With so many wonderful, passionate garden bloggers in the Chicago area and throughout the state, I'm honored, grateful, and nearly speechless that Garden Girl was voted 2009's best Illinois garden blog by the Blotanical community.The past several months have offered little time or focus for blogging and blog visiting. I've missed regularly interacting with garden blogging friends. That makes this honor even more special, and even more humbling.
Hugs and Congratulations to Rose, Carolyn Gail, Cathy, and Stacy for your nominations. I'm privileged to be in the company of such talented and genuinely awesome women.
Thanks to all who voted, and congratulations to all who were honored with this year's nominations and awards.
Congratulations Linda for the Blotanical Award 2009.... Blotanical really connects all of us in gardening community.... Cheers ~bangchik of My little vegetable garden
ReplyDeleteYou've got so much here . . . your family, history, photography, humour as well as gardening . . . and you've opened my eyes to Chicago too.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations.
Lucy
Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Linda ... You are a wonderful garden blogger here girl and I am very happy to see you win : )
ReplyDeleteJoy
PS
YES ! the rest of the garden gals are WONDERFUL TOO !!
Go Linda! It IS an honor, and something you enjoy doing. Congratulations to you.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Linda, and thanks for the link love. Yours was one of the first blogs I started reading when I began blogging over a year ago, and I've enjoyed it ever since. I've learned a lot from you, including how to over-winter plants, and have enjoyed your stories of family life. A well-deserved honor!
ReplyDeleteLinda, your blog is wonderful and I wish you many years of happy gardening and blogging!
ReplyDeleteGood job Linda! Well deserved ...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Linda :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Linda - you deserve it!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't happen to a better blogger :-) Heartfelt congratulations on the Blotanical award.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! You have a fabulous blog. I've enjoyed visiting it today. -Jackie
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the win Linda.
ReplyDeleteBTW that header picture is awesome.
Congratulations Linda! A well deserved award! gail
ReplyDeleteA Big Hug to go with a Big Congratulations, Linda! I'm thrilled for you! And I also want to thank you since you were the one that told me about Blotanical way back in April...Yep!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Summer is a hard time to blog and blog hop. Maybe they should have our awards during our winter. I suppose Stewart wouldn't have time for it though.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations fellow Illinois blogger. This award was well deserved. Although I've just started reading..I like what I've seen so far. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteBalisha
Linda, Best in Illinois is quite an achievement. So many states had an overwhelming number of great blogs! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongrat's to you, Linda...I'm very happy for you!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Linda.
ReplyDeleteI just finished enjoying your previous posts. I was surprised to see you growing Jasmine. That's one of the plants I loved when I lived in the south.
Marnie
I LOVE the fall picture on your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much everyone! Honestly, the whole thing feels a bit weird to me. I have mixed feelings about it.
ReplyDeletePart of me appreciates the recognition, and the other part of me feels there's no such thing as 'best.' How does one quantify that??? There are plenty of other IL bloggers whose blogs are just as nice or nicer, whose writing is just as good or better, whose photos are better than mine, who put more time into their blogs than I'm able to, who have more time to spend blog hopping and commenting, who are more creative than me., whose gardens are 'better' than mine, etc., etc.
I've always shied away from competitions, tend to stay out of the limelight, and enjoy giving kudos to others more than receiving them myself. I think about nominees who may be disappointed it wasn't them, and people who didn't make the 'cut' but probably should have. It's one of the things I've struggled with at Blotanical - the 'popularity contest' aspect of it, and why I haven't been there much in recent months.
It's a competitive world we live in, and one I don't always feel I fit into very well. I'm probably over-thinking it and 'should' just have fun with it. But there it is, and that's me.
MBT and Debbie, the photo is from a lookout on the top of my mom's mountain in SW Wisconsin (yep - there are mountains in Wisconsin - I never knew that until Mom moved onto one.) That shot is from a couple of years ago in Mid-October. It is incredibly beautiful there in all seasons, and the fall colors are truly awe-inspiring.
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteLinda, warm and hearty congratulations to you for being chosen Best Illinois Blog! I always enjoy my visit here and am thrilled to have met you and spent some time with you in Chicago at Spring Fling. I hope to see you again soon. In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy your blog. Well done, my friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Monica and Kylee!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a green room. I am a first time mother and I have an eight month old. I work at Narconon drug rehab five days a week and can't seem to find the time to spend in a garden or green room. I feel like I can't even find enough time to spend with my son much less an extracurricular activity. Does anyone have any pointers as to how I can manage all the above better?
ReplyDeleteHi Nolan, it is a challenge finding time for everything, especially with such a young child. Everyone's energy levels and resources are different, and if you don't feel you have the time for extracurricular activities right now, I would say not to pressure yourself to take on more, and focus on enjoying what you're doing as much as you can. Your little son will grow up faster than you can imagine.
ReplyDeleteAs he gets a little older, you can involve him in more of the activities you enjoy, maybe even gardening, as a wonderful way for him to learn, and for the two of you to spend quality time together. Right now it sounds like you're doing your best. Give yourself some credit for that. It will get easier as your son grows. Best wishes!