Blog envy

Have you heard of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman? I looked at the blog a few times last year but it seemed kind of busy and didn't really catch my eye. Then a few months ago I saw the link on a blog I look at and clicked on it and I think it was the story about how she met her husband -- Black Wheels to Tractor Wheels -- that captured my attention. I think this woman, Ree, is a great writer. She's funny, she's clever, she's consistent, and she has a gift of being able to express her feelings. Here is the link to the story of how she met Marlboro Man. Don't even click on it if you don't have a few hours to read it because you'll get hooked! Start at the bottom and work your way up. She needs to find herself a publisher.

"Pioneer Woman" is also an amazing photographer. And here's what the blog envy is all about. She posts photos and has a contest called "Give that photo a name" (with great prizes--who wouldn't want a $500 gift certificate to Amazon.com?!?). The first time I saw one of these contests I looked and there were TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE comments!!! I was stunned! [Watch out world--I got a whopping 34 comments on this post!] Pioneer Woman got 3,950 comments on her last photo contest!!! Seriously!!! She was also on a CNN "News to Me" clip and they said she gets 25,000 hits a day on her blog. GOSH!!!

In November I saw this post and I immediately grabbed my debit card and ordered one! I proudly display my Pioneer Woman calendar in the kitchen. Pioneer Woman has a retarded brother named Mike and she donated $1 from each calendar to the Special Olympics. Guess how much the check was for? Just guess. You're not even close. It was for $4,388.00. Yep--that means she sold 4,388 calendars. I wonder if I could even sell a fraction of that many if I made a calendar (I've considered it for a few years and may just make one for 2009...).

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman is one of my very, very, very favorite blogs. She posts almost every day, she's a fascinating story teller, amazing photographer, good cook (I made her dinner rolls on Christmas Eve and they were yummy), and I'm sure she's a terrific mom (they have 4 kids) and wonderful wife out there in the middle of nowhere (also known as Oklahoma). I don't have much in common with her--except she went to USC so we've got the L.A. connection--but I am a huge fan and I hope to someday have as many blog visitors as she has!