Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Nice Matters

nice+matters


Mary, Mary Fairly Contrary and Sherry at Q’s Corner graciously offered me a “Nice Matters Award”. I wonder if they have they read my ranting, venting, and cursing when I’m hot under the collar!

Mary is a recently retired nurse in Liverpool, UK and has just started blogging in June. She loves gardening, quilting, and colorful fabrics. I’ve known her for a short while and have determined she is nice. If you visit her, you’ll see why. Thank you, Mary.

Sherry has become a very dear friend during the past few months. We have similar hearts and share being in touch with the beauty of nature. She is also an outstanding photographer of butterflies and birds. Visit her and look through her camera lens! Thank you, Sherry.

Now I am supposed to choose seven people on which to bestow the honor. Taking this award seriously, I walked around the yard last night and thought about who I would choose. It’s impossible for me to select only seven people because everyone I’ve been honored to know through blogging is more than nice. We all have some bad bones in our bodies but each of us has made a life-long choice to be nice because being nice really does matter. There are more than ten people I want to add to my blogroll whenever this damned heat lets up and I can relax. The list is getting so long that I’m overwhelmed and can’t make a decision.

So, last night, miraculously, in the dead center of my pond, I found what is perhaps my favorite photo of all. I’m offering it to you – friends who visit here regularly and those who visit but never let me know you are here – if you are reading this, it’s for you, nice people.
My heart. Thanks.

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26 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

May, May, May, you are such a dear heart yourself. You are so right that being nice is a choice. Your friendship here has brightened my life. Thank YOU!

Cathy said...

Awww, Mary . . . . that photo - yep, it's a wonderful metaphor for the love you give and receive.

Just like that little mockingbird you rescued - I want to say: I love you, nice lady.

Anonymous said...

You dear sweet woman- that is a wonderful photo and a fitting award. You are supremely nice and sometimes, when you're not entirely sweet, it's in the interests of being a good person and urging the rest of us on.

KGMom said...

What a perfect photo--amazing the eye you have!
And we all agree if anyone deserves the NICE Award, it's you!

Anonymous said...

I can't think of anyone nicer to have gotten this award!

LauraHinNJ said...

**Clapping heartily** for the award and your perfect pic!!

I love gifts from nature like that - glad you were there to find it.

Q said...

Dear Mary,

You heart is big and you care deeply. Even your rants are the rants of love.
Mother Nature gifts you and you give her gifts to us! We are blessed by you. Every day you care, every day you give freely.

This is a beautiful photo.
Water, cool clear water....
Water sacred and profound.

It is an honor to be your friend.

Bird songs, butterfly wings
blooms, bugs and raptors.
Your words make me sing
being nice matters.

Thank you for being you.
In joy,
Sherry

cat59 said...

What an amazing photo. You are incredibly observant and see things most of us would miss.

RuthieJ said...

See that's why you got the award, Mary. A lot of people would look at that picture and see a leaf in the water. You are the special person who sees the little heart on the leaf and takes a picture to share with the rest of us.
Congratulations!

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I think it's fitting that you (a nice person) saw the heart in that water droplet. Many would've walked past--or seen it from a different angle and not recognized it as a heart. The fact that YOU did--the fact that you can see beautiful things in everyday occurrences--your life must be rich--you enrich ours, too.

Mary said...

Linney, Linne, Linne, you are my smiley twin. Our eyes close when we laugh!

Cathy, you are deserving of the nice award and I love you, too! Heck, you deserve all of the awards.

Vicki, my rants usually have good intentions but sometimes my nastiness rules! Tee-hee!

Donna, I do notice the unusual - sometimes people say, "What about that Mary?" LOL!

Monarch - I can. You.

Laura, I'm clapping heartily for you, too. Take a break, girl!

Q - well, you know...

Cathie, sometimes I'm right on. Other times, I swear I must be blind.

Ruthie, I think you share my observant tendencies - you watch Monarchs grow and release them!

Nina - I know you would have seen it, too.

Susie said...

Your posts are a bright spot in my day! That heart just sums up your kindness :)
Congratulations on your award, you're most deserving!
xo

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

A perfect heart on the Lilypad. How wonderful. ~Nita~

Alyssa said...

Mary it couldn't have happened to a nicer person. Although I've only known you less than a year, I feel a strong friendship towards you. You have a personality that people automatically like and are drawn to. Just 'cause you rant doesn't mean you aren't nice and a good person. We all have to let off steam! The heart of water is perfect and is almost uncanny. A lovely photo.

Mary said...

What a wonderful photo.Thanks for your kind comments Mary

Jayne said...

What a wonderful photo Mary! Nice DOES matter and you are the sweet queen of nice my dear. Love and hugs to you!

Anonymous said...

Mary,
Once again you have seen what others would have missed. I keep telling you that you should become a professional photographer because not only are you a "nice" award winner you have the heart and soul of an artist! You help make my days so much nicer!

smilnsigh said...

Oh that is a precious picture!

Congratulations on the Nice Matters Award, and of course you deserve it.

But passing those things on is... well, it's like work. And I hate to make my blogging into work. :-) And it's so hard to choose one and not another and all that... -sigh-

I don't, but that's just me. Like I don't put my Fav. Blogs in my Sidebar. If I have to change my blogging habits {and a lot of us have to, for our individual reasons} I'd hate to hurt anyone's feelings, by removing any.

So I use Google Reader to know when blogs have new entries. Without having to go to each and every blog, to see new.

But again, that's just me. :-)

Wishing you relief from the heat, Dear!!!

Hugs, Mari-Nanci

heartinsanfrancisco said...

What a gorgeous picture! I have never seen a heart looking better.

And how lovely for me to be welcomed here on my first visit with such beauty. I came by because I really liked your comments on Chani's blog, and now I will bookmark yours for easy return.

Thank you for having me.

Mary said...

Hi Heartinsanfrancisco, thanks, and you are welcome any time!

Dorothy said...

To the Queen of Niceness, you are so deserving of this award.
Your heart is beautiful and one of the nicest ones in bloggerland.

Congratulations Miss Mary!

NatureWoman said...

I love it when nature shows us hearts - thank you for sharing yours! And you do deserve the reward, for sure!

Mary C said...

Congratulations, Mary. You are very deserving of the award.

Susan Gets Native said...

Prepare to be genuflected at in Cape May, Queen!

Julie Zickefoose said...

I dunno, I kinda like you when you're narsty.
Tee hee.
When my mom made cookies, she always added salt. Ever wonder why those grocery-store cookies are so uninspiring? All sugar, no salt.
Your blog is nicely seasoned and so are you.

Naturegirl said...

I congratulate you on the meaningful award!! I love your photography your sense of humor and certainly the connection we have made!
Mary I think you are inspiring nice and mostly a delight to visit!
Your photo is beautiful!! hugs NG