Prize Winners and Appreciation

It has been a great two weeks visiting the different blogs, meeting new people, sharing about A Symphony of Seasons, and having a good time!


Thank you so much for all who visited the various blogs and left such wonderful comments! There were so many to choose from for the prize drawings. I numbered each comment in order received and let Random.org choose the two winners. I wish each of you could have won a prize, but hopefully you received pleasure, joy and blessings from the posts and poems shared.


Congratulations to Lisa R, the winner of the Vivaldi Four Seasons CD, and to Carolina M, the winner of the hummingbird suncatcher wind chime!


The winner of a free copy of A Symphony of Seasons in the giveaway on Random Thoughts Blog is Carolyn V. Congratulations, Carolyn!

My great appreciation also goes to the hosts of each of the stops on the tour - Kathy Schubitz, Cherrie Hill, Lynn Mosher, Sharon Mayhew, Cathy Simpson, Kimberly Standard, Debbie Simler-Goff, Karla Meachem and Julie Arduini. Below is the list of each of their blog posts in case you missed any. I hope you will visit their blogs and show your support for these dear ladies!

If anyone would like a copy of  A Symphony of Seasons please click on the link to order from my website or email me at conarnold@gmail.com to receive the free framed photo from your choice of season with one of my verses on it. I will honor this Blog Tour Special through the end of next week.

RPJ Blog 

Journal of Faith 

Heading Home

Random Thoughts

Melodies and Hymnsongs 

Stuff Could Always Be Worse  

 Every Day With Jesus    

        
 Empowering Christian Women 

Connie Arnold, Children's Author 

The Surrendered Scribe  

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day! May the music and beauty of life fill your heart through all seasons!

Mother's Day Celebrates Love

                    

  

This has been a wonderful two weeks of introducing A Symphony of Seasons, visiting many terrific blogs and reading the special comments made at each one. I am concluding with a Mother's Day poem from the book in honor of all mothers. Hope you have an opportunity to show your love to your mother, or if, like me, your mother has passed on, to enjoy fond memories.

Mother’s Day Celebrates Love

As we journey through the year
To the second Sunday in May,
We rejoice in the love of one so dear
As we celebrate Mother’s Day.

We honor our mother’s devotion,
Her tenderness and care,
Filled with a love as deep as the ocean,
Thoughtful and willing to share.

Her guidance and gentle direction
Helped us to do what we should,
By example and with her correction
We learned that we ought to be good.

Remembering our mothers on this date,
Whether together or far apart,
We are thankful as we celebrate
Her special place in each heart.

excerpt from A Symphony of Seasons

If you missed any of the posts, here is a list of the blogs that participated and a link to each one. Please feel free to visit and leave a comment to receive entries to the prize drawings for each comment on a different blog. Be sure to contact me at conarnold@gmail.com or visit my website to order your signed copy of  A Symphony of Seasons and receive your free gift. Details of gift and prizes are on my Blog Tour beginning post.


RPJ Blog  Song of Spring

Journal of Faith  A Year's Journey

Heading Home  devotion, Seasons of Life

Random Thoughts  4 seasons photos, summer poem and giveaway

Melodies and Hymnsongs  video of seasons

Stuff Could Always Be Worse   A Song to be Sung

Every Day With Jesus  review
          
 Empowering Christian Women  For the Beauty of the Earth video and seasons scriptures

Connie Arnold, Children's Author  Children Enjoying Summer

The Surrendered Scribe  interview

I will be posting tomorrow, Saturday, May 12, the winners of the two prizes and the winner of a copy of A Symphony of Seasons on Random Thoughts blog.

A Symphony of Seasons Blog Tour

 It's my great pleasure to announce the release of my new poetry book, A Symphony of Seasons, published by RPJ and Company. It has themes of music and the seasons, like a symphony with various movements, harmoniously weaving together through the cycle of the seasons.

Each of the seasons has its harmony,
with various melodies raising,
As a natural reaction that is expressed
when lives formed by God are praising.

A two week blog book tour begins on May 1, and the blogs hosting each stop are listed below. There will be drawings at the end of the tour for two prizes.

One prize is a Vivaldi Four Seasons CD and the other is a hummingbird suncatcher windchime.

Enter the drawing for these two prizes by leaving a comment below. Additional entries can be earned for comments left on the blogs listed below during the tour, for following this blog, and for sharing this post or any of the posts during the tour on Facebook or Twitter (be sure to post a comment here when you do that so you'll get your extra entries).

You will receive a free gift with your purchase of a signed copy of A Symphony of Seasons from me during this tour, a beautiful framed season photo with one of my verses on it. A beautiful gift for Mother's Day, graduation or other special occasion! Photos are by photographer Gary Strader.

 Purchase book on my website or email me at conarnold(at)gmail(dot)com if you'd like me to send you an invoice to pay with credit card, debit card or check. Be sure to let me know how to personalize the book and which season you prefer for your free gift.

A Symphony of Seasons is also available from RPJ and Company or Amazon and ebook special offer from Smashwords through May 31 of $3.25 using coupon code QX77N. You can also view several pages of the book on Smashwords and read a few poems.

Tour Schedule:

Tuesday, May 1 - RPJ Blog  Song of Spring

Wednesday, May 2 - Journal of Faith  A Year's Journey

Thursday, May 3 - Heading Home  devotion, Seasons of Life

Friday, May 4 - Random Thoughts  4 seasons photos, summer poem and giveaway

Saturday, May 5 - Melodies and Hymnsongs  video of seasons

Monday, May 7 - Stuff Could Always Be Worse  A Song to be Sung

Tuesday, May 8 - Every Day With Jesus  review
               
 Empowering Christian Women  For the Beauty of the Earth video and seasons scriptures

Wednesday, May 9 - Connie Arnold, Children's Author  Children Enjoying Summer

Thursday, May 10 - The Surrendered Scribe  interview

Friday, May 11 - Blog conclusion, prize drawings

Saturday, May 12 - Inspirational Poetry of Joy and Peace  announcement of prize winners

A Symphony of Seasons at OneTrueMedia.com

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Congratulations and A Moment of Quiet Peace

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop and congratulations to the winner of a copy of Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace, Fairday Morrow! Here is a poem from the book that I'd like to share with you, offering a moment of peace in your day.

A Moment of Quiet Peace

Life too often is spent
in a great hurry and rush,
Without ever taking time
for a gentle, quiet hush,
Always staying busy
with activities that won’t cease,
Never finding a moment
for a calm, reflective peace.
Much of the beauty of nature
is found in quiet things,
Like softly falling snowflakes
and butterfly wings,
The petals that drop gently
from a lovely, fragrant rose,
Sweet calmness that descends on us
in times of deep repose.
The silence of day’s dawning,
when the grass is wet with dew,
Is a chance for meditating
on things both old and new.
Taking time to feel God’s presence
when all is calm and still
Can help us get our lives on track
and focus on God’s will. 



© Connie Arnold

Excerpt from Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace

See more on my website

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway

This post is part of a blog hop with over 250 blogs participating with giveaways. Isn't that exciting?! It runs from April 6 - April 12. The gift I'm offering is a copy of Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace. I am sharing a poem with you from it, "Spring". Leave a comment stating what you enjoy about spring to be entered to win the book. Get an extra entry when you follow this blog by clicking on the follow button to the right. The winner will be announced here on Friday, April 13.

Spring

The stillness and barrenness slowly are passing,

as spring spreads across the earth,

With new life returning, emerging, arising,

a time of renewal and birth.

While creatures awaken and stretch in the light,

fresh shoots push their way through the ground.

The birds sing their songs of joy in the warmth,

and beauty appears all around.

The stark, bare branches and brown grass are changing

to vibrant shades of green,

As leaves fill the trees, growing thicker and fuller,

and new budding stalks can be seen.

While fragrant blooms weave a colorful tapestry,

a splendor that all may share,

The music of life fills each heart and soul,

and rings through the fresh spring air. 

© Connie Arnold

 Be sure to visit the other blogs and enter more giveaways!

Wishing you a beautiful spring and a happy Easter!

A Symphony of Seasons

I'm pleased to share with you that my new poetry book, A Symphony of Seasons, is being published by RPJ & Company and is now available to pre-order! It has themes of music and the seasons, like a symphony with various movements, harmoniously weaving together through the cycle of the seasons.

Below is an excerpt I hope you will enjoy. I'd love to know how you like the cover. It was designed through the creative, artistic, detailed diligence of Kathleen Schubitz and the photos are by Gary Strader.

A Garden in Spring
 

Walking through a garden in spring
Delights the soul and makes it sing
As the silent beauty offers me
A peaceful sense of serenity,
Such joy a spring garden can bring!

As heightened awareness slowly swells,
Loving peace within me wells.

My heart and soul overflow and rejoice
When the whisper of a still, small voice
The wonder of creation tells.

To order a copy of A Symphony of Seasons and save $3 see Sharing Blessings.

I'm planning a blog book tour for early May. If anyone would like to host one of the stops with a review, interview or guest post, please let me know. Thank you!