A Look Back....5 years of Blogging

In April 2012 I had just had a baby.  I was stuck at home due to having had an emergency C-section with Allie and one afternoon as she was napping in the window I thought about having a blog.  I had tried to blog a little bit back in 2010/2011 But that first blog Hill Raised, which still exists, just never really took off.  I don’t know what the issue was I just never found my voice.  That afternoon in August 24, 2012 I was sitting in the recliner and just thinking.  I missed photography and art and writing and creating and it made my heart sad.  After so many years and years and a honestly a lifetime of creating I found myself in insurance sales (18 year old me would have been like whhuuuttt?) working with numbers (I know, a shock to every math teacher I ever had in school ever), learning how to mitigate loss, caring about commission percentages, and just generally being an adult in a way that I never could have imagined in my teenage years.  

But inside the heart of this new, mature, business lady still beats the heart of a hippy, artist cowgirl.  So I decided to try again.  As Daddy always says cinch your horse up tight, pull your boots on, and get after it.  

I got on blogger and started a new blog.  I gave it the name of my photography business and etsy store so I could link everything together.  I don’t know if that was best way to go but hey, it is what it is.  It gave me something to do with all the pictures I was taking and a way to share my writing that I love to do but honestly have never felt comfortable letting anyone read. It’s been a fun ride and one I definitely want to continue.  

So what has come out of this 5 years?  Let’s see:

I have started several series that I continue to this day.  One is Wordless Wednesday.  It’s like a nice pause in the middle of the week.  Low stress, just share a pretty picture and maybe a little description.  Honestly it’s one of my favorite things.  Even when a week is bad I know I can at least have one post a week because all it takes for Wordless Wednesday is a picture - from my Nikon or from my phone or even a scan of an old film picture.  Then there’s Stories of the South.  My little baby, that is 46 entries long at this point.  Stories of the South has sort of taken on a life of its own and they are probably the entries I’m most proud of.  I get to dust off my research skills when I do a historical post, or I reach in the back of my noggin for stories about a certain person or place.  I’m so proud of this series and have so many more stories planned for it so don’t worry about it stopping anytime soon. The last is Foodie Fridays.  Foodie Fridays has been so much fun!  I love to cook and I share pictures of my food on Instagram all the time (sorry not sorry) and so it became a way for me to share the recipes for the different things that people wanted the recipes for.  

The blog has led to some really fun opportunities and let me meet some fabulous people.  Probably the one person that really pops out first in my mind is Gerhard Anderson.  Gerhard and I have been emailing back and forth for probably a year now and it’s always a treat when I see a new email from him in my inbox.  You can read a little more about Mr. Gerhard HERE.  Another reader and author, Brent Coleman, sent me some wonderful info on the WWII ammunition plant in Prairie, MS after reading my article on it.  He has a website HERE, go check it out.  This post about the Gulf Ordnance Plant in Prairie has been a popular one and has several good comments on there.  You should check it out.  I love getting feedback and hearing your memories and thoughts on a post, so feel free to comment!  I looourve hearing from you!

I think writing more and more consistently has made me a better writer.  I was given the opportunity to write for our local newspaper due to the blog and because of that I published my first book.  It’s a small book, but it’s a start and I’m happy to have done it.  I’ve always heard the only way to become a better writer is to do it and I honestly think that’s true.  Oh and I don’t think I’ve mentioned it on here but I recently in the third Issue of Southern Glossary Magazine!  

It’s edited and designed by Ryan Sparks out of New Orleans.  I was so very excited to have finally bit the bullet, put in a proposal to a magazine, and gotten published.  My series Stories of the South was mentioned in the article much to my delight.  

A great big thank you to everyone that reads, comments, shares, or even stops me in person and tells me they like the blog.  This thing has turned into such an important part of my life and I feel so happy with what I’m producing here.  Have a great week my lovelies!

Don't forget about my book give away!