Spillwords Press publishes “Chilling Embrace”

On September 16, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry111 Comments

Dear Friends,

I am delighted to share that Spillwords Press has published my poem “Chilling Embrace” in their Featured Post section and is live today. It is a great honor to have my writing spotlighted on their site again, and to be in the company of so many talented authors.

Chilling Embrace

I have been embraced
by the chilling presence
of loneliness.

I have wondered
where the niche
designed for me
exists in this world
in which my breaths
originate.

I have waited
for the glow
to emerge from
behind the shadows...

I would love if you would hop on over to Spillwords and read the rest of the poem here. You don’t need to log in to give it a lovely ❤️, but you do need to if you’d like to leave a comment. And I do love comments, but either way, I would greatly appreciate your time and support. And just like another sunrise brings hope, your continued support brings new gratitude. 🙏🏻

Thank you again to Dagmara K. and her team for accepting my submission. I am thrilled and truly grateful!

Thank you for stopping by! ❤️

© Lauren Scott, baydreamer writes – All rights reserved.
Both Spillwords logos and photo credit go to Spillwords.com.
Sunrise photo: Lauren Scott

“Chilling Embrace” is also in my latest collection of poetry…

My latest book –
I prompt you to reminisce and reflect on your past, present, and future.
Through the ups and downs, what matters most is to love and live ever so gently.
Please click on the link to purchase your copy.
Thank you to those who have bought a copy and who have shared wonderful
reviews. My heart is full of gratitude. 💙🩵💙

Mountain Lake Magic 💚

On September 12, 2023September 14, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Photos, Poetry86 Comments

blue nylon walls keep
us sheltered from elements
cozy mountain home

sitting on the shore
sun dips in and out, playing
hide and seek with clouds

kayakers paddle
no destination in mind
adventure awaits

lakeside writing time
inspiration surrounds me
thoughts on conveyer

backcountry hikers
shelter in tent, laughing at
mother nature’s moods

bumble bee jets by
avoids crashing into us
enticed by purple

lizard scurries by
why is she in a hurry?
must be dinner time

we watch chipmunks play
springing from branch to branch, a
forest jungle gym

sun descends behind
clouds, magic in vivid hues
one more miracle

surface shimmers like
diamonds, satin smooth , invites
for refreshing dip

sleepy eyes open
to apricot hues above
new morning marvel

Do you have a favorite haiku? Or favorites? I’d love to hear your thoughts. ❤️

My latest collection of poetry –
I prompt you to reminisce and reflect on your past, present, and future.
Through the ups and downs, what matters most is to love and live ever so gently.
Please click on the link to purchase your copy.
Thank you to those who have bought a copy and who have shared wonderful
reviews. My heart is full of gratitude. 💙🩵💙

Hospice Wings

On August 28, 2023August 29, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry84 Comments

He sees
emerald rolling hills
and brilliant blue skies
that stretch forever.

He sees a train rolling by,
the passengers wave,
cars float in the clouds,
a wire suspended between lips,
a lady painted on the door,

but he listens,
he understands,

his appetite takes in small bites,
slow swallowing,
juice flows fluidly through
a flexible straw,

yesterday, cranberry flavors
made him smile.
Today, he winced at the thought.

We hold his hand,
sometimes, he doesn’t let go.

We say, “I love you.”

He repeats these words,
then adds
“More than you know.”

Each day differs.
Each day surprises.
Each day is heartbreaking
as we wait…

My latest release – Click on the image to purchase your copy!

Thank you for visiting! ❤️

Respite in the wilderness…

On August 19, 2023August 19, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Photos89 Comments

Dear Friends,

I hope you all had a great week! Hubby and I had a wonderful time at our favorite lake. It felt good to unplug, to just be together, to read, and enjoy good wine and coffee along with the stunning views and tranquility. We also did some light hiking and walking around, but with each step, I was mindful of where my right foot landed. And gratefully, I had zero pain.

For those of you who tent camp, you know what the adventure entails. The experience is relaxing once the ‘wilderness home’ is set up, but until then, it takes a lot of effort. We were lucky to reserve our favorite site that offered a short walk down to the lake. And though the weather report didn’t indicate rain, several thunderstorms entertained when light rain turned into downpours! But we stayed dry under the easy-up and our backpacking tent kept the deluge of rain from seeping into our sleeping bags and clothes. In the mornings, when the days looked like they’d be glorious, I stole a few moments, sitting by the shore, jotting down thoughts in my journal. But I don’t have anything completed, so I’m sharing photos for now:

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
~ John Muir

stunning lake

coffee time

fire and sky

awesome Jetboil and sample of delicious backpacking food – we kept things simple so we could enjoy more and work less

ambience

there is no such thing as too many sunset photos

stealing a hug (and kiss) while witnessing another gorgeous sunset

lake view from campsite

beautiful blues and greens on the north side of the lake

organic landscape along the trail
too cute
lots of bumblebees around – these are a little blurry

kayaker sunset
beautiful sky

light rain before the storm

I hope you enjoyed these photos; they’re only a fraction of what I took. 🙂

If you enjoy ruminating over life’s rewards and mysteries, my latest book, Ever So Gently, a collection of poems, is available for purchase by clicking on the image below:

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to reading your posts again.
~Lauren ❤️

The Hummingbird

On July 2, 2023July 2, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Stories83 Comments

Laura folds into the patio rocker, breathing in summer’s fragrance. The sun boldly hangs in the bright sky, but today marks the tenth anniversary of that day. Her heart feels heavy.

“I miss you, Mom, and the kids miss their grandma. I just long for another chat, a hug, even one more piece of unsolicited advice.”

She watches a hummingbird soar to the pink geranium hanging from the gazebo. Her mother loved these delightful creatures.

“Is that you, Mom?”

The little bird glides to Laura, hovering at eye level.

Rocking gently, Laura feels the comfort of her mom’s presence.

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

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo by Frank Cone on Pexels.com

I’ve had fun writing 99-word stories, and I hope you enjoyed this one, too. 🩷

SPILLWORDS INTERVIEW IS LIVE TODAY!

On June 15, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Interviews, Writing97 Comments

Dear Family and Friends,

I am excited to share with you the Q & A I had the privilege of doing with Spillwords. This interview is aligned with being Author of the Month for May. Thank you again to Dagmara and her team for this incredible opportunity! I won’t repeat myself, so I’ll let you get to the questions…

We offer our first and exclusive Q&A Interview with Lauren Scott, a writer whose literary works have been featured on our Spillwords pages as well as being Author of the Month of May 2023.

What does it mean to be selected as Author of The Month?

I feel honored to receive this wonderful accolade, and I am grateful my family and friends took the time to vote for me. It means my writing has been acknowledged and gained valued exposure among talented authors on your esteemed, literary website.

How have your friends and/or family influenced your writing?

The support I receive from family and friends continually motivates me to write. My son nudged me to start a blog years ago, which has been a wonderful platform to share my writing. These loved ones have also assisted with my books in various ways. Their love and encouragement provides the fuel for me to stay on this path of creativity.

What inspires you to write?

I enjoy the challenge of wordplay, which probably stems from my enjoyment of playing Scrabble. Shaping words into phrases or sentences to express a deep emotion or to paint a picture. Many poems are inspired by my strong marriage, and then motherhood followed, which brought new emotions to the surface. I also feel a deep connection to nature, spending time outdoors, especially camping and backpacking. I find living in the wilderness with essentials tucked into a backpack to be a profound adventure.

I’ve asked for your support before, but I’d be grateful if you’d visit Spillwords.com to read the full interview. You can land there seamlessly by clicking here. 🦋

You don’t need an account to ❤️ the interview, but you do if you’d like to leave a comment, and I welcome your lovely comments here or there. 🙂

Thanks so much for your support that is greatly appreciated!

Have a beautiful day! ❤️❤️❤️

Spillwords Press Author of the Month for May!!

On June 1, 2023June 1, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Celebrations, Poetry124 Comments

Thanks to your generosity and time, I was voted Author of the Month for May on Spillwords Press!!!

I’m excited to receive this honor among so many amazing writers! Thank you to Dagmara K. and her team for providing this literary site for authors to share their emotions through words. I’m thrilled to be a part of this community!

A Big thank you again, dear friends, for your vote and wonderful support, and for visiting Spillwords to read my poem, “Toots and Circles.”

I wish you a fabulous day and weekend ahead! ❤️❤️

Life in Cinquain form.

On May 11, 2023May 12, 2023 By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry, Writing74 Comments

I found this form of Cinquain poetry and decided to give it a try. I’m sharing eight poems and would love to hear if any of them resonate or stand out for you. Don’t be shy. Some are serious and some are simply fun.
The rules are:

Didactic Cinquain Poem Form 1:

This is a very popular form of cinquain that instead of incorporating stress and syllables, it uses word counts.

The first line is one word which is the title of the poem.
The second line contains two words which are adjectives that describe the title.
The third line has three words that tell the reader more about the subject of the poem or show action. Many times these words are gerunds that end with -ing.
The fourth line has four words that show emotions about the subject of the poem and may be individual words or a phrase.
The fifth line is one word that is a synonym of the title or is very similar to it.

And now for the poems and some of my photos: