Before starting this blog, I played with the idea for a while. A couple doubts delayed me. I knew that at one point in my life, I had enjoyed writing about topics I cared about, but years of academic and technical reporting had soured me on the practice. So I worried that even though it sounded like a good idea, writing for myself and the wider world in my own voice would end up feeling forced and unenjoyable. And aside from that, a much darker fear lurked. A fear sitting at number one on the “reasons why this blog isn’t such a good idea list”. Trolls. Of internet fame, not the hobbit-munching variety. I had a scenario in my mind in which no matter how small, how inoffensive, and how unassuming any of my original content would be, trolls would immediately pounce and tear it horribly and mercilessly to shreds. I figured it was like the wild west in here. Lawless and not enough Lawmen to go around. But at the same time I figured that I have a pretty thick skin when it comes to internet scum and I could at least moderate comments on my own material and cast out the evil-doers. And so Quiet Owl Farm began.
Thankfully, in all respects my fears have been assuaged threefold. Never have I enjoyed writing more and not a troll have I encountered. Quite the opposite. Since starting this blog I have been overwhelmed by the positivity of the experience. There are so many inspiring souls out there doing so many wonderful things. And they are very real and very amazing people. I feel so very thankful for their encouragement and advice and I enjoy following their stories. These people are the anti-Trolls, Internet Fairy Godmothers, if you will. They are the real, good part of humanity who have strong, positive stories to tell and I am overjoyed by their presence. While I expect a troll or two will infiltrate my defenses eventually, I just don’t care. Because whatever lunatics out there might be hiding in their self-loathing caves, they got NOTHING on the wonderful people I have found in this small, but growing community.
P.S. I found these lovely guys at the local Co-op near where I’m working this week. Plans for a summer garden are up in the air, but I hope to at least get some spring veggies started in the near future…
Quiet Owl Farm 
Part of me would quite like to encounter a troll… I’ve been ‘nice mummy’ for far too long, I need a good excuse to get nasty myself! 😈
As for the community, you are absolutely right; been a sanity lifeline for me x
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Haha there is that 🙂
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I have only encountered a few critics in my two years of blogging so far and both were happy to remind me that I am not a wonderful speller… which spawned the Dyslexia blog posts that I wrote with a huge response of support and love. Even when I worry about it I remember that I have made the best friends in the world in the Blogging world and no Troll with ever take away what I have learned and shared here at WordPress. Never fear the fairy Godmothers are here and we love what you do and write about !
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Oh that all makes me so happy 🙂 I’m glad to hear that you’ve had such support and I’m grateful you’re a part of this community.
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