Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Oh my goodness ...



I am, as a close friend of mine would say, gobstruck. Now I know what they feel like on Oscar night. You know, they're sat there at their tables trying to look as if they're really enjoying themselves while someone a lot more famous jokes around and fumbles with the envelope. Smiles are fixed on with Bostik and they're all ready to applaud and make gracious comments when they lose. And then come the words And the winner is ... and suddenly they're up on the stage looking dazed and stuttering out something about being sure they'd lose and not having even thought about an acceptance speech.

No, I've never believed it either, but in this case it's true. When The Balcony Garden was nominated for Best Container Gardening Blog in the Blotanical awards, I looked at the competition and thought Well, you can forget about that then .... I knew three of the other blogs nominated well - Soliloquy, Flowergardengirl, and Plants are the Strangest People - and when I toddled over to have a look at the fourth - Garden Geek - the depression just deepened.

I was sure I knew the order we'd all come in. I'd even got this post mentally written out, congratulating the winner, talking about how chuffed I was even to get into the final five and thanking the people who did vote for me.

But that's where I don't have to change anything in the planned post. Because I was over the moon to think that enough people liked the BG enough to get me into the final five, and I do want to say a huge thank you to all of you who voted the blog into first place - OK, OK and even to those who just thought about voting for me, Mania.

Because, for all the categories, voting was enormously difficult. Time after time there were at least two blogs nominated which I thought were equally good. How do you choose ? I tied myself in knots trying to be fair, looking carefully at all the blogs in the categories I was voting for and mentally awarding points for all sorts of things to see who came out top. And I'm still not sure that I got it right.

As for the winners - well, all of them are obviously excellent blogs and well deserving. And in general, a blog which I thought missed out in one category won in another. But there are a few results which, personally, I found surprising - blogs which I thought would walk away with an award but "only" came third or fourth. "Only". It's a word which doesn't make sense given just how strong the competition was in many of the categories. And as I said, it was certainly true in mine. So if you've never come across any of the other four blogs which were nominated, do yourself a favour and go visit them. But only, of course, if you promise not to vote for them next year :)


29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Huge congratulations on your Container Garden award, Sue -- truly well deserved! :)

Urban Green said...

Congratulations!!! You deserved the win...

Unknown said...

Congratulations Sue!! I voted for you:-)

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Big congratulations to you Sue. I have enjoyed reading your postings.

Carrie said...

congratulations, you and your balcony must be very proud x

Karen - An Artist's Garden said...

Well done Sue - I am delighted for you - it is well deserved.
K

Anna/Flowergardengirl said...

Awww, big hugs to ya and I'm glad you won! I love the others too you know so it was a tough choice. We should go on a roadshow and dazzle folks with our containers. We need a sponsor. It would be fun cause we all admire each other. It's just plain wonderful to be at blotanical--I'm so happy for you. I think you very much deserve this.

Anonymous said...

Opps---that's me at flowergardengirl.wordpress. My blogger blog isn't active.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Sue -- I am so thrilled for you!

wiseacre said...

Congratulations

I promise

Charlotte Weychan said...

Well done Sue - we all love your blog and you deserve the award. Carry on with all those wonderful posts!!

Victoria Summerley said...

Sue, I'm so pleased for you I'm absolutely squeaking with delight. Well done!

Helen/patientgardener said...

Congrats on your win. You had my vote. I am always surprised at how much you grow on your balcony

Jan said...

Very well done!

Shady Gardener said...

Congratulations to you, Congratulations to you, Congratulations on your Blotanical award..... ;-) Yea!

Chloe m said...

Congratulations! Great competition going on here at blotanical.
Rosey

mr_subjunctive said...

Congratulations. And such a gracious winner, too!

PJ said...

Congratulations!!!!!!! :) Told you that you were a winner.

RURAL said...

Congrats, an well deserved win.

Jen

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Good job, Sue! Congratulations and the best wishes to you and yours!

Unknown said...

Congratulations Sue! Richly deserved :-)

Pam's English Garden said...

Congratulations!! Well deserved.

Jan said...

Congratulations Sue! You've always had an interesting blog, centered around your trials and tribulations gardening in containers on your balcony. What's more, you are always friendly to everyone--and it's much appreciated (by me)! You are very deserving of this;-)

VP said...

Congratulations Sue. A year late in coming in my view, but I'm glad to see you heading the poll this time around :)

Autumn Belle said...

Sue, Congratulations! Look at the number of fans you have. See, you have so many messages already. Keep up the good work and Cheers!

Green thumb said...

Congratulations! Whenever there are nominations for an award then almost always there is a very thin difference between the winner and other nominees. I am sure all the nominated blogs are excellent but you are the Winner! so raise a toast and enjoy because people who vote, know the best.

Anonymous said...

I had a very bad day today but after reading this post, I am refresh.

Huge congratulations. You deserved it.

Btw, I am stunned to see my name there :D

Yan said...

Late, but wanted to add my two penn'orth of congratulations. Voting with either head or heart, you got my vote.

Kylee Baumle said...

Sue, congratulations on your Blotanical win! You're modest, but the people have spoken. :-)

I enjoyed your photos of the Alps, too. I've visited them twice in my life, but have never seen them from that perspective. GORGEOUS!!

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