| Why This Blog Is About to Take an Additional Unexpected Turn Gardens evolve — they spread, mature, and change direction when needed. And as it turns out, blogs follow a similar rhythm. Suppose you’ve been reading Earthly Comforts for a while. In that case, you’ll know this space has traditionally focused on gardening: soil care, eco-friendly methods, wildlife support, seasonal work, and the everyday graft of running a garden business. That foundation remains solid. Gardening will always sit at the core of this blog. But life has shifted — and readers have noticed. Recently, in my post “Do I Have Time for a Personal Blog Anymore?”, I spoke openly about how things are different now compared to when I wrote a personal blog daily. Long hours, business growth, new responsibilities, a cancer scare, health considerations — they’ve all compressed my personal life into something smaller and more focused. Yet readers’ responses showed something important: people miss the personal side. Sadje wrote: “I do enjoy reading your gardening blog, but I do miss your personal blog, Rory. Perhaps you can make it a fortnightly feature.” Eugenia added: “I enjoyed your personal blog, Rory, but you have to do what’s best for you. You’re busy with your growing business, and your current blog is the perfect fit. I learn a lot about nature from your posts.” And then Samy — whom I don’t know but greatly appreciated — shared something many bloggers understand: “For the last 8ish months, I haven’t had much energy or motivation to post… I wondered if I should quit blogging, but decided against it. A blog is a lot of work. It’s like running a business alone — marketing, keeping it alive, engagement, and so on. People don’t always realise how much work it is. I’ve been living for my job most of the time, and that’s not healthy either. I hope you find the staff you need for an actual break — not for blogging, but for yourself.” Those comments landed deeply because they spoke directly to the reality I’ve lived for years: I work a lot — probably too much — but I’ve always loved work, always seen it as a kind of paid hobby. The result is that my personal life has become leaner but more purposeful. And now, another significant change is coming that affects this blog: Earthly Comforts is getting a brand-new, dedicated business website. That means this blog will no longer serve as a landing page or a direct call to action for services. The new site will take over that role cleanly and professionally. Which finally lets this blog breathe again — and return to being something more personal, expressive, and human. So moving forward, while the gardening posts will continue, this blog will also start hosting new series about: my passions, hobbies, and interests The environmental awareness I developed from a young age My past work with animals from my brokering days nature, wildlife, and the broader world beyond the garden gate and the experiences that shaped me into the gardener I am today This brings us to the first new series — one that may seem surprising, but makes perfect sense once you know my history: A series about sharks. My fascination with sharks began long before gardening, long before business, and long before adulthood. Growing up in Australia, seeing sharks off the pier, encountering them underwater, reading about them — all of it shaped how I viewed nature. That early curiosity didn’t spark fear; it sparked understanding. It made me intensely aware of the environment, civilisation’s impact on species, and the delicate balance of the natural world. That awareness shaped my values, my work ethic, my environmental mindset, and ultimately the gardener I became — someone who genuinely loves nature, respects wildlife, and works with the rhythms of the earth rather than against them. So this shark series isn’t random. It’s rooted in who I am. And there will be more series like it — each showing facets of my life that never quite make it into the gardening posts. If you’re here for gardening, don’t worry — that content remains. If you’re here for nature and storytelling, you’ll now find even more. And if you want to know the person behind Earthly Comforts, then welcome. The first chapter begins soon. |
A New Side Direction
Earthly Comforts 
Well isn’t this an interesting turn of events! I can’t say I am all that interested in sharks, but orcas on the other hand…But then I was never all that interested in compost or earthworms. Still I happily read, sometimes I just skimmed, you know, compost and earthworms, – Anyway, don’t overextend yourselfm you know how you get 😘
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Hey Grace, l also love orcas but l have no first hand experience with them aside from seeing them on film. Oh l know, l have a lot going on in my life, but l have also missed a little bit of creative writing. Now that the blog isn’t the ‘ call to action’ website, l can relax a bit and be me again.
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Hear, hear! Rory, I love your creative direction, and look forward to your new chapter.
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I like that you’re turning this into a personal blog again. All the best dear friend
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