31 December 2020

Celebration

 

As another unremarkable year draws to a close, The Laughing Horse Awards Committee have been zooming like dervishes in order to determine who will be the recipients of this year's  coveted  blog awards. 

Recognition is important in the world of blogging in order to lubricate the industry's wheels and encourage talent. Blogging has become a worldwide pastime. As I write these words, 2,700,000,000  blogposts have been posted  on the internet this year alone.

Blogging is a vehicle for expression, for shared interests and for making connections with other people around the planet. Our blogs are not subject to the normal controls of government, publishers or the forces of law and order. No wonder blogging has become such a popular human activity.

Without further ado, let us move on to reveal who has been honoured this year before announcing the overall Blogger of the Year. Winners are entitled and encouraged to copy the widget shown below and paste it proudly  into their blogs - perhaps in the sidebar.

The Committee wish to recognise the excellent work of Dave Northsider in West Cork, Ireland. His blog, "Northsider" reflects his peaceful life upon The Sheep's Head Peninsula. He becomes Irish Blogger of the Year for 2020. Similarly, The Committee commends the good work of JayCee who resides near Peel on The Isle of Man. She becomes Isle of Man Blogger of the Year.

There was much argument in The Awards Committee over the work of three particular bloggers. Unfortunately, only one can be The Blogger of the Year. The other two have duly been "Highly Commended". They are Jennifer Barlow in Florence, South Carolina for "Sparrow Tree Journal" and Tasker Dunham in West Yorkshire, England for "A Yorkshire Memoir". 

Both are entitled to display the stylish 2020 widget displayed above.

Before arriving at the main announcement, The Awards Committee would like to commend visitors who leave thoughtful, friendly and encouraging comments on other people's blogs. Many of these visitors do not manage blogs of their own. They are not fawning sycophants but free-thinking people who see no purpose in trolling or seeking to occupy what military historians might call "higher ground". Instead, they tend to leave nice, supportive comments. After all, and this has been even more true this challenging past year, it really is nice to be nice.

And so we come to The Blogger of the Year 2020. (Cue beat of drums and dramatic pause). He is none other than Cro Magnon for his blog "Magnon's Meanderings" who posts from the Périgord  region of south western France. 

The citation was longer the new British/EU trade deal document but here's the summary:-

"Cro Magnon has been managing his eclectic blog for almost eleven years. It is what the French might call a bouillabaisse of things.  In "Magnon's Meanderings" you will find memories, opinions, hopes for the future and objets d'art, plates of food and family photographs. There's his vegetable plot, "Haddocks" and  tales of pet dogs and cats. Always present in the blog's peripheral vision is the love of his life - Lady Magnon.

People may sometimes forget the old adage that "life is for living" but Cro Magnon is not one of those. He has lived his life to the full and continues to do so. This is reflected in his blog. He notes many things and remembers many things. Though he posts almost every day of the year, he is never lost for something to say. For Cro, life is a veritable feast.

He handles reasonable comments with kindness and good humour. Visitors feel that they are being listened to and acknowledged but step out of line and he will whack you with a metaphorical cricket bat."

To visit "Magnon's Meanderings" Please go here.

Cro Magnon tends not to post pictures of his art or himself but here is a self-portrait he painted when he was a much younger man:-

And going even further back in time, here he is as a beardless boy. Cro is on the right:-
Congratulations to Cro Magnon!
&
Happy New Year Everybody!

54 comments:

  1. Goodness gracious me.... what an honour. I would never have imagined such an accolade. Thank you Sir, I am eternally grateful. Cro x

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  2. Thank you very much Mr Pudding.

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    1. Thanks for managing one of my "go to" blogs Dave.

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  3. Congratulations to Cro Magnon, Jennifer and Tasker.

    And have a happy and safe New Year YP.

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    1. You have a generous heart Lily. Happy New Year to you, Red from Red Deer and Alberta in general!

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  4. A worthy winner indeed!
    Well done, Cro and Happy New year, one and all.

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    1. In the year ahead let us hope that the black burn continues to flow. Happy New Year Christina and thanks for being one of those welcome visitors I referred to.

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    2. Thank you Mr Pudding!( Capital p) 😀😀

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    3. Once a teacher, always a teacher.

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  5. Congratulations to Cro!! Well deserved.

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    1. You never know what you are going to get from Cro but you always get something and I like that.

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  6. Congratulation all around to those named blogs--and especially to Cro Magnon.

    I stand in admiration of those of you who share your photographs, thoughts, dreams, good times and sad times on your blogs. You've provide folks like me with thought provoking moments, laughter, tears and many hours of wonderful reading over the years.

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    1. It is comments like that that make all the effort seem worthwhile. You are one of the welcome visitors I referred to in the post Mary. Happy New Year to you ma'am!

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  7. Congratulations Cro! Well deserved!!

    I remember in the early days of my blog Cro was, for a long time, almost the only person who left comments for me. I've so enjoyed his friendship over the last several years! Thank you Sir Magnon.

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    1. I did not realise that. Thanks for sharing this information. Cro has been so consistent as a blogger. He deserves recognition and who cares about money?

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  8. Well done Cro. Richly deserved!
    I also humbly thank the committee for my Isle of Man award.
    Congratulations too to northsider Dave, Tasker and Jennifer.
    Save me some sausages rolls when tonight's award ceremony is over.

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    1. You'll have to prepare your own sausage rolls JayCee. Perhaps Lord P will give you a hot sausage roll for your birthday. Congratulations on becoming Isle of Man Blogger of the Year.

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    2. Many congratulations JayCee and to Cro, Tasker and Jennifer.

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  9. What an honour to be highly commended by the Laughing Horse committee for the second year running. As my fellow sufferer, Jacinda, has said, those of us racked by self-doubt and imposter syndrome find such recognition difficult to receive. I could not have achieved it without help from others. I have been constantly encouraged by blog commentators and my family, who, by repeatedly ridiculing my efforts, move me to try harder. I would like to thank the hedgehogs and mice who appeared in my films earlier in the year, and also my loft for carrying the heavy load of things I write about. I will, of course, proudly display the 2019 and 2020 piglets side by side in my sidebar. Lastly, I would like to congratulate Cro, a worthy winner.

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    1. Admirably generous as one would expect a true Yorkshireman to be in such circumstances. The Committee have enjoyed the interesting and varied nature of your blogposts and you came close to winning the overall prize - but Cro Magnon's greater productivity swung the decision in his favour.

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  10. Congratulations - well done everyone. Monsieur Magnon - what an auspicious way to start the New Year. Excellent choices YP.
    Wishing all those who follow your blog a very Happy and Healthy New Year, and thank you for all the interesting insights. It's a pleasure to read them.

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    1. Aw shucks! You are such a great visitor CG. Thanks for your positive support. Will you be swimming in The Med tomorrow morning?

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    2. Sadly no, my swimming costume has a hole in the knee.

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    3. Ever heard of skinny dipping?

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  11. Here‘s to the winners in all categories! *clink*
    Cro is a familiar fellow commenter on several blogs I read regularly, but I don‘t think I have ever actually visited his blog. That can be easily redeemed.

    Thanks to the committee for all the hard work that goes into reading and discussing so many different blogs, and organising this special event - a highlight in every serious blogger‘s social diary.

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    1. Even though it was way back in the mists of time, I well remember the night you won the greatest accolade in blogging.

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  12. Congratulations to Cro, a worthy winner indeed.

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    1. I know he has got a soft spot for you Susan - with your shared experiences of living in France. Don't worry - I won't tell Paul or indeed Lady Magnon. Happy New Year!

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  13. Congratulations to Monsieur Magnon and to your other "co-winners" -- I must admit I don't read all of those blogs (yet!) but I'm sure it's well-deserved recognition all around!

    I shuddered at your observation that 2.7 billion blog posts were posted this year. Good Lord! No wonder it's hard to make an impact in the blogosphere! Of course, 80 percent of them were probably spam. Or porn.

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    1. Yes and most of them were spawned in garden flat in West Hampstead.

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  14. Happy New Year and congratulations to Cro! Like you say, a consistent blog post published every morning. It was such a shock when he was forced to put the blog on hold this year, because of trolls. Perhaps Macron won't evict him, now that he has been recognised internationally with the Laughing Horse award.

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    1. The names Macron and Magnon sound very similar. I wonder if they are in fact the same person? Happy New Year Carol!

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  15. Congratulations to Cro Magnon! As a former winner, I can testify that the glory and honor will never fade!

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    1. I know that your life changed forever when you won the same much-coveted award.

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  16. Congratulations, Cro. Well done thou good and faithfully regular blogger. There is always guaranteed a read - often thought provoking and often entertaining and occasionally interestingly controversial.

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    1. It is a real mixture isn't it Graham? I like that. Happy New Year Sir!

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  17. Excellent decision by the committee, where would we be particularly this awful year without bloggers. Happy new year

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    1. Bloggers are key workers in this pandemic.

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    2. Happy New Year to you too.

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  18. As you know YP, I try to drop in to your lovely blog when I can and have a 'catch-up' of all the wonderful walks, beautiful photography and engaging stories I've missed. Invariably, it leads to me visiting some of the other talented bloggers on your roll, and Cro's is one I find a real cornucopia of delights and interesting facts. I'm so pleased you've selected him for the famous Laughing Horse Award. Bravo, Monsieur Magnon. Neil, may your friends be many in 2021 and may life, art, kindness and love never fail to surprise you. My very best wishes to you, Shirley and your gorgeous, growing family. x

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    1. Lovely to hear from you again Elizabeth. Happy New Year to you and your family. How old are your boys now? I guess they are all shaving!

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  19. I miss the debauchery of previous years' award nights but delighted as always to celebrate some great bloggers (most of whom I have never read)

    Happy new year, Lord pudding

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    1. Debauchery is not a word one normally associates with The Salvation Army. Happy New Year to you and your grown up kids Kylie! I always appreciate the kind, thoughtful and supportive nature of your comments.

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  20. Well deserved award for an interesting blog. Cro always finds topics that catch ones attention, often in a personal way. His little corner of France has become a virtual sanctuary for me.

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    1. It's nice to have your endorsement LaurelB.

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  21. Anonymous10:25 pm

    A deserved award to Cro, Jennifer and Tasker, all of whose words I read. It's a funny thing this blogging thingie.

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    1. It is a funny thing indeed Andrew. I wonder if the tech companies that facilitate blogging ever realised what would emerge.

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  22. Congratulations to Cro Magnon. I will get over there and have a look. The best to you in 2021.

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    1. Maybe he will come and visit your blog too Red. Perhaps you can give him some tips about handling the fame when you're Blogger of the Year.

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  23. Well deserved! I enjoy reading those blogs as well.

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Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

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