Puckerbrush Blog Award for Excellence

Everything I need to know about blogging I learned from Thomas MacEntee, my Mentor at Facebook Bootcamp for Genea-Bloggers. And today I learned that there's no end to his giving. I was one of those chosen by him to receive "The Janice Brown Puckerbrush Blog Award for Excellence".

I borrow his explanation of the award, its origin, and purpose: The award was created in honor of genealogy blogger Janice Brown by Terry Thornton, author of "Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi", who explained that "Janice told us all about the word 'puckerbrush' in an article she posted August 27, 2007 at "Cow Hampshire". Terry elaborated a bit further in a comment: 'On any land allowed to go fallow and left untended, a wild assortment of wild plants grow – in some areas, this wild growth results in such a thicket of plants that it is almost impossible to push your way through the growth.So it is with the growth of blogs --- so many that it is impossible to read them all. But in the puckerbrush eventually a few plants/trees become dominant and influence all who view them through the thick surrounding puckerbrush.And it is those outstanding blogs whose influence spreads beyond just the surrounding rabble of puckerbrush that I'm honoring.' Terry issued this challenge: Henceforth these awards will be called the Janice Brown Puckerbrush Blog Award for Excellence. All blog authors are hereby challenged to name the ten blogs which have influenced their writing the most and list them as a tribute to Janice --- the Janice Brown Puckerbrush Blog Awards for Excellence.

I'm deeply humbled and honored that Thomas thought of me as a recipient when awarding this to the 10 bloggers who have influenced him in some way. My blog is not instructional, not educational, nor professional. I share bits and pieces of my discoveries, my family treasures, and impressions as I journey down this path of discovery into the lives of those in my family who have gone before me and left their legacy to me. My life has been so richly blessed along the way by literally hundreds of others who have generously helped, shared, taught, encouraged, and instructed me. Last Fall (Sept. 2008) when I impulsively created my blog, I was hungry for help, for instruction and encouragement. I found all that when I discovered Thomas MacEntee on Facebook and learned of his BOOTCAMP! It's true that everything I learned about blogging, I learned from Thomas. Thank you very much, Thomas!

Now for the privilege of passing this on to 10 bloggers who have influenced me, whose blogs I read faithfully and diligently and by whom I've been taught, inspired or simply delighted along the way.

1. Lorine at Olive Tree Genealogy Blog

2. Delia at Delia's Genealogy Blog

3. Terry at Desktop Genealogist Unplugged

4. Harriett at Genealogy Fun

5. Judith at Genealogy Traces

6. Gini at Ginisology

7. Kate at Genealogy Bug

8. Pam at Taylorstales-Genealogy

9. Cheryl at Heritage Happens

10. Greta at Greta's Genealogy Bog

Each of these women have supported me and helped me to feel that what I've posted has been worthwhile. I'm anxious to pass this award on to each of these friends and then see who they, in turn, will honor.