Happy Poetry Friday! It's so great to be visiting the round up. I'm grateful that our sweet friend, Carol is hosting this week at her space, Beyond LiteracyLink. 

Throughout the month of November, I have taken some time to consider the simple things in my life and my gratefulness for them. I need only step out into nature, and I am reminded of the blissful way it calls to me. These days it is one of the things that is always sure to fill my cup. This old elm tree is one such majestic being that brings joy time and time again. It is particularly lovely in the autumn as it turns, and when there is also a full harvest moon on the rise, a poem is destined to emerge. For this poem, the words came to me in threes. Soon, images began to form and words tumbled on the page.

I invite you to be inspired by the "power of threes" strategy in my invitation below. May it stir your poetry spirit! 

As it so often happens in fairy tales. many things happen in threes. For this poem, I brainstormed a list of strong verbs. I arranged them and re-arranged them until I found my perfect combination of three. Afterward, I stepped out on my back porch and let nature do the rest! I focused in on the sights, sounds, and smells around me. I invite you to try out your own  "power of three" poem as well. Once you have your three, allow yourself to immerse into your senses. Retreat to your own oasis for inspiration and let the pen carry you to wherever it may.

Happy Poetry Friday! I am excited to be back in the roundup this week. Thanks for visiting the ridge. You can find lots more of the poetry fun happening at Sally's space HERE!

From now on, I choose brave. It was the one word destined to be my focus for the new year. It kept bubbling up in poems and books that I had been reading. Many of my friends and colleagues even started calling me brave. It's interesting because I never would have described myself as brave. I would call myself a risk-taker. I often seek out opportunities to stretch beyond my comfort level. But to me, being brave goes even deeper than that. The dictionary defines brave as:

By that definition, I realize I really am brave. I have had to show courage, and I have had to endure many emotional hardships this past year. But somehow, I found my voice. I found my brave. It comes from a deep urge inside of me to speak, to share, to witness, and to question. I am better for it. I will always choose brave. 

Now is the time to be brave for ourselves, for each other, for our world. We must be brave together. As I gaze up at the full January Wolf moon, I am reminded of the courage that it takes to be truly brave.

What is your brave? How would you define it? What does it look like, feel like, sound like? Brave heart, write! You have a courageous story to tell.

Happy Poetry Friday, friends! It's a great week to celebrate poetry and friendship! Head over to Jone's space HERE for more poetry celebrations!

This week, I'm sharing a friendship poem about my very special friend, who happens to be a  tree. Yes, that's right! Even trees can be friends! In fact, I have many tree friends on the ridge. I love to gaze up at them and walk beneath their sturdy branches. They are very wise and have many stories to tell. Trees are one of nature's friends that I connect with just like a friend. What objects do you consider friends? I invite you to think about the friends in your life. They might be a person, place, or thing. What makes these friends special? Consider your friendships. What makes those connections valuable and important to you? Try writing a friendship poem to one of your favorite friends!

People and pets are often thought of as friends, but objects can be friends, too! Sometimes, we can develop a very special feeling or connection to an object. This object can be a companion of sorts. We can spend lots of time with our special object and even talk to it! In this way, our object becomes well loved, like a dear friend. Think of objects that are special to you. Make a list and jot down reasons why you connect to the object. You're sure to find a friendship poem hiding inside your writing about your very special friend!  

Happy Poetry Friday! I'm back in the round up this week with a poem inspired by a pic of one of my favorite flowers, the Four o' clock. Thanks for stopping by the ridge to read it, and for more poetry goodies, head over to Jone's space HERE!

One of my favorite things to do is to walk about the ridge, admiring all of nature's gifts. There are always poems hiding about in the images around me. Just the other day, I was walking about when my nose caught the scent of the most glorious smell. I followed that smell, and it led me straight to a bed of freshly bloomed Four o' clocks. I knew I had to capture this splendid image while I had the chance. You see, Four o' clocks open at four and remain open throughout the night and into the morning. They only bloom once before they wilt and fall off the plant. So of course, I had to snap a pic and write a poem to honor these short blooming beauties!

I studied my photo of the Four o' clocks and zoomed in on every tiny detail I noticed. I asked myself, What do I notice? and What does this image "say" to me? Next, I tried to describe it using my five senses and my reactions to the image. Then, I wrote everything out in my notebook. Finally, I reread my entry with my poet's eye and found this poem blooming there!  

Snap a picture of something you like, wonder about, or notice. If you don't have access to a camera, snap a mental image in your mind. Study your picture and zoom into every detail of the image. What do you notice? What does the image "say" to you? Talk it out with a friend. Describe it from the inside out. Then, write it out in your notebook. You can bet, there's a poem hiding in each pic you take!

Happy Poetry Friday! Thanks for visiting the ridge this week. For more of the poetry party, head over to Carol's space Beyond LiteracyLink.

Over Labor Day weekend, I took some time to walk about the ridge. I enjoy observing all the gifts that the natural world has to offer! Our observations can surprise us and wonder us. Having a notebook brimming full of observations can inspire so much writing!

Writers are observers of the world around them. Take some time this weekend to take a walk and record your observations. Open your senses and capture all the life around you! Let your observations lead you to many new writing possibilities. A simple walk can do a writer good!

Welcome Poetry Friday friends. Happy National Poetry Month! Today, our dear friend Amy is rounding up a wave of poetry offerings at her space, The Poem Farm. 

​This week, I couldn't help but write about the blue Passover moon after it put on quite a show for me last weekend. The moon did not disappoint and neither did the poets who had a hand in kicking off the 2018 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem Challenge! I was so inspired by each line, that I decided I would write a draft of a found poem about the moon using at least one of the words from each of the lines of this year's Progressive Poem (in progress). Here are the words I selected from the first five lines to write my first found poem: nestled, dreams, blooming, stars, sweet, game. To see today's addition to the progressive poem click on Irene's space HERE. She's the sweet lady that welcomed me to join in the project this year, and I'm ever so grateful! I'll be adding my line to the poem on April 25th. Who knows...maybe my line will inspire other writers in a new way, too!

Writers often involve themselves in all sorts of projects. Participating in a poetry challenge with a group or creating your own poetry project can help keep your writing skills sharp. What are some of the projects you have participated in or maybe have considered starting? It's never too late to join in the excitement and joy that a poetry project can bring. It's a great way to explore new writing territories! So be brave, writers. Step up to the challenge and write!

Welcome to the ridge! I'm so happy to have Poetry Friday visitors. For more poetry offerings, visit Heidi, at her space, My Juicy Little Universe.

Spring has sprung all over the ridge! It has braved the storm once again. I took one look at this little house, and immediately thought, "What a home for the brave." At that moment, I knew I wanted to capture this idea of being brave as a writer and accepting whatever conditions may come. I imagined the brave bluebirds that would accept this little house as a home, despite the snares and snags along the way. Then, I thought about all of the brave writers I know who do just the same. They face the blank and empty page, trusting that they will have the words to fill it. Just as the bravest of bluebirds fills the little house with moss, and grass , and hope. When you're a writer, you have to be brave, and make a home for your words to grow. So fill the space inside, accepting what comes as good enough, barb after barb, stretch after stretch.

Writers face challenges all the time. One of the greatest challenges writers often face is the blank page. I have to admit, I get stuck a lot! Whenever I feel myself freezing up over a blank page, I remind myself that it's okay to give my pen to the page without knowing where it may go. It's okay to accept what comes. And sometimes what comes, isn't quite what I want it to be, YET. So I keep writing, trusting that words will come! When you're a writer, you have to be brave, and know that your words are enough.

Happy Poetry Friday! It is great to be back with friends this week. Thank you for visiting the ridge this week, where spring has sprung! Today, I'm writing about a favorite friend to me as a writer, my notebook. Join the rest of the round-up at Linda's space HERE.

My notebook is one of my dearest friends. Like a friend, I miss my notebook when I am away from it for too long. When I haven't visited my notebook, to drop in a word or a line or two, I feel very sad. Sometimes, things in our life can take us away from spending time with our friends. This can happen in our writing lives, too. When this happens, I try to give myself some grace. I know my notebook will be there waiting for me. Like a true friend, it's always there. It calls to me, like a long lost friend. I open it up, and begin again. And just like that, I feel anew!

Think about your favorite writer's tools. How are they like "friends" to you as a writer? If you keep a notebook, which kind do you prefer. Notebooks can often be called a safe place, a think-tank, a workbench, and so many more! What makes your notebook special? How might you describe it using this sentence stem, "My notebook is..."

Whatever writer's tools you use to collect your words, how do they welcome you and sustain you in your writing life? A writer's tool is a friend for life. Happy writing with your favorite writing tools and friends!

Welcome Poetry Friday readers! Thanks for stopping by the ridge this week. For more poetry offerings, visit Renee HERE for the full round-up!

Friends, this week I decided to have a little fun with the full moon above! Did you know that the March full moon is often called the "worm moon?" That's right! It was first dubbed the worm moon by farmers in the 1930's, who believed that the first full moon in March meant that spring would begin. I certainly hope that's true! Since the earthworm is a symbol of spring, the name stuck.

We are in for a treat this month as the first full moon will be a worm moon, followed by another "blue moon" at the end of the month! Since I love my friend, moon, I decided to create a song of poetry to welcome the Blue Worm Moon to the ridge this weekend. The tune of "Did you ever see a lassie?" kept popping in my head. I took that tune, and away I went! Poem songs are great fun!

Songs are poems, too! Let's have some fun trying out poems to the tune of our favorite songs. Jot down some lyrics and lines in your notebook. Your poem song can be silly, glad, or even sad. Whatever tune and mood you choose, your words are sure to sing a song for all to hear!

Welcome to the ridge! Join the November Poetry Friday kick-off with Linda at her space, ​TeacherDance.

Did you know that this weekend there will be a hunter's moon? A Hunter's Moon or "blood moon" is the name given to a full moon when it falls in the month of October, except for every four years (which is this year) when it appears in November instead. It was dubbed the Hunter's Moon by the Native American's who would track and kill prey during the light of the full autumn moon. Besides being the subject of folklore and legends, it is an occurrence of significance for astronomers and moon enthusiasts like me! 

So what makes the Hunter's moon different from a typical full moon? Well, this moon rises 30 minutes later each successive night which makes the sunset and moonrise really close together. This leads to longer periods of light during this harvest time of year. See for yourself! Step outside tonight and throughout the weekend to gaze at the incredible Hunter's Moon. 

Writing about topics we care about never loses its luster. These are those magnet topics that we are "over the moon" about. As we begin a new month, take some time to sift back through your writer's notebook. Are there entries or pieces of writing that could could be sorted into a particular collection? Read through your writing pieces. Does your collection feel complete? What other types of entries  could you add to your collection? Perhaps you'll discover a collection of essays based on a particular theme or maybe a poem anthology about the moon, like me!

Hooray for Poetry Friday! I hope everyone has a chance to take a peek at the harvest moon this evening. I am looking forward to all the autumn poem offerings this month! You'll definitely find some at Violet's space HERE, along with many other poetry pieces. Thanks for visiting! 

Have you ever stopped to take notice of how your toaster makes toast or wondered about how the coffee maker makes coffee?

The behavior of our modern amenities, these "makers of modern convenience," can be quite captivating to a writer. An inanimate object can initiate a conversation with us in a way. As writers, we can take a common comfort that we might take for granted at times, and allow it to tell its story across our page. These objects do the work for us. It's really quite fascinating to witness the work first  mechanically and then to imagine it in a humanistic way. It is something worth noticing and even writing about. So here's to "the makers" of this world. May their story somehow find its way to your page. 

Who are what are the makers of this world (both real and unreal) that deserve your appreciation or bring you pleasure? Spend some time noticing and observing these makers. Make note of their physical characteristics. Now give them a human-like quality. Try to get them talking. What would they say? What makes them tick? 

Happy Poetry Friday! Our friend Margaret is hosting today at her space Reflections on the Teche. Don't miss out on the poetry fun!

This week, I am back at the ridge with my friend, the moon. Yes, that's right, the moon again. I never grow tired of giving the moon  praise for my writing inspiration. The moon is one of those magnetic topics for me. I feel drawn to write about it whenever I might feel a little empty. Thanks to the moon, my writing can always fill itself full. 

Writers have different ways of filling their writing life with an abundance of words. What strategies do you have for bringing fullness to your writing?

Happy Poetry Friday and July full moon week! On the ridge this week I am sharing a poem in honor of my friend, the moon. For more Poetry Friday friends and offerings, visit Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink.

There's just something about a full moon that really helps ignite my writing ideas. It's fun to watch the moon grow and rise. My writing seems to grow more full and heavy with emotions the more time I spend under the moonlight. Perhaps that's why the moon is one of my favorite magnet topics. I can always find inspiration from its glow. In this way, I consider the moon as one of my "topic friends."

As a writer, I think it's so important to have topic friends to count on as well as people in your life that you consider writing friends. These might be members of a writing group, colleagues, or even members of your family. 

If you would like to see the full moon this week, be sure to look to the sky on Sunday July 9th. My dear friend, moon, will  be there waiting to light the way to many new words and writing ideas for you!  

Make a list of your "topic friends" and other writing friends. Think about one of your topics and spend a little time collecting ideas around this friend. Sometimes having a conversation with your topic and listening to your topic speak to you is helpful, too! After you have collected around your "topic friend", choose a writing friend from your other list as someone you can talk to about your writing. Writing with friends can be a rewarding and joyful experience!

It's the eve of National Poetry Month! How exciting it is to have a whole month to celebrate poetry in all its glory. To kick it all off, our dear friend Amy is hosting the round-up today. You can find her at The Poem Farm where she is gathering and tending to all the poetry seedlings today.

The month of April will be filled with spring beginnings and blooming poetry. As winter bows to spring and ushers in a new season of change, I am reminded of what remains the same. There is such beauty in life's natural course. No matter the season, fulfilling a purpose-whatever that might be, is really the bones of it all.     

Today's poem sprouted from a single word. The word "bones" popped into my head as I sat outside admiring the winter trees one day. Maybe that happens to you sometimes. What do you do with words that pop into your head? Whenever this happens to me, I reach for my pen and immediately jot that word down. Then, I think of how I could use that word in a way that it is not normally thought of or used to describe something else. 

For example, when I was writing my poem, I thought about how the trees looked like bones without their summer leaves. I thought to myself, one does not typically think of trees as having bones. Yes, I was on the right track! This led me even further to thinking about how the word bones could be used to describe things in a different way other than the typical white pieces of skeleton in humans and animals. Can you find other words I used to describe or explain something in a different way other than the more common way the word is used?

So the next time a word pops into your head, be sure to write it down. Have some fun using the word in a different way than it is usually meant in order to describe something in a not so ordinary way!

Welcome, Poetry Friday readers! Thanks for visiting me today on the ridge, where I share a wonder poem about how rocks came to be. You can find more poetry wonders this week over at A Penny and Her Jots. Thanks for hosting, Penny!

Friends, have you ever wondered how something came to be? I think about this all the time! It's fun to think of all the possibilities for what makes things the way they are and perhaps even more fun to consider what they could be.

A few weeks ago, my dear friend and fellow teacher Mrs. Mann, posed this statement to her fourth grade students "Every rock has a story. What could it be?" I could see all the wheels turning in her students' heads as they pondered over this idea. What a great thing to wonder about! After that, she proceeded to read them this amazing book A Rock Can Be... by Laura Purdie Salas. Through the book's vivid images and poetically written lines, the students entered a world where they could engage in the wonderment of what a rock can be. This book then served as an anchor text for students as they were each given a rock to observe and create a story or a poem about.

The students were not the only ones eager to take on the exploration of this idea. I couldn't help but join in! I became a rock hunter, searching for rocks all along the ridge. Below are a few of them that I found along with a wonder poem that was inspired by Mrs. Mann's simple truth, "Every rock has a story."   

Writers often think scientifically and creatively about the things they wonder about. What are some things you have observed or noticed lately that you are curious about? Start a list in your notebook. You can use your observations and notes to create stories or wonder poems. You might even choose yourself as your subject of wonder. Don't we all have a story? So what's yours?  

So glad it's Poetry Friday! This week the round-up is being hosted by our friend Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup. She is cooking up a bountiful Poetry Friday menu, so be sure to stop by her space and enjoy the feast!

A few weeks ago, I was walking around the dragonfly tree when I noticed two leaves that seemed to be suspended in mid air. I could see them spinning and twirling on wisps of a breeze. As I got up closer, I could finally see that the two leaves had fallen from a branch and had nestled themselves in the safety net of a spider's delicate web. And it was there that they decided to dance! I captured this magical leaf dance on video and then immediately scribbled it into my notebook. This poem about an object talking (or mask poem as it sometimes called) comes from my imagination of what one leaf said to another during this enchanted leaf dance.   

Have you ever wondered what objects would say if they could speak? I wonder about this all the time! I think about what questions I would ask them and what questions they might ask of me. It would be so interesting to hear the stories they would tell. So whenever you find an object that fascinates you for whatever reason, take a moment to listen. What is the object thinking? What would the object say? What questions would you ask? Make a list or jot down a few notes in your notebook. You might just discover a poem lurking there!  

Hip, hip, hooray! It's Poetry Friday! Thanks for stopping by today, and be sure to visit Amy at The Poem Farm. She's gathering up all the poetry seeds today!

One of my favorite things to write about is the very old elm tree in my back yard. I included a picture of it in my poem today. Isn't it a beauty? I call it the Dragonfly Tree because every fall I see a swarm of dragonflies at the very tip top.

So many inspirations for writing grow from this ancient tree. I love to watch it change throughout the seasons. Each time I write about it, I discover new things to say. It's so much fun to play with poems, especially when they are about something I care about and write about often. So whenever I finish a poem about a topic I write about frequently, I know that I can return to that poem again with fresh eyes.

Sometimes I don't always feel settled on the way a poem turns out, so it's a relief to me to know that I can always go back and change it up. The poem I am sharing today is certainly a great example of how this happens for me. In my "Dragonfly Tree" poem, I knew that I wanted to include lots of repetition and rhyming to mimic the flight and sound of swarming dragonflies. After I had written the poem, I put it to the side for awhile and then reread it. That's when I started to get an itch to play with it. I began to wonder if there were other rhyming or near-rhyming words that I might like better than the ones I had originally chosen. I admit, I was a little overwhelmed by all the choices I had. Then I remembered that it's okay to feel that way. Since I know that I' ll be writing about the Dragonfly Tree again someday, I can revise the poem a bit and move on.

So while this is where I landed with this particular poem, you can bet I'll be writing some other poems to share with you about my favorite tree!  

You can learn more about the dragonfly HERE.

Think about some of your magnet topics. These topics are usually things you are drawn to writing about. They might include people, places, or objects. Pick one and write a poem about it, or choose a poem you have already written. Reread your poem and then put it aside. Take a walk or do something else for a little bit just to create some space from what you have written. Then come back to your poem and reread it again with fresh eyes. Think about your poem in a new way. What do you notice? Do you see any places that you might want to spend some more time trying out your other options? Try plugging a few things in and see what you get. You'll know when it's time to move on, but have fun with it until then. It's poetry playtime!