Blog Changes Brewing...

Hi all !  Hey I have some new ideas brewing for my blog and I'm getting close to my 500th post, which I think is a good time to make changes.

First off, I want to change the name to something more unique and easy to remember.  Do you have any suggestions?  I still hope to cover a little bit of everything - home, travel, friends, family and even some magazine reviews, household tips, sewing (when I get my machine), crafts, etc.  I'm hoping to be able to categorize better though, so folks can find the subjects they want to read about.  I may be changing blog hosts as well.  I've heard good things about WordPress.com, but I'd love to get some input.

I was thinking of calling my blog "Dibble Dabs"  which is what my mom uses to describe a small bit of something, as in "Do you want more mashed potatoes?  Oh, just give me a dibble dab."  It sounds a little funny when you say it out loud as a stand alone title.  Is that good?  Probably not...not sure.

I'd love to get some suggestions from all you creative people out there who've read my blog at least a little bit.

Looking forward to hearing from you either here or via email (for those who are afraid of commenting on a blog).  Thanks for reading and responding.

Today is my 3 year blogging anniversary!

It's hard to believe that I've been typing away online for 3 years (over 1095 days) with a total of 443 posts! That's an average of a post about every 2 1/2 days.

This photo was from my first post back in 2006. A lot has changed since then. I have a new job, which is only 4 days a week. It allows me more time for home, family and friends (an answer to prayer). Amy & Andrew are living in So Cal, with college degrees and working in totally new careers. Kevin is single and officially finished with active duty in the Air Force. For now he is in Omaha, Nebraska and we're waiting to hear if he'll be coming home or moving on to another location.

We have made dozens of changes around the house, including our most recent, a new front yard. And to top it off, Terry and I have had some wonderful times with friends and family both at home and elsewhere. Plus we have taken some amazing trips! Of course, we had some sad times, lost some precious friends and family and dealt with other losses and struggles, but overall we know that God is so good and we're thankful for the life He has given us. My mom turned 85 this year and Terry's parents are turning 75 soon. All are healthy, happy and independent. Which is just where they want to be.

What a blessing to be reminded of so many wonderful gifts we've had in life, even when just looking at the last 3 years.

On a somewhat related note...I've been thinking about dividing my blog into 2 different ones. A new one would be for activities around the house like cooking, landscaping, decorating, crafts, etc. The existing one "Down the Road and Back Again", would concentrate on topics away from home like traveling, vacations, things to see and do, activities with friends & family, etc. It would continue to have more of my personal journey, history and stories and the new one would probably be a little more informative, creative, with training, ideas, etc. for folks who don't want to hear about my personal life.

Of course, I would hope that friends and family would follow both. I don't have any expectations that the readership would pick up, it just seems more logical to me. Will you let me know what you think?

I also need to come up with a name for the second blog, if I do it. I was thinking of something like "just puttering...". I'm assuming everyone knows that expression, but I'd love to hear your suggestions.

By the way, Terry's mom showed me how to make beautiful bows for packages or decorating and I'm thinking of posting step by step photos & instructions on how to make them as one of the first on the new blog. They're so easy and turn out beautifully! Watch for it.

Oh, I took this photo on our way back to Prescott from Phoenix a few weeks ago. We were driving north on Cave Creek road. I just can't get enough of these Arizona sunsets, especially in the summer.

Another post with no comments...

So I know that some of you have said that you read without commenting. Unfortunately, when I don't get any comments, I have no idea if anyone is even reading, so it gets a little discouraging.

Is there something I can do to encourage you or make it easier for you to comment?

Or maybe no one's reading because...

I don't post often enough and you forget to come back and visit
My posts aren't interesting enough
My posts are too long

Is there anything else I need to know or should I just give up the blog and stick with Facebook?

Thanks for your input.

Blogging Trivia:

Interesting note for the beginning of the new year : I posted 136 times in 2007 and 141 in 2008 (an increase of only 5 posts) and I wasn't even keeping track. I averaged a post every 2.58 days. I wonder if I can do better this year?

Happy New Year!
Yes, the holidays are technically over, although we have a Friend's Get together tonight and one last Christmas Gathering with Terry's family tomorrow night, then my mom's 85th Birthday on Sunday. I'm going to be exhausted when I go back to work on Monday.

Tell me what you think about the new look of the blog. Is it too much? I think the dark color brings out the colors in the photos. What do you think?

I posted a link to a few of my Maui Favorites on the sidebar...click on it to take a look at the slide show.

So I'm starting to research the possibility of printing a book of my blog, just for historical keepsake purposes (ie. grandchildren may someday want to look at it and all the photos I take won't go totally to waste). My research so far indicates that you can't do it easily with Blogger, so I may switch over to TypePad so I can do it. We'll see...let me know if you've heard of a good company for this.

I'm also working on a book of highlights from our Maui trip thru Blurb. I LOVE their software! It's so easy and looks so professional with tons of template and color options. Once I'm done I'll post the link so you can see what it looks like. I'm on page 30 or so and I'm only about half way thru the vacation. It's going to be awesome!

Starving for Feedback

I was just looking at "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman" and noticed that she had over 7000 comments on one of her posts. I'm lucky if I get even one on most days.

Depressing...is anyone out there?

A new blogger joins our little community...

Hey guys, our friend and musician, Dave Argentati has started a blog! Please go there and visit, then comment so he knows he's not alone in cyberspace.

That's the worst feeling, being out there with no indication that anyone is listening or cares.

Here's the link. Be sure to bookmark it or add it to your RSS feed.

http://art-as-life.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

THANK YOU RANDY !!!!

So how do you like my new banner? My dear friend Linda was my inspiration because her banner is so cool. Her husband Randy (pictured here) offered to help me do a banner for my blog. He put together one of my photos with the title, then showed me how to upload it. He even edited the license plate so it's not the original one. Read it closely. I just love it!

I saw this old couple driving down the Arizona highway in that awesome Studebaker and just had to get a picture. I'm thinking that could be Terry and I someday...it's such a picture of happiness to me...still having adventures even when we're older and "grayer".

Stay tuned...I look forward to changing my banner periodically as I get inspired. Thanks Randy, for taking the time to show me how you did it.

I just posted my second entry on my travel blog at Hotels By City.com. Check it out. By the way, you can comment on my blog there too and I would love it if you link to that blog from yours just to get more traffic there.

I'm also in the process of making a list of things that I can blog about as I have time. I can choose from any of these categories below but I'm only supposed to write about items in the Phoenix metro area.

At some point I'll probably try to do some posts about day or weekend trips FROM Phoenix (kind of cheating, but I think it will work). That way I can use more of my photos.

You can imagine that my stories about Bars and Clubs will be pretty minimal, but the rest is wide open.

So I need your help. Let me know what you want to hear about or what you think potential visitors to Phoenix will want to hear about that they may not find in a normal travel magazine. Or just give me some ideas of your favorite places and things to do so I can pass them on in my blog. Amy, if you tell be when Obadiah Parker is playing next, and send a photo or two, I'll post it.

You do know that some of you will have to go out with me to try some of these places, so I can take pics for my blog, so be prepared...I'm thinking about trying to go to Pizza Bianco sometime soon...any takers?

• Attractions (17)
• Bars & Clubs (3)
• Entertainment (11)
• Events (15)
• Hotels (4)
• News (16)
• Phoenix (17)
• Restaurants (5)
• Shopping (2)
• Things To Do (14)
• Top Ten’s (2)

So I'm officially a travel blogger for HotelsByCity.net!

This is my first post about the FBR Open Golf Tournament that's coming up next week. The gig is kind of exciting, although really no big deal. Just a volunteer deal and I might make a few bucks if people click on the ads on my blog page (hint, hint). Minimum requirement is to post at least twice a week, but more is recommended. We'll see how much time I have. I'm sure that I won't run out of things to write about. There's always so much going on in the valley.

Looking forward to the challenge and even to being able to post some of my photos as well. Now I just need to get out and take some pictures.

Soon, I'm hoping to head over to the Borgata, an upscale shopping center in Scottsdale on a Friday night when it's warm enough to wander outside. They have a European Market and free concerts that sound like fun. I think it would be an interesting photo op too. Who wants to join me?

Travel blogging...

Back to some of my favorite trips... Here are some pics from Boyce Thompson Arboretum which is just an hour or so outside of Phoenix. The photo of the cardinal isn't mine. It's from their website, but the others we took when we were there in April 2005.

It's a beautiful place and never what you think you'd see just an hour from the desert. They have huge eucalyptus trees and gorgeous red cardinals! I hadn't seen one of those since I was in Ohio. They have a wonderful butterfly and hummingbird garden as well. We found at least a dozen walking tours and classes to enjoy for little or no cost. They also sell cuttings of their plants a few times a year. The spring plant sale is March 9 -25. I want to try to go again this spring. Maybe we can get there for one of their gardening or landscaping classes.

Side note: I took the picture of this plaque at Boyce Thompson because Crider is my grandparents name. I had forgotten all about it. I want to try to research to see if we're related...