We returned from Scotland last Sunday after two weeks of being abroad in this gorgeous country. It was a great trip with a lot of walking, hiking, and sightseeing, visiting Fort William, the Isle of Skye, Inverness, and Edinburgh. I hope to write more about it soon. I did accomplish a Medium.com article earlier this week, and I’ll post a link to that at the end.
Now for some poetry news…
I made a YouTube Video promoting the anthology I published last spring (2024). Several of the book’s poet-photographers agreed to allow me to read their poems. I put the video on the SCBWI’s Book Stop Page that opened on the 22nd, earlier this week.
However, my video is not playing. It plays on Facebook and on YouTube, but not on the page I bought to advertise the book. I’ve tried everything I can think of to get it to play, including re-uploading it, but to no avail. Yesterday, I placed a note for help in the SCWBI queue and was told that they’ll look into it.
In the meantime, I thought I’d put the video here. Thanks to those who allowed me to read their work!
Despite all this, I encourage you to stop by the SCWBI Book Stop Pages. Picture Perfect Poetry is listed as a Middle Grade Book – they did not offer any special categories for poetry. There are many other books described and shown. Here is the link: https://www.scbwi.org/bookstop
My husband and I resumed our walks in the woods with our dog, Molly. And while doing so, I found a log that inspired the following haiku.
Ring around the log
Life from a dank, dark tunnel
Fruiting mushroom spores
© Draft, Carol Labuzzetta, 2025
That’s all for now. My textbook chapter is still under peer review, or so I am assuming there has not been a lot of communication. I completed the chapter I was assigned to peer review by the deadline and turned it in on September 28th. I’ve become ambivalent and complacent about it due to the process.
Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Patricia Franz at her blog Reverie. Please stop by for more Poetry goodness. I hope you can find some goodness this week! Turn to nature if you are having difficulty in these troubling times. Thanks!
The Apples in My Orchard 
Brava on your video, Carol! I hope it finds its way to avid poetry readers and teachers. I LOVE that log photo. Reminds me of a child draping their mother’s beads for dress up play. 🙂
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Love the video, Carol! Sorry that you’re having difficulties on one platform. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book, so it was fun to hear you read several of the poems! : )
It always brings me joy to hear about your world-wide travels and see your breathtaking photos.
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hope they can fix it. Unfortunately, I’m not too hopeful now. We’ll see! I’m glad you enjoy my travel photos too! I get a lot of inspiration from travel.
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Love the video, Carol! Sorry that you’re having difficulties on one platform. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book, so it was fun to hear you read several of the poems! : )
It always brings me joy to hear about your world-wide travels and see your breathtaking photos.
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Love the video, Carol! Sorry that you’re having difficulties on one platform. It’s been a while since I’ve read the book, so it was fun to hear you read several of the poems! : )
It always brings me joy to hear about your world-wide travels and see your breathtaking photos.
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Oh, I’ve always dreamed of going to Scotland! We thought about it once, years ago, but it didn’t end up working out, so we went to the Maritimes instead – Nova Scotia had to suffice. 😉
Technology is such a headache! Sorry to hear its been giving you such a pain!
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Scotland! Yay! I just got a photo book that I made in Snapfish about our trip there at the end of August. I’m glad you had a good trip. A fabulous country to explore! I’m impressed that you did the BookStop on SCBWI. I got the email but didn’t get anything put together. Your video is a good taste of the poetry in your anthology.
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I LOVE Scotland!!! 🙂
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Sounds like you enjoyed Scotland very much! Hope you are able to get the tech problems worked out.
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What a stunning photo at the top of your post. I’m trying not to be too jealous. I’d love a trip to Scotland. I recently listened to a book about people interned there during WWII. It’s a sad chapter in UK History with an interesting twist for artists. Oh, those fruited mushroom spores. Aren’t they lucky with that log? Wonderful!
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Welcome home! I want visit about your trip to Scotland. I love the photo and poem of the fungus garden.
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I can’t wait to hear more about your trip to Scotland! We hiked the Outer Hebrides, and now need to go back for all the rest of it!
Love that ring of mushrooms on the log — a poem waiting to be written!
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Carol, glad you are back safely from your great and wet trip. I enjoyed watching you in the video. I feel like I’ve met you a little more now. It’s a long way off still, but next August, Patricia, Joanne Emery and I are hosting Ethical ELA with poetry prompts inspired by our contributions to the anthology. (I’ll remind you when it gets closer.)
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