The Bluebird Patch

Just like every person on the planet can tell you exactly what they were doing on  9/11, the same way they can tell you what they were doing the day princess Diana died. I remember vividly that fatal day. I received a phone call from one of my friends. When I heard the news, I was  numb, the air in the room suddenly felt thick, and unbreathable. T ears fell from my eyes and I felt a fluttering on my chest. I had to sit down for a moment and really digest the news. Princess Diana dead? Why? When? How? I felt lost, sad, and sick to my stomach. I have always admired princess Diana for her philanthropic work and her love for her children. I always felt bad that she had to endure a marriage full of dishonesty, betrayal, and lies.

Earlier this week, I went to my daughter's curriculum night and was a bit saddened to see how much her teachers struggle to find funding to buy school materials. I could see in their eyes how the budget cuts is leaving them overstressed, overburdened and overwhelmed. The depletion of material resources, not only hurt our students, but have deep long term implications. Shrinking school budgets are a pedagogical disaster and unless we step up as a community, we will end up with an undereducated and noncompetitive generation of students. Today we want to help Mr. Marshall of Ivy Preparatory Academy, raise funds to buy a projector for his ELA classroom. 

On September 1 & 8, the Georgia Boy Choir is holding auditions for boys ages 5 – 12 to join its Apprentice, Training and Intermediate Choirs, at the Heiskell School located at 4360 Northside Drive. The Choir has opportunities for boys at all levels to sing and so those with little to no musical experience are encouraged to audition. Auditions are intentionally low-pressure. Each boy is asked to sing a song—any song he likes; something as simple as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or something he has learned in school or church. He will then be asked to repeat some musical phrases and match notes played on the piano. It is fairly simple and only takes a few minutes. Parents interested in auditioning their sons for the Choir can visit http://www.georgiaboychor.org/ auditions to submit an application or by calling 404-402-4083

More than 30,000 gardeners took action over the past three weeks in support of Josée Landry and Michel Beauchamp of Drummondville front yard food garden. Their garden described as "gorgeous and meticulously-maintained edible landscape full of healthy fruits and vegetables" was ordered to be removed by September 1st or face legal consequences. Town officials insisted Beauchamp front yard didn't conform with newly harmonized town code.  With the help of Kitchen Gardeners International a petition was immediately created with the hopes to create media attention and put pressure on the town officials to allow the Beauchamp to keep their garden.  The petition reads in part: Front yard kitchen gardens are not the problem; they're part of the solution to healthier and more sustainable communities. Thanks for helping us to defend them.

  Duluth High School has a very unique way of teaching videography skills to their students. They are the latest to create a "Call Me Maybe" spoof on YouTube,  which is now a viral sensation. We applaud the school for not taking things so serious and allowing students to express their creativity trough a fun collaborative project. True happiness comes from doing things that you love and being able to express the things that you are passionate about. Good job wildcats! Good job!

Power2Give.org is a project of the Arts & Science Council (ASC), that empowers you to give directly to local arts, science and history projects you are passionate about. Nonprofit organizations in the city of Atlanta  post projects that are in need of funding. You help bring them to life with a gift. The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) promotes rich and diverse cultural experiences in the City of Atlanta while protecting the city's cultural heritage.  OCA administer's the City's Public Art Program as well as its Arts in Education Programs and operates five facilities:  The Atlanta Cyclorama, The Chastain Art Center, The Historic Gilbert House, The JD Sims Center for Art and Culture and The South Bend Center for Art and Culture.  Each year, OCA presents the Atlanta Jazz Festival, a three-day music festival, free and open to the public.  

Rainy days calls for a wine-braised chuck roast. House is smelling ahh-mazing. Can't wait for kiddies to come home and smell the love in the air. What do you like to cook when thundercloud steals your sunshine? Share your recipe of your favorite thing to eat during a rainy day with our readers by leaving a link on this post!

Looking for a way to give back this Labor day weekend? Join Hosea Feed the hungry for their  2 nd annual Labor Day Event at Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood! During the Labor of Love Event, they will distribute bags of groceries to 2,000 families, as well as offer job readiness workshops and employment opportunities (a limited number of vendors will be present). You can volunteer and join the Set-Up team assist with unloading the trucks, setting up tables, chairs, stanchions, supplies, etc. throughout the event space. Volunteers must be flexible about assignment/ task, be able to lift, move, carry, etc. PLEASE NOTE: All volunteers must be at least 14 years old to participate in this event.

   Only you can make you happy. Don't place your happiness in the hands of the unknown. Take responsibility of your own happiness and stop blaming others for your unhappiness. You need to figure out ways in which you can be happy despite others' (negative) behaviors and despite the external circumstances. Happiness depends much more on your attitude than it does on objective, external circumstances.

   PAC-MAN PLAY™ is celebrating its Grand Opening at Underground Atlanta on August 24th (4 p.m. - 8 p.m.) and August 25th (12 p.m. - 4 p.m.), and invites everyone to come out to enjoy some free cookies, face painting, balloons, prizes and pictures with PAC-MAN and of course, FUN!

Today we're encouraged you to do random acts of kindness and to help others. Be polite , smile at people , hold a door , give someone a compliment ! You never know how far an act of kindness can go ! Doing “ random acts of kindness ” brings happiness. Want a prove?  Use this printable card and write a compliment, count to ten and watch how big their smile is going to be :)

Cat’s presence brings love and comfort to  woman dying in hospital This has to be the sweetest most precious picture on the planet. This picture was posted by a user on Reddit. His grandmother was in a hospital dying, and the hospital made an exception and allowed the family to bring her cat in for a visit and it made a world of difference for the dying woman. I think it’s pretty obvious how happy both of them are to see each other. Brings tears to my eyes. .

Attention happy spellers!! On August 25th, join Macy's and Reading Is Fundamental for the Macy's 7th Annual Spelling Bee, and show them how well you can S-P-E-L-L! Each of the 27 regional Spelling Bee winners will take home some great prizes, including an iPad, a $100 Macy's Gift Card, a tutoring scholarship from Kaplan and an online gift card from Scholastic. How to enter: Contestants must come to one of the above-mentioned Macy's locations on the corresponding date, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Registration will open 30 minutes prior to the advertised start time for each event. Participation is limited to the first 50 entrants in each location. Parent or legal guardian must provide written consent at time of entry in order for a child to participate. Contestants must provide proof of age acceptable to Sponsors.

Foodie alert! Mark your calendars because on Thursday, August 30 , Taste of Atlanta and the Atlanta Food Truck Park are joining forces to bring fervent foodies a night filled with tasty bites, exclusive discounts and live music during Taste of Atlanta Night at the Atlanta Food Truck Park . From 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. , diners can purchase discounted General Admission and VIP tickets to this year’s Taste of Atlanta festival, taking place October 5-7.  Attendees can also enjoy live music from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. while munching on favorite meals from the Atlanta Food Trucks. Participating in this year’s Taste of Atlanta are favorite Food Trucks Sweet Auburn BBQ, Yoli’s, Honeysuckle Gelato, Rouxd Food Truck, Mighty Meatballs, Munch Truck and Mac the Cheese. 

DoSomething.org is gearing up to put a spotlight on celebs, along with some not-quite-as-famous young adults, who commit themselves to various charitable and activist causes. Since 1996, the Do Something Awards has honored the nation’s best young world-changers. One extraordinary do-er (age 25 and under) will receive a life-changing $100,000 for his or her project.  Beyonce with the 5 finalists This year’s five nominees address crucial issues from improving the lives of Sudanese refugees, educating the youth of Honduras, and raising awareness of the global water crisis to promoting growth and healing of children through art and providing resources for foster kids to prepare for success when they turn 18. The 2012 Do Something Awards also credits celebrities who “do good.” This year’s nominees include Kristen Bell, Ben Affleck, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift , Miley Cyrus, Nicole Richie, Neil Patrick Harris, Channing Tatum, Emma Stone, and many others....

Yelp Helps is coming to Atlanta for the first time and all of Yelpland is invited! This FREE event will celebrate some of Atlanta's fantastic non-profits and their mission to make the world a better place. Please read the RSVP information carefully: Advance RSVP is required for admission. TO RSVP: 1. Log in to Yelp. 2. Click the "RSVP" button to your right. 3. Enter the full name of your guest. 4. Tell your friends! This event is open to all, and we want the whole city to be there. 5. Confirmations will be sent 48-72 hours in advance. Now, for all the details!

  They did it! Together, on World Humanitarian Day, Beyonce and the United Nations reached more than one billion people through social media for this year's campaign, called "I Was Here." "'I Was Here' says I want to leave my footprints in the sands of time, and that is leaving our mark on the world," Beyonce told CNN's Anderson Cooper . "We all want to know that our life meant something, and that we did something for someone else, and that we spread positivity no matter how big or how small." And from today you can continue doing something good, somewhere, for someone else. Just place your pin on the map , find someone to help, or choose an organization to support.

Your greatness is measured by your kindness; your education and intellect by your modesty; your ignorance is betrayed by your suspicions and prejudices, and your real caliber is measured by the consideration and tolerance you have for others. William J.H. Boetcker (1873-1962) Gov. Nathan Deal has declared August 22, 2012 Random Acts of Kindness Day in Georgia. Every Georgian is encouraged to something kind for someone else. It doesn't have to cost any money. Random acts of kindness is a selfless act by which a person makes a deliberate attempt to brighten another person's day by doing something thoughtful, and without expecting anything in return. Kindness is a way of showing others that they count and that even in the face of hostility and selfishness, you're making a stand for kindness. Every weekday, you can catch 11Alive's morning crew surprising strangers with Random Acts of Kindness and l ater this month, they'll be taking the movement ...

Located in the  historic colonial section of  San Juan ,  Puerto Rico  and just one block from the governor's mansion lies Barrachina restaurant. This restaurant specializes in creative Puerto Rican and international cuisine. Barrachina is surrounded by historic colonial buildings that are over 200 years old and has an amazing interior courtyard for outdoor dinning that delights and charm it's visitors. Is in this exact courtyard where don Ramon Ports Mingot, first made the famous  piña colada in 1963.  

Did you know that by focusing on a signature strength you can become significantly happier? "When 577 volunteers were encouraged to pick one of their signature strengths and use it in a new way each day for a week, they became significantly happier and less depressed than control groups. And these benefits lasted: Even after the experiment was over, their levels of happiness remained heightened a full six months later. Studies have shown that the more you use your signature strengths in daily life, the happier you become."  * Illustration by Avkari Alon

 "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." Henry Ford    Aimee Copeland, the sweet and incredibly courageous 24-year-old UGA graduate, who battled a flesh-eating infection inspired a group of generous builders and designers to create a new addition to her home, equipping it for her special needs. What began as a beautiful time in nature with friends turned tragic when Aimee encountered an equipment malfunction while playing on a homemade zip line.  Her fall set the stage for the development of necrotizing fasciitis which led to amputations of her four limbs and the failure of her five major organs. Aimee fought after losing parts of her four limbs to a flesh-eating bacteria, but after numerous prayers, and an incredible will to survive, she is now ready to go home and start a new chapter in her life. "It's her "can't quit" attitude that inspired Pulte Hom...

Master chef Julia Child steadfastly clung to some ideas. She didn't mind the microwave; it sometimes comes in handy. But try to cut corners with butter, and she wouldn't stand for it. "If you're afraid of butter, as many people are nowadays," she said in one of her last television shows, "just put in cream!" she proclaimed, with a twinkle in her eye. Julia Child worried that the "nutrition police" will kill gastronomy. Child, 82, the first lady of the American table, was asked by James Villas in an article in the current issue of Town & Country, about what she calls the "nutrition police" and she replied: "That's one of my favorite topics. The health fanatics and dozens of dietbook authors and obsessed nutritionists would have us believe we're all doomed by what we eat, and if these scareheads succeed in taking over, they're going to kill gastronomy."

  "Learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun."   Julia Child  

Can we talk about poached eggs just for a minute? I am addicted to poached eggs. In fact, I cannot imagine my mornings without that yolk oozing like a river of creamy, golden lava on my plate. A perfectly poached egg is a thing of beauty but getting the technique down pat can be a challenge.  After switching from one technique to another over the years I discovered the trick was to do a 10-15 second boil, that is after you poke a hole in the large end of the egg with a push pin. The reason why you need to poke a hole is because there's air on the large end that could crack the air.

"No Act of Kindness is Ever Wasted" Aesop's Fables,  The Lion and the Mouse The Tortoise, the Hare and other Aesop’s Fables at the Center for Puppetry Arts is an interactive  take on classic fables and poems that will  delight audiences of all ages.  Aesop's Fables  or the  Aesopica  is a collection of  fables  credited to  Aesop , a  slave  and story-teller believed to have lived in  ancient Greece  between 620 and 560 BC.    Aesop's Fables is a wonderful way to  illustrate a particular moral and teach a lesson to children and kids.  They also  foster the love of reading, increase vocabulary and  teach them the difference between right and wrong. The characters of fables and tales are usually animals who act and talk just like people whilst retaining their animal traits. This theme is especially appealing to children and kids.   Children love fabl...

With the 2012 London Olympics coming to an end the Atlanta History Center Go For The Gold event, seeks to inspire Atlanta's youth to dream their Olympic dreams through history, Olympic sports demonstrations and live interactions with real Olympians.  During the event, visitors were able to meet Kimberly Batten and learn about her experience as Olympic 400 Meter athlete who won silver in the 1996 Olympics games. Also present was Sada Jacobson Baby, Olympic Fencer who is a 2008 Olympic Individual Sabre silver medalist and 2004 Olympic Individual Sabre bronze medalist. Jacobson shred her experiences on how in 2004 she became the first U.S. woman to be ranked No. 1 in the world in sabre.  Other highlights of the event were: A live fencing demonstration and discussion with Nellya Fencers. Participants got a chance to try fencing after the demonstration. Gwinnett Judo demonstration and teaching visitors about the Olympic s...

Photo by Robin Lori via Talking with Tami It took me a while to figured out what I wanted to write about this event, mostly because I embrace every single experience that I come into contact with as an invaluable learning experience.  Happiness in the media and entertainment business is a bumpy ride. When you work in this industry your triumphs are whispered, while your struggles and failures are widely broadcast.   Celebrities and social media personalities often struggle to find a balance between their personal & professional life while letting their personality shine under the intense scrutiny from their audience.  I have to admit I had no idea who Toya Wright was when Tammie Reed presented her to the audience. All I know is that she seemed to be a very well rounded individual. Toya Wright is no different than you and me. She had her struggles and disappointments through life but has been able to sail through the...

"Seven out of 10 Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless." INOCENTE is an intensely personal and vibrant coming of age documentary about a young artist’s fierce determination to never surrender to the bleakness of her surroundings. At 15, Inocente refuses to let her dream of becoming an artist be caged by her life as an undocumented immigrant forced to live homeless for the last nine years. Color is her personal revolution and its extraordinary sweep on her canvases creates a world that looks nothing like her own dark past – – a past punctuated by a father deported for domestic abuse, an alcoholic and defeated mother of four who once took her daughter by the hand to jump off a bridge together, an endless shuffle year after year through the city’s overcrowded homeless shelters and the constant threat of deportation.

Now that school is back in full swing is time to unleash your inner chef on, and start planning healthy school lunches that are balanced, healthy, and strong 4 life. Yesterday, my youngest came home from school saying how much he enjoyed bringing his own lunch to school. "Mom, the lines at the cafeteria are so long. I loved not having to get in line and eat what you make me."  When I asked him what did the school served for lunch that day he answered: "Oh you know, the usual. That weird piece of meat that they say it's chicken. It's disgusting."  I swear, I had to contained myself and try not to laugh. This was the same "meat" he used to loved to eat when he was younger. It's funny how schools always try to blame parents for how bad our children eating habits are, when the reality is that they are the ones to blame. I would serve healthy meals at home and my kids would not touch them because they were used to eat pizz...