Thursday, January 13, 2022

La Paz on a Snow Day




I like this January!

It started out with a week of snow days. Whoo-hoo! My college girl and my college boy are still home at the end of winter break so we've spent time chatting and making food and watching shows together. College boy likes making cookies! 

We really enjoyed Street Food: Latin America on Netflix. I was delighted to hear some of the opening lines of the episode from La Paz, Bolivia. They led to a golden shovel below.

Thanks, Mary Lee for hosting this week's round-up!





La Paz on a Snow Day

It looks like the sky flipped upside down and the stars are on the floor.
~ Sumaya Prado


On the snowiest day this year,  i
is as cold as a mountain peak. The world  looks 
innocent in its fluffy white coat -- Christmas-card  like 

Cocoa in hand, I turn on  the 
screen and sigh at a scene of  sky 
over La Paz, Bolivia. My heart has  flipped. 

This is the delightful  upside 
of winter. I can hunker  down  
in pajama pants on my couch.  And-- 

through wonders of  the 
internets, visit cities, worlds, and even  stars 
far, far away from my snow day. There  are-- 

moments like this,  on 
occasion, that give my heart rest,  the 
chance to slow dance across my kitchen  floor.

Linda Mitchell, January '22. All rights reserved


Star and I continue to get to know each other this year. On New Year's Day, there was a beautiful poem from the Acadamy of American Poets delivered to my inbox. I enjoyed it so much I went looking for more poems by the poet...and of course, there was one I loved with STAR in it. It's over on the Star padlet. https://padlet.com/mitchellhubeimom/4bzbfu2cg5k7awk5 


That's two...two weeks of January, and two star poems. Only fifty weeks to go! 

22 comments:

  1. The easiness of reading your poem feels so comfortable, Linda, bringing your snowy week to all of us, too. And, it looks like a very starry beginning to your year, wonderful! Have a great weekend!

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  2. I love this golden shovel Linda, especially the idea of you slow dancing across the kitchen floor, celebrating snow days and stars.

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  3. What a fun-moving poem, I like the flips and changes of meanings in upside and down, all do-si-doing and turning around. Love the last line too-I can picture you as you "slow dance across my kitchen floor." Thanks Linda! Lovely kinship you found from the poem of Carrie Williams Clifford, keep the stars glowing…

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  4. Oh I do love Golden Shovel poems! You paint a cozy winter scene, and I love these ending lines:

    that give my heart rest, the
    chance to slow dance across my kitchen floor.

    A beautiful reminder as we start this new year not to go so fast that we miss the beautiful moments all around us.

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  5. You are the 'coolest' person I 'snow', Linda. Yes to resting hearts and superstars like you. :)

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  6. Linda, thanks for introducing me to Carrie Clifford's work on your padlet! It's also for sharing this afternoon in your kitchen with your fab golden shovel. You can stay in your pajama pants and travel.

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  7. So glad your heart had an extra week to rest and slow dance! Sounds like you made the best of all that "extra" time!

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  8. Linda, I was surprised by the snow past and coming because it looks like a LI winter. I thought it doesn’t snow much here. Your golden shovel is a cozy one with all the reminders of how to pause and enjoy the cold. I wonder if schools will be closed on Monday. If so enjoy another day of rest. My post will come later in the day.

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  9. Both your star poem and post left me with stars in my eyes, Linda! What fun to have some extra time for relaxation and especially visiting with college aged children. I appreciate those times as well. You are very creative with your golden shovel poem! Thanks for sharing it! Carol from The Apples in My Orchard.

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  10. Your golden shovel makes me slow dance into a smile - because I love that I see you in your kitchen taking (making!) joy in life, and the simple things. (And snow. Always so much to love about snow - and the memories that sparks.) Keep smiling, Linda. (How perfect, that such a sparkling star is pondering ✨ this year. You sprinkle light in the world.)

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  11. So much to love in your golden shovel, from the cup of cocoa to spending the day in pajama pants.
    Lovely poem. I felt like I was there with you in your heart rest and this snow day, savoring the moment with you.

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  12. Now here is another mystery, Linda. I read this post yesterday and replied but when I am put of the house my comment does not attach from my iphone. Here goes:I loved your golden shovel revolving around your OLW. Your poem makes me want to cuddle up and just be which might happen tomorrow if we get the snow predicted. I just can't believe that we will get another snowstorm. Visions of a NY winter keep coming back. I hope you and I both have a chance to give our hearts a rest this weekend.

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    1. I just saw that my original comment yesterday did make it to your site. LOL

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    2. That's OK. I love that I get some extra comment from you this week :)

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  13. The vastness of the universe is strangely comforting. Thank you for your writing and ideas to use "Star" as a theme. I look forward to the light and joy to follow. Thank you for introducing me to "The Quest." I love the idea of the expanse contained in her pulsing heart.

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  14. Glad you are having a good January! Snow, cookies, cocoa...sounds like the makings of a happy heart. (I like your star Poetry Friday logo!)

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  15. This is a beautiful golden shovel. I love the strike line and your focus on STAR. I am tempted to try poems and collages about the word 'wonder' this year. You first Padlet entry is wondrous.

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  16. Linda, what a sweet quote you found to hang your golden shovel on. Beautiful! I love that it got you thinking about Ecuador and what was going on there during your snow day. I'm looking forward to more Star poems this year. I think, like Jone, I may try a few about my word simplify.

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  17. I would agree that home is a better place to be than school at the moment--glad you are enjoying it! I like the play on Bolivia being the upside down of where you are, stars above and below. Headed to the padlet now....

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  18. I enjoyed your poem from baking hot summer in South America. It's 100 here in Asunción (feels like 106). I love imagining you on your snow day visiting Bolivia!

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  19. P.S. I added that show to my Netflix list.

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  20. Oooh. This one, especially the ending, sent little goosebumps down my arms, Linda!

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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!