Last Saturday, Nina from Nature Remains gave me an award and it truly did make my day. 
If you haven’t checked out Nina’s blog, I nudge you in that direction. It is well worth a visit.
There are many bloggers that make my day regularly and certainly deserve this award. I would give all of my daily blog reads this award, but today I was thinking of my blogging friends from the northern regions of Canada.
While we southern Canadians do our share of complaining about the winter weather, it is nothing in comparison to what the gardeners who live in the north of our country endure. Yet each of them spends far more time documenting the sheer beauty of their landscapes than they do griping about the hardships of long, cold winters.
Gardenista, of Northern Exposure Gardening lives in Saskatchewan too, but far north of me. I am in awe of her ability to garden in zone one and grow an incredible garden. Checking out her blog is always a treat. Gardenista starts an array of interesting plants and has some cool orchids that I like seeing on her blog.
Granny Fiddler, of Granny Fiddler – North of Sanity, is another fiddle-playing gardener. She always cheers me with her posts and her humour. With her new camera, I am expecting more photographs of the incredible sunrises over northern Alberta. Granny Fiddler also participates in The Created Wor(l)d, a collective writing blog I also belong to.
Diane, of Alberta Postcards – Conspire to Inspire, writes posts on a variety of subjects, many of which highlight the beauty of her northern Albertan neighbourhood. Her photographs are well worth taking a look at. Diane recently returned from a trip to Victoria, British Columbia, and has some good photographs on her blog about her travels.
Cicero Sings also lives far north and west of me, in Cariboo country. Cicero blogs daily and documents much of the natural world around her. Her photographs show the grandeur of the Canadian north and make me wish that I could take a walk in her neck of the woods too. Cicero and I are part of the Sit-Spot Challenge, which has been more of a challenge than I realised. Check it out here.
Have a good weekend, everyone. I’m planning to knit, melt some beeswax and work on a short story. I’ll get back to blog reading next week … see you then!
in the autumn light 
You make my day too. ((((Hugs))))
I always love to find a post by you Kate. You make my day too.
Kate,Thanks for the encouragement! It’s going to be tough for the next few months…to watch my snow while all the other garden bloggers post new blooms outdoors! Oh well. It will give me time to get a new camera – if RLM agrees that I really MUST HAVE a digital SLR…
wow! i’m blushing. and humbled, having followed the links to only a few of your many blogging neighbors, Kate. there are some really fine gardens on your ‘street’, and terrific writers, photographers. i know its not supposed to be a contest, but i don’t feel like i look very good by comparison to some of them. i often stop by your place over my morning coffee break @ work, and you definitely make my day, dear lady. keep up the great work! and now that the play has opened, and my job as musical director for it has finished, i’m hoping to have some time to contribute to The Created Wor(l)d.
Kate, now I have more wonderful blogs to visit.It’s been a pleasure knowing you. You deserve a “You Make My Day Award”. I always admire your honest self, and your passions. Also, I admire your patience with winter…
Belated happy blog anniversary, Kate…I missed reading that post because the last time I ran Sage (my feed reader) it didn’t pick it up! But with all those comments, I thought I’d just leave my congrats and best wishes here, and tell you that I enjoyed both this and the post on a year of Kate Smudges…and here’s to many many more years of blogging joy!
Thank you for sharing those blogs with us…..I knew there were more Canadian gardener’s out there.You make my day too!!
Oh that really was thoughtful of the giver and reciever to respond as you both did. You seem like such a gracious person. It reminds me to be more appreciative and not be a complainer about my garden aggravations. There are those in the North with much less growing time to work out their frustrations! lol
there is something for you on my blog kate, and i promise that there is more to come…
Kate, thanks for being a role model of kindness personified. And thanks for sending us to others so that we may appreciate them also.Frances at Faire Garden
Congrats on your well deserved award Kate.. love reading your posts and well done on reaching your blogiversary! Gx
Congratulations! Thanks for posting about some new blogs to check out. Enjoy your time away from the computer!Aiyana
Mmmmm…. beeswax…. Your house is gonna smell so good! 🙂
Hi Kate, congratulations!What an excellent idea to tell us from the blogs in the North. Have a great Sunday.Wurzerl
Have a good writing, knitting, sitting weekend, Kate!See you next week…
Thank you for listing more lovely blogs for me to read. I’ve linked your site to mine, btw. Very nice. You’ve made my day, too. :-)Cheers!Dawn
Congrats Kate on the award. More great gardening blogs too read too!
Kate, Thanks for stopping by our site yesterday and leaving us that nice comment. I enjoyed reading your blog. You’re a talented writer.
Thank you for all your comments on this post. I enjoy reading all of your blogs too!
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Kate.
I love your blog too Kate, I hope you know that I visit often even when I don’t comment. You get SO many comments that I think mine just would get lost.I am dreaming of spring, garden plants, mulch and wet earth.It’s nice to get a warm fuzzy for your blog, isn’t it??