Writing

Winter Slumber

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Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains where there is snowfall beginning in October, ususally the 31st and sometimes not ending until the first week of April.

Now 2023, and NO snow to speak of. I miss it!

I realized the unexpected ‘Snow Day that becomes a Holiday’ hasn’t happened.

No sledding. No hot chocolate.

No TRUE ‘snow music’ that comes from just listening to the snow fall and its heavenly crisp tingling sound as it falls gently on the leaves, branches and any cold surface.

No unexpected adventure to the highest peak to walk in virgin snow and capture photos, make snow angels, sled and snowball games.

Winter Slumber

When ALL get to genuinely rest and the body and mind are able to restore themselves with a new peaceful vigor.

When and where ART becomes the activity of the day, or making a delicious pot of Chicken Vegetable Soup. And, for someone special, their favorite chocolate brownies.

Winter Slumber

Silent

Necessary

Inventive

Restorative

Creative

Peaceful

Longing for this necessary cycle of life in the Appalachian Mountains

©Anita Adams 2/25/2023

New Year’s Wish

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What have I learned? What have you learned? What would I like to learn?

It’s a BIG question.

My answer is this: to TRUST more .. LISTEN more to the soft Whisperer within (God/True Source) – to BELIEVE with my whole heart

Life is fleeting. I’ve endured much loss – friends, spouses, days and nights to worry or fright – only to realize shortly thereafter that there is no need to worry – no benefit – however, to TRUST, PRAY, LISTEN, OPEN my HEART to God/True Source’s guidance and BELIEVE all will be well , therein, I find my wish for ALL persons – CONTENTMENT

What does Contentment look like to me?

It’s realizing that ALL I need, ALL around me is ENOUGH and ENJOY every moment of…

  • Breath
  • Warm Water
  • Clean Water
  • Healthy food – my Green/Fruity/Nutty Shake in the mornings
  • ability to learn and practice Yoga
  • Legs that move and allow me to roam the Mountains I love so much
  • Conversing with the Trees
  • Taking Photographs of all that catches my eye
  • Enjoying the Light of sunrise and Moonrise
  • to listen and walk by the River’s edge
  • my Grandchildren
  • my Children
  • the gift of my spouse, Steve and his innate laughter and support
  • my Church family
  • my Alanon Family
  • my Telephone calls and walks with Friends
  • a Job with loving people
  • Moments found to create Art
  • the gift of my Parents, my Brothers, my Nieces and Nephews
  • Friends abroad, Friends on Facebook
  • Trees and Flowers of so many varieties in my back yard – and a Pond

Life is NOT all doom and gloom – it’s different

What I’m learning is to look with eyes open, ears and heart open, hands – open to what’s ALL around me and say Thank you!

As I said I’m learning – NOT perfect, nor, would I want to be.

Happy year of Contentment is my wish for ALL in this New Year!

~ Anita 12/30/22

HEALING takes whatever time it takes

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Learning to hold on when the healing is in year three and you feel like you will never fully recover is COURAGEOUS

There’s a reason I’m on this journey to wholeness

Even in the dark – the light still exists

HEALING takes whatever time it takes

During this time of Healing

I’ve shed some unknown ‘judgements’ about myself and others that I didn’t even know existed – this part of the healing process has been a GIFT

HEALING TAKES whatever time it takes

Haven’t I prayed for PATIENCE?

Well, here it is …

HEALING TAKES WHATEVER time it takes

Thank you CREATOR for hearing my prayer for walking with me in the dark, for giving me an outlet to spread my wings, to be GRATEFUL for ALL the many gifts you’ve given me

HEALING TAKES WHATEVER TIME it takes

It’s okay to REST, to PAUSE, to BREATHE, to REJOICE, to LAUGH out loud

Waiting is part of the process as well as Trusting

HEALING TAKES WHATEVER TIME IT TAKES.

© Anita Adams 6/23/2021

A stone’s tale

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Heart of Stone

she touched it, rolled it around in her hands

what does this stone have to say, what is its tale

the stone that looks like two lovers

cold and gray

two lovers with a cloak

together they form a heart

a heart made of stone

a stone from the earth

whose journey was a rough and tumbling one

as they traveled in the river once large

to a creek, wearing their edges

whispering to one another

their dreams

picked up by a stranger

found on a path or in a stream

in some random place

on a day unknown

male and female

clinging to one another through the elements

determined to hold one another until the end

whose tight grip formed a heart

a heart of stone

©Anita Adams 2018

In a Vessel

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Ball Jar

Dreams like fireflies in a vessel

longing to be free – to escape

gasping for air in the jar holding them captive

until the dreamer releases them

they fly away

free – to be realized

to be acknowledged

be seen – be heard

like words on a page

until they are read

read with the heart

fireflies and dreams – fly free

fly high

to become the dreams that were dreamt by the dreamer

© Anita Adams 9/11/17

AWA Women’s Study Project

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 cropped-window-light-iii.jpgInvisible Me Study by Anita Adams – first conceived in 2015, rev. 2017

 Objective: To give women of all ages, ethnicity, economic, educational or sexual orientation an opportunity to be heard either by poem, quote, short story, prose or statement a voice using the AWA (Amherst Writers & Artists workshop method), or by an invitation and agreement to share their voice in response to two Writing Prompts.

Number to be interviewed:  Interview 50 women ages 18 & up

Documentation Noted/Published:

  • Name of Writer (in whatever manner the Narrator/Writer chooses)
  • Age
  • Statement/Poem/Prose/Short Story
  • Ethnicity
  • Region or Country where Participant grew up.

Authorization/Release Form: Complete, sign and return the attached Authorization/Release Form for publication purposes (to be sent separately).

Publishers to be considered:  AWA Press, Hazelden, Alfred A. Knopf, Self-Published

Contact for AWA Prompts: AWA.AAdams@gmail.com

Please respect the originality and personal property of this project to be solely that of Anita Adams aka AAdamsLLC. All communication and offers to assist with its fruition should be directed to Anita Adams first. AWA.AAdams@gmail.com Thank you. www.CalledtoWrite.org

Online Women’s Writing Study Project

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Called to Write Online Women’s Study Project

Please visit the above link to learn more about a new Women’s Study Project.

  • Seeking women ages 18 & up to share their stories, poems or statement about Invisibility and Visibility
  • If interested, please register for your Online Prompts Online AWA Women’s Study Project.

I believe all Women should be Heard as well as Seen.

Window Light III

My Ancestral Home by Louis Jenkins

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A very enjoyable piece read this morning by Garrison Keillor:

 

My Ancestral Home
by Louis Jenkins

Listen Online

We came to a beautiful little farm. From photos
I’d seen I knew this was the place. The house
and barn were painted in the traditional Falu
red, trimmed with white. It was nearly mid-
summer, the trees and grass, lush green, when
we arrived the family was gathered at a table
on the lawn for coffee and fresh strawberries.
Introductions were made all around, Grandpa
Sven, Lars-Olaf and Marie, Eric and Gudren,
Cousin Inge and her two children… It made me
think of a Carl Larsson painting. But, of course,
it was all modern, the Swedes are very up-to-
date, Lars-Olaf was an engineer for Volvo, and
they all spoke perfect English, except for
Grandpa, and there was a great deal of laughter
over my attempts at Swedish. We stayed for a
long time laughing and talking. It was late in
the day, but the sun was still high. I felt a won-
derful kinship. It seemed to me that I had
known these people all my life, they even
looked like family back in the States. But as it
turned out, we had come to the wrong farm.
Lars-Olaf said, “I think I know your people, they
live about three miles from here. If you like I
could give them a call.” I said that no, it wasn’t
necessary, this was close enough.
“My Ancestral Home” by Louis Jenkins from European Shoes. © Will O’ the Wisp Books, 2008. Reprinted with permission. (buy now)

Thank you Garrison! And a HUGE thank you to Louis Jenkins!

Life is so Full

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Interesting Lines and Unknown Woman

Life is so full…

..full of details

..of the doing.

Scheduling time for self appears to be elusive, but necessary.

Where does the time go?

Shopping, cleaning, driving, creating, writing, managing finances, working, remembering others, giving back, in contemplation and prayer, planning, scheduling, creating art while pushing a grocery cart.

Wherever time takes me – that’s where I am. I am here., therefore, God is here too.

Breathe. Believe. Play. Laugh. Pause – because this is the way.  The way to the heart. The way to balance it all.

One day life will not be so full.

That day is not today.

© Anita Adams