That Was Then...

I occasionally like to look over some of my blog stats out of curiosity for what some of the more popular posts are and I often find someone perusing some very old posts, seeing as how I've been blogging for over 7 years.  ( it doesn't seem that long!)  I like to look back at these old posts because I often see comments left by people who only came by a couple of times and I had forgotten about or who used to comment and now never do or just to see how far things have come here at my place.  That helps greatly when I'm feeling like I haven't accomplished much or feel overwhelmed.  When I brought up this particular old post, that last idea was really emphasized to me.  I mean, Wow!  It seems crazy that it is that easy to forget how things used to be.

I know the 2 photos are from 2 kinda different viewpoints but you get the idea.  One thing that really amazes me is how much the trees have grown in those 7 years.  It's hard to even see some of them in the first photo!  And there are many that are not there anymore.  I have culled out a number of them for one reason or another.  Mostly because they were really damaged in one way or another or truly in the way of needing to build.  Of course, I'm happy with the way things are; just wish they were a little further a long...

But, that is the way of life.  Things keep changing.  People move on.  We ourselves, are the ones that move on sometimes.  I awoke last night in a thunderstorm and in that craziness that is half-consciousness, my thoughts went directly to wondering if all this effort I've put into this house has been worth it.  I don't know if I can ever answer that question really.  Yes, I could have done a lot of other things with my time.  Many, many people have told me I should have. Most all of them would have required me to stay in debt and servitude to an employer, in order to have somewhere to live.  I could actually be further along on this house.  But I would not have been able to travel as much and see so many things in the last few years, which I have enjoyed more than I can express.  I could have built something extremely plain and put all this effort into a real art career.  Maybe I should have.  But then again....I enjoy the act of creating in and of itself.  It doesn't really matter to me what it is.  Sure, I'd like to be a well-known artist and I might one day.  Or maybe I'll only ever be a person that gave a few people some ideas about how they could build something similar.  Something unique, something they didn't have to borrow money for...something they did with their own hands.

And speaking of changing:  My decision to publish the "About Us" page and it's contents apparently cost me a number of readers for some reason even though I thought it would be an improvement for the blog.  For the life of me I can't figure what is offensive about it except that stating my environmental and social opinions there and in other posts may have put some people off.  Well, that or I'm just boring as hell these days.  I hate it but I will continue to write about what I feel is important and why I live the way I do, as I always have.  I guess I'll be writing for the crickets but that's okay because it's a journal and a history for me if nothing else.  Thank you to those few that continue to hang around.