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A blog post in time saves nine

Dwindling regular blog posts after eight years of blogging isn’t really that surprising. So is it time to gracefully bow out? I hope not. Gosh… eight years… who would have thought? I certainly didn’t that’s for sure, nor did it occur to me that the special place in my heart gardens have always held could increase tenfold when I watched my own and others in closer detail.

Year nine needs more PC time to save shirls gardenwatch, plain and simple. On the other side, 2014 has been a great year for claiming back the garden. Yep… after all the photo and video edits, the stories and internet searching for further info and links it had become all chat and no real garden action at times. Hands up now… I’m guessing I’m not the only blogger here?

Nor I suspect, will I be the only blogger that has folder upon folder of photos and videos clips taken for blog posts that missed their seasonal slots. Gosh… I have some going back years! I’ve also got word docs with part written blog posts and draft blog posts with just images uploaded that need to be written. Does this all sound familiar too?

On this blog anniversary I’d like to include a HUGE hats off and give respect to all the garden bloggers that do manage to regularly post 2-3 posts a week and then get round all the blogs they follow and leave comments too. I feel honoured to have been part of this garden blogging community albeit lightly over the last year or two 🙂

On behalf of this absentee blogger, bloggers with writers block and newbies to blogging please do leave comments sharing tips and suggestions on your approach to blogging. Do you have a system that you find works for you? What are your thoughts on images and stories that have missed their slot – would you go back to them?

My sincere and genuine thanks go to everyone that has followed shirls gardenwatch for another year. I really do appreciate your visits and comments. The image above shows perfectly how my blog posts get waylaid… selecting and cropping images at the same time as watching a live garden nestcam! Yep… you can guess what wins the attention there 😉

Copyright: Original post published on https://www.shirlsgardenwatch.co.uk/ by blog author Shirley, November 19th 2014.

13 thoughts on “A blog post in time saves nine

  1. Well done on the eight years.

    When I have lots to write about I write several posts at once – not one long one – trying to keep a tight focus on one subject for each post. Then I publish in several posts over a few days trying to make sure any that would go out of date are published first. Any timeless posts are kept in reserve – I have two of these at the moment.

    I've also started a Wordless Wednesday posy this year so I can use photos that are just good to look at and don't need a text. (Not all are gardening focused)

    Blogging has made me notice things in the garden and on the plot more as I take more photos not all used on my blog so I share some on Facebook or Twitter just as snippets.

    Having said that I think you should blog in a way that you are comfortable with. No apologies needed or guilt trips – if there are times when you don;t want to write for a while then don't. It's not a job – it's a hobby

  2. I think Sue is quite right. Don't feel obligated to write posts. What with content feeders your blog posts pop up with you get the urge to blog and they are always fun to read. Enjoy life. Enjoy the garden you worked so hard to create. There is no rhyme or reason to my blogging. I don't blog then I do. When I first started I blogged every day…imagine! Of course I got over that pretty quick. I started as a lurker and have almost reverted as such.

  3. Eight years of blogging, a longggg time. Congratulations! I don't know if I can last that long, certainly not on a regular way with 2 to 3 posts a week. I wonder how people do that, by daytime there are so many other things which have to be done. I always know lots of things in and out of the garden to write about but it takes too much time. Nevertheless I love it. Hope you continue your blog for another 8 years, it is such an inspiring and relaxing hobby.

  4. Hello greetings.

    I also took a long break and have come back again. Sometimes blogging gets on our nerves due to the commitment to write regular posts. I am glad you have decided to come back. You blog is lovely and you have a very interesting way of writing.

    Best wishes

  5. I think we all do what we have to do, whenever it suits Shirley. I don't have any well meant advice to give, other than the fact that I do enjoy reading your posts and it's nice to read blogs from gardeners that garden in similar conditions to me.
    I have been inspired by many of your posts in trying to provide for the wildlife in my garden and hope that as my garden matures, it will provide me with more material to write about.
    I find confidence a major hurdle, which is odd because I am generally a confident person.
    Congrats on the first 8 years and many more to come I hope 🙂

  6. I find that I tend to blog more in bursts these days. Some times there seems a lot going on and other periods there is nothing to say. After all it is a hobby / pastime / one interest amongst many. Sometimes we need a break so we can come back refreshed. Do whatever suits your life Shirl. I do know that when you do find a subject which takes your attention there will be a well though out, interesting read.

  7. Hello everyone, thanks for all your comments today and all the other days you have popped by. I do appreciate them 🙂

    Sue, you certainly appear to manage your posts well – hats off to you! I remember you saying you split longer posts too. I so struggle to keep to short posts when I’ve tried in the past but I’m thinking that it’s perhaps time to try again. Ha-ha… my speaking voice tells tall tales too so I do have a problem. I too dip in on Wordless posts for the very same reason – I’ve been enjoying yours. I absolutely agree that taking photos for blogs makes us notice more too. Yep… I do follow the rule of not writing because I feel I should, my problem is that I really do want to but time just runs away from me nowadays and that disappoints me 🙁

    Lisa, yes you are right on the many blog feeders now, although sadly I had to shorten my feed there as my content was being posted on other sites. Thank-you, I do enjoy posting and I feel that it would show if I didn’t. Enjoy life indeed 🙂 Ha-ha I also remember the every day posting spell too but back then there were fewer garden blogs to keep up with so it was reasonably manageable. Ha-ha lurk away 😉

    Janneke, it’s weird I never consider how long I’ve been blogging until we approach November and then I can’t believe it! I only intended to keep my blog over a few months. I wasn’t going to be a blogger… ha-ha! Yes, having too much to write about it causes me problems, I get distracted often – sorting photos too. Ah well… it’s all good fun though. I do love the creative side of blogging very much 😀

    Joseph, hello and welcome! Thank-you, I wish you well back blogging again too. I don’t tend to feel blogging gets on my nerves as such – finding frustration is directed more towards myself at just taking too long and not organising myself better.

    Angie, absolutely 🙂 I agree on our similar location too. Reading your blogs about visiting Binny Plants (haven’t been in a while) and Hopetoun House GC always makes me smile as the later is a favourite haunt of mine too 🙂 I’m thrilled to hear my wildlife posts inspire as that is what I always hope. My blog goal fairly quickly came into being as taking visitors with me as I discovered what visited. I was learning all the way and wanted to share everything in that vein. I’m absolutely not a wildlife expert but after 8 years of garden watching I’m getting good at observations and guessing what to expect. Yes, confidence can sometimes be a hurdle but I always tell myself that my blog is a garden record for me to enjoy looking back on too and that changes my view. Thank-you, I do try not to repeat myself too much which is tricky given the years and the seasonal nature of the garden and its wildlife hence the humorous ways of writing at times. I feel blogs should be entertaining too – but that’s just me 😉

    John, you have certainly packed in lots of posts in your years of blogging that’s for sure and so many videos too and I know how long they can take. I spotted your Pi blog a few weeks ago and past the link on to my OH who has been dabbling with something for me using that (on and off during the year amidst a heavy load at work). I like that you post techy stuff from plug ins to weather instruments. I do love the variety blogs can bring. You are completely right blogging is one interest of many. Thank-you, I do tend to completely engross myself in some subjects for blogs making me ramble on a bit too much (I know) but I find great difficulty in cutting things out. Ha-ha… you should see what’s on the word docs I write from… often there is twice as much there including many links collected that don’t get published. I am my own worst enemy, I know this 🙂

  8. I blog as time allows but do try to post at least once a week, it really depends why you blog. I blog to have contact with other gardeners and so their comments are vital to me. Your posts are always great, I often have problems commenting on blogspot so don't always try.

  9. Christina, Hello again 🙂 I am sorry you have trouble leaving comments on blogger. I completely understand the frustration to have written a long, considered comment and it disappears. I've had that in a variety of hosting platforms. You are completely right on considering why you blog. It is a great way to make contact with like-minded folk. I guess I love to share stories but I also see mine as my own garden diary to look back on which is fun to have too 😀

  10. Hi Shirley,

    Congratulations on completing 8 years of extremely top quality blogging. I take my hat off to you 🙂

    I agree with many of your other commenters – don't beat yourself up for not blogging so often. It happens to us all, especially if you're like me and have a horror about repeating something blogged about already.

    Life is much more important and I know yours has been more than full lately.

    I have plenty of posts I've not blogged – over 300 of them. Some of them will get dusted down and brought out again when the time is right. I've also found that procrastination can be a good thing – sometimes I've missed a 'slot' only to find a couple of things happen and/or I find out other things which add to the original idea and make the resultant blog post a much better one.

    I also keep some shorter posts spare – when you see me publishing a Wordless Wednesday it means I'm really up to my eyes with other things!

  11. Congratulations on 8 years of blogging, Shirl!

    I must admit, I don't have a system as far as blogging is concerned, and I too have large numbers of folders of photos I haven't got around to using – or even to sorting – yet.

    For the last year I've hardly blogged at all, because we've been so busy moving house – but there must be something which keeps drawing me back to it, because I've just started a new blog for my new garden!

    Like you I've tended to write quite long posts in the past, and I think that's one reason I've been such an intermittent blogger, because I just don't have the time (and often don't have a sufficiently functional brain) to get what I want to say into a coherent form, so on the new blog I'm going to try saying less but posting more. I have actually managed my first few Wordless Wednesday posts this year …

  12. Many. many congratulations on your blog anniversary Shirl! It's always a pleasure to visit here. Don't beat yourself up for posting less regularly. Your posts are always so informative and beautifully illustrated, whether with photographs or with one of your excellent videos. It takes time and commitment to produce such comprehensive posts. No suggestions or systems forthcoming from me. I just have a sea of unused photos waiting in the wings and a jumble of ideas floating around in my head. Long may 'Shirl's Garden Watch' bloom.

  13. Hello everyone, thanks for all your comments. I hope you all had a good weekend 🙂

    VP, thank-you, you are too kind 🙂 Ah yes… repeats taking on a different spin are always a challenge especially with wildlife stuff. Yes, lots of real life stuff have kept me busy of late but blogging can be a great way of refreshing the mind – ha-ha… but not in the midnight hours anymore 😉 300 blogs in draft… wow… I’m nowhere near that but you’ve got me curious to count them now 😉 Yep… I agree on procrastination and go with wordless wed too… as bloggers we agree on quite a lot 😀

    Juliet, thank-you! Ah… I knew someone had to have same the same photos folder problem that I have – I’m slowly making my way through sorting mine 🙂 Ah… I’ve just popped over to your new blog and will come back to read more. Good luck with your new blog and new garden… have fun with both 😀 Good luck in trying to write shorter posts too… I keep trying that but it just doesn’t come naturally to me and yes both time and concentration are required. I must try harder on short posts… at least every other one would be a start 😉

    Anna, thank-you for your generous comments. “a sea of unused photos waiting in the wings and a jumble of ideas floating around in my head” I couldn’t agree more and those floating ideas do make blogs hard for me to work on at times… which way to go… perhaps we both need some blog sat nav 😉 Thank-you 😀

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