A Blogger's Toolbox ...

As we all know, a lot of hard work and valuable time go into creating a blog and maintaining it. Of course, there is nothing written in stone about the maintenance part -- it's strictly up to the blogger how much time he or she wants to spend on it. But if you're like me, I try to post something new (and, hopefully, interesting) every day, and that's not easy to do ... at least, it isn't easy for me.

Thank goodness, there are a few tools we bloggers have at our fingertips which make it less stressful -- and more fun -- to create our masterpieces.

For instance, I have an icon on my desktop for Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus, and it's practically worn out. I'm always clicking on it in hopes of coming up with new and eloquent words to replace the tired old adjectives that I find myself using over and over ...

And I really can't imagine creating a blog post without my camera and Photoshop Elements 7 program ...

And my books that tell me how to USE my camera and photoshop program (oops ... I should have removed the "For Dummies" books!).

And then there's the No. 1 blogger's tool ...

Can you imagine writing a blog without Google? I also use Google's "Image" Search" feature a lot.

And, of course, what would we do without Blogger and all those wonderful little widgets ...

And then there are the fun tools that imaginative bloggers have created themselves to stimulate imaginations and creative writing skills. Such as the "Memes," where we can confess our innermost secrets or vices ... and "Theme Days" for every day of the week where we can write about our Blue Mondays, Red Fridays, and Pink Saturdays.

Or the "Show and Tell Days" when we can talk about our latest flea market find, or "trash" that we've transformed into treasure, or our elegant or whimsical tablescapes.

There is even a "Wordless Wednesday Day" when we don't even have to write anything... we can just show our prized photos depicting the "word for the day" (I hope to participate in that one soon).

Another great tool I use is Blogger's Help page ...

It has simple, easy-to-follow (aka "for dummies") tutorials that show you how to put pictures in your header, edit templates, insert a background in your blog, and lots of other good information.

I created my blog less than a year ago, on April 21, 2008, and wrote my first post which was called Only a True Southerner Knows the Difference. It was about as "plain Jane" as you can get (not one picture, can you believe?) ... and I was thrilled when four sweet ladies left comments about it. I couldn't believe they even found it, much less took time to leave a comment. Bless you, Judy, Nancy, Rue, and Dot!

I'd like to think that I've come a long way since that first scary post ... and I'd like to thank my blogging friends for the encouragement, kind words, and inspiration you've given me since that first tentative step I took into the world of blogging. You, my friends, have been my greatest "tool" of all!

Sincerely,

Reflections on the Doors of Blogging ...

On April 21, 2008, I wrote my first blog post (I do wish it was called something a little more elegant than blog, considering the time and effort we put into creating them!). My first post wasn't anything personal or exceptional, just an excerpt from a book about funny Southern expressions ... but from the moment I clicked on the "Publish Post" button, I was hooked. I thought it was the "neatest thing since sliced bread," as we say here in the South.

But at that time, I didn't realize how blogging would open doors for me that I probably never would have entered if I hadn't discovered the fascinating world of blogging.

[Picture borrowed from The Art of Shirley Reade]

The first door blogging opened for me was the "Door to a New Perspective." Since I began writing my blog, I seem to see everyday things in a different light and from a different perspective. Everywhere I go, I see places or things that I want to share with my family and friends. It may be a pretty house, or a clump of wildflowers on the side of a road, cows grazing in a pasture, or butterflies fluttering amongst my lantana blossoms outside my window. Everything seems to be more vivid and interesting now ... things I didn't really "see" or notice before.

Another door blogging has opened for me is the "Door to Learning." I have learned so much from reading other blogs -- from decorating and gardening tips to recipes, and exploring new places. I've also learned from writing my blog.

Once I decide on a subject to write about, I spend a good bit of time researching it, which helps to enhance the experience for me. For instance, I recently wrote a post about our hummingbirds (see Saying Goodbye to our Hummingbirds), and through my research, discovered so many things about them that I didn't know. I find them even more fascinating now and enjoy watching them so much more.

And when we spent a family vacation in Blue Ridge, Georgia, my husband and I traveled to the quaint Alpine village of Helen, Georgia, and I devoted an entire post to that visit, including its history and several pictures I took while we were there. If you'd like to learn more about Helen, please read my post called, A Visit to an Alpine Village in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I'd like to go back to Helen someday ... there were so many things we didn't have time to see.

The third door blogging has opened for me is the "Door to Creativity." I love every aspect of creating my blog ... from choosing a subject and researching it to visiting new and interesting places and sharing them with you through my stories and pictures. I feel as if my imagination, creativeness, and writing skills (what little I possess) have been stimulated and challenged through blogging.<

Since I began to write my blog, one of my favorite pastimes has become photography, and I love seeing the world around me through the lens of my camera. I've gotten to the point that I take it with me most places I go now, just in case. You never know when you're going to see something you'd like to capture in a picture to enjoy later or to share on your blog. Everywhere I go, I see photographic opportunities, which I either took for granted or just didn't see before I started my blog ... like this old urn I discovered in a cemetery on the Natchez Trace ...

Or these spider lilies I spotted on the side of a road ...

The most meaningful door that blogging has opened for me is the "Door to Friendship." Everyday I am amazed and inspired by the heartfelt comments from my blogging friends about my blog posts. To think that you seem to sincerely care about the things I write about just boggles my mind. I truly appreciate your taking the time to read them and leave such sweet and supportive notes.

Although we haven't met "face to face," I have come to know ... and admire ... and feel affection for so many of you from reading your life stories as told through your blogs. I've shared your emotions, both happy and sad, and have laughed and cried as I've read your words (sometimes at the same time). Your sweet spirits, compassion for others, and devotion to your families and God never cease to inspire me to be a better person.

I am so glad that I discovered the wonderful world of blogging ... and I am thankful to have found you, my friends.

Sincerely,