The Versatile Blogger Award

Recently, Jacqui of The French Village Diaries nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award! I’m pleased as punch as my blog is so new – to be honest it’s a surprise to know that peeps are reading and enjoying it! So – many thanks, Jacqui (you’ll be having second thoughts when I bring my hiking mischief to France this summer…) :-)

The Versatile Blogger Award is a great way for bloggers to introduce different bloggers to each other and also to promote quality blogs that the awardees and their followers might not otherwise discover. (Note from Karen: Although I enjoy lots of well-established blogs with large readerships, I have tried in this instance to choose my 15 blogs with the above thought firmly in mind).

The rules of the award are quite simple:

Thank the person who gave you this award.Include a link to their blog. Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs. (Note from Karen: I informed my chosen bloggers in various ways). Include this set of rules in your post.

Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

My 15 nominated blogs (in no particular order) are:

Tout Sweet
This French Life
Blog in France
A Little Drop of Cognac
Chez Lou Lou
See My Travels
Stewart Smith Photography
Walk 2012
Sarahsomewhere
Hillplodder
Butterflyist
Cumbrian Rambler
Heelwalker1
Dean Read dot net
Chronicles of Chloe Greene

Do pay them a visit – some are informative or inspirational, some humorous and others showcase some great photos. At first I thought it might take me a while to come up with 15 blogs but at least 20 blogs rolled off my pen effortlessly; there are obviously some great blogs out there. Either that or I spend far too much time online reading blogs when I should be working!

The last request of this Versatile Blogger Award is for me to reveal 7 things about myself. Here we go… If I get arrested afterwards will you all vouch for me…?

1. I never wear black. Don’t get the obsession – it’s such a draining colour! What’s wrong with charcoal, aubergine, olive or chocolate? Still hides those naughty excess pounds but much more flattering.

2. I once took the controls of a jumbo jet in the air. I loved it, passengers noticeably queasy. Told you I’d get arrested.

3. I love pastry. Cornish pasties, pork pies, sweet pastries, doughnuts…really must stop..

4. I don’t watch TV – not a big reveal I know but it is rare! Not that I’m against the box – I’ve just got too many other things I’d rather do instead!

5. I really love hiking. Funnily enough I love driving too which may seem odd! I’ve driven over a lot of UK and France on my lonesome. Now that’s a story for another day…

6. I have 3 kids (I say kids, they’re all taller..and smarter..than me)

7. I have moved house (and area) so many times that I’m told I now have a hotchpotch of an accent. Have a listen for yourself…

listen to ‘Ladyhiker – the first boo’ on Audioboo

http://nodamnblog.wordpress.com/ Merewoman

Congratulations! Very well deserved. I’m surprised it took so long.
- karenguttridge
  
  What a lovely comment – thank you. I may make a blogger of myself after all.. Ha!
Nicky

Who has said you have a “hotchpotch of an accent”? I’ve never heard anyone say that about you…!
- karenguttridge
  
  It was after I did the BBC Radio thing – bit of a mini debate on my origins..! Mix of north and south
Karenwheeler

Hi Karen,

As a fellow hiker and pastry lover, thanks for the nomination.

Karen x
- karenguttridge
  
  Hi Karen
  
  Please assure Biff that if he’d had his own blog, I’d have nominated him too!
  
  Karen x
http://www.deanread.net Dean Read

Thanks Karen, I better get racking my brains and think of my 15 now not until I’ve visited all your nominations first though.
- karenguttridge
  
  There are some great blogs around – it’s hard to choose! But I do enjoy yours
  - http://www.deanread.net Dean Read
    
    Thanks again Karen, need to do a little tweaking over on my blog but it’s nice to know folk do read it.
    I’ve been very jealous of your pictures this week
http://butterflyist.com/ Andrea – Butterflyist

I don’t watch TV either! Well, not apart from Come Dine With Me And I watch Desperate Housewives on 4oD (so highbrow). Thank you for the nomination though – am honoured!
- karenguttridge
  
  Haha yes Desperate Housewives was a bit of a wrench but once I recognised too much of myself in there it had to go! Love your blog – and the inspirational thoughts behind it
@Heelwalker1

Thanks Karen! Several of those will feature in my top 15! Sounds like a fab award
Tanya @heelwalker1 x
- karenguttridge
  
  I think it’s a great idea because how else can you find all these great blogs springing up everywhere? Once they’re well established & well known it’s different – easier to get noticed!
http://twitter.com/chloegreene21 Chloe Greene

Ahh warm thanks to you Karen for including me in this. I will ponder carefully my 15 blogs.
And I’m so with you on the wearing black issue. I think we should all wear more colour. You walk down the street and there is so much black, navy and grey. Drab! Now I always make a point of having a red coat to wear in the winter as it cheers me up.

I look forward to checking out the 14 other blogs you have selected.

Thanks again.
Sarah Somewhere

Thank you for the honour! I’ve enjoyed discovering some of the other blogs as well as your own.
It’s such a gift to be able to connect with so many people who are living inspired, creative lives of their choosing. Thanks again Karen!
- karenguttridge
  
  Love following your adventures Sarah (fab pics too!). I’ll be hot on your heels soon – can never quell the wanderlust
http://twitter.com/llamamum Steph J Dagg

Thank you for the award! Delighted to have discovered your blog and looking forward to following your adventures.