Let's Spread A Little Blogging Love!

I really should be working – I have a deadline which is rushing towards me at an alarming pace but instead of cracking on, getting it done I just can’t get into it. It might be something to do with this streaming cold Hungry Hubby has selflessly shared with me (of course his was Man ‘Flu – a far more deadly strain of the cold virus ). Anyway, as I just can’t bring myself to read the article I just found after an hour’s search nor can I steel myself to doing the second search for info on dapsone with regards to childhood bullous disease as I’m hopeless at using online medical databases (I really *should* have signed up to that voluntary teaching session when I had just started dental school back in 1999 but I was cocky and thought I knew everything – as all 18 year olds do!). ANYWAY! I digress!…

A little while ago, a lass I admire and am lucky to call a pal nominated me for a wee blogging award. It’s a way of shouting out to new or small blogs you admire and want to share with your readers. That was Mrs Patterned Plate over at thepatternedplate.wordpress.com – thank you Carrie love, you know how much I love your blog and hate being swooned over so I’ll stop here (but y’all must head on over and see just how talented she is – cos she’s mind blowing!).

For me, I blog because I want to share a wee slice of who the real Jo is with whomever is willing to read me! Food is pure, hedonistic and all consuming for me (although I am currently working on consuming far less than I currently do and it’s going well, week 7 that is! More on that another time ). It is the thing I wake up having dreamt about and the thing which stops me writing terribly exciting reports on rare as hen’s teeth skin disorders in children! What I do for a job and in these last ten weeks ever of being a student are only what i do, they are far from who i am. Though in converse, I would like to feel I bring a little bit of hopeless romantic dreamer with as Mrs PP has put it “infectious enthusiasm” to my alter ego life in the medical world, for it would be a hard, desolate place to be without a wee ray of sunshine.

Do you know it makes me so darn excited to get a wee email when a new subscriber joins the Jo Blogs crew and happier still when one comments on one of my posts and even super, duper more happy if they are moved to make a recipe I suggest or, gasp, wrote myself! For isn’t that what food is all about? Sharing the passion that is in your heart in edible form. So onwards and upwards to my nominations for the next round of Liebster Blog awards. I make one prefix – I’m a touch embarrassed to say all my nominees have more followers than me and even, some more than the 200 I dare say is meant to be the maximum number to qualify for a Liebster. So, please do forgive me – I mean no disrespect and I genuinely do admire all your work and whilst none of us are quite as famous as Joy The Baker, you guys are quite a few steps closer than me! Kudos to you all!

FrugalFeeding
This guy was the first person I did not know to find and comment on my blog, aw (told you – I’m a hopeless romantic!). I’ve followed him back ever since and man, can that boy take a food photograph! He specialises in economic food but what it may lack in need to remortgage or the tireless hunt for recherché ingredients, he makes up big time with his rustic home food, the sort I imagine all foodies want on their table everyday. Well I do at least!

Cookie’s Cakes & Bakes
Aw this is my online buddy Nic – she is a little cracker and I don’t think she knows how good she is. So do big it up for the wee Scottish lass who has only just in the last 24 hours moved her lovely blog to WordPress from Blogger! Welcome love, you’re gonna love it here! .

Indigo Scones
Now we all need to keep an eye on this lass – I think she found me before I found her but once I did make my way over to her stunning blog, I was, heck I’m gonna say it – gobsmacked! Her writing is a joy, her photography is self taught and INSPIRED and wait for it – she is only just 17 up years old. That’s right. She’s striding out front with her foodie piccies which have already graced FoodGawker (gasp!). These youngsters eh, keeping us oldies in our toes

Domestic Diva MD
If you are feeling down and in need of a belly laugh, this is the gal for you! Every post is a hysterical story from her life followed up by a simple little recipe. She’s like me – at medical school but she’s across the pond in the USA. I just don’t know how one person has so many golden stories that guarantee to turn that frown upside down, but she does. I can’t not laugh everytime I picture her opening the door in a bikini to some door-to-door religious guy! Oh my! You’ve gotta read it for yourself …

At Anna’s Kitchen Table
Now I know Anna has already been nominated but I wanted to tell her how much I love her blog and do read all her posts, despite my inability to crack the BlogSpot code on how to leave comments! What you get with Anna is a recipe, a rating and a review. Something a little bit different. She’s hugely popular actually from what I can see and I can’t help but feel its something to do with this little difference in how she blogs about food. A real Greek Mama and a big Nigella fan – what’s not to love?!

So lastly, here’s the rules for you lot when you make your nominations:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog
2. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award
3. Pick your five favourite blogs with less than 200 followers and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award
4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs!

Back to that scintillating report I go followed by a weekend on call – sniff!