{"id":14027,"date":"2024-03-19T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/?p=14027"},"modified":"2024-03-17T17:33:35","modified_gmt":"2024-03-17T21:33:35","slug":"come-celebrate-with-a-6-year-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/come-celebrate-with-a-6-year-old\/","title":{"rendered":"Come Celebrate with a 6-Year-Old!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writing a blog post is something like putting a message in a bottle\u2014you send it off into the world and hope someone will find it and take the time to read it.
\n\"ToToday\u2019s blog post marks FanningSparks\u2019 six-year anniversary.\u00a0 This is the 316th<\/sup> blog post I\u2019ve published.\u00a0 Miraculously, over 158,000 people have found their way to the blog since it was launched in March 2018.\u00a0 I\u2019m so glad you\u2019re here!\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a moment to celebrate this special milestone.
\n\"Message <\/u><\/strong>We\u2019ll start our little celebration with a look back at some of the messages and comments I\u2019ve received from readers in the last year.\u00a0 It\u2019s not as if I get feedback every day so all notes are carefully read and much appreciated.
\nWrought Iron Design
\n<\/strong>Just the other day, I received an email from a reader named Leigh triggered by the blog post Lines and Patterns in Wrought Iron<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in which I shared lots of photos of wrought iron from the cities and towns of Portugal.\u00a0 Leigh\u2019s message said \u201cHope you’re having a wonderful day.\u00a0 I came across your beautiful site while researching window bars \/ grilles for our home in Lisbon.\u00a0 The builder was unfortunately unable to salvage the original bars, so he tasked us with finding a new style.\u00a0 Immediately when I came across your charming photo that paired the blue oval-shaped grille next to the stunning tile, I fell in love.
\n<\/em>The image is below the description \u2018In this example from Viana do Castelo, the simple linear window grille complements the more intricate tile pattern.\u2019 \u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>This is the design that caught Leigh\u2019s eye.
\n\"ComplementaryLeigh goes on to say \u201cI know it’s a longshot, but wondering if you would have a photo of the entire window that I could utilize to show the builder?<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Unfortunately, I didn\u2019t have a photo of the entire window but I did have one of a balcony railing with similar lines.\u00a0 I emailed it to her with best wishes for her project.\u00a0 Thanks for writing Leigh!
\n<\/em>Floating Boat
\n<\/strong>I recently received an email from a reader named Wilma.\u00a0 She wanted to use the below photo as a reference for an oil painting.\u00a0 I was tickled pink to say yes.\u00a0 Good luck Wilma!
\n\"Red<\/em>Statue of Evangeline
\n<\/strong>Last spring, I received an intriguing note from a reader named Gail in response to my post The Enduring Tale of Evangeline<\/a>.\u00a0 \u201cI read your blog post about Evangeline and the memorial to the Acadian way of life. It brought back lovely memories. Growing up in Maine, we studied a lot of near-Maine history and in 8th grade English classes we were required to memorize the preamble to Longfellow\u2019s poem.\u201d
\n\"Evangeline<\/em>Gail goes on to say, \u201cWhen I was 11 \u2026 my family went to Nova Scotia to visit a great aunt and while we were there visited the church and site of the Evangeline statue. I have a very clear memory of being told to walk slowly around the statue to watch the face of Evangeline age (as she searched for Gabriel). I\u2019m still sure I saw that but may have just been convinced of that by the docent\u2019s sincerity.
\n<\/em>When you visited, were you told anything about the features on the statue aging? I hate to ask because I\u2019m afraid you\u2019ll say \u201cNo\u201d but I also don\u2019t want to have been lying to friends and family for the last 63 years. \u00a0\u00a0Thank you for the wonderful article. I\u2019m not sure I could still recite the preamble but it made me want to read the poem again.<\/em>\u201d
\nI wrote Gail to tell her I\u2019d never heard about Evangeline\u2019s face aging\u2014I saw no mention of it at the Grand Pr\u00e9 visitor site nor in my follow up research.\u00a0 But when I did an online search for that specific topic, sure enough, I found a couple of references stating the same.\u00a0 I promised Gail to examine Evangeline\u2019s face more carefully at the next opportunity\u2014which turned out to be last summer.\u00a0 I walked around that statue several times and looked at the face from every possible angle but I could not see anything but a beautiful young woman.
\nNewfoundland Visit
\n<\/strong>The blog posts from my visit to Newfoundland, Postcards from Newfoundland #1<\/a>, Postcards from Newfoundland #2<\/a>, Bibs and Bobs from Newfoundland<\/a>, Some Day on Clothes<\/a> and Inspired by Memories of Home<\/a>, generated a fair bit of interest.
\n\"IcebergReaders wrote to tell me about their own visits to this extraordinary place.
\nA sharp-eyed reader named Don sent this message: \u201cOn Bibs and Bobs from Newfoundland you state that the moose were imported from Labrador. That is not a correct statement. The first ones came from Maine, but they died. The next four were from Burnt Church, NB.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 I dove a little deeper and found a 2012 research paper titled The Introduction of Moose to the Island of Newfoundland<\/em> by Allan Byrne.\u00a0 The paper states four moose introduced in 1904 came from New Brunswick.\u00a0 But it also states “\u2026 in 1878 when a cow and a bull were brought from Nova Scotia and released at Gander Bay.<\/em>”\u00a0\u00a0 I updated the blog post accordingly with thanks to Don!
\nSpark Plugs
\n<\/strong>OK, I have to admit, not ALL notes and messages are carefully considered and much appreciated.\u00a0 For instance, the email I received from a spark plug supplier in China promoting their products was simply ignored.\u00a0 Yes, I can see how someone MIGHT make a connection between the name \u201cFanningSparks\u201d and spark plugs but, seriously, one look at the site would have dispelled that notion.\u00a0 The email did make me chuckle though so it wasn\u2019t a complete waste of time!
\n\"Message <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Visitors By Year
\n<\/strong>According to Google Analytics, the system I use to track visitor counts and other analytics, www.FanningSparks.com<\/a> has had over 158,000 visitors over the last 6 years (including 13,000 thus far in 2024).\u00a0 It\u2019s encouraging to see the number of visitors continue to grow year over year\u2014most recently from 37,000 visitors in 2022 to 64,000 visitors in 2023\u2026 a whopping 73% increase. Hurray!
\n\"FanningSparksAs an aside, I started FanningSparks after retiring from a 34-year career as an IT professional specializing in the implementation of enterprise software solutions.\u00a0 I shudder to think how many hours of my life I spent discussing the complexities of migrating data from the system being replaced to the new system being implemented.\u00a0 Oh, the countless debates about how much historical data to migrate and how to do it accurately.
\nSo, when Google Analytics, announced they would be replacing their website analysis tools, I was surprised to learn they would not be migrating the historical data.\u00a0 Nope\u2026 none\u2026 no historical data was moved from the old system to the new G4A system!\u00a0 It\u2019s surreal to find myself at the receiving end of that decision\u2014pasting together analytics from the first 66 months and the last 6 months of the blog\u2019s existence.\u00a0 I do realize, of course, that having accurate analytics for my little blog is not important in the grand scheme of things.\u00a0 But it is helpful to examine the data and assess the blog\u2019s health periodically.
\nWeekly and Monthly Visitor Trends
\n<\/strong>Another data point I monitor is the weekly and monthly visitor trends.\u00a0 Here\u2019s how those counts look from a year-over-year perspective. \"FanningSparksShown below are the visitor trends at a more granular level\u2014daily, weekly and monthly\u2014from October 1, 2023 (the start of the new Google Analytics system) to March 9, 2024.\u00a0 The numbers fluctuate so I remind myself to take a long-term view.
\n\"FanningSparks\"Message<\/u><\/strong>Google Analytics also reports which posts are most popular.\u00a0 Shown below are the top 10 posts from Oct 1, 2023 to this week based on the number of visitors. \u00a0Interestingly, Maker Apron \u2013 DIY Tutorial<\/a> (with 3263 visitors) nudged DIY Turkish Mosaic Candle Holder Tutorial<\/a> (with 2217 visitors) out of the number one spot after 3 years.\u00a0 The DIY Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse Tutorial<\/a> (with 2074 visitors), currently in third place, is a perennial favorite which typically takes a jump in the spring when, I assume, makers are busy building birdhouses!\u00a0 Links to the blog posts are listed below the graphic.
\n\"FanningSparks<\/p>\n

1. Maker Apron \u2013 DIY Tutorial<\/a>
\n2. DIY Turkish Mosaic Candle Holder Tutorial<\/a>
\n3. DIY Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse Tutorial<\/a>
\n4. Hello Marvelous Photo Embroidery \u2013 DIY Tutorial<\/a>
\n5. Lessons Learned from my First Barn Quilt Block<\/a>
\n6. Strawberry Tower Planter \u2013 DIY Tutorial<\/a>
\n7. Fused Glass: From Fan to Maker<\/a>
\n8. Lucet Cordmaking \u2013 DIY Tutorial<\/a>
\n9. 6 Fascinating Facts about Sable Island<\/a>
\n10. Flat Plane Carving with Harley<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Message<\/p>\n

Facebook and Instagram
\n<\/strong>FanningSparks has a presence on Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> where I announce the weekly blog posts.\u00a0 I\u2019m grateful for the 118 people on Facebook and 205 people on Instagram who have chosen to follow these accounts.
\n\"Followers<\/u>Pinterest<\/strong>
\nFanningSparks has a more significant presence on Pinterest<\/a> with 2,000 followers and about 588.9k views per month.\u00a0 All the photos featured in my blog posts are pinned on Pinterest.\u00a0 To date, I\u2019ve created nearly 5,000 original pins on my 4 major boards for Make, Travel, Nature and Decorate.
\n\"FollowersThree new special interest boards, designated as \u201cFanningSparks Favs\u201d, were created this past year in support of topics featured on the blog\u2014they are Coiled Rope Basketry\u2013FanningSparks Favs<\/a>, Collage\u2013FanningSparks Favs<\/a> and Needle Felting\u2013FanningSparks Favs<\/a>.\u00a0 These boards hold primarily photos and images created by others.\u00a0 Special interest boards created in previous years cover topics such as Fused Glass, Swans, Sea Glass, Mosaic Artwork, Art Nouveau and Ferns.
\n\"FanningSparks<\/p>\n

Email Notifications
\n<\/strong>A modest number, currently 68, loyal followers have signed up for weekly email notifications.\u00a0 They receive a \u201cFanningSparks Just Posted\u201d email with a brief overview of the blog post published that week.\u00a0 Anyone can subscribe to this service\u2014simply sign up via the \u201cCan I Count You In?\u201d feature located in the right column on any page of the FanningSparks blog.
\n\"Can<\/p>\n

Google Search
\n<\/strong>Every time someone searches for something via Google Search, the words they\u2019ve entered (aka the search query) and the results they clicked on are tracked.\u00a0 That\u2019s how Google Search Analytics is able to report that in the past 28 days, Google Search resulted in 7,871 views of FanningSparks\u2019 content.\u00a0 They are also able to report which content is viewed most often and what queries were used to find it.\u00a0 For instance, shown below in the number 2 slot is the DIY Bluebird-Approved Birdhouse Tutorial<\/a> with 608 views and the top search queries used.\u00a0 Visitors found this blog post by searching for: Birdhouse dimensions, diy bluebird house, bird house dimensions, and bird house tutorial.
\n\"GoogleHere are the results I got when I searched for \u201cbirdhouse dimensions\u201d on Google.\u00a0 There were 4,870,000 results.\u00a0 Notice the 3rd<\/sup>, unsponsored image is courtesy of FanningSparks!
\n\"GoogleThank You<\/strong>
\nSo, there you have it!\u00a0 FanningSparks has successfully completed another year and continues to show healthy growth.\u00a0 I recognize that none of this would be possible without you, my readers. \u00a0Thank you so much for your support and interest over the last 6 years!
\n\"Message<\/p>\n

About the Photos
\n<\/strong>The photos in today\u2019s blog post were taken at sunrise and sunset on the beautiful beaches of Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.\u00a0 Please note: The shots were staged\u2014no bottles were actually thrown into the ocean (or anywhere else for that matter)!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Writing a blog post is something like putting a message in a bottle\u2014you send it off into the world and hope someone will find it and take the time to read it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,34],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-14027","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-about","8":"category-general"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14027"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14027"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14067,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14027\/revisions\/14067"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fanningsparks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}