Wishing You a Merry Christmas!

My dear friends and readers,

Wishing you a season filled with love, laughter, and joy! May your heart be light, your days be merry, and your holidays be bright.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

Yours truly, Victoria West

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Dragii mei prieteni si cititori,

Va urez un Craciun plin de iubire, bucurie și momente frumoase alaturi de cei dragi! Sa va fie inima usoara, zilele pline de zambete insorite si sa aveti parte de sarbatori stralucitoare.

Crăciun Fericit!

A voastra, Victoria West

POEM: Christmas

It’s Saturday morning before Christmas.

I’m home with my kin.

All Christmas shopping is already done,

And the gifts are safely hidden until Christmas day.

Time to decorate the Christmas tree.

When I was a little girl,

I loved decorating the Christmas tree with my family.

It was my most beloved family tradition,

And I was looking forward to it every holiday season.

I loved the glittery Christmas balls, the lights, the tinsel.

And of course, the star.

As the youngest member of the family,

I was always the one to put the star on top of the tree, the final touch.

Years later, I have my own family.

Saturday before Christmas is the day to decorate the Christmas tree in my living room.

I kept my old family tradition alive,

And I passed it on to my next generation.

Now my son is the one who puts the star on top of the Christmas tree, year after year.

And I still love the glittery Christmas balls, the lights, the tinsel.

And of course, the star.

Everything is ready for Santa to come.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

~~~~~~~~~

From my book of poetry Sunset in Toronto (2021), page 84.

POEM: The Old Flame

As I scrolled through my social media feed,

A familiar name caught my eye.

My heart skipped a beat as memories flooded back from my freshman days,

When we were sweethearts.

It had been over a decade since we last saw each other,

But the excitement of reconnecting stirred within me.

With trembling fingers,

I sent a message,

Not knowing if he would remember me.

Days turned into hours,

And hours into minutes,

Until a notification popped up.

It’s him – a genuine smile plastered on his profile picture.

How have you been?

We exchanged stories of our lives,

Sharing laughter and reminiscing about the adventures we had embarked on as youngsters.

It felt like time had ceased to exist for a moment as we reconnected,

Even though our lives had taken different paths after college years.

I did miss you, you know.

POEM: Everest

The strongest.

The greatest.

The grandest.

The farthest.

The highest.

The coldest.

The wonderful.

The splendid.

The spectacular.

The magnificent.

The powerful.

The unachievable.

The impossible.

The closest to the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~

From my book of poetry Sunset in Toronto (2021), page 201.

POEM: The Gremlin Friend

I had always been a solitary person,

Content with my own company.

But one day, a mischievous gremlin stumbled into my life.

It had big, mischievous green eyes,

And a big, mischievous grin that promised adventure.

I named it Giggles.

At first, Giggles brought laughter and excitement into my world,

But as time went on,

I realized that our friendship came at a cost.

Giggles was an ever energy-drainer,

A selfish little monster,

Constantly demanding attention and leaving my batteries depleted.

There were nights when I was asking myself,

Fidgeting in my bed and unable to sleep,

Where did all my energy go?

It seemed like every ounce of strength I possessed was siphoned away by Giggles’ presence.

I became a mere shadow of myself, worn out and exhausted.

Until I finally made a difficult decision.

With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to Giggles,

Severing the bond that had grown between us.

I walked away and made a promise to myself never to look back,

Reclaiming the energy and vitality that had been lost.

POEM: Merry Christmas

Christmas is here.

It brings us faith, kindness, and light.

It makes a real difference in the world.

It changes lives for the better.

God bless you and your loved ones.

Merry Christmas.

POEM: La Seine

I stroll along the banks of La Seine.

Paris unfolding before my eyes like a painting brought to life.

The river flows gently like a ribbon of dreams,

Her surface shimmering with the reflections of the city’s timeless elegance.

I listen to La Seine murmuring secrets of past romances,

Her rippling waves carrying echoes of laughter and whispered promises.

She is the keeper of the collective memories of the tender souls who fell in love

And pledged their hearts to each other beneath her moonlit embrace.

La Seine, a living poem, a mirror of the spirit of Paris,

Weaves her waters into tales of resilience and passion.

Bateaux-mouches glide along her currents,

Mesmerizing all who watch their graceful dance.

La Seine carries my troubles and my pains away,

And gives me back tranquility and love.

I find solace in the river’s serenity,

My heart eternally intertwined with the symphony of Paris.

POEM: La Tour Eiffel

I remember my teacher of French from the school years.

She was the best teacher of Voltaire’s tongue a pupil could ask for.

She made me love the most beautiful language on earth.

She made me dream of Paris.

Before I graduated from school, I promised myself that one day I would see Paris with my own eyes.

I used to picture myself in the company of La Tour Eiffel as the very first thing to do in Paris once I set foot in the City of Lights.

My dream came true when I grew up.

Once in Paris, the very first thing I did indeed was to greet the Eiffel Tower.

My steps took me to Trocadéro Place.

Hello Beauty!

I stood beneath the radiant sky of Paris,

My heart dancing with anticipation,

Hypnotized by the majestic view of the Eiffel Tower.

She stood tall,

A graceful iron giant reaching for the heavens,

Her lattice structure woven into delicate lace.

The Tower’s elegant silhouette painted against the backdrop of the Parisian sky,

Casting an ethereal glow upon the city,

As if the stars themselves had descended to earth to witness her splendor.

La Tour Eiffel, a beacon of hope and inspiration, whispered stories of passion and longing,

Reminding me that within her intricate framework, dreams and love were captured in a timeless embrace.

And I am still grateful to my teacher of French for making me fall in love with Paris.

POEM: A Sunrise in Paris

Paris.

A sunny autumn morning.

I draw open the curtains of my hotel room.

My breath is taken away by the panorama unfolded before my eyes.

A canvas of pink, orange, and gold hues stretches across the sky.

The Eiffel Tower stands magnificently in the distance,

Her silhouette illuminated by the soft morning light.

It is a sight that captures the essence of Paris,

The city of love,

The city of romance,

The city of beauty.

I can’t tear my gaze away from the mesmerizing extravaganza before me.

The city slowly awakens to the sunshine,

A golden spell cast over La Seine.

Time stops still

As I stand motionless at the window of my hotel room,

Transfixed by the splendor of nature’s artistry.

At this very moment,

Paris feels like a dream,

Etching the memory deep into my heart,

And I never want to leave.

POEM: The Morning Coffee

As the morning sun gently baths the room in a warm golden glow,

I find myself eagerly anticipating the ritual

That brings immense joy to my heart.

I make my way to the cozy kitchen,

Where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air,

Awakening my senses.

And there he is,

The man I love,

Standing by the counter with a smile

That could light up the world.

We exchange soft greetings once I join him,

Our fingers intertwining effortlessly

As we prepare the morning elixir.

The clinking of cups and the rhythmic pouring of coffee create a soothing symphony

That accompanies our conversation.

With each sip, the rich brew infuses our souls with warmth and comfort,

Mirroring the love that bound us together.

In these precious sunny moments,

As we share passionate kisses in the kitchen

And whisper sweet nothings while holding our cups,

I can’t help but feel

That these simple mornings,

Filled with love and coffee,

Are the true essence of happiness.

Daytona Beach, Florida, USA

For today's story I would like to share a few photographs from my recent vacation in the USA this past October. My destination was Georgia and Florida. I already shared a few photos from Georgia in one of my previous stories earlier this month, and Florida is following suit today. I visited Daytona Beach in Florida during this vacation, and I absolutely loved it, it's such a beautiful place! I tremendously enjoyed my trip to Florida this year, and I definitely intend to go to Florida again in the future. The place and the people left a great impression on me, and I had a marvelous time there.

Here are some pictures from Daytona Beach, Florida, 30 degrees Celsius in October.

Hope you enjoy them! 😊

Photo credit: Victoria West

"Things I Don’t Share on Social Media" – the New Journal Is Here

As I was mentioning in my previous stories on the blog, I released a new journal recently, titled Things I Don’t Share on Social Media, and now the journal is available on Amazon! 😊 I just ordered my first batch of journals, to show them off here on the blog and my social media platforms. Hope you like them! 🥰 Some of them will probably go out as gifts to friends and family, now that the holiday season is also upon us.

Features:

- Paperback, glossy cover;

- Size 8.5" x 5.5";

- 160 lined pages, featuring selected lines from my poetry every 10 pages.

Please check it out!

Things I Don’t Share on Social Media: A Journal – Amazon.ca

Things I Don’t Share on Social Media: A Journal – Amazon.com

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De curand am creat un obiect de papetarie — un carnet/agenda/jurnal intitulat Things I Don’t Share on Social Media. Jurnalul este disponibil pe Amazon in Canada, SUA, precum si toate celelalte tari unde Amazon este prezent. Tocmai mi-a sosit prima comanda de exemplare ale jurnalului, pe care voiam sa vi le arat astazi pe blog. Unele din ele vor fi probabil cadouri pentru prieteni si membri ai familiei, avand in vedere ca suntem deja in preajma sarbatorilor.

Jurnalul are 160 pagini liniate, este de marime standard, are coperta de tip paperback, iar fiecare a 10-a pagina contine cate un citat din poeziile mele.

Sper sa va placa! 🥰

Things I Don’t Share on Social Media: A Journal – Amazon.ca

Things I Don’t Share on Social Media: A Journal – Amazon.com

Photo credit: Victoria West

Despre diaristica

Dragii mei prieteni si cititori, pentru astazi am o veste editoriala. De curand am creat un obiect de papetarie — un carnet/agenda/jurnal intitulat Things I Don’t Share on Social Media. Jurnalul este disponibil pe Amazon in Canada, SUA, precum si in toate celelalte tari unde Amazon este prezent.

Coperta fata

Coperta spate

Sa va spun cateva cuvinte despre acest jurnal. Are 160 pagini liniate, este de marime standard, are coperta de tip paperback, iar fiecare a 10-a pagina contine cate un citat din poeziile mele.

Obiceiul meu de a scrie diaristica dateaza de zeci de ani de zile. Am inceput sa scriu un jurnal prima oara la varsta de 12 ani, si de-a lungul anilor mi-am pastrat acest obicei in mod constant, sau aproape constant. Unele din acele jurnale scrise in trecut s-au pastrat, altele nu. Unele dintre ele au fost lasate in urma atunci cand m-am mutat dintr-o tara in alta, altele au calatorit cu mine in viata mea din prezent. Pentru mine scrierea unui jurnal si transpunerea gandurilor pe hartie este un proces tamaduitor si cathartic, si pasiunea mea pentru diaristica mi-a dat imppulsul de a crea acest obiect de papetarie — jurnalul Things I Don’t Share on Social Media.

Coperta jurnalului are si ea o poveste in spate. Imaginea de pe coperta este o fotografie facuta intr-o vacanta de-a mea din Cuba -- o plaja pe malul Oceanului Atlantic, in provincia Holguin situata in partea de Est a Cubei. Daca ma gandesc la toate vacantele mele de pe malul marii sau al oceanului de pana acum, inclusiv cea de anul acesta din Florida, am avut foarte putine ocazii sa ma gasesc singura pe plaja, asa cum s-a intamplat in acea zi in Cuba, in martie 2018, cand am facut aceasta poza, doar eu si oceanul, fara nicio alta prezenta umana in apropiere. Este una din putinele poze din arhiva mea personala pe care am reusit sa le fac intr-un moment cand eram singura pe plaja, caci de obicei plajele exotice sunt aglomerate si pline de turisti. Un jurnal personal pentru mine este un loc de liniste si reflectare, unde sunt doar eu cu gandurile mele, la fel cum a fost si acea zi pe plaja pentru mine, in Cuba, cand am avut un moment de liniste fara sa fiu deranjata de nicio alta suflare omeneasca.

Iata si poza originala pe care am facut-o in Cuba in 2018, si care mi-a servit drept inspiratie pentru coperta jurnalului Things I Don’t Share on Social Media.

Cuba, 2018

Noul jurnal poate fi gasit pe Amazon.

Things I Don’t Share on Social Media: A Journal – Amazon.ca

Things I Don’t Share on Social Media: A Journal – Amazon.com

Photo credit: Victoria West

NEW: "Things I Don’t Share on Social Media", a Journal

My dear friends and readers, I have some exciting news to share today. Recently I created a new journal, titled "Things I Don't Share on Social Media", and now it is available on Amazon! 😊

The journal has the following features:

- Paperback, glossy cover;

- Size 8.5" x 5.5";

- 160 lined pages, featuring selected lines from my poetry every 10 pages.

Amazon description:

"Things I Don't Share on Social Media" is the first journal created by Canadian writer and poet Victoria West, author of the poetry collection "Sunset in Toronto". Interspersed with verses from Victoria's poems, this beautifully designed journal will be a happy place for those who love recording their thoughts and feelings in the form of journaling and a perfect starting place for aspiring writers.

For more information on Victoria West's work, please visit VictoriaWest.net or follow her on Instagram @victoria_west_and_books.

I am a long-time journaler, and journaling has always been a therapeutic and cathartic practice for me, always helping my mental health stay the strongest. My fondness for the healing practice of journaling has been behind the idea of creating a new journal for those like me, who love expressing their thoughts, feelings, and emotions on paper.

The cover of the journal features a beach from Cuba -- it's located in the Holguin province in the Eastern part of Cuba, and the reason why I selected this image to be the cover of my newly created journal is because it was a place of peace and serenity for me when I went there, on one of my previous vacations to Cuba from a few years ago. On that particular day, when I found myself at the beach, there was no one else in sight, a rare opportunity in exotic places like Cuba. From all my exotic vacations at the seaside or oceanside from over the years, I had very few opportunities to have the beach all to myself and take pictures like this one, with no other humans in sight. And this was one such occasion, when I was by myself on this beautiful tropical beach, and when I could take this serene, calm, and peaceful picture, which is now the cover of my new journal -- a serene, calm, and peaceful place where one can record one's thoughts and feelings, undisturbed.

"Things I Don't Share on Social Media" journal -- front cover

"Things I Don't Share on Social Media" journal -- back cover

This is the picture taken in Cuba, in March 2018, that inspired the cover for the journal

The journal "Things I Don't Share on Social Media" is available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, as well as all the other Amazon sites around the world. Please check it out, and I hope you will enjoy your writing experience!

Photo credit: Victoria West

Saint Simon Island, Georgia, USA

I hope your day is going well so far! And maybe I can brighten it with a few photos from my recent trip to Saint Simon Island, Georgia, USA.

Photo credit: Victoria West

POEM: The Small Library

Nestled within the heart of a quaint little town,

There stood a charming library on Main Street

That beckoned book lovers, young and old alike.

Its weathered exterior exuded a timeless allure,

Adorned with cascading vines and a whimsical sign

That creaked gently in the breeze every time the door opened.

As one stepped inside,

The gentle aroma of old paper and freshly brewed coffee enveloped their senses,

Creating an ambiance that whispered tales of literary wonders.

Rows upon rows of neatly arranged bookshelves stretched out in every direction,

Inviting exploration.

Each nook and cranny held treasures waiting to be discovered –

Classics from bygone eras,

Contemporary bestsellers,

Hidden gems awaiting their moment in the spotlight.

The librarian, a kind-hearted bibliophile, greeted every reader with a warm smile

And an infectious enthusiasm for the written word.

The library was a sanctuary where stories came alive

And imagination took flight,

Leaving an indelible mark on the souls of those

Who sought solace within its pages.

POEZIE: Mos Nicolae

E luna decembrie, luna sarbatorilor, luna cadourilor.

Luna lui Mos Nicolae, lui Mos Craciun, lui Mos Ajun.

Mos Nicolae este primul care ne bate la usa sa ne aduca daruri,

Caci am fost baieti si fete cuminti.

Pantofii sunt la usa, lustruiti.

Tragem cu coada ochiului spre usa,

Poate-poate il surprindem pe Mosul.

Stiu ca nu voi primi o nuia,

Voi primi cadouri frumoase,

Dulci si aratoase.

Mos Nicolae,

Nu te lasa asteptat.

Vino in curand, sa-ti urez un an minunat.

POEM: Celestial Love

In the vast expanse of the universe,

A timeless love story unfolded between the Sun and the Moon.

Each day, as the Sun painted the sky with his vibrant rays,

It yearned for the Moon’s gentle presence.

And when night fell,

The Moon emerged,

Casting her ethereal glow upon the world,

Longing for the Sun’s warm embrace.

Though destined to forever chase one another,

Their love knew no bounds.

With each sunrise,

The Sun would shower the Moon with a kaleidoscope of colors,

Painting the heavens in a tapestry of love.

And as darkness blanketed the Earth,

The Moon would illuminate the night sky,

Sending a soft glow as a tender message to the Sun.

Their celestial courtship continued through the ages,

A dance of light and darkness, of warmth and serenity.

Though they could never touch,

Their love remained unwavering,

A testament to the enduring power of love across the infinity of the cosmos.

And so, they continued their eternal romance,

Destined to forever chase and adore one another,

Their love story etched in the hearts of all who gazed upon the heavens above.

POEM: Toronto Beloved

I love this city more than any other place in the world.

Warm, gentle, embracing, accepting, colorful, poetical, amazing Toronto.

Every single day in this city is a gift.

The gift of a new joy.

The gift of a new hope.

The gift of a new bit of happiness.

You got to love the city of Toronto.

Front Street.

The lake.

The tower.

King Street, and his Queen Street.

The Royal Museum.

The Entertainment District.

Yorkville.

The shops.

The eateries.

You see Toronto, you love Toronto.

Toronto my love.

Toronto beloved.

~~~~~~~~~~

From my book of poetry Sunset in Toronto (2021), page 202.