Humble appreciation

Last week I was notified by Kelly of Red and the Peanut that she had an award that she wanted to pass along to me. Kelly is a fellow Ohio birder who I met through the Nature Blog Network. She shares great stories and photos of the birds in her backyard and beyond, sometimes taking us to birding hot spots around Cincinnati. Her passion for birding is quite evident, and I feel honored that my Ohio neighbor chose my blog to be one among 5 recipients of the Dardos Award. Thank you Kelly!



Here's what the award is all about:

The Dardos Award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.

The rules:
1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog. [Note: Don't forget to copy and paste the award jpeg itself to include on your own blog!]
2) Pass the award to another five blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

It’s hard to choose just a handful from such a huge community of great blogs out there, but I have narrowed my picks down to the following:


First, I have chosen to pass this award along to outstanding blogger (and another Ohio neighbor) Julie Zickefoose. Julie’s blog was the first blog I ever checked out, and it was her blog that got me to thinking, “Hey, maybe I can do this blog thing, too.” Not only that, but it showed me that a blog about nature is cool! Thanks for inspiring me onto this nature blogging path Julie, and for opening my eyes to a community of like-minded folks.

Next up is Nina at Nature Remains. Nina also lives in Ohio, over in the southwest corner by Kelly (yes, I am proud of all us Ohio bloggers – we rock, what can I say?). Nina has a way with words, and uses both her words and photos to weave beautiful and enchanting tales about the beauty she finds in nature. Thank you for sharing your unique perspective Nina.

Third is Michele out in Oregon, otherwise known as the Northwest Nature Nut. This is one of the first out-of-state birding blogs that I started to follow, and I have since seen some very cool pictures and accounts of birds that I will never see in Ohio. Michele actively encourages others to get out there and bird by hosting various friendly counting competitions and by talking about citizen science projects. I appreciate the birding community that you are building, Michele.

Fourth on the list is Shelley, who tends 3 (count ‘em, 3!) different blogs up in Michigan. I easily got hooked on Birding in Michigan, seeing as how I have a soft spot for Michigan (see, I’m not just all about Ohio!). Shelley loves her birds, and she has a special way of sharing the unique personalities of the avian friends that visit her feeders. Shelly, your personable view of the birds makes them accessible to birders and non-birders alike.

The final blog I chose is Nature Knitter by Ruthie. Ruthie was one of the first followers of my blog, and helped me to feel like a real part of the blogging community. Ruthie has varied interests that she shares on her blog, from knitting to hunting, and birding to gardening. I recently learned that her backyard has been certified as a safe habitat for birds by the National Wildlife Federation! Ruthie, I appreciate your love and respect for the great outdoors.