British Summertime (and a ramble!)

A Happy Summer to you all!  I hope you have all remembered to go to BST today, well those of you in the UK anyway lol.

Isn't it great, I have a follower! Thanks Lyn :)  Who would have thought that something so simple would give such pleasure, not that I blog for followers as I don't think that I have much to say that is very interesting, but it is nice to know that I am not the only one to read ...... occasionally!

Another non crafting related photo today, but isn't it gorgeous, 

daffodils at Belfast Castle, very Spring.

Mrs Dunnit's blog has been making me think, for those of us who do, why do we blog? Is it because it is a 21st Century form of keeping a diary, somewhere to sound off, networking, idea grabbing or all of the above?

I have kept a diary for many years, and in it are all sorts of random things, a lot of them I would never want to be read by anyone while I am still here, but when I am gone, it could be useful to future generations to know what sort of life I have lead, I do not presume to think that I have done anything so wonderful that the world will want to know anything about me, but as a record of a life lived, maybe.......... I will never know, even though I have told my boys that I will still be around haunting them forever lol.

So, somewhere to sound off?  Yep, some blogs are, these are personal thoughts and it should be remembered that it is only the writers opinion and not something to use to have a blast at the writer, I am not in favour of anyone using a local craft shop for convenience, then letting all know that they make their bigger purchases from well known TV programmes, or bringing catalogues into a shop to share with other potential customers right under the nose of the shop owner, the shop owner is not daft enough to think that if you use their shop, it will be the only place that you buy products from, but it is insensitive and rude to rub their noses in it. 

Then there are the few blogs that bash people just because they can, I know they exist, but I don't read them. Why is it considered necessary to bash anyone who you personally do not agree with just because they are well known?   Jealousy?

I love reading blogs because I am right nosey! I love the little peeks into other lives and craft rooms that blog hopping allows me, networking? Maybe, I have met a couple of really nice people online, yes I know that I do not really "know" them at all, but what I have been allowed to know, I like. I have had a blog for a long time, but it has only been recently that I have started to use it, there are some amazing people out there, I just have to find them.

I also use blogs to inspiration, you never know when someones fantastic work will spark off something in the little grey cells, I have even loved an idea so much that I have asked to use it "as is", never yet have I been refused, crafters are such sharing people. 

My teamies over on UKS are a great bunch, we didn't know each other when we all started, and with only a few exceptions, we are all still together, through all of life's ups and downs.

I have to say, that I blog for all of the above reasons, and I love to talk lol. DH has learned the art of seeming to be listening to me rabbit on, but I am under no illusions that most of the time it goes straight through, so this is a good option for me. If you have got this far, you have been a captive audience, and if you have any kind of feelings on this or anything that I rabbit on about, a comment or two would be nice {wink}

Lastly but not least, there is the idea of blog candy, I love the idea, but I am at a loss to know why some ask that you become a follower to be eligible to win. Going right back to the start of this ramble, I love it that Lyn had been kind enough to follow this blog, but I do not want to "buy" followers or friends, surely the idea of blog candy is because you want to celebrate? I don't mind in the least having a side bar that tells others that someone out there in Cyberland wants to share, but to want to buy my support? Not for me I am afraid.