Happy anniversary, Where Bloggers Live!! Today the gals and I are celebrating 5 years of the Where Bloggers Live series. I feel a little like I am cheating, though, because I am not one of the original WBL bloggers and haven’t been with the group for the whole 5 years. Although, I was surprised to realize that I will celebrate my WBL 5th anniversary in 02.2025. My first WBL post went live 02.2020 when our prompt was Valentine’s decorations. So, I am not that far behind the rest of the group. Think they will let me have a piece of their anniversary cake and champagne a few months early?
Today we are sharing our favorite WBL post. I can’t ever just pick one favorite. You might remember that about me from a ‘favorites post‘ I wrote recently. Instead, I will be sharing links to my 4 favorite Where Bloggers Live posts of all time.
Where Bloggers Live Series
The ideas for this colorful series originated with our adventurous leader, Bettye, at Fashion Schlub. She describes this series as being kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…with bloggers! Every month, Bettye challenges the six WBL bloggers with a prompt that invites us to reflect on our lives, dreams and memories. In case you missed it, find last month’s Where Bloggers Live post, here.
Just a reminder: Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After occasionally uses affiliate links which are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link provided I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Please find the places and posts where I link-up on this page.
And be sure to pop in to visit my WBL buddies for their anniversary post. They are:
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Sally at Within a World of My Own
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
Where Bloggers Live 10.2024
Although I have been writing for this series for 4 years, my favorite posts all come from the last year or so. I attribute that to the evolution of Bettye’s prompts. They have become more thoughtful and compelling. It’s fun to share the nooks and crannies of our humble abodes, glimpses around our neighborhoods and cities. But the prompts for my 4 favorite posts motivated me to think a little deeper.
Here they are, in chronological order.
Where Bloggers Live 08.2023: Time Travel
This post about time travel was written a year after my mother died. While I would love to spend more time with Mom, even now, 2 years after her death, for this post I didn’t write about traveling back in time. Instead, I considered traveling forward in time in order to spend more time with PC, my daughters and granddaughters.
The way I look at it, we aren’t moving backward, we are moving forward. If I was going to time travel, I would want to do so in the direction we are moving. I’ve been ‘back there’ – as they say – been there, done that, bought the tee shirt.
Where Bloggers Live 11.2023: Top 10 Things For Which I Am Most Grateful
Appropriately, this gratitude post went live right at Thanksgiving. Would venture to bet that if we have been friends for any length of time, you could almost list the things I am most thankful for as well as I.
Where Bloggers Live 11.2023: Top 10 Things For Which I’m Most Grateful
In this post, after I shared my top 10 things, I concluded with a verse from the Bible that I especially like.
I hope that if and when I am remembered down the road, folks will agree that my heart was where my treasure was. And vice versa. That those I loved never doubted I loved them.
I am thankful that blogging gives me an opportunity to write. Also thankful that there are a few of you out there who come by to read this prittle-prattle. Thank you.
Where Bloggers Live 05.2024: What’s Boredom
Just last spring, I wrote about boredom. Or rather the absence of boredom in my life. I can truly say I am never bored. Even over the past 2 months when this broken foot has kept me from being as active as I would like…okay, active AT ALL. I have still have had plenty to entertain me.
This post from May features a comprehensive list of all the things that keep me from ever being bored. Which, likewise, would be the many things that make me happy. It was fun to write.
I love my life. Especially when I am able to participate in it with both feet.
Where Bloggers Live 08.2024: Best Advice I Was Ever Given
The most recent of my favorite WBL posts. This piece of advice wasn’t a tip about a hot stock in which to invest, or a lucky horse to bet on at the tracks.
The best piece of advice I ever received was 2 words.
“Marry him.”
I am not very good about accepting suggestions or following advice but so thankful that this 1 time I was receptive.
Your Turn
Of the 4 Where Bloggers Live posts I’ve mentioned and linked above, do you have a favorite? What kinds of posts are your favorites to write or read? Do you like fashion, lifestyle, book review posts? Please let me know in a comment below.
Tonight it has been 6 weeks since I broke my foot at a Dayton (Ohio) Dragons baseball game. Have never been a patient person but this ordeal has been especially trying. I don’t do ‘helpless’ well at all. Hoping this time next week, I will have graduated to putting weight on my foot=walking. Oh, I hope, I hope, I hope!!
Off to bed. Busy Friday with 2 kitty drop-in visits and picking up groceries, painting on my fall door decoration and scrapbooking. Never ever bored!! Wishing you a fun-filled, peaceful weekend. Thank you for spending some of your valuable time here with me.
Hugs and kisses,
Loved going over your previous posts. Am so sorry about your foot, praying you get to walk on it soon, but take care and behave!
Iris
I can just about hear you saying, ‘behave.’ It has been so hard, Iris. I am not a good patient at all. Just ask PC. But at my appointment yesterday, the doctor said I can begin walking on my boot. I was tickled pink until after walking a little yesterday, I had more pain that I did with the break!! I know I just have to get limbered up again.
Thank you for your sweet words and your kind prayers. I will try to be a good girl.
I’m so glad you’re part of the group and of course you get all the cake and celebration…you’re here and that’s what matters.
I always love reading and rereading gratitude from everyone, so I’m glad you included that one.
Heal fast and work on being patient. Bodies take time to heal!!!
XOXO
Jodie
Happy 5th anniversary or birthday! Either way that’s such an accomplishment for the group. I’ve read several of these posts over the years and I always like to get a glimpse into peoples real lives in such an intimate way. I think I”ll go and read your What You Are Thankful post because it’s Thanksgiving for us Canadians this year.
bosbodaciousblog.blogspot.ca
Hope you did stop by to read the What I’m Thankful For post. As is the case with many of my posts, it’s family, family, family. Like a lot of your blog and IG posts. Love that about you. Hope your Thanksgiving was delightful. We have so much to be grateful for.
Has it been 5 years already! That is awesome! Huge congratulations!
Hard to believe, huh? Thank you for the congratulations. I love these gals and this series.
Hi Leslie – I hope that foot is healing even better than you expect and that you’ll be up and around again before much longer. I like your last post on advice – lucky you took it because it seems to be working well for you ever since. And as far as boredom goes – I’ve yet to experience any at all since I finished work. There’s always something to dabble in or to keep my mind occupied. I just love this time of life.
LOL I love that you haven’t been bored since retiring either. I always look at the clock about mid-afternoon and think, gosh I still have so much I want to do today!! Never enough time. Yes, as you said, there is always something to dabble in or try.
Thank you for your wellwishes about my foot. Vistied the doctor yesterday and can now begin to walk on the boot. Which was more painful than the break!! Yikes. But I know it just needs limbering up again after 7 weeks of no use. Hope to be hiking before winter arrives.
I can’t believe it’s been 5 years! How quickly time has passed. I’ve had such a wonderful time sharing and learning from you ladies. Here’s to many more years of sharing and caring. Xoxo
Oh man, did everyone do cute anniversary graphics but me??
Oh, that’s so nice that you’re liking the more recent posts. Sometimes I think we’re getting a little off-track from “where bloggers LIVE,” but really, don’t we all live in our MINDS??
I can spin anything.
Glad you’ve been with us for ALMOST five years…it’s so funny, I still think of you and Sally as “the newbies.”
Hope you’re walking on your foot soon!
xoxo
Ha!! You don’t need cute graphics…you have beautiful photographs. I think Where Bloggers Live is just as much a peek into the person as it is the world in which the person lives. I always think of myself as a WBL newbie and was really surprised to discover I have been with you guys almost 5 years myself!!
Happy Anniversary! I love reading this series because you get to see the “behind the scenes” kind of things as well as just learning more about the writers. While I love fashion, my favorite blogs are the ones where I do a lot of reading!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Thank you!! I love the behind the scenes prompt ideas Bettye challenges us with. I can never seem to write a short blog post but I think we are alike in that regard. We are teachers and so we include learning, information, research in what we share. You would be an excellent librarian, my friend, if you ever decide to try a new career.
I think your time travel post is my favorite too. Best wishes for getting back on your feet; broken bones definitely try our patience!
What a year you have had, Leslie! Lots of time to be introspective, that’s for sure!
I was trying to think of where I first “met” you. I couldn’t remember, so I’m thinking I followed you here from a comment on Jodie’s blog; regardless, I absolutely felt the connection of a kindred spirit (hope you don’t find that insulting, haha)!
I was so happy when you joined the group because I greatly enjoyed your posts (and short stories): they are always filled with love, thoughtfulness, feeling, logic and care… The care you put into cleaning and cooking (where I am NOT a kindred spirit, sadly); the care you put into your crafts and hobby pursuits; the care you put into your faith life, and above all, the care you put into your marriage and family. I find you to be a great example as a wife, mom, and human….and learn so much from your writing.
It has been a crazy year. But I can say that almost every year, it seems. At least we aren’t bored!!
I think I must have found you through Jodie or Daenel before I got brave enough to ask Bettye if I could join WBL. I felt an instant connection with you, probably because of Buffalo. But the more of your blog posts I read, you became a real person with whom I had a lot in common. Not just a name on the blogosphere. Thank you for the kindest words. I blush when I read your kind comments because I never feel worthy of the sweet things you say. Also, not too sure about my cooking or cleaning these days, but my love of family never falters. Nor does yours for your brood.
Thank you for being one of my bestest blogging buddies.
This was a fun series.. I enjoyed all your posts.
Thank you. These Where Bloggers Live gals are terrific!!
I love these series Leslie. Because they are so personal. Thanks for sharing all these lovely stories throughout the years.
Oh, Nancy, thank you for taking the time to read this!! And for leaving me such a sweet comment.