Hello, dear blog friends.

It's #TankaTuesday, and Selma is the host. She invites all interested folks to write a Rensaku focused on relationships. Well, with all the turmoil on our beautiful planet, I've chosen to address the need for communication.

Looking back at this past week, I wonder what was achieved through the violence. Those who destroyed property felt empowered, and those who didn't felt more justified than ever. When we don't meet each other on common ground, we only see what we want to see across the divide, and it is dehumanizing.

Yep, I'm a counselor by training, but I'm not a pacifist. I'm a realist who strives to build bridges of understanding. From my perspective, life is too short not to do so. My poem ~ 
​

I leave you with a rendition of a song by Guns N' Roses -- Sweet Child of Mine.  I suspect we've all heard it, but these days, it's worth listening to again.

In war, there really aren't any victors. The brave men and women who honorably wear the uniform often face a life burdened by memories and injuries. Those of us who did not serve watched the conflicts on television--from a place of comfort. 

Many members of my extended family served in the military or are currently serving. Because of their bravery and the efforts of those who meet on the broken bridges of life, we can embrace hope. I'm immensely grateful to all who work to establish peace.

I hope you enjoy this reflective version of Sweet Child of Mine.

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. ❤️

Hello, dear blog friends ~ 

Late yesterday, I heard from my youngest son. He is being treated at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He had just learned that the surgery was successful and was very happy -- as was I. Though lengthy treatment lies ahead for him, there is now much needed hope. 

Each of us has our personal sorrows and challenges, and we suffer greatly when these heartbreaks touch our children. Sometimes we forget that we are more alike than different, but our human frailties remind us of that truth. 

My poem today was sparked by the above phone call, and it attempts to respond to this week's Tanka Tuesday prompt. Poet Colleen Chesebro invites us to focus on the full moon by writing a Tanka Puente using a quote from the Pioneer Woman at the center of our poem.

Here's my contribution:

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. Let's all search for the Light. ❤️

Hello blog friends,

The high desert of Northern Arizona is alive with color, and the transformation is awe-inspiring. In addition to blossoms, it's a delight seeing the pronghorn with their fawns.

A special treat of Spring in our household is the yearly visit of the quail family. This little tribe lives under one of our cypress trees in the back yard. Once the chicks have hatched, they chatter to us throughout the day and walk along the fence. You can see them in the photo below. ​

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. ❤️

Hello, blog friends ~

It's been a tumultuous week across our beautiful planet. Some claim "the end" is near, others talk of transformation. There's hope, and there's dismay. This upheaval rests upon our own personal challenges and compounds our sentiments--one way or the other. But, through it all, there is one constant. One universal constant. Nature. 

Nature is not political, nor is it explicitly religious. But, nature is part of our life force. We cannot exist without it.

This week, Willow hosts #TankaTuesday, and invites participants to write a syllabic poem of their choice. I've chosen an Etheree to express my personal response to exterior or interior challenges. Etherees are ten-lined poems with syllables of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Easy to remember, isn't it? 😊

I've entitled my poem, Breathe. Whenever I step away from the tugs and pulls of responsibilities or issues, I take a deep breath and give thanks. I listen - not to the news - but to the whispers among the trees, the chatter of my avian friends, the breeze as it enwraps me. In nature, I find peace. I wonder if you do as well. 

I'd love to hear how you find peace. Have a wonderful week, dear friends.  

I hope you have a wonderful week full of joy - even if you're tilling among the weeds.

Hello blog friends,

I've been traveling this past week, visiting with family and friends. I so enjoyed the sound of waves crashing on the nearby beach. Here are a couple of photos -- my daughter-in-law and I, an early morning glimpse from the timeshare, and a later morning photo. 

Because of the above, my contribution to Tanka Tuesday is a little late. But, I've an additional legitimate excuse. I actually forgot my laptop on this vacation, and only realized this oversight when we arrived at our destination. I'll claim old age OR maybe the universe wanted me to relax. 😊

This week Melissa Lemay is the host. She's challenged participants to create a hainka - a poem that combines haiku with tanka and reflects on the season. The first line of the haiku repeats in the third line of the tanka. I'm not sure I was successful, but I'll claim travel weariness if it's not. 

It's good to be home, and I look forward to saying my hellos on your blogsites. I hope you've had a wonderful week. 

To all the mothers, Happy Mother's Day! And to everyone else, enjoy the week -- and your mountain. I'll try to stay in touch from afar--and catch up on some reading. I leave you with a poem I wrote a while ago. ❤️

Hello blog friends~ 

Today is #TankaTuesday, and super poet Colleen Chesebro offers the prompt. She invites us to reflect on our zodiac sign, identify our respective color, and use this color in a poem.

In Western astrology, I'm a Virgo, so my color is Spring Green. I kinda like this color and wear it often. How about you? Do you like your astrological color?   

In our area, geese have returned after a long winter. I see them almost daily and love to watch them along the river or the nearby pond. My poem is about these special visitors. I hope you enjoy it. 

Have a great rest of the week and, for fun, let's all explore our special color. 🌞💚🌞

Good morning, blog friends ~

My post today is in response to writer/blogger Sadje's prompt. She invites readers to consider the question, "What do you see?" And she included two images to stir reflection and elicit a story or poem. Here are the prompt images: 

Fascinating, don't you agree? We all see differently, and I became aware of that truth as a child. Friends would talk about the girl in the red dress or maybe someone with a new haircut. But, I'd notice none of that. I'd see a girl who was hurting inside or feeling insecure or longing to be held or... In other words, I'd sense the heart of a person--and still do. It's no wonder I became a counselor. 😊

My response to Sadje's prompt is a simple haiku. I've attempted to capture the unseen and perception in general. I hope you enjoy it.

Have a wonderful rest of the week! 

​If you are like me, you're enjoying an early Spring. It's been quite a winter, hasn't it?

In our area, the Pronghorn have returned, lifting everyone's spirits. These beautiful animals roam the pastures around us and mix with the cattle. They join the song birds to announce the season. 

It's a special relief to put away the winter coats. The exercise always evokes dreams of the days to come -- when I'll plant my garden. 

Enjoy the day, my friends. 🌞

Hello, blog friends ~ 

A change in seasons is exciting, don't you agree? Everyone seems happier - especially the four-legged among us. If you are like me, you've packed your winter coats and boxed up your boots -- oh, the freedom of sunshine and warmth!

The world has awakened, and in my locale, mountain bike enthusiasts crowd the trails for the 20th Annual Whiskey Off-Road Mountain Biking Event. The Prescott hills are a beautiful area to bike, and folks travel notable distances to participate. Oh course, the pro purse of $34,000 is alluring as well. 

This weekend is also busy with gardeners -- like me. The big nurseries are packed with folks buying mulch, starter plants, and seeds. There's the hope that there will not be another freeze. 

In keeping with the change in seasons and the accompanying excitement, I'm embarking on a new endeavor with my books. My publisher closed its doors earlier this month, so its clients must go elsewhere. This development prompted an adventure I had not expected.

For the past week or so, my mountain bike experience has been to tiptoe into the self-publishing world. I now see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, but I'm still learning. At my age, being in grade school again is a bit uncomfortable, but it has elicited even more respect for all of you who self-publish and already know the trade. 🌞 Fingers crossed, I'll be joining you soon. 

Have a wonderful week, dear friends - hopefully with adventures full of smiles, blessed with warm weather, and free of challenges. 

Hello, blog friends ~

Today I'm sharing a personal story in response to the #TankaTuesday prompt of what's happening underground. 

Most of you know know that I grew up on a farm in the southern California desert. My dad was a veteran of WWII and loved exploring. He built a dune buggy using parts from around the farm and elsewhere. Once completed, he took the seven of us kids (and sometimes cousins) into the desert and the surrounding mountains. If there was a cave, we'd explore it. 

One time Dad took us to New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns. This experience left me with a great love of rock formations and crystals. I was and am amazed by what lies beneath our feet in this beautiful planet of ours.

I started collecting rocks when I was young and eventually gathered crystals. Below are a few of my collection, which is scattered about the house. Some are large and some are small, but all are beautiful.

I hope you have a wonderful week, and I hope you'll share what is happening beneath your feet.  🌞 If you want to know more about crystals, I've linked a brief video. 

Hello, blog friends.

In our area, children run freely under the Spring sun. The long winter has passed, and joy abounds. My poem reflects on the season and the dance of time. Selma hosts Tanka Tuesday this week, and she invites writers to capture movement. 

Perhaps you'd like to join in the fun. If so, take a peek at the instructions and add your poem. It's a fun challenge and with Easter fast approaching, we've much to celebrate.

Here's my contribution:
​

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends. Let's all run freely -- if only in our dreams. 🌞

Hello, blog friends ~ 

I'm excited to showcase the latest Poetry Treasures edition: Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures. 

The collection includes poems by many of your favorite writers: David Bogomolny, Kaye Lynne Booth, Robbie Cheadle, Colleen Chesebro, Elizabeth Gauffreau, Jude Itakali, Barbara Leonhard, Michelle Navajas, Dawn Pisturino, Ivor Steven, and Margaret Watson. And, you might notice my poems as well. 

Kaye and Robbie organized, edited, and compiled the collection. And Teagan Geneviene provided her artistry -- the book cover, the beautiful image above, and the heartwarming trailer. Together these three talented women created a jewel of a book. ​If you love poetry, this volume is a must. You can purchase it at Amazon and a multitude of other distributors. 

Check out the trailer:  

Don't you love the baby's smiles? This little one can brighten anyone's day.
​
There are plenty of Small Pleasures threaded throughout this book.
Kindle version available now.

Hello blog friends,

I live in the Northern Hemisphere, in the high desert of Arizona. Spring arrived a month ago, but for some inexplicable reason, it teases us. 

Last week it snowed - to the surprise of all. This photo is of our front yard. To the left is our plum tree in full bloom. Beautiful, don't you agree? The white puffs did not last long. They quietly melted a few days ago. Since then, the temperatures have vacillated between 40 and 80 degrees. What a Spring!

My #TankaTuesday poem is below. Melissa Lemay leads us today and invites contributors to write a Double Ennead poem. This form is composed of five lines and three stanzas. The syllable count is 6/5/11/6/5. It was created by the master - Colleen Chesebro. We're instructed to focus on the season.

Here's my attempt -- Blessed Awe.

I hope you have a wonderful week - no matter what the weather might bring. 🌞

​Hello, blog friends...

Hubby and I had a wonderful trip to my childhood home of Brawley, CA. We visited some of my siblings and spent time with the incredible Shroud of Turin Exhibit.

The trip was a journey through time. As the eldest of nine (seven living), I walked back through the decades with family memories. 

​Then with the holy Exhibit, I experienced the centuries from 33AD to the present. Visitors of all faiths and ethnicities spent time with the images, the research, and the historical data. There was no attempt to convince viewers of one truth or another. Each person was invited to come to his or her own conclusion. My lovely sister was one of the guides.​

May your week is full of sunshine! 🌞

Hello, blog friends ~ 

Today I'd like to offer a personal reflection as well as a poem. I've combined the two for this week's Tanka Tuesday.

As far back as I can remember, I had questions. It didn't matter the topic. I always wanted to know more, and I especially wanted to understand people - their journey, their beliefs. I'm pretty certain that my whys were irritating to my parents. As farmers, the world was straightforward to them. But it wasn't to me. 

My questioning nature led me to explore different lands, different religions, different ways of seeing. I found a home among mystics, because they universally embrace one common tenet - Love. And that tenet resonates with me. 

My mom was a Catholic and my dad was a Protestant. I never heard them argue one belief or another, but Mom kept a picture of the Shroud of Turin in the bedroom. Everyday I'd look at it and wonder, could it be?

Last week, my sister shared that the little Catholic church I attended as a child would sponsor the traveling photographic display of the Shroud. Brawley, California is definitely not Turin, Italy, nor is the display the actual Shroud. Nevertheless, I'm excited to see the exhibit. Hubby and I will travel to my hometown tomorrow.  

If you've questions or interest, there is plenty of research about the Shroud online. My poem focuses on the question, Could It Be? 

 Hello blog friends,

It's #TankaTuesday and Selma Martin has a new prompt for us. She invites interested poets to write a Badger's Hexastich, which is a form that requires a syllable structure of 2-4-6-6-4-2. She also asks that we mention what we enjoy doing in Spring.

I've shared this tidbit before, but top on my list of favorite things to do is walking/hiking in nature. I love listening to its special silence -- of birds singing, of leaves rustling, of little creatures scampering. It's a heart conversation for me, and in that setting, I find profound peace. 

My poem attempts to capture the above dynamic. I've coupled it with a photo taken last year when my family gathered in Idaho. Trails stretched across the mountains and through the trees. It was extraordinary. I hope you enjoy both the poem and photo.​

In my part of the world, it's beginning to warm. Folks are exchanging coats for windbreakers, and knitted winter hats for baseball caps. I hope the same for you!

​Have a wonderful week, dear friends. 🌞

~ this past week ~ 

I hope you have a wonderful week, full of laughter and sunshine!  

Hi, dear blog friends,

It's Tanka Tuesday, and poet Colleen Chesebro has another wonderful prompt. She asks that contributing poets use synonyms for Create and Bright. How perfect for this changing season!

My poem emerges from a reflection on home - where it is and isn't. Like many, I've lived in multiple locations (see below). Perhaps because of this, home isn't a house on a specific street, but rather it is a sacred place deep within.

Each state/country has a distinct beauty and culture, shaped by its history, but the one common thread is our human nature. No matter where I've pitched my tent, I've found that people are the same at heart. We are a family. Whether we live on the East Coast or West Coast, in the desert or in the mountains, on a lake or next to a prairie, we are more alike than different.  

My simple poem: ​

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. I am traveling and with family, so I won't be on social media much. Wishing you much laughter and a multitude of ways to celebrate the gift of life. ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful week. ❤️

Hello, blog friends!

Hubby and I had a great time in Sedona enjoying the Red Rocks. It was windy and chilly, but the weather did not detract from the natural beauty of the area. Since childhood, I've loved this breathtaking area. 

With my recent travels in mind, I'm responding to David Bogomolny's W3 poetry prompt. He asks that participants create a poem that encourages someone not to give up and to persevere. You can read the full instructions here:
​​https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/02/12/w3-prompt-146-weave-written-weekly/

My contribution is two tankas - 5 lines each of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. 

I hope you have a wonderful week. I wish you several days of relaxation and escape. It's amazing how refreshing it can be to not know what is happening politically on our beautiful planet. I didn't have social media connections for a few days, and now I finally understand the expression, "ignorance is bliss". ☺️

Hello, dear blog friends ~

Hubby and I are headed to Sedona, AZ. It's one of my favorite places on our beautiful planet, and it is only an hour from where we live. We'll stay a few nights and bask in the silence of the red rocks, so I doubt you'll see me on social media. 

This morning, I noticed D.L. Finn's image prompt (see below), and quickly composed a Tanka. Mountains and silence are my travel goals, so this image is a perfect one for me. If you'd like to know more about Denise's prompt, the link will lead you to her site.

​Here's my contribution:  

I hope you have a wonderful week, and I especially hope it is filled with peace. Take good care of yourself! ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy the breezes and delight in the sunshine! ❤️

​Hello, blog friends ~

Today we have a treat. Author John Howell has stopped by for a visit to share tidbits about his latest book, Detour on the Eternal Road. 

Most of you are familiar with John's award-winning books. This latest publication is the third in the Eternal Road series. It promises to draw readers into the mystery of good vs. evil and our participation in that drama. Of course, John includes unexpected twists -- and a memorable ending!

Let's hear from John ~   

​I am so pleased to be on your blog with you today, Gwen.  I was thrilled when you offered to be one of the stops on the tour.  You have written such exceptional books in a number of challenging genres. ​It is a pleasure to visit and have the opportunity to explain a little about my newest book Detour on the Eternal Road. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I've included the blurb and other helpful information below. 

BLURB:

Sam and James are dragged into another strange assignment when a couple of souls on The Eternal Road drop off the radar. Archangel Michael gives them specific orders to resolve the issue and get Billy Ray Chitwood, the national race car champion, and Dale Earnhardt, his guide, back on the task of finding Billy’s Eternal Home.

Finally, meeting up with Billy Ray and Dale, the foursome finds themselves in the future where World War III has devastated the country. The team discovers the cause of the start of the war and vows to mitigate that circumstance and save the world from devastation. They encounter their old nemesis, Lucifer, who has in mind trading preventing the war in exchange for Sam accepting his offer to be his queen.
​
Since Lucifer’s offer is a non-starter, Sam and James must overcome Lucifer’s interference and work to change the course of history, or humankind is doomed. 
​

EXCERPT:

     The old man sighs. “I live about ten miles out of town, and I have no idea how I got to this bench. I would like to go home but have no way to get there.”

     The young man uses his thumb and pushes his wide-brim hat back on his head. “You have any family?”

     “I think I used to, but I can’t rightly tell you if they’re still around. I might live alone.”

     “I see. Well, we’ll be glad to help, but we have a job to do first. Will you be okay until we get back? Shouldn’t take more than a half hour.”

     “Mighty obliged to you. Yes, I can wait a half hour.”

     “All right, then. You stay here in the shade, and we’ll go over to that corral there to arrest some rustlers.”

     “You a lawman?”

     “Yup. I’m the marshal hereabouts. Name’s Earp. Wyatt Earp. Them’s my deputies.”

     “Pleased to meet you, Wyatt. I’ll be right here awaitin’.”

     “Good for you, pops. Don’t you worry; everything will be all right.”

     “Bless you, son.”

     Wyatt touches the brim of his felt hat with two fingers. “You stay right here, and I’ll come back and get you.”

     “Yes, sir, Marshall.”

     “Call me Wyatt.”

     “Yes, sir, Wyatt.”

     The corners of Wyatt’s mouth turn up. The creases at the corner of his eyes intensify slightly, and he nods with satisfaction. Ready to get on, he turns and walks back to the other men. He doesn’t say anything to them but looks back at the elderly bloke as they continue down the street.

TRAILER: https://animoto.com/play/0Z6vyFwQqrAZjjVAlciipw

BUY LINKS:  Universal paper and Universal Ebook  

BIO: John is an award-winning author who after an extensive business career began writing full time in 2012. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. He has written seven other books that are on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

​John lives in Lakeway, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.
​