The Annual Slicer Party is Here!

What better way to end the Two Writing Teachers SOLSC 2026 than with a Leigh Anne Eck's Annual Party! I have an invitation but I am not ready to join in. I have today to pack my bag, decide what to wear, and join slicers. I hope some of my writer friends will be there. 

slicer parties are a must

bring your bag with fancy stuff

an analog party awaits

 no electronics at the gate

poetry journal goes with me

how about a cup of tea

gel pens are my latest rage

different formats for every page

oh I am eager to meet some friends

sad to see the challenge end

thank you Leigh Anne for an invite

you make my preparation bright

this party is an annual treat

so join with me so we can meet

©CVarsalona, 2026

quick writem rhyming poem

💮

What to Bring

one analog bag will do

with many treats not a few

a decorated journal 

for small, wispy kernals

I shall write to you, my love

even though you are above

shall I bring my newest books

to read alone in cozy nooks

and bring a floral bouquet

for our host on this last day

©CVarsalona, 2026

my list poem turned into a quick writem rhyming poem

💮

With every party there is an ending. Today marks the conclusion of the SOLSC 2026 

Day 31, March 2026

 12th year with Two Writing Teachers 

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for the space you offer every year during March. It is always a pleasure to meet with reflective writers throughout the world.

Until I meet slicers on #SOL26 Tuesdays, I bid you goodbye.

Happy Spring Holidays to All

Celebrating Life With Family

What is life without a loving family? 

Ever since I was a child, I felt the closeness of family even during challenging times. This year, during springtime, sorrow and loss unexpectedly interrupted our family life when my husband Richard fell prey to an incurable, silent disease. Cancer swept across his body as quickly as mighty waves moving across the ocean. My family withstood the rush of anguish and a heart-rending situation, yet we prepared for a family trip to the Atlantic Ocean in Cape May, New Jersey, and the south shore of Long Island, NY, to honor my husband's life. 

As we drove to the ocean sites, I followed the inspiration of Albert Einstein. "Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life". We felt the glow of sunshine streaming down on us as wind-driven waves rushed in with diamond-sparkling effects and quickly returned seaward. The first seaside landing in Cape Map allowed our extended family to enjoy the children frolicking in the water, the delicious seafood, and creamery ice cream delights. We lived life as a summer vacation should be, and yet we remembered that one member of the group was missing. 

As our immediate family traveled north to Long Island, we eagerly prepared for the Celebration of Life ceremony at Jones Beach's Field 6. The beach was quiet. As we moved closer to the ocean, we watched the constant flow and backrush of ocean waves. The ebb and flow of the tides brought peace to the ceremony. Readers' words flowed across the sea. My mind floated like the waves, not about sorrowful days but to present moments. The seagulls flew across the South Shore beach, squawking in tune with the crash of the waves. The magnificent ocean at Jones Beach, Long Island, NY, offered a private place to honor a man with whom I spent close to 49 years of marriage. I was present, my mind was cleared of daily busyness, and I seemed to float with the rhythm of the tides as I looked across the horizon.

not a day to mourn

but one to celebrate life

peaceful souls connect

©CV, July 31, 2025 

I now think of that day at the majestic ocean. We brought the immediate family together and linked our souls with Richard's. There was a powerful release of tension, loneliness, and grief. "Ocean separates lands, not souls".  (Munia Khan) 

" Say not in grief ' he is no more' but in thanfulness that he was."

Hebrew Proverb 

For me, without family, life spins in an unsettled world.

I am thankful for my family, their love, and support,

and the tiny heart shell that was my heaven-sent sign at the shore.

Today is Spiritual Journey Thursday (SJT). Leigh Anne Eck is our host today. She chose the prompt, family, for each writer to ponder. This is a powerful prompt for me. Please visit her blog post here to enjoy the blog posts on "family". Leigh Anne is sharing about her Mother, who recently passed away. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.

I am also sending this blog post to Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone. I have missed the last two Poetry Friday Roundups because we were enjoying 9 days of celebrating my husband's life. Now, I am ready to settle down and find a respite through reading both SJT and Poetry Friday blog posts from two different writing communities. I already read Holly's post that provided a look into nature and the word pause.

Change & Transformation-Spiritual Journey & Poetry Friday

Today as I Grandmasit for my grandbaby, I ponder the theme, change and transformation, Leigh Anne Eck offered for October's Spiritual Journey writers. In addition, Lee Anne included a personal thought: "I love fall and all the goodness that comes with it. It gives us a time to reflect on the words 'change and transformation' and what this means to our natural world, our personal lives, and our faith."

Autumn is a magical season that transforms landscapes, shortens days, brings cooler weather, and provides reflection time. Migratory patterns begin, and trees change color. "There is something so special in the early leaves drifting from the trees–as if we are all to be allowed a chance to peel, to refresh, to start again."(Ruth Ahmed) This week, rains continued and leaves scattered across the driveway and sidewalk waiting for recognition. I found a single leaf with a tinge of color. It reminded me of Autumn's beauty, even when its leaves wither.  

Falling leaves also remind me of the importance of letting go. If trees can shed their leaves during Autumn, I must be willing to release old habits and beliefs. Embracing change is a process that will bring calmness to my life. A slowdown pace would be beneficial instead of a hustle and bustle life. Shedding the old and making room for new growth 

"Falling leaves are nature's way of showing us how beautiful it is to let things go."

-Unknown

 As for faith, Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. "Then, you will be able to test and approve what God's will is."  Lately, the patterns of this world are mixed up so rethinking my actions would be beneficial as would letting go of stress.

creekside pathway ends 

leaves scatter in fall's light

enchanted autumn

©CVarsalona, 2024

Last year, I walked the Creekside trail. The photo above shares the path that does not continue past the bridge. I was in awe of Autumn's scattered leaves waiting to change. If nature can change then I can also. I shall embrace the opportunity for personal growth this Autumn.  

Tabatha Yeatts is the host of Poetry Friday this week.

She shares a photo from a neighbor who photographed the perched owl

that she also saw. She also offers a poem, Murmuration.

"In every leaf, there's a whisper of autumn's magic."

It's Another Cookie Day!

"There's no end to imagination in the kitchen."-Julia Child

Baking is my creative attempt to let my imagination run wild. These past afternoons instead of busying myself with the myriad of chores waiting for me, I decided to engage in procrastibaking, the art of baking when you should be doing anything else. It has been fun taste-testing new ideas for cookies based on old recipes. I must admit that the clean-up is rather messy and adds one more chore.

dozens of homemade confections

line my long counters

biscottis, chocolate chips, and coconut cookies

old recipes bring back 

 memories of past Easters

baked with love for loved ones

©CVarsalona, 2023

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

This Grandma never runs out of cookies and hugs!

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

C ounters with

O verstocked surprises

O ffer

K neaded delights

I ndulge in more than one 

E njoy the varieties presented

S atisfaction guaranteed 

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

Of course, there will be a few dozen cookies for Leigh Anne Eck's Slicer Party!

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

My Slice of Life

Day 29 of Two Writing Teachers

16th Annual March SOLSC! #SOL23

Slicer Party #SOL23 RSVP

Slicer Leigh Anne Eck is an exceptional hostess. Once again, she is hostessing an online slicer party during the last weeks of the 16th Annual March Slice of Life Challenge. Below is the beautiful invitation that was posted on Leigh Anne's blog, One Day in the Life, on March 16th. 

This year, Leigh Anne is inviting slicers to think about our best colors. In 2021, she found a slice by a fellow slicer, Deborah Dillon, and decided that her thought, "The best colors are everywhere because they are in the things I love.."  would become our RSVP to Leigh Anne's party. 

to the party, I will bring:

a poetic bouquet of springtime colors

scented in lavender

against nature's fields of green-

twigs of cherry blossoms

from Virginia's trees-

delicate forsythias to

add to a funnel-shaped vase-

spring adds colors to

liven earth,

freshen each heart,

offer renewal

©CVarsalona, 2023

Photos from Unsplash

Robin Williams stated, "Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party." Yes, thank you Leigh Anne for suggesting a party of colors. May the colors of the earth provide a joyful experience for all at your party.

*****

Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge Day 21.

#SOL22 March Musings Day 20: Slicer's Party

 

Invitation created by slicer Leigh Anne Eck.

Happiness is:

a writer's retreat in a cabin

 tucked away in nature's arms-

a place where wildflowers share space

with lush greenery for miles 

under an open wide cerulean sky.

In this quiet place, I shall bring:

my rose gold Mac Air, my digital journal,

to tap my thoughts on the first days of spring,

colorful pens, a new notebook, and my writing bag

that will fill my nature-inspired creation station,

along with a platter of homemade sugary-sweet cookies

to share with fellow writers.

My iPhone is always with me to pipe in

sounds of soft instrumental music to inspire writing.

Within this haven where the writing muse visits, I will:

hang an inspiring quote by Annie Proux,

"You should write because you love the shape of stories

and sentences and the creation of different words on a page",

and lean on others for support and advice

on poems and photographs created.

This evening, I slowly float into dreams,

a sanctuary of thoughts, 

as I stare into an indigo sky.

Within this great expanse, I find peace.

©CV, 2022

✎

Thank you to:

Leigh Anne for a much-needed writing retreat.

Two Writing Teachers for their daily meeting place that connects a community of reflective writers.

#SOL22 March Musings Day 19: Baking

Tomorrow afternoon, I celebrate St. Patrick's Day with neighbors in the community clubhouse. My contribution to the event is a platter of assorted cookies. Ricotta cookies, anise-flavored ones, oreo cookie balls dipped in white chocolate, creme de menthe brownies, and chocolate biscotti cookies are ready to sit on a large, shiny shamrock placemat on top of a rectangular tray that was given to me as a gift from my uncle's collection.

My platter will represent a craft passed down from my Nonnie and mother. From them, I learned that the presentation of confectionary delights is as important as the creation. I dig back in my vault of poetic thoughts and find a poem written in 2019 that brings back sweet memories.

Smells of baking remind me of you,
Anise seeds, almond extract, sweet honey,
They lift my senses, taking me back to childhood-
Little fingers stroking an oversized rolling pin,
Playing baker, standing by your side on summer days.
Your warm kitchen, small for modern-day baking,
Became my childhood playground and learning ground.
I remember your wisdom with each cookie I create. 

©CV, 2019

My tray of cookies will be prepared tomorrow. I am keeping a photographic log of my cookies creations so perhaps a picture will appear in another slice. (Leigh Anne Eck invited slicers to her annual slicer party and I made an extra batch of cookies for the celebration.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for this daily meeting place to connect with a community of reflective writers.

#NPM20-#SharingPlanetBeauty

This season, spring debuted with earth-shattering news. I, like others, watched in disbelief as an unseen interloper encroached upon the earth, area by area causing havoc.  Newscasts continue to flash, repeat, and remind us to shelter in place. I remind myself to refresh my senses with a walk and writing.

While writing and creating digitals might be a solitary act, it connects me with communities of writers whose ideas come into focus and are exchanged through written words. Slicers, Leigh Anne Eck, Fran Haley, and Brian Rozinsky joined my National Poetry Month project, Nature Nurtures Global Gallery of Artistic Voices. They couple the artistry of nature with their timely writing. Each one of the following image poems share the power of poetry to soothe souls during COVID19 troubled times.

Leigh Anne Eck

Fran Haley

Brian Rozinsky

Would you like to join my #quarentainment project to flood social media with your own inspirational messages, poetry, and nature photographs on the beauty of nature and your students' work?  

See details at the special invitation here.  Reminder: please send your offering to my Nature Nurtures! padlet and on social media using the hashtag, #NatureNurtures2020 and #Sharing PlanetBeauty.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for providing a space for writers to gather together

and share their slices of life each Tuesday. 

Spring Fling Virtual Party_SOLSC 21

Life continues to amaze me these days during the quarantine. I think many people are feeling "cooped up" and restless and it has only been one long week since COVID-19 has really shaken the world. When Leigh Anne Eck wrote, "Since our lives have been turned upside-down, I thought a self-care party was something we could all use right now," I quickly accepted her invitation.

Invitation from the Hostess with the Mostess

RSVP to Leigh Anne

Created with Buncee

Three self-care ideas/items that I will bring to the party for #quarentainment fun:

1. A necessity during the days of COVID-19: a roll of toilet paper since it is so difficult to find
2. A treat for all: a festive array of homemade cookies with baking tips
3. A dollop of creativity to engage everyone in an artsy endeavor: creating Buncee poems, inspirational posters, or fun photos for a scrapbooking page

Are you interested in being my guest at the party? It's time to start preparing! This will be a wonderful distraction while we New Yorkers are guided by Governor Cuomo's mantra, Shelter and Place.

☵

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 21 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers. 

Quiet Reflection

As seasons pass from one to another, my writing life grows in its daily practice of observing ordinary, life-living moments. Why I ask do I seek to weave golden threads of thought into delicately-formed patterns? Is it to adorn even the grayest of days or find peace in the simplest of acts?

And so I write
in the stillness of quiet corners,

in the midst of sublime joy 

and chaotic discord.

I journey onward,
a traveler and observer
seeking inspiration,

finding quiet spaces where

wonder spreads its wings,

like a butterfly fluttering in the wind. 

Nurtured by curiosity, 

I reflect upon nature's patience
and persistence in its
seasonal interplay with life.

I pause to dream, ponder, and imagine
words taking root to find their purpose
in a hurried world that forgets
beauty exists in both
the ordinary and the sublime.
©CVarsalona, 2019

As I eagerly mull over the prospect of engaging in a month of writing for the 12th Annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge, I feel each new day of writing deepens my practice and allows me to explore my writing life from different perspectives. Join me as I try out new moves, revisit past techniques, and capture other's thoughts to broaden mine. 

Thank goes out to Leigh Anne Eck for calling together a community of writers to make writing plans for 2019 under the hashtag #letwwrite2019. Today, I wanted to start the journey with a quiet reflection written when the only sounds I hear are the murmurings of the house.

Thanks is also offered to Two Writing Teachers its weekly Slice of Life Tuesday.