Hello dear blog friends! It's #TankaTuesday, poetry day. As usual, my post is a response to author Colleen Chesebro's weekly prompt. Today she invited poet Ken Gierke to choose a theme. He selected the word TRANSITIONS. With that in mind, participants can select which syllabic form they'd like to use. 

My poem is a traditional Haiku of syllables 5-7-5. And were I to give it a title, it would be TIME. 

I hope you enjoy it, and I also hope you decide to submit a poem as well.  

Enjoy the week, maybe some special memories, and stay well dear friends. 🧡

Hello dear blog friends. It's #TankaTuesday and author Colleen Chesebro has another prompt for us.  She invites anyone who enjoys poetry to respond to the photo image below (submitted by Diana Peach). 

I've chosen to write two tanka, each with 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. I hope you enjoy it, and I also hope you'll join in the fun. My submission -- 

With fingers crossed, let's all enjoy a week full of wonderful discoveries. Stay well!  😊

Happy Valentine's Day, dear readers! 

Amidst the demands of the times, we pause and celebrate those we love. How wonderful is that! Stores are filled with bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolate, and rows of cards. Today LOVE is getting needed attention. 

With Valentine greetings spread across the blogosphere, there's one special Valentine I'd like to share with you today - my grandfather Valentine F Butters. 

Born February 14th, Val (as he was called), quickly became beloved by all who knew him. 

For most of his life, he didn't have much, and he didn't care. He loved life - the challenges, the joys, and all the moments in-between. 

What I remember most about my grandfather is his laugh. No matter the circumstance, peeling potatoes or reading me a book, he'd offer a heartfelt chuckle. 

​My mom was a twin, and when she arrived, the whole community responded. They were the first twins in the farming community and quickly lost their names to be called "The Twins". 

​For Val, they were a miracle. He spent long hours in the fields caring for this miracle, and each year another arrived.  

I never heard my grandfather say anything unkind or thoughtless. If he spotted one of his grandkids in tears, he'd pick them up and listen to their story, then he'd offer hugs and say, "It's not so bad, now is it?"  I heard this expression more than once, and it always made everything better. 

Much like the Twins, my grandfather saw his grandchildren as miracles. But Papo (as we called him) was our miracle. 

Thinking back over the years, there are many Valentines I cherish, but my grandfather tops the list. In his memory, I offer a simple Tanka poem and wish you a very happy Valentine's Day.  

Hello blog friends! We've had some incredible evenings of recent in Northern Arizona. Even my cell phone camera can't fail when it comes to the Prescott skies. I took the photo below just two evenings ago. 

When I received author Colleen Chesebro's weekly prompt, I opted for a poem reflective of the night sky. Colleen asked that we try a new syllabic form - Abhanga. It's a 4-line stanza with the second and third line rhyming. And, the syllables are 6-6-6-4. 
 

Simple, but I hope you like it. I also invite you to try writing an Abhanga as well. Till next week, let's all look to the heavens for blessings. 

Stay well, my friends. 💗

Hello blog friends! I hope you are staying warm during this chilly season. I love bundling up in front of a fireplace with a good book. If you enjoy the same, I've a great story for you. 

Jan Sikes is a proud Texas writer and she's added a new book to her list of award-winning stories. I've known Jan for several years and delighted in her achievements and in her friendship. Today she is going to tell us about this latest release. 

It's all yours, Jan...
​
​                                                                      ***

Thank you, Gwen, for inviting me to your blog site today to talk about my new book, JAGGED
FEATHERS! I appreciate your generosity.

In Jagged Feathers, Vann and Nakina, share a love for and immerse themselves in different art mediums. Vann gathers pieces of driftwood he finds along the creekbank and fashions scenes out of them, then peddles them at a local flower shop in Cedar Springs.

​
The idea for Vann to find comfort through creating art with his hands from nature's leavings came from my late husband. His mom had a mimosa tree in her front yard that died. She asked him to cut it down for her. As he removed the tree, he envisioned prickly pear cactus leaves in wood pieces. He must have made a dozen or more pieces and sold them through a local flower shop where we lived. I still have one piece left that I treasure.
​


EXCERPT:
Creating art with pieces of wood he picked up along the creek bank brought him peace. The
simple action of carving scenes and shapes into nature’s leavings temporarily replaced the
incessant noise in his head.

Many of the scenes he carved told stories. Memories from his boyhood, fishing along the
banks of the James River without a care in the world, exploring the foothills of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, and observing the birds and wildlife that inhabited that area of Virginia came to life
beneath his fingers and tools.
​
This cabin on Wolf Creek came close to recreating the tranquility he loved that could only
be found in nature.

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Hello blog friends! Today I posted a segment on Story Empire and invite you to stop by if you've time. The topic is the rise in popularity of short stories.

In the post, I share information on a study Microsoft initiated which indicates that our attention spans are declining because of technology. They suggest that we have less focus than that of a goldfish. It's an interesting analogy, don't you think? 

I hope you'll visit. Have a wonderful weekend! 

Hello blog friends! I've another poem for you. This week author Colleen Chesebro invites syllabic poems using color. My entry is a simple Tanka (syllables of 5-7-5-7-7) focused on the colors at the Grand Canyon. My cell phone camera cannot fully capture the awesomeness of this wonder, but I doubt any camera could. Some miracles present visions that only the heart can see. 
 

Won't you join in the fun and share your poem as well? I'd love to read it. Just follow the link above, and you'll be guided to Colleen's site.

​Blessings until next week! 💗