I didn’t know if I wanted to take a whole blog entry to address this but in the end, I decided I really wanted to because I didn’t want ANYONE to miss this post.
I’ve told you all in previous posts that I’ve been plagued with lots of emails. I love hearing from you so please don’t think you can’t email me. What is hardest for me though, is the many emails on the same topic…and that topic is Blog Lovin. So many of you write to me and complain about Bloglovin’.
The hardest notes to read are the “where are you?” or the “Are you okay, I haven’t seen a blog post from you for days?”.
I’m here. I’ve always been here. I’ll always be here… Seriously, if you go through the blog and look over the past 365 days, I’ve likely had 360 blog posts. My track record is REALLY good. I’m likely one of the most predictable blogs to read. I have a new post that publishes each morning between midnight and 1 am central time. I have another post that publishes between 5 and 6 pm central time each day. Even in June of 2019 when my husband died, I still only missed a couple of blog posts… If I can blog through that, I can blog through most anything.
I work super hard for the posts to be consistent and to give you a variety of content. You likely have noticed that specific posts happen on specific days. For example, Monday mornings are for what I’ve been sewing…Friday mornings for what I’ve been stitching…Thursday evenings are book reviews and so on.
The people who are “looking” for me and can’t find me are reading the blog via Blog Lovin’.
The problem is not me…it’s not the blog…It is completely the problem of Blog Lovin’ or the subscription program you are reading the blog from. I have ZERO control over that program.
From my experience listening to the complaints of all of you who use the program, this is a terrible program. It is full of glitches and isn’t fixed and updated regularly.
As you all know, your phones, Ipads, and computers update regularly. In these updates, Bloglovin’ gets lost or loses blogs that you once subscribed to. There is no rhyme or reason for it…they just get lost.
Over the past week or two, the comments like these from Ginny and Pat have quadrupled…
Ginny wrote:
“…I realized today that I hadn’t received any new posts from you in a few days. I came onto your site and signed up again, so I hope that resolves my issue. Have you heard about anyone experiencing this?”
Pat wrote:
“I used to get your blog posts every day by email but they stopped a few weeks ago. I would like to be back on your mailing list. Thank you!!!”
People…I can’t control it. Trust me. If I could. I would make this super easy for you.
I lamented to my daughter Kayla about this. She said that she would do some checking to see how best to help readers so this wouldn’t happen.
We looked into producing our own newsletter through Mail Chimp. With the number of people I have reading the blog and considering we thought to send a letter daily, that was going to be more expensive than I wanted to afford. They wanted to charge big business prices and I’m just a little blog.
She ended up looking more extensively into the options that Jet Pack offers via WordPress and she came up with a better solution.
Kayla writes:
“The best way to be sure you don’t miss a post is to subscribe to the blog by email. There is a box in the sidebar right under my picture or there is a checkbox when you leave a comment.
If you have tried this before and it hasn’t worked, be sure to check your email and your spam folder. You have to confirm your subscription. Once you do, you can choose if you want an email whenever there is a new post, once a day, or once a week. Every time you get an email from the blog you can manage your subscription options to get more or fewer messages.
Blog posts auto-post to Jo’s Country Junction Facebook page, but Facebook does a lot to manipulate what you see or not. If you want to see more Jo’s Country Junction posts on your Facebook page, it’s important for you to like or comment on those posts regularly.
So, in the end, email is really the best way to never miss anything. ”
So…to sign up to get blog posts in your email through a program that isn’t unpredictable like Bloglovin’, this is what you need to do.
Go to the blog. Look at the right-hand column. See the picture of me and Rosie? Below that is the search bar that allows you to search the blog for anything you want to revisit.
Just below that, you will see the words “Subscribe via Email”. Then it says, “Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.” All you need to do is enter your email into that box and emails will start coming to you.
Easy peasy…no Blog Lovin’ and a program that works. No big business costs to me to send a newsletter. So…it’s a win for us all.
PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE, sign up, and get the blog through email using this program.
I know new things are hard. I know we like things the way we’ve always had them, but if you want to get the blog regularly via your email, this is the very best option out there that I can afford and you can benefit from.
Thank you for clearing that up! I do get your blog via e-mail and it works great.
Bloglovin’ is very inconsistent – it worked for a while, then it dropped blogs that I had said I wanted to see. Sometimes it ran late, then would get back on track… I have given up on it and am glad you have worked out the e-mail delivery! I very much enjoy your blog! (BTW, Bonnie Hunter had similar issues and has been asking readers to sign up via e-mail too.)
I did this very thing a while ago — Bloglovin is not reliable and obviously won’t ever be. So the blogs that I REALLY follow and care about (like yours!)? I signed up to get direct emails….those arrive perfectly! No more frustration with Bloglovin on those. The rest? I am evaluating to see if I want to continue to follow those blogs or do the email thing with them, too. It would be a LOVELY thing not to ever have to see Bloglovin again, there’s been so many hassles. In the VERY near future I won’t have to ever see that name again or see the messages about the overloaded system or have all the waiting time as the servers there aren’t being kept up to date. THAT will be a very happy day! Deb E.
I use feedly. The blog comes right on time every day
Yes. Feedly. Works perfectly and no email required.
Me, too. I’ve been using Feedly for years, and I never miss a post. I can visit Feedly’s website, or use the Feedly app on my phone or iPad, and see ALL my blog subscriptions in one place. Highly recommended. It’s free for up to 100 blog subscriptions.
Thanks so much for the explanation. Somehow I started getting yours and Bonnie Hunter’s blogs by that Blog Lovin and I quit getting both of your blogs. I missed you! I just started trying to remember each day to go to your blog site. But this is so much easier and glad there is a way that is not going to be an expense to you. My main interest is quilting but now feel like I know your family and look forward to hearing about them, too. I love seeing your progress with your cross stitching. I used to cross stitch every night, or tried to like you. But then I started working at a computer screen 8 or more hours a day and was unable to do such close up work all day and evening, too. But I really like seeing the trends in cross stitching and marvel at how much you accomplish each week. And can float between projects. I do that with my quilting now but always stuck with one project at a time when cross stitching. Didn’t stop me from buying more projects in advance though. Lol. My sister-in-law took some projects but I still have a few Shepherds Bush stashed away. Looking forward to getting your emails.
I use Inoreader, without any problems. If, like me you don’t want a lot of extra emails, try out feedly, Inoreader and other altermatives.
I follow you and a lot of other blogs on Feedly Blog Lovin has been the pits for a long time with all blogs
This must be an American thing… I’ve never heard of blog lovin’, but it sounds hopeless. I get your blogs by email, never had any problems.
HI JO, Thanks for helping everyone out here. I gave up on bloglovin a while ago. I still get their emails, but they are not timely, or the links they use don’t work. I don’t unsubscribe as there are a few blogs that only use them and don’t have their own subscription option. For yours I would just type in your blog address in my browser. Once I did each new time I started to type I would only have to put in JOS and the rest would fill in. WE all appreciate all the work you do here to keep us connected and inspired. XO
Feedly is another option. Usually when I see the notification on Facebook, I’ve already seen the post on my Feedly. It doesn’t require the blogger to do anything extra.
I always get your posts on FB, no problem!
Bloglovin was bought out quite a while back and hasn’t been maintained at all. Very frustrating. I have tried to sign up to get emails from a lot of places I followed their a while back, but check it off and on. It has been getting worse lately. Won’t surprise me if it goes down eventually completely.
I noticed the issues too! I solved it by making your blog a “favorite” on my browser. Now all I have to do is click on the icon and it takes me to your most recent post. :)
Thanks for doing what you do!!
This is what I do, too! Still, sometimes posts show up later than expected.
I did sign up for the emails. But I also just bookmarked your page and go to it 2 times a day. Thank you for a great blog!!
Quiltville.com’s Bonnie Hunter has recently set up an email program that seems to be working for her. Personally, I’ve found that all I do is visit a blog I like several times and my computer automatically gives me options the next time I start to type in the same letters. thelumberjackswife.com starts with a t, and one “t” is all I have to type in to have it show up as an option. Quiltville takes one “q”, “j” shows joscountryjunction, etc.
I figured the problem is bloglovin, I regularly received your email blogs up until sometime in July…. I do not see them in the spam or Junk File. I have signed in again w a slightly different address still no posts. I have made sure yours (and bonnies) blogs are listed as my Favorites, still no emails.
Hi Jo, Thank you for explaining. I too have never heard of bloglovin. I like “simpler the better” way. I signed
up on your subscribe through email the first time I read your blog/email. I have been enjoying it ever since and have learned so much. We also want everything as simple as possible for you, Jo.
Thanks for addressing this issue!
My friend says
First world problem
People in Afghanistan can’t go to school BECAUSE THEY ARE GIRLS
People in Ukraine are dodging bombs because THEIR IS AN IDIOT IN MOSCOW
Complaining because you refuse to sign up with simple email is not a problem that anyone should bother to complain about. It is a mosquito bite
A pebble in your shoe
Stop whining and annoying people and just sign up on email
Blog gloving or what ever the stupid thing is is just another tracking device. Like LOYALTY cards in grocery stores. Be loyal to your family and friends and shop at the farmers market
I don’t remember how I stumbled on to Jo’s Country Junction but I have been incredibly impressed by your strength and spirit in the face of all your challenges you still have more spunk than the energizer bunny. I read you because I love looking at your beautiful quilts and the cross stitching you do and how you have marshaled an army of quilters to do so much good work. I was inspired to join the Delmarvalous Quilt Guild and so far have managed to make my name tag. I am 72 and aim low. I have too much yard work to devote much time to needlework and 6 month
Old to knit for. I measure my life in yard waste and limbs sawed up by hand from fallen trees.
We all have challenges
So glad I appreciate you and all you do and don’t have time to whine about technology.
Thank you and keep up the good work and don’t let the unappreciative get you down. Don’t waste money on their problems.
All the best,
Margaret Tobin
♥️♥️♥️
feedly works great! I gave up bloglovin a few months ago.
Thanks, Jo! I haven’t had trouble with receiving your posts, but another of my favorite bloggers’ posts got lost in the mail recently. I never once considered sending her an email about it! On my blog, I’ve had complaints from people not being able to leave comments. I offered a similar response. Sorry – not a problem with the blog, but with the system. Here’s hoping this post helps reduce the number of emails you receive!
Bloglovin is crap. I quit using it a long time ago. Thanks for your information, I’m sure it will help your loyal readers.
I have gotten in the habit of just going to your website once or twice a day. I also do the same for Judy’s blog – Patchwork Times.
My email is already too cluttered and I don’t subscribe to any blogs. Instead I bookmark sites on my tablet or PC and choose to visit daily or weekly depending on my schedule. It’s simple to do and doesn’t involve my inbox overflowing.
That is my preferred method, too. That way I can read my favorite blogs before I open my email.
I wonder if this is also the reason that I have been having problems with the blog loading on some of my devices. On my IPad/phone I get constant error messages and it had previously worked.
I just put Jo in my Favorites and I read your the blog every day. It’s easy and doesn’t require any effort except mine. It’s no different than clicking on the news!
That is my preferred method, too. That way I can read my favorite blogs before I open my email.
I prefer to use my browser to go directly to your website and see your latest updates. It’s quick and I don’t have to wait for a subscription. No FaceBook , Blooglovin or anything else!
I stopped getting the emails and it looked like the email notification was through Word Press. When I went to word press it said I had too many requests or something like that. I had a few options chosen to request a notification if I got a reply to my comment. When I deleted all of those and signed up again it started to work again.
It is so easy to check your blog twice a day. I have you in my favorites’ list. One click and I am here. Super easy for any reader to do. I’m sorry folks complain about tools that are not yours. I totally support you not paying for a product to send out your blog posts-that is ridiculous unless subscribers want to pay you for it (in advance!)
Happy Tuesday Jo :-)
I originally signed up via and I have NEVER missed a blog post. PEOPLE it works, and as Kayla said easy, peasy.
I can’t believe people complain about this. Bonnie Hunter mentioned it, too. I bring Google up on my phone.i have your blog bookmarked there. I click on it. Easy peasy.
Thanks for all your interesting posts. I enjoy them!
That is what I do: I subscribe to the blog through email. I have Yahoo mail and I know they have tight unpredictable filters for Spam, I haven’t had any problems receiving Jo’s posts.
The one good thing I got from Blogloving’ is being introduced to your blog and then I was able to sign up to receive your posts by email. I am so glad I did!
In the late spring, I noticed I wasn’t getting your emails (happened with Bonnie Hunter too) every day. I never liked Bloglovin and used to get your emails daily, but they stopped. So I just put “J” in the search bar to read your posts. Then I got smart and signed up for direct emails from you…no problem getting your posts daily! I figured the problem with Bloglovin was on my end, but I don’t get emails from them anymore.
Avoid subscriptions altogether. Make the blog a favorite in your browser. Then just read your favorites every day.
I have a folder in my favorites called quilting. I read those blogs every day from my browser. Much easier…
Jo,
No problems receiving your blog posts since I stop using bloglovin’ within the last year and signed up to receive your blog posts via email.
I enjoy “hearing ” from you and keeping up with what is going on in your life and the lives of your family- including Rosie.
:)
I subscribe to your blog by email. Feedly is pretty good, but not all of my blogs transferred. From what I read about Bloglovin is that they rebranded as Activate and are interested in fashion influencers that will bring in corporate sponsors. I am also 72 years old and see this as a First World problem. Some blogs were never on Bloglovin anyway and I got them by email. No big issue for me.
For me, the simplest way to follow a blog is to bookmark it and check in regularly. You and Bonnie Hunter are the two that I check daily!
Thank you for being so consistent and upbeat. You inspire me to do something every day.
I haven’t had a problem getting your blog through my e-mail since I changed to that option—
In the last month or 6 weeks–I’d wondered what happened to Quiltville–discovered Blog lovin was her problem –and though I tried the “subscribe” to her blog– it hasn’t worked. So sure never know and I can sure understand your frustration. I enjoy reading you daily–and it’s the first thing I look for when I turn on the computer and go to e-mail!! THANKS!! Think I’ve learned quite a bit- thanks to you!! -but there is so much more I don’t know about quilting—Ha–I stumble along on my own, learn as I go in my old age!!
Thank you, Jo! I just “resubscribed” last week because suddenly your posts were not coming through at all, or I would receive an email with a whole week’s worth of posts. I’ll be glad to get a daily dose of the Kramer family!
I have left Bloglovin due to these issues, removed their links from my blog, and asked readers to change to a different reader or sign up to follow using FollowIt. Glad you have found a new way for readers to follow you via email. It is SUCH a pain when a good program falls apart. I personally have signed up for email notices where offered and follow the rest using The Old Reader (nothing fancy but it is working just fine). Thanks for all you share with your readers!!
I just re-subscribed. Thank you, Jo, for working with us to keep your blog in our lives. Between bellsouth and blog-loving both are totally unreliable and frustrating. Bellsouth is notorious to randomly bouncing emails if it thinks someone is sending out emails in large batches.
Hi – your blog & the Qultville blog are the two I try not to miss. I just type in the blog address instead of relying on a notification. As a matter of fact, I just type “J” and joscountryjunctioncom pops up! Thanks for all the content you share with us.
I had been receiving your emails daily but haven’t received one since July 24th. I thought you might have discontinued them or changed how information was distributed. I just keep your blog open and refresh for updates. If your emails are still being sent , I’ll try resubscribing and see if that works. I was missing your quilting, cross stitch and family updates.
Thank you for all your blogs! I get them via email without any problems. Love your pictures of quilts and updates on your family. You are a very busy lady! God bless!
I’m another that uses bookmarks on my browser. Or I use blog lists on the sidebars of blogs I visit regularly whether or not they have new posts of their own.
Bloggers have been pointing out Bloglovin issues for *months* now, and they’ve also been giving replacement methods.
I haven’t had any problems with your posts—x-ing fingers lol. I enjoy them all.
ANOTHER SOLUTION TO BLOGLOVIN PROBLEM: This annoyed me for weeks. I even sent bloglovin support a request for help but no answer. Then I figured it out for myself. Here is what you do: In the address bar at the top of your screen, right click on the lock icon to the left of ‘bloglovin.com’. In the dropdown menu, choose cookies and delete the cookies for bloglovin. Restart your browser. Bloglovin should now be working for you. Personally, I prefer to check blogs this way, although I do get some by email. Things can get lost in email!