Tuesday, November 22, 2016

A decade

Ten years ago today when I began this blog, I wrote: 
Actually, I am a big fan of November. This is the month when the landscape opens up. We can see lights in the distance which were hidden throughout the summer. I’m sure that in past times, the families who lived on these isolated hill farms were happy to see the neighboring lights. When there wasn’t easy communication between people even a mile away, they must have brought great comfort in the winter season.
And now the lights I see down the hill, that I haven’t seen all summer belong to my daughter and her family. 

This is the photo I posted that day


Here is the same view of the house today


It isn't really slanted. ;<))  The old maple is gone, and the small trees have grown up. There is one young dog living in the house, not the three that were here in 2006. 

The ‘folks who live on the hill’ - see this post - are still going along. Older, yes. Slower, yes. Happier, yes. Our daughter living so close, our son only an hour away, and their partners, and the grandchildren give us life and hope and such joy. 

I am very grateful to the readers of my blog, both old and new. I am especially thankful that you drop by and take the time to leave a note even when I haven’t had a chance to visit your blogs in a while. There is such generosity of spirit among bloggers.

And so, I celebrate ten years of blogging.

51 comments:

  1. Ten years is a good anniversary for your blog and a long while. Congratulations! How lovely to have family so close and the grand children too. I think when the children grow up it is definitely a re-calibrating of life and even thinking.

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  2. Congratulations on ten years of blogging...I am always interested to read what you have written. You have a thoughtful and original mind.Be well!

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  3. Brrrr, it appears that Mr Winter forgot that there is almost a month before he was to arrive. You home looks ready for him with that big stack of wood. I am so happy you continue to write your blog. You always give me something different to think about when you write. It has been great fun watching your children grow up and now the Grands. Congrats on your 10th anniversary. May you have many more stories to tell, books and movies to talk about and of course the Grands great adventures.

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  4. Congrats on your ten years! I so enjoy your blog - may it continue with the joy and creativity it gives us.
    Mary

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  5. Congratulations on the 10 years and many seasons. I remember clicking onto 'this hill farm' many years ago and wondering where it was and who you were. Thank you for letting us into your lives with your expanding family, your joys and sometimes your difficulties. It's always a delightful visit. x

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    1. Your friendship is one of the great benefits of me starting this blog. Thanks.

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  6. Happy anniversary. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

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  7. Happy Blog Anniversary, Nan! I've been enjoying your letters for nearly nine years... wishing you all the best for the next ten years and more!!

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  8. Add my "thank-you" too ... when I found your blog I wondered where this wonderful farm house and acreage was located and I have loved visiting with you through these past few years. I enjoy all your posts and vicariously share your gardens, especially your lilies!

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    1. Thank you so much. Your comments mean so much to me.

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  9. Happy 10 Years, Nan! Such a pleasure to read your blog, hear about your life, see your beautiful grandchildren. Only wish I had found you when you first started. Thanks for all your good thoughts and for being a light for all of us.

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  10. Wishing you and your family a joyful Thanksgiving. It's always a pleasure to read your blog.

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  11. Happy Blogoversary, Nan! Your blog is one I enjoy very much. I love your house, the descriptions of things you do as a family, with your grandchildren and your garden. It is so completely different from my life and yet I feel we get along so well.
    Here's to the next 10 years!

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    1. We can kinda of live different lives reading one another's blogs!

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  12. I like the new blog photo, the header. Your hill farm is a beauty and one my astronomy minded husband would love to have, set up his telescopes and enjoy the pristine skies. Happy anniversary for your blog. Wow, 10 years! I think I've been at it about 8 years and have enjoyed meeting so many people through the writing and sharing.

    I am happy to have found your blog and have enjoyed hearing about your farm and your life.

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  13. Happy Blog Anniversary, Nan. It has been a pleasure reading your blog for so many years. There have been lots of changes for you and your family over the years, and thank you for sharing them with us.

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    1. There sure have been changes. Whew! Thanks so much for your words.

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  14. What a beautiful way to celebrate 10 years of blogging. I have enjoyed your posts for many years, and hope to for many more.

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  15. I finally figured out what reading your blog is like: it's like reading The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I get the same wonderful, calm feeling knowing there are people like you and Precious out there in the world. Love to you and your family.
    Elizabeth

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    1. An incredibly kind thing to say. Thank you so much. I wish Precious were real. I learn a lot about how to live life from reading the books.

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  16. Congratulations on ten years of blogging! I agree that there is something wonderful about how rural landscapes open up in the winter.

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  17. I don't always comment, but always enjoy your blog! Congratulations on 10 years of blogging!

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  18. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Nan. I'm glad for your blog (and you) every time I stop in here.

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  19. Happy blog anniversary! And have a wonderful Thanksgiving too :)

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  20. Happy, happy blogiversary dearest friend! I'm so glad we're in this together. :) Here's to many, many more years of great letters from your Hill Farm. xoxo

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  21. Happy ten years and many more! Remember when you thought to stop writing your blog and reconsidered? I not only love your blog but have come to know many of your followers also! If they love Nan, they must be good!

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    1. I have 'met' lots of people from comments on other blogs. It's truly a wonderful world.

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  22. I'm glad I found your blog and Happy Blogiversary!!! I love this post, both your original post about November opening the landscape and the how your children and grands live nearby. I'm in the same-ish sort of boat, with my daughter having bought the home across the street!! Enjoying my 2 year old granddaughter immensely!

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    1. Isn't that SO wonderful! It is the greatest thing being a regular part of a grandchild's life. Such a gift - and one I'm thankful for every day.

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  23. I'm very glad you started your blog it has given us much pleasure and I look forward to future posts! Thanks Nan

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  24. Congratulations on 10 years, Nan! Huge accomplishment to stick at it! I am sad to see that big old tree gone. I just finished reading Lab Girl by Hope Jahren and she has a beautiful way of talking about trees. Have you read it?

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  25. Congratulations on your blog-i-versary. and thank you for your uplifting posts always. I agree with you about bloggers spirit. And you are one of the best exap[les.

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  26. Your header photo and this one with the snow reminds me of the best of a New England winter: pristine whiteness and blue shadows. Winter in Kentucky usually has at least one heavy snowfall which serves to confirm that I don't really want to contend with bad roads and months of cold weather.

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    1. As I always say, the only down side to winter is worrying about my kids on the roads. Other than that, I'm happy, happy.

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