Tag Archives: Benefits of Blogging

Pauline the Wise and Wonderful

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Our Wedding Day, September 5th, will always be a day that signifies love, life, and loss: the day of Pauline’s birth and also the day she left her dear daughters, Danella and Jo, her sweet Siddy and Orlando, and so many, many friends.

Dear Pauline, when I think of you, I think of wisdom, artistry, and kindness. What a giver of love and life you were!

I will miss knowing you are not in Dunedin waiting for us to visit again, but I am thankful that I will wake every morning to your painting of daisies and when at work, the gorgeous painting of me on my bike.
Friends, please visit Alys Milner’s blog post about Pauline so that you may learn more about this remarkable woman.

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* I am on my honeymoon and am not able to access much of my photos; I will add images of Pauline’s paintings when I return *

 

Finding Merry

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To my WP friends the world over, those who celebrate and those who do not, know that you have enriched my life. May the blessings of health, contentment, and peace be yours.

Blog Tour: Partial Failure

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What a whirlwind week it has been, one filled with many big and small things!

The biggest and most important thing was undergoing my 15th procedure since the wreck and to finally have my smile restored!  I’ve not devoted much blog space to the events of the past 9 months, and the only reason I’m doing so today is because this important event kept me from fulfilling an obligation that I committed myself to.

I’d been asked by 3 different bloggers to participate in a Blog Tour. I appreciated the invitations but knowing that I was a bit over extended and had a big case pending, I initially declined. Eventually I did agree to participate because it seemed fun, and a nice way to meet other bloggers.

The rules are simple.  The invited participant composes a one-time post. 4 questions are answered and then 4 other bloggers are invited to create a post, answering those same questions.

I dutifully made a calendar note to create a post, but then … I forgot to invite others to participate!

I must apologize to Emilio for only partially fulfilling my role as participant.  Please check out his post about the Virtual Blog Tour.

 And since we’re talking Tours, why don’t you visit a Displaced Beachbum.  She’s traveled the world and is currently touring Scotland.

Jo the Tart Queen is another blogger whose posts share delicious sounding recipes and beautiful photos from her travels.

So … the Answers to the 4 Questions in brief:

What am I currently working on?  I’m continuing my growth as an amateur photographer and am so happy to have been included as one of the photographers in a new B&W Photography Blog called Monochromia.  Please visit the blog and check out the great work of the participating photographers.

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How does my work differ from others of its genre? I have no specific goal other than to improve and no specific subject other than what draws and attracts my eye.  I do like to travel as much as I can and many of my posts are about the things I see from the road … short, local trips and longer, more adventurous ones.

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Why do I write/create what I do?  Simply put: It’s all about the joy, the fun, and the opportunity to be creative in a life filled with work and structure.

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How does your writing/creating process work?  Oh gosh … let’s see.  Something draws my attention. I pull over, crawl around on the ground, climb a ladder, fence, or bed of the truck, or slide down a riverbank, and shoot and shoot and shoot.  Once I get home, I just pray that something worked!  I do edit but not extensively.

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Thanks Emilio for inviting me to be a part of this tour!

International SkypeTea Party!

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Somehow, a Harley riding photographer from Virginia, became linked, via the joy that is WordPress blogging, with a talented, creative group of women from around the world.  When Boomdee suggested we have an international Tea Party by Skype, we all jumped at the chance to particpate.

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We each wore a hat and gloves, and were prepared with tea to drink and a poem to share.  I was tempted to wear my helmet and leather, but couldn’t resist letting my inner Lady shine through with elbow length white gloves.  You’re not surprised to learn that I had wine in my tea cup, are you?

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Despite a few technical difficulties, and most of us not being able to see the others, we were able to hear each others voices, and enjoy poems, laughter, and stories.  While I would have loved to see faces, I truly feel that I got to know these women a little better just by listening to their voices.

And before we knew it, a couple hours had passed, and we had all enjoyed a fabulous evening!!

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Please, please, please check out the posts from the other Skype Tea participants.  They have described the process far better than I – including how to coordinate a Skype session for 6 busy women from several different countries and time zones!

Thank you Boomdee, at Boomdeeadda for organizing this international Skype Tea Party. Check out her post Blogging With Friends From Far Away

Alys at Gardening Nirvana entitled her post Blogging Nirvana.  How perfect is that title?

Dani from Teddy and Tottie wrote More Lady Edith than Audrey

Pauline from The Contented Crafter described the tea in Still No Art – Just More Life

(I’ll add posts from our last two Skype Tea partiers soon).

I’m such a lucky woman and I can not wait for the next Tea Party!

Another Gift of Blogging Connections

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One day last week I stopped by my friend Joe’s blog and saw a photo that I loved so much, all I could say was “Dang, Joe! Just DANG”!

Yeah … I have such a way with words 🙂

I fell in love with that photo and I told Joe so.  One week later, a beautiful framed copy was hanging on my wall.  My whole staff came in to view and admire it and I could not be happier.

Joe is a guy who has transcended blogger status and become a friend, and I hope to travel up north to meet him, and his wife, some day.  We share messages via WP, FB, and email, and Joe is helping me to wade through the ocean of information about cameras, computers, and software. If you haven’t visited his blog, please do so!!  This link will take you to the original view of the photo.

http://joeinfocus.wordpress.com/2013/12/04/lands-end/

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It’s not just Joe and his wife that I’d love to meet though.  I’ve been telling Boomdee, and Crystal and Liana and Lynda and Mike and Mae (and so many others of you!), that we need to have a big ol blogging cocktail party somewhere in the middle of North America and invite everyone to come!  No worries, my overseas friends, we’ll charter a plane to get you here, too.

Hey … a gal can dream can’t she?

 

Joy Through the Mail – From Blogger Boomdee!!

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This past Thursday evening I arrived home, so very ready for a nap after just my second day back to work since the wreck. So what did I find at my door?  A package!!  The stickers let me know that this gift had come from quite a distance, but it was the stamp, that let me know I was in for a treat. Those of  you fortunate to know and follow this blogger, will surely recognize the AQUA sneakers!

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After opening the mailing bag, I found several beautifully wrapped treasures and I felt like a child on Christmas Eve!  And similar to the tradition of Christmas Eve, I took myself off to bed to give my body the rest that it needed, savoring (and saving) the presents for the next morning.

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As I opened each gift, I could not stop smiling!  I’m not much of a crafty person, but I know how much work went into these gifts and that made them even more special.

How had Boomdee made this T-shirt?  Six of my photographs, with the first part of the name of my blog, Life on the Bike, added to the motorcycle mirror in one of the photos. The six images are surrounded with the words that comprise the second part of the name of my blog, … And other fab things.  I could not love this more!

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I continued to open the gifts and found happiness in each one.

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Just look at all of the intricate pieces …

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… and this incredible homemade card (check out this link to Boomdee’s blog to learn how she did it!).

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The Jeannette Walls quote was timely given recent events …

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… and the words that Boomdee wrote meant much.

The Canadian Biker magazine was a perfect fit for me, because I WILL ride in Canada someday!  Boomdee even remembered my cat, and believe me, Abby loved that catnip toy.

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So why do we blog?  To share our words, our photography, our passions, and our lives, of course.

Why do we keep on blogging?  For the friendships and the connections and the love.

Previously I said that I was like a child at Christmas … but really, it’s all about Thanksgiving, my most favorite holiday.

Thank you Boomdee, for this wonderful gift and for sharing your remarkable talents with me.

If you have not met her yet, be sure to to visit!!

Boomdeeaadda: Blogging About Art, Life & Other Bits