Where have all the bloggers gone?

How does one start blogging? Why does one continue?

There are a few stalwart blogs active these days, and I must look at a dozen of them almost daily.

I started blogging because I like sharing photos and stories about events/people/places. I like that I can do it on my own time.

Japanese dogwood

As my COPD and Bronchiectasis has progressed, I'm required to sit and use a nebulizer to inhale a couple of medicines which help me cough out the sticky phlegm which settles in the far reaches of my lungs.  So I've got a laptop and can type while clinching the little mouthpiece and doing the half hour of breathing.  What do I do then? I read lots of things on the internet, and also load my blog pages.

That's at least twice a day.  Ancestor sleuthing is one of my favorite pursuits.  My 3 family trees still have a lot of people I haven't discovered yet.  I'm now enjoying the brothers and sisters of people in my direct line, the great uncles and aunties.  And looking at their lives not only gives me hundreds of new cousins, I often find out facts about my direct ancestors...so it's a win/win use of my time.

I wish I didn't sit in front of a digital screen, nor that my family would, as much as we do.  Wishes are horses and we all would ride, said the old rhyme.  We don't need horses to get around any more, and maybe we don't even sincerely have wishes either.  We do have our vision plugged into fantasies, games, words shared through texts, and trivia which zooms into our devices.

This lovely tree is in the parking lot where I get my bi-weekly allergy shots

I noticed several years ago (maybe 6-8) that the blogs started having "memes" or a theme which could be contributed to by other bloggers...and then found the joy of commenting on others' blogs.   I continue to share weekly blogs to my favorites, as a challenge and an interest in the other folks who I've gotten to know pretty well.

But the number of bloggers I follow is steadily declining.

We used to have a Pottery Bloggers site, where other bloggers would not only share pottery information, it would be gathered monthly so that site would be the go-to place, organized by different topics.  And then at the end of the year, the administrator of the site would add up the number of blogs each potter had had listed (simple algorithm) and become one of the Top Pottery Bloggers of the year.  My blog was coming in in the teens each year.  I was fine with others who posted daily about pottery, since my posts are not always on that topic.

Then came the burst of Facebook posts...and many bloggers would share their blogs over there (myself included.)  They were being seen by many more people, if you consider the number of comments, "likes" and shares, which represented maybe a quarter of those who actually saw the post.  However, of that big group of people, maybe only a few would actually click on the blog and go read it.  I never knew, but figured it was like most group surveys, something in the 10% or less area.

So I still blog.  And enjoy the few other bloggers who share comments with me, going both ways.  It's like a Facebook group (which I've also enjoyed joining) where maybe these dozen people spend some time every day listening (reading) each other's posts, and maybe commenting if they are so moved.

Will I continue?

Will I write a book instead?

My autobiography seemed like a good goal when I was younger, thinking of all the juicy stuff I was doing in the 70s, and when I retired wouldn't it be fun to write about it...but I've forgotten most of it.  My many journals have silly things recorded.  And with the faster paced lives we now lead, reading any book is a luxury compared to those digital devices.

After all, I read most of the library books on a digital device already!

But holding a nice physical book, reading and turning pages, I want to keep doing, and help keep "bricks and mortar" libraries in business!  Each of us does need to work to do that!

Remember that people employed by organizations are being replaced by robots every day...and we need those people to be employed! They need to too of course.

Happy surprise

I was so happy to meet a couple of folks who were touring the Black Mountain Center for the Arts...and who purchased one of my decorative plates.  But the purpose for the plate was the biggest surprise of all!

The plate was to be a gift for a woman who was retiring from a workshop which occurs yearly.  I asked what kind (thinking of the many religious retreats held in the mountains every summer.)  This time it was my own denomination, Unitarian Universalist!  I just gave a big hug to these lovely ladies who are part of the SUUSI program. They were just returning home to Greensboro after doing some set-up work before the workshop to be held in July...with around 1200 participants.

I've never been to this program, but have heard about it for years.  So maybe I'll try it someday soon.  It seems much more interesting now that I've met these two women.

And the other side of this gift is that half the sale's proceeds go to the Center for the Arts, the parent organization of the community Clay Studio where I spend most of my days making more pottery.  There's certainly truth to the saying, "whatever goes round, comes round."

I betcha thought I'd stopped making pots!

Stay home, cough, go to lunch, cough, go to doctor, cough, drop by studio, cough.... Whenever the brochiectasis flares up, I tend to drop away from many of my usual activities.

Then I was dealing with side effects of antibiotics, which I had no need to actually take, but someone at the pulmonoligist office prescribed for me...until I finally went in and saw a doctor who said, you never needed those in the first place!

Anyway, here are a couple of little vases that just came out of the kiln.

A lemniscate shows a bit of infinity.  Other designs just show off!

More pretties...

 Rhododendrons overlooking the terraced beds where we just planted vegetables...beside Lake Tomahawk.  If you look closely you'll see the lone yacht being maneuvered about on the water by remote control.

 An interesting chocolate and creamy iris color...almost done blooming for this year.

 Miss bumble bee was doing her job!

From up high, do you look up or down?

Not having to rough it, we climbed a paved path curving up to the top...

It was a clear day with great vistas available

Still out of breath and glad to go slow to the top.

 Dr. Mitchell's tomb is right below the deck.

Great photo dioramas tell which peaks are which from the observation deck.  See other posts of mine about Mount Mitchell, (look at list of topics in right column.)

I'm not quite as adventuresome as these guys...but the theme's the same.  Come over to see what other's have contributed to Sepia Saturday.

Abundance of roses

 Entering the Lake Tomahawk area, you pass a sweet rose bush.

 And these beauties are along the walk leading to my apartment.

More flowers anyone?  Sure, she said...manana! (I don't know how to get the ~ above the n)

Vegetable garden at the lake

 I helped Master Gardener David Bush plant some seeds of various vegetables in the raised bed at the Lakeview Center for Active Aging. 

 I started at one end, and he started at the other.

 Then he pointed out the volunteer pitcher plant (right in the middle front of this picture.)  It's a pitcher picture.

 And now, 8 days later, just look what's up already!

Wordless Wednesday

A clay basket

For a small supper, perhaps for rolls, or fruits, or?

Kalancho flowers

These flowers on a succulent indoor plant start to lose little dead pieces and so I cut them all off the plant and made an arrangement.  I really am rooting them, because this plant is so easy to grow.  And the mother plant was getting a bit unwieldy.

Happy mother's day

I enjoy when I learned that in a women's group it is a new tradition to introduce yourself as...(the daughter of as many mothers as you know.) Since I've been doing genealogy, I know lots of the mothers now...and will add some photos of those that I have.

I'm Barbara,

daughter of Mataley

Mataley on left, Mozelle on right, Mary Beth in front

daughter of Mozelle

daughter of Eugenia

daughter of Eugenia

daughter of Hannah

daughter of Nancy

daughter of Hannah

and many other mothers whose names I do not know.

I thank them all for giving us life, to pass along to our own children, and theirs as well.

Happy World Bonzai Day!

 we found where the winter storage Bonzai were, and they will be at the end of this series.  Did you see when World Bonsai Day is? Yep, today!

 Tai enjoyed considering the way the trees were arranged, and treated to create a unique living design

 We could see little buds on many branches on these that were already outside.

 The display is a wandering area between plain walls, which sets off the trees nicely. Wires hold this tree branches in place.

 A collection of "how-to" instructions still leaves one wondering just how do you know which roots and branches to cut off!

 The spring trees in the background make it hard to see the wonderful little forest on this piece of wood.

 A simple clay pot with bark imprints. We think the dirt doesn't go all the way down in it.

 When moss and other plants are combined, it creates a container-garden.

 Here the grass is hand cut with scissors regularly!

 I think this is the one with a marble base.

 Another view of the marble base one.

We visited a small greenhouse where some of the over-wintered Bonzai were displayed, and protected from the elements.

And I must mention the Buncombe County Library system's Zoom pass program, which is how we were able to park without paying the $14 fee. By going to the library internet site, and having a local library card, you are eligible to sign up and receive free passes to several local attractions which are family friendly.  You have to make a reservation on Zoom, and then pick it up within 48 hours of when you'll be going, at the closest library branch.  It's a great treat!