This post marks my six month anniversary as a blogger. I want to commemorate the milestone by sharing a series of events and blog posts that brought together for me how much my new blogging community has impacted my life in these six short months. About a month ago, I was up to my neck in fresh fruit and vegetables, embarking on more preserving ventures than ever before, and actually feeling a little stressed out about stuff going bad before I got a chance to put it up. It was peak season around here, more produce kept landing in my lap, and I just couldn’t say “no.” Blog posts kept popping up from those who have years of experience and insight, giving me great recipes, inspiration, and urging me to, yes, pick up those peppers and $1.00 a pound to add even more to what I was preserving.
As my tomatoes began ripening, the fig trees got heavy, and I came into several pounds of pluots, I read The Slow Foods Mama‘s post Stocking Up. My first reaction to buying in bulk from the farmers’ market when prices are lowest, at peak season, was oh what a great idea, but there is no way I could possibly deal with more produce! A few days later I read a post on The Mommy Files about canning peppers. And this post about flash freezing bell peppers. I booked marked them both, just in case. On my weekly trip to the farmers’ market a few days after that, one of the vendors was selling banana peppers at $1.00 a pound, and The Slow Foods Mama’s words echoed in my head, stock up while they are in season and cheap. So, I did, and then come that following Monday, our CSA was filled with bell peppers, but I was prepared. Freezing and pickling peppers I did!
Now, of course, my blogging community stretches further out than just that one week. Promenade Plantings doesn’t know (until now) that I have a growing list of seeds I hope to find and plant in my own garden based on her photos and writing. The variety of vegetables that she grows and her photographs are always an inspiration. It all started with this post on salmon flowered peas.
There are the recipes galore filling up my bookmarks folder. One that I cannot wait to try is chard pesto from Wuppenif. When I have more chard than I know what to do with, I am going to whip up a batch.
Then, I have the Food Fighters and The Slow Foods Mama keeping me engaged in the politics of food. Both write honestly and succinctly about so many of the issues the sustainable food movement faces, and they do so in a personal way, keeping it interesting and real.
At North of Seven I always feel lighter after reading humorous blog posts on all successes and failures in crafting, gardening, thrift shopping, etc. She has way more patience and stamina than me in the crafting department, but I think I am going to use these rainbow party cubes at my daughter’s upcoming 5th birthday. Seems easy enough!
When I started the blog, I didn’t know what to expect and had no expectations. I enjoy writing and the blog provides me a forum to write about something I love. I guess I didn’t realize there are countless communities that exist in the blogosphere. I have a few followers who comment on my posts with some regularity, and I visit their blogs and comment on their posts. And then I see some of my followers commenting on posts on other blogs that I follow and the world feels smaller. I have quiet followers (I know you are out there). There are some who are reading this who have just found me (or I them). From time to time, friends and acquaintances drop me an email to comment on my blog, and the world grows again.
Thank you.
Growing Up in the Garden 
Thanks for all the encouragement and conversation. You’ve given me lots of food for thought and provide another sane and rational voice in the conversation about food – few and far between and desperately needed.
I had to laugh when I read this – bulk-food-buying peer pressure! Don’t ever think those of us who have been doing it for a while are any different when it comes to harvest time. I share your panic about getting it all put by before the fruit flies beat me to it!
Come the depths of February when winter won’t seem to end, I’m always thankful I have jars of summer in the cold room.
Here’s to many more anniversaries – Congrats!
Thank you! It is nice to see my freezer filling up (a little) with tomatoes and peppers. Pantry couldn’t possibly hold another jar….
Congrats on your 6 mo. anniversary!!! I love our blogging community. I usually feel that I get way more out of other people’s blogs than they ever get out of mine so I’m happy I could help with your over abundance of peppers. Your jars sure look pretty and will be a welcome site when you pull them off the shelves during the winter. Happy Blogging!!!
Thanks! Canned peppers may be the prettiest thing sitting on my shelf right now. I can’t wait to eat them! I only have four jars, so I will have to space them out.
Thank you, for starting your blog andx your own journey. I like how you describe the community, as that is what it is. And Yaay to 6 months, may there be many more !
Thank you, thank you! I can only imagine how the community will grow in the next six months.
I was really chuffed to see you mention my chard pesto; thank you! I’ve really enjoyed reading about your journey, and am truly impressed by how much you’ve accomplished in such a short period of time. Your canning efforts are fantastic and, my, will you ever enjoy all of those pantry stores! Well done!! (I’m really looking forward to following some of the other links in your post too.) Congratulations on your six-month milestone.
Thank you! We enjoy chard a lot in our family, and it is always great to find a new way to use it. I have canned more than ever before. I was thinking I had made enough jam to see us through until next year, but now I am not so sure. It is a constant learning process, and it is so great to have others to learn from and be inspired by. Makes it all the more fun!
Congratulations! Thanks for being a role model and for giving me the encouragement to write when I think nobody is listening. And thank you for giving me the courage to confront the box of jars in my kitchen. I’m not promising anything. . . but I’m going to give the peppers a shot.
Oh, how exciting! I think that canning can seem a cumbersome task (and sometimes, quite frankly, it is). But, after doing it a few times, it becomes second nature and not so daunting. And, the rewards are so tasty! Let us know how the peppers go. I bet there are more people out there listening than you know ;).
Hooray!
I entered the blogosphere in 2005, and it changed my life. After looking back at my old posts, I can see improvements in my writing and thought since I began. That is important to me. Equally important is the community I have built. I have friends spattered across the world that I met through our blogs, and these are real friends who are now part of my life beyond just the web. My life is richer because I made the decision years ago to put my life online. I am so glad you’re experiencing the same.
Thanks, Christina! I hope to look back sometime and see the same kind of growth in my writing and thought. How exciting to actually get to meet people you met through the blogosphere. I hope the same for me some day.