WEEKLY GRATITUDE JOURNAL: WEEK 1

Having seen this on a few different blogs of fellow bloggers & in the interest of staying positive and grateful during stressful situations, I’ve decided to begin a gratitude journal to remind me of the good things that have happened me and the good people in my life!

This Monday I’m grateful for:

• My incredibly clever oldest daughter who got a letter off commendation & her name in the school hall of fame from her principle last week for her good behaviour & appetite for learning. Only in Junior Infants but already setting high standards.
• The gift of laughter. I never stopped laughing at Neil Delamare’s “Delamarium” gig in the Tullamore Court Hotel Saturday night gone by. The guy is both really sharp and very funny! 😁🙏😂
• For completing my 1st ever competitive 5k on Sunday past over at Banagher A.C’s Offaly 5k Road Race in a very satisfactory time of 20:47. All the hard training starting to pay off!

That’s it for this week’s Gratitude Journal. Please tune in next Monday for more of the same.

LUCKY No. 13 ANNIVERSARY

Yes, you’ve read it right! 13 years ago, I signed up with WordPress. Hard to believe that amount of time has gone by! Though, to be honest, I didn’t really have a clue how to use it properly or tap into it’s blogging potential.In fact, I think it took me the 1st 10 years to figure out how to use it. 😛😉😂

And the next 3 years to see WordPress’s potential and begin to properly utilise it. In that time I’ve made some genuine new friends; read many wonderful poems & seen my own poetry/writing evolve from it’s traditional rhyming scheme into a more diverse; mature & insightful style.

Here’s to 13 more years of blogging; new poetry and enriching friendships. Sincere thanks to you all who’ve supported; followed & read my blog/poetry along the way. The blog wouldn’t be what it is without ye’re support & feedback! 🙏😊😁

WOMAN (MORE TO YOU THAN MEETS THE EYE) International Women’s Day

Hey folks! Below lies a poem especially written for International Women’s Day, of which there should be 365 of them! 👍 Hope ye enjoy the read and share it with the special women in your life! 🤞🙏😁

MORE TO YOU THAN MEETS THE EYE

Woman,

You gave us life
Sat with us through the night
Partner & wife,
You knit families together
Love beyond all measure
Give us memories to treasure

Woman,

You fed us & raised us
Protected & praised us
Nurtured and graced us
With your wisdom & strength
Would go to any length
For the people that meant
The most to you.

Woman,

Always more to you than meets the eye
Hidden depths if we’d only try
Not to understand the when’s & why’s.
But to just let you be you, see,
In all your emotional complexity
Beautiful; serene & fierce

Woman,

Vast as the mighty ocean
Swallowing us up with your devotion
Captivating us with your potions
These magic spells you apply
To our hearts and minds
Invisible to the naked eye

Woman,

We’re entirely lost without you
Cry tears. Are distraught about you
When you’re hurt as we don’t know how to
Bare our heart and our souls
Give you comfort and console
You’re beyond our control.

BLOG GOALS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Hey folks! Hope ye all had a lovely weekend! 🤞🙏 Welcome back to my weekly Blog Goals for the Week Ahead where I set out my blog schedule and creative goals for the coming week. Hope it helps inspire & motivate ye as much as it does me! 🤞🙏😁

I’ve already posted my 1st motivational running quote of the week for ye earlier and there’ll be 3 more where they came from on Wednesday; Friday & Saturday mornings. So please tune in for them! 🙏😁

Tomorrow, with it being Valentine’s Day and all that, will be all about the love. Will be doing a special reblog of my popular “Love Is…” poem featuring my own reflections on love. Hope ye will enjoy reading that again or perhaps for the 1st time!

It’s also, strangely enough, the 4th anniversary of my mum’s passing. So I’ll also be reposting a poem called “Freeze Time” reflecting on my then wish to stop time and prevent her death from ever happening. And showing some poetic love to ye guys and gals for all the support

On Wednesday, I hope to respond to Sadje’s latest #WhatDoYouSee #WDYS Poetry Image Prompt and d’Verse’s latest Poetics Prompt respectively. Should you wish to participate in Sadje’s prompt then you can access it through the following link: https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/02/13/what-do-you-see-173-13th-february-2023/

From Thursday onwards, I’ve nothing planned as kids will be off school so difficult to plan stuff. However, I’ll still be responding to various poetry prompts from Moonwashed Weekly Prompt to Ragtag Daily Prompts to Reena’s Xploration Challenge & WeaveWrittenWeekly etc whenever the opportunity & inspiration arises.

On Sunday, I’ll be rounding it all up with my regular Sunday Blog Recap with links to all the blogs I posted during the previous week. I trust you’ll all join me for that & keep following for regular updates. Thanks again for your support; encouragement and feedback.

BLOG GOALS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Morning folks! Hope ye all had a lovely weekend! 🤞🙏😁 Welcome back to my weekly Blog Goals for the Week Ahead where I set out my blog schedule and creative goals for the coming week. So, without further ado.

First up today, after this blog of course, will be my 1st motivational running quote of the week followed by 3 more on Wednesday; Friday & Saturday morning. Hope they will inspire you all in some way. 🤞🙏🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️😁

Then tomorrow, I plan to publish 2 poems for ye’re enjoyment. The first one of which will be titled AFFECTIONATELY HEADSTRONG inspired by my youngest girl: Ava! 😁 This will be followed by my response to Sadje’s latest #WhatDoYouSee #WDYS Poetry Image Prompt. If you want to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link:

https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/02/06/what-do-you-see-14/

On Wednesday, I hope to publish another poem which will be written in response to d’Verse’s latest Quadrille Prompt.

Then on Thursday, I plan to recite the poem I wrote around this time last year titled LOVE IS… for my Throwback Thursday series of Poetry Readings which for the next 3 weeks is going to feature readings on the subject of love & loss. Then later in the day I’ll be posting my response to d’Verse’s latest Poetics Prompt

On Friday I hope to respond to some of the other prompts on here such as Moonwashed Weekly Prompt; Reena’s Xploration Challenge &/or WeaveWrittenWeekly over at the Skeptic’s Kaddish. And maybe return to my Poetry Quotes reflection blog?!

On Saturday, we’ll have one more poem for the Week which will be followed up by my regular Blog Recap on Sunday with links to all the blogs I posted during the previous week. Hope you enjoyed the read and come back next Monday for more of the same. 🤞🙏😁📖

WOODLAND TIME TRAVEL: Sadje’s #WhatDoYouSee #WDYS Poetry Image Prompt #170

Image credit; Sylvian Sarrailh @ Digiartque

This week Sadje provides us with a digital art image (above) that shows a man standing in front of a square portal that shows a scene from another place. Stairs lead up to this portal. Below lies my contribution to the prompt: 👇👇👇

WOODLAND TIME TRAVEL

When they took me out into the woods
With the promise of another world
Dripping off their honeyed lips
A portal to another world
I didn’t believe them to begin with,
Laughing at the sheer incredulity of it
All!
I’d been down the woods hundreds of times
On late night walks
And camping trips
I whispered to myself
“Get a grip”
And there’d been no portal.
Least none that any mere mortal
Could see
The woodlands had transformed
Taken on an animated form
Full of purple; greenish hues
With pink and violet too
Then, in front of me
Atop a series of stony steps
Lay something to behold
A giant cosmic portal
In the shape of a tablet
Bordered by twisting
Winding tree branches
Began to open, unfold
Revealing blue skies & green fields.
I stand in awe for a moment
To take it all in, to steel
Myself for whatever was to come
I should turn and run
But I was rooted to the spot
And couldn’t move.
Hypnotised by this
Strange; beautiful sight
Whirring; blinding
Fast-forwarding
Or rewinding
Then it began
To pull me towards it!

Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link: 👇👇👇

https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/01/23/what-do-you-see-170-january-23-3023/

RUNNING DOWN A…

Not back running yet (least not in the New Year) due to sickness. But I did promise a post with a running theme while also wanting to carry on with the New Year/dreams/goals theme of the last few days. It got me thinking what had a title featuring the word “running” and “dream” in it? And it brought to mind 1 of my all time favourite rock songs from the unmistakable Mr. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: “Runnin’ Down A Dream”.

Chorus

“Yeah, runnin’ down a dream that never would come to me
Workin’ on a mystery, goin’ wherever it leads
Runnin’ down a dream…

Verse 2

I felt so good, like anything was possible…”

It’s that time of year where we chase after our dreams with fresh energy and purpose. Even though it also seems to remains just out of our reach, we follow it all the same wherever it leads us. As it seems like “anything is possible”. And anything is, if you keep plugging away at it! 👍😁

Whether it’s your exciting business idea; get a new job; your promise to finally write that book you’ve always been talking about; that itch to travel the world; build a new house; find love; get back out onto the road or into the gym, we all have those hopes and dreams that won’t go away.

Keep chasing after them folks; keeping running them down with all you’ve got, no matter how difficult; painful; expensive or elusive it may seem. They were put in your heart & mind for a reason, they give you purpose and a reason to get up in the morning. That’s enough to keep anyone running & dreamin’.

TOP 10 BLOG POSTS OF 2022

Well folks! Yes, it’s that time of year again where we look back over the year gone by and see which blog posts were the most popular, which struck a chord most with ye guys & gals. It’s been a quick year and 1 which saw me change things up a bit with the range; quantity and quality of my output. I view my most popular posts as ones which didn’t necessarily receive the most likes but received the most views.

1. In light of that criteria so, the most popular blog post this past year was my the 1st part of my BRILLIANT BLOGGER POET INTERVIEW with the provocative Romanian blogger/poet by the name of Bogdan Dragos with a total number of 219 views. You can find the link to it here:
https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/08/31/brilliant-blogger-poet-interview-provocative-daydreaming-with-bogdan-dragos-part-1

2. 2nd on the list was the profile I did on the aforementioned poet: Mr. Dragos for the Brilliant Blogger Poet initiative. It received 194 views and you can access it here at the following link:

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/08/24/brilliant-blogger-poet-profile-bogdan-dragos/

3. No. 3 on the list was a poignant reflection titled KEEP ON WALKING on tragic; untimely demise of a popular young; local woman by the name of Aisling Murphy. She, unfortunately met her end while out for a run along the local canal back in January. It garnered 133 views. Here’s the link to it:

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/01/16/keep-on-walking/

4. This was followed up by 2nd part of my Brilliant Blogger Poet Interview with Bogdan Dragos receiving 119 views. The link to it is here: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/09/07/brilliant-blogger-poet-interview-provocative-daydreaming-with-bogdan-dragos-part-ii/

5. The Brilliant Blogger Poet initiative certainly seemed to be the order of the day this year as 5th on the list was my interview with the kind; generous and ever creative: Mr. David Bogomolny over at The Sceptic’s Kaddish. It gained 84 views. Here’s the link to it: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/06/08/brilliant-blogger-poet-ben-alexander-aka-david-bogomolny-from-the-skeptics-kaddish-interview/

6. 6th on the list was my Recital of an old poem of mine titled: COFFEE SHOP AND ME for my new blog: THROWBACK THURSDAY POETRY READINGS which received 63 views. You’ll find the link to it here: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/10/13/throwback-thursday-poetry-recordings-the-coffee-shop-and-me/

7. There’s just no getting away from our BRILLIANT BLOGGER POET INITIATIVE is there? As the next highest views on 58 was the profile I did on the aforementioned Mr. Bogomolny titled Skeptically Seeking David. You’ll find the link to it here: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/06/02/skeptically-seeking-david/

8. At no 8 we reflected on how poetry can save our lives through the greatest of sorrows and highest of joys in my regular Poetry Quotes Blog. It had 54 views. 😁You’ll find the link to it here: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/07/03/poetry-saving-lives-through-sorrow-joy/

9. We return to my Throwback Thursday series of Poetry Readings with a recital of A SHADOW CAST, a poem I wrote shortly after my father had passed away back in 2015. It had 51 views. Here’s the link to it: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/09/29/__trashed-2/

10. Last but by no means least was another THROWBACK THURSDAY POETRY READING with a recital of TOOK THE PLUNGE which received 48 views. Here’s the link to it: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/10/27/throwback-thursday-poetry-readings-took-the-plunge/

That’s it I suppose, except to say thanks ever so much for all ye’re amazing support; feedback & encouragement throughout the past year. It means an awful lot and gives me a great lift to know people are regularly reading & enjoying my poems and blogs.

Hope ye all have a very peaceful Christmas and a Happy; productive & creative New Year. See you all in 2023.

SUNDAY BLOG RECAP

Evening folks! Hope ye’re all having a lovely weekend! 🤞🙏😁 Welcome to my weekly Blog Recap with links to all the blogs I posted during the previous week. Especially designed for those of you who have busy lives outside of the WordPress blogosphere.

On Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday, I shared a motivational running quote with ye. Here’s the links to all of them: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/11/28/running-being-the-best-you-can-be/?preview=true

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/11/30/running-becoming-different-every-day/?preview=true

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/12/02/running-for-a-good-cause/?preview=true

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/12/03/running-going-the-extra-mile/?preview=true

On Tuesday, I posted my Blog Goals for the Week Ahead where I set out my blog schedule and creative goals for the coming week. This was followed up later in the day my response to d’Verse’s latest Quadrille Prompt encouraging us to write a 44 word poem using the word “Warm” or a variation thereof. Below are the links to both of them:

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/blog-goals-for-the-week-ahead-12/?preview=true

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/11/29/lingering-embrace-of-warmth-dverse-poetics-prompt-warm/?preview=true

Then on Wednesday I published my 2nd & 3rd poems of the week in response to Sadje’s latest #WhatDoYouSee #WDYS Poetry Image Prompt and d’Verse’s most recent Poetics Prompt respectively. You’ll find the links to them below: 👇👇👇

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/11/30/warning-sign-sadjes-whatdoyousee-wdys-poetry-image-prompt-162/?preview=true

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/11/30/natures-hide-seek-dverse-poetics-the-landscape-sleeps-ekphrastic-prompt/?preview=true

On Thursday, I published my 4th poem of the week written in response to Eugi’s Moonwashed Weekly Prompt challenging us to write a poem using the word: NONSENSICAL. Here’s the link:

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/12/01/absence-of-common-sense-moonwashed-musings-weekly-prompt-nonsensical/?preview=true

Then, on Saturday I wrote my final poem of the week inspired by fellow blogger: michnavs reflection on International Day Against Violence to Women a couple of weeks ago. It’s called ANOTHER HIT and here’s the link: https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/12/03/another-hit/?preview=true

This was followed up earlier today by my response to Saturday’s and Sunday’s Ragtag Daily Prompts with a piece titled: RESTLESS SOUL; UPROOTED. The link to it is below:

https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2022/12/04/restless-soul-uprooted-ragtag-daily-prompts/?preview=true

That’s it for the Recap up this week folks! 👍😁 Thanks very much for stopping by and joining me on my weekly catch up! 😁🙏😊 Until next Sunday mind yourselves; stay creative and take care!

BLOG GOALS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Afternoon folks! Hope you all had a lovely weekend! 🤞🙏😁 Welcome back to my weekly Blog Goals for the Week Ahead where I set out my blog schedule and creative goals for the coming week. Hope it helps inspire you! 🤞🤞Having already posted my 1st motivational running quote of the week earlier, I’ll move on with Tuesday’s line up!

First up, I’ll be responding to Sadje’s latest #WhatDoYouSee #WDYS Poetry Image Prompt #162 provisionally titled: WARNING SIGN. Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link: https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2022/11/28/what-do-you-see-162-november-28-2022/

Later in the day I’ll be tackling d’Verse’s latest Quadrille challenge using the word: WARM! If you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link: https://dversepoets.com/2022/11/28/dverse-quadrille-165-warmly/

On Wednesday I’ll be posting my 2nd motivational running quote of the week for ye followed up by d’Verse’s latest Poetics prompt.

Then Thursday morning I’ll be taking a 2nd stab at posting UNFORGIVING SUN for my Throwback Thursday series of Poetry Readings

Friday I’ll be sharing my 3rd motivational running quote of the week and returning to my Poetry Quotes blog where we take a look at some favourite poetry quotes of mine; break them down; analyse them and apply the lessons learned to our lives as poets and readers alike.

On Saturday I’ll be publishing another new poem in response to Reena’s Xploration Challenge; Moonwashed Weekly Prompt and/or Ragtag Daily Prompt Saturday along with my final motivational running quote of the week.

I’ll be rounding up the week with my weekly Sunday Blog Recap with links to all the blogs I posted during the previous week. Especially designed for those of you who have busy lives outside of the WordPress universe.

That’s all for this week folks. Thanks for all ye’re support & for stopping by to read my blog. Hope you’ll stay with me throughout the course of the week! 🤞🙏😁