Slice of Life's Sweet Delights

"Life is like an ice cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time."  -Charles Schulz

Isn't summer a wonderful time of the year? I remember those summer nights when dinner was over and children yearned for ice cream. What are your memories of ice cream treats when you were a child? See if they are similar to mine.

Remember those

humid summer nights

with mosquitoes biting,

no air conditioning,

and moonlight sightings?

Remember the

ice cream man

rolling through our neighborhoods

ringing a bell and stopping?

We kids swarmed around for cool bitings.

Remember our family

jumping in their car?

Roadside stands weren't far?

Oh, I remember how we smiled

when given a treat

after we ate our dinner meat.

Sweet summertime delight,

I remember it well.

This summer we repeat the scene

as grandkids indulge in ice cream.

©CVarsalona, 2023

Digitized photo of my 3-year-old granddaughter holding her blue ice cream.

This weekend, the family tried a new dining place with absolutely delicious seafood. Under the pavilion across the street, delightful music played. The weather was warm, not scorching, but we all longed for cooling ice cream treats. What did we do after dinner? Of course, we drove to an ice cream stand. There was a cow with a hollowed area for children to snuggle in as they waited for their treats. The line was long so they played by the cow until the newest flavor of ice cream, Cookie Monster, was scooped into kiddie cones. We watched the girls enjoy their delicious treats as we did ours. Photos were shot since the little girls' faces looked like they were face painted. Blue Cookie Monster ice cream was all over their lips and chin. What a delightful sight for a summer night!

Good-To-Know Fact: "As the summer heats up, snacking options cool down. Americans report ice cream as their favorite summer treat." Do you know that July is National Ice Cream Month and July 16, 2023 is National Ice Cream Day? Enjoy celebrating with America's favorite summer treat throughout July and into August. 

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This is my Slice of Life Small Moment,

delicious enough to be repeated many times this summer.

Don't forget, "Life is like an ice cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time." During this sunkissed summer season enjoy the luscious taste of ice cream and be grateful for family time and nature's bounty. 

Another ice cream poem is here.

Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for the space to write with a community of reflective writers.

Exchange Is Creation

The flowers are in full bloom. Who would have thought that my gorgeous calla lilies would bless my garden with a rich color of magenta! A few years ago, I planted calla lilies; they never bloomed. How wonderful to have them lay dormant until this summer! I am grateful for this gift, as I am thankful for poetry friends who offer gifts of carefully chosen words from the heart. 

Once again, Tabatha Yeatts provides the opportunity to swap a poem with a fellow writer during the Summer 2023 Poem Swap. She also shared a quote by Muriel Rukeyser at the onset of the Summer 2022 Poem Swap. Exchange is creation. There is truth in this simple statement. Each poem swap or poetry blog is an artistic expression created from the heart. You will note this in the exchange with my poem swap partners this summer. 

My first exchange is with the talented Marcie Flinchum Atkins, a school librarian, Kidslit author, photographer, and poet. She is also a lover of nature and host of today's Poetry Friday. Stop by to see her gorgeous image poems and sign up to receive gifts of her Poetry Postcards.

Marcie's swap to me are wonderful additions to my garden.

She added a note: Here's hoping you can have a little poetry in your garden.

Did she know that I adore wildflowers and love to watch them bloom as colorful, delicate bouquets.?

wildflowers spring up

shake their pompoms at the crowds

celebrate the rains

©Marcie Flinchum Atkins 2023

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My Response to Marcie

wildflower seeds 

welcome water, sun, and love

whimsical bouquets

to enjoy during summer months

a grateful heart celebrates

©CVarsalona, 2023

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Each month the Poetry Princesses, Tanita, Kelly, Liz, Sara, Mary Lee, Tricia, Laura, and Andi offer a poetry challenge. Since I did not have my offering last Friday, I am adding it to today's Poetry Friday. I love Celia Thaxter's poems so my response is based on one of her quotes. It is the strike line for my Golden Shovel poem, There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. 

Relax and Renew in Sunkissed Summer

Within deep relaxation, there

should be time for renewal. It shall

awaken your soul to just be

and linger in an eternal,

blissful summer.

Seek peace in

each living moment of the

season. Be thankful for all grateful

happenings that gladden the heart.

©CVarsalona, 2023

As one of the #PoetryPals, I am grateful that the Poetry Princesses include others in their challenge based on their year-long theme of transformation. I wrote the above poem to be aware that summer is the ideal season to find ways to be blissful rather than negative in this confusing world. Transformation of attitude can be a slow process but a rewarding one to look at life with a positive outlook.

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Listen to This Song Will Make You Grateful For Your Life

for a boost of summer joy.

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Join Marcie Flinchum Atkins for today's Poetry Friday, a weekly gift of poetic goodness.

Thank you Linda Baie for this lovely image.

Rejoice in a Sunkissed Summer Season

Welcome to Spiritual Journey Thursday!

I am the host of Spiritual Journey Thursday this month.

The topic I pose deals with rejoicing in the summer season. 

What better time to find joy than on a summer day? The earth is alive even on days when rain splashes across the pavement or sends torrents of raindrops. There is a feeling of positivity and wonder in the summertime. Blooming flowers and herbs offer a beautiful scenario each day. There is more leisure time to enjoy favorite pastimes, such as gardening, crafting, writing, and reading. Pause to think about the beautiful inspirational quote by Eleanor Duse.

“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the field has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.”

 Rejoice in Mother Earth

Summertime brings joy

when a light breeze floats through

a bright sky like ripples of water

or rain splashes across the pavement.

Lift your eyes to see

the majesty of the earth.

Rejoice!

©CVarsalona, 2023

nature calls

when life floats on by

and you just be

©CVarsalona, 2023

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.  Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord. -Psalms 96:11-13

Summertime automatically allows us to rejoice in the beauty of earth.

Pause and praise God for His wondrous gifts! 

What are you rejoicing over this summer?

I look forward to reading the Spiritual Journey community's posts this month. Please add your Spiritual Journey Thursday post below.