I don't start my day with the news, I start my day with my "blog rounds" to read about what's happening with my gardening friends. It's fair to say that my gardening friends share happiness. My friends deliver a daily dose of information, photos and stories to put a smile on my face.
What is amazing is that very few of us have ever met each other in person. When I got together this fall with a few gardening friends from a forum, one remarked "I've never met a gardener that I didn't like." We weren't strangers, after all.
Apparently, there is now scientific evidence that our version of social networking, where we share good things and happiness, is contagious. According to this CNN article by Elizabeth Landau:
New research shows that in a social network, happiness spreads among people up to three degrees removed from one another. That means when you feel happy, a friend of a friend of a friend has a slightly higher likelihood of feeling happy too.
Are we gardening for happiness?
The lives of gardeners are enriched by the activity of gardening, the results of gardening and the sharing of their gardens with others. There was a time when most people, throughout the world, gardened in one way or another. Plants were shared among neighbors. Friends and family gathered in gardens for socializing.
We now visit and share our gardens over the Web. The world is flat. Through blogging, we visit each other's gardens that may be hundreds or thousands of miles away in another zone. It doesn't matter if we can't grow the same flowers. Even when we share our disappointments, our fellow gardeners soothe our sadness and lift our spirits.
We're spreading the happiness of gardening, through blogging. What if everyone started their day by reading happy stories from bloggers like us?
Photo and story by Freda Cameron
Very nice post. Blogging is so fun and I too start my day with my blog rounds. They are getting longer and longer though. When I started blogging the editor of the local paper (which got me into blogging) said, "No negative things." It was a good bit of advice and I stuck to this one simple rule. A great respite from the terrible news in the newspaper huh? Almost all garden blogs are like this-yours too!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Many of the blogs I read bring a smile to my face. It's a great way to start out the day.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
I know starting my day with reading the comments left on my post & visiting other bloggers always leaves a smile on my face! Great post today Cameron. The garden community is filled with generous souls who inspire & encourage each other daily.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I do in the morning (after feeding our greyhound) is grab my cup of coffee and my computer. My husband does the same thing. With the cold weather, we now go to the garden room on the southeast side where we get morning sun, can see the waterfall, the bird feeders and sit by the fire.
ReplyDeleteA happy way to start the day! I do enjoy all of the blogs of my fellow garden bloggers. I don't always have enough time to make a complete round or always leave a comment.
Thanks to each of you for making my days brighter!
Cameron
Great posting, Cameron. It takes me a little longer to get into blog mode (at least two cups of coffee before my eyes focus and fingers work), but I agree, those days are best when I can start them in the blog-o-sphere. By the way, I find that getting my news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert helps a lot . . .
ReplyDeleteCosmo -- we love watching those two comedians! :-) It's funny that you should mention them because the Musician and I often just say to each other that the news is just so bad, we need a good laugh and turn to Stewart and Colbert!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. When I started blogging over a year ago, I was afraid that I would not be able to keep it up and I'd loose interest. On the contrary, keeping up with my blogging friends is a definite highlight of my day.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Cameron. It's always great to open my Inbox in the morning and see my friends 'over the pond' have visited and left comments during the night.
ReplyDeleteIt always cheers me up.
I've been most fortunate and made direct friends through blogging too. They're precious and delightful, though I do value my 'virtual' friends too whom I would never had got to meet if it wasn't for blogging.
I usually have a hard time getting myself out of bed in the winter...it's so dark! But now I look forward to reading my comments and posts from my friends around the world. It certainly does spread happiness, and what a concept to think that the happiness spreads to those around us too!
ReplyDeleteAmy
Cameron,
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. Blogging and my new friends have enriched my life....attending Spring Fling in Chicago will be a great opportunity for all of us to meet and move beyond virtual!
The first thing that gets my attention is the cat! Then water goes on the stove and I sit down to read any comments, comment back then I am off to make the rounds! A nice way to start the day. The cat is glad he is number 1!
Gail
Hi Cameron, This bit of news is good to hear, as lately I've been feeling like I may be blogging too much! While it can take up hours if we let it, it can be a manageable activity if we try to keep a balance. Well, that's what I try to tell my family when they ask my why I'm on the computer so much:) I am usually trying to keep my 11 yr old son OFF the computer because he wants to be on it for hours at a time. I'm glad to know it can be such a positive thing, and that there may be actual scientific evidence (interesting!) to back this up. I've enjoyed meeting so many interesting garden bloggers in the short time i've been doing this and most people's blogs 'usually' make me smile:) There's so much negative in the world, it is nice to come where there are flowers and birds and gardens and lovely people! Jan
ReplyDeleteI've mentioned this before, but I am thankful that I met you, Cameron, through the Cottage Garden Forum at ivillage. You and Nell are the ones who got me into blogging.
ReplyDeleteI do spend a lot of time doing it, but have to be careful first thing in the morning. I always used to be on time for work, but lately, there have been times I was 2 to 6 minutes late. I need to be on time, because I walk a student in from the bus, and we deliver newspapers to classrooms. I am going to have to go to bed and get up earlier, so I can read my email, and look at the comments. I always check what number I am on the most read blogs list on blotanical, too. ;o)
Yes, it is a positive place to be. Great post, Cameron!
Interesting post Cameron.
ReplyDeleteI like the line 'the world is flat'. Very true. It can only ever be a cheery thing to share and receive so much info from like minded people regarding a favourite subject and so swiftly!
I love blogging, too. But it sure does get difficult to juggle everything you want to do, sometimes! (A good problem, though!)
ReplyDeleteA friend just sent me this article from Los Angeles Times entitled "Happiness is contagious, research finds." You may be able to locate it at www.latimes.com - it was printed December 5, 2008. Anyway, gardeners are happy people and it rubs off! :-) Have a great day, Cameron!
It certainly sounds that we're all finding a similar reward in gardening and sharing our gardens with each other through our blogging.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY Gardening and Blogging!
Cameron
Cameron,
ReplyDeleteYou really are good about getting around first thing. I'm happy to be included in your rounds. I am an early riser and attend to a few other things first but certainly enjoy it when I can take a few minutes and get around to blogging. It has been a great experience "getting to know" other gardeners (you included) and their gardens through this medium. I do often find it difficult to keep up with gardening AND blogging... but do my best to manage them both because it is all too much fun.
Meems
I spend a great deal of my day reading gardening blogs. They inspire me as you say... they make my corner of the plot a very nice place to grow. I try to encourage new sprouts too! Love this post.
ReplyDeleteIf I want to relax and feel good, I sit down with the laptop and read some blog entries. It's rare that I don't leave a comment after reading and I wish I had more time to do this! I always come away from it a better person!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that gardeners like to share, rather than hoard, information.
ReplyDeleteWhen you think about it, most folks like to keep the secrets of their success, yet gardeners not only share information about growing or designing their gardens, but they also share their plants. Every gardener is generous.
Cameron
Cameron you are so right in writing this post about sharing our love for gardening through our blogs and in return we ourselves get back more than we give out when meeting other like minded folks! In doing so we discover kindred spirits others who share our passion of gardening!We are all one with the earth!
ReplyDeleteHappy gardening to you Cameron through cyberspace!
Hi Cameron, wonderful topic! I sure get happiness from reading the blogs and the comments on my own. We are a sharing group, the garden bloggers and readers. I start my day by watching the weather forecast, then go to the computer for the blog fix! It works every time to bring a smile and that warm fuzzy feeling.
ReplyDeleteFrances
What a happy post! And so true. I look forward to reading garden blogs and having conversations with my blogging friends. It helps me feel connected.
ReplyDelete