And the winner of the maple syrup contest is…
Prepare yourselves. Hold your breaths. Hope that you win and get that sweet Upper Peninsula maple syrup to dollop on your oatmeal, in your granola, atop your French Toast, in your peanut butter cookies.
OK, I’m not telling you the winner at the very beginning of this post.
All good stories contain a beginning, a middle and an end.
Let’s start at the beginning. All you newcomers please read this post that I wrote last weekend: Who wants to win a pint of maple syrup?
While you’re gone perusing that post, we’ll wait for you. I’ll converse with the other readers. Yes, the ice melted on the bays. Yes, the snow is gone. Maybe you can glimpse a snowbank hither and yon, but mostly it’s spring. We spotted our first male hummingbird on May 9th. Simultaneously, another Aura resident posted she had glimpsed her first hummingbird. They’re back!
No wildflowers yet, but I saw daffodils blooming alongside the Skanee Post Office last week. Spring peepers have been heard. Folks couldn’t believe how late the spring peepers peeped.
OK, now that everyone has returned after reading about the contest, let’s continue to the middle of the story.
All contests must be above-board.
All prize-winners must be chosen in an excruciatingly fair manner.
One mustn’t internally root for so-and-so.
One mustn’t believe that someone who reads every post should win. Conversely, one mustn’t believe that a close friend or relative should win. Nor, should the poorest among us necessarily receive the tantalizing gift. Wealth, circumstance, friendship, readership, age, and sex can not be considered as the hand digs in the winter chook for the winner’s name.
One must allow the Universe to choose the winner, for whatever reasons the Universe deems best.
I have won some contests in my life, and do know a teeny tiny bit about the energetics which sometimes assist one in universal winning of prizes.
May I share those secrets with you, now that it’s too late for this contest?
Often, in order to win, one must truly want to win. A positive attitude helps. Or…more of a resonance. One feels that she & the prize are simpatico, compatible, already friends. Something inside resonates. YES! says the inner spirit. I shall enter this contest.
However, if one pants & salivates over the dangling prize, one usually won’t win. The Universe simply won’t comply. I do not know why this doesn’t work. If you want the prize too much…well, who knows why it doesn’t work?
It doesn’t work for me, anyway. It’s a degree of delighted anticipation (briefly felt) coupled with oh-who-cares-because-something-better-will-come-along that brings forth our prize jewels.
Disclaimer. Even when one sizzles with the appropriate energy, it still may not happen. That’s because the Universe eyes all of us equally. It has its own reasons, which may even–though I refuse to believe it–be random and chaotic.
I have won a Mickey Mouse watch, a ham, a set of Santas and Snowmen, and three free nights in a Hilton anywhere around the world.
Have you ever won anything?
Now that I’ve babbled on about prize-winning energetics, let’s cut to the chase.
You’re dying to know whether you won, aren’t you?
Don’t you dare scroll down to the end to cheat!
Shall we have the drum roll, please?
My hand is in the chook.
It is digging for the winner.
The winner is…
Barb from Colorado!
Oh good.
Barb is a regular commenter on this blog and loves the Upper Peninsula because one of her best friends lives up on the Keweenaw Peninsula during summer months. Barb has even visited our fair shores. She lives in Colorado, takes fabulous photos, and shares lovely tales of her days.
Her blogs, which I do hope you visit, are:
Live and Learn and One Good Thing
Congratulations, my friend, and may the maple syrup arrive unbroken and unscathed to the mountains of Colorado from the shores of Lake Superior…
For those of you who didn’t win…you are ALL still winners in my heart!
Well, enjoy, enjoy the maple syrup, Barb!!!!!
I have some UP maple syrup in my refrig and I highly recommend it!!!
ALSO I am enjoying KENTUCKY sorghum????
Have you ever tasted sorghum, Kathy?
WELL! Let me know!!!!!!!
Fountainpen
This was great fun, Kathy. And I am glad you are thawing out up North. I’ve planted brand new asparagus down here in Maryland and they’ve gone and sprouted their mini-trees already.
🙂 Awesome!!! I’m so happy for Barb! This seems so much fun.. and Kathy, your message “One feels that she & the prize are simpatico, compatible, already friends. ” This means a lot, in many cases. On this fun note.. my weekend ends, and I hope the coming week passes by soon.. for I have a vacation planned..
@Barb.. do let us know how you like the maple syrup.. Im sure its de.li..li ..cious!!!
Congratulations to Barb, and thank you, Kathy, for a lovely opportunity for each of us…and Happy Mother’s Day!
Oh, how nice Barb! I look forward to exploring your blog and seeing your photos. We’ll be in Denver and area next month (first time) and are really looking forward to seeing the area and doing some hiking.
This was fun Kathy. And if I’m remembering things as they were, you and the universe are definitely simpatico when comes to the winning of prizes 🙂
Huge congratulations to Barb from Colorado. She’s gonna rock that nifty hat this coming season!
woo hoo winners of syrup….now HURRY Kathy and hide the chook so as not to invite ANY MORE SNOW
EVERuntil I want itsigh ok fine, until Mother Nature decides it is time for some more 😛
Giveaways look like a lot of fun to do Kathy! Congratz to Barb!!
yeah yeah yeah–we are all winners but we have no maple syrup–good thing I like you! Happy Mom’s Day!
Congrats, Barb! The Universe picked a true winner.
This was fun, Kathy!
Happy Mom’s Day!
Sending out UP goodness across the country is like sending a goodwill ambassador. Farewell to the ice for another year. No one tagged me in the cold water challenge (darn it), but life will go on! Happy trekking and anytime you feel like taking your camera along you know we’ll all appreciate any product of your efforts.
Tease!!!
Congratulations Barb! I don’t remember ever winning anything. I really wanted to win a prize home once that I had bought tickets in, but someone else had a stronger desire than I. I do believe the Universe chooses the recipients of prizes and I know Barb is the right person for the maple syrup prize too. And what fun the Universe had in choosing her, through you! 🙂
Oh, the antici……pation! Congratulations to the winner. I was just happy to have seen my name on the little piece of paper in the photo. Yes, I have won things before: a two night trip to the coast being the biggest prize so far.
Kathy, you are too good. What a way to arrive at the winner. Congrats to Barb and yes, I peeked in on one of her blogs.
I loved the suspense. You’re absolutely right about that winner energy. I don’t win often, but when I have I’ve just known the prize was mine. Not so much this time. Congrats to Barb!
Congratulations to Barb (even though I’m a disappointed loser)! And kudos to you for your charming post and for keeping us all in thrilled suspense. 🙂
Congrats to Barbara. Hope your prize arrives without a precious drop missing.
Kathy, you are so very sweet to do this.
Congratulations Barb!!
Kathy…your generosity is such a wonderful gift to everyone who knows you ♥
Thank you for sharing your springtime news too—-trees and shrubs are finally budding and the grass is getting green and the spring peepers are singing like crazy. I haven’t seen any hummingbirds yet, but will put the feeders out next weekend so hopefully they’ll arrive soon ♥
Glad that Spring has finally arrived in the UP. I checked out Barb’s blog. Beautiful pictures.
Congratulations to Barb…I’m sure she will enjoy the syrup.
That was such a fun post to read….and makes me look forward to my own upcoming giveaway even more! 🙂
Congrats Barb, enjoy your Maple syrup! 🙂
Darn. Maybe next time. But, gosh, congratulations to Barb and Mary! Bet it’s gonna taste yummy!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Considering my own mom is a “Barb,” I’m delighted that Barb won 🙂
Also, I’m very happy to hear that your bays have melted and that daffodils are blooming nearby. My daffodils have just opened up, and we’re just starting our spring forays into the woods. Seems like spring is finally here to stay for a bit. 🙂
Congratulations to Barb! So glad to hear spring is finally coming your way, Kathy. I saw my first hummingbird today. I’m told they’ve been here for a few weeks, but it was my first sighting. 🙂
What are pancakes and French toast without syrup? Answer: Dull.
Congratulations to the winner of your syrup.
I also have a new post on my blog; I guess my hiatus has been replaced by the desire to blog again.
Kathy, sorry it’s taken me so long to respond. Firstly, I was overwhelmed by actually winning. Secondly, my internet in Denver was on the fritz, and I had to wait to comment until I was back in Breckenridge. Thirdly, I had to write my acceptance speech: Ahem…
Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for your kind congratulations. (Please, you may stop applauding now.) I am thrilled to be the winner of Kathy’s maple syrup giveaway! I will definitely think of you all when I drizzle it on my oatmeal and lick it from my fingers. Plus, I might use it in my smoothies…and I know my grandchildren will want a taste on their pancakes. The UP maple syrup will definitely be well-used and loved here in the mountains of CO. The only other thing I can ever remember winning was a little red radio when I was about 12. So – my winning streak was interrupted for quite some time.
Thank you so much, Kathy!
Drat! Oh well – good for Barb!
To answer your question, yes, I have won a contest or two in my day. The worst thing I won (and I didn’t even try, so I don’t know what the Universe was thinking) was a pair of tickets to a pro-wrestling exhibition. (Is “exhibition” the correct word?) The best thing I won was a five-day Caribbean cruise for two.
It was fun to dream for a week! xo
Congrats to Barb!
The anticipation was killing me. 😉