Nearing the End of NPM22

I am completely amazed at how fast this month passed. While recovering from my first cataract surgery. I learned to have a deeper appreciation of my one word, appreciate, the combination of medicine and faith. Perseverance stepped in during the journey and my muse visited often as I wrote poetry and read others' work. The healing process was long; I often fell asleep while growing new ideas and/or visiting poetry friends' blog sites. Responses to comments left at my blog or on other blogs were in a very slow mode but I made it through the month with these personal projects and more poetry:

• Proudly posted my Day 9 line in the Progressive Poem and passed the baton to my poet friend, Linda Baie.
• Introduced my NPM22 project, the creation of a Poetryliscious Gallery and a padlet to house a variety of artistic expressions, image poems, photographs, and inspired writing. Thank you to Poetry Friday friends, Linda Baie, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Molly Hogan, Denise Krebs, and Carol Labezztta for offering their work. Others, are in contact but have not placed their work on the padlet. You can see their nature photos and/or image poems on my Poetryliscious Gallery padlet. 
• Organized the artistic expressions offered for my Winter's Embrace Gallery that hopefully will be unveiled while winter still holds court in springtime.
• Wrote my annual Earth Day blog post with poetry and a digital graphic as my focus. 

Thank you, Laura Robb for tweeting the above quote sent to me via Twitter.

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This week in between naps, I wrote drafts of metaphor poems for Taylor Mali's Metaphor Dice Contest and anthology and the Poetry Sisters monthly challenge. I will share my samples, labeled #PoetryPals, as soon as I put the finishing touches on them. 

I, also, created an image poem for Margaret Simon's This Photo Wants To Be A Poem. 

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Thank you Jone Rush MacCulloch for providing a "gathering place for poets and lovers of poetry" this week at the Poetry Friday Round Up. Join me at Jone's blog to read about her good news where she shares works she created.

#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.

Appreciate Snowfall Hush!

As the snow settles, I sit by the fire listening to the silence of winter hush. Trees dipped in snow-like crystals and candlelights aglow add a cozy ambiance to the indoor scene I created.  Looking outward through the dual fireplace, I revel in the beauty of fallen snow asleep in hiemal slumber. I search YouTube and find a soothing video, Winter Solace, that adds to the ambiance. Meditative music floats through the air as I read a thought to ponder: 

"It's time to appreciate the simple, yet profound beauty of a snowy landscape." 

I wonder and write, calling up my 2022 one little word, appreciate.

seasonal solace

powdered confection and frost

stilled apricity

feel the gentle warmth of sun

appreciate winter's peace

©CVarsalona, 2022

Have you thought about the soundless pattern of falling snow? May Novala Takemoto's beautiful quote, "Snow falling soundlessly in the middle of the night will always fill my heart with sweet clarity," bring you solace. 

My Slice of Life

for

Two Writing Teachers

Snowfall Moments

After each winter storm, I am struck by the tranquility of the night. Frosted panes add their glow to the stillness of the night. Candlelight flickers and animal tracks stretch across untouched snow. It is a magical sight to watch winter gather its crystals and dust earth quietly. 

After seeing a photo of my two little granddaughters sinking into the snow, I decided to digitize a picture to give winter credit for its undeniably inspiring beauty. 

 

freshly-formed snowflakes fall

gently

on

winter

paths

gently

touching

little

noses

gently

snowflakes, freshly-formed, fall

©CVarsalona, 2022

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snowfall

holds delight

for little skiers

sinking

into snow

toddlers stand still

winter

magic fills

the quiet air

©CV, 2022, hay(nu)ka series

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quietude exists in winter hush

stillness

surrounds

mellowing

evening

stillness

reverberates

quietly

crystalizing

stillness

quietude exists in winter hush

©CVarsalona, 2022

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Since I am intrigued by the beauty of the snow in woods here in Virginia, I invite you to join me in creating any type of artistic expression in word, art, or music for Winter's Embrace Gallery. Tabatha Yeatts, our gracious Poetry Friday Roundup host this week, sent me some winter photos that are just lovely for the gallery. Thank you Tabatha for allowing my mind to wander in word wonder. 

frosted berries iced

dipped in winter white crystals

seasonal sweet

©CVarsalona, 2022

Several years ago, Tabatha sent me this hauntingly beautiful painting from 1880 by Louise Abbema.

Winter Walk

wrapped in winter peace

she pensively ponders life

iced thoughts surface

©CVarsalona, 2022

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It's time to visit Tabatha Yeatts at Opposite of Indifference for her thoughts on pieces of a puzzle. She opens her site not only for her poetry goodness but for so many other poet friends.

Image collaged by Linda Mitchell

Snow! - March Musings '19/#SOL19/Day3

It came upon an evening clear

with its purpose to adhere.

There was no announcement, no fuss

but its intention to discuss. 

Shocked by the fluffy, billowy stuff

I waited for a rebuff.

Perhaps a task to shovel away

white beauty this Saturday? 

"No way," he emphatically said.

And so the saga of nature's gift

waits quietly for man's snow shift.

©CV, 2019 

Winter's Embrace

Afterthought: The sun came out, just like my husband said, so he did not have to take a snow shift.  

Equation Poem: (poetic form created by Laura Purdie Salas)
Gray day + below freezing temperature = snow 
Snow - freezing temperature + sun = nature's snow removal

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I am now ready to join the #SOL19 community for the March 12th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge Day 3 created by Two Writing Teachers!

 
3/31

Winter Through a Lens

It happened suddenly. A forceful wind kicked up as the sky darkened. People scrambled, rushing to find warmth indoors while hair blew in several directions, blocking my vision, as I crossed the street. It was a relief to leave the parking lot where winter was leaving its calling card once again.

Within minutes, the blustery winds brought in a quick, upstart snowstorm. People inside the funeral parlor where I was, quietly whispered to each other, "It's snowing outside." By the time I left, the snow turned to rain but the cold remained. As the week progressed so did the record cold temperatures. Twitter friends from across the states, shared comments, weather maps, and photos of the deep freeze. 

Winter 2019 - ice cold! - Jennifer Sniadecki, Indiana

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After a storm that deposited a little more than a dusting, I digitized a photo to give it the effect of a typical post-storm, winter day. To follow the wacky weather systems noted in the newspapers, Long Island is back to fluctuating temperatures. So far, we have not brought out the snow shovels. That is so unusual!

tranquility

amidst billowy blankets -

fire the furnace

©CV, 2019, Long Island, NY

I am on a quest to capture winter around the globe so join me to create winter digitals, whether you have snow or not!

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I am joining Two Writing Teachers for Slice of Life Tuesday!

Gray-Day Pondering

#InstaPoetry #MoPoetry2019

While friends and family indulge in cotton-ball countrysides filled with billowy snow, Long Island is wrapped in gray days ranging from frigid to not-so-cold temperatures. Nonetheless, there is a hushed, quiet beauty settling in.

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Incessant. swishing noises tap against window panes as morning tries to wake a sleepy neighborhood.  Flecks of rain bubble up in blotchy patterns and one bird calls out. Another gray-day appears with resounding noise announcing the continuance of stormy weather. 

Rainuary
pitter-pattering,

slick splattering

gutters filling
weather chilling

gray-day pondering
weathermen floundering-
morning mist
winter-kissed-
January
commentary
©CVarsalona, 2019
#InstaPoetry #MoPoetry2019

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While the weather may be unusual for January, my New Year has been brightened with an incoming shower of good wishes from fellow poetry friends, Michelle Kogan and Diane Mayr who sent me poetry postcards. It is always nice to receive mail from the mailman and these treats were special deliveries of poetic goodness.

Michelle posted the following image poem for MLK Day. I decided to showcase it at Monday night's #NYEDChat. The discussion centered on "Service Projects for Students and Teachers", a fitting title to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

I also extend my thanks to other Poetry Friday friends for their incoming contributions to my winter gallery, Winter's Embrace.

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The Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by a favorite education friend of mine, Tara Smith, who recently retired and moved to live in upstate New York on a beautiful farm.