A Sea of Santas

On December 18, 2025December 18, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Photos, Poetry56 Comments

Last Saturday, we went to Union Square in San Francisco for some Christmas fun. What we didn’t expect to see is so many Santas! But it wasn’t random; SantaCon was in full force – a bar crawl in festive Christmas costumes. We also saw many elves and The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who! It was fun to see the sea of reds, whites, and greens. I was so tempted to ask a few ‘Santas’ if I could take a photo but chickened out. Watching children ice skate evoked wonderful memories of taking our son and daughter when they were little. Precious memories! After several hours of walking around the Square and lunch at The Cheesecake Factory in Macy’s on the eighth floor, we headed for The Embarcadero to take in the hustle and bustle in The Ferry Building. I couldn’t resist photos of the festivities in general, so here we go:

We had such a wonderful day to add to our holiday celebrations, then the trifecta of tragedies occurred over the course of the weekend. Our emotions were confused. They didn’t know whether to jump for joy from a great day in the city and for our safety, or to surrender to sorrow, feeling deep sadness for the loss, hate, and violence. Honestly, we felt a little of both. And our hearts ache for those who are grieving, especially during this time when the hope is for all to revel in joy. We help in ways that we can, and I hope you all do the same. Any gesture of kindness will make a difference. I wish I could take in all the people who are hurting, not to mention, all the animals that are suffering. I wish I could. And I wish love would prevail over hate…all hope can’t be lost, but it sure flounders at times…

On a lighter note, I pulled a couple poems from my post here to conclude:

This jingle jolly
season delights young hearts as
they bake cookies for
the white-bearded man in red
joy through the eyes of children

‘Tis the season to
be with family and friends
bringing joy to hearts
for their company is the
best gift of all to receive

❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for stopping by. I have a couple more posts before ‘breaking for the holidays’ with my last on the 23rd.
I wish you happiness, love, good health, and safety.
From my heart to yours, Lauren ❤️

The ultimate gift for dog lovers and
pet parents in general. Click on the link
to order your copy. 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.

Two Lanes

On December 10, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry76 Comments

Memories that drench
your skin
in a coal black night…

Memories that crumble
you to the ground…

You can pack your boxes,
fill up your gas tank
or plug in the EV
and drive across country,

but those vivid scenes
and words that paint
bruises on your heart
will find your front porch.

They boast a built-in
navigation system,
so, it’s up to you –
freedom of choice.

You can let go.
Anything or anyone
unworthy
of your loyalty
won’t nest in your mind.

The road will be yours –
unending…
surrounded by beauty,
possibilities dancing,
the sky opening
around every curve

as Natasha Bedingfield sings
“Today is where
your book begins.
The rest is still unwritten.”

Choose wisely.
Do it for you…

because you are worthy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks so much for being here today. ❤️

We miss Copper this holiday season, but
we’ll find comfort in the photos of him by the tree,
wearing a Santa hat, or snoozing by the fire.
If you’d like to order a copy, or know someone
who would find comfort in this special collection,
please click on the link. Thank you. xo

During and After

On December 9, 2025December 9, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry79 Comments

branches
weighed
down
like
shoulders
from
burdens

leaves
chilled
from
air
that
bites

frost-filled
ponderings
surrender
to
the
freezing

How much mettle
is needed to push
against the bulk?

a
defeated
soul
shivers
from
trickles
of
a
chill

but the weight
eventually eases

anguish doesn’t live
in an endless state

breathing always
finds its place

with reasoning

for reassessing

during and after the mess.

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

Thanks for dropping in, and if you’re struggling during
this holiday season, I hope you find comfort from my words. ❤️

Readings, Respite, Reflecting, Resuming 🍁

On November 22, 2025November 22, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Discussion, Poetry109 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

I’m combining several things in this post, so make yourself comfortable and pour a glass of your favorite cold or hot drink! To begin with, I had the opportunity to read my book, Cora’s Quest, at our local library. This was a ‘first’ for me, other than the reading at the book fair in May. Seven children and their moms arrived with attentive hearts and minds, and it was wonderful, to say the least. I don’t have many photos because the kids’ faces can’t be seen, but these give you an idea.

I spoke a little before I began reading, and then I had several questions for the children afterwards. They answered and were adorable, not to mention, smart! A few moms chimed in too! And a couple of the moms mentioned to me that they really loved the message in the story: To remember that we always have courage inside of us and to stay calm when we’re feeling afraid.

I had several giveaways: stickers, bookmarks, puppets, and coloring pages, and many of the kids had fun coloring at the table. And I sold some books, which wasn’t the main goal. First of all, I hoped for a decent number of kids to show up, which happened. Then of course, I hoped that the children and parents loved the book, which they did by clapping at the end of the reading. I have to add that all the kids left with a sticker on their shirt or dress, and some of the moms did the same. I had a happy heart, and they all loved Cora! So, that evening, Matt and I toasted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to my success! 🥂

Now as for respite, this will be my last post until the first week of December. It’s time to prepare for the big day, Thanksgiving, and excited to see our kids while also reflecting upon past memories of our parents whom have all passed away. Not to mention, our lovable dogs, and Copper, who we still miss so much. They’re having lots of fun together over the Rainbow Bridge. 🌈

Speaking of Copper, yesterday afternoon I was really missing him and my emotions got the best of me. I was sitting at my desk and happen to look out the window, and what did I see? Our neighbor’s gray cat relaxing on our patio chair. She was all curled up and quite cozy and comfortable. I felt like something bigger was at play because of my longing to hug Copper one more time, and knowing that this holiday season will be our first without him. Sigh.

***Copper loved this time of year, and he definitely was a regal boy.*** 🧡

Lastly, I leave you with old poetic thoughts for Thanksgiving.
So, to those who celebrate this holiday,
I wish you a blessed day, and to those who don’t, I wish you a blessed day!

Below is a poem I give to you all! ❤️

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Born from history a day we celebrate
blessings in our lives, for each breath we take
but some live in darkness with light, imaginary
living to survive is anything but sanctuary
I hold them in my heart, though trite to some ears
In moments of surrender, I give freedom to tears

So, I ask not for anything
but one gift I will bring
to the feast laid before me
where all should dance with glee
a piece of me that I impart
is my very grateful heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ll see you in December to resume my blogging routine,
so be well, be safe, be happy. Sending love! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com

***Click on my son’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

Autumn shows her true colors in Wine Country

On November 13, 2025November 13, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Photos, Poetry115 Comments

We spent last weekend in Wine Country, specifically visiting our favorite boutique winery, Char Vale Vineyards. Our experiences at Char Vale have been so wonderful that we became members. So last weekend, our plan was to pick up the bottles of wine that we had ordered. But as members, we were offered complimentary wine tasting. The owner and staff always go the extra mile, and the setting is magical. On this visit, the one and only winemaker, Justin, came out to meet us, and we chatted for almost a half hour. It was interesting to learn more about the process. We also love this time of year, so watching the wardrobe of Autumn unfold was stunning, to say the least. Golden hues, oranges, reds…warm and cozy vibes. I hope you enjoy the photos…

***Enjoying the sips and notes and scenery.***

***View from our hotel of the quaint downtown.***

Are you surprised that I became inspired to write? 🙂 I hope you enjoy these haiku…

(1)

harvest has ended
as season of fall arrives
field of golden hues

(2)

blue sky stretches to
infinity as we sip
notes of pear and peach

(3)

autumn parades her
golden gown through ten acres
blue sky umbrella

(4)

process continues
when leaves gently pirouette
lovely vines bare all

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

The weekend was beautiful beyond words, and now raindrops dance on our roof. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I wish you a wonderful day! If you found a favorite photo or haiku, let me know in the comments! 🧡❤️🍁

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com

Cozy Vibes

On October 14, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry102 Comments

Stunning Aspens in Colorado

Sidewalks no longer sizzle
beneath summer’s intense embrace –
a sign anticipated by the leaves
with an abundance of grace.

Each year around this time,
they’re excited for the change,
like a model walks the runway,
new colors rearrange.

Shades of cranberries and squash
warmly enter stage left –
pinks and purples gladly accept
their much-needed rest.

A season that captivates when
cinnamon swirls in the air,
candles dance on mantels,
October declares, “Beware!”

Mother Nature encourages
soft sweaters and snuggling –
lights blink and wink on eaves
ambience for cuddling.

Pumpkin flavors entertain palates
in recipes galore
while on the thirty-first
carved faces frighten with gore!

So, whatever your fancy
in the midst of football and hayrides,
enjoy the fun festivities
and the blustery, cozy vibes!

***Autumn sunrise on Bear Lake***
***in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado***

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

Happy Fall and Thank you for taking the time to stop by!
I appreciate you! 🧡🍁🧡

***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

Spillwords Press publishes “Spider on a Hand” – Gobblers by Masticadores publishes “Almost Fall-ing” & a peek into Captivating Colorado!

On September 29, 2025September 29, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry77 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

We had a fabulous time with our son as he played tour guide, showing us incredible sights in Colorado. It was a long weekend that went by fast. But while I was offline, Manuela at Gobblers by Masticadores published “Almost Fall-ing” and this morning, Dagmara at Spillwords Press published “Spider on a Hand.” I hadn’t planned to do a post today, but I chose to combine both to honor Dagmara and Manuela’s generosity.

Thanks again to Manuela for sharing my writing each month, and to Dagmara and her team for accepting my recent submission. It is always a great honor to have my writing featured on both of these literary sites, and to be in the company of many talented authors, some of whom I consider friends in this online community.

First, here are a few photos from Colorado, and we were thrilled to see autumn’s stunning presence:

***Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park***

Now, I offer you my poems:

Gobblers by Masticadores

A sample haiku:

crisp mornings join late
summer afternoons to greet
fall’s cozy prelude

Almost ‘Fall-ing’ – a haiku trio

Spillwords Press

Spider on a Hand

Trust doesn’t come easily.
She can’t be bought
like dropping quarters
in a gumball machine,
and she doesn’t hand out trust
as if distributing flyers
for an open house.
It takes time and discernment,
the emotion that comes
with falling in love,
you just feel it.
You know it’s been earned –
the intuition,
a tattoo on your heart.
What happened then?
Conversations sharing pure joy,
utter anguish spilled
like oil in the sea.
Suddenly,
she’s a spider on a hand
that gets brushed off…

To read the the full “Almost Fall-ing” post, please click here.

To read the full “Spider on a Hand” poem, please click here.

If you feel it in your heart to ‘like’ each post, and even have the time to leave a comment, I would greatly appreciate it.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and I’ll catch up with your posts today too. I’ve missed you all, but it was wonderful to see our son. These visits are gold when children live out of state. Please know your support on Spillwords and Gobblers means the world to me.

Have a wonderful week ahead. 🧡🍁
p.s. more Colorado photos to come.

***Click on the 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

Leaving on a jet plane…

On September 23, 2025September 23, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Discussion, Photos, Vacations

Dear Friends,

Matt and I are flying out tomorrow to visit our son, so I’ll be offline until sometime next week. Visiting our daughter and son is by far the best vacation. I don’t like missing posts, but there are times like this that it’s unavoidable. Please know that I appreciate you and your wonderful support throughout my Copper journey, and blogging journey, in general. WordPress tells me it’s been 15 years! But that’ll be another post! 🙂 Anyway, stay safe, and keep your creativity flowing. I’ve turned off comments, but I’ll see you next week!

I thought it would be nice to leave you with a few calming visuals…

I hope you enjoyed. Inhale, exhale, and be well! ❤️

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

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