A Most Beloved Mouse

On May 27, 2025June 2, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry88 Comments

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on my childhood, and since Disneyland played
such a big role, a poem began to bloom like a new bud slowly opening up.
It all began with a seed – a most beloved mouse, who is 96 years old,
making his first appearance in November 1928. Each memory that came
to mind was like a new petal on a blooming flower…

**Photo by Craig Adderley on Pexels.com**

Ode to Walt Disney

A kidney-shaped pool, lush lawn,
and lone palm tree sat in my backyard,
along with Walt Disney’s visionary creation.
Friends and I visited the magical park
during many summers,
paying around $5 to walk through the gates
that would lead us to Main Street.
Those were the days!

‘A through E’ ticket books navigated us,
but we had our favorite starting point,
a boat ride through different countries
while everyone sang, “It’s a Small World.”
Then we flew through space on a rollercoaster,
Cinderella’s castle enchanted us,
and who wouldn’t fall in love with
the flying elephant we know as Dumbo?

We cruised through the jungle,
screamed around every turn in the mansion,
held tight to bobsleds down the mountain,
had fun in the sun on Tom Sawyer’s Island,
guzzling cold apple cider. E tickets were gold!
An adventure for both young and old!

We indulged in a sinfully delicious Monte Cristo
at The Blue Bayou in The Pirates of the Caribbean
listening to sounds in the night as boats glided by.
Later in life, it was still ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’
for a family of four, everlasting delight.

Despite climbing ticket costs and cacophony of crowds,
I’d love another stroll down Main Street
to feel the enchantment swirl around me,
wave to Donald Duck, shake hands with Tigger,
hear laughter of children,
eyes opened wide with wonder.
I’d join others in wearing those iconic mouse ears!
I’d love to see Mickey and Minnie again
after all these years!

Maybe one more time from memories so dear
because joy would bloom from being in the moment,
in the fairytale…what a feeling!
Dear Walt Disney, thank you for dreaming!

***Photo by John Tekeridis on Pexels.com***

I could only find a few photos, so here’s one of me from the mid 70s 🙂

***Riding on the Skyway (sky buckets) which was closed in 1994.***
***I loved my shag haircut and halter tops. 🙂***

Back in the day when cell phones and millions of
photos didn’t exist. Poor quality, but the memories
remain vivid and wonderful.

And here’s a family Disneyland collage from 2012:

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed this Disney blast to the past!
A fun poem for me to write and great memories to revisit. And if you’re
also a Disney fan and find yourself in San Francisco, try to visit
The Walt Disney Family Museum. You’ll learn about the history and making
of Disneyland, how it all began for Walt Disney, and it’s a fascinating
visual experience!
https://www.waltdisney.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.
Photo of Mickey Mouse found from Google.

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!*** 💜

https://www.instagram.com/baydreamerwrites/

Mother’s Day Limericks 🌷

On May 10, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry74 Comments

I’m replicating my post from last year…It’s limerick time, and this collection was fun to work on, although a couple are more factual and not so delightful. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy!

Unselfish

She is a classy, lovely mother
Who puts herself last behind others
Their care comes first
Health, hunger, or thirst
They love her – daughter and brother.

Summer

How special to become a mother
Devoted but not to smother
To love and raise
Till the end of her days
Mothers are the essence of summer!

Special Day

The special day comes every year
But not all hold their mothers dear
Words criticize
Make tears leak from eyes
Sad those hearts didn’t hold their babes near

Smiles and Giggles

What a miracle to be a mom
Caring for babes with a heart of calm
Relish in their smiles
Giggles heard for miles
Music to a mother’s ear, a balm.

Not Fragile

Mothers are an exceptional class
Their work ethic no one can surpass
Cooking and cleaning
Diapering and weaning
They’re strong, not fragile like glass!

Warrior Soul

Caring for her children is her role
Keeping them safe and happy is her goal
A multitasker
Sought after
Her skills are plenty, a warrior soul!

DNA

DNA does not a mother make
DNA may produce a mother fake
Who only thinks of herself
Baby’s needs on the shelf
Baby’s life unimportant and at stake.

Flair

A mother’s talents are exhaustible
But clearly, they’re not implausible
Many balls in the air
She juggles with flair
Her demeanor is surely laudable!

Golden Worth

A mother’s love comes from her heart
That blooms and glows from the start
Cradling at birth
A golden worth
She’ll give her All to do her part!

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

Do you have a favorite or two? Let me know if you do! 😁
Happy Mother’s Day Weekend to all the loving and unselfish moms who have hearts of gold, and to the moms who have left our world, but who live in our hearts. I’m thinking of Doris and Diane, my mom and mother-in-law.

Our son has been visiting from CO. so I haven’t been online as much. It was nice to celebrate his birthday with him, and it will be special to celebrate Mother’s Day with him tomorrow. Our daughter will celebrate with us from TN. I appreciate your presence here and wish you all a fabulous weekend!!! 💗🌺

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Available on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble,
but click on the image to purchase your
copy through Amazon. 💜

Gobblers by Masticadores publishes “Baseballs”

On May 5, 2025May 5, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Gobblers by Masticadores, Poetry88 Comments

Dear Friends,

I’m thrilled to announce that my poem “Baseballs” is published today on Gobblers by Masticadores. A huge thank you to Editor, Manuela Timofte, for sharing my work on her highly regarded literary site.

Baseballs

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…

To read the full poem, please visit Gobblers by clicking on the link below,
and if you’re not already subscribed,
please follow Manuela’s wonderful site for a rich poetry experience.

Thanks so much for visiting, and have a wonderful week ahead! ❤️

Baseballs

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

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

I am from…

On May 2, 2025May 2, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry112 Comments

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m focusing on my book to honor Copper, our senior puppy who received angel wings in March, while also trying to visit you. This has been my mindset for the week, but I’m pulling my hair out because of glitches.
Third time’s a charm, they say, and Life is NOT about throwing in the towel!

Anyway, one of the posts I had the pleasure of visiting was Vicki’s, and it truly intrigued me. Please pop over to her lovely sight for inspiration and enlightenment: https://victoriaponders.com/2025/04/28/echoes/. She was originally inspired by Lori’s post: https://loripohlmanwriter.com/2025/04/25/polished-maple-tables/ in which I also visited, feeling the same rush of inspiration. They both spotlighted the following poem and the concept of writing our own version:

Where I’m From
By George Ella Lyon

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush,
the Dutch elm
whose long gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I am from fudge and eyeglasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I’m from the know-it
-alls
and the pass
-it
-ons,
from perk up and pipe down.
I’m from He restoreth my soul
with cottonball lamb
and ten verses I can say myself.
I’m from Artemus and Billie’s Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.
Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures.
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments —
snapped before I budded —
leaf-fall from the family tree

To read more information and for helpful tools in writing your poem, please visit Vicki and Lori’s wonderful posts. And now, I offer you my version. I didn’t use Lori’s template, but I ran with the concept. Thoughts appeared one after the other, so mine is a bit lengthy, but I don’t feel like cutting anything out just yet. Subtle rhymes also slid their way in, and I’m unsure if they were supposed to. Nonetheless…

I am from

I am from my mom’s emotions
that had a mind of their own
so wild at times emulating a summer storm
I am from my dad’s humor
where smiles bloomed
but his temper too in my less patient moods

I am from flower petals I did not plant
Mom’s were nurtured – my thumbs weren’t green
yet the petals’ beauty is always seen
I am from butter, sugar (granulated and brown),
vanilla, baking powder and soda,
and nuts, yes, sometimes this is the case,
and chocolate chips in their tantalizing ways

I am from the moon in her mystery
The sun in his radiance
The lake in its serenity

I am from the well-liked and the shunned
the self-doubt lodged on my shoulders
the redwoods standing tall
I am from planned and spontaneity
clarity and ambiguity

I am from the Big Bear cabin on the corner
from laps and splashes in Orange County pools
I am from “When you have children, you’ll understand”
I am from two sanctuaries for finding God
to discovering faith near mountains and sand

I am from me
unique, quirky, strong, kind,
a used-to-be people-pleaser
the third of three daughters
I am from knowledge still pouring in
like a flood of surging waters
I am from gratitude for every little blessing
from those I love, from being loved
I am.

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

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Thank you for taking the time to visit. I wish you a Marvelous May,
and a wonderful weekend. ❤️

Birds, Blooms, Beauty, & Books!

On April 27, 2025April 27, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Books, Photos, Poetry105 Comments

Hubby and I are the proud landlords of a couple of feathered friends. They both worked hard to build a nest for their babies and chose our hanging ladder for the base. Needless to say, we are not moving the ladder until they relocate! Friday morning, I was lucky to get some photos while I quietly stepped outside. When I walked a little farther, they fled, landing on the power line, and watching me like a hawk, I’m sure.

aware while they work
a safe home of leaves and twigs
the honor is ours

That evening, we tried a new restaurant. A little wine bar in downtown that also serves Sonoran food. With an elegant, yet cozy ambience, the environment was inviting, and the food, delicious! We tried one of their burritos, ate half, so enjoyed two meals out of them. But first, we savored wine and good conversation before diving into dinner. A myriad of music genres in the background played a role in this wonderful dining experience. As we strolled back to our car, we passed a garden of stunning roses. I couldn’t help but stop to tap away on my cell for some pics.

springtime bling uplifts
abounding with vibrancy
rose beauty for you

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

I hope you enjoyed my nature exhibit and poems. 🙂 Now, onto the books! 📚

Yesterday, Japan joined the US and made Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku a #1 Amazon Bestseller, too, and in Gabriela’s post today, she features two of my haiku…

feel the quietness
on the meandering trail
worries drift to earth

Please visit her post to read my other poem and for more information about this wonderful book. Congrats again to Editor, Gabriela Marie Milton, and to the other fabulous contributors! I’m honored to be a part of this beautiful anthology! And don’t forget to order your copy!

Kindle: https://shorturl.at/AEYoU

Paperback: https://shorturl.at/pWXIm

Yesterday, Japan joined the US and made Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku a #1 Amazon Bestseller, too – haiku by Lauren Scott

Lastly, my presence in the next week or two may be spotty as I’m drilling down on bringing my ‘Copper’ book to print. However, I’ve run into another glitch (gotta love those glitches that challenge us). But I’m persevering because this book means a lot to me. Of course, all books hold special meanings for their authors. 😁
Anyway, thank you from the bottom of my heart for visiting my corner of blogland. I hope you’ve enjoyed your time here enough to return. And I wish you peace, happiness, and lots of love! ❤️

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

© Lauren Scott, BaydreamerWrites.com – All rights reserved.
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.

Bay Beauty, Blooms, & Bunnies

On April 21, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Photos, Poetry104 Comments

It was just the two of us for Easter, and we were running on spontaneity, but the day turned out to be lovely in so many ways. It began with an hour bike ride in the morning around the neighborhood and back to our kids’ elementary school. We have a lot of hills near our house, so we head for the flats! Although, we attempted more hills in the midst of the flats, executing them perfectly! We’re a little out of shape because of knee and back issues, but cycling is good for both, so we’re taking baby steps. But yesterday was a work out and it felt great! And we love this cool bench that sends a vital message for children…

After the ride, we headed south, enjoying a scenic drive along the San Francisco Bay. A seafood lunch called us, so we accepted the invitation. Afterwards, we walked around town, and for Easter, it was surprising to see all the shops open and the town hopping! (no pun intended) Spring flowers smiled at us around each corner, the sun was shining, but the temp wasn’t hot, even a bit cool with the breeze at times. It was sweet to see little children dressed up in their adorable Easter outfits. We saw a cute little girl in the restaurant randomly wish a stranger a Happy Easter. She had the biggest smile on her face. Precious!
A beautiful day on the bay! And, we saw the Easter Bunny! How lucky, right? 😁

***View from our table on the patio for lunch***

***The fountain and sculpture in Tiburon’s Main Street plaza***
***is called “Coming About“.***
***It’s a kinetic sculpture with a nautical theme, featuring five abstract forms***
that move over an infinity-edged fountain. Tiburon in Spanish means
shark, so these fins are representative of the town.

And now for spring haiku:

warm temperatures
grace our days with smiling blooms
pass the tissue, please!

sending wishes
for a bright, ‘sunny side up’
cheerful day for you!

I wish you a great week ahead, and as always,
thank you so much for popping in to my little corner of blogland. ❤️

Early Easter Wishes!

On April 19, 2025April 19, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry100 Comments

This photo evokes many great Easter memories, even though our son doesn’t look too happy! Looking back, I’m not sure how thrilling it was for our children to visit The Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. But at the time, it’s what we did for that iconic photo! Do you remember those times? I think when they were younger like our son’s age in this photo, they were more agreeable with Santa Claus!

Easter is a Christian holiday that marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. Whether you believe in Jesus, or even if you’re concerned about the current political climate, Easter is also a fun day for children as they go on their Easter egg hunts. I always hope the rain will be kind to the children, letting the sun steal the show. I found the meaning of the Easter egg online: symbolizes the empty tomb from which Jesus resurrected, representing new life and rebirth.

Easter for Matt and I is quieter each year with our son and daughter living out of state, and our parents have both passed. My sisters are in Southern California and have their own families. We had always attended church, but we stepped away a few years ago when some members soured our experience. This had been ongoing, but we finally reached a point of making a decision. Then going to church changed to getting outdoors, spending time with nature…hiking on a trail, picnicking, walking on the beach, taking in all the beauty surrounding us and the blessings in our life.

So, I wish you all a Blessed Easter whatever you believe,
and I wish you much love and joy not only on this celebrated day,
but on every day to come.
Spread the Love! 💜

A beautiful day
for little ones
running on lawns
with giggles
searching for pretty
Easter eggs
their bodies
full of wiggles
Sunshine high
in the sky
for this day
of celebration
smiling blooms
of new life
hopeful hearts
of elation

Pedals in Rotation

On April 14, 2025 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry103 Comments

My bicycle had met its fate a while ago, so we bought a new cruiser for me. Cycling is better for my back, and in addition to using the stationary bike in the house, we now have an outdoor option. We went riding Saturday and Sunday morning in cool, perfect temps beneath cheerful sunshine. Wind in our face felt so freeing! The same feeling my husband gets when riding his motorcycles. Heading to the kids’ old elementary and high school stomping grounds was our plan. Oh, the memories! I hope you enjoy the ride, and of course, the poem I had fun writing.
Cheers to riding and writing!