Summer In My Heart

It's August and what better way to spend the dog days of summer than by the shore. The ocean has a certain lure. Perhaps, it is the lull of the ocean waves or the peace that surrounds a day at the beach. Ever since we left the beauty of Long Island's south shore beaches, we miss the ocean more and more. Each summer, we indulge in a family trip to Cape May, New Jersey set against the Atlantic Ocean. Below you will find various photos of the splendor of Cape May's beach area.

Summer In My Heart

I breathe in the heat of summer,

Revile in waves rushing to shore.

Search for shells, unique newcomers.

Duck from gulls who search, shriek, and soar.

I wiggle my toes in warm sand,

Watch billowy clouds pass on by,

Indulge in August's sunkissed land,

Long for fresh blueberry peach pie.

Summer remains forever in

Grateful hearts filled with endless joy.

Be inspired. Dive in. Begin.

Embrace each summer day, Enjoy

©CVarsalona, 2023, draft

by Tabatha Yeatts

Thank you, Tabatha Yeatts, for hosting the Poetry Friday Round-up this week. Travel to her blog post The Opposite of Indifference, to see a poem that will make you laugh. I am signing in late for the Roundup because we were traveling home from our enjoyable summer vacation at the beach. 

Cascading Into a Magical Land

Another year is here and there are many challenges that will come our way. Hopefully, the challenges will be productive and enriching. Some may overflow with joy and others tinged with sorrow because life has a constant ebb and flow of ups and downs. Understanding that transformation is key to moving forward, I now add it to my list of descriptors for my one word 2023, Be". I am ready to sink into quiet time and remember the exhilarating feeling of the ocean tide, soon to come back again. 

Now, toward the end of January, I am still trying to "de-Christmas" my home in preparation for a long-awaited family trip with my granddaughters, 5- and 3-year-old, a delightful age to visit Mickey and Minnie in Florida. The magic of Disney World will be our fairy tale story as our family enters a whole new world of imagination on site and then, off to the new cruise line, The Wish. We have waited several years for this moment that is happening due to the efforts of my daughter. My biggest wish is that COVID does not join the Magic Kingdom and our first  cruise trip.

Since I will be with the family when the Poetry Sisters showcase their January challenge on the January 27th Poetry Friday, I decided to play with a new poetic format, a  CASCADE poem prior to the family trip.

The Cascade form takes every line from the stanza of your poem and TRANSFORMS those lines into the final lines of each stanza thereafter. Beyond that, there are no additional rules, just a request.Try to incorporate the idea or word transformation as you write. 

A Magical Wish

I wished upon a star long ago

baby girls transformed into toddlers

Minnie Mouse parades into their lives

their world cascaded into a magical waterfall

experiences flowed in a continual stream

I wished upon a star long ago

now they dream of a magical kingdom

and a cruise line where wishes come true when

baby girls transformed into toddlers

they dress in matching Minnie outfits

fly into a magical  land of imagination where

Minnie Mouse parades into their lives

©CVarsalona, 2023, draft

Thank you to the wonderful Jan Annino from the Sunshine State for hosting Poetry Friday with an interesting brief look at the talented poet/author Sharon Lovejoy.

Note:

This post was written prior to today.

My family just left  Disney World and are traveling to Disney’s new cruise boat, The Wish. Since there will be very limited internet connections on the ship I will most likely read the Poetry Friday blogs on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

From Rushed to Relaxed

Excitement is in the air but so is stress. We are leaving for Disney World followed by a cruise to the Bahamas on the new Disney Wish boat. While we are genuinely excited to visit Disney World with the family and the little grandgirls, we feel a bit hurried. The weather decided to play a trick and dip down to the 40ish degree temperature at night while sailing to the Bahamas. That means rethinking packing. We are not good packers, to begin with, and there is still a good deal to do before we board the plane to Florida on Wednesday morning.

My son had a bad respiratory virus last week and just finished his meds when my husband started coughing throughout the night. Now, he starts meds tomorrow and that leaves me but I am feeling fine. There has to be some gratefulness and so, I indulge in a manicure/pedicure. Ah, relaxation is a gift. The lotions smell wonderful and the massage chair offers a chance to slow down and de-stress. I imagine the warmth of the sun surrounding me.

wishing for warmth

in the midst of winter's grasp

peaceful prospect

nature offers a reprieve

turquoise waters and sunshine

©CVarsalona, 2023

Image by buckeyebeth from Pixabay

The radio airs an ad about a vacation. I hear the word blissful describing a trip. It sounds delightful and adds a layer of peaceful contemplation. I drift into the act of "just being". Time moves from hurried to tranquil. The aroma of floral products fills the air. The Vietnamese New Year decor adds a touch of festivity and remembrance of the Chinese New Year parades we enjoyed in New York City. feeling renewed. From rushed to relaxed, I walk out the door feeling renewed. 

©CVarsalona, 2023, digital art

Thank you for reading my Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers, a place where teacher writers meet and share their stories. 

Vacation

"A vacation is nothing to do and all day to do it in." -Robert Orben

Summer vacation is coming to a close. Back-to-school ads are common. Educators think ahead to their classrooms and schools. Students enjoy their last days of leisurely living.  There is still time to "just be" during this summer. 

I think back on my mini-vacation to the Jersey shore with the grandgirls and

 

sigh with happiness!

During these last weeks of summer, I pause to reflect on what vacation means and how I can savor the last weeks before Labor Day.

Vacations, whether they are full weeks, mini-trips, or just day trips, are for dreamers, wanderers, and all who desire a change of pace, time to live in the slow lane, and "just be".

Post Cards from Cape May, New Jersey, Summer 2021

 

Goodby vacation. I'm off to enjoy my last weeks of summer. How about you?

Tuesday Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers.

City of Contrasts

Las Vegas is a

city of 24/7 ACTION

 where CONTRASTS are the NORM.

Within its small strip can be found: extravagantly designed structures with bright lights, fantasy settings, and modernistic touches. 

Global sites are also points of interest on the Strip. There are replicas of the Statue of Liberty, a roller coaster, the Sphinx, dancing water fountains, pirate ships, an erupting volcano, and much more. 

As eclectic as the structures are the varieties of food. Names of celebrity chefs, like Giada, Mario Batelli, Emeril Lagesse, are advertised in brochures and on buildings to lure vacationeers in to taste their recipes. There are even foodie tours and endless buffets.

I can sum up Las Vegas as a vacation PLAYGROUND waiting to be tapped for continuous ENGAGEMENT. Can you tell that I am enjoying our family vacation here in Las Vegas, Nevada?

While on a family vacation, I decided to carve out some time to digitize photos and write a slice for the Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life because the contrasts of Las Vegas inspired me.