A Gallery of Art & Words

A few weeks ago, Matt and I were enjoying a lunch at a great Mexican restaurant, Flores, and this beautiful piece of art caught my eye. The artist’s name is in the lower right hand corner. I immediately thought of my good friend, Resa, at graffitiluxandmurals.com because she has an eye for stunning street art that she shares on her blog. I had to get some photos, so I pulled out my cell and took a few. Then I sent them to Resa, and she was thrilled to include them in a post last week. Since I was on a blogging break, I’m sharing her fabulous post today where she not only spotlights this gorgeous painting, but many other faces that will take your breath away.

Please click on over to Resa’s blog for more! She is an amazing seamstress, photographer, artist, and friend who raises the bar when it comes to supporting others. 💖

In addition to Resa’s blog post, if you saw mine from Monday, you’ll know that my haiku “The Reveal” was published on Gobblers by Masticadores. Well, Resa left a comment on Gobblers, and here’s one of her lines: “This Haiku is so pretty, I want it to be a longer poem.” Not only did she inspire me, but she challenged me too. I met the challenge head on, doing my best to create a series of six haiku – #1 is the original.

(1) The Reveal

in the night abyss
shimmering with white diamonds
hope winks with promise

(2)

optimism shines
through each gem pushing aside
sierra-sized ang
st

(3)

mystery flows from
one star to the next for our
steady pondering

(4)

wonder breathes beneath
darkness in its cluster of
bright luminaries

(5)

glimmers emit warmth
fulfilling souls longing for
pure enlightenment

(6)

peace sinks into hearts
entwined with a promise from
one momentous wink

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

All available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Click on sidebar image for more info, and to
purchase for your holiday shopping! Thank you! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
Author and poet, Lauren Scott, enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their adult son and daughter live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, the family of four remains close. Lauren has published four poetry collections, a memoir, and her first children’s book. Her latest poetry collection is a tribute to her family’s Chocolate Labrador who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in spring 2025. Lauren is a recent Pushcart Nominee and has been a guest on several podcasts. Her writing is featured on Spillwords Press where she was voted Author of the Month and garnered Publication of the Month awards. She is a contributing author in several anthologies, and her work is also shared on Gobblers and Masticadores. Her muse discovers inspiration from her family, spending time outdoors, reveling in simple things, and marveling at the mysteries of life.

A Tropical Turquoise Dream

Spinning, spinning thoughts
as my head touches the pillow…
I’m not a tornado chaser,
so I let the turmoil run its course,
and it’s steadfast in its need
to not let me sleep.
And yet, I do, eventually…
I fall, wishing I could be
on the outside, watching…
because I would be proud
to witness me resting
every fiber of my being.
I’m living a tropical
turquoise dream
where a sea of smiles
flows farther
than the eye can see.
An invisible thread of
joy and love glide
from human to human.
The dark cloud of hate
becomes translucent,
only a mind’s nightmare,
a memory in history.
This turquoise dream
carries me away
to a place of peace,
warm sand beneath my feet,
songs of the ocean
bring serenity.
Hope lives and breathes,
gifting a sublime picture
of a brighter dawn
for all hearts with red blood.
Yes…
tomorrow will bring
a tangerine sunrise,
thriving teamwork
to finally unify
on wings of optimism.

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

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Pexels.com
Have a wonderful Monday and week ahead! 💖

Click on my daughter’s image to order your copy! 🧡


Lauren Scott
Author – King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry
Author – Cora’s Quest (a children’s book)
Author – Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poetry
Author – More than Coffee: Memories of Verse and Prose
Author – Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poetry
Author – New Day, New Dreams: A Collection of Poetry
Co-Author – Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku
Co-Author – Petals of Haiku: An Anthology
Co-Author – This Is How We Grow
Co-Author – Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
Bi-Monthly Contributor on Gobblers by Masticadores
Spillwords Author of the Month May 2023
Spillwords Publication of the Month October 2024
Spillwords Publication of the Month June 2025

Expectations

After a rainy, yet cozy Christmas Day, the day after was clear and gorgeous – Nicasio Lake.

Oh, What do you see
As clear as can be?
Hope on the horizon –
A glimmer of possibility!

When you hear the word “expectation” what thoughts come to mind? I immediately recall the many times my expectations of others were unreasonably too high, thus, leaving me extremely disappointed. A lesson learned…

On the other hand, expecting something to occur or to change can also be a form of positive thinking. Here’s how the wheels in my brain have been working lately: after such a tumultuous 2020 that so many are eager to view only from the rearview mirror, I expect the new year that is literally just around the corner, to outshine this current year without question or doubt. A vaccine is already accessible to some and will be available to the rest of us, hopefully, in the first quarter of the new year.

Am I too optimistic? Maybe so…we may have a few more months to mask up and social distance before normalcy arrives again. But I want to believe that we will be able to walk down the street someday soon and see others smile and not just through their eyes. We won’t be so paranoid about dodging droplets and touching surfaces.

So, I choose to be optimistic as we clink our glasses at midnight on December 31st and to expect good things to come after all the stress, loss, and pain. After all, what have we got to lose? When positive thoughts abound, our hearts and minds remain calm, and calm is certainly a place where we should hunker down.

What about you? Will you join me? 💗🥂✨🌟💗


Lauren Scott (c) 2020 💖
New Year Photo: Google

The Right Attitude

No-fear-Image

One of my new dear friends, Debby, from https://dgkayewriter.com/, wrote this to me regarding my last health update and it stuck…

“We get what we focus on, so don’t make it fear!”
~DG Kaye

This message isn’t new, but it’s so easy to allow fear to slip into our thoughts. It affects not only our reactions to stressful times, but it also affects us physically, causing anxiety and even some unwanted aches and pains. So, this was a timely reminder for me, even though I’m not truly living in fear. However, I am inviting Optimism for a long stay, and if you’re dealing with stress in any form, will you join me in this attitude adjustment? I hope you will, and Thanks, Debby! 💕

hope

And lastly, I’d like to wish you all a Fabulous Friday, and a Wonderful Weekend ahead. With love, Lauren ❤❤❤

Photos: Google

Moving Forward

Dear Friends,

This is a follow-up to my last post…thank you for your love, prayers, positive thoughts, and support. I’m feeling much better, but healing on the inside is still needed. So, I’m in the process of scheduling a procedure that will provide answers.

In the meantime, it’s great to have my energy back; it’s no fun staying in bed not being able to contribute to the daily routine. My outlook is optimistic, but I’m also realistic. I don’t do well living in gray area, so we shall see…

On a lighter note, I love the cooler weather, and the season of Fall is one of my favorites…the colors, the smells, the foods, and the change of wardrobe. 🙂 And for the new season upon us, I’m including a fun haiku, and of course, Copper. My daughter took this photo a few years back, and it remains a favorite.

Copper in Autumn by Steph 2016

pumpkins on the porch
sandles in hybernation
hello socks and boots!

Wishing you all a Wonderful Wednesday. ❤❤❤

 

Journal Entry 9/10/18

September 10, Monday

(hospital stay 9/7-9/9 Fri-Sun)

It’s evening when I usually pick up a good book, but my eyes are just too tired and my mind is too preoccupied to concentrate on anything. My body is also fatigued as though every ounce of energy has been zapped. Then when my head meets the pillow, my mind begins to wander again. Some thoughts lead into great memories of present or past. This is when I breathe deeply and thank God. And some start to tumble into a darker place where I have no desire to be. Those thoughts provoke wild emotions, and the last thing I need is puffy eyes in my morning reflection.

So, it takes mustering up a lot of strength to bat those dark thoughts away as if they’re pesky, blood-sucking mosquitoes. This is when I also breathe deeply – slowly inhaling, slowly exhaling, hoping to relax and fall into a deep slumber where thinking is finished for the night. And I pray to God that I’ll be okay. One thing I’ve been reminded of is just how fragile life can be, and I didn’t need reminding.

With this being said, and even through an occasional two-minute-melt-down, I’ll keep the faith as the waiting and testing continues. I won’t let optimism out of my sight. Taking one day at a time still rings true. And I am beyond grateful for the love and support of my awesome family and friends.

(I hope to catch up on blog-reading real soon. Stay safe and well. Lauren ❤)

 

 

What I learned in ER

1. That life’s course can change in a heartbeat.
2. That we need to be advocates for our loved ones when it comes to medical attention.
3. That I can find calmness and strength when it’s needed.
4. That we need to have faith in medical personnel.
5. That nothing is black and white.
6. That my faith in God has waned.
7. That asking why doesn’t bring answers.
8. That all I know is that I don’t know anything.
9. That “one day at a time” is no joke.
10. That sitting in the emergency room while the power went out was beyond spooky (even though hospitals have generators). And it happened twice.
11. That I commend medical staff wholeheartedly.
12. That even though we were there from  11:30 pm to 4 am, we survived.
13. That being a parent involves much more than changing diapers.
14. That even as children grow older parenting doesn’t end.
15. That worrying does no good but manages to surface anyway.
16. That the future still remains unknown.
17. That the last time I screamed at God wasn’t the last time.
18. That the feeling of helplessness is indescribable. 
19. That since this event, time hasn’t stopped. Life goes on. We move forward.

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” 
~ Albert Camus

“Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart.” 
~ Jose N. Harris

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

~ Maya Angelou

***Thanks to all who read this. Its purpose isn’t for sympathy, rather for therapeutic reasons. We all have stories of sorrow. But on the opposite end of sorrow, there is joy for many reasons, along with strength, optimism, and perseverance – the reason I ended with these great quotes. Sometimes, we just have to pour our hearts out, though, so thanks again for stopping by. And may you also find strength, optimism, and perseverance in any struggles you’re experiencing. ❤

 

 

 

A New Year Already?

new year

Does time fly by at faster speeds each year? It sure seems like it. Are your thoughts similar? Well, now that we know a new year is just around the corner, have you made a list of resolutions?

A few days ago, I reminisced about this year and all its glories and sorrows. Resolutions, for me, are a thing of the past. However, I have completed some goals that were set in the beginning of this year (patting myself on the back). I like to create new goals rather than resolutions. So, this began the wheels turning and the goal list for 2018 has commenced!

Here is some wisdom from the author, Kirsten Sevig:

“I decided to measure success in happiness, progress, wisdom, accumulating rejection and failure, resilience and determination, pride in my work, confidence, and comparing only to myself instead of to others.” 

What great wisdom this is because how many measure success in dollar signs only? How many compare their accomplishments to others’ successes and easily beat themselves up for not achieving as much? I hope this wisdom enlightens your visions of the New Year! And even though we’ve read similar encouragement before, this affords us another chance to make our lives what we want them to be. 

Below is an old poem I wrote for New Year’s that I hope you enjoy again or for the first time.

There were…
High points to this year
Low points to bear
Tears to dry
from reasons to cry
Lessons to learn by
Adventures to try
Demons to fight
Wrongs to right
Resolutions completed
Some deleted
But looking back
we see impact
Another year of living
The gift of existing
Accelerate in high gear
No invite for fear
Pour the bubbles
Forget your troubles
Clink and Chime
Celebrate Big Time!

Lauren Scott ©

new year 2018

 

WISHING YOU ALL A SAFE & HAPPY NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION,
AND A 2018 THAT IS BETTER THAN THIS YEAR – MORE PROSPEROUS, BETTER HEALTH, AND MUCH HAPPIER, AND MORE LOVE-FILLED, TOO! 

~LAUREN 🎉🎊🎇🎆✨❤