Why Instagram Is The New Blog

Most bloggers work hard to find a good picture for the top of their posts.  And an enticing caption at the top helps to snag new readers--sometimes with false hopes as did the Doll House Kitchen title a few posts back.  Nothing relating to an actual dollhouse. But double digits in the visit counter.

I finally had waited long enough for a favorite blogger to update her blog--checked her Instagram and found loads of interesting things she has been making, doing and places she has visited in the 6 months of no new posts.  I don't expect to ever see a blog post again--from her.  This is the third or fourth of my favorite blogs to switch 100% to Instagram.  Pretty picture and three sentences.  Done.

So is blogging the new dinosaur?

Pinterest is something else.  I have stacks of folders filled with ideas.  I rarely, if ever, refer to any of the "pinned" items.  It's something I do when I am procrastinating or am bored out of my mind.  I look at pictures and save them.  Why?  I don't know.  It's probably a hoarding disorder.  And, weirdly enough, I have no way to actually enter my account without pinning something new.  No idea how to get in.

My plan for today is to rake the dirt in my raised beds smooth --winter has done something odd to the soil surface-- and plant some carrots, beets and kale.  Sprinkle some lettuce seeds in a square for cutting (for salads) hopefully.  Each year I do this and then forget to go out and clip the baby greens for my daily salad.  I know--head thump!!!!--how stupid is that.  The lettuces get too big and finally set seed.  I think a nice sign on the fridge--"go cut lettuce" might be the way to go.

Only one of my rhubarb plants has leaves.  This has been a great disappointment for me as I love rhubarb pie and recently learned how to make fantastic strawberry/rhubarb jam.

I am also going to plant my two new concord grape vines.  On the trellis in the garden.  It will be a few years before the vines make grapes which I will use to make jelly.  I am trying to grow what we like to eat.  I now have two new beach plums to pollinate the oldest plant and hopefully create beach plums to make into jam or jelly.  The older and younger fig trees produce enough figs to make 6 pints of fig preserves for G each season.

Also, I think the beach plums may help pollinate the prune plum tree.  Last year I had 8 little plums  (first time ever in over 6 years) and they were very very delicious.  I said thank you to the little beach plum.  I'm waiting to see if the prune plum flowers again this year.

And G pruned the blackberries last fall and I have to cut back the raspberry canes today.  The blueberries will be getting fed their Hollytone today, as well.  We are well supplied with fruit but I often wonder if we need to find room for an apple trees (need two to pollinate) for applesauce and apple pies.  They get big.  We have espaliered apple trees at work--with three to four different varieties grafted.  Which would make one tree a self pollinator.

Anyway, that's what is going on here today.  I am tired from my week at work.  And, I decided, finally, to only work a 4 day week.  It's hard letting go--but I have to be kind to myself.