Here I am sitting in front of my computer and contemplating my three years of blogging. Would you like to take a walk down memory lane with me?
What did I start with? What did I feel when I hit the publish button for the first time? I was so proud and looking forward to myriads of comments, sharing and compliments.
The date was November 21, 2010 and the title was Novembersonntag.
It was not really a blog post but a test with one picture in it, a nice one though:
Late Bloomers organic soy wax scented candle
My real first post went live on November 22, 2010 and was about my Indian trip in 2007.
I thought it to be highly entertaining and full of information for anybody planning on an Ayurvedan therapy. What happened? Nothing!
Here was this rookie blogging away in German and nobody left a comment. Some time later I realised that all my readers (all? You can use one finger to count them) were English speakers.
Time for a change and on February 12, 2011 I started blogging in English: my first English post was my favourite quince lemon chutney recipe.
One comment and that was written by me as somebody had asked me what to serve the chutney with!
Blogging is not a one-way road, you have to reach out and make friends online. I felt most attracted by bloggers talking about personal development and started to comment on their blogs.
This way I have met lovely people whom I call real friends and do not make a distinction between on or off line. Together we have come a long way. Thank you for sticking it out with me!
Around the time of my first anniversary my friend Al Smith (hi Al!) invited me to write a guest post on his blog, The Care Movement.
Me and a guest post? I was scared to no small extent.
Another plunge into cold water, never before have I dared to be so outspoken and wrote a very personal post. And never before have I received such heart warming feedback.
In late summer 2012 some major changes: a new look and fusing Late Bloomers Blog and web shop. The changes messed up all my old posts and it is a Sisyphus task (or work in progress) to get all the pictures back in.
I celebrated my second anniversary summing up my blogging experiences with the rather heady Quo Vadis, Late Bloomers? post.
What has happened in the meantime?
Life has dealt me quite a lousy deck of cards this year: I lost my job, my mom’s health is slowly deteriorating and I take care of her. My lovely dog Chica, faithful family member of more than 13 years, died in August and I miss her very much.
This year I have started interspersing my English posts with a few German articles. Eventually I hope to get around to have a complete bilingual site, as it is vital to have a German web shop for my business.
Looking forward to another year of blogging? Certainly and definitely YES!
and may we always be able to see the pink clouds!
Comments 41
Happy Anniversary Barbara! How exciting! Few make it this far down the blogging road! Here is to a friend who makes my experience and the experience of so many others such a pleasant one!
Lori
Lori Thank you so much, Lori, for being a loyal friend and walking beside me through good and bad days! It is so true, cheers to our stamina!
Gosh, you’ve been through a lot this year. Remember to be kind to yourself 🙂 And happy blogoversary, my friend. I am so happy we met each other along the way.
Happy blogaversary my friend:) As you know, we’re both experiencing challenging times right now with the health of our mothers. Seems like it never rains, it pours, when circumstances arise beyond our control, but must be handled with delicacy and care. Wishing you many more years of fun in this roller coaster life online and off. Cheers! Kaarina
JanineRipper Good morning to you, Janine, and thanks for your kindness. One day we will meet IRL I am sure and then we will celebrate 100 years of blogging!
Remember that German saying I mentioned in our chat: “Esel, sagt ein Langohr zum anderen”? We all have our burdens, sharing is halving it. I believe in this although I am sometimes still surprised at how much I share online – here speaks the introvert – but keeping under the lid will only augment the pressure!
Happy weekend and here’s to future Skype chats!
KDillabough Thanks, my dear friend, we have both come a long way, have we not? I am daily thinking of you driving to and fro and trust you eke out some me time. So wise, Kaarina: “when circumstances arise beyond our control, but must be handled with delicacy and care”, I have had my share (of circumstances) this week and I am aware it has more to do with my attitude, thanks for the reminder.
Truly a roller coaster ride these days …. have a relaxing weekend and at least one good run! xoxo Barbara
Congratulations on your milestone. Happy to celebrate with you.
Congratulations, Barbara! Your blog posts are always enjoyable to read! I wish you much success with your goals for the blog!
Congratulations, Barbara! Most bloggers give up after a few months. I look forward to reading your posts!
Oh Barbara….HAPPY 3rd ANNIVERSARY!!! ♪♪♫♫♪ I am sending you beautiful celebratory music to make you smile as you move forward in your journey towards year 4, 5, 6 and on and on. The journey certainly has it rough patches (your speed bumps this year have been difficult) but they all have contributed to what makes Late_Bloomers the beautiful, supportive, compassionate and insightful woman that she most definitely is! I’m so lucky to call you friend! <3 <3
Happy Anniversary, Barbara! And cheers to many more years of growth and friendship : )
Blogging IS indeed a journey, Barbara … one on which we find the most delightful fellow travelers! Depending on one’s reason for blogging, there are all sorts of requisites … like attraction, engagement, dialog, trust-building, offering (if appropriate), conversion and plain ol’ friendship-building … most of which we do unintentionally and in blissful ignorance! 😉 Congratulations on your anniversary. My first post was 9 Dec 2009, but I only started posting every week on 6 Nov 2010 … so our timing is similar. Feels like a whole body of work, doesn’t it? 😉
netprofitsmedia Hi, James, thank you so much and happy to connect with you! Have a lovely weekend!
robindavidman Good morning, Robin! You make my day, thanks a ton. And if you ever find a good quote for persistence and tenacity in blogging, I’d appreciate it very much! Happy Sunday!
JSJ2020 Thank you, Muriel, but we do not give up, do we? We have come so far and part of the way together in our great group PBAU, getting to know each other through reading our posts. Have a lovely weekend!
SocialMediaDDS Late_Bloomers You did it, Claudia: you put a huge smile on my face, propelling me forward to coming years – thank you so much. We only see clearly when we have our windshields cleaned and abstain from looking into the rear view mirror (I so LOVED your post!). Maybe the speed bumps help us not to drive too fast and be mindful of our surroundings.
I value our friendship and your support means the world to me, heart warming, soul lifting, I could move mountains! A most special weekend to you, my dear friend! xoxo
Mark_Harai Hola, Mark! Much gratitude and cheers indeed to growth and friendship! Hugs, Barbara
sharonoday Good morning, Sharon, thank you so much! I love your analogy to a journey, so true. A journey that no travel agency will (or should) ever organize for you, we decide where it will take us, with open eyes and enough zest for adventures on the way.
Kudos to you for your wonderful blog and stamina, I do not post that regularly and you are so focused whilst I flutter from one blossom to the other like a hummingbird.
But I agree with you it feels like an elephant body of work and yet we make it seem so light in weight 😉
Late_Bloomers What I find so appealing about your blog is just that hummingbird aspect, not knowing what ‘appreciation of life’ you’re going to pull out of your back pocket to surprise us with! As for mine, sometimes the weekly commitment does feel a little heavy. However, I acknowledge that I’m nurtured by the response I get … and by the belief that somewhere, somehow, someone is changing something for the better as a result of my effort …and that’s motivation enough to keep going! 😉
sharonoday Late_Bloomers What a beautiful picture you conjure up and all of a sudden everything makes sense again. This is what I had always wanted for my blog: to be me, multi faceted as I am interested in so many things. We should never compare but stay true to ourselves.
I always read the comments on your posts and they are overwhelming, it is like the post in itself is the opening movement to a larger composition and the comments are like an interpretation of the main meme, a solo variation of each instrument.
I am certain that your posts have a great repercussion and do contribute to the positive development of somebody, somewhere, somehow – what more can we ask for?
Well I wish you a much better year than the last. It is a roller coaster at times, but it is how it goes so…
Joshua Wilner/A Writer Writes Thanks, Josh, it sure was not too great and it really hit me hard when I read it again in black on white.
I know – I do the same, I enjoy your posts, the high speed your thoughts are racing at, the many faceted posts, the ranting and the softness.
Looking forward to the next Hangout!
Happy blog birthday Barbara! So true what you say that blogging is a 2-way street. I remember my first post too – sending it out into the world and not knowing if anybody would ever read it… But here I still am nearly 10 years later and still loving it (and yes, sometimes people even read my posts hahaha!). I hope next year is less fraught than this year and that you stay as inspiring and positive as you are!
What an amazing journey Barbara! So grateful to know you and proud of your accomplishments. Happy Birthday wishes for another wonderful year of blogging and learning.
Happy anniversary to you and happy birthday to your blog. What a journey it has been. I look forward to continuing…xx
Happy Anniversary Barbara! I always enjoy your journeys and recipes and am looking forward to another year of learning more about you and what you enjoy!
Happy Anniversary Barbara… Thanks for the Journey
Happy Anniversary Barb 🙂
Happy Anniversary…here’s to the next 3 years:-)
Cooksister and a lovely day to you, Jeanne. Thank you so much for your good wishes and I can only hope to be as insightful, clever, funny and informative in 10 years time as you are. Oh, I forgot: well travelled of course on top! If your readers prove to be too numerous, you may always send them over! Understatement of the year, LOL!
ScottGlaze Hi, Scott! Thanks a ton and the feeling of gratitude is heartily reciprocated. Indeed, blogging has taught me so many things and thanks to technical evolvement (haha!) learning will never stop, I fell like a turtle racing against a hare …
CarmenMPerez Hi, Carmen, thank you so much, yes, it has been quite some journey, grateful for each and every experience, are we not all? Happy Thanksgiving, Carmen!
HeatherJabusch A wonderful Thanksgiving to you and your family, Heather! And I feel truly grateful for knowing you and appreciate your support. Now, you remind me that I have not posted any recipes in the last month, coming up. Plus I will post some pictures of an orchid that has started budding (little water and warm and humid quarters in the bathroom)!
CarlyAlyssaThorne Blessings and gratitude to you, Carly, stout supporter and inspiring loveliness!
babfari Thank you so much, Barbara, and a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Fred McMurray Thanks, Fred, and … cheers! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Great anniversary! Congratulations!
I’m sorry about the bad year you’ve had. Seeing the photo of pink clouds you’ve posted is so encouraging.
Happy that you’re still writing. 🙂
Free Like Water So happy to see you here! Yes, it has been quite taxing so far but where there is shadow there is also light, glad, you liked the pink clouds.
And I wish all the best of luck with your new blog, great to see you back and here’s to happy writing!
TerezaLitsa Hi, Tereza, thanks a lot! And here’s to a happy month of December for all of us!
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