Celebrating National Reading Month

Did you know that March is National Reading Month! 

March was chosen to honor Dr. Seuss's birthday. 

When I was a child, I fell in love with reading and libraries. There were so many to choose from in my city's grand public library. It was a magnificent structure in downtown Syracuse, NY that opened my eyes to magical wonders. The stacks in the children's library were filled with books about faraway places and times. I spent hours mulling over the precious publications and always walked away with a new stack of books.

But that library was not the only one that amazed me. Each summer when I visited my Nonnie in Rome, NY, we would spend time walking to the library. My love for reading increased with age. It's not surprising that booklove was one of the reasons why I studied to become a reading specialist. 

My first classroom had a small area for books nestled in the corner of the cafeteria. My high school students were not readers but I had an intense desire to introduce them to the pleasures of reading. From there, I was asked to start a reading program for 7th graders in another impoverished setting. My love for books continued to grow as did the libraries I shared with K-12th grade students. To entice the elementary students to read, I offered schoolwide read alouds during holiday times. The teachers and I celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2nd wearing Cat in the Hat hats and reading to students. Then, after 25 years in classrooms as a reading specialist, I moved to central administration as a districtwide director of language arts. In that capacity, I was able to open libraries for classroom teachers in each of the 5 elementary schools. Now, I enjoy reading to my grandgirls with books I have collected over the years.      

Heartnote to Students

books

open doors

to new pathways

enlighten, delight, and become

bestfriends

books

reach out

to all ages

as guides into literacy

learning

books

ignite imagination

offering content and

creative illustrations for story

love

love

comes in

many forms

books offer pleasure, intrigue,

heartthrobs

©CVarsalona, February 2024

Elfchen poems

I am celebrating the month of March by reading and writing daily. I am also celebrating my six-year-old year-old grandgirl's accomplishment as a reader. As a first-grade student, she reads fluently and enjoys chapter books now. I applaud all the parents who read to their child/children when they are little and continue to enjoy the pleasure of family reading at bedtime. 

Once again I  am sliding into Day 16 of the 2024 Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge before the midnight hour clocks in.2024 Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge.

Day 16

Game On!

When growing up board games were a favorite pastime, a "conduit" bonding families and friends together. Children learned the etiquette of fair play while playing board games. Many memories were made in the good old days.

When we moved from Long Island to Virginia a couple of years ago, our “forever” board games, chess, monopoly, scrabble, and checkers, moved with us. Now, they sit on a table in the loft waiting for my little grandgirls to visit. While this generation is absorbed in video games, board games are still appealing as a leisurely family and friends activity.

What new games are in my house and enjoyed by my grandgirls and me? Tic Tac Toe, WordScapes, and Wordle are all online. My iPhone and my son's iPad await their turns with the little champs. For a solo game, I enjoy the New York Times Wordle. I found tips that are quite useful but in the end, it is all about strategy, vocabulary know-how, and persistence.

Wordle

social phenomenon

novel literary fun

with can do spirit

wordplay

@CVarsalona, 2024

Elfchen poem designed with WordArt & Fotojet

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My Winning Games

that beat the computer

                                         

Heartnote to my almost 7-year-old grandgirl:

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“There are thousands of five-letter words in the English dictionary,

but it only takes one to win Wordle."

― Alexis Benveniste and Jackie Frere

 

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Spring starts prepping for her entrance as the left-over winter leaves toss around the yards. I'm joining the Poetry Party as author, poet, and host, Tanita S. Davis, opens her blog for Poetry Friday. Click here to read Tanita's pre-roundup welcome and visit other poets' blog sites.

Logo created by Tanita S. Davis

I am also offering my Game On! blog post to the 2024 Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge. Click here.

Day 15

Springlike Day in Late Winter

Nature often presents us with a loving gift. This week, we will enjoy the warmth of springlike weather. While entering our community the scene below was so inviting that I had to stop and capture the late winter scene. I hope you experience something similar. Springlike days are an amazing opportunity to pause and reflect on life.  Does your park bench, front porch, or patio await you? Take advantage of the gift nature bestows this week in Northern Virginia. Next week, there will be huge dips in temperatures just when I thought winter would wave goodbye.

springlike days

bud with excitement

pause and reflect

©CVarsalona, 2024

Day 13

This Slice of Life post is offered to

Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge, 2024.

Day 12 SOLSC Let's Go Shopping!

I enjoy shopping like many friends I know. Searching for seasonal clothing or decor trends brings a sense of exhilaration when I find the right item at the right price. It becomes tedious or even stressful when shopping for a must-have item. Then, you may desire to shop to make yourself feel better. This is called retail therapy. WebMD shared a study that "found 62% of shoppers bought something to cheer themselves up. A further 28% made a purchase to celebrate something." 

Last Saturday, I organized a Ladies Let's Go Shopping Day, marking our third trip to several Stephens City, Virginia stores. We celebrated "Spring", a welcome change from the up-and-down weather of winter months. Two Creekside neighbors, Cheryl and Carolyn, joined me for this fun shopping and lunch experience. 

The day started with a sky full of gray clouds that brought incessant rain. The weather did not stop us from having a wonderful day traveling from one shop to the next. Even when we carefully stepped over massive puddles, the experience was full of conversation and interesting shopping. 

The three of us enjoyed our shopping and lunch day out. The trunk was stuffed with our bags and goodies. The delicious smell of fresh bagels wafted from the trunk.

Let's Go Shopping Again

ladies-only shop and lunch event

enjoy

seasonal

experiences

fashion

enjoy

decor

sweets

conversations

enjoy

ladies-only event: shop and lunch

©CVarsalona, 2024, skinny poem

For some, shopping is an art: for others, it's a sport. 

-Pamela Klaffke

SPRING IS IN THE AIR 

Enjoy shopping for trends!

Day 12

This Slice of Life post is offered to

Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge, 2024.

Oscar Glam

Are you a movie fan? My family is. 

We eagerly awaited the 96th Academy Award Show.

At 7:00pm we gathered in our Great Room to see Hollywood's tribute to the movies tonight. Glamorous gowns, dazzling Tiffany jewels, and trendy tuxedos provided an appealing opening. Each celebrity added his/her personal touch to make the evening a magical one. The award show was well-designed with dazzling presentations and exquisite sets. The magic began and ended on time, a rarity as far as previous Oscar Award shows go. There were no glitches seen and much to discuss at the end. The host, Jimmy Kimmel, delivered humor throughout the show. Words of peace were shared by one of the Oscar winners at the end. That was a touching moment.

Below you will find my heartnote to Hollywood. What is a heartnote? Click here to read my blog on March 1st.

HEARTNOTE TO HOLLYWOOD

This Slice of Life post is offered to

Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge, 2024.

 

Day 10

International Women's Day 2024-Call to Action

Atrocities still exist and women still need support to be treated equally with dignity.

Yesterday was International Women's Day, a day to "Invest in women: Accelerate progress". The day began with opening remarks by UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous at the UN Official commemoration of this special day dedicated to women across the world. Her speech ended with the following thought: "Be the light that brings hope and that accelerates progress towards an equal, sustainable, and peaceful future."

Call to Action

Ways to Help

invest

in women

around the globe

accelerate their progress toward

equality

recognize

need for

global gender equity

that haunts many lands

acknowledge

©CVarsalona, draft- Elfchen poem, 2024

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Teachers, how can you assist in "Investing in women and accelerating progress"?

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This Slice of Life post is offered to

 Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge 2024.

Day 9

Just One of Those Days

I have been working on a new-to-me-poem format for a few weeks. Have you ever tried many times to complete something that just would not gel? Here is my dilemma. I wanted to try to compose an Abracadabra poem. Unlike the phrase used in magical tales, the wish did not come easily as a 1-2-3. 

To make an Abracadabra poem with the proper rhyme scheme I needed to take out the "r"s in the word. I was left with an abacadaba rhyme making a 9-line poem also called a Magic 9 poem. While recuperating from a sinus-respiratory infection I have spent several weeks indoors. Every week, I have tried multiple times to create this poem. I went through draft after draft and finally settled on the following digital inspiration. The vase filled with flowers became the final inspiration that pushed me forward.

Abracadabra! Did you know that this word originally was part of Mesapotamia's Aramaic language? The phrase "avra kedabra" translates to "I create as I speak".  May you enjoy the magic of this poem that I send out to my Poetry Friday and Slicer friends. Excuse the lateness of this poem but I fell asleep this afternoon after a week of trying to get back into the flow of life.

 is hosted this week by

 a very talented kid-lit author, poet, and friend, Laura Purdie Salas.

She introduces us to her new book, Oskar's Voyage so

click here to read Laura's blog post. 

There are links to bring you to other writers' posts. 

Enjoy the Poetry Friday Roundup!

This blog post is also part of the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge.

Day 8

Click here to read Slicers' Slice of Life for Day 8 of the writing challenge.

NOTE: I will travel to different blog posts and leave comments throughout the weekend.

Heartnote for Teachers

Teachers, are there moments in your day that you stop to pause? 

Do you look into your classroom observing the children who sit before you?

 Does each child have a different look? 

These are some of the questions I have posed to myself over the 25 years of teaching reading, 10 years of being a districtwide administrator, and 8 years of consulting with districts as a teacher of teachers, and adjunct teaching at the local college. 

In your classrooms, you see the sparkling eyes of imaginers who look out beyond yours. You notice the knowledge-seekers who sit erect and weary-eyed children whose heads droop due to lack of sleep. Some of your students are troubled; they try to mask their inner, revolving feelings. Most children listen intently, some fade out fast, and others hold on tightly to bits of information you provide. 

Precious treasures surround you. Eagerly, you help each student process and create as you bring joy and delight to each day. You are a welcomer of knowledge. I lover of mindful interactions and an encourager who leads students to interact peacefully with each other. You mastermind these moments that bring students together and foster interesting pathways to learning.  

I send a heartnote of gratitude to each facilitator of learning. 

This was supposed to be Day 5's Slice of Life but time passed quickly.

Oops, the magic deadline hour dinged as I was almost at the end of the post.

Two Writing Teachers.

Day 6

2024

Carol Varsalona, 10-year Slicer

Gathering Goodness

As I write my heartnote for today, I contemplate the theme for this month's Spiritual Journey theme, Gathering Goodness. Our host is Ramona Behnke, a reader, writer, slicer, and friend. 

Today's slice of life is a reflective one. How can I gather goodness? Will I be observant and see life through earth's small beauties? Will I feel a gentle wind passing through the air en route to spring? Will I be grateful no matter what life brings to me? 

After leaving our clubhouse for a meeting, I noticed an ordinary scene. I paused to soak in the goodness of nature. A tree spreading out its limbs and an erect lamppost stood against a springlike sky. They were guide posts persuading me to look deeper. I noticed billowy clouds peeking behind the tree, the brilliance of late winter sky, and realized that something as simple as this scene could bring goodness.  

Dear Spiritual Journey and Slice of Life Friends, 

I invite you to gather goodness as I did.

Photos of Regency at Creekside, Northern Virginia

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When I think of the word, goodness, I see the image of Mother Teresa. Imagine the humbleness of this saint who said: " I'm a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world."  To me, this inspirational quote is full of goodness.

Ramona Behnke, host 

I hope you take a walk with me. Let's visit the websites of Spiritual Journey bloggers and Slice of Life slicers who bring their own brand of goodness to the penned page.

Two Writing Teachers, Day 7

10-year Slicer at Two Writing Teachers

Swimming Glee

Heartnote for Family Swimmers

Swimming Glee

gathering

family relaxes

smiles float while

soothing water swirls surround

togetherness

©CVarsalona, March 2024

Elfchen poem

On a Sunday, the community indoor pool is quiet. No one but the lifeguard is there. The oldest grandgirl jumps in the water without fear, while the middle child has trepidations without her water floaty. We make light of the missing floating to coax her into the pool. Finally, she sees how much fun everyone is having. Grandpa entices her to use the noodle to take a ride around the pool with him. He gently helps her float along. Her sister who is already on the swim team at age six is showing her ability to swim across the pool and play water basketball. Besides the wonder of a spring-like day that shines through the glassed swimming pool, the smiles on the family's faces make the day even more delightful. My camera clicks away as a memento of togetherness. 

Slice of Life thought:  Grandparent sitting has its perks!

The family gathering in the pool was the perfect setting to join the Slice of Life Sunday Zoom conversation with Stacey Shubitz and Betsy Hubbard. The event was enjoyable and it is always delightful to meet up with slicer friends whether they are familiar or new to the Two Writing Teachers community. Thank you, Stacey and Betsy.

Two Writing Teachers

Day 4

2024

Carol Varsalona, 10-year Slicer

New Month, New Challenges

March is here once again. The ground hog's prediction for spring to come early is definitely coming true in Northern Virginia. The cherry blossom peak time for showcasing the white and pink bouquet of colors starts on March 23rd. Of course, this doesn't quite connect with our community's Potomac cruise to see the cherry blossoms on April 4th. So we won't see what nature offers in prime time but I will have a chance to take photos and enjoy the beauty of a lazy cruise ride and lunch. 

As I said last Tuesday in my Sneak Peek blog post, "It's time to take a peek at what will be during March's slice of life spree." But before I do that, I pause to step back to 2015 when I signed up for the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge. I am sure that you will get the picture of what happened during March back then. Yes, it was heavily snowing on Long Island, NY where I used to live. 

Story to Be Told - 2016

2015

One goal this March will be to look into the past while being in the present. Photos and digital designs will inspire me to write heartnotes to nature, family, and friends. In case, you missed my ramblings about heartnotes click here. In my sneak peek post, the last stanza of my poem stated that I would be ready to share my theme today. Heartnotes it is! There will be small deliveries from my heart to my readership each day that I write.  You will find memes, nature photos, digital designs, and perhaps more family photos. All will be wrapped in poetry as a prelude to National Poetry Month in April. 

What is a heartnote?  See the above package and imagine this.

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Fly across an indigo sky with me this March in search of mystical beauty or take a nature walk as I snap photos. Whatever delight there is outdoors this month, I desire to capture it. This past month, I spent most of my time indoors recuperating from a respiratory/sinus infection that does not want to remove itself from me. Perhaps, you will create your own heartnote and send it to me to showcase. We'll see what nature and life will offer. My notebook is ready.

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Now, it is time to kiss the stars goodnight. I thank Laura Shovan for her fun 12th Annual February Poetry Project that she hosted. While I did not feel up to writing each day, I added several new drafts to my notebook. The game was on and all the players brought their best game plan in the form of a poem to Facebook. You probably guessed that the theme was about games. Each day, prompts were posted by different poets, and poems were created by each member. On my day of posting a prompt, I shared this. "Your mission today, should you choose to play, has to do with childhood playtime. Think back to the era when you were a child." I had fun that day reading all the poems that were written. 

Here is one poem that I never had a chance to unveil. It was based on a memory of a college friend who did travel to Woodstock and The Who's famous hit song, The Pinball Wizard. I found out that The Who were at  Woodstock singing in 1969. Years later, I saw the Tommy rock musical on Broadway with friends. This is what I created about The Who at Woodstock.

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I am celebrating the beginning of the March Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge and the Poetry Friday Roundup hosted by my dear, long-distance friend, Linda Baie. Linda is sharing her acrostic poem, "Choice". Click here to read her acrostic poem that features questions for us to ponder. Then hop over to the Two Writing Teachers' community website for opening posts from around the globe. 

I look forward to reading blog posts throughout the weekend. 

-Carol Varsalona, 10-year Slicer, Poet

Happy March 2024!