I’m so excited! I’ve been invited to present a poetry piece at the Lakeland Cultural Arts Center! On stage! Joining my longtime pals from First Friday Poetry Night, we’ll be reunited on Friday-that’s the Fourth Friday-of January – the 26th from 6 to 8 pm. Littleton (NC), home of LCAC, has changed in the last several of years since I’ve moved from Warren County to Virginia. All for the better. I’m also excited to see all my poetry loving writers, readers and listeners. Sometimes I don’t know how much I miss certain friends until I am about to be with them again. How funny that is, not in laughter, in curiosity.
Lakeland Arts has also been updated, refreshed, renewed, etc. In addition to plays, they offer a wide range of live entertainment; some shows are already sold out. It’s an impressive line-up. I am eager to see the new LCAC since I often enjoyed the Lakeland of years ago. Live plays are so superior, in these days of our entertainments coming from home screens.
Now, what am I going to wear? Which poem? Excuse me, it’s time to spray my throat and walk around the apartment and practice my ah-h-h-h-s!
Blog
Finally, I’m Back!
Finally, I’m back! It’s been over a year since I’ve been able to write a blog regularly. Golly, I have missed y’all. The last 18 months has seen me move 3 times! It’s been hectic, first selling my house (Removing the weight of heavy responsibility from my shoulders. Whew.) Next to a temporary apartment while I waited for my senior apartment. Reducing my load of moveable treasures each time. Gone are hundreds of books lining my home office. I’ve parted with many favorites that I thought wouldn’t be missed but are. How does that happen? It’s like needing the very thing I gave away, the very day after I gave it. Murphy’s Law or something like that.
Now that I am truly settled in, I’m missing some of the things I’ve left behind and would have had room for, after all. Oh, well. All the chaos was worth it, as I love where I live, apartment living (very different from home ownership) and even my neighbors. The team that manages the complex is super and there is a lot of good to be said about that. So, I arrive to this last chapter of life, looking forward to more time to do what I want to do, without outside responsibilities. Aging does have its benefits!
My website is also freshened up. Please check it out. Comments are always welcome. Expect to hear from me once a week about books, writing and whatever life pops up in front of me. I’m happy to hear from you.
Year’s End©
Year’s End
by arlene s bice
Tis often sad as a time period nears end
for it is over, done unchangeable
the year has been recorded
calendars with dates marked, closed
but it isn’t sad for me this day
in its place, excitement reigns
a year ahead already filled with plans
calendar opened, freshly inked
thrills, challenges emerge
opens new doors of wonder
‘23 is washed clean, a closed space
no longer a place to make a mark
‘24 anticipates the ink, the pen
paper riffles as fresh ideas raise passions
as they blow through the brightened room.
Winding Up Winding Down
Is it a little late in the year to be introducing even more exciting news? But amid the bright gift wrappings, ribbons and jingle bells is another something new! Recently released is Rumors and Other Short Stories and it opens new avenues! My schedule was delayed a bit, but my new baby is onboard! Dipping my toe into the waters of fiction and non-fiction short stories has been an adventure I hope you will enjoy. With too many readers having less time to read long novels, I thought short stories would ring a bell and still satisfy the thirst for a good story.
In wanting my granddaughters to know some of their heritage, my research showed that we have an ancestor that came over on the Mayflower. Twelve year old Samual Fuller. Perfect to keep my youngest granddaughter Rachel interested in reading. At least that was the goal! But there are fictional stories from out-of-the-way events that happen to people in everyday living, too. Some stories to make you think, some to make you smile and some to take you to other places.
The comment about the Mayflower and ancestors? Coming up soon – an anthology about your ancestors and mine. Be on the lookout for the opportunity to write about an ancestor of yours and have it published for all to enjoy. Happy Holiday!
Excitement is in the Air!
This great time of year when the air is crisp, the leaves dressed in brilliant colors, and we’re birthing a new baby! Conversations with My Younger Self. Dee Stribling, Lisa Baron and I have collaborated for the last couple years to publish a book, we all agreed, that we could have used in our younger years. Guidance, advice and stories in essay form.
We each have many more years behind us than in front of us. You know, living to reach a crone’s age is plenty of time to collect unique experiences. After several interviews with women also of a certain age, from varied backgrounds and experiences in life, we wrote our stories that reflected their strong guidance. We extend our hands out to women of all ages and paths to read about our experiences and reflect upon what we share.
A few titles for a taste: Is My Hair a Mess? I Love Going to Work! Put Up or Hush Up! Castle it Up! Simmer and Sizzle Writerly Self Advice from the Kid Walk the Pain Does Worry Help?
Lisa Baron Ph.D, LCSW is an experienced Clinical Social Worker, Psychotherapist, Writer, and Teacher.
Dee Stribling Ph.D. is a former Poet Laureate of Hillsborough (NC) and a two-time winning Poet of the Sundress Academy for the Arts
Arlene S. Bice is the author of a dozen non-fiction books, recipient of the Second Annual Oakley Hall Literary Award and an award-winning artist.
Bears and Bikes and a Whole Year Passed
Bears and Bikes and a Whole Year Passed
Wow! I’ve missed being in touch with y’all this past year. What a year it has been! I’ve moved, twice and I’ve not had a car for five months of that year. Now I am settled into my senior apartment that I absolutely adore. All the apartments are on ground level with a parking space ten feet away. We’re surrounded by forest, a gorgeous forest of all the autumn colors right now making for wonderful walks. Yet, I’m five minutes from the center of Farmville. My roomy apartment is high on the list of thankful things.
It’s been 44 years since I’ve lived in an apartment. All the weight of owning a house and maintaining it on my own, is gone. Thank goodness. I don’t have to struggle to pay $250 to Bagley Plumbing, South Hill VA for unclogging my kitchen sink (that fee took my breath away) ever again. If I have a problem, I’ll call maintenance. The grass looks beautiful, cut when needed and I didn’t have to push the mower to do it! Such pleasure. I, and my next door neighbors, all had flowers and veggies growing on our porches till summer ended.
I even interacted with the wildlife. A bear and her cub. Well, kinda. It was early spring while I headed out for my walk. Movement over to the right, next to the dumpster, caught my eye. OMG! Ten feet away! I gasped, but I was prepared. I lifted my brand-new whistle and blew! Just as I had been directed to do. A tiny tweet came out. I could barely hear it myself, let alone the bear. Mama bear looked up at me with an expression of “Tweet. That’s it? Tweet?” Then she just moseyed on up the road looking for a better source of food. I returned home postponing my walking hour til later in the day when wildlife is napping.
Enough of that. I’m nearly finished reading Turning Centuries by Ken Youngblood. Great memoir of his touring from the east coast to the west, making side trips along the way. Did I mention this was on a bicycle? Yep. It gave him time to reflect, remember, meet new people and have exciting experiences along the way. The title refers to riding for a hundred miles. I highly recommend it. The reading of it. But, who knows? Maybe I’ll buy a bicycle next.
More Christmases Remembered
From: Fraser Firs, Palm Trees & Spanish Moss
A Christmas Carol – a Maggie Chalifoux story
At a gathering of friends I overheard some people talking about a writing group. There was a new woman in the group and she was a writer. Her name was Reds. She had very red hair and a long ringlet on one side. She was willing to work with us, to help us to develop our writing skills. I jumped right in saying I wanted to be part of that.
We began meeting every other week at Ellie’s house in Warren County, North Carolina, which she called “The Gathering Place”. To celebrate the Christmas season, we went to Red’s instead for a writing session, and then on to Warrenton, North Carolina for lunch. She lived closer to our destination. One of our group was such a clown. She had made little round tags about two inches in diameter for each of us. They had a big red L in the middle and a black circle on the outer edge, and a black line across the L, meaning NO. This was like a sign that might say “no pets” for instance. It took some coaxing but finally we pinned these little tags to our sweaters and off we went.
We shopped at the Scarlet Rooster, delighting in all the treasures that the owner, Todd Smith, had gathered for his shop. After a bit, Todd said, “I’m not sure I should ask but what do the tags mean?” With some laughter we all gathered together and burst into song “Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!” That was enough singing. I felt totally ridiculous. But it was fun.
We moved on to the Hardware Café for lunch. Halfway through our lunch a young policeman came in. He kept glancing our way and it was obvious he was curious. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. “I’m sorry to interrupt but I just have to know. What do those tags mean?” We looked at each other grinning and chuckling. Someone said
“Ready?” On cue we sang “Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel!”
The policeman laughed with us, shaking his head as he walked away. It was very silly but a memorable and fun time, one not likely to ever be repeated.
Christmases Remembered
from Fraser Firs, Palm Trees & Spanish Moss anthology
One of Arlene Benden Eno’s stories
Joyous Christmas 1966
I could not be happier! We were driving away from New London. I never wanted to see this place again. It was so cold! Everyone there was cold and uncaring. At least that was how I felt while I lived there. We were on our way to a new life, starting over without interference from a mother-in-law who I did not like me and never would.
Dave was now back in the Navy he dearly loved! He was assigned to a ship at Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach. We found a summer cottage to rent at Chick’s Beach. The summer was over, and rent was extremely reasonable. We could stay there while we waited to get into Navy housing.
I believe this was one of my happiest times of my life. I felt free! No more criticism and ridicule! I could raise our 2 boys David and Scott, the way I wanted without unwanted, unwarranted advice.
We settled in to this little, warm home. It was one bedroom, a small living room, tiny kitchen and one bath. There was a huge walk-in closet where we put a cot for the boys to sleep in. We even managed to cook Thanksgiving dinner in our efficiency kitchen. I was loving life.
How we managed to put up a Christmas tree was beyond me, but we did! Christmas day was a duty day for Dave, and he had to stay on the ship. We had Christmas dinner on the ship with him and celebrated our own little Christmas the next day.
We decided the boys needed a dog and we found one at the SPCA and named him Skipper. Scott was only fourteen months old at the time and could not pronounce the puppy’s name and called him Bickey! Hence his name became Bickey.
I so loved my little family but had a wild desire to have my little girl and you guessed it, I became pregnant again. There was never a doubt in my mind it was a girl.
Little did I know that little girl would someday become my best friend in the world.
Ten Things of Thankful 21 oct 2022
- Have i mentioned that I am so thankful to have my Soul Tribe in my life. They has been my sage, crone, my go-to persons for answers, reassurance, wisdom, love, guidance, and I could go on.
- For my GPS that easily leads me to wherever, now that I am mastering the way of it.
- Tachyon pad that has dissolved me of pain and the arthritis in my right hand and arm, woken up by carrying too many, too heavy bags of books when moving in. It took about 3 weeks of daily attention.
- My writing has slipped back into my life and glides along.
- Pizza and whoever invented it, altered it, added to it, etc. though on occasion I long for the tomato pie of my youth.
- PJs. I’ve never worn PJs, always a nightgown and now I have PJs that are loungewear. Yay!
- The humidity of summer is gone….for now.
- Love this crisp, chilled weather.
- The colorful leaves of autumn that bring beauty to the landscape.
10. The help I received from Family Pharmacy, Farmville that helped me to finally get my heart meds subscription transferred.
A FEW DEFINITIONS
APPARITION Visible form of a ghost.
CHANNELER Channeling is the process of receiving and relaying information from an outside entity while in an altered state of consciousness.
CLAIRAUDIENCE Psychic ability to hear voices and other auditory phenomena.
CLAIRAUDIENT Also Supranormal, hearing/receiving messages from those passed over.
CLAIRVOYANCE Knowledge accessed without the use of physical senses.
COWRIE SHELLS Porcelain-like sea snail shells considered having mystical powers..
EMF Electronic magnetic frequencies that detect disruptions in the area.
ESP Extra-sensory perception, beyond physical senses.
EVP Electronic voice phenomena.
GHOST HUNTER A person investigates ghostly activity usually with electronic equipment.
HOT SPOT An area within a haunted place that contains high activity.
K-II Reports
EMF Measurements in ranges.
MEDIUM One who communicates with entities in the spirit world.
ORBS Spheres caught by camera that show entities left behind.
PASSED AWAY Used in place of died because the spirit, or soul, doesn’t die.
PLANCHETTE A device used to receive messages from a spirit.
PRECOGNITION Foresight; intuition.
PHENOMENA Events that contradict physical laws..
PSYCHOKINESIS Ability to move an object by thinking about it.
SMUDGING An age-old tribal tradition used to create cleansing, harmony, and peace
SYNCHRONICITY Meaningful, seemingly coincidental events that are life-altering.
TAROT CARDS Used as playing cards in 1400s Italy; identified as Egyptian “Book of Thoth”
TELEPATHY Picking up another person’s thoughts.
VEIL A layer of skin over the face at birth; indicates psychic perception.