Nine years ago yesterday this blog was born. In dog years that makes this space over 60 years old! Considering I knew nothing about blogging, let alone anything about WordPress, the mere acknowledgment of the date seems beyond wild to me. It would be another week before the first post was published but I still remember the hyperventilating before I hit the publish button for the first time and the dozens of draft versions for subsequent posts that continues to date. Who knew absurd silliness needed so much massaging? I never expected anyone beyond maybe a couple of family members who would ever bother to check it out found myself blown away by the number of folks who began to follow us. Some 1415 posts later and I continue to be humbled by everyone who drops by, reads our silliness and leaves thoughtful, kind and inspiring comments. Let me just say, this is one extraordinary and amazing community of incredible people for which I thank my lucky stars for each and everyday for all of you. We don’t know where the blog will go in the future, but I recently renewed the blog for at least another two years and hope you’ll continue to follow along to see where our adventures take us. We love having you come along our walks and pray we continue to earn your support as we move ahead. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so very much for sticking with us.
And because it’s a Monday, it’s time for a smile to start out the week. This morning we woke up to another snow storm and it won’t be very warm today when Norman and I head out to Lutheran to brighten the day for staff and patients at Lutheran, but I do know there will be some treats for him though not any ‘leftovers’ like today’s smile.
Thank you again for your ongoing support and I sincerely hope today brings you plenty of treats and smiles.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Great. Keep posting and enjoy. Please visit my blog. Follow and comment to my post. Thanks.
Happy blogversary! And since I’m late enough, I may as well with you a happy tenth anniversary while I’m at it!
Thanks! For both good wishes. We’ll have to see if I make it to #10. Life seems to be getting in the way. I admire folks like you who keep spitting out clever posts far more often and me. How do you continue do that? 😊
Sam is so proud of what you’ve accomplished (as are we!).
Aww, you’re too sweet to say that. Thank you!
Wow, look at all those who dropped in to congratulate you on your Nine Years of Blogging!
I will join them and say, I too congratulate you on all those years of posting, and I love to come by to see what you and your two pups are up to.
I think I have been at it since 2014, in Feb, so just over the nine years, too…I haven’t stopped to actually count it all out! Maybe when I get to 10…
‘Blogville’ is such a wonderful community of peeps, its great to be able to be in touch with them from all over the world, which we just couldn’t do in any other way. Its kind of humbling, really.
That cartoon sure had me giggling!
We’re completely overwhelmed by all the kind comments of congratulations. Thank you so much for following us and being part of this amazing community. We 💙 you all!
Congratulations on 9 years of blogging. happy anniversary
Thank you. And thanks for swinging by the Ranch. We 💙 visitors.
Extra 9 Pawkisses for a Happy Blogiversary, dear furriends and up we go with you for as long as we’re all here😸I think we all had the same experience when we made the first post. It took Granny a few weeks to send it out to the world…MOL…So glad we have found your bloggie. What a journey we have been on together, huh. We wouldn’t want to miss it💗🐾😽💞
Thank you so much, boys (and Granny) We love your blog and are thrilled whenever you drop in to leave sweet comments. This is such a beautiful community of pet lovers that reinforces why I stay. 💙
congratulations. I look forward to reading your posts and hearing about your good pet therapy work, the glimpses of nature and course my monday smile. I’m glad to hear you are planning on sticking around for at least a couple of more years.
You’re too kind. Thank you and thanks for dropping by. We 💙 visitors.
Happy Happy Blog Anniversary!!! I started in 2009 which makes it easier to understand why I became so burned out! Especially since most of that time I had two blogs!! After the boys passed they took my will to blog with them. But…I have picked up the pace in recent months. Keep on keepin’ on!
Thank you so much, Caren. Wow, 2009…yes I totally understand. But am so very grateful to have met such wonderful folks like you and your fur-kids over the past 9 years. Looking forward to seeing more posts from you. 😉
Congratulations on 9 years of blogging, Monika!
Many thanks, Sue. Appreciate the kind wishes and delighted that you found us.
Congratulations on 9 wonderful years. We have enjoyed your stories and beautiful words. 😍
Many thanks for the kind comment. We 💙 visitors and appreciate all who stop by and comment.
Monika, I remember going from the platform where I was limited to 5 pictures of Lexi and however many posts I wanted and never ever had anyone comment (can’t even remember what it was called) to WP. A whole new world opened up. I am so glad we found each other in this community and are both still “blogging.” I don’t know what I would have done over the years without the support of you and so many of my on-line friends, and I know you feel the same.
Blogging is such a wonderful way to reach out to people and connect on a level unlike social media. I was terrified about all the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff that makes a post appear. Started out with Blogger but quickly abandoned that in favor of WP because it seemed more intuitive and have never looked back. I’m so grateful for this amazing online community who counseled me on topics I had no clue about (and not just about blogging issues), offered comfort during immeasurable losses and I just feel like there’s a friend on the other side of the screen. Thank you for being part of that group of friends-it has meant the world to me. Hugs and tail wags.
Hope we can be here when you celebrate “62” years … it is a beautiful blog, with wonderful images, caring and gentle words and thoughts. Very special pups … very, very special … and a blog-person who is beautiful in so many ways. Keep going forward!
You’re too kind, Ann. Thank you for always making me smile.
Happy Blog Birthday to you Monika!
Thank you, Marc. I’m so grateful to have made your acquaintance-you always deliver with the right words.
A toast to you and yours.
Many thanks for the kind wishes.
Lulu: “Happy Blogoversary!”
Java Bean: “Ayyy, our Dada’s work is so boring. He never drops us any morsels of code that he cuts out of his programs.”
Chaplin: “Even if he did it probably would only taste like algorithms.”
Thanks Lulu and Bean. Yeah eating algorithms is just gross. So bland, I mean how much taste is there in zeros and 1’s? 🤮
Nine years, huh? Well, here’s to another nine at least! 🥂 And to at least another nine years of our friendship!!
Aww, you’re too sweet. We’ll stay around for as long as we can, grateful for all the wonderful peeps and pups like you and the Z-kids that we’ve met over the years. 💙
Happy Anniversary, Monika. Here’s to another nine.
Thanks so much, John. We are so lucky to have been exposed to such great followers like yourself.
😊
We’re so glad you took the plunge and started posting. It always brightens up our day. Keep going, girlfriend!
Thanks, Amy. So grateful for your support and online comradery over the years and feel so blessed to have made your acquaintance both online and as a pet therapy team. 💙
Happy 9th Bloggie-versary Miss Monika!!! Concatulationss!
An you thott maybee a ‘few’ peepell wuud follow you….mew mew mew mew….
Yore one of THE most red an vissited bloggiess inn THE Bloggie-sfere!
BellaSita joined you when you had Sam an mee joined when Sweet Norman arrived…..tiem sure fliess rite?
HURRAH fore signin up fore 2 more yeerss. AS long as BellaSita iss still here; wee will bee here with youss’!
~~~head rubss~~~ an **paw kissess** BellaDharma~~~ an <3 <3 an {{huggiess}} BellaSita Mum
Aww, you’re too sweet. We love you guys and are so grateful for your longtime support. Hugs and tail wags.
Yore part of our furamillee Miss Monika an Elsa an Sweet Norman!!!! <3 <3 <3
Aww, blush, blush. You make our hearts swell. 💙 💜 💙
Youss’ are furry speshell to us here!!! Allwayss <3 <3 <3
I am so happy to have met you in this blogosphere and shall definitely continue to support you, in whatever direction you take this.
We consider ourselves so blessed to have developed friendships with folks like you. Thanks for your ongoing support and inspiration!
I am as blessed as you are so it all works out well, doesn’t it? 😉
These mutual admiration societies have been so fulfilling over the years. Humor, joy, even the sad moments have been shared and I only hope we’ve been there for you as much as you have for us.
Haven’t they, though? They have been mutually fulfilling, I assure you.
A very happy Blog-versary!!
Many thanks, guys. We 💙 you.
Sweet! Happy blog-i-versary! Thanks for sharing your days with us!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
It has been our pleasure and privilege to get to know folks and pups like you!
Happy Blogaversary! We came late to the party since we didn’t know about you until more recently than many of your followers but we LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog and hope you keep on going. Keep on making us smile – we enjoy every minute of it.
Hugs, Pam and Teddy too
Aww, you’re too kind, Pam and Teddy. Thank you so much. We heart you guys!
Congratulations on your 9 year blogging anniversary! Your dedication to your craft is inspiring and your community of followers is a testament to your hard work. Cheers to continued success on your adventures! 🎉🎊👍
Many thanks! That means a great deal to me. This pet community has been so kind and supportive over the ]years and gotten me through some challenging losses. I always thought it was the dogs that drew people to this little acre on the ‘Net, I just typed their voices here. We hope we can continue to deserve your praise in the future.
♪♫Happy Blogoversary to you,♪♫
♪♫Happy Blogoversary to you,♪♫
♪♫Happy Blogoversary Dear Tails Around the Ranch,♪♫
♪♫Happy Blogoversary to you.♪♫
I love the cartoon. I laughed out loud.
I linked this post to Awww Mondays.
Have a fabulous day and week. Scritches to the pups, a smooch to Norman and a big hug to you. ♥
You’re too sweet, Sandee. Thank you for always being there for us, in good times and sad times. We 💙 you. We just got home from our hospital stint but Norman saved a kiss just for you. He’s one tuckered out boy.
Nine years of The Ranch on the Blogosphere…time flies when you are having fun. I always enjoy my time here, and it is always nice to see a new post is out. Looking forward to future walks, visits…and adventures!
Many thanks, Bruce. We’ve enjoyed you swinging by and always appreciate your supportive and kind comments. 💙
Congratulations! I’m so happy I found your blog! Norman and Elsa always make me smile 😀
We consider ourselves so fortunate to have made friends with good doggies like Chester and kind folks like yourself. Thank you-we so appreciate you!
Congratulations Monika. Isn’t it amazing that a dog has the power to change your lifestyle. I know it so well!
Many thanks, Colin. I remember when we first began to follow you and Ray. Yes, it is amazing to have developed the power of connection with these wonderful pups.
Congratulations! I’m happy to say I knew you when the blog was just a pup.
Aye, that you did-you were one of the first and for that, we will always be grateful. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures with us and for sweet Max who we still miss and think of often (especially whenever we encounter a cotton topped little white dogster). Hugs and tail wags.
9years.. as kids we hought even one year is like eternity… happy blogoversary… for the next 60 and more
You’re are too kind. Thank you. We’ve shared so much laughter and tears over the years and appreciate every single one of our followers. 🥰
9 years! Your blog is one of my favorites. So thoughtful and fun. Doggy lovers heaven. Thank you for all the good years of great posts and wonderful work with your doggies. Looking forward to more. ❤️🐾 Paulette & gang
Aww, that’s very kind of you to say, Paulette. Thank you so much. I’m so blessed to have found such wonderful folks like you who do so much for good dogs everywhere. Hugs and tail wags.
Congrats on your longevity! That cartoon is hilarious! Sorry about the snow.
Woo-hoo! Happy Blogiversay! Nine years is a wonderful milestone. Lifting my glass (and a dog treat) to many more years of your blogging! Hope you and Elsa and Norman take time to celebrate! xo
Many thanks, Dorothy. We have been so fortunate to find people and blogs like you/yours. Thanks for always sharing amazing content and being so supportive over the years. Every day is a day to celebrate and we plan to do just that! Hugs and tail wags.
Nine years! I always look forward to your blog appearing in my reader….news, views and dogs. What could be better!
You’re always so kind, Helen. I love all your posts and look forward to your fascinating and informative content in my inbox. Give the thugs special ear rubs from me and a hearty cheer to both you and Leo. Feel free to add gin and fresh lemon to that cheer. 🍋🍸🍹🥃🍋
Happy blogiversary! Congrats on 9 years, an impressive accomplishment and lots of water under the bridge. 🙂 Oh, I do remember the anxiety of that first post, finger hovering over the publish button!
Thanks so much Eliza. I still always second guess hitting the publish button but have enjoyed all the angst to be able to share our silliness with good folks like you.
Thank you Monika for sharing a slice of your world with us over the years. There have been countless smiles, chuckles, and even a few hearty chortles for which I am grateful. As far as today’s musing I will just say that dogs do love liver treats. 😉. Happy Blogaversary! 🎉
Thanks so much, Michael. I remember finding you on Colin’s blog and loving Kali’s presence and story as she grew into such a sweet loving companion along with her siblings. Your online friendship and support has meant the world to us.