Baby's Kiss

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A baby's kiss is the purest form of love.

Looking back to summer, I remember the warmth of the wind with its puffy clouds swirling in a slow-motion sky. I eagerly waited for the three little grandgirls to play in my backyard, stroll to the gardens, and laugh as the birds swooped down to the neighbor's birdfeeder. 

The sound of a door opening caught my attention. Two little girls ran through the house ready for play. Little Lila, who was 15 months old at that time, entered while being held by my daughter. "We have a surprise for you," she announced. At that moment, Lila was encouraged to move closer and plant her first kiss to me on my cheek. Ah, her sweet baby lips upon my face was pure joy. You can imagine how excited I was to receive Lila's magical kiss on a sunlit summer day. 

one kiss ascends

into a warm summer sky

lighting up my world

©CVarsalona, 2025

💋

each summer day,

flutters like a butterfly. 

in a garden of love

unconditionally

kisses a sunlit world

spreading joy

©CVarsalona, 2025

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I thank Two Writing Teachers for sharing their reflective space for Slices of Life across the world.

Game On!

When growing up board games were a favorite pastime, a "conduit" bonding families and friends together. Children learned the etiquette of fair play while playing board games. Many memories were made in the good old days.

When we moved from Long Island to Virginia a couple of years ago, our “forever” board games, chess, monopoly, scrabble, and checkers, moved with us. Now, they sit on a table in the loft waiting for my little grandgirls to visit. While this generation is absorbed in video games, board games are still appealing as a leisurely family and friends activity.

What new games are in my house and enjoyed by my grandgirls and me? Tic Tac Toe, WordScapes, and Wordle are all online. My iPhone and my son's iPad await their turns with the little champs. For a solo game, I enjoy the New York Times Wordle. I found tips that are quite useful but in the end, it is all about strategy, vocabulary know-how, and persistence.

Wordle

social phenomenon

novel literary fun

with can do spirit

wordplay

@CVarsalona, 2024

Elfchen poem designed with WordArt & Fotojet

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My Winning Games

that beat the computer

                                         

Heartnote to my almost 7-year-old grandgirl:

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“There are thousands of five-letter words in the English dictionary,

but it only takes one to win Wordle."

― Alexis Benveniste and Jackie Frere

 

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Spring starts prepping for her entrance as the left-over winter leaves toss around the yards. I'm joining the Poetry Party as author, poet, and host, Tanita S. Davis, opens her blog for Poetry Friday. Click here to read Tanita's pre-roundup welcome and visit other poets' blog sites.

Logo created by Tanita S. Davis

I am also offering my Game On! blog post to the 2024 Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge. Click here.

Day 15

Let's Celebrate!

I feel like celebrating today after reading Ramona Behnke's SJT post on a children's book, My Mama Had a Dancing Heart.  

Is it that Spring is in the air? The sun is returning after soaking the earth with its gentle but hearty rains or is it that I have a window of opportunity to lounge around instead of being immersed in checking out my endless to-do list? I sneak time to read posts from Spiritual Journey Thursday and Poetry Friday writing friends. I plan on reading the read aloud version of the book which can be found on YouTube here. The book talks about celebrating and this made me pause to ponder what can I joyfully celebrate today.

Let's Celebrate!

What shall I celebrate

on the morning of a

rain-soaking,

spring-popping,

gray-clouding day?

I pause and see

nature nurturing me

in its sun-cracking,

pollen-packing,

heart-gladdening way.

©CVarsalona, 2023

Little grandgirls giggle,

Bunnies wiggle.

Crayons jiggle.

We love to play!

It's a Springsational day!

©CVarsalona, 2023

Look around you and find reasons to celebrate life!

Have you checked out my Springsations Gallery Padlet here. 

I and other poets, slicers, and writers celebrate Spring there.

Another reason to celebrate is that it's Tuesday and time to join Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life here.

Shangri-La: A State of Mind

As a teenager, I was intrigued by a place called Shangri-La. It is noted on Vocabulary.com as any place of complete bliss and delight and peace. Is there a place in this life of constant change and chaos, where stories of war, weather changes, and tragedies are daily headlines that we can find to bring a sense of peaceful balance and quiet to our lives? I have one place that is a haven for peace. It is the creativity zone, a purposeful state of mind that offers delight, surprise, and a dose of bliss. Join me to explore this fascinating place for quiet contemplation and writing.

Yesterday, was the last prompt of Laura Shovan's 11th Annual February Poetry Project. I was distracted and tired. I am sure you know that feeling of just wanting to rest. Before falling asleep, I pondered Michelle Kogan's prompt: write a story poem about inspiring gardens. Of course, she provided images and links for a pre-writing activity. While I could not write anymore late at night, I carried my thoughts over to today, the 1st day of the Two Writing Teachers March Writing Challenge with Shangri-La in mind. A connection came when I found the following quote by Nita Bajoria (The Leap).

“Shangri-La is a state of mind, Vinay. If you’re happy, then everything around you will be okay and in harmony. Nothing is perfect anywhere. We must find our own paradise amidst the chaos. Just the way a beautiful lotus blooms in dirty water.    

Nothing is perfect anywhere stayed with me. Writing is not an act of perfection but a pathway to a blossoming creativity zone. Here in the zone, I can "be" - quiet, imaginative, and full of ideas, or just still waiting for my muse to support me. I have the luxury to choose each seed of a story to grow from a budding stage to a spring flower. Does it happen like clockwork each day? Certainly not, but as a gardener cares for her seeds, a writer grows thoughts in her notebook. Below is a draft of Day 28's poem on inspired gardens.

A Garden for All Seasons

Decades ago, I learned about Shangri-La,

A mythical land of beauty, calm, and peace.

I listened to the Letterman’s smooth voices

singing “Shangri-La”, longing for places of

Beauty to slow down life’s hustle-bustle pace.

Gardens became go-to spots for meditation,

Solace, and nature’s resting spots to just be.

I explored local parks, gorgeous

Sanctuaries for tranquility.

Shangri-La was found-

Birds fluttered. 

Bees buzzed.

Flowers flourished.

The weeping willow 

Bent over

Sweeping the lawn

With images of

Childhood Maypole dances.

I observed, lingered,

Fell in love with these

Welcoming places 

Of magical wonder

Where words can

Blossom, too.

©CVarsalona, 2023 Draft

I invite my writing muse to be my guide this month of daily writing as I connect with the Two Writing Teachers community of international reflective writers.

I have participated in this writing challenge since 2015.

#SOL22 March Musings Day 28: Family Pictures

Are you the family photographer? I am always with my camera documenting family events with photos. It is one of my passions ever since I took a photography class in college. Capturing the essence of a moment is something I delight in so yesterday at my husband's "big birthday party, I I took multiple photos to find the right one that shared the joy of the event. This morning, I found a quote that will guide me as I continue to take photos.

"There is one thing that the photography must contain - the humanity of the moment." -Robert Frank

I would like to dig deeper into the photographic element of connecting with people in the moment as Robert Frank did in his photo taken in 1949. 

Capturing the Sensitivity of the Moment

sensitivity touches the soul

moments

connect

to

photographic

moments

life

evolves

around

each

moment

sensitivity touches the soul

©CV, 2022

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NOTE:

I had difficulty synching up my two computers between Day 27 and 28. There were glitches that I just found. The links are correct now.

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

NOTE:

#SOL22 March Musings Day 21: Welcome Springtime!

It's Here!

Spring is here,

Such a needed season this year!

Prancing in with sunshine and warmth,

thoughts of renewal putting forth.

I see trees start to pop,

As nature opens her floral shop.

Pinks and purples peek and shout

While winter shades fade out.

©CV, 2022

A quick look at what past Springs brought to brighten Earth:

In 2018, slicer Ramona Behnke captured Spring in Washington.

The above photos were in past global galleries of artistic expressions that I design for online viewing. I am stepping back into time this year and creating My Winter's Embrace Gallery. Stop back to see that unveiled.

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