Monday, March 15, 2021

A Foretaste of Spring and a Blogiversary

March can be very changeable. Today is cold and grey; snow is falling thickly, and the newly-budding trees are shivering in an icy wind.

Last week, however, we enjoyed a glorious foretaste of spring, with blue skies, sunshine, and a few days of temps in the 50s. You know what that means for this blogger....


The first ride of the year was, as always, a compound of sheer delight at the freedom of the road, and an uncanny sense of collapsed time, as though the four months out of the saddle had never been.

What a treat to wheel past trees and fields I hadn't seen since November:


Spot pigeons in a row on a barn roof:


Pause for photos at a favorite bridge:


And watch Tallulah get creosote on her feet as she walked across a sticky piling:


Magically new and comfortingly familiar (the ride, that is, not the creosote).

~

The next day I rode my bike to work.

Blackbirds fluttered at the edge of the river trail:


Much of the river was still frozen, but some stretches were open to the sun:


Hello, cycling shadow! Nice to see you again:


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In other March news, I completed a pair of socks! With sock yarn!! On size 1 knitting needles!!! (Please pardon the excess of exclamation points; this is big for a serial crocheter like me.)


I wore them to work one day last week, and felt ridiculously proud every time I caught a glimpse of my ankles.



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Ten years ago this month, I published my first blog post.

At the time, I had no idea where blogging might take me. My original plan was to write about frugal living, with plenty of recipes and green cleaning tips, but along the way the focus shifted to crochet design, cycling, and chronicling the changing Wisconsin seasons. Who would have guessed that between then and now, I'd sell numerous crochet patterns and articles to magazines, travel across the country multiple times to take part in benefit bike rides with fellow bloggers, and write and publish a book?

Better still, who would have guessed that through this blog I would make friends with wonderful people all over the world? Meeting you online, and in real life, has been a joy and a privilege.


Thank you for reading all these years, and for enriching my life with your comments, emails, and friendship. I am so grateful for you all.

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14 comments:

  1. *H*A*P*P*Y* * *B*L*O*G*A*V*E*R*S*A*R*Y*!*!*

    It was fun to see my face in your photos of blog friends you've met IRL (in real life)! I am also at 10 years of blogging as of last fall and I've loved meeting and making friends in this space age, Jetson's way.

    I love your bike ride scenery - love the rivers and barns.

    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. Happy Blogaversary!!! wow where does the time go? I think it must be ten years since I started my blog too. How nice to get out on the road again and see all your favourite places, I'm pleased to see that Tallulah is keeping well :) I love your socks great colours, I think the feeling of making your own socks is the best, are you like me? I have a tendency to stick my foot in the air, twirl my ankle, and say to anyone that happens to be present do you like my new socks? I made them myself you know haha. xx

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  3. Happy Blog Anniversary, Sue! Well done for the ten-year milestone! Lovely blue skies on your bike outings which you love so much! I also left a message on your first blog entry!

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  4. This is like the best blog post ever! I'm so jealous you are able to ride now! And congratulations on that beautiful pair of socks!!! You should be exclamation point proud!!!

    What a wonderful anniversary to celebrate. I have an anniversary of a different kind coming up on Friday; but it's more fun to celebrate yours with you!!! What a tremendous milestone! I'm so thankful we became friends, and I hope like heck there will be more rides together in the future!!!

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  5. Happy Blog Anniversary! I will say that your blog always leaves me with such a sense of happiness that I always look forward to seeing one of your posts. You fill your blog with your wild adventures (which I adore) and your photos are perfect. They capture the true sense of place...I can almost smell the fragrant flowers and feel the wind as you travel down the bi-ways. I feel blessed to have had the chance to meet you on line and to call you friend. Your book is awesome, all your designs are truly lovely and your videos and articles teach us all new ways to work and see crochet. Love your knitted socks. You should be very proud. Turning a heel is like some sort of wild magic that only knitters know...and it feels awesome when you turn one! ((hugs))

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  6. You have literally been on a wonderful blogging ride my friend. Congrats to Spring, your ride and your wonderful blog. Stay safe.

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  7. Congratulations on you blog anniversary.

    Lovely sock! Well done!!! :-)

    All the best. Regula

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  8. Great to see one of your bike route posts again. Impressive blue skies and impressive river! The current looks as if it is quite strong. I love the beach and the sea but wide open spaces where one can breath are inviting too.I see several familiar faces in your photos. Congratulations for 10 years of blogging...well done :-) Take care Amanda x

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  9. It was wonderful to meet you and your sister! Blogging g can open so many doors. Here's to more !

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  10. I saw that photo of you with Kathy B. We must all get together this summer!
    I have done exactly one bike ride, and it did feel great. However, we will be spending the next couple of weeks moving, so I don't think I'll be on the bike again until April.

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  11. And thank you for this wonderful blog! I am so happy to see your part of the world.--And whoo-hoo!! Socks!!

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  12. Hello Sue! I bet your Spring is much further along now. Thank you for your blog, your sharing of words and photos. You are appreciated! Hope you are well. xx

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