Friday, December 30

Blogs that I like to read!



Diana at Kebun Malay- Kadazan Girls kindly awarded me this award.

It's always good to be chosen to receive awards but this one is a bit different - it doesn't ask you to reveal any dark secrets about yourself but was set up to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.

Strange to be considered up and coming when my blog has been going since 2006 but who knows there may still be a chance that I'll arrive at some time in the future. Arrive must mean to have over 200 followers - still about 50 to go then.

I don't know about you but as well as keeping up with long standing favourites it's good to meet new Bloggers and so I set about trying to fulfil the rules for accepting the award which are as follows:
1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have fun!

First rule - easy ! 
Second rule - not so easy - there are plenty of blogs out there that I enjoy reading regularly but some have already reached the heady heights of over 200 followers, others have already been given the award by someone else and others I have no idea how many followers they have as they don't have a followers gadget! How do I pick just 5 - I don't want to upset anyone by not choosing them!  Anyway I have finally settled on five that had less than 100 followers and deserve to have more than that.

As they say - in no particular order my selections are: pause for effect -------------------

Jenni at Rainy Day Gardener who at the moment is gardening in Oregon but is shortly to move home. It will be really interesting to see how her new garden progresses. Jenni's life is changing in other ways too as she enters the world of full time housewife and mum after re-evaluating what she wants out of life. Good Luck Jenni.

Kelli at My Garden Diary by Kelli Boyles. Kelli gardens an acre of land in Country Antrim Northern Ireland. Not only does Kelli have a garden that I would like where she grows fruit, vegetables and flowers but it's surrounded by beautiful countryside. 

Phoebe at Ballynoe Cottage in Melbourne- Australia who has a way of making use of things many people would just throw away. Not only does she use this stuff but she uses it with style. She also has the elements of nature to work with or against as recently her garden came under attack from large hailstones and the worst flash flooding that her area has ever seen

Brenda at Gardeningbren in Nova Scotia I'm only just 'getting to know' Brenda but I'm really enjoying her style of writing and look forward to finding more out about her and her garden. I do know that like me she loves to see wildlife in her garden - especially birds. She is also trying to extend her growing season by growing under cover.

I now have a problem as the one I was going to give my final award to has already been given it by someone else!! After quite a bit of umming and arring I'm going to give the last award to:
Martyn at A Gardener's Weather Diary OK hands up it is very close to home - couldn't be closer - but it isn't my blog and I haven't come across another blogger who has written a post almost every day this year. If you enjoy reading about the weather and its effects on gardening then pay him a visit.

And while you are at it don't stop there as there are some fantastic blogs in my blogrolls why not have a browse of them too. Now I have to complete rule two by telling the people they have received awards - I hope I get in before someone else gives them the same award!

I hope I can find some suggestions for new blogs to check out too - if you know of any that you think I would like then post a comment to let me and everyone else know about them.

23 comments:

  1. Well said Sue! The trouble is that there are just so many blogs out there. Some of them don't survive very long though, and I often look first at the blogger's Archive to see how long they have been around, and how often they typically post.
    I think your choice of Matryn's blog is eminently justifiable too.

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  2. Hi Mark, I have a sort of offline blog list of new blogs that I've come across which I keep an eye on for a bit before adding to my blog lists here and at least by having the lists display on the blog in latest post order the ones that are about to fall off the edge stay at the bottom and give people some idea of when they were last posted to.

    I'm glad you didn't think my nomination smacked too much of nepotism.

    Pity I couldn't nominate you but you are in the elite group of those who have 'arrived' - is it cold up there?

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  3. Hi Sue,

    That is a great list - I agree with you on A Gardener's Weather Diary. It is a really good blog! This is a garden blog I came across in the past month which I have enjoyed - http://www.rivendell.org.uk/wordpress

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  4. Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment Sam - I'll certainly take a look at your recommendation.

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  5. I love the first three blogs you chose the last one I will go and have a look at.

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  6. congrats on your award Sue...I love reading your blog so you really deserve it, Maybe some day I'll find time to check out the blogs you have picked in your top 5!!

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  7. Congratulations on the award, very well deserved. I think these awards are a great way of discovering new blogs to read, there's a few in your list which I haven't come across so I'll check them out when I get chance, and why shouldn't you nominate Martyn? It's not like you're nominating yourself, and it's a just nomination anyway as far as I'm concerned.

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  8. It was a difficult choice Cathy as there were lots out there to choose from.

    I'm glad that you stick around reading what I write Tanya - maybe I should give you a loyalty award.

    It certainly is a good way to find new blogs, Jo. As you say no money or prizes change hands!

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  9. Congratulations and you've chosen a great 5 which I haven't seen before.

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  10. Thanks Sue for the 'shout out'! I've appreciated learning from you and have enjoyed your blog immensely! Bummer I couldn't pass along the award to Mark as he's 'in the big time' now ;) Cheers, Jenni

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  11. Congrats Sue - well deserved - I haven't read any of the blogs you mentioned but my blog roll is so long now that i am not even able to read the ones I have already without spending all day on the computer.

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  12. Thank you Sue, so very very much. What a lovely way displayed each header! So will get to following up the acceptance requirements in 2012. Happy New Year and many kind regards.

    So many fantastic blogs out there, including yours and Mark's and another Mark and well..the list is very long. I am thinking how could one narrow it down to just a few...I love them all or I wouldn't be following them.

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  13. I found this is a good way to get to know other blogs which is currently not on my list (at the moment in your list, I only know Kelli and Phoebe). Also a good way to introduce to other readers about the blogs you have mentioned.Happy New Year!

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  14. Congratulations Sue, and Happy New Year.

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  15. Thanks Damo - I hope you enjoy browsing them

    It's a wonder Mark even speaks to us Jenni!

    I find having my lists update as people write a new post helps Elaine and also after a while some drop off the list as they seem to stop writing so I tend to be on the look out for replacements.

    Who's the other Mark, Bren will he be on your list so I can check his blog? Mine was narrowed by the requirements to have less than 200 followers and I found lots of the blogs I follow already had the award but it was still a difficult choice!

    Happy New Year to you too Diana - hope you like my other choices.

    Happy New Year to you too BW - hope everything has healed!

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  16. Hi Sue
    Get your chilli seeds ready.... Best wishes for 2012 xxx

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  17. A happy and successful New Year to you too Captain but definitely no chillies for me I'm afraid!

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  18. Congratulations! It's always nice to have some recognition, tho many bloggers post as much for their own satisfaction. The last 2 blogs you list are new to me, so I'll enjoy having a look.

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  19. You're right Linda - I think the reason behind this award is sound though as a way to find more interesting blogs. I find it useful when bloggers introduce new blogs to me and often browse bloglists of other people or I follow links from comments on other people's blogs or new comments on my own. This way chances are that I'll find more like minded people out there.

    It's true that blogging is for satisfaction of having some sort of outlet for writing but it's also good to know people read what you write and find it useful and interesting. It's also good to 'chat' to visitors. A sort of modern Penpal system!

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  20. Thanks very much for the award, a very nice surprise going into the New Year! I've been travelling over the holidays so I haven't been at the computer regularly, but hope to check out a couple of the blogs you recommended which I'm not yet familiar with. All the best for 2012!

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  21. thanks for the thought Sue...but I think you would be giving a whole lot of thme out..lol

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  22. I don't know Tanya - form the number of followers it looks as though someone has dumped me this week! Wonder if it was something I said or didn't say?

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