Thursday, January 29, 2015

Transforming Thursday/Friday with Nature's Wonders

Hello to everyone in the Imaginary Garden today!

It's Hannah here with beautiful places on this planet for our poetic inspiration - the Lavender Fields of UK and France.

Abbey in France with lavender field-"Sénanque 06" by EmDee - Own work. Licensed under CC 

Bored Panda

Sometimes I like to write with music and a visual backdrop behind a minimized word document.



Lavender has many uses - among them, it's medicinal and used for anti-anxiety purposes.


Single lavendar flower cc "Fir0002/Flagstaffotos".


In history...

The ancient Greeks called the lavender herb nardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda (possibly the modern town of Dohuk, Iraq). It was also commonly called nard.

Lavender was one of the holy herbs used in the biblical Temple to prepare the holy essence, and nard ('nerd' in Hebrew) is mentioned in the Song of Solomon.

So...poetic friends...explore the places and/or the plant and bring back that which enthuses your muse!

A Note:

"The challenges and prompts we offer have parameters in regards to form, theme, subject and/or method. We ask that participants respect the time taken by our individual contributors to research, set up their post and visit the links of all who join in by entering into the spirit of the challenge and following the guidelines laid down. Our purpose is to stretch our abilities as writers, and to experiment with new ways of writing. We also request that a participant provide a link back to the post on Real Toads from their own site. The option of The Tuesday Platform does exist for poets to share a poem of their choice, and a link back is not a prerequisite. 

The moderators reserve the right to remove any inappropriate or unrelated link that is made on Real Toads, at their own discretion."


As a reminder, this challenge will be on the homepage for Thursday and Friday so you have an extra day for creative process...have fun and I look forward to reading your poems! 

21 comments:

Fireblossom said...

I snuck a peek at the queue last night. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Phew! What a welcome relief to see & hear this lavender delight after an hour of printer problems. Thanks, Hannah, for giving us this retreat! Lavender is such a refreshing scent that I have planted a border in the perennial garden at the front of our house. The scent wafts in throughout the summer. A while ago, in my blog, I shared the mention that I even dry a sprig or two by placing in some of my favourite reads. It is a welcome reminder of summer when I find these little gems.:)

Susan said...

I wrote two, but only linked one. They are on dramatically different topics: one on old women and one on Lavender Jane. Thank you, Hannah and toads all. I'll be back to read and enjoy.

Unknown said...

I wrote a poem with some fantasy-like influence mixed with a loving desire. Testing the idea that lavender gives off a pheromone that attracts someone like a perfume would.

Jazzbumpa said...

Ah - lavender.

Cheers!
JzB

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Oh yay, a transforming Friday.....good one, Hannah. I am off to babysit, back later. Will try to do the wonderful photos justice........I so love lavender.

Hannah said...

Hello, Toads and Pond Poem writers, thank you for taking on the challenge - sorry to be absent all day! I'm getting my house ready to take care of my father for a while as he's healing from his two hip replacements surgery...and Monday I had a lil' surgery of my own - four wisdom teeth pulled! Yikes...all is well, I think but far from feeling normal...I will be around to read you all and get back into the swing of things as well. :)'s

Outlawyer said...

Hey Hannah--good luck with your dad and your teeth. Agh. Both sound so difficult. I have been pretty busy of late but enjoyed thinking about this--not sure I got my thoughts down, but it was great to have the distraction of a wonderful prompt to think of. k. http://Manicddaily.wordpress.com

brudberg said...

Hannah, lovely fields.. I can feel the smell in the air, so well. Somehow this made me think of a dreamy state of those lavender sachets entering my dreams.

cath said...

Superbe post !

Unknown said...

Thank you, Hannah! Haven't participated in one of these for months. Feels good!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Kids, I am getting ready to hop a bus and head for the wild shores of Tofino so I dont have time right now to write to this wonderful prompt. But I want to - Hannah, I may write it while I;m gone but will not have computer access till I get back Sunday........anyone I dont visit before I leave I will catch up with on return...have a great weekend everyone. I know I will, LOL!!!!!

Marian said...

This prompt is gorgeous, Hannah. I'm working on something but I probably won't finish until later tonight or tomorrow. Love it, thank you.

Susie Clevenger said...

Such a wonderful challenge Hannah

Hannah said...

Thank you, all for your poems and thoughts here...I've enjoyed reading you all and I look forward to the poems as they flow in...I will keep the light on in the garden and check back for you! Warm smiles.

Marian said...

Late entry... I'll catch up on reading all of these later this weekend. Hello everyone!

Anonymous said...

We visited a field in the United States, so not exactly the France or the UK, but lavender, just the same.

Breathtaking said...

Beautiful photos of the Lavender fields, breathtaking 2 photo!

Jennifer Wagner said...

Lovely, inspiring photos. Thanks, Hannah!

lynn__ said...

I'm late to the lavender fields but glad I came. Hope it's okay to use the gorgeous photo?! I learned something about lavender (and quaterns). Thanks, will try to read everyone today/tomorrow...

Grandmother Mary said...

Late but loving this challenge.