Main
Leave a CommentShare: |
Subscribe
Completely gratuitous picture of Annabelle.
(Thank you to Donna, who played with my photo of Annabelle to create this fun lamb-in-the-sky version.)
Yesterday, I did not win an award. However, I did win, in fact, we won, six weeks ago when this blog was named a finalist for Best-Kept Secret in the 2009 Bloggies, when a little blog about a little farm in (of all places) West Virginia made it to the stage where such blogs are usually overlooked.
The first time I had a manuscript make it past the first-round editor and up to a senior editor for consideration to publish, that book was ultimately rejected. I didn’t know at the time that soon enough I would sell over two dozen books. At the time, I thought that might be the highlight of my career. I almost sold a book! I told my (then) husband, “We have to celebrate!” I insisted he take me out to eat and I drank wine and we toasted the peak of my literary career.
I don’t know if I’ll ever win a Bloggie. This might be the peak of my blogging career. There were probably a lot of high-powered people in internet-land scratching their heads at the finalist list six weeks ago, wondering how the heck this blog got there, but I know. You made it happen. You let me be a voice on that stage for all the real blogs about real people and real farms, people with no money and no connections, just heart and hard work, and dirty work at that. Thank you soooo much! Scratch their heads they might, but we were noticed. Congratulations to all the blogs that did win yesterday–and congrats to us, because we won, too. Look what we did.
Let’s celebrate! (Who wants to take me out to dinner?)
3:35
am
3:59
am
You’ll get them next year. And we’ll all be here to celebrate it with you. Thank you for sharing your wonderful stories and life with us!
4:42
am
Sometimes the best is overlooked and this time I am sure of it. How close are you to Princeton, WV? I will be “home” in a few weeks to visit and I would gladly tqke you out to celebrate how happy your blog has made me.
Cece
4:57
am
If we were closer I would take you out to dinner. Any excuse for dinner is a win for me. lol. Keep blogging there is always next year. For us that follow your blog you are a winner to us.
5:04
am
And Annabelle jumped over the moon!
I would love to buy you dinner and a shot of vodka (I could use on of the weak bottles of vanilla you showed me how to make — you know if you open it before vanilla stage, it’s better than Smirnoff’s Vanilla Vodka? – yep tried it!)
Think of all the added readers that came here just from the nominations!! And many of them have joined the forum giving even more ideas and opinions on questions and projects everyone has! You had to upgrade servers just to accommodate all of us!!
Even if you didn’t win officially I believe you won…..after all, you have all of us!!
5:36
am
Well, in the meanwhile please know that there are legions of folks who enjoy reading your blog every day, awards or no-awards!
5:52
am
You are the winner to us SUE!!! Thanks for all you do to keep us involved in your life! LOVE YA!!
6:38
am
Shoo, we are the winners hand’s down! I thank you again for sharing your life with us.
You are welcome to come to dinner here! The Grandgirlies are spending their Spring Break with us, and we are having a high old time cooking and playing.
6:39
am
As everyone has already pointed out this morning – you DID win! Your blog is fabulous and real. I love it, and you are my second stop every morning (sorry, but my daughter’s blog is first!) We all love you!
Annabelle just doesn’t realize how famous she has become. What a little beauty, even in the sky! Get that girl a tiara – “Annabelle in the sky with diamonds!” And I giggled over the farm picture – but the sheep actually looks quite calm.
6:51
am
You’re a winner to me;)
6:52
am
7:02
am
You need to stay under wraps so that you can sweep the award next year!
Love the photo of Annabelle. You need to make a poster.
– Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
7:44
am
You have more followers on Facebook than PW- and all of your readers love you and are loyal to your blog- so if the bloggies awards are blind to the beauty of down home on the farm in WV- we aren’t!
I’m not coming to WV anytime soon, or I’d take you out to dinner- but it sure looks like you have a lot of legitimate offers you should take into consideration!
Better luck next year, Suzanne!
7:49
am
I’m with Kathy and Bee you are a winner and we are the big winners for having you. You have given us so much and continue to share your life with us. You have given us many new friends and a happy place to hang out in such bad times. Proving that we can make it through and have a good time in the process. I love your blog and can not imagine a day without it. No matter what is going on in my life at the time your blog always makes it better and no matter what is going on in yours you still think of us. Thank you for all you do. I wish that someday I too can take you to dinner.
8:25
am
I can’t afford to take you out to dinner, but my step-dad makes a mean homemade wine.
8:42
am
If you would EVER come to Iowa we could have dinner and wine. Not necessarily in that order.
In glancing at some of the winners and contestants in many of the Blog categories, I am fervently glad that I do not read the majority of them – lots of sarcasm and trash talk. I really enjoy your blog and a few others of QUALITY (Bakerella, Pioneer Woman); maybe because I can relate to the farm/food thing so well! Keep up the good work and keep trying to give manners to that Clover. 8-)
8:46
am
I BEG TO DIFFER…WE didn’t ‘make it happen’…YOU ‘made it happen’ FOR US!!! You are living the dream that so many of us have and we are living vicarously through you.
So keep ’em coming!!!! You win OUR award and THAT’S what’s important! 
By-the-way, the pic of the flying lamb is adorable!
Blessings from Ohio…
8:50
am
I enjoy reading your blog every morning. I look forward to your photos every day. I read your recipes, and drool, but have never try any of them. Yet. (I fear I gain poundage just looking at them.)
Thanks for being here.
8:52
am
Echoing what a others have said, You are a winner!!
I’ve just been so pleased to have discovered this blog because of that contest.
I’ll pop open a bottle of cyber champagne for all of us.
8:55
am
My name is Susan, and I’m a Chickens in the road addict.
I’m not sure how anyone could read your blog, and NOT think it was the best, but clearly, they missed something!
If you ever make it to CA, I’ll take you out to dinner.
8:59
am
It is so wonderful that you take the time you do and spend the money that you spend to make so many people happy everyday. It is VERY much appreciated. This is my first stop everyday and just reading about your life has taught me so much and gotten me through some rough times with sanity intact. (somewhat) lol
Your “family” is our family. Such a good feeling.
Happy St. Patty’s to all! Especially my grandaughter who is 100% Irish!!! Love you Audriana
9:12
am
I MIGHT BE THE LEAST LIKELY READER. I’LL SOON BE 75,A RETIRED PASTOR, AND DISABLED. YOURS IS THE FIRST BLOG I LOOK AT EACH DAY.
THE PHOTOS AND THE STORIES ARE INSPIRING. MY DAUGHTER AND HER DAUGHTER ARE NOW READERS AND HAVE PREPARED A NUMBER OF YOUR RECIPES. SHE BROUGHT ONE OVER THE OTHER DAY; PEPPERONI ROLLS. WOW!
9:43
am
Well, you may not have won the Bloggies.
But you’re sure a hit with all of us!
We are just a different kind of people. The ones in love with the simple things in life.
Love the aeronotic lamb pic. Great job, Donna!
I’d be glad to take you out to dinner, but since my recent employment lay-off, I can’t even take myself out to dinner.
But if I ever get a job and get back to WV, it’ll be a celebration!!
9:44
am
You are a winner…that is why we all come here. We all love you, that is evident in the amount of readers you have. I for one will keep coming back and keep voting for you when the time comes around again!
9:56
am
I love the picture of Annabelle! Such joy and happiness. Speaking of joy and happiness, your blog is the absolute winner in those categories. You are my second stop of the day (my daughter’s blog is first.) I once had a small farm in WV,too and I went through the same learning curve you’re going through but you are able to write about it so beautifully. You fill my heart every morning with your love of life and chickens, goats, sheep and children. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
10:26
am
ANY reader of this blog is a winner!! Couldn’t go a day without you..
11:08
am
You won in my heart long before I first attempted to make my pitiful excuse for Grandmother bread:-) This is my last stop of the day and it really does make my day….like saving the icing for last, I save this blog for last as it is indeed my favorite. Thanks for all you do for us!
11:19
am
Not to be redundant but with this blog, everyone is a winner! You share your life with us, we give you some feedback and enjoy all the stories, the photos and recipes of this wonderful best kept secret blog. Word of mouth and mentions in the news is working. You might get some new regular readers from the Bloggies finalist list. CONGRATS to you Suzanne! And hugs to Annabelle and all the other critters… no Clover, Giant Puppy, Dukie, Honey, Nutmeg, Sparticus and all the rest… we love you!!! And the humans too. We haven’t heard much about your guy lately… I hope he’s still enamored with you and your farm. He’s a good farm hand to help you out so much. Also love to GEORGIA, how is she? You need to write one blog a week or so about the humans! They get left out.
11:21
am
PS. I will gladly take you and anyone with you to dinner if you happen to pass through the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I now work in Dallas downtown… NEW JOB yeah!!! Woo hoo!
11:32
am
What would your prefer? Chinese,Mexician,Italian,Greek,Steak? Now look what you did…made me hungry,ha,ha!You are a WINNER in our eyes,Suzanne!!!
12:05
pm
Happy St. Pat’s Day! And what a day….little Annabell jumping thru the clouds!
As for the Bloggies….you are the only one “keeping it real” and we love you for it. Visiting you is next to being there. We’ve come to know you and your loved ones (including your “pets”, I just can’t bring myself to calling them animals, lol). You’ve shown us what your farm means to you and we, in turn, get to enjoy that. You’ve shown us the hard times and hard work which inspires each of us. You give us the courage to try new things only because you show us how easy it really is. Only you could do all that.
Thanks so much, with all our hearts, for sharing your life.
God bless.
12:33
pm
Award or no award, we’ll all be hanging around reading your farm tales. We don’t need an award to let us know about the great time we have following your farm adventures! And I’ll bet your making it to the finals introduced others to the blog we already loved.
~Jenny~
12:37
pm
Hi Suzanne:
While it may have been a disappointment not winning, I think you have the right attitude. You’ve been writing about the seasons…trying to rush Spring and remember what happened?
So, I say to you: Go listen to The Byrds. The singers. The oldy and moldy, Turn Turn Turn.
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
I read you everyday…and I don’t say that to ANY other writer!
Hugs from Wisconsin. (I have a thing for sheep, too. That’s how I found you. My niece got a flock of sheep last year and just called last week that her 20 ewes were ultrasounded and she is expecting 44 babies! Whoopeee. Some twins and 2 sets of triplets!! and I am going to buy one…and keep it on her farm 2 hours from Milwaukee. I get to have my very own Annabelle. sigh. Life is good. Soooo Goood.)
Peace to you.
12:55
pm
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Suzanne! You should come out and celebrate with a Celtic band (ACC) tonight. (Downtown C at CR Coffee house) Here’s their website: http://www.acelticconsort.com/
Celebrate, and celebrate some more! Have fun whatever you decide to do! Kaye
12:58
pm
1:51
pm
You are our winner and that’s what counts!
2:15
pm
You’re a winner in my book, Suzanne!
2:21
pm
That picture is too adorable!
2:26
pm
Well, yes, I’d love to take you to dinner. Split a bottle of wine. Talk knitting and spinning. I think it’s a huge deal even be a finalist in the bloggies. You did good, woman!
2:54
pm
Congratulations to the little blog that could!
4:25
pm
Now I’ve heard the saying when pigs fly, but lambs?
Would make a lovely Easter card that one. She’s a little treasure.
4:53
pm
5:28
pm
{{{{{{{{{{{Suzanne & Family…including all the critters}}}}}}}}} I stop by for a little ‘Chickens in the Road’ pick-me-up every morning. Your pictures, recipes and stories are a wonderful way to start the day. And I’m SOOOOO glad you liked my Photoshopped version of Annabelle flying. I had so much fun playing with that photo. It just called me to play with it, and make Annabelle soar through the clouds.
P.S. You are a winner! You’ve made so many people smile and laugh on your journey from the Slanted Little House to your animal filled Farm House….that makes you a winner in my book.
5:43
pm
7:05
pm
Congrats on being a finalist! I was pulling for you. I love your blog! If you are ever in Kingsport, TN or I am ever in your neck of the woods, dinner is on me.
7:24
pm
been searching for fellow west virginia blogs for some time now…yours is really awesome! i am also very glad you allow access to other blogs who comment; some of those blogs are really well designed. such talent out there! it is very inspiring to me!
7:45
pm
Congratulations on your nomination! I voted for you, just so you know, and was really disappointed that you didn’t win an award. Your blog is delightful and you are an extraordinary person. Blessings to you!
Lacy Razor
8:01
pm
Oh heck, what do they know anyway! I LOVE reading your blog every day. Thanks for so much entertainment!
8:50
pm
Award or no reward, we adore you Suzanne and this site is just so wonderful to come back to every day. you do a wonderful wonderful job, here’s to you as I raise my glass of Crystal Lite!
7:46
am
I love your blog. I voted for you.
I always feel better after checking Chickens in the Road.
Please know that as soon as our home sells I will send you money for that celebration dinner.
The economy is rotten but the blessings of God are good.
Thank you for bringing joy to my day.