Stretch

Within the dim-lit yoga studio, a calmness exists. The world is miles away. The only sounds are the breath and the prompts from the teacher who guides yogis through a practice of deep thought and movement. This inner sanctum of tranquility becomes the sacred space for learning about self. Through breathing, quiet poses, and stretching the mind, body, and spirit are awakened and a sense of well-being and peace felt.

It is within the practice of soft flow movements that a connective energy emanates from the heart center and shared with the collective consciousness, binding all together as one body of practitioners. With each exhaled breath there is a leaning into the stretch-no worries, no stress, just the motion of moving deeper into thought and action. In the stillness exists the ability to awaken the senses and delight in the feeling of well-being. 

The return to the stretch has filled my daily practice this week with a spirit of mindfulness and purposeful intent. I wrote, worked out, got back into a yoga routine, and created. I even pushed my limits toward increased writing time and the ability to write freely from prompts for some creative challenges from Poetry Friday colleagues, Laura Shovan and Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. The stretching of my mind, body, and spirit provided me with increased muscle movement and quiet time, leading to an abundance of thoughts rising from within. 

I celebrate the stretch. It provides an openning to let go of unwanted stress and to write from the heart without the concern of final product syndrome. 

Today, in the quiet of the morning hours enhanced by the intermittent chirping of birds, I reflect on the possibilities of stretching the mind, body, and spirit. May you join me in celebrating the stretch to gain a new perspective on wellness this coming week. 

Please enjoy ten minutes of peaceful music while visiting Ruth Ayres' Celebrate This Week community where bloggers' focus on positives of a week of celebration.

The Power of Poetry

On Sunday night, all poets, writters, bloggers, educators, and connected colleagues are invited to participate in #ISTELitChat on Twitter at 9:00 pm EST. Dr. Michele Haiken, moderator, will discuss the topic, The Power of Poetry, with guest moderator Carol Varsalona and guest author and poet, Laura Purdie Salas.

This will be a unique opportunity to bring the voice of poets to the Twittersphere for a professional exchange online. Join the chat that honors voice and the power of the poetic word.

Words, bold or silent, are magical connectors

linking human thoughts into tapestries. 

They can be positive and inspiring-

filled with deep-seated emotions.

They can be bold spoken words 

or silent written ones-

life forces in a world

that has selective 

hearing.

©Carol Varsalona, 2016 

*********************

Give your words life. Engage in the experience of exchanging thoughts on the power of poetry with colleagues from near and far.

Here is the #ISTELitChat question document for your perusal.

My call to action is to continue to weave words into digital inspirations

that will take flight and hopefully impact some receptive hearts.

(Note: The above image was a photo of the heavily-laden trees during the past storm that I digitalized into a rich visual background for my words.)

Please visit Poetry Friday being hosted by my writing colleague, Donna Smith, who opened the Round-up early for business. Donna and I have exchanged blog posts and poems this week at both Laura Shovan's 2016 Found Object Poem Project and Holly Mueller's Spiritual Journey Thursday. You can access the voices of the Poetry Friday writers here. 

My offerings to these sites this week have been varied, proving to me that writing is a daily exercise in creation and can become the seeds of a collection of thoughts.

From my Valentine's Day post

to my Spiritual Journey Thursday post on Irene Latham's one word, delight

Hide the Eraser!

When writing as a child, my eraser was my best friend but as I grew up I realized that I could be a better judge of what should be erased. Editing and revision are students best tools to create memorable pieces of writing. So here is my fanciful tale for children who are beginning the writing journey.

Magic Eraser rolled into town.

Looking silly as a blue-haired clown

erasing all that was in his sight

causing a stir and a great fright.

The townsfolk turned a shade of white

as all was lost in broad daylight.

Who would stand up for property rights?

A hero came with the speed of light

and took a very fanciful bite.

So limping away in domestic flight

Magic eraser left the suburbanites

and found other towns to rub out that night.

Morale of the story:

When writing, don't rub out your words when frustrated. They may be just the ones to fill your notebooks with snappy thoughts for blossoming stories and poems. (Hide the eraser!)

©CVarsalona, 2016 

Since I am a fan of revision, this poem could be tweaked but that is for another day at the writing desk.

It's Day 18 of Laura Shovan's 2016 Found Object Poem Project. You can access information about the project here.

Delight

In the past weeks, Nature has delighted herself with her artistic talents. Canvases of white splashed with greying raindrops, brittle branches, and splashes of snowsun have created tapestries of varied hues. I've noticed a quiet hush settling over the landscape during the winter storms and there is anticipation and sometimes anxiety over what is to come. From below freezing temperatures to above average ones, the weather has been a topic of conversation. But let's flip the thoughts to this beautiful one by Daniel Boone.

Nature is a series of wonders and a fund of delight.

I delight in the photo opportunities nature provides for me but many grumble about the chain of events. If only the world could see beyond the darkened skies to notice the snowsun warming life and providing a measure of quiet winter solitude. If only there was a sense of positivity and delight in what we have, then perhaps winter whisperings could be heard above discontented voices.

How can we access feelings of delight in the midst of confusion, discontent, and avoidance? Do we find delight in our beliefs and in the quiet hush? Can we even find delight amidst our turbulent feelings? 

Imagine little children running into the wind and filling their lungs with the pure air of life that holds all their desires. Isn't that sight something to hold onto as we seek delight? Let's run like the children, feeling the freshness of nature all around us and the warmth of faith in our hearts.

When you want to find the delights of ordinary life, you can turn your thoughts to Psalm 37:4:

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

and in Psalm 36:7-8:

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They rest on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.

Each week the Spiritual Journey Thursday community gathers under the leadership of Holly Mueller to discuss topics that guide our walk through life. This week we are discussing Irene Latham's one little word, delight. Since Irene is a poet of gentle stature, I thought that Robert Frost's quote would be a fitting one to create a digital inspiration around. 

A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.

May you find delight as you run toward the snowsun with praise and thanksgiving for what is offered and ultimately find the wisdom to bring a positive perspective to everything that is before you.

Please visit Holly Mueller's blog to read the other posts about Irene's word for her 2016 journey.

Special Invitation:

Join me in a delightful conversation at IsteLitChat on a topic that delights me: The Power of Poetry. Let your voice rise as we discuss the beauty of language.

Modern Fairy Tale

Cinderella of sandcastle dreams

left her pink jeweled sandal

perfectly pointed in the

direction of the ocean

for a young prince

to uncover her

whereabouts-

off beaching

for a bit of

R & R.

©Carol Varsalona, 2016 

Today is Day 17 of Laura Shovan's 2016 Found Object Poem Project. You can access information about the project here. Donna Smith of Mainly Write will host the poetry party at her site. Let the fun begin. Donna is ready. 

My Little Ditty

Created by Michelle Hendenrich Barnes

Do you know what a ditty is? My colleague, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, does for sure. Her blog site is called Today's Little Ditty and it is always filled with wonderful author interviews, poetry, and monthly creative challenges. This month, Michelle asked everyone to create "inspired ditties" based on the word ditty that was chosen by award winning children's author and poet, David L. Harrison. You can read the interview with David and the invitation to write here. 

My ditty for the challenge was sparked by a new digital tool that I found called Ditty. The app uses short bites of familiar tunes and allows you to add words. The end result is a ditty tune. Since the word ditty is defined as a short, simple song, I lifted that to create my lyrics. (Be mindful that I am not musically inclined so this is pure fun for me.)

Still feeling the love emanating from Valentine's Day, I wanted to swoon to music like my mother use to do in her time. I started our with four lines and then realized the app would only allow a shortened number of words. Below is what I settled on for lyrics. What follows is my little ditty video created via the free app, Ditty.

My Little Ditty

A short simple song

lingering tune

that makes my heart swoon.

I hope my little ditty made you smile because it brightened my day. 

This would be a fun exercise in writing for students. If you use the app in your classroom, please let me know how your students react to this app. The end result should be an engaging experience writing a short tune.

The Force Within

As I sit to compose a post for Day 16 of Laura Shovan's Found Object Poem Project, I recall a steamy hot day in St. Louis last summer. It was one of those days when the heat envelops one's entire being. While dragging a heavy luggage from the Metro to the hotel prior to the ILA 15 Conference, I came upon an amazing piece of street art, a sculpture of great magnitude. The sleek, steel edifice was perfectly poised just sitting there for all to gap at. It reflected the light and spoke of power. To me it was a force upon the street. 

When Laura called for unusual objects, I sent her the photo of the sculpture along with others. I did not know which photo she would choose for her project so I was pleasantly surprised when she announced the objects of the week. Although I know what this one is, I am stumped at how to begin a poem for Laura's Day 16 #foundobjectpoem. 

Image for Laura Shovan's
Day 16 #foundobjectpoem

My initial thought was "May the force be with you!" Coupling that statement with the questions that were offered tonight on the NYEDChat Twitter conversation made me turn my thoughts to the force that all educators would like to have shine from each student.

This poem evolved as words were spinning in my head. While it is more of an inspirational statement than a poem, it is my starting point-a statement of power that I would like each child to claim and each teacher to foster. 

You can access information about Laura Shovan's Found Object Poem Project here. 

I am also offering this post to Two Writing Teachers for Tuesdays' Slice of Life. 

Handcrafted Treasures

One Christmas, my daughter handcrafted a set of coffee mugs for me. I was so touched by the gesture. The mugs have remained part of our family gatherings throughout the years. Today, Laura Shovan featured the following image as the Day 15 #foundobjectpoem prompt. While this is not my daughter's cup it brings back fond memories.  

Even though it is no longer Valentine's Day, love is still in my heart. I dedicate the following digital composition to my daughter and the legacy of creativity passed down from her great-grandmother whose loving hands brought joy to everything she created. 

Please visit my colleague Heidi Mordhurst's blog, my juicy little universe, to read the other interpretations of the Day 15 picture prompt for Laura Shovan's 2016 Found Object Poem Project. (Laura is busily preparing for the launch of her newest book in April.) 

Tomorrow's prompt is the photo I submitted so I am excited to hear what poems pop out from that image that will send you off into the galaxies. 

Indulging the Inner Cravings

When Laura Shovan posted the Day 14 picture prompt for the 2016 Found Object Poem Project, I immediately thought of comfort food and cravings. Since it is Valentine's Day, one should be able to indulge her inner cravings. Right? 

As I sit listening to the #EdBeat Valentine's Day Mix of Songs sent by colleague Sean Gaillard and gazing at the loaded baked potato image, I decided to spend quiet time creating. 

Craving comfort food?

I indulged my inner cravings this week.

Brownie Cookie Dough Bars for a luncheon on Friday

Poached eggs with bananas topped by Nutella and coffee laced with chocolate for the Valentine's Day breakfast

And there is still more to come tonight-
dinner at one of our favorite gourmet restaurants!

This is a yummy day to indulge my inner cravings.

Please check out the 2016 Found Object Poetry Project - Day 14 poetry offerings at Laura Shovan's site later on today or tomorrow.

Please join me as I continue to share the love of poetry next Sunday night at #ISTELitChat. I will be the guest moderator. It is my hope that my poetry, blogging, and writing friends will join in the chat to bring the power of poetry to Twitter. 

Digital Treasures

There is a digital playground in the world of edtech where educators and connected colleagues have fun creating. When I am in that zone, I partner art and tech with literacy to create digital compositions for poetry challenges, my blogs, and the Reflect With Me Galleries of artistic expressions that I have designed. To attract writers, poets, bloggers, teachers, friends, families, and students to write alongside me for my global galleries, I have sent out invitations across social media for upcoming galleries. They have responded with delightful offerings that capture the majesty of each season in their particular locales.

Winter Wanderings is the title of my upcoming winter gallery. Its intent is to have voice rise from every location during this season that has vacillated with varying temperatures and dispositions. From Katmandu, Nepal to Long Island, New York, digital compositions will showcase winter as season of breathtaking beauty and people's resilience, not a season of blue moods. 

When thinking about digital treasures, my mind wanders to beautifully rendered digital compositions of micropoems embedded on nature photography. Margaret Simon, the creator of DigiLit Sunday has called these offerings digital inspirations, a fitting title. These digitalized nuggets comprise a special and valuable collection of voice that rises into the universe via social media platforms. As words are woven together into poetic expressions for public consumption, they become digital expressions of love sent out across the universe. Digital treasures are my poetryliscious moments to be savored. 

Since it is Valentine's Day, love is of utmost interest. The words of Aristotle inspired me to create this digital treasure today. It started as one original photo of a box of candy that was offered to my family as we watched TV together last night. I mashed apps together (Waterlogue, PicMonkey, PicMonkey Collage) to create this tribute to the spirit of love. Carefully overlayed details enhanced the single photography into a visual collage, all digitally composed. 

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.

~Aristotle

The heart is

the epicenter of love.

Within its domain

lies the capacity 

for infinite love.

Heart it.

Spread it

across the universe

so all can find
what truly matters.
©Carol Varsalona, 2016

Since a digital treasure goes beyond isolated parts like the two above, I enjoy creating extraordinary pieces that blend a digital image with the written word to convey meaning. It usually takes many attempts to find the right background, sizing, and visual effect but in the end I find that the process is worth the effort.

Enjoy your creation time in the digital playground and spread the magic of your designs to others as nuggets of heartfelt wishes. Now please visit DigiLit Sunday where the bloggers are gathering under the direction of Margaret Simon here to provide their interpretation of the topic Digital Treasures. As Margaret says, "When we teach digital literacies, we need to take time to notice the treasure in the details". 

May your Valentine's Day be as special as mine has started out to be.

Unusual Digital Prompt

What happens when a digital prompt is offered that makes one pause, reflect, and end up befuddled? Does the observer sit and stare for hours or does the observer take on the perspective of wonderer and start jotting down ideas? As educators, we ask our students to engage in writing prompts that we routinely offer. We have expectations that they will complete the task in a timely fashion but what happens when they are struggling with the writing. Do we provide scaffolds leading all students to the completion of the task?

When faced with Laura Shovan's Day 13 picture prompt of her Found Object Poem Project, I decided to take on the role of the student who is puzzled about the writing task.

Photo submitted by Linda Baie for
Laura Shovan's Found Object Poem Project

I start with a noticing and wondering activity.

Noticings:

• wood carved animal
• hole on side
• sharp, pointed edges
• wooden quills

Wonderings:

• Could this be a porcupine?
• Would someone use this as a decoration?
• Could it be a napkin ring for an outdoor table setting?

Quick Research:
To build some background knowledge about a porcupine, I search the web for photos and drawings of porcupines. I want to see if the wood carving could be a porcupine. I then search for facts about the animal. National Geographic is an excellent site to discover information, as is Woodland Park Zoo.

Writing:
With some background knowledge about porcupines, I start a draft of a poem.

Prickly Pal

looking at me,

what noticings 

do I see?

• wooden carving
• round hole on side
• sharpened quills
• big open eyed

Will you join me

for a feast

at my table, 

you woodland beast?

But wait, you are not

a friendly guest

your sharpened edges

would prick my chest.
©CVarsalona, 2016 

Editing, Revising, Rereading:
I edit, revise, and reread orally knowing that this is a first draft that needs refinement but time is up. I place my work in my digital portfolio.

Critiquing:
I welcome comments to improve my writing. 

Valentine Wishes

Even though the big chill is here on Long Island, it is time to celebrate the sweetest day of the year, Valentine's Day, and all the sweet happenings during this past week. An extra layer of clothing, a raising of the thermostat, and baking mark my time leading up to a Happy Valentine's Day celebration.

This week has been a poetryliscious one that inspired me to write alongside colleagues from around the states. I spent each day writing poetry for Laura Shovan's Found Object Poem Project. My Tomato Moon poem based on Matt Forrest Esenwine's picture prompt and title can be found here. A Hushed Quiet was a reflective type of poem with a zen-like quality that led me to lessons learned. 

Coming back to the yoga studio after a rotator cuff injury provided me with a resurgence of energy, a quiet peace that I have been missing, and the creation of a Spiritual Journey Thursday post, Purposeful Intent, that included a beautiful video of soothing music, and a poem based on the winter storms. 

To add a bit of fun, I whipped up a poetryliscious poem for Poetry Friday. After comparing a snow-capped scene to a frothy dessert, I decided to bake an edible treat for a Valentine's luncheon.

As I prepared the final step of the brownie cookie dough bar recipe, I looked for my mother's valentine cookie cutters and found one from the 1920 time period and one from the 1940s. Reading the inscription on the old utensil made me recall baking days with my Nonnie and mother and knowing that their love from those generations was still with me. 

To celebrate such love is what the spirit of Valentine's Day is about for me. My poetryliscious week was inspirational, quiet, and afforded me a chance to reflect and write.

I look forward to a wonderful Valentine's Day dinner in a very charming restaurant in town with friends. 

May your Valentine's Day be filled with love and sweet treats. 

Please visit Ruth Ayres site for Celebrate This Week. Ruth is celebrating the power of praise. I am eager to read other posts from those who understand the importance of celebrating life each week. 

PS: This week I celebrated my 500th post. 

Writing has become a wonderful daily habit.