Since 2004, when we began our first blogging adventure, when blogs were first a thing for us, we are again reinventing our site yet again. This is likely the third or fourth round by now. Who is counting? Not us.

It’s a very personal journey maintaining a blog for over twenty years. We don’t have much left of the old site. Bits and pieces. Enough to give mental clues about what was done initially, which was to post photographs with a few comments.

I started with one that was on the yahoo website builder platform, fooled around with another hosting service, tried different editors, and then moved into the WordPress world around 2012 or so.

People ask me, “are you a WordPress expert?” and I say, “Nope! Always learning!”

“This year I was stretched between recovery from a major surgery, keeping Rob as healthy as possible and supporting him through his hospitalizations, his surgery, the post-surgery, the return to hospital, and the final outcome. Also, being there for Will in his major life moves and changes, and trying to keep up with work stuff. In addition to our immediate family and friend network, work friends, managers and co-workers alike, provided a lion’s share of support during these major life events, locally. From afar, we had many who were thinking of us and actually coming to us in support of what we were going through.

Family and friends from around the globe contributed prayers, letters and e-mails of support, and kind gestures of food, companionship, and love throughout the family’s ordeals. For all of those gestures and acts of kindness,we are extremely grateful and forever in their debt. They have both celebrated and wept with us, depending on the event. We are so grateful to you all.

I launched a new website in early 2005, www.ellenspictures.com that now desperately needs to be updated! I am now focused more on photography and and have even joined a communications group at the local Episcopal church to volunteer in photography, layout and production of their printed publications.”

from a December 2005 holiday family newsletter…

The above clip tells the story of how this got started. I wanted to get involved in writing and sharing more than sending emails and journaling by hand. One of my dear aunties was an English professor and a writer. She gave me lots of guidance about writers to follow and those are some whose works I continue to read to this day. Writing, like “IT and fooling around with data and maps” wasn’t something I intended to do – I just gravitated towards it.

Speaking of technology, with the emergence of new technology like AI and the bombardment of constant cyber threats (trust us, we know – we have very good site security and they are constantly being challenged) — we are now considering more the safety and security of our posts.

Bear with us as we move up to the present time…

Thanks for understanding the fact that we hold our near and dear experiences, as a part of history of a family tree branch… or two. Yes, genealogy is another hobby and no, not an expert at that, always learning!