Little things, Great news, Halloween, & Spiders!

On October 28, 2026October 28, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry10 Comments

I hope you’re doing well around the globe! I’ve always loved autumn and recently bought this tree for another fun decoration. It’s so beautiful and adds ambience. I love it, so it’s the little things in life that bring joy.

To begin with, I have exciting news…my story “Resilience is her Saving Grace” is chosen as one of the top ten in the Flash Fiction category in the 2026 San Francisco Writers Conference contest!

I think I’m still in shock, a happy shock though. Honestly, I wasn’t planning on going to the SF Writers Conference next year unless I have something new ‘to bring to the table’ and now I do! If you remember, I’ve attended the last two years and had fabulous experiences both times. However, now that all winners will be recognized and in a group photo, of course, I’m going! The winning entries will also be in the SFWC 2026 anthology!

On another note, it’s wild that October is coming to an end and trick-or-treaters will soon wander the streets, decked out in their cutest and ghoulish costumes in pursuit of candy! 👻

It’s also fun to reminisce through old photos. I miss those times, but I love ‘the now’ with our daughter and son (35 & 31).
They’re the best, bias or not, they really are. ❤️

In view of the spooky night just around the corner, I’ll leave you with a poem from my upcoming poetry collection:

THE ARCHITECT

I could live without arachnids…
how a dime-sized spider
can rattle my nerves
mystifies me.
Do spiders jangle your nerves too,
or do you study their artistic ways?

Walt Whitman wrote a poem,
“A Noiseless Patient Spider”
that reached me deeply.
He compares a spider spinning
its lovely web to a human soul,
searching for a sense of belonging.

Aren’t we all searching
for the same thing?

Spiders…
such skilled architects.
I respect the lines and angles
in fascinating silky designs
and Whitman’s poem spins
a new perspective…

so when those eight legs
cause my nerves to quiver,
I will try to see beyond my fear
to the architect spinning silk
into possibility –

for perhaps we are all weaving
our delicate webs,
thread by thread,
hoping to discover where we belong.

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Does the deeper meaning in my poem resonate?
Do you share my same fear? If so, does this new perspective help you also?

Enjoy the beauty of this season, and have a safe and fun Halloween! 🧡🎃👻❤️🍁

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com

Lauren Scott, a Pushcart Prize nominee, enjoys small-town living in Northern California with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their daughter and son live out of state, but with frequent visits and technology, the family stays close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.

If you’re an animal lover and haven’t read
this collection, click on the image to purchase
your copy. Copper will touch your heart. 🧡

October’s Optimism

On October 3, 2026October 3, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry84 Comments

It feels strange that I’m not around as much, but you are missed! I just don’t have the bandwidth to blog like I used to. Maybe this schedule will be my new normal – only time will tell. Life has been challenging since July, but we remain hopeful that things will improve soon; hence, October’s Optimism. I love this new season, but ironically, we’re having a heat wave. Sigh. Anyway, as you know, several projects have kept me busy, and while waiting to hear back regarding submissions, I’m working on a new poetry collection: An Invitation. If all goes smoothly, I’ll have a new book by the end of the year. Below, I’m sharing a micro poem from the collection.

May you be blessed with stunning sunrises!
Thanks for visiting, and I’ll visit you soon! ❤️

My Lashes

I pull hope
from my eyes,
leaning into
the positivity
of my lashes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
Photo: a neighborhood sunrise

Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in eight anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.

***Click on the image to purchase your copy.*** ❤️

To Be Able

On September 18, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry101 Comments

The ability
to get out of bed.

To wash the dishes
do the laundry
grocery shop
sweep the floors –
ordinary tasks
we so often
groan about.

To take a step
around the house
to the mailbox
down the block
through a store.

To work at a job
that pays the bills
or feeds the soul…

to simply pay the bills.

The ability
to eat and drink
to nourish our bodies.

Think about diseases
that steal our abilities –

life-altering
life-threatening…

I don’t know about you,
but I welcome the mundane
with wide open arms
because I am grateful
to be able.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I wish you a wonderful weekend
of both the mundane and extraordinary! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
Photo by iOnix08 on Pexels.com

***To purchase your copy, click on the link. xo***

Afternoon of Poetry

On September 16, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry79 Comments

Sunlight paints patterns
across leaves and debris.
Redwoods stand tall
in a forest of dreams,
a place for peace
where water flows
to the Pacific
and birds sing
on center stage,
but children’s laughter
joins their melody.
A dog’s bark reminds me
of our beloved lab.
Kids on bikes bring visions
of our son and daughter
back then pedaling away
on their two-wheelers,
no electric switch,
just good fun and exercise.
Standing in a moment
of tranquility, I listen…
and then we enjoy
charcuterie delight
with sips of red and white –
an afternoon of poetry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Redwoods seem to star in many of my poems, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing about them. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful Wednesday! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com

Lily Pads

On September 13, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry86 Comments

Lily Pads

Plump frogs hide
under bright green,
veiled beneath
their patch
of security,
and I wonder where
in the velvety sheen
am I?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com
Photo: S. Mendez

Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection, a short story collection, and an early chapter book for children.

Cactus Contentment

On September 7, 2026September 7, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry78 Comments

I’m currently reading a beautiful book of syllabic poetry, Seasons and Crystals, by Balroop Singh. I’ve written syllabic poetry, but it’s not my go-to form like free verse. And yet, reading her poetry and the various forms inspired me. I thought about life in general, about the past events in our family, and about nature’s beauty right in front of us. So, the other evening, Hubby and I were enjoying our patio time and the weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold or windy. A cactus sits on our table that our daughter bought years ago. My husband gave it a drink, and I loved the water droplets on the tepals. So, I wrote some poetry in the form of American cinquain which consists of 5 lines and a syllable count on each line of 2-4-6-8-2. This form is also known as the Crapsey cinquain and was invented by American poet, Adelaide Crapsey.

Evening on the Patio

Pleasure,
simple and free,
birds sing from tree tops in
the distance under vast blue sky –
senses

Splendor

Beauty
comes in many
forms, colors, and textures –
painful to fingertips or soft
to touch

Living

Lovely
life around us
can be prickly at times
but keep eyes open for when hope
glistens

Layers

Secrets
lie in layers –
will they be publicized?
time is the ultimate answer –
patience

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do any of the poems resonate?
Happy Labor Day and have a wonderful week! 💖

Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection and an early chapter book for children.

September slides in…

On September 1, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry84 Comments

A huge thanks to you who left caring comments on my prior post, which after a night of restless sleep (tossed salad), I decided to delete. One friend said that my words helped her, which made me feel good. And your kindness helped me. So, I think it’s time to push aside the sadness, if only for a minute.

To welcome this new month of September that brings its own season, I’m sharing some photos that I took from China Camp, along with a few haiku…

naked ladies dance
in the summer ocean breeze
with soft, blushing cheeks

the laughter you’ve heard
the tears fallen on your chest
the stories you keep

your vastness holds dreams
released to your custody
until my return

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed the pics and poems. Life goes on, and I’m reminded just how fast time seems to fly. My gratitude also goes to you who continue to visit even though I’ve been more absent than present this year. Anyway, I wish you all a Super September. And I promise to visit you during the week! Your time spent here is always appreciated! ❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection and an early chapter book for children.

Lake Love

On August 23, 2026 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Photos, Poetry82 Comments

I returned earlier than I mentioned, but I thought you’d enjoy some lake love. 💙

There’s nothing like escaping to the mountains for tranquility and perspective. Nature unconditionally offers her healing ways, so we embraced them. Last month, life threw us some challenges that we’re moving through with as much grace as possible, but it was good to getaway and spend some time in the Sierra Mountains. We biked around the renovated campground on newly paved roads (pedal bikes and so much fun!). We hiked on the backcountry trail – the same trail that took us to the enchanting Spider Lake for backpacking in 2019.
Loon Lake shown in these photos is gorgeous, a mini Lake Tahoe without the tourists. And it’s been our ‘cabin’ for the last 15 years. Stepping into the cold water is a bit shocking, but once you’re immersed, it feels so good and refreshing that you never want to get out. It’s magical. We reveled in each sunset, and I can’t get enough pics! Our last night’s sunset was one of the most spectacular, oranges and pinks brushed across the sky. And of course, we simply relaxed in camp – reading, talking, listening. Our time here was awesome. It was peaceful. It was reflective. It was needed.
So, I hope the slide show brings peace to you:

A getaway in the woods
may help us forget,
but reality tags along –
so we lug around sadness
while embracing serenity,
and somehow,
they harmonize.

I hope you’re doing well, and maybe one of our photos spoke to you, or maybe a few.
Next week, I’ll share reviews for some wonderful books!
Take good care and stay healthy! 💕

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lauren Scott is a Pushcart Prize nominee who enjoys small-town living in California’s Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Although their daughter and son live out of state, frequent visits and modern technology keep their family of four close. Lauren is the author of four poetry collections, a memoir, and a children’s picture book. She has been a guest on several podcasts and her work has appeared in seven anthologies. Her poetry and prose has also been featured by Spillwords Press and Literary Revelations where she has received several honors. Lauren is a member of the Redwood Writers chapter and Marin chapter of the California Writers Club, and she is currently working on a new poetry collection and an early chapter book for children.