To Comment Or Not To Comment

That is the question. Or is it? Last week my garden friend Birgit (Day After Day, That's Life) wrote a post about commenting or not commenting as one of her blogging friends had switched off the comment section of her blog and had informed everybody of her not commenting on other blogs from now on. Her reason was that commenting simply took up too much of her time.
Sister Dolly, do you see any comments coming?

For me no comment is not an option. ;-) Receiving comments on my blog is one of the fun things of blogging for me. I like getting feedback and would miss it very much if I would not get any comments on my posts anymore. I just love it when people write that my blog has inspired them to take up gardening or when they comment that they were feeling down and that my blog made them laugh and feel much better. Some comments make me laugh, others are food for thought or thoughts about food. :-D Would blogging not be much less fun without the interaction, without the questions, compliments, jokes, encouragements, sharing of information etc.?
Receiving a comment is like receiving a little present from a friend

And visiting someone else's blog and not leaving a comment is no option for me either. What would be the point? Just read the blog and leave? Would that not reduce blogging to mere reading? If I just want to read stuff I can pick up a book, a newspaper or a magazine. I have come across blogs from time to time that don't have a comment section and for me those blogs are as dead as the proverbial Dodo. Personally I like responding to what other people posted about even if it does take up much of my time.

Commenting is to reach out and touch

Through blogging and commenting we bloggers get to know each other, share our knowledge, have fun and let others know that their blog is appreciated and well liked. And sometimes we can even reach out and touch. In small ways that's true, but nevertheless we do influence each other. It's thanks to my friends Kylee (Our Little Acre) and Robin (Robin's Nesting Place) that this year I've sown Zinnias, flowers that I've never tried before. My Swedish friend Karin (Ute och Inne) shared a recipe for asparagus that I've tried out and it was scrumptious, thanks Karin! And recently I shared a simple recipe for a radish sandwich which Annie (The Transplantable Rose) tried out and liked very much. Annie in her turn inspired others to give this sandwich a try too, at least that's what I've read in the comments on her blog.

It's through blogging and commenting that we garden bloggers have formed a community. Recently that led to Spring Fling in Austin where so many garden bloggers finally had the chance to meet each other and share the fun that is gardening.
Fun in the sun, baby August playing with his Mom Surprise's tail

But enough about my POV how about you, dear reader, what do you think about commenting or not commenting? Do you like receiving comments? Does commenting take up too much of your time or not? Would you rather not comment on other people's blogs? Do you feel pressured to comment and feel stressed out because of it? Any other views you'd like to share on comments? One enquiring mind likes to know!

Before I forget, I've made poll about commenting and you can cast your vote if you like. The poll will be open until 12 May.

copyright 2008 Y.E.W. Heuzen

'But I must gather knots of flowers,
And buds and garlands gay,
For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother,
I'm to be Queen o' the May.'
Alfred, Lord Tennyson