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Saturday, October 13, 2012

blogging and sharing - a fine line to tread

During the month of September, to my surprise, a couple of readers wrote me asking why I don't show more pictures of the inside of my house ... hmmm....

Of course maybe I don't show more of my house because it's not as picture perfect as I'd like it to be, or because the children leave their odd socks all over their bedroom floor, or because the dogs have chewed the corners of the stairs. ....... Or it could be because there is a fine line to tread.

I replied (politely and kindly I hope) that although this is a blog called MFCH, and although the header is a picture of our home, it's actually a place where people come to dream and imagine, and create their own ideal and image of living in France.

Added to that, I pointed out that this is above all our family home, and that the more I divulge of our daily living, the more it would feel like an invasion to my husband and children.

Then of course it got me thinking about how the net, and social networks in particular, have blurred the boundaries between privacy and publicity.

My entrance hall, the camera rarely goes further than this!

A generation ago, before facebook existed, who would ever have thought that anybody was interested in what you're eating today, or where, or with whom?! social media has changed all of that.

I was once told that if I wanted the blog to be successful, then I had to "bare all"!! " The more you show, the more you get"!! And there are certainly some very successful blogs out there, who prove that true.

There is a big element of voyeurism to blogging, I know that. I do it too. But I also enjoy the blogs that make me laugh with their witty writing, or make me dream with tales of where they live, or please my eye with their perfect taste and clever styling of small vignettes .

Strangely enough, I don't really mind if a blogger is telling the truth or fabricating ... I just want to be entertained. Each blogger has to decide how far they want to go. I'm not comfortable showing pictures of myself, or of my family (apart from the dogs!), but I know that not everyone feels that way.

So what do you think? Am I making a fuss about nothing?

tell me please, I'd love to know.

I wish you a lovely weekend,

thank you for reading me.

!! merci !!

Well it feels like it should be a milestone, although I'm not totally sure what it means....

I have never asked anyone to click on my page,
and unfortunately I don't have that much time to visit other pages but...

yesterday I reached 10,000 likes on my facebook page for the blog!

. . T . H . A . N . K . . . Y . O . U . .

My facebook page is where I get to share the bits and bobs of everyday life here.

Hundreds of images I snap during my day, fleeting moments;

pictures I've seen elsewhere and loved and wanted to share.

If you are one of those who have clicked me a 'like', then thank you so much;
without your encouragement none of this would have ever seen the light of day.

And to thank facebook for their savoir-faire, I intended to add a little share button here,

but hey!

I simply didn't manage that one - further proof that we can enjoy technology
without understanding the first thing about it!

So my friends, from this fb-illiterate but grateful blogger

merci!

or did I already say that?!

Needing some advice ....

I admit to being a litte nervous about today's post, please bear with me and read down to the end .... I have an idea, but I need your opinion please ....

As a blogger I am in a very privileged position. I am continually amazed by the number of people who stop by here each day, and who send me emails saying they enjoy the blog.

Thank you all!

Writing the blog each day, keeping up with emails and the activities that have grown from the blog, is very time-consuming, but I love it.

I have been looking for ways to say thank you for that. That is why today I'm thinking about taking it one step further, for my blog and your readership to add up to something.

So I have been thinking about supporting a charity here on the blog;
a sort of My French Country Home Gives Back!

But of course, although I know that you and I share the same values, presenting an idea like this is fraught with complications.

A project like this would give us an opportunity to work side by side towards a shared goal. Obviously, not everyone would want to donate here, and that is fine. But just look at the figures: at the time of writing I am fortunate to have several thousand people stopping by to read me each day. If on just one day , each visitor gave 1 dollar, or 1 euro, or 1 yen, or even 10 dollars or euros .... just imagine ..... I don't have to do the maths for you, you can see how exciting this could be.

I'm aware that, like myself, many of you may have experience in raising money for charity, and I'd love to hear what you think. I'm really interested in the idea, and I'm prepared to put in the time required to make it a success. But if it's not a good idea after all, then I'll also listen!

If I run with the project then I'd select a company such as Network for Good, an on-line giving site that comes highly recommended. They would handle any donations directly and pass them over to the chosen charity. I could support one charity alone, or even rotate every couple of months ... there are many possibilities.

So, I ask you kindly, to give me your opinion please. I'm all ears, and I'd love to know what you think.

lunch with new friends

Had fun preparing lunch for Trinidad and Johan from Atelier de Cmpagne to arrive today, these boys have been on the road for a little while now, so I thought they needed some home cooking and vitamins.

I'm so glad the sun has come out too!

I'll let you know how it goes

OK So here's the update,: it's official - Trinidad and Johann are totally charming, and it was a delight to meet them and spend a couple of hours over lunch together.

What you are not going to believe is that I forgot to take any pictures of them here - no really!!! I was so caught up chatting, questions flying back and forth, "and have you seen ...?"; "and do you know ...?"; and "don't you love it when ...?"

Such a shame they couldn't stay for longer

Next time they come I shall definitely take pics, I promise!

a letter to 'anonymous' readers - the good, the bad and the downright ugly!!

Dear Anonymous,

I love to receive comments on my blog. If I had no comments I probably would have packed the whole blog thing in way back. Sometimes I reply by mail, sometimes I leave a reply below the comment box, but often I'm sorry to say I don't have the time.

But today I write my post especially for all you readers who leave comments as 'anon'. Of course you have every right to, but still I'd like to encourage you to put a name to your lines. :)

Why? Well the reason depends on which camp you are in:

... the good, the bad or the downright ugly .......

First the good.........

Let us be clear!! I am NOT trying to discourage people from leaving me comments under anon! I know that the registering procedure can be pesky, and that some are just plain shy about leaving a name - and that is fine! Thank you for reading me at all, and taking the time to comment, even as 'anon'. Of course you are welcome to leave comments under 'anon'!!

The only downside to the anon comments from the 'good' readers, is that I cannot reply directly to your lovely comments! So if you'd like to receive replies from me or from other blogs you visit: how about creating an email address under a pseudonym that is kept separate from your regular email and used just for surfing blogs?

This way bloggers like myself could write to thank you for your lovely comment without ever invading your personal space. :) ♥♥♥♥

now to the bad.......

we have all seen nasty or mean comments left on blogs. Not very often in this blogosphere, thank goodness, but still they pop up occasionally. You know the sort of thing: the comments that snipe, that criticise, that dish out unwanted opinions.

OK, everyone has a right to their opinion, but in my book, if you're not brave enough to put a name to what you think, you'd be better keeping quiet! If you don't like what is written on a blog, then either put your case politely and SIGN the message, or keep your opinion to yourself and move right along.

and finally the downright ugly

these are the ones who are plaguing me at the moment, leaving spam mail all over the blog, possibly carrying viruses. To these people I have two words to say

GO AWAY!!!! Your comments never make it onto the blog, you are deleted from my mail box without being read, you are wasting your time here!!

Voila mes amis! I feel a whole load better for having said it.

So please tell me, I'd love to know, was I right to say it all out loud?!

all photos thanks to google images

NZ House and Garden!

A big thank you to the kind folks at the NZ House and Garden who have listed me in their dotcom column in this month's edition of the magazine. And a special word of thanks to Gillian who told me, and was kind enough to post an issue!

I'm especially touched because I find myself alongside two of my favourite bloggers: Christina from Greige and Greet from Belgian Pearls !

Besides this little column, House and Garden have brought out a great issue this month with special themes for mother's day.

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend!

Thank you for reading me

what did we do before blogging?!!

This week I introduced a girlfriend to the world of blogging. Just like me a couple of years ago, she had never visited a blog ... she didn't understand what they were about.... or why she would read one ......

It didn't take long for her to be hooked!

I set up some links on her computer, explained to her the basics, introduced her to my favourites and then left her to it. The real fun, after all, is finding your own way around.

I bumped into her again at the end of the week and could hardly get a word in; she had so much to say "do you know this one? did you see what that girl did in Australia? I love that German lady's pictures...."

I smiled and nodded wisely, enjoying her pleasure, and then she threw it at me ... "these people are so talented, but what were they doing before blogging?!!"

"Um,, euh ... duh ...." ..... I couldn't answer!

We take it for granted today that we can run our own little blogs. Our place to share, to shout our joys, to whisper our pleasures, and sometimes our fears.

Some are good with a camera, others work magic with words, some show us their homes, others their take on fashion. It feels like each blogger is running their own magazine where they are the editor, photographer, journalist, marketing manager and chief coffee maker.

The readers who stop by make it all worth while. Those that leave comments are taking an active role, and those who just read silently also contribute their share of statistics and 'hits'; so gratifying to every blogger.

So what did we do before the dawn of blogs? We worked of course, we cared for our families, we enjoyed and embellished our homes, but how did we share all that? Or didn't we need to?

What has blogging replaced? Where did this need to show and tell come from? How much of the enjoyment is pure voyeurism? To someone like myself, who lives quietly in a small village, blogging has totally changed my horizon. From this computer in the middle of nowhere, I have the privilege of reaching thousands of people.

When I take pictures of the valley, I procure real pleasure because I love the countryside here, and everyday beauty thrills me. That pleasure is heightened through sharing. It isn't showing off, simply increasing enjoyment by letting others enjoy the same stuff.

A new thing is happening too with e-magazines. Many bloggers feel confident enough to create monthly or two-monthly magazines, filled with fantastic pictures and great information. Would they have ever done that without the trampoline of a blog?

Not long from now, and probably already, sociologists will be teaching classes on 'the dawn of blogging and how it changed (the role of women in) society' .......

I don't really have the answers here, but I'd love to know what you think. Whether you have your own blog, or whether you read other blogs, or both, you are probably spending some time in front of a screen. Where have you taken this time from? How has the growth of the blogging community changed your everyday life?

A lot of questions for a Sunday - forgive me!

Here the sun is bright, the day is shorter since we went on to summer time

during the night, so I must get busy! :)

Thank you for reading me, and thank you for your wonderful comments

which inspire me to continue blogging

PS. Thank you to Bob (one of my very favourite commenters!) , in the comment below, and to whom I cannot reply because his email address doesn't show. A big thank you to my men readers, I am lucky to have you stop by! Sorry if I sound like I am talking to women only. I'm not, but it is true today that most of the blogs I read are written by women. Here however is a shout out for my favourite 'masculine' blogs and sites

All Things Ruffnerian
David Terry Fine Art
David McGrievey Illustration
The Sartorialist

blogging vs. pinterest or the importance of instant gratification

People keep telling me that blogs are on their way out, swept aside by the allure of pinterest and tumblr; an instant fix of happiness through pictures only......

Hmmm....

We all know that blogging is fun, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here typing these words, and you wouldn't have come over to check me out. But are we getting lazy? Do we have shorter and shorter attention spans?

There are some amazing tumblr blogs, where the author collects fantastic pictures and simply posts them: no text, no opportunity to comment, no interaction. It seems to me that Tumblr is about a quick fix of instant beauty, while Blogger gives more entertainment and a real chance to interact. Pinterest seems close to Tumblr, although the board system is very revealing about the author, and of course the source of the pictures is out in public, providing a useful tool to blogs trying to drive new traffic in.

Personally, I love to blog and to interact with my readers. I love to visit blogs that are well written, they make me think, they make me laugh, and sometimes they make me cry; the quality of blogs in our blogosphere is truly impressive.

I pin a little ... because I feel I should. I don't like everything about Pinterest, and mostly I prefer to file pictures on my computer rather than showing the world what interests me.

I use the facebook page for the blog to give a daily, or thrice daily shot of beauty. I show pictures with extra appeal, that compliment the blog.

I can only say what I do personally,.....but how are you adapting to the new choices and offers that seem to evolve daily?

One thing is for sure, in a years time there'll be something new and we'll all be scurrying to adapt. At least it keeps us on our toes!

Bon weekend mes amis!

PS Thank you for all the input and great comments, also for the emails. Something that not everybody seems to realise that is kind of fun: if you have a blog you can find the page that shows exactly what is being pinned from your blog, very interesting to see how readers interact with each post and which are their favourite pics! :)

To find your page just enter http://pinterest.com/source/YOUR BLOG ADDRESS/

Have fun! :)

a blogging helpline

In our blogging world it is easy to get caught up in paint colours and beautiful interiors but one of the amazing things about blogging is the privileged communication with readers. Besides the comments left at the end of a post, I am fortunate to receive emails from all over the world; people sharing their everyday life, their joys; their fears.

Here in Europe the news we receive via the mainstream media has a short concentration span. Something big happens on the other side of the world, we'll hear about it for the first couple of days but then it fades away.

A big thing that we're not hearing about any more is the effect of the earthquake in New Zealand. It first struck last September and we all saw the pictures, watched the videos on youtube, read the statistics then ..... then nothing! I assumed it was all over, cleared up, rebuilt, done and dusted.

May I share with you a couple of extracts from notes I have received from readers. They weren't asking for anything, they weren't whining or griping. They all just explained why blogging had become so important to them, moments of normality amidst their life that has become anything but normal.

Christchurch New Zealand has passed 10,000 earthquakes and aftershocks since 4.35am September 3rd September 2010, that makes just over 500 days:

"Life has been very frightening and pleasures of daily life have been curtailed showers now take 1 min in case another aftershock occurs – same with toilet time no one wishes to be on toilet or undressed and we all have our emergency routines - thank God for cellphones/bottled water/chemical toilets/strong torches/barbeques and the like."

"Most of us have lost treasures have traumatised children/pets and the list could go on."

"My house has sustained even more damage not much more can break now but we are still all alive "

"the place was going to be all set for an amazing day now the tree has smashed twice in the lat 24 hours so reluctant to put it back again the liquefaction surrounds the house so its gumboots in summertime - the house has split more glasses and good Christmas china smashed and the cupboards have emptied their contents over the kitchen floor yet again"

I don't think I need to say more. You are sensitive understanding people. Today I simply wanted to invite you to think about this situation as I have done. If you feel moved to help a little or a lot, this is the best place I have found. Thank you.

Merci! for the past two years

This Monday it was two years ago that I published my very first blog post.

If you write a blog you'll remember that emotion, finger hovering above the publish button, then finally you hit it and ... then you wonder what the fuss was all about because nobody knows your blog exists anyway so it really didn't matter if it was a well written post or not!

I digress...

Two years on Monday, and by a happy coincidence, you, my wonderful readers, gave me the best anniversary gift, because Monday I received an all time record number of visits for my little blog.

So today I have to say

THANK YOU MERCI BEAUCOUP THANK YOU MERCI BEAUCOUP THANK YOU MERCI BEAUCOUP THANK YOU MERCI BEAUCOUP

thank you for reading me, for showing interest in what I have to say, for encouraging me to continue writing and showing you pictures from my corner of Normandy. Writing a blog is a life changing experience that connects you with people all over the world in the most unexpected manner. Which is where I also have to thank my husband and children for their encouragement and patient acceptance of my intrusive camera!

You have made me laugh, you have even made me cry! I love reading your mails that share such big moments in your lives; I love reading your comments even if I don't have time to reply to all; I love the unexpected 'secondary effects' of a blog: the new friendships; the new awareness of a worldwide community.

And to every single person who stopped by on my 2nd anniversary, a very special thank you for making the day so amazing. For as long as people are kind enough to come by to see me, I shall be inspired to share more beautiful French houses, favourite French recipes, to chat about my brocante finds and to indulge in some girly and family talk too.

Talking of which ....

don't forget to check out MFCH tomorrow, I have a fantastic giveaway for you!

Bonne journée mes amis!

all pictures taken in the valley, the first at Bords de Scene

blogging - a procrastinator's dream

Yesterday afternoon had been set aside in my mind to make some cushions. It was cold outside, the dog was asleep, my emails were up to date, the children at school until 6, even the house was clean and tidy. No excuses, I could settle down in my sewing room and have time to make the pillows I have promised my daughter for her bedroom

You can tell where this is going can't you ............. Before I start sewing with vintage fabrics I always spend time checking for marks or flaws, experimenting with complimentary patterns and matching the cuts of fabric to produce the best result.

Well yesterday, the fooling-around-with-fabric took over from the real-task-at-hand and an hour later I was having such fun that I had even got out the camera. So once I had the camera going, I just had to tidy all the shelves and sort the threads, and arrange the pins on the pincushion ..... and lo and behold I ran out of time to actually make anything at all.

But excuse me! ... I do have a blog to write after all.

Yes, that is the advantage of being a blogger, that even procrastination

can be justified if it results in a couple of pictures

I hope your day is going well, and that you - unlike myself - will
finish the day with a tidy list of chores all ticked off, done and dusted.

PS to my daughter: don't worry honey, you'll get your cushions!

my special christmas greetings to you

The holidays are here, our house is full.

The family is complete (Ghetto has come home too! YAY!)

There's a turkey in the oven, a Christmas pudding

ready to steam, crackers to be pulled,

fires to be lit, games to be played, stockings

to delve into, gifts to unwrap.

Soft music in the background,
champagne is poured,

perfume dabbed behind ears,

and pretty dresses slipped on.

I won't be blogging for a couple of days; this is a time to

enjoy precious family, but I would like to thank you all.

Thank you for reading me during this year;

thank you for leaving me comments and sending me emails;

thank you for inspiring me to write;

thank you to all those who came to
visit us here in Normandy,

it has been a pleasure and a privilege getting to know you.

Gibson and Ghetto join me and the whole family in wishing

you all a very joyeux noël,

and may the new year be kind to us all.

(PS. the dogs hope you like their very kitsch card - you can't imagine what
it took to get this shot - I should have done a 'making of!!)

where else but Paris? .... lunch with a girlfriend

So tell me, where else but Paris could I meet up with a wonderful blogger friend for lunch at 1pm and leave the table at ... 6. Yup! The very chic Tish Jett and I had a little catching up (and discovering!) to do yesterday.

The truth of the matter is that, while Tish and I have been chatting on the phone and by mail for a long while, we hadn't actually met face to face. It was very exciting! She's been making me laugh and making me think for such a long time that I was really looking forward to our 'date'! I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED, Tish is just as glamorous and savvy and entertaining over a lunch table as she is in her blog - wonderful!!

Funnily, when planning the date, it turns out we shared a favourite address for a comfortable, discreet tête à tête: Le Baretto, restaurant to a 4 star hotel, a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe; deep armchairs; delicious food; impeccable waiters, the totally perfect place for two girlfriends to meet.

In the unlikely event of you not already knowing Tish and her wonderful blog A Femme d'un Certain Age, you should get over there right away!! She's running an event on the faces of women through life, she started out with celebs and now the whole blogging world is joining in and contributing their own portraits! Believe me, you want to be part of this!!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

maybe catching up with a girlfriend?

cut off!

I have been punished for bragging about our beautiful September weather !! A massive storm found us on Saturday evening and has taken out our internet connection!!! AARGH!

So I am tidying the house, preparing my children for going back to school and generally catching up on a million overdue tasks.

Please excuse me if I don't answer mails or acknowledge comments, hopefully I'll be back in business on Tuesday.

Hope your week has got off to a good hassle-free start, à bientôt ....

Sorry I can't give credits for the picture,

my mid year resolutions and why blogging isn't good for me

I love to blog. I love all those amazing blogs out there to be read, I love receiving loads of messages and mails and I love my brocante site, but the time has come to admit that it's doing me no good!

Before I knew what the word b..l..o..g meant I used to spend hours in my garden; bake cakes for my kids; talk to my husband; exercise regularly and ... my ironing would be up to date.

Since the fatal day, 18 months ago, when I started this little blog, all that has changed .... my children only have odd socks to wear, my garden is disappearing behind a jungle of weeds, I am growing stiff and unsupple and if anyone wants a hot meal in this house then my husband has to cook it .... OK that is a bit of an exaggeration, there is however a grain of truth, and so I have decided to make some mid-year resolutions.

I need to limit my time in front of this screen.

One way of achieving this is that I have bought myself a new computer .. YAY ! .. to replace the steam driven model I'm typing on right now. The new baby will arrive at the end of the month and hopefully photos will upload to my blog posts in nano seconds instead of the current half an hour, and I will be able to continue writing My French Country Home in a fraction of the time it takes me today.

The other way to extract myself from the chair in front of the screen is by sticking to those resolutions I just mentioned. Namely ( and the idea here is that if I make them public, then I have to stick to them, right?!)

1. I shall cycle or walk each day

2. I'll ride my horse several times a week like I used to, instead of the irregular hacks out that I surprise him with today

3. I shall rise early and keep my chores up to date before turning on the computer

That's for the physical and practical benefits. There are a couple of resolutions aimed to benefit the intellectual and social side to my life too:

4. This is the year that I take Italian classes - having self taught from books for a while now, I need to crack on and make real progress before my brain goes into meltdown and can no longer tell the difference between linguine and spaghetti!

5. I will try and write that novel that has been sitting in a cupboard beside the fireplace for two years

6. But most importantly of all, I shall set aside special time to enjoy with my family, and hopefully they in return will stop calling me supergeek!

So now please, just to encourage me, tell me truthfully how you manage your screen time. Is is a struggle? Have you just the read the above aghast with horror and vowed never to read my blog again or do you empathise and feel relieved that you're not alone?!

Do let me know, I'm counting on your support on this one :)

Merci mes amis!