A blog award!

Wow! Alexah at Learning to Step Lightly has awarded me with the Excellent blogging award! It is really an honor to have this award passed on to me, especially considering the other bloggers that Alexah awarded as well.

When I started out blogging almost a year ago, I really never expected my words to be read by many other people. My motivation for starting to blog was two fold: First, my sister started a blog about her experiences as a first time mom, and really enjoyed it. Second, I had the perception that I was really starting to get on my friends' and family members' nerves with all my spouting off about sustainability, energy reduction, tai chi and the like and I wanted to have a place to pour out all my thoughts while giving the people in my life the choice to hear/read about them or not. And now it has turned into an activity that gives me an outlet for my rants, opinions, thoughts and ponderings, and has also led me into a community of people who are doing their best to live more in tune with all the myriad things. I learn something new every day, am inspired every day, and every day I get more practice at living within the means of the planet I share with all other beings. Knowing there are others out there pondering too, is more of a blessing than I ever imagined.

Per Alexah, the description of this award is as follows:

Now according to the information I was given - the person who started it all said:

“I love being a part of the blogging community and part of all the friendships that I’ve formed, so I wanted to give a blog award for all of you out there that have Excellent Blogs.”

Of course, there is a catch…

By accepting this Excellent blog award, I have to award it to at least ten more people whose blogs I find Excellent.

So, if you’re listed blow, please, consider yourself “Excellent” and thus worthy of this honor which I bestow upon you. And, if you have not yet visited these sites, I invite you to do so and experience some Excellent Blogging.

My list of blogs that I read daily or almost daily is evolving and expanding, but here are the ones that I go to most often at this point in time. I know the award says to list at least 10 other blogs, but I will stop at 10 because, well, I have to stop somewhere!

Nature Bats Last - an acerbic blog that tells it like it is - brace yourselves.

Chile Chews - without Chile I would not know to simmer the citrus seeds in with my marmalade! Plus, Chile writes prolifically - you know that there is going to be something new to 'chew' on almost every day. (No pressure though, Chile!)

A day in the life of Connor - my sister's blog - the blog that started it all for me. Lori's joy shows through in every post, and is a real pick-me-up when I need to turn my focus away from peak oil and assorted social and political frustrations.

Crunchy Chicken - she's been nominated for this award already, but it just doesn't get any better than Crunchy. She inspires like no other blogger I know!

Cluttercut - daharja writes with passion and her prose becomes near-poetry at times. Plus she has lots of great advice for getting the literal and figurative clutter out of life.

Everyday Yogini - a great blog about a mom in Italy practicing yogic ideals both on and off the mat. And she writes gathas too!

Simply Authentic - a grad student's blog all about living the sustainable lifestyle and thinking about deeply spiritual matters. Earnest, sincere, authentic - a lovely blog to read when I need a mental respite.

Casaubon's Book - this has been a life-changing blog for me. Sharon writes about critical environmental, socio-political, and ethical issues in a way that personalizes them and makes you want to change how you're doing things, right now.

The Importance of Being Sentient - this is a blog I came across recently by a well-spoken young adult. At times sarcastic and angsty, it strips things down to basics, which is very refreshing in a society where layers of crap are often heaped upon things, making them more complicated than they really need to be.

Hippie Girl - this is another fairly recent addition to my blog list. Another Canadian blogger, with lots of tasty vegan recipes and assorted neat tips, links and ideas.

Do enjoy these blogs - I sure do!