Monday, November 5, 2012

1000

Greetings all,
Today's post is "blog-centric" and it's about the blogging experience and some things I'm noticing after 2 and half years of blogging.  And it's an important landmark.
Red Tailed Hawk looking Gray in the sunlight
Today celebrates Las Aventuras' 1000th post.  I can't believe I've hit this mark.  Since its 2010 debut, Las Aventuras has been an incredible journey.  At 1000, I look at old posts and think....really?  My first year was a lot of learning (as it is for everyone). Most of the work was documentation and pics taken from the internet during those first couple months.  Lame! It wasn't an overnight thing but something I was definitely passionate about. And like anything, the more I learn, the better I get with my work.  For me it's chronicling the El Presidio Gardens, wildlife, photography and travel.  But I'll admit it's turned a little "birdy" lately:)  And that's okay.  That's where I'm at right now.  The weather has been cooling and so I'll be out in the garden more getting plants in place etc.  I have hesitated to put anything in on our courtyard yet because we are waiting on the fountain to get set up.  And we're very close!
On this 1000th post, I am feeling exhausted and daily updates will be a thing of the past starting January.  I had planned on doing that this year until I began to journal other works.  This blog attracts a variety of searches.  The top ten ALL TIME posts are:
Cooper's Hawk
  1. The Wall-It's about Meth addiction in my neighborhood and problems with the cement borders along the El Presidio Gardens
  2. Royal Purple Smoke Tree-A popular plant world wide and it's beautiful in the garden here at El Presidio
  3. Yosemite National Park-Not my greatest shots and with a terrible camera at the time.
  4. Xochimilco, Mexico City-A date gone wrong during my youth.  Met up with someone in Mexico City at this place. I figured that if the date went wrong, I'd at least learn about a new Mexico City landmark. Turns out I made a good decision:)
  5. The Gorilla-One of the places on my bucket list. It's at Virunga National Park and about the last of the wild Western Gorillas.  The pictures are not my own but it is a fascinating look at this park around a volcano that I hope to visit one day.  I have lots of goals:) 
  6. Wisteria-beautiful plant but doesn't grow well here in Tucson.  If you live in the Old Pueblo, I wouldn't use it.  I've seen it in the landscape but it doesn't "go to town" like say places in California, etc. 
  7. Spider Plants-that house plant is still strong and highly favored by people worldwide.
  8. Year of the Solar System-written from my notes at a NASA lecture, this post is SUPER long.
  9. What's a Rain Chain?  One of my first posts about the exploration of garden art during my docent training at the Tucson Botanical Gardens.
  10. Birds Beware-about my ignorance and putting spikes on the wall to keep the meth addicts from jumping into the El Presidio Gardens by putting Pigeon spikes up around the concrete walls.  Although it hasn't left my mind entirely, I hestitate because I don't want to harm the wildlife at our place.  But since that write Meth crossing has gone way down due to a Cacti garden barrier going up and high police patrols.
An unintended affect from my work on this blog has been also good for "business". Or from people wanting to use my photography for business or to have in their homes.  Currently I have work that will be published by a university on UNESCO sites in January regarding Coiba island.  Another photo right now is being reviewed for possible use at a local Tucson business.  All of this has made me research the "photography" business more.  All in all, this blog has been about research on everything. And it's all a work of love.
Cactus Wren
The camera work is getting trickier as I am wanting to do more with my photography. I currently use the Canon Rebel.  I have 3 lens that I primarily use.  The 300 mm is my favorite:)  I'd like to thank Rosemary for the Beautiful Blogger Award.  Check out her blog Tales From My Garden. She's a poetic soul with incredible shots of flowers, wildlife and more! Thank you Rosemary.
Juvenile White Crowned Sparrow
7 things about myself?
1.  Love fantasy and sci fi stuff....the inspiration behind this blog really:)
2.  Travel is exciting and it inspires me whether it's here in Southern Arizona or in far away France.  This year I'd like to go to Mexico City, Florida and Montana with a summer trip to Ecuador or Argentina.
3. I do like cats a lot.  When it gets crazy with those teenager folks, I imagine my cats on the couch with me reading a good book.  In fact, I even made a corner in the classroom full of cats.  It's bizarre, weird and funny all at the same time.  My room is an eclectic mix of Spanish art, culture, wildlife, cats, elves, Walter Mercado, and papers that need grading. It's the most comfortable room on campus and I'm proud of the fact that kids enjoy coming to my classroom and hang out. And a place for UA students to train and learn the way of Spanish teaching:)  Passing the torch on.....
4. I like gardening when it's not hot and when home owners don't throw cig butts or trash on the ground.  I also don't like acorn season.  That's when thousands and thousands of Live Oak acorns fall onto our courtyard every year....like now:)
5. I order taco salad everywhere I go. 
6. Love my kindle.  If I'm not writing, exploring places with my camera, I'm reading....something.  Current read  The Animal Dialogues by Craig Childs was recommended by Kathy of FKH Photo Journal. PS THANK YOU!!!  It's a great read.
7.  I would love to have my own personal Mexican Courtyard.
This adventure is just beginning or maybe it has been going on for quite some time now.....but I'm not ready to sit back on my couch and watch TV yet.  There are places that call my name and I'll be there with my camera and notepad to write it all down.  I hope you enjoy the journeys wherever they may be.  You don't have to go far to discover new things.    More tomorrow.....




A Rohrerbot Production 2012

21 comments:

  1. "And it's all a work of love" That's all that matters right?
    Let us know about your Coiba island with Unesco. It was fantastic journey of yours and taught me a lot of things about this part of the world.
    Argh! grading papers... I am hoping the cats are helping.
    So good to read and see your pictures about your experiences. Bravo!

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  2. Congrats on 1000th post! Sounds like you have come a long way " in the blogging world". And congrats on your work being published. That is great news. I have enjoyed your journeys and your photos. Well done! Have a great day!

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  3. Nice shots Chris.

    greetings and a nice week, Joop

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  4. Congratulations on your millennial! That is quite the milestone and puts you in rare blogging company.

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  5. Congratulations, Chris! 1000th posts is really something to celebrate. As is, your well deserved award. It was fun to "look back" with you.

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  6. Congratulations on your 1000th post Chris. That is quite an accomplishment!

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  7. Congratulations Chris!

    You're writing is prodigious and full of excitement. It's always been very impressive how often you're able to post and with great content.

    Cheers!

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  8. CONGRATS!!!! wow!!!! a THOUSAND posts!! that's a lot of writing and picture taking. it's so interesting when we look back and see how it all began...how we have evolved...

    i have enjoyed my time here...and being brought into your world.
    thanks & congrats!! =)

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  9. congrats on 1000 (i'm going to hit 1500 next week) and for the award. blogging is a journey all to itself, isn't it.

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  10. This seems like such an Oprah moment for you, your 1000th post, the journey your interests have taken you on, the "seven things about you"... The more you achieve, the bigger your dream gets and that is so awesome! It's nice to think of you passing on some of your ZEN to the kids in your classroom (goodness knows they need it!) I'm not at all surprised meth addicts come up in searches, every time you mention them I get goosebumps of fear :( I wish you continued curiosity, energy and success in all that you want to do!

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  11. Great post, Chris. CONGRATS on your award and on 1000 posts... I also enjoyed reading the seven things about you. I knew most of them--but didn't realize how much you love Taco Salads... ha

    I started blogging in 2006--but didn't join Blogger until 2009. I too used to post every single day.. Then I cut out the weekend posting. THEN---I went to 3 days a week... NOW--I find myself taking more and more Blog Breaks to do other things. I do love blogging --but don't have time to visit.. That makes me feel guilty. Even to this day, if I didn't have to visit other blogs, I would probably still be posting something every single day, since the posting is what I really love... Oh Well---tis life...

    Congrats again.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  12. A thousand posts. That's quite a milestone. I've been blogging about two and a half years but I'm still a ways away from 1,000 (although two blogs combined are over the mark). I'll have to start paying attention to my numbers. Congratulations, Chris.

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  13. I think it was the Purple Smoke tree I just saw in an arrangement with sunflowers. The deep dark leaves sing with the hearts of the sunflowers. Congratulations on a thousand posts!

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  14. Wow, and I thought I was a prolific poster. Congrats on 1000! Bogging really is a learning process. Kind of fun to go back to early posts and clearly see your improvements. I love your lust for life which clearly comes through your writing.

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  15. GRATULUJĘ 1000 postu. To wspaniałe osiągnięcie i musisz faktycznie bardzo kochać przyrodę, że potrafisz tyle ciekawych rzeczy nam pokazać. Gratuluję również nominowania do nagrody "Piękny Blog". Życzę wspaniałych podróży i ciekawych tematów do bloga. Pozdrawiam.
    CONGRATULATIONS 1000 post. It's a great achievement and you must actually very loving nature that can so many interesting things to show us. Congratulations also nominate for the "Beautiful Blog". Have a great trip and interesting topics to blog. Yours.

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  16. Excelentes fotografias....
    Passe no meu blog tem lá Prémio....
    Cumprimentos

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  17. Congrats on your 1,000 posts! That is very impressive! I'm glad to have found your blog as I really enjoy reading about your adventures and seeing your birds:)

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  18. Congratulations! Wow! That's quite a milestone! And, this is a very interesting post. I learned a lot about you, and about your earlier blogging. When I came in, the local travel and then birding had begun. Both are fascinating to me, and I am enjoying your blog very much. but I also find gardening and reading and many other things fascinating as well. Hope this coming year is a great year for you, and that you get to make the trips you want to make! As I said before, I hope we get to meet sometime, and maybe take a few excursions together. All my best!

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  19. Congratulations Chris on your 1000th blog post. I've certainly enjoyed travelling with you and reading all your wonderful posts and seeing your great photos. You put so much work into your posts and show such enthusiasm making them a great read.

    Well done too on winning an award and getting some of your photos published - so well deserved :)

    Look forward to reading more of your travels, birding and other wildlife and your gardens and seeing more of your incredible photos. All the best. Caroline

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  20. Beautiful birds on your 1000th post. Congratulations!

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  21. Such a milestone and a wonderful time to do as you did and look back at how far you've come!

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Thanks for stopping by!