Thursday 7 May 2009

There's always room for one more

Bee: blown away by so much blogging brilliance
(well, really I was at The Savill Garden)

Every now and then I make noises, (mostly mutterings to myself), about not acquiring any new blogs to love. After all, I'm already at saturation point. I cannot keep up with all of the blog-friends that I already feel emotionally committed to . . . and that is not to mention emails, Facebook, and the phone calls that I owe my mother.

And yet, today I found myself falling passionately in love with two new blogs. As with any new infatuation, I wanted to know EVERYTHING about the person and wished that I could read and read until I had absorbed every word.

(Of course, this was not possible . . . as I had already squandered precious time taking children to school, eating breakfast, walking six miles, buying some new plants, tweaking various things in the garden, answering some emails, feeding chickens, making pesto, tutoring a six-year-old, vacuuming the living room . . . you get the idea. I did, however, miss out on the grocery shopping that I had planned.)

The really annoying thing is that I have "known" about these blogs for months, and yet I didn't follow that URL. (The really good thing is that I can still catch up . . . if I stop sleeping, maybe.)

For your reading pleasure:

dovegreyreader scribbles - this self-described "bookaholic" really doesn't need my patronage, as she already has readers and blog-fame galore, but I can't resist her bookish views. I think of myself as fairly well-read, but dovegreyreader is in a class all her own. She reviews a book nearly every single day . . . ! Although I have various hobbies, pursuits and pleasures, reading is the most constant love. This blog makes me feel that, given a good book and a cup of tea, I can always be well-amused.

Ngorobob House: Life from the Hill -- this soulful, beautifully written blog makes me wish that I were a tad bit more adventurous. Janelle has more than one story about being chased by elephants. I'll just leave it at that and let you discover her colorful life in Tanzania on your own.

Had we but world enough, and time . . .


24 comments:

blackbird said...

dovegreyreader was one of the first bloggers that I encountered and she has certainly set the standard high. I have followed her to books that I probably never would have read but am glad that I did.

I haven't been to Ngorobob House yet but will visit very soon.

I am still adding to my blog list and am still tempted by new encounters. We lost one of our daily papers in Seattle and that has helped me to find a little more time to keep up with new posts.

So many interesting and creative people and voices out there- yourself included, of course.

Thank you for adding your voice.

♥ Braja said...

You have a sweet heart, Bee...glad you liked the rose petals :)
xx

Alyson | New England Living said...

Thanks for the recommendations. I always love hearing about great blogs, even though it seems I'm hardly ever in the blogosphere anymore.

CashmereLibrarian said...

Hi Bee! Good stuff and lovely photo!

I'm in love with all my incredible blogging friends--don't know if that's healthy or not (escapism?) but I've "met" some wonderful people (including you!). Would love to actually start visiting everybody--I think that would be amazing.

By the way, the best place I ever lived was definitely Monterey, California--a close second was Santa Monica, CA. I guess I'm a Calif. girl at heart, even though I was raised in the East and have spent most of my adulthood in the Midwest. The worst place I ever lived was Monroe, Michigan!

Barrie said...

Ooooh. Thanks for the links. And...you walked SIX miles!? Holy cow!

Chairman Bill said...

So much to read, and only one lifetime to do it in.

Bee said...

Blackbird - How apropos to have a new friend lead off the comments! As for newspapers, I only buy the weekend papers -- and then graze off of them during the week. How many hours of the day do you suppose that dovegreyreader spends reading?

Braja - Thank you, goddess.

Alyson - Oh, I know . . . it's retreat and advance with me, too.

CashmereLibrarian - I was a bit stunned by the sudden burst of activity over at your place! Extra spring energy? (he he) I once spent an incredibly blissful week in Santa Monica. I could live there, too.

Barrie - I'm a good walker. It's one of my few accomplishments.

Chairman Bill - Isn't that the truth?

Beth said...

Blogging takes discipline - something I sorely lack some days! The list continues to grow...

Beautiful picture!

Chairman Bill said...

Bee - in reponse to your question on my blog:

Between the bridges there's an island. The house is on the George St. bridge end of the island.

Chairman Bill said...

To be exact:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ashmore+green&sll=51.532818,-2.376483&sspn=0.009037,0.014677&ie=UTF8&ll=51.462686,-0.970775&spn=0.000566,0.000917&t=h&z=20

Butternut Squash said...

'Bee Drunken' reminds me of my grandpa's honey wine... and you have reminded me of another tale.

I love to see what everyone is writing, but I also want to have the time to collect my own tales. What a conundrum.

There are 8 million stories in the naked city, and how many billion in the webby world?

lisahgolden said...

And so you pass on the pleasure and pain of wanting to acquire more good things to read, even when we know that time is slipping away....?

I know. I'm at that point, too, and I don't know how to manage it all. My boss has such an attitude about paying me to read blogs and leave comments.

Still - I'm finding that the blogs that I once read that continue to focus on politics have become second tier in my reading rotation (I feel like a rat by not being a loyal reader/commenter anymore) and those that deal with art and relationships and humor are more to my liking. Like anything, it evolves, doesn't it?

Thank you for introducing me to two more really wonderful blogs.

Beeswax said...

I will totally check them out! I love reading blogs.

Bee said...

Chairman Bill - I find your facility with Google Maps slightly worrying. My husband has also been known to look up people's houses . . .
Thanks for clarifying this issue for me. It is now clear why I don't run into Kate Bush at Waitrose. Such a pity.

Butternut Squash - honey wine. YUM. Yes, your point about writing is well-taken. I'm always struggling to get the writing/reading balance right.

Lisa - Yes, it really does evolve (first, I wrote revolve). I just sent an email to you in which I actually use the word evolution!

About the new blogs: I know, I know. You will be fascinated by Janelle, though. Please do not gnash your teeth about how wonderfully she writes or how exotic and interesting her life is compared to, well, pretty anyone else's.

Beeswax - Hi! I haven't "seen" you in ages.

La Belette Rouge said...

There are too many good blogs to love. I find two more wonderful ones this week. Gasp!! I guess I am going to have to give up more housecleaning time so I can check out your recommendations.

Janelle said...

gee bee...thanks for the recommendation..in fact, off to be chased by elephant tommorrow...!? x janelle

Bee said...

Janelle - About the elephants, because I think you are a tad puzzled . . . I was reading through some old posts of yours, and you digressed into a long bit about how dangerous elephants are and how you once ran away from an angry herd of them. There was fashion shoot involved somehow. But, I suppose that I also meant it in a metaphorical way . . . because you live in a world that is so big, grand and scary.

Unknown said...

i found you through david- am always collecting new friends xx

Sarah Laurence said...

I LOVE dovegrey reader and have been following her for over a year since we met at the Oxford Literary Festival 2008. She is my favorite book blogger and a lovely person. I’m so glad to hear you’ve connected with her too.

Good to hear that you were out walking - wish I could come too. Those azaleas are gorgeous!

TBM said...

Happy Mother's Day, friend! What a lovely photo in front of the rhododendrons in one of my favourite gardens :-)

I am going to add these two bloggers to my reading list. Thank you!!

Anne said...

Great picture! Of you, and of the azaleas. I recently had a similar blog-discovery experience with David Lebovitz's blog. I don't know what took me so long.

Bee said...

Lisa - Me, too. But then I can't keep up with them all!

Sarah - You met her at the Oxford Literary Festival! How funny; I think of us as meeting there, too, even though I was in Texas at the time. :) I did see your name on her links. That is really an honor.

JAPRA - The psychedelic rhodos! Happy Mother's Day to you, too, although my family has declined to celebrate this holiday!

Anne - I don't know David Lebovitz's blog. Is this another must-read?

Anne said...

I don't know if his blog rises to the level of must-read, but as a francophile and foodie, I thoroughly enjoy reading it. Part of my enjoyment is surely nostalgia for life in Paris, and I can never get enough of that.

JaneyV said...

Oh Bee how could you be so cruel as to link me to two more incredible blogs when I am struggling to keep up with those I do follow? It is such a wonderful medium to get the flavour of the world. It's a privilege to dip into the thoughts and soulful musings of others and to have them touch you.

Did you say facebook? ;0) (find me)

I love that picture of you - are those azaleas?