Barbara became my first blog buddy and has stayed close as a blogging friend I love and respect…
When I think of Barbara, I see a colorful whirlwind of activity swirling around her head and I often wonder: How does she do it and still maintain a sense of humor? Well, to get the answer to my question, you would have to visit her blogs; ZeroTo60andBeyond and Petals, Palettes and Parties, to get the full picture of this truly energetic woman. If you were to ask Barb; What do you love about VWs? She will regale you with stories of her adventures in the many Volkswagens (VWs) she’s collected over the years. Barbara has accomplished a lot in her lifetime and she still revs her engine daily, puts a smile on her face, and gets to work; read her top ten lifetime jobs for some insight.
Featured Blogger: Cover of The Duffy Chronicles by Barbara Hammond
If you asked her; What other things online/offline keep you busy? She will share her spanking new second blog; Triple P: Petals, Palettes and Parties, her partnership in a network that brings bloggers together; The Blogstress Network, her floral design ventures, and the new ebook (her 2nd) she contributed to; Life Lessons—The Best Self-Reflections From 108 Bloggers. Her first ebook; While You Were Sleeping, documented her husband’s battle with cancer, and her popular pet book; The Duffy Chronicles, she illustrated/drew the cover, can be purchased at all the top booksellers sites. As you can tell, Barb is incredibly busy, so I am thrilled that she agreed to be our featured blogger today. Please welcome Barbara and leave her a comment here and then go visit her blog and enjoy your journey through it. 🙂
Where did you grow up and why do you blog?
I grew up in Toledo, Ohio and couldn’t wait to get out of there! I went to 14 schools in 12 years and was the 1st in my family to graduate from high school. That helped me realize anything is possible. I didn’t know, at the time, that my difficult and troubled childhood could become a memoir. The blog is my way of testing the waters, so to speak.
Featured Blogger: Barbara Hammond... photo from trip to Fayence in Provence
I started my blog in February 2010 while being stuck in the house, due to yet another blizzard and feeling depressed about facing my 60th birthday in a few months. It was the most cathartic and freeing thing I’ve ever done. In my heart I will always be 30, and that’s the way I intend to keep it.
I’ve attached a photo of me, taken recently at my daughter-in-law’s birthday party. The other photo is one of my very favorite shots from our trip to the Mediterranean. It’s the rooftops in the village of Fayence in Provence, France. I have tons of pictures from that trip that I love, but this one really touches me on an artistic level, as well as a memory.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
Featured Blogger: Barbara Hammond... her 2nd blog logo
What is most important to you/about you?
The most important thing to me is having love and laughter in my life. That’s not possible without honesty, in my opinion, so I value that trait more than any other in a person. I try to find the good in everyone and will continue to believe in them until they prove me wrong. Like you, I have quite a collection of quotes. One that I live by, it is sort of a mantra, ‘All I have is all I need.’
I just recently learned how important it is to rid your life of ‘psychic vampires’. You know the people who are all about the drama and focus on the negative, instead of finding solutions? I used to think I could fix them… you can’t. You can’t fix anyone but yourself, so it helps to be able to recognize these people early on and not waste much of your time.
What motivates you to get out of bed?
Being motivated to get out of bed got a lot easier when I started blogging. I love it so much. When someone tells me that something I wrote helped them deal with a problem in their life… there’s nothing like it! Better than any drug. I recently launched a 2nd blog, Triple P: Petals, Palettes and Parties, devoted to exploring my art, floral design and gardening, photography, party planning and cuisine; all the things I love about entertaining. Stay tuned.
My dogs staring into my face first thing in the morning with that needy look in their eyes gets me up and at ’em, too. Nothing compares to the unconditional love of animals, does it?
How would you like to be remembered?
How would I like to be remembered? Tough one….
A woman who learned that happiness has nothing to do with money or things, but with a truthful heart. Who doesn’t suffer fools very well. Who was able to finally realize that when your intentions come from love things happen as they are destined to be.
When my son was in his late 30’s he told me, very offhandedly, one day “I always knew I was loved.” I cried. It was the most wonderful thing anyone had ever said to me. I think I’d like that on my epitaph.
You may connect with Barbara through her Blogger blogs – ZeroTo60andBeyond and Triple P: Petals, Palettes and Parties, on Facebook at Zeroto60andbeyond and Petals, Palettes and Parties, and via her Twitter handle – @hammondartbiz. Again, take a moment to leave a comment here for Barb, and join me in saying a big hello and welcome to our blog friend/buddy — Barbara Hammond.
What are your thoughts? Do share? If you’d like to be featured, leave a note and let me know how to reach you. Thank You! 🙂
Positive Motivation Tip: Life is full of adventures; ups and downs and ins and outs. Seek your path joyfully and discover new ways of being.what you choose to make of it.
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- Featured Blogger: Arva N – A Box of Vistas (eof737.wordpress.com)
- Featured Blogger: Leslie Hare – All About Enlightenment (eof737.wordpress.com)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Featured Photos are courtesy of Barbara Hammond
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
“How would you like to be remembered?
How would I like to be remembered? Tough one….
A woman who learned that happiness has nothing to do with money or things, but with a truthful heart.”
This is a wonderful post and I love this quote the best. Possessions mean Nothing in the end. We come into the world one way we go out one way: Naked. LOL
Thank you dear Jackie and everyone… Sorry the post arrived in draft form to you. I had to change gears last minute; the previously scheduled blogger needed more time which is fine … Thanks Barb for coming to the rescue! 🙂
Thanks Jackie… you can use that quote anytime you’d like. It’s true about possessions… they come and go (I’m trying to see more go to lighten the load, so to speak) and it’s the relationships that matter in the end.
Hope to see you at my place.
b
Great interview with Barbara, and I can see that she is a lady of depth and feeling. I like her already! She sounds like a very giving sort of person, and loves life to the full. I’m glad to know her.
Thanks Elizabeth for another great interview on one of our blogging buddies. Keep ’em coming – I love them!
Thanks Barb, happy to hear from you.
Thank you again, Elizabeth, for introducing us to another top notch quality person!!!
I’ll head over to Barbara’s blog tonight. From what I’ve read here, she and I are on the same page about a lot of things. 🙂
I once had a lovely collection of teapots and one day, my husband put up a shelf for them. After I had placed them on the shelf, he decided something needed to be adjusted…as he stood up under the shelf, it tipped like a see-saw and……CRASH! I was certainly disappointed and kind of sad about the one pot my son had given me…but, after all, they were only teapots. 🙂 It is the love we share with others that really counts in life.
Vivian, Thank you for leaving such a lovely comment on zero to 60 and beyond! Love having new people who not only stop by, but leave thoughtful comments. You’re welcome at my place anytime!
Barbara
“My dogs staring into my face first thing in the morning with that needy look in their eyes gets me up and at ‘em, too. Nothing compares to the unconditional love of animals, does it?”
+
the same do cats; if hypnosis does not work,
they start to scratch your nose and bite into your foot …
I used to have cats until I developed an allergy. The second they find a cure for that allergy that isn’t difficult to handle, I’m getting another cat. My dogs would probably love it.
Thanks for introducing the world to Barbara–I shall visit her blog straight away!
and you’ll be welcome anytime you stop by! Thanks.
Wow Elizabeth… what a way to wake up this morning! I had no idea when you would be posting this today, it was a lovely surprise. Thanks for including the new blog… it needs a lot of love and friends. I don’t think you missed anything at all… would you like to be my PR manager? You’d be great at it!
Thanks for making me looks so good!
love, Barbara
Thanks for the introduction to Barbara – I love the blog title “ZeroTo60and Beyond”!
I like the title too. When I started the blog in Feb. ’10 it was called ‘The Winter of my Discontent’. It didn’t take long before that title definitely didn’t fit!
Thanks for the intro, Eliz!
Barbara. That Thurman quote is one of my favorites . . . but here’s how I heard it:
Don’t worry about what the world wants from you, worry about what makes you come more alive. Because what the world really needs are people who are more alive. ~ Lawrence Le Shan
http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/what-the-world-really-needs/
It’s true, isn’t it? Years ago I read a book, ‘Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow’ and it truly resonated with me. What I’ve loved doing has morphed a lot over the years, but writing really makes me feel alive these days.
Thanks for adding to the party.
A fabulous woman to feature on your blog. Kudos to Barbara for her abundance of artistic talents, her love of animals (her dogs are so sweet) and she can cook, too!
I am lucky enough to be her friend and I always enjoy her blog posts!
Thanks Lee… I am honored to have you as one of my best friends. Really glad you added to the convo here!
ELIZABETH — p.s. if you wish to feature a humorous blog, please let me know – mine can be a bit irreverent at times, but all in family fun — http://www.madnessmomandme.com
xo~ Lee
Gosh! What can I say that hasn’t been said? It’s a pleasure to meet you Barbara. “A woman who learned that happiness has nothing to do with money or things, but with a truthful heart”, “when your intentions come from love things happen as they are destined to be”. These words are what’s called “pearls of wisdom”. Superb! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
When you live long enough I guess you earn the right to have your words call ‘pearls of wisdom’ SoapBird. Thank you for such a nice compliment!
Barbara sounds like an amazing and upbeat person! Thank you for introducing us all to her Eliz!!
Rosa I hope you stop by my blog sometime. I try to keep it interesting and humorous whenever possible. Thanks for the comment.
Barbara sounds very down to earth, very motivational with her busy lifestyle and sharing her life, not only one blog, but two. They are both beautiful. She protrays a woman who fought her hard times, now its time for living her life and her dreams, enjoying her family and her many talents.
Good Luck Barbara, I will check out your blog-regular. Blogging is great-and what a wonderful time we all have in sharing our thoughts.
Penny I think you nailed it! I truly do enjoy my life and am grateful for it. Hope to see you at zero to 60 and Triple P! Thanks.
And to think without blogging you might never have met her.
Amazing community.
She sounds pretty special
Art you are absolutely right… it is amazing this global community we have in the blogosphere! I love it. How else could I have met someone as lovely and giving as Elizabeth? That makes it all worth while. Hope you’ll stop by my blog. I have to check out all of these new (to me) blogs now.
Thanks!
Great interview!
One of the things I love about Babara’s writing is it’s just like sitting down beside her for a chat (a quality I think is the mark of a really good writer).