My friend and fellow flock member, Kathie (kathiesbirds of Sycamore Canyon blog) gave me this award. We met in person for the first time at last year’s New River Birding and Nature Festival in West Virginia. I found Kathie to be a delightful person as well as an awe-inspiring birder, naturalist, and recorder/reporter (I think she must own eBird in Arizona!). Not to mention, she makes a mean prickly-pear jelly.
This award started me thinking about friendship and community – not just our close-by girlfriends that support us day by day, but the bonds that form and maintain themselves over large geographic distances and significant spans of time. Curious about the woman who inspired the award, I visited Deborah’s blog, Midlife Poet. After reading a bit, I thought, “I don’t know her, but I like her blog and she seems like a really neat person.” And then I saw Milo, the millenium bug (remember all those Y2K plans we created?) so of course I had to immediately invite him for a visit. I’ve always thought sharing a sense of humor was one of the strongest bonds for a relationship.
While on Deborah’s blog, I saw that the award originated with Ces (at her blog, Ces and Her Dishes), so I went there and discovered a talented, intriguing artist, and an entire grove of friendship – the Secret Society of Oaks. I love the art itself, and even more I love that Ces, whom I’ve never met and whose blog I never visited before this award arrived, values her women friends so highly and shares her appreciation so freely. I read through all the tributes, touched by the love and friendship that connects this community. In the course of it, I came across a tribute to Arija and an award in her honor. I know Arija through her blog, Garden Delights, and because we participate in the same memes – SkyWatch and MyWorld and Bird Photography Weekly. I felt a sense of completeness at this link, as if this closed a circle.
I’m back to reflecting on friends and friendship. I think of other friends, other women, and other times – but that’s another post.
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Such a sweetly positive and inspiring blog–it set me up in a good mood for the day. There is so much wonderful potential in nature and in friendship if one looks for it. Thanks!
Wren, what a marvelous post! I love how you visited all those blogs and brought it all full circle! There are so many wonderful people out there, aren’t there! Thanks for your kindness. I’m glad you liked the prickly pear jelly. I didn’t make any this year but I hope to next summer.
The one thing I haven’t decided yet is whether/how to share the award further. More thought, and another post …
I don’t know 90 percent of the people who comment on my blog…in fact that number is probably low. Despite that, we have a cool connection and it is a wonderful way to make networks we normally would not.
I agree, SG. Plus, some of those connections develop over time into true friendships. Just like “real life” all relationships are not the same, and few relationships are static.
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