“Sweet, sweet poetry to my ears” from Brian! A Big Thanks from Kym and I again!

I am honored to be featured on Brian’s site, writingfromtheheartwithbrian, in the best company of Kym Gordon Moore who authored We are Poetry: Lessons I Didn’t Learn in a Textbook. Kym is a wonderful writer who always has you pondering the deeper meaning of life. If you haven’t met her yet, please take the time to visit her site: frombehindthepen. You’ll be glad you did!

In Brian’s post, he shares his vulnerability while writing about his early tumultuous relationship with poetry. His humor is what I absolutely love about his blog posts. I know he’ll always make me smile – he simply has that gift. Here’s a brilliant example of how he expresses his feelings about poetry, “I would see the poetic beauty of some of my favorite songs, but poetry and I kept our distance. We were like two shy seventh graders at a school dance. I didn’t come near poetry, and poetry didn’t come near me. We kept our eyes on each other, but didn’t dare talk or ask each other to dance.”

And then he read Kym’s book and mine, and his feelings about poetry shifted…

“But, if it’s possible to turn a large team of sled dogs in the Yukon wilderness like old Sam McGee, before his unfortunate demise, then I think there might be hope for me yet. In fact, I have two poetry books I can’t recommend strongly enough: fellow bloggers Kym Gordon Moore’s We Are Poetry: Lessons I Didn’t Learn in a Textbook and Lauren Scott’s Ever So Gently.

Kym reminded me why I love writing and why poetry matters. “We write because we have a story to tell and emotions to express. We are touched and moved in unexplained ways and want to connect with others who experience the same bottled up emotions as we do.”

Kym’s essays remind me that poetry is a personal thing. It’s meant to be taken in and no one can tell us how to feel. We feel what we feel. I read her poem “Like An Eagle I Soar” and felt myself soaring too:

my strength is renewed, with wings as an eagle
graceful, strong, and courageous I take flight
to heights I never imagined were possible

I was lucky on two fronts, first to come across Kym’s book and then to find Lauren’s and to race through her book, captivated by her use of imagery and the scenes that she lays out for the reader. I especially found her use of language pulled me deeper into the writing and the nature around us. In her poem “I Wonder” she playfully asks if pine needles “wiggle in delight until they float to the earth.”

I don’t know about other readers, but I read that line and I was hooked. She had my undivided attention. My very adult worries and responsibilities were far from my mind. I was a little kid again looking up at the leaves in the trees…I had to read the next line and the next and the next. She continues:

“I know I would cheerfully slip on my dancing shoes
if the sky above me suddenly exploded in vivid oranges
as though hope itself pushed through all the debris
that I’ve allowed to clutter my mind.“

Thanks so much for stopping by! ❤️❤️❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Just click on the image to purchase your copy,
and if you enjoyed this collection,
please consider writing a review,
a hug for indie authors.
 💚

Redwood Fence Tops

When the sun descends behind emerald, rolling hills
and evening offers all that it owns, my husband falls
into a serious slumber in a matter of seconds – I am envious.
It takes more than seconds for my mind to shut down,
for thoughts to pause for an evening’s repose.

The flowers in our garden turn in for the night,
and the smiles in their blooms wait for dawn’s greeting.
Critters burrow in their homes, although darkness calls some
to come out and play and we miss the show.
Our dreams carry us through minutes and hours
until night bids farewell,
the cue for morning to slide into her spotlight.

And when she does, we witness again the glorious sun
rising over those rolling hills,
one more sky where clouds stay hidden,
one more kiss from each other,
the one who accelerates our heartbeats…
when our children our home, they gift us with another hug,
age is irrelevant…from babies to adults,
their hugs are priceless like the moment we draw a new breath.

And don’t forget how nature delights with her offerings…
our feathered friends sing their wake-up chorus of joy,
bushy-tailed squirrels skitter along redwood fence tops.
How do their tiny feet not miss a step,
tumbling their little bodies to the ground?

So, we wipe the sleep from our eyes, gratitude flows through our veins,
for all that was lost in the darkness has been found on this fresh, magnificent day.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Just click on the image to purchase your copy,
and if you enjoyed this collection,
please consider writing a review,
a hug for indie authors.
 💚

Happy 2024 & Here we go again!!! 🥳

Hello dear Friends!

Even though my blog break during the holidays was wonderful, while also toasting to my late Father-in-Law who passed in October, I have missed you all! I hope your holidays were filled with love, laughter, family and friends, along with good food and drink! When I was thinking about what I’d post for my return to the land of blogging, some prior content came to mind, so here we go again (a little revised)…

It seems time becomes more clever as we bid adieu to each year. Do the minutes and months feel more fleeting as we clink our bubbly-filled glasses on the last day of the year? Now that we’ve dipped our toes into 2024, is your list of resolutions hanging on your fridge by a favorite magnet? 😃

As I reminisce about last year’s glories and sorrows, I’ve concluded that resolutions may just be a thing of the past. This doesn’t mean that setting goals isn’t effective. It’s good to have projects to work on, to keep our brains stimulated, and it’s healthy to keep our bodies moving if goals include incorporating more physical activity or getting in better shape. So, as we ponder our new set of goals, let’s remember to reach for them at our own pace – don’t worry about what others are doing. Okay, let’s expand on this…

Here are a few words 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.” 

Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com

Since a new year is upon us, it’s logical to wonder if we’re on the right path to success. But define success. Do you measure success in dollar signs only? Have you compared your accomplishments to those of your friends or acquaintances then easily beat yourself up for not achieving as much? I’m not afraid to admit that I’m guilty of doing this because comparing is a common human behavior. But it’s not a healthy habit to continue. Comparing your success to others can cause a lack of self-esteem, and in severe cases, depression that can trigger a breakdown. I don’t compare anymore, and maybe with age comes wisdom, or perhaps, the notion of “I don’t give a sh*t!” Sometimes, we care too much about trivial things, so it’s up to us to shift our mindset – no one can do it for us – mind over matter, remember? Put your cares and energy into the right stuff!

I hope this wisdom enlightens your visions for this new year full of opportunities! And even though you and I may have read similar encouragement before, this affords us another chance to create a new year in our lives that will bring contentment and true happiness.

Below is a fun poem I wrote a few years back that I hope you enjoy again, or even for the first time, as we welcome a new class of 365 days:

There were…
High points to celebrate
Low points to tolerate
Tears that flowed
but eventually slowed

Lessons to realize
Adventures to feel alive
Demons to fight
Wrongs to right
Goals completed

Some deleted
Yet, looking back
we witness impact
More time to forgive
Another year to live
Accelerate in high gear
No invite for fear
Pour the bubbles
Forget your troubles
Clink and Chime
Celebrate Big Time!

KEEP ADVENTURE IN YOUR HEARTS!

It’s good to be back, and I look forward to reading your posts again!
Happy New Year, and may 2024 be a good one for us all! 🥳🥂❤️

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Just click on the image to purchase your copy,
and if you enjoyed this collection,
please consider writing a review,
a hug for indie authors.
 💚

Celebrations, Chickens, Dream Catchers, and Christmas!

Gorgeous flowers sent by my colleagues.

Dear Friends,

This past Saturday was the Celebration of Life for my dear father-in-law. The sun shone boldly in the vast, blue sky and the air was cold in the mid 50s. Not weather for shorts or flip flops, but truly glorious for this special December event. It took a village to make the service what it should be, and the village was successful. The speakers (including me), the music, the memories, and the reception following with delicious food and conversation reflecting upon this ‘gentle’ man who lived a little more than a century all flowed seamlessly.

Verses from one of my poems were printed on the back of the bulletin:

A Life Well Lived

Tears may spill into our days,
but so do the memories
and celebrations
of a life well lived.


Our eyes are open to
the legacy he has left
and the yesterdays that
were shared with him


so, we will honor his wish…
we will smile for our tomorrows.

About 90 people attended, so you can imagine the many stories gently weaving around each one of us as we talked about our father, father-in-law, grandfather, and friend. It really was a perfect day and we knew Wil was present in spirit, smiling and laughing along with us. My husband’s second cousin flew in from Idaho, and she is one crafty woman! She reminds me of my mom and mother-in-law who could skillfully sew, knit, or crochet anything! It was great to see her, but it was also fun to catch up. She’s been working on a new project – crocheting items for Random Acts of Crochet Kindness USA. (Members in this group crochet small, meaningful items that are placed in random locations in their communities for anyone to find. A thoughtful verse is included to brighten the finder’s.)

She brought some adorable and beautiful creations. Here are two that are reveling in the comfort and scent of our tree:

Traditionally dream catchers were made from a willow hoop or calabash covered with decorative fabric on one side and feathers on the other to be hung near a person’s bed. In this way, the dream catcher is said to protect people from bad things that happen in their sleep as well as bad omens during the day. (Googled)
Meet Lorelai!

Well, this post is coming to an end and will be my last post and day of blogging for 2023. I will visit as many blogs as possible today, but I apologize in advance for missing so many. Unfortunately, blogging has taken a back seat. Our son is home from his 7-month road trip, so we’re enjoying his wonderful presence, company, and humor, and even though Wil’s service is behind us, we’re in the middle of settling his estate and perusing his belongings where more treasures are surfacing. And we can’t wait to see our daughter and SIL for Christmas. I’m sure you can guess that I’ll leave you with a poem, one from 2020, but words that still seem fitting for today…

A Christmas Soliloquy

The noble fir smells heavenly
Pervading throughout the room
Lights twinkle in red and green
Adding to its festive costume
.

Stockings embellish the mantel
Eager to be filled with treats
Garland graces letters in gold
Spelling out P.E.A.C.E.

Dangling to model icicles,
White lights sparkle on eaves
Ornaments shimmer on branches
All this, the stuff of dreams
.

But can dreams still come true
After this year, so displeasing?
Amidst the tears and heartache,
Is there room for believing?

I have faith that joy weaves
Its way through the pain
Angels keep watch while Love
Is the magic that remains
.

I don’t know your story
The details are yours alone
But I do wish you Happiness
That you may seize and truly own…

As we listen to the marching rhythm
Of the exultant Christmas drum
For these holidays upon us
And for the New Year to come.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

Just click on the image to purchase your copy,
and if you enjoyed this collection,
please consider writing a review,
a hug for indie authors.
 💚

Thank you VERY much for stopping by, and I wish you a peaceful holiday season filled with lots of hugs, giggles, cookies, and carols. The gifts may be fun, but the people, the connections bring the most joy. Sending you all holiday hugs as I continue to keep those who are suffering in my heart.

I look forward to seeing you all in 2024!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!! 🎄⛄️❄️🎉
~ Lauren 
❤️


One December Evening

After more than three decades, my husband and I still recall and celebrate the events leading up to the “I do’s” that we said in Southern California on January 21, 1989. Today is one of those events…our first date 36 years ago. We were 26 & 27, and while some fine details have faded with the years…many stay rooted as little nuggets of ‘the start of us’. The amazing restaurant for dinner, Sycamore Inn, then driving up the mountain to The Lodge for dancing.

If you’ve followed me for awhile, you know I’m a romantic, and this night was pure magic. There was an aura of romance embracing us throughout the evening: over light conversation at the restaurant, on the slow drive up the mountain to the lodge, sipping delicious “Michelle’s Climactic Adventures.” Well, let’s face it, anything with Baileys Irish Cream is sinful and delectable! Then the dancing…we ‘rocked out’ when the beat demanded and held each other close (as if never to let go) when the tune slowed. We danced all night, taking a few breathers, stepping out onto the large balcony. The chill in the air felt good on our hot skin, and the view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains pulled us deeper into the enchantment.

December 5, 1987 turned out to be ‘our beginning’ because six months following, Matt drove me back to the lodge on a sunny June afternoon, and after riding the ski lift to the top of that mountain, he popped the question. Then six months after that romantic proposal, I walked down the aisle wearing satin and lace as he stood waiting for me, looking handsome as ever.
And here we are nearing the end of 2023…grateful to still have each other and our two amazing children, who are now 32 & 28 years old.

And of course, inspiration over the years found its niche:

Simple Existence

I stare at this page,
milk white as the
blanketed ground
in winter’s staging.

Where are the syllables
to create a mixture of magic?


I fear they have flown
to faraway places,
across desert dunes
and boundless oceans
and might not return
so that I may tell him
(again)
how irreplaceable he is.

Instead,
I’ll touch his lips
with mine
and steady myself
in the arms of a man
satisfied with my
simple existence.

Love Note
across a backdrop
one star-studded evening
a love note lingers

Belonging

Do you trust me? Will you
take my hand and let me
lead the way to a place
transcending boundaries
of our reality? Let us get
lost in tranquility –
dancing to the majesty of 
the surroundings, feeling
rhythm vibrate through our
bones. For as long as our
hearts desire, this is our
destination. Time is but
a memory. Its existence
leaves no trace on the path
where we tread.
There is only you, me,
and the intensity 
of our belonging to each other.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photos of Sycamore Inn and The Mt. Baldy Lodge pulled from their websites.

Click on the image to purchase your copy. 💚

Thanks for stopping by today, and let’s continue to celebrate the dates
and events that remain joyful and significant in our personal stories!
~ Lauren 
❤️

Privy

I hold my breath
2 seconds, maybe 3
electric jolt
fleeting
it came
it went
but my thoughts…

trapped in the
grip of those seconds.

Have you ever had
a heart to heart
with your mind?

Who wins in the end?

Have you ever dipped
into contemplation
about all the ‘whys’
floating in the ether,
looking for a companion
to make them complete
like two intended lovers?

Next time the sun sets
for another night’s repose,
let your eyes turn to
the blanket of stars,
twinkling in their elegance.

Are they privy to some vital
piece of knowledge
that has not been proffered to us?

It seems those seconds necessitated
another heart to heart.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Pexels.com

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Thank you for your visit!
~ Lauren
❤️

Giving Thanks, Jingle Bells, & Lots of Nostalgia

With the holidays upon us, my memory can’t help but reel back a few decades. Our parents were still alive, all of their grandkids were young, and those big, noisy family gatherings for Thanksgiving and Christmas were anticipated with excitement. Sure, giving and receiving gifts at Christmas time is rewarding and fun (in that order), but what I truly miss is ‘the noise, the laughter, the chaos, the loved ones’ (section 2 of my book). And I remember when our daughter and son were precious little bundles of joy. The elation my husband and I felt when our family became 3 then 4, and then complete. Don’t misunderstand though – returning to the past isn’t my wish, I’m simply reminiscing. So, I’ve shared this poem before that you’ll find in the same section of my book. But because these images have come to life once again, I’d like to share it one more time. I hope you don’t mind, and perhaps, you’ll relate to my nostalgic frame of mind…

First Breath

With every new miracle of life
answers aren’t scripted in the stars,
but I knew since your very first breath
my life would become yours.

Through innocent eyes and curious touch
each new discovery you shared,
your smile grew bigger than the sun,
your heart’s elation declared.

You stowed dreams in the clouds,
imaginings rose higher than the heavens.
Cuddling you in that first euphoric light
made me fall in love with you in seconds.

Life has blossomed into delight and wonder
in every part of its glowing greatness,
and with each ounce of my being,
my enduring love for you is ageless.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
The first 3 photos of our daughter, Stephanie, and the last 3 of our son, Michael.

Click on the image to purchase your copy. 💚

Our babies are now 32 & 28, so they’re not babies anymore,
but I suppose they will always be our babies no matter their age.
❤️

I appreciate your visit today and wish you a wonderful week!
~ Lauren 🩷🙏

Language

I’ve analyzed over and over,
but everything is a circle,
spinning round and round,
a kaleidoscope of confusion,
nothing makes sense.
Will it ever again?

Perhaps, it’s time for a stroll
into the forest,
time for allowing the breeze
to embrace me like the
caressing of a silk scarf,
for the fragrance of the woods
to fill me with reassurance.


I want to be touched by serenity,
to walk among nature’s offerings
and be immersed into the language
of the trees, for the standing giants
have a keen sense of awareness
.

So I will consult them.
I will bring into the open my unease
because they will unselfishly impart
the depth of their logic.

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo: from one of our redwood forest visits.

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purchase your copy.
 💚

I am touched by those who enjoyed my book
and who have written beautiful reviews. 🩵

I am also grateful for your visit today. Have a lovely weekend.
~ Lauren ❤️