Thinking in Threes

" Life, it seems, is series of eras, periods, and ages that are constantly shifting, rearranging, being integrated, and viewed anew." 

- Karen Edmisten

I am always on the lookout for well-stated thoughts to inspire my day. While reading Karen Edmisten's blog recently, I decided to capture the above quote to add to the Poetry Sisters' writing challenge.

It's the end of June, and the Poetry Sisters invited PoetryPals to join June's challenge. Here's the scoop from Tanita Davis: "We’re greeting the opening act of summer with a triptych." Tanita was introduced to the poetic format by Tabatha Yeatts, who shared West Coast poet and essayist Louise Ireland’s three-act August Triptych. 

Even though I never heard of a triptych poem, I decided to bring together three different summertime moments as poet Linda Pastan did in her Summer Triptych. My triptych poem went through many revisions, so it is still in the draft stage. Wordy narration, was a start. 

“It’s strange how summers from different decades can be yoked together by memory in a single poem.” -Linda Pastan

Summer Love Connections

1.

Love is summer's heated-blush

to a young lady, who arrived late.

A sun-kissed sky, and one crutch

slowly. moved me toward a surprising spark of connections. 

From the thumping of his heartbeats,  

smiles and conversations rose.

Temperatures swelled and 

whisperings swirled as  

 hearts melded together.

2.

Summers passed by; full-bloom gardens 

shared nature's nurturing fragrance.

Hearts deepened as heated sands

and roaring waves ebbed and flowed.

The sounds of children's voices

echoed across ocean waves and

cherished memories lit sunsets. 

Love sparked amidst life's shifting, 

and tides of ups and down.

Anniversaries broadened. 

Summers renewed a bond.

Love connections flourished.

along with blooming gardens 

of florals and herbs 

and refreshing waves.

 3.

Summer years followed; 

love grew like the deer family

marching strategically from the woods.

Geese paraded with fledglings broods.

At times, connections were

lost in unexpected time warps. 

Sunrise either brought warmth

or skytears of gray mornings.

New home renewed life's designs

until love split in half as 

one life slipped heavenward.

draft, CVarsalona, 2026

Hope and faith are strong components in life. Connections are anchors. Love and nature nurture life. Breathe in. Breathe out and notice what is precious in our lives and on our earth of contrasts  

Join Poetry Sister, Tricia Sthor Hunt, at 

The Miss Rumphius Effect for the Poetry Friday Roundup.

You will be delighted to read her triptych and those of her 

Poetry Sisters,Tanita, Mary Lee Hahn, and Liz Garton Scanlon.

Noticing Life's Beauty

As the last days of Springtime, turn a corner, a gray sky triggers inspiration. It's time to bring nature inside. A vase of flowers from the past reminds me to notice small moments. 

nurtured by nature

spring florals nestle inside

a peaceful moment

©CV, 2026

I celebrate 9 years of life with my oldest grandgirl and her sisters on the first days of summer vacation. We swim, have chocolate pudding, blow out a candle, and engage in artistic activities. Colorful pictures appear with crayons and a magic pencil as the birthday girl creates her own floral display, a mix of live parsley flowers and blue hydrangea legos. It's amazing how live the hyrandea bouquet looks in the crystal vase (and the quick speed that it took for Sierra to create the display).

The little grandgirls and I are off to make chocolate cake for the birthday party. It's a family weekend but I will catch up with the Poetry Friday Roundup blogs. In the meantime, I excitedly moved to Buffy Silverman's blog that she states is the Soggy Edition of Poetry Friday. Click here to find our what the gardener, nature lover, poet is offering. 

Be of peace everyone!

Stroll Through Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet Gallery

 "Where flowers bloom so does hope" 

- Lady Bird Johnson

 Take a peek into my garden of peace that explodes with joy in June.

Please open the link to Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet Gallery to view the collaborative effort of poets, photographers, and artists who joined me to create a tribute to Springtime. As you enter the gallery of artistic of artistic expressions, click on the slideshow. Then, turn on Vivaldi Four Seasons: Spring La Primavera to stroll through the gallery of artistic expressions. There you will discover some slicers who contributed to my National Poetry Month project. 

I thank those who offered their talents to create a new gallery among the many galleries I have created and shared on my blog since 2014. I also thank my readers for their comments. 

"Spring dances with joy in every flower and in every bud letting us know that changes are beautiful and an inevitable law of life."  - Debasish Mridha

A meeting place for a world of reflective writers. Click here.

Springtime DigiPoetry Brings Perpetual Astonishment

Beneath a sky of vivid blue and softened clouds, springtime opens its blooms. With "perpetual astonishment" (Ellis Peters), I watch nature's colors burst open in my garden.  

This vivid photo shares some of nature's brilliant creations. With the addition of poetry and a digital device, FotoJet, Spring sends a message of the beauty of her season. You can find more digital elegance captured in poetic verses at my padlet gallery, "Spring Seeds Grace April," which became my 2026 National Poetry Month project. 

A variety of poet friends, photographers, and artists collaborated with me throughout April and into May. But this collaboration did not start recently. It began in 2014, as I openly invited others to join me in designing galleries of artistic expressions with seasonal themes. On April 21, 2017, I wrote a blogpost, "Digipoetry is..." to explain my  loves: poetry, artwork, digital artwork and literacy. For this year's gallery, I started with a padlet, a place to create a living, digital gallery via a slideshow. I added in the theme of spring seeds gracing early spring in April, and thought "as spring flowers bloom, digital blossoms, and settings shall grow." 

"Spring adds a new life and new beauty to all that is." (Jessica Harrelson) So enjoy the various spring settings and let peace live in your space. Below is another image poem created when digipoetry touched my heart.

It may be late for my Poetry Friday blog but I watched the different formations of a Spring day. The day opened with beautiful weather, moved on to heated temperatures, and now it offers a gray sky, bold noises cracking, and a deep downpour. Whether your space is inside or outside, remember that your mind can blossom just like the blooms so be creative and let your imagination stir. 

Now, I am ready to enter the Poetry Friday Roundup hosted by Linda Mitchell who is celebrating the end of school. Even thought it rained a while ago, the sky is shedding light down on Earth, so celebrating life and children as Linda suggests brings a sense of calm to this spring day. You can find quotes about children and a beautiful piece of artwork to inspire you to blend art, imagery, with word weaving to create a springtime poem. My Padlet Gallery is open if anyone would like to share an image poem, ekphrastic poem, photo, art piece, or music, I would be delighted. 

Digital art by CVarsalona

Welcome to the Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet Gallery

Seeds gather.

Spring awakening unfolds.  

Poetic voices rise.

Photographers capture nature's beauty.

Artists gather at the door of spring. 

Creativity spreads in brilliant pops of color.

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It is time to view what Nature shares.

Click here to enter the gallery.

Then, press the Slideshow button to view each artistic expression that graces the gallery.

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Credits to the Following Contributors:

Verrena Diane Anderson

Ramona Behnke

Aurora Hartnett

Jill Dailey

Patricia Franz

Bob Hamera

Mary Lee Hahn

Denise Krebs

Jone MacCulloch

Kent Paulette

Joyce Ray

Margaret Simon

Carol Varsalona

Derek Varsalona

and 

28 poets who contributed to the Progressive Poem during National Poetry Month 2026

Tabatha Yeatts
Cathy Stenquist
Patricia Franz
Donna Smith
Janice Scully
Denise Krebs
Ruth Hersey
Rose Cappelli
Margaret Simon
Janet Clare Fagel
Diane Davis
Linda Baie
Linda Mitchell
Jone MacCulloch
Joyce Uglow
Carol Varsalona
Robyn Hood Black
Michele Kogan
Kim Johnson

Buffy Silverman
Irene Latham

Karen Edmisten
Heidi Mordhorst
Mary Lee Hahn
Tanita Davis
Sharon Roy
Tracey Kiff-Judson

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Thank you for viewing the Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet Gallery. I welcome any other contributor who would like to add an artistic expression to my padlet gallery. If you decide to include your image poem, song, photograph, or artwork, I will add your name to this blog post.

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Digital art of peonies by CVarsalona

This week's Poetry Friday Roundup's host is Mona Voelkel. She offers a lovely summer poem about the beach, "Sandcastle". Click here to read more.

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Since I am hosting The Spiritual Journey blog, I decided to share my blog post, This Spring Morning, I Pause and Reflect. Click here.

This Spring Morning, I Pause and Reflect

Fellow Spiritual Journey Friends,

On this spring morning, I know it is the moment to "Make Time", to pause and reflect on my spiritual journey. There is one word that has guided me since the beginning of 2026. 

Digital Collage for Opening Blog

Since New Year 2026, I travel the spiritual journey path with thoughts on my one word, restore, and a song, Restore My Soul, that reminds me to find my way. 

Seasons of Restoration

one word floats

like snowflakes'

rhythmic flight

                                         WINTER FLIGHT 

chilled winds blow

earth freezes

tears hold grief

                                      BEREAVEMENT

awaken

from winter's

loneliness

                                  TRANSITION

spring's bounty

revives life

in chaos

                                          GRIEF COUNSELING BEGINS

despite rain

hope opens

new fountains

                                 MID-SPRING

music soothes

lifts grief's weight

sings with birds

                                        SPRINGTIME WISH

hope swirls while

gardens bloom

life brightens

                                        MAY REFRESMENT

grace, peace, and 

memories

opens paths

                              MAY DAYS

summer wish

make time to

reflect, pause

                                        SUMMER BREEZES APPEAR

lead me on

find new paths

summer smiles

                           ONWARD 

©CVarsalona, May 2026, tricube sequence

Click here to listen to the song "Garden of Grace".

For a year, I passed through seasons of change. I listened to earth's movements, managed the walk (even after I fractured my foot last October), broke down as tensions stormed through life, grieved, held on to faith, and prayed in silence, noting that changes needed to unfold.

Where am I now?

I am ready to mingle, not be frightened by grief, and continue my spiritual journey. There is more to come, I am sure but for now, I feel the power of faith while holding on to hope.

Spiritual Journey 2026

Logo: Margaret Simon and Photo: Molly Hogan

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For those who walk with me on the Spiritual Journey, I am thankful. Our small community is filled with faithful companions and friends who believe in the spirit of life. I send wishes for a wonderful weekend. - Carol, June 2026 Spiritual Journey Host

Spring's Gifts: Rain, Garden Flowers, and Nature's Beauty

On non-rainy spring mornings, I often receive a beautiful sunrise photo from my son, who enjoys taking early morning walks. 

Sunrise in Northern Virginia by Derek Varsalona

This photo reminded me of a poem written by John Clare. (The Rural Muse: Poems (Whittaker & Co., 1835) in the public domain.)

The Spring comes in with all her hues and smells,
In freshness breathing over hills and dells;
O’er woods where May her gorgeous drapery flings,
And meads washed fragrant by their laughing springs.
Fresh are new opened flowers, untouched and free
From the bold rifling of the amorous bee.
The happy time of singing birds is come,
And Love’s lone pilgrimage now finds a home;
Among the mossy oaks now coos the dove,
And the hoarse crow finds softer notes for love.
The foxes play around their dens, and bark
In joy’s excess, ’mid woodland shadows dark.
The flowers join lips below; the leaves above;
And every sound that meets the ear is Love.

This Memorial Day weekend, the rain continually drenched my gorgeous peonies. Our Memorial Day patio picnic with the family turned into an indoor event. When the rain took a quick pause, my 6-year-old grandgirl learned how to fill different types of vases with what was left of my cherished peonies.  

Before the Rain

After the Rain

I took one of the lines from John Clare's poem (see below) and created a Golden Hinge Poem introduced by Patricia Franz. 

Fresh are new opened flowers, untouched and free.
Are they nature's perennials sharing their
New budding gifts of glee? 
Opened petals of pink and soft white share
Flowers swaying in fashionable wear.
Untouched, they stand with dignity,
And pose for all to stare
Free from life's responsibility.

Draft, CVarsalona, 2026

Digital art of peonies by CVarsalona

Thank you to Mary Lee Hahn at A(Nother) Year of Reading for this week's Poetry Friday Roundup. She is setting up a summer picnic with "yummy offerings for today's potluck". 

Grace Fills My Garden

April showers bring May flowers. I have heard this quote since I was a child. When visiting my Nonnie Rose, I often found myself dancing in the multiple gardens with excitement. Nonnie's gardens were graced with the love of her gentle hands, which turned the soil into glorious, colorful flowers. Today, I understand the hope-filled goals she had for her grandchildren. I am honored to continue her dreams for the family.

While I am not the gardener with the green thumb that my Nonnie was, I love watching my blossoms open their petals after rainstorms. Unfortunately, my herb garden was overrun by fresh mint last summer. The gardeners pulled all the mint, but this April, the mint stubbornly decided to intermingle with my flowers. Now I need to wait for the gardener to redo the bed. I shall pick the mint before the current area is created into a new bed. I hope new growth will restore the garden's beauty. This time, the herbs will grow with grace in their rectangular outdoor pot while new flowers find companions other than mint.

One of my beds

   Magnolia buds open

“Help us to be ever faithful gardeners of the spirit, who know that without darkness nothing comes to birth, and without light nothing flowers.”—May Sarton

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” – May Sarton, poet/novelist

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Today, I am celebrating the birthday of my youngest grandgirl, Lila. Time moves on quickly. She turned 3 today!

As you can see, I finished my Poetry Friday blog after the party. I plan on visiting Poetry Friday poets blog posts over the long weekend.

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Take a virtual ride on the Ferris Wheel at Carol Labuzzetta's Poetry Friday blog post. Click here to read about Carol's new plans and read other poets' blog posts.

Have a wonderful family and friends Memorial Day.

Springtime Is

As spring evolves, nature brushstrokes earth with variations of dazzling colors. Earth applauds Mother Nature's artistic endeavors and invites all to enjoy the gifts of the season of rebirth. I continue my National Poetry Month project at Spring Seeds Grace April Padlet, sharing colorful artistic expressions of nature's beauty and with poets' and artists' voices. I move with ease from changeable April to May's vitality, "the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope." (Emily Bronte) 

It is Poetry Friday, a day meant to bring a community of poetry friends together to share their latest writing. I try to read as many of the blog posts as I can. To be candid, life is still messy. This week, Patricia J. Franz is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup. A couple of weeks ago, she introduced the Golden Hinge poem, and since then, I have been reading hinge poems to learn more about them. Patricia also introduced me to Traci Brimhall's poetry. She is an Associate Professor and Director of Creative Writing at Kansas State University and the poet laureate of Kansas. While reading through her myriad of poems, I found Traci's writing to be deep, reflective, and intense. 

"The spring - dripped its steady syllables. Arise, Arise." from Traci Brimhall's poem, "End of Girlhood"

My second try at a hinge poem uses the lines above to draft a Golden Hinge poem. I placed the key line horizontally, then vertically, to begin the format.

The spring dripped its steady syllables. Arise, Arise. 

The azure sky shared its colors with

spring. She anointed earth with petals of peace,

dripped in floral scents. With

steady assurance, spring presented 

its treasures. Poets chose simple poetic

syllables to proclaim heavenly wishes:

Arise. Nature will soothe your sorrow. 

Arise. Unfold the beauty before you. 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." -Psalm 19:1

Repeating the word "Arise in the Golden Hinge poem opens my heart mind, and body to a physical and emotional awakening. I thank all my poetry friends for standing by me.

My first Golden Hinge Poem was shared on Margaret Simon's blog post, This Photo Wants to Be a Poem. You can find it here.