It's greatly enriched our lives to become blog friends with so many here in the U.S., Canada and worldwide who have shared news of their lives, adventures, family and more. And, we've been fortunate in meeting bloggers, not only on road trips, but on getaways abroad, all wonderful and fun experiences.
Wait, this isn't a farewell post
Instead, it's a bit of nostalgia after tine was spent some time looking back at earlier posts and realizing this blog started 15+ years ago. Also, learned that text in colors, like yellow, do not work well and that black should always be primary. Unfortunately, many photos in those older posts no longer display.
Yikes! Once we started blogging, we were quite active at it. In fact, there were some months when we posted more blogs than there were days in the month! The first 2 years we had over 400 posts for each year. While we've become less prolific since then, posts have usually been longer. There's never a shortage of ideas, but rather a shortage of time to post, with some exceptions for travels, daily blogging isn't done.
How did the blog name happen?
Penguin is misspelled as Penguinn with an extra "n" on purpose. Once upon a short-lived time we thought idea of starting a B&B at our VA home and giving it a unique name. We had a collection of frog and penguin stuffed toys, many were gifted to us (never share that you like something or your family and friends will add to your collection). The name The Frog and Penguinn was selected. However, the B&B plan never happened after a friend who ran one in NJ shared her experiences and later sold the business. The blog name stayed.
The first post in mid-January 2015 was written by written by Grenville T. Boyd; the next one was authored by Beatrice P. Boyd.
What about those odd author names?
Blogging was new to us and rather than give our actual names, we used aliases that we modified a bit. The names Grenville and Beatrice were borrowed from Boyds Bears figurines we owned and we added the random middle initial for fun.
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| Our Boyds Bear Collection of Beatrice & Grenville still on our bookshelf |
How did have so much to post about early on?
To start, especially for those who have not been reading the Frog & Penguinn blog from back then, here's why. We sold our home in our native NJ and relocated to a very small town, Onley, on the VA eastern shore (spelled differently, but pronounced the same as only). The VA house was our first one together after our later-in-life marriage and each owning our own home and/or townhouse.
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| The VA house at first sight and a For Sale by Owner sign |
When I said Onley, VA, was small, here's a comparison: In our Beachwood, NJ, town there were over 11,000 residents compared to Onley, VA, with just over 530. We now live in Nashua, NH, the second largest city in the state with over 91,000 residents.
What did we post about?
Everything — not just the renovations. There was gardening for both vegetables and flowers and recipes (a lot) for how we used the veggies from the garden which was very large for only 2 people. One thing you soon learn on the VA Eastern Shore is that a lot of your neighbors also grow veggies, giveaways were a sure thing — so we bought a small freezer. I made a lot of zucchini meals and breads.
Who commented?
It was a slow start and most posts received no comments or just a few, often from our friend and neighbor, Possum. We were not deterred as we had a lot of projects going on with renovating the older Victorian home so never a lack of subject matter.
Also, we had internet service, but no TV connection as the local cable company was not especially reliable. Years back, streaming wasn't as popular as today. Video rentals were our source of entertainment and there was a local movie rental store in town (remember those days?). Truthfully, most days we were exhausted, so just did a quick post, then went to sleep.
Then it (finally) happened
After a few months, OK give or take 6 or more, we started getting comments from other bloggers. WOW! it was exciting to find out that others were reading our posts.
Among the earliest folks to comment were John (AC or Anvilcloud), Lois who posted from a cruise ship on which her husband, Kjell, was an officer. There was also Kathleen (Eggs in My Pocket) also photographer Scott Law.
By the end of that first year, we were receiving comments from bloggers in the U.S. and beyond, including Mona (Montana), Elaine (Alaska), Steve (Iowa), Grammie G (Maine), Ginnie, Connie (Iowa), Elaine (Canada), Valerie (England) and Christer (Sweden).
In the years since that first post, there's been more comments from folks who comment now and then (or no longer comment) and from bloggers from years back who still read and comment. You know who you are and we appreciate y'all.
Bloggers are an online community of friends
And, we miss them when they're no longer here. Sometimes, a blogger has stopped blogging completely, maybe giving a reason, or not, and sadder yet, several have passed away: Mona (Wsprsweetly of Cottages), Lorraine (Mamas Mercantile), most recently John (By Stargoose and Hanglands).
In some cases, a family member posted an update of a blogger's passing. When nothing ihas been posted, we wondered if anything had happened or did the blogger just decide to call it quits, as some have done. Maybe the same has happened to some bloggers you've known as well?
There's always a NJ connection
Former blogger Goldendaze-Ginnie (NC) was born in the same (and only) hospital in Plainfield, NJ, as myself and also had family living there. Another connection was that she grew up and attended college in New England, where we now live, later moving to NYC. Ginnie voluntarily stopped blogging in 2022 at age 89. If anyone has an update, please share.
In looking back over more than a decade of blogging, not only have fellow bloggers shared their lives and interests, but been there for many of ours, including:
- Moving from our native NJ to VA
- Renovating and gardening of our old home
- Moving (again) from VA to a mill apt in NH
- Births of grandchildren
- Deaths of loved ones
- Celebrations of birthdays & holidays
- Anniversary celebrations & special occasions
- Day trip getaways & road trips in the U.S. and Canada
- Travels abroad (more to come)
- Humor (Friday Funnies posts)
- Curiosity (What is This? posts)
We don't blog as often as we did before, not because of a lack of ideas, but rather time as we both have other interests from volunteering to ham radio. Still, we enjoy sharing our lives with anyone who reads and comments. Beatrice (Dorothy) is the primary blogger; Grenville (Patrick) is semi-retired from active posting, but reads and contributes (a lot). Jointly, we invite you to come along on our wanderings and anything else that interests us — and maybe you as well.
Your Turn — Please feel share to share your blogging story & thanks.
12 comments:
...when I first started blogging in December 2012, I would average about a dozen views a day. I had no idea who that dozen were because comments were few and far between. Back then I wondered if I would come up with ideas for the next posts. Now that's not a problem, I have too many ideas.
I wonder how many long -lived blogs started with a purpose then morphed?
Mine started in 2008 to keep me in the world during full-time caregiving, where if I got two hours off a week I was lucky. It broadened into home hospice, bereavement, then all kinds of activities and interests as my life opened up again.
I had been running a blog about my art life, and eventually blended them.
It gets to have such a real presence in your lives, and readers come and go. Several of mine have died, sadly, some of the liveliest commenters.
I think if you don't have a specific thread un mind, your blog may be shortlived as you run out of ideas. I've seen that a couple of times. Also if you don't realize how much work is invokved!
Some inventive typos there!
Oh, I enjoyed this post and learning more about your early beginnings in blogging! I went back and scrolled through some of your earlier posts just to to see that grand old house in VA. I may have to go back further to read more about it, but it was interesting to see where you "came from". I am not sure what year we became blogging friends, but I think we discovered each other through another blogging friend, Mildred, who sadly has passed away. (I am trying to remember the name of her blog...I am sure you probably know who I am talking about).
Ever since I began reading your blog it has kept me interested. I could not tell whether it was you or Grenville writing until he would identify himself. Then there were all the problems you had selling your beautiful house, Most of all I enjoyed watching grandchildren flourish and grow. I am glad you aren't bidding us farewell. I think you need ice cream now.
It is so interesting to read other's blog history! Some just stop posting and never return, with no goodbye or explanation. Those are the ones I always wonder about. Did they die or get ill?
Rick and I are glad to have met you both. Blogging is a wonderful way to enrich one’s life!
I think that most people think that more is better when they first start blogging. Not so! A quick glance at most people’s blogs reveals that the number of posts diminishes over time, but the quality and relevance is enhanced. As for meeting fellow bloggers it has mostly been positive for me, and in one instance a deep friendship developed. Sadly, that blogger died last year. In that respect blogging mirrors life.
Thank you for sharing the history of your blog. I have no idea how we found each other? I know we have Rob in common, but I'm not sure if that's our connection?
I started blogging in 2008, when my oldest was a senior in high school. I had had a bad experience on a message board (someone impersonating other people; it was later revealed she had Munchhausen Syndrome) and two of my online friends in that community began blogging, so that's how I learned about the community. Neither of them have blogged for many years, but one of them was my first commenter.
Like you, I blogged much more back then, but shorter posts. I'm so glad to have met you through blogging and I've learned so much about New England from you.
Bob and I are happy to have met you both. I have been blogging since March 2009, off and on. My blog name has changed a few times. The intent of my blog, though, has not changed. I strive to capture a moment in time and place, preserving that moment through my photographs and words, so that I might share that particular slice of time with others.
Thank you for the history. I will have do go back and read some of your early posts.
An interesting read, thank you.
The low carb diabetic blog was started by my wonderful Eddie, along with a small team of diabetics, back in 2010. A lot has happened during those years, some members went on to pastures new, while others were sadly lost to illness ... but the blog is still here and going strong thanks to all the wonderful readers and people in 'blogland'!
The blog is now just me, as Eddie passed away in August 2024, but I hope to keep it going for as long as possible ...
All the best Jan
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