16 from ’16 – One year of blogging, and counting
Is it already too late for a round-up of my first year of blogging? I hope not! Inspired by Sadhbh’s link-up 16 from ’16 over at Where Wishes Come From, here is a look back at my blogging highlights of 2016, before heading full steam into 2017.
Most popular post
My list of 10 family escapes in Wicklow was my most popular post of the year, by some distance. It was liked, shared and commented on by many Facebook users and followers. I published it on a Thursday in mid November, and the number of Facebook ‘likes’ just grew and grew through the weekend.
Favourite post
The post I enjoyed writing the most was Like a bird on the Saltee Islands. It really takes the reader along for the ride, wet feet and all.
Quite unpromising to start with, this family day out soon turned into a fantastic adventure among adorable little puffins and swathes of wild bluebells, in a magical, hidden gem kind of place – Great Saltee Island, Co Wexford.
Favourite photo
When you take as many pictures as I do, it is hard, very hard, to pick only one. I hesitated for a while between some of my many photos of the acorns, including the ‘Little Prince’ shot that won the Wicklow Calendar photo competition. In the end, I opted for this picture of heart-shaped Lough Ouler, Co Wicklow. At the end of a strenuous hike, what better reward could you ask for than this breathtaking natural wonder, hidden away in the Wicklow Mountains?
Best adventure
In a year that has seen us take up geocaching, learn how to start a fire in the wild, and travel to Legoland® Billund Resort and Copenhagen, one family adventure stands out – the trek to the “heart of Wicklow“, i.e. Lough Ouler, in September. See picture above.
Most common theme
It has to be exploring the outdoors as a family, enjoying time in nature together, and learning some funky bushcraft skills along the way.
Favourite comment
Although spammers seem to have found my blog with amazing ease, I haven’t had very many comments from readers, so I cherish every single one of them.
One comment which really took me by surprise, was by Eileen Wickham, on our visit to Hook Lighthouse, Co Wexford. Eileen is the wife of one of the last lighthouse keepers at Hook Head, and it felt truly special that she took the time to comment on my post.
Favourite celebration
It has to be Jedi’s 10th birthday, but I didn’t blog about it.
Favourite craft
Crafts are not exactly my strong point, but I am quite proud of the Santa hats I sewed for the acorns in early December. The shop-bought ones are invariably too big for a child’s head, and of dismal quality. I can’t say I enjoyed making them (it was one of those days…), but the acorns hardly took them off until Christmas, and they looked so darn cute!
Best move
Entering the Hook Head Peninsula Photography Competition in June, and the Wicklow Calendar photo competition in late August. Then finding out that my image ‘Little piggies in the sand’ was one of 28 selected for exhibition (out of nearly 200 entries) around the county of Wexford.
Three days later, ‘The Little Prince’ was announced as one of three finalists in the Wicklow Calendar photo contest. My demented shrieks of joy on finding out, a fortnight later, that my picture had won the competition worried the acorns for a short while. The next day Mermaid had drawn a ‘Congratulations’ sign that she put up on the kitchen door, so I could see it first thing in the morning.
The win came complete with a voucher for Avon Rí Lakeshore Resort in Blessington, Co Wicklow, and a proper launch event with local media and politicians in attendance.
Favourite freebie
Without a doubt, the annual family membership for Powerscourt Gardens & Waterfall, which I gratefully received in exchange for blogging periodically on the estate’s website.
Best blog moment
Reaching the 100 likes milestone on my Facebook page was pretty special, as was getting 200 likes only a few months later.
I have learnt since that there are many ways besides Facebook to promote blog posts, so this is a new direction to explore over the coming months.
Worst blog moment
On being added to the Irish Parenting Bloggers group on Facebook, my heart sank a little when I realised how much I don’t know about blogging.
It was early December, which was to be the hardest month of the year. In the hectic run-up to Christmas, with so much to learn while also trying to make our Advent calendar as magical as ever, I often felt like I was only going through the motions.
Favourite title
I often struggle with titles – it is difficult to come up with something that works equally well in English and in French.
My favourite title of the year could be Have yourself an outdoorsy little Christmas, for a list of suggestions on how to enjoy nature during the festive season. Incidentally, this post is in English only.
Favourite blog series
Does my Advent calendar qualify as a blog series?
What I learned in 2016
It wasn’t until joining Irish Parenting Bloggers that I heard about the blogosphere. This online community of bloggers is all about helping and supporting each other, rather than fiercely competing with one another. How cool is that?
I have already learnt a great deal in only a few weeks, but I am far from having this blogging lark sussed out. As a result there will be many tweaks and changes to this blog over the coming year, hopefully for the better!
What my blog did for me in 2016
It defined us as a family. We are a family going on lots of walks and adventures – we are Four Acorns.
The children have made the name their own. Which of course melts my heart. When we replaced our car after the summer and suggested we gave it a name, Jedi came up with ‘Four Acorns Family Transport’, or FAFT!
This blog also defines me. After 10 years of full time mothering, this fantastic creative outlet gives me purpose. I am now a mum and a blogger.
Here’s to 2017! May it become my best blogging year yet!
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Chouette récapitulatif de cette première année. Certes, mon niveau d’anglais n’est plus ce qu’il fut il y a quelques (lointaines !) années, mais, à défaut de toujours en comprendre les détails, j’en ai assimilé les idées principales… Belle année 2017 à Four Acorns, que je souhaite riche en événements et prolifique en photos.
Merci du fond du coeur pour le commentaire Linda ! Si j’ai le temps, j’écrirai peut-être la version française. Excellente année à toi aussi et ta tribu !
Lovely post! Blogging could be so exciting and enjoyable. I wish you success and happy blogging in 2017. xx #BloggerClubUK
Thank you for your good wishes, and for taking the time to comment. 🙂
What a lovely round up! And your photos are quite something. I hope you have a fantastic 2017.
Thank you so much Muuka! All the best for you and yours in 2017!
Thanks so much for joining in the Linky. Your pictures are STUNNING! I see Wicklow mentioned a lot – which means I must live near enough to you (we go to Kilruddery quite a lot!)! I’m looking forward to getting to know your blog more in 2017 and having a look through the archives. Happy New Year!
Ha Sadhbh, I had no idea you’re also based in Wicklow, how funny. Who knows, wemight even meet sometime this year?
Thank you for commenting and for hosting this linky too, it’s been great looking back before ploughing forward. Delighted you like my photos 😉
A bit late on this post but I only just discovered your blog via a comment on mine off yours. What a lovely little post – your photography is wonderful as is your writing. I admire you’re bi lingual. I’m trying to learn ore Welsh!
Be back for more….
Hi Chelsea, thanks for checking in! I often wonder about the bilingual writing, whether it is worth my while. So it’s good to read comments like yours. And I have a number of French followers, and I can’t let them down… Good luck with the Welsh! 😉
It’s lovely to learn a little more about you Annette, and I am so pleased you have found the blogging community – it made such a difference to me once I made some blogging friends, it’s such a lovely and supportive community 🙂
Forgot to say your photos are stunning x
Thank you Sarah! I’m really looking forward to making friends in the blogosphere. It is already happening, to be honest, and it is so exciting. Thank you for your warm welcome in the #OutdoorBloggers group 🙂
Annette! This is wonderful…! What beautiful memories…and I am totally in love with ‘Little Piggies in the Sand’ – adorable and stunning photography as ever! You never cease I amaze me with your talent, generosity of spirit and creativity x
I somehow bumped into this blog post the other day but didn’t have time to comment. It’s great to see a round up of your year, and some of your fab post ideas. Love it xx