My blog is almost a year old, it has had over 18,000 hits, and an average of 500 visits a month. I have written 168 posts, 2,034 comments have been left and 71 followers have signed up for post notifications. Twice WordPress have featured a post on Freshly Pressed. It also changed its name half way through the year from “Hurtling Towards 60″ to “Hurtled to 60 and Now Beyond”.
The Blog, has run mainly along the gardening line, but I have also written posts on a various thoughts and events in the year. It has certainly been varied and I hope in 2012 the Blog will continue to be varied and interesting.
It has gathered a lot of followers over the year and there have been some very popular posts and a few that I have thought interesting, but bombed. I am beginning to learn that it is all a matter of timing.
This is a review of some of the some of the most popular posts (plus a few of my favourites) for those of you who may have missed what went in the past and, of course, for those of you who are happy to re-read them.
The most popular post in the last year:
1. Glorious Guernsey – Beaches and Bluebells (April 2011):
I have just had 5 glorious sunny days in The Channel Islands, with my long-term best buddy MB. We arrived in Guernsey on Monday to weather warmer than the Mediterranean. The Good Weather Fairy looked upon us kindly throughout our stay. [...read on...]
2. A Prairie Garden in the Sussex Downs (September 2011):
A little while ago Charlotte/The Galloping Gardener suggested a day out at Sussex Prairies near Henfield. West Sussex. It was the first time I had heard of this garden, sadly because of other events, I didn’t manage to meet her there. Yesterday I and my friend MB made our first visit to this amazing garden. [...read on,,,]
3. Keep Calm Dear You are Only 60 (July 2011):
Despite countless people telling me “It’s only a number” and “You are as young as you feel”, I can’t escape the fact that it is a milestone in anyone’s life. It’s only in recent times that my birthday would not coincide with retirement. Which brings me to my real issue with reaching 60. [...read on...]
4. Granny’s Bonnet is Growing in My Garden (May 2011):
My garden is beginning to look pink. I have not deliberately chosen this as a colour scheme, it has just happened naturally over the years. Even the fantastic purple of the chive flowers is gradually fading, into pink hues. [...read on..]
A few of my favourite posts:
1. A Vintage Tea Party When You Are One: (June 2011)
My darling Granddaughter was one last week and she had her first birthday party with family and close friends, today, Sunday.
It was a truly vintage tea party, with bone china, a proper teapot complete with knitted tea cosy (lovingly made by me) and glasses of wine, solely for the adults of course!! Daughter #1 baked a delicious Victoria sponge, cupcakes, mini scones, and completed with little brown and white sandwiches with the crusts cut off. [...read on...]
2. A Short Tale of a Garden Shed ( February 2011)
I am what a shed catalogue would call “a mini store cupboard”.
My owner, She, bought me as a flat-pack 10 years ago, made me all by herself and then proudly christened me “The Shed”. I am not sure whether She has delusion of grandeur or just wanted to make me feel important but The Shed is what I have been known as ever since. I am compact, don’t take up much space but its amazing what I can store. [...read on...]
3. Worry is Like a Rocking Chair : It gives you something to do but gets you nowhere: (April 2011)
I am a worrier! It is getting worse as I get older. I could win prizes for worry. It is completely counter-productive and irrational. Life experiences should have taught me by now that worry gets you nowhere. Surely I should have learned that things have a habit of sorting themselves out, eventually, even if it is not always the way I expected. [...read on...]
4. Weekly Photo Challenge: Breakfast [November 2011]
There are a lot of bloggers who are exceptionally fast in posting their Weekly Challenge and, as I guessed, a lot of hearty breakfasts are being put before us.
I have to eat breakfast otherwise I will be in a heap by mid-morning, but I cannot eat a big breakfast. In the UK a plate of bacon, eggs, tomatoes, beans, hash browns and sometimes black pudding is called a “Full House”. Even looking at some of the photographs, although they are great, makes me feel uncomfortable, to say the least. Equally, there are some very poignant photographs, depicting those that don’t know what it is to have a good breakfast. [...read on...]
All of the above posts are probably why I was awarded The Versatile Blogger Award!
A very big thank you to all of you who follow regularly and a very big welcome to new visitors. Please come back again and again and I hope you enjoy reading my posts and the photographs that go with them.
Just a few more links, if you would like to read more:
- Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – October 2011 (hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com)
- Things are changing at Nymans Garden, West Sussex (hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com)
- A Guernsey Garden in early October… (hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com)
- A Father’s Dilemma: 100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week #20 (hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com)
- Knitting, Reading and Winter Evenings (hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com)
