First blog-iversary: a reflection

Sprouting acorn

When I started this blog way back on 31 December 2013 I didn’t really know much about blogging. I didn’t even know how to load an image! I thought I’d probably be OK at the writing part – though writing a blog post would be much different to the sort of writing I normally do. This blog wasn’t going to be about complaints or campaigning. This was to be my creative outlet – accentuating the positive aspects of life, particularly around creative projects and sharing my love of our amazing natural world.

Also, not being much of a dabbler in the demonstrative arts of the online social universe, I didn’t know what to do or what to expect from others. Should I leave a ‘like’ on a post? What about a comment? What should I say?

To pick up clues, I studied posts from those helpful people at WordPress. Amazingly, I found Michelle’s very first WordPress Zero to Hero in 30 days. A beginners’ blogging course – just what I needed! Within days I’d learned how to load images! In the days that followed, I learned much more too, including some excellent hints and tips on interactions in the blogosphere. Zero to Hero definitely eased my journey into blogging. I remain grateful 🙂

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else!”

This is a quotation I have often found myself repeating over many years in diverse circumstances. For this post I rechecked its originator: Laurence J Peter (1919-1990), a Canadian educator and management theorist. You may have heard of his famous “Peter Principle”. I recalled this useful quotation when I re-read my very first live blog post here on Oak Trees Studio. I had written,

“This blog is definitely a work in progress. I’m thinking that’s really the nature of all blogs. A blog starts like a tiny seed and as we nurture it, it grows. As it grows it develops all kinds of branching off-shoots, reflecting the blogger’s interests and inspirations.

But I think also a blog needs to have strong roots to steady it and hold it firm. I think those roots are borne out of the blogger’s initial purpose for the blog. From the initial inspiration – the ‘why I am doing this blog’ – the blog needs to develop its own persona, its own style and voice.”

I think I was right with my “work in progress” notion of blogging. A blog is like an ongoing ‘live event’. We add further ‘acts’ to it on a regular basis. I think trying to keep in mind the question, “Why am I doing this blog?” has helped me put down the roots of my blog and helped me shape its own persona. Some things I have tried and then changed – different themes, different posting techniques. Other things I have adopted as more regular features of my blog: I aim to join in at least one photo challenge a week (Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is my favourite 🙂 ); I aim to write at least one post a week on a current creative project – from crochet to gardening; nature’s art usually features strongly in my weekly offerings too.

Through the Zero to Hero course I learned that as well as writing posts, there was another Very Important Element to blogging – other people! I have really enjoyed visiting your blogs, reading your posts and looking at your photographs. I have learned so many new things, seen some amazing nature close-up and ‘visited’ so many new places. It’s been fabulous!

Suddenly, here I am, a year of blogging later. My 142 posts have collectively received over 6,000 views! “Thank you”, to all my regular visitors and, if you’ve maybe just dropped by to learn how to turn a shirt collar, “Thank you also – I hope you found what you needed”. (Did you know 4 people needed to know how to turn a shirt collar on Christmas Day! Wow! 😀 ) I want to thank you all so much for joining me on my blogging journey. I truly appreciate your support.

Winter reflections

Here’s to another productive year of blogging in 2015!

Happy New Year 😀

J Peggy Taylor