Today's post marks the 100th blog post that I have written for Freya's Nook! When I checked this number in my blog statistics I was quite surprised and, I have to admit, a little proud. I really had no idea when I started this blog, under a year ago, if it was going to be something that I would keep up or put a lot of work into. But I have found it to be so fulfiling, such a wonderful source of joy and creative freedom and I am really pleased that I have made it to post number 100!
To mark this small milestone, I have decided to pick out a few of my favourite posts from over the past 10 months or so, to reflect on them and see how my blog has developed and grown. Looking over my old posts has been really fun and interesting - there have been so many that I had completely forgotten about and I did have a few laughs (particularly at the oldest ones!). I have chosen a handful of favourites to highlight here and I hope you will enjoy looking back at them too! I have linked them all up so if you would like to re-read one, or indeed read it for the first time if you missed it before, please just click on the title!
Violence Vs Art
Although this was one of my earliest posts it is still very much relevant today, if not more so. I wrote it just after the terrorist attack in Belgium last year and it covers a topic that I feel very emotional about; how as acts of violence in the world increase, we have an ever greater need for art. I mention how important all different types of art are, simply for humanity, and I feel strongly that today, in the face of Trump and Syria and everything else, art is absolutely fundamental to us and can show us the way forward.
The Beauty of Berwick Church
This is a post that is very close to my heart. I wrote it after a visit to the wonderfully intimate and pretty Berwick Church in Sussex, England, where I spent a glorious afternoon with my Mom and dog. It is such a nice memory to have, as my parents have since both moved and I am no longer very connected to this place. This part of the world is so beautiful and this church in particular has such an interesting story to it.
Be Strong, Simple and True - Eugene Delacroix
I wanted to mention this post, because I particularly remember feeling very pleased with the finished article after I had written it! In it I talk about the philosophy of the great artist, Delacroix, told through his own personal journal, and how inspiring I found so much of what he said. It is always a pleasure to re-read some of his passages and get inspired all over again!
Jacob
I have written a couple of posts about certain people in my life that have been extremly important to me, and I intend to continue to write more like this. But the one that really sticks out and has a fixed place in my heart is, of course, the tribute that I wrote to my friend Jacob, who did tragically almost six years ago.
Comic Book Affair
This post was SO fun for me to write, as I had just discovered the fantastic world of comic books and graphic novels, and was so excited about it! Since then my comic book collection has definitely grown considerably - I should definitely call this a lasting relationship now, rather than an affair - and I have taken huge interest in the incredible art that comes from these books. I am proud to call myself a nerd!
The Musician
It took a while, but a few months after starting the blog I finally stepped out from the shadows, unafraid about whoever should read it (including people I know in real life), and told the world about who I really am and my life as a musician. This was a hugely liberating moment, and since then I have written so many other musical-related posts which has been incredibly gratifying for me personally. I plan to continue to feature as much of my musician lifestyle on the blog as possible and look out for some new musical projects coming up on the blog soon!
A Few Thoughts On The Non-Expert
The subject of this post is one that is really interesting to me; that we may do things, know things, take interest in things without being an expert in them, and that's OK! I was inspired to write about these ideas after a trip to the opera with my (non-musician) boyfriend, when, talking with him afterwards, I found that he had noticed and appreciated so many interesting things about the production which were very important, that an expert musican eye might not have seen. I still think a lot about this, and the unbelievable pressure that exists in our society to be an expert, to be really at the top, of everything we do.
Favourite Paintings and Weekends In Series
I have so enjoyed getting stuck in with a few different series' of posts on my blog, and two that I particularly enjoy writing are the Favourite Paintings series and the Weekend In Series. I love writing about art in, what I hope, is a non-pretentious or scholarly way, just coming from someone who thinks it is interesting and beautiful and wants to share her feelings about it! And travelling is also a huge part of my life - I love to recount my experiences and tell my stories here!
Blogmas Day 22: The People I'm Thinking Of This Christmas
Blogmas! What a huge feat that was, and I am so happy that I managed it. 24 consecutive daily posts seemed very daunting, and I was extremely last minute on a couple of them... but I also absolutely loved writing it! My special favourite was Day 22, when I wrote about all the people whom I would not be spending Christmas with, but who I was going to be thinking of. It's personal and emotional, but it means a lot to me to have written this for them.
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