May Saturday
forsythia petals
on the ground
and ferns grow tall
in the sun
Tag: Wisconsin Blogs
Wisconsin winter
Wisconsin winter
today the calm beauty
I’ve known all my life
classical music
on the radio
We’ve had strong winds, and Lake Michigan waves splashed up into our front yard, tossing some wood that was drifting in the water. We are high enough above the lake, our shoreline was reinforced years ago, and so we are safe. It’s a different scene with the water this high, and no beach.
Karl took this photo on January 11, 2020.

Ellen Grace Olinger
Creative Notes: Turning the Page
Poem, Bible verse, and thoughts from a post in September 2014:
turning the page
of an older book
the age in my hands
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation . . . Psalm 71: 18 (KJV)
I wrote the haiku awhile ago. I’ve always been an “old soul” and always felt my gifts with the language arts would take a long time to begin to grow. When I read verses in the Bible that encouraged me to take the long view, I had no idea blogs would be the answer.
And creative notes today:
I have a few drafts of chapbooks in progress, with my poems from our blogs. And I’ll add photos. Many ways to create, and each book can be different. I am still happy with Quiet Christmas Poetry, from 2014.
As I work through this process, the posts here with dates and any publication credits help a lot. I also save emails and letters from editors and have a few shelves where I keep print journals and books. Grateful to the editors and all readers for their encouragement.
Ellen Grace Olinger

These are two of my favorite photos by Karl from our recent visit to The Sheboygan River at Kiwanis Park. We saw many butterflies.

Roses

Beautiful flowers from Mentink’s Market Piggly Wiggly in Oostburg, Wisconsin.
Photo today
Ellen Grace Olinger
July in Wisconsin and Creative Note

I read in an old chair by an open window and listen to summer sounds. Several books to look at here and there. Soon there will be many daylily and hosta flowers. Peonies are in bloom.
Poems from my archives
many trees
provide shade
for this street
on a varied
route to the
library
I find books
this time that
tell personal stories
and grant some rest
I was looking at new nonfiction books at Mead Public Library in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. When I was browsing, I remembered a haiku.
reading a new book
the fragrance
of fresh paper
As a CREATIVE NOTE, sometimes readers refer back to a short post from August 2016 about Joanne Chase, an artist from Wisconsin. Here is the post and information again.
We enjoy buying greeting cards by Joanne Chase, from Hartland, Wisconsin. Her watercolor designs are beautiful.
This morning I enjoyed seeing many pictures at Chase Greeting Cards.
We often buy her cards at Mentink’s Piggly Wiggly here in Oostburg.
Ellen Grace Olinger
The image is courtesy of wpclipart.