This week the predicted winter storm came in horizontally and continued until snow covered the earth. I was surprised that Fairfax County in Virginia closed schools for four days so far. The scenery looked like a winter wonderland similar to my winter days in Long Island, NY. By the end of the winter storm, the landscape was beautifully arrayed with blanketed snow, which offers slow-down time to reminisce and write poetry.
❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄
January
showcases winter
with marshmallow-embarkments
time for hot chocolate
bliss
@CVarsalona, January 2025
❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄
January
filters light
as snow dances
in streams that glisten
serenity
@CVarsalona, January 2025
❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄
quietude settles as snowscapes sparkle
stillness
flows
perfecting
evening's
stillness
earth
tip-toes
in
stillness
snowscapes glisten as quietude settles
@CVarsalona, January 2025
❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄
Inspiration to Live By
Move slowly on winter's frosty path.
Pause intentionally.
Witness small moments.
Be in the moment.
Reflect quietly.
Breathe in stillness to
Renew my heart's spirit.
©CVarsalona, 2025
❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄
I am excited to unveil the Holiday Poem Swap, recently sent to me by author/poet Patricia Franz. I am grateful for the package that arrived. Patricia sent a miniature Metaphor Dice Starter Set to create small poems with my little grandgirls, an artistic card of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve two thousand years ago, a small notebook, and a found poem based on my words in my monthly blog post.
I was touched by the gift of poetic goodness.
With gratitude, I share a bundle of joy created just for me.
Patricia wandered through my 2024 monthly blog posts for words that called out to her. She gathered the words together to create a summation of 2024. Once I read the poem, I paused at the last line and knew that I uncovered my one little word renew. How fortunate for me! Thank you, Patricia, for the Holiday Swap that I shall cherish.
❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄❅❆❄
I am also grateful to the lovely Australian author, poet, and presenter Kathryn Apel for hosting Poetry Friday. Kat shares pictures and a humorous, fun poem about cats and dogs (furry friends).
I love that you have these slow snow days, Carol, and a chance to dwell in poetry. Move slowly, and breathe in the stillness - and the beauty. Those glistening streams and sparkling snowscapes sound like bliss!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, this snow! I can't complain about the snow days. I loved every one of them. I head back to school today on a delayed schedule. While I know the kids need to be in school, I can't help but to love some extra time to read and write and craft. And, thanks to yesterday's closing due to President Carter's funeral, I was able to drive my son back to college. Now, I'm getting ready to plunge back into real life. I was chatting with my hubby in the car about the length of the closed schools but we talked about how in the past 3 years there have been SO many roads added to our metro area with new buildings...but we wonder how much equipment for snow removal was purchased for these new miles of roads? Not enough, that's for sure! Stay warm and enjoy playing with your new word. It's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteSo surprisingly beautiful that you received this volume of snow! How lovely that you put it to creative use: marshmallow embankments, dancing snow, and tip-toeing through the snowscapes! Sigh. Patrcia's shared treasures are a delight as well!
ReplyDeleteWe've had a bit of very needed snow but I've watched all the storms moving to the east - amazing all last week! You've captured it with love, Carol, during those quiet & blanketed days.
ReplyDeleteLinda, while I write of the beauty of winter, I am also distressed by the fury of the LA fires and the constant amount of all different kinds of storms across the US. Stay warm.
Delete"Marshmallow snowbanks" is a lovely description, Carol. Thank you for the reminder to enjoy this winter weather. Being mad at it, as I was this week, is, well, not effective. Ha! I appreciate your glistening poems here.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I loved the winter and snow when I was little. Then, as a young teacher having to dig out the driveway, car. etc. I started feeling burdened. Now since there is not much snow, I love its winter white look. The extreme cold is what makes the enjoyment slip. Thanks for taking a winter walk with me.
DeleteThat was Susan T., above. (Sigh.)
ReplyDeleteYour winter poems helped me imagine a wonderful winter chill, and the poetry package you received is beautiful! Happy Poetry Friday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sarah for stopping by and commenting. Winter is really chilly here and plans on getting even colder.
DeleteWhat a wonderful swap and good fortune you've had, Carol, to find your OLW, renew. I see that the snowfall was very inspirational for you - with so many beautiful lines created from the nature you witnessed this week. Enjoy it with a full heart.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, Carol! The snow was certainly inspirational to you in producing such lovely thoughts in your poems. I hope you have lots of time to renew in 2025.
ReplyDeleteSo much snow! I was surprised by the amount of time we missed too (I'm in Fairfax County). But there were a lot of secondary roads that were a mess. And the superintendent said we have something like 49,000 bus stops!
ReplyDeleteHope you and your grands have some poetry fun together in 2025!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and wonderful (funderful) gift from Patricia! I'm ready for a little hot chocolate bliss. :)
ReplyDeleteYummy-just the right combination hot chocolate and marshmallows. Thanks, Karen, for stopping by.
DeleteWOW four snow days!! We sometimes get one or two closures over the winter, but rarely more than a single day at a time. It's been unusually mild in my area, not a single snow flake, just endless days of rain, and I am seriously longing for some of that powdery wintery goodness, if just to brighten up the surroundings! Plus I'm sure my son would appreciate some of those no-school snow days. ;-)
ReplyDeleteCarol, your poems capture the calming quiet and stillness we just experienced in upstate SC with this same system. Lovely! And your OWL for the year is perfect. Happy 2025!
ReplyDeleteOh - and what a wonderful bevy of swap delights from Patricia, so beautifully personalized for you!!
DeleteI could use some "hot chocolate / bliss" about now with our layer of snow, grey skies, and bitter temperatures! So much to love about winter...including all the INDOOR sports, like writing poetry!
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, poetry as an indoor sport. That's a new one! It is so cold here that I am wearing double and triple layers when I go outside. Stay warm!
Delete