Look Around-What Do You See?

Do you pause and look around when outside? I marvel at nature often even now when I am immobolized by the twist of my ankle. cracks of nature opening its sky every morning when I automatically lift pleated shades to invite the garden to connect with the inside. Some leaves are brown crackling with crunch, but Mother Nature is not yet ready to have this "season change with the scenery". 

If you could, how would you describe earth's landscape at this moment? Would it be the sunshiny essence of summer with waves swiiftly moving in foaming waters?  

Or perhaps you would prefer the crispy sound of brittle leaves as we stroll through the trail on a hazy day.

Some people sit and watch the boats spreading their sails on a windy day in springtime.

 Winter captures the beauty of snowfall and a blazing fireplace.

Mother Nature whimsically changes her scenery with flash surprises of different weather patterns. I am in awe of each season that brings more delight and hope for the future.

Have you noticed that I have used lines from Paul Simon's song, A Hazy Shade of Winter in 1966. The Bangles made the song popular in 1987 for a movie, Less Than Zero. Their lines below concentrate on hope. Many people see hope passing away but we need to believe and rebuild hope to find possibilities for the future.

Hang on to your hopes, my friend

That's an easy thing to say

But if your hopes should pass away

Simply pretend that you can build them again

Look around

Thank you, Michelle Kogan, for giving me the inspiration and artwork to write about time and pausing,

IN AUTUMN

Mother Nature nurtures earth.

Kaleidoscoptic coloring dresses

Landscapes in crimson and gold glory. 

Not to be thwarted by grief,

Autumn shares her brilliance.

Leaning on hope's possibilities

Daylight saving time passes by.

Draft, CVarsalona, 2025, Northern Virginia

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Join me at the Poetry Friday Roundup where Carol Labuzzetta is the host. She is chilling out spending time painting, reading, and crocheting. Today, she shares her Northern Lights poem and a gorgeous, serene photo. You can find her here.

Flurry, Float, and Fly!

The first falling of gentle snow is magical and so is Laura Purdie Salas' new book, "Flurry, Float, and Fly - The Story of a Snowstorm". 

Growing up in Central New York, reminds me of the beautiful illustration on the cover of Laura's book. Lovely white snowflakes descending into billowy snow piles is an annual weather scene in Syracuse, NY that occurrs from November to Easter. As you can see from the scene to the left, Illustrator, Chiara Fedele, captures the joy of children frolicking in piles of snowy wonder, taking me back to my own early snow days. 

Author and poet Laura Purdie Salas did not live in a wintery, snowy climate when she was a child and wished for snow. Perhaps this is why she fell in love with winters in Minnesota and shares her joy in this book that opens with color changes in clouds and the wish for snow.

As you read on, the lyrical rhyming and the gorgeous winter scenes mix with meteorological wording give a magical tone to the storyline. "From the north, a polar freeze... from the south, a humid breeze. All winds advance. They mix and dance."  Can you feel the cold and imagine the winds dancing in the sky? This amazing children's book moves on to a beautiful two-page display of a variety of snowflakes with rhyme and the repetition of the title: "Stars and columns fill the sky with dreams to flurry, float, and fly."

It is no wonder that the Kirkus Reviews writes that "deft wordplay and lovely art blend for a tale of a most magical snowy day".

Mid-book a gorgeous scene and lyrical verse not only introduces words that share the serenity of snowflakes drifting downward but a sky of layered colors.

I found many tranquil scenes in the book. One in particular showcases a country house covered by fleeting snow at evening time. Ahh, how lovely!

The ending takes the reader back to the excitement of children enjoying  winter fun outdoors. Laura Purdie Salas offers much more beyond the story. On her website's book page, she shares many resources including, 4 short videos (from the publisher, 2 short writings about her process, 1 silly one to introduce a science weather concept), several downloadable activity sheets, photos of one history of snow, winter poems, and links for educators. Laura also offers a Giveaway to teachers that add student's snowflakes to her Snowflakes Padlet. You can find that here and so many more classroom activities, such us back matter on the science of snow. 

Add this book to your classroom and school library so children can engage in the magic of a snowstorm. A read aloud of the book in the reading corner following with a discussion on how the science of snow blends with poetry is an excellent starter. Be creative with the multiple activities that Laura Purdie Salas offers so they can reflect on nature and the season of winter. Create a Flurry, Float, and Fly! bulletin board to bring winter inside, although the season is not officially here. Meteorologists are already sharing news as the first snowfall moves across the states. So teachers, enjoy the first snowfall virtually or in real time with your students. Create a Flurry, Float, and Fly! bulletin board to bring winter inside, although the season is not officially here. Add in this lovely quote by Lewis Carroll. 

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields that It kisses then so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.' " 

I am adding an equation poem, the format comes from Laura Purdie Salas' Classroom Connections posts. This poem, Flurry, Float, and Fly! connects me with her book and follow-up classroom topic.

snow + imagination + creativity = classroom fun

Today is Flurry, Float, and Fly!'s Book Birthday - 

🎂 the Official Publication Date! 🎂

Thank you, Laura and  Ciara for creating this wonder-filled book. 

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This Slice of Life is dedicated to the educators who provide noteworthy books to their students and family members who continue the art of reading in their homes.

at Two Writing Teachers

Doubt on the Spiriutal Journey

What is on my mind?

Katie Moum, Unsplash

photographer

How does doubt affect me when grief knocks on my door?

At the Poetry Friday Roundup on November 2nd, one of Tricia Stohr-Hunt's lines in her burning haibun prose struck me. "I am only moving, carrying the weight of my own doubt."  I immediately paused to reflect on this thought and evening dreams (sometimes nightmares) that have been burdening me. I knew that I needed to be mindful. A mindful pause led to an intense pondering of my initial question above. With raw thoughts that fell from my heart, I quickly wrote a Golden Shovel poem using Tricia's lines below in italics as my strike line.

What is hiding deep in my soul?

As grief quickly enters and leaves repeatedly,     I

ponder its affect on my daily living.                         Am

I masking my fears and doubts,                                only

spending time worrying and                                    moving

as I try to manage my life that is now                      carrying

the heaviness of each day? Can I accomplish     the

task of handling my loss and dealing with the   weight

of loneliness in this chapter of life? Waves           of

jabbing grief nestle in the depths of                      my

heart. Is there a veil hiding my                                  own  

fragile, plaguing                                                            doubt?

Response to Grief and Doubt

Trees comforts me during the autumn of        life.

Brilliant colors sparkle while sunshine             is

Felt as a warm blessing, not to be                     changed

By grief. So flutter away doubt. Hope will     not

Be extinguished, nor love                                    ended.

©CVarsalona, 2025, free verse poem

     Dedicated to my husband who recently passed away

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Thank you Patricia J. Franz for hosting this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday that focuses on doubt. I also thank you for sharing the insightful article,“The Drawer Where I Keep My Doubts” .

"Doubt, hesitation, unfinished questions, 'small hauntings'—

these aren’t failures of willpower, but the raw material of growth."  -Jeff DeGraff, Professor, author, essayist

Patricia asked an excellent question.

"Where does doubt fit into your spiritual journey?" 

The word, doubt, has been like a seed waiting to grow. It took root long before my husband passed away. It came and went like a roaring storm that gave no warning. Sometimes, it lingered in my mind without me knowing it. Other times, I pushed it aside when I found inspirational thoughts that gave me hope, such as the one below.

And so, friends, I am ready to move on once again, regardless of doubts that I hope to toss away.  I look forward to reading your blog posts on doubt. Enjoy the coming weekend.

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Poetry Friday Friends, I started this week excited to dig deep into my poet-author friend Laura Purdie Salas' upcoming book, Furry, Float, and Fly!  It is a seasonal beauty, and I was ready to write a book review. But as life can throw some bumps in the road, my plans were taken over by grief surrounding me and my friends. I finished my Spiritual Journey blog post with good intentions, but time did not permit it. I hope to finish my review of Laura's fabulous book and have it ready for her publication date, Tuesday. Meanwhile, please visit Laura's welcome to the Poetry Friday Roundup that you can find here at her blog. Enjoy Laura's winter thoughts, NCTE presenter news, and excitement for her book's birthday day. You will also find many blogs that are filled with poetic goodness from Poetry Friday friends.