#Nature, National Poetry Month, Spring

National Poetry Month – day #3 #NaPoWriMo

shadowleavesonlakeann

This new day
Rejoicing blue skies and brightly color greens
Opening spring blossoms dotting hillsides
In every way

Up high in the tall pine stand
Where winds blow gusty and loud
A lone yellow pine warbler sings
His own spring song

Where the day moon resides
Sitting higher – above the tree line
Like a hanging white lantern
A shadow’s home

Underneath Lake Ann’s pine canopy
Brown needles abound
Found among native pink redbuds
“service” and white dogwood blooms

Where I sit on my porch
There is such a southern breeze
Barely there — visiting from the ground level
Always just coming and going

Grey squirrels run
Right next door to red cardinals, grey titmouses,
Gold finches, red-patched downy woodpeckers, and black-capped chickadees
Perched on low branches – each awaiting their bird feeder turn

Where this year’s garden Bella Vista Daffodils
Are all decked out for show
With full heads of white and gold
Moving to and fro – in bright new springtime smiles

Spring, Written for NaPoWriMo

National Poetry Month ~ day 2 #napowrimo

shadowleavesonlakeann

Writing From my iPhone ~

This morning

I step outside into my beloved Ozark mountains

Along trails that follow the hollows and mountain ridges

A gift of multiple sunrises as I walk across the fields

I find diamonds among the fields of dew

THANK YOU~ The Patinkc Daily Online Missouri News Magazine!

PHOTOS from the morning’s walk
Out and about ~ Roaming these Ozark Hills around Hidden Springs

Spring, Written for NaPoWriMo

National Poetry Month ~day 1 #napowrimo

shadowleavesonlakeann

Good morning from the Lakeside deck ~

I step outside

In a cool morning breeze

I look up

And behind me

I see clear blue skies overhead

I watch in front of me

As low soft gray clouds cover a

Foggy Lake Ann morning

All along the quays

A heavy fog settles in

Unseen

Canadian geese fly over the cove

I only hear their loud calls

As they touch me through the fog

A hushed circle sun

Traces through the fog

Lifting light upwards

Over Ozark hillsides

It’s brand new

A Spring morning

Warming

But still cool from night rain

Lake waters close to shore

Turn a soft pewter grey

Laying perfectly still

As fog moves away

Sitting right on water tops

No shadows found anywhere

Although I can see

Where to walk along the side path

I cannot see the turns

Or direction that I’m going

Faith is like this ~

#Winter

Good morning from the lakeside deck ~

shadowleavesonlakeann

Good morning here from Lake Ann and where we have cloudy skies with warming temperatures ~ oh, how spring is trying to show us her face before her time.

A kind reprieve for us ~ where we can feel the warmth of spring to come and finally warm up, down into our aching bones! ~maybe we should call it a Leprechaun Spring?

My husband and I have lived here, along this glorious Ozark ridge, on a high hill overlooking beautiful Lake Ann ~ as I am counting now, for 4,915 ever changing days and 55 ever changing seasons.

Our Arkansas home has four distinct seasons in a year with each season being about three months long. In February, I know we are in the last month of our winter. However, we can get snow sometimes in the early part of a March spring.

This view is forever ~ ever changing ~ it is really never the same view from day-to-day or from hour-to-hour!

Always ~ amazing how simple life really is ~ when we take time to stop and see the small things . . .

My morning write ~

What can I see and sing out-loud?

I try to hear a new melody in my heart~

Looking over the water and off to the eastern limestone bluff

great wind fans spark off of Bear’s Point

and far away sounds are truly of only one-lone-old-dog barking

red birds flutter through winter evergreen branches

and out on my old-time rustic porch
a hanging wind chime plays in full melody

all remaining fall oak leaves ~ who have certainly stayed way past their due ~ still rustle in the winds

near, a groundhog moves down hill towards his home
plowing through a ladden hillside covered in a two-foot deep
mighty oak and hickory leaf fall

a male bald eagle flys straight over the main channel
out towards the dam site

glorious views
a single day
a single moment ~
unsung
until now!

#Winter

Good morning from the lakeside deck ~

shadowleavesonlakeann

Wishing you could be here in full sunshine and lakeside sparkles!

Oh, my and what a glorious day it is! Even though it’s brrrr cold outside, it’s warmth is quick to warm my bones and heart!

Blessings for this day!

Morning writing ~

fighting off
whispers of late night
lift thy face

heart warmth sun
even in cold days
quickening

still comfort
renewing spirit
soft blessings

#Nature, #Winter

Good morning from the Lakeside deck –

shadowleavesonlakeann

This morning I didn’t wake until about 8:15 am ~ well, some sleep I had. I’m outside sitting on my deck today in winter’s full sunshine warmth ~ clear skies and with blues everywhere! Glorious. Makes me want to go walking today ~ let’s do this.

My morning writing ~ Haiku 3/5/3

tap tap tap
red breasted nuthatch
foreigner

sounds delight
black sunglower seeds
full empty

house lady
morsels needed now
breakfast calls

#Lake Ann, #Nature, #Prayer, #Winter, Grace, Joy, Loving Spirit

Good morning from the lakeside deck ~

shadowleavesonlakeann

I awoke this morning way too early to take our new pups outside. Afterwards, I realized the time ~as it was only 3:00 a.m. ~so I decided to go back to bed and put Sweetie & Ginger back into their crate for another night-nap.

We woke back up at 7:00 a.m. ~ much better! It was about sunrise over the mountain ridge when I walked out onto the deck and we had daylight with cold air and a light snow that had fallen overnight.

My morning writing ~
Winter sunlight rises over my mountain ridge
Touching the horizon
Bear Hollow woodlands are tinged in soft white snows ~
Tops of green pines wear a new crown of white
Hickory and Oak tree branches now standing in white
With newly paved snowways running along boughs, forks and mighty sky branches
Warm vapors swirl,
Move and rise over Lake Ann waters
Skirting
Dancing
Swirling
Waltzing in movements of a Danube
Such a glorious sight
Only to last
A few gifted light-rays

My morning prayer reflections ~
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy” Romans 15:13

“In your presence is the fullness of joy” Psalm 16:11

How do I find God and the Joy He brings to our hearts? ~
~ It happens when I pray
~ when I am just being in His presence
~ when I am still and just enjoying being
~ when I can feel His presence surrounding me
~ when I’m aware of my breath and as it calms me I can reclaim my spirit
~ when I see His love in others
~ when I see God’s face in this world
~ when I walk in nature or hear music
~ when I remember the Holy Spirit does indeed dwell inside me
~ AND understand again and again that the Holy Spirit prays for me everyday!

Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God “

How to do we try to live everyday with God ?
~ Listen ~ ~sit in silence
Surround yourself ~ walk ~ in God’s beautiful world that He has made for us and that we are made to take care of ~

Love each other and see the good that is in others and in the world ~

LISTEN ~
L / Love
I / Intentional grace
S / Sit at the fountain
T / Tattered souls
E / Excavate the moment
N / Nature’s springwell

#Winter

Good morning from the lakeside deck ~

shadowleavesonlakeann

Walking in somewhat anxiousness and lots of pain today ~ going to be a slow energy day. Hard to cycle through the pain & anxiety ~

I step outside and sit on my deck, and then decide to put out bird seed, and suet for my birds, as a major winter storm is in our forecast.

We all are getting ready and prepared for the journey at hand. May your day be blessed, and may you find the energy to move forward today.

Spring

Good morning from the lakeside deck …

shadowleavesonlakeann

This morning started out way early with our new pups. It’s a great morning workouot for Leroy and I — from little ones greetings of hello, for immediate outside necessities, followed by eating every morsel of food, then outisde again, then finally in with warmth, fun play and naps! Sounds like a perfect schedule for me! Ha

My morning write —

morning stretch
highs and lows reaching
sleep finds me

#Winter

Good afternoon from the lakeside deck —

shadowleavesonlakeann

After a cold and foggy mornning, our day is finally warming and clouds are departing! Expecting to feel warmer today. I have had a hard time getting going today… trying to make good decisions with using my time. It’s a work in progress. Trust me!

My day is full of cascading tasks and to dos. However, I’m trying to squeeze in a short 5 minutes to do this post and to breathe.

My spirit is blessed today by Psalm 46:10, “Be Still, and Know that I am God.”
Living with God each day.

Love with intentional grace and mercy.

My writing:

abandon
escavate moments
linger still