BIG hearts ...

I received this "Biggest Heart Award" from the wonderful Rosalie at Quilted Hills. Thank you, Rosalie! Rosalie describes herself on her blog as "Mother of three, Grandmother of one, Sister to five, Lover, Rancher, Thinker, Quilter, Gardener, Cook, Friend." She is all that and more. A wonderfully talented writer and photographer, her stories of life on a ranch come alive and I often imagine myself living life the way she does, according to the natural rhythms of the seasons, under open skies and with vast fields open before me. She has a generous heart and a creative soul. Do yourself a favor and go for a visit!

I'm passing this Biggest Heart Award on to two others with really big hearts:

Mercy of A Fignewton of Your Imagination. I passed on another award to her recently, too, and I know these aren't really her type of things, but I have to recognize Mercy's BIG heart. (Don't feel obligated to pass it along, Mercy; this is just a recognition that you deserve.) She recently took on a position at her church as a coordinator for a program for homeless families. Not easy work, but she's diving in and gathering volunteers, coming up with new ideas to not just feed and clothe and shelter these families, but to create a welcoming place for them with activities and fun. Good on ya, Mercy! You have a BIG heart!

Lynn of It's Gingerbread Lynn! Talk about another BIG heart! Lynn always keeps me laughing with her wonderful writing (think Erma Bombeckish) and her tales of her family of six daughters and a very understanding husband. She "adopts" her daughter's friends and counsels them on beautiful and wise lessons of life and choices. She has slumber parties for her girls even when she's sick, bakes cakes and plays games. She dances in the moonlight. She opens her home to those with nowhere else to go. She cares deeply. I treasure her enormously. Lynn has a BIG heart!

Appropriate to be awarding Biggest Heart Awards on Valentine's Day, no? I don't have a Valentine, but I did have something really nice happen to me after work that put a smile on my face. I stopped at the chinese food place and as I stood in line, the man in front of me started a friendly conversation. We chatted the entire time as we waited there; very nice and casual. After we got our food, he asked me if I'd like to go somewhere and eat our food together. How very sweet! I love random drops of happiness like this, a chance meeting, a nice conversation. Smiling, I had to decline his invitation, but I still thought it was very nice and gave me a lift this evening.