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Thursday, January 6, 2022

Appreciate OLW: Winter Thoughts

      Welcome to the First Poetry Friday of 2022!        
 “Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental     journey, and enjoy every idle hour.”     -Attributed to John Boswell 

Happy New Year to my fellow poets, authors, friends, and guests!

This is the week when my one little word is revealed every year. There were a series of experiences that helped me choose my one word that was officially posted iyesterday. You can find out more information at my post,  Connecting with My One Little Word - SJT 2020, here. I chose appreciate as my one little word but more importantly, I think it chose me too. One line from a TEDx talk by Mike Robbins helped me recognize the importance of my one word as a healing word. "Appreciation is an important element in effectively dealing with the stress of challenges and uncertainty that so many of us are facing these days." Appreciate revolves around the concept of positivity so as I walk through each day, I am ready to find items or events that are small, ordinary, or big to bring a measure of joy into life.


I am ready to appreciate more of life this year. For today's appreciation thought I want to send warm greetings to the Poetry Friday community who have become more than a virtual grouping of writers, authors, and poets. You are all closely knit as a cohesive group of supportive friends. I value your friendship, your critiques, and your encouragement. Enjoy your walk through winter this year and if you are so inclined, send me an image poem, drawing, quote, song, playlist, or any other artistic expression to share the beauty of winter for a new poetic gallery to send around the globe. 

It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.-John Burroughs

May the crispness of winter fill your soul. Thank you for sharing your posts tonight and tomorrow. I am sorry that this posting comes late. My gathering with my family came later than expected. Now that the little grandgirls have finally stopped talking and closed their eyes for the night, I will post this blog. Click on Mr. Linky below. Thank you for joining my Welcome to 2022 with the Poetry Friday Community. 

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32 comments:

  1. Dear Carol, please know YOU are APPRECIATE-d. ;0) Thank you for all the creative beauty you share with the world. (And chattering little grandgirls sound like a perfect reason to post a little later than you'd planned. Happy New Year to you and all of yours!)

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    1. Thanks for understanding about the lateness of this post, Robyn. I knew that that the little ones were exhausted but tonight was a record of marathon talking. Thanks for joining in the fun tonight. I look forward to reading your post.

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  2. We all need to learn to appreciate more things, Carol - great word choice! And thanks for hosting!

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  3. Thanks for sprinkling us in snowflakes, crystals, and especially sunbeams Carol! Appreciations for hosting and sharing a caring OLW, I look forward to hearing and reading more of your journeys together!

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  4. I "appreciate" you, Carol, & all the joy you bring every time you share, now with those sweet granddaughters. I did some of that "clean sweeping" this am after our quite cold snowstorm which I guess is coming your way! Thanks for hosting and wishing you the happiest of new years!

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  5. I echo all the appreciation, Carol. Your OLW is spot on - now more than ever. Thank you for hosting and thank you for creating a blog that is always a warm haven to visit. :)

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  6. Appreciate is a powerful OLW and seems especially appropriate for these times. Thanks for hosting and for always sharing so generously and positively.

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  7. Thank you for hosting this week and for all the time you put into creating digital galleries of beautiful words and images. It matters that we creatives make art. We are fortunate to live at a time that we can without too much trouble. I appreciate that about YOU! And, I really can't wait to see your padlet venture. Isn't it amazing how good ideas grow and seed more?

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  8. I echo Robyn's sentiment, You are appreciated! Your steadfast support of this community and how you accept us all is appreciated. Thanks for hosting with such grace and beauty. Happy New Year!

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  9. Thank you, Carol, for your weekly posts that always make me slow down and appreciate the season and always your lovely creations. Even on cold icy days it helps us focus on what is important.

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  10. Thanks for hosting this week, Carol. Appreciate is a great OLW. It's easy to forget how much there is to appreciate in the world. We are experiencing the first snow of the season here this morning. It didn't roar in, more like snuck in on padded feet. I will be sure to appreciate the beauty before it turns to slush. Appreciate you, my friend!

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  11. It is so interesting to think about how snowflakes change - what they do, where they go, how we see them. Thank you for sharing your one little word and the poem and image to go with it. It is a perfect one for this time in history, and you've got me thinking about it too. Gratitude for hosting this first 2022 roundup, and Happy New Year to you and yours!

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  12. Dear Carol, I can't think of a better focus than "appreciate." Thank you for the reminder and know that YOU and all you give are so very appreciated. Happy snow, too... we've got a crunchy lawn this morning, but no snow. xo

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  13. Such an important attitude with which to greet the new year and every new day: appreciation, along with gratitude, love, and acceptance will all help us build/repair the world we believe in. Thanks for hosting, Carol, and for sharing your beautiful images and words.

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  14. Great word for the year, Carol! I'm still thinking about my OLW (2021 was all about UPLIFTMENT). Thank you for hosting today. I hope everyone reads Madelyn Rosenberg's hilarious middle grade ONE SMALL HOP -- a comedic, satirical view of what our world might look like if we continue to ignore climate change. I interviewed Madelyn for today's post. --Laura Shovan

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  15. Thank you for hosting today, Carol, and for your thoughts about the importance of being appreciative. Wishing you a year filled with love and joy!

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  16. Carol, I APPRECIATE you! What a wonderful word for the new year. Thanks for this terrific start to Poetry Friday for 2022.

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  17. Thank you, Carol, for all the beauty you share with you all year long!

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  18. To appreciate, to consider and add to the value of something through focused attention--always a healing practice. All is snowy here too, and I like your "pristine particules" and the Burroughs quote. I feel braced by my early shovel-and-walk! Thanks for hosting.

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  19. APPRECIATE is a good word for the year, Carol. This morning I am appreciating the beautiful snow outside, and I will really appreciate the work of the plow guys who will clear the driveway soon! Thank you for hosting the Poetry Friday roundup today.

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  20. I wouldn't call this late at all, Carol! It is, after all, Poetry *Friday* (although I get the pressure to post early on Thursday. ;) Your granddaughters deserved your undivided attention, though, so you chose the better course!) I appreciate you and all you give to our community. Thanks for sharing your word for the year, yourself, and the reminder to appreciate all that falls before us.

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  21. Thank you for hosting again, Carol... very brave, 2 days in a row! I am appreciating our first snow of the season. Gorgeous and BRIGHT! I love your quotes and poetic words about winter. I am a winter person, I enjoy it. Take good care, and thanks again.

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  22. Appreciate is a great word! There is so much to appreciate in our beautiful world, I'm sure you'll have lots of inspiration! Happy New Year!

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  23. I'm new to #PoetryFriday and "appreciate" your post, poem, and word! We were blessed with record snowfall this past month in the Sierras and the silence of a landscape draped in white was a healing balm for my heart. How I appreciate the blessings of winter. Thank you! I'm looking forward to reading the other poems today!

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    1. Patricia, welcome to the Poetry Friday community. Do you have a blog post that you added to this week's offerings? Please send me your contact information so I can add it to my list of PF members. Thank you.

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  24. Thank you, Carol, for hosting Poetry Friday this week. I'm topping off my coffee cup and settling in to savor some poems now! :-)

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  25. Carol, Thanks for hosting! You always manage to inspire me! I love the end when you talk about the crispness of winter. I love the freshness of that feeling! Your OLW is perfect! I am still contemplating mine! 'Till next week, Take care!

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  26. Carol, I looked to see who was hosting and was thrilled to see you at the helm for this new year. I still remember the time we spent together at NCTE. It was fun to meet in person. I appreciate all you do and look forward to being inspired by your posts this year.

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  27. Love your word "appreciate"! I appreciate all that you do to make the world a more poetic place to be!

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    1. Donna, stay well and optimistic. I want you to know that there are many of us that appreciate your doodles, your art, and the rhyming words you send out. I think of you often and continue to follow your story.

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  28. Appreciate is a great OLW, Carol. I think of you as someone who observes very closely and appreciates already, so I can't wait to see what you do to deepen that practice! Thanks for hosting :>)

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  29. What a wonderful word to focus on this year! You've reminded me of my favorite meditations which talks about greeting all our experiences with gratitude. The act of appreciation can really transform how we see our world. Thanks for sharing your poem and your OLW with us!

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