Thursday, December 25, 2014

Best Wishes from Plants and Rocks

Lanceleaf cottonwood, Laramie River.

Another year of blogging is almost over.  I’d like to thank all my colleagues in the blogosphere ... those who read and those who write ... those I know (a little) and those who remain anonymous.  I’m still in awe, impressed by the new opportunities the internet provides.  Four years ago I knew nothing of blogging.  Now it’s an important source of information, and a most satisfying creative outlet.
expression is the need of my soul (archy)

“Bloggers are saturating the globe” wrote William Zinsser, as he too contemplated today's widespread revolution in writing – powered first by the word-processor and then by the internet.  “I had no inkling of the electronic marvels that would soon revolutionize the act of writing ... for people who had never thought of themselves as writers.”

It's a wonderful revolution, with a happy democratic outcome.  We don't have to be professionals to struggle to put words together and share our masterpieces.  Now we common folk carefully craft stories, add photos beautifully backlit on the monitor, and cast them off into the Unknown, with no assurance that anyone will read them.  And we keep doing it ... for diverse and mysterious reasons. 
Maybe when we tell stories we make memories more vivid and lasting.

I learn a lot from bloggers – about botany, ecology, geology, photography, places to go, things to see – all of it spiced up with excitement and enthusiasm.  Used to be I had a small circle of friends to swap plant and rock stories with.  Now the circle is vast.  To all, happy holidays and best wishes for 2015 ... and keep blogging!
Ice on the Laramie River.

Sources

marquis, don.  1927.  archy and mehitabel.  doubleday.

Zinsser, William.  2007.  On writing well; 7th ed.  Harper Collins.



Plants and Rocks is taking a short winter break, returning in a few weeks.

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for all of your great posts, Hollis. I'm looking forward to reading more in 2015!

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    1. Thanks, Ken. And I hope to see more BH posts in 2015, hope you can find some time.

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  2. "Diverse and mysterious reasons," indeed! My journey has been similar to yours--both in length of time and in impressions of the journey. I'm so glad I discovered your blog recently. All the best for 2015!

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    1. Thanks, PP -- I appreciate your encouraging comments!

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  3. Exactly and 'Hear, Hear'! Just think of all the creative ability that has never had outlet till now! The isolation and pent-up-ness millions of people must have felt - and still do. Hurray for the internet. Hurray for blogging. Hurray for all the information that would have previously been lost and unspread. A very Happy New Year - and enjoy the seasonal break.

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    1. Thanks, Lucy ... and thanks for your contributions to the revolution! (memes)

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