Top Banana-Back in the USA, going south

The response over my European awards is one important reason I just give the Top Banana once a year. I like keeping the award unique and fresh. I also like keeping my posts somewhat brief and that's the reason I do several during "award season."

I am now back in the United States and this post will be about the winners down south. Y'all in Kentucky are not included in this batch since you both are honorary Buckeyes. And even though the graphic on this post is smaller, you are no less winners than your European counterparts.

I'm going to start today in sunny Florida. The first award is the "Ho Ho Ho Green Blogger " Top Banana, which is a take off on the Green Giant commercials and not a commentary on her personal life. This goes to Busy Bee Suz, of Day by Day With Suz fame. Suz is a guardian of the environment and is very active in blogging about it. Suz also writes about her family and pets, using her loving sarcastic style in her daily musing. The comments she gets, both quantity and quality speaks for itself.

Now on to Texas where we can visit Amias, of The Magic of Integrated Circuits fame, to present her with the "Down to Earth" Top Banana. One of the important things that Amias does for us is upkeep of Liquid Illuzion. This helps to preserve the memory of our dear friend, and Top Banana Hall of Famer, Suzanne Horne. Amias writes about what's important in her life, dishing us a dose of reality and making us think.

Staying in Texas, I give the "Proud to Serve" Top Banana to Don, of Things that Run Through My Mind fame. Don is a retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer and a former Buckeye. He is also a conservative who isn't afraid to speak his mind in his blogging.

Heading back east, I will stop in Georgia to present the next Top Banana. I will call this award "Referred by a Friend." It goes to Maggie, of Liquid Ice Musing fame. Maggie, who is a very dear friend of Amias, also writes some very deep thoughts in her mostly poetic blogging. And she came my way originally because of Amias kind words regarding me.

While in Georgia, I have to award the "Beans and Rice, Rice and Beans" Top Banana. This goes to Happy Wife, of Happy Wife Happy Life fame. The award is named so due to our mutual like of Dave Ramsey, host of a radio show where he urges us to live on less than we make. She also has told me about her church and the excellent messages that I've been able to get from iTunes.

The One Day at A Time Top Banana goes to Syd, of I'm Just F.I.N.E.--Recovery in Al-Anon fame. Syd hails from South Carolina and is very serious about his involvement in Al-Anon. He is also a great supporter of this blog. Syd, like other recovery bloggers, started coming here a year ago. This is a first time Top Banana for Syd.

Heading to North Carolina, I present another first timer. The "Good Ones Keep Coming Back" Top Banana goes to Annie, of Annie's Antics fame. We first connected some time ago through my faith based Seek Him First blog. We exchanged a couple of emails then and that was about it. Then she kept getting suggestions to add me as a friend to her Facebook account. A few messages and a Facebook chat later, I introduced Annie to my blog readership. And as I was sending my Christmas cards out this past season, Annie mailed me a CD of her Christmas songs. The CD was popular both at home and at work.

Come back as I have plenty of awards left to pass out.