More Awards to Acknowledge and Pass On

Gratitude is the memory of the heart.  ~Jean Baptiste Massieu translated from French

Over the past few weeks I’ve been nominated for various awards.  I apologize for the delay in ‘publicly’ thanking:

 AngelaMarie @ One-In-One Creation for the Soul-Song Award for my post: Tears and Sun

Jane Thorn for the Versatile Blogger Award

Caddo Veil for TWO! the One Lovely Blog Award and the Reader Appreciation Award

Betty Hayes Albright @ Seasonings for the Genuine Blogger Award

Shilpa @ My Mystic World for the Liebster Blogger Award

I accept these acknowledgments with heartfelt appreciation, especially for the honor of  highlighting other very special blogs.

Please make it a point to visit their creative and inspiring blogs as soon as you can.  And don’t forget the nominees listed below!

I also want to  take this opportunity to apologize to those bloggers I follow and who follow me, as I’m not always able to get to your posts as quickly as I wish.  My goal is to savor and make my comments worthy of the time and talent and thought (and heart and soul) that you put into your posts. Thank you all for sharing so much!

Now, for the nominations (with no slight intended to any of the superb blogs I’ve connected with–please see my blog roll):

Soul-Song Award goes to:
AngelaMarie of One-in-One Creation who from a retreat into her own quiet and sacred place offers the blessedness of our place on this earth and responsibility for its care in her poem A Passing Place .

Laurel of Laurel’s Reflections  who ponders the realization that the answer is not anywhere ‘out there’…not within another person or object…A Lesson (that) is Seldom Learnt Only Once.

Christine of Journey into Poetry who shares a recovery that is really about discovery in Surrender.

Savira of Reflections regarding her experience of coming face to face with extreme poverty, homelessness and hunger in…..  Lost in Her world

Genuine Blogger Award goes to:
AJ of AJ Barlow for lyrical, inspirational and motivational poetry.

Versatile Blogger Award goes to:
Kathryn of Kiwsparks who entertains and enlightens as artist, writer and designer.

One Lovely Blog Award goes to:
Granbee for her sometimes whimsical, often profound, and always unique reflections and storytelling through poetry and prose.

Liebster Blog Award goes to:
Smallsmallacts offering outstanding photographs, of travels and observations,  accompanied by philosophical and insightful reflections.

Reader Appreciation Award goes to (this is a new one–to me, at least–and the rules call for six nominations of blogs I haven’t nominated previously. Well, I’m going to break that one for sure!):

AngelaMarie
Laurel’s Reflections
Granbee
Ina
Fourwindowpress
Verse not Prose
Caddo Veil

Please note my gratitude to ALL the readers and seekers who come here often or from time to time!

The Cove

The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.

Khalil Gibran

Copyright 2012 by DM Denton

     She wandered away from a dream, not to escape the music but the baking sun and choking dust, down to where psychics delighted and deceived, and a glassblower entertained like a charlatan too. Just beyond was a clearing as lonely as she was looking for, grass still dewy and air cooled by the cove nearby, sloping towards a small pavilion gradually withdrawing its shadow from the few benches in front of it. She sat a while to watch a young juggler whose clothes were too big and smile too shy, until she noticed an arm-in-arm couple looking for privacy too. They settled for being inconsequentially observed, laying a blanket on the ground and laughing as they embraced the amusement that love could be.
     The boy stopped juggling, his eyes laughing too, embarrassing her because he knew what she was missing. He’d been there at the top of the fair with flute and harp and fiddle and viol, the wind in the leaves and the charm in a voice that had fooled them all.
     She picked up the trail of her skirt, running and stooping to disappear into willowy branches, ignoring any sign of what was off-limits except as she stepped slower down a mossy bank, leaning forward—like the trees along the inlet—for a glimpse of wisdom. 
    She threw in her heart and as it sank there was hardly a ripple.

At first sight
you
were a voice
of
lyric
and melody;
I did not
know
your face,
your height,
the color of your hair.

Second sight
I
heard what was
just
ahead—
the lyric and
melody
of
your face,
your height,
the color of your hair,
the entertainer in you.

By the third
I
saw at last
who
you were,
the lyric and
melody
of
my life
that was mine no more.

©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.

Nature Insight: Winter’s Flowering

The grass is greener than it should be, this side of winter showing a mildness of manner that belies the stormy season at its heart.  A Sessile Oak stands brittle and strong, rain running down its fissured bark and turning to snow one drop at a time.

As I post this winter has finally come in force to these parts. The Snowdrops at the base of the Sessile Oak just outside the back of the house are completely covered but they will soon proudly poke through the snow as if they know they are its namesake.  

©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.

Poem: A Friend Indeed

O, the wild constancy
of the brave chickadee
simply changing his tune
like the man in the moon
for the tilt of the sky
as the seasons pass by.

Fitting a snug black cap
feathers all in a flap
it would seem for bad news
like everything to lose
with a cat prowling low
and the winds biting so.

But let’s have no real grief
bother this welcome thief
who’s scolding and chuckling
while squirrels are ducking
aerobatics for need
not insatiable greed.

Taking one sweet kernel
to task with a gurgle
pounding out on a limb
for cracking it open
and easy digestion
enjoyed without question.

I hold out my warm hand
in wonder not command
indeed only hoping
my offer he’s scoping
instead berries so bright
seeming more a delight.

Ah, then he’s looking back
at what I do not lack
listening for his voice
and smiling for his choice
so the touch of his trust
makes our friendship a must.

 
I have a precious little bird book from 1909 that includes the following description of the Black-Capped Chickadee (native to the Eastern US):

‘The Chickadees are one of the most popular birds that we have, owing to their uniform good nature even in the coldest weather, and their confiding disposition.’

What a lovely characterization of this sociable songbird!

©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.