Cyberland and New Horizons in Blogging

What is it that bloggers really like about blogging? For me I guess I would go back to why I began blogging in the first place for the answer to my question. I started this blog publishing through an FTP website. I had never visited blogs prior to beginning my blog and never had even heard of 'garden blogs'. My sole intent upon taking the 'job' of garden blogger was to reach out to my community and share whatever little garden knowledge and resources I had within my reach. That was my sole intent....in the beginning.


Now that I have been blogging for about nine months, faithfully nearly every single day (330 posts thus far), my intent has changed. My goal is not to reach out to my community and share resources and knowledge. No. I do still do that, but it is not my goal. I think now my goal has become to document my experiences in my garden while learning and relating to others here in cyberland. Yes, that is my intent now. I can truthfully say this. The big emphasis would be on relating to others with the same interests as me. It is hard to find people with your same interests in the real world. I won't even go into detail why I think this is so, but I find it to be true.


I have definitely documented my experiences and shared some things from my garden and life, but I have learned a lot too. Gail has taught me Tennessee has its own coneflower and all the subtleties of wildflowers. And let us not forget her PPPP. She was the first blogger I met in person and I am ever so delighted to have met her. Her enthusiasm is refreshing. Frances has taught me viburnums need a pollinator, that when you share plants you really need to share plants, and she has taught me countless other things by sharing her wisdom. Frances is the second blogger I have met in person and that was a wonderful afternoon meeting a friend from online in person. The fact bloggers are willing to share their lives and take chances on new friends is uplifting. Dave has taught me how to start cuttings and how cool vegetable garden beds can really be when you take the time to design them thoroughly. He is the first blogger I really began talking to and he has helped me in many ways. We have been talking now for about seven or eight months and I feel like I know him and his family. Perhaps we will meet sometime, maybe at a plant swap. From DP I can follow along while she learns hows to grow vegetables in the Square Foot Gardening method. Pretty interesting. I've learned Jillybean makes really great barbeque sauce and is an excellent cook. Something I am not. I've learned from Aunt Debbi/Kurt's Mom about a special kind of soap that would help save my skin from poison ivy rashes. I wish I had it now because I have the rash all over my legs. Suzyq has taught me that no matter how many people read your blog, that doesn't necessarily mean they want you to talk with them on the blog. Annie in Austin has taught me gardening in Texas is really, really hard. All the gardeners in Texas must be ultra gifted to have so much in bloom all the time. She has been blogging for over two years now and hats off to her! Roses and lilacs and GGW taught me about French lilacs. Layanee has taught me to look at frosting in a whole new way. Cinj has taught me that even in cyberland, the real world is never far away or even totally separate from blogging. Sarah has taught me the world is not so big, even in cyberland. Sarah Laurence has taught me that the world is actually very big in cyberland, yet very small. She lives in England, yet is from my hometown and blogs about it-while living in England! She is actually the reason I started this post.

Sarah L.'s post today talked about meeting a fellow blogger and how neat blogging can be. This got me to thinking about my blog and not only my blogging friends, but also the non blogging friends and family I talk to on here. I guess the key to my blogging is being about to talk and have conversations with others, perhaps with the hope of becoming friends, or not, or perhaps just to relate to others who have similar interests as me. I never knew my sister Dawn was such a funny person until she began talking on here. I always knew my mother loved the computer. It was often a distraction when I would call to talk with her. Now we talk daily and it has been a joy. My old friend Anonymous stays very busy with her children and husband. Again, talking was difficult. Now we can talk each day.

Some new friends I have met on here are Nina and Lola. Both love to garden and work very hard at it. They also love sharing and we all enjoy reminiscing. I have met Nina several times and hope to one day meet Lola. If not, I am betting my mother will for sure when she travels to Florida this winter. Last but not least is Skeeter. Skeeter has been the most faithful person on this blog and it is truly a feat. She always has good conversation and adds to the talk.

The talk. That is the fun part I guess. Because through talk and sharing you learn and relate to others. Isn't this the way we learn to know others in the real world? And don't you sometimes find the real world gets in the way of relating at times? Blogging is work, but so is life. We all have to work at it each day, whether we realize it or not. Marriage is work, raising kids is work, performing your job is work, even vacationing is work, and it all adds up to life. But in all we do it is important to remember to enjoy life. Blogging is an enjoyable part of my life and the new and old friends and family on here have made it all the more enjoyable.

So I ask you all, why do you blog? And this goes to both the bloggers and non-blogging readers. Don't be shy! Is it to learn new things? Is it to go to open house each day at a new and favorite garden? Is it to make new friends? Is it to talk? Is it document your garden? Why blog?

The yarrow above is a passalong plant. A fine addition to any garden. I will be posting on it next week and you all get to get involved-so be prepared to vote!

in the garden....