Eleventh Blog Anniversary!
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Cottage tales | 63 comments
Eleven years have passed since the very first post on this blog.
Looking back I can see that my involvement with the blog was an amazing journey. Filling my small world with new ideas, people and experiences. I travelled far beyond the kitchen table where I wrote each day. It was one of the greatest adventures that I have ever experienced.
When I sat down to write that first post I had no idea of that promising future. The slow switch from pottering along on auto pilot to gradually learning how to actually fly the plane.
And of course if you can fly that plane you need to choose where you want to go. And there’s the rub.
I realised that I was in a place that I didn’t want to be. I didn’t know where I wanted to go. I was completely lost.
So over four years ago I cut Danny loose, stopped blogging and hid away.
I missed Danny, missed the blog.
I must admit that I couldn’t find that pilot’s license for a while and drifted about feeling angry and sad.
The chickens gradually died off and I was left with just a lonely cockerel. The min pins died too. I took in an Olympian Mouser Cat that was finding it hard to find a forever home and he was quickly joined by two four year old dogs that needed care.
Oh the amazing power of animal therapy! We were all damaged and needed unconditional love.
So on this eleventh aniversary of the birth of the Cottage Smallholder blog I’d like to introduce you to two of my best friends – Fanny and Ruby. They are posing in their basket which is located on the human dog basket.
Hopefully you will hear more about them in the future as I am now going to start blogging again.
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Welcome back. One of my go to websites for recipes and advice to use on my various countryside foraging jaunts. Older but wiser and with two very sweet looking rescue dogs. Good luck. I will be a regular visitor from now on and look forward to your blogs.
Wow – I googled cottagesmallholder remembering that in the past I had enjoyed visiting the blog for recipes to use with the fruits of my country foraging jaunts. Well, how reassuring that you are now back and blogging again. Look forward to more of the same and will follow with interest. We are all a bit older and wiser now! I am now living in Cornwall after 35 years in West Sussex – a big change but if anything my interest in growing, harvesting, foraging and generally enjoying what is abundant around us has intensified – Cornwall just produces slightly different free food to West Sussex! Your two little rescue dogs look so sweet – we have a garden pot with catmint growing together with the ashes of two dogs and three cats, all of whom grew up with the family and eventually died. We now share our Cornish life with two rescue dogs: one grumpy Jack Russell and one beautiful pointer cross who was dumped in Spain. And we turned vegan in January. Big lifestyle adjustment but oh so worth it.
So pleased to see that you are back. Looking forward to reading your blog again…always full of such valuable info, recipes and tips etc.
Best regards
Catherine
What a surprise! I was looking for jams and the Cottage Small Holder popped up. I thought sadly it must be an old one. But no. You are back! And I am so so pleased. It is not just the recipes. You are such a good writer about all sorts of life stuff. X
I remember reading your blog many years ago when I was looking for a recipe. Since that time, I’ve been where you are and somehow pulled through and came out a stronger person. Christmas was always so hard for me but I had to try for the sake of my children. I hope you have a happy and peaceful time. Lots of love to you Fiona.xxx
Fiona!!!!!! You are back!!!!!!!!! Hotdiggetydog!!!!!! I was just checking all my very old passwords and thought that I would have a look at your blog again. Oh, I hope that you find fun in posting every now and then. It does not have to become a chore, but I would really like to hear little things here and there. Welcome back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So lovely to hear from you again. I have missed you and am absolutely delighted that you are going to blog again. Thank you.
J x
I’m so glad you’re back Fiona- I’ve missed you and your recipes and musings, I thought of you often and wondered if you were ok. Checked now and then to see if you’d decided to return and I’m glad to see you have….
Welcome back. I look forward to reading your posts. Best wishes to you and your lovely dogs and cat. People who take in animals in need are special people. Denise.
Wow, so glad you’ve come back. I always enjoyed your posts.
Was just reading your post about using japonica quince to make preserves.
Hope all is going well for you.