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A simple road trip...

1/31/2022

33 Comments

 
Hello dear blog friends. I want to share an adventure. Sunday I escaped the frustrations of life and drove to Sedona. It's just a little over an hour from where I live. Nothing calms my soul more than nature. Driving through this beautiful area, stopping here and there to simply breathe in the magic, was extraordinary. It's definitely a trip I will be making with some frequency. 
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If you've been to Sedona, you know it is the home of artists, musicians, writers, mystics, and dreamers. The shops abound in crystals, Native American jewelry, and touristy items. And if you enjoy Mexican food, you're in for a treat. 

On this trip, there were several musicians  singing soulful tunes in the patios. And nearby children danced their delight. I wanted to join in the fun, maybe next time.  

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​If time weren't an issue, I would have walked the path through these trees and brush. It's difficult to see the homes in the distance, but if you look carefully, you might be able to identify a few. Can you imagine looking out to your backyard and seeing the majesty of red rock formations?  Wouldn't that be incredible? 



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​In the downtown area, artwork is everywhere visible. I saw a number of Javelinas all dressed up. Thankfully, they were stone art, because the ones I've encountered near my home, are certainly  not as cute as these two. 

How was your weekend? Did you find a way to escape your worries? With all that is going on these days, don't we all need an adventure? I didn't realize how much my soul craved natural beauty, until I arrived in Sedona. Sometimes it just takes a local road trip to transform the day, the week, and maybe much longer. All the best! 💗
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Sweet and Sour...

1/25/2022

39 Comments

 
Hello dear blog friends! It's #TankaTuesday, and I've a poem to share. This week poet Colleen Chesebro  invites us to write syllabic poetry based on memories: sweet & sour.

My response to the prompt is a poem of two tankas.  
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I hope you have wonderful week. For most of us, it's mighty cold. But within those chilly winds, there's life, precious and dear. Let's find ways to explore and enjoy every moment. 
💗
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Ekphrastic poetry

1/18/2022

46 Comments

 
Hello blog friends! I hope you've a warm fireplace during this cold spell. What a winter, right? Well, here's something to brighten the day. Author Colleen Chesebro provides another poetry prompt -- this time, a beautiful painting by John William Waterhouse. She asks that we explore Ekphrastic poetry, which is poetry inspired by visual art, and use the painting as inspiration. 

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My response is an Etheree poem consisting of ten lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables.
This is a first for me. I hope you like it.

The Knock At The Door  
dreams
arise
hope teases
while gazing down
through a clear glass ball
her sweet heart pounds louder
begging only for resolve
does he love me or does he not
silence answers as the raindrops fall
she tears but then hears the knock at the door
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A writing challenge from D. Wallace Peach

1/16/2022

40 Comments

 
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Hello blog friends! A colleague and writer friend, D. Wallace Peach, posted a challenge for writers to submit a poem or story about their To-Be-Read pile. If you are like me, that list is huge. Part of my problem is that I have eclectic ​interests and if I'm reading a story that involves an historical event or a medical conern, I'll pause and research the topic. 

When I was just a kid, the library was my favorite spot. We didn't have many books on the farm, just the Bible and an Atlas. But I learned to dream with just these two. Then one day, a relative brought us a box of Nancy Drew books. These mysteries absolutely captivated me and stirred my interest in reading and writing. 

As for my TBR, I suspect it will always be a long list. How could it not? 

Here's my simple Tanka response to the writing challenge. 
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adventures stand by

awaiting my acceptance

some frightful some not

all travel to worlds unknown
​

where dreams fly and I with them

I hope you have a wonderful week traveling the pages of your favorite books. 
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A haiku adventure

1/11/2022

44 Comments

 
Hello blog friends, today writer Colleen Chesebro invites aspiring poets to use a particular syllabic form - haiku. Traditionally, haiku is written about nature and that is an easy topic for me. In northern Arizona, the sights are breathtaking and every day I walk the paths into its beauty. 

Now and then, I'm able to capture something extraordinary with my cell phone. The photo below is of Watson Lake, about ten miles from my home. Always beautiful, this pariticular day it was stunning. 

My poem is a simple 3 - 5 - 3 syllable haiku. I hope you like it. Blessings on your day!
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44 Comments

Winter glimpses...

1/4/2022

51 Comments

 
Hello dear blog friends! I hope your holidays were heart-filling. If you're like me, you're just beginning to get in the grove again. When I read author Colleen Chesebro email this morning, invitating poems related to color, I knew the year had officially begun.

My first thought about color was my favorite winter bird. And so, I offer you my syllabic creation, a Tanka poem and - a pair of cardinals. 

Happy 2022 to all! 💗
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51 Comments

The Writer's Contract with Readers

1/1/2022

 
Hello dear blog friends!

Today I'm with Story Empire and have posted a piece entitled The Writer's Contract with Readers. If you have time and interest, please stop by. And above all else, have a fantastic day. 

​All the best! 
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Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. ―Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning


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