Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore - Sally Cronin

Nature is a fascinating and wonderful addition to our lives from the rain and wind that bow to the power of the sun, to the wisdom of trees.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Millions of families around the world have pets and probably cats and dogs are amongst the favourites. They have certainly added love and entertainment to my life.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Here in Ireland after some very wet and windy weeks, spring is making itself known.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

We have celebrated quite a few birthdays in our family in the last couple of months and here is a garland Cinquain about these special days.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

A poem about our bond with others and how today's technology can connect us to our past and those we love.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Green is a vibrant colour all around us and sometimes dreams do come true.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Dolphins are beautiful creatures on the hunt and at play... and the price of winning.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

With Valentine's Day around the corner some thoughts on love ...

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Around the world mothers  soothe their babies with a lullaby and a young teenager is embarking on a journey far away...

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

Every extra minute of daylight is welcome as nature begins to wake up after the winter and there is so much fake news online that you have to be careful about what you absorb..

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

It seems the longest part of the year as winter drags on as we and nature wait for spring... and also beware the Magpies.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2023/

A trek up the mountains and a mother-in-law's visit

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and I hope you had a great Christmas. If you and your family are anything like yours… there will have been some leftovers. This is a poem from my collection Life is Like a Mosaic.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

A visitor to the garden and something precious goes missing.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapestry…woven in words. Today two pieces of Flash Fiction... Musical Interlude and Reunion.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapestry…woven in words

From Cave to the Stars and DNA 

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapestry…woven in words

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapesty…woven in words

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapestry…woven in words

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapestry…woven in words

The Duchess 1917 -2012

Age
did not
diminish
her love of clothes.
She would embellish
the plainest of jackets,
gracing her neck with silk scarves
usually in shades of bright pink.
A colour that she had adopted
when a child as her signature palette.
Her love of pink became legendary
as did her fashion tips and advice.
These included strict instructions
in a letter when ninety,
which jacket she would wear
on her last journey.
Rose pink of course.
Elegant
to the
end.

True Grit

Each year on her late father’s birthday, Molly would watch True Grit, his favourite western. This year she was nine months pregnant and hoping after three boys it might be a girl. Her husband rubbed her ankles, passing her tissues as she wept at the end of the movie. The baby kicked and Molly felt a sharp pain.

‘It’s on the way love.’ She smiled at him. ‘I am going to call the baby Mattie, boy or girl.’

‘Thank God, I thought you were going to say Rooster for a minute.’ Laughing and excited they headed out the door.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing some syllabic poetry and 99 word flash fiction from my collection Life’s Rich Tapestry…woven in words

Farewell to summer

With
sadness
I utter
the words goodbye
to warm days though brief
that boosted my morale.
The glow that has bronzed my skin
reminds me of the longer days
of a summer that has been too short
though bolstered me for the winter to come.
But, in the interim we have autumn
a welcome season of fruitfulness.
Leaves will turn gold and apples red
with fields stripped of their harvest.
Soon we will give our thanks
for all this bounty
that fill the stores,
giving life
through dark
months.

White Washing by Sally Cronin

One angry brush stroke at a time, the old man painted across the words on his neighbour’s garden gate,

They were a lovely family, who had been kind to him since they been granted asylum three years ago, and moved in next door. Having recently lost his wife he had been lonely, but they invited him in each Sunday for dinner, did his shopping when he was ill and the father often popped around for a chat after work.

The least he could do in return was to white wash over this mean spirited graffiti before they discovered it.

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page on my blog

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin with a poem that is from my upcoming collection of poetry and short stories in the autumn.

This was in response to a prompt from Colleen Chesebro, an ardent advocate for syllabic poetry who has an amazing weekly challenge. This week the prompt was for lessons from nature.

Double Etheree - The Robin - Size Doesn't Matter

Hello this is Sally Cronin with a poem that is from my upcoming collection of poetry and short stories in the autumn.

This was in response to a prompt from Colleen Chesebro, an ardent advocate for syllabic poetry who has an amazing weekly challenge. This week the prompt was for lessons from nature.

Double Etheree - The Robin - Size Doesn't Matter

Hello this is Sally Cronin with another story from my collection What’s in a Name?

Brian – The Birthright

Thank you for tuning in today for another story from my collection What’s in a Name? If you have time please leave a comment. Thank you Sally. You can find all my books and their reviews at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin with part two of the story Alexander

Last week we met Alexander Winterbottom known as Alex to his friends. His mother Joyce had been besotted with Richard Burton and having been to see Alexander the Great the night he was conceived, had bestowed this name upon her son.

At twenty he is finishing his apprenticeship in a garage when he spots a poster that might offer him a great opportunity.

You can find part one of the story by scrolling down the menu.

Alexander – Defender of Men Part Two

You can find out more about my books and their reviews

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2022/

Hello this is Sally Cronin and over the next few weeks I will be sharing the stories from Volume One and Two – What’s in a Name?

There are names that have been passed down through thousands of years which have powerful and deep-rooted meaning to their bearers. Other names have been adopted from other languages, cultures and from the big screen. They all have one thing in common. They are with us from birth until the grave and they are how we are known to everyone that we meet.

Alexander – Defender of Men Part One

Last time Queen Filigree and Prince Ronan were married and have gone on an extended honeymoon to Meath with his parents.

After the festival.

Hello this is Sally Cronin and last week Queen Filigree and Prince Ronan cemented their romance by becoming engaged..

The Royal Wedding

This is Sally Cronin with another story from Tales from the Irish Garden.

Last week the royal visitors were treated to a wonderful feast and a night of dancing. Queen Filigree and Prince Ronan did not leave each other’s side all evening and rumours are rife.

The betrothal Gift

Hello this is Sally Cronin with another story from Tales from the Irish Garden.

Last time I shared the menu and preparations for the royal banquet, the first to be held in the new palace in The Emerald Island.

This week - The Arrival of the Royal Visitors

Hello this is Sally Cronin with the next story from Tales from the Irish Garden.

The much anticipated visit of King Patrick, Queen Seren and their son the handsome Prince Ronan is to be celebrated with a magnificent feast.

Hello this is Sally Cronin with another story from tales from The Irish Garden.

Last time an encounter in the magic garden left Queen Filigree more than a little breathless and romance is in the air.

Spring – Chapter Seven – Jeremy the Donkey

As the magic garden came into bloom, creatures that had been sheltering in the nearby forest during the icy winter began to run and play in the long grass and hedgerows.

Last time we were invited to the first ball in the new fairy palace with guest of honour The Storyteller who also has the answer to the problem of adequate clothing for all the court.

Tales from the Irish Garden – Meeting the Dapperman..