Monday, October 8, 2012

Blogging is all about the friendships you make

Dale, moi, Susan

One of the best parts about blogging is the friends you make. I’ve found that you really get to know someone well when you read their blog, but it's even better when you get to meet them in person. Meakin and I have been very fortunate to have met some of you. In fact over the last three years we’ve met thirty-one of you, counting spouses. If you count children, we’re in the high thirties.

Susan and Dale, of The Schnitzel and the Trout are two of our most recent. They were visiting family near us and were able to come to lunch at our house. Meet the Schnitzel and the Trout, photo above. I’ve known Susan for almost the entire four years I’ve been blogging. We had a great time visiting with them about their European adventures, the best websites for lodging in France, and of course, food and trout fishing.

You know we’ve made friends with Larry & Beverly of Big Dude’s Eclectic Ramblings because we toured north Georgia wine country with them recently. But we also know them from the fabulous parties they host in the spring at their dock at Almost Heaven South on Lake Tellico along with Chris from Nibble Me This and his wife Alexis, and Katherine from Smoky Mountain Café with hubby A.J., a.k.a. the Cajun crawfish chef.

Larry

Chris

A. J. & Katherine
Penny of Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen and her husband David of Riding with Dave were also at the party. I’ve known Penny almost from the beginning of blogging. This year David rode his motorcycle all the way to Alaska where Penny met him for the ride home. Now that’s an adventure. They had just returned from France and we were delighted to hear all about their trip.

Penny with Larry in the background

David
Other bloggers were Dave of Big Daddy Dave and his wife Laurie in the background enjoying the crawfish. They live near Larry and Bev. And one more Dave - Dave of Year on the Grill and E-Recipe Cards with his wife Jackie, who drove all the way from Kansas for the get-together in the foreground.

L to R, Dave, Jackie, Dave, Laurie
Rebecca from Chow & Chatter and I have tried to get together several times. This past winter she was visiting in Florida with her adorable young family (the wee one is on her lap), and we met Lyndsey of The Tiny Skillet and her husband and daughter for lunch in Sarasota at a restaurant catty-corner from Whole Foods & Sur La Table. Talk about location, location, location. Guess where we went after lunch.

Lyndsey, Rebecca & the wee one
Last but certainly not least, a couple of years ago Penny of The Comforts of Home, hosted a get-together at her home for fourteen bloggers (names of everyone here). Along with the blog The Comforts of Home, Penny has just started a food blog – From Harvest to Table. Penny cooked a delicious lunch for all fourteen of us, plus some spouses, and afterwards took us to her favorite antique stores for an afternoon of shopping. Somehow you knew when fourteen ladies got together that we were going shopping didn't you?

Penny, first row, second from the right
It is such fun to meet friends face to face. Who will be next?

44 comments:

  1. I truly believe blogging opens up another whole world of opportunities for us to connect on so many levels... how wonderful that you have gathered together, inspiring post!

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  2. Great post Sam - good that you had shots of all you've met and thanks for the kind words. I'm looking forward to another party in 2013.

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  3. Wonderful post, Sam! I hope I can meet you an Meakin some day! The photos are such fun to see...putting faces with names.

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  4. Thanks to my blog, I have met many interesting people and have made a few good friends!

    A great gathering! It looks like you had a wonderful time...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  5. So glad you got to meet Susan and Dale. I'm looking forward to meeting them someday too. You are so right. Blogging buddies are the best and I am glad I can include you in that group. We may see you in Sarasota this Winter.
    Hugs, Penny

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  6. There are all sorts of kindred spirits out there and through blogging you're able to connect with them. Our "neighbors" and our "friends" are now world wide. I've met some great people through the blogs.

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  7. I think that the virtual friends I've made are just great -- it's "even more great" that you have been able to transform them into real friends. Who knows who will show up next, you're right!!

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  8. What a fun post to read Sam. I've obviously met several Denver bloggers, but only have two on my out of state list. Hopefully I'll get to make one of Larry's parties and grow that number.

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  9. oh how wonderful to meet up with them. Your right, blogging makes you friends in places and from places you would never had expected or been able to be. I love meeting new people and cultivating friendships that I truly believe will last forever.

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  10. Sharing our passion of cooking really binds us together in a great way. Love all the pics! Hopefully one day I'll make it to the cookout that you and Chris attend.

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  11. Great post and I also have met some wonderful people through blogging. I am really sad that Susan and Dale will be in France towards the end of this month but a bit too far away for us to meet up :-)
    Enjoy your week Diane

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  12. Pick me ... pick me! I want to be next!

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  13. Good Morning Sam,
    I am happy to be included in the list of blog friends you have met. I have been lucky meeting you, Penny and so many more too. I hope to have another blogger brunch and antiquing next spring, summer or fall after we get settled in our new home.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  14. I'm a fan of Susan and so many bloggers you have met!!! I think food bloggers are some of the nicest people around...and I'm with Joan, hope to meet you one day, too. What a fun post :)

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  15. Neat post! It is amazing how we get to know one another through blogs. And it's great to meet in person.

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  16. Hi Sam, what a great post! I agree, I really enjoy the people I've met through my blog. I follow some of these people, but now I have more blogs to check out and follow. I know if you follow them, they are top-notch!

    Thank you for your kind words about my pie contest loss! I really had a good time, it was exciting to enter, and to see all the pies being brought in. I'm looking forward to honing my skills and becoming a better pie maker! Most of all, it was for a good cause!

    Have a great week! And who knows, maybe we'll meet some day!!!

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  17. I did a tour of the local wineries with a local blogger friend yesterday. It is so much fun to share our love of cooking and blogging with like-minded people.

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  18. Well, I hope it will be Mr. Magpie and me at some point in the not too distant future. We have got to get together. I am dying to meet y'all. Please excuse any typos. I borrowed this ipad-pod thing from Mr. Magpie, and I can't see to type. I am making a hash of posts across the net. ;-)

    XO,

    Sheila

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  19. What great shots..I agree you meet such nice people..I have met a few..and everyone was delightful..Every one.
    I lost 2 and felt very sad at their passings.I still think of them so often..Plants they brought..growing in my gadren each year..a saying.. a garden tour or 2..recipes..Miss them..

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  20. that is so fun, i've always wanted to meet up with fellow bloggers. i recognized a lot of these guys from their blogs, how cool! after a while, you really do feel like you've gotten to know them.

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  21. Hi Sam,
    I really enjoyed your post and agree that we make the greatest friends in the blogging world.
    If you are ever in Dallas area please let me know I would love to be on your list.
    Hope you are enjoying a great fall day!
    Mis Helen

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  22. I recognized some of these friends! It must have been really exciting and fun to meet so many foodie friends.

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  23. What a great topic! We have met some great folks, Lynn and Ron of http://SouthernFriedFrench.com and Michael and Katherine of http://technomadics.net/ while blogging/traveling in France. In fact, one great reason to blog is the fantastic and unexpected encounters one has!

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  24. Wow, Sam! You've met quite a few fellow bloggers! I know how much fun that is, as I've also been fortunate to meet a few myself, both in NYC and in my travels. Perhaps we will also meet one day in the future -- that would be fun!

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  25. A lovely post Sam! You've really conveyed the sense of friendship and community among bloggers, loved seeing the photos;-)

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  26. Oh my gosh, that's wonderful that you've met so many bloggers and many of whom I know from the blogging community too. I do think it is a friendly community - yourself included :)

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  27. Looks like you're having lots of fun and that's what it's all about-enjoy:@)

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  28. was so great meeting you that day and your right this is what blogging is all about wonderful hope to meet you again one day hugs Rebecca

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  29. Sam, it was our pleasure meeting you and being invited into your home. I have met several other bloggers also, and it is like we have been friends forever. You wrote an excellent post. Thank you for the kind comments. We hope to see you again and perhaps some of these other blogger friends of yours. Susan

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  30. I'd watch that Chris dude, I have heard a lot of stories about him....

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  31. Sam, this is what blogging is all about! Great people, great food and new friends. Awesome! I have met a few bloggers and it has been a wonderful experience too.

    Love all these folks that you shared with us today. I follow almost all of them on a regular basis.

    Velva

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  32. I just love this post, Sam. In my "time off," I have struggled with the blog and what I want from it. I did Foodbuzz (when it was Foodbuzz) and briefly toyed with ads and then stripped it all and decided I did not want anything monetary and cookbook glory - I really just wanted community. And that's what you built. I have found friendship in the blogging world - above and beyond what I expected or looked for - and your blog cemented that if you are fortunate - that's as good as it gets.

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  33. So many great friends and so many blessings. Thank you for introducing them and sharing with us.

    I've checked out your grilled chicken recipe, and it is one I will definitely try. The citrus sauce sounds wonderful.

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  34. Dear Sam, That is so wonderful that you all got together and got to know each other. This blogging world is a blessing. It is wonderful world of kind and caring people. I am blessed to be a small part of it.
    Your friend. Catherine xo

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  35. How lovely to get together like that. Blogging is so wonderful and it's very special to be "friends" with so many people all over the world. I'll love to meet up with all of them!
    Mary x

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  36. I've met four of my blogging friends and they were just as I expected them to be. We fell into conversation as old friends. It's a "world" that I'm happy to have entered.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  37. Blogging has made the world a lot smaller hasn't it? It's fun to see all the friends that you've made. I've so enjoyed the same experience. If you ever get to Raleigh, please let me know, I'll fix lunch for you!

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  38. Beautiful! I've met so many wonderful friends through blogging! And,I've just discovered your lovely blog, and am now following ~ ♥
    Best,
    Anne

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  39. So true -- I'm looking forward to meeting a blogger friend from Vienna very soon! Wonderful fun!

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  40. That's great! Isn't it amazing to think that 20 years ago none of this existed? Little did we know that we would become bloggers and that an entire new world would open up!

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    Replies
    1. The comfort of antique stones and it allowing the afterwards fourteens penny. Such a utilize harvest table for the friends.

      Free online chat USA

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  41. What a GREAT post, Sam! I talk about my blogging friends as if they were here with me in person! Sorry that I've been so absent from reading and commenting on your blog, but when I returned from Italy, I did a quick turn around and flew to see my son in Chicago. I'm slowly getting back to normal. This soup sounds delicious, I particularly love anything with black beans! Love the little pumpkin bowls! and congrats on the FoodBuzz Top 9! Your recipes are worthy of accolades!

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