Welcome to the Hearth and Soul Link Party, where this week I am celebrating a blogging anniversary. I know many of you have been blogging for a number of years, and this week I’m excited to be marking my 18th blogiversary! I can hardly believe it’s 18 years since the launch of The 21st Century Housewife, the website that became the blog you are reading now!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes blog posts about anything that feeds the soul. Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts and self improvement.
NB. Please only share blog posts. I’m sorry, but links to Facebook posts etc will be deleted.
A Brief History on my Blogging Anniversary
One evening in late October 2002, I clicked ‘send’ and waited ages over dial up internet while my website slowly loaded and launched. Over the years The 21st Century Housewife progressed from a collection of essays designed to support and encourage other housewives and stay at home moms into a blog. Then I added recipes, and before long I was including travel hints and tips as well as lifestyle.
In 2014, I relaunched the blog under my own name as April J Harris to make it more inclusive, but I’m still known as The 21st Century Housewife – and supporting others like myself is still a real passion.
Over the years I’ve met some lovely people, both online and in real life, worked with some very interesting brands and travelled to some wonderful places. I have been seated in the second row at London Fashion Week behind London’s most famous fashion editor, chatted with Ree Drummond, attended some very cool blogging conferences, and even been served champagne at St James’ Palace! However long you have been blogging, I hope your journey is as colourful and interesting as mine has been.
I can’t thank you all enough for your support! On this blogging anniversary, I’m looking forward to the future as the blog as well as my career as a writer and speaker continue to evolve.
The Latest
This week I shared a hearty vegetarian main course which also makes a delicious side dish.
My Vegetarian Orzotto with Mediterranean Vegetables is full of flavour and nutrition, and it’s easy to make too!
I’ve also got some updated tips to help you get your home ready for fall celebrations or to perk it up for you to enjoy if you are having to stay at home.
Don’t miss these easy tips to help you Freshen Up Your Home For Fall.
Thank you all for visiting and sharing your wonderful content!
Blogging Anniversary Featured Posts
Featured posts for the week of my blogging anniversary include (from top left, clockwise):-
In Thanksgiving Tablescape for a Small Gathering, Lori at Dining Delight shared her family’s Thanksgiving table, and some wonderful inspiration for seasonal celebrations.
These Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins from Curated by Jennifer took so delicious – and they are vegan, grain-free, and suitable for a candida diet too!
If you are decorating for autumn, you are sure to be inspired by these Doodled Paper Autumn Leaves from Julie of The Sum of Their Stories
Soup has to be one of the best comfort foods – I’m really tempted by this French Onion Soup in a Bread Bowl from Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.
The Hearth and Soul Link Party
- Please do not link to anything except blog posts. Please share the permalink to your blog post, and not to the home page of your blog.
- Linking your blog posts here means you consent to me sharing as many of them as I can on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook and featuring them on my blog with photographs from the post. It’s easier for me to share if you have share buttons on your blog, and if you put links to your social media on your home page.
- Please consider sharing the party with your friends and followers. There are share buttons at the top and bottom of this post to help make it easy.
What will you share this week? I always look forward to your posts, and I comment on and share as many as I can. Take care, stay well, and I hope you have a lovely week!
Comments & Reviews
Thank you so much for featuring my Thanksgiving Tablescape for a Small Gathering! Congrats on your blog anniversary April!
It’s a pleasure, Lori – and thank you!
Happy Anniversary, April! You’ve had quite a blogging journey. Glad to be here now, as a newer reader, as your share and inspire! Congrats!
Thank you so much, Niky!
Congrats on your 18th blogiversary! Thanks so much for hosting! I’m linking up with WOULD YOU RATHER See Trump or Biden Win the Election? I Won’t Judge Your Answer!
Thank you, Dee!
Sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure over these past 18 years! Hope you have many more. 🙂 Thanks for hosting! I brought by some Eggs in a Tater. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
I really have! Thank you so much, CJ!
Congratulations on your 18th blogaversary, April! 🙂
Thank you, Nancy!
Congrats! that is a long time, you have done a great job! Have a great week.
Thank you, Melynda! I hope you have a great week too.
what a legacy of posts!
Thank you! There have been thousand! They aren’t all on this redesign of the blog, but I do have records of them all 😀
Hello April, congratulations on 18 years of blogging! Thank you so much for hosting this lovely link party as well. Have a wonderful week.
Thank you, Jasmine!
Happy blogging anniversary! You’re four years ahead of me! I am so glad to have discovered you.
Thank you so much, Barbara!
Happy 18 Year Anniversary, April! I am so excited to be celebrating with you. I have actually shared your journey here at Hearth and Soul for the last 10 years and have enjoyed every one of them. You have always been an inspiration and role model for me, thank you for walking the journey ahead of me and best wishes for your continued success!
Miz Helen
What a lovely compliment! Thank you, Miz Helen! It is so lovely knowing you, and I particularly enjoyed meeting you online earlier this year at the virtual cup of tea 😀
Congrats on 18 years! I enjoy seeing how things are going in the UK and love the Hearth & Soul party!
Have a great week!
Melissa | Little Frugal Homestead
Thank you, Melissa!
Congratulations on your 18th blogging Anniversary April!
Thank you, Leslie!
What an amazing achievement! That shows an extraordinary degree of persistence and an equal amount of creativity. Congratulations!
Thank you so much, Sandra!
Happy 18th blog anniversary, April! It sounds like blogging brought you many wonderful opportunities. I’ve also had my share over the years which I have enjoyed. It has been wonderful making friends with bloggers from all over the world and learning from them.
Thank you, Pat! It really has been wonderful making so many great friends along the way!
18 years! That is totally awesome!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Thank you, Michelle!
Happy anniversary April! It’s hard to imagine how fast 22 years goes by!
Thank you! Time really does fly!
Congratulations, April! What an awesome milestone! You’ve certainly had a wonderful blogging journey filled with adventure. Thank you for all you do!
Thank you so much, Kathi!
You are an inspiration! Happy anniversary!
Thank you so much, Michele!
18 years! WOW! Huge congrats – that is quite an accomplishment.
I have seen so many blogs come and go in the years, and it’s always sad to see them become unactive.
Here’s to many, many more!
Thank you so much, Alexandra!
Congratulations on 18 years! You bring so much to all of us on your website because in addition to all the information you share, we get to know the person that is April. Thanks for your experience, relatability, and genuine interest in what the rest of us are doing.
Happy Bloggiversary!!! 18 years! That is an amazing milestone. Had I kept blogging 5 yrs ago, my first blog would be celebrating a similar milestone this year. But I love my new blog and learning everything that has changed over the last 5 yrs. Congrats to building such a wonderful brand and for all your accomplishments!! Thank you so much for hosting, April and I hope you have a wonderful week xo
Thank you so much, Cindy! I have followed your blogging journey from the almost beginning I think and I always enjoyed Hun, What’s for Dinner. I was so happy to see you had started to blog again recently, and I love your new blog 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful week as well xo
Happy Blogiversary, April! Thank you for hosting each week!
Thank you, Julie!
Hello April, Happy 18th Blog Anniversary! How exciting and what an accomplishment! Thanks for hosting and have a nice week. Julie xo
Thank you so much, Julie! I hope you have a lovely week too xo
Happy 18th Blog Anniversary! Keep posting and inspire us each week, thanks for hosting…
Thank you so much, Nora!
April, happy blogiversary! That is an astonishing feat. I think I discovered your blog about 10 years ago. And, to think, your site had been going for 8 years before that! And I love it–it’s so uniquely YOU.
Thank you so much, Jean! That is a wonderful compliment 🙂
Congratulations on your 18th blog anniversary, April!!! That’s quite an achievement. I do remember dial-up internet and the first emails I ever wrote. I have a few my mother and I wrote back and forth. Good memories, those days!
Wishing you many, many more,
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Thank you so much, Barb! How lovely to still have thos emails. I have a few emails from back in the day, but I wish I had kept more. Hugs xo
Thank you for hosting! This is what I featured the week of 10-19-to 10-23-2020 on my blog. On Tuesday was Slow Cooker Ultimate Mashed Potatoes. Wednesday was Foolproof Gravy. Thursday was Baked Acorn Squash. And winding up Prelude to the Holiday week was Tips To a Perfect Gravy. Enjoy!
My late Mom used to love Baked Acorn Squash, Marilyn. I look forward to your recipes!
Oh wow! Congrats on 18 years of blogging; that is quite a milestone. I bet you have seen so many changes come and go in this industry.
Thank you, Joanne! I really have seen a lot of changes, and I’ve learned a huge amount over the years. I’m also really grateful for all the friends I have made 🙂
Wow! Congratulations on 18 years! That is so much good shared over the years. And it sounds like you really have had some amazing experiences along the way. Thank you for sharing! And thanks for hosting! Have a great week April!
Thank you, Marielle! I hope you are having a great week too!
Happy blogaversary!
Thank you, Lauren!
Happy Anniversary April – time really flies when you blog! 🙂
Thank you, Ramona! It really does 🙂
Thank you so much for featuring my soup this week!!!! hugs
It’s a pleasure, Kristin! Hope your week is going well. hugs
That is so very cool. Happy blog anniversary. You have been doing this a decade longer than I have. Thanks for all you do for bloggers. Have a wonderful week.
Thank you, Patrick! Hope you have a wonderful week ahead too!