Monday, May 5, 2008

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

77 comments:

Nancy said...

I love comments!

Tracy said...

I like comments too. It makes blogging fun, although I also don't mind if people visit my blog and don't comment. Your cats look fun and your garden is beautiful.

Carol Michel said...

I like leaving comments, and getting comments, too. I like the dialogue. Plus, when people leave comments, it is like a little bread trail to their blog, so I follow that little trail and discover more wonderful blogs to read.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Anonymous said...

Ik ga kiezen voor optie 2 in je poll..;-))
Dat is idd het leuke van bloggen...kost tijd, maar de zaterdagkrant lezen ook :-)))

VP said...

Hi Yolanda,

I love giving and receiving comments - that's what makes blogging unique. How else would I have got to know you if you hadn't commented over at my place? I nearly gave up in the early days with my blog, but a couple of comments prevented me from doing so.

NB There may be a veggie bloggers get together later on this year in the UK. A fellow compatriot of yours, Patrick at Bifurcated Carrots is seeing whether there's enough interest...

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I like leaving and receiving comments. I know the enjoyment I receive when I read comments on my blog so I figure the comments I leave on blogs are appreciated.

Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time to respond to comments and feel a little guilty about that. I think people understand the time issue especially this time of year when we all want to be "in" the garden.

Linda said...

I love receiving comments, even if they are just short and sweet ones like "Hi, have a good day" Comments are a way to know that what I blog has touched someone enough to leave a comment. I love to leave comments, especially if I enjoyed reading the post, and what a lovely way to meet other bloggers. Keep those comments coming.

Lis vom Lindenhof said...

Was wäre ein Blog denn ohne Kommentare? Klar dass man den Sommer lieber im Garten verbringt, aber zwischendrin findet man immer ein bisschen Zeit zum kommentieren.

Wir waren in den NL übrigens bei Marnis Kwekerij und Het Hostaveldje, beide haben eine www Adresse, allerdings ohne Versand!

LG Lis

Rosy Inspiration said...

I like to comment and love others' comments too. I think I'm with you in this. Just added you to my favourite, thanks for sharing.Your blog is nice.

Anonymous said...

Hi Yolanda,

I like to comment to basically say 'Thank You' to the writer :o) Whenever someone has made me laugh or lifted my spirits and given me ideas, I think it's important to let them know that they are appreciated...

Hope you have a lovely day!

Melanie Chopay said...

Comments do take up time, but it's time well spent. I love getting comments and love leaving comments. Sometimes I'm too rushed and only have time to read 8 or 9 blogs with no time for comments. Other times, being able to leave comments is a chance to sit a bit, unwind and chat with a friend.

The Diva said...

I nearly always leave comments on others' blogs, and I cherish every comment I get. Sometimes, it takes a couple of day, but I respond to all of them.

Commenting is what makes blogging a conversation. Now, I've know folks who turned off the comments for a particular post, especially if it is something painful they're writing about. I've never done this either. Keep commenting Yolanda Elizabet, you're great.~~Dee

mr_subjunctive said...

I definitely do appreciate any and all [non-spam] comments on my blog, especially nancy j. bond's (hi nancy!), but I often don't leave them, even at posts I really liked, because it does take a certain amount of time, and sometimes I just can't think of anything that really furthers the conversation any. Plus this spring, I really have no time anyway, between the plants I have to tend at work and at home. Though Blogger's new deal where you can post something to go up at a particular time looks like it's going to be helpful in that regard: a good spurt of writing this weekend, and now my blog posts are done until May 11. So maybe I'll be writing more comments soon?

Kylee Baumle said...

I LOVE getting comments on my blog! They tell me that someone really is reading it! (Well, okay, the stats tell me, too, but it's not the same.) I've learned so much from the comments and would miss them if I didn't get them.

I try to respond to all of them, and I try to leave a comment when I read another's blog, but there are some times (like NOW!) that I'm so pressed for time that I get behind doing it. I don't always comment on blog posts, if they're the kind that I don't feel like I have anything to add - much like having a conversation in real life - sometimes I just listen. :-)

Jane O' said...

How could we not comment on your adorable kitties; not to mention the garden. It's unthinkable!

Unknown said...

I agree with your POV. Why take the time to read a blog if you're not going to comment? I would have never met many people who have stopped by my blog if I hadn't commented on theirs. How are you supposed to know what people think if you're not willing to hear what they have to say?

Why write if you don't want to open a conversation? I don't have many neighbors, so visiting blogs and getting comments is my interaction. If it weren't for comments and meeting people on the internet I'd still be down in the dumps and not doing anything around my house.

I don't even really care if comments on my blog are about something else entirely, I'm all about the interaction. What would be the fun of it all otherwise?

Unknown said...

Oh, sorry! I got so hung up talking about commenting that I forgot to tell you how adorable your pictures are. Garfield is one of my favorite cartoon characters too.

Anonymous said...

Reacties krijgen en reacties geven is beide leuk. Maar......het moet geen verplichting worden, dus af en toe een logje overslaan moet kunnen.

Robin's Nesting Place said...

I can't wait to see your zinnias and the butterflies they will attract!

I love to receive comments too and I usually leave them. However, sometimes I only have time to drop in and read a few of my favorites before heading out the door or turning in for the night.

I regularly read some blogs that I rarely leave a comment on just because their word verification thingy drives me nuts.

I don't think there is always a right way or a wrong way to blog or enjoy other people's blogs. Some times life gets in the way of the ideal.

Gail said...

I am going to read all your comments as soon as I comment...another reason I like comments...I want many points of view! Comments are fun, informative and I love the community.

How often I am tempted to comment on the comments;)

Gail

Anonymous said...

Yes, comments do take up too much time, but they are at least half the pleasure of blogging and I'd never give them up. I do read one blog that doesn't allow comments, Soul of the Garden, but I would be unlikely to add more of that nature to my RSS feeds.

As far as leaving comments on other blogs, I try to do so often. If the blogger doesn't respond to a couple of comments, I do not leave any more. Got to have that give-and-take to make it fun!

Anonymous said...

I like receiving comments on my blog - at least that way I know I'm not talking to myself! I also like to leave comments for the same reason. We all like to be appreciated

Anonymous said...

I fully agree with all you say! I've always enjoyed commenting almost as much as doing entries. I respond to all comments on my own blog and often comment elsewhere. xx

ChrisND said...

So many comments!

I generally like comments. It gives a whole new dimension to an entry. Comments are how I tend to find other blogs. If I can think of something to say, I like to leave a comment just to let the author know I appreciate their efforts. (I have to admit that I tend to listen/read conversations more than I directly participate.)

I don't expect visitors to comment nor do I expect authors to follow up on all comments. I do realize there can be a lot of time involved. For those who want to get more depth from a topic; read the comments, participate in the comments. If you don't have time, thanks for visiting and stop by another time. :-)

Priscilla George said...

I love receiving comments. I always wish I could receive more so I could hear from more people and see different point of views. Really, I'm very guilty of not commenting myself. Not because I don't want to comment. Just most of the time I don't know what to say. I don't want to give a one sentence reply. And it does take a lot of time if I were to comment to every blog I have read. Sometimes I wish that blogs had a message board on the side of some like sign in thing just so I could say I was there and do read. Alot of times I can be very shy especially with those blogs that provide so much information and are very intimidating to me. I feel like they know so much that my comment would really scream out NEWBIE!! I eventually over come the fear and comment and find out the blogger is as nice and understand and willing to teach what they know. Commenting on others blogs is something I do need to improve on. Even if I do just leave a sentence it's better then nothing right?

Ewa said...

I love to receive comments - they are inspiring, cheering up, thought provoking sometimes, friendly - interaction, this is most essential about blogging.
Otherwise book is nice too, right?
and also it is nice to know just came and visited :)
Greetings from Poland,
Ewa

Frances, said...

It wouldn't be the same without the comments. They continue the story, and like Gail, sometimes I want to, and do, repond to a comment on someone else's blog post. It's a conversation going many ways. But it is time consuming and sometimes I am so tired I can't think of anything, other times, I can't shut up! Long live the comments. Like Carol, it is a way to find your blog also, follow the trail.

Frances at Faire Garden

Frances at Faire Garden

Cheryl said...

Hi Yolanda....I am so glad that you have brought this up. A blog I used to visit regularly has stopped comments either way. I have found that I do not visit her blog so much now because there is no feed back. Like you I have made many friends and I love to hear from them and to leave messages to.
Your little cats are just so pretty.

Thanks for this post.

Matron said...

I can't imagine what my garden blogging would be like if I didn't interact with others through comments!! I have shared and learned so much with people with similar interests. I always find that even though my blog is about growing vegetables, if I post a picture of my dog Buddy.. the comments come flying in. Kind of like when a magazine put Princess Diana on the cover...

Barbee' said...

Not much I can add to all this. I am glad to find even a few words in a comment left on my posts. To me it is much like a victorian calling-card. I like to know you stopped by. Sometimes, depending on how I am feeling, that is all I am able to leave when I read, and I love to read your writings.

I do write to myself sometimes. As one writer wrote, he said it was like praying on paper, another wrote it is like dreaming on paper. If someone wants to read it, that is icing on the cake. For that type of writing I use my web site. When I discovered Blotanical I wanted to participate, so I created the blog counterpart which allows me to interact with other gardeners.

Wish I had time to read every gardener's blog and comment on every post, but there is no way to. Knowing how thin everyone has to spread to get around to several blogs, it is an extra special honor to know you visited mine. That is why even a few words is appreciated, but if you don't feel like speaking, that is very OK, I understand. I do that sometimes, too.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I like comments, on my own & other blogs. I've asked for advice about so many things & I've received such great responses. However (here's the "however"), sometimes I'll come late to a post & everything (including bad jokes) that I was going to write has already been written. I suppose I could write "Ditto," but then how would the poster respond to that? Occasionally, I am nearly brain-dead & can't think of anything to write. Fortunately, these are the exceptions, rather than the rule. Comments rule!

Lori said...

I love getting comments, and since I started blogging myself, I've really come to appreciate the importance of leaving comments. My only problem is that I don't always have the time to catch up on blogs when I'm not so tired I'm practically brain-dead, and then I tend to stick my foot in my mouth unintentionally. And sometimes I just want to agree with what everyone else has said in the comments, which just seems inane. I dunno. But I do love your blog, Yolanda Elizabet, and I go through the archives all the time to pore over the pretty pictures! :)

Amy said...

I love comments too. They make me feel like I'm not talking to myself for once LOL

Anonymous said...

Great post Yolanda. I felt like I HAD to leave a comment because you were so 'on-the-mark'.

Commenting does take time and I'm guilty of not always taking the time but I shall reform my actions. It certainly is the difference between blogging and just reading a book.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the dialog on that continues on in the comments to a post. However, I don't agree with the remark that there is no point in writing if one turns off comments. Many forms of writing existed before blogging and blogging does not invalidate them.

Comments, both leaving and receiving them, is important to me. The best blog posts are jumping off points for discussion among the readers.

Writing comments takes time but blogging is a relationship and has developed new social obligations. Unfortunately, I often post less because I spend so much responding to other's posts. But if someone writes something interesting, I'd rather respond in a comment than go off and write a separate post.

Abacaxi & Hortelã said...

No comments = no fun.
Totally agree with you: if I'm too busy to comment, I'm too busy to read as well ;-)
I only read blogs when I do have time to comment...
Love your pictures, cats, garden...
I'll be back!
Regards from Brazil!
Chantal

chey said...

Wonderful post!!! The comments help create the connection for me. I agree, receiving a comment is like receiving a gift, and just like your kitten in a box, they frequently make me smile:).

Rosengeranium said...

I'm pretty bad at leaving comments, because all those bright ideas I had while reading the post seems to disappear like morning fog in the sun as soon as I put my fingers on the keyboard, and in general I only write "lovely pictures" or something like it :(. However I always try to write at least that, because the comments are what makes the whole thing.

I do agree that blogs without comment sections feels dead. (I'm ready to give popular ones some slack, though; when the blog recieves hundreds or over a thousand comments on a single post the function collapses for both the reader and the blogger.) Even if I'm not able to think up a comment for myself I want to that there's interaction.

Aiyana said...

Hi Yolanda,
I, too, love comments, but I often don't acknowledge each comment individually on my own blog unless there's a question. I will, however, visit every blogger who has left comments on my posts. I may or may not leave comments on each visit--depends on my time and whether I have something to say. Sometimes it takes me several days to get through all my visitors--depending on my schedule. I'm of the opinion that you don't have to comment on every post on every blog you visit.
Aiyana

fiona said...

I have learnt so much by interacting with other bloggers, and I love the feedback and questions I get in the comments to my posts..

.. yes, it takes time, but so does anything worthwhile?

great post :-)

Hannele på Hisingen said...

Hihi, nice photos, I like comments too (I have often 200 visitors and 20 comments).

Tracy said...

This was a great post, Yolanda! I feel much the same as you do. It is wonderful to receive comments, and I love writing comments at other blogs. The comment helps us all get to know each other, become friends. This interaction makes it all the more fun. Everything about blogging takes time, that is true...but it is time well worth it! Lately I've had to reduce my own time posting and commenting. But I love keeping my blog and visiting around blogland! Happy Day to you and The Team ((HUGS))

garden girl said...

Yolanda, it looks like you've touched a nerve here with all these comments! I enjoy commenting and receiving comments. I comment most of the time when I visit another blog, although sometimes when my time is short I do just read without commenting.

Yes, it does take time to comment and read comments. When I first started my blog, that was one of the things I enjoyed, and still enjoy. It's really wonderful to feel connected to gardeners around the world through the personal interaction of blogging and commenting. It's worth the time.

Rose said...

Blogging without feedback would be no fun at all! Sometimes when I am busy, I'll read two or three posts at a time and comment on just one. But I do look forward to comments on my blog and have met some wonderful people that way.
Love the photos!

Ki said...

It's a love hate kind of thing with me. Definitely it is taking too much of my time but I also love receiving reading and responding to comments. Sometimes due to time constraints, I've left a brief, Oh wow, me too, beautiful, kind of comment which I hate and regret but feel obligated to do so when I've read and looked at the effort someone has gone through, to post something of interest.

LadyLuz said...

This is a real bone of contention, isn't it. Sometimes I've found myself overwhelmed by comments, then responding to them, and leaving comments, then reading the response to those.....it can be never ending. I do love the connections I make through Comments, all over the world. I often visit others' blogs and don't leave a comment and try to do a "round-up" comment further down the line, covering a few days - that is if I've remembered to make a note in my Daily Reminders book by the PC.

I don't really mind if people don't leave comments every time they visit, so no-one need feel pressurised.

I'm full of admiration, Yolanda, for the way you deal with the traffic on your blog. You are so generous with your time and sometimes I wish I could be more like you. But I aint!

Anonymous said...

Heee, da's ook toevallig, zoiets heb ik op mijn kattenlogje gezet (poll) omdat er door zoveel mensen gekeken wordt en, naar verhouding, niet zoveel gereageerd, eigenlijk altijd door een vaste club.
Zelf vind ik het leuk om te reageren, ik ga regelmatig een vast lijstje af, maar als er gereageerd wordt, dat geeft zin om een nieuw logje te maken vind ik!
Dus. . .op mij kun je blijven rekenen hoor, 't is toch veel te leuk!
Gezellig de kattenfoto's er tussen!
Die "hangjongere" in de boom ;-))
groetjes, Marian

Katarina said...

I totally agree with you - commenting and getting comments is to me what blogging is all about. I admit that it does take time - but I choose how many blogs to read per day - sometimes I have plenty of time and sometimes no time at all. I've been a blogger for less than a year, and I think it's great fun! And i learn a lot!
/Katarina

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I also love comments--getting and receiving, though I do admit I get behind in leaving comments!!
~ Monica

Anonymous said...

ja wat moet ik zeggen , voel me een mol nu ;))
en ik ga er even van uit dat je weet wat ik bedoel .....tuurlijk op log hou ik van reacties maar ze ook geven dus die optie kies ik , maar toch het ontdekken van talent en originaliteit ...staat bovenaan ;) de poezen zo in de bomen zijn leuk maar als vogelliefhebber ??????? hmmmm
katten heb ik dus écht niets mee ;)) mag wel even hé .....
ik ga maar stemmen denk ik ;))
groetjes Lenie

Barbara said...

I fully agree to what you wrote. If I wouldn't like to leave and get comments, I wouldn't have started to blog! I've learnt a lot by visiting other blogs, not only with regard to plants and garden! However, it does take time to leave a comment everytime a posting is made. But I think regular visits and regular comments on a blog (perhaps not on each post) is what counts for me. The blogvisits are increasing, as there are always new blogs coming up, but time remains the same (at least for me...sometimes there is even less time for writing as just now, when my garden "needs" my presence!!).
Have a nice day!
Barbara

Anonymous said...

I see you've got quite a range of responses, Yolanda, on this subject! I agree that a big part of the fun is creating community through comments here and there.

Karin said...

Dear Yolanda, I couldn't have said it better myself. The thing about blogging is that it's interactive. There are so many people out there that I feel a certain connection with even though I haven't met them in real life and of course it's through comments.

I was so happy to hear that you liked the recipe! It's one of my favourites.Take care and keep on blogging and commenting! Kram Karin

Karen said...

I too like to receive and leave comments. I don't always have time to respond back to but I always try. (I'm busy leaving comments LOL) So everyone out there just know that I DO enjoy the comments you leave and that I am NOT ignoring you :)

Anonymous said...

hi Yolanda, interesting that you are picking up Birgit's post. I feel the same way - I like the comments on my blog. Some may feel think of it as competitive - I don't. I enjoy my visitors and I continue to visit other blogs and comment there even if they don't comment on my blog. Commenting brings life to a blog. I may not always have the time to comment on each blog every week, but I try to comment on as many as possible or at least do one half one week and the other half next week. Have a nice day! Andrea

kate smudges said...

I enjoy leaving comments and receiving them. Sometimes I read posts and don't leave a comment though. I think that's okay too.

As with blogging generally, I think it's up to us to decide individually on what we are comfortable doing.

On my blog, I don't always comment individually on the comments left - often it's a matter of time. I'd rather be reading the blog of the commenter and leaving a comment on her/his blog instead.

I do know that I would continue to write my blog regardless of whether or not I received any comments. Receiving comments makes blogging a more satisfying experience.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely live for comments on my blog! I don't get very many though (nothing ever like your full basket here!) and I suspect it's partly because I'm not always good about making the rounds. Sometimes by the time I read a post it's so chock full of comments I think I'm too late to the party and like Mr. McG's Daughter said, what I want to say has already been said. Sadly it is an issue of time. But I love that there's a conversation going on even if I'm only on the fringes of it or listening like a fly on the wall.

walk2write said...

Thanks for writing about posting comments from a fellow feline fancier. I enjoy reading, receiving, and leaving comments. It's like having a neighborhood block party without having to fix potato salad! Your post has propelled you to the top on Blotanical, and I'm glad it did because that's how I found your blog. I've seen your comments on other blogs I have visited, but I didn't take the time to visit yours. Shame on me for wasting an opportunity to meet such a stellar gardener and blogger!

lisa said...

Heh...I guess you can tell from all the comments that most people really like comments! :) Me too, although some days I don't have the time or inclination for blogging in general, so I just don't. That way when I do sit down to the computer, I'm in the mood for reading, posting, commenting...all of it. But with anything, if it's becoming a chore, then time to push away from the desk and take a walk!

archivesinfo said...

Wow! I've never seen so many comments on one post! great topic...I like commenting and love getting comments. I do find the commenting takes up a lot of time. I try to be thoughtful about what I say. I try to be witty...maybe I should be less thoughtful and witty and it wouldn't take so much time? I wonder about people who seem to comment everywhere. Just how much time do you guys spend on the computer? I"m envious. Maybe your brains just work faster than mine. It's a good day if I comment on five sites I would say. BTW, I LOVE your kitty pictures. I"m inspired to post some of my own maybe later this week. Great blog and I'm glad I found you!

Lets Plant said...

I to feel that commenting is a large part of blogging. AS you said without it we would just be reading. This is alot more fun!!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic post, Yolanda Elizabet, and fantastic kitty photos, too! Thanks so much for brightening my day as well as inspiring thought! I love getting comments on my blog--I'm so delighted to know that people are enjoying it, since I get so much enjoyment from writing it. And I love commenting on other people's posts as well (at least, if I think I have something to say that they'd like to read!). As Frances and others have pointed out, it's always a lot of fun when commenters begin interacting with each others' comments, too. Then the post really takes on a life of its own! And I'm always sad when I have something to say and I find that the blogger doesn't accept comments. It makes me wonder why they don't just keep a journal or something instead.

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog through botanical and I agree that commenting is such an important part of blogging. How do you know what your readers like and don't like if you don't have comments. I love getting comments and interacting with all of the gardeners that come to our site.

Green thumb said...

Very true dear Yolanda!
Getting comments, giving them, reading other people's comments on blogs, makes blogging such fun and so much worth indulging in.
Blogging without comments would've been like constructing Castles castaway on an island; no one to admire them, no one to share them with...

Kerri said...

I couldn't possibly visit and not tell you how much I enjoyed your post, Yolanda...writing, photos (especially those of your sweet bliss team), everything.! Your wit and personality are certainly appreciated, as well as the knowledge you share...and the most important...your love of gardening. Blogging would be a bland experience without comments. I appreciate each and every person who takes time to say even a little hello.
I also enjoy reading the comments on other bloggers' posts. This collection has been especially interesting. Sometimes it feels as though I move at a snail's pace through my RSS feeds, but there's so much to enjoy!

em said...

i see you already have so many comments on this one, but i feel so strongly about responding in agreement. one of my favorite blogs, the daily coyote, stopped accepting comments. even though i think i might have left a comment only once, i just lost interest in the blog. what is the sound of one hand clapping? if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? i don't always comment on what i see, but i think comments are the life blood of blogging! thanks for posting on this subject!

Naturegirl said...

Yolanda I think that when one recieves comments ..that is a form of flattery a thank you for the post which one publishes. I love meeting and greeting folks that take the time to post a comment..it is an interaction which can grow into a friendship and as I personally have
experienced perhaps a meeting in person! Without comments I could not have had this connection! I will continue to make comments on a post I have enjoyed viewing and I look forward to comments on my personal blog! Thank you for the many comments that you have made on my blog Yolanda..I enjoy every word! hugs NG

Love the kitty images on this post!
Brilliant!!

Anonymous said...

Je hebt gelijk, ik probeer ook altijd zoveel mogelijk reacties achter te laten waar ik kom, maar op dit moment ben ik druk en kom wat minder aan het bloggen toe.
Maar ik begrijp wat je bedoelt, alleen heb ik veel lezers op een dag maar helaas altijd maar weinig reacties.
En ik zou het ook leuk vinden om te weten wie meelezen.
Dat maakt het bloggen altijd zo leuk, de reacties!
Zelf heb ik ook wel blogs waar ik wel kom en af en toe een reactie achter laat omdat dat vice versa ook zo is, ik weet dat ze bij mij lezen maar geen reactie achter laten en dan verval je al gauw in hetzelfde gedrag. ;-)))
Natuurlijk ben ik mijn blog in eerste instantie begonnen als tuindagboek voor mezelf maar het werd al gauw zo veel meer en de reacties dat is juist ook het leuke!
En natuurlijk het 'kunnen naslaan' van je dagboek vind ik ook leuk!

Shirley said...

Hi there Yolanda :-)

My comment makes number 70 so I guess that tells you something!!

I agree with lots above. I feel the comments become an extension of the post carrying on with the subject or adding to it. I enjoy reading the chat that continues in the comments and like Carol often follow a link from a comment that I have read.

Comments allow us to get to know individual Bloggers more too. They can be more personal sometimes and show snippets of the person that we may not see in a blog.

I completely understand that it takes time to comment when many blogs are browsed. I appreciate every one I get and understand when a visitor doesn’t have time to leave a comment or have something to add. I appreciate every visitor too :-D

I am often curious though why some posts get more comments than others. Sometimes when I take time on a post and am pleased with it I only get a couple of comments then other times a quick short post gets many more. I have noticed that on other blogs too. I guess it is timing with some days of the week giving more time for browsing than others. There’s another poll for you Yolanda – which days are the most popular for browsing blogs :-D

My problem is often more that I don’t get the time to visit the blog to browse in the first place. So, no comment from me. Ah well I’ve made up for that today! I even managed to vote just in time in your pole. I guessed that would be the result :-D

Have great weekend :-D

Neza S.G. said...

I HAVE NO COMMENT !!!

From The Rock and Roll Gardener :)

Anonymous said...

This makes 72 comments so I guess the comment thing is a hit. Who'd a thunk it?

I enjoy commenting when I find the time and receiving comments on my blog posts(when I find time to write them).

Anonymous said...

Tja, en bij jou is het vrijwel onmogelijk om níét te reageren, dus...
Wat een heerlijke plekjes hebben ullie kattebeestjes trouwens in deze blog!

Rosemarie said...

I'm glad you wrote about this because sometimes when there are soooo many comments, I feel like I am being a pain by adding another note. At least now I don't feel so bashful.

Anonymous said...

I like getting comments on my blog so when I view other blogs, I generally try to leave a comment or two for them. i really like your cat pictures. The cats with the sayings in this post were especially a nice touch!

SchneiderHein said...

Mir geht es wie Andrea, ich bin erstaunt, dass Du Birgits Thema überhaupt aufgenommen hast. Aber was wäre ein Blog ohne Kommentare? Gerade das unterscheidet sie doch von den ganz normalen Home-Pages. Blogs leben doch gerade vom Feedback und dem Austausch!
Liebe Grüße
Silke

Entangled said...

I'm always pleased to get comments, but realize that it's time-consuming for readers to do so.

I'm guilty of delaying reading blogs until I know I'll have time to comment, and then I feel like I'm too late to participate. Like now, for example - I've only just read this post ;-)

tina said...

Ha! Guess you know where I stand on comments since I am commenting, albeit late to the party. Not sure how I came up this post but up it popped so I read it, AND all the comments. A good and very best part of blogging, but the icing is meeting the ones you talk with on a regular basis. That would never be possible without interaction-read comments! I think sometimes people get overwhelmed if there are a lot of comments already? Or they don't want to bother the busy blogger? But just because folks don't always comment, doesn't mean they don't love your blog. I guess it is the ole "To each their own". P.S. I almost ALWAYS comment if I visit because I know how much folks like it and I like to talk, but I have run into many who will simply email me back and not comment. That is fine too.