Well, here we are. It’s hard for me to believe, but it’s been 15 years  since I wrote my first post on this blog I decided to name Mockingbird Hill Cottage. 15 years! That’s longer than I’ve held any job. I suppose this is a job of sorts…just not as well paying as any of my other jobs and that includes my job in an office where I had the most dismal paycheck ever. It was still more than this blog ‘pays’ me.

But that’s the point – I don’t write this blog for any sort of monetary gain. That’s never been my goal. It’s purely for the pleasure of sharing.

My goal when I contemplated writing a blog was to share a sort of visual journal with as-yet-unknown people out there in the blogosphere. I was fascinated by the blogs I was seeing which were a whole new way of communicating. And for me, someone who never really succeeded at journaling, the combination of writing (which I loved) and photography was a perfect fit.

In those days, I just hoped that someone would follow me! I followed lots of other blogs, they followed me back, and I was off and running. But it was very early days in the blogging world. Crude, by today’s standards. But I sometimes miss those days. It was a wonderful time of discovery.

Now, less and less people blog. But some of us are still hanging in there. I love Instagram and use it every day, but it will never take the place of a blog post. Never. You simply cannot get into the depth of writing that you can in a blog.

I venture to say that few of the people who were blogging way-back-when still blog. Those that do, generally don’t blog every day. Maybe a couple of times a week, once a week, once a month, and for some – once every 6 months or so. I blog every day with rare exceptions; when I’m working long hours on a show or when I’ve been in mourning for my mother, my father, my dogs. Then I needed to take some time away from the blog. I like the routine of blogging every morning. I think it focuses my mind for the day ahead. And heaven knows, it’s been cathartic and beautiful and painful. As it should be.

It’s been so rewarding.

The community that has emerged from the comments on the blog is the BEST part of all of this. We reach out to each other, we offer help, support, prayers, laughter – whatever is needed. I’m so proud of it and it’s not something I fashioned. It just happened.

Thanks for being there for me through losses and triumphs and all the days in-between. In-between is where life is truly lived, don’t you think? Thanks for indulging my passions for collecting, nature, animals, books, decorating, my pets, gardening, dolls (who knew?) and my husband. Thanks for everything you have given me over these 15 years. Every day I feel your support. You are my friends. We haven’t met in person but we have  met. We know each other and care for each other.

Without you, I’d just be writing and sending posts out into the ether. That would be okay, but, as a longtime performer: it’s sure nice to have an audience.

Thank you for being here. You mean more to me than I can say.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Happy Mockingbird Hill Cottage.