Harvest & Heritage

Photo by Zefong Li from Unsplash.
Hayride. Photo by Randy Fath from Unsplash.

Harvest & Heritage

How warmly now the summer sun does shine

on bees at work in clover fields so fair!

Sweet ripened fruit hangs heavy on the vine.

Perfume of roses lingers in the air.

How softly ripples wheat in summer breeze!

Bright roadside flowers nourish butterflies.

In orchards, apples ripen on the trees.

Abundant food the garden plot supplies.

As birds fly south, the leaves turn red and gold.

In autumn, nature’s bounties harvesting,

we labor to prepare for winter’s cold

and save some seeds for planting in the spring.

At harvest, we give thanks for all good things:

our life and strength and gifts that nature brings.

Photo by Max Gorin from Unsplash.
Photo by Marek Studinsky from Unsplash.
Photo by Jakob Owens from Unsplash.

Restoring Our Connection to Nature

Hydrophonic gardening on a balcony. Photo by Lettuce Grow from Unsplash.

On small family farms like the dairy farm where my mother grew up and in home gardens that were the pride of my grandmother and my father, there is a profound connection to nature. People work in cooperation with nature to provide for themselves and their families.

In the time of large corporate farms, most people do not live on small family farms and raise all of the food they eat. Many people may have lost the connection to the land and to the changing seasons.

Whatever our work, wherever we live, we are a part of the cycles of nature. We can help to preserve and renew the environment. We may not be able to do everything, but there are things each one of us can do to renew our connection to the natural world.


Copyright© 2022 by Cheryl Batavia


Photo by Megan Lee from Unsplash.

Happy Thanksgiving to All My Fellow Bloggers!

After this week, I plan to take a couple of months off in order to regroup and focus on some long-deferred projects. Happy holidays to everyone!

Diwali Lights the Way

Diwali festival foods and lamps. Photo by Prchi Palwe from UnSplash.

Diwali Lights the Way

Light over darkness…

People worldwide long for justice and peace;

Diwali lights the way!

Knowledge over ignorance…

Everywhere on earth, people seek opportunities;

Diwali lights the way!

Good over evil…

We all want to live in a clean, safe environment…

Diwali lights the way!

Guiding our journey to a brighter tomorrow,

Diwali lights the way!

Jodhpur during Diwali festival. Photo by Anirudhi from UnSplash.

Copyright© 2022 by Cheryl Batavia

Photo by Suchandra Roy Chowdhery from UnSplash.

The Transformative Power of Diwali

Nearly every culture has celebrations incorporating light. Bonfires, torches, lamps, candles, fireworks…all light the way to our best selves and a better world. Diwali is a beautiful and joyous festival, but what seems extraordinary to me is its universal message…nine simple words with the power to transform the individual and the world:

Light over darkness!

Knowledge over ignorance!

Good over evil!

Happy Diwali, Everyone!

Jack O’Lanterns Grin!

Photo by Robert Linder from Unsplash.

Jack O’Lanterns Grin!

Jack O’Lanterns Grin!

Laughing at all our fears,

we celebrate life.

Movie star? Monster?

Try a new persona for

fantasy and fun!

Photo by Steven Libralon from Unsplash.

Red hots, gummy worms,

candy corn…okay today!

Enjoy, enjoy guiltlessly!

Photo by Alexander Grey from Unsplash.

Phrases frowned upon,

“Guess who!”, “Trick-or-treat!”, and “Boo!”

bring a smile today.

Be slightly goofy,

gluttonous and boisterous.

Happy Halloween!

Photo by Betzy Arosemena from Unsplash.

Copyright© 2022 by Cheryl Batavia


Photo by Mary Jane Duford on Unsplash.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!

Two Poems: “Quoting Mom” & “Antiquated Sexist Nonsense”

Photo by Sophie Dale from Unsplash
Photo by Kenny Krosky from Unsplash

Quoting Mom

So often these days,

I find myself quoting Mom…

proverbs, quips, sayings…

Mom had a real treasure trove

of wisdom she shared with me.

“Treat other people

as you want to be treated.”

That one is golden!

It was Mom who taught me that

reliable guide to life.

Mom was unfailing

in her caring and concern.

She gave great advice,

but, in matters of romance,

was a woman of her time.

Mom’s take on romance

was antiquated sexist

nonsense, best ignored.

Mom’s true advice to follow

was, “Think for yourself, Honey!”

After thirty years,

Dad found a younger woman.

Mom kissed a few frogs;

Prince Charming never came, but

Mom found her inner Princess!

My mother, Marian Nicholson, on her ninetieth birthday!

Antiquated Sexist Nonsense

“It’s a man’s world,” was the mid-twentieth-century consensus.

My mother passed several of the following outdated gems along to me:

Always let boys win if you want them to like you.

Act helpless. Let a boy be your hero and lift heavy objects for you.

Play “dumb.” Laugh at all of his jokes. Always agree with him.

Pretend to enjoy doing all the things he likes to do.

Don’t chase after boys. Make them chase after you!

Play hard to get. Never be the first to say, “I love you.”

Hide your passions. You don’t want him to think you’re “easy.”

If you “give in” to a boy, he’ll “dump” you and “kiss and tell.”

Go to college to find a husband, even though you know

you will be a homemaker after you marry.

A woman must never make more money than her husband…

His delicate pride can’t handle it.

Let a man think he’s boss…

Use “feminine wiles” to get what you want.

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach…

Cook all of his favorite dishes.

Men are like little boys…They like to be told

how handsome, strong, and smart they are.

Make a habit of paying exaggerated compliments to men…

It builds their fragile egos.

Men are unable to control their impulses.

Women must be the guardians of morality.

If a woman wears a short skirt and gets assaulted, it’s her fault.

Sex is something a wife must endure for the sake of her husband.

Fortunately, I never fell for any of this antiquated sexist nonsense!

Sorry, Mom, but I don’t believe in playing games.

I was paying attention when you taught me to be honest and to

“Do unto others as I would have them do unto me.”

With respect to this poem’s dubious advice, I quote Mom,

“You might as well laugh as cry!”

Photo by Jason Briscoe from Unsplash

*Cautionary note: Some of the antiquated advice in this poem may appear to work in the short term, but some of it could come back to bite you later! Authentic relationships tend to be based on honesty and mutual respect. How long would you be willing to pretend you are enjoying a food you actually detest? How would you feel if you found out that someone was playing you? Better to be real!


Copyright© 2022 by Cheryl Batavia

❤ Happy Mother’s Day! ❤

Show love to Mothers today and every day! Remember to cherish your mother’s wise advice, but don’t forget to “Think for yourself.” 🙂

Security Guards at the Masquerade Ball

Masquerade Ball. Photo by Michael Cochran on flickr.

Security Guards at the Masquerade Ball

At masked balls, Mack, the guests all look a fright!

Look sharp for party-crashing thieves tonight.

A movie star! We can’t arrest Charlie Chaplain!

Now, Sherlock Holmes has seen us watching him.

It’s hard to tell about the yeti; he smells okay!

There’s Cleopatra, wearing a wig, I’d say.

I’m sure Dracula’s no genuine vampire;

he’s with the Queen of Hearts beside the fire.

King Kong, right there, is getting pretty tipsy.

Look how he’s dancing with that buxom gypsy!

Saint Nicholas may be our man, eh Jack?

Let’s go and see what’s in that great big sack.

He’s pinched some fruit and wine off the buffet.

Ho, ho, ho, Santa! No crime in that, I say!

Masquerade Ball. Photo by Michael Cochran from flickr.

Copyright© 2021 by Cheryl Batavia


This is my attempt at a Halloween Sonnet suggested by Ingrid at experimentsinfiction. Ingrid is sponsoring a Halloween Sonnet Festival. Sonnets are not my forte, but I thought it would be fun to participate. Thank you, Ingrid, for a bit of Halloween fun. 🙂


Thank you to all of those who kindly responded to that test post from WordPress! ❤ It was intended to track down an email of a post that WordPress sent me. The test post was not supposed to be visible. I am sorry for the inconvenience.