Woman Reading, Andrew Stevovich

Here’s hoping my first words in my first post of the month bring you, my readers, and me, some large dollops of good luck. Sadly, I can’t guarantee the luck; life has a way of throwing curves balls at all of us from time to time. But, what I am bringing you are my favourite reads from the blogosphere during August.

There were so many to choose from writing this post was tougher than you might imagine. Nevertheless, I’ve obeyed my self-imposed rules … mostly:

1) Only three posts per month. This month I’ve kept to three bloggers but I’ve bent the rules and snuck in an extra post from each of them.

2) There’s a two month stand down for previously featured bloggers. Talk about making it hard on myself, I do have my favourites but so far so good.

3) For a post to feature on Freshly Seen it will have made me laugh or cry or think, sometimes all three at once. Each of the posts I feature achieve exactly this.

So this month on Freshly Seen let me introduce:

Do You Write like a Mother****er?

Damyanti at Daily (W)rite has been blogging for more than six years. She knows a thing or two about what it takes to keep a blog alive, and about what it takes to keep on writing. As with me, here in my Freshly Seen feature, Damyanti has set herself some rules which, from time to time, she breaks. In her discussion of the challenges that go with showing up at the page she breaks one or two and writes her way towards a solution. Be sure to glance through the comments section – it’s full of tips from other writers.

While you’re at Daily (W)rite read Damyanti’s post about gender disparity in publishing: Do You Read More Men or Women Authors. It’ll make you think.

How does your Garden Grow

I discovered Curt’s blog Lies Jack Kerouac Told Me during the Cherished Blogfest back in July. His subject matter might be the quotidian but there’s nothing everyday about his writing. Curt makes me laugh, even on a bad day. This particular post reminded me of my own gardening disasters – there have been a few. The latest an attempt to grow gypsophila from seed; two weeks and counting and still no sign of life. Enough said about that. Carl has his own trials and tribulations in the garden and I promise you, you’ll laugh – in a good way of course.

While you’re there take a look at what Curt has to say about garage sales. What can I add other than: been there, done that. Wait, who am I kidding? – there’s a reason I stay away from TradeMe and garage sales and estate sales. Unchecked I’d be the Queen of Clutter!

Arches – Temptations of the Exotic

With the countdown begun (it’s seven weeks and three days until we take off again) this is a good time to introduce you to a travel writer and photographer whose posts have the Wow! factor. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve read Dalo’s descriptions on China Sojourns Photography, studied, no, make that admired, his photos then nudged John, exclaiming: Check this out. The photos, the storyline, the music in this particular post featuring the Arches National Park in Utah, USA, left me speechless.

While you’re visiting have a look at Dalo’s post Perspectives of Sri Lanka. It made me want to pack my bags and go there, now.

So, there you have it folks, the three (okay, Maths isn’t my strongest suit, there are actually six, or maybe nine depending on what you count) Freshly Seen posts from my August reading. I reckon they’re brain food for bloggers.

Tell me, what you think about them.

Who are your favourite bloggers and/or posts?