Stepping Stones connect a path…just as I have found that our posts do in our blogs.
I was recently challenged by two of my fellow bloggers:
Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide “A how to for everyone and anyone” and 2 Brown Dawgs Blog “a Chronicle of the escapades of two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers”…Storm and Thunder. Both of these bloggers have amazing blogs and are well worth the read. Take some time, check out their Seven Links Challenges, and become avid readers of their posts. You will be hooked…no doubt.
I have worked on this post for a while now. At first, I thought it would be a fairly easy post to create. Find those seven posts to fit the category, link, and publish. Well, that was not the case. Instead, I found myself looking back through the last six months of my life. I knew that starting this blog would end up being some sort of journal, but I guess I never knew how much of a photograph each post would be of a moment in time. When I look at the entire blog, it is becoming this album of sorts of my journey. When rereading all these moments, it was much more difficult to choose, as when writing I think we put more than words into these posts and choosing which to include and which to leave out was somewhat tough, at least for me. I did not realize how much I would feel about my own writing. Writing is just writing, is it not?
Onto the challenge.
1. Most Beautiful Post: Chaotic Moments of Me This was an early post for me and did not have any photos. It did have a concise look at the basic core of me and whether I would erase time if I could. It is not filled with poetry or heart stopping photos, just simple words.
2. Most Popular Post: Several of the challenges that I have read had broken this category into subcategories. At first, I did not understand why. After attempting to choose which to leave out and not being sure how to fit the category, I understood the reasoning.
by Hits = Newfoundland Puppy 11 Week Old Chaos Miss Stella taking root in our home.
While it did not have many comments nor “Likes”, it had the most “hits”. Whether this makes it popular, or accidental ‘clicks’ by others, I do not know. Nonetheless, it is at the top of the ‘stats’ page in the ‘hit’ category.
by Likes = Three Seasons Whatever They May Be
Looking at the gifts in life and how they tend to move in seasons. I was always intrigued by the notion that we have a ‘love’ for each season in our life. I had started to wonder about the possibility that this did not have to be just with the humans in our lives, but also our pets.
by Conversation = Too Much Quiet in the Chaos
Remembering when you do not hear much around you, it is time to really listen. I was taken back to when my twins were so little and if there was quiet in the house, I knew I should be ‘on guard’. If it was quiet, some chaos was sure to arrive. I had forgotten this lesson, until Miss Stella joined our family.
3. Most Controversial Post: Spaying Miss Stella
This one just really created a spark about whether or not to spay your dog and even more so, when. This part did not really show up in the post itself or the comments, but rather with messages and emails sent to me about the topic. Several people said that the timing is most important as it can stunt their growth, alter their behavior, etc. Others said it did none of that and it did not really matter when, but that it just be done.
4. Most Helpful Post: What Moments Will You Include In Your Quilt? This one surprised me as many commented and emailed about how this one made them pause and rethink a few things. Being able to look at ourselves, for me at least, helps me to learn about what I need to do to hopefully be a better, stronger, person.
5. Post whose success surprised me: Chaos Comes in all Shapes and Sizes
I think this one surprised me as it seemed to get so much traffic (when I was just learning about ‘traffic’ and that it was not cars stuck on a highway!) and I had just written it on a whim.
6. Post I feel did not get the attention it deserved: Just Call Me Crazy or Chaos Opens the Heart I am not sure why these did not get much attention, or ‘traffic’, as I have learned in “Blogger Language”. It may have been poor writing, poor timing, poor choice of topic (or the blogger buzz word for topic being ‘content’), or really anything. They did not have photos and were short quick posts as I was a beginning blogger and very new to this adventure. They still may not deserve much attention and having my readers share with me why they think so, would be a great learning moment for me.
7. Post most proud of = Genuine Recognition
While I am ‘proud’ of all of my posts, they are writings of mine, come from the heart, and moments that have become a part of this blog journey, this one sparks a little something different in the pride department. I wanted to create something for other bloggers, to share with them a moment that would let them know that I appreciated their blogs and blogging efforts, and that they could just take that honor with no strings attached and maybe even share it with some of their fellow bloggers. I did it and others seem to appreciate it and enjoy being able to do just that, honor a fellow blogger.
Now for the next round of challengers: I tried to double-check and make sure that the “Challenge” had not already been issued before posting a blogger. It is looking like a few have already faced this challenge. I have enjoyed reading everyone’s challenge posts and look forward to reading the following bloggers’ challenge results.
Pure Complex A blog that will take you around the world, open your eyes, and fill your heart. If you are unable to get away for a vacation, she will take you to the coolest of places. A must visit.
Life With Olive Beautiful pup with great stories to boot! Always an adventure filled with heart and soul, this is one gorgeous pup : )
The Simple Life of a Country Man’s Wife An interesting and heartwarming blog about living the simple life in the beautiful country. This will make you want to find a home in the country a.s.a.p.
Bassasblog One of the fluffiest and largest pups around…and with a humorous take on life! This pup has some great moments to share : )
House of Twins 2.0 ”Taming identical twin girls without a safety net since 2007″. This blog is a terrific read with a lot of great info and stories that will make you laugh.
Life with Sampson and Delilah…the 411 Another great adventure of life with pups. She is currently trying out the raw food diet with her pups and is keeping us posted on the trials and tribulations of such an adventure. Love this blog as it always informs and entertains too.
Just Ramblin’
