Red Clover, a Goldfinch, and a nomination

To make a prairie, it takes a clover and one bee.
One clover, and a bee.
And reverie.
The reverie alone will do
If bees are few.
~ Emily Dickinson

This little ED poem came to mind last week when I saw a fairly big patch of red clover growing along the path by the ocean. Years ago I learned it when I was doing a portion of William Luce's The Belle of Amherst for my students. In this Tony Award-winning one-woman play, Luce has Emily recount how she used to stay up nights writing poetry, much to her father's displeasure. One night he caught her up late and asked her what she was doing. When she told him the truth, he wanted to hear what she was writing. She reads him this poem, half fearfully, half shyly proud. If you like Emily Dickinson, you might enjoy reading or watching this play. Julie Harris did it live for many years, and I actually had the privilege of seeing her in Boston. You can get it on video now. I think it's quite charming and funny. Makes her seem like a real person, not the quack some people make her out to be.

Wednesday morning, I had to go to the bank to do some school business. As I pulled into a parking spot, I noticed a male and female goldfinch in the flowers at the head of the space. I thought for sure they'd fly away, but they were so busy eating that they paid me no mind and stayed long enough for me to pull right up, get my camera out and take a couple of shots of them!

Earlier today (very early), my good friend Patty at Morning Ramble nominated my blog for a Positive Global Change Award. That was a humbling thing to read. It sounds so...huge...to me, and I live in a very small world and often don't think I do enough. Truth is, I want to make a difference, and I do try to live my life that way. Working with young people the way I do, especially with teenagers, is daunting. And you don't always feel like you're getting through. I have to remind myself that change and growth sometimes takes years to reveal, so prayer and patience are key. I do a lot of praying in my day! A lot. Which is where the positive global change comes in. Only it's not my work, but God's. I am thankful for the blessing of a partnership with Him!

So, as with other awards, you are supposed to pass the recognition on. I looked at the origin of this one, and they originally meant to point out blogs that focus on the physical environment, but the blogs I'd like to recognize have everything to do with the emotional and spiritual environment. Actually, all the blogs that I go back to on a regular basis affect the blogosphere in an interesting and positive way. Some brighten my day by sharing beautiful pictures of flowers and birds and other scenic views. Others stimulate my thinking by forcing me to go deep inside spiritually. Some delight me in a kindred-spirit kind of way, making me smile or laugh out loud when I recognize some of my own interests or frustrations. Any way you look at it, these people (because of course the blogs don't appear out of thin air) have had a positive affect on my personal atmosphere =) Here are a few of them:

1) La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality takes every opportunity to bring peace and beauty to her blog. Whenever I read it, I feel soothed and inspired.
2) Mulberry Patch is a young professional in a hectic job that directly affects thousands of people. She struggles to find her way through the stress, and invariably finds strength in God.
3) Sandy at Garden Path is a fantastic photographer. I've learned so much about nature from her--from flowers to birds to dragon flies.
4) Inland Empire Girl is a teacher like I am. I enjoy her insights into our shared profession, but I also enjoy her love for the beautiful. The bouquets she posts of flowers from her garden brighten my living room even as they do hers.

Here's what the "rules" are for this meme:

1. When you get tagged, write a post with links to up to 5 blogs that you think are trying to change the world in a positive way.
2. In your post, make sure you link back to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Leave a comment or message for the bloggers you’re tagging, so they know they’re now part of the meme.
4. Optional: Proudly display the “Bloggers For Positive Global Change” award badge with a link to the post that you write up.