“Little Treasures discovered while exploring the back roads of life.” Little did I realize when I wrote those words three years ago when I started Back Road Journal that the treasures I would find along the way would be the friendship of others. I had no idea that my first post would eventually lead to thousands of followers from all over the world, many of whom now feel like old friends. Followers who not only have read the articles that I written but have left tens of thousands of comments in return.
I hope you will join me as I celebrate three fun years of blogging and the friendships made on the delightful journey. Whether sharing a recipe that I have created, showing you my gardens and orchard as they have grown through the seasons, or taking you with me on my adventures throughout New England or Europe through my photos, you have followed along and sharing your thoughts on the subjects I have written about.
One of the nicest comments about Back Road Journal was written by the Oracle, writer at The Boston Harbor Picayune…
“Every once in a while you find a blog that knocks it out of the park. The Back Road Journal is one of those blogs. The Author travels easily from wonderful recipe posts, like Roasted Grapes, A Sweet And Savory Appetizer, Photo Essays like A Splash Of Summer Color, to historical essays on New England, like A Step Back In Time. The overall portrait of Rural New England life is complete, and the journey is light, fun and informative. This blog is one of those you need to read to be reminded that there are still beautiful places left in our little corner of the world and that wonderful people still inhabit them.”
My writings on Back Road Journal have led me to other bloggers who share common interests. I have gotten to know your names, where you live, and what happens in your daily lives. I have shared many of your stories and photos with my husband who now feels like he knows you as well. Each day, I look forward to seeing what you write about next…perhaps where your travels will take you, what foods you prepare for your families, and even learning the names of common items that are called something different in your part of the world.
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Blogging has been a wonderful experience in my life and the circles keep growing larger. New readers stop by everyday and I look forward to their return. Hopefully they will leave comments over time so that I can get to know each of them better. Over the past years, I have worried about the bloggers that I visit and their blog hasn’t been updated in weeks or months. I can’t help but wonder what has happened to them. I hope that they have just gotten too busy to blog and that no problems have arisen in their life. You can’t help but care and wish the best for every person that passes your way.
Three years on the back roads has been an enriching experience. I want to take this time to thank each and every one of you that have made my life so interesting over these past years and hope that you will enjoy stopping by again soon.
“True friendship multiplies the good in life”. Baltasar Gracian
Back Road Journal 
Congratulations. There’s another thing we have in common – Mac laptops we can’t live without. 🙂
Thank you Judy. My Mac laptop goes with me everywhere I travel. I started with an iPad but the two of us didn’t get along well when I started blogging. 😀
Happy blog birthday, Karen!! I love your blog and am so pleased you started it. I too find blogging a really enriching and positive thing in my life.
Thank you Kay. I’m glad that you enjoy my blog. Blogging really does enrich our lives, in a very positive way.
Thanks Karen and congratulations on 3 years 🙂
Thank you Mad Dog, it has been fun!
Congratulations on the three years of blogging. I hope there are 3 more years to follow and then 3 more. 🙂
I’m glad that your blog is one I can return to. Only a couple of the ones that I used to read have dropped by the wayside, though I’ve picked up more than a few to fill in the spare moments of which there are fewer than there used to be.
Thank you Boleyn, You have been one of my longtime followers and I always appreciate your visits and comments. 🙂
Congratulations! 🙂 I am celebrating my third blogging anniversary today too!
Hi Grace, Happy anniversary to you as well. 😀
Thank you. 🙂
Congratulations Karen! Since I am new “friend” I have not had the pleasure of getting to know you so well but look forward to more of you as the years go by. I agree; blogging connects us to the most unlikely of acquaintances…a very rich experience indeed!
Thank you Jane, I’m always happy when I make a new friend that stops by to chat from time to time. I’m glad you agree about how rewarding the experience of blogging can become. 🙂
Bonjour pretty young lady! 🙂 I hope you do have a human companion, too… 😉
* * *
@”Over the past years, I have worried about the bloggers that I visit and their blog hasn’t been updated in weeks or months. I can’t help but wonder what has happened to them.” I did write about this topic – if you have some spare time and interest, of course: 🙂
http://myvirtualplayground.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/the-requested-blog-was-not-found-on-this-server/
Bonjour Mélanie, I absolutely do have a wonderful human companion that is always by my side…my best friend, my sweet husband. He was the one who encouraged me when I had doubts about starting my blog. I have to thank him for being my biggest cheerleader, editor, assistant photographer, taste tester, and kitchen cleaner throughout these three years of writing Back Road Journal. 😀
great, Karen! btw, same here for about 35 years… 🙂 my very best and tons of inspiration! long and happy life together! ❤
Hi Mélanie, I always enjoy when you stop by for a visit and appreciate your nice compliment and wish. Thank you!
Congrats on three years blogging! I wish it hadn’t taken me so long to find you…but here I am.
And you quoted Anne of Green Gables, you melted my heart. Love A.O.G.G. Ultimate goal is to visit Prince Edward Island….someday.
I love meeting new people from all over the world as well =)The internet connects you to people, who live and walk a very different life than yourself. It stretches me and keeps my mind from turning to mush. It’s exciting to think someone from Germany, Israel or Guam is reading my blog. I ask myself why?
The comment section is so exciting for this purpose, it directly connects you to people that you wouldn’t brush shoulders with in everyday life.
Please keep the wonderful posts coming! Enjoying very much =)
Hi Laura, I’m happy to know that you enjoy my blog and appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you! You said it perfectly “keeps my mind from turning to mush”…I’ve said that more than once and blogging is such a wonderful way to keep it from happening. 😀
Three years? How time flies when you’re having fun. Karen, you are so pretty – even with your laptop and wine. 🙂 I’m so glad I found you.
Hi Maureen, You made me smile with your remark about time. That was my opening sentence on my first anniversary post and it has indeed been fun. Thank you for your lovely compliment and I’m glad we found each other as well. My husband suggested that photo for this post. We had just arrived in Munich after two very long flights and almost no sleep so a glass of wine and checking on what was happening in the world seemed like a good way to start a new adventure. 🙂
Hi Karen, so you’re not far behind me in blogging years 🙂 Since discovering your blog I’ve enjoyed so many things you write about: apart from your food posts, I enjoy your travel stories, and seeing as you’ve been very close to where I live I find it interesting to read what you think of those places. I also enjoy your posts about New England very much, and this summer I’ll be travelling in your area for the first time. I’m very much looking forward to that, as much as I’m looking forward to at least three more years of blog posts from you!
A celebratory hug to you,
Kiki
Hi Kiki, I almost mentioned my anniversary when I read you were celebrating one as well. I’m happy to know that you like my posts about New England. I hope that you will enjoy visiting New England as much as I enjoy visiting Germany. 🙂 Thank you for your lovely wish and hug, it is very much appreciated.
Thanks to you Karen, for sharing all your wonderful knowledge, photos and experiences. I don’t always comment, but I always enjoy your posts! Wishing you another happy year of blogging! 🙂
Hi Cathy, I’m happy to know that you enjoy my posts and photos on not only gardening but my other subjects as well. I feel the same way when I stop by to visit your beautiful Bavarian gardens. Thank you for your nice wish.
Karen, Congratulations on 3 years of blogging adventures. I am so happy to have discovered your blog and always find it so interesting to see how you garden and travel from your perspective. Again, congrats on your 3 year anniversary. Here is a toast to many more.
Thank you for your wish and compliment, Teresa. I’m glad that we discovered each other…I’ll toast to our friendship. 🙂
Thank you! I am always happy to see a post from your lovely spot in New England. I am reminded of sitting down with Gourmet from back in the day when travel and food shared the pages.
Best,
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, Travel and food seem to be a huge part of my life and I’m happy to know that my posts remind you of articles from Gourmet magazine…I certainly miss that magazine. Thank you for your very lovely compliment. 🙂
There is no doubt in my mind why you are such as a success. You, my dear friend, were my eyes, ears and senses while I was going through Stage Five Kidney Disease. With your writing and photography, you took me to places that I could not go. Now that I received my transplant two days before last Christmas, I understand that someone who puts passion over the Almighty Dollar will always have what she desires. I’m the same way. You can’t BUY good people with huge hearts. Travel is personal. It can’t be taken away from you. When you are willing to give of yourself, the world is YOURS. Congratulations!!!
Thank you so much Arlene, for your very kind words…you brought tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat. What can I say but to let you know how much I appreciate your lovely sentiment. I’m happy that you have gotten so much pleasure from my writings and photographs. 🙂
Happy anniversary Karen! Here’s to many, many more.
Thank you Karen, for your nice wish. I’m happy to have another friend from Texas who just happens to share my name. 🙂
Happy anniversary! Rest assured that your journey has been every bit as much fun for us, your readers. Looking forward to many more posts from your back roads.
Thank you for your nice wish and lovely compliment, Siobhan. I wish that someday I might be able to travel the back roads of your very interesting country.
Happy Blogging Anniversary! It is a most amazing world, this blogging place. Wishing you the very best, always.
Hi Tin Man, Your visits from your Land of Oz have always made me smile. Thank you so much for your lovely wish.
Congratulations!
ela h.
Thank you for your wish, Ela. Maybe one day I will be able to travel to your area of the Baltic…I know it is an interesting part of the world.
Congratulations, Karen, and Happy anniversary!!! Your blog is unique indeed and I wish I could find such beautiful words to describe it as the writer you have cited. Between your worldwide trips, international dishes and your amazing homegrown fruits and vegetables, one is always sure to find fascinating and inspiring posts. I am looking forward to reading about your future exciting adventures in the kitchen, in the garden and wherever you go on the planet.
Thank you Sissi, for your lovely words…they are very much appreciated. I’m happy that you have enjoyed my posts over the years and always appreciate you nice compliment. I can’t believe that I used to fly in and out of your area but since I’ve been blogging, I have not been back to Switzerland. 🙂
If you ever find yourself anywhere in our small country, please let me know! It would be such a pleasure to meet!
Likewise, it would be lovely to meet someday. 🙂
Very happy to read that you have achieved this milestone in your blogging career. I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts and the variety of topics you share. You are so right when you say that blogging leads to many new friendships – friends you may never meet in person – but friends nevertheless. I look forward to your next post and the many posts to follow.
Jovina
Thank you for your lovely compliment, Jovina. I do write about a variety of topics and I’m glad to know that you enjoy them. It is very true that we will probably never meet most of our blogging friends in person but that doesn’t stop the strong bonds we develop. 🙂
Happy 3rd Blogoversary Karen. What a wonderful experience it has been being part of your journey. Here’s to the next 3 years ahead.
Have a beautiful day.
🙂 Mandy xo
I appreciate your wish and compliment, Mandy. I do hope I will still be blogging in three years. Thank you for always following along on my adventures.
You’re so pretty!!
Sweet post today..
Congratulations on all the lovely words also..
Thank you Monique, I’m flattered you think so and I appreciate your lovely compliment. 🙂
Congratulations….I look forward to many more years of your thoughts and travels:)
Thank you Roger, I’m happy that you have been following along from almost the beginning and always enjoy your comments.
I love your blog. It is great to meet new friends all over the world through blogs. It was one of the happy surprise for me too.
Thank you for your nice compliment, Debra. Maybe I’ll get to Lucca in the next year or two, it has been way too long since I’ve been in your area.
Let me know if you are coming to Lucca. It would be fun to meet.
It certainly would be fun!
Congratulations on achieving such a great milestone 🙂
Thank you for your nice wish, Tandy. If memory serves me correctly, we both started blogging around the same time…it has been fun hasn’t it.
Congrats, dear Karen on 3 years of successful blogging!
Everything that you said, that is how I feel too! 🙂 I love & appreciate your friendship & your good heart! I really love your cool blog. I love reading about your culinary adventures, gardening, enjoying life in general!
So, I raise my champagne glass to you & your lovely blog! Cheers to many more years to come! ( PS: And great tasty recipes too! 🙂 xxx
Thank you for your sweet comment, Sophie. I appreciate you friendship and love how you have tried so many of my recipes and enjoy them. You are like my official taste tester. 😀 I raise my glass back to you in appreciation for your nice wish.
Congratulations and many more years of blogging, Karen!
Hi Marigene, I hope I will be blogging and visiting all my friends for many more years…thank you!
You are so right! Who would have thought one could meet such lovely and caring people all over the world just by writing a blog? Congratulations on your 3rd anniversary and your success. 🙂
Thank you Fatima, It really is lovely how we “meet” people from all over the world. I’ve enjoyed you and your husband’s caravan adventures…something I’ve never done but know how much fun it is through your blog. 🙂
Congratulations on your accomplishment. Three years of writing a thoughtful and interesting blog is almost a full-time job. Good work. You are certainly right that making friends in the blogosphere is one of the unanticipated bonuses. Keep writing!
Hi Darryl, Sometimes I do feel like I have a full-time job but instead of getting paid, my rewards are meeting friends like yourself. I always like to see what new kitchen “toy” you are using while cooking. 🙂
Happy Blogiversary, Karen!! I’m very happy that we met up and now share our “journals”. The review from the writer for The Oracle was spot on about your blog. I so enjoy my visits and always come away feeling like I’ve learned something new!!
Wishing you many more happy years of blogging! And this is just a lovely picture of you!
XO,
Jane
Thank you for your wish and lovely compliment, Jane. We both have a journal and like spending time near the water, cooking and gardening. It was destined that we would eventually link up, hopefully someday in person. I’m happy that you enjoyed the photo. My husband took it after two long flights from Boston to Munich…happy to be starting another adventure but very tired. 😀
Congratulations, Karen and Happy Anniversary!!! Great photo of you and your laptop :-))
Thank you for your wish and nice compliment, Angie. I’m glad you liked the photo, my husband suggested it as I’m always on my laptop blogging no matter where in the world I happen to be. 😀
Karen, you know I love your blog and I agree with the journalist wholeheartedly! I have referred many people to your little place and am doing so again today – because she is asking me how one would go about writing a blog about travel……….who else would I have sent her to but the best? All my best on your anniversary and here’s to many more years of my travels with Karen and her husband!
Hi Kelli, I do know that you are one of my enthusiastic followers and I thank you for your visits. I hope your friend will enjoy stopping by my blog and reading my travel posts. I thank you for your lovely comment and I’m happy that you are looking forward to following along on my husband’s and my journeys. By the way, my husband always enjoys when I relate stories about the challenges of cooking for Mr. Picky eater. 🙂
I’m gld you both enjoy those posts! My friend loved it!
That’s a lovely photo of you, Karen! Your blog home is always such a warm and welcoming and interesting place to stop by and visit:) happy anniversary!
I’m flattered you think so Ksenia, and appreciate your lovely compliment. I’m always happy when you stop by, thank you.
Congrats on 3 years! I love coming here to read whatever you’re finding interesting. And I so agree discovering new friends through blogging is so, so rewarding. Thanks for being you.
Thanks for your wish and nice compliment, John. I can’t believe how fast three years went by. I’m always happy when you stop by to visit.
Nice! Happy blogoversary and many more. It is pretty amazing how you start with one intention or no intention and it blossoms into this amazing part of your life. Enjoy!
Thank you for your wish, Amanda. I totally agree, I have a very diverse blog in that I write about food, travel and gardening. What I didn’t realize when I started my blog was how much everyone would enjoy the recipes I create.
Yes, I know what you mean when a blogger seems to drop off the face of the earth, especially when they seemed so keen!
Anyway, happy blogging into the future – and happy travels as well 🙂
Thank you Helen, for your nice wish. I do wish our friends would let us know when they they are going to retire from blogging…human nature makes us worry.
Of course! But people don’t realise they will be missed perhaps 😦
Beautifully put Karen! Congratulations and thank you for 3 wonderful years of blogging, I’m so happy to have been able to share them with you!
Thank you Tanya, this post was written from the heart. I’ve made so many lovely friends like yourself through blogging.
Happy blogoversary! I love your blog and your style. I hope you are around for a long time to come. xo H
Thank you Heather, I appreciate you wish and compliment. You have been coming around since the days of “Bliss” and have given me more laughs than I can count. 🙂
Congratulations Karen. I so enjoy your posts and wish I could travel right along with you. Well, at least I get the opportunity to virtually 🙂
Sam
Thank you Sam, for your nice compliment. I wish you and Meakin could have been in the backseat on many of our adventures. By the way, to you and all my Blogspot friends…my comments aren’t going through on your blogs but please know I’m enjoying your posts. 🙂
Hi Karen! I just discovered your lovely blog today… and am a brand new follower! Just yesterday, I celebrated the one-month anniversary of my little blog. We both used the very same quote from Anne of Green Gables! Kindred spirits! Wishing you happy summer days! ♡Dawn
Hi Dawn, I’m very happy to have you as a new follower…welcome! I appreciate your nice compliment about my blog and look forward to your visits. It sounds like we think alike, I’ll be stopping by for a visit.
Congrats on your three years blogging, Karen. That could be me sitting there with my Mac.. 🙂
Thank you Sylvia, for your nice wish. The way we both travel, we can leave home without our Macs, that is for sure. 😀
Happy anniversary! I’m so glad to’ve found you!
Thank you Plumdirt, the feeling is mutual. I appreciate your wish. 🙂
Congratulations Karen! Those three years have flown by, haven’t they??? I’m so glad to be following along on your adventures. Much continued success! Dana
Hi Dana, I’m happy to have had you following along and appreciate your nice wish. You are so right the time has just flown by and been a lot fun.
Congrats on a milestone, Karen.
Believe me–we’ve enjoyed every “back road” you’ve shared and are looking forward to many more.
Love the photo of you. You have a twin!! You look exactly like my friend Lorna.
Hugs and best wishes for many more posts
Hi Sue, I have appreciated your friendship over the years and all of your sweet comments. My husband likes that photo because he says it is “so me” to be on my computer while traveling. 😀
Many congratulations Karen on your three year blog anniversary. And thank you for the kind way in which you reply to comments.
Thank you B, for your wish. I’m happy to know that you like that I reply when you stop by for a visit. My thought has always been if people are nice enough to leave me a comment, that I should take the time to thank them. 🙂
Congratulations on three years of blogging, Karen and wishing you many, many more adventures and posts. Ha ha, when I first glanced at your photo I thought you were going to say your companion was the glass of wine! 😉 You can tell where my thoughts are. Cheers!
I appreciate your nice wish, Betsy. After flying for a day and a half with almost no sleep, I can tell you that glass of wine was much enjoyed. 😀
Congratulations on this milestone, Karen. Lovely to see you in ‘person’ too, you have a nice smile… and I’m the same with my macbook air!
Thank you for your wish and compliment Lizzy. I have a MacBook Pro which is pretty heavy when I’m traveling and have thought about getting the MacBook Air but have been hesitant about using it exclusively for my blog. Does yours do everything you need for your blog?
Congratulations and thank you for sharing your life and recipes with us! I find there is always interesting reading in your blog!
Thank you Elizabeth, for your nice compliment. I’m happy that you enjoy my blog. Perhaps our paths will cross in the future since we both live in New England.
I’m very happy to have stumbled on your back roads years ago. I enjoy your meals (several have been made regularly), your travels (which are always a thrill) and of course your life in New England (I love Maine especially as you know). Congratulations on three great years. Here’s to many more. It’s always a pleasure Karen. Truly.
I’m glad we found each other, Kristy. You are one of my original followers and I always appreciate it when you stop by to visit…I know how busy your family keeps you. Thank you for your nice compliment, I’m glad you enjoy all the different aspects of my blog. 🙂
Happy Adventuring and Happy Experiencing – Congrats 🙂 Thanks for the friendship too! Happy Week!!!
Thank you Renee, for your nice wish. I appreciate your nice comments through my blogging adventure.
Congratulations on your 3rd blog anniversary! You look beautiful in the picture. Before I began to blog, I was one of them who thought little of trivial chats over SNS including blog, but now I find that this is a remarkable and amazing place where I can share my interests with people from all over the world. Thank you for all you’ve shared so far!!!
Hi Jessie, Thank you for stopping by for a visit all the way from Korea. I’m flattered by your compliment and appreciate your nice wish. 🙂
Karen – Congratulations on three years and I’m looking forward to the next three.
Hi Larry, Thank you for your wish. I’m glad that we met through our blogging and perhaps one of these years we can meet in person at one of your annual blog parties.
You make it seem so easy, this blogging stuff 🙂 I can vouch for some of your delicious recipes. I’ve tried several and they came out great! Cheers to many more years of continued blogging success!!
Hi Sandra, Do I make it look easy…I’m happy if I do. 🙂 I’m glad that you have enjoyed my recipes and appreciate your nice compliment and wish. 🙂
Congrats, Karen, on a fabulous three year. I actually thought you’d been blogging a lot longer than that. What wonderful and kind words from The Oracle – so encouraging xx
Thank you Charlie, for your wish. Yes…three years and they seem to have flown by. I was so flattered with what The Oracle wrote about my blog, it was extremely kind of him.
Happy anniversary to your blog Karen! Blogging is demanding but help us discover different cultures, food and places. It also brings together people who, in other circumstances, wouldn’t have met in this life time!
I appreciate your wish, Katerina. I definitely agree with you about blogging…it is wonderful in so many ways but the readers who you get to know are what really make it special. I have learned so much history about Greece from your very interesting posts. 🙂
Congrats Karen and happy blogiversary! What a great picture of you with your Mac and a glass of wine. Your posts always make me happy and hungry! Here’s to another three years of great food, travel and stories….
Thank you for your nice wish and your sweet compliment, Becki. I always appreciate your visits and am glad that my blog makes you happy…sorry about the hungry part. 🙂 I’m glad you like the photo…I was very happy to enjoy a glass of wine at the Kempinski Munich Airport hotel after a day and a half of flying. Even with jet lag, I wanted to catch up on my blog though. 😀
It has been three wonderful years of your blog – congratulations Karen! I love the quote about kindred spirits too. I always look forward to reading about your latest adventure!
Hi Meg, I appreciate your nice compliment and am glad that you like to follow along on our adventures. I do think we are kindred spirits with our love of traveling.
I think so too Karen!
Congratulations, Karen!!! It’s been an honour to travel with you these past 3 years and looking forward to many, many more!!
Thank you Nazneen, I’m so happy that you have enjoyed traveling the back roads with me over the last years. Hopefully, I’ll have a new adventure to share before long. 🙂
Ciao Karen! Beautiful post! Thank you for sharing a piece of you!
I think about my blog and Italy daily but as life has changed directions, my updates to it have been put aside. I will continue to blog about Italy and of course more travels once life takes me more places. Blessings!
Ciao Trina, It is so good to hear from you. 😀 I’m glad that you enjoyed the post, thank you for your nice compliment. You are one of the people I think about as I stop by to see if you have posted. Circumstances do change as life moves on, I hope you and your family are well and happy. I’ll look forward to the day you share one of your adventures…take care.
Hi Karen, and congratulations on your three years of blogging! I haven’t been reading your blog all that time, but have loved finding out about your home, travels, and the food you grow and cook.
Thank you Sarah, I appreciate your nice wish and compliment. I’m happy that we have both found each other. Even though we live across the pond from each other, our gardens brought us together and the rest as they say “is history”. 🙂
Three years well spent Karen.
Congratulations.
Best,
Conor
Thank you, Conor! I appreciate your nice compliment, my Irish friend. 🙂
its been a great three years too hasn’t it! So have enjoyed visiting you each week! Keep it coming and congrats
Hi Jessica, You are right, it has been a great three years. I’m happy that you have enjoyed visiting as much as I have enjoyed your nice compliments. Thank you for your nice wish.
Happy Blorthday… yeah, I’ll go with that 😉 – Three years of spreading good mood, recipes and much more. Thank you Karen for all the great posts. Congrats!
Hi Didi, I like Blorthday and what I like even more are your nice compliments when you stop by for a visit…thank you!
😀
Karen – congrats on the 3 years! Coming here is always like a little vacation in itself – and you never know from visit to the next just what you will find! Here’s to many more years on the Back Roads!
Hi Donalyn, What a nice thing to say, I’m happy to know that you enjoy my varied posts and appreciate your nice compliment. Thank you for your wish.
Congratulations Karen, i was so glad to have found you in my early days of blogging. Your posts are always so interesting. great recipes and I just love your travel pictures. What more can I say accept that even though we have never met, I would include you on my list of friends, I really appreciate the kind sincere words you have sent me during my back treatment and now as I’m sitting on the edge of my hospital bed after surgery. This afternoon my Mr France went to the reception desk & signed me onto their WIFI and what do I see but your lovely post and ALL those lovely comments & your replies which I’ve read everyone. Thank you Karen, for making so many peoples lives happy .
Thank you Barbara, for your very kind words. I appreciate the fact that I am included among your friends. It is people like you that have made my blogging experiences so wonderful. Perhaps on one of my journeys, we will get a chance to me in person. I thrilled that you surgery is behind you and I’m hoping you will make a full recovery. I know that Mr. France has been caring for your gardens but I know you are anxious to get back to them…take care. 🙂
Karen:
You have a great blog with very positive content… I feel many times that I am traveling with you! Keep up the good work!
Thank you Denise, I’m happy to know that you have enjoyed traveling the back roads with me and appreciate your nice compliment. 🙂
I remember those grapes! Congratulations on three years. It’s always fun seeing what you’re up to and getting a peek in the house too.
Thank you Greg, for your nice wish. You were one of my first followers and I have always appreciated your visits and comments. Thank you for your friendship, it has been appreciated over the years. I think that we are “kindred spirits” as we so often cook similar dishes. 🙂
Happy anniversary to your terrific blog! I’m another huge fan who wishes you many more years of success!
Thank you Liz, for your nice compliment and wish. I feel the same way about your blog. 🙂
Glad to have met you, Karen. And many happy returns!
Thank you Michelle, for your nice comment. The feeling is mutual.
Happy Anniversary, wishing you many success in your blogging
Thank you Raymund, for your nice wish. I have always appreciated your visits and comments over the years.
Happy Blog-Anniversary! 🙂 Three years? I think I must have discovered you right after you started — lucky me. Glad to count you among my blogging friends, and yes, I’d worry about you if you were quiet too long. All the best to you, Karen!
Thank you Judy, for your nice wish and lovely compliment. Yes, you are one of my original followers and I appreciate the fact that you think of me as one of your blogging friends as well. I hope that each day is a day closer to being back to your healthy self…take care, my friend. 🙂
Like other of your readers, I appreciate the effort you put into your blog which is always well written and photographed. Best of all, our common interests led to a delightful meeting which I hope will repeat itself soon.
I appreciate you lovely compliment, Linda. I’m happy that you and I not only became “blogging friends” but have had the chance to actually spend time together. Our time with you and Phil was not only enjoyable but memorable…I think the four of us are definitely kindred spirits. I do hope we will have the opportunity to get together again this summer. 🙂
Happy anniversary, Karen! That is wonderful – and I love the comments you re-posted. I am so glad that I found your blog and am truly enjoying our virtual friendship. It reminds me of the “good old days” when we used to write letters to pen pals and get to know them long before we ever might meet. I look forward to many more treasures from your back roads journeys!
Thank you David, for your nice wish. I’m happy to know that you are looking forward to my future back road adventures. I truly wish that we would have had a chance to meet while you were living in New England as I feel we would have all enjoyed each other’s company and food. 🙂 Yes, I agree with you…blogging is very much like having a pen pal only better as we can communicate with each other almost instantly.
We are turning so many of the same pages Karen. Sharing the same insights. Living life and writing about it in the most positive way. New worlds are constantly opening to those who approach life light of heart, generous of spirit, and always always a ready smile..
Hi Virginia, I believe you are right…we do seem to be kindred spirits. Thank you for your lovely comment.
Congratulations on your 3rd year blog anniversary Karen…I always like visiting you…always fun, positive and I love the pictures that you share.
Enjoy the rest of your week dear 😀
Thank you Juliana, for your nice wish and lovely compliment. I hope you enjoy your week as well and recover from your vacation to Taiwan. I know you must have enjoyed visiting family.
Happy blog anniversary to you Karen! I love all your posts and can’t wait for many more to come!
Thank you Pamela, for your nice wish and compliment. I feel the same about your blog…I learn a lot of gardening tips from you. 🙂
Congratulations on your third blogversary! The writer from the Boston Harbor Picayune was spot on! I always enjoy my visits here. I especially enjoy your recipes and any gardening information you share – basically I just like visiting your blog.
Like you I’m not very far from an iMac and iPhone or an iPad!
Happy Anniversary, I hope you can make it to Maine this weekend, it’s going to be beautiful.
I appreciate your nice compliment, Mary. I was surprised and honored with what The Oracle wrote in the Boston Harbor Picayune. I hope I live up to the lovely words he wrote with my readers. I’m happy to know that you enjoy my recipes and gardening posts…thank you. We will be heading up to Maine on Saturday. Every time I pass the Old Orchard Beach sign on the Maine Turnpike, I think of you. 🙂
Karen, you really have a wonderful place to visit! You always share so much of your life with photographs and stories that are so enjoyable to read. I absolutely love your home and you really put out some fantastic recipes too! 🙂 xx Seana
Thank you for your kind words, Seana, they are very much appreciated. I’m happy to know that you enjoy my posts about our home and my recipes. You have created some delicious recipes as well. 🙂
Congratulations Karen, It’s been a joy visiting your blog these past few years! I always look forward to hearing about your adventures whether on the road or in the kitchen. And the photos, oh they are so beautiful! Here’s to many more years of Back Road journeys!!
Thank you Jan, I really appreciated your lovely compliment…it is very kind of you. I’m happy to know that you enjoy my blog. 😀
Congratulations on a wonderful three years!
Thank you Ladyfi, It has definitely been a fun three years. Thank you for your wish. 🙂
congratulations on your blogiversary–look at what you’ve accomplished, and how many people you’ve reached in three years! Brava!
I appreciate your nice wish and compliment, Nancy. It has been a very fun and throughly enjoyable three years and it is because of people like you…thank you!
Happy blog-anniversary, Karen! Your blog truly does”hit it out of the park!” with visual and culinary treats, as well as fabulous writing and warm friendliness! Cheers and congratulations!
Thank you Pat, for your kind words…they are very much appreciated. I’m happy that you have enjoyed my posts as I have yours. First your experiences in NYC and now out in Colorado. Thank you for your friendship. 🙂
Isn’t it wonderful the people we meet blogging. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts and appreciate the comments you leave for me. GG
Hi GG, Yes…blogging has brought so many wonderful and interesting people into my life…I’ve certainly enjoyed your interesting posts. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Happy Blogiversary, Karen!
Thank you Amy, I appreciate your nice wish.
Congratulations Karen! It is always such a treat visiting your blog 🙂 Thank you for a wonderful blog!
I appreciate your nice wish, Anne…thank you for all your visits over the years. 🙂
Many congrats! it’s always such a milestone, or to me at least. And it never seems possible that another year has flown by. And I’m pleased to read (within your response to a comment) that your husband helps out with cleaning the kitchen!
Thanks Johnny, It is definitely a milestone for me as well. Can you believe how quickly the years pass by, I think it is because we are having so much fun. I am very lucky that my husband has always worked by my side in the kitchen, cleaning as I cook. He makes my life so much easier with his help, especially as I tend to use every spoon in my kitchen while cooking. 😀
Three years is a wonderful journey and quite a celebration. My blog is approaching two years and I’ve learnt so much and met so many in that time. Congratulations on the milestone!
Krissie x
Hi Krissie, Thank you for stopping by my blog for a visit and your nice compliment. I appreciate your nice wish, thank you.
Better late than never!! Warmest congratulations on your three years and thank your for all the experiences shared! So enjoyed!! And does that beautiful photo of you not stem from a stopover at the Frankfurt Airport some two years + ago or have my memory banks dimmed 🙂 ?
Thank you for your wish Eha, I’m happy that you have enjoyed my posts over the years. As to the photo, you do have a good memory as you are about the country but the wrong city. We were staying at the Kempinski Munich Airport hotel before picking up our car to travel to the Black Forest the following day. It is a great hotel as there is a tunnel to walk directly to the airport, car rental facilities or the train station that will take you into the center of Munich or where else you wish to travel. 🙂
Congratulations to you Karen and I absolutely love your blog. I always appreciate the notification of a new post so I can experience your experiences. Keep on blogging because you are GREAT!
Thank you Southern for your nice compliment. I’m glad that you enjoy my posts and appreciate your kind words. I have always enjoyed your blog as it reminds me of the foods I enjoyed growing up in Texas. 🙂
Congrats on 3 fun years of blogging! What a lovely journey and I wish you many more adventures and fun in this space. Lovely picture of you there. 🙂
Hi Monia, I appreciate you stopping by to visit my blog and leaving your nice wish and compliment, thank you!
Congratulations on your three year milestone. I always look forward to your recipes, travel adventures and garden successes. Also, I made your Shrimp Scampi for brunch today and it was wonderful!
Best wishes, Mary
Hi Mary, Thank you for your lovely compliment and wish. Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed my recipe for the shrimp scampi, I always appreciate when someone lets me know that they liked one of my recipes.
Dear Karen, wishing you a very happy third blogiversary!!! You already know that I certainly enjoy ALL of my visits here – you are an inspiration and I love seeing pictures of your orchard, marvel at the fruits of your gardening skills or your wonderful home, your travels and all the food that you so lovingly prepare and photograph – such a joy coming here and such an honor to know you through your blog, my friend!
Looking forward to many more adventures while you travel the back roads of life – by the way that quote from the newspaper is absolutely fabulous! What a wonderful thing to write about your blog!
Have a great weekend – the weather has turned quite warm and sunny around here.
Liebe Grüsse,
Andrea
Thank you Andrea for your sweet comment. I have to say that the feeling is mutual about your wonderful blog as well. You know how much my husband and I love visiting Germany. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to meet one another on one of our trips to your lovely country in the not too distant future.
Congratulations on your anniversary. I’ve sure enjoyed finding your blog.
Thank you Lea Ann, for your nice wish and compliment. I’m happy to know that you have enjoyed my blog over the years.
Congratulations Karen!!! I’ve always enjoyed your blog, and especially love your travel posts since you take me places I’ve never been and will probably never travel. It’s been a trip! 🙂
Thank you MJ, for your nice wish. I’m happy to know that you have enjoyed following along on our adventures and appreciate your nice compliment.
Congratulations on having your blog for three years. I hope you have many more years of blogging. You have a beautiful blog and I can see why you have so many followers!
Hi Dawn, I appreciate your visit and compliment. I’m happy to know that you enjoy my blog, thank you.
Hi Karen, Congratulations! Love the way you write and the way your words come across these pages. I sure enjoy your blog, but for some reason I have a problem receiving your post. I have met the most wonderful people blogging, my husband saying I have blossomed.
Thank you for your kind words, Cheri, they are very much appreciated. I’m sorry to hear that you have had a problem following along. Blogspot and WordPress don’t always play nicely together and I don’t know why.
Congrats Karen by your 3 years you have an amazing and lovely Blog!
Thank you Gloria, for your nice wish and compliment. I’m happy that we have become blogging friends. 🙂
I have a 17″ MacBook Pro too. Congrats on your time blogging and all the friends you have made. You and your blog deserve all the wonderful friends and followers. As much as I like the recipes, I really love all the places you take readers. I enjoy seeing places I may never visit or see again in this lifetime.
Hi Donna, When I first started blogging, travel is what I had planned to write about most. The funny this is that the travel posts seem to be my least popular posts and I don’t know why. I’m happy that you have enjoyed them and thank you for your nice compliment…I always appreciate your visits.
Congratulations Karen on the three years of blogging fun. I wish you more years of doing what you love and more success for your beautiful site.
~ ray ~
Thank you Ray, for your nice comment and wish…it is very much appreciated. I’ve missed seeing you in the blogging world lately. 🙂
A big congratulations on your three years Karen! And may there be many, many more! 😀
Thank you Lorraine, I appreciate your wish. Hopefully I’ll be blogging for some time to come. 🙂
Congratulations Karen, I know I’ve enjoyed your many posts over the years, particularly the travel ones. It’s been wonderful to get to know you too. I wish you any more successful blogging years!
Thank you Eva, I’m happy to know that you have enjoyed my blog and that you like the travel posts that I have done.
The Oracle got it perfectly right – you have a special blog here. Congratulations on your third birthday and on such a great following.
I appreciate your kind words, Suzanne. I’m happy to know that you have enjoyed following along over the years…thank you.
Congratulations on 3 years! I sure am glad to have stumbled by your blog!
Thank you Shashi, for your nice wish. I’m glad you have been visiting as well but knowing what a good runner you are, I’m sure there was no stumbling involved. 😀
Congratulations for your three very successful years of blogging, Karen. I always look forward to your posts, especially those that document your travel adventures. I have added several new places to my travel list because of your wonderful write-ups and photos. Here’s to many more years of sharing your experiences with your readers.
Thank you Cathy, for your lovely compliment. You were one of my first followers and I always appreciate your visits and compliments. Thank you for letting me know that my travel posts have been of help to you when planning your future travels.
Congratulations on a fun, three years, Karen! The photo of you is lovely 🙂 I’ve really enjoyed reading your wonderful blog.
Thank you for your nice wish Susan and I’m flattered by your compliment. 🙂
Congratulations on your 3 year blogaversary, Karen!
Thank you Nancy, for your nice wish.
Kudos to you, Karen! And I agree with everything you said…blogging is an amazing experience, friends from all over the world! We care what happens to one another. It’s amazing, really. I enjoy reading you, even when I don’t comment. Here’s to the next three years!
Hi Barbara, I’m glad that you agree with me about what a nice experience blogging is and about the lovely people we “meet” along with way. I appreciate your nice wish and compliment, thank you.
How wonderful, Happy Three Years! There is something special about blogging. Not just the food created, but the friends you make are priceless for sure! I love how I found a true passion for writing and photography:-) I am so happy we connected, and love reading your blog! Hugs, Terra
Thank you Terra for your wish and hugs, they are appreciated. Yes, the wonderful people we get to know while blogging makes the whole experience something to be treasured.
Congratulations – I admire your blog very much. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Jason, for your kind words, I’m happy to know that you enjoy my blog.
Congratulations, Karen! Yours truly is a beautiful blog, and one that I always take pleasure in reading. Best wishes and can’t wait to read about the next trip! Danielle 🙂
Thank you Danielle, for your lovely wish and compliment. I’m happy to know that you enjoy my posts. Perhaps there will be a short trip to an interesting place here in New England soon. 🙂
How wonderful! Congratulations on completing beautiful three blogging years 🙂
Thank you Minnie, for your visit and wish…it is much appreciated.
It has been pure pleasure reading each post of your blog…I adore the scrumptious recipes and all the fabulous places you so easily travel to..here’s to many more years of blogging (I hope) Karen!
I appreciate your lovely compliment, Donna. Thank you very much for your kind words.
Congratulations on three years of blogging or, as I would also like to call it, friendship-making 🙂 I’m so happy to have followed your adventures for these past few years and very much look forward to the next three, four, five, six, and many more! Here is a glass of champagne raised in your honor and congratulations again!
Hi Daisy, I appreciate your nice wish. You are so right about the friendship making and I’m glad we have gotten the chance to “meet” through our blogs. I’ll gladly raise a glass to your toast…thank you so much.
Dear Karen, I always love visting your blog, but never more than now where I can THANK YOU! It has been so wonderful to follow your adventours, read your recipes and follow your thoughts. Wishing you many MANY more years of happy blogging!
Thank you Afra, for your lovely and kind words about my blog. I’m happy to know that you enjoy my posts and truly appreciate your wish for the future. I look forward to your visits and your comments. 🙂
Happy three year anniversary – doesn’t time fly?! I’ve been enjoying your stories and posts – here’s to many more!
Thank you Charles, for your nice wish. Time truly has flown by and its the early friendships with people like yourself how have made it so enjoyable for three years.
What a lovely response, Karen, and congratulations on such a wonderful blog! One of the things you do that has really impressed me is respond so quickly and with so many comments to follow with a response, that’s saying something! I hope you continue to have so much enthusiasm going forward. You are a delight to know. 🙂
Thank you Debra, for your kind words. I always say that I have the best blogging friends and love hearing from all of you. It does take time to answer the comments but if people like yourself have taken the time to comment then I feel that the least I can do is to reply.
Congrats! You are one the blogs I take inspiration from and keep returning to!
Hi Helen, I appreciate knowing that my blog has been inspiring, thank you for your nice compliment.
and thank you Karen for blogging! It was a joy to discover you and it continues to be a joy to read your updates and your recipes. Congratulations on 3 fab years!
Thank you for your nice compliment, Claire. I appreciate that you have been following my blog from very early on. 🙂
Congratulations and happy continued blogging!
I appreciate your nice wish, Gretchen…thank you!
One more belated congrats! It’s such a wonderful living chronicle of life- and you share it so well.
Cheers Karen! xo
Thank you Wendy, I appreciate your compliment and that you have followed my blog from Germany and now here in the US. 🙂
That Mexican salad looks soooooo good. You are adorable, and that was a lovely tribute to your father. And the Italian Frittata…wow ~
Hi C.e., Thank you for stopping by for a visit. I appreciate that you have taken the time to read some of my past posts and your lovely compliments. 😀
belated congrats!!!! and THANK YOU for bringing such wonderful posts to us!
Thank you Carol, for your nice wish and comment…it is very much appreciated.
Congratulations on 3 years! You have a wonderful blog and it’s always fun reading and following on your adventures.
Thank you Ducky, I appreciate your lovely comment as you are a longtime reader of my blog. 🙂