...and she blogs

I'm here. I offer my first blog. I ask myself, what brought me to this venue as I have visited blogs on and off for years with never a desire to offer my own. I blame "one vintage hag," although blame is not the proper word, I thank, yes I thank "one vintage hag" for introducing me to a cyber world of friends, new and old, quirky personalities hidden behind interesting headers, joyful photographs, heartfelt words, laugh out loud snippets of their daily activities and a few tears that we all share in common. These unique men and women who have a common (or perhaps, uncommon) need to share pieces of themselves through their blogs.

These bloggers, that I have come to know through "one vintage hag," show their heart, open and honest, unafraid to share their joys; their families, their friends and their pets; their interests in vintage things, antiques and how they live with them; and their eyes and how they see all of these things around them. Oh those eyes, how I love visiting and seeing what you have created from found objects, bits of vintage laces and jewelry, stones, shells and other found treasures picked up along their travels and repurposed into lovely or quirky or amusing or flat out weird with a joy of their own.

So I begin my own blog this evening with this dedication to three incredible women that I am truly grateful for. First, my mom, who watches me from heaven and is laughing as she elbows my dad in the ribs and says, "Look Paul, your eldest daughter is now blogging." My mom, who I first introduced to the Internet in the early 90's, and who saw, even then, the endless possibilities of the world's information at her beautiful fingertips. If she were here with me today, she would be blogging. I love you mom and not a day goes by that I do not think of you. Kiss dad for me too. Second, "one vintage hag" who asked me a few months ago how to build a blog. I knew when she shared those words with me her blog would be wonderful...what I did not count on was her drawing me into all of these amazing places in blog land. I have followed each and every blog posting she has made and from there entered into a world of new friends, artists, personalities, and all of their pets. But more than that, through her blog she has willingly shared her vulnerability as well as her creativity, generosity, and her heart. I thought I knew her pretty well, but her blog shared more of her soul with her writings. What a gift she shares. Finally, to a friend in Flagstaff and writer of children's books, a woman who loves to hike the beauty of Arizona, a journalist who advocates the craft and my friend, Linda Kranz. I can use her name because she is a published author and well known in the journaling industry. Linda, you would be proud to know that I am blogging, my form of journaling and so I also dedicate my first blog to you. Three phenomenal women, my mom, one vintage hag and a writer. How blessed I truly am.

So I blog. I hope you will visit from time to time.