And you can take a peek at Sally's new verse novel here! Thanks for hosting, Sally!
Here is a link to a NY Times article that offers other ideas for giving to help those affected by these fires: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/06/world/australia/help-australia-fires.html
Thanks to Jone MacCulloch who created the annual postcard exchange, I've been receiving wonderful Happy New Year postcards. Thanks to all. I'll share them next week!
Here's a poem for the 'after'. A new year is a refresh, a beginning, a welcome for 'new', but also a 'remembering' what came before, to celebrate, to rue. January slip-slides into our lives whether we want it or not, and we begin!
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January Takeover
Day follows day
frozen time
choosing how to
make a rhyme
reading stories
baking bread
freeing to-do lists
from my head
hours now for
nature walks
sketching writing
friendly talks
sparkles packed
and put away
quiet memories
that stay
Linda Baie ©
40 comments:
I love your "after" poem!
I like the way your January sounds :-) Some lines I especially like are "freeing to-do lists," "friendly talks" and "sparkles packed."
That is lovely, and really takes the edge off the cold! Love "sparkles packed," though January has its own frosty sparkles. Happy new year, Linda!
January sounds relaxing and rejuvenating! Enjoy!
Thanks, Ruth, pondering what January means!
Thanks, Tabatha, it is all about slowing down, at least for a while!
Happy New Year to you, Jane. Time to enjoy some wintery things, right?
Thanks, JoAnn! Indeed I will enjoy this month!
Beautiful poem for the quiet days of winter, Linda. Thank you! I still have some putting away to do, but when I'm done I will think on this some more... happy Friday to you...
Thanks, Karen. I have "most" away, but the youngest granddaughter kept out some of the Christmas animals to play with for a little bit more.
Ohhhh, so lovely. I love the idea of walks...especially with the tiny bit more light we have these days. And, I am enjoying the refresh feeling. I'm really trying to remember my olw and be open to the ideas that need to find their way onto my computer. Happy New Year to you!
Yes, 'refresh' is the word for a new year, Linda. Happy New Year back! I just received your postcard today & it's wonderful! Thank you!
Can I jump into your poem, and especially this line,
"freeing to-do lists
from my head"
that would leave more time for wonderful things like,
"hours now for
nature walks
sketching writing
friendly talks"
Love it all, thanks Linda! :)
That's the perfect January poem, Linda - love the very idea of "quiet memories that stay."
This may be the very best January poem I've ever read and it's definitely going into my collection of poems I love. Thank you for sharing it, Linda.
Thank you for the New Year card and for this poem. I do like being back on a schedule and have enjoyed writing with my students this week. The nature walks will come later.
"Sparkles packed," always a hard task for me, but I'll hold onto the "quiet memories that stay." Still have my snowmen and snowwomen collection out and the Christmas tins above the kitchen cabinets and Christmas mugs in the cabinet. I'm so reluctant to let go of this special season. Maybe it's time for "January Takeover" at my house. I love how you've mentioned so many things that are perfect for this time of year. Happy January, Linda!
Thanks, Tara. It's true, isn't it? We all remember those lovely holiday hours!
Oh, thank you, Alex. I appreciate your kind words. This certainly is January to me!
You're welcome, Margaret! It's cold today, but sunshiny so I know I'll be out sometime!
And Happy January to you, Ramona. I collect small trees so have left some of them out. Everything else is gone, now planning some different arrangements in my home. Thank you!
You're welcome, Michelle. I love what you did with my words! All true!
Great form for your poem! It makes me a little sad to think back to the cheerful holiday season, but January has a way of moving us forward with lots of time on our hands for nature walks and writing. Thanks for reassuring me of this, Linda!
Such a lovely poem. Happy New Year, Linda!
I hadn't thought of January helping us begin again, Kiesha, but you're right, it does! Yes, sad is a part of the holidays being over, I agree. Thanks for coming by!
Thanks, Kimberly, and wishes back to you, too!
Thanks for your beautiful, gentle poem, Linda, and for being so sharing of the love and practicalities for the bushfire efforts. It means a lot.
Your January days sound so inviting, Linda! We haven't had a full-size tree in many years, and I am enjoying it so much I don't want to take it down. Next week, I'll pack the sparkles away and hand on to the "quiet memories/that stay." Thank you for sharing this lovely poem!
You are welcome, Sally. Wishing that something good will happen to help with the fires very soon!
I just have a rather small artificial tree these past years, Catherine, but it fits the place I have in my living room & feels fine. You've been through so much renovating that I'm sure this Christmas was a special one. I'm glad you enjoyed my poem, and wishing you a wonderfully Happy New Year!
I'm so happy that the retired life suits you, Linda--because that is one very retired January poem! Love that last stanza. Enjoy!
Well, I didn't include the hours I'm working at and for the bookstore, my "retired" job-ha! Yes, I'm glad to have some extra hours, Heidi.
Beautiful, Linda--I especially love that last stanza. So comforting:>)
January is always a bit of a sigh of relief for me as things get back to their normal routine. Love your poem.
Lovely poem, Linda. I like the peaceful reflection that eases us into the new year.
Thanks, Laura
Thanks, Rebecca. Though I'm sad to say goodbye to my out-of-town family, I do like getting 'back', too.
Thank you, Kay. January seems busy, too, but not as busy as December!
Linda, I am home on Long Island after a festive weekend of Baby Aurora celebrations! May I savor some quiet moments as you say, "freeing to-do lists" and taking nature walks? We did a take a magnificent nature walk today with Baby Aurora in her stroller. The weather was 65 so it was one of those unbelievable springlike days. Going to bed, remembering all the delightful memories of a grand birth. We even had a BIRTHday party and my sister who have back to back birthdays. I hope you get a beautiful day of warm breezes as January takes over with a warming trend. My husband sees the shifts of climate change happening. (YES, I want him to realize that it is a real threat.)
I've heard about your warm days from several people. We are in the forties, but really need some moisture! Climate changes are happening everywhere! I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time celebrating Baby Aurora! Congratulations again!
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