So on a recent blog post, I received the following comment: “Hope you’re worms are thriving. I’ve nominated you for sunshine blogger award. Thanks for sharing.” Talk about out of the blue! Anyway, apparently the award is for “peer recognition for bloggers who inspire positivity and joy”. My tongue in cheek interpretation is that it is a bit of a “fun share the blogosphere chain letter of appreciation”, so in this post I gladly, joyfully and appreciatively fulfil my obligations and pass the goodwill on.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Nancy Bell from the Skyeent blog for the nomination. I’ve been following her blog for a few months now and we have had some interesting blogversations about what works and grows in our respective difficult climates. Having visited Scotland recently, and having fallen in love with the place, I quickly realised it is not a place for sissies if you want to grow stuff. I really like the positive way she tackles the challenges living on the far west outpost of that beautiful country. (It’s on my to-visit list.)

Then as per rule 2) clause 1.1.1, I have to answer the following questions:

• What country do you come from?

I was born in South Africa, and lived there most of my adult life. We have now been living happily in Australia for 8+ years

• Why did you start your blog?

One the hand we wanted to share our experiences in striving for a more sustainable life with friends and family world-wide, but I have two alternative motives too. Doing a switch in career to permaculture very late in my working life, I saw a blog as a means of getting more known and established in this field. (There are so many events and workshops to attend, but I cannot see how you can do all that and still keep a place running, sustainably or not! So I “attend” virtually when I have the time.) And who knows, maybe one day the blog can become a small component of a combination of livelihood streams?

• What’s your earliest memory?

My older sister playing teacher, trying to teach me everything she had learnt at pre-primary school. More relevant to my blog, my mother had a beautiful garden – functional, not “garden and home” pretty – and she cultivated in me the love for growing vegetables. My dad had a MASSIVE compost heap; we jumped from the roof into the warm soft “stuff”!

• Who would you most like to meet?

As an hyper-introvert, I prefer doing stuff with people… so maybe a surf session with Kelly Slater in Fiji would go down well. Related to my blog – a workshop or apprenticeship with David Holmgren would be right up there too.

• What plant is your favourite?

Apple tree

• What item (not people or animals) would you rescue first from your home in the case e.g. of fire or flood?

Passport, wallet, phone, camera, bible, guitar, surfboards…. Oh, only one? Photo album(s) if I have time and space.

Then, as per rule 3, paragraph 1, I have to nominate 11 other bloggers. Bloggers or blogs? OK don’t get technical… Now what if you want to nominate the person that nominated you? Is it a circular nomination? Anyway, I have a whole list of blogs I enjoy as well as good individual blog posts on my “great blogs” page. However, I excluded what I call “commercial / business blogs” like farms selling produce through their blogs or “specialist blogs”, like Tony Tomeo and Carolee from herbalblessingblog, even though I enjoy them and find them useful. So, here are the blogs I nominate in no particular order:

Petit paradis blog (https://petitparadis.blog/)

Horses dirt and motherhood (https://horsesdirtandmotherhood.com/)

Growing out of chaos (https://silverbells2012.wordpress.com/)

Off the grid life (https://peperty.wordpress.com/)

Our small urban farm (https://oursmallurbanfarm.com/)

Tenth acre farm (https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/)

The mindful gardener (https://themindfulgardener.blog/)

(It appears from my predecessors in this chain that you may bend the rules somewhat, so I didn’t nominate 11. An 11-wide pyramid scheme grows massive very quickly. Anyone care to share the maths? I repurposed my statistics book ages ago…)

Before you thank me, here are your 11 questions:

• What country do you come from?
• Why do you blog?
• What’s your earliest memory (related to your blog)?
• Who would you most like to meet?
• What plant is your favourite?
• What item (not people or animals) would you rescue first from your home in the case e.g. of fire or flood?
• Are you happy with your life?
• What has been your biggest life lesson / eye opener?
• If you would be an animal or a cartoon character, what or who would it be?
• What’s your favourite holiday destination?

 

About sunshine blogger award

The Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blogging sites.
• Answer the questions.
• Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
• Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.
• List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award logo on your site or on your post.