Old-Fashioned Halloween Fun

       Halloween is always our family night of fun.       

This year we are having a Halloween sleepover with the little grandgirls so we have been busy preparing. There's a Halloween wreath on the door with a little ghost smiling. As my little costumed characters walk through my front door I will  shout out Happy Halloween. The foyer will have a variety of Halloween artifacts collected over the years. Every room will be decorated for the scavenger hunt. Dinner will not be ready so the grandgirls will have time to roam the house having  old-fashioned fun. After dinner, we may even enjoy a walk in the dark to see what lurks outside and then they will put on their Halloween jammies and watch a Disney magic Halloween movie before bedtime. Regardless of age, Halloween is a time for memories to be built and Jack Prelutsky's It's Halloween book to be read.

 Bringing Halloween to Life at Grandma's house! 

out comes the broom

and more decorations

little tricksters will come soon

to visit Halloween stations

smiling ghosts float around

creating dazzling scenes

in their wispy gowns

there are no haunting dreams-

Halloween is a magical night

without ghastly fright

©CVarsalona, 2024

•   Happy Halloween!  

Poetry Friday is hosted this week 

by the wonderful children's author/poet

Patricia Franz.

Click Here

My World, Your World, Our World

Wake up world. It's the last day of October. Excitement is in the air!  Meteorologists announce good weather news. Today is a sunny, 83-degree day. What a boost to living Nature provides!

For the past few days, I pondered how to connect the beauty of Autumn with Linda Mitchell's Spiritual Journey challenge, My World, Your World, Our World. I ended up jumping around many topics. The words I wrote did not find a straight path to the topic but then again, neither do the different ways we look at life. For the moment, my world is messy. There are assorted stacks of paperwork, multiple phone call messages, and medicine bottles from another respiratory infection found in between my autumn decorations. Each night, the news shares topics of immediate concern from across the globe. Our world is suffering. I decided to pause again to find words that would bring positivity. Below is a draft of a poem that I have changed many times. Comments are always encouraged.

I step into my world

breathe in Autumn's fresh air

soak in the sun's radiance

watch trees sway back and forth

as I awaken to Autumn's spices

I pause, open my heart to a new moment

the spirit of the season invites me

to be present, be thankful, be in love

with our beautiful world

-our only world-

More voices need to be raised against

destruction, hate, and divisiveness

my world, your world,

meld into our world

 let us find peace as

brilliant sunsets close

each night on a

spiritual journey 

©CVarsalona, 2024 draft

Thank you to our Spiritual Journey community for tackling different topics monthly with wisdom and inspiration. I look forward to reading friends' blog posts at Linda Mitchell's site.

October's End-Catch The Vibes

There's a whisper of Autumn's magic as she gracefully prepares to turn October's evenings into November days. Before November arrives, Autumn gathers colorful leaves swishing by her feet and throws them playfully into the wind. Then, she continues to tread lightly because ghastly ghosts might appear on her Autumn walk. Are you ready for a Halloween treat?

Would you like to see the above-animated poster? Click here to find the Buncee I created. If I lived in Louisiana, I would see mysterious Spanish Moss hanging over bushes. Last Wednesday, slicer Margaret Simon, shared a photo for This Photo Wants to Be Poem. One of her talented students, Avalyn  created a poetic format. You can click here to read the format. Moving on to Hallow's Eve, you can find another animated  Buncee.

Enjoy Halloween. I do every year and can't wait to see my grandgirls' costumes. 

This is my Tuesday's Slice of Life that I send to Two Writing Teachers,

a meeting place for a world of reflective writers.

Since I have another respiratory infection, I will spread slices and send comments tomorrow.

Autumn's Abundant Gifts

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Welcome to the Autumn Edition

of Poetry Friday

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Once again, Autumn unfolds in brilliant color and poetic thought. There are many ah-hah moments to enjoy because Nature understands the need to nurture life.  I am delighted to host this week's Poetry Friday. 

RELAX and REFLECT

There is a nostalgic feeling and a breath of autumn in the air and carried into my home. As you browse through my blog, you will most likely agree with me that:

If you have followed my blog each autumn, you will find Autumn Galleries of Artistic Expressions that I created. Many Poetry Friday authors offered their original image poems and photography to delight gallery guests. I honor all the writers and poets who shared their work integrating the arts, technology, and poetry. You can click on the titles of the underlined galleries. It's my Halloween treat.

2014  -   Finding Fall

2015   -  Autumn's Palette

2016   -  Autumnventure

2017   -  Autumn Ablaize

2020 -  Abundant Autumn

2021   -  Bedecked in Autumn

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Another treat is the debut of Janet Wong's and Sylvia Vardell's book, Clara's Kooky Compendium of Thimblethoughts and Wonderfuzz. Janet and Sylvia have created a unique anthology of poems from a 150 poets. I was delighted to have one of my poems, Would You Like To Bake?, published in this amazing collection. Each set of poems includes an interesting ThimbleThought and a wonder question, WonderFuzz. Students will enjoy the illustrations by Frank Ramspott and the exercise journals. Since I recently received my book, I will review the book soon. Then, I will send it off into the universe of KidLit. You will enjoy getting kooky with Clara. Thank you, Janet and Sylvia, for creating a book that will dazzle students, classroom teachers, and families.

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Poetry Sister October Prompt

Write a poem in which you literally build and/or take apart something for your reader. Focus your attention on constructing or deconstructing your object, taking into account technical terms, instructions, perhaps even the source of your materials.

I created a quick trinet poem sequence about constructing a spooky but fun scavenger walk through my house for my grandgirls. 

Halloween spirit

Floats in.

Boxes of decorations will mesmerize grandgirls.

Scarecrows, costumes, ghosts, create fall magic.

Spirits unleash.

Scenes created.

Spooky ambiance!

Ready for

Halloween party?

Not yet, where's the orange light?

Who'll stack boxes in the garage?

Crazed search.

Weekend hunt

Trickster's treat!

©CVarsalona, revised 2024

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Over the years, it has been a pleasure to present the colors of Autumm through a poetic and artistic lens. Autumn is the time to curl up reading. Enjoy the range of writing from the Poetry Friday community.  Enjoy the range of writing from the Poetry Friday community. Happy Halloween! 

NOTE: I tried out a new company for link-ups but I a glitch occurred. If you left a comment, it might be deleted so please add it again, Click to Enter, again.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

In Awe of Autumn

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It was a crisp mid-October day that opened its expansive blue sky to the beauty of Autumn. We drove on the country road bordered by a canopy of huge green trees splattered with the colors of fall, umber, russet, gold, maize, crimson, pine green, and raw sienna. The rows of trees stood close together like crowds watching a parade. One leaf danced in front of our car and another followed the leader. I paused and wondered. Do leaves whisper to each other?

We continued to drive in awe of Autumn's beauty. Gravel roads took us to Wegmeyer Farm with a quaint barn that led us to pumpkin fields. The orange pumpkins against a backdrop of green trees enhanced the beauty of this magnificent fall day.

Outside the barn was a glorious array of nature's finest farm-raised items and a cutout board for photos Inside the barn were wooden bins of gourds and pumpkins in various sizes. The large bumpy ones I had never seen before. Little Lila did not enjoy those gourds.

Goosenecks were fun to pick up and share with the little grandgirls. Outside there was a glorious array of nature's finest farm-raised items. There was even a cutout board for photos in the cutouts outside but our baby was not in the mood.

It was time for the hayride, so the family climbed into the wagon and sat on large haystacks. We traveled through the farmland. The ride was bumpy but the scenery was lovely. The grands were delighted with the scavenger hunt that encouraged them to find interesting objects in the woods. Besides farm tools and a group of tiny scarecrows lined up like a football team, Halloween characters were hiding in the trees. After twenty minutes of a fun bumpy hayride, the farmer returned to the corn maze and the barn. The ride was delightful but getting up from the haystack was difficult for me; the barn's bakery smells led us forward. There were apple cider and glazed donuts for a treat. After taking in autumn's magic at the farm, we traveled to the next stop, a brewery and a playground for the children. The slogan Virginia is for lovers is a true statement. We bid the little girls goodbye with kisses. The spirit of autumn was in the air.

Virginia's scenic roads led us to discover new country places to wander and pause while Autumn was all around. Perhaps next weekend we will find more hidden gems to explore.

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sunshine spilling,

leaf-dancing

nostalgic memories of crisp autumn mornings

recall kaleidoscopic scenes that changed weekly-

nature's invitation:

gather outside

find fall

©CVarsalona, 2024

trinet poetic form

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INVITATION for WRITERS:

Join me at my blog as I host Poetry Friday on 10/25/2024.

My topic is Awe-Inspiring Autumn.

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This is my Tuesday's Slice of Life that I send to Two Writing Teachers,

a meeting place for a world of reflective writers.

Halloween Digital Delights with Poetic Flare

There is a trickster in the house.

Boo! It's Grandpa!

Halloween is an experience down memory lane.

I remember it well-

present (above) to past years (below).

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 Let's move backward in time to college days. 

With flashlights, we trod lightly on the cemetery grounds.

 Teaching days brought a Harvest House

scenario for the entire school. There were

decorations, read out louds, refreshments, and fun.

In the neighborhood, 

families gathered together for trick and treat. 

Adults enjoyed costume parties.

Little grandgirls chose their fashionable wear as Disney characters.

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Halloween's Coming!

It's time to light up your imagination.

Now that the digital artwork has been presented, I turn to poetic flare.

Halloween Delight

Momentum rises. 

Halloween is around the corner. 

It specializes

Not as a mourner,

A magical night it is.

Are you ready

dear little miss?

If not, go steady.

Walk down the streets

But beware

Of gobbly treats.

and smells in the air.

Laugh and enjoy

The darkness of night

Don't destroy

Or cry with fright.

Halloween dances

In clothes of black

As he prances

Call him Jack.

©CVarsalona, October 2024, quick write

Country Living

I hope you enjoy a taste of my Halloween-inspired digital art and poem for my little grandgirls. You can see more of my Halloween digital artwork taken in my Long Island neighborhood before we moved by clicking here.  

"l love Halloween and I love that feeling: the cold air, the spooky dangers lurking around the corner." 

Below is a song for little children to sing on Halloween.

I presented my treats so now I share a Halloween trick: 

Find me as a costumed character in the above digital artwork.

Have a Fa-Boo-Lous Halloween!

Now, I am turning the Poetry Friday corner to link in with one of my favorite poet friends, Matt Forrest Esenwine who hosts today's Poetry Friday. Click here to find out what Matt is sharing. You will read a plethora of good news about Matt's success in the Kidlit literary world. I always enjoy book reviewing his work so stay tuned!

I invite everyone to join me next week as I host Poetry Friday. 

Bring your delightful photos, quotes, digital artwork, and poetic goodness. I am excited to share our poetry community's wonderfilled offerings.

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Let your imagination take you wherever it wishes to go. - Carol

X Marks the Spot! Roadtrip

"It was a beautiful, bright autumn day, with air like cider

and a sky so blue you drown in it.

— Daine Gabaldon, Outlander

Before leaving my house, I searched for the best place to view vivid fall foliage. Many sites in West Virginia were booked for overnight stays so my family and I traveled to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The glorious sun in a bright blue sky made the trip delightful. As we drove from Virginia to West Virginia, trees were colored in different shades of green but there were touches of red at the tops of many huge trees. Leaf peeping was our original goal for a wonderfilled Autumn day but being part of nature and finding historical sites made for a calming trip. 

When we arrived at Harpers Ferry, the quaint, historic town buzzed with tourists. The antiquity of the area offered stories from its past. Cobblestone, gravel, and brick sidewalks roads provided picturesque views of life from the 19th Century. St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church completed in 1833 was a beautiful reminder of America as a melting pot with customs from early Irish immigrants. We climbed the short incline up to the church on the hill but a military wedding was taking place so we decided to enjoy the outdoors.

Shops, as True  Treats Candy carrying favorite candy from the 20th Century and restaurants were found throughout the town. Various museum spots were showplaces of the past. My 7-year-old grandgirl was intrigued by the placards at the entrance of Harpers Ferry's living history buildings. She became our little tour guide, reading authentic shop signs, the Harpers Ferry Train Station, Boarding House, Provost Marshall Office, Dry Goods Store, White House Tavern, John Brown's Fort, and more. 

We did not see the beautiful Autumn change of leaves. However, we enjoyed the country ride through small towns and historical places. It was exciting to step back-in-time and view the area's timeless natural beauty.

Ethical ELA Open Write Challenge:

I missed this challenge this summer but decided to play with it because of its interesting format. Mo Daley challenged writers to try an X Marks the Spot Poem with these instructions “Find a print article from a magazine that interests you. Once you have chosen your article, simply draw an X through the page. Then write your poem using the words touching your X.” 

Autumn Excursion

a happy day in Harpers Ferry 

with its historical appeal,

long-storied views, 

outdoorsy appeal

explore John Brown's history

back in time

visit the Catholic edifice,

see Appalachian plethora

find charming grounds, 

with managed shops,

guided tours

eat, explore, shop

@CVarsalona, draft, 2024

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This is my Tuesday's Slice of Life that I send to Two Writing Teachers,

a meeting place for a world of reflective writers.

Connecting With Nature

Autumn holds a wonder all its own.  - Laura Jaworski

Digitized Photo 

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Autumn days slowly transition into eye-catching, picturesque scenes of color. Each day I enjoy discovering fall's beauty in ordinary and extraordinary places. While researching the topic of self-care, I found connecting with nature has positive effects on emotional well-being. Trail walks, apple picking, and other outdoor activities helped reduce stress and anxiety during my recuperation time. The warmth of a September or October day allows me to breathe in fresh air, reflect upon the earth's beauty, and relax. 

For years, my family has picked apples. Recently, we traveled through the countryside on the way to the apple orchard. Remembering years past I looked for trees with a tinge of color. Once we arrived at Stribling Orchard, we found a bountiful apple tree. My little grandgirls arrived before us so their bag of apples was bountiful. The fresh country air and the sweet-tasting red apples made our faces smile.

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September day

sun radiates

family gathers together at the orchard

excitement begins with the first pick

baby smiles

munches apples

Autumn delight

 @CVarsalona, 2024

Trinet poem

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As I search for the best place for vivid fall foliage in Virginia and West Virginia. I reflect on last year's parade of trees. They were dressed in Autumn finery. 

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Height of Fall Fashion

fall's fashion

debuts soon

with a kaleidoscope of color

some autumn trees are fashionably late 

Autumn's parade

is a

must-see event

 @CVarsalona, 2024

Trinet poem

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The Jama Rattigan is hosting Poetry Friday on her blog, Jama's Alphabet Soup. Her post will make you hungry because she is writing about doughnuts.