Here’s looking at you. The world looks pretty amazing when it’s reflected in a gazing ball.
Spring is here. Although we had a minor glitch when we had a Frost Advisory last night.
It’s May 7th.
I had to run out and cover a plant I had just put in the ground a few days before. After the Red Sox game ended (12 innings!), there were Don and I, flashlight in hand, throwing a sheet on the plant. Well, not actually throwing a sheet; we artfully arranged it so it covered the plant, but didn’t touch it.
Big garden bed last week.
Big garden bed this week: perennials are spreading, growing taller, and you can spy some green on those trees.
Up in the back forty, some are actually leafing out. Will wonders never cease?
The tulips are just about to open. My goodness. It’s May. (Do I need to keep saying that?) Apparently, yes. I am still wrestling with the fact that Spring has come so much later this year.
My peonies are emerging from the ground. They bloom, like clockwork, during the first week of June. Will that still hold true this year? I’m wondering.
The woods are full of vinca; swaths of purple flowers are everywhere.
The buzz of big, fat bumblebees accompanies me on my walks around the property.
Waiting for Spring here in Northeast isn’t for sissies. It requires a lot of fortitude and more than a little patience. This year, more than ever, I look for the tiniest signs. It’s getting a little easier to find them lately, but for quite a while there, I had to look very closely indeed.
I almost had to use a magnifying glass.
In other news, I cringe slightly when I share this with you, but here’s the scoop. I added another ad above the content area on the blog. I don’t like the look of it, but it’s necessary right now. I spent a long time on the phone with Dawn yesterday, trying to figure out how to change some CSS coding so that the ad wasn’t right on top of the post title. We finally figured it out, but it’s messed a bit with my post title spacing. Nothing I can’t ignore.
The truth: I need more income from this blog and I don’t kid myself; that will be easier said than done, as this blog isn’t one thing, i.e., a decorating blog or a food blog, it’s a lot of things. It’s a reflection of all my loves, all my passions. I’m perfectly happy with that, indeed, I deliberately fashioned the blog in that way, but the downside is that my kind of blog earns less ad income. So I continually walk a little tightrope here, balancing the need to be honest and real with trying to find more ways to generate an income. I haven’t had coaching work in several months. Jobs of any kind in my neck of the woods aren’t particularly easy to find. We need more money coming in. STAT.
Wouldn’t it be perfect if this blog I put so much work and love into, this place where I write a new post each and every day, could provide me with an income that matches what I might earn working elsewhere? I’m putting it out there into the Universe.
Why not?
(Please don’t think I’m asking you to click on ads. You don’t have to do that and I don’t want you to. Only click on an ad you are honestly interested in. If you visit the blog directly, that is enough. Thanks.)
Happy Wednesday.
I didn’t notice the ad until you mentioned it, so it should be fine. My pet peeve is the ad or survey that comes floating down from the top of a blog, leaving me no choice but to deal with it if I want to read the blog.
That happens sometimes on this blog, but I think, rarely. Thank goodness!
I spent most of my life in NY state and remember waiting to plant my garden. I never put anything in before the 15th of May, then only hardy plants. I would wait until the 30th for anything that couldn’t take a bit of frost. I remember a few late May snowstorms that would leave snow on the lilacs! Here in central IL, I will begin planting this weekend. Have fun with your garden!
I am having fun with it, Debbie. It’s supposed to be 80 degrees on Sunday! From frost to 80 in five days.
I honestly did not notice that new add. As I started reading, enjoying the pictures, I kept wondering what it was that you were “putting out there”. When I got to that part of your post I had to scroll back up to take a look! :) I know you worry about this, but as long as something doesn’t pop up while we’re reading, I just can’t imagine people getting upset by such things (though I know they do!). It will take more than that to run me off Claudia!
I need a reminder – does it help you financially if we actually click on the ads?
I also didn’t notice the ad up top until you mentioned it. I know that you need the income so I hope it helps!! Things are so hard right now for us eclectic bloggers. I always try to open your blog so that it counts on your revenue. As for Spring, just think how much you will enjoy it once it’s finally in full bloom…even if it is May!
hugs, Linda
Bless your heart, Linda. Thank you!
Claudia, you should do what ever it takes so that you can continue to blog.
Why shouldn’t they?
We pour our heart and soul into them, take time to craft great posts, and images, and just because we don’t blog in a niche, [we are calling ourselves Naked Niche bloggers ] that doesn’t mean that we don’t have interesting things to say.
And a audience.
I think it’s the next big undiscovered thing in blog land.
Eclectic, unique voices that are not going to be square pegs in a DIY’s, or decorating box.
And there is room for all. The conversation continues on Friday…
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I love the term you’ve coined, Jen. Perfect.
I sure hope you’re right. Frankly naked niche blogs are by far the most interesting to me!
Dear Claudia, You give so much and ask so little! You do what you have to do.
-Judy A-
p.s. I just noticed yesterday how our tulips around Capitol Hill are come and gone.
.
Maybe mine will bloom today? Fingers crossed!
No need to apologize for having ads on your blog! I think bloggers should get something back for the work they put in to creating posts. If I ever get readers, it’s something I plan to look in to. I can’t think of even one blog I read that doesn’t have ads and that’s fine with me. Amazing you are still getting frost and we are already into full summer here.
I’d trade weather with you gladly.
I bet! The frost advisory was definitely a shock. But it is supposed to hit 80 on Sunday. Go figure!
Claudia,
Your blog is the only one I read regularly, so it seems crazy to me that quality blogs like yours makes less money than others. The Ads are fine and in fact sometimes I find good deals on them. No need to fret about it. We all have to make money, that is how this world of ours works.
Thank you for your support, Mandy!
What ad? Where? There are a few little items in the sidebar (are they called “buttons” or something like that?) but that’s all. Claudia, I don’t think your fan base cares what you have to do to keep blogging. We’re here because we love your voice.
There’s an ad right above this post, Nancy. Maybe you have ad blockers on your computer?
Claudia, I’m sure you don’t want to, but consider doing what Amy Adams’ character did in “Julie and Julia” – she added a PayPal icon of some type to her blog. Personally I support Wikipedia whenever they do that, because I use it so often. I bet a lot of your readers – including me – would do that for you too. Right now I feel like a PBS viewer who hasn’t ever pledged… :>)
I’ve thought about that, but I’m uncomfortable with that at this point. I know others do it, but I don’t know if I could.
I actually have never seen any of your ads. Maybe I don’t know what I am looking for.
Spring here in NE Minnesota is late also. The early budding trees are just barely showing a tiny bit of color. The day lillies are only up about 2 inches. I can’t even put the cool weather vegetables out in the garden yet. Normally they would be, and be finished in mid May. Hmmm, not this year.
I love the photo of the bumble bee that was following you around.
Well, if you get this post in a reader or via email, you wouldn’t see any ads. But they are there!
Love this blog! Can’t say it enough. I was also wondering, would you get more income if we click on the ads? Would do no problem if it helps.
No, you don’t have to do that, nor would I ask you to. Just visiting the blog directly makes a big difference, Marsha. Thank you.
I never noticed the new ad. And, I LOVE the concept of Naked/ Eclectic bloggers. I can’t identify, at this point in my life, w/ the Mommy bloggers/ can only take so much DIY, and esp dislike the DIYers who change out their mantel every other day, and set up vignettes and change them out weekly….. seriously?? So, those of you who actually live a life I would say is pretty “normal” ~~ you garden, you have a family, you DIY, you shop, you cook, have a pet or 2, you struggle in the economy, question some of the crazy things in the world, go through life and grief with us,,,, well, you ARE my niche!! Those are the blogs of which I wish there were more. Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams had a great post the other day about just this idea. Carry on great bloggers, you are my heroes, and I love spending time with you when you post! Tell me where and when to click on your blogs and I will happily do so!! :-)
I read Jen’s post and heartily concur with her. Perhaps the world will realize that Mommy Bloggers and DIY Bloggers and Decorating Bloggers, though wonderful, are not the be all and end all? And it would be even better if advertising opportunities came to naked niche bloggers as well. We are consumers. We buy things. So do our readers.
The ad looks fine! As a matter of fact…I had to go back to notice it! Your yard looks fantastic! We are on the road still…so don’t know what ours looks like yet. Although, my youngest son did mow the grass for us. Putting it out there in the universe…does seem to work! Enjoy your day…we’ve got 9 more hours of driving today…shooting for Chattanooga! ;)
Safe travels, my friend. Chattanooga is a very cool city, by the way. I have a friend who lives there.
Thanks! I’ll wave hello for you! We’ll just be passing through this trip! ;)
I didn’t notice ad either, maybe if I was into dollhouses it would have caught my attention. I don’t mind the ads, I read you daily. I don’t read food, decor or DIY blogs daily. I hate burlap, pallets, etc. Ha. I like observations and your mix. Add more ads if it helps!
Oh lord, I am SO sick of burlap and pallets and chevrons. xo
I loved all the blooming photos, the bee is a good sign spring is here for sure. I didn’t even notice the new ad, it didn’t bother me at all in reading your post :)
Thanks Dawn, and thanks for your help yesterday, my friend!
Well Claudia..My tulips finally bloomed and are looking quite gorgeous..I click on your ads every day to help out..Please don’t tell me it’s not necessary and I don’t have to do that..It is no problem to me and I love knowing that I have a way to help you and Don out..I get so much pleasure in you letting me be part of your everyday lives..the ups and the downs..the good and the bad..I am also happy knowing that it can help you to take care of our sweet little Scoutie..Now stop feeling embarrassed when you need some extra help..You work hard to make interesting posts for us..let us repay you when you need us..Hugs..
You don’t have to do that – and if you do it too much, Google will be on alert – rightly so – and could suspend my account. If you click because you’re interested in the product, fine – all well and good. But don’t do it otherwise, my friend.
Oh My Gosh Claudia..And I thought I was helping..I”m so glad I told you..I will certainly stop it..So sorry dear..
Not to worry, I don’t have that big of numbers on AdSense and it’s okay to click on an ad if you want to. Just don’t do it repeatedly. If you are interested in something when you visit the blog, feel free to click. If you visit the blog directly I get some income with both BlogHer and Adsense.
Spring is beautiful there and alive finally….good luck with the income from the blog….it is hard when you are not a niche blog but yours is a great blog so I will bet you will get that wish back tenfold! :)
Thank you, Donna.
Like a lot of the others, I didn’t notice the ad either until you pointed it out. For me, I think it’s simply because I ignore ads. Don’t apologize for what you have to do though. It’s your blog – you can do what you want with it. Spring in my neck of the woods looks just like yours. We’re so far behind. I just planted lettuces today. Can’t even think of planting tomatoes or peppers yet.
Thanks, Melanie!
I am a faithful reader of your blog, and always pleased to read your comments reflecting your opinions of life, books and life in general. Your honesty is what draws me back every day. Some blogs bore me with their less then clever interior designs and little craft projects using mod podge and rit dye (?) burlap , and brown paper bags. Most of these little craft projects we have all outgrown (after our children wore us out on rainy days..) I enjoy your book reviews and your wonderful pictures ,but mostly your point of view on so many subjects. The ads don’t bother me & truthfully I am only now learning they help bloggers financially. Thank you for sharing yourself Claudia.
You are very welcome, Marcy Ray.
I didn’t notice the ad either, Claudia. I think that my eye is trained to go right for your posts and the lovely pictures! I love the variety of topics in your blog. It suits me for this stage of my life. The mom blogs and DIY blogs have their place, but those days are past for me. Your blog is so refreshing.
Thank you so much, Karen.
The Home Depot ad is showing up at the bottom and unless you click it off, it is really annoying. I know you need to do whatever to support your blog and I’m all for that. On the other hand,as a reader the floating ad is a bugger.
Nothing I can do about that. I don’t control what ads appear on individual browsers. For the record, many ads that pop up are based on that particular reader’s browsing habits. They are often tailored to the reader and not to the blog. You can always reload the page and another ad will appear and you don’t have to go to the trouble of clicking out of an ad.
Hi dear, must say although I dislike ads I still love you and what you write on your blog so will keep reading. Must say I enjoy looking at Don’s pic on the sidebar more than any ad, haha!
Busy days here in the garden too as we are so ahead of you. Today hit 90 and will again tomorrow which means a major water hose morning coming up, many plants were looking thirsty this evening.
Love, Mary