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.

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.

The Art of Summering 2025 Sneak Peak

Welcome  to  the  Art of Summering 2025  

Mini-Gallery of Artistic Expressions

Summer passes and one remembers its exuberance.-Yoko Ono 

Summer dazzles in different ways:

captures the wonders of nature

soothes our senses and our souls

offers starlite moments

understands the art

of summering:

enjoy life

relax

"be"

©CVarsalona, 2025, nonet

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In my invitation to write alongside me, I explained what the Art of Summering  means. Summering is a state of mind that brings feelings of joy and relaxation. It revolves around the best of summertime and the ability to savor those feelings year-round (adapted from AI thoughts).

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Mary Lee Hahn offers the sweltering edition of the

Art of Summering 2025 Mini-Gallery of Artistic Expressions.

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Janet Claire Fagal shares the beauty of Maine in summertime.

*Excuse the typos," They will be fixed.

Thank you to Linda Mitchell for her offering also. I am not ready to share her work just yet but stay tuned.

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As one enjoys the art of summering, reflect on how you spent your summer days. I would love to share your work in my mini-gallery. Thank you to all the poets, artists, photographers, and teachers who enjoy the arts.

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Below is my digital artwork created after enjoying a beautiful summer day relaxing in my chaise lounge. I was stunned and amazed when I looked up at the sun and saw a cloud that appeared as a heart. For me this was a sign that my loved one was sending me a heartnote from heaven.

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Thank you to Linda Baie for hosting Poetry Friday today. Please read her illuminating blog post that offers connects Charles Dickens with these hard times we are in. Also, you will find other poetic goodness from the Poetry Friday writers.

2025's First Snow Days

Wake Up Early!

Welcome to January's 1st Snow Days!

Peek into a series of different formatted poems

that showcase the two-day winter storm event in Northern Virginia. 

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snowplowers

bundled up

crunch snow layers

homeowners watch in stillness

gratitude

@CVarsalona, January 2025

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pause  in winter silence

 tranquility

soothes

stirring

winds

tranquility

paints

snow

scenes

tranquility

in winter silence pauses

@CVarsalona, January 2025

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As the sun arrives so does peace.

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It is the 2nd day of the winter storm in Northern Virginia. Under the blankets of snow there is ice. We all hear the announcements to be careful. I switch my attention to the beauty of a snowy landscape and send my wishes and blog post to Two Writing Teachers, a place for reflective educators and writers around the globe.

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Slowdown Summer Overflows with Poetry

What started this afternoon continues throughout the night. Crackling noises, flashing lights, and sudden darkness break through the sky. I sit here remembering the flash announcements and the fear of traveling home amidst a terrifying twist of nature. Passing by a five-car accident, fire trucks, and police cars brought the reality of the situation. What I thought would be slowdown moments of summer's ending became Earth in motion. The severe thunderstorm moved from one section of the highway to another. Six hours later, rain continues to make its mark on life. With a deep care for life, I sit and read William Wordsworth's thoughts and ponder the magnitude of what poetry is.

"Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility." 

This summer during slowdown moments, the annual Summer Poetry Swap found its way into fellow Poetry Friday friends' hearts. Under the superb direction of Tabatha Yeatts, writing to my poetry swap friend, Denise Krebs, became a reality. Denise became a Grandma for the second time as I began my swap writing to her. I was overjoyed by the blessing of her little pink blossom, the growth of her grandson, and the surprise mailing she sent me. The crocheted pieces for my kitchen made me smile but the clever poem from Health itself was a joy. The gift held a special message "to ponder the bounty of living in full abundance". 

Then, after receiving Denise's poetry swap gift, I found mail from Tabatha Yeatts awaiting my read. She focused on my thoughts about 48 years of my married life and created a Golden Shovel poem using the strike line from Kahlil Gibran, one of my husband's and my favorite poets.

I look back on the torrential rainstorm that just calmed down and compare it to the artistic card that Tabatha sent me. Stilled tranquility appeals to me more than an intrepid storm. The power of poetry brings sensory thoughts flowing from the corners of my mind. 

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 For the August Challenge the Poetry Sisters, Tanita, Lauras, Mary Lee, Liz, Sara, and Kelly, invited writers to create an ekphrastic poem. I decided to use the artwork sent to me. #PoetryPals

Photo from @TwinDesigns

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Today's Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Susan Thomsen at

Chicken Spaghetti. She shares a funny poem that will make you smile so stop by.

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May a sense of peace and quiet fill your weekend as August hands the baton to September.

Life Awakens in Spring

It's springtime in Virginia, a time to celebrate nature's transition to warmer weather and the burst of cherry blossom trees. In between sunshine moments, gray April showers sprinkle crystalline drops as nature takes center stage There are many reasons to celebrate springtime. For Poetry Friday nature lovers, poetry love is in the air. It swooshes across the open sky, echoes nature sounds, and opens hearts to the beauty of a spring day that quietly whispers in the wind. 

Morning Springs Open
morning light
streams in
unfolding spring's verdant palette of green
hidden buds buried in earthen soil sprout
breathe in
nature's perfume
peace surrounds
©CVarsalona, 2024, trinet poem


Are you ready to sing praises for a spring morning?
I invite you to be creative.
Snap a spring photo that speaks to you.
Write a poem and mesh the two together.

JOIN ME at The
Padlet, the container for my next
Poetry Parade Gallery of Artistic Expressions

Thank you, Denise Krebs, for being the first colleague to add your spring image poem to the Poetry Parade Padlet.

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I am now ready to join the Poetry Friday Roundup with this week's Poetry Friday host, poet-educator friend Jone Rush MacCulloch. She is sharing a fabulous interview with Carol Labuzzetta, the publisher of a new anthology, Picture Perfect Poetry: An Anthology of Ekphrastic Nature Poetry for Students. I am honored to have several poems and a nature photo in Carol Labuzzetta's book.

Invitation to Recollect on Summer's End

Autumn is the season that brings a sense of and here it is October. Last week, I invited slicers to join me at my Destination: Summer's End Padlet, the digital container for artistic expressions on the end-of-summer and the transition to autumn. Since then, the following slicers added their offering. Margaret Simon submitted three of her students' work and Bob Hamera (arjeha) uploaded his image poem. Molly Hogan will add her work to the padlet soon. 

The invitation continues with this short blurb.

If interested, please add an artistic expression, an image poem, an inspirational quote, a drawing, or a nature photograph to my Destination: Summer's End Padlet. Student work is accepted as well. I plan to showcase a variety of adult and children's poems in a gallery format. My padlet will let me know when a new end-of-summer creation is added. Each offering will be greeted with joyful thanks.

 

Now, I join Two Writing Teachers for the Tuesday Slice of Life with gratitude to the slicers who shared their image poems at the Destination: Summer's End Padlet.

Summer Slipped Away in Robes of Glory

When summer gathers up her robes of glory and like a dream glides away (Sarah Helen Whitman), I remember sunsational moments. It is late evening and poetic thoughts rise in the darkness. I am reminded of my Australian poet/children's author, Sally Murphy's inspirational poem.

A poem comes

When it is ready

And writes itself

In the way it needs

To get its point across

©Sally Murphy, 2009

At this time of night, questions and an invitation come to mind from a past summer gallery, Introduction to Nurturing Our Summer Souls. I savored end-of-summer thoughts while mulling over what a new summer gallery should be titled. Many friends traveled to different destinations this summer, including my family who spent two vacations at nearby beaches, our go-to places to relax and enjoy life. At the end of summertime, a new summer gallery came to life. 

Celebrating Creativity and Voice

A gallery of artistic expressions

Comes together when writers

Capture photos,

Weave words,

And release them

Into an online space.

©CVarsalona, 2023

INVITATION To SLICERS

If interested, please add an artistic expression, an image poem, an inspirational quote, a drawing, or a nature photograph to my Destination: Summer's End Padlet. Student work is accepted as well. I plan to showcase a variety of adult and children's poems in a gallery format. My padlet will let me know when a new end-of-summer creation is added. Thank you to Margaret Simon's students for their contributions.

Each offering will be greeted with joyful thanks.

Slicers, please see the Nurturing Nature Our Summer Souls blog posts for sample image poems. You can click on each mini-gallery below.

Introduction to Nurturing Our Summer Souls Gallery

Nurturing Our Summer Souls Gallery, Poetry Friday Edition

Nurturing Our Summer Souls, Section Three

Last Edition of Nurturing Our Summer Souls Gallery

Now, I join Two Writing Teachers for the Tuesday Slice of Life with gratitude to the slicers who participated in the 2021 Nurturing Our Summer Souls Gallery.

Poetic Voices Rise During National Poetry Month

It's April, National Poetry Month, a sensational time of the year for writers, poets, and individuals who love poetry. Part of a quote from a historian, poet, and writer, Aberjhani, resonates with me as I continue writing almost daily since February.

"Individuals oftern turn to poetry, not only to glean strength and perspective from the words of others, but to give birth to their own poetic voices..."

My Poetic Voice Fills with Stories

Look, I found another egg!

A smiling little princess

dressed in Easter finery beams with pride.

Her basket brims with colorful treasures

hidden by a watchful Easter bunny.

Springtime wonders truly exist.

©CV, 2023

moon strolls through sky

mingling with starfriends -

pause for a light kiss

©CV, 2023

(The above poem was based on Laura Purdie Salas' NPM project's pile of words.)

Voices of Friends Fill the Spingsations Gallery, Vol. 2 at My Padlet

On Tuesday, I shared four poems by fellow writers, Jane Heitman Healy, Denise Krebs, Matt Forrest Esenwine, and Bob Hamera, a.k.a. arjeha. Click here to view my Tuesday Slice of Life with their image poems for Springsations Gallery.

This week, I am delighted to showcase a new set of image poems for Springsations Gallery shared by: 

an Anonymous writer, Janet Scully, and Carol Labuzetta

Elizabeth Neubauer, Leigh Anne Eck, Faige Meller 

and

If you are interested in creating an image poem please see the invitation here. It is due by April 30th.

The above quote by Rainier Maria Rilke is at Good Housekeeping Spring Quotes.

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Today's Poetry Friday can be found on Karen Edmisten's blog. She offers an inspirational quote by Ted Kooser that is a fitting opening to her post and a close to mine.

"A poem is a record of a discovery."

The above PF logo was created by Margaret Simon.