Local blog awards

This may be a bit like playing tag with fellow bloggers, but I'm still proud to be the recipient of a B.R.A. award from Byron Chesney at Knoxville Trivia blog. What's a B.R.A., you ask? It's a Blogger Reflection Award.

The award was originated at Homeschoolblogger.com, from a 16-year-old 'Lady of Light' who came up with the whole idea. I don't pass on chain emails and I don't think I'm going to follow 'the rules' here either, but you can read them at the originating site. Says Jocelyn ("Lorien"):

The reason for the title is because this award should make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy... of knowing them and being blessed by them.

Well, there certainly is nothing more 'godly' than beautiful mountain or rural scenery, so I'm going to mention several bloggers who devote much of their blogging time to displaying their beautiful photographs:

1. Marie, whose Blue Ridge Blog highlights the photos she takes while also working as a photographer for her local newspaper in Boone, N.C. She was one of the first mountain-area bloggers I discovered and her photos are gorgeous and her comments revealing, humorous, and very down-to-earth. And, if you want to know what's going on at Appalachian State, Marie has it covered.

2. Fred First at Fragments from Floyd, who I discovered many years ago when considering Floyd, Va. as a possible new home. Fred's photos are beautiful and his writing has developed into a book (Slow Road Home) that is getting lots of attention. His reflections on nature, animals, rural living, preserving the mountains, and aging will make you think. Not to mention his occasional useful software and hardware reviews.

3. Doug Thompson, who has one of the oldest political websites around (Capitol Hill Blue) but who moved home to the Floyd area a couple years back and has been documenting the move, changes, and life around Floyd ever since in his Blue Ridge Muse blog. A journalist and photographer, Doug takes amazing photos of skies, trees, animals, and Floyd life, and has a lot to say about the changes development brings to the area.

4. Susan at Patchwork Reflections, who looks at my blog to see if I've recently photographed some of her childhood haunts, but who also photographs scenery around her North Georgia home and places beyond, and whose blog is always entertaining and thoughtful.

5. Rurality, where life on a north Alabama farm is meticulously photographed. I especially enjoy the 'critter cam' where passing wildlife are caught passing in the night. The proprietress, who also crafts handmade soaps, does a great job of identifying wildflowers, insects, and the like. Oh yeah, and that cat that's trying to adopt her? We have an identical one here, doing the same thing. Does everyone?

Thanks to all of them for the examples and the wonderful photography. I just try to keep up......