Unveiling of The Art of Summering Gallery

It's a smile; it's a kiss; it's a sip of wine...
it's summertime!
- Kenny Chesney


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Summer is a state of mind that adds positivity to our days. 
Recall your life living summer moments and pause to:

There is an art to summering:
Sun simmering,
Heat chasing,
Waves churning-
Iced tea sipping,
Porch sitting,
Fan swaying-
Sparkler swooning,
People  celebrating,
Sunsets blazing-
Friends visiting,
Quiet chatting,
Babies playing-
Family planning,
Trip taking,
Cameras shooting-
Endless choosing,
Daily relaxing,
Summer happening!
©CVarsalona, 2018

There's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away." - Sarah Kay


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While the official end of the summer season drew to a close, my mind still drifts back to the pristine beach where a gentle breeze brings relief from the persistent heat. I hear the roar of the foaming waves singing their summer song, and savor those cherished memories. 

To preserve the memories of summer and allow voice to rise, I created this global gallery of artistic expressions,The Art of Summering, with its brilliant array of art, poetry, nature/travel photography, digital art, and music. Take a gallery walk with me to see the many shades of summer across the world. There are 10 stops on the global tour so let's get started.

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First Stop - A Virtual Journey 

Travel Photos

"Traveling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller." - Ibn Battuta

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Second Stop - Sunrises and Sunsets Around the Globe
"There are sunrises and sunsets every single day, and they're absolutely free. 
Don't miss so many of them." 
-Jo Walton Winter

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Third Stop - Animals of Summer

"Again and again, the cicada's untiring cry pierced the sultry summer air like a needle at work on thick cotton cloth." - Yukio Mishmima, Runaway Horses: The Sea of Fertility, 2

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Fourth Stop - Summer Art

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time."

-Thomas Merton

Laura Hill Timpanaro

The Sand Bar by Thomas Cooper Gotch submitted by Tabatha Yeatts

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Fifth Stop - Children's Corner

Click HERE to see the BUNCEE Slide Share

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Sixth Stop - Digital Art

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Seventh Stop - Summer Florals

"Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature." - Gerard De Nerval

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Eighth Stop - Music

"Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. 
You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body."

The above quote by Oliver Wendall Holmes was offered by Tabatha Yeatts along with the following song from the Queen of Soul.

Click HERE to enjoy the "The Art of Summering" playlist of 29 songs that I gathered on YouTube.

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Ninth Stop - Summer's Alluring Call

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If you travel far enough, you can find snow-tipped mountains and inspiration in summer.

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Tenth Stop - Time to Say Goodbye to Summer BUT... 

STILL Lingering in the Memories

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Thank you for joining me on The Art of Summering Gallery Walk. 

 Carol

Each season, the gallery concept that I began in 2014 grows in volume. May it continue to lift artistic voice across the globe, provide a joyful reading experience and encourage creativity, as it fills social media with beautifully-crafted digitals inspirations. Please leave comments on this blog, Twitter, or Facebook so that we can all grow as writers.

      

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"Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance." - Yoko Ono

Let the sunshine of summertime, fill your soul, and increase your vitality to find the abundance of autumn! May you continue to notice, observe the living world around you, wonder, and savor each life living moment.

I've traveled different paths each season, 

held onto treasured moments, lingering

in their memories, for they have been

nourishment for my soul. 

©CV, 2017 

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Many thanks are extended to all the poets, photographers, artists, bloggers, writers, teachers, and students who offered digital inspirations for The Art of Summering Global Gallery. The responses to the concept of "summering" were varied and unique.

Contributors to The Art of Summering Gallery
@HolisticSailor	Cuffe, Laurence	Howard, Spiri	Nesdoly, Violet	Wong, Janet
@Teach4spclneeds	Day, Suzi	Hughes, Justine	Nestor, Janet	Wyman, Christie
Alba, Cheryl	Di Stefano, Carl	Hughes, Stephan	Norden, Sharon	Yeatts, Tabatha
Alaska Tracy	Finley, Todd	Hutmacher, Kimberly	Pollard, David	Yun, Jackie
Ajmani, Kumud	Flowers, Lisa L.	Jago, Carol	Quinn, Chris	Zabala, Maria
Akke, Terje	Flynn, Catherine	Kelley, Steve	Salas, Laura Purdie
Alyssa H.	Foley, Kevin	Kogan, Michelle	Shepard, Kiesha
Atkins, Jeannine	Forrest Esenwine, Matt	Kristensen, Kent	Silverman, Buffy
Apel, Kat	Gross, Teresa	Lake, Lillian	Simon, Margaret
Baie, Linda	Guidoccio, Joanne	Latham, Irene	Smith, Donna
Barnes, Michelle H.	Hancock, Patty	MacCulloch, Jone	Steinglass, Elizabeth
Behnke, Ramona	Harsham, Brenda	Macken, JoAnn Early	Tamez, Eugenia
Bigi, Jessica	Hartnett, Devin	Mayr, Diane	Thomas, Kathleen
Boynton, Sandra	Hersey, Ruth	McGriff, Kay	Tilton, Valerie
Bradbury, Shawn	Herzog, John & Rebecca	Meller, Faige	Timparano, Laura Hill
Burtsfield, Dani	Hodgson, Kevin	Mitchell, Linda	Vardell, Sylvia
Cator, Leia	Hogan, Jennifer	Moran, Pam	Varsalona, Carol
Chow, Janet	Hogan, Molly	Mr. Terborg	Weston, Mark E. Ph.D
Coombs, Katie	Howard, Mary, Dr.	Murphy, Sally	Wirtz, Rita

YOUNG POETS (#StuVoice)

Leonie Bennett's Students

Brannon

Callie E.

Camila

Leticia Citizen's Students

Karter

Morgan

Neeve-#WymansWonders' Kinder

Olivia Van Ledtje (@thelivbits)

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Archived Galleries

If you click on a specific title you will be directed to that gallery.

2014

Reflect with Me: Bring a Community of Writers Together to Celebrate Life & Teaching 

April Awakenings

Summer Serenity

Finding Fall

2015

Winter Whisperings

Spring's Symphony

Summer Splashings

Autumn's Palette

2016

Winter Wanderings

Spring's Seeds

Summerscapes

Autumnventure

2017

Winter Wonder

Springsations

Sunkissed Summer

Autumn Ablaze

2018

Winter Wonderland

Sense-sational Spring

The Art of Summering Video

You can access it here.

UPCOMING GALLERIES

Abundant Autumn

Wintering Fun

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"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall."

- Oscar Wilde

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Join me for my #AbundantAutumn journey around the globe.

National Poetry Day Trending

Yesterday was National Poetry  Day in the United Kingdom and trending on Twitter.

I sent out this tweet to recognize the efforts of Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong to spread the power of poetry.

Today, I would like to thank the following Poetry Friday poets who offered their beautiful photographs, artwork, inspiration, and poetry for The Art of Summering Gallery.

I created a short video as an advertisement for #TheArtofSumering Galery.
You can access it here.

In the meantime, I will join Tabatha Yeatts who is the Poetry Friday host.

Morning Message

Last week when I was in Fort Lauderdale to present, "Get Your Wonder On," at the National Center for Families Learning Conference, I experienced a natural wonder, a gorgeous morning surnrise. 

When I woke for beach yoga, there was a pitch-black darkness settling over the ocean. I chuckled, "How will I ever see make my way to the shoreline for beach yoga?" Upon entering an empty lobby, I approached the front desk attendant who replied to my line of questioning. 

"Follow the group to the beach." 

"But how will I see in the dark?"

Surprising enough, others felt the same way. I was not alone. The greeter at the top of the beach stairway understood our dilemma and provided us with glow bracelets to light the way. "We want to be able to see each one of you in the dark." As we descended the stairway to reach the beach, our glow bracelets glistened as we made our way to the yoga teacher, Lisa Pumper, who greeted us with a positive, calm spirit and grace. 

We began the class facing the moon and then, midstream the sun started to rise. At the end of class, Lyn DuBois, a conference attendee whom I met previously, and I engaged in a series of partner poses guided by Lisa. In the midst of the poses, I fell backward and laughed. Determined to keep my balance in the sinking sand, I popped back up. Lyn graciously supported me in a "beyond my comfort zone" pose. This reminded me that we need each other to support us through life.

I recall the sunrise that took my breathe away, a practice that was full of inspiration, and a morning message to carry serenity off the mat into my day.

We all know that life has twists and turns that can be challenging but starting your morning with a chuckle or engaging others in laughter is one way to positively greet each day. At each day of beach yoga, I positively filled my morning with inspiring messages and now wish to send additional ones your way.

May you start each day with a smile, a sense of humor, and a glorious sunrise.

We all need to let some sunshine into our daily lives.

"A good laugh is a mighty good thing, a rather too scarce a good thing."

Herman Melville

Enjoy this compilation of comedy sketches from the Lucille Ball Show and start your day off positively.

Today is Spiritual Journey First Thursday and our amazing host, Jan Godown Annino, is ready with her Gandalf-type walking stick to spark some magic on her topic, "Humor". Jan, I hope Lucille Ball, warms your senses up for a good laugh. 

  

Nighttime Magic

There's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away." - Sarah Kay

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Mesmerized by the sight and sound of the ocean inching its way to shore, I stood on my hotel balcony in awe. The ocean danced and momentarily kissed the sand only to retreat into its vast waters. How many times have I seen the Atlantic Ocean at the Long Island shore engage in the same movement? How many times have I reflected on the ocean's journey or wondered about its vastness? 

Now, I was 1,289.5 miles away listening to the Atlantic Ocean on the Florida shore sing its soulful, nighttime tune as it journeyed onward. All was peaceful and quiet except for the sounds that lulled me into a sense of dreamy wonder and calm. It was a fitting end to an exciting day at the National Center for Families Learning 2018 Conference. The Wonderopolis Wonder Team of which I am a member had delivered a presentation, "Get Your Wonder On" and here I was wondering about the ocean as it stretched under a black sky while the full moon above shot its rays into the darkness. The ocean glistened like diamonds and the moon's rays added a spotlight effect to the scene. Tiny stars poked out from a dark sky to nod good-night to the moon. It was a just-right moment to capture a photo but I wondered if I could do justice to this scene. 

I recalled the many times that I have said I would live in the moment but on that night last week that I did. As I reviewed the photos I took, I knew that this moon was a special one, shining brightly as a beacon of goodwill and peace for all mankind. 

There was a magical quality about this night that my iPhone captured. I shall not forget the feeling and so I wrote a tribute to the moon and the ocean as they joined hands on this one special night. 

While preparing the last pieces of "The Art of Summering Global Gallery of Artistic Expressions", I decided to add this haiku before the night ends. May this Slice of Life be my reminder that inspiration is all around us if we just stop momentarily to look and listen. Stay tuned for the unveiling of the gallery where you will find inspiring photos, artwork, image poems, digital art, and a special playlist of songs. 

Now, I am off to join the Two Writing Teachers weekly Slice of Life writing.

Carol Varsalona: Summer Wonder Poetry | Wonder Ground

Carol Varsalona: Summer Wonder Poetry | Wonder Ground



While knowing that I am moderating #NYEDChat tonight, I was faced with a dilemma. #WonderChat is also at the same time and while I cannot be in the moment with both chats, I still wanted to review and answer the questions. Find out what I did to make this a reality.