The Thoughtful Blogger

Some days ago I was notified by two fellow bloggers that I had been included among their picks for the Thinking Blogger Award. I so appreciate this inclusion and take my turn in paying forward to five places I visit that also inspire me.

Though Bonnie has already been tagged (as she is one of those who tagged me), I cannot help but put her at the top of my list of thoughtful bloggers. Her posts at Macro Moments are always inspiring and uplifting, leaving me feeling refreshed and renewed. Her recent addition includes Photo Buffet which is a beautiful palette of her nature photography which I find breathtaking. She has become a personal friend as well, helping me when I have questions and encouraging me in my writing. When someone transcends the written word and enters our hearts, we know we have met someone special. Bonnie is such a person.

Melange is a place where I find a canvas of words and pictures that tell a story. Perusing through her posts is like seeing part of myself and things yet to be. I love her optimism and look on life and the touching photographs and words about her lovely daughter, Nyssa. I never know what I'm going to find when I open her blog, and am never disappointed. When I am feeling a little out of sorts, this is where I go to feel right again. (Though I was also tagged by this blogger, there is no way I couldn't include her in my own).

There are many poignant stories shared at Networkchic's blog. She is intelligent, loving, guarded, seeking. Living in Chicago with her beautiful family, she weaves her writing around past hurts and future hopes. She writes with such grace and depth and in a manner that I could never imitate as it is solely her own. Her words are honest and poetic and she always makes me think and be thankful for my blessings.She is a woman of great strength and conviction and though her life - past and present - seems very far from my own, I think that if we were ever to meet we would find a common thread that would bond us for life.

The Farmers Wife comes from rural Illinois where she posts photographs of the history of her community. I find her blog so fascinating because she has captured my own backyard and put it into a format that makes me see if from a different perspective. Looking at her pictures and reading her writing reminds me of my past as a child living on a farm and the wonders of rural life. Captured through her lens are remnants of a lifestyle that is slowly dwindling, and her words and photographs are golden threads, breathing it back to life.

A Walk Through Durham Township, Pennsylvania is all about photography. Though her only words are captions, Kathleen Connally's blog is stunning. There are times when I don't have time to read as much as I'd like but visiting Durham Township is like taking a much needed mental hiatus. Her pictures are spectacular and remind me of the human spirit behind it all. I see my neighbors and friends reflected in her blog and am humbled to be living among the salt of the Earth.