Tag: Nature

The Riverbank of Moälven

Esther’s writing prompt: July 8th : Bank

Click here or here  to join in.

An aerial photo of a river winding through a forest. There is some snow on one of the riverbanks.
Photo of Moälven river/ Photo taken in November 2005. Babiarne, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

A riverbank is the sloping terrain that directly borders the river. It separates the flowing water from the surrounding land and helps maintain the river’s path. I grew up nearby a river in northern Sweden called Moälven. Moälven is a small river, 140 kilometers, or 87 miles long. Moälven goes through Bredbyn, Själevad and Örnksöldsvik and it ends in Örnsköldsviksfjärden, a bay, or a fjord, in the High Coast region of northern Sweden. See the map below.

A beige and brown map showing the path of Moälven in blue.
This map shows the path of Moälven. That is the blue thin winding line. The dark areas depict mountains. Moralist, CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons.

Moälven was used for timber floating in the past. Forestry and logging used to be a big business in the region where I grew up, and it still is. However, timber is usually not transported via timber floating now a day. Moälven features a lot of wildlife, including fish, birds, and beavers. Moälven was a stronghold of the Eurasian beaver already 50 years ago as it was recovering in Europe from near extinction. You could sometimes see foxes and moose in the forest surrounding the river and you could pick blueberries, raspberries and other berries in the forest.

In addition to living nearby the river, we also used to have a summer cabin that was located not far from the river. For these reasons I spent a lot of my childhood and youth on the banks of Moälven river. I used to jump into the river from the riverbank, I sat or stood on the riverbank as I was fishing, and we docked our small boats by the riverbank, tying them to a tree with a rope. There were also bicycle paths next to the river.

The map shows Moälven and a red arrow pointing out the location for our summer cabin.
A Google Maps close up of where our summer cabin was.

Some of the riverbanks were sandy, a result of the river being so winding and this caused the riverbank to flatten out were the stream was slow. So, there were several small sand beaches along the river that people rarely visited. That way you could have your private beach.

I should explain that in Swedish the word “flod” means a big river like “fleuve” in French. The Swedish word “älv” means a medium sized river or smaller river like “rivière” in French. The Swedish word “å” means a small river, stream, or creek.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

What is your experience with riverbanks?

Blog Post 300 and Sun Haiku

This is my 300th blog post for this blog and today I am reviewing and promoting a very good book on poetry, Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine by Dawn Pisturino. I bought the paperback version from US Amazon. I should mention that the focus of my blog is Leonberger dogs, but I also blog about other things.

  • Paperback –  Publisher Horse Mesa Press (November 30, 2024), ASIN : B0DPDL87CJ, ISBN-13 : 979-8991244749, 74 pages, Item Weight : 5.8 ounces, Dimensions : 6 x 0.17 x 9 inches, it cost  $6.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle –  Publisher Horse Mesa Press (November 29, 2024), ASIN : B0DPCV65KT, 65 pages, it costs $3.99 on US Amazon but is free with Kindle Unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover is blue with a big bright illustration of the sun plus author and title.
Front cover of Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine by Dawn Pisturino. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version book.

Amazon’s Description of Sun Haiku

This collection of traditional and non-traditional haiku is dedicated to the sun and its effects on people, animals, and the environment. Many ancient cultures worshipped the sun as the giver and sustainer of life. As the center of our solar system, life on Earth depends on the sun to grow and thrive. Of course, like anything else, too much of a good thing can have negative consequences: skin cancer, drought, cataracts, shriveled up crops, and more. That’s why we do what we can to protect ourselves while taking advantage of the sun’s positive energy. Come join me in honoring the most important body in our solar system!

To see my Review of Sun Haiku on Amazon Click Here

The Sun Gives Us Life and Death. Poems for the Mind and Spirit

Sun Haiku is a delightful poetry book featuring 365 Haiku poems about the sun, followed by a few leap year poems, two short stories, and two longer bonus poems. The poems cover a lot of sun related topics. The poems tell us that the sun gives us warmth, light, colors, beauty, sustenance, birds and flowers, uplifting freedom, it heals the mind and spirit, but it can also burn us, give us cancer, and cause draught. Be careful. The poems elaborate on the midnight sun, the solar system, and the death of the sun and the white dwarf star that it will become.

The poems are imaginative, original, clever, captivating, and a lot of fun to read. The stories were also imaginative, original and intriguing. I think my favorite poem was the bonus poem at the end called summer heat. I think it was the longest poem in the book stretching one and half pages. The words and the verses were full of life and evoked beautiful, dreamy visions of nature and sunshine. The author dedicated her book to her brother, a man who loved the outdoors but died from skin cancer. This background added an emotive aspect to her sun poems. I highly recommend this beautiful book of poems.

Other Books by Dawn Pisturino

I’ve posted about a few of Dawn Pisturino’s books.

The back cover is black and feature an overview of the book and a photo of the author.
Back cover of Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine by Dawn Pisturino. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle version book.

About Dawn Pisturino

Photo of Dawn Pisturino author of Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine

Dawn Pisturino’s international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her debut poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, earned five-star reviews and ranked #60 on the Amazon Best Seller list for Haiku & Japanese Poetry. Her short chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories.

Haiku for the Midnight Hour, her third book, achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in three categories. Her fourth book, Sun Haiku: 365 Days of Sunshine, climbed to #1 Amazon New Release in Japanese Poetry & Haiku. She is a member of several author organizations.

Spooky Fun Poetry

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. This time I would like to promote Haiku for the Midnight Hour by Dawn Pisturino. This is a wonderful book featuring spooky poetry. I bought the paperback version from Amazon for $5.99 .

  • Paperback –  Published September 1, 2024, by Horse Mesa Press, ASIN : B0DFW6CQ7S, ISBN-13 : 979-8991244718, 64 pages, Item Weight : 5.3 ounces, Dimensions : 6 x 0.15 x 9 inches, it cost  $5.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle –  Published August 31, 2024, by Horse Mesa Press, ASIN : B0DD3SBP6N, 64 pages, it costs $2.99 on US Amazon but is free with Kindle Unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover is black and feature a cemetery, a skull, a full moon and a raven.
Front cover of Haiku for the Midnight Hour by Dawn Pisturino. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

This collection of haiku challenges the traditional Japanese poetic art form. Experimenting with darker images and ideas, I have created non-traditional observations that address the other side of literature and life: monsters, ghosts, natural fears, supernatural forces, fearful gods and goddesses, and whatever constitutes the Otherworld. This book was written for people who like Halloween, scary stories, and being alone in the dark.

Click here to see my review on Amazon

Spooky Fun in the form of Poetry

Haiku for the midnight hour feature more than 200 spooky Haiku poems divided into 17 chapters. All poems and chapters feature a different theme. There are poems about scary animals, paranormal beings, folklore, ghosts and demons, monsters, death, outer space, fairy tales, magic, occult practices, and much more. My two favorite chapters were Spellbinding and Wee Folk.

The poems are imaginative, varied, original, different, entertaining and a lot of fun to read, especially if you are into Halloween and all things spooky, like I am. I also learned something about paranormal beings and folklore that I did not know before. Do you know what Dagda, Samhein, Arachne, Nyarlathotep, or Lughnasadh is? I think Halloween and scary stories are about imagination, pushing the limits of reality, and having fun, and that is what this poetry book is about. It is not your typical Haiku poem book. I highly recommend Haiku for the midnight hour.

Other books by Dawn Pisturino

I should add that I was also delighted to find myself mentioned in the authors afterword regarding one of her other books.

The back cover is black and feature an overview of the book and the author.
Back cover of Haiku for the Midnight Hour by Dawn Pisturino. Click on the image to go to the Kindle version for the book.

About the Author

Dawn Pisturino is a retired nurse in Arizona whose international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her first poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, debuted with five-star reviews. Her short chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories.

Her newest release, Haiku for the Midnight Hour, achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in three categories. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, PEN America, and the Arizona Authors Association.

Click here to visit is her website

Click here to visit is her blog

Lunar Gazing Poetry

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. This time I would like to promote Lunar Gazing Haiku by Dawn Pisturino. This is a wonderful short book featuring beautiful poetry. I bought it from Amazon for 99 cents. The publisher is Horse Mesa Press (June 8, 2024), print length is 32 pages, ASIN : B0D6LWR5GL.

The front cover is in gold cover featuring a window with a night sky in background. There are stars and a moon in the night sky.
Front cover of Lunar Gazing Haiku by Dawn Pisturino. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

In Japan, tsukimi (moon gazing) is an annual Harvest Moon Festival celebrated in September. Dating back centuries, when the noble classes composed music and poetry while viewing the full moon, the festival now includes everybody and marks the celebration of the autumn season. Looking for the “rabbit in the moon” while picnicking under the stars, appreciating the moon’s sacred splendor, giving thanks for bounties received, and looking forward to a prosperous future make this a special event. The 62 haiku in this digital chapbook celebrate all seasons and all aspects of life, with the last chapter dedicated to moon gazing. Enjoy the fun.

Click here to see my review on Amazon

Lunar Gazing Haiku is a delightful short book featuring 62 Haikus about the seasons, holidays, nature, love, spirituality, animals and the moon. The book also has an interesting introduction explaining what a Haiku is and the history of Haiku. The Haikus in the book are fun, ponderous, beautiful, often soothing and sometimes they evoked beautiful imagery and memories. Snow Moon brought me back to my childhood and the dark winters in northern Sweden. My favorites were Your Name, Old Age, Dogs, The Beach, Mercury, Words, and Snow Moon. I highly recommend this beautiful little book of poetry.

About the Author

Dawn Pisturino is a retired nurse in Arizona whose international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her poetry has appeared in several anthologies, most recently in Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women, and the 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine. She is a Mystery Writers of America, Arizona Authors Association, and PEN America member.

Her first poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, debuted to positive reviews. Click here to visit is her blog.

Poems and Art on Independent Artist Day

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. This is another one of those. April 3rd is independent artist day, so today is a perfect day to present Square Peg in a Round Hole: Poetry, Art & Creativity by Robbie Cheadle and Michael Cheadle. This is a wonderful book featuring poetry, paintings, photography, fond art, and more. It exists in two formats on Amazon. I bought the paperback version.

  • Paperback –  Published March 22, 2024, ASIN : B0CXMDKV8H, ISBN-13: ISBN-13 : 979-8883610799, 173 pages, Item Weight : 11.7 ounces, Dimensions : 6 x 0.41 x 9 inches, it cost  $30.61on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle –  Published March 22, 2024, ASIN : B0CW1H3SQV, 157 pages, it costs $4.99 on US Amazon, it is free with Kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover feature paintings of a hippo, a lion and a Jaguar. There is also cake art featuring an electric guitar and animals sitting around a table. A photo of Robbie Cheadle is shown on green background.
Front cover of Square Peg in a Round Hole: Poetry, Art & Creativity by Robbie Cheadle & Michael Cheadle. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback.

Amazon’s description of the book

How to stay positive in a negative world!

Square Peg in a Round Hole is a collection of poetry, art, and photography. The section, Life, demonstrates the author’s perceptions of life in a fast-moving world filled with work, ill-health, and other demands. The other sections illustrate how the poet makes use of writing poetry, creating art, and photography to keep smiling.

Below is my Amazon review of Square Peg in a Round Hole. Click here to visit the Amazon review.

Poetry, Art, Photos and Stories about Nature and Life

Square Peg in a Round Hole is a collection of poems, short stories, paintings, nature photographs, artistic photographs, and links to YouTube videos and web sites. The photographs were taken by Robbie Cheadle and the photographer Wayne Barnes. The poems, short stories and illustrations in the first 90% of the book were created by Robbie Cheadle and the poems and short stories in the last 10% of the book were authored by her son Michael Cheadle, a young man with an immense talent. The poems are in the form of haiku, shadorma, tanka, 99-syllable-double-ennead, and freestyle.

The book is divided into sections. The first section, Fauna, feature poems, paintings and photographs of rhinos, lions, hippos, birds and other animals. Next comes Flora, then the Ocean, then Life, featuring darker but poignant poems and images about the anguish and the hardships of life. After that comes War, Death, Power, Sun & Fire, followed by stories and poems about nature, especially birds, and finally Michael’s poetry and short stories.

Robbie is a naturalist with a great insight into African wildlife and nature. In her poems and her art, she showcases her understanding and love for the natural world. This makes her poetry especially beautiful and engaging. I learned a lot about the African wildlife and natural history by reading the poems and by looking at the photos and the art. I think my favorite nature poems were “The story of the desperate salesman” and “Nest Selection”, which beautifully depicted nest building and a male bird’s attempt to attract a mate. I could easily imagine the feelings of the animals depicted in the poems. I think my favorite poetic short story was “The Edge” about a little girl’s dangerous quest for a beautiful flower. And finally, Michael’s dark but poignant poetry is both thought provoking and emotional.

This book has a lot to offer. There’s poetry, photos, art, videos, short stories, information, and facts, and there’s a lot of beauty and wisdom in this book. Reading it was a pleasure. I highly recommend this book.

The back cover feature pink flowers and Amazon’s description.
Square Peg in a Round Hole: Poetry, Art & Creativity by Robbie Cheadle & Michael Cheadle.

About the Author

Photo of Robbie Cheadle one of the authors of Square Peg in a Round Hole.

Award-winning bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fourteen children’s books and two poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The eleven Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/

Click here to visit is her Goodreads page.

Click here to visit her TSL Publications Page.

Click here to visit is her Twitter account.

Click here to visit is her Facebook account.

These are her published books on Amazon.