Rescinding harsh tongue
Letting kindness step forward—
Spoken thoughts matter
Always one by one
Each day shares discoveries—
Lifetime of blessings
Overcoming noise
Words beautiful and caring—
Inner peace colors
New day arriving
Sunrise marks destination—
Journey’s starting page
Each minute matters
Unlocking inspiration—
Filling empty page
Final revisions
Courage to find honest words—
Editing each page
What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher. He was a leading voice in America’s transcendentalist movement in the 19th century.
Attitude’s darkness
Single moment sharing light—
Friend’s words of kindness
Beaten, defeated
Evaporating spirit—
Tomorrow’s sunrise
Confidence shaken
Endless search for proper key—
Today, door opens
Sunrise at Walnut Woods Metro Park in central Ohio.
Every day, filling with precious moments
Life’s simple pleasures, love-filling treasures
Never again, take any for granted
Traveling life’s long road, each step measures
Darkened dawn sky, erupting with bright hues
Granddaughter taking first tentative walk
Life sometimes slows down, bringing a replay
Neighborhood sidewalk, hopscotch drawn in chalk
Neil Diamond lyrics, harmony through song
Mother calls, reminding me her love cares
Favorite novel, author’s words smile back
Trio of daughters, sweeter than a pair
Evening sunset, brings awesome pleasures
Tomorrow, witnessing simple treasures
Sunset in Columbus, Ohio.
Originally published April, 2020.
Extraordinary things are always hiding in places people never think to look.
You don’t need water to feel like you’re drowning, do you?
Jodi Picoult (born 1966) is an American writer, who has published over two dozen novels as well as short stories.
Have you ever visited any of America’s western badlands? Some of my travels have allowed me the privilege to experience these wonders of nature.
A panoramic view of the Painted Canyon Overlook off of Interstate 94 near Medora, North Dakota and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Hidden beauty, waiting to be found
Western badlands, ready to be crowned
Nature proclaims its rugged features
Wildlife views from its austere bleachers
Kaleidoscope of creatures around
Falcons, eagles, deer, bison abound
Barren environment, a wasteland
Native tribes nicknaming this “bad land”
Slippery clay gumbo, sinking sand
Fur trappers evade these harsh badlands
Timely erosion unearths treasures
Fossil beds offering up pleasures
Late spring rains transform the quiet view
Green velvet covers buttes, right on cue
Sleeping landscape erupts with color
Prairie flowers dazzle and holler
Brilliant colors reflect morning’s light
Ravines, gullies paint prismatic sights
Another view of the North Dakota badlands. If one looks closely, there is an American Bison in the center of this photo.
My journeys out West have offered opportunities to visit three of America’s treasured badlands: Makoshika State Park (near Glendive, Montana), Theodore Roosevelt National Park (near Medora, North Dakota), and Badlands National Park (near Rapid City, South Dakota).
Originally published May, 2020.
Past links with today
Learning fills each tomorrow—
Venturing forward
Day’s epiphany
Outside one’s kitchen window—
Another clue waits
Preparing to share
Crafting yet another verse—
Soul opening up
Reasons to finish
Overcoming challenges—
Never giving in
Time’s quiet moments
Opening each memory—
Never forgotten
In searching life’s depths
Finding intended nuggets—
Few others shall see
Deepest emotions
Hidden in life’s tallest grass—
Embrace heartfelt love
Asked to explain love
Filled with honest reflections—
Sharing sweetest thoughts
Marriage joins as one
Love’s odyssey of blessings—
Always one more dance
Big Sky Buckeye 