I’ve read quite a few “blogoversary” posts lately, or posts where the blogger “takes stock” of his or her blog and announces to readers where the blog is heading. The latter seems kind of funny to me, sort of like evaluating your relationship with a boyfriend and deciding whether or not it’s working for you. (“I will always have feelings for you, Blog, but I just don’t see us being together long term.”) Anyway, since this is me and Blog’s six-month anniversary, I thought I would do my own li’l reflection.
My plan when I started Black Walnut Dispatch was to showcase the fabulous photography that I would soon be creating with the expensive new Nikon digital SLR that I purchased last November. I had visions of myself mastering the camera in a few mere weeks, then stunning the blogoshere with jaw-dropping images of gardens and landscapes, with perhaps a bit of pithy commentary thrown in for good measure.
It quickly became clear that this grand vision was actually an illusion, or more accurately, a hallucination.
Turns out good photography is not totally dependent upon the quality of your camera! Turns out photography is as difficult as any other art form, and requires skill, study, patience, and years of practice to get good.
I mean, I knew that. I guess I was just banking on being a photography prodigy so that I wouldn’t have to deal with the learning curve.
Anyway, while I’ve been fumbling around with my new camera these last several months, I’ve been making up for my own lack of quality photos by pilfering photos from the internet and, of course, by writing a lot.
The writing I’ve done on this blog, and the positive responses I’ve gotten from people, have been extremely gratifying for me. Even though I’m an English teacher, it’s been awhile since I’ve written on a regular basis. Creating and maintaining this blog has reminded me how challenging it is to write regularly, but how satisfying it is as well. And quite frankly, the nice comments I get feed my ego. (Unlike gardeners, most of whom tend to be at peace with themselves, writers have needy little egos; they wail and wave spoons in the air, needing constant attention.)
So even though my relationship with Blog hasn’t gone exactly where I expected, I am pleased to announce that we won’t be breaking up anytime soon. I really want to thank those of you who come here regularly and take the time to read my strange, scattered postings, and I especially want to thank my BWERCs (Black Walnut Elite Regular Commenters — you know who you are).
Finally, I want to express how wonderful it is has been to discover this community of gardeners and writers, and to become part of it. Cicero was famous for saying, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” I’m pretty sure if Cicero was alive today he’d say largely the same thing, except he’d have a blog, too, and he would Tweet out his wise sayings instead of chiseling them on tablets, or whatever the Romans did.
Black Walnut Dispatch 
Yeah! Love it. Keep your posts a comin’.
Your blog has been a joy for me to read! My husband is an amateur photographer and he gets a few really good shots. He HATES it when someone sees one of his good photos and says “you have a nice camera” like everyone who has a nice camera can get the great shots. When I took classes in photography back in the stone ages they made us use manual settings and slide film so the camera could not forgive our technical or artistic mistakes!
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog. You have a great writing style, particularly the humor pieces, and I have forwarded several to friends and family. As a mother of young kids and as a garden designer, I find your comments right on track — often exactly what I’ve been thinking but haven’t found time to express. For example, your piece on your lawn (aka dandelion farm) was fabulous. Please keep up the great work. And think about turning it into a book, a la The Bad Tempered Gardener, which is another favorite of mine.
There are lots of beautiful garden images on-line, but I can’t think of many other garden blogs that make me laugh out loud on a regular basis. It’s always a treat when my in-box beeps and I find it is a new entry on Black Walnut Dispatch. Happy Blogoversary!
I’ve so enjoyed your posts over the past 6 months, and I’m glad you and Blog aren’t breaking up anytime soon. Happy half-blogiversary!
the only thing wrong with your blog is that, while I often feel inspired to reply, the quality of my response usually falls so far short of your writing that I think better of it and keep my thoughts to myself! Seriously though, what’s not to like about a witty and perceptive woman’s blog about gardens?
Happy 6 month Blogoversary! BWD is my favortie blog – always enjoyable!
I feel your pain. I, too, got a Nikon 3100 but no
telephoto lens. So I can’t photograph all the
creatures that I like. Then I got the brilliant
idea to write a blog. Not good if the subject
in your pictures are unidentifiable.
lol so glad we don’t have to chisel things out on tablets! On the other hand, perhaps we’d choose our words more carefully 🙂 Funny that this post about photography has no pictures! It took me a long time to get ok photos. A good friend gave me fab photo advice once: “Photograph dark objects on a light background and light objects on a dark background. Contrast is good.” Your posts are neato and I enjoy them. Congrats on meeting the writing challenge 🙂
I very much enjoy reading your posts. Keep on. 🙂
I’ve pretty much been a Silent Reader (in fact, entirely until now) but enjoy every post I read here, and hey, lots of garden blogs have great photographs, and some of them are wise, but very few make me laugh. I’d miss you if you became an expert with the Nikon and wrote only captions. Though they would be good captions.
I see your little waving spoon, so I’ll say: Open wide, here comes the praise train! There are a gazillion garden bogs out there (I should know) but only one you, Mary. As we say here in Oz, BWD is fan-bloody-tastic.
Ha! Thanks Catherine! Can’t wait to see what you do with Garden Drum!
Wait, gardeners are at peace with their egos??
Also, you make me want to write again. Not that I am, but I think about it. That’s close enough.
You have certainly mastered the art of witty prose!! I look forward to the photography, if it’s anywhere near as good as the prose, it will be fabulous.
Karen,
Until I learn to take good pics, maybe I will just steal yours. Can’t wait to see the Oak Alley pics!
Happy anniversary! You have a great way with humor, and as much as a photography blog can be fulfilling, I couldn’t imagine Black Walnut Dispatch as anything other than what it is now. Keep up the great work!!!
A remarkable six months! You’ve created something special. Your wit, satire, and heart show through in every post, and I always look forward to seeing a BWD arrive in my inbox. Happy half anniversary!
Thanks for all of your support and kind words everybody! I feel like I need to put my hands together and do one of those corny little bows that actors do when they’re applauded.
Love your LOL blog, I look forward to reading it! I am sure when you master the camera, you will have some equally interesting photo’s from your quirky point of view. HAPPY ANN
I know that six months of blogging is an achievement! Congratulations on posts that are consistently insightful, witty, well-written and pure joy to read. Keep it up!
Mary,
You have a very entertaining and refreshing blog. I enjoy your horticultural humor. As a profession we take ourselves to seriously. We all need to take a deep breath and smell the Viburnum carlesi. I’m pouring another Sambuca Romana for you and your future posts!
Thanks, William!
Cicero nailed it. But clearly forgot about discussing cameras. 🙂