When I contemplated the second power up day of 2022, instead of talking about a crypto winter, I used drought as an analogy. The header graphic is of our garden in the most recent drought and when we were not allowed to use anything other than grey water on the garden. We had neither rain, nor any other source of water. Everything was crisp and dry underfoot. The secret to getting through, I suggested, was simply knowing that we would: one day at a time. And we did. And we know there'll be another. Such is life and in my lifetime, I've lived through at least five, no, six. Three from my childhood and early adulthood. Two in Cape Town and now one here. Given that I've not lived quite six decades, that suggests that another is a dead cert.

Well, you may ask: all things come in waves and cycles and one must just simply ride them out. Hive, and HBD, it would seem have sort of stabilised and are hovering around 1USD, and consistently above 90c.

For those of us in developing economies, that's ok. For folk wanting to convert HBD to Hive, it's a little better than parity. That's ok, too. One of my 2022 goals is to get back to a point where all my Hive rewards are ploughed back in to my account: an appreciating asset that sees the benefit of compounding.

No, that's not financial advice, it's what I've learned (and hope for) after four and a bit years on the blockchain.

It is, however, why, even though I've powered down some, and may well again, I do power once a month and continue playing my small part in the initiative.

February Hive Power Up Day

For more about why we power up on the first of each month, check out this post from the awesomsauce Hive account@traciyork who pulls it all together.

What I do around Hive Power Up Day each month

I have great empathy for noobs and redfish, and, that's what lies behind my small contribution to #HivePUD. If you don't know what I do, here's the rundown:

After all the numbers are done and official winners announced -

I delegate 300 HP, shared equally among three accounts that meet the basic Power Up Day Criteria as well as these additional criteria. They must:

• be less than 6 months old
• have at least two qualifying posts since the previous power up day.
  Posts that qualify must have 200 words or more and exclude posts for Power Up Day, and Actifit.
  As a reminder, the reason I added the second criterion is because -
  Hive is a social blockchain: it's for socialising, ruminating and just generally hanging out.
• have a reputation of less than 61
• have not more than 500 HP in their accounts before they power up - both on the first of the month

What if no accounts qualify?

As I always say, I don't make decisions on my own, so if, as has happened in the past, there are "slim pickings", I will be working via Traci with the Hive account@ocd team to make selections and will keep an eye out for those accounts that fall into the Silver Bloggers' league and who have joined that community. If there are no Silver Bloggers who meet the criteria, I will look for accounts that have been identified as part of the Hive account@lovesniper curation initiative.

Of course, that's not all

Remember that in addition to the delegations, these accounts are added to my fanbase and receive a daily 100% upvote (if my voting power is still more than 90%; if it's not, I do try to pop over, but RL sometimes gets in the way). This is also why I ask Hive account@ginabot to notify me each time they post. If I have an opportunity, I pop over, have a gander and occasionally weigh in on whatever the post may be about. If you haven't had a vote, I then give a manual vote.

In the last three months, I delegated 400 HP four qualifying accounts. Depending on how things roll between now and 5 January, I may rinse and repeat.

Remember, too -

Lightening does strike twice:

If you participate in this #hivepud and you still meet the criteria, you will go into this month's pot again, and stand another chance to receive a second delegation. It's happened before. I promise.

I have you powered up today? Have you?

Because twos yes, 2's, are significant this year, and to me personally because I celebrate my birthday on the twenty second day of the second month in the twenty second year of the millennium, I've set a goal for each of my monthly powers up: they will all be in 2's. Here's proof today's power up:

Until next time, be well
Fiona
The Sandbag House
McGregor, South Africa

Photo: Selma
Post script
If this post might seem familiar, it's because I'm doing two things:

• re-vamping old recipes. As I do this, I am adding them in a file format that you can download and print. If you download recipes, buy me a coffee. Or better yet, a glass of wine....?
• and "re-capturing" nearly two years' worth of posts.

I blog to the Hive blockchain using a number of decentralised appplications.

• From Wordpress, I use the Exxp Wordpress plugin. If this rocks your socks, click here or on on the image below to sign up.

• Join Hive using this link and then join us in the Silver Bloggers' community by clicking on the logo.

Original artwork: Hive account@artywink

• lastly, graphics are created using partly my own photographs, images available freely available on Hive account@hive.blog and Canva.