This is the one-hundredth post I’ve written for BackyardLifeBlog.com and it’s also New Years Day.  It seems to be the perfect time to reflect back on where this blog and I have come since Memorial Day when I started it.

New Faces

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a bunch of new people, some face to face.  Here are just a few…

• James and Julie Dibben, Blue Collar Living
• Josh Bulloc, The Intentional Superhero
• Nate Beck, Natedogs
• Josh Gordon, The Nonconformist Family
• Alec and Fiona Duncan, Potter’s Pasties
• Kari Offerdahl and Amy Frechette, Fork In The Road Food Truck
• Rob Esselink, The Recovery Coach
• Eddie Bashaw, The Bashaw Blog

New Places

I also went to new places.  I had no idea how great Willow River State Park is.  Not to mention it’s only a half hour from home.  Actually, I was completely oblivious to its very existence.

We traveled around the Midwest.  We took the back roads through the north woods of Wisconsin.  We ate at the original Famous Dave’s BBQ and spotted a giant muskie in Hayward.  We spent a leisurely weekend in Bayfield, WI.

After taking the ferry to Madeline Island, we visited Big Bay State Park for the first time.  If you ever visit, be sure to spend some time exploring the lagoon and then soak up some rays on the sandy beach.

We also visited family in Missouri.  It was my first trip to the Show-me state and I know I’ll be back!

We’ve made 3 trips along the Mississippi River to Stockholm, WI.  We ate plenty of pie, drank some wine, wassailed the apple trees, and feasted!

New Experiences

I joined the Hard Work Network to help me get things done and hold me accountable.  I’ve crossed many to-dos off my list and have consistently worked on others.  It has been really helpful to publicly list my plans.

I also started participating in Let’s Blog Off to help me write better and about a wider range of topics.  The Let’s Blog Off community has allowed me in and embraced me in ways I never expected.

I’ve cooked plenty of new foods, like Turkey Pastrami, Homemade Butterfingers, Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp, and Puff Pastry and Mission Cherry Jam Turnovers.

Reflection

Going into it, I had no idea I’d experience the vast majority of what I experienced or write what I wrote.  I didn’t know I’d take thousands of pictures or post a couple dozen videos on YouTube.  I can tell you I’m not going back to life as it was before BackyardLifeBlog.com

As you can see, 2011 has been the year of New.  I plan to continue that into 2012.  We’ll see where we go.  Come along for the ride!