Blogger recognition award

23 Dec 2019 .. my notifications include a pingback from writer Jane Dougherty and I find she’s included me in her Blogger Recognition Awards. I feel honoured and grateful. It was a lovely acknowledgement and I’d like to do the same for those whose friendship and blogs have meant so much to me since I joined WordPress in May 2017.

If you’re named below please don’t feel obliged to accept. I just want to acknowledge you and thank you for what you do 🙂

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Thanks for this amazing opportunity Jane!

This is the to do list:

1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2. Write a post to show your award.
3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5. Select up to fifteen bloggers you want to give this award to.
6. Comment (or pingback) on each blog to let them know that you’ve nominated them and provide a link to the post you’ve created.

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My blog started when … I offered to help my OH Nigel start a blog on his login – he’d had it for ages but only for commenting – we thought it’d be good for him to have a blog for his business Growplan.  I thought I’d get a login, find out how to blog and set one up for him – didn’t intend to blog long-term. As soon as I set forth to look at blogs I found Damien’s and was completely blown away … I couldn’t have rolled up to a better blog! I soon treasured the wealth of wonderful material on various blogs and found the WordPress blogging community is super-wonderful. I’ve deleted my intro post but this reblog of Damien’s poem was my second post.

Two pieces of advice to new bloggers:

— for me it was a slow start to get followers and I think it took about a year to get 100 followers. I’ve seen new bloggers give up because they expect more followers more quickly. Luckily I didn’t start with high expectations. I did have a great time enjoying other people’s posts!

— I’d like to re-iterate a piece of advice that Jane Dougherty shared. “Don’t forget to cherish the friendship blogging brings either.” Over time friendships found through blogging have been my greatest pleasure and delight, more so than any number of ‘Likes’ although it’s sure nice to have the ‘Likes’ too!

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Glorious sunset at St Clair, Dunedin, New Zealand. Taken by my OH Nigel, early 2019

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I was privileged to meet these first three bloggers very early on. I’m forever grateful to them, their encouragement meant (and still means) a lot to me. Thank you.

Damien B. Donnelly : kindly followed me when I had 0 followers. He’s now back in Ireland but was in Paris most the time I’ve known him. He blogs fabulous poems, photos, occasional prose. Due to him I found a love for words, poetry (and alliteration!)

Poem:  Up For Air   Photos:  National Botanic Gardens, Dublin

Bishop Jake Owensby : published author and blogs weekly, I’m fortunate to have met Jake via blogging and we’ve become friends. Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Western Louisiana. “Faith isn’t about knowing things. It’s about trusting a person. A divine person.”

— from How Certainty Damages Faith

Pete Hillman : Pete was the first blogger I asked if I could use one of his images (I’ve used many of his since). I met him early on and his visits and ‘likes’ inspired me to keep going when I was new. He blogs amazing nature photos, usually Staffordshire UK.

Pete loves blue, so here’s a blue post:  Banded Demoiselle

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More blog-friends I’ve known for a good while now – it’s awesome to know you!

Mike, Ellen, Ted and Jodi … with your permission I’ve often shared your work in my posts, thanks very much for your generosity.

Mike Powell : Mike deservedly has a loyal following at his (mostly) wildlife blog, (usually) Virginia. Notable for his fab dragonfly and damselfly photos (seasonal). He also adds interesting info, thoughts and ideas in each post.

Visible breath, red-winged blackbird:  A breath of fresh air

Ellen Jennings and Ted Jennings : adventurous couple from the South Carolina lowcountry, both keen wildlife photographers, each with their own blog. Despite similar subject matter Ellen and Ted each have their own distinctive style.

Ellen:   Green Heron in Mud  (hunting, the struggle to control its catch)

Ted:   Great Egret Pair  (gorgeous white egret pair nesting)

Jodi McKinney : Jodi from Mars (Pittsburgh, PA), recently stepped back from regular posting on her blog but it’s still an amazing collection of her art, photos, writing, poetry, cooking and more. Published author. I did a special post of her work: Four Seasons With Jodi

Pink floral heart by Jodi (watercolour): Let Your Dreams Blossom

Candice : Regina, Canada. Her blog is “a record of positive moments that made my days better” and I love her blog name This Made Me Smile Today. When I did a ‘Snow Dragon’ challenge, Candice responded with a fabulous poem and I was really touched.

Flight of the Snow Dragon  and a normal post:   Saskatchewan Scenes

Kay McKenzie Cooke : Kay’s special to me because (i) she was born and grew up in Southland, New Zealand (ii) I admire her poetry – fourth book of poetry to be published this year (iii) she has an awesome heritage of Maori, Scottish, Irish, English ancestry.

I recommend reading Kay’s About Page first, then dive into her Line By Line blog.

Wendy Montrose : lives off-grid in a log house in bush up in the North Island of New Zealand. She has great opportunities to photograph native wildlife and plants including a rare native bird called the kokako that most of us would never see.

There’s a picture of a kokako in Kokako nesting news

Tanja Britton : loves birding and is a great writer with many loyal followers. Originally from Germany but lives at Pikes Peak, Colorado. She’s great with language – proficient in a number of them yet still writes better English than me!

I loved her Feb 26 post about Bighorn Sheep

Ann Mackay : Scottish but has lived in Suffolk UK for some years now. I’ve loved getting to know Ann and following her blog, we often chat via our blogs. Ann posts really stunning photos of flowers and plants – I can’t speak highly enough of her work.

A favourite of mine:  Spring Comes Closer : Irises and Crocuses

Steve Schwartzman : photographs wildflowers in Texas but also travels to other states and countries. He’s had at least two trips to New Zealand and takes fine nature and landscape photos. Also the ultimate word-whizz. He’s been really generous in allowing me to use his photos in various posts, thanks Steve!

Bull kelp, Bluff, Southland.  New Zealand: swirling Stirling Point again

Steve Gingold : sadly I was late finding Steve Gingold’s wonderful nature and landscape blog – mostly local photos from where he lives in Western New England. He posts daily and if he doesn’t go outside he’ll choose an equally great archive image.

Frozen surface tension:  03-12-2020-2 Leaf and Ice Frieze

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—  Warning : this last one is not for the faint-hearted —

Unique blog from Australia and different to what I normally follow as it’s NOT about nature, landscape or travel. No, it’s about a young woman’s personal journey to becoming a medical practitioner (she’s not far off). Remarkably honest, and thoughtful.

Coronavirus forced us to face reality – resources in the health system are severely limited. Although Helen’s post from Feb 19 doesn’t refer to the virus I think it’s the post I should share as we face the hard facts of limited resources and the life-and-death decisions that are the burden of medical personnel. I really feel for them.

Helen, student from the University of Melbourne
— Helen and I barely know one another but I really appreciate her blog!

Blog:  Confessions of a Doctor to be

The post I’m sharing:  One day, I am going to kill

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There’s many more wonderful blogs and bloggers that I appreciate – it was necessary to restrict this list to no more than 15.

Each time I visit and enjoy a blog I’m really thankful to the blog-owner for the work they’ve put into putting their post together.

Thank you.

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Posted by Liz; Exploring Colour (2020). Photo by Nigel