Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I Blog, Therefore I Am?


Hardly, I was there long before I started and will probably still be there long after I've stopped blogging. For now I blog and I enjoy it. Recently I was interviewed by Ewa about why I blog. Today ( and no, it's not an April Fools Day joke) Ewa has published it and you can read the interview here.

Why do we gardeners blog? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that most of us garden on our own. Sure, there might be a partner there who gives us a helping hand from time to time, but for the most part we garden alone. And therein lies the rub. It's no minor feat to create your own little heaven on earth on a plot of land and we are justifiably proud when that paradise has been wrestled from the earth with our blood, sweat and tears.
And then, no surprise there,
Erm Surprise, I said no surprise there, so be a sweetheart and go and delight someone else with your presence as we are quite busy, will you ?

we want to show to and share our little paradises with others and what better way than to blog? Especially when you are not the owner of a vast country estate complete with stately manor and a staff of 20 gardeners or more. Most of our gardens couldn't cope with being trampled by ginormous gaggles of garden visitors so this whole Internet malarkey is a bit of a Valen sent IMO.
Via our blogs we are able to share our gardens with many people (while writing this post I looked up how many people have actually visited my blog and had my flabber utterly gasted when I found that, so far, it's 101,211 visitors, shocking, I know) and from an amazing amount of countries all over the world. In the interview with Ewa I'd said that people from 141 countries had visited my blog but since then 2 more countries have discovered the gardening joy that is Bliss.;-)
The human animal is of necessity a social animal and we need to communicate, it's an essential human thing. We communicate our way through life; we dance with gardens, purr with cats, whisper to dogs, listen to stars, hum with birds, sing with mountains, buzz with bees, run with trees, swim with aardvarks and blog with those we need to share our garden passion with: other gardeners!
And recently we are not just talking with other people but twittering as well. If you don't follow me on Twitter yet you don't know what you're missing as I write riveting stuff such as *It rained all day*.
It's not enough that we simply communicate; we also feel this profound need to be understood. I could just go on and on and utterly stun/bore you with my extraordinary insightful and profound observations on this subject, but why bother as the Who have explained it all so much better and set it music too?


Well Tommy, err gentle reader, can you hear me?

So that's what I think about why we blog but tell me fellow blogger, what do you think/ feel about it? Don't be shy, you know how to comment, don't you? ;-)
Music is emotion that has a nice beat to it.
Yolanda Elizabet

copyright 2009 Y.E.W. Heuzen

39 comments:

Sylvia (England) said...

Yolanda, what a nice post. I love your blog it was one of the first ones I read. I think you are right it is the delight of exchanging views with gardeners who, mostly, feel just like you about their plants and garden. It is having that chat over the garden fence about our passion with a special friend.

Best wishes Sylvia (England)

VP said...

Congratulations on your interview :)

I'm having enough trouble with keeping up with blogs, so will pass on Twitter, thanks. I prefer the full-cream version of Bliss, not the skimmed! ;)

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

You are so right about our need to share and comment. I also Tweet on Twitter, and I'm always surprised when folks follow me on my daily journey which is my own type of "bliss." I showed your kitties to my 10 year old daughter. She sighed and said "I love kitties."

I love Bliss. Blog on my friend.~~Dee

Commonweeder said...

This was a blissful walk through your garden, so welcome on this gray april day. I blog because having the pleasure of visiting so many other beautiful gardens and learning from so many skilled gardeners seems to request the return favor of opening my garden. In addition to the pleasures of mutual sharing, my blog has also become a useful record of the year and my garden.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

How funny, my post today also features classic rock music. I agree with you about blogging and our need to communicate, although I have only run among trees, not with them, and I have never done anything with an aardvark. (I didn't even know they could swim!) I've barely dipped my toe into the Twitter pool, I do like your tweets about Tara (or as the girl calls her now "Icklepuppy Tara").

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Yay! It's nice to see some cats again! :) I like blogging because it's nice to meet other gardeners from around the world and get to know new plants and tips. It is a nice camaraderie. As far as the actual gardening, I admit I like doing it alone. Sometimes I've volunteered on workdays and everyone's chatting, which is nice too, but I find I never went to my special zen gardening zone that way.

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

Amen, amen and amen. You have said everything about why gardeners,get their fingers dirty then blog about it. Thank you for writing everything which is in my heart, but just do not have the words to express it. If you don't mind, I would like to do a short post on why we blog, and link back to you

Dirt Princess said...

Blogging for me is like a whole new world. I am amazed by what others gardeners do and amazed that other gardeners are interested in what I do! It is so wonderful. Blogging lifts my spirits when I am having a bad day. There are so many garden bloggers around the world at my finger tips. How else would I ever be able to meet them if not through blogging. I love to see what bloggers grow around the world. I enables me to go outside of zone 8b and see the world

Chiot's Run said...

I love all the cats!!! What beautiful gardens.

Unknown said...

I completely agree with you. This was the first garden blog I ever found. I still remember it like it was yesterday... I did a google image search for Lady's Mantle and your site was one of the first results. I probably read back to your very first post that same day. You got me hooked on garden blogging. I enjoy your blog so much! :)

Flighty said...

What a lovely post, great photos and I share with your sentiments about blogging!
When I started, as FlightBuff, it was mostly about aviation which has been a lifelong interest. I also had a BookBuffs blog all about books and reading, another lifelong interest. Now of course it's Flighty's plot, all about gardening, nature and wildlife, which I enjoy doing almost as much as plotting, pottering and pondering!
Happy blogging and gardening! xx

Cheryl said...

Hi Yolanda....I think you are absolutely right. I blog, as none of my friends share my passion for gardening.
As you so rightly say....it is hard work to make a garden, no matter how large or small....and we are all proud of our space and what we have achieved.....

I also love to visit other gardeners blogs......to learn.....to see blooms I have never seen before....and a lot lot more.......

marl1 said...

' swimm with aardvarks' :-)))))))))
die sla ik even over...;-)))

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I think you are right on with this "feeling" YE. The only thing I do different is that I like to Commune with Mountains and talk to trees.

Karin said...

Yolanda what a great post and interview! :) Well, there are so many reasons for blogging. I started because I wanted to share my interest for gardening and I've continued because of all nice people I've met and inspiration I get! Hope you have a nice spring time...

Kram Karin

Anonymous said...

Yolanda~~ "Flabber your gasted" too funny! I might need to barrow that one, if I may.

I think that the gardeners and blogging thing revolves around the fact that we're all still somewhat juvenile, only with a deeper-throated, "Look what I got!" "Look what I can do." And we know we'll be received by a captive audience because only another gardener can really get why we're so excited about wormy compost or microscopic seedlings.

Naturegirl said...

Yoland I am one that is happy that you and the Bliss team are blogging! I love my visits here.
Why do I blog: I began blogging as a way to journal what was happening in my garden and meet other like minded people...I never dreamed that I would make so many global friends that I communicate on a regular basis! Keep blogging keep smiling..hugs and purr-Zzzz NG

Phoenix C. said...

I love blogging because it is a way of sharing things that inspire me, and being creative. The interaction is marvellous, and I've learnt a lot about subjects I would not normally have talked about. (Opera, poetry, myths - all sorts of things!) It's also wonderful to see other parts of the world and know you're communicating with people thousands of miles away.

Your garden looks lovely, and those cats are entrancing!

garden girl said...

Yolanda, what a nice post, and congratulations on your interview with Ewa.

Both yours' and Ewa's blogs were among the first garden blogs I found, and have enjoyed visiting ever since.

I never planned to start a blog - starting a google account just made it easier to comment on other blogs. But when I registered for my account I was automatically sent to blogger to start a blog, and the next thing I knew I had a garden blog!

Since then I've found literally thousands of other garden blogs. It's great fun, very interesting, and very informative learning what grows and thrives in real gardens, and I've learned lots of tips for my real gardening challenges. I've found a lot more plants that are thriving in my challenging dry shade conditions.

I never expected to learn so much and spend so much time blog reading, but it's truly a joy having the chance to visit gardens around the world, including yours, through blogging.

Communing with other gardeners, and sharing our collective gardening passion continues to be an enriching, joyful experience.

Silvia Hoefnagels . Salix Tree said...

I loved this post! It leaves me with such a happy feeling.
I started to blog just to keep track of what is blooming in my garden at any particular time. I'm fairly shy, so it's nice to be anonymous and "visit" with other gardeners.
By the way, I finally ordered a Moonlight rose, thanks to you. Unfortunately, it won't be delivered till next autumn. But I'm patient!

Aiyana said...

Great post. I always like to learn something about the bloggers after visiting my favorite blogs for awhile. One thing I've noticed about garden bloggers--it seems the majority have cats. I find that interesting, and curious. I really wonder if there is some connection! Even when I go on local garden tours, the garden owners seem to have cats. I guess I'm the exception.
Aiyana

Balisha said...

Hello,
I blog because my friends don't garden very much anymore.I am in my 70's and live in a "young" neighborhood where no one is much interested in gardening. Sometimes it's nice to get a comment on a job well done.

Nathan said...

A wonderful blog. Gardening and Cats. A great combination. I'm a fan.

Hannele på Hisingen said...

I love your blog :)

IngunnBW said...

You have a gorgeous and charming garden and really beautiful cats :)The picture of them all - I love it!

Libby said...

Totally agree with you! Even if my garden is a bit of a mess I know there is someone out there in the same situation!!
Haven#t tried twitter yet!!!

Piondröm said...

I love your blog!!!
I love your garden !!!!
And I LOVE your Cats!!!!!
Thanks
Carina

Frances said...

Hi YE, I am typing while listening because this is one of the most wonderful bits of music ever written. I am not a drummer, but become one when this plays, along with the goosebumps that never ever fail to rise. Oh this was about blogging? Sorry. Blogging has chaned my life for the better. Finding those like minded individuals from all over the world to share our garden with is nothing short of miraculous. Others like ourselves!!! Out there with computers, cameras and cats! :-)
Frances

Rusty in Miami said...

Gardening is a lonely hobby we do it by ourselves, none of my friends or coworkers share my interest so my blog is the only way I can share my passion with others. Getting compliments from fellow gardeners is a nice added bonus.

Richtsje said...

Haha, die kattenkontjes bij de voederbak ;-)
En ja, waarom loggen? Ik log over meer dan tuin alleen maar vind het vooral geweldig om elders inspiratie te vinden en tips uit te wisselen.

Dat tuinhuisje is een schatje trouwens...

Matron said...

Yolanda, You've hit the nail right on the head! We all love to share things that we enjoy, or share the successes we have!

Kerri said...

You've waxed philosophical very nicely here, Yolanda Elizabet.
Blogging about our gardens is rather like chatting about our children, isn't it? It's a common interest and we like to share what we've accomplished, or perhaps ask advise, etc. And the mutual admiration of each other's gardens is a great encourager.
It's just plain fun keeping in touch with other gardeners all over the world :)
Happy April to you and the Bliss Team!

Dawn said...

Thank you, Yolanda, for your well-written thoughts on garden blogging. I agree that blogging is a safer way to invite so many people into our relatively small gardens without having them trampled to dust. For me, reading other's gardening blogs is also a way to learn more about the art of gardening. Oh and I get to see great photos like those you share of your beautiful garden and sweet cats.
:-)
Dawn

em said...

i agree whole-heartedly! my neighbors are all avoiding me, afraid i'll force them on another garden tour! (kidding) so i share on the internet. and i love to take tours of other's gardens too! thanks for another great post!

kate smudges said...

An interesting read, Yolanda Elizabet. I blog for the same reason ~ to share my passions with like-minded people. The interaction is great fun. I like twitter for the same reason.

Gail said...

YE, Hello! I am lucky and have friends who garden, but none who garden with the passion that bloggers seem to have! It's great fun and I've met the kindest folks from all over the globe! gail

garden girl said...

Very nice post Yolanda. I enjoyed your interview with Ewa!

I blog to share my gardening passion with others. I love being able to visit other gardeners and their gardens around the world. It's fun seeing the the amazing variety of plants growing in different climates and those that grow well in climates and conditions similar to mine. I enjoy discovering new plants and seeing what works in gardens like mine (dry and shady.)

Blogging has motivated me to get out there and visit more public gardens, and that has also been very enriching and unexpected.

James A-S said...

Charming.
Even without the cats I would read your blog (by the way, while we are on the subject, in the strawberry picture is your cardigan knitted from cat fur? just wondering).
I Blog because....well I don't really know but probably because I am terribly self indulgent and like writing stuff. Also because it is such a good way to avoid doing other, more important things.

Barbara said...

I don't think I can add something new to that all being already mentioned. Blogging indeed is a way of "talking" together, from country to country on topics we are interested in, having the possibility to "walk" in gardens we normally could not visit. And on the other hand it is a very practical way of having a personal diary about the own garden.
Have a nice Sunday!
Barbara