The fact that I've managed to continue writing about our adventures growing a vineyard even while it has been dormant through this long and arduous winter, is evidence that I have plenty of material to write about and that this blog idea I thought up last fall wasn't just my flavor of the week. I haven't even had this blog during our high season! Aaron finally came to this conclusion last week that this blog is here to stay. Plus, I think he realized how much it has been an outlet for my journalism degree that's been itching me, since it never went to use in a professional capacity.
So my adorable husband, who is my biggest advocate, sent me an email at work last week, "Hey, I just sent an email out to a few of my contacts telling them about your blog, so you might get some more readers."
Okay, cool, I thought, taking note of the "few contacts" he mentioned. I learned later, after seeing an abnormally high number of hits on my blog, that actually translated to "pretty much my entire address book and told all of them to pass it on." On one hand, I am thrilled to have so many new readers come on board this past week and honored you are taking the time to subscribe by email, "follow me" and read about our adventure in our newly planted lifestyle. That's why I write this afterall.
On the other hand, I feel the pressure to come up with compelling material, stories and updates so you won't feel like you are getting spammed from Schram Vineyards and wonder, Why did I sign up for this? I don't want to read about chicken poop, and wine tastings, and why does Ashley think I want to read about pruning grapevines and trellis systems? Now I'm on the hotseat to have my blog appeal to moms with 2.3 kids, to bachelors in their thirties, from wine experts to wine novices, to friends who live next door to those of you reading this in Australia! So, for every post about my garden plans, salsa recipes, and the decor I am picking out for our wine tasting room, I will try to oblige the testosterone reading and do a post on the tractor or the Hummer or axe throwing (yes, axe throwing...a sneak peak of summer material on this blog).
To those who have been reading a while...thank you! I love to hear from you and appreciate your patronage. To those who are just jumping in now, feel free to catch up on reading and let me give you a brief run-down and a few fair warnings:
1. I usually post between 1-3 times a week, depending on what's going on and what I think is worthy of posting. Minimum of once, but on weeks I have a lot to say, I will post more.
2. If this spring, I start writing obsessively about the giant zucchinis in our garden and you start to wonder if I've gone a little coo-coo, I probably have. Feel free to ignore my posts. I'll never know. But hopefully some of you out there will appreciate my gardening goals this year (refer to "About Me" in right sidebar).
3. I sometimes post shirtless pictures of my husband. Sorry if this offends you. I can't help it. But now that some of his longtime friends are reading, I can already anticipate the grief he'll be getting from his beer drinking buddies. For Aaron's benefit, let me tell you now that I post those pictures against his will. But I'm the author and I can do what I want. I'm just giving a true depiction of life on the vineyard. Plus, when that wine gut (get it?) starts to catch up with him, at least I'll have this blog to look back on and remember my hubba hubba hubby.
4. I'm in love with our dogs. I'm concerned that when we have kids I won't love them as much as I love our dogs. Okay, not really, but you get what I mean. I realize a great majority of you reading this are dog owners yourselves and probably think your dogs are better than mine. So just bear with me when I write about our beloved, totally goofy, adopted mutts. We don't have kids yet so they're the only way for me to channel my inner mother.
5. If you are reading and feel compelled to comment, please do! I love to hear from you! Just be nice. Or, if you prefer to read silently, and lurk throughout the site anonymously, that's your prerogative.
6. Lastly, since I have never called attention to this before and just hoped you noticed, there are several ways you can subscribe to this blog.
You can Subscribe via Email and the posts from the previous 24 hours will get emailed to you every day.
You can "Follow me" through Google friend connect and get updates in Google Reader.
Or, you can subsribe to posts and choose to have posts show up on your iGoogle or Yahoo homepage among other things. These options are all on the right sidebar. Choose whichever one is best fitting for you.
Thanks again and happy reading!
