Good Morning Readers, I was sitting here thinking this morning about what I do, and what topics have been popular on the blog. I know that my blog is primarily on Basketry and Chair Caning, however from time to time, it can be on Rural Living, which includes topics as diverse as Mennonite Life, Canning, Cooking, Gardening, or just pictures of interest from the surrounding area, such as flowers, gardens, or scenic views.
This has not been by accident, but planned, as nothing can be as boring as a single topic blog, For myself I feel pictures are an important component of any blog. As humans we need color and texture as well as the written word to take up on any journey through life. This things are important to all of our senses.
In the beginning it was really difficult for me to put into words what I see, touch or feel that may be of interest to other people. Then as time went by I noticed that it become somewhat automatic, kind of like a nature photographer looking for the perfect picture to describe is mood or enthusiasm at what he does best. If you go out looking to find the perfect picture it rarely happens, in life it is what we are not looking for, that seems to spring in front of us.
When do we see the perfect sunset, sunrise, the hidden waterfall, the mist upon the dewy ground in the morning, the mist on the spider webs in the early morning light, of course when you don’t have the camera with us.
It has been my intention with this blog, to be somewhat diverse, to appeal to a broader audience of readers. See it kind of goes hand in hand, Basketry and Chair Caning are age old art forms, they can be country, city, upscale and down to earth, along with this goes rural living and country life, however it is not always the case. In its self it is a diverse topic, but by itself unless you have a real zeal for the subject. could get mundane and boring.
So all of the topics I write about has been part of my life, yes I was Old Order Mennonite for a number of years, a part of my life that I would never take back in a million years. It allowed me to see the inside of a culture, a way of life that does not fit into the modern era, but it is here with us in most states of the country in some form or sub group. It is one thing to view from the outside, but quite another to live the life and the experience. So many people look from the outside in, but never seek to find out why they do what they do.
Many ask me if this is where I learned to weave baskets and hand cane chairs? No it is not, however I feel that the years that I drove a horse and buggy, the years that I lived without electricity (not all the years without) the quiet solitude of the life, the slower pace, the fact that there were no TV’s, Radios, Stereos, Cell Phones, Computers, really a total lack of modern technology prepared me for Basketry and Chair Caning, being able to quietly have time to myself, to think, design and execute a pattern, not being caught up in the hustle and bustle of the everyday modern world. People have forgotten what is like to quietly sit and enjoy a day, a sunset, the beauty around us.
Well I could drone on reflecting on years gone by. I am no longer Old Order Mennonite, but will never regret what was learned during that period in my life, and the things I learned and have carried forth through my journey in life to the present.
What this post is really about, is what topics of interest would you the reader like to see here? There are some things that may be given that may be outside the realm of the intent of the blog, while others, may fall in line. For instance I have been asked to post recipes, which I do have some to post. Others have asked for more on Home Canning and Preserving. I have commented several times on wanting to take pictures of the Local Mennonite Churches, Schoolhouses and shops in the Dayton VA area.( which I am hoping to get to soon) Others want more articles on Basketry/Caning, methods and material.
So I would like to hear what you are thinking at this time, as I am trying really hard to provide good useful content, from my blog, which may be purely for leisure or educational information. So please leave a comment about what YOU would like to see.
