One year ago today, I made my first blog post. I agonized for several weeks on what I should name my blog. I narrowed the list of names down to three and finally settled on "The Wheel and Distaff" because of my love of working with fiber. Then, I agonized over what my
first post should be, finally just deciding that I needed to "just do it" so I made some Cherry Bounce and blogged about it.
Some times my posts are about growing up in Meadows of Dan, Virginia. I feel like I had a wonderful childhood, surrounded by a loving family, growing most of our food and living in a great community where everyone knew everyone else. When I got older and into my teens, it was hard to get away with anything because you KNEW that someone would see you and tell your parents! I always wanted to move away where no one knew my business. Well, now, I live in city and no one really knows me. I have lived in the same house for 12 years and I only know one of my neighbors. Ironically enough, now I would love to live back in Meadows of Dan where I know people and they know me.
Other times, my posts are about Appalachian sayings and speech. That can be hard because to me, it is just normal speech and I don't realize that others do not talk the same way. At my job, almost everyone that I work with is not "from around here." My full time co-workers hail from Florida, New York, and California. This has been invaluable in learning that everyone does NOT talk the way I do. Especially when I blurt out some saying and they look at me very strangely!
Another favorite thing that I post on this blog is "Mystery Items" and "Where am I?". Both of these types of posts usually attract quite a bit of attention.
Some of my favorite posts have been stories about my family, ancestors and tasty family or period recipes from the 19th century.
There are several reasons that I enjoy blogging. For almost 20 years, I worked at living history sites and I shared historical knowledge on a daily basis with visitors. I also did quite a bit of primary historical research. I really do miss that, so through my blog, I can continue sharing information. Since I do not have children, I want to share stories with others so that the knowledge does not die with me. I also love to take photos and share them.
I want to thank you for reading my blog. Thanks to you, I have had almost 12,000 visitors in my first year! (That is almost 1,000 hits per month!)
If there is anything that you would like for me to blog about in the future, just let me know and I will give it a shot!
