Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Mugs and a Milestone - my 50th Blog Post

I just realised that I have posted 50 times to this blog since I started just after Christmas last year, this being my 51st post!

I didn't think when I started that I would keep going as regularly as this and even find stuff that I would like to write about. What's more, I didn't really expect that anyone would be remotely interested in reading my rambling streams of consciousness. So it is very nice to have come this far, without any pressure to meet deadlines or targets, and to just write on whatever is of interest to me, whenever the notion takes me.

Blogging has opened up a fascinating new world, with new virtual friends in the blogosphere among the readers and commentators, and those of you who follow the blog. It is always fun to get comments and feedback on the various posts, whether they are recipes, politics, or social commentary, or just travel and events in my life that I enjoy sharing with you. I am amazed at the quality of most of the blogs I read and the humour and pathos that is evident in much of the writing.

It's great to see the maps dotted with visitors from every corner of the globe, and to see the diverse origins of my visitors. Having lived in a number of far-flung places in my life, it is fascinating to see how much of the world is totally unknown to me, and then it is especially nice to connect with people in the countries I know and love, particularly Tanzania - Lynda's was one of the first blogs I read, as the Africa theme caught my eye.

So to mark this momentous occasion, I will share the photos of the eclectic collection of Barcelona mugs brought home from the Costa Brava and Barcelona in recent holidays. They are inspired primarily by the weird and wonderful architect and designer, Antoni Gaudí.

I know the ones in my previous post were wacky enough to grab attention, so these may whet your appetite even more. I love the asymmetrical one, it is totally wacky, and has stood on a shelf more as an objet d'art than a functional cup since I brought it as a present for hubby. Mind you, he prefers a more substantial coffee cup - but then this is aesthetically in a league of its own.

As I write this it is quite late at night, and I am sitting at my laptop with a nice cuppa tea and a choc chip and pecan cookie -recipe to follow soon! - while toasting and thanking all my blogging friends for the camaraderie and commentary you have provided in the past 8 months.

I really appreciate all the time you take to read and comment and generate debate in so many areas. So don't forget - keep in touch and keep on blogging!







The Gaudí Mug Collection - cups, mugs and a tankard - highlighting places in Barcelona linked with Gaudí like Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia, and Casa Batllo. The chimneys of La Pedrera (Casa Mila) are on one mug, and the recurring theme of mosaic tiling characteristic of Gaudí's Parc Guell features heavily.

11 comments:

Rudee said...

I've said it before, but it bears repeating, you have some fabulous pottery there.

Jeannette StG said...

Have to say that I always go for the unusual, so the asymetrical cup is "it" for me!

Niamh Griffin said...

Congrats on Post 51!!!!:):)

I love the mugs, they'd be great to have a coffee in! The asymmetrical one is great but looks too small for me. Looks like it will be a 10-cup a day weekend with this weather!

Seamus Ryan said...

Catherine I also like to collect mugs but none as nice as these. Usually when I am away somewhere I buy a mug to remind me of the area I have just visited. Keep up the blogging.

Catherine said...

Thanks for the comments, I really appreciate them!

RUDEE - it wasn't intentional but this collection of mugs/cups just evolved and when they're all together they look really nice. Hope all is well with you - nursing on the other side of the Atlantic seems vastly different to here, but then I am looking at things from the community perspective. Good luck!
Catherine

Catherine said...

JEANETTE - the asymmetrical cup is lovely but not hugely practical as it's quite small. I loved the quirkyness of it though. Not sure hubby will use it although it is small enough for a dainty cuppa coffee (he doesn't do tea - coffee is definitely more a Dutch thing!) and too big for espresso!
Aesthetically, the triangular and the asymmetrical mugs are my two faves!

Catherine said...

NIAMH - Agree about the asymmetrical mug, it is quite small and hasn't yet been initiated by anyone - has sat on the shelf behind the tv and is being looked at mostly! Still, very pleasing to the eye!
As for weather, getting fed up dodging the downpours and showers. 10-cups a day will be about right indeed! Though right now I'm having a glass of wine as it's the weekend at last! Have a good one yourself.
Yes I am pleased with the 51st blogpost milestone - will I reach the 100 mark before the year's end?
All the best,
Catherine

Catherine said...

SEAMUS - that's a nice idea to actually collect mugs, I have a right stash of them but they have grown incidentally rather than on purpose. I love nice mugs though and have some I got as gifts that I use as pen-holders when they aren't useable any more, chipped or cracked or handle gone. Usually if they are from some potter, hand made. There was a lovely pottery in Lismore that is now closed down, I used to get lots of their mugs as presents for Holland and they loved them there, and now I have only 2 left - as pen-holders! But I do have a bowl with a lid, it's in one of my blogs about marmalade, blue painted pottery.
I enjoy the blogging but it's a bit all over the place thematically! Off to cheer Jan on in the Sean Kelly Challenge 100km on Sunday!
Catherine

Diary From Africa said...

Congrats on over 50 (great !) blog posts ! Thanks for youe mention of mine, & for your comments there, too. I have a 'thing' about mugs and collect them too - although none as lovely/unusual as yours ! Mmmmm ... just LOVE the sound of your decadent biscuit/cookie recipe above, too ...

Catherine said...

Thanks LYNDA - I hadn't heard from you in ages and as you said recently you didn't think all your post comments were going through I thought you were lost in cyberspace! Well it was true that you were the inspiration for some of my ramblings, and glad you like the mugs. They are lovely and I think I will consciously collect mugs from my travels now, these were incidental or family gifts.
The recipe for the Choc Cookies is up and running and they are very filling (and probably horribly calorific!)
Hope all is well with your baby and the rest of the family and yourself.
Catherine

Anonymous said...

Nice mugs they are looking fabulous specially i like the Barcelona mug. I am just imagine i have a mug in my hand exactly like that shown in picture.

dvd rw