Friday, July 17, 2026

Light on the Pathway

On one specific night when a torrential rainstorm arrived, my landscape lamps froze and stopped shining.  The darkness was overwhelming, not just in its reality but in the emotion that I felt. Grief rushed in as rain poured from the darkened sky. I sat inside writing, remembering the stillness of sunlit afternoons and the beauty of nature glowing against the light. The darkness was haunting. The discomfort of grief created a dark moment. I needed faith to calm my soul. One Bible verse from John 1:5 offered solace. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." With this thought, I leaned on faith, remembering that God's light has led me through many darkened paths, providing hope.   

be of good faith
in life's darkened corners
thy Light leads me on
©CVarsalona, 2026

This blog post is an extension of last week's Poetry Friday blog, Light Unto My Path, based on Kim Johnson's prompt. Due to the hectic weekend, my post with two poems ended being shared on Saturday morning. Below you will find my digital art pantoum poem with a sunrise photo captured by my son from my blog.


This week, Jill Dailey, our host of Poetry Friday is inviting us to her creative Summer Camp. I enjoyed watching Jill's video on how to create a zine. Since I never worked with paper to make one, I am eager to do so.

Saturday, July 11, 2026

A Light Unto My Path

On the first Thursday of each month, the Spiritual Journey writers gather together to compose their thoughts on the prompt of the month. On this Thursday, the teacher-poet, Kim Johnson, is hosting with the theme,  A Light Unto My Path. I have reflected for several days on how I should create this blog post. I poured through several homilies and podcasts of Father Mike Schmitz, a devout and energized priest and speaker. I also searched songs related to the spiritual journey and light. The reflective times I spent reading opened a path of peace. 

There are many aspects on how Christian singers, songwriters, clergy, and writers form their offerings but one photograph captured by my son, Derek, provided the start I needed. Within his photo, I not only found the beauty of dawn but observed angel formations fluttering in the clouds. This gave me pause, as did the songs that I gathered, poems I read, and spiritual leaders offering their input on Psalm 119:105: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and alight unto my path." 

As I turn my reflections into poetic thoughts, I listen to Amy Grant's beautiful song of praise, "Thy Word." It is a soothing, lift-me-up song that you can listen to by clicking here. With songs of faith and hope, I find myself in a calming state.
 
illumination
on my spiritual journey
a pathway to peace
Divine Radiance's gift
"Let (the) light shine out darkness"
©CVarsalona, 2026
(last line is from 2 Corinthians 4:6)
Thank you to Jan Annino for hosting Poetry Friday at Bookseedstudio. Her blog shares an interesting title, Chill, and showcases a gorgeaous photo sharing a moment of cool pool indulgence. 

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

A Slice of the 4th of July

We owe our independence
to others who paved the initial way:
heros,heroines,Founding Fathers, and patriots.
LET'S CONTINUE TO↓

How did you celebrate the Fourth of July?

My family
CELEBRATES independence each year
in style with homemade cookies!
This year the chocolate chip cookies are colored blue with chocolate frosting. The house is decorated inside and outside.
You may ask how my little grandgirls celebrated while at my house?
They enjoyed swimming in the pool.
They met new children who were with their grandparents.
They had a delicious barbecue,
and sang a song they rehearsed the night before,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
But there is more:
they wished for ice cream
at the new ice cream store.
Each child, plus adults tried different yummy flavors.
🎆
My Wish For All Children and Students:
To grow into honorable citizens who uphold the Constitution,
create plans for a better tomorrow, and memories for the future.
So, let's ignite the

American Spirit 
Authentic voices 
Make noise as they
Embark on
Roads ahead-
If freedom devotees
Commit, they will rise
As responsive Americans ready for 
    Next Steps 
Positive approaches that
Inspire students to
Reach out 
Ignite the flame
To make more noise
draft CVarsalona, 2025-26, acrostic poem 


Friday, July 3, 2026

4th of July 2026 Semiquincentennial

While the photo below dates back to the 4th of July 2024, it is a symbol  of my family's tradition. Each year, we watched the firework celebrations live with family and friends or on television. One year, when my children were young, we traveled to New York City for the firework display by Macy's. The area for spectators was filled with many families who all had just enough space for four people. While the firework display was magnificent, we felt cramped. 

Years that followed were enjoyed in our hometown where we felt more comfortable. The famous Grucci Firework Company on Long Island, always displayed a magnificent show. The symphony orchestra always played on the bandstand, and families gathered in picnic style. Each celebration was held on  a separate day than the 4th of July. This allowed our family and others to watch the Macy's celebration on Independence Day. 

family gathers
America celebrates
freedom sparkles rise
©CVarsalona, 2026, photo from 2024

dazzling fireworks
dart into evening sky
pop, whizz, sizzle
like popcorn kernels bursting
showstopper entertainment
©CVarsalona, 2022

We always celebrate in style with homemade cookies!
This year the chocolate chip cookies are colored blue with chocolate frosting and the house is decorated inside and outside.

My little grandgirls are tucked away in their lovely room in my house waiting to enjoy a pre-4th of July celebration. Tomorrow, their parents will come over for a pool day, dinner, and ice cream. The youngest two understand that the USA will have a birthday so they already started singing Happy Birthday America. My oldest grandgirl (9) informed me that she learned about the Revolutionary War that led to the birth of American independence. 
"Miss Liberty, at Dawn's First Peep, Awakes the Echoes from Their Sleep"
(Original Postcard from early 1900)


Flag of the United States Semiquincentennial celebration

Ignite the American Spirit  (for our students)
      Authentic voices 
      Make noise as they
      Embark on 
      Roads ahead  
      If freedom devotees
     Commit they will rise
     As responsive Americans ready for
     Next steps:
     Shape outcomes with
     Positive approaches
     Inspire students to
     Reach out with concerns
     Ignite the flame
    To make more noise
     draft CVarsalona, July 4th, 2025


It is Poetry Friday and our host, Michelle Kogan, invites us to the Roundup. Her blog post 4th of July Justice, shares her artwork, poetry, and songs. Please click here to read Michelle's blog and other poets' blogs.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

June Is...

June is ending today with fanfare since it shares two joyful seasons, late spring and early summer. June's sunrises opened with a centering feeling, a tribute to nature. Sunsets energized watchers, even when the sky was gray. There is vibrancy in the month of June, as if a seamstress dressed it in style.

Click here to listen to the lively song, "June Hymn".

June Is...

June enters like brides
with bouquets of spring florals
nature's peak blooms

June is earth's
love song composed
with nature's hands.

June is spring's 
bountiful gift of love
to spark each day

June is also
summer's turn to join in
with heated glory
©CVarsalona, 2026

The above poem is inspired by Patience Strong's quote:
"June is a love song written by nature."

Click here to listen to the song, "June Hymn".

As June passes by, remember:
June smells like bouquets of vivid blossoms,
is the garland-decorated gateway to summer
that is precious so honor June's entrance.

Hint: Don't forget sun lotion!

On the last day of June, be of good spirit.
The temperature in Virginia is going to create the summer sweat.
It's time to take a summerscape!


On this beautifully lit day filled with sunshine and heat, I offer my blog post
to Two Writing Teachers, a meeting place for reflective writers around the globe.

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Thinking in Threes

Life, it seems, is series of eras, periods, and ages that are constantly shifting, rearranging, being integrated, and viewed anew." 

- Karen Edmisten

I am always on the lookout for well-stated thoughts to inspire my day. While reading Karen Edmisten's blog recently, I decided to capture the above quote to add to the Poetry Sisters' writing challenge.

It's the end of June, and the Poetry Sisters invited PoetryPals to join June's challenge. Here's the scoop from Tanita Davis: "We’re greeting the opening act of summer with a triptych." Tanita was introduced to the poetic format by Tabatha Yeatts, who shared West Coast poet and essayist Louise Ireland’s three-act August Triptych. 

Even though I never heard of a triptych poem, I decided to bring together three different summertime moments as poet Linda Pastan did in her Summer Triptych. My triptych poem went through many revisions, so it is still in the draft stage. Wordy narration, was a start. 

“It’s strange how summers from different decades can be yoked together by memory in a single poem.” -Linda Pastan

Summer Love Connections

1.

Love is summer's heated-blush

to a young lady, who arrived late.

A sun-kissed sky, and one crutch

slowly. moved me toward a surprising spark of connections. 

From the thumping of his heartbeats,  

smiles and conversations rose.

Temperatures swelled and 

whisperings swirled as  

 hearts melded together.

2.

Summers passed by; full-bloom gardens 

shared nature's nurturing fragrance.

Hearts deepened as heated sands

and roaring waves ebbed and flowed.

The sounds of children's voices

echoed across ocean waves and

cherished memories lit sunsets. 

Love sparked amidst life's shifting, 

and tides of ups and down.


Anniversaries broadened. 

Summers renewed a bond.

Love connections flourished.

along with blooming gardens 

of florals and herbs 

and refreshing waves.

 3.

Summer years followed; 

love grew like the deer family

marching strategically from the woods.

Geese paraded with fledglings broods.

At times, connections were

lost in unexpected time warps. 

Sunrise either brought warmth

or skytears of gray mornings.

New home renewed life's designs

until love split in half as 

one life slipped heavenward.

draft, CVarsalona, 2026

Hope and faith are strong components in life. Connections are anchors. Love and nature nurture life. Breathe in. Breathe out and notice what is precious in our lives and on our earth of contrasts  

Join Poetry Sister, Tricia Sthor Hunt, at 
The Miss Rumphius Effect for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
You will be delighted to read her triptych and those of her 
Poetry Sisters,TanitaMary Lee Hahn, and Liz Garton Scanlon.

My time slipped by so this blog was finished into the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Friday, June 19, 2026

Noticing Life's Beauty

As the last days of Springtime, turn a corner, a gray sky triggers inspiration. It's time to bring nature inside. A vase of flowers from the past reminds me to notice small moments. 

nurtured by nature
spring florals nestle inside
a peaceful moment
©CV, 2026



I celebrate 9 years of life with my oldest grandgirl and her sisters on the first days of summer vacation. We swim, have chocolate pudding, blow out a candle, and engage in artistic activities. Colorful pictures appear with crayons and a magic pencil as the birthday girl creates her own floral display, a mix of live parsley flowers and blue hydrangea legos. It's amazing how live the hyrandea bouquet looks in the crystal vase (and the quick speed that it took for Sierra to create the display).


The little grandgirls and I are off to make chocolate cake for the birthday party. It's a family weekend but I will catch up with the Poetry Friday Roundup blogs. In the meantime, I excitedly moved to Buffy Silverman's blog that she states is the Soggy Edition of Poetry Friday. Click here to find our what the gardener, nature lover, poet is offering. 
Be of peace everyone!

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Stroll Through Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet Gallery

 "Where flowers bloom so does hope" 

- Lady Bird Johnson


 Take a peek into my garden of peace that explodes with joy in June.


Please open the link to Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet Gallery to view the collaborative effort of poets, photographers, and artists who joined me to create a tribute to Springtime. As you enter the gallery of artistic of artistic expressions, click on the slideshow. Then, turn on Vivaldi Four Seasons: Spring La Primavera to stroll through the gallery of artistic expressions. There you will discover some slicers who contributed to my National Poetry Month project. 

I thank those who offered their talents to create a new gallery among the many galleries I have created and shared on my blog since 2014. I also thank my readers for their comments. 
"Spring dances with joy in every flower and in every bud letting us know that changes are beautiful and an inevitable law of life."  - Debasish Mridha

A meeting place for a world of reflective writers. Click here.