My Favourite Window

August 21, 2012

Two Years of Blogging

Sometime last week - was it the 17th August - Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden turned two. It must be time for a celebratory give-away, but first a bit of a review of the past couple of years.

It's heartening to read my first post and see that I did indeed replant those daffodil bulbs; they are budding now by my back step. A little plan for the future, long considered, and carried out successfully.  So many other plans for the future wiped out or placed in limbo by Death and Destruction

I originally began this blog with the intention of recording the making of a new garden and the restoration of the Skudder House. I had an idea that I might begin studying for a qualification in Museum and Heritage studies, and one requirement at the time was the documentation of a restoration project.  It is ironical that it is Mowbray - the house I live in - that has become an active refurbishment project (rather than restoration) thanks to the opportunities that have arisen from the Earthquakes. Since February 2011, The Skudder House has sat uncertainly at the edge of being. A fortnight ago the assessors arrived unexpectedly, told me that the Earthquake Commission would pay for chimney removal, and that the house passed muster. Wonderful news, but I'm running out of money for restoring it now.

So, who knows what this blog will report over the next year. I can see looking back over the last year, that there has not been much garden lore, that Lady Mondegreen no longer whispers encouragement from the dappled shadows, that I have not had time to blog regularly...

In spite of that, my readership has increased; the search engines find me for people I appreciate being found by. My Stats page reveals that  I show up in home decorating searches, named plant searches, garden design searches, Canterbury history and event searches, china, fabric, and vintage car searches - oh, and Morris dancing searches. This is all very gratifying because I do aim to add something to the universal knowledge base.  I am often frustrated when searching myself, that links lead to shallow observation. or simplistic references. I guess I'm a geek really, I want to know everything about everything without selling my soul... I really like to think that some of my blog posts add new information to the pool and are actually useful to people who find them through search engines. It's interesting to note that information seekers don't usually comment, partly I suspect because of the signing-in process: those who leave comments are more part of a complementary social network. Thanks by the way, to all of my readers whether you are regular Followers or chance passers-by. 

I might be a geek, but I also thrive on human interaction. I do enjoy
my blog pals' company, which offers surprisingly tangible experience. I have bought art in Paris from photographer Owen of The Magic Lantern Show, I have won a sweet little love spoon and entered a Welsh flower show both courtesy of John Going Gently Gray. I smile when I see Cro Magnon of Magnon's Meanderings brushing shoulders with his sister on my comment forum. Cro lives in France while Susan Heather from Kamo Lady lives in New Zealand.  Much closer to home, Craig at Craig's Principal Page writes thought provoking posts that reach beyond the classroom and mark him as a great mentor. 

That's quite a lot of writing from me and if you have got this far, then you deserve a go at my anniversary competition. Last year,  Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy, The Sagittarian from More Canterbury Tales won with her favourite Mondegreen. But you don't have to live in NZ to enter. This year, in the interest of self-promotion I want entrants to tell me in 25 words (or more) what you have enjoyed about Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden over the last year. Easy. You could win a copy of the August edition of Canterbury showcase magazine Latitude. And yes, I am prepared to post it anywhere in the World. Email me your entry by Tuesday 4 September, using the instructions at the top of the page, and may the best Blogger win.

11 comments:

Cro Magnon said...

Oh no, not the August edition. I've already got that one!

Congratulations, and Happy birthday.

Susan Heather said...

Congratulations!!!! I thoroughly enjoy following your blog.

Jeneane said...

Cro Magnon: Well, you will have read the obituary for our double Carnegie award winning Margaret Mahy and about Dame Ngaio Marsh and the documentary 'When a City Falls' and my friend, Maureen's lovely art shop Hapa. You are just trying to wriggle out of entering... Thanks for the birthday wishes :-)

Susan Heather: He's kidding isn't he? That brother of yours? Why would he have a copy of a provincial NZ lifestyle magazine? I'm glad you enjoy my blog. oxo

Cindy@NorthofWiarton said...

Congratulations on your Second Year of Blogging and Happy Birthday as well. I am happy I took the time to drop over here to discover Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden from John Gray's, Going Gently.

Jeneane said...

North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard: Neat to have you visiting. John Gray is a great motivator isn't he. People are very astute to notice that I've had a birthday, because I haven't mentioned it in this post!

libby said...

Congratulations on your blog-o-versary!

Jeneane said...

Thanks Libby, hope you are feeling better about work now.

Gill said...

Mmmmm! Yes, I fit into the category of those who view and rarely comment but love to see what is happening with the restoration. Thanks for sharing with us all.

Jeneane said...

Gill: if everyone who checked in commented, I wouldn't be able to reply to them all! I have to laugh as I check my spam folder, when the spammer writes:
"I can see from your comments that you don't have much traffic." What a wally. I'm not making money out of my blog and occasionally, when comments get up around 19, I start to loose track of who is who!
Glad you enjoy reading my blog and thank you :-)

rusty duck said...

Hello, I've also just found your blog via John Gray.

Interested to see the house renovation pictures, as I'm on that trip too. Love the blue window frame.

I have many challenges to frustrate my efforts but not, thankfully, earthquakes.. that puts things into perspective.

Happy anniversary, Jessica

Jeneane said...

Rusty Duck: Yes I noticed your name recently on John's comment forum. I've just been over to check out your blog. Oh golly, similarities indeed - and your tales told with wry wit. You realise if you keep it up, you are going to have a trail of international bloggers trekking up that hairpin bend of yours.