Poetry Friday is with Marci Flinchum Atkins HERE. Be sure to see the books she's recommending that connect with her own interesting book for children, Wait, Rest, Pause, all about dormancy! Thanks, Marci!
January welcomes a new year and in my part of the world, also means winter and of course, snow. We just had our snowiest storm in January since the nineties on Wednesday. I cleaned off the bird feeding station and my car (no garage), shook evergreen tree branches, and shoveled around the car (off-street parking). I love being outdoors but it was a lot to do!
There is a person, a Jennifer Thomas, on Twitter who shares words she discovers and loves. The recent one I read was mufflements. She writes that "it’s an old Lancashire word for thick, insulating clothes that keep the warmth in and the cold out." I thought you might like it, too!
You knew there was a "but", didn't you? But, in January, thanks to Jone Rush MacCulloch, who has a new website here, for starting a marvelous tradition a few years ago of people sending postcards with beautiful words to others to welcome the new year. I was happiest this week getting my mail because instead of the continuing junk and pleas for donations, I received four cards from Jone, Mary Lee, Carol L., and Marcie, our host today. It's a lovely thing to receive "smiles" in the post box! Thanks to these four poets for them! Each seems to mirror Mary Oliver's words: “Pay attention. / Be astonished. / Tell about it.”
I will remember: out of tree crumbs
live curious, each day a wonder -
create with peace
after Carol, Jone, Marci, and Mary Lee
Have a terrific weekend!
Linda, you found a delightful word to jazz up winter conversations. I am so thankful for the 11 poets, including you, who are part of Jone's 2023 New Year Postcard Exchange. I have been so busy this week that I have not had time to really concentrate on the magnificent poetry postcards that arrive. I am sending you a poetry postcard tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI remember several winters on Long Island that I could have used warmer mufflements. Shoveling snow is an arduous procedure, especially when the temperature is below the freezing mark. The snow is beautiful when it first falls so enjoy that part of winter. Have a wonderful time this weekend.
Thanks, Carol, it is exciting to know that more are on their way! Love that you liked that word!
DeleteI LOVE the word mufflements!!! And what delightful postcards. Fantastic way to start off the bunny year. :) ~ Jama
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! Thank you for sharing the bounty of your mail!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be the recipient of such surprises in the mail! Helps make it a Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI love the word mufflements--I think we need to bring it back into usage. What a beautiful collection of poetry postcards. Thanks for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteIt is really fun to share my gifts and this new winter word. Thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteI hope your "mufflements" are keeping you warm while you deal with the snow! Thanks for sharing your delightful array of poetry postcards :)
ReplyDeleteI always love discovering new 'old' words and mufflement is certainly going into my writer's notebook as soon as I finish this comment, Linda. Those of us who are logophiles rejoice in the sharing of such magnificent old words. Words that deserve preservation. Preservation also applies to the postcards you have shared with fellow poets. Thank you for sharing these thoughtful actions.
ReplyDeleteThe postcards have been so much fun! I'm finding it hard to manage the full-on poem swaps, but the postcards are a perfectly sized container of poetry goodness!
ReplyDeleteOh, wonderful New Year's postcards!! And your haiku of their lines that spoke to you so beautifully. Really lovely. AND mufflements....oh how I love that word and the idea of it. We here in CNY need lots of mufflements most days in winter, though this year has been milder. I took a one step tumble on black ice going down my back porch steps last week. But while bruised, all was fine. Well, I had on my heavy duty puffer coat....lots of "down" mufflement there and felt grateful for how it cushioned me. I think this delightful term will stay with me! And your snow....well....it's pretty, right? But work. And soon? Spring!! So glad to be able to say hello (3 weeks to recover from the flu meant very limited time doing much of anything that required "thought"!). Janet Clare F.
ReplyDeleteYou all know I love the postcards & then discovering this new word on twitter & others from her, too. is just fun. Yes, I'm keeping warm, Tabatha. They're saying more snow is on the way so I'll need them. Alan, it is for sure already in my journal! Thanks for your wonderful postcard, Mary Lee, a delight! And Janet, so sorry about your bout with flu - yikes, hope that's it for winter!
ReplyDeleteYay! So glad you received the postcard.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's lovely, Marcie. Thanks again!
DeleteOh, what lovely treasures to help get the new year off to an inspired start! Thanks for sharing. (I hated sitting out this year, but I haven't sat down since before the holidays what with the move-within-a-move and all, so I thought it best to rejoin next year!) Keep those mufflements handy - you're a force! xo
ReplyDeleteOh, I understand about the postcards, Robyn. You are so, so busy! Thanks for taking time to come by! Wishing you smooth sailing, well, "moving"!
DeleteLinda, I saw Jennifer's "mufflements" too - and so love that new (to me) word! Fun to say! This is my first year with the poetry postcard exchange, so I share your joy in the postcards that have arrived. Can't wait to share the poetry soon!
ReplyDeleteIt is terrific, isn't it? I have seen you on twitter, love that you've found Jennifer, too! Thanks, Patricia!
DeleteMufflements is a fabulous word! I'm pretty sure I just discovered Jennifer Thomas on Twitter. She (or someone else) recently shared "word hoard" which I also love. A mailbox full of poetry goodness is a perfect way to begin the year. Thanks for sharing all the goodies here :)
ReplyDeleteSuper that you also have discovered Jennifer, Molly. I will look for 'Word Hoard", too, lots of fun! Thanks!
DeleteThanks for sharing all your postcard treasures filled with wonder, peace, and bits of "tree crumbs" Enjoy! And I love mufflements, what a wonderful sound it has. Hope your backs not to sore Linda, our forecast calls for snow tonight… Yikes!
ReplyDeleteOops I pressed publish too fast, that's me above as Anonymous–Michelle K, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle, I'm glad you told me it was you! I do love "tree crumbs" anytime!
DeleteOh, a mailbox full of amazingness--thanks for sharing these with us!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all these treasures, Linda! Your response was beautiful. Plus, I now have a new word to add to my word collection!
ReplyDeleteSo much beauty in these postcard haiku. The tiny mushroom umbrellas. The mufflements!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laura S., Rose, & Laura S., again! The wonderful postcards really brighten January!
ReplyDelete