The Natchez Trace Parkway

On September 23, 2024September 23, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry92 Comments

Hello Friends,

I have returned to the land of the living, feeling much better from a week of Covid, about 90% so. I’m still taking it easy because Covid isn’t meant to be taken lightly. But I’m grateful to feel human again. I’m sharing a poem I wrote from one of our day trips with our daughter in Tennessee. We visited The Natchez Trace Bridge, which I will share photos and a piece of writing (in progress) a little later. But the poem today is about our drive along The Natchez Trace Parkway. A brief history is also included.
I hope you enjoy the journey…

**Photo taken at one of the stops on the parkway.**

The Old Natchez Trace – pulled from the National Park Service

The Old Natchez Trace is one of the oldest transportation routes in North America; its human use dates back 10,000 years. The Old Trace consisted of a network of trails. For centuries, American Indians traveled and traded along this corridor, which traverses the homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations. The parkway is a 444-mile scenic drive that connects Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. It’s a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road that’s open to motorists, hikers, and bikers year-round.

The Natchez Trace Parkway

The tires roll on the graceful parkway
flanked with thicket of forest on both sides.
My imagination turns whimsical where
fairies, gnomes, and unicorns coexist
within the density of the woodland.
I exit my tenacious thoughts stirred from
world events, and I revel in wide-open spaces
and a vast valley that continues forever.

Hemlocks, maples, and pines dot
small sections, and I delight in leaves
skipping across the road, letting the grass
catch them in soft embraces.

Our car leapfrogs with a lone cyclist,
but you wouldn’t label our journey a race.
It is a gift to savor where the clock
does not personify a dictator.

My eyes watch butterflies ride the gentle
breeze and crickets hop among the myriad
of greenery. A smile finds its way,
and I am lost in the wonder of every living
creature and how each feels about
our presence in their homeland.

Autumn ensures her presence to come
with hints of golds and crimsons.
I can almost smell the cinnamon.
I can almost taste the pumpkin.
What a delicious season to welcome!

When we reach the end, I direct my
mindset to remain in such a magical state
because not only am I in the best company
of two loved ones,
but my mind and soul feel exhilarated
to release heavy cargo.

Instead, after leaving the heavenly national park,
I find it meditative to observe a man with silver hair
contained beneath a ball cap,
sitting in his chair on his massive, mowed lawn,
simply watching the grass grow.

Let us all immerse into the tranquility of stillness
where time is nothing but irrelevant.

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Thank you for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!
Lauren 🧡🍂🍁

Everything looked the Same

On August 6, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry72 Comments

It was just another day at the county fair.
Everything looked the same.
Vendors gathered in their dedicated spots.
The music venue sat under the white canopy
by the pond that never changes location.

Henna ink has lightened – the faded hummingbird
no longer reminds me of Mom, the wolf, incognito,
but the memory shines like the glimmering pond…

Chatter and laughter echo around the zooming roller coasters,
high-flying swings, and games that will eagerly take your dollar bills.
Feathered spectators compete in the distance, but their melodies
as faint as clouds drifting in the sky. Soft tacos satisfy our palates
under a waterfall of sunshine as we observe parents walking by
with their children wearing cotton candy smiles.
Nothing brings more joy than cheering on the trio of piglets
racing around the track. Their curly tails in view past the finish line!

What a delightful visual the lively grounds present from the revolving
Ferris Wheel. I grab my cell for photos of him with the crowd’s energy
buzzing in the background. He entertains me with these photo ops,
knowing how much I love documenting precious moments.
The ride pauses with our bucket at the top while others climb in below
for their trip around the moon – our fingertips almost touch the vast blue.
I am surprised by the vacancy of butterflies in my stomach.

It was just another day at the county fair.
Everything looked the same, except…
this day was time spent with my adult son –
he would soon embark on a cross-country adventure.
So, a Sunday of togetherness while enjoying
the county fair landscape proved to be anything
but the same, and was indeed different in the very best way –
worth more than any materialistic possession I could ever own.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Thank you for stopping by! ❤️

The Other Side

On May 6, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry89 Comments

The Other Side

One hundred and one years ago,
He breathed in air for the first time
What better day to gift him freedom

His spirit ascended watching over us
He painted the rainbow of love and hope
We felt his presence ever so near
With white and red, we made a toast

As the dust blew along the breeze
The song of sparrows echoed
Our eyes looked to the bright blue
his loving soul glides with the angels

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

Thank you for visiting, and I wish you a wonderful week!❤️

My latest collection of poetry, touching on nature, love, and the mysteries of life
that would make a great for any holiday! Click on the image for your copy. Thank you! 💚

Book Review: Ariel’s Song by Dawn Pisturino

On May 3, 2024May 4, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Book Reviews, Poetry76 Comments

Ariel’s Song by Dawn Pisturino is a beautiful and evocative collection of sixty-five poems – a collection that she lovingly dedicates to her daughter whose name is Ariel. The poems were written over a period of three decades touching on topics of love, family, children, death, nature, and the unique. Some rhyme and others are free in their styles from traditional sonnets that invited me to contemplate, to twisted limericks that made me laugh. I had many favorites, but I’m sharing snippets from a few, otherwise, this review would turn into a novel.

Many poems brought a sense of nostalgia. “November” evoked memories of when the season changed into golds, yellows, and reds, the air brought a chill, and my parents were still with us, enjoying family weekends at our cabin – everyone was young, and the future looked brighter than ever.

When November came,
We sat around the kitchen table after dark,
Telling chilling tales
Of ghosts and other phantoms of the night,
While wooden logs crackled and burned
On the old stone hearth,
And a cold wind wrapped its spectral arms
Around the ancient wooden cottage…

Dawn writes of her late father in “Rapping” which stirred emotions of my mother-in-law who departed from our world over thirty years ago. Our daughter was born the same year that Diane passed, and one evening from downstairs, we heard footsteps on the carpeted staircase when our little girl was sound asleep in her crib. No one else was in the house with us. So, was it Diane stealing a glance at her first precious grandchild? We imagined it was, and so we believed.

As a nature lover with a grateful heart for each new day “When the Morning Comes” hit home and really should be hung on refrigerators:

When the morning comes,
Sun will shine with a different light,
Earth will glow in a brand-new way,
Moon will dance to a gayer tune,
Clouds of pain will float away.
Broken hearts will beat again,
Empty eyes will see new life,
Throats will open up and sing,
Hands will break the chains of strife…

“I Hate Snakes” made me laugh out loud, but I can relate so well to the sentiments. Dawn’s vivid imagery summoned me along to explore with her in ‘the jungle’ and her frightening experience with snakes reminded me of my first encounter with a spider, which eventually turned into arachnophobia, causing a never-ending turbulent relationship with the creepy-crawlies.

I HATE SNAKES

I pushed open the creaky door to look inside
And froze in shock at what I saw:
Slithering, crawling, scaly snakes
Formed a moving carpet on the floor,
Entwining in an intimate embrace,
Lying together in a clump of shimmering bodies,
Moving slowly and surely in the rotten shadows.
We beat a hasty retreat
And never visited our ‘jungle’ again.
And that’s why, even today,
I HATE SNAKES!

Dawn’s collection of lovely, witty, and occasionally dark poetry, offers a verse and a sense of familiarity for everyone. Highly recommended for all poetry enthusiasts!

Dawn’s website: http://www.dawnpisturino.org

And social media links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dawn.pisturino
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/people/Dawn-Pisturino-author/61557762414334
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/dawnpisturino
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dawnpisturino/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-pisturino-a15498123/
Medium: http://www.medium.com/@dawnpisturino
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/dawnpisturino/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WriterArizona
Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/user/Rare_Scare/
Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/arizonawriter

Thank you for stopping by, and enjoy your weekend ahead! ❤️

My latest collection of poetry, touching on nature, love, and the mysteries of life
that would make a great for any holiday! Click on the image for your copy. Thank you! 💚

Birthdays, Beaches, Blessings, and Beginnings

On March 26, 2024March 27, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Author interviews, Birthdays106 Comments

I’ve done a lot of reflecting on the days building up to my recent 59^th birthday (repeated a few times). 🙂 The quiet moments of contemplation were due to my health being challenged in the last year, but I’m not going to put you to sleep with pain-talk. You see, every new day is a precious gift, and birthdays are a chance to celebrate another year of life, so what better reason do we need?

There is no better reason, but I admit to feeling less than celebratory because of these changes my poor body has endured. These two health conditions are here to stay. I can’t bid them farewell, so I’m coming to terms with them, albeit a slow process. And even though things could be worse, it doesn’t negate what I’m experiencing – essentially, a new chapter in my book. Thus, my excitement to blow out the candles this go around felt contained instead of free. Are my feelings justified? Living with pain can be a downer. And I know that I’m at an age when health can change.

And yet, without a support circle to help keep my chin up, it would be much harder to focus on the good. And ‘the good’ is what keeps me moving forward! And moving forward is the best direction! I know there will be hiccups and hurdles but taking life ‘one day at a time’ never sounded so wise.

I chose to get an epidural which gave me the heebie-jeebies, but it finally kicked in, so I’m feeling better. Not 100%, but better enough to do some walking and smiling on my special day. The celebration spanned over four days of sipping Chardonnay, indulging in delicious food, and receiving wonderful gifts. I reveled in the joy of blowing out the candles on the carrot cake (my favorite)! Part of the fun was when my hubby, son, and I strolled around a local, charming beach town. My daughter and son-in-law celebrated from Tennessee! She and I recently had one of our iconic phone chats where even we broke our own record – we talked for 5 hours! It was awesome!
Anyway, back to the beach, I was grateful for this pain-free day.
It felt good to ‘feel good.’ 🙏

*It was lovely to see a touch of spring.*

We enjoyed a sinfully delicious dinner that night, and afterwards, we took a drive that lead us to a beautiful spot for taking in the lights and the stunning moon. My hubby gets credit for the last shot.

I hope you enjoyed the photos! ❤️

And now a slight detour, if you missed my previous post about my interview on Spillwords Press, and you’d like to check it out, the link is: https://spillwords.com/spotlight-on-writers-lauren-scott/. It was an honor to be chosen to participate in their series: Spotlight on Writers. Feel free to give it a ❤️ or to leave a comment. I’d be grateful if you would! 🤗🙏

So, Cheers to celebrating life, one day at a time, and to relishing in the blessings and beautiful beginnings that birthdays offer! 🎉🙏

Thanks SO much for stopping by, and I truly wish you all good health.
~Lauren 💝

My Sister’s Home

On February 18, 2024February 18, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry97 Comments

I walk through the front door,
and with each step,
a memory embraces me
like a warm hug of sweet nostalgia,
chatter and laughter echo in my mind
leading me to the framed photos
on the ivory walls that come to life –
savory and sweet aromas whirled
from kitchen to living room enticing palates,
the television stayed on for background noise
(when back then, streaming
brought only thoughts of calm, flowing water)
the vision of mom’s lovely smile,
the music of dad’s chuckle,
what I would give
for another moment to be with them –
the enchantment
of seven grandchildren running around
wearing huge smiles,
their giggles following their footsteps –
before the lawn was laid
and array of blooms were planted
and the concrete basketball court was poured,
nothing but earth in the backyard –
she’d relax on the chaise beside the new pool
a million laps later,
the turquoise still glimmers –
fond memories of those chapters
stay cozy in the walls
in the cracks and crevices
over the passing of time
among the fleeting minutes…
I step through the door, and it feels like home.

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Reconnected

On January 18, 2024January 19, 2024 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry68 Comments

He had just entered the world
his body tiny and delicate
a bundle needing to be loved
His skin darker than theirs
but this made no difference
Joy danced in their hearts
when he became family

but with each passing birthday
the skin color confused him,
badgering his emotions
like poison flowing
through his veins
causing him to act out
in unforeseen ways

their circle was broken
when he walked out the door

leaves on the trees
changed their wardrobe,
falling over and over and over again
his silence shattered their world

until he walked through the door
realization in his heart
realization in his soul
embracing them for the love,
for the home they gave him

skin color irrelevant
they were family
reconnected

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Breadth of Understanding…

On December 1, 2023December 1, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Family, Personal Stories87 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

Ever since my father-in-law’s passing on October 31st, my husband has been sorting through his dad’s belongings. A job only he can do to know what should be kept. His dad was very organized, not only with important documents, but also with precious keepsakes. One item that my hubby found was a recipe card written by his mom, Mable, in the mid 50s to her son, Wil, who she called Billy. A card that offered sage advice for living a good life.

In case the card is hard to read:

First thing in A.M. drink 1 pint which is two cups of hot water every morning. It is more necessary than washing your face.
Later drink a glass of fruit juice.
Eat something ‘alive’ not cooked each day. Celery or apples, or oranges, or grapes. Eat them while they are on the market and in good shape. “Life makes life”, eat them fresh and alive, all the fruits that you can. “Cooked or canned are dead and cannot make you a live body.”
Cut the sandwiches out if at all possible. A couple of bananas and a pound of grapes with an apple or orange will hold you for a long time.
Drink more and more water! The body needs it just as much if not more than too much food.
Don’t forget your twisting exercises and the ‘Stand at Attention’ exercise to strengthen your muscles. You don’t want to be a hnch back at 40, so stand straight and tall. Get on the bars and swing every chance you get.
How is golf? Better get going before Phil (his brother) writes for his clubs! “Make hay while the sun shines!”
Please carry this card where you will read it once at least – once a day – until you do what it says to do!
Happy Days to you, MEMS (her loving acronym).

**Mable at 85 with her sons (my FIL on the right).**

Wil carried this advice from his mother each day, and he knew that she didn’t write the card to preach. But she was a woman born in 1889, and her intellect was beyond her years. She was intelligent, independent, believed in Astrology, an independent health care worker who believed in taking care of our bodies and minds. She advocated for eating right and nurturing mental health. She may have been delicate and petite, but she was strong in character and mind. She lived to be 90!

We found special letters Mable wrote to Billy, along with this special card. And we know there will be more to come. Treasures to keep those wonderful memories company. My hubby was lucky to know all of his grandparents, except for his dad’s dad who passed away when his dad was very young. I only knew my dad’s mom, and even then, I was young when she passed, so my memories are vague. We’re grateful that our daughter and son had the chance to spend time with their grandparents, except again, with my hubby’s mom who passed away before they were born.

Conversations with our parents who have lived, experienced, and endured so much brought knowledge and a breadth of understanding.

I’ll end with her profound words again, “Life makes life – cooked or canned are dead and cannot make you a live body.”

As we enter into the holiday season where treats are abundant, remember Mable’s words. Wil used to also say, “Everything in moderation and always keep moving.”
She lived to be 90, and He lived to be 100, so there must be truth to these words!

Happy December!
~Lauren ❤️