Happy St. Patrick's Day: Then and Now

Memories of many St. Patrick's Days float through my mind. I put aside the to-do list and concentrate on tonight's dinner party with the family. I wonder if my little grandgirls will be excited? Will the leprauchan tales be told in school? I look forward to hear about their day at school just like my mother would listen to my St. Patrick's Day stories. I want to tell my grandgirls about my childhood days. The nuns would bring us into the cafeteria to learn the Irish songs and dance the Irish jig. This day reminds me that children enjoy laughter, fun, and treats. It's time to wear the green, decorate the house, and enjoy the sunshine.

 

What makes me feel the wonder of this day? The undeniable taste of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and Irish soda bread with yummy sweets. Today was the first time I made Irish soda bread. It was delicious, and the Irish butter on top made it more so. But beyond the food, decorations, and treats, I am eager to enjoy the closeness of family gathered together tonight.  In the image poem to the right, you will see only two little grands. Their sister was not yet born but the outfit shown is now fitting granddaughter #3. Let's hope she wears it tonight.

The doorbell rings and here they come, all dressed in green. Let the dinner party begin!

Day 17, March 2026

 12th year with Two Writing Teachers

Reflaction on Life

When I spend time reflecting on life, I get to know myself better.  I slipped out of this habit during the initial phase of grief, but I am trying to make a comeback each morning.  A reflaction is a reflection with action. It was coined by two colleagues in New Jersey. The action part of my reflaction is in the last two lines of the poem.  Father Mike on YouTube centered his Sunday sermon on this mantra. 

Before dawn has broken

I lay in quiet stillness

Waiting for flickers of light.

Outside 

            Lies an imperfect world

            In disrepair from continual

            Disharmony and egregious behavior.

Call the seamstress!

Restitch the torn, the worn.

Restore hearts broken from turmoil.

             Renew our precious land.

             Relight the darkness found.

             Revisit possible solutions.

Before the close of the day

Find rest in nature's offering.

Seek comfort in others' hands.

            Hold high the light of hope.

            Look for joy and steal it

            Every time we find it.

                                                  (c) CVarsalona, 2025

                                                 

Day 16, March 2026

 12th year with Two Writing Teachers

Choosing One Word for 2026

This week, I am confounded by stress and the inability to choose one word to guide my spiritual journey, As the cold weather continues, I find cuddling by the fireplace a comforting way to de-stress. Yet, when I start writing, I seem to have a page of scratched off lines. I am five days into the new year, and I continue to search for one word to appear and set me on a new path of discovery. 

There are six words that keep popping up. They are contenders for my one word that will guide me on my 2026  journey. Space is needed, especially now since there are Christmas boxes strewn all over. Healing is a goal for this year. The word, restore, yields positivity and makes life smoother. Peace rises from the state of stillness and quietude sits in silence breaking unrest. Then, there is forward that would help me move onward. These words are strong, important, and meaningful. One shall be my cornerstone and yet, I am still not ready to make my choice.

Since 2014 to 2025 I have chosen one word that has served as my yearly guiding star.

Which one of the six words will I chose to be my 2026 guiding star?

This week the Spiritual Journey group of writers will unveil their one word. Stop by my blog on late Wednesday or early Thursday to read which word I will choose.

Join me at the Two Writing Teachers site with educators from around the globe.

Welcome to The Art of Summering 2025

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. 

There is an art to summering,

from sun simmering

to fan swaying-

leisurely enjoying

porch sitting

shore watching

sunsets blazing

sparklers swooning

cameras shooting

people celebrating

children playing

families planning

trip taking

beach happening

memory sharing

love noting

and sea scattering

©CVarsalona, 2025

During  Summer 2025, our family traveled from Virginia to

Cape May, NJ (↓)  and then to Long Island, NY (↑)

to celebrate my husband's life. 

What did I learn?

The art of summering encourages me to savor life-living moments that nourish my soul while fully experiencing the now.

In 2018, I created 

The Art of Summering Mini-Gallery Goodbye to Summer 

followed by the

Unveiling of The Art of Summering Gallery.

Many individuals joined me in sharing their thoughts and image poems for the galleries.

Questions to Ponder:

 How do you engage in the Art of Summering?

Do you have a special photo, artwork, and/or poem  to share?

🌞

Welcome to the

POETRY FRIDAY ROUNDUP!

I am delighted to be your host today.

If you have an offering for The Art of Summering 2025,

please share it with me. I will add any offerings to a new blog post for public viewing.

Poetry Friday

August 21, 2025

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party.

Click here to enter

Dreams

I wake pondering where time went. My laptop is on my lap just where I left it last night. I don't remember not finishing my Poetry Friday post. Night must have shifted into morning like the speed of lightning. I rise surprised. What happened? 

All I remember is being exhausted by the events of yesterday. A visit to the eye specialist left me numb. Shocked by the news of a possible retina tear on top of the husband's condition. The word, CANCER, dug deeper into my thoughts. My reaction was to find a way to handle both issues, my eye and his disease. Thoughts rattled in my mind. 

Breathe in-Breathe out-Meditate! These are ways to reduce the stress that blackens the room. I found a quote from someone who understood the challenges of life. 

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two breaths, or turning inwards in prayer for five short minutes.

- Etty Hillesum, Dutch Jewish author who was murdered in  Auschwitz during WW II

DREAMS

jagged edges

of night dreams

haunt me

back and forth

they sway

slipping away

into reality

f e a r

may find its nooks

But h o p e

becomes IMPLANTED in my HEART!

©CVarsalona, February, 2025

The above poem was originally written during Laura Shovan's Annual February Poetry Project and refined this morning. I was to write about a dream, positive, negative, or just strange - about a moment in this year's political history?

My first thought was world tensions mount. Illness adds to sleepless nights.

Did you know that politics are keeping American up at night? Nearly 60% of adults struggle to fall asleep due to political worries. - 50AASM

After reading about Etty Hillesum caught in the midst of the Holocaust, I want to learn more about her writings.

 

A new day begins. I will remember to breathe and meditate on my spiritual journey to wholeness (My Spiritual Journey post on Wholeness is here. Thank you, slicer/poet, Denise Krebs for adding my blog post for the group to read.)

Thank you Margaret Simon, host of Poetry Friday,

for the support you have provided the past two months.

I am very late for the Poetry Friday Roundup but

I am off the mark lately. I will make the rounds this weekend.

For now, I am headed to an retina specialist.

The above Poetry Firday umage was created by Margaret Simon.

Day 8 of the March SOLSC #SOL25

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for the space to write 

with a worldwide group of educators.

Baby's Kiss

💋

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

💋

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

Opening a New Door - Spiritual Journey

It's Spiritual Journey Thursday with our host, Bob Hamera (aka arjeha). He reminds us that when God closes one door, He opens another. It is up to us to recognize the new door and go through it. Thank you Bob for the questions you provided for us to be aware of the roadblocks in our life and proceed with steadfastness.

After mulling over Bob's questions, I mentally listed the abrupt challenges that occurred during different seasons of my life. While these times were difficult, I hung on to hope. New pathways to renew life evolved. Each time gratitude filled my heart. God was with me through every challenge.

Walking on the Edge of Darkness

Life moves in seasons.

Sometimes I walk

Joyfully along the road.

Other times I trip,

Lost in a tangled maze 

Darkened by mishap.

Sunset's shades close.

Tears puddle.

Heart blackens.

Wonderings wander

in a swirl of heavy clouds.

Where is the light? I often ask.

Doubt jumps in but

Faith widens a pathway

Shimmying in silence

Under an inked sky.

Sometimes, a path is unclear.

I pause to recalibrate.

Stars gather with

Enough brilliance,

Leading the way

To a bright new day.

Only the Master Artist

Creates new walkways.

draft ©CVarsalona, 2025

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 30: 31) 

With this promise in mind, I send a song of gratitude into the universe.

Logo designed by Margaret Simon

Winter Silence

🌲 “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.” – Paul Theroux 🌲

Early morning stillness:

From a photograph

to digital art

In this frozen winter

I would like to decorate the silence

that stills the start of the day.

Perhaps, the sole bird's coo

will wake the chill or

bells will dance in the wind.

Nature knows the next step.

Meanwhile, the house is heated. 

The fireplace stirs with warmth

and the day begins.

©CVarsalona, 2025

(Credit and thanks to Linda Gregg for the italicized line below.)

🌲🌲🌲

     Winter Love by Linda Gregg

I would like to decorate this silence,   

but my house grows only cleaner

and more plain. The glass chimes I hung   

over the register ring a little

when the heat goes on.

I waited too long to drink my tea.   

It was not hot. It was only warm.

🌲🌲🌲

Special Invitation to Slicers: I am hosting Poetry Friday on February 7th at my Beyond LiteracyLink blog. Create a love note, valentine, poem, digital artwork, etc. I will create a padlet, titled Heartnotes for interested writers. Join me as I honor Valentine's Day, a love-note to the rest of the year. (Jo Lightfoot)

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for providing writing space for reflective writers from around the globe.