Blue sky whispers words of tranquility Each syllable falls like a leaf in autumn Open your hands to the wisdom, cold-shoulder the noise whirling around, causing a bottleneck of worry Let the sun’s rays seep into your soul flowing gently on its journey, pulling you from edges of despair Let the warmth calm the chill that strives to take possession
If your heart is broken, take time in picking up the pieces just tap into the strength deep inside – the jagged edges are dull to your skin, you’ve been cut before so now you’re tough, the sight of red doesn’t shock you into paralysis
Each fragment tells your story, and you matter The pieces in all their perfect imperfection will fit perfectly again
Remember to follow the blue keep your eyes looking upward because the blue holds hope, and moving forward is impossible without even a glimmer…
I’m excited to share that my poem “The Middle” is live today on Gobblers by Masticadores! To give you a little back story, when I wrote this poem, life had changed tragically for a family member. Since then, there have been many improvements which I believe are miracles. But life still isn’t the same and a daunting question mark hangs in the future. Our family continues with positive thoughts and prayers. And I want to offer a huge thank you, as always, to Editor, Manuela Timofte, for featuring my writing.
The Middle
It doesn’t matter if we’re celebrating the best thing that ever happened, or staring at our heart lying on the floor in millions of tiny pieces. Time moves ahead (seemingly) as if we pushed the fast forward button. Those hands on the analog clock have a mind of their own, turning and turning, making our heads spin, wondering where the hours have gone. Where have the hours gone? How does a decade ago feel like yesterday? Why does my mind tell me I’m forty when my driver’s license tells me I’m wrong? Just yesterday, my daughter and son played with Lego and Barbies. Today they’re adulting, living with bills that show up in the mailbox on a monthly basis. Always prompt. Just yesterday, I took my last photo of our senior pup, not knowing it would be the last photo I would take of him...
To read the full poem, please visit Gobblers by clicking on the link below. Thank you so much, and I wish you a wonderful week in this new month of June. ❤️
Available on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, but click on the image to purchase your copy through Amazon.And a friendly nudge to share a review online if you loved Cora’s Quest. Thanks so much! 💜
I had a wonderful Mother’s Day with my hubby and son, and daughter via phone from TN. They always make me feel so special and loved. We miss our moms too, and though they’ve been gone for many years, they live in our hearts and a day doesn’t pass by without thinking of them. 💕
My Copper book is finally in the works, survived the glitches, and fingers crossed, no more are waiting on the sidelines. I hope to publish this special book in mid June.
I’m also excited for a book fair that I’m participating in this Saturday. It’s for children’s books, so Cora’s Quest is the main focus and I’ll be doing a reading as well. I’m all prepared and ready to go but have a few more days to wait. Sigh.
“Never forget that anticipation is an important part of life. Work’s important, family’s important, but without excitement, you have nothing. You’re cheating yourself if you refuse to enjoy what’s coming.” ~ Nicholas Sparks, Three Weeks with My Brother
So with all this going on and our son visiting, I’ve fallen off my online routine and apologize for missing some blog posts. It seems there never is enough time, right? But while out for Mother’s Day, I took a few photos of the gorgeous scenery at this time of year (the flowers above included). I hope you enjoy!
Lastly, I’ll end with one of my older poems. Food for thought as you leave my little corner of blogland.
A Detour
It doesn’t matter the position of sun or moon or where my feet have landed… whispers find me, their tasks needing my attention at that very moment.
Do whispers wiggle into your mind too like an annoying song repeating on a loop?
I question if this busyness is urgent enough to prevent us from breathing in
the fragrance of flowers or admiring the pageantry of wildlife outside our windows…
Surely our minds, piled high with clutter,
deserve a detour for some sweet refuge.
From my poetry collection, Ever So Gently, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
My son read my book while on a 7-month road trip from Maine to California, visiting National Parks.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I’ll try to catch up with reading blogs today. May love and light wrap you in their warmth. ❤️
One day the sun guides you with its glorious rays, the world spins in its usual manner, then out of thin air, in the blink of an eye, the cliché is yours, under a sullen sky, plans become fractured. Life is altered in a skipped heartbeat that was slow to join the rhythm of the others. My emotions feel awkward. They seem wilder, body feels heavy as though pewter crowds my veins, but I don’t walk in their shoes. Meeting challenges head-on distracts heart and mind, but in the hush of turmoil, I imagine their emotions will morph into wild too. Until then, questions soar like baseballs out of a batting machine. Some answers remain elusive. Others may be clear as morning dew but tricky to swallow – digesting turns into a test of the human spirit. What comes next? Only uncertainty is for certain.
We needed the getaway a couple of weeks ago, so I’m sharing some highlights. Luckily, our destination wasn’t too far, and driving the back country roads at this time of year was truly magical with the rolling green hills dotted with black and white dairy cows, not to mention, the umbrella of blue sky and downy clouds.
A curious guy!
The town was small but charming with just the right amount of excellent restaurants and quaint, quirky shops.
Cheers!
The best ever gingerbread latte!
Saturday morning, we walked through the old growth redwood grove, and as you can imagine, it was another enchanting experience.
“Preserve the trees, for they are the finest art.”
Then we were ready for some wine tasting, and the winery we chose gave us the best experience so far – Char Vale Vineyards and Winery. We lucked out with the weather on Friday and Saturday because Ms. Rain held the raindrops until Sunday. Her thoughtfulness allowed us some outdoor exploring on the main two days without messy conditions. Our palates enjoyed the elegant, fruity, and velvety notes, and the delicious adventure lasted about 2 1/2 hours, gracing us with a bright blue sky and cool but comfortable temps. We also had a good chat with the owners, a husband and wife team, who have been in the business for decades. Our knowledge about making wine expanded on this day, but don’t quiz me!
Lastly, we reflected a lot about our beloved Copper.
He enjoyed the season of autumn.
April 3rd marked one month since his passing, and one of my photos just happened to prompt a poem. It’s still in draft mode, but I’m sharing anyway…
March to March
Reminiscent of Elton’s circle of life, from March to March he arrived with youthful spirit and left with angel wings – our family for thirteen years, now glowing memories in the spaces and around each corner. We celebrate his life – those soul-searching eyes that connected to us – we were links in a golden chain, now one link is missing, our golden boy – tears still follow like a shadow – the shadow he was, but smiles gently find their place because he is in our hearts, because joy needs room to simmer.
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Thank you for popping in, and I hope you enjoyed the photos and poem. Have a wonderful week ahead. ❤️
Last Sunday we took Copper, our 14 1/2 year old puppy, to our favorite state park. The weather was cool but not freezing, just perfect for a walk among the redwoods. Copper loved walking around, taking in the new sights and smells. He can’t hear anymore, so we use hand signals to communicate with him, and we give him lots of hugs and kisses. I took some pics and sent them to our daughter and son who live in TN. and CO. Then I saw an IG post from my daughter that went straight to my heart. She wrote about living far away from ‘her dog’ and missing him so much. I’m going to share it, then I’m going to add a poem written from Copper’s POV. So, this post is a combination of tears and smiles. I hope you enjoy, and maybe you’ll relate too.
From my daughter:
“It’s weird having a dog or any pet be part of your life for a good amount of time but then you move away. Across the country. And rarely see them anymore. And when you do visit once or twice a year, you’re so excited to see them because you know them, but you wonder if they remember or recognize you. And they look older because you’re older. When we first adopted Copper, I was with him for 6 years and was hesitant on adopting another dog after Lucky Girl passed. And now, I’ve been away from him for that same amount of time that I was with him & it’s sad, bittersweet. He’s still got those same amber eyes you get lost in, but he’s a little grayer than he was the previous year. And you just know the inevitable. It’s weird being so far away & not “growing up” with him into adulthood. But when someone asks if I have a dog, I say yes even though it’s only through pictures my mom sends me. I love this boy so much.” ❤️ (This brought us to tears. We miss her enough, and then to read her feelings about living far from Copper just about did us in! Does this scenario sound familiar?)
And now, let’s wipe away those tears and find a smile:
What a Fun Day! (from Copper’s POV)
Thanks, Mom and Dad, for taking me to the park! I took in all the beauty without one single bark!
Oh, the smells were awesome, and the redwoods so tall! I’m pretty tall myself but I felt very small!
Lifting my leg was fun around new territory, I even inspired Mom to tell my canine story!
We walked by the creek hearing water flowing. You said it was peaceful without any wind blowing.
Then we found a table where you ate your lunch and I gulped down my food with a crunch and a munch!
Naptime followed soon when I plopped down on my bed, with every muscle relaxed I laid down my big head.
I know I’m older now; I don’t move very fast, but I’m glad we came here because I really had a blast!
A note from Copper: I hope you liked this post that my mom and I put together! Can you relate? Do you have a dog or cat that melts your heart and whose eyes see right into your soul like mine do? If you do, let my mom know in the comments. And thanks for coming by today! I hope you don’t mind a slobbery kiss from me! ❤️🐶🐾
The conversation turned heavy discussing God’s existence, then noticing the time, my husband opened the door to retrieve our dinner, Grub Hub, don’t judge, a Friday convenience! Then a moth slipped in quietly, adroitly, wearing lime green and milky white. It landed on a nearby chair, and my husband spoke, “Is it you, Mom? It’s been 33 years, and we still miss you so much.” The moth lifted from the cloth rising up into the air, gliding out the door from which it came. It was Diane. We believe. Her entrance was timely, so perhaps, a reminder. We gave tears freedom. We know they’ll revisit because the many used up calendars over the years are irrelevant. His world was shattered too soon, but the events of that day are as vivid as yesterday’s sunset. Funny, how a little moth on its own special journey lifted our spirits that evening.
Moods that can’t seem to find the light through the darkest shadows can be lifted with blooms of bright yellow like a smile sprinkling cheer into a day washed out in beige.
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author & Poet 