Am I the only one who wonders what has happened to some of the blogs I have followed in the eight months since I have discovered the world of blogging? I realize I have not seen a post from a favored blog in quite some time, and I pull up the blog’s home page periodically, watching time grow longer and longer since the last post. Did some tragedy befall the blogger? Did life just get in the way, such that the hours in the day no longer were enough to include a blog post now and then? Did the novelty of blogging wear off?
Or, sometimes there is the abrupt “pulled the plug” message that appears when I click on a gravatar, or look for a blog I have missed:
xyzblog.wordpress.com is no longer available.
The authors have deleted this site.
“What!?” I think, “But, they didn’t say goodbye!”
As we said our goodbyes to one of our four-legged family members this week, I was touched by some of the stories and personal notes left by bloggers old and new. I was again reminded of the diversity of personalities, interests and creativity in the blogosphere. Those who have not discovered the world of blogs and bloggers are missing out on a rich and rewarding community.
So, it is with gratitude I say “thank you” to those who take the time to recognize my efforts, which vary in creativity and/or intellect (or lack thereof) from day to day! The admiration is mutual, so I encourage you to visit their blogs, even if you have been blogging for some time, because you may discover a new or previously unknown blogging voice that resonates with you. As an added twist, I have provided a link to one of the nominators “random” posts. (Did you know that when you hover over the blog’s name in the upper lefthand corner in the WordPress menu bar at the top of your page, an option of “Random Post” appears in the drop-down menu? Can be an interesting way to explore a “new” blog.)
Shelbur 10 ~ The “Liebster” award
Thank you Shelbur 10, whose “slice of life” posts include ones like “Five Ways to Master School Projects.” An award often bestowed upon newer blogs, with questions created by the nominator for the nominee to answer, and each new nominee nominating worthy blogs and creatively drafting new questions for response. Shelbur 10 posed these questions to me:
- Beef or chicken. Why? Actually, I am a buffalo fan when it comes to protein (I shared my love of “Wild Idea Buffalo” in this post, or other organic, sustainable and humane sources of protein.
- What is the thing that you’re the most proud of accomplishing? Raising my children (although I am not done — are we ever? — and perhaps the jury is still out on that by those who may judge our parenting skills a success, or not!)
- Where’s the most interesting place you’ve ever visited, or the place you’d most like to visit? As you know, I enjoy travel, and Italy holds a special spot in my heart, but so many destinations are like comparing apples to oranges it’s hard to pick just one!
- Do you cook? Why or why not? Yes, but my husbands cooks more. Why? Because I like to eat!
- What is your favorite thing you’ve ever written? Was is received the way you expect and/or hoped? One of my favorite blog posts since I started would be the one titled “Important Life Lessons That Family Travel Has Taught Me.”
- Your very favorite pick-me-up song? I always get a smile when I hear “Praan” come up on my iPod rotation — maybe it is because I always am reminded of the inspiring travel video “Where the Hell is Matt? 2008” which introduced me to this music.
- Do you opt for convenience or sustainability? Aka: paper plates or extra dishes to wash? (ps, there are no wrong answers, cause I do both) Sometimes paper plates at the cabin due to lack of running water, but otherwise we do strive for sustainability in this family with most activities we pursue.
- What is one word that you always misspell? Misspelling is not as bad as mispronouncing . . . I tend to do the latter more often than I care to admit.
- What is your stance on raisins? Healthy treat or unwelcome chewy devil? Healthy treat.
- Do you find spontaneity exciting or unsettling? As a typical Type A, I admit I find it unsettling, as I am a planner, but I am getting better as I age.
- What is your favorite beverage? A dark roast coffee or red wine, depending on the day (or time thereof).
Tiny Lessons Blog and Hearing With the Eye ~ Versatile Blogger Award 
Many thanks to Tiny Lessons Blog, who takes us traveling, reflecting and dining — like when she took us on a whirlwind Egyptian food tour in “Kushari and the Thousand Crunches.”
With appreciation to Hearing With the Eye, a young woman wise beyond her years, whose random post directed me to “Happy Friendship Day!” but whose musings often wander much farther afield with some of her exotic travels.
slowgirlfastdog and Maple & Saffron ~ Very Inspiring Blogger Award 
In gratitude to slowgirlfastdog, whose blog resonates with me as another runner with a running dog (in my case, a lab, in her case, whippets!). The random post feature directed me to her most recent post, “We Should Use the Word ‘Super’ More Often.”
And, grazie to Maple & Saffron, a culinary and travel delight to the senses, who have inspired me to place Abruzzo on the travel bucket list when (yes, when, not if!) I return to Italy some day! Their post “Il regno incantato” was my random post response — Google Translate let me know all about a magical place in the woods in Nova Scotia!
The so-called “rules” for the Versatile Blogger and Very Inspiring Blogger awards are similar, so I have grouped for sake of brevity (although I think we may as well throw away the idea of being short-winded at this point of my post!)
- Thank the person who gave you this award
- Include a link to their blog
- Select 15 of your favorite blogs/bloggers to nominate for the Versatile Blogger Award
- Share 7 things about yourself
Seven things about me?
- Before my husband and I had children, we enjoyed researching genealogy — this was before the internet resources really developed, so it meant trips to the local Family History Center (Mormon family history research library) and reviewing microfiche (after kids, the hours in the day never seemed to quite be accommodating enough for activities like this).
- I love arugula.
- I hate eggplant (don’t care how you try to dress it up, I still know it’s there).
- I am pretty respectable with my chainsaw skills, and perfectly fell an overgrown cedar tree that was at the front of our hose, avoiding the other decorative bushes and trees in the yard.
- One of the books currently on my nightstand (I always have a few going at once)? Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray
- First song that pops up on my iPod when I hit shuffle this time? Sarah McLachlan’s “Do What You Have to Do.”
- What else could you possibly need to know about me?
Bending the rules a bit, I have nominated 15 blogs total, 5 for each award, and tried not to duplicate any award nominations I have previously made. And the envelope please:
Liebster Award Nominees:
Versatile Blogger Award Nominees:
Very Inspiring Blogger Award Nominees:
- From the Bartolini Kitchens
- Grimm’s Furry Tail
- Canoe Communications
- Tricia A. Mitchell
- Spontaneous Tomato
As usual, I invite the nominees to do what they like with the nomination, and feel no obligation to respond, but know they are read and enjoyed (so, please don’t go “blowin’ in the wind” on me!). And, I do recognize some of the nominated blogs do not make a practice of participating in the awards process. I still wanted to pass on my gratitude for the blogs they have created — some full of creative beauty, others full of personal musings, all reflecting time and effort of their authors.
Ciao! ~ Kat
Travel. Garden. Eat. 
41 responses to “Blowin’ in the Wind (or “Where Do All the Bloggers Go?”)”
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What a great perspective you have, Kat. I was very close to saying goodbye – actually left it open to have done so with my last post – but couldn’t bring myself to leaving the blogging community for long, much less forever. It really is a fabulous community. It feels good to be catching up on some favorite blogs, yours included.
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Glad you decided to stick around 🙂
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Hi there Kat! Hm, can I be a new blogging friend? I promise that I won’t go anywhere for quite a while (well, unless that stalker circumstance happens. Hopefully, fingers crossed, it won’t!). Love your blog… your stories and photographs are beautiful. I’ve also come across the same ‘deleted blog’ screen and yep, I experience exactly the same type of emotions. I’ve actually started to consider some of my fellow bloggers as real friends, even though we’ve never met. I guess one of the benefits of the blogosphere is that we can communicate with people who share similar interests in a very transparent way. Anyway, just thought I’d say hello and thanks for sharing part of your life with us 🙂
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Welcome! And after just taking a quick peek at your latest post — Orange and Almond Cake with Lavender and Rose Syrup — I am hooked! Love the creative photos supporting your posts, and anyone who ponders how someone could choose carrot over chocolate is a friend of mine 🙂
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One of my favorite bloggers disappeared – closed their blog down for good with no good-bye. He popped up a couple months later under a new name and theme. It took a few comments on my blog before I realized it was him. He had to make changes because of stalkers. I have one other friend who started over under a new name and theme as well. I wonder how often that happens?
How cool about the Random Post option. I had no idea it was there. Thank you for pointing it out.
Congratulations on all of your awards, Kat. They are all well-deserved. I enjoyed your answers to the questions and the extra information about you. Thank you for including me in your list of nominations. I’m honored and appreciate the nod.
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I do hope the problem of “stalkers” are an isolated problem . . . no fun to have to abandon a blog for those reasons. Of course, if you ever had to reinvent yourself, your bookcover changes give you good practice :-).
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This is the world of blogging!!!!
I wondered also about some blogs I followed. I think life gets busy and folks do not blog as much. I have tried to blog frequently, but at times feel like my quality has suffered or my blog has turned more into a diary…
I am still working out my feelings about what is the right way to blog?!!! I do not think there is a right or wrong way.
In regards to awards–I have received so many and have hopefully said thank you to the kind folks that have given them to me, but I have not answered all the questions that are involved with them….I think most do not mind.
Good Post!
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I think it’s OK to have a blog ebb and flow, as well — for those of us doing it as a little creative sidelet, there are no rules :-).
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Thank you kindly for including My Caymanian Life in your list of awards, it’s greatly appreciated!! I think for the moment I will admire this award. 🙂
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You may shelve it indefinitely — blog on! 🙂
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Kat, how nice to be among those you’ve chosen to recognize! Thank you very much.
I look forward to getting acquainted with the other bloggers soon too, though for the moment we’re on the road, between countries, and a bit blowing in the wind. 🙂
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Always look forward to seeing where the wind takes you next!
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🙂
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Loving this Blog! Always nominate you Kat! Going thru this is making me curious a d yes motivated to take the time to browse your list and see what I discover! It is an amazing written world and love how the posts wrap around lovely photos, images and other. So little time and so appreciate the time and thought that each blog has to take. C
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C, you are so thoughtful — it is an amazing array of talents and perspectives. We all have something we can learn from each other — so glad we have had the opportunity to share our thoughts with each other from time to time these last several years!
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Congratulations, Kat! And I enjoyed learning more about you with your responses. 😉
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A bit of fluff, but sometimes fluff can hold interesting insights 🙂
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Thank you Kat – Bertie (Diplomatic Dog) would have been delighted to have made a few virtual tags wag. x
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Bertie’s spirit continues to do so.
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Congrats on receiving so well-deserved awards, Kat. There’s sure to be more to come your way. Thanks for not only honoring me with a nomination but for also including me among such great blogs.
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You are too kind, John. Thank you.
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Grimm and I just wanted to stop by and congratulate you on your many awards–they are much deserved!–and thank you for thinking of us and honoring our efforts with the Very Inspiring Blogger Award!
I, too, know what you mean when you look forward to reading a new post by a favorite blogger but said post never comes…or the blog disappears entirely. I have the same response as you.
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your friend. Losing a four-legged buddy is hard, but life is that much sweeter for having had them share it.
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks again from Grimm & Co.!
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Your words of comfort as well as those of congratulation are appreciated, I can’t imagine life without our furry friends.
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Thanks so much for nominating Circle Tour Adventures. This has been a great process and I’m excited to share my slice of life with anyone out there who cares to take a minute and read it.
Thanks again!!! Beth
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You have a great slice of life to share! Thanks, Beth.
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Thanks so much for nominating Spontaneous Tomato! And congrats on your own awards, too! 🙂
I know what you mean; it’s definitely disconcerting to see people stop blogging with no explanation, but I imagine that sometimes they are just going through too much other stuff in their lives at that time to make blogging anywhere near a priority. I have felt like that before… and I’ve also seen people have significant blogging time gaps, but then still come back & pick up where they left off! 🙂 Sometimes life just gets in the way…
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Much appreciated, Allison. Yes, for most of us, blogging does not pay the bills, and life sometimes gets in the way 🙂
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Wonderful post. I know a lot of bloggers don’t do the award thing, but I enjoy it when bloggers do participate. First, I learn more about the blogger I’m following, and second I’m introduced to some amazing blogs that I might never have stumbled across. So, thank you for sharing.
AND I’m so sorry for the loss of your four-legged family member. As a fellow dog owner/lover I personally know how difficult such a loss can be.
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Ingrid, I know you understand the loss, given some of the posts where your furry friend has been featured. Thank you. I go back and forth with awards, but ultimately feel the same as you do, and enjoy reading others’ posts and becoming acquainted with new blogs I have enjoyed over time as a result of them.
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Congratulations on your awards! I too have recently experienced the “disappearance” of a few bloggers and was surprised at my reaction of being worried (like every mother suspecting the worst), more than just sloughing it off/ignoring it as I might with casual acquaintances that flit in and out in real life. Perhaps this is because we choose to include them in the forefront of our consciousness and the relationship we develop with them (whether one-sided or not) is, ultimately, productive and satisfying. Sometimes we forge bonds without knowing it. Or maybe we just like to see what’s going on somewhere outside our own little worlds… As for just stopping blogging, the temptation can be great to pull the plug: followers who never comment or don’t even like (sorry but why bother), the sheer amount of time it takes to photograph, write, formulate, post, answer, go through the reader, like and comment and then there are the days when one wonders why we even bother to post certain things if it just goes unnoticed… I suppose it all boils down to moderation and like dealing with teenagers, choosing your battles and figuring out what works with the least amount of pain and suffering… Thanks for the opportunity to morning vent and keep up the great work because we would miss you if you “dropped off the face of the earth”!
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I am so glad you took the opportunity to “vent” — I too have been surprised at the significant role blogging has played in my circle of interests the past 8 months, and the relationships developed from it. Thanks so much for the great comments.
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Always a pleasure!
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I agree that it is hard to see a blogger just disappear off the computer screen without giving a reason. Congratulations on your well deserved awards, that is great. Thank you Kat, for thinking of my blog for the award…it is very much appreciated.
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Thank you, Karen — and thank you for your diverse and interesting contributions to the blogosphere!
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That is very kind, Kat.
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I am not much of a commentator I believe, but some times I see an article like yours – The one you followed I did followed too for very long time – ( I have been blogging over a year now) and what I think is something drastical had been happening in the persons life since it isn’t there now. what or when does one not knows. That is how Blogland is.. I sorry to say. Congratulations with your award ( I don’t accept such kind awards though) I will go on my vacation and will be back first week in June 🙂 have some great time
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Happy travels, Mariane — and thank you for your comment.
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Congratulations on your well deserved award Kat 🙂
I have been worried too about several blogging friends who have fallen silent. Feels awful not being able to confirm that all is well with them.
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We grow attached, even if our relationships are only virtual.
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Thanks for sharing, will go and visit all these other blogs- just might be new friends waiting to be met…
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So many blogs, so little time . . .
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