One Year Of Blogging - And A Give Away to Celebrate!

I published my first post on March 9, 2008. My friend CeeKay, Thinkin' of Home, had been blogging for about a month and she begged me to start my own blog. She said she knew I would just love it. Frankly, I was happy C had found something she loved doing so much, but I couldn't imagine I would like it that much. I couldn't picture myself "talking" to strangers online regularly, actually making friendships. My husband and I visited CeeKay and her husband in mid February last year. Several times during our visit she sat me down in front of her computer to see her blog and interactions with other bloggers. I could see that C really enjoyed it and that all of the people she communicated with and the blogs she visited actually seemed quite normal - even nice! So when Hubby and I came home after our visit to Arizona I created my own blog. The rest is history!

How did I choose the name for my blog? First of all, my granddaughters call me Mimi. I knew I wanted to be Mimi as a grandmother from the time our son was a toddler. Our daughter and all the children on both sides of the family called their grandmothers Grammy - except Jacob. He called my mother and my mother-in-law Mimi as a toddler. I thought it was cute and loved that he had chosen a unique name - at least unique in our families. The Garden attachment to Mimi happened because I adore flowers and I've always loved gardening. I work at creating several gardens each Spring, adding new plants and accessories. Whenever our four year old granddaughter visited as a toddler she always asked to go out to see Mimi's garden. So it just felt natural when naming my blog to choose Mimi's Garden.

I am still quite stunned at my involvement in Blogland! I, Kathy, check my blog several times a day. I take pictures of my house and dishes and crafts and projects to post for perfect strangers to see - and comment on! Ok, CeeKay, I admit it...I LOVE it! Thank you for relentlessly encouraging me to create my own blog :) !

I have gotten to know some perfectly wonderful ladies during this year of blogging. You are all so incredibly creative, talented, generous, and kind. You encourage and inspire me, you pray for me, you provide incentive to accomplish more and reason to believe that the world is mostly made up of good and kind people! I am truly thankful for all of you!

To celebrate my one year blogging anniversary I would like to host a give away. To enter, leave a comment on any post between today, February 20 and midnight March 8, leaving your e-mail address and expressing a desire to enter the give away. The winner will receive an original watercolor, painted by Yours Truly. I'm not going to advertise the give away on other blogs because I would like the winner to be someone who already visits my blog rather than someone who just enters give aways. I'll post the winner's name on my one year blogging anniversary, March 9.

Finally, if you do not already have a "Mimi's Friendship" graphic pictured below, please take it now and link to Mimi's Garden. I would be honored to see it on your blog!