(I dedicate this new version of bedlamfarm.com to my partner in creativity and life, Maria. She is the soul of me.)
Today, an exciting new chapter in the life of my precious blog, a/k/a/ The Bedlam Farm Journal. The blog is my creative heart, I started it in 2007, it is my living memoir, my great work, the story of a life, good and bad.
The blog now gets about 4 million visits a year and is the focal point of my writing, my work, my photography, and of course my life. We have just re-designed our blogs, Maria and me ($4,000 each) to make them more functional in the new age of smartphones and tablets.
Everyone who gets the blog should find it simpler and easier. Beyond that, I’ve worked with Chris Archibee and the whizzes at Mannix Marketing to make the blog simple, and more spare.
It’s about the pictures and words, we got rid of just about everything else, and built a new platform to take us into the future, to handle the traffic, to make the blog easier on the eye, and to highlight the daily essay, a new feature.
Thanks to Abrah Griggs for the beautiful logo, and to Chris Archibee for grasping what I was hoping to do. Maria’s new blog goes up later in the day, we are in this together.
Let me know what you think. I care very much about the people reading this blog, you have carried me and accompanied me to new heights in my life, both of humanity and creativity.
More later. Welcome to the new bedlamfarm.com. We rebuilt the whole thing.
The new blog design is slick! I love it! And thanks for the link that takes me directly to Maria’s blog! As always, thanks for sharing Jon!
Looks great, Jon! Very clean and functional to highlight your photos and words. I’m so pleased that the photos can expand on my iPhone so I can see details.
I have a question: is there an archive to see long ago posts? For example, I’d like to read posts that I missed when we were travelling full time and to read more about your surgery experience. Thanks.
Congratulations! It’s clean and easy, with photos front and center. I’ve been with you from the beginning and am looking forward to each new creative day.
The new design is wonderful! I love it!
Love it. Big improvement in layout, appearance of photos, ability to print ( in case I want to save your pearls of wisdom). Much more readable on phone. Good job, Mannix!
the new blog configuration is absolutely PERFECT !!
I LOVE IT!!
WHAT A GORGEOUS PORTRAIT OF MARIA, TOO!!
SHE’S A CUTIE !!
you hit a home run all the way around jon!!
with love and hugs to all who call bedlam farm home…bev
Thanks Bev, I do love it..
I love it.
Font and snaps huge! No size adjustment provided.
Yup…
The new blog design looks great! There is beauty in simplicity. I’ve been reading your blog since the very beginning.
Thanks Deb
Love the new look of your blog, Jon! It will just take some getting used to……but isn’t that mostly the case with anything new? I like it! Great job! Clean, concise……. no BS (not that the previous format was BS LOL)
Susan M
Very nice Jon! Faboo pic of Maria…the best??. Good luck with all your new adventures.???
☺️Wendy P
Yeah I don’t have to resize and adjust! Although I would have ? love the new layout! I look forward to your blog every day!
The site looks great! Easy to read, love the quick access to Maria’s blog, and the pictures look even better. Love the logo too. Well done.
love the new design -so cool and sleek and lovely! it’s the jackie kennedy of blogs! well done! ???
I love that line about Jackie Kennedy, Brenda…
Love it! Much easier on the old peepers!
Very nice! Much better!
What a beautiful makeover for both blogs! They’re much more user-friendly, and very much appreciated. Thank you!
Thanks, Maria’s isn’t up yet, it will go up tomorrow…
Very impressive !!!! Congratulations.
Jon,
Will we still be able to see the pictures through the email link to the blog like in the old format? I looked today on my email, and I couldn’t see any pictures. I enjoy them so much at work. Its a good way to start my day. Sometimes I need that upbeat word or photo. But I like the size of the fonts…now I can see them!
Don’t know that Lisa…should be able to..
It’s terrific.