Reflections
Summer 2008 is winding down - although I don't think it really reached its full potential this year. We had more rain than we have ever had for many, many years. This is the first time in ages that we haven't had that brown lawn look in August.
I've been doing some reflecting as to why I started my blogs and why I continue to do them. I guess I kind of got side tracked with memes, message boards, and garden sites. And I seemed to have got away from the real reason I started blogging ... to share my garden and crafts with those that wanted to see them.
There are all sorts of memes (rhymes with themes) you can join, and I did join several. I did participate in those memes at the very beginning of my blogging career, but now I pass on most of them. When I did participate I found that those that I passed it onto didn't want to "play the game". I tried just posting the meme and letting those that wanted to join in do it on their own. And no one really picked it up. I'm not into revealing a lot of personal information on my blog, so don't like to answer things like the 5 things you really need to know about me, or the 7 things I've bought lately, or the 6th line from the book I'm reading.
Many blogs offer you the chance to join their various topics for the day. They offer a theme, you post on that particular topic, add your name to Mr Linky, and then link back to them. On reflecting, I've now scaled back on partipation. I only participate when I feel like it. I started my own thing ... not a word, Thursday Thoughts, Monday Mystery and 2sDays. I'm not inviting others to join in, these are just for me to do as and when I feel like it. I mean, isn't that what blogging is supposed to be about ... doing for yourself and not to meet requirements that others have set out?
Blogland has been very busy this year. There are blog directories with all sorts of wonderful, informative garden blogs that are worth visiting -Blotanical, Blog Catalogue, Bloglines, Garden Blog Directory. Then there are the crafting sites like Ravelry and Craft Nation.
Sometimes we feel compelled to join these places as a way of advertising our blogs. After awhile it all gets very overwhelming ... so many places to visit and so little time. You can spend so much time checking out all these great places that your own gardening and crafting can suffer.
I've gone back to adding my own faves in a blog list on the sidebar of my blogs. I can visit these when time permits. As for all those great sites, I'm not joining any more. I will stay a member of most of the ones I've already joined, I just won't be frequenting those sites on a daily or weekly basis. If you find my blogs from those sites, I appreciate the visit. If you do leave me a comment I will most certainly visit your blog. I've found the best way to advertise your blog is to go out and visit others and leave some friendly messages. Lots of times those folks will pay you a visit and perhaps become a follower of your blog.
So on reflection, I've decided to blog for me and not for other blogs in their memes, or for other sites to meet their requirements. I enjoy all the various things I have joined, I will be participating but just not on a regular basis. From time to time I do participate in Camera Critters, Sunday Stroll, Sky Watch Friday, Mosaic Monday, Flaunting Flowers, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, and Green Thumb Sunday.
I'm also considering switching my blog to another host or combining my blogs into one. I'm getting tired of having a split personality.
How about you, have you wandered away from the real reason you started your blog?
These photos were taken on the waterfront trail down by the bay ... a perfect place to see reflections and do some reflecting.
Edit: since writing this post I have decided to remain at Blogger as I like the ease in which everything happens. I did decide to combine two of my blogs together so that The Crafty Side of me and The Gardener Side of me are together in one blog. I have also moved all the info over from my Sow Then Grow blog. So now this blog is three blogs in one and each can be accessed separately by clicking the links at the top of the page.
27 friendly comments:
Looks like we have been having the same weather. I am still waiting for summer.
I try to keep my blog 'mine' with my personality and my ideas etc. and have it the way I want it. I do not accept most meme's but have done the odd one but never get under pressure to do it right away.
Barbare, Your blog is one that I love to visit as often as I can. I love reading your posts and seeing all the photos about places I may or may not have visited in England.
I so agree with you and respect that you shared that with us. Your blog is a favorite of mine and as you can see I do have your link on my site. I am new to blogging and can see how the pressure to join and visit other blogs is there. My reason for blogging is to journal and share my life with my family and friends and if I make new friends along the way that is great. Thanks for your honesty:)
You got me thinking......I suppose I blog for a number of reasons: a form of expression that invites sharing; a means of keeping a record of life's doings; it makes me feel good.
At times I feel a bit guilty that I don't take part in all sorts of blog interactions - or even know what a meme is! - so your thoughtful musing on this subject is refreshing and welcome. I guess it's all about staying true to self.
Hi diana, I have your blog on my sidebar too. It is always a pleasure to visit. Stay true to your reason for blogging.
Hi Karen, don't feel guilty about not knowing about memes. I joined more on my gardening blog than on my crafting blog. I guess I stayed true to my self on The Crafty Side and now it is time to get back to that on
The Gardener Side
I always enjoy your personal expression on your blog.
What a delightful blog, so many lovely layers to go through. I started my blog as a diary/photo gallery of my garden and travels - the added bonus is finding other like-minded spirits out there.
Best wishes, from another Barbara who has had the same rainy summer! and who doesn't have a clue what a meme is - although I'm the same gal who didn't know she had messages in Blotanical either.....)
The reflective photos are delightful. I found your post very helpful, thank you for writing it.
gail
Hello! I haven't visited for awhile, and now I wonder why! Your posts are beautiful.
I agree with you wholeheartedly... as I felt the need to refocus my thoughts and remember that I love to garden,(etc.)and write about them... but it's about me sharing with my friends and family. (A visit from others is nice, too, but I am not worried about meeting other peoples' expectations.)
:-) Have a great day!
That's EXACTLY the reason why you should be blogging! I've found that if that's the way I blog, my blog is more rewarding for me and ends up being a place other bloggers like more because it's a little slice of me. I like to think of my blog as my journal. It makes it a whole lot more fun! Keep it up!
Cindy
Thanks for welcoming me on Blotanical. (it was two months ago, so no problem if you don't remember!) Glad to have finally made it here to "meet" you and your blog.
I just started my blog in June and am wondering how it will change and evolve; how I will feel a year from now, and if I'll ever lose enthusiasm. I would like to participate more in memes but am not really sure how they work. I started mostly to keep in touch with family and have a record of past efforts and what bloomed when, but I had no idea how "social" an activity it would become.
The bird photos are great. They remind me of my grandfather, who avidly watched the waterbirds in the marsh behind his home on Lake Erie.
That walking onion is unusual and fun. I'll have to look for that.
I'm going to look at your craft blog, too!
Hi shady gardener, thanks for visiting, I've had a break from my blog for a couple of weeks, and now I feel refreshed and ready to do posts that I enjoy doing.
Hi cindy, blogging is lots of fun, and after a couple of weeks away I'm raring to get back at it
Hi jgh, memes are fun to participate in, just don't get too carried away with the deadlines and what others expect you to post about. I will still be participating in the ones I've joined, just on my time frame now.
There's only one group meme that I always post in - Gardeners' Bloom Day. In the past I have had my own regular features though and have found they gave a nice shape and continuity to the blog.
I do agree with you! It can be overwhelming. And what is a meme anyways?
I love it when people comment, the feedback is great. It's nice to know that anyone reads our blogs at all.
Jen
Hi Crafty Gardener, Thanks again for your warm welcome to Blotanical. I like your thoughts on blogging. I guess in a way I have wandered away from the reason I started my blog. At first, I started it just to keep in touch with out of state family. Now, I enjoy it so much and gardening is a very big hobby of mine so it just kind of detoured that way.
We, also, are looking at the options for our blog hosting company. This comes from the fact that our blog is really expanding into the different areas we've always envisioned it to be. I guess that answers the original question about staying true to our original blog. We feel like we've been able to do that plus find an even larger voice.
Thanks for the reflection. We'll keep it in the front of our minds as we consider motivations for why we do what we do.
Your reflections photos are all lovely -- and you're spot on with your thoughts on blogging. I used to participate in two very large weekly memes and it was very time consuming. I don't any more, and concentrate instead on putting more of myself on my own blog. :)
It is certainly easy to get bogged down with all of the extras of blogging. It is fun when time permits, but when life gets too busy to play, I do feel guilt over my lack of involvement. Blogging should be enjoyable and rewarding.
Good post, crafty g., but then, yours always are. I started out with a pensive web site about my garden. Then I created my blog for more interaction and fun with other bloggers. I do not like deadlines, so I have not joined anything that even hints of them. I did join Blotanical so I could find garden blogs. I do not post everyday, and have a more easy going routine for posting and visiting other blogs. Guess that is still what I am doing, and it works so far.
Hi, Crafty--I love the photos in your "Reflections" post, and the sentiment hit home. I spent 4 hours the other day trying to work out a feed problem, and at the end of a very frustrating afternoon, I thought that's not why I started blogging. But I still think your
2sday is a very clever idea--it's the kind of general "challenge" that can produce really creative work. If I come up with anything I like, I hope you don't mind if I credit you--and thanks for the lovely posting and the impetus to think about what we enjoy. Best, Cosmo
Thanks for your comments Cosmos, but I'm still keeping my 2sDay to myself. The point of my reflections post was that I was getting away from participating in memes etc, so by setting one up myself for others to join, it would be defeating my purpose.
You know, I share your reflections. I rarely, if ever, participate in these things. Aside from the fact that I have enough assignments from my clients, often the topic isn't something I much care about writing about that day.
So go for it! Do what you want. That's what it's all about.
Robin Wedewer
National Gardening Examiner
(and chicken lover!)
Hi Crafty, I have been re-evaluating my blogging lately. I am so glad I just read your reflections section. I have realized the past couple of weeks that my participation in blotanical is way beyond my desired level of involvement and it has eaten up most of my life since I signed up. Ridiculous! My life is MINE, not someone else's, and if I keep up the pace I started at, it is not going to be any fun at all. Already I'm overwhelmed by feeling I have to visit every single person that comments, or that I have to leave a comment on other's blogs so they will visit me, etc. And the purpose of my blog in the beginning was to find a place to post photos of whatever I wanted to post; not according to what certain websites dictated. I'm not even sure joining blotanical was in my best interests! Now I am going to drastically cut back. I am going to stop putting pressure on myself. I don't 'need' people visiting my blog! I don't 'need' friends from cyberspace! If some develop, fine. But why did I start down this crazy road? Not to become crazy, that's for sure! And that's what's happened to me in just a few wks. of blotanical membership. I have GOT to get of this treadmill, and get back to my real life, and blog when I 'feel' like it, 'what' I feel like blogging about, and only on my terms. Thanks for reminding me of what's important to me. I've never been a 'joiner'. I've always been an independent thinker. I see myself getting sucked in to this rat-race, and now, I feel FREE again, thank you, thank you, thank you:) I am going to enjoy myself from now on. How did I get caught up in feeling the pressure to meet the necessary requirements to stay 'active' on that site? Picking posts, reading posts, writing posts...like an assembly line that never quits. I think I'm done rambling on here. Thanks for listening! Jan
I'm glad you visited Thanks for 2Day and I'm glad my post made you think about why you are blogging. I have backed away from Blotanical. I don't pick any more as I can't see the sense because it becomes a vicious circle. I get most of my points from sending messages and receiving messages there. I had accumulated so many at the beginning from pick, pick, picking that now I can sit back at let others catch up and overtake if they feel like it.
I'd been considering starting a blog...and had concerns about those exact things you mentioned! Its good to know that I may be able to blog and still have time for my knitting, sewing, Guiding, and other activities! Thank you for posting your reflections. :) I'm taking care of the blog for the 64th Guides right now, so will put my own on the backburner for now. :)
Anne in Ontario
Glad you found your way here via my website. I was a Guide leader for over 17 years. I'm off to have a look at your blog.
Hi Linda - I like the two sides of your blogging. We have a desire to create, inside or outside. Good job - Gloria
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