Was three days a long enough of a hiatus in order to get back my blogging mojo?
Truth be told, it was closer to seven days; I was down on gardening/blogging right after my post last Thursday and wrote my temporary sabbatical post on Sunday.
Well, a lot has changed over the past week and I’m back and ready to kick some ass again.
I should clarify that last statement; a lot has changed “inside my head” and as bizarre a place that might be, I thought it might be interesting to share those changes in thought with you (guess the “obsessive” and “neurotic” monikers were dead on after all, eh?):
- My mother-in-law came to visit from Oregon this past week and she is a big gardening fan so I may have put a bit of unnecessary pressure on myself to impress. My photography has improved over the past few years which really means I have learned how to hide a lot of my garden flaws from readers of this blog. But now I was going to be exposed. Once she arrived, I think I heard her mutter the word “lush” as she toured the gardens and from that point on, all the pressure was off. Ahhhhhh …
- We have had nothing but 95 degree weather or warmer for the past week so I’ve had to spend all of my gardening time watering and trying to keep the plants alive and thriving. No time for hardcore weeding or digging out new beds or planning of any sorts. It’s amazing how that gives you a better appreciation of what you have rather than what “could be”.
- I’ve upped my exercise/running routine and there is nothing that clears the mind and puts you in a solid mental state like a hard run in 90 degree weather. Guess I should also be thankful that I didn’t die from heat exhaustion.
- My issue was never with blogging, but more with all of the time I was consumed with analyzing reader traffic and how I could improve the look and feel of my site. F that, I’m going to keep writing and taking photos and let the chips fall as they may. This is just too much fun and a much needed escape from my corporate job.
- Maybe this is obvious to every other gardener alive, but I really need to remind myself that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. I have a large property and still somewhat of a blank canvas. That is a blessing and not a curse. So I need to stop and smell the roses more often (Well maybe not roses, I’ve done nothing but kill roses in the past … but you get the point).
- Finally, I’m going to compare gardening to baseball once again. Both past times are a grind and marathon like, where you have to just try and survive some days (especially in the dead of summer). But each day brings you a mini adventure or a new sub-plot and the fun is in how you make it through that.
So yes, I’m back with a refreshed perspective on things and we’ll see where that takes us.
Here are some recent pics from out in the garden and we’ll all talk again real soon, aight?:
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| My attempt at a shade container using the thriller, filler, spiller idea |
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| The Monarda (Bee Balm) plants are thriving even with these hot temps |
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| I have managed to fend off the rabbits/deer to actually see some ‘Little Grapette’ daylily blooms |
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| Clethra (summersweet) ‘Hummingbird’ is in full bloom |
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| The backlit blooms of Calamagrostis (Feather reed grass) rocking out |
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| A few Asclepias (Swamp Milkweed) ‘Ice Ballet’ have emerged out of nowhere and are blooming |
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| Mountain mint (will spare you the Latin name this time) is in full bloom and buzzing with bees |
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| Who needs blooms when you have texture like this with Amsonia (Eastern Bluestar) |
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| Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats) with Mountain Mint in the back |
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| Phenomenal color on the Carex ‘Cappuccino’ |
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| ‘Fragrant Angel’ coneflower and yes it has the fragrance of an angel (huh?) |
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| Fave new plant for lighting up in shade – Northern Sea Oats ‘River Mist’ |
Glad to see you back!
Sounds like you are working it out. I wouldn’t even know how to begin to analyze traffic, and it sounds as if that is a good thing. Ha!
Glad to have you back, please don’t give up either blogging or gardening. I occasionally look at my stats, but you know what? That way madness lies. I love when people read and comment, cause it’s nice to make friends, even if they’re just Internet friends, and I like hearing what they think. But I really don’t want to grow my blog like it’s a business. It’s supposed to be fun and relaxing, and when it becomes a business, it becomes the opposite of fun and relaxing.
I love that variegated sea oats. And I remember MIL pressure.
I also fit in the “don’t know how to analyze traffic” category, so I just post for the heck of it and hope somebody else likes it!! Just enjoy your gardening and photography and the rest will come. Stay cool.
See, didn’t I tell you to knock off the analyzing ONG! This is and should be a fun activity! I will try to keep reminding you. You also have a different mountain mint than I do. I’ll post mine. Should know better than to think there is only one kind! Welcome back ONG! Keep your analyzing to the garden! LVL
Love that Amsonia, never heard of Clethra with look it up. Your plants always look like they are so perfectly healthy and lush. our daylilys have been trashed with the torrential rains we had over here.
Paul
I think your photos are great, we all get a little better with photography when blogging. I go through exactly what you do with the ups and downs off trying to get all of this blogging and photographing done. We all need a break every once in a while!
Eileen
Great photo of the monarda…nicely done. Isn’t the Clethra heavenly? Love its fragrance.
I look at my traffic sometimes, it’s depressing to see I’ve had lots of visitors . . mostly from some weird site. There was one for a while, then it stopped, and then a different one started. Between that, and the house, and it being winter, my mojo isn’t quite there either. Anyway, I’m glad you’ve got yours back. You write beautifully, your photos are lovely, your garden looks great and if it isn’t quite finished, well, are they ever? Please keep blogging, but most important please keep doing it at an enjoyable level and find time for all the things you enjoy!
(Btw no need to reply to me, or to visit my blog in return, all rather cold and quiet here.)
Letting perfectionism overtake oneself is selfdefeating…and oh so hard to stop.
I live in Jersey, have friends in Ringoes and always think of your lovely property as I look at the larger parcels along my drive out there from near the Monmouth County shore.
You have done a FABULOUS job on your property and must know in your intelligent mind that it takes YEARS to fully develop an entire “landscape” for any site particularly when you’re doing it yourself. Add in family, corporate hours and blogging and you’re pretty much pushing the limits of time and human capacity. Given all that, you’ve STILL created such beauty that you so generously share it with the world through this blog.
Since my father passed away I had to sell my parent’s home last year so I’ve lost the only place I had to garden. Your blog has been one of the important places I’ve come to satisfy my need for some vicarious gardening/landscaping happiness…right here in Jersey. I owe you a great big thank you for that.
You’ll find the balance you want and it’ll be right for you. Then time goes by, demands shift and you’ll shift with it.
Gardening, like life, is a journey and not a goal.
Working with my plants or raising butterflies were the activities when my mind was completely free of intrusive thoughts. I don’t count being unhappy with how plants, weather and other “natural” things were or weren’t going my way…as if I was ever any match for Mother Nature or the wisdom of experience.
You put yourself out there for interested and appreciative fans. I’ve never posted anything as was intimidated to expose poor grammar and sappy thoughts after marveling at the beauty you’ve created and shared on this blog. Blog posts on your timetable are what’s anticipated…no personal responses required!
Catching up here – I’m so glad you decided to continue on. You’re photography is awesome and inspiring as is your blog itself! I can only dream of gardening like you do. My claim to fame is weeds and rambling plants that apparently I have no idea that when planted they would take over. You’re blog gives me hope that one day my garden will look somewhat as good as yours.