Blog, Blogger, Bloggier

Comparatively or Superlatively (cough, cough) speaking………

Turnip Truck Chronicles began as Notes on Facebook and  posts were shared privately.  Friends and family responded nicely, as friends and family should will do.  Due to an expanding number of friends on Facebook I began to discover their blogs and their recommendations for related readings.  I discovered a plethora ( some $2.95 words, too) of very entertaining web sites and blogs.  

With prompting and encouraging words from Jackson, I decided to give blogging a try even though I knew Jackson just wanted to see some new rivers for new stories.  Jackson, a Chocolate Lab, became the editor and house grammarian.  Too many commas, dangling participles or an incorrect idiom, blame Jackson.  To discover more about Jackson, look to one of the more popular stories, Tying The Jackson. It is a story not quite rivaling Old Yeller, but will bring moisture to the eyes to a grown man in freshly purchased wading boots with felt soles.

Turnip Truck Chronicles is a lot like Google and Facebook. We provide our staff with free meals,
 unlimited healthcare, even shots and chew toys. Long afternoon naps are promoted.

My first challenge was to determine who would be my reader,  other than close friends and relatives. I decided that I wanted my readers to be the same people I have met in a river , or stream side when resting a pool, or at take out parking lots. I valued most that these friendships began with a handshake, a smile or laugh and became cemented with tales and stories.  I started this blog a month ago - its purpose, to duplicate a live visit waterside. Expect  a handshake, a smile, a laugh and a story.  My goal is not to pen the equal of a great american novel - my desire is for the reader to think, "I'd enjoy fishing with that guy."

Turnip Truck Chronicles posted the first blog on or about the first of the year, 2012. I'll admit the blog would have never been posted if I had to know what the young geeks call code.  If HTML had been required, I would be a better fly tyer for it. I started with Google's Blogger.  The  templates seem to practice the KISS principle rather well. Also, the Blogger Blogspot site provides the poster with interesting feedback statistics and as more stories were posted, views increased and other bloggers of similar interests linked their readers to the Chronicles. Some friends told their friends and statistically the number of viewers began increasing at an increasing rate (a $2.95 economic theorem). 

Bar Chart Illustration Taken From a Politician's Estimation
 of Economic Growth - Not Representative of the Actual Performance
of Turnip Truck Chronicles

By the time you read this blog, Turnip Truck Chronicles will have experienced over twelve hundred views - I'm hoping many of those viewers actually read a story or two.  The stories posted  have been read in eleven separate countries, well only ten if you leave out Russia, which I am told real bloggers do.The largest referring site has been Facebook, then a recreational vehicle forum site, IRV2, and at third was Google search feeds.  With no former references by which to judge these statistics, I can only think, not a bad start. Friends and family are still saying nice things, the Outdoor Blogger Network featured Turnip Truck Chronicles and urged a visit with positive comments,  and I have even received a "well done" or three from some great blog writers.

Jackson raised an ear and cocked his head as he noticed that my normal stride had turned into a rooster strut. Clearly, the success of the Turnip Truck Chronicles will be known for the retention of the readers - views do not equal appreciation.  I have enjoyed  penning and posting  the stories and anything that keeps me from watching the news on tee wee or incessantly ($2.25) following the shade around the house and  keeps Jackson from dropping a throw toy at my feet every thirty seconds,  is a blessing.  I'll try to keep writing and keep Jackson editing  when we are not flinging a line and trout spotting.

Russian views notwithstanding, I remain (cough, cough) humble. The preceding sentence was inserted for my friends and relatives.

I thank you for reading or referring the Turnip Truck Chronicles and welcome any and all feedback.  At this time this venture is unfortunately  purely non-profit.  Here's the deal, when Turnip Truck Chronicles reaches Facebook subscriber numbers, we'll do an IPO and Jackson will ensure that the early subscribers will be cut in on the action. If you act within the next forty-five minutes and agree to tell a friend, we'll double your action.

Plus, if you subscribe  you will not miss a single future story.*  The teaser titles include:

Vermont Is Not Just For Liberals ...... uhh, Vermont

Hemingway's Longest Sentence? ...... Michigan

Rochinante Was Taken ....... Travels With Jackson

Fly Fishing The Parking Lot ...... Everywhere

Dry Run Creek Is For Kids, but  adults enjoy  it more ...... Arkansas


"Oh, They're Just Searching For Illegal Gringos" ...... Mexico


There Is No Such Thing As A Secret Honey Hole ..... Everywhere

* Good titles, huh? Stories alluded to above are subject to being finished.