Olive Tree Genealogy Blog in Top 40 for 2013 in Family Tree Magazine

Thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Midge Frazel of Granite in My Blood for letting me know that Olive Tree Genealogy blog was named as one of Family Tree Magazine's Top 40 Genealogy Blogs for 2013!

What an honour to be included in such a great list of amazing bloggers. I like that the editors placed my blog in the "Good Advice" section!

Family Tree Magazine's explanation of the life of a Genealogy blogger is oh so accurate!

" Creating and maintaining an award-winning family history blog takes genealogical savvy, a modicum of technical expertise, a way with words and pictures—and, above all, stick-to-itiveness. That last lesson came home to us as we reviewed past winners and contenders in our annual “Family Tree 40” roundup for this year’s best-blogs list: Even a fine blog, alas, can become moribund after a few years, or at least distressingly sparse in its postings.

It’s little wonder that even the best blogs run dry sometimes. The life of a genealogy blogger, after all, can be a constant tug of war between writer’s block and the urge to blog, writing about research and doing research, online life and real life with all its daily demands and distractions.

So as we celebrate this year’s crop of 40 award-winning blogs, let’s tip our collective hats to these bloggers who stick with it and keep sharing their wit, wisdom and family history finds with us."

Please read on and see what other blogs were chosen this year. You might find one you haven't yet read!

My blog was also honoured as one of the Top 40 Genealogy blogs in 2012 and 2011. While I didn't make the 2010 list of Top 40 Genealogy Blogs I was mentioned as a blog worth reading. Here's hoping I can keep up the tradition!

Top 40 Genealogy Blogs for 2012

Family Tree Magazine has listed its Top 40 Genealogy Blogs in Around the World in 40 Blogs

Olive Tree Genealogy blog is honoured to be on the list! Family Tree Magazine states:

"We chose these blogs based on their overall quality of content and design, potential interest to other researchers, and relatively current status."

Thank you to my readers for making my blog so popular!

Woohoo! I Made it into the Top 40 Genealogy Blogs!

Last night I found out that Olive Tree Genealogy blog was voted one of Family Tree Magazine's Top 40 Genealogy Blogs. To put it mildly, I was surprised, shocked and yes - delighted!

After writing about the nominations for Top 40 in a previous blog post To Scramble or Not to Scramble..., you can probably imagine my surprise at actually being voted into a top place! Especially because I didn't scramble.

So thank you to all my loyal readers who voted for my blog! I appreciate your support so much, it makes the hard work of writing a daily blog worthwhile. Knowing that someone (or several someones) out there enjoy or gain knowledge from what I write means the world to me.

I'm one of 5 in the "Everything" Category. I love the description of an "Everything" blog:

"These are the "variety shows" of geneablogs. Find a little (or a lot) of everything here: news releases, product reviews, tips, finds, rants, raves, shout-outs and humor."

I also chuckled over their statement that I've been blogging since "the Middle Ages"! It's true, I started blogging in 2003 before most people had even heard of a blog. Since Feb 9, 2003 to March 9, 2011 I've written 1,141 blog posts (I didn't write very often the first 4 years my blog was online). My family always says I like to talk! And I guess that's the proof.

Being voted in to Top 40 with 39 other amazing blogs has my head spinning and I'm honoured to be in such good company. I hope if you haven't read the rest of those on the list that you'll take a few minutes to have a look at them.

To Scramble or Not To Scramble, That is the Question!

Today is the last day for voting for the Family Tree Magazine Top 40 blogs.  Many bloggers are scrambling to get their readers to Vote for them today.

I've noticed that Olive Tree Genealogy is always nominated but never gets to the finals. Hey maybe it's because my blog isn't worthy but I wonder if it's because I don't scramble, I don't plead for votes (pleading my case makes me feel like I'm on Survivor and in the Final 3!) and I don't publicize the contests other than when they first come out.

I would sound like a sore loser if I waited until after the votes are in  to make another observation (especially if my blog isn't in the top 40) , so I'm making a comment now. I kind of think it's more of a popularity contest in many ways. Not in the sense of the BLOG being popular, but the person behind the blog. So if you're in the "in" group you have all the in-group voting for each other. Hmm... hope that doesn't sound like sour grapes, it's just an observation.

But yes, I'd like to be in the final Top 40. So it's a Catch-22 situation! Should I scramble for votes or sit back and hope Olive Tree Genealogy is good enough and interesting enough to be voted for. On Survivor the person who doesn't scramble gets voted off the island!

So here I am, asking you (aka scrambling) to vote for Olive Tree Genealogy blog  in the Everything Section of Family Tree Magazine Top 40 blogs.

It bothers me to ask. I'd rather you just went and voted for whatever blogs you like, and that you did it because you want to AND because you truly find the blog you are voting for useful and interesting! Anyway, please do vote - for your favourite blogs even if mine isn't one of them. I promise I won't throw a tantrum if I don't win a spot.

OliveTreeGenealogy Nominated for Top 40 Best Genealogy Blogs

Olive Tree Genealogy Blog is thrilled to have been nominated for Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs, or Family Tree 40.

There are 117 nominations in 8 categories. I'm in good company as there are many excellent blogs listed there!

If you like my blog, please vote for it (and tell your friends!). You can vote for 5 blogs in each of the categories.

Olive Tree Genealogy is listed in the EVERYTHING category. You can click through to visit the nominated blogs

OliveTreeGenealogy Blog nominated in Family Tree Magazine 40 Best Genealogy Blogs

OliveTreeGenealogy Blog is honoured to be one of the nominees in the News & Resources Category in Family Tree Magazine 40 Best Genealogy Blogs

Categories are: All-around; Personal & Family; Local & Regional; Cemetery; Photos & Heirlooms; Heritage; News & Resources; How-To; Genealogy Companies; and Genetic Genealogy.

Voting is open for the Family Tree Magazine 40 Best Genealogy Blogs. Be sure to go and cast your votes for your favourite Genealogy blog in each category. If you like OliveTreeGenealogy blog please vote for it but if you have other favourites vote for them! Just vote.

The top 80 genealogy blogs with the most votes will go to one more round of voting, then the final top 40 will be chosen.

Last Chance Today! Nominate your favourite Genealogy Blogs

September 30th is the last day to nominate your favourite genealogy blogs for FamilyTreeMagazine's top 40 blogs.

That means today is your last chance to nominate OliveTreeGenealogy.blogspot.com ( http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/ ) if you think it deserves to be nominated.

Nominations take place TODAY at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/40bestnominations After all nominations are in, you can vote on nominated blogs in several categories

You can nominate more than one blog, so as well as nominating OliveTreeGenealogy.blogspot.com, be sure to nominate other genealogy blogs you like!