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| A field of Rudbeckia |
You all know of Thomas Jefferson but have you
heard of the Jefferson Awards Foundation?
In the past few years I have
learned about this foundation. This is
an organization that supports service to others and the community. One is recognized for an award by
nomination. Beginning monthly and then
for each year, one winner is chosen to represent the city or region. I can’t
believe it, but I was the chosen one to represent Omaha, NE for 2016 and hop on
a plane to Washington D.C. to celebrate with many others who were out in their
world making a difference! It was such a
shock and an exciting experience to find out I won! I also thought, “Oh my, so many others would
have done more than I.” I could not
believe I won!
My children, my dear friend, and I were
together to hear all the winners for 2016 speak about their service. How in the
world did I win? It was so inspiring and
one of the best experiences of my life.
Check out my speech at breakfast celebration…
We went on a short tour of DC...what a pretty,
green, clean city. So much to see and so
little time; we were there only one full day.
I met very briefly with our two state senators Deb Fisher and Ben Sasse,
toured the beautiful capital building, and decided I would come back since
there was so much I did not see. We had
a fantastic dinner celebration where awards were given out.
I got to meet one of the big award winners,
Emma. She has a mission of getting art
activities and supplies to children across the country who are in hospitals and
medical facilities to help them be creative, reduce stress, and have a moment
of fun and joy. Emma's Art Cart went
around the hospitals she was in while dealing with stage four brain cancer that
she has had for 8 years. I told her Arts
For all would support her mission of getting 150,000 art kits to 150,000
children from Maine to California. Arts
For All is asking for art supply donations (cash or product) to help meet her
mission and ours….making the arts available and affordable for all…..we have
the same mission. AFA wants to provide
art lessons, music, acting and dance also available in the hospital setting for
children patients. If you would like to
volunteer and help in any way, contact me and AFA. Emma’s condition is very serious and she is
looking at a large goal although time is an issue.
In my speech above, I mentioned one of my
missions of helping others see beauty around them every day….developing a sense
of wonder and joy, if only for a moment.
That is partly why I write this blog.
Beats of a Different Drum
Summer is in full bloom, preparing for harvest time. To celebrate, before the leaves begin to fall and autumn is upon us...listen to Vivaldi's "Summer" and let the music bring up all your favorite things about this season.
My garden is a warm one color wise:
red, yellows and orange….I throw in purple as an accent and this summer
for the first time I have purple toe nails.
Reminds me of a poem that begins ‘When I am old I shall wear purple’ (I
just had a birthday, and little children would say I am old). It’s a great
poem, and there is more information on it, and the poet, here:
"Warning" by Jenny Joseph.
Come to Your Senses
It is mid July as I am writing this section. The weather is sweltering... yet many of my
flowers are showing off in the heat: phlox,
coleus, coneflowers, hostas, butterfly weeds, begonias, geraniums, hydrangeas, blue bells,
neptas, marigolds,
clematis and lilies.
I am used to being outdoors in the summer. As a child we always went to Wisconsin, staying
at a resort on a lake that belonged to friends of my parents. On the car ride
up there, one of my favorite things to do was to look for, and read, the Burma Shave signs
(started in the late 1920s). It was fun
to count and read the verses….one of the first ways I was introduced to poetry
outside of school and home. The signs
had a word or two and they were stretched out along the highway to make a
statement, and then remind you to buy Burma Shave cream. There might have been six or seven to look at
for each verse. I tried to guess what
words would be on the next sign. Here is
one I remember: “Past/Schoolhouses/Take it slow/let
the little/shavers grow/Burma Shave.”
This was before the interstate and people drove slower on two lane
highways. They were fun!
As a kid I picked wild blueberries to make
muffins and mom made hot German potato salad (with bacon) instead of a birthday
cake….still love those two foods. I spent a lot of time in the woods or laying
in a hammock reading a great big book. I
can remember the light breeze, fresh air, trees, clouds…it was idyllic. All of
these sensory memories take me back and remind me of this song…Lazy Afternoon.
So get out there and pay attention to the
beauty! It can be found in the veins on
a leaf, bark on a tree, petal of a flower, or the sun and moon bringing us the
eclipses of August. Come to your senses.=
Look, listen, smell, taste, and feel your surroundings.
Movement of the Muse
(Written for Judy by Felina Kavi)
For those of you who have been reading Judy’s
blog posts, you may have already gotten the hint that she loves music of many
kinds. She also loves to dance. Even though her body doesn’t allow the
movement it used to, she is still moved to dance while cooking in the kitchen
or even dusting her shelves at home. She
wants to encourage you, dear readers, to let your bodies dance. It’s good for your health, after all. Here is a video, Wheelchair Ballet, that shows that no matter what
you believe of your body’s limitations, you can dance.
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| I was impressed by the beautiful architecture of the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture while I was in Washington DC. |
