I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know what makes a good blog, I have about eight regular followers/commenters. This is down from the dozen I used to claim, because I am getting steadily more boring and less active. If I knew what made a good blog I would have done it, and possibly increased this number to twenty. It’s also well down on the 2,505 followers that WP claims I have. It would be more but I cleared a couple of thousand out a few years ago when it became clear that “followers” in WP are much the same as “friends” in Facebook. It provides a very shallow view of the world if you think a friend is gained by the pressing of a couple of buttons.
Bear in the Garden
When I started blogging I really wanted to reach out to thousands of people. This was partly because I wanted to publicise the Quercus group, and partly because I was vain. I’m still vain, but the thousands of followers don’t seem to have materialised.
The bears in the title are provided by Paolsoren, and the bikes by Tootlepedal. For details of an old codger’s evening meals (he had gala pie last night!) I have Derrick J Knight, for gardening and weaving I have Helen and for the secret life of a writer I have Laurie. I get my politics (in reasonably palatable doses) and embroidery from Billy Mann and my look at sophisticated life in a big city from LA. Finally, for cats and music in Oregon, we have Lavinia, who is still around despite the alarming content of her last post.
A Bear of Very Little Brain
There are others too, now that I have finished the list and added links I realise how far from Finished the list really is. However, adding the links, which involves reading blogs (which I have been bad at recently) has taken enough time already, so I will have to post and run. Julia requires me to actually do something – she doesn’t believe that blogging is doing something.
The blogs I’ve mentioned are all good blogs, and allow me to sneak around peering into the lives of others, but none of them are “good” in the sense that they are really followed by huge numbers of people. You have to talk about handbags or getting rich quick or photograph yourself in underwear to make it big on the internet. Even though I am trying to resist it, a picture of my thirty year-old thermal long johns is coming to mind. Yes, definitely time to go.
Straw Bale Bowie Bear
I enjoyed reading about the Quercus Community and all the things it did for people, and was sad when that came to an end. But you, and Julia, were interesting all on your own, too! Poetry, writing photography, coins, history lessons, and thoughts and opinions on all kinds of things. Christmas tree lights in beards. Where else would I find that? 🙂 I enjoy stopping by here to see what is up in your world.
Thanks for including me in your list, Simon. I know I am behind, but I plan on Fall and Winter going into one post by the end of the year. Between cardiac rehab (I am showing improvement), occupational rehab (that is working, too) for the shoulder injury and various projects from this year I am still catching up on, I am having a tougher time keeping up with everyone.
You have plenty to do without blogging. Singing and cats and grapes is plenty, even without all the extra bits you have to fit in. Some years are easier than others. I, for instance, had it easy while we were on the farm because things kept happening. Now, nothing much happens apart from old age and atrophy. I really should get out and do more.
We should all enjoy life and do what we can while we are in it. It can end quickly at any time.
That first sentence was very uplifting. Not so keen on the second one . . . 🙂
I saw first hand how surprisingly quick the ending can come. I was lucky. I think a lot about that now.
That’s understandable after your experience. You seem to have one of the healthier lifestyles on WP, so if it can happen to you it can happen to any one of us.
“Live as though you’ll die tomorrow, but farm as though you’ll live forever.”
“Live as though you’ll die tomorrow, but farm as though you’ll live forever.” I like that! Sounds like a great motto to live by.
This is an ABC news interview with one of the nation’s oldest farmers (105 years of age)
So, at 105 he is only ONE of the oldest farmers in the USA? How many do you have? 🙂
I noted more than a few videos for different people in the YouTube right side column. I did have one relative live to 106. He was not a farmer, but a preacher.
It’s a good age, whatever the profession, though I imagine preaching involves less sin than farming. 🙂
🙂
💗💗I love reading about your world. Plus you make me laugh…
Thank you. I have thought of being thought-provoking and sophisticate like you, but it’s hard work compared to throwing out some random thoughts and muttering about young people and modern ideas. 🙂
😉😂
That would have looked better if I’d spelt sophisticated properly, wouldn’t it?
😂😂
A fine tribute to the chosen few. Despite your selectiveness about what they have to offer 🙂
There is a limit on space so I could only offer a flavour of the blog . . .:-)
🙂
Thank you for the ‘shout out’ as I believe this sort of thing is called these days. I shall have to put a link to your blog in one of my posts as I feel you definitely deserve a wider audience. Perhaps you could improve your readership numbers by including suggestive tags. I am sure my readership numbers go up if I mention great tits.
It’s more of a mumble than a shout out, but you are welcome. I find that kittens and puppies attract readers too.
Thanks for including me in your list! I have checked out the blogs I am unfamiliar with, always a fun thing to do. I blog because writing is what I do, whether I’m read by a few or by thousands. Along the way, I have made blogging friends around the world, and this has been wonderful. My life is enlarged by my blogging friends, including you.
Yes, as I’ve said before, I would have been lost during lockdown without my blogging friends.
Amen!
🙂
Same!