Humble Thanks

Today, the winners of the Mouse and Trowel Awards for excellence in garden blogging were announced, after a nomination period, followed by voting.  I'm humbled that Our Little Acre was the recipient of several awards.  I just don't know what I could say to express my thanks and appreciation to so many that felt I deserved these honors.

The field of nominees represented a mere fraction of the wonderful and varied garden blogs out there.  I've seen the number of them absolutely explode in the three and a half years since I began writing about my garden adventures.  This is such a great thing! 

While there are certainly more talented writers and photographers than I, what is most important is that we all are writing about and photographing what we love - our gardens.  This sharing of information among those that have a passion for growing things helps novice and veteran gardeners alike. It helps us become better gardeners, and precious friendships are forged in the process.

I have been a dental hygienist for the life of my entire "career" - since 1977 - and only began gardening in 2005. If you would have told me five years ago that I would be nuts over flowers and the like, to the extent that I am, and that I'd get as much enjoyment in writing and photographing them as I do, I would not have believed a bit of it.

But life has a way of taking twists and turns, especially later in life, when you look at the  opportunities placed before you.  I'm fortunate that I have the freedom to focus on things that I truly love doing while still having one foot firmly planted in the career that I chose so long ago.  Fortunate, and blessed.

Again, thank you and congratulations to all the nominees and winners, and to the rest,  who are just as awesome.  We're all in this together.