Are we standing on the verge of change?

The online world gasped when Google announced that it was phasing out Google Reader. Everyone asked why? and some are still wondering. As often with relationships though, sometimes there is no good answer. Google Reader is walking out the door and we’d just best get on with our lives and move on.

I know some of you have dealt with it by doing it the new hairstyle, image change way, and have switched to shiny, fresh-looking Feedly. Others have gone for stability and familiarity and have jumped into the arms of Bloglovin’. Others have stubbornly refused to upgrade, and The Old Reader has got you. These three seem to be the favourites among bloggers that I follow.

For now, I’m simply adding everything to the distinctly function-light WordPress Reader that I didn’t really use in the past. I’m still a bit bewildered that Google wants to deprive me of a feature that just did what it says on the tin. No frills, no sparkly buttons or chirpy graphics. I loved Google Reader because it let me see your posts clearly and independently. It didn’t try to airbrush a brand over the top of them so that they look like they are all in the same magazine or frame them in a community of blogs which is kind of what WordPress does as well (not that community isn’t a good thing).

Life goes on. It’s funny how easily we get used to things though, and take it for granted that they will stick around.

Dear Google Reader, I’m glad we met, and I’ll remember all those comfortable times we shared, cosily reading through blogs together. Now the time has come to say goodbye, I don’t know where you’re going, but I’m glad to be able to keep reading those blogs. I hope their writers stick around and keep doing what they do so well…

Happy weekend everyone!

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Frivolity and friendship (1)

I’m going to do my first award nomination post of the season. I was fortunate to have an excuse to do one way back here. Please check it out as I’m not going to renominate blogs that I’ve nominated before. But watch this space, for a new page coming up 🙂

I already answered some questions about myself in that post, so I won’t try to dig up any more “interesting” facts about myself (I already dug deep in that post). I’ll tell you however, that at the same time as writing this, I’m being distracted by this and this. LOL I’ve been meaning to update my wardrobe for probably close to a decade. But… I’m still slouching about in a pair of Topshop khakis that I’ve loved for over fifteen years today. Wow, to think that the company has come so far. Amazing how the landscape of British fashion has changed so much. We’re so hip and cool these days. Unbelievable! (“We” doesn’t include me by the way.)

So, onto some nominations. I was awarded this Thanks For Writing award by Matt Gajdoš of Mister G Kids. Thanks again Matt! I’m going to do three nominations per award. You’d think that would make life easier seeing as I have four to do, but it’s actually not at all easy to choose!

• TALKTODIANA – I challenge you not to be inspired and encouraged through Diana’s writing.
• A Big Life – A blog exploring the notions of home, change, choice and love – Liv’s adventures and accompanying thoughts.
• WONDERWIMP – Jane has such a wacky sense of humour, every post makes me laugh 🙂

All the above are lovely bloggers also because they like making conversation as well as writing interesting things. Go! Take yourself over there. I’d recommend a cup of tea and a cosy chair, because you’ll be reading for a little while.

Making Lemonade Together

Paeonia ‘Eden’s Perfume’

I started this blog to help me make lemonade from life’s lemons. I did not imagine I would have other people joining me in my endeavours along the way. This really is becoming the haven that I had hoped it would be, with friends dropping by too! Thank you for being here.

To make this blogging thing even more special, I was nominated for two blog awards! Whatever you think of blog awards, I have to admit that when I was told I’d been nominated, it made my week. It’s really heart warming to have another person appreciate this little project of mine. So I am gladly accepting these from two bloggers who have been kindly encouraging me along the way. I hope you’re prepared to browse the treasure trove of blogs I am hauling in below!

My heartfelt thanks to Ziggy of ziggyshortcrust, for the Liebster Award. I have featured Ziggy’s magical blog here. It is full of her characterful drawings – there is no limit to her imagination! Please sit yourself down with a good cup of something comforting and get yourself over for a good read.

And thank you so much to Mags of Modgam’s Playground, for the Sunshine Award. Mags is someone with indomitable style and a vivaciousness that cheers me up every time I hear from her. If you would love “fashion, food, fun” Mags has it in bucket loads!

And to pay it forward I would like to nominate the following blogs for the awards:

Three bloggers who inspire me

• The Artshed – a shed where art is done
• samferðafólk – portraits of ‘same journey people’
• Martin’s Doodles – “Compulsive drawer based in London”

Three bloggers who bring sunshine to my day

• Mister G – a 100% true comic about stuff kids say in elementary school
• hungry for home – a photographic project to collect recipes and stories that bring nostalgic memories of home
• Vague Memories – a simple but charming photojournal

My apologies that I haven’t followed the rules 100%. As my punishment, I’m going to allow myself to only answer six of the sunshine award questions about me me me:

1. Favourite colour: Grey paired with white – it still feels like winter here.
2. Favourite animal: Horse, although I’m not really an “animal person”.
3. Favourite drink: Tea – a strong Earl Grey please 😉
4. My passion: People, eating together and beautiful things.
5. Favourite day of the week: Friday – the weekend is still ahead of me
6. Favourite flower: Peonies – the first time I met one, it was a soft-pink ping pong ball… when I got home from work the next day, it had exploded into this mass of powder pink petals. I have been in love ever since.

“I will try again tomorrow”

Zara TRF T-shirt

Way back when AltaVista was the go-to search engine and Netscape enabled slightly geeky people to “surf the web”, I had a website to keep friends and family up to date on what was going on in my life. I also diligently kept a journal for a decade and dabbled in poetry in between.

Somewhere along the way however, I allowed procrastination to take over my life. I stopped writing, sharing ideas, even dreaming…Last year, I realised that I had lots of ideas floating about aimlessly in my head and I decided it was time I developed some of these thoughts before they got musty and deflated. I tried to get back to journalling, but I had adopted lots of lazy bad habits and kept skipping days, weeks, even months.

Then, sometime in January this year, I stumbled across this blog and started following it because it was so pretty. And, one blog led to another. I suddenly realised that there is a community of talented people out there with great ideas, wonderful bottomless creativity and the urge to inspire and share.

When I saw this t-shirt in Zara recently, it made me smile. Yes I have a tendency to procrastinate, and I guess, as human beings, we will all be failures from time-to-time. Some of us (e.g. me) more often than others. But then, I’ve only got myself to blame if I don’t try again, and again…so I thought this photo is a good way to kick off my brand new blog.

Welcome and thank you for reading!