O Christmas Tree

It was a magical sight! A Christmas tree lit up with a fragile package of life under its boughs. Parents, two sets of grandparents, aunts, and uncles gathered for Baby's First Christmas to watch a little bundle of energy's movement.  

I sit back now and reflect on this magical Christmas in which my grandbaby Sierra Kathryn became the focal point. Past Christmastimes flash before me. I see my mother's 1940 manger, an array of Christmas trees, and children's faces but this year one image looms brightly-an angel of glee and cheerfulness who brings joy to all.  

Could there be a better blessing than this sweet child with a beautiful  smile and loving ways?

Life is full! 

Isn't it amazing how one small child can bring healing to life? 

Last week, I was fortunate to have witnessed the magnificent light show at the Morman Washington D.C.Temple. I created a short video using the Magisto platform. You can access that here.

I'm joining Mary Lee Hahn for her #haikuforhealing project and Poetry Friday where Heidi Mordhorst is the host. 

It's #ThankfulThursday and I want to thank all those who graciously offered their talents and poetry love to help me build my Autumn Ablaze Gallery.

O Autumn

O Autumn, Autumn! O pensive light

and wistful sound!

Gold-haunted sky, green-haunted ground!...

-Effie Lee Newsome

You can read the rest of the poem here. 

While yesterday was the Winter Solstice and the first day of winter, I am still celebrating autumn. To mark the occasion, I unveiled my Autumn Ablaze Gallery on social media yesterday. You can access it here.  

With vibrant, harvest colors, the global gallery showcases the brilliancy of the 2017  autumn season. Thanks to the Poetry Friday community and other writers, photographers, artists, and student voices, the gallery is full of artistic expressions. Here is a sampling of what you can see at Autumn Ablaze Gallery.

Special Thanks To:

Janet Wong for gathering new poetic voices to the gallery.

Now, I am heading over to Buffy's Blog where Buffy Silverman is hosting a Merry Happy Poetry Friday!

Happy Holidays to ALL!

Unveiling of Autumn Ablaze Gallery

Where there is autumn, there is brilliancy 

and landscapes ablaze with color. 

Welcome to Autumn Ablaze Gallery

honoring Mother Nature's annual autumnal gala.⤵

Above photography by Devin Hartnett, Kent Kristensen, kmechling, Carol Varsalona

Have you been inspired by the beauty of the season? Joy flows from encounters with nature. The calendar may have turned its pages but you can relive autumn's wonder-filled changing landscape here at Autumn Ablaze. Mother Nature herself, festively dressed in harvest-colored hues, is ready to host the gallery unveiling.  

Before entering the digital gallery, filled with poetic thoughts and photographic delights, listen to Frank Sinatra croon about autumn leaves.

Autumn 2017 prepared a bountiful feast for our eyes this season. Take a peek at the different sights of autumn in the short trailer/travel log created for viewing here. After that, travel the trail to the gallery.

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"Autumn that year painted the countryside in vivid shades of scarlet, saffron, and russet."-Sharon Kay Penman (offered by Jackie Yun)

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autumn is ablaze

golden-tinged trees color life
with inspiration

©CVarsalona, 2017

Notice the vivid colors of autumn.

Breathe in the air of autumn.

Wonder as you wander on fall days.

Chris Sweetman, England

Great Falls, Virginia by Chris Militzer 

Taste the sweetness of fall.


Hear the leaves crunching under your feet.

Be inspired by the eye-popping artistic expressions

created for this global gallery. 

Enjoy the gallery experience as you travel across the globe. 

"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf."  -Rabindranath Tagore 

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Are you ready to dance with the leaves? 

Ramona Behnke, Washington

Listen to "When the Leaves Come Falling Down"

by Van Morrison, submitted by @Perapiteticus

Terje Akke, Estonia

"...Trees giddy with color, almost garish, like gypsy dresses."

-Anne Lamott

Autumnal

Pale amber sunlight falls across

The reddening October trees,

That hardly sway before a breeze

As soft as summer: summer's loss

Seems little, dear! on days like these...

-Ernest Dowson

Morning awakens to a stilled quiet.










From morning to night, autumn colors the world with memorable sights.

Autumn Inspires!

On the water,
the canoe turns

toward a horizon

I do not know.

I paddle-pull

under a bridge,

listen to the rumble

of a passing car

like thunder from rolling clouds.

Under a bridge

where teenager

hunches over his cig,

where wooden gates

direct water

as if one could

contain such a wild thing.

-Margaret Simon, 2017

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For your listening pleasure, "Autumn in New England"

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Jane Whittingham, Autumn Song sung in Japan
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Children's Corner

 ⤵

The above video can be accessed at goo.gl/b8RnQM .

Enjoying Fall by Ramona Behnke

Story time

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Children love Halloween so...

Teresa Gross

Drawing by Michelle Kogan

Reflect on the Progression of Autumn

First Snow in Estonia by Terje Akke

The community of reflective writers has continued to grow since the first Reflect With Me Gallery of Artistic Expressions in March 2014.  I am grateful to all who offered their creativity and talents to this gallery. 

Contributors to Autumn Ablaze Gallery
@AlaskaTracy	Grady, Cynthia	Nesdoly, Violet
@anjonneveld	Grimes, Nikki	Phillips, Moe
@binghamtonu	Gross, Teresa	Platt, Rita
@gary_hensel	Hahn, Mary Lee	Salas, Laura Purdie
@i2learn	Hankins, Paul W.	Schaub, Michelle
@kathyiwanicki	Harsham, Brenda	Scully, Janice
@math912Teacher	Hartnett, Devin	Shepard, Kiesha
@Perapiteticus	Healy, Jane Heitman	Silverman, Buffy
#GatewoodGators	Herzog, Rebecca	Simon, Margaret
Akke, Terje	Hodgson, Kevin	Smith, Donna
Alyssa H.	Hogan, Holly	Snider, Grant
Arend, Matt	Howard, Mary, Dr.	Steinglass, Elizabeth
Baie, Linda	Howard, Spiri	Stillufsen, Heather
Behnke, Ramona	Jetter, Rick	Sweetman, Chris
Bryant, Jen	Kelley, Steve	Szaj, Julie
Bryne, Jacqui	Kristensen, Kent	Betty Lynn Tims
Buhr, Daniel	kmechling	Van Iderstine, Barbara
Calmenson, Stephanie	Kogan, Michelle	Vardell, Sylvia
Caplin, Maria	Laminack, Lester	Varsalona, Carol
Campbell, Robyn	Lake, Lillian	Wallace, Ken
Cator, Leia	Latham, Irene	Weston, Mark E. Ph.D
Coda, Rebecca	Lewis, J. Patrick	Whittingham, jane
Cleland-Sipfle, Kate	Lalotra, Manav	Wirtz, Rita
Deem, Ellen	Klostermann, Penny Parker	Wong, Janet
Diller, Debbie	MacCulloch, Jone	Wyman, Christie
Duarte, Blanca	Matzinger, Simon	Yun, Jackie
Eck, Leigh Anne	Mayo, Jane
Euwer Wolff, Virginia	Mayr, Diane	Student Voices:
Farnum, Sean	McGriff, Kay
Feinberg, Ona	Meller, Faige	Andrew-5th grader
Flynn, Catherine	Militzer, Chris	Jane-Kinder
Foley, Kevin	Mitchell, Linda	Landon
Forrest Esenwine, Matt	Mitchell, Sean	Madison, 4th grader
French, Mark	Mueller, Holly	Wyman's Wonders-Kinders
Ghinga, Charles	Murphy, Sally

You can visit the following global galleries that integrate the arts, technology, and poetry by clicking below.

2014

Reflect With Me: Bring a Community of Writers Together to Celebrate Life & Teaching 

April Awakenings

Summer Serenity

Finding Fall

2015

Winter Whisperings

Spring's Symphony

Summer Splashings

Autumn's Palette

2016

Winter Wanderings

Spring's Seeds

Summerscapes

Autumnventure

2017

Winter Wonder

Springsations

Sunkissed Summer

Thank you for perusing the Autumn Ablaze Gallery. It has been a pleasure to relive the vibrancy of autumn with colorful and inspiring digital inspirations from across the globe. 

You may enjoy this video, "Autumn Colors", that emphasizes the fall season in all its glory.

Please leave a comment or tweet a response so that the joy of this gallery and the work of all those who contributed can be spread throughout the world.

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile." 

William Cullen Bryan

Until we meet again, I send holiday wishes and happy new year thoughts to all. This has been a joyful creative venture and I look forward to the next season and what it brings.

 - Carol