Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Life in our little cottage in the country

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Roseville Series and Blog Business

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So far. They’re propped up on the music stand and I’ve run out of room! Quality problems, I know. I’m going to start a new one today.

I’m enraged by the technicality that let Bill Cosby leave prison. Don’t forget, I know someone very well who ran out of his house in NYC when she realized what he was about to do.

But, even if I didn’t know her, 60 women came forward. He was found guilty. This is the kind of ‘technicality’ that only someone who is enormously wealthy can afford to pursue. And still his wife defends him. And Phylicia Rashad. Real and Fake wives remain resolute in turning a blind eye to the facts.

And don’t get me started on the judge’s decision as to Brittney Spears.

Okay, I’ll stop.

We had a big old thunderstorm last night and the temperatures have dropped. It’s still humid out there, but not nearly so oppressive. More rain is on the way.

Some blog business. I’ve been a bit remiss. After deciding that ‘tomorrow is another day,’ I didn’t pursue the email subscriptions to the blog ending in July. It’s July 1st. I have no idea when in July they will cease. Maybe today? Maybe not.

So I took a survey last night on IG. (Side note: I don’t know how to phrase a survey question as was painfully obvious.) The vast majority of readers who answered said the email subscription wasn’t necessary. Some, of course, like getting the emails and I understand that. But I am reluctant to take on more blog expense at this point in the life of the blog for the less than 20% who would like an email. And, as this was unofficial, I don’t even know if those who responded regularly read the blog.

Here’s the deal: I provide all of this for free. I don’t want you to have to pay to read this blog nor do I want paid subscribers. I’m not comfortable with that at all. Yes, I know everyone and his brother is climbing on the Patreon wagon, but that’s not for me. I have done my best over the years to be as user friendly and available as I can be. There was a time when I loved nothing more than adding new things to the blog, trying out new services. Those days are over.

Don’t worry, I plan to keep blogging, but the fact is, the blog does have a finite life. I am particularly uncomfortable with taking on an added expense at this point.

And here’s the key point: You KNOW I post every day. In the rare case that I don’t, I let you know that I’m not posting via Instagram. This isn’t the case of a blogger who posts sporadically so you need to know when a new post is up. I am not that blogger. I blog every day, in the morning, so that the post is published by 11 am at the latest. Why should I have to let you know what you already know via an email subscription that costs me money and I’m not even sure how many of those subscribers read the blog any more?

The answer is obvious. I shouldn’t have to.

And the solution, for those of you who love getting the email, is to bookmark or favorite the blog via your browser. It couldn’t be easier. One click. Then, around 11 am or earlier, you click on that bookmark or favorite and you’re taken directly to the blog. That’s how I read blogs, and I read several every day. The alternative is to follow it in a feed reader like Feedly or Bloglovin’. I am on Bloglovin’ and I used to have a box on my sidebar that you could click to follow me there. I’ll put it back in the next few days.

Then, when you check your particular feed reader, you’ll see my post. And, being the wonderful people you are, you’ll click on the post and go directly to the blog.

This is what I’m going to do. No more email subscriptions.

My friends, this blog is in its 13th year. Writing a post every day has been a source of satisfaction and joy. And I wouldn’t be here without you. I know that.

Sometimes I consider ending it, but I’m not ready for that. As Don reminds me, “You would regret that decision.” He’s right. But, having just paid my annual fees for security, for backups of the blog so I don’t lose posts should something nefarious happen, and for my host, I just can’t stomach paying for something that simply isn’t necessary.

And there you have it.

If you need help with bookmarking or favoriting the blog, I’m happy to help.

Stay safe.

Happy this seems like a Friday but is really Thursday.

 

Hazy, Hot, and Humid

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I’m still working on the shape of this vase. I thought I got it down yesterday (after this picture was taken) but as I look at it this morning, I realize I have corrections to make. None of this is helped by the weather. We had a heat advisory yesterday, another today, and it will go on until later in the week. It is very hot and very humid here. Consequently, I have a small window in which to paint because I don’t want the air conditioner blowing fumes from the oil paint all over the kitchen.

I am not a morning person, but I’ve already watered the garden, paid the bills so Don can mail them, started a load of laundry, and watered all the houseplants. And I haven’t even had my second cup of coffee! Have to get everything done early in this weather.

Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday. Sometimes I’m faced with technical problems on the blog, which have to be dealt with. I had to call my host and, frankly, the guy I spoke to wasn’t any help. Usually, they are very helpful, but we had a language barrier (turns out he was in the Philippines) and he didn’t understand what I was trying my best to explain. I turned to my security company and, because it was a Sunday, they took a while to get back to me. In the meantime, I discovered the solution to my other problem which had to do with my browser and an extension I was using. Once I dealt with that, everything was back to normal. Problems that were, in the end, very minor.

Sigh. It does make for a tedious day.

So, I’m back at it.

If you’re dealing with this same weather pattern, stay hydrated and stay inside.

By the way, I read that the World Health Organization is recommending that fully vaccinated persons should wear a mask in public places, especially indoors, because of the Delta variant, which is spreading quickly and has, in some cases, infected those who were fully vaccinated. I still wear a mask in the stores and it looks like my instinct about this variant was right.

So…stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 



Miniature Easel, Yarrow, and the Blog


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Another view of the yarrow. For some reason, yarrow has always been difficult to photograph. Ah well, I keep trying.


It’s a beautiful morning, though it’s turning cloudy and we’re due for rain and perhaps a thunderstorm this afternoon and evening. I can see catalpa flowers falling slowly – one by one. Don and I were outside early this morning and the scent coming from that tree is heavenly. By the way, all of the wild phlox and the wild roses have lost their flowers. Their time is truly fleeting.


I was so excited when a box from Denmark arrived in the mail yesterday. Huzzah! Here is the beautiful easel made by Hanna of Atelier Hannas Mini  on Etsy. The easel is hand made using beautiful wood, and it works!




Isn’t it gorgeous?? You can see that the easel is adjustable. I’ve already played with it. Hanna is so talented. This one took a long time to get here. Hanna had to make it and she was awaiting some parts that come from England. It was worth the wait.




I had to try out one of my mini paintings, which suddenly looks like a big canvas! I think I’ll eventually put a work that is in progress on the easel, so it looks like our resident artist is currently working on a new painting. We’re going to assume that there is a big window on this side of the easel that floods the room with light.


Truthfully, I’m a little jealous of the artist. She has this lovely space, a large easel, a comfy chair and lots of light. I work at the kitchen table with a small “sort-of-an-easel” and am surrounded by kitchen stuff. I hope she knows how lucky she is!


Okay. Business stuff. As you may or may not know, the email versions of my last two posts didn’t go out. Traffic to the blog greatly decreased because many of you rely on the email to tell you I’ve posted, even though you know that 99% of the time I post every day. That means lost ad income.


Last night, at 3:30 am, both of those posts went out. Go figure.


Here’s the problem. I, and many, many other bloggers, use Feedburner, a free service owned by Google, to send out updates of our feeds, as well as email versions of our posts. For the past several years, Google has virtually ignored Feedburner. It is impossible to get any sort of help when something goes wrong. In doing some research, I learned that Google recently announced that they were going to do some work on Feedburner, but had decided to  get rid of email subscription services. So, as of July, it is no longer an option. That means I have to find another way of sending the emails and all the alternatives cost money. And I didn’t particularly want to invest any more money in the blog.


But I have over 400 subscribers, so I have to face reality and choose a new service. Truth be told, I’m not at all sure how many of the 400+ still actively read the blog and Feedburner doesn’t supply any information as to who, specifically, doesn’t read the blog. All of the alternative services determine pricing based on subscriber count.


I did some initial research yesterday and I’ll keep on working on it. I have to make a choice soon, as the emails will no longer go out as of July. In the meantime, I hope the current problem has been corrected and you subscribers will get your emails on time. I promise to do my best to find an even better service than Feedburner. Thanks so much for your patience.


Stay safe.


Happy Sunday.




 




Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party


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