Much worse is when I start comparing myself to other bloggers. Bloggers who stay current with their blogs. Bloggers who are better writers, better photographers, travel to more exotic places, make beautiful videos, have snazzier rigs, look fantastic posed on top of a mountain doing yoga at sunrise…the list goes on.
Apparently, there are an infinite number of ways that I can create blogging angst. Trust me, this is not healthy for building self-esteem. It is an excellent practice for creating a serious case of writer’s block, though.
Fortuitously, I met up with a new friend several days ago—a friend met through our blog. As we sat outside in the sun on the patio of a local island brewery, sharing travel stories and getting to know each other, Leah told me that she loves our blog and looks forward to reading it. My response (after thanking her rather profusely) was to lament the fact that our blog is so far behind and to share that I’ve been feeling stuck. “Write for yourself,” she said. Her wise words came at just the right time.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
There have been moments recently when I’ve considered skipping all of the places we’ve traveled since mid-April, and reeling our blog into the present. But I started writing this blog so that I would have a tangible way of remembering our travels as the years go by. Without our blog, most of those experiences would have retreated to a distant corner of my memory, never again to see the light of day.
Writing and photography are the best way I know of to capture time. Without our blog, I can recall highlights here and there of our travels, but I don’t remember the details. And the details are what I love.
I love being able to immerse myself once again in the turquoise waters of the Florida Keys or a luxurious hot spring in tiny Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Our blog takes me back to spectacular mountain hikes in the Sierra Nevada and the adventure of discovering remote petroglyphs on Cedar Mesa.
The elaborate courtship displays of Great Egrets in High Island, Texas. Exploring the ancient ruins of Betatakin with a Navajo guide. Wading hip-deep through wildflowers in the North Cascades. The thrill of being surrounded by orca and humpback whales in Telegraph Cove. The exuberance of the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans. The scent of roasting peppers at the Santa Fe farmers’ market. The perfection of summers in the San Juan Islands.
When I read a post from a year or five years ago, I’m immediately transported back to that moment.
It is an art, trying to capture the soul of a place, the essence of an experience, and the nuances of feelings in words. I constantly fall short—but in making the effort, I’m immersed more deeply in the experience. Writing offers me the opportunity to relive our travels. And it’s in the reflection and writing that the experience is woven more deeply into my being.
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.” – Anais Nin
The quote from Anais Nin has long been one of my favorites. From childhood, writing has been a way for me of making sense of the world, for acknowledging the joys of life, and for finding solace in difficult moments. Although I kept a daily journal for decades, I’ve never aspired to post daily. But I do enjoy writing a blog about each of our destinations—unless there’s truly nothing interesting to write about. That rarely happens.
Which brings us to Greenville, South Carolina. It was a brief stop for us, only two nights. I almost skipped writing about it. And then Eric said, “But what about the beautiful hiking trails? And the cool downtown?” And I know he was also thinking about our visit to the home of Shoeless Joe Jackson, the baseball legend who walked out of the cornfield in “Field of Dreams.” It’s one of Eric’s favorite films.
Falls Park on the Reedy, downtown Greenville, South Carolina
The beautiful falls
The path along the river
Gigantic tree root in the park
Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and home
With his buddy Shoeless Joe
I liked the kitchen best. Love that black and white linoleum tile.
One of Shoeless Joe’s bats and other memorabilia
Paris Mountain State Park, just a few miles outside of Greenville, is beautiful. The park has miles of hiking and biking trails, with lots of CCC work throughout. Although we’ve seen a great deal of CCC work in our travels (yay for the CCC boys!) this was the first time I’ve heard the word “parkitecture.” It refers to the practice of the Parks Service in the early 20th century of designing with nature, combining native wood and stone to create attractive structures that fit beautifully into the landscape.
Bridge built by the CCC in Paris Mountain State Park; the stonework is original
Trails at Paris Mountain State Park and historic dam
On the rocky and beautiful trails
We hiked a lot of the 15 miles of trails in the park on three different hikes
Fragrant wild azaleas are intoxicating along the trails in spring
Stopping to smell the flowers along the way. Says Eric, “I don’t smell them.” “Stick your nose in there,” I say.
About the campground
Paris Mountain State Park is a sweet campground. Although it’s made for smaller rigs, we watched a couple of large motorhomes squeeze in. The sites are spacious, but the roads within the park are narrow and winding. Water and electric hookups, good Verizon, and the hiking trails are beautiful. It’s just a few miles from downtown Greenville.
Campsite Paris Mountain State Park
Your blog is wonderful. Forget snazzy yoga poses on top of the mountain, I find your words to be very relaxed and calming and with the photos to match. “Lovely” is a word I find myself thinking when I have reached the end of one of your posts. I completely understand how you feel, though. We crank out our share of “and then, and then, and then…” and it bores me to tears, I can only imagine how readers feel. But you know, I let it go.
We have been blogging since 2009 and it’s hard to keep it going! We are just not that interesting! But we do it anyway, because two years from now when we’re trying to figure out where we were and what we were doing, that entry will bring all those memories flooding back. And that’s what it’s all about. :)
Totally agree with you Linda.
Thank you, Terri!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Linda. I like that you find our posts calming—as long as I don’t put pressure on myself, I enjoy the process of reflecting and writing. And by the way, I am NEVER bored by your posts. I look forward to them, and always enjoy both your and Steven’s writing, humor, and gorgeous photography. I’m impressed that you’ve been keeping a blog since 2009! Don’t stop! :-)
You’ve said it so well! We couldn’t keep up with our blog with all the traveling, volunteering, etc.; no matter how good the intentions. I think we lost the momentum after writing for three different sites while in Alaska. Never wrote a bit during our “Cheesy Americana Perimeter Tour” – the year we spent circling the US. Being “on the road” is an adventure all to itself; there’s always something else out there to see, to hike, to enjoy! Good places, good people, and good food… Our memories are tied to our photos.. your’s to your words… it’s all good! Hope to see you at Summer’s end.
R & K, yes, it really is challenging to keep up with blogging with all of the other things going on in our lives. And because we generally move twice a week while we’re traveling, even posting once a week it’s easy to fall far behind. I can understand how writing for three blog sites would have burned you out.
We’re looking forward to seeing you in September! Then we can see your photos and catch up. :-)
Writing for yourself is the only way to write…the rest of us simply join on your coat tails and enjoy the ride…love the quotes and never and I mean never under value your exquisite photos (case in point the perfectly framed and jewel like dogwood that starts this rant)…) Life moves much too quickly for all and most of us only wish we’d taken time to find the words for later recall and revelation….thanks be that you do…even months later…if I could help you simply enjoy the writing as it comes around on the ol’ ukelele I’d do whatever to help. No expectations for perfection or timeliness from this quarter…love your wit and wisdom and insight when ever it comes around. Feeling blessed by your blog, Diana
Thanks, darlin’. Life does move quickly, and writing helps so much to anchor experiences for me. You know I always love hearing about your wild and wonderful adventures…I still think you should write a blog! But I know much of your creativity goes into your beautiful art quilts—not enough time for everything, right?
Love that Anais Nin quote, perfect! Also love your friend’s advice, write for yourself. I follow that rule wholeheartedly, hence the gaps in my writing as well. You are so right, it is easy to get caught up in the comparisons of what other bloggers are doing, or not doing. There are very few that I care to read much any more. Those of friends I know and love, and a couple very special bloggers that I might actually like to know and love! Since we will be in SC this coming late spring, I have been tracking your “old” posts with relish. But really, yoga at sunrise on a gorgeous mountain?? Don’t think I have ever actually seen that one on a blog. More often it is something like….got up this morning, had coffee, read blogs, and had happy hour. LOLOL
Sue, I first discovered that Anais Nin quote in college and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since. I like that you write for yourself! That truly makes it your journey, without pretense. I’m so glad that our posts about the southeast are helpful for you. I’m hoping that we’ll be able to finally meet up in person next winter/spring in Florida or in the southeast.
Haha, I like to write about the details of our travels in our blog, but not the “got up, had coffee” details. :-)
Agree with the above comments….love your blog! You too have your own style of writing & beautiful pics! Wish we could fit in that park, looks awesome!
Thanks, Debbie. I’m glad you’re enjoying our blog. And I bet you would fit into Paris Mountain State Park! It’s worth calling the park to find out.
You write one of my all time favorite blogs! Please don’t stop. 8^)
JC, I take that as a very high compliment. Thank you—I appreciate every comment you make. :-)
I think we all started out blogging more often than we do now. Eventually everyone settles down to what works best for them.
We all have our different styles, bragging about ourselves and our skills, photoshopping pictures til they aren’t even recognizable, teaching, teasing, visually dragging others through museums of things we love, writing every day, every month, every new grandchild, once a year, etc. I figure there is something for everyone and we all follow the blogs that keep our particular interests and reading styles. Ultimately, we write for ourselves.
I’d love you to write TWO blogs…..a current one so I’d know where you were today, and a more in depth one of where you’ve been complete with your wonderful pictures and prose. FaceBook for quick, current info. perhaps? Too much to ask you say? Yes, it is. So I hope you continue to document your travels, big and small, whenever you feel like it. We’re listening and loving to read whatever you give us.
Parkitecture….a perfect word!
OMG can you imagine me trying to write two blogs? I’ve never started a Facebook account because I know it would be a vortex for me. I would feel compelled to comment on every post anyone made, to answer every comment…sigh.
I am going to really try to get closer to “real time” with our blog. Writing this post and reading all of the wonderful comments are helping to move me forward. Thanks for continuing along with us, Sue, and for being so encouraging. :-)
I’m glad you are able to nip those self-deprecating thoughts in the bud. Those Dogwood blossoms are tremendous! I didn’t know there were fragrant Azaleas. The garden variety we have don’t have a scent.
For a non-traveler like myself, your blog reminds me that there is beauty all over the country, and that there are people everywhere who care about their parks and wilderness. I’m grateful that the earlier park designers had good aesthetic tastes.
Keep on Truckin’
Sheila, you would love those azaleas! They really are intoxicatingly fragrant. The wild varieties always seem to be highly scented. We planted some in our garden in Ashland.
I’m so glad that even as a non-traveler that you enjoy our blog. I sure do love knowing that you’re always with us. oxoxo
(haha, nipping those self-deprecating thoughts in the bud—I just got it!!)
I can totally relate … a year or so ago, I shared your sentiment and then I decided to take my own advice. When I was in the home building biz, I remember talking to another builder who was wrapped up with a competitor. Long story short, I recommended he tend to his own garden and not worry about the other competitors. With that said, write when and how for YOU and enjoy the other blogs, but don’t compare. You have your own unique style and purpose and this blog is for you, thus do what works for YOU.
We appreciate the privilege of following along regardless of how often you post. And of course, I love your photography. Hope you’re having a good summer!
Thank you, Ingrid. I’m glad you enjoy our photography—I certainly enjoy the beauty of your photos. We’re having a glorious summer on Lopez. It really suits us here. Thanks for sharing your story—here’s to staying true to our own voices in our blogs!
Your blog makes me happy and I don’t care if you’re sitting on a mountain at sunset doing yoga or not! Your blog allows me to see the US and I love that. I will follow in your footsteps soon! Keep doing what you’re doing it’s wonderful.
Oh, Karen, I’m delighted that our blog makes you happy! I’m excited that you’ll be traveling soon. I hope you’ll be starting a blog about your journeys. We’ll be in Portland in early October—it would be wonderful to meet up with you.
I think anyone who writes a blog experiences this same anxiety. You might laugh, but I get major anxiety when I fall more than a week or two behind. Not because I think anyone else cares (or notices) but because I am afraid I might forget! Because when it comes down to it, no matter how we go about the blogging process, the whole point to preserve memories. I used to be tempted to skip places where we didn’t have what I deemed enough adventures or pretty pictures, but I eventually realized that I want to remember those places even if no one else cares. The internet is a trying place where even the most confident of us fall into the trap of comparison. You keep doing your thing and those of us who appreciate it will keep following along. I for one am really glad you didn’t skip over writing about Greenville because it’s long been on our “must visit” list and I enjoyed seeing it from your perspective. Thanks as always for sharing!
Amanda, you are absolutely right—the internet is a trying place. Exactly why I don’t do Facebook. I’m amazed that you post so consistently and I love that you write so honestly. I always find your posts interesting, and your photography is beautiful. Thanks for continuing to share your journey with us. And thanks for the support.
Oh, and definitely go to Greenville! There’s a cool bike trail called the Swamp Rabbit that we didn’t discover until the day we were leaving. And the campground is perfect for you guys.
I, for one, would be disappointed if you ever stop blogging…your writing is beautiful and your photos are lovely!
But I sure hear you about difficulties in blogging! Even though I love having a record of our travels and really enjoy paging back through our years of travel a couple of times a year, I really struggle with the writing of it. Even now, I am well into a months long blogging break!
Selfishly wishing you many more years of free-flowing words!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Lisa. I think this post (and the encouraging comments) are helping me break through the crazy writer’s block I’ve had. I’ve always admired how timely you are with your posts, and I’ve definitely appreciated all of the great ideas you share about your travels along with your beautiful photos.
I hope you’re enjoying your summer in San Diego and having fun gardening!
Oh, Laurel, you make me laugh so. I can just see you sitting there worrying about how long it has been since you last posted. It is alright if we get a little behind. We have all been there believe me. I love your posts. There are always so alive. I feel like I am walking, hiking or biking right along with you and Eric. I really love the Anais Nin quote. I never heard it before but she hit it right on the head…taste life twice…no one has said it better.
We have never been to Greenville. That garden is so lovely. Those gigantic tree roots make you look like a dwarf. Eric has good taste. I think “Field of Dreams” is amazing. A friend of ours is so proud because he is from the small town where Shoeless was born, Hannibal, MO. Great hike.
Marsha, I like what you said about feeling as though you’re right there with us in our adventures—that is exactly how I would like people to feel, but I didn’t know it until you said it! Kind of crazy the things that I can let bother me, like being behind in posting. Thanks so much for your support in helping me not feel alone.
You two would enjoy Greenville. It’s a lovely area with a lot to offer. If you go, don’t miss Shoeless Joe’s house and museum!
I share your angst as you know. But I don’t know whose blogs you are reading in that list of descriptions. Yours is the most beautiful one I read. And among the most informative. I would never have even considered stopping in Greenville unless it was 150 miles on my way to somewhere else. And now I see what I missed. What a cute town. Can the waterfalls be natural?? And those tree roots. Amazing. Glad Eric got to meet up with his friend. Please know that I don’t care if you ever catch up. Just keep posting this wonderful blog. I find catching up to be impossible and don’t actually know anyone except maybe Bayfield Al who posts daily. Perhaps I don’t run in the right circles. I’m positive I don’t know as many bloggers as you do.
Sherry, you keep up with your blog more than just about anyone I know. You have nothing to worry about in being behind!
You guys would love Greenville if it’s ever on your route. The hiking and biking are great and it’s a very cute town. The waterfalls are natural, and the city has done a wonderful job of creating a beautiful walking path and gardens all along the river, right through the downtown area.
Thank you for your support, and for not caring if I’m caught up or not!
We would never realize you were “behind” if you didn’t tell us! I agree that your blog has a soothing quality about it, and I enjoy it very much no matter when you post. And this time it had a new very, very cool word to add to our lexicons!
Thank you, Joodie. I appreciate that you enjoy our posts, timely or not! And yes, isn’t “parkitechture” a cool word? It describes perfectly the work of the CCC.
Your writing and photos are always inspiring and I enjoy your posts even if they are months behind your current location. Leah’s advice is perfect, do it for yourself. I think all bloggers go through periods of trying to decide if it’s time to give it up. I am having more and more trouble getting motivated to write but then a question comes up about a place we’ve been, or where we stayed or where we ate, and when I look back at the blog I realize that as long as we’re traveling I need to keep it up or we would never remember it all.
And as for Greenville, we passed through many times when we lived in the east but never spent any time there. Looks like we should have!
Thanks, Gayle. I’m glad you enjoy our tardy posts—you are always so timely with yours. Your blog is wonderful, such a rich storehouse of great memories (and information for the rest of us). I hope you continue to write and share—and I hope we can meet up in our travels.
If you ever make it back east, put Greenville on your list. It’s well worth a visit.
“It is an art, trying to capture the soul of a place, the essence of an experience, and the nuances of feelings in words” and you my new friend are a true artist! No matter the pace or the schedule. It was a treat to meet.
It was indeed a treat to meet, Leah. Your straightforward, wise words came exactly at the right moment for me. Thanks again, and we hope to see you and Neal this winter. Meanwhile, enjoy your adventures!
I read a lot of blogs, but there are only a few I turn to consistently when we’re headed to a new place. Like, I dunno, maybe… Boise? The proof is in the pudding, lady. Your blog is beautiful and lovely and interesting and helpful….and as long as you make sure you write about places I am planning on going before I actually get there – so you can take care of all our travel planning for us – you won’t hear any complaints from me. Speaking of which, The Basque Market was amazeballs!
Anyway, I have felt all of these things that you’re talking about, but one look back at an old post convinces me that it is a worthwhile project to have on the road. We really do lose the details if we don’t write them down, especially when so much of our life is a highlight reel. Your friend is right – you have to write for yourself. Write because you enjoy it and write because you will enjoy reading it down the road and, also, so Laura doesn’t have to spend hours travel planning for Boise…. :)
LOL, well, writing for you is as good a reason as I can think of for continuing this blog! Thanks for your encouraging and humorous comment, Laura. I’m glad you enjoyed Boise, and I’m really glad all of the minutiae I write about is helpful for someone. It helps that we share similar sensibilities. I’ve certainly appreciated your wonderful blog and your helpful tips.
I’ll try to stay ahead of you and get a blog posted before you get to wherever you’re going next! :-)
I’m with Marsha! I can just picture you lamenting about the blog, your writing, photos, etc. Poor Eric, is all I’ll say:)😘 Your blog is lovely. I so enjoy your narratives and your beautiful photos. Don’t fret about how FAR behind you are. It just gives John more fuel for our next get together.
We enjoyed walking the Falls on the Reedy. We didn’t get as far as we would have liked since it was in the 90’s. I, too, have a photo of that massive root system. It’s so cool.
We’ll take you any way we can get you.🤩
Thanks, Pam—you have to stick with us because you’re our friends, haha! Okay, now I’m really motivated to get caught up so that the “principal” won’t make me stay after school!
I didn’t realize that you had been in Greenville—did I miss that? It would not be so much fun with temps in the 90s.
I just went to our blog and realized that our visit never made it! John said he just had so much he was trying cover that he skipped it. We had some great photos, too! Darn. We were in Gaffney waiting for service. The day they took the coach in we knew it would be all day so we drove to Greenville since we’ve never been there. What a great city. We were both very impressed and said we could live there if it weren’t in the east and in the south…LOL! We enjoyed walking along the river. The falls were so pretty. It’s always fun to see someone doing the same thing you did:)
One of the many reasons I’m behind…I always want to post about every stop we make! :-)) You can make John do a retroactive post, haha!
Your blog is truly one of a kind. Beautiful, uncluttered, informative and entertaining! I very much enjoy your writing style (and wit). In fact, after perusing many, many travel blogs, I have narrowed it down to one that I follow continually. Yours. Your posts are worth waiting for. Thanks for sharing your travels.
Bonnie, thank you for starting my day with such a lovely comment. Knowing that you enjoy our blog (and that you “get” my humor!) inspires me. I am truly honored that you’ve chosen to follow our blog. Thank you for taking the time to comment. :-)
Like Linda and Pam, I think of your blog as lovely. Both the visual and the temperment. Since you do other writing I imagine the blog is more challenging to stay current. Like mechanics with unrepaired vehicles, and stylists who need a haircut :-) I write the blog for all the reasons you shared. I would definitely miss being able to look back and remember the details!
Since I refer to your blog for ideas on where to stay and what to visit I selfishly encourage you to hang in there!!! Like this post which will help with our upcoming visit to South Carolina. That tree root shot is incredible. I agree the little kitchen is a gem. I can smell those beautiful flowers!!
Jodee, there’s definitely an aspect of balancing my writing work with writing our blog. (Stylists who need a haircut, haha! Or with really bad dye jobs. That always makes me nervous.) Combined with daily life and adventures (and too much other time on the computer spent planning our routes, etc.) there aren’t enough hours in the day.
I love this blogging community, and being able to refer to each other’s blogs for ideas. :-)
I love how you put your self out there and I so love how everyone had wonderful and inspiring comments to make to you. There is nothing to say that hasn’t been said except that I love
you and everything that makes you YOU!
Oh, thank you, dear Cyn! How lucky we are, to have so many good people in our lives. You are such a wonderful, loving friend—I’m glad we stay close, even when we’re far away. oxoxo
I love the quotes you put in your blog. A long past post of our travels will pop up on our facebook of a place we had forgotten about. The blog takes us right back there.
We always look forward to your posts and pictures.
So glad you enjoy our blog, Debbie. It’s surprising how much we forget without our blogs, isn’t it? I really like those quotes, too. The one from Oscar Wilde makes me laugh—and it’s so true!
Laurel, I had been in your shoes several times. I had a break last year when we were in Tucson then I wrote a summary. Then now I am only two post behind :) still that angst is there and your mind keeps thinking and composing how you are gonna write it. And NO please don’t skip, we both love your writing and photos:) and remember it is only us bloggers who put pressure on ourselves, nobody really knows if we are behind or not. For me because I am on FB also which is more current and that gave me additional angst. But I am over it, I kept telling myself this is my blog, I can write when I want to do it!
We had been to Greenville and was even toying the idea of living there for we liked the area but no, it’s in the east :)
ML, I think you do a great job of keeping up with all of your travels, and you share so much wonderful information and photos of your adventures. I understand exactly what you mean about the mind working away figuring out how to compose a post. I write in my head a lot. :-)
It’s good for all of us to do exactly what you said, to write when we want to. Hugs to you, and keep on blogging!
You and I have had conversations about blogging before so I know all the feelings you are experiencing. I have gotten to the point where I write for me also. I know some of my posts are not going to resonate with some, but that’s ok. I also give myself permission not to blog, most often when I’m sitting still. I don’t find it necessary to bore everyone with my week-to-week hand therapy progress this summer. I have found other things to occupy me these past few months, tasks I have been putting off far too long, readings I have set aside. Those who follow you most likely do so because you draw them in with your beautiful writing, wonderful photos, and all the out-of-the-way places you go and out-of-the-ordinary things you do. It doesn’t matter whether you are writing about what you did last week or last year. Your readers probably don’t much care. Enjoy your remaining time on Lopez. We are off to San Diego to housesit for a couple of weeks. I am looking forward to a change of scenery and temperature. Hugs!
Lu, it seems that so many of us have come to the same conclusion—we need to write for ourselves. And at the same time, I’m delighted by comments, and knowing that others enjoy what we share. Thank you for your kind words. And you know I love your beautiful blog. :-)
I’m glad you’re taking time for yourself this summer, to focus on healing your hand and to regroup for your adventures ahead. Enjoy your time in San Diego—it sounds like a wonderful respite from the heat. Hugs to you two, too!
Definitely write for yourself. So that when it’s reread it transports you instantly to that space in time. It will almost feel like you are there. We are just lucky that you are willing to share your life experiences with us. I wouldn’t be impressed with a yoga pose on top of a lofty summit. I’d think you were nuts and needed to be committed. LOL! Do it for you both as long as it’s fun.
Thank you, Brenda. I love that you follow along with us on our adventures. You guys have been good friends to us through so many different life experiences! I like what you said—I’ll continue blogging as long as it’s fun. And yeah, you probably will never see me doing yoga on top of a lofty summit—at least not at sunrise, LOL!!
Don’t change a thing. Your blog is a great read and the pictures are always fantastic. Plus you’ve given us so many ideas for places to go and things to do it’s ridiculous. Thank you!
Aw, thanks, Henry! I’m so glad our blog is helpful to you, and that you enjoy it. You know how much I enjoy your writing and Loretta’s photography.
Alas, it is easy to get sidetracked and suddenly more days pass than you think have… and then you blog again. Why? Well for me it is to keep our memories alive and maybe help a few others who may read our blog along the way. Having toured the USA several times now I find it most difficult to blog when revisiting places we have been to before. Cheers!
Yes, I find it VERY easy to get sidetracked! You two seem to do a really good job of keeping up with your blog. I agree, it’s more challenging to blog about places that we’ve already visited, but since we always search out new things to do, I want to remember what we’ve done. As you said, it keeps our memories alive. :-)
Ah … that blogging angst. Something I know so well. Just look at how I left our recent road trip hanging … sigh!
I do write for myself — and anyone who cares to tag along is welcome. Like you, when I go back and read about a past experience, I am transported to that time. Living in the moment is wonderful, and I do that regularly and especially when we are traveling … hence the lack of a story on the blog now. But there is something to be said for going back in time to relive memories as well … something that will become increasingly important when — at that distant point in time — we will no longer be able to experience travel adventures as we do now.
In recent years, I started journaling again. I find I can stay on top of that because I don’t have to worry about sentence structure and the like. Or researching some little tidbit that I heard before I put it out there for public consumption. What I write needs to make sense only to me ;-). This, I find, has relieved some of the blogging angst, as I know I will have the notes I need to catch up the blog at some point … if I ever find the time to tell all the missing stories. If not … I’ll have my photos and those notes to refresh my memories.
In the meantime, I do want to say that your blog is one that I look forward to … even if I am way behind on blog-reading as well. That living-in-the-moment thing plays havoc with more than just writing ;-). I enjoy your descriptions and sentiments and the photos that so vividly describe your experiences as a whole. I’m glad Sue Malone steered me in your direction.
Thank you, Erin. I’m glad that Sue shared our blog with you and that you’ve joined us on our travels.
I sometimes jot down a few thoughts from a place we’ve visited, but I think your suggestion is a good one, to actually journal about the experience so that I’ll have something to draw from when I start to write a post (months later!). Photos trigger memories for me, but the written word adds depth and nuance.
Living in the moment is far more important than blog writing or reading, and it seems you do that well. I always enjoy hearing from you. :-)
I came across your beautiful blog the other night as I was doing a little research for a future trip to Vancouver Island. My husband and I are fairly new to the RV world and I wanted to find out about using the ferry system with our 27 ft Class C motorhome. We have previously been to the area back in 2007 while cruising the San Juan Islands with my then 74-year-old father and his wife (on their boat on which they were living on Lake Union at the time), but now we’re ready to do some exploring of our own, perhaps for 4-6 weeks next year. Anyhow, I found your blog while searching for some information and fell down the rabbit hole! I love your conversational style and your photographs are stunning. I’m eager to spend time reading your backlist of posts, which I’m sure will lead to many lists and notes of future destinations. Don’t fret about falling behind. Only you and your closest friends know where you’ve recently traveled. To those like me, it’s all new and fresh and any post is “current.” And like you, I’m blogging to keep a record of my travels with my husband, as well as the books I’ve read recently (or not so recently, as I’m behind in that area!) and over the past 20 years. I keep reminding myself that there is no due date or deadline!
Les, thank you so much for your kind comment! I’m happy you stumbled across our blog, and doubly happy because now I’ve found yours! I like that you post the books you’re reading.