Welcome to My Eighth Blogiversary
Please have a cupcake!
Guest of Honor
YOU!
You come from all over the globe. If you don’t find your country represented, you can call me out in Comments. Here is a sampling from stats earlier this month:
Our Connection is rather like a sideways number “8”
Almost like a Mobius strip, looping from you to me. Or the symbol for Infinity.
And as long as the electrons and pixels hang together, I hope we can maintain this connection.
Did you know . . .
According to Google, the number of active blogs hovers around 500 million, so it’s not surprising that millions of blog posts are published daily.
The Worldometer of blogs registers about 7 million blog posts published every day.
(I caught the meter one evening last week as it cycled toward the seven-million mark. See below.)
That’s why you are the guest of honor today because I could not have persevered on “Plain and Fancy” without YOU, especially during this past year of mask-wearing and social distancing, the world turned upside down for all of us.
The Wonder of it all!
I am not a celebrity, a public figure, or even a best-selling author. Yet, you still show up and support my writing. I’m so very grateful! 🙂
And I am thrilled that out of millions of blog posts published daily, weekly, and monthly, you still visit us here, many of you joining in the conversation.
Some of you have been with me from the very beginning in 2013. Brava!
Thank you!
Muchas Gracias!
Merci Beaucoup!
Danke!
Are you an early subscriber?
Do you remember how we got connected here?
What is your favorite topic on “Plain & Fancy”?
Good morning, Marian! Happy Blog Anniversary! Thank you for the cupcake–and for sharing your weekly posts with us. And thank you for being such a good friend and visitor to my blog. (I’m baking Hamantaschen today–I’ll pass some through my computer later.) 😀
Merril, I’m looking forward to the Hamantaschen, which I’ve never heard of before. Because it’s coming from your oven, I’m sure I’ll love it. Thank you for being so loyal in blogging and in friendship! 🙂
You’re very welcome, Marian. ❤️ I know you’ve seen the Hamantaschen because I make them every year for Purim. You’ll recognize them when I post a photo.
Looking forward to it! 🙂
Congratulations–I think we found each other about the same time but I don’t have time to research it now. Maybe I found you through Shirley Hershey Showalter’s blog–a mutual acquaintance. The number of blogs out there is astounding! It’s nice to have a small company of blogs, like friends, with which you can connect with more intimately, right? Hope you’re still having fun!
Yes, Melodie, I still enjoying blogging; otherwise, I’d not continue, even through the ups and downs of my personal life.
The best thing about blogging is the friendships I’ve made, including yours. Thanks so much for standing by me, here in this space and of course in the long arc of publishing my memoir. The pleasure is mine! 🙂
Congratulations, Marian! Thank you for creating this lovely community and remaining faithful to the discipline of weekly writing. I have been along for most of this journey and value the connection to you and to your loyal followers.
P.S. I am planning to re-ignite my dormant blog soon. Hoping I haven’t lost connection to readers through the long dark period.
Shirley, you were the very first commenter, I believe, when I wrote about my grandchildren’s gratitude books. I still feel that emotion as I reply here. Thank you so much for your loyalty and friendship over the years.
Yes, you have been through a long, dark period, but I predict your blog friends will still be ready to support you. You can count on me, for sure.
Suffering never goes to waste in our life stories, and I’m certain it will deepen the writing you are doing for your WIP on grand-parenting.
Blessings to you and your family. ((( )))
Hello Marian,
I met you through your appearance on one of the Rave Shows. I remember it exactly because I asked you a question about the relationship between you and your father.
Congratulations on your 8th anniversary! The number 8 has also a special meaning. It stands for new beginnings. So, I hope you have many new beginnings in your 8th year of blogging.
By the way, I am an ExPat American living in Germany. So I consider myself representing the USA and Germany. but I don’t see a German flag in the list.
I don’t have a favourite topic at the moment because I have just started following your blog, but I did enjoy your book very much.
Have a beautiful day.
Shalom aleichem
Welcome again here, Pat. Yes, we have recently become friends, but I believe we have a lot in common. Speaking of ancestry and travel, I believe yours is the reverse of mine, yours beginning in Georgia while I’m currently living in Florida. Now you are living in Germany from where my ancestors fled because of persecution. By the way, a German flag will be on the list today because YOU have commented.
Thanks for reading and responding to my book in such a positive way. Yours is on my Kindle on the day it launched. Blessings as you send that “book baby” into the world! 🙂
Here’s to more new beginnings. I like the idea of the symbolic 8!
Congrats on the 8 years of blogging. I don’t remember when I started following . I think it was after moms passing or before I don’t remember. But I enjoy and look forward to reading and responding on your blog. Your very creative and funny. I learn a lot here.
Thank you for the cup cake and your dedication.
Yes, Gloria, when I write about family, you can picture the whole bunch in your mind. You can even probably hear their voices. Whenever you joined in here, I appreciate you and your unique perspective on things. And I’ll so glad that in the last year you have actually had time to enjoy yourself without so many obligations. Thanks for joining in today, so appreciated! 🙂
Congratulations my dear friend on your 8th year of Blogging. I joined in from the beginning because you invited all your friends to walk this journey with you. It has been adventurous, fun and enjoyable, thanks for the ride.
And I appreciate you SO very much riding along with me, one of the few in our gang who has accepted the invitation wholeheartedly. Thanks heaps, Carolyn!
Well, congrats to you. Well done. I’ve no idea how I found you, but your wisdom and humor and style ring true with me. Please carry on for, at least, another 8 years! 🎉
Well, Ally Bean, thanks for “bueno” wishes. I’ll carry on at least another year though I can’t promise 8 more. You know how it goes – our tank goes dry, but then we get the urge to fill up and power on. Blog readers & commenters are the goad, as I’m sure you will agree. 🙂
Happy Blogoversary, dear Marian! Eight is the number of new beginnings. So this is a new beginning for you! So glad to have met you through the blogosphere! Wishing you many more years!
L. Marie, today I learned something new: 8 is the number of new beginnings. (If I’ve heard it, it’s slipped my mind – ha!). Thanks for the good wishes here, a steady friend. 🙂
Marian — happy, Happy, HAPPY 8th Blog Anniversary! I look forward to my weekly visits to this lovely community that you’ve curated.
And I am happy, happy seeing you each week, Laurie, knowing you are hard at work on your amazing Sean McPherson novels. Wheee!
Happy anniversary, Marian! Here’s to many more!
Thanks, Jill. As with Laurie, I appreciate your presence here even though I know you hve a full-time job, keep up with other bloggers, and are hard at work on your divinely-inspired (!) novel series. 🙂
Congratulations on 8 years of blogging. I don’t remember how many years I’ve been following you but I’m pretty sure it was through Menno Media and Melody. I also purchased Shirley Hersey Showalter’s book “Blush” around that time and started following Jennifer Murch all through that connection. I have Anabaptist roots that drew me to these various bloggers/writers.
Thank God for our Anabaptist roots. It does leave an indelible impression on our world view and the friendships we choose. I’m so happy we have a connection here, Elaine. So grateful! 🙂
Very impressive.
Thanks, Shirley. Blogging is like writing a book. The words add up over time. It’s hard for me to believe it’s been eight years. Thanks, again, Shirley, for stopping by to comment today and best wishes on your own writing! 🙂
Where the two sides of Eight meet and cross is where I feel the same ‘zing’ that your wisdom and humor impart. Thank you Marian for your dedication to community. I learned about you from Shirley Hershey Showalter, and I am grateful.
I’m grateful too for our connection here, on opposite sides of the continent, it seems. I believe I got to know you through Shirley and then we took a family history course together. Thanks so much, Dolores! 🙂
Cheers on your 8th Blogiversary and wishing you many more, Marian! Delighted that we’ve connected. <3 xo
The pleasure is mine, Bette. Through Rave Reviews I’ve met you and also Pat and Shirley Slaughter, who also joined in today. Lucky me! 🙂
Happy Blogversary, Marian. I just celebrated 9 years. Hard to believe I had that much to say! lol You found me first. I think it was a blog related to either bread or red shoes. Certainly we have more in common than red shoes and I have always felt a kindred spirit with you. Looking forward to many more years of your thoughful posts! 🙂
Congratulations on your 9 NINE years, Jenn. I wonder if you celebrated properly.
I visit you most days, vicariously enjoy your life stories and also the quotes, so grand that I often squirrel them away in a folder with other bits of wisdom. I’ll call you “Sista” Jenn today because we are kindred spirits. Ha!
Congratulations on the blogiversary! Keep pushing your good stuff out into the blogosphere.
Steve, this comment landed in my spam folder – how rude! So I approved it just now.
THANKS, friend!
Congratulations! 👍
Thank you, Fatima! 🙂
Marian, I started blogging in March 2012, encouraged by my writer friend, Dora Dueck. It was scary at first, to put my thoughts out there, but I found I really enjoyed it. Through Dora I read Shirley Showalter’s blog, and then yours.
I remember wondering if I wanted to read another “Mennonite” writer, but you hooked me, and I feel I’ve gained a friend in the process. I often share your posts with Hardy. I’m glad you keep on blogging, don’t stop! I’m baking cupcakes for one of my grandsons’ birthdays, he will be 14 years old on Friday, and I’m using your cupcake picture as a model!
I’m so thankful for your decision to read “another Mennonite bloggers” posts. It’s also heart-warming to realize that you share my writing with Hardy, so sweet!
Your writing is nostalgic too, and I like how you involve the generations in preserving family history. No telling what precious fruit the seeds you have planted will bear.
I’m glad the cupcake photo inspired the birthday celebration for your grandson.
On another note, I probably won’t stop blogging, but I may take some breaks here and there. Thanks again for your loyal presence here each week. Elfrieda!
Oh, and congratulations on your almost-9 years of blogging, pretty amazing!
Happy 8th Blogging birthday. Not sure how we met but sure glad we did. XO
You’ve added variety to my blog friends, Darlene: a Canadian friend with a British husband now living in Spain. I believe somewhere in the genealogy there are Mennonite roots as well. Thanks too for adding the YA genre to my reading. 🙂
Congratulations and happy 8th blog anniversary! What a pleasure your posts are and so happy I got to spend time with you a while ago …. feels like it might be a century :-)!
Yes, meeting face to face gives our friendship an added dimension I don’t have with most other blog buddies.
I remember you using Scrivener to organize your memoir files during our Chincoteague retreat. I admired it so much, I ordered it for my own memoir, but never used it. Ha! One more thing: I found Annie Tucker for some final polishing, thanks to you as well.
Thanks for stopping by today, the pleasure is all mine, Joan! 🙂
Congratulations Marian 🙂
Good to see you here, Ann. Thank you!
I was just reading the headings of your posts, Marian, and thinking how entertaining and humorous they are. We all have to start somewhere and create our little spot in the sun. I am glad you have found yours.
What a lovely way to send a compliment. Thank you, Robbie. I know you’ve found yours too!
Congratulations, Marian! It’s a remarkable achievement to stay with blogging for eight years. I’m closing in on two next month. I know everyone has different reasons for why they blog. For me, it is as simple as having the opportunity to meet interesting people from around the globe. Glad you’re one of them.
Congrats on your achievement too, Pete. I began blogging as an outlet for creativity and connection after I retired from teaching, but I continue because of the camaraderie here. We are so blessed. Thank you!
Congratulations on reaching your eighth blogiversary, Marian! The blogging statistics you presented are quite astounding.
Thanks, Liz, for chiming in here. You too have achieved much in your writing as I’ve noticed lately on your blog. I too wanted to be a Latin teacher, but a college advisor talked me out of it.
I admire your “stick-to-it-ive-ness” as well. Brava!
You’re welcome, Marian. (I think some of my comments on your blog have gone into the spam folder.) Do you regret not going down the Latin teacher road?
Liz, I believe I’ve seen all your comments unless you’ve commented on an “older” blog. In the beginning I had to moderate your comments because you were a new commenter. Now you “come up” automatically – so appreciative of your presence here. 🙂
About your question: The advisor was a Latin professor herself and she said “You’ll never get a job,” so I didn’t pursue it. Anyway, I have enjoyed teaching English literature.
Thanks for the followup!
You’re welcome, Marian. That’s interesting about your advior’s being a Latin professor. My Latin professor left the university to pursue a doctorate in Classical Languages. I was quite indignant that he thought a second doctorate was necessary. I wanted to keep studying with him.
Well, I just checked my Spam folder and two of your comments were lodged there. Now I’ve marked them “Not Spam” and approved them. Thanks for calling attention to a folder I never look at. 😀
Thanks for checking, Marian! I’ve learned to check my spam folder because the filter can be unpredictable at times.
I’ve learned a lesson from you, Liz. I check SPAM on my regular email, but not on WordPress. . . until now.
Have a great weekend!
Happy Blogoversary Marian! Every blog of yours is like a delicious cupcake which I accept with glee every time. I don’t remember how we met several years ago but I’ve been an ardent follower of your blog ever since. Here’s to another 8 for you!
What a yummy compliment, Susan. Your family stories are wonderful, and I’ve been enlightened about the climate and culture of South Africa, so we’ll exchange thank you’s here. 🙂
Congratulations on 8 years. I am pleased to be one of the representatives under the Canadian flag. I can pick a favourite theme – I enjoy all your posts. One of the things I enjoyed most about your book, though, was the recipes. Food always gets my attention. 🙂
Yes, Canada is always well represented here I’m glad you are one of the 8 or 9 commenters I see here often. And thanks for the shout-out about food. You probably enjoyed the “Mennonite Men Can Cook” post.
Thanks for your faithful support here, Arlene! 🙂
Happy 8th Marian. Yes, turn that 8 around and it becomes infinity 🙂 x
You are SO right, Debby, and thanks for noticing. I appreciate your friendship and for being so loyal here–and there–so supportive everywhere. 😀
The pleasure is mine Marian <3
De nada! You are so welcome, Marian. Congratulations on your eighth blogging anniversary. An amazing feat. We all keep coming back, because you provide wonderful insights, varied topics, and entertaining content in a professional and unique manner. Plus, you are an amazing, generous, and genuine woman in your blogposts, your comments, and IRL!
Well, that’s a super-sized dose of encouragement at this end of this tiring day: Dank je!
Some bloggers can enthusiastically write about one thing, but I like to “roam about” with topics, as you can tell.
Thanks so much for your support here and with my memoir. I’m glad you have had a bit of time to de-compress lately. You’re the best! 🙂
Happy blog-a-versary ! Marian.👋 🥳 I can’t imagine how many years I’ve been following you but I’d go for at least 6 . I found you through Laurie who has sadly given up her blog now ,and I miss her , but look at you both now , AUTHORS, in you own and special right .
I feel over the years we’ve become friends , not just virtual , but actual , in as much as , I feel I know you through your honesty .
I have enjoyed meeting your family and learning about your faith , something I may never have stumbled on if I hadn’t have met you through your blog .
It’s been an actual pleasure and I look forward to the next 8 years . I’m going now to eat my very beautiful virtual cupcake …cheers!
Cherryx
You know, Cherry, if I met you in person, I think we could just pick up where we left off here and be like “old” friends. I’m glad you appreciated learning of my faith which gives me strength for daily living and hope beyond this life. I treasure our friendship here, but I’m not sure I can persevere for 8 more years. But, who knows, it’s one blog post at a time. Easy does it!
Cheers to you my friend and HUGE thanks! oxo
Good morning Marian, Congratulations on your blog anniversary. I think the mention you make that 6.5 million blogs are written daily goes to the need for those of us who blog to write compellingly and with a purpose, in order to stand out from the crowd. This you do beautifully, my friend. Best wishes, Susan.
I think highly of your opinion, so thanks for such a generous compliment. You too stand out from the crowd: I can always count on well-reasoned and inspirational content from you as well, Susan. Blessings! 🙂
Heartfelt congratulations!
Thank you, Fiona. 🙂
Congratulations and I wish I could eat a chocolate cup cake right now, but I’d have to drive 20 miles to get one, so I’m safe. Instead I’ll go walking. I must be a fairly early subscriber. I love the historical stories about the Mennonite life of you and your family. You almost always post something cheerful and/or creative and that’s been a big plus this last year. Keep it going!
Thank you, Elaine! I’m sort of running out of stories of my Mennonite life, so I guess I’ll have to hit Ruthie’s diaries again, which is a painstaking job as they are written in faded pencil.
You have been an early subscriber, I’m certain. Over the years, I think we have shared many intimate things on our blogs, which eases the isolation we feel most acutely now. Blessings! 🙂
Congratulations, Marian – we started our blogs at just about the same time. Great to find each other in a world full of so many blogs!
You’re one of the bloggers that stand out. Because you review books, I know each post represents “beaucoup” time and effort. Congrats back to you, Barbara!
Thank you, Marian!
Congratulations Marian! Can’t believe it’s been 8 years. I have been checking out your blog from the beginning, as I was among your group of friends that you invited, along with Carolyn. You have taken us to a lot of places, and it’s been fun! Love you ❤️
I’m glad you have been along for the whole ride–and the book launch that followed. Thanks so much for being a loyal follower and (Southern!) FRIEND, Bonnie. :-
I’m glad that we connected Marian. My home province was Manitoba, living in the north. When I went to college I lived near Steinbach, Manitoba. My second family was Mennonite. When I was 15, I travelled to British Honduras (now Belize) and visited a Mennonite colony. I have so many great memories. Looking forward to following your posts.
Welcome! I’m so glad I found you through Darlene Foster’s blog. And thank you for following my posts; it’s easy to subscribe. I look forward to getting to know you better, Clanmother.
On another note: I notice you visited the Isle of Skye several years ago. As it happens, my grand-daughter’s middle name is Skye, and she does have Scottish ancestry on her father’s side. 🙂
We have been following the bagpipes to Scotland ever since my son became a bagpiper. Scotland feels like our second home. We live in Vancouver, Canada which has a huge Scottish community. My son attends Simon Fraser University, which has a brilliant bagpipe band. Every year they go to the Worlds in Glasgow to compete. We attended the Worlds in 2014. I have never seen so many bagpipers in my life. Unfortunately, Covid 19 curtailed our travel to Scotland this year, but I know that we will return. Looking forward to our ongoing discussion.