Mutual admiration society

Reader Appreciation Award

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” ~  Voltaire

Another year soon comes to a close…a year of writing in my book called Opportunity.  So many of you have joined me on this journey by subscribing and reading my posts this past year.

As we say goodbye to 2011, I think it’s fitting that I write about another blog award, The Reader Appreciation Award, bestowed upon me from my friend, Georgette at Georgette Sullin’s Blog.

I appreciate this gracious lady -not because she’s presented awards to me – because she’s a faithful reader and ardent commenter of this blog.  Reading her kind thoughts and tidbits of info she leaves in my comment box gives me pleasure.   Receiving a notification that she’s written a comment on a post I’ve just published is like finding a little surprise gift left on my front porch.

This recent award is slightly different from all of the others because it recognizes your blog’s top readers by the number of comments they’ve posted and really, where would we writers be if we had no readers?   We would not receive feedback, suggestions, encouragement, or support if it weren’t for these wonderful people.

I, for one, never miss reading Georgette’s blog and because she writes about such interesting topics, I usually comment to let her know how much I enjoy her writing or mention something I want to share with her.   My comments earned me a spot on her reader’s appreciation award post.

When she honored me with this award, she blessed me with her descriptive words:  “This reader shares her faith journey through her online journal. It is thoughtful, reflective and beautifully written. I enjoy each of her stories that usually focus on family, among my favorite topics.”

Thank you, Georgette, for the lovely sentiment and the award!  But enough about me, this post is about you, you, and you, my readers.  Now it’s my turn to show my appreciation to top readers by passing on the Reader Appreciation Award to these honorees.  The following are the rules for this award:

• Award your top 6 bloggers who have commented the most.

• Be thankful.

• You cannot award someone who has already been awarded. And you cannot give the award back to me.

• Don’t forget to tell the bloggers you’ve awarded.

• If you don’t want to pass on this award, that’s okay too.

Blog statistics rate top readers by the total comments they’ve made, not how many times they’ve read my blog.  Actually my first two top readers are Georgette and Dianna over at These Days of Mine (another of my faves!), but since they have already received this award, I can’t “re-gift” it back to them.   I appreciate them both very much though for all the encouragement they graciously bestow on my writing endeavors.

My next top reader, Just Me, is a dear friend from my days of living in the Pacific Northwest and alas, she doesn’t blog.  But she deposits meaningful and sweet words on my posts to let me know what she thinks.  I am most grateful for her friendship and the thoughts she leaves for me to enjoy.

So my next top readers who also are fellow bloggers include: [drum roll, please]

1. My good friend, Homestead Ramblings, with whom I connected shortly after I started my WordPress blog.  We started an instant kinship and I know we’ll be friends for life.  When I was feeling a real disconnect with many things in my world,  God caused our paths to cross.  I’m so grateful for HR’s friendship, her caring consideration,  and her always supportive comments.
2. Susan, who writes Coming East, gets me.  Her thoughtful comments make me laugh and nod my head in agreement.  I sure hope I do the same for her because I’ve enjoyed getting to know her through her blog.
3. My lovely and gentile friend, Saturday Evening Front Porch is another buddy I’ve had since the early stages of my blog.  Through our empty nest connection, we found each other, and we learned that we have much in common, even though I’m a Northern gal and she’s a Southern belle.  I always appreciate her humor and her gracefulness.  She’s a gem.
4. Montucky is a fairly new friend.  He takes the most breathtakingly beautiful photographs out in his home state of Montana.  Even though my photos are very amateur and I use a simple point and shoot digital camera, he encourages me with his kind comments.  Thank you, Montucky!
5. Patty over at The Fearless Cooking Club likes my blog often and that plus her comments make me smile.  Don’t go to her blog if you’re hungry because she posts the most amazing pictures of  the delicious food she makes and you’ll find yourself drooling!
6. Two fairly new blogging friends tied for 6^th place with their comment totals –  HappyKidsHappyMom who writes Play 101 and Yen at One Thing.  Both of these younger ladies make my day sparkle when I read their comments, and I love the inside peeks they give me into their lives through their blogs.  Thank you, sweet ladies!

I know there are many, many more faithful readers who click on my little blog-space out there in cyber world but don’t leave comments.  My stats tell me you’re out there…reading.  And I thank you wholeheartedly.  The leaps my statistics chart demonstrates when you visit my blog makes my grateful-meter jump too!

So to all my loyal readers, I’m not sure why you keep coming back to read my rantings observations on life, but thank you, thank you very much for doing so.  I appreciate each and every one of you, even if I don’t know who you are.  (Just a hint – why not leave a message telling me why you keep coming back?)

As I close my book of Opportunity (2011), we’ll soon embark on a new adventure in the new year – 2012 – just around the corner.  I hope you come along with me for the ride and join me in our mutual admiration society.

 ©2011 mamasemptynest.wordpress.com