Christmas came a little early for me this year, and it came in the form of actually meeting friends from the Blogosphere. Now that might not mean much to anyone who doesn’t blog, or hasn’t made connections with people who share their lives through the blogs they write themselves. But for me it was a big event because these are people who have become an important part of my life. They have shared my pain, my triumphs and my questions with me. Never judging and always there with quiet support, they are truly friends.
When the invitation to participate in Blogblast for Peace at the epicenter of the event, Bloggingham Palace, I jumped at the opportunity. So, on November 5th, I took a road trip to visit Queen Mimi and experience Blogblast from the birthplace of the Peace Globes. It was a fantastic afternoon. We did a lot of talking, a lot of sharing, a lot of laughing, and tried to do some live blogging during the event. Unfortunately, because of technical difficulties, the blogging part was not as successful as we would have liked.
Mostly, we supported each other in person…something we had only done virtually as a group up to that point. Present at the event were me (Tarheel Rambler), Queen Mimi, and Ferd (The Best Parts) and his lovely wife, Princess Gail. The afternoon passed much too quickly, with good food, great conversation, and of course the tour of Bloggingham Palace. Unfortunately, the Royal Dog, Homer, was not present. I think he was out on the palace grounds chasing deer somewhere.
Here are some images from the afternoon:
Bloggingham Forest
Ferd and Princess Gail
And the afternoon would not have been complete without seeing the inspiration for the blog post that started Blogblast for Peace, Papa’s Marbles:
Papa's Marbles
All in all, it was a pretty special Christmas gift that arrived at the beginning of November.
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Hmm, your picture of the Queen seems to be sorely lacking a half face or something!
Having had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty in person myself, I've got to say that she is truly a delightful monarch and a real pleasure to spend time with. I'm so glad you've had the privilege and pleasure now yourself.
Blogging friends can be some of the best friends out there. Truly.
I'm so jealous! I know the joy that is meeting bloggers in-person. Be warned, though., Once you start, you can't stop. You're always looking for opportunities to meet up with others. You know, like a certain someone wondering how far it is and long it would take to drive from PA to NC…..
I started to include a picture of Her Highness, but upon further review, I couldn't find one that was up to the high standards fitting for a queen. To be honest, I'm just not that good shooting people pictures. So, I used the picture of Bloggingham Forest instead. I just forgot to remove the old caption until you pointed it out.
It would be about an 8 or 9 hour trip from your neck of the woods. And there are lots of nice places to stay and everything. I might even spring for lunch.
I love the pictures, Lee, and didn't even notice what Linda did. I enjoyed meeting her once on a Connecticut journey. We could have talked for hours. Dare say we did!
It was such a delightful afternoon with all of you. Putting faces with blog personas….nothing like it. The party seemed to fly by so quickly. I hope next year we'll be able to meet with others as well. You are such a genuine down-to-earth person and just as I imagined. It was truly like meeting “old friends”… Thank you for making my day and sharing peace globe vibes in Bloggingham.
That marble shot is fantastic!
Lee, it meant a LOT to me as well! I knew after my first visit to Tarheel Ramblings that you and I were on the same wavelength, more so than any other man I know in the blogosphere. It was SUPER meeting you live and in person, and I plan to make good on the visit to Raleigh soon in the coming year! Especially since we are new to NC, connecting in vivo with you and Mimi was a highlight of our first year!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your fam!