In the last two weeks, I’ve received an E for Excellence award from three awesome bloggers. They are awesome in their own right and not just because they each gave me an “E.” Although, a girl always likes it when someone says she’s “done good.”
The bloggers in question are: Brenda from The Brenda Blog, who was the first to give me a gold star. I met Brenda through blogging. She’s a former Okie who’s moved to Texas. Curtiss Ann Matlock, who is an accomplished writer (published over 30 books) and has been my friend for the last twenty years, gave me the second one. She’s kinda new to the blogging scene. If you get a chance, please welcome her. Debi from Aunt Debbi’s Garden always makes me smile with her monkeys’ antics, and she gave me the third one.
Shannon from The Mommy Project originally started this award to honor blogs and to increase traffic for all those she enjoyed. She wrote, “I love being a part of the blogging community and part of all the friendships that I’ve formed so I wanted to give a blog award for all of you out there that have Excellent Blogs.”
A special thanks to Shannon for creating this way to honor each other in the first place.
I’m now supposed to choose ten blogs I’d like to award.
First, I’m giving the award right back to Curtiss Ann. She writes with such honor and integrity, and she’s that way in real life too.
Second, Karina from the Gluten Free Goddess, because she manages to create fabulous meals while dealing with a host of food intolerances and allergies.
My friend, David, writes and photographs the most amazing things on A Photographer’s Garden Blog. Every time I go to his blog, I am amazed at his ability to evoke emotion with his images and words.
Corey, from Tongue in Cheek, who continues to remain eloquent in spite of the fact that her father has been in the hospital for months. She’s stayed by his side while her husband and children cheer her on from France. In fact, her entire family deserves an “E.”
I was lucky enough to ride with Mr. McGregor’s Daughter while we were in Austin, and she is a hoot. Her blog is consistently smart and funny.
Reading Dirt always has something going on like the pea experiment she had last week where she planted peas at different times and gave the results. It seems Grandmother knew best. Are we surprised?
I would love Heavy Petal for her banner alone, but her writing always makes me think. She is still pregnant, and I know she wishes this baby would go ahead and come. For those of us who’ve had babies, we all know how she feels. I love that she crawled around on her knees in her garden today and snapped photos. She’s my kind of girl.
Antique Mommy had me at hello when I read her “How Did This Happen?” page. She writes touchingly human stories about what it means to mother a child.
Frances at Faire Garden and I both garden on a slope, and we’re in the same USDA Zone. Therefore, our gardens are blooming at similar times, and I feel a real kinship with her. And, after meeting her in Austin, I can say she is as sweet as she is on he blog. Check out her fairy post for some fun reading.
Last, but not least, go visit Pam at Digging. She has some of the most beautiful garden photography on the web, and she knows her stuff when writing about gardening.
Whew! That’s a lot of garden blogs. My special thanks to the ladies who nominated me for this award.
I was going to be the 4th to give you an E award but discovered you’d already been honored : ) Great job on your blog, Dee.
Thank you Carolyn. You have a fabulous blog, and I love the format.~~Dee
Honey-bunny–
David said it so well– my world is a much richer place because you share yourself with me, and you got me into blogging! Day by day my world, and friendships, widen.
Hugs,
CurtissAnn
Rosebud, you know I feel the same about you. Everybody, we’re going to lunch today.~~Dee
Congratulations. What a well deserved honor for you! Three awards is awesome.
Cinj, dear, thank you.~~Dee
Thanks so much! I had a great time with you too. I’m so impressed that you were able to track down the origin of this award. I tried & failed miserably. I’ve decided not to share the love because I made a promise to myself that I would never forward a chain letter, and memes are starting to feel like chain letters to me. I know, I’m a little out there on this one, but there it is. Maybe I should just make up my own award with no requirements to pass it along. Nah, too much work now when I barely have time to go online as it is. Keep up the Excellent blogging!
MMD, I understand completely. You keep up your interesting blogging too.!~~Dee
Funny where a hayride will lead.
I began getting to know Dee on a hayride . . .through a tree farm . . . in a beautiful, rolling stretch of her native, Oklahoma last year.
It was a shirtsleeves night in late September, and along with Mary Ann of Idaho Gardener and Debra Prinzing of Shed Style, and Susan and Nan and several dozen others attending the Garden Writers Symposium in Oklahoma City, we got past those inevitable “how do you do’s” and began sharing glimpses and snippets of our larger lives.
I was touched by Dee’s calm, gentle openness and genuine friendliness. And nothing I have learned of her since has diminished that admiration or that initial sense of “like” even one iota. Instead, my “like” has grown as my understanding of her and her garden and her hubby and kids has been filled in, until I think I could now safely use the word “adore” in its place.
I visit her blog regularly to see what’s up in her world, and for a dose of that steady, good-hearted realism and wonder that seems to exemplify her so completely.
I’m touched by your kind words, Dee and delighted to be seen as “Excellent” in your eyes. Thank you . . . first for sharing yourself. Second, for sharing the “E” that was first awarded to you. My world is a richer place because of you.
David, I am honored to call you friend. Namaste.~~Dee
Well, I know what I shall be doing on this Wednesday morning as the plumbers proceed to jackhammer up the inside of the middle of my beloved house: I shall go to each of these links and visit these good folks. Dee, wish you were here with your most charming and enjoyable smile (I can still see it in that photo in my head) to make me laugh as my house gets filled with water and mess after mess! I suppose that shall be my blog entry today. Trouble does indeed come in threes, I’m afraid. You deserve all the awards, which is why I immediately thought of you in the first place. Hope someday we get to meet in person. Promise to make me laugh?
Brenda
Oh, Brenda, you are having a time of it, aren’t you? I think I would escape to the garden and remain there until all was finished. Take your laptop with you.~~Dee
Hi Dee, and thanks so much for the award! I think you are excellent also and agree that we share a kinship of Okieness and climate, even though I am in TN, part of me will always be in OK. Let’s sing now, OOOOOOOOklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain…..
Frances, I went to a dinner last night, and we sang our song afterward. I just love that. “where the wavin’ wheat can sure smell when the wind comes behind the rain . . . .” True, isn’t it?~~Dee
Way to go Dee, you are very deserving as are the recipients you nominated.
Thanks, Lisa. You have wonderful blog too.~~Dee
Wow, thank you, Dee, for the compliment and the “E”! I know some of your other “E” blogs, but I’m looking forward to visiting the others on your recommendation. Cheers!
You’re so welcome, Pam. Yours is one I click to read everyday.~~Dee
Dee, here I go again! Congratulations to your award. You have a lovely and interesting “plot”! From your writings I also think you are a lovely person.
You had a lovely time browsing a special nursery with a friend. I usually go with my daughter and we always have the best of times. I know some of the plants you bought. I hope they grow well for you and happy gardening.
Trudi, your comment finally got through. Yea! I love reading your blog too. You’re so lucky to have a gardening daughter.~~Dee