We have an “orange” fairy: the elderly man who lives behind us and throws bags of oranges over the fence. Boo thinks that someone is “throwing their oranges away in our yard.” Small gesture…..but it took thought and time to pick the oranges, bag them up and toss them over the fence. It made me think: here is our neighbor…….that we’ve NEVER met…….and he is throwing gifts over the fence. No one does things like that anymore!
So we took some girl scout cookies (the only ones left after I got to them)….and Boo painted a picture……
…..and we wrapped them up into a present and took a walk yesterday to give them to him. He looked exactly like Mr. Fredrickson from the movie UP.…..hearing aids and everything….no idea how he gets those oranges over the tall fence, but he tossed another bag over to us today!
For real, I am about to cry. This is just such a beautiful post. People are so warm and nice and generous…and when we happen to interact with some of the 'bad' ones….well, let's try to remember the orange fairy, Sharry and Shannon. 🙂
xo.shari
What a sweet post! There are so many nice people in this world and around us all we have to do is take the time to stop and meet them. Thanks for sharing!
Love this post! – I had someone do something really nice for me, I recently went through a very hard time in my life and it has inspired me to pursue my creative endeavors even more wholeheartedly which included starting a blog. I shared some of my story on a woman's blog that I admire very much and she stopped by my blog and left a sweet comment. It really made my day because a lot of people in my "real life" have not been so nice recently even though they know all about what I have been going through. Anyway your post was inspired me to be thankful for any simple act of kindness and to not give up on trying to do them myself – thanks:)
great post, i love it! i'm going to do something nice tonight 🙂
thanks for the inspiration!
Nothing wrong with paying it forward!
Words of wisdom! This is so true.
This is such a great post!! So good to pay it forward and to always act with kindness! I will never understand why some people waste so much energy being angry and trying to bring others down 🙁
My mom has that exact machine and it works like a charm. You will love it. I have a similar machine and it works so good. (except for today the pedal just stopped working)
You are so right about being nice. I was at my favorite fabric store yesterday and was trying to use some coupons. The cashier (who is also the manager) got my total down to 163 then clicked on something and it went up to 190. Well after some fidgeting she just gave me the employee discount. All because I am nice to them when I go in there. I just treat them the way I would like to be treated, and they all know that and fight over who gets to cut my material. Thanks for the reminder and sorry about the novel
loved today's thoughtful post.
thank you for the wonderful reflection.
Beautiful testimonies to goodness.
What an amazing post Ashley…you are pure positivity! 🙂 Posted something else, but I'm going to e-mail you what I posted instead.
And this post is why we all love you…
Oh my gosh! This is the sweetest post I have ever read!
I just adore the story of the "Orange Fairy"
Precious. And you are so right, people don't do that stuff anymore.
There is still goodness in this world (: Thanks for sharing such a sweet story.
Thank you so much for this post! Sometimes we need a reminder to get out of our own way and help someone else out.
it takes an equally special person to stop and appreciate the nice things that others do.
Nice post Ash, such a nice thing to do for a neighbor. Great lesson for Sienna. Thats soo nice. Now I am going to enter the give away!
What a sweet post – loved reading about how awesome & generous your readers are! And how sweet of your neighbors, what a great thank you – you whipped together.
That was positively lovely! You brought tears to my eyes. This just goes to prove that the nicest hand made things are made by the nicest people!
Oh, it's so sad when people get snarky – especially since I've been reading your blog for probably about six months now, and all I've seen is positive, uplifting blog entries from you.
Thanks for the Orange Fairy story – it made me laugh! 🙂
Now I'm off to do something nice for someone. Positive karma, right?!!
How sweet about the Orange Fairy! I love Sienna's picture for him! His wife and he probably enjoyed your visit and thoughtfulness more than you will ever know.
Great post!! I love the note to the "Orange Fairy". Please go to this caringbridge site and check out what this sweet and loving family did to remember their late daughter Hannah Grace. Her birthday was on February 15 and they declared it "Hearts for Hannah Day". It always feels so nice to do something for someone, but it is also a great feeling to be on the receiving end too!! 🙂
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hannahgracecrumby
I love this post! It is so easy to be nice…and makes you feel so much better! Gotta love an orange fairy too! We all should have one:) You guys are lucky!
Seriously, that orange over the fence story is making me all weepy.
Thank you for this post. Not every kind gesture goes rewarded. I've sent gifts to some blog "friends" for random occasions – a birthday, a thank you etc. and I never even heard back from them! I even had to email them to make sure that the package got there!
So it's nice to hear that there are people like you who appreciate a token of kindness – enough to share them with everybody. Thank you, Ashley.
Your orange fairy story gave me gooseybumps! Thanks so much for sharing! <3
What a great post! The orange fairy story is just precious. Love the thank you note & cookies you left him. Our neighbor is an older single guy & he is wine distributor (but doesnt drink wine) and he will often leave random bottles of wine on our doorstep. We call him "Chris Claus" (like Santa Claus) This post inspired me to make him some cookies tonight to give him as a thank you! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
What great stories! Very inspiring too. It reminds me of that insurance commercial (I think??) where it's like a domino effect of people doing nice things for each other!
I think you must be a truly wonderful person!! I was so impressed by your giving sooo much to Haiti and now with this post I know you are a truly good person! I am going to do something nice for someone tomorrow (too late tonight).
That orange fairy story definitely put a little tear in my eye…SO sweet!!! Thank you for sharing all that thoughtfulness…makes me smile knowing there are such nice people out there. 🙂
It's the simplest things isn't it, that really make our days!
I love this! Orange fairy! =)
I must say, "Orange Fairy" will always look like Mr Fredrickson from now on. Thanks for sharing the cute story
That was such a nice post…Thanks for the uplifting thoughts…You have the best blog…
Isn't it sad that these days when someone does something nice one of our first thoughts is : why? what do they want? My parenting goal: teach my son the importance of helping others – giving back – and giving first! This was such a great story – you are so lucky to live next to such a wonderful man! (And behind every great man is a great woman!):)
Ashley, You have some truly amazing followers, but you must know that it is a reflection on you. You share stories like these and it makes people want to do nice things. Keep up the good work!
You deserve everything good and positive that is sent your way. You are the queen of kindness and giving. It great for us readers to see that you are on the receiving end sometimes!!!!
I LOVE this! We have a huge orange tree in our back yard, and so many of them go to waste. This sounds like a great project for my boys. We are going to carry on the orange fairy tradition! Thanks for sharing!
i just wrapped my daughter to my chest and just started to cry reading what you wrote! now she has wet hair and i am in a kind of sad mode.. love the gesture! tell your neighbor that someone in germany (europe) really likes what he does and actually as well could not imagine that something like that ever happens! 🙂
This is one of the sweetest things I've heard of in a long long time. And it gives me hope and fills my heart with love and joy.
In today's world we think that these things could only happen in movies, don't we? I appreciate you posting this story. It definitely made my day!
♥ Erika
WOW!! I have an old Bernina 1030, and I love her with my whole heart. =O) What a generous gift!! Congratulations!
Tearing each other down wounds everyone involved.
It is so much easier and gratifying to treat each other with kindness and respect. Thanks for the reminder.
Do unto others:)
That's the bomb!!!!:)
I love this post! Way to focus on the postivity! I too am trying to give some things away, as a karma thing/paying it forward. I have been very blessed this past year and would like to share some with others. 2010 will be the year of Karma Points!!
Cheers Ashley!
Can we visit you if we go camping in Joshua Tree? Will you and Boo come have s'mores with us? 🙂
I'm about to cry, too. I'm so jealous of your sweet elderly neighbor. We live next door to some folks who are constantly having the police come over and have a huge barking pit bull in the backyard.
Maybe I should send them some cookies anyways….
Can I trade you neighbors?? Mine might sling some dog poo, but never yummy oranges 🙂
This is a really lovely post. I really appreciated hearing the story of your neighbor and the oranges. Thank you for sharing that. Simple kindness goes such a long way.
I am a long time follower of your blog but I never comment thinking i'll get lost in the "sea of comments" that you get. 🙂 But I have to say that is SO awesome that you did that. It was definitely a goodsebumps moment for me.
I LOVE giving and making others feel good. I think it is SO important in our world today to make others feel loved and appreciated. And what a cute old man to do that for you guys! I love it!
So good job, i'm sure you've inspired a lot of people today 🙂
Take care!
My neighbor brought over home made egg rolls tonight… yummy! I was taught to never return a container empty, so I guess I will be making cookies. Thanks again for such an inspirational post.
I love it. What a sweet, sweet gesture!
http://perfectlyupcycled.blogspot.com/
What a inspirational and heart warming post. Thank you so much for sharing!
I love the story of your neighbor and the oranges. It made me smile.
Oh that is so cool! What a kind person!
Funny, when I scanned the pics real quick I thought…she has the same sewing machine as me! Mine's only a few years old, but looks like the same model! you will love it!!
okay.. so much bigger picture here! this girl is on her way to being a self made, whatever she wants! We all think she is awesome, anyone who remotely implies otherwise is a hata' yall.
beautiful post!!!!! ……you give us so much ashley!!!!!! i can only speak for myself and this new journey of blogging, sewing and making new friends!!!!!!!!!!very much inspired by LBB…….
I just read this post today after you mentioned it on Facebook, and I love it!
Ok, the orange fairy story brought tears to my eyes!!! Beautiful post, I love how you always focus on the positive =). HUGS!!!
Maybe it's that I've been blogging some emotional stuff lately, but I am in tears. Thank you so much for sharing loving positive things people have done.
http://www.doodle-dots.blogspot.com
so so sweet…love this story. thanks for sharing!