July 23rd, 2008
By Arthur

Well, it was official yesterday. With my 312th post, Simplyoutdoors.net has been around for a whole year. It all started with this measely little post, and has came a long way since then.

I honestly had no idea where I wanted the site to go when Jeff and I first started it last year, but I have to say that I am pretty pleased with the outcome so far. It started just as a way to share with family and friends our outdoor pursuits, and has branched into many other things as well. Never did I think I would be a “writer”, and I still use that term loosely to describe myself, but I have to say that I’ve come along way from our original posts.

In this first year we have given young people plenty of chances to enjoy the outdoors. We’ve gotten Jeff’s kids actively involved in hunting, and took my cousin Corrin on her first bowhunts. If anything, those have been the most important accomplishments that have came from our site.

We have also voiced our opinions about many topics, and let our voices be heard about certain issues, from our home state, which didn’t sit very well with us. We have also promoted issues from our state which we thought would have a very positive effect here in Michigan. We have also been active in covering topics that affected sportsmen(and women) nationwide, and have had the opportunity, through various other outdoor blogs, to keep up on national outdoor topics, and have our voice heard when it involves them. It has been one heck of a year hasn’t it?

We were also very fortunate, right from the start, to come across Kristine’s blog and get involved in the Outdoor Bloggers Summit. This started a phenomenon which I am still in awe about. I never thought that we would be involved in such a great organization as the OBS, but we are, and we couldn’t be more proud of that. The OBS has also provided us a way to have a great online network of friends that hopefully we’ll be able to meet at the OBS Summit in 2009.

This last year has also provided for a number of other opportunities as well-getting to guest post on such sites as Jody’s, and one that you will read soon on Blessed’s. I also have another guest post that will be featured on another site that I’m very proud of, but you’ll just have to wait to see what site that is. It doesn’t involve the outdoors, but it sure involves something I’m passionate about–money!

This past year has also seen us head to Shiloh, to fulfill one of our Outdoor Intentions, and also provided another new series-that was featured on the site-to promote our home state. The Michigan Sanctuaries Series is one of the best things we’ve done on the site, and I’ve been privileged enough to have Kristine contribute to that series as well.

All in all it has been a heck of a first year, and looking back, I believe it can only get better. Another hunting season is on the horizon, and our first addition to our family will be here in only a few short months. I’m sure, in the months to come, that SimplyOutdoors.net will have much more to share, as well as much more to learn. And we couldn’t be more excited.

Here’s to another great year!

Popularity: 9% [?]

July 18th, 2008
By Arthur

Normally I don’t post anyting on the weekend. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time I did a weekend post. With traffic tending to be lower on the weekends, and with everyone, including myself, wanting to do more than read blogs, I tend to avoid posting on the weekend, but I thought this one was good enough to post about. Sure, it is for selfish reasons, but hey, it’s my blog right?

I have been working over the last few days to give the site a little different look. I have been thinking that it needed something, but I just wasn’t sure what it was. Well, I finally came across a few little photo editing tips that I liked and lo-and-behold, I actually like how the results turned out.

90% of the pictures on the site were taken by some member of my family, and we take great pride in that. I always try to have the pictures, and the way the site looks, to reflect who we are, and not just succumb to some “look”. I think that we’ve done a good job accomplishing that.

You may also have noticed that the font changed on the site. I was really bored with the other one, and just really felt like it needed something, so I recruited my font expert (my wife) and picked a nice looking and much more eye appealing font. It’s called Georgia and we like it. It is kind of like Times New Roman on steroids.

I also added some Googe Adsense ads back to the site. I had some on it for awhile, but at that time they just weren’t generating any revenue to even make it worth it. I’m going to give it another shot, now that we generate a little more traffic, but if they don’t do any good they will be coming back down again.

So, hopefully the site is a little more pleasing to the eye, and hopefully Blessed isn’t too hard on it, with her graphic design knowledege. I’m an amateur, so hopefully she goes easy on me.

I promise much more exciting posts come Monday. By then we will be back to our regularly scheduled programming–so to speak.

Popularity: 14% [?]

June 18th, 2008
By Arthur

I just wanted to drop a little note and let everyone know that I will be gone through the weekend, so I might not be able to approve your comments.  I have a couple of posts scheduled, so please don’t hesitate to keep visiting the site and leaving comments, I just might not get to approving them for a few days.  I look forward to reading them when we return though.

We are heading down to South Carolina for a family wedding and it should be a great time.  A nice little getaway and we’re looking forward to our trip near the lowcountry.

Popularity: 15% [?]

May 16th, 2008
By Arthur

I haven’t done this in a long time, and I figured now was as good a time as any. Every once in awhile all of us bloggers need to show some link love, so to speak, to some good posts written by other bloggers, and now is my time for that.

First, I have to direct your attention to A Blessed Crazy Life. I love Blessed’s blog because it is so diverse. Plus she always writes posts about her little one, and I always take notice, since I have my first born on the way here in October. Her post about how to get the baby out of the bath without getting soaked was awesome. I definitely stored that one in the memory bank. I’m also partial to Blessed’s blog because I won her latest contest and I couldn’t be more excited about that.

Next, and always on my daily reads list, is The Hunter’s Wife. Jody is just too funny, and anyone who writes a post about a rod, or pole, is alright in my book. I know I’m acting like a teenager, but that post just made me laugh out loud. Jody always has some funny stuff on her blog and I always remember to check it daily.

Another great blog, that to be honest I only started reading recently, is Holly’s over at NorCal Cazadora. She just tends to have a way with words that I am very jealous of. Her post, that answered my question of why she hunts, was superb. I honestly wish I could have written my Why I Hunt post nearly as well as she did hers. Everything she writes is a great read.

I am also looking forward to CDGarden’s, from over at Timber Life, upcoming posts about her new dog that she is about to bring home. Who doesn’t like a good puppy post, and I’m sure in the next few months we will see plenty of them. She is already starting to get prepared for training. I hope she knows what she is getting herself into!!:)

And last, but definitely not least, is the Outdoor Blogger’s Summit site. Kristine has been doing a lot of work over there as of late, trying to get the blogroll organized. She also came up with a great idea that involves spotlighting different blogs from the Summit blogroll, and Blessed offered to take up that challenger for her. I am looking forward to what the future of the OBS brings, and also to Blessed’s spotlight feature. I look forward to learning about all the outdoor bloggers out there.

Those are just a few of the samples of great blogs from the ladies that are out there. All of them are great reads that I enjoy reading on a daily basis.

Keep up the work ladies! Most of us men don’t do quite as well!

Popularity: 22% [?]