Thank you for joining me today. I hope you are all having a wonderful new week, and I pray this poem brought some more brightness into your day. Pass it along to family and friends to brighten theirs, as well. Joy and love to you, and until next time. . .
Good day, dear ones. I hope you are well and happy. I also hope you enjoy the following fall poem. Read with your family, to your children, grandchildren, or simply allow it to give you a smile.
Fall Fun
Jumping into a pile of leaves Filled to the brim with color, Will bring forth laughter for young and old – I’ll bet you any dollar.
Building a fire on autumn-chilled nights, Toasting spongy confections on sticks, Makes us all warm and cozy inside, As we sip our hot chocolatey mix.
Spreading a picnic on blankets of plaid Under skies of sapphire blue; With a nip in the air and our cheeks all a’rose – I like sharing these moments with you.
Taking the time to have child-like fun In this welcoming fall-time of year, Fills me with tender affectionate joy, And generous warmhearted cheer.
Thank you for visiting Leisure Lane today. I hope you stay for a while and stroll the Lane for more inspiring ideas. I send you love and blessings for every area of your life, and until next time. . .
My Elsie’s Rose Water Scones, which are featured in my book, “River Runs Deep: a love story”, are one of my most viewed posts. Since we’re in autumn, I’d like to give you an autumn/winter rendition to enjoy with friends and family. Cranberry Scones! I hope you try them!
If you’d like to make these easy and delicious scones, here’s the cranberry rendition of Elsie’s Rose Water Scones.
Cranberry Scones Makes 8
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour Pinch of salt ½ Tblsp baking powder ¼ cup granulated sugar 4 Tblsp cold butter, cut in chunks 1/3 cup milk 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained. 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Directions: Preheat oven to 425 F
*In a medium size bowl add flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar and mix well. *Add butter and blend with a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. *Add vanilla extract to milk and pour liquid into dry mixture. Stir gently a few strokes with a spoon, add cranberries (and nuts if desired) and continue to gently stir until blended and dough forms. The fewer strokes the better. *Knead gently 2 or 3 times to form a solid ball. Use a little flour if dough seems sticky. *Place dough on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper lined cookie sheet and use fingers to pat into a circular shape 1- inch thick. Cut circle into 8 wedges and slightly separate leaving some space between the wedges.
*Bake for 12-15 minutes until they begin to lightly brown.
*Ice or drizzle with glaze.
Recipe may be doubled, if desired.
Glaze Ingredients:
*1/8 cup of confectioner’s sugar *1 tsp. vanilla extract (or any flavor you desire to compliment cranberries *¼ tsp. vanilla extract *1 tsp water or enough make a nice drizzle or smooth glaze.
Directions:
Place sugar into a small bowl. Add extract and water. Stir until glaze is a loose consistency. You may add more water to get the proper consistency. May be drizzled onto scones or spread on top of scones to thinly cover tops.
Enjoy with hot tea or coffee and a friend!
Note: Scones are best used the day they’re made. But, I promise, you will not have any left over. If you do have any left over, you may store them in an airtight container for one more day.
Here’s a tip: When the fresh organic cranberries arrive in the grocery stores, I pick up a few bags and freeze them. Then I have some on hand for scones, muffins, or delicious homemade cranberry sauce (sweetened with maple syrup) on hand throughout the year. If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think.
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Until next time…
Good day, visitors! Welcome to Leisure Lane. I hope you are enjoying a relaxing and joyous weekend…in-between chores, that is ;).
I’ve been gratitude journaling since 2012 and sometimes add a bit of whimsy, in poetry or pictures. So, I’d like to share a bit of that whimsy with you. I hope you enjoy it and it inspires you to find or create a little whimsy in your life today and everyday.
A Flower
A flower’s always singing as it lifts its head up high. The ground it doesn’t notice ’cause it always sees the sky. It never thinks of yesterday; tomorrow it can’t say. It only knows that God is with her on this very day.
Thank you for your presence today. Please let me know in the comments what whimsy you have come upon in your day. If you like the poetry I’ve been sharing with you, I’d love to hear.
Good day, friends. Welcome to Leisure Lane. I hope you’re all doing well. Enjoy the following poem. I hope your autumn is proving to be all it promised.
Autumn Spirits
Come autumn spirits, dance and twirl Causing the wind to make colored leaves swirl, As they fall from the trees, gently touching the ground, And blanket the earth with barely a sound.
Make billowy clouds glide through the sky, As sweet autumn scents cause my heart to soar high, Bringing to mind of past joys, most dear; If I close my eyes, I can sense them so near.
Come autumn spirits, there’s no time to lose; The season won’t wait for a slumbering muse, For the older I get, time quickens its pace, So, come autumn spirits, with sweet autumn’s grace.
Marianne Coyne November 11, 2024
The beginning of this poem came to me about 12 a.m., as I imagined the autumn winds blowing in and finally bringing in the change of season. The rest of it was inspired in the morning when I was in the park enjoying the cooler breezes coming from the northwest.
Thank you for strolling by today. Until next time. . .
Remember those tight friendships you carried through the years, and you thought nothing could separate you?… until life got in the way. In this delightful Christmas novella, see how one such group of friends find their way back to each other and help create a miracle in the interim. This story has been enjoyed by both men and women alike.
With only three weeks ‘till Christmas and feeling the tugs of nostalgia, Emma Perrillo ponders her once tightly knit group of friends. With a tug at her heart and the hope of what could be restored, Emma embarks on a journey of love that will raise many questions. Will her friends find their way back and help a little boy’s childhood have a second chance? Can all things work together for good? Armed with only hope and a collection of Christmas Pins, will the disbanded women be witness to the fruition of dreams come true before Christmas? Can God take a mustard seed in a small, ordinary town like their beloved Evergreen, and create big, extraordinary things? A heartwarming story of hope, faith, and love.
The holidays seem to rush upon us, mostly because of marketing, but also because of the pressure we put on ourselves. This book promises to give a lot of story, full of inspiration and joy, without taking up too much of your busy schedule. It’s a perfect way to take a few moments before the holidays to relax with your favorite “cuppa” and breathe some renewed wonder and Christmas spirit into your life. And, who knows, it might inspire you to start your own Christmas Pin Society ;).
Thanks for coming by today – be inspired – there’s something in you worth giving to others! I love you and wish the best for you. Remember to ThinkBIG, like the God who made you! And, until next time…
I wrote this on awakening one morning where just for a very brief moment, I felt connected to all things. It was an amazing spiritual feeling and experience. Thanks for letting me share. I hope it inspired you. Poetry can be food for the soul. Let me know in the comments what poetry adds to your life, and until next time…
Good day, friends, and welcome to Leisure Lane. These last two years, I’ve been writing short poems in my nightly gratitude journal. I’d like to share one with you today, in hopes it will touch you in gentle and inspiring ways.
I Stay With My Heart
I stay with my heart when it feels all alone. I stay with my heart ’till that feeling is gone. I tell it I love it; I tell it I care. I remind, it ever gently, of the love it can share. And lo and behold, it returns a sweet smile; But, I knew in my soul it was there all the while.
There are times when you can feel alone for various reasons. Perhaps, at these times, you try calling friends, but none are available. I know that’s happened to me on more than one occasion. Friends and family may be at work or out and about and just can’t or don’t answer our call. It’s these times that we realize the only one available to us is ourselves and the spirit that dwells in us. These are actually perfect moments, even if we don’t see them as such, to give ourselves the love and understanding we need. Speaking good things over ourselves, remembering all the wonderful things for which we are grateful can do wonders for the soul and lift some of that momentary loneliness. We could be surprised how our hearts can respond to such gentleness and love.
So, next time you are feeling lonely, don’t walk away from your heart in the attitude of self-pity or chastisement, but rather remind your heart how beautiful she is; thank her for all she’s done for you throughout the years and how much you appreciate her. Remind her that she has so much love to give. She will respond with a quiet, certain kind of joy.
I hope this inspired you today, and if you had been feeling lonely, you now have a renewed reminder of how much love you really are.
I hope you stroll around the lane for more inspiration. Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of my heart with yours, and until next time…
In honor of all Veterans. . .Thank you for my freedom! God bless you and your family.
The Veteran’s Cap by Marianne Coyne
I like to walk on cool days when the sun is shining on my face. It makes me feel warm and alive. Sometimes I walk into town. Everyone’s in such a rush to get where they’re going. Sometimes I wonder if they see me…really see me. Or am I just another blurred face in the crowd. Do they notice me at all?
Sometimes I wear my Veteran’s cap and someone will greet me with that special kind of smile, or thank me for my service and reach out to shake my hand or pat me on the back. It’s usually the older folks. I ask myself, “Is this why I wear the cap?” Sometimes I think it is. Or maybe I wear it for my war buddy, Bill, who was running next to me when they shot him between the eyes. Or maybe I wear it for Kevin who came in as a new medic, but never made it to the front line. Man, that day, no medic could help him. Maybe it’s for Adam, who now lives his life in a wheelchair, staring out the window thinking of what could have been, as he watches his children play in the yard. I don’t know anymore.
School buses and automobiles whiz by transporting unfamiliar faces. I wonder if they know what I’ve been through. Every night I pray they could understand. The sun is still warm on my face and the cool breeze balances the warmth so that what I’m feeling now is – comfort. God, back in those days I never thought I’d ever be able to think, let alone say that word again.
I stop at a corner and wait for the light to turn green. An elderly man comes from behind me. He stands a little to my right. I can hear his labored breath. I turn toward him and notice a familiar cap. It reads ‘Veteran’. He knows…he knows.
“Are you alright?” I ask. “Here, sit for a while,” and I lead him to a little bench outside of a coffee shop. I gently help him to sit.
“I’ll be alright, son,” he replies through heavy breaths.
I go inside the shop and bring out a cup of cold water for him and a coffee for me. We sit together for a while. He came home safely from the Korean War, married his high school sweetheart, and had 3 children. After 45 years his wife passed away, and his children are dispersed throughout the country. He made it alright on his own for quite some time, but now his health is beginning to wane. He walks every week to the clinic because he can’t drive due to failing eyesight, and the bus doesn’t stop near where he lives. He’ll be going to live with his daughter, but that won’t be for another two months.
We continue on our journey, and I walk the rest of the way with him to make sure he arrives safely. I help him up two flights of stairs to the modest, little apartment he calls “home”.
“Look, what about if I pick you up next week, and drive you to the clinic,” I say. There’s a pause, then he looks at me with tearing eyes.
“You’d do that for me, son?” he asks surprised. “Sure! We veterans have to stick together, right?” “Can we have some ice cream after my appointment?” he asks.
I smile. “You got it!”
I made it back to the land of the free – free to show kindness, free to help a buddy in despair, free to still serve my country. I don’t know why he trusted me – a stranger. Maybe it was the comradely cap. Maybe that’s why I wear it. Yeah!
Thank you for strolling by Leisure Lane today. I hope this short prose story inspired you to remember, respect, and honor those who have given up so much for us to be free. God bless you all, and until next time…
I would like to share why I create: why I write; why I paint; why I open my heart to share the songs in my soul. I create for a couple of reasons. First, because it’s in me to do so. I create for my own soul’s joy, happiness, and expression. The product of inspiration is meant to be expressed. Second, I create because it is my desire to inspire, help, and encourage others. I truly believe, with all of my heart, that my stories and all I create can and will affect and change someone’s life in a profound and profitable way. Many times I create something as a gift for someone in order to brighten their day or a corner of their life…a little bit of me to them – one soul to another for joyous connection.
Do I like and desire to make money from what I create? Of course I do! Why not? I’m not ashamed of that. Money enables me to pay my bills, eat good foods, provide a roof over my head, and overall, live more comfortably; but, it also allows me to be a blessing to another who is having a momentary need. Money is a symbol of freedom that enables us to be ALL we desire to be. So, in a nutshell, that’s why I create, whether it’s a book, a painting, a greeting card, or simply a smile to let another know that their presence on this earth is acknowledged and appreciated. I hope this inspires you to create, as well, in whatever form or gifts God has given you.
"You're such a goddess" is their fave phrase - and of course it's so true! Comics that will help you laugh at life.
New! All the Day Long: nursery rhymes for today
For Mothers-to-be, for Mothers-who-are, for Mothers-near and Mothers-far. Sweet and fun nursery rhymes with vintage images. Enjoy for generations to come.
NEW! HALLOWEEN Collection: The Cook in the Nook
Includes Little Jack's Big Purpose and The Midnight Monster.
It’s HALLOWEEN on Amazon Kindle
It’s a little pumpkin lantern’s first Halloween, and he’s got a big job to do. But when things aren’t turning out the way he expected, feelings of failure enter into Little Jack’s heart. Can Little Jack’s zest be renewed? Perhaps the stars have some wisdom for him…perhaps they have some wisdom for all of us. Find out in Little Jack’s Big Purpose.
Nine-year-old Ben and his twin sister Jen have an eerie mystery on their hands. This is the third night they have been lured from their beds by a hideous bellowing that seems to start at midnight, only to abruptly stop after a while. Their futile efforts to solve the noisy mystery leave them tired, but not discouraged, Ben and Jen, with combined determination and bravery, set out the third night committed to finding the monster. See where their efforts lead them and the surprising turn of events they find there?
Leisure Lane JIGSAW PUZZLES on CJP Market Place
Leisure Lane's beautiful photos and artwork now available as Jigsaw Puzzles
Order on Amazon Kindle
Artist, Catherine Donahue's frazzled life seems to just keep getting worse until she acquires a commission to paint the cover of an author's new historical romance novel, drawing her deeper into the nostalgic emotions she's been recently experiencing toward a past love. Will this new adventure keep her stuck in the past, or will it be a second chance at love?
The town of Evergreen needs a miracle. Can mustard seed faith create that miracle and more before Christmas? A Novella
Arranged marriages, broken hearts, healed lives. A Novella
Short Stories and Fairy Tales on Amazon Kindle
Lijuan was born to dance. But when a curse befalls her, will she conquer, or be under its spell forever? A short story of passion, courage, and love.
What happens when GOSSIP goes bad? See how a clever priest and a dash of divine help handles a woman's insidious habit.
Will the faith of a little Chistmas stocking overcome his annual feeling of emptiness? Start a family tradition with this sweet Christmas tale.
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