The Apples in My Orchard

Happy New Year! It is Poetry Friday. If you want to know more about what Poetry Friday is, you can check this post by children’s author Renee M. LaTulippe. All are welcome.

For me, the new year always brings new hope. Many of you are writing about your intentions for 2026 or the “one little word” you’ve chosen. I have not set either, but I have noticed that my method or process for editing my writing and submitting to publications has changed. So I will lean into that (even though I don’t like that phrase).

I also want to continue to reduce my projects to focus on those that will best highlight my writing interests and talents. There will be more to read about that as the year goes on. Thus, reduce might become my OLW because I’d like to “reduce” in other areas of my life as well.

These areas include reducing my piles (and, no – I don’t mean those “piles.” I mean, the piles I’ve accumulated around the house. My research stack from writing the textbook chapter is nearly collapsing. My jewelry inventory and the components have taken over a corner of the upstairs. And now I’ve started to crochet. So, the yarn is multiplying.

But luckily, I’ve been able to further reduce the stuff we brought home from my Dad’s house after he passed away last year. And, when I take holiday decorations down, I’ll reduce what I am keeping for those totes as well.

I’d also like to “reduce” by ten pounds. It’s not a lot of weight, but with our youngest son’s wedding coming up next fall, I want to look my best.

So, the word reduce seems like a good fit for me this year.

---

Now for some poetry. This month alone, I’ve submitted eleven poems to different publications. I’ve decided that if I don’t submit, I cannot “get in.” I’ve also refined the way I am editing. We’ll see if this leads to any poetry being published. I hope it does.

The Golden Haiku competition is open until January 11th. I have submitted to this competition before and will again this year.

However, I have to scramble now because I wrote three haiku believing that the theme was belonging, but I now see it is on the joy of nature. Both themes fit things I write about. Hopefully, I will come up with some haiku on the correct theme.

Here is one of the haiku I wrote on belonging:

Don't dumb yourself down
To become part of the pack
Regrets will follow

© Carol Labuzzetta, 2026.

I used to tell my boys as they left for school in the morning, "Don't let the turkeys get you down, Fly with the eagles." It is something I believe and have to remind myself on occasion. (There seems to be a lot of turkeys these days!)

In the meantime, I am working on my poem for the New Year’s Poetry exchange that is organized by the fabulous Jone Rush MacCullough. And I received a fabulous poetry holiday exchange from Tricia Stohr Hunt. She was in Western New York, not far from where I grew up, fighting a recent snowstorm, when I got her package – filled with such goodness and things she knows I love (fungi). Thanks go to both of these wonderful ladies, from whom I receive unending support!

Lastly, you’ll notice that my blog is taking on a different look. After first building this blog in 2017, I have not changed the look much. I felt the need to update it, so I am in the process of doing that now.

I’ve just started, so there are many things left to do. Let me know if you have a particular problem with navigation. I do not have much of it done yet. It is slow going as I learn the new templet and what I can do (or not do) with it.

And, earlier this morning, I published a piece on my writing process, tips, and what I am changing. You can read that through a friend link on Medium that I’ve provided below.

View at Medium.com

Thank you to Catherine at Reading to the Core for hosting Poetry Friday today, the first Friday of a brand new year! Welcome 2026!

Cheers!