The August Break 2011: Day 29 and 500th Follower Giveaway

Is 500 a milestone? I haven't yet decided. But let me say, when I started this blog (which has gone through many transformations since 2007,) I never dreamed of having 500 friends who shared my passion for rural living, animals, flowers, and of late, photography.

Some of you have known me long enough to remember when this blog was once called el vigilante and you will still find references to this name in and around the blogosphere. Roughly translated, it means caretaker in Spanish. Something you may or may not know, my great-grandfather (on my mother's side) emigrated from Spain to Canada in the early 1800s. I am very proud of my Spanish heritage.

At the time I created the first version of this blog, I viewed myself as a caretaker. Of the farm, of my children, of my husband, my pets, of me. That is still a big part of who I am, but I have grown much since those days -- and my blog grew with me. This is what makes blogging so amazing. I could not have had this revelation without the benefit of recording my thoughts, actions and photos over the past four years.

So although 500 followers, or as I like to refer to you, friends, may not be a number I thought I would ever achieve, it's definitely a good time to stop, reflect and celebrate our little community that I love so dearly.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, I'm giving away a Vintage Atlas canning jar, 

filled with my own homemade cold-process lye soap.

This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere, with a valid email address. Here's how you can enter: 

Mandatory

1. Follow A Rural Journal via Google Friend Connect or 

Feedburner Email Subscription (links in the footer of this blog,) 

and leave me a comment below, letting me know you are a new follower.

2. Subscribe to A Rural Journal the Weekly Newsletter 

(or see link in the footer of this blog,) 

 and leave me a comment below, letting me know you have subscribed.

Additional Entries 

1. Follow me on Twitter, and leave a comment below.

2. Like A Rural Journal on Facebook, and leave a comment below.

3. Add me to your Google+ Circle, and leave a comment below 

(if you need an invitation to join Google+ , 

use the Contact Button at the top right-hand corner of this blog 

and I'll send you one).

Entries will be accepted until midnight, September 11, 2011. 

The winner will be selected and announced on September 12, 2011.

 Good luck and thank you so much for being a part of my blogging experience.

Sharing with

The August Break 2011

Textures courtesy Shadowhouse Creations, Leslie Nicole Photography.