Three years ago, I sat in front of a blank computer screen. A single goal in mind – help preserve North Carolina culture. And with no clue what I was getting myself into, I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.

That sounds like an overly dramatic statement. It’s not. I mean it quite literally. I’m awestruck by everything that has transpired in the last few years. But this last year? This last year has been the best.

Let’s recap:

• We installed new hardwood floors in the den
• I took the girls to the Carolina Beach State Park and Ev-Henwood
• Melissa Vera gave me a tour of Goldsboro
• We had a houseful of young’uns
• I joined Clan Cochrane at the Highland Games to do some storytelling
• We explored the Reed Gold Mine
• Belle and I spent time at home in Haywood County with Kodecker
• My heart got ripped out
• Where the Dogwood Blooms became a podcast
• Axl got sick
• The Owenby family invited us to tour Purdie Hall
• We explored Bentonville Battlefield
• Belle was in the Singing Christmas Tree
• Bug got her first job
• We were invited to Mill Prong House
• Brandon came down with tonsillitis
• We finally replaced our broken stove

All of that is on top of Belle’s 16th birthday, family get-togethers, and several trips to Whiteville and Wilmington.

I can’t believe all of that happened in a single year! It’s even harder to believe that WTDB continued to grow like a weed through it all.

Where the Dogwood Blooms made the 90 Best North Carolina Blogs & Websites list for the third consecutive year. The podcast is already in the top 50% of podcasts. Impressions across platforms are in the MILLIONS. Interactions are in the hundreds of thousands.

Seriously, y’all. Somebody pinch me. It feels like it’s all a dream.

I’m beyond humbled and grateful. Not only that – I’m motivated. So I’m not just celebrating three years of Where the Dogwood Blooms today; I’m planning for the future, too.

Here are my brand goals for year four:

• Find balance. I’m working non-stop on Where the Dogwood Blooms. As a stay-at-home mama who’s used to doing everything at her own leisure, it’s overwhelming. Learning to balance it all is at the top of my to-do list.
• Produce video content. This is a big one. I have been working on it for a few months – and it’s coming!
• Write more. I feel like I’ve put the blog on the back burner while focusing on the podcast and social media. I miss it. I miss writing. So, I want to put out more blog posts this year.
• Monetize. I’ve reached that point where this little project is starting to cost more than I anticipated. It’s time to track down the funding to help keep WTDB going.
• Expand WTDB’s social media presence. TikTok and YouTube, here I come!

Thank you for celebrating three years with me today! I am pumped about this upcoming year. And I sure hope ya’ll stick around for the rest of 2024!