“Cora’s Quest is a delightful story for young children with a clear message of thinking through difficult situations, remembering what your parents have taught you, and being courageous...”
Please visit Robbie’s blog to read the full review, and for another great book recommendation.You can also learn more about her fabulous poetry, photography, books, and incredible baking creations. Her latest book, Burning Butterflies, is available now on Amazon:
Thanks again, Robbie! I’m happy dancing! ❤️🙏 And thank you, dear friends, for stopping by on your way to Robbie’s blog! Have a terrific day! 💖
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!
Two wheels carry us Wind in our face Pedals in rotation A comfortable pace
Freedom in our bones Rolling through veins Blue sky umbrella Easy on the reins
Two campuses we sought Nostalgia in our minds Posters for council Blooms of all kinds
Well, hi, Mr. Bear, Looking massive as ever Don’t mind us as we coast by for pleasure
Cruising through corridors Memories flow Our children’s years learning With smiles aglow
2010, 2015 Fun graduation days Diplomas and celebrations Beneath sun’s rays
Painting of murals With colors so bright Language of art Beauty and delight
Quads work vigorously Uphill we pedal A fun ride behind us The greatest medal!
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. Right now, a man in his seventies is undergoing bypass surgery. Just yesterday, he and his wife were walking on one of their routine five-mile daily walks. Time is precious. Do we need reminding? We’ve heard it before, but have we ruminated on the concept, held it in the palm of our hand, massaged it, comprehending? This is the question as the conveyor belt of life carries us from here to there, wind in our face. But do we notice what’s in the middle? Because in the middle is what we shouldn’t miss.
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. ❤️
Hello Everyone, we had a wonderful weekend away and I’ll share some photos later. But today, I want to thank Manuela Timofte, Editor of Gobblers at Masticadores, for publishing my poem “In Darkness there is Light.” A wonderful surprise on this first day of April. ❤️
Nighttime falls inside the doors of the beautiful hotel an experience to tuck away in my memory box Many sprint here and there following their agendas in the midst of mild chaos – some scrambling from point A to point B wondering what happens next or maybe they’ll discover a cozy spot like mine with a small, round table and chair in my private slice of darkness
An unexpected power outage doesn’t stop me Who doesn’t wish for a little light, but functioning without it… bring on the adventure!
As I look around in blackness and listen, words flutter nearby…
You can read the full poem by clicking on the link below:
I hope you’ll consider following Gobblers at Masticadores to immerse yourself into evocative worlds of poetry. And if you missed my original post of this poem, you can read it here.
Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you a great day and joyful new month! 💖
I am honored and grateful to be included in Gabriela Marie Milton’s upcoming anthology of haiku! This is the second anthology I’ve been part of following the beautiful Petals of Haiku released in May 2024. Thank you again, Gabriela and Literary Revelations for believing in my work. 🙏
From Gabriela’s blog post:
@LR_Publisher, just sent out letters of acceptance (or rejection) for our upcoming book Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku. Congratulations to everyone who was accepted. Please help me spread the news. Soon, we will send you the whole design of the cover – as you know, the art on the cover belongs to Japanese artist Hikari and the fine art photography included in the book to Japanese artist Naoki Kimura. Over 240 authors were included.
All photos courtesy of Literary RevelationsPublishing House.
For more information and gorgeous photography by Naoki Kimura, and to read beautiful and evocative poetry by Gabriela and other poets she features, please visit her site by clicking the link below.
Nighttime falls inside the doors of the beautiful hotel an experience to tuck away in my memory box Many sprint here and there following their agendas in the midst of mild chaos – some scrambling from point A to point B, wondering what happens next or maybe they’ll discover a cozy spot like mine with a small, round table and chair in my private slice of darkness
An unexpected power outage doesn’t stop me Who doesn’t wish for a little light, but functioning without it… bring on the adventure!
As I look around in blackness and listen, words flutter nearby I feel their gentle presence like a hummingbird’s I exercise patience, pen in hand, journal lying open like a flower in bloom ready to soak up sunshine A page lies in wait until it feels satisfied with vowels and consonants tumbling upon its lined surface
The flameless candles glow, yellows dance a jig, comfort in my bones chaos maybe, but laughter echoes in the distance I accept a complimentary champagne validating my existence And so, it is in darkness when I become inspired
On March 7th, Brian from https://writingfromtheheartwithbrian.com/ wrote a post that will bring a smile. He talks about the wonder of children’s books and how they show us what is “right and good in the world, and what is real.” Brian was kind enough to include my book, Cora’s Quest, but because of Copper’s passing, I wasn’t in the mindset to share. My heart still aches, but today is a better day to reblog.
Thanks again, Brian, for including Cora and your amazing review in your inspiring post. I’m so grateful, and I hope the students in your wife’s class love reading about Cora too! 🙏
I’m sharing Brian’s review below, but please click on the blog link to read his full post. Other children’s literature is mentioned that will evoke great memories.
Looking for a little courage
For example, when police investigations into the New Orleans truck attack that killed 15 people and the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas dominated the news in January, I found myself reading fellow blogger Lauren Scott’s children’s book Cora’s Quest. (Lauren can be found on her blog, Baydreamer Writes.)
In Scott’s wonderful little book, fawn Cora gets separated on a wooded trail from her ma and pa. When she looks up from investigating a fuzzy caterpillar, her parents are gone. She starts to worry about being in the big forest all alone. Of course it gets scary. The tree branches look like they’re reaching out to grab her. Have you been in the woods in the dark? It can be a scary place. She can feel her tummy rumble and fear “trickle from her nose to her hooves.” I was right there with her.
Despite everything, she stands firm and reminds herself that “My body may be small, but my courage is big.”
When she thinks she can’t bear it anymore, her parents come from behind a bush. Of course, the three kiss and celebrate. They hurry home to feast on apples and acorns. If we ever needed a reminder to be courageous in the world, now is the time. Everyday some new problem comes out of the woodwork and the world seems minutes from calamity. Despite it all, little Cora shows us the way. “My body may be small, but my courage is big.”
What a great reminder. I can’t think of better advice. Yes, you go Cora! Lauren’s writing is touching and the colorful images by her illustrator Chris Mendez jump off the page. It’s perfect for young kids and the young-at-heart like myself. Be sure to check it out.
And if you don’t know Brian, check out his blog! He’s a wonderful writer who shares his thoughts and experiences in a way that entertains and engages, and usually prompts a giggle!
Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you a wonderful Friday and weekend! ❤️🙏
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author & Poet 