Marsh nest
The blogs stand with their mouths hanging open. Awestruck. Not knowing how to act. What to do.
It’s been an incredible thirty six hours. Make that an incredible four days.
The blogs are flabbergasted.
Lone marsh tree
Let’s back up to early in January. A reporter from seven daily newspapers in lower Michigan calls up the blog writer. Her name is Kim Schneider and she writes for the Grand Rapids Press and six other Michigan newspapers. She wants to write a column highlighting the 365-day outdoor commitment (Opening the door, Walking Outside).
Was the blog writer interested?
Yes, yes! The blog writer had never been interviewed before, unless it was about financial questions. Could she stammer out an interview without screwing up? The blogs impatiently advised her to “just do it!” She agreed.
Curl of red leaves
The blog writer babbled on for quite a while to the reporter, barely knowing what words she used to describe the outdoor commitment. She liked Kim very much. They said goodbye with possible plans to meet someday.
Then the blog writer waited. Waited. Waited about a month. The blogs kept pulling on her sleeve asking, “When? When?” but she refused to play their game. “Just be patient,” she advised them. “And if nothing ever happens, at least we now experienced an Actual Interview.”
Happy trails to you...
Finally, last Sunday, the blog traffic increased dramatically. Doubled its regular hits. Ah-ha! Something was up! But what? A kind commenter provided a clue when he mentioned reading about the blog in the Grand Rapids Press. Double Ah-ha! The column must have appeared!
However, it did not appear on-line anywhere. The blog writer waited. Waited some more. Wanted to share the news with all of you! But didn’t dare before some Actual Proof existed. The blogs were so impatient; you can not imagine dealing with these unruly children.
Yesterday morning, Cindy Lou, an avid blog reader and friend, reported that her mother read the story in the Bay City newspaper on Sunday. Suddenly the blogs felt desperate to see something in print. Should we all drive downstate? A 500 mile trip to obtain a newspaper?
Finally, yesterday afternoon, the article appeared on-line! If anyone wants to read, please visit: http://www.mlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2010/02/blog_writer_heralds_joys_of_th.html
Isn’t this fun? The blogs jumped all over the house yesterday. And not just because of this article…
Fungus amongus
No indeed. Because Tuesday night something happened after the blog writer went to bed. The blog The Edge of the Known World fell off the edge of its seat. It fell off the edge of its previous charts. It was featured on the wordpress.com home page.
It truly happened. Last year’s blog experienced this privilege twice; now this baby blog (Lake Superior Spirit) received its day in the spotlight. The first evening it received 452 hits, followed by yesterday’s 1,330 hits and this morning the stats count says 258. (Yep, it’s still on the home page at 7:45 a.m.!)
Gnarly old apple tree along the bay
This blog writer is feeling amazingly grateful. The blogs are thankful, too. What a ride! Thank you all for your support and accompaniment. Without you it wouldn’t be half as much fun! (Now, blogs, we’re going to have a relaxing day today. Not spend the whole day staring at the computer. We’re going outside. You got that, you blogs?) 🙂
Lake Superior Spirit 
Kathy – such well deserved praise! *hugs*
Congratulations 🙂
Awww, thank you, Dawn. You are always such a beautiful supportive soul.
Oh Congratulations!!!!!!!!! Blessings on the Blogs. Blessings on you and your appetite that has created such a feast for us who have wandered far from our Pleasant Peninsula! I look forward to more! Love, S
Suzi, thank you for stopping by and appreciating our Pleasant Peninsula. If we should seek a pleasant peninsula…all we need to do is look about us…that is the state motto isn’t it? Smiling…And thanks for the congratulations.
LOL! I found this blog by following a link in the Grand Rapids Press article: http://www.mlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2010/02/blog_writer_heralds_joys_of_th.html
The struggle to get outside is familiar to me. The rewards are there, when I win the struggle, but the fact remains that it is easier (and warmer) to stay indoors.
Love the blog and the photos…keep up the good work!
Hi Lona, isn’t it wonderful that Kim wrote the story for the Grand Rapids Press and the other newspapers? Glad you found this blog through it. I know all about that struggle. But so often it’s simply the mind carrying on, isn’t it? Glad you came by and enjoyed.
Kathy, congratulations. It’s a lot of fun imagining you and the blogs dancing in the living room! Barry might have to build another addition to accommodate the awards!
Gerry, that’s quite a visual isn’t it? Blogs dancing around the living room! (and you know our house isn’t very big, right?) Your blog could come and dance here too! Wouldn’t that be exciting? We could have a blog PARTY! Oops, think I’m getting carried away. What do you always say? Time to take a nap…
I have come late to your party, Kathy. That was a very nice article about your year of stretching your body, mind and spirit. Two years ago I could not have understood that a blog could be so much to oneself and to those who decide to visit them.
My blog salutes you and is one of the ones jumping for joy with you today.
OK, Scott, your blog is invited to the party. (Oh wait a mintue…I think I can almost see it. It’s jumping for joy over there near the kitchen.) You know, I don’t think anyone can appreciate how much these blogs come to mean to us…unless they’ve blogged for awhile. And then we get it! Thank you for the salute and would your blog like an appetizer while it’s visiting?
Hip, hip, horray! Dance away with your blogs, Kathy dear! It does conjure up a great picture! I got the article from my mom yesterday so will pop it in the mail tomorrow…..such fun knowing someone famous! Keep up the wondermous writing and fabulous photography….love ya!
OK, Cindy, even though you don’t have an official blog up and going (we’re still waiting for that!) you’re invited over too. You can teach the blogs something. Or at least keep ’em laughing. Will love to see the hard copy of the article from your mom. Hurray! As for knowing someone “famous”…the blogs are giggling over that one. They think that’s really funny.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Enjoy the excitement, ride the wave! Congratulations!
Hello, Pamela! Oh what excitement, oh what a wave! You know, I have been plumb exhausted today. Completely worn out. Hardly able to keep the eyes open. Today has been much calmer than yesterday. Thank you for your congratulations, you Florida blogger, you! (I have a ticket down there in March to visit my folks, hurray, hurray!) That may be the next big excitement.
Way to go! WE all knew you were exceptional, nice to see that other people get it too! Enjoy! You provide so much reading (and looking) pleasure to us, it’s fun to know you’re having a great time as well. And to think you ever thought about giving it up! 🙂
PS: My favorite photo of this bunch is the “trails in the log.”
How come I know two Dawns who are so incredibly supportive and kind and thoughtful? You know, it is a great time. Especially since the “pressure” of having to post every day is off. Now it feels so much more free. Even though it was all mental pressure last year…I like the open-ended part of this blog. Aren’t the trails in the log cool? I love how the insects create those trails. They look like a mysterious language.
PPS: What a nice article Kim wrote! Just finished it and had the same tears in my eyes as I had when I read that last post of your most excellent year. Congratulations again!
You had tears in your eyes? Really? You are utterly amazing. It’s nice to know so many supportive people here… It’s wonderful, actually.
…do remember to hug a spruce today… congrats
Chuck, oh man, I forgot to hug the spruce…forgot to even wave at it! I will tomorrow, promise. Thanks for the reminder & the congrats. P.S. does it have to be a spruce? Will a maple or an oak do?
Wonderful and well deserved!
Kath, I think you get some of the credit for sharing the outdoor blog with Kim, don’t you? Thank you very much for all that you do for our wonderful state of Michigan! (and for all of us, too.)
Okay, here I am again, having read Kim’s article on you, your blog, your project, and I’m grinning ear to ear again, Kathy. Go, girl!
Thank you, Pamela. Oh yes, you were here before weren’t you? Grinning ear to ear with you!
congratulations Kathy – well deserved recognition!!
Thank you so much, Leigh Anne!
It’s all quite a ride isn’t it? The kind a surfer probably gets as they’re catching a wave to the shore. The heart beats faster and there’s a bit of holding of one’s breath from one moment to the next. All quite exhilirating 🙂 Now I’m going to check out that link to the online article…
Amy, what a perfect analogy! It’s like we’re surfing the waves into shore. (Not that I’ve ever done that… but I can imagine that’s what it feels like.) We both had quite a week, didn’t we? Has everything settled back down to “normal” on your blog, too, after you too made the home page of WordPress.com?
Congratulations, Kathy!
I know I’m a few days late, but Yayyyy!!! Well done!
Kim wrote such a lovely article about you too!
My blog will join you in doing cartwheels through the living room!
Thanks, Reggie! Wasn’t it a lovely article? I am still smiling…although the blogs have stopped doing cartwheels. (I’m sure they’ll start up again if your blog comes around to play!)
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