I realised this weekend that it’s a year since we were on holidays so that means it’s a year since I started this blog, while avoiding laundry on the day we got back. If you’re feeling nostalgic here’s where it all started out – my very first blogpost. That post sets out some blogging goals that are yet to be fulfilled- the whole redesign thing for a start, I really would like to add new tabs and pretty it all up a bit, but time is short so that will have to wait a bit.
It’s been a fun year, I’ve gotten a lot out of the blogging, I’ve cooked lots of new dishes and treats and shared tips that make my life easier like my batchcooking commandments or Christmas gift ideas. I love getting feedback through the blog comments or on Twitter or Facebook, especially when people tell me how they’ve made my dishes or visited places I’ve recommended on daytrips. I’ve also gotten some lovely free samples and invitations from food companies (keep ’em coming!). It’s an extra little aspect to life that I just love.
One Saturday morning in October while I was on the way to a GAA match a twitter friend tweeted to tell me that I was featured as a “Foodie to Follow” in the Irish Independent. I couldn’t believe it and was really honoured (and shocked) to see my blog mentioned in print. I still have the original to frame, on the (long) to do list. (I’ve gone dotcom since the article was published).
Blogging for me is a hobby, I’m not a pro, I’ve no schedule, it’s all very haphazard. But I get something from it, and that’s why I do it. Now, I still CRINGE when I admit to people that I have the blog, somehow sharing my posts on Facebook with people I know feels anonymous but anyone mentioning it to me in real life embarrasses me.
People ask where I find the time to do the blog and honestly I don’t know. The dishes I blog are eaten by us for our dinners or parties or playdates or for the boys’ lunchboxes. Sometimes I draft blogposts on my phone, or list ideas at least. The photos are usually just unstyled and taken on my phone, this is something I’d love to improve on, but other things are more important.
I am addicted to the statistics that WordPress provides on the site. In 12 months I’ve recorded over 17,000 page views on my 61 blogposts. This blows me away. I’m not sure how much of it is me searching on my phone to tweet links of my recipes to people though, but it’s a big number for me to get my head around nonetheless
It appears that the Bumbles of Rice blog reader has a very sweet tooth- my top three posts (s0 far) are :
3. Donal Skehan’s Lemon Slices
In April I made a new departure and blogged about a book that I loved, The Happiness Project and I was really surprised with how it resonated with blog readers, it was the most commented upon post that I blogged. I loved the book and was really glad to share it, I am still trying to live it.
So, as our little family grows and this blog turns one, thanks for reading, and if there’s anything you’d like to see on the blog let me know!
