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Home, Garden, Life was born back in 2011. Precious hours spent writing, editing, photographing posts with the hope of sharing/inspiring those who follow. 2019 arrived, and I ponder whether my efforts are now relevant.
The world is rapidly changing and not for the better in many instances. Most people have short attention spans, are overworked, are underpaid, are constantly stressed, all while being over medicated, addicted to caffeine and most devices. When I think back, and not that long ago, immediate access to people, places, and things were not necessary…so why the urgency now?
The subject of Home continues to be all the rage with online programs and FB pages like Fixer Upper and Houzz, yet my personal projects fail to evoke comments from readers. If this blog fails to inspire, what’s the point?
Garden topics continue to amuse and frustrate those who attempt this hobby. I admit, these days I enjoy seeing Monty Don on his YouTube channel. He takes me to all the grand gardens of the world; places I will never see first hand. Monty raises gardening to a high art jammed with history. I surmise England does not have the ravenous insects/fungal issues of my garden experience here in central Virginia. These dormant days, my visits to the garden include only bushels of pine bark mulch, river rock, and pea gravel — my endless attempts to slow down water on a site wrongly graded back in 1972.
Life is a gift, yet with current events, I limit my exposure. I enjoyed travels/experiments of youth, and am grateful for those years. Photography remains a love, yet my camera now sits idle with a dust cover. As I rapidly approach a significant birthday, I question my validity as a blogger, homeowner, gardener, and productive human being.
Everyone deserves a roof over their head, a healthy meal or two, access to quality medical care, and inspiration to follow a passion. When I learn about the homelessness of Silicon Valley employees and the grotesque wealth of tech giants, I feel saddened.
When I learn about the vast and growing plastic pollution in our planet’s oceans, I feel sick.
https://www.theoceancleanup.com
Paramount is the fact that the USA is currently saddled with an American president who clearly demonstrates signs of mental illness. Just click the link below to watch/listen.
And I am powerless to change any of this.
Although, not completely ambivalent, I lobby for US legislation that supports reduction of wild bird “death by glass” by changing building codes that require non-reflective glass walls. Also, I regularly correspond with local government officials regarding affordable housing. My small town of Charlottesville, VA (recently in world news for the wrong reasons) is exploding with housing projects, few which are affordable and most prices are in excess of 400K. Finally, I remain passionate about recycling and converse often with local officials regarding the efficiency of our center. Where does all that stuff go? How much of it is actually recycled?
Decisions of the majority are skewed. Greed is prevalent. Perhaps evolution will take care if it. Perhaps we will implode. Perhaps a grand shift will snap the majority to attention. For now I will focus on what I can improve/accept/ignore and attempt to stay on an even keel.
Nature remains my sanctuary.
Perhaps missed, perhaps not.
PS: Reader comments are invited…”likes” are not. I sincerely appreciate comments already posted. Keep them coming. I need proof that I am not blogging into the abyss. I want to see if there is a pulse out there. 😉
Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved
home, garden, life 
Hi Diane, I can’t tell you how many times I have stopped by over the years to see if you have written a post. Sometimes I went to old posts and left a second message to wish you well. I think you went months without a post and your readers thought that you had given up blogging. Even now, it has been months since you wrote this post. Hopefully you will be inspired by the beauty of spring and share some of what is beautiful in Virginia with us. It takes time to build up a following, I spend hours each day visiting the blogs of those that leave me a comment. You have to not only write, but answer comments and visit other bloggers. If people disappoint you, nature is always there to step up. Smile and look for the good…there is a lot out there.
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Emailed from Joe:
Good morning Diane,
Your Feb. 7 post showed up this morning & I was surprised. This is the 1st. post of yours I’ve received in a long time. I’ve enjoyed every post received & saved them in a folder. This morning I re-read your Pies & Peonies from May 2017 & if you question your “validity” you might think of the joy you brought to the lady when you gave her a single flower. Some of your posts with their beautiful photos & prose have a similar effect.
I admit sometimes wondering if I am just taking up space & not contributing but every once in a while something happens that is encouraging. I hope you take the dust cover off your camera & continue your blog. It is informative & pleasurable.
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Hi Cynthia, thank you for your kind words. Recent replies from otherwise silent followers urge me to continue this blog. Now to find fresh fodder! Diane
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We may not comment on every post, Diane, but I appreciate the ones I read, and I appreciate you! These days, I cope with visiting the many bloggers I follow by ‘settling in’ with each one and ‘catching up’ with their lives and thoughts, one blogger at a time. I don’t get to many in a day, but I learn more about each one.
I also must admit that I lose track the rest of the time, and default to visiting with the bloggers who commented on or Liked my posts recently, as this jogs my memory.
Thank you for sharing with us your posts on home, garden, life and issues that should concern many of us.
Isn’t it interesting how, as we get older, we try to live a peaceful life, but wherever we are, certain events affect us or worry us anyway. How we live with the earth and how we live with each other are two issues that always require attention.
My best wishes, Diane.
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Sent by a friend via email…”However, you are a gifted writer and need to share your knowledge of nature’s beauty and our best friend food, so keep it up. I bet more people read what you write than you think.”
Sal
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Christine, thank you for your words from South Uist! We are cut from the same cloth and I will continue to make my way, come what may. Nature is my sanctuary.
I did need a boost from my readers, and the few who shared comments inspire me to continue.
“Likes” don’t do it for me…what does a like mean? A few sentences cross miles and seas to brighten my winter day.
Thank you again for your thoughtfulness, Chris. Wish I could join you for tea and scones. I applied mulch most of today in windy, 50F and although invigorating, I will settle for a cup of bone broth, quinoa and blanched kale.
Be well. Diane
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Diane, please keep writing, you have an audience who enjoy your blogs.
I took a rest from writing for most of last year (life demanded my attention elsewhere), but when I came back I was surprised by the warmth of the welcome.
I think we are of the generation that now sees all the we strived for – equal rights, a sustainable green community, compasionate human rights and the importance of a work life balanced, trashed by a greedy consumer driven society and lead by incompetent, self-seeking politicians. However, we are a generation of fighters (not quitters), so keep writing, keep campaigning, we need women like you to inspire and lead.
Be kind to yourself, write when you have something to share and don’t be a slave to your blog, we will look forward tl hearing from you as and when.
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Well said Kerry. Perhaps I expect too much from my efforts. After all, I am merely dust on the wind.
To quote Crowfoot, ” What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.”
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Well said, Jeanne. Thanks for your regular visits and comments. Onward!
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Will do, Donald. 😉
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Linda, From one writer to another, thank you! Diane
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Hello Grace, so nice to hear from you again. Still in AR? 😉
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Diane, Yes, I shall. Thank you for your comments.
This brings to mind a quote read recently…”change the way you look at things, and things you look at change.”
Diane
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Carol, Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I appreciate your time. I have experimented with different reflective tape for my casement windows. Currently, I have strips of Mylar tape, found around July 4th at the Family Dollar, taped to the top of my windows. The strips dangle down the length of the pane. Hung outside the pane, the breeze blows them about, deterring bird crashes. Recently I hung the dangling tape inside the windows, and can see the reflective part from outside. So far, no bird crashes, and no messy Mylar on outside of window. Audubon FB feed often has info on this topic. Good luck.
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so true and so well said
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Well done! You have a way with words and expressed ideas that many fail to say. Keep up the good work!
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Talent like yours is rare! Don’t waste it worrying about things you can not change. Keep working to educate anyone who might learn a bit about the great out doors.
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Well, as you know Diane, I have always been a regular visitor. I am not a gardener (my plants live by their wits), but I always enjoy yours, and your cooking shares. I have a tremendous amount on my plate time wise, but I never want to give up blogging … it’s an avenue of writing – an offering, if you will – for people to enjoy and participate in, or not. I love to write. And coordinate art with it. And bring something positive out into the world. And I think that’s what you do. But you have to decide if it’s worth it. Yes, there’s a lot of negativity out there. I’d like to think that many of us balance that out a little with our blogs and add some positivity back in. 🙂
p.s. Love the mental fitness video. Scary.
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Your comments have me in a contemplative mood. I’m a relatively new subscriber. Gardening is my passion and I love the birds, butterflies, beneficials, etc hovering nearby. I will have to look into non-reflective storm doors for my house. They would definitely be so much more effective than the reflective stick-ons in helping prevent bird strikes.
We can’t give up hope on mankind’s plight. I believe we all need a heart – change, probably at the start of every morning. It’s so easy to keep the focus on “me” not considering the things you mentioned and much left unsaid. Your post is a wake-up call. Thank you for caring and blogging about things that truly matter.
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Oh Diane, I can understand your frustration. I think that blogging is a different beast then it was. Your relevance and importance have nothing to do with traction in a blog. Your voice, passion and art are of value to the world, even if only a few people see them. However, I’m not a fan of Marie Kondo, but she got one thing right, if it doesn’t give you joy, jettison it. If it feeds you to keep writing, even if only a few people see it, then keep on, if not do something else with your energy and creativity. The one thing that is true about media of all types, is that we have to keep zigging and zagging and changing our expectations as well as how we do things. Hugs.
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May I share a personal tip that may help you manage in this ugly modern world?
Focus, follow, support and celebrate the positive. Change your outlook and give recognition to the hard working volunteers; the strong women and minorities trying to make a difference; the artists, the gardeners, the crafters. They are producing and trying to make this world a better place. Acknowledge them and you will see the world as a brighter place
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Thank you Paula. So nice to hear from you. Hope life is good for you and yours. Diane
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Diane, Do not give up in sending updates on your beautiful garden projects. They are always inspiring and even when life gets in the way of commenting, your words stay with us and inspire us to do our own garden projects no matter the outcome. Happy New Year and best wishes always!
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Thank you CC for your kind words. It is nice to know that I am appreciated and not just writing into the abyss. Diane
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while i do not always comment on your posts, i have very much enjoyed your beautiful thoughtful pix. and while we cannot always change the world… i thank you for adding beauty, nature’s grace, and your sharings (maybe not a word, but heart felt) with me.
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