Another Year On

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Who'd have thunk it? I have managed another year of awful painting and dreadful prose.

Blog continues to go from strength to strength. In the first year it managed 15,600 hits, this year it's nudging 27,600. Must be doing something right, or there has been nothing on the telly globally for the last twelve months.


The KeepYourPowderDry blogiversary party: regular readers will note that the Saturday Boy
has not been invited, after he embarrassed himself last year

Most successful blog post of this year is 'Sealed Knot - ECWS: re-enactors on 450 hits: and the most successful of all time is "What Colours To Use" with over 800 hits. Strangely 'podiatrist Tyldesley' as a Google search term has secured rather a lot of blog visitors.

A number of older posts have been updated; for example the London galleries post now has details of the imminent closure for refurbishment of the National Portrait Gallery (see ECW travelogue, then London). Somehow I have managed to ramble on with another 72 posts this year, and quite a few revamps of older posts - slightly less than last year (I hear a collective sigh of relief).


I have done a little reorganisation of labels, so it is easier to find stuff. I had thought about turning the blog into a website, but the costs were prohibitive. The reorganisation of the labels effectively work like drop down menus. If you came here for the ECW Travelogue, it has it's own section - with sub groups. If you are only interested in Parliamentarian forces look under faction. If you are interested in my painting guide notes look under theme. If you came here for high brow commentary, you'll no doubt be bitterly disappointed.



You may also have noticed that the blog now carries adverts. I've tried to dial them back so they aren't too intrusive, but they should help towards the running costs of the blog (or maybe pay for a car park ticket during some travelogue research). Although at the current earning rate I'll be eligible to withdraw the earnings in about 18 years.

The blog is now on Twitter   @KeepPowder and I use #ECWtravelogue to document my jollies.

My painting totals for the year are not too shoddy: 624 foot, 63 dragoons, 192 horse, 38 casualties, plus a smattering of wagons, cannons, artillery crew, and pack horses. My favourite unit is still Lord Mauchline's Horse - think they will take some beating.


Whenever I paint up a new unit I try and research the history of the unit. If I find any information that isn't listed on the BCW Regimental Wiki then I add it to the Wiki; it is a fantastic resource, that can only increase in value if individuals share any information they find. 

Thank you to all the followers and subscribers by email, and thanks for all the kind comments both here and on forums. Thank you also, to other bloggers who have put links to my blog on their own sites.

Finally a special big thank you has to go to ST for continually tolerating "whilst we are here can we just pop and visit.."


I'm off for a celebratory sweet sherry... thanks for reading 😉

If you enjoyed reading this, or any of the other posts, please consider supporting the blog. 
Thanks.

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