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.
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.
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 hereto 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 clickhereto read the format. Moving on to Hallow's Eve, you can find another animatedBuncee.
Enjoy Halloween. I do every year and can't wait to see my grandgirls' costumes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
"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 changeof 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.
I missed this challenge this summer but decided to play with it because of its interesting format. Mo Daley challenged writers to try anX Marks the Spot Poemwith 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 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 atStribling 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.
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.
