A writer inspired by nature and human nature

Archive for the ‘Poetry’ Category

Aside

857. If you want to know God, watch a monarch butterfly from a thousand miles away return to a place where it has never been before. ~Author Unknown


Celebrate the season with our amazing monarch butterflies! ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

Butterflies…not quite birds,
as they are not quite flowers,
mysterious and fascinating
as are all indeterminate creatures.
~Elizabeth Goudge

Screen shot 2015-09-01 at 3.10.55 PM

From inside my house today, I’m pretty sure I saw a monarch butterfly fluttering about my yard. This is an occurrence that I look forward to twice a year. For you see from April through June monarchs leave their habitats in groves of fir trees deep in Mexico or in the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque to begin a journey as far north as southern Canada and in so doing fly over our area. Sadly the monarch’s numbers have decreased tremendously because of the ongoing shrinking of their habitats and the poisoning by farmers of milkweeds (Asclepias) along their flyway. However, I’m still seeing a measure of them every year, and finding these colorful nomadic wanderers in my garden has always been a delightful rite of passage in their dramatic migrations. Monarchs with their burnt-orange and…

View original post 204 more words

Written

on 09/02/2015

Aside

A Monarch Butterfly Haiku by Bette A. Stevens


Royal Visitor MONARCH 2015 Haiku basI’ve only spotted a dozen monarchs here at the farmstead in Central Maine this summer. Recently, two delightful specimens danced around the garden where I encourage milkweed to grow alongside the flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables that we harvest. I grabbed my camera just in time to capture one of our regal visitors pirouette upon the peppermint. ~ Bette A. Stevens

  • To find out how you can help protect monarch butterflies—one of our amazing pollinators— download your free poster here:

PROTECT MONARCH BUTTERFLIES free-poster

  • Find out how to tell a male monarch from a female monarch and discover other amazing monarch butterfly facts
  • Enjoy monarch crafts, games, gardening and discover so much more

WHERE?
Download Bette’s free pdf here:

FUN & LEARNING with MONARCHS (free pdf)

Fun&LearningWith Amazing Monarchs! 2014

Maine author/illustrator Bette A. Stevens
“Inspired by nature and human nature.”

Bette Book Collage WHITE BORDER

Find all of Bette’s books at YOUR AMAZON.

[Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 08/26/2015

Aside

morning light…


Bask in the beauty! ~ Bette A. Stevens

SwittersB & Exploring's avatarSwittersB & Exploring

“The sun just touched the morning;
The morning, happy thing,
Supposed that he had come to dwell,
And life would be all spring.”

Emily Dickinson

pink rose-morning light-garden-SwittersB

View original post

Written

on 07/02/2015

Aside

762. Life is like a canvas. It begins blank every day, and when at day’s end it’s like another brush stroke has been painted across it. ~Edited Unknown


One brush stroke at a time! ~ Bette A. Stevens

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

You don’t just have a story –
you’re the story in the making,
and you never know what the
next chapter is going to be.
That’s what makes it exciting.
~Dan Millman

DSC_0011

Life is like a book and
we’re the writers of our own stories,
the makers of our own destiny.
And each day is a new chapter,
a new challenge,
a new path,
a new journey.
~Unknown

Your word, Lord, is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. ~Psalm 119:105  ✝

View original post

Written

on 06/07/2015

Aside

A Day Away, Plus a Poem for May by Bette A. Stevens


Moose Point & Poem 2015 basClick on the photo to enlarge

An Author’s Day Away

How does this Central Maine writer like to kickback and relax? A day trip to the coast is most welcome every now and then. And, it’s bound to be inspiring.

The forecast was perfect—60s and sunny with a coastal spring breeze. We packed the car (jackets/coffee/snacks) and headed south along The Moosehead Trail (Route 7 from Newport to Belfast), then east over Head of Tide Road to meet Route 1, where we drove north to Searsport to enjoy one of our favorite spots—Moose Point State Park. This coastal gem is the perfect spot to savor an afternoon picnic, revel in the views of Penobscot Bay, climb its rock-bound shore and trek the trails through an awe spruce forest. Ah, the magic of Maine!

Thanks for hopping on board, friends. What’s your favorite spot to enjoy on a day away?

~ Bette A. Stevens

Back to Bette’s Blog

Written

on 05/27/2015

Aside

Sunbeam Melodies: HAIKU by Bette A. Stevens


Sunbeam composing HAIKU bas 2015

Spring Magic?

I was fortunate to capture spring’s magical beams composing melodies on our daffodils along the walkway to the Farmstead late last week. Naturally, I got inspired. Grabbed the Cannon, downloaded several images to my laptop and played around with photo editor. I’m a writer inspired by nature who loves to capture the moments and to create new images too. What’s inspiring you?

~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

Written

on 05/21/2015

Aside

Rainbow Promises, a HAIKU by Bette A. Stevens


Rainbow HAIKU bas 2015Spring has finally sprung after a long and frigid winter at here at The Farmstead in Central Maine. Captured a rainbow and its promise in a spring Haiku. Hope you’re enjoying the sensational sights, sounds and scents of the season, friends! ~ Bette A. Stevens

Written

on 05/09/2015

Aside

Hairy Woodpecker HAIKU by Bette A. Stevens


NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

Hairy Woodpecker HAIKU

 

Inspired!

While sipping breakfast tea and finishing a journal entry, I glanced up at the window and spotted striking black and white flutters darting among the lilac branches. The first feathered friend was a downy woodpecker. By the time I grabbed the camera, he had disappeared and a nearly identical but larger version, a hairy woodpecker, hung upside down, pecking the last of winter’s crumbs from the suet cage. They’re sure to be back to dine, but next time it will be on succulent spring favorites—buds and bugs. Inspiring. Ah, spring! ~ Bette A. Stevens

What’s inspiring you?

[Visit Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 04/29/2015

Aside

An Apple Blossom HAIKU by Bette A. Stevens


It’s National Poetry Month

What’s inspiring you?

Apple Blossom HAIKU bas 2015

 

Here in Central Maine the snow is melting at last, leaving bare ground and brown grasses in ever-growing patches where new tints, tones and shades of greens are magically appearing each day. Lilacs and apple trees will soon be budding. I can hardly wait for apple blossom time. We have six varieties of apple trees here at the farmstead and their blooms are more than enough to regenerate this winter-laden soul. Of course, the real blooms won’t arrive until May, but since April is National Poetry Month, I thought I would check out Wikimedia where I found this perfect picture (before my photo and text edits) to inspire the blooming muse inside a little early. We’re finally enjoying some spring sunshine, but ready for some April showers to bring us those May flowers, too. ~ Happy Spring! ~ Bette A. Stevens

What’s inspiring you this spring?

Written

on 04/16/2015

Aside

697. The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created Spring. ~Bern Williams


Peace, hope and love! ~ Bette A. Stevens

nataliescarberry's avatarSacred Touches

The peace and beauty
of a spring day
had descended upon 
the earth
like a benediction.
~Kate Chopin

Screen shot 2015-04-08 at 4.41.58 PM

Pink, pink, and more pink!  Yes I know there are others colors in the garden, but what a lovely color is pink, the quiet hue on the sweet side of red.  And then there are the wonderful names of the different shades of pink! What’s not to love about monikers like baby pink, berry pink, salmony pink, watermelon pink, and of course hot pink.  Though most of the pinks tone down the color red, hot pink stimulates the high levels of energy associated with passion which the color red often signifies. Even in realms other than the garden pink is a revered color.  For example, cities in the world are associated with it, businesses are linked to it, and then there’s the refreshing taste of pink lemonade consumed on hot summer days all…

View original post 87 more words

Written

on 04/08/2015

Tag Cloud