It’s 3:30 on Sunday, Labor Day weekend.
Time to make pesto.
Walnuts roast in a 350 degree oven until they smell warm and toasty.
Fresh pungent green basil lies newly picked on the counter ready for drenching in olive oil. Where’s the garlic? Where’s the salt? Where’s the food processor?
Why in the world have I paused to write a blog post in the midst of making pesto?
Salsa prep
Actually, this isn’t a pesto blog at all.
It’s a salsa blog. Cha-Cha-Cha.
Yesterday, Barry and I canned six more pints of salsa. We harvested deep red garden tomatoes and chopped our tiny garden onions and added chunks of green pepper. Barry threw in at least eight jalapenos, rings as thick as the quarter in your purse, but much more spicy.
The salsa simmered and stewed and whispered Latino secrets to us northerners in our Little House in the Big Woods.
While the salsa bubbled merrily in the dutch oven on the stove I read your blogs. And yours, and yours, and yours.
Oh those awaiting jars
In the past two days I’ve read at least fifty bloggers. So many of my friends and commenters. Since it’s been at least, um, at least three weeks since reading your blogs, it was good to catch up. (Even though I could only read one blog post from most of you.)
Yep, I got a little teary eyed during this reading session. Realized how precious so many of you are to me. How hard it would be to quit blogging, to turn off the Internet Forever, to say fare-thee-well.
I am such a divided person. One part always wants to quit blogging. The other part wants to continue until death-do-us-part.
Chop your peppers, please.
LouAnn, over at On the Homefront and Beyond, wrote today about this conundrum. She claims she’s of two minds about many things. She says being able to see both sides of an issue makes decision-making difficult.
Yep, LouAnn, I so get you. I sometimes feel like I have twenty different opinions about every single issue, except the ones that I don’t. (Get that? See how that very sentence describes the whole challenge?)
Every single sentence I type is only half-believed. It’s only half-true. How can you write out the entire array of the Universe in one sentence? I certainly can’t. Not even in the space of an immense paragraph. It’s enough to make you want to quit writing.
The inside story of jalepeno
Some people make FUN and hurl insults at political leaders who don’t make up their minds quickly. I want to thank those thoughtful leaders immensely.
Please, dear leaders, do not make decisions hastily. Think about sixteen different sides of this issue. See everything from as many viewpoints as you can. When you make your decision, and yes, you’ll have to make one, at least you’ll be able to say that your heart quivered at sixteen different junctures. But at least you hesitated. At least you weren’t Sure.
Pure salsa delight!
For those of you who have asked: Yes, I had a wonderful trip downstate with my parents and brothers and families. Yes, we laughed and visited and ate grilled chicken at Tim’s house. Yes, we emptied 25 boxes out of my parent’s basement. Yes, Dad did get rid of his 1989 magazines. (Are you reading this, Dad? Wasn’t it fun?) Yes, Mom did get rid of eight garbage bags of clothes. (Way to go, Mom! I love that we could go through all these clothes and give them to the re-sale shop where others will enjoy them.)
Dad and I drove up to McDonald’s almost every single morning before our basement-cleaning binge and drank lattes. We sipped and looked around for people we knew. We saw Carl, who cleans septic tanks, and graduated with me from high school. We saw Dewey whom I really didn’t know but he offered me a compliment, of which I won’t repeat. Maybe I should delete that last sentence. No, I won’t. Yes, I will. No, let’s continue on.
Barry is my able-bodied canning assistant because HE’S the one who eats all this salsa!
I met up with my oldest (not in age) friend, Carol, and we reconnected like we were twelve years old. We walked around and around and around the high school track talking non-stop. We discovered an amazing spiritual connection! And she shared how she found my blog last summer and read this tribute to her and Neil Armstrong.
After returning home, I’ve worked diligently at the school preparing for the first day of classes. (That sentence is so not true. I did not prepare much for the first day of classes. That’s what the teachers do. I prepared reports, gathered records for the auditor, made lunch charts. You know, the kind of thing business folks do.)
The finished product. I am almost sure.
And then we’ve gardened, picked veggies, canned and froze. You know, all the stuff one must do to avoid wasting the fruit of one’s garden labor. Not that our garden has been much to write about. Not many of us in the Northwoods have stellar gardens this year, oh no, we don’t.
OK, so that’s the report from the shores of Lake Superior where school is about to start, gardens are thriving (or not) and people hopefully keep widening their perspectives before making decisions.
Cha-cha-cha salsa with a little bit of cumin to make your life interesting…
And now it’s Time for Pesto! Where’s that garlic…?
Post Pesto: What about YOU? Are you often divided? Can you feel both sides of an issue? How do you decide?
Lake Superior Spirit 
Ah yes! Salsa!
And wonderful time
To make it!
Rejoice!
Fountainpen
The taste buds rejoice at this time of year, surely, Fountainpen! We just finished freezing cucumbers in Grandma’s Sweet Pickle freezer recipe. Do you put up food?
I hope your salsa turned out well – it looks wonderful! I understand about the feelings for blogging or not-blogging but I can’t seem to give it up either. Enjoy!
Hi coastalcrone! Barry says the salsa turned out just wonderful, the best ever, or so he says. I am glad I’m not the only one who can’t decide about blogging. Well, in a way, I’ve decided. I’m still blogging until I don’t. You too?
Well, I would miss your blog if you were to give it up, but that’s up to you. My suggestion is this, blog if and when you feel like it, if you don’t, then don’t.
Quietsolopursuits, I so agree with you. In fact, that’s been my philosophy. Some years I feel like it every day. Other years…well, not so much. It looks like you are still enjoying blogging very much.
More than ever! It gives me an outlet to express my creative side, not so much in writing, but in my photography. It’s also the outdoor journal that I always meant to do, but never did.
I certainly understand the blogging conundrum. But I, like you, Kathy, miss my cyber friends when I am unable to visit with them regularly. I’ve been busy, too, with the start of the school year, and don’t even get online until the weekend. *sigh* I’m still here, waiting to see you, read your words – even if you don’t think they can express everything in the universe (though I sincerely believe that that do).
Go away when you feel it’s right. But please – come back. ❤
Hi, there, Stacy. It’s weird. I didn’t use to feel challenged by the inexpressible. But lately…even after writing this blog post I felt like it, like it was somehow impossible to say what was integral. If that makes sense. Interesting that you’ve had the blogging conundrum feeling, too. Guess we’ll keep blogging until we don’t!
I made a salsa once and it was pale pink I added food dye to it! I will NOT be making salsa EVER AGAIN!
Ha ha ha Jasmine! (That’s kind of like cha-cha-cha…) Once I made a sauce that was supposed to have white wine and put in red instead. It was a pink mess! Of course, my husband wrote about in the newspaper so the whole town knew. I think you should give salsa another chance. Just stay away from the dye.
Once upon a time I was the most indecisive person I knew, which annoyed me dreadfully, but over the years, and especially since deciding to make all decisions, regardless of how important they are, based on what my heart tells me to do, it has become so much easier. I now weigh up the pro’s and con’s for about 30 seconds, and that’s it!
It’s good to see you are safely back home in the big woods, cha-cha-cha-ing aroung the kitchen with Barry. 🙂
Joanne, it sounds like you’ve come up with a very good technique that works for you. That is the best. This is actually one of my favorite times of year. I don’t like putting up food very much, but always feel so satisfied when it’s done. And the weather can be so beautiful some days. Not too cold, not too hot. Like tepid glory. tee hee. Tepid glory.
Kathy, I am glad that you are back writing- you are a marvelous writer. It is as if you are talking to each of the “lambs” following you. 🙂
And I’m so glad that you had a wonderful and productive time with your parents. I bet they feel lighter already.
Many people can’t decide on anthing. But I am 100% sure that you do not put off anything that is important. That is how I make up my mind- well- that is almost the truth.
The salsa looks like a pro job to me. So pretty. So a good canning job was had by all. The photos are very good. 🙂
Awww, that’s sweet Yvonne, that bit about the “lambs”. So very sweet. You know, I don’t feel like I put off anything important. Usually I just weigh the sixteen pros and cons and wait for a decision to happen. And it always does. I think…. Thank you for your lovely words.
I’m grilling Mahi-Mahi, and putting cumin in the yogurt sauce, does that count ?
I am a Gemini, I am of two minds simultaneously; and not divided and tugging at each other, to see who will win – they both do, if I find that middle ground that can embrace them equally, in wholeness. That’s always my target.
And I love that you write blogs, with language used that special way that only you can do.
Cumin ALWAYS counts, Deb! Mmmm, cumin is the best. Would love to have a bite of that Mahi-Mahi with yogurt sauce…
You know, you’ve described my target, too. To have all the thoughts arising, embracing them as they arise, not pushing them away or attaching too much to them. Sometimes that happens; other times not as much.
Thank you for your kind words about my writing! I love to write. It’s harder to take pictures these days, and it seems like most (many?) would like photographs. That’s one thing that’s slowing down the blogging urge.
Kathy, I am rarely divided on issues. My problems is I fail to see the “other” side. I have trouble grasping how two sides can be right. I judge, judge, judge. I’m 63 and I have so very much to learn about tolerance and understanding and the “other”. You teach me a lot by your example. Gawd I’d miss your posts …
Sybil, I have a hard time believing you. I know you’ve told me eighteen times about your propensity to judge. The wrist-band and all. Yet, I’ve also seen a wideness of your spirit that I like. Your openness seems up front, with the judging just a snickety-lippet activity of the mind, which always likes to judge, doesn’t it?
This is a wonderful blog. No, it’s challenging. No, it’s splendid. No, wait, it’s thought-provoking. That’s not it. It’s miraculous. Hahaha. I DO know that I love it, and you! Thanks for posting today, Cha cha.
Cha.
OK, Cha, you’ve complimented this wonderful challenging splendid thought-provoking miraculous blog SO MUCH that we’ll HAVE to go out for lunch! It’s a date. Be there tomorrow or Be Square. lol. Love you, too, Cha.
P.S. I am 100% sure about wanting to have lunch with you.
You were greatly missed. I have a feeling you might be putting a few logs on the fire tonight. Enjoy, feel content with all that you have accomplished. You labor lovingly in all that you do.
Hi, John! Oh I’ve missed seeing you, too. No logs on the fire last night, but definitely started a fire this morning. It was on the edge of needing one, but the temps were supposed to be in the 60’s and it was below 60 in the house. You know, we’ve had to start a fire in the woodstove EVERY month this year. Shameless. tee hee.
salsa – cha cha cha I like I like!! 🙂 having several opinions about one topic? always..
You like salsa, Sonali? To people in India eat salsa too? I never thought about this. Delighted to hear that you have many opinions in a topic. Excellent! High five.
I’m enjoying tomatoes here in CT but don’t have enough yet to make salsa or sauce. Two or three home-grown tomatoes per day is a luxury; I eat them like apples & savor each bite because I know I’ll miss them when the weather gets cold..
Your salsa looks wonderful and I feel I can almost smell it! No pesto for me this year but plan on a big Basil Patch for next spring. I never heard of heating the walnuts but it seems like a good idea for ultimate flavor sensation.
I’m a skeptic, so a lot of weighing and balancing. I try to view an issue from more than one perspective and usually make a decision based on logic/intuition/what feels right to me. I try to keep my decisions subject to change….
Sometimes I think I’ll give it up blogging but since I often have something to say, I maintain a blog and try to show up; regularly w/out being hard on myself those times when I don’t.
Gretchen, what a lovely description of savoring your tomatoes. It sounds like you really appreciate them. To eat them like apples, imagine!
Roasting the nuts give them such a toasty flavor: very good for pesto. Tonight we blanched green beans for 3 minutes then cooled them quickly. Added some sauted mushrooms, olive oil, balsamic vinegarette, bunching onions from the garden, and oh, probably something else too. Oh yes, feta! It was so good. So yummy good…
Thank you for visiting and commenting!
I have only the basil part of the pesto – well, I think perhaps there are some walnuts in the cabinet, and certainly some olive oil on the counter. Soon I’ll be picking my basil and submersing it in the olive oil, or in some of the olive oil, to be saved and used over the winter months. Next month I must plant more.
As to decision making, I mull and mull, think and think, tell myself one thing and then the opposite. Forever. It seems. Then, one day, a decision is born and I hope it is the right one. It’s sometimes followed by second-guessing.
Carol, that plan to add the basil to olive oil sounds very delicious. I’ve never tried that. You know, your decision-making process sounds a lot like mine. Allowing all the different opinions and thoughts to arise, but then so often a decision just comes naturally. I see that more and more these days.
As always, a thoughtful post–and one that I so understand. I too want people to think and deliberate before making decisions that may affect us the rest of our lives. Looking at things sixteen different ways is exhausting but must be done–and if a politician seems to be flip flopping, many times it is because she or he has now been opened up to a new choice, a new way of seeing things.
My son’s garden was really healthy this year because we had so much rain–but this was also the year he really took care of it, so I think that might have had something to do with it. We have all the fixings for salsa in our garden so I may just make some–I love it!
Glad you had a wonderful and nostalgic time on your vacation with your family and seeing old friends–though I am quite curious about that compliment.
I am sometimes of two minds about blogging–but would so miss friends like you that I have made–it has expanded and added to my world so much.
Happy first day of school tomorrow!
Thank YOU for the inspiration, LouAnn! It is a marvelous topic to consider. Since we’re way down in the comments and since Dewey’s wife will never be reading this blog anyway–heck, no one but you and me will be reading these comments this far down, I’ll tell you about the compliment. Dewey said he wished he’d known me in high school. He was actually flirting. I think. I dunno. Maybe. Ha ha ha ha !
Glad you’ve enjoyed the bounty from your son’s garden. Let me know if you make some salsa.
Mmmmmm…..salsa! I can almost smell it from here!
Editor, the entire house smelled richly of cumin and spices. Mmmm, so good! It’s been quite a harvest with much canning and freezing going on lately.
I find decision making so very difficult! I think I overthink most issues to the point where decision making can be painful. A vacation where I have very few decisions to make (like on the cruise last year) is blissful to me.
Sounds like your trip was lovely, and I hope your salsa is too. Salsa-making is in my plans for today. Lots of tomatoes and jalepenos from the garden waiting for me.
You know what my new philosophy is, Karma? Letting everything arise, all the thoughts and feelings and opinions. Then not making a decision and watching how a decision is always made! It’s weird. It’s like something intuitive seems to take everything into account and then make it’s decision.
May you go on another cruise soon. Or just experiment and see if you can let go of making decisions and see if Life makes a decision through you. That’s what I’ve been amazed to see.
Happy cha-cha-cha!
Kathy – I love the photographs your sprinkled throughout this delicious post. And yes, decisions, Decisions, DECISIONS! Tomorrow over at my place I’m posting “Fork in the Road” that looks at that very topic. It just goes to show, once again, that great minds think alike 🙂
Ha ha, Laurie, I just thought “Is today tomorrow?” Is today Monday or Tuesday? No, it’s just Monday…isn’t it? Oh good, will be cruising over to your fork in the road tomorrow. Hopefully. It’s the first day of school plus a lunch date plus a township meeting plus receipting taxes plus making pasta. If not tomorrow, surely soon. I love Tuesdays with Laurie.
Yum — that salsa looks tasty.
I know well the feeling of being divided. I used to live in two states (literally)!I was of (at least) two minds and hearts; I was a master at compartmentalizing. The last couple years I’ve been learning to integrate and balance. I had to let go of a lot to make way for integrity.
I need to catch up on blog reading myself. One semester morphed so quickly into another I haven’t had time to catch my breath. Thank goodness for Labor Day. Hope yours (and that pesto) is Divine.
Integrating and balancing sounds like the way to live, Lunar. It’s so good to find that place. I didn’t remember…are you going to school…or teaching? Just went out in the garden and picked some more beans. There’s beans coming out of our ears! 🙂
I’m teaching.
I have never had luck growing beans. What’s the secret?
Lunar, I swear I know no green bean growing secrets. We do use the pole beans, not the bush beans. Maybe it’s our cold(er) weather. People grow them like crazy all over Michigan.
Welcome back … my tomatoes are not ready to pick, yet. I feel lucky that I will have some this year, so I will be patient. Your salsa looks yummy.
Decisions … I put time into the big ones. As for blogging … I blog when I have something to say … I usually have something to say when I have time to think and/or do things besides working. Sometimes I ramble in thought hoping that my visitors comments will help me sort out a decision as I see blogging as part of a process, not a solution to anything.
I try not to feel pressure to post, but it is there anyway. I know if I do not post on a regular basis I lose my readers and do not gain new ones … and lets face it … blogging is much more fun when we have visitors and commenters to talk with.
School work has started, student will be in my classroom for 7 hours tomorrow .. time for blogging will be less. One of the things about summer I love and will miss … time to think, write, take pictures and share thoughts.
I like that, bearyweather. The way you are viewing blogging as part of a process, not a solution. It’s often a good process. Thanks for sharing all your thoughts. And, yes, you’re right, when we don’t post…people tend to drift away. My blog has about half the number of readers it once did. I don’t *usually* mind because this less regular posting feels calmer and more peaceful. Enjoy your school year! Ours started today.
My school year started with students today. I have had to talk for 7 class periods and my throat is very sore (not used to that) and new shoes hurt my feet 😉 … otherwise, it looks to be a good year.
If blogging was a stressful thing, I could/would not do it .. enough stress in my life … I blog when I can and accept the visitors I get. Let’s both just take it easy and enjoy when we can … that is what makes it fun.
So nice to hear from you! This has been a whirlwind of a summer. I also got behind on my reading, writing and drawing. Now, with September, I’m planning to settle in to a more regular pattern again. Thanks for the report on your garden and activities!
Oh Cindy it’s nice to hear from YOU! Hasn’t it been a whirlwind at times? I think one of the best things about September is that we can get into more of a routine. It’s cool that part of our year can be more routine and then we have a spell of wild abandon. lol. If that’s what you call it!
We should be divided on important issues – if thought doesn’t go into them, then they’re not important! As far as blogging, yes, sometimes I think ‘I should be writing, not blogging, which is of course ridiculous, because my blogging IS writing. But after much consideration, I did decide to just post once a week, so I (and my readers) wouldn’t get burnt out. Now, my only concern about your salsa. My guy has a garlic allergy (ie, he hates garlic). Can you make a bottle of salsa sans garlic? Hard to find in the stores! 🙂
That is the most interesting statement, Pam. We SHOULD be divided on important issues. There is a part of me that always thinks we should agree on important issues. But true democracy, whatever that is, isn’t about agreeing, it’s about learning to compromise and chose together. Hmmmm…. Now, on to the indisputable garlic. YES! You can make salsa sans garlic. Only a garlic-lover would even notice. Please let me know when you make your first batch. lol.
Happiness is contagious and you make so many people happy with your blogs…you provoke thought and thinking helps clear the mind, I think!
I have yet to catch up on reading the blogs I now follow. Unlike bearyweather,, not blogging helped me sort the wheat from the chaff, making my reading time less and my blog more like it was in the beginning, with few readers.
Reverting to an old saying: If I have one friend, I am truly blessed.
Bet that salsa would make anyone cha-cha 🙂
Why, Linda, that is a lovely compliment indeed! I am glad you feel some happiness when you come here. Truly.
I am fascinated about you separating the wheat from the chaff. Interesting that you are experiencing a new blogging beginning. Sometimes less is more. I wonder if more more is ever less? (Yes, I think it is.)
Thank you for your friendship!
It’s good to hear from you again. I’ve been away as well, which you’ll see if you get back to my blog. 🙂 Salsa and pesto yum yum!
Oh I must go visit your blog, Lisa. I know you post on Mondays and I think today is Tuesday. I am not sure yet. All the days are sort of running together….
Yes, good to hear from you. The salsa looks great! To answer your question, I’m pretty much a black or white person, not too much gray in between. However, I’m learning to see the gray (and it’s not been easy, but I keep trying). Hope you decide to continue blogging!
Hi Janet. Sometimes I think it would be easier to see black and white. Not so many nuances. Thank you for the vote to continue blogging. I’m never sure…but will continue until the Universe decides otherwise. Happy hiking!
Kathy:
How do I decide about an issue? That’s a good question-I’ll let you know when I decide.
And welcome back.
Nancy
Nancy, I had to laugh at your response. No, I was laughing WITH you. Nice to see you again!
How do I decide, well I always go with my first gut feeling, otherwise I would over think it and do nothing 😀
Me2013, it is so wonderful when we recognize our gut feeling and go with it. Those are some of the most peaceful times of all!
The “more more” part of your comment caused a mind stall. If we put a comma between the two mores would that be more of more? It reminds me of being called “white white” which took me about a year to final find a definition that I could live with. “More more” will take me a while to think about. Perhaps I need more things to do and less time to think about concepts like “more more” 🙂 and if that means less less.
I should have written less less! Sorry, that second more tiptoed its way into the comment. I’m sorry sorry. 🙂
Yummy, yummy. I just ate and now I’m hungry all over again! Darn.
I’m concerned, as I didn’t get the email about this post. Am I alone in that? Maybe it was a fluke.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
I am not getting some notifications either. It could be that I was away for a long time and changed my settings.
Linda, did YOU get my latest notification about egg yolks? Or did you have to find it on your own?
I did not get it. I am getting new comments. I will check my settings again. Others are coming through, except3 of you.
Hi Kathy, it’s always so lovely to hear from you. I smell spices and vegetables and see bright colorful indigenous clothing whenever I think of you. Did you get an email about my latest post? Or not? If not, you may want to check your subscription settings. OR WordPress can be just acting temperamental, just because, she’s such a flighty one at times. 🙂
Hey Kathy ! I forgot how much I enjoy your blogs!!! I love salsa, for some reason I find it odd that you would be storing such an item!!
I am divided because I have to leave Chrome and go back to Safari to comment and to use wordpress. I can’t seem to figure it out.
Jeff, this is the NICEST comment! How nice, that you should like my blogs so much. Wondering why you think it’s odd that we can salsa. Actually, it’s Barry’s passion. I am not-so-much a salsa person but he likes to eat it on cold winter nights. Actually, he always likes to eat it!
How awful that you have to flip between browsers. It sounds like Chrome is not working for you. Have you tried Firefox?
I’m so happy for you that your trip downstate went well 🙂
Tony and I have seriously struggled with some other-state family issues, and finally made decisions. Then, we decided actions weren’t necessary just yet. I’m so glad that my decisions are just little ones compared to the ones some of our leaders must (hopefully) wrestle with.
You are good turning your garden into lasting foods. I’ve just been eating all my tomatoes straight from the plant…but then I only planted a couple of cherry tomatoes. Tonight we feasted on the Best Corn in the Universe (straight from my dad’s field).
Hi Heather~~it’s nice to hear from you. I would love to feast on the Best Corn in the Universe. Of course, it would have to grow from one’s parent’s field, so I’m outa luck. We used to get awesome corn. The guy said his secret was buying the best seed. He went out of business so we haven’t been quite as smitten. But still enjoying corn on the cob just because it exists.
Thinking of you and Tony struggling over those family decisions. *hugs* They can be so challenging.
That salsa looks yummy! I’m sure your pesto will be the same. 🙂
Looks like you had a lovely holiday with your folks. I wish mine had purged a bit before their passing as it is such a chore to do it afterwards! It makes me want to head down to our storage room and get rid of all the junk, right now! As Hubby is finally taking his holidays, maybe we should. Actually, yesterday we deposited all our e-waste (old photo copier, TV and other smaller bits) to a recycle place, so Hubby has room to walk around in his work room. It still needs a bit of a tidy, but at least the big stuff is out of there.
As for indecision, my father was quite famous for it and we three kids have inherited that particular trait, too. Dad, when given a choice of desserts (or what-have-you) would usually say, “Yup!”, which meant a little of everything! It takes us forever to decide a course of action for anything. I guess that’s why we make such good procrastinators!
Hope you have a great school year, even though you’re not a teacher. I know that those in the office often work harder than they do, in a different way, of course. 🙂
Withershins, the purging seemed to feel good for everyone all around. I think about what’s here in OUR attic and that maybe Barry and I should go up there and purge one of these days. Good luck to you and Hubby. It so often is such a release to get rid of things no longer needed.
Smiling at your multi-generational indecision. And thank you for your kind words about office staff. It’s been a very busy week but I feel happy about how much has been accomplished. Happy weekend!
I too am often divided about blogging… I have such a backlog of posts that I wanted to write and even started to write, but it feels like I will never catch up. I also had such a backlog of posts to *read*, that it took me literally days to catch up on all the amazing things that have been happening in my blog-friends’ lives.
When I am busy with ‘real life stuff’, like paid – and unpaid – freelance work, household chores, garden work, home maintenance, visits from family and friends, and all those other things that we need to keep track of, like bills to be paid and tax returns to be completed on time, never mind claiming the time and space for spiritual practice and physical exercise, I often don’t find the time or ‘leisure’ to write. And when there is a gap in the freelance work (as there was for several months earlier this year), and I *could* theoretically carve out the time to blog, I become anxious that I am not earning anything, and that stifles the creative urge…
Then, of course, there are people like my dear blog-friend from the UP whom I have not yet met, who manages to produce one amazing, honest, inspiring and inspired blog post after the other, despite leading such a full life that she ends up cooking salsa *while* blogging! Talk about multi-tasking, Kathy! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your blogging challenges, Reggie. Interesting how anxiety can so affect the creative urge. How so many other factors are involved in our decisions. You’d think it would be straight-forward, but so often it’s not. As for me producing blog & after blog, gosh, Reggie, I’ve cut WAY back and am feeling much happier about blogging after doing so. In some ways the daily blog/outdoor commitment kinda got me addicted to blogging for so long. It felt like a day wasn’t complete without sharing. Now am able to share with much more leisure. Thank you again for writing this and good luck finding a balance that feels just right.
Kathy, perhaps you would appreciate this quote from Emerson:
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Out upon your guarded lips! Sew them up with packthread, do. Else if you would be a man speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.”
I do feel both sides of most issues and often surprise myself when “new” opinions come tumbling out of my mouth or off my fingers onto the keyboard. 🙂 Remember the vegan/paleo about-face?
I love your blog and would miss you terribly if you stopped sharing your fascinating thought trains completely!
Oh Barbara I do like that quote from Emerson! So apt. Thank you for sharing it. And, yes, I do remember the vegan/paleo about-face. Often think about that while puttering in the kitchen. Thank you for enjoying the blogs. That means a lot. Thank you for being YOU and blogging in spite of all your challenges!