Hello, blog friends. . . 

I hope you had a wonderful week with abundant laughter and good food. Hubby and I were in Southern California for a family get-together. Because of our travels, I've been absent from social media - and late for my weekly poem. 

Yvette Calleiro hosted the #TankaTuesday challenge this past week. She asked that we focus on silver linings and the contrast between struggles and blessings. This was an easy assignment because of our drive on Interstate 10. Two major truck accidents caused a delay of a couple of hours. Imagine my delight when we finally reached the ocean. 

​I took the photo below after escaping the car and walking the coastline. There's something so calming and restorative about the water, don't you agree? My silver lining after a very looong drive was sand under my feet. ❤️​

Have a wonderful week, dear blog friends!

Dear blog friends,

Thanksgiving Day is rapidly approaching. For those unfamiliar with this holiday, it is a time when families gather and give thanks through a special meal and precious time together. In some locales, there are parades and other celebrations. 

As the title Thanksgiving suggests, the Day is focused on gratefulness. We pause, step back, and recognize the gifts we hold - through our family, friends, pets, health, and so much more. 

You are part of my Thanksgiving. We probably have not met, but you're included in my extended family through your writing. I've read over fifty books this year, and each has opened my eyes to another world - your world - captured in fiction. Thank you! 

Two quotes come to mind, and I suspect they will resonate with you as well: ​

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.
Anais Nin

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only once. George R. R. Martin

​Below are a few of my recent reads - all of which were excellent. And below these wonderful books is a compilation of other great tomes I read this year. Thank you - all - for sharing your brilliance and enriching my life.  ❤️  

You'll find my reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub.

It's probably no surprise that my Kindle is still packed with unread books. I hope to finish a few more stories by the end of this year. Fingers crossed, those books will include yours. ❤️

From the Smithsonian Magazine's "Brain Matters" ~

According to a recent study by neuroscientists published in the journal of Brain Connectivity, reading a novel can improve brain function on a variety of levels. The ability to use your imagination and put yourself in the shoes of another person is similar to developing muscle memory in sports.

Quite the incentive, don't you agree? 😊

Hubby and I are on the road, and because of that, I've closed the comments for this post. We will spend several days with his family in Southern California. I hope you'll also be with your family and friends this week. Blessings to all and . . . ​

Hello, blog friends. 

It seems the United States has survived the elections, even though strong sentiments remain. Looking back over the years, I've experienced 14 different presidents. 7 were Democrats and 7 were Republicans. I was inconsolable when John F. Kennedy was murdered. And a couple years later, when two people I greatly loved were also killed - Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy - I thought surely the world was coming to an end.

I’ve always supported the underdog, the discriminated, the homeless, and the ignored veterans. Politics hasn't done much for these populations, but good-willed citizens have (hurricane aid - a recent example). I mention this because ordinary people, like you and me, are the hope for our beautiful planet. My poem below reflects on that truth.

Cheryl is the host for today's Tanka Tuesday challenge. She invites us to write a Shadorma - a Spanish poetic form that consists of six lines with a syllable count of 3-5-3-3-7-5. This is my first attempt at this form. Maybe you'll give it a try too? 

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. 

Hello, blog friends!

It's Tanka Tuesday, and this week poet Willow Withers offers the prompt. She's asked that participating poets choose a piece of music and "write a syllabic poem about how the music either makes you feel or what it suggests to you."

For my contribution, I've gone back in time to 1976. Judy Collins and Leonard Cohen are two of my favorites and in this song, they shine. I offer "Suzanne". 

My music-inspired tanka tries to capture some of the life-movement suggested by the song Suzanne. I hope you enjoy it.   

I hope you have a wonderful, music-filled week! 

Hello, blog friends ~ 

It's Tanka Tuesday, and I've another poem to share. This week writer Lisa Nelson offers the prompt. She invites participants to use synonyms for the words promise and comfort in their poem. 

One of my sons is an outdoorsman. Since he was a little kid, he'd disappear into the woods and make friends with the critters. He's climbed numerous mountains, surfed the oceans, hiked obscure trails, and these last years, he's enjoyed mountain biking.

Brian's photographs of his adventures always elicit wonder. A couple of days ago, he emailed me the photo below - from a fifty mile ride in the Northeast. I've used it as inspiration for my Tanka. 

My synonyms for the two prompt words (promise and comfort) are covenant and peacefulness. I've entitled it Life's Covenant. 

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. Let's explore the wilds . . .