Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 14 - 16 July 2017

Hello there and welcome to another PoCoLo - if you were here last week it was great to see you. If you're new here this week, welcome and thanks for joining Morgan and I and our friendly linky. You're welcome to link up any post you've written in the past week, and as with any linky, please do take time to explore some of the other posts, because, everyone likes some blog love don't they?

This week has been a strange one and one of those were I've lost a day or two and gained them at points too. It's meant I've rarely known what day it is, more than usual I mean. But in big news I've started cycling to work, and have clocked up two and a half days of a cycling commute. I was resigned to getting wet on Tuesday and I wasn't wrong, but not quite for the reasons I expected, but more on that another time.

So it seems fitting that my photo this week is of raindrops on the agapanthus in our garden.

Agapanthus in the rain

It was nice to have the cooler night, but I think on balance I'm pleased to have the warmer and drier weather back, aren't you?

Blogger Showcase: RawMum

1. Who are you? 

This is the hardest question of them all... honestly... I don't know!

I'm a wife, daughter and sister. I've done many jobs - Teacher, Education Consultant, Bushcraft Instructor, Etsy shop owner, Teaching Assistant, GIS database manager, Researcher, Education Officer, Garden Centre assistant... How do you define a person?

I'm generally a very organised, logical and dependable person... but I'm also very sensitive and have my struggles with not feeling that I'm good enough. I've had some hard knocks in the last few years and writing is something that helps stop me falling down the dark rabbit hole. When I'm most relaxed I even get poetic!

2. How did you discover blogging?

I knew about easy Wordpress websites through work related tasks so when we started our "trying to conceive" journey I had a little play with setting up my own... I was pretty much hooked at the first post!

3. Why did you start blogging?

January 2017. I'm a newbie on the blogging block. I do have a Facebook page that I've run for three years, all about wild things, so I have a few insights but I do feel I have a lot to learn yet. 

4. What do you find most challenging?

I like to take all of my photos and I often delay a post because I don't have the right photo. I also worry about reaching people that might find my posts useful. I guess my confidence is still quite low after a few life knock backs. I have to work to keep my mojo. 

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

At the moment my focus is on my journey to becoming a mother. I write honestly about whatever is happening in my life at the particular point. I have some quirky hobbies and interest so they will crop up randomly now and then...

6. Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?

I blog because I have to let the words out of my head. I would love to be able to support myself on my blog alone but I worry that this would destroy it. Hopefully I can find a nice balance as my blog grows and I'd like to keep it natural. 

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I find it very therapeutic to allow words to flow out of my head... it helps with maintaining good mental health. I love the way that people rally around and provide love and support even though they don't know me. I feel like I've got an online family. 

8. Have you ever attended a blogging conference and if so, what did you think?

Nope but I would like to...

Suggestions welcome...

9. What are your 3 best posts?

Is this really it - for its innocence and the unexpected surprise of being nominated as a featured blogger on the #dreamteam linky

What to expect when expecting: miscarriage - for the sheer weight that lifted after writing it, I hope that it also helps others in a similar situation. 

Miscarriage: silence is painful - for the tips to friends and family who want to help those suffering a miscarriage 

10. Describe yourself in three words!

Organised. Raw. Honest. 

11. Are you a tea and biscuits or coffee and cake person?

Sadly none. I'm dairy intolerant so I am often forced to avoid these things. I do like a jasmine tea and there is a great Greek cafe nearby that does delicious vegan baklava. Those are very naughty and perk me up on a bad day. Homemade cake is another thing... my friends call me "Kipling"

12. What's your idea of a perfect night out?

Cinema. Total film buff... I just love the stories. Strangely I don't really know the actors as I prefer to think of them in their roles. Action films are a go to when I need cheering up, sneaky chick flicks with friends, and all animated films even if I'm in the cinema with just kids. 

I also like looking at the stars as we get home. It's almost like a ritual to look up and spot the constellations. 

13. Your perfect night in?

Roaring fire and tasty food. Candles and massage... mmmmm...

14. What would your best friend/OH/mum or kids say is your best quality?

My friends always say that if there is a zombie apocalypse they are coming around to mine as I'm always prepared, can make fire and own bows. 

My Hubby would probably say I make an amazing chocolate cake and I have a nice bum! (and I care deeply about things).

Mum would say I'm always willing to give it a go... entrepreneur streak!

Thank you RawMum, I've enjoyed reading your responses and can't help but feel there's something raw and honest about your answers sot think your blog is well named. Bizarrely while typing this post I've also been enjoying some baklava, probably not anywhere near as tasty as your vegan cafe sort, but spooky nonetheless.  

Connect with RawMum here:

Blog  -  Twitter   -  Instagram

 

Post Comment Love 7-9 July 2017

Hello there and welcome to another edition of #PoCoLo - somehow I think time has speeded up, if that's possible, as it doesn't feel like a whole week ago since I sat down to write my last post.  If you were here last week, it was great to see you and if you're new here then hello, you're very welcome. 

It's been a productive week and a fun one too. There was a trip into town to visit Shakespeare's Globe for the first time and after eating some great tacos at El Pastor - go there if you're in the area - we headed off into Borough Market for a touch of shopping. We left with some squid, padron peppers, some not-too-spicy nduja sausage and cheese, because, well cheese.

With the weather being nice and after pleasing myself for the day on Sunday while MOH was at work we fired up the barbecue for squid and chorizo skewers. I've said before I'm a fish-phobic (and I'm counting squid as fish here) but these were oh so good. You really can't beat fresh produce and eating al fresco.

squid and chorizo skewers

Blogger Showcase: Charlotte from Straightforward Lifestyle

Charlotte has been on our Blogger Showcase waiting list for a while now and I know she's been working on her site in the meantime.  She describes herself as a "crazy writer"  and emotional Korean-drama fan.  Morgan is hosting all of Charlotte's answers this week so do pop over and find out more about her and her blog.

And don't forget to connect with Charlotte on her social media:

Facebook  -  Instagram  -  Pinterest  

Post Comment Love 30 June - 2 July

Eek!  July, this weekend. Wow.

Hello and welcome to another Post Comment Love, and another Friday. It's been a week where I've been confused by which day it is, but I've got there and I know today is Friday. I think. If you were here last week, thank you it was great to see you. If you're new here this week welcome, it's fab to have you along. 

This week for the first time we haven't thought about our 110th party, mostly because that's been and gone, but we were left with the feeling of what life was like before. And not totally sure we headed over to RHS Hyde Hall on Sunday for a wander around someone else's garden!  I'd visited before but MOH hadn't - he'd been cycling 100 miles or so around Essex instead. He couldn't quite believe the garden and how lovely it was, and I've a feeling we'll be going back. 

We didn't time it brilliantly well though, although the sculpture trail was fascinating the vegetable gardens were shut. The new vegetable garden, which I'm keen to see doesn't open until 15/16 July.  It already looks impressive though.

My photo this week is one of the sculptures along the trail, which was being enjoyed by the local wildlife too. Very good of him to pose for this photo as I crept ever closer. And I quite like the sculpture too.

One of the sculptures on the sculpture trail at RHS Hyde Hall in Essex

It's been quite different weather-wise this week hasn't it? Our new gazebo suffered in all that rain and on Wednesday morning we were out there around 7.30am dismantling it. Some of the poles are bent at right angles, but we think it's potentially salvageable and I've got plans for a Heath Robinson type affair to transform it into something that was out of our price range. It might take a while, but as usual I've got big plans...

You could be a future Blogger Showcase

We don't have a Blogger Showcase this week - it's complicated - but instead Morgan and I are reminding you, that you could be our future Blogger Showcase. You don't have to have a new blog, and it would be lovely to feature some of our regular linkers as well as those of you who've just joined us.  It's a great way of getting to know each other and get some valuable backlinks to your blog at the same time.

If you're interested in being featured, then all you need to do is answer these questions (or as many of them as you want to) and send your answers to us. We'll schedule a date and then you can sit back and wait, of course coming back each week to link up.

If you want a reminder of the questions, here they are: