Devon Book Club discussion

I've noticed that a number of people either blog themselves or follow blogs. I'm not a blogger myslef but would be interested to hear about what is out there.

Do you write a blog or know of a good one?

My favourite bookblogs are all a bit academic-ish/ esoteric/weird or specialist [Spanish Lit] but
Michael Orthofer at http://www.complete-review.com/saloon... is good for books in translation, world books, and generally for learning about authors or works before we say 'Never heard of ...' when they make the mainstream. I'm assuming you all know Devon-based Lynne Hatwell at http://dovegreyreader.typepad.com/dov... I also like: http://davidwinters.uk/page/2/ and http://www.bookslut.com/blog/ and http://www.readysteadybook.com/Blog.aspx
Gosh that was hard work with a fuzzy head.

DrMama wrote: "My favourite bookblogs are all a bit academic-ish/ esoteric/weird or specialist [Spanish Lit] but
Michael Orthofer at http://www.complete-review.com/saloon... is good for books in transl..."

Brilliant, thank you . I've never heard of any of them but will check them out

Thank you for the introduction to bookblogs. I've just had a look at the dovegreyreader one - really interesting, and the photos of Dartmoor are beautiful.

Angela wrote: "Thank you for the introduction to bookblogs. I've just had a look at the dovegreyreader one - really interesting, and the photos of Dartmoor are beautiful."

So glad you like the site, Angela. It is inspirational, and although my taste in books does not always coincide with DGR's, there is always something to marvel at or follow up - especially all the work she has done recently on WWI. She was also my main introduction to the world of bookblogging, and I do 'keep meaning' (story of my life) to set up my own site. I don't, honestly, know how DGR does all the reading, writing and blogging, as she is also a keen gardener, knitter, sewer, walker, cook, singer, traveller, and the mother of 3 kids (albeit grown ones), yet her posts are invariably interesting, fun, and I always learn something. Enjoy!

I write a blog as part of my website. I've done it for years, but in 2013 the host server has repeatedly attacked by hackers and my site was down more than it was up. I gave up and started again with a new host.
I put up reviews of books I've read, but I also post about any subject that has grabbed my attention. For example, posts include the Holford family, T. E. Lawrence, the connection between yew trees and graveyards, and English eccentricity as displayed by the good people of Hungerford.
You'll find it at http://www.bjburton.co.uk/

B J wrote: "I write a blog as part of my website. I've done it for years, but in 2013 the host server has repeatedly attacked by hackers and my site was down more than it was up. I gave up and started again wi..."

Thaks B.J. - quite a mix - I'll take a look

B J wrote: "I write a blog as part of my website. I've done it for years, but in 2013 the host server has repeatedly attacked by hackers and my site was down more than it was up. I gave up and started again wi..."
Fascinating mix of information/comment BJ., thank you. I'll need to come back to it again to do it justice. But I did see your post on Sidmouth festival. We've been there, just for one day, these last two years. It has a great atmosphere. This year we saw the Yves Lambert Trio in the marquee - brilliant. Sometime we'll have to do the thing properly and stay over - but probably not camping...

Kathy, I urge you (and everyone else!) to give yourself a treat and 'do' the whole of Sidmouth Folk. Eight days of music and fun - we come away uplifted.

Tweeting away today to promote the Book Club, I had a response from Julie Sampson, who writes this blog http://t.co/EP3bbgwwXH Amongst other interests, some great Devon history

I mentioned that I blog post on almost anything. I've just posted on an adult way to enjoy gooseberries.

http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/

B J wrote: "I mentioned that I blog post on almost anything. I've just posted on an adult way to enjoy gooseberries.

http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/"
That blog post almost makes me want to try it and I really don't like gooseberries. Do you think you could adapt the recipe to be based around another fruit - strawberries, blackcurrants, in fact anything except gooseberries and rhubarb? Developing a new recipe would give you the chance to experiment again - in the name of science of course. Or perhaps that will have to wait until next year...?

Do you find gooseberries and rhubarb too tart? I think it's that very tartness that makes this recipe work, but I can't see why it shouldn't be just as good with blackcurrants.
I've already had several responses to the blog suggesting alternatives, such as using white wine instead of gin and water.
Lots of further experimentation is clearly essential. Fortunately I don't have to wait until next year. Five of the freezer drawers are still full of fruit.

They are tart but I think it's more the flavour - I don't have a particularly sweet tooth. White wine sounds good, but then so did the gin...
(Completely off subject: your excellent text review of SFPG is not showing on GR, only the rating as far as I can see. Forgive me for chasing it! Though I have sometimes found GR slow to react to changes)

How odd. I probably pressed the wrong button. I've had another go. Where technology is concerned, if there's a wrong way to do something I'll find it without fail.

B J wrote: "How odd. I probably pressed the wrong button. I've had another go. Where technology is concerned, if there's a wrong way to do something I'll find it without fail."
Don't blame yourself B.J. I keep having issues with the GR technology. Sometimes it has a mind of its own! Thank you for doing it again. :)

B J wrote: "Do you find gooseberries and rhubarb too tart? I think it's that very tartness that makes this recipe work, but I can't see why it shouldn't be just as good with blackcurrants.
I've already had sev..."

Experimentation sounds like a great idea - if your typing goes wonky, we'll know why

Sperimentings grate. Jelly fo brekfust. Hic.

B J wrote: "Sperimentings grate. Jelly fo brekfust. Hic."
Lol. Good was it?

Oh yes. I used rhubarb, added ginger and substituted a fairly sweet white wine for the gin/water.

Interesting. Shame about the rhubarb...:) Keep practising!

Unfortunately, it's rhubarb and gooseberries that I have in most abundance.

The best advice I can give about blogging is just get out there on word press and do it and see what happens!

@Atticboho

Nick wrote: "The best advice I can give about blogging is just get out there on word press and do it and see what happens!

@Atticboho"

we have a few bloggers in the group. I really enjoy people's musings so look forward to reading yours

Have been dipping my toes into the blogging water here on Goodreads, just to experiment. So far, have only written short descriptive pieces about walking here in Devon, with a few facts.
Have found the few blogs I've read on Goodreads to be rather an ego trip, and not particularly interesting, so have been rather hesitant about the whole thing.

Carol wrote: "Have been dipping my toes into the blogging water here on Goodreads, just to experiment. So far, have only written short descriptive pieces about walking here in Devon, with a few facts.
Have found..."

how do we find them Carol?

You have to click onto my Goodreads site. Not sure if it's only authors who can write blogs, or whether it's open to everyone. I would be interested to know.
I haven't, therefore, got a blog title, such as you can get with Wordpress etc. Finding my way rather slowly round everything!

Carol wrote: "You have to click onto my Goodreads site. Not sure if it's only authors who can write blogs, or whether it's open to everyone. I would be interested to know.
I haven't, therefore, got a blog title..."

Thanks

Ian wrote: "Carol wrote: "You have to click onto my Goodreads site. Not sure if it's only authors who can write blogs, or whether it's open to everyone. I would be interested to know.
I haven't, therefore, go..."
By the way, Ian, I have been speaking with a friend about the creation of web sites, and she said that when she had one created for her charity shop, it was a long time before it actually appeared on the net, so I think that's probably what's happened to mine.

Have just got back from a trip away to visit family, Carol, so belated Happy Birthday! I've been reading your blogs and I think they're wonderful: so atmospheric and poetic, conjuring up the scenes beautifully and dropping in interesting historical information.

Carol wrote: "Ian wrote: "Carol wrote: "You have to click onto my Goodreads site. Not sure if it's only authors who can write blogs, or whether it's open to everyone. I would be interested to know.
I haven't, t..."

Thanks

Happy New Year everyone.

Thanks Kathy, about the blogs. Just experimenting at this stage!

Ian wrote: "Carol wrote: "Ian wrote: "Carol wrote: "You have to click onto my Goodreads site. Not sure if it's only authors who can write blogs, or whether it's open to everyone. I would be interested to know...."

Have had a look at the blogs and enjoyed the cameos - you have a talent for capturing the moment

Last year we bought an old motorhome and we've been keeping a log of our experiences - good and bad. I've decided to upload that log to my Blog. Experienced motorhomers may be entertained by our naivety. Anyone thinking of taking the plunge may learn from our mistakes and save themselves money and heartache.
The first instalment is up now:

http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/

Just read all of your website. Interested to see you've got it under different headings. That's what I need to do with my newborn one. That sky looks a bit fierce! Is that over Brixham? The fairy story made me laugh, although it was also somewhat sad.
Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences with the campervan. We used to have a caravan and absolutely adored it. We used to take it to France for a month every summer and saw all sorts of beautiful places that would normally have been out of our reach financially. I can see you've researched into it all with your usual thoroughness and look forward to hearing about your trips.

Hi Carol, yes that's a sunset snapped from our lounge window. If you keep reading you'll soon find that I hadn't done enough research!

Enjoyed reading your blogs about Bath, and the trials and tribulations of owning a campervan, BJ - looking forward to the next instalment! We are going to Bath for a couple of days next week, and paying our first visit to Mr B's bookshop.

B J wrote: "Hi Carol, yes that's a sunset snapped from our lounge window. If you keep reading you'll soon find that I hadn't done enough research!"

To get down to basics, I think a toilet is always a necessity in campervans and caravans. It makes you very free. You can drive until late in the day and you can camp where you want.

Angela wrote: "Enjoyed reading your blogs about Bath, and the trials and tribulations of owning a campervan, BJ - looking forward to the next instalment! We are going to Bath for a couple of days next week, and p..."

I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Angela. I'm very fond of Bath, as you can probably tell from my posts. It has so much to offer, yet is compact enough to allow one to cover everything on foot. We were pleased to find a campsite on the riverbank that is open all year and is a comfortable walk from the city centre, but also next to one of Bath's park-and-rides.

Carol wrote: "B J wrote: "Hi Carol, yes that's a sunset snapped from our lounge window. If you keep reading you'll soon find that I hadn't done enough research!"

To get down to basics, I think a toilet is alway..."

Quite right, Carol. My wife always used to be concerned on motorways in case we got caught in a jam caused by a pile-up and were stuck there for hours. In the motorhome she doesn't care. If we get stuck we have food and drink available, the loo - and even a bed if we fancy a nap.

I've posted the second instalment of our motorhoming experiences:
http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/

B J wrote: "I've posted the second instalment of our motorhoming experiences:
http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/"

We've often been fascinated by motorhomes so this was an interesting insight. That site looks and sounds amazing - nothing like my experience of caravan sites in the past!

Kathy, we've since been on a number of really beautiful sites on the banks of rivers and lakes, or in woods, but no toilet/shower blocks have yet matched those at Dornafield.

I can see you're progressing in logical moves with your mmotorhome and obviously really enjoying it. One thing I remember from caravan owning is that I used to notice that most caravans I went into had a musty smell. I always put it down to the curtains etc being left in the caravan during the winter, and so as ours was a new caravan and had no smell, I always removed them during the winter months and kept them in the house, and we never had a musty odour.

The general advice on the various forums is that all soft furnishings should be removed, including mattresses. That does require a very large amount of storage space at home! Yes, Carol, we rejected a lot of motorhomes because of an unpleasant musty smell, although we suspected that it was often the lingering whiff of damp dog.

Yes, I meant to say the cushions as well. I think the cushions are probably more important than the curtains. I just used to pile them all up on top of a wardrobe.

I've put up the next in the series of blog posts about the pleasures and pains of owning a motorhome.

http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/

B J wrote: "I've put up the next in the series of blog posts about the pleasures and pains of owning a motorhome.

http://www.bjburton.co.uk/blog-2/"
Interesting as always, BJ, though you're definitely putting me off getting a motor home - even though, as you pointed out, there are serious advantages when attending Folk Festivals.

It sounds as though you have some idea about it all, which is good and I expect you'll learn more as it goes along (or hopefully goes along!).
Very strangely, just this morning I had a long chat with a neighbour who is taking his Motor Home, and wife, away for several months to Europe. Are we going to hear about foreign fields on your blog, BJ?