Hang Ten

Ten years. One decade.

It’s both an insignificant stretch of time, and an interminable one. It’s enough time to grow a productive (if petite) apple tree from seed; to grow a newborn into a certifiable tween. It’s more time than I ever thought I could devote myself to one single project, especially at the tender young age of 17. Clicking that now-familiar “publish” button for the very first time, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Never one for the syrupy sweet prose nor navel-gazing of a self-congratulatory anniversary post, I want to simply, sincerely say thank you. YOU, for reading, whether it was from the awkward, ugly early days or just this very moment. It’s impossible to fathom all of the incredible people out there who have shaped my life up to this point, from the past 37,500 comments and counting. Life both online and off would look entirely different without every last line of text, even those who simply drop by to say “Yum!”

There’s nothing that could sufficiently express my gratitude, and so for weeks leading up to this moment, I was paralyzed with anxiety. How do I mark the occasion? How can I possibly repay these incredibly readers equal to the generosity they’ve shown me?

Quite frankly, I can’t.

I can only keep on writing, photographing, and sharing all the sordid details, for another 10 years or more- Only if you’ll be so kind as to indulge me.

Thank you.

25 thoughts on “Hang Ten

  1. Congratulations! Your blog is inspiring and delicious. Just this morning I slipped a slice of your vegan pumpkin cake out of the freezer for a Sunday treat. Thank you for all that you’ve shared with us! :)

  2. “Bring it ON!” :) For the last 10 years you have been a stalwart in the vegan confraternity. One of the very first vegan authors that I touched base with here in the cyberspace ether. Your generosity, brilliant and insightful photography and inventive spirit have woven their way into what makes we vegans the longstanding online presence that we are and now that we are officially “here to stay”. Take a bow Ms Hannah, 10 years is a magnificent milestone and please accept this humble standing ovation from Tasmania :).

    1. Oh, my dearest, sweetest Narf, I don’t know where the blog would be without your shining comments to brighten up each page at this point. I didn’t make a fuss over my yearly stats, but predictably, you were my most frequent commenter once again. I wish I had something better to reward you with than mere kudos! Seriously, I start to worry that I might have misspoken if I don’t see your feedback pop up shortly after publishing a new post. I’m beyond grateful for all of the thoughtful words, friendship, and generosity you’ve shared with me in this humble little corner of the interweb.

      1. I love being one of your “Dear constant readers” Ms Hannah. If I don’t comment, it is more to do with time constraints than anything else as we have just started back at TAFE and a considerable amount of the time that I get to myself in the mornings is now spent watering Sanctuary in the dark. Here’s to whichever direction you decide to head on down the blogging highway Ms Hannah :)

  3. Ten years?? I thought I was doing well to reach four years of blogging every day! Congratulations and may you (and we) enjoy many more years and recipes (and photos.)

    janet

    1. No need to disparage your own efforts- Blogging every single day for any stretch of time is a huge accomplishment! I’m just so glad that you put that same dedication into leaving such lovely comments near and far, well across the blogosphere out here, too. :)

  4. Hannah, You’ve inspired me from the time I first heard about your kitchen creations from Sue at Health in a Hurry in CT. I remember her telling me that you were a great talent and headed for cookbook fame (and more). She was right! Your sensitive photos, clever writing and drool-worthy recipes have inspired me for many years. Like Nancy (above) I look forward to the next 10, at least! Sending love from the nutmeg state…..

    1. I feel so lucky to have met you in real life, and then stay connected through the blog. It’s just incredible what a crazy path has led us both here today! Thanks for continuing to follow along. I’m truly touched by your kindness!

  5. Ten years as a blogger is amazing — I think the average life of a blog is two years! Congratulations on the longevity of your beautiful blog. It would be a sad blog world without you!

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