This morning the break in the clouds wasn't on the horizon but above a low cloud bank.
Eighteen degrees and another dusting of snow this morning.
Just loved the reflection of the emerging sun in the clouds.
The vehicles in the parking lot...
...looked anything but inviting in the pre-dawn light. But they waited patiently to take the owners wherever they needed to go on this crispy morning.
I paused to watch the sun rise into that crack in the sky.
I confess that the mornings I am awake...
...I am the drawn observer when there is a sunrise to behold.
This morning was golden, people! Golden! For those brief glorious minutes. ;)
A little while later I caught this plane gliding through the air. You may have to click on the picture to enlarge to even see it (a little left of center). Looked so tiny in the vast sky.
Made me think about how amazing it is that we can put those huge metal birds up in the sky in the first place. Human beings hold endless potential, don't they?
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Some of the cut cat grass is growing! Enough for a snack, anyways--LOL!
Speaking of grass...guess what came in the mail yesterday!! Karma has no clue, but a bag filled with oat seed came all the way from the family feed mill in Pennsylvania from AliceKay!! Whoohoo! Looks identical to the oat seed I get in the cat grass seed bags. Next time I plant I will definitely plant seeds from Karma's gift bag. Thanks so very, very much, AliceKay!! That was so thoughtful of you. Karma will be kept in her oat cat grass for a long time!! Wow!!
Meanwhile, Karma is missing her low cream-colored (actually dog) bed where her fake treats are usually served in an old tea can and a jar cover. (Keeps the greasy kernels off the carpet.) Caroline came yesterday and when I moved the bed so she could vacuum I decided that bed was due for a washing.
So, Miss Karma has been stuck with her little hunk of indoor-outdoor carpeting on which she is usually served her dried catnip. Do you see the staring look of disbelief?
I'm washing clothes this morning. Karma's precious low soft bed will be returned to its spot and the world will be back on its proper axis. ;)
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Okay, I have questions.
This last week I have been seeing new comment boxes pop up that look different. They do not have any place for you to check a request to get the follow-up comments emailed to you. I figured either you would automatically get them all the time or never get them. So far it looks to me that it is the latter. Have you noticed this change? I tried to check mine and it looks like mine was changed without my knowledge, but I'm not positive. Can you request follow-up comments any more on my blog? Have you been getting my responses?
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If you can't, I have no idea if this can be changed. I am using the old version as it is and haven't made any changes, so maybe this must be something they have automatically changed across the board. As you know, I am used to responding to comments right in my comment section. But there's no point if nobody will see them! I am flummoxed!
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And, while we're on the subject, does it matter to you if I don't personally respond to your comments on my blog? Or is it okay that I comment on your blogs and you know I read and appreciate each and every comment on mine? Some of you may never have been reading them in the first place because then you had to get all the subsequent comments from everybody which just fills up your inbox. I'd really appreciate some feedback.
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I've been thinking quite a bit lately about how much time I spend on the laptop. I have soooo enjoyed our conversations that go on in my comment section. Makes me smile just to think of it. But, I also notice that not too many blogs I follow actually do respond to each comment. Most of them don't respond. A few respond only to specific questions. And then some people respond via emails--which I found totally confusing when it first happened--LOL! Well, you know how easily computer stuff confuses me. ;) How does that work, anyways?
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So many questions, I know. But I have been debating what to do because I can't keep up anymore unless I spend almost all of my good hours online every day. But I also want to paint and read and do crafts, as you know. I have been blessed with these wonderful new followers the past several months which I am absolutely thrilled with. But, on the other hand, it makes it harder to keep abreast with my growing blog family. I kind of knew this day would come one day, you know? It's actually a wonderful thing to be complaining about, isn't it?
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But it seems like the only choices I have are that I can either post less often, stop replying to each comment on my blog, not comment every single time on other people's blogs I read, or just plain take a hiatus from blogging for a while. None of which feel good, you know? What have you guys done? What would you like to see me change if you had to pick? If I knew how to make a poll....LOL!
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Anyways, you don't have to say if you don't want to. No pressure. Just I thought I'd ask for feedback to help me decide. Thanks so much! Love you all! Have a great day!
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I noticed this quote because it is from the author of my Healing Runes book!
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"There is a calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy."
Ralph H. Blum
20 comments:
the sunrises are lovely!
i do not respond to comments i get - unless someone asks a specific question - then hopefully they have email published so i can respond directly. if i have to go back to their blog to do it, i probably won't. i don't expect a response when i leave a comment - unless i ask a real question.
someone else did a post about not being able to ask for follow up comments so i think that was a universal change blogger made.
Hi!
I have all my comments sent to my email address, and it's easier for me to respond to people that way. Except some people have no email addresses, then I can't respond.
You are one of few bloggers I know that respond to comments in the comments section. I don't know how many people go back to check for a response?
Rita, you do what you are able to do. We wouldn't want you to overexert yourself or take up precious time trying to figure this thing out. Sometimes I take a few days off... I don't think many people notice the absence of my posts. I don't usually post on Sat and Sundays... my break? Some days I just don't have anything to say or to share. But I eventually make up for it in the long run. You just need to decide how important blogging is to you... I personally hope you don't stop blogging. I love seeing Karma and your craft stuff and today's sunrise was astounding!
Lastly.. what was the other thing you brought up.. oh yeah, I agree with TexWisGirl, I think there was a universal blogger change. They've been doing that lately GRR!! And no, on your blog I can't request follow ups... but on some others, I can. I'm not sure what the difference is.
Well I'm a computer moron so let me start by saying I had no idea you could ask for follow up comments. I did noticed that the pre-posting option is gone off my blog. I do not expect a response to my comments unless there is a question asked. Also I have been there. I used to respond to each comment then found most people don't respond anyway so it cut a lot of time for me to not do that.. I want to thank you for making your font bigger. So much easier to read now. You are a sweet heart!
I usually reply to all comments people leave - if I can find something to say back to them - but I don't think it matters if you don't. If you get a spacific question that needs an answer then you could answer that (or do your next post on the topic) but otherwise just make sure people know you don't generally respond to individual comments and leave it at that.
If I leave a comment on a blog where I know the author of the blog routinely leaves a response to each comment, I make a point of returning to that blog. On my own blog, I sometimes leave responses for everyone, but more often I don't. It all depends on whether I have time. I always try to repay visits I get, but that isn't always possible either. I very seldom request email follow ups to comments left on blogs. As it is, I get too many emails. I really don't think there's any need to stress. Everyone seems to do what works best for them.
I fully agree that the more regulars we have visiting our blogs, the more time we spend repaying visits. Bloggers who blog daily or several times a week are difficult for me to keep up with. I used to try but it became ridiculous. I'd no sooner be all caught up, than I'd fall behind again almost instantaneously. It became quite stressful. So now, I limit my visits to a couple of posts per blogger per week and then, only if and when I can manage it. I post roughly once every 5 to 7 days, myself. Sometimes the interval is a little longer. It all depends on time available for blogging. I don't stress about it. First and foremost, I blog to keep a record for myself. I count myself fortunate when visitors drop by and leave a comment. I'd hate anyone to feel obliged to do so!
I think it's a Universal change but I'm not sure if they are in the process of changing things up because the new Comment box seems a little bare to me.
I put a message in my comment form telling people that I don't always have time to respond the comments they leave but I do read and appreciate every one. I also state that, if they have any specific questions re. my posts or blog, that they are more than welcome to email me.
It's hard enough trying to keep up with the blogging world so I truly don't have time to reply to comments all of the time. Sometimes, I manage it, other times, not.
I certainly don't expect you to reply to comments, Rita. It's purely up to you but, as I know you generally do reply, I will often go back to check.
We are on opposite sides of the coin - you get sunrises... I get sunsets - you have Karma Kat... I love dogs - you answer each comment... I rarely do (I read each and every comment and delight in the feedback and knowing "someone bothered to drop by and maybe read what I posted"). I always return to your posts to read you replies (as I do Tori's and a few others that do that) - your replies in the comments section is like another blog post... or perhaps a "bonus" posting... I'm with Furry Bottoms though, I'd rather see you not overtaxed - than get my "Rita comment fix."
I've noticed the disappearance of the send me comments to my email from other blogs - blogger never stays still, does it?
*Hugs*
I enjoy and appreciate your blog, and i honestly forget to check back to see if you replied on you own comments section. So for me, I think if you visit and/or comment on my blog, that is enough. I think if you did not comment back to everyone comment they would be OK with that, and please spend more time doing stuff you love! I have cut back on online time a good bit, not that i seem to be getting more painting done, lol, but I am OK with the less amount of time online. I do need to commit more time to blogging, but for right now I am just trying to not stress over it.
Hope that helps a bit! But whatever you do, do what is best for you! :D
Hi Rita! I found your blog through Iggy, Tori and AliceKay. To answer your question about follow up emails, with the changes to blogger, you'll need to change the format of your comments.
Under Settings, Posts and Comments, you will need to select Full instead of Popup Window. Then under Other, make sure Allow Blog Feed is set to Full. I tested it on my blog, as mine was also a popup, and now I see a link to Subscribe by email. That adds the person's email addy, if they have it set up with blogger, to email them follow up comments for that post only.
Now that I've got that out of the way, love your blog. I'm not creative, but I do love seeing your sunrise pictures, and your pictures of Karma. She is a beautiful cat. And it's fascinating to see all the inks you have and the various pens, paper, journals, etc.
I love sunrises too! It's like a quiet conversation, full of love, between you and God. And a great way to start the day!!!
I believe that Blogger made these changes automatically and you don't have the option to revert to the way it was before. They also changed the word verification thingy as well, and it's even more hateful than it was before!! Like you, I refuse to comment on blogs that have it anymore. So you're saying that you can't comment on your own blog posts?? I've never done that before, so I'm not sure. I try to visit those who visit me - as time allows - and answer via email - if possible. Many have their IDs attached to their emails, although some don't.
Not helpful, huh??? Hugs!
I only respond to comments sometimes... and am patchy at best... and I think everyone in the blog world understands that we are all busy and wanting to create and that should take priority... I love getting your comments but never feel that I always have to reply or worry if you don't reply to mine... I think we find our own rhythm with these things... by the way those photos are stunning... it is just about sunrise when I get up on the weekdays and I have been stopping to watch it when I get the chance... it is a wonderful start to the day...xx
Well. I come back to your comments because I saw that you respond there. I am not bothered when someone does not respond to me, altho I love love love it when someone let's me know they've enjoyed something on my blog.
I think art-making trumps responding to every comment! Of course, I would think that!
I comment on people's posts if I either really enjoy the post or I really enjoy the person (that whole Anne of Green Gables kindred spirit thing). I go to someone's blog and try to comment if theyve left me a comment.
Don't quit blogging because it's too overwhelming! Just do what you can and know that the people who 'count,' understand.
Whatever causes you the less stress is ok by me. I view making a comment on a blog is sometimes like a litle pat on the shoulder, sort of a "well done". I don't expect a pat back.
I bought my kitty some dried anchovies today, tiny little crunchy fish that they used to put in the Friskies cat biscuits, but no longer. They are her Belgian chocolates.
Google has been tinkering with all the blogger sites. They have now disabled the "Followers" widget on non-blogger sites, so I have had to creat a new "Followers", made by Linky. Rumour has it that eventually everyone will have to use the Google +1 widget....
Rita,
I'm new to your blog, I have seen your comments on Gwen and Serena's blogs. You ask a great question and I am glad to see everyone's answers here. Very helpful! I have been trying to answer back on my blog but was also wondering if anyone went back to look so I started to just go back to other's blogs and comment there and would then add a brief thank you for visiting my blog:) Thanks FranT PS your cat is too cute!
If I tried to leave a comment on my comments, I'd always be behind! If someone asks me a question, I will answer them if I have their email. Every time someone leaves me a comment, I get an email in my inbox, and if it has the address and not the "no-reply" thingie from Blogger, I will answer a direction question. Otherwise I don't respond because it would be so time consuming.
And I must admit that although I leave plenty of comments on your posts, I don't go back to see if you responded. Sometimes I notice that people will respond to a direct question on the other person's blog under comments. So we do get creative.
I think I would worry if I woke up some morning and didn't see SoulComfort had left a new post! :-)
Lovely sky photos and the snow...wish we had some this year! :-)
If you respond in blog on in comments either is fine to me. I was actually wondering about you as I hadn't heard from you for a bit. For me I set a timer and say that is when I will be online. I do that twice a day. You could spend all day commenting and answering blogs etc. I don't follow comments anymore unless I am the Moderator of a group (Like I am for Just B Social next to the SOAR group). Otherwise I would never know when someone asks a question. I am like you, trying to devote more time to art work and other things I want to do in life. Let's live REAL life not life on the computer :)
I think what you decided to do regarding not responding to comments is a good one, Rita. That will save you a lot of time.
On my blog, I really enjoy receiving comments and feedback. They're something I look forward to reading - it's like hearing from a friend. Other times, having that encouragement or insight from another person may help me get through a difficult day.
I don't respond to the comments made, but they are each read (and sometimes even re-read multiple times if I'm having a particularly hard day and need something positive to read).
That's a great quote about gratitude. It's often the little things that can make such an impact on one's life and for which one can be grateful.
Varying degrees of color in your photos the other day. They say, variety is the spice of life. :)
I'm glad the oats arrived okay. I'm curious at how well they might grow. They're only oats out of our oats silo, and not actual seed oats, but they should grow. (just drop some on the ground around the mill and they grow like crazy) And you're welcome.
As far as your blog comments, etc...it looks like you have some good suggestions before me. I know Blogger can take up a lot of time. You read and follow lots of blogs, and I know it takes a lot of your time and can sometimes aggravate your fibro. I read very few blogs...only the friends who I've let into my blog and into my life. One reason why I still have my blog private. I can control it that way. You do what you feel you are able to do. No one can ask for any more than that.
*hugs*
(i personally do not like this new style comment box Blogger has inflicted upon us)
I actually come back to see if you replied because I do love your comments but if you don't have time I understand. I do love the comments on my blog since most people don't leave comments. Some people just click the like button. I do understand that your time is limited and you can't sit there too long. Hope you get a chance to do the things you want to do.
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