The first of April is traditionally known as April Fool's Day. This is the day when tricks and practical jokes are played on people. For some reason, this is the date I chose to start my blog, exactly a year ago today. But I'm no fool, blogging has brought me many things, pleasure, enjoyment, knowledge, and not least of all, many new friends. I want to thank everyone who has signed up to become a follower of my blog, those who leave a comment, those who read my blog on a regular basis and come back for more, and those who read occasionally or drop in by accident but linger to read more. Who would have thought a year ago that by now I would have over 50 followers, over 11500 hits, over 900 comments and countless friends?To celebrate my first blog anniversary and to thank everyone for reading, following, commenting, and for their friendship, the wonderful people at Love Thy Space have very generously allowed me to run a competition with one of their super products as a prize.
Love Thy Space sell a whole range of wild birds which are ethically hand crafted in India. Each bird is attached to a garden stake standing approximately 1.2 metres high, and although powder coated to prevent corrosion, they do weather over time adding to the charm of the bird with contrasting rustic tones. These birds retail at £29.50 each.
I am very excited to be able to offer a Kingfisher garden stake as a prize in the competition. All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog telling me which of my posts from the past year is your favourite, and why, and you will be entered in to a random draw. To give everyone a chance to enter, a winner will be selected and announced next weekend. Please note that due to the size of this item, it will not be able to be posted outside of the UK. Therefore, if you are one of my overseas visitors and you would like to enter the competition, please ensure that you have an address in the UK to which the item can be delivered.
I'm sure you'll agree that this is a fantastic prize, so get your comments in and be in with a chance to win it. Don't forget to follow the links to Love Thy Space and check out what other fabulous products they sell.
I hope that you all have a lovely Easter, and that the sun shines for us all.
Oh, that is just beautiful, got to go and look at the website now.
ReplyDeleteI haven't followed your blog for long but really enjoy visiting now. Have looked back over your blog during the time since discovering it, so many great posts - one that I remember as it is something I do a lot of too is your "Making Notes" post from October 09. I'm a great believer in keeping notes of when and how, germination, successes and failures as it helps planning the next seasons growing. I also keep a record of monthly weather records on my notes.
Happy Easter, and thankyou for the opportunity for this giveaway. Now, off to visit Love Thy Space ...
I just wanted to congratulate you on your blogoversary, your blog is a joy to read and always brings a smile to my lips.
ReplyDeleteI'm not that into garden ornaments (even a beautiful one like this) so don't put my name in the hat as I don't want steal someone else's chance.
Enjoy your Easter weekend and I hope to be reading your blog entries for many more years yet.
Well done Jo and thanks for the generous offer. I've only recently discovered your blog but I particulary liked the 'under starters orders' post, recycling the toilet roll inners. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first blogoversary! As I’m outside UK, so I’m not entering this competition. :-(
ReplyDeleteI love the prize and I’m sure that who ever wins, they will be very happy!
Many congratulations on your blog anniversary Jo. It's always such a joy to visit you, your knowledge and tips have been (and will continue to be) invaluable to me. I enjoy every single one of your posts but if I HAVE to choose just one, then it would have to be the first post that I left a comment on which is, I think, 'Rudbeckia' on 26 July 2009. I'm so glad we found each other!
ReplyDeleteOh, and this giveaway is super generous. Off to visit Love Thy Space ...
Have a great Easter weekend Jo.
Jeanne xx
oh yes pleasey, please enter me in to your fab competition. That kingfisher is just gorgeous and I have a thing about birds at the moment so you would be helping me with my addiction lol. Thanks for making me feel so welcome in blogland by the way :-)
ReplyDeleteI like to congratulate you Jo, for making it through with Blogging that lasts a year. You have painted beautiful colours in your writings and comments all over. Well done! ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteHappy First Blogiversary Jo.
ReplyDeleteIt is always a pleasure to come by and visit.
And what a wonderful gift to give to one of your readers. I can just see it in my tiny garden plot.
Enjoy your Easter weekend.
What a generous prize, please put my name in the hat. I like all of your posts but I especially loved 'Under Starters Order's' because the idea of using the toilet roll by cutting the bottom is such a neat idea. I too normally put paper at the bottom! Take care and have a lovely Easter weekend and hope the weather is good to you for gardening and if not you can sit inside and eat your Easter eggs. Amanda x
ReplyDeleteThese look lovely! I'm not competing, but best wishes for the next year of your blog.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I have visited your blog, so don't put me in for your competition. None the less, I'll stay long enough to say Happy Blogaversary and agree that blogging is fun and worth celebrating.
ReplyDeleteEsther
Congratulations on your anniversary. I love reading everybody's veggie blogs and find that I learn so much for my new allotment. I also like looking back at previous years to find out when others planted what and how they progressed through the year. Also you get real light bulb moments and your post about parsnips was definitely one of those for me. I will be trying it our this weekend. Keep up the good work. Steve
ReplyDeleteCaro seems to be having problems posting her comments, so I will post the email I had from her on her behalf:-
ReplyDeleteHi Jo,
I wanted to comment on your latest posting - firstly to wish your blog a happy birthday but also to thank you for leaving a comment on my Prospect Cottage post. I've tried three times now and each time my comments have disappeared. Twice I signed in under my google account and the last time as name/URL … but nothing! So I apologise if you've had three identical comments from me. If not, I hope that the glitch is at my end and not with your comment form.
(For the record, my favourite posts (yes it would have to be three) would be 'Aubergine Flower' and Rudbeckia in June and July of last year for the stunning photos and 'Bombus Lapidarius' because I love bees.)
Congratulations on reaching your first annual milestone. I look forward to reading your postings for a good while longer!
Congratulations Jo on your first year. And what a great prize for one of your readers. Here's to the next year!
ReplyDeleteJo, you're indifatigi.... indefata.... TIRELESS!
ReplyDeleteJo, I wish you Many Happy Returns! YOU should be the one receiving gifts, but how lovely that you are giving, instead. It was hard to pick a favorite, but for me I think it has to be the darling photo of you with your Dad taken on the Yorkshire Dales. Although I don't live in England, my Mum - who does - would love it, and I get to visit her twice a year. Looking forward to your posts for years to come. Pamela x
ReplyDeleteHi Jo...congrats on reaching a year!!
ReplyDeleteI have been going back through your post trying to pick my favourite and it is so hard because each post is unique and all have different information.
In the end I picked the 'Hooligans at Halloween' post. Firstly for the title which got me immediately worried for your allotment...secondly for the photos of the fantastic jack-o-lanterns and thirdly for the fact that I never knew a hooligan was a veg so i got to learn a lot from this post. so glad you decided to write a blog...your writing style is a pleasure to read and I have picked up plenty of tips for myself too!!
Happy blog anniversary! That's a wonderful kingfisher garden stake but since I don't have a garden to put it in if I win please don't enter me in the draw. I'm sure that it will go to a good home with whoever does win it.
ReplyDeleteAs for choosing a favourite post I've had a look back and really do find it impossible to choose one as there are so many that I could nominate!
Have a good Easter! Flighty xx
Happy Anniversary, may it be the first of many xxx
ReplyDeleteThe kingfisher is so pretty, and happy one year! It has been lovely reading about what you are doing but I think what I have found most interesting is the posts about Christmas Potatoes, it was one of these that I found the first time I visited your blog and the reason I came back.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely comments you have left on my blog also, it is always nice to know that someone out there is reading it. Here's to another year of writing for both of us!
Poppy xx
Congratulations on reaching the one year mark. It persistence to stick with blogging as there is often not enough time and sometimes either not enough to say or occasionally too much. Please can you put my name into the hat as well. I would love this for my garden. I'm not sure what the chickens would make of it though!
ReplyDeleteOops, sorry didn't read the instructions properly! I particularly like your "Spring is here" from March as it reflects the gardener's anticipation for the growing season ahead. I also love rhubarb, but unfortunately my family doesn't!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Jo, your blog is great and you must be so proud of it. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Jo, I don't really have a favourite post as I've only just found you. I do like to read what your doing on the plot though. And I'd Love, Love, Love that garden ornament, you've just found my Mum's birthday present for me, thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteHi JO
ReplyDeleteI would love to win your prize. I have only been reading you for a few weeks so my favourite post is the one were you won the gorgeous gauntlets because they give gardening a bit of glamour!
Claire x
PS Thanks for all your encouraging comments on my blog too. It's lovely to know people are looking in.
Hope you enjoy your next year of blogging as much as this one. Happy blog birthday!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Jo. As a fellow blogger l know its not easy keeping up to date with everything but you do an excellent job. Thanks for your kind comments on mine and keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely treat and I hope I win! Am going to add you to my blogroll today - hope that's OK. Just had a little downpour so no digging for me this afternoon....
ReplyDeleteLate in arriving but many congratulations on your first anniversary Jo and here's to many more of them! Very difficult to pick a favorite post but I loved 'Hooligans at Halloween' - both the title and the subject matter - it made me smile :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone, for your good wishes. Thanks too, to Esther and Thatcham_Veg for visiting my blog. I've really enjoyed reading all your comments and seeing which posts have been favourites. I've really enjoyed my year of blogging, and hope that you will all continue to visit my blog.
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