I was thinking about writing my own review for the year but WordPress composes and sends me this one and quite honestly, I like it. It’s fun to read about my top posts and how much traffic I’ve had and where my views come from with these nice graphics and photos. 2013 was quite a year. There was lots and lots of change and adjustment and re-grouping and figuring things out around here. Sending first children off to college isn’t easy, nor is returning to the workforce after seventeen years, or experiencing a terrorist attack, but I did all of that. I’m hoping that 2014 will be full of amazing gardening times and fun family experiences, and maybe some really good posts here at The Salem Garden. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading and for all of your love and support. Your all wonderful! xoxo Michele
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 18,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
WordPress sent me a message the other day to tell me that I’ve been blogging for a year. Seriously… one year? They must be kidding!
Lots of great things have happened since I started The Salem Garden and I didn’t really plan on any of them. You know that I turn everything into a list, so here’s what happened:
1. I found out that blogging is fun, interesting and maybe a little bit addictive.
2. I also learned that blogging takes a lot of time and energy.
3. However, the time commitment decreased as I kept blogging.
4. But, the time commitment then increased because I loved reading other blogs and learning about the craft.
5. I connected with friends, interesting people and gardeners from all over the world.
6. I also connected with friends, interesting people and gardeners from right here, in fun, new ways.
7. I learned a lot about gardening. This happens when you read gardening blogs, so keep reading!
8. I found my blogging voice.
9. I got a wonderful paid position as an adaptive gardening specialist (I had never even heard of an adaptive gardening specialist). My first job in seventeen years has given me the gift of vision about what I’d like to do professionally in the future.
10. My family did well with all of the above, almost all the time.
A year ago I had no idea or expectation about where this would go. I knew that I had something to say or do but I didn’t know what it was or that it would be life-changing. I had spent many years raising my young children and enjoying every minute so I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Thank you so much for reading, following, encouraging and sharing your thoughts with me. You have all made the last year into an amazing journey!
I love sharing photos, so here are some of my favorites from the past year. Click on any image to view them as a slide show.
the first photo ever posted on The Salem Garden
lady’s mantle and Siberian iris
Salem Harbor, looking toward Beverly
a sunny June day
Peonies, photo by my dear friend Blaire
Salem Common in 2012, I love the sepia!
from my most viewed post about the Bewitched statue, who’d have ever thought?
a few of our girls
my dream house on the ocean
enjoying our wonderful Winter Island
my little guy, the worker
one of my first macro shots
camping at Winter Island
my mother-in-law’s garden in Delaware
taken by my daughter in the Pocono Mountains last summer
More of Blaire’s work, the tornado cloud over Salem last summer
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for The Salem Garden. A lot of people who are thinking about blogging ask me about WordPress. I haven’t tried any other host, but I must say that I’m a pretty big WordPress fan. There’s always something new to try and I find it to be very, very easy to use. Check out this report that they sent me… I think it’s really cool! Happy New Year!
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 7,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 12 years to get that many views.
The Salem Garden 