HOW TO MAKE CANDY GHOSTS   

                                                                                                                                                            YOU WILL NEED:

White facial tissue, 2-ply

White cotton sewing thread

Black marker

Small Scissors

Assorted Fun Size candy

 

 

Meet my assistant, Lucifee Happypaws O’Hooligan!

                 

 

Start by laying the tissue flat on the table. Put the candy in the centre of the tissue.  I used 3 different kinds of candy.     

   

Pull up the corners of the tissue. Tie the tissue around the candy, draw the face on the tissue where the candy is, and, cut the the loose ends of the tissue to make it look raggedy.   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            For the longer candy packages, tie two tissues together at 1 end, add the candy and tie it into both tissues.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           After all the candy are packed into tissues, take one of each kind of candy and a 2 foot length of the thread.  Tie each candy about 1/3 of the way along the thread so it looks like this.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 When the Trick-or-Treaters come, toss the candy across the room so the ghosts ‘fly’ before they are put in the treat bag!    

                                                                                                                                                         Happy Halloween!!

Found Poetry

My friend Shiloh did a post on Found Poetry a couple days ago {http://sunnydreamer.net/2010/found-poetry1.shtml}  and I thought that I would give it a try, Since almost all of my fiction books await me in storage, I went ahead and used books form my grimoire they ended up being books that accompany two of my Tarot decks: The Wheel of Change Tarot and the Thoth-Crowley Tarot.

 

The Thoth-Crowley is the deck I use the most for my personal queries, and the card I have chosen as my Significator was one of the cards that the book opened to; The Queen of Wands (or Staves, or Batons).  Since she appeared and she reflects a lot of what the affirmations are saying I have also used the post for my tarot Journey with the Rumi Tarot.

 

 

Found Poetry One:

Wheel of Change Tarot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Fool is

An expression of the

Possibilities that

Cannot be fixed,

And are open-ended.

 

The Hermit represents

What is really

True and right

For you

 Is within you

Waiting to be noticed.

The Wheel of Fortune

Asks you to

Make an opportunity

For self-understanding and

Self-growth through the

Mirror of the outer world.

From the Three of Wands

We learn that

The personal goal

Is to use your creative power

In a way that enhances

Your own life and

The lives of others.

On the Ace of Cups

The central Cup

Is the Ardagh Chalice

One of the

Finest examples of

Early Christian Celtic art.
 It represents

The soul’s journey

Toward the setting sun

And the Western Lands.

 

The Lands of Shadow

And Darkness. 

It is there

That we discover

Our deepest passions

and make connexions

With others that

transcend our limitations

 

 

Found Poetry Two

The Thoth-Crowley Tarot Deck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

This one speaks from The Thoth-Crowley Tarot Deck, which is my personal favourite for Spiritual Lessons.   I think I will use a series of the Affirmations from this deck.

 

 

I am now ready for the new beauty in my life.
(Princess of Discs or Pentacles)

I find the strength I now need in my centre.
(Three of Wands or Staves)

I surrender to the transforming powers of the Divine. I am an open channel for creative energy.
(Art or Temperance)

I know more and more clearly who I am.  This recognition leads to the full development of my personal strength.
(Nine of Wands or Staves)

I am loved, simply because I am the way that I am.
(Nine of Swords)

I am a radiant being filled with Light and Love.
(Queen of Wands or Staves)

I am now ready to give everything and receive everything.
(Three of Discs or Pentacles)

I have the power and virtue to reflect and know.
(Three of Wands or Staves)

I relax and trust Life.
(Eight of Discs or Pentacles)

I have the courage to believe that all that happens in my life serves for the best.

(Seven of Discs or Pentacles)

 

 

Living History

 Below is a taste of living history- 2010 is the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express here in the US.

I  read a book many years ago, and many times called “Mustang-Wild Spirit of the West” , in the book “Wild Horse Annie” testifies before the US Supreme Court, that the Mustang, then being hunted for meat, was the only horse the Pony Express would use for the very difficult mountain terrain. 

The wiry, compactly tough little mustang was a descendant of the Andalusian horses brought here  by the Conquistadores, and then bred with horses that escaped or were ‘borrowed’ from white settlers during the days of the Wild West.

 

 

Pony Express     Relive the Excitement! Witness the 150th Pony Express Re-Ride. If you missed the April 3, 2010, 150th celebration of the launch of the Pony Express, you won’t want to miss the National Pony Express Association’s Annual Re-Ride over the 1,966 mile route of the Pony Express National Historic Trail from California, through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas to Missouri, June 6 to 26, 2010. The event commemorates the Pony Express of 1860-1861. This year marks the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express. The Central Overland and California Pikes Peak Express Company carried letters and telegrams for 19 months to prove the Central Route through Salt Lake passable year round. The owners hoped to win a federal mail contract on that route. Pony Express history is preserved in the federally designated Historic Trail, administered by the National Park Service, in museums, Pony Rider monuments, books, and the annual re-creations by the NPEA. Normally, this Re-Ride is a 10-day, 24-hour a day, non-stop event by over 500 riders and horses. In 2010 the Annual Re-Ride will divert to all daytime hours in most places. This gives the Divisions and other entities/communities a chance to hold a celebration. The mail will be carried by rivercraft from San Francisco to Sacramento before the start of the re-ride . Each of the eight “Pony Express” states (California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri) will also celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express with events of their own, as well as, creating their own souvenirs. The Re-Ride concludes on Saturday, June 26, 2010, at the Patee House Museum. In honor of the conclusion of the National Pony Express Association’s annual re-ride, at 10 a.m. the Missouri chapter of the NPEA will hold a colorful circa-1860 procession from the foot of Francis Street at the St. Joseph riverfront through downtown St. Joseph, past the famed Pony Express statue and original stables at the Pony Express Museum…ending with the arrival of the horses and mochila (mail bag) at the Patee House Museum, site of the original Pony Express headquarters. In a moving ceremony, commemorative letters carried from California will be turned over to the US Postal Service for delivery in St. Joseph-just like in the days of the Pony Express! Admission to the Patee House is $5 for adults and $3 for students; Admission to the Jesse James Home is $3 for adults and $1.50 for students, www.ponyexpressjessejames.com; (816) 232-8206.   St. Joseph, MO, has created a PX150 Sesquicentennial Facebook Page full of information happening around St. Joseph during 2010 for this anniversary year. Click HERE for additional information about the history of the Pony Express, 2010 Pony Express Sesquecentennial Event Calendar, and FREE downloads for your mobile phone.     Quick Link Download Pony Expres Sesquicentennial Calendar   Find American Road magazine on:

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The Story of the Green Man and his White Lady

Once upon a time, in a small kingdom by the edge of a wide, sweet sea there lived a King and Queen who reigned happily over their people.  There was but one wee grey cloud in sll the kingdom…  

 

The King and Queen were only able to have one child…

 The Lady Anemone Fionn, a daughter they deeply adored, for all that she was a solemn, chubby child who preferred the company of books and commoners to days spent gossiping in the court.   Since she was not the prettiest of children and did not have the sprightly temperament of many princesses, they despaired of her ever being happily wed.

 

 So she was allowed to wander among the commoners in sparrow-brown garb, where she learned about love and kindness, as well as tolerance in the huts and shops of the capital city.   As she began to grow older, she accepted the training she would need to be their heir without complaint or rebellion.  She wished to serve her country with the best she could be.

 

 

It was early in her training that the first letter from the Green Man came to them, aboard a gaily-painted ship, with sails of exotic silks.  One of the letters was given up to the King and Queen, requesting their daughter’s hand in marriage when she came of age.

 

 The other letter was delivered to the young Lady; from that day on she kept all of the Green Man’s letters in a box of delicate silver filigree.  She wore the key to the box around her neck on a plain silvery chain.

 

“Anemone Fionn, Sweet lady of the Beaches, you hold my heart in your gentle hands.  My Spirit sings at the merest thought of you, and my heart beats in tune with thine.  When the day comes that all see the beauty I do I shall claim you as my beloved bride.”

 

 His words had lost no power since they had been given to her by a man from the Green Man’s country when she had not yet blossomed into womanhood.
 
 

When the arrogant young princelings would laugh at her face and form she would reread them and find much comfort in the words he had written only for her.

 

 When no nearby princes or kings asked for her hand, she begged her parents to accept the Green Man’s pledge, and betroth her to the man who had comforted her, and sparked her mind to discover more about the world than any other Princess deigned to pretend to know.

 

And so it came to pass, after many long years that the Green Man wrote to the Lady and told her.  “I will be with you in truth with the coming of summer my sweet Lady Anemone.”

 

Faioléan the seagull perched close to the sorrowful lady and spoke in his skree-ing language.  “Weep not my lady fair.  The Uaine Fear, comes to claim thee, sailing across the wide green seas.”

 

 

The lady did return, “O Faioléan tell me true, does he love this plain face of mine?”

 

 

“Fear not fair Lady Anemone, the Uaine Fear comes for you, seeking yon beauty across the wide, green seas

 

 

The Seagull hopped close enough for the Lady to smell the sea and fish on his feathers, his bright eye locked with hers.

 

 

“Fear not dear Lady, for the Uaine Fear cometh to you, seeking your beauty and pure spirit.”

 

 

So the lady returned day after day, waiting by the ocean for this secret lover who sought her.

 

 

Her pale cheeks were given a golden glow by the sun’s light, and the gentle, salt air of the ocean soothed her breathing so much so that she even stopped coughing.

 

 

The dull brown hair that had been so lifeless and limp began to have secret tints of gold in its curls.

 

 

The longer she remained by the sea, and forsook the rich food and many sweets in the castle the slimmer her limbs became, and her skin became smooth and honeyed.

 

 Every day the same gull was at her side, reassuring her of the Green Man’s advance across the wide, sweet sea.
 
 

Every day, the sailors on the docks, calling to her how pretty she was becoming, greeted the Lady and she would thank them prettily for their kind words.

 

 

Every night as she lay in her soft, fluffy bed the Green Man would send nightingales to sing her to sleep.  In their sweet voices she heard the words the Green Man had written to her all those years ago.

 

 

One summer day, years ago, the Green Man gifted her with vibrant silks to clothe herself with.  They had delicate laces, golden and silver buttons, the fur of exotic animals, and rare jewels to sew to the clothes with Thread-of-Gold.

 

Every season the Lady would take them out and ponder dresses from them, and them put them away, until she would have a fairer form to wear them upon.

 

 

One day as she dressed in another drab gown, that now hung off her like sails on a windless sea, her ladies-in-waiting all conspired to measure her for a new gown. 

 

While the Lady waited at the shore for the Green Man, the ladies in waiting made her a new gown, from a deep peacock blue silk, trimmed with Peacock’s feathers and Thread-of-Silver, and many, many tiny pearls crusting the bodice.
 

When the lady returned that evening, and began to ready herself for dinner her ladies-in-waiting slipped the blue gown over her head, and styled her hair to show off the golden dusting on the soft curls.

 

 The Lady looked in her polished silver mirror, and stared.  Surely this lovely creature brushed in gold dust couldn’t be her!!   

From whence had come the womanly curves, and kissable freckles?

 

 

The same princes and Kings who had jested at her expense gathered about her, each vying for her full attention.

 

 

She laughed and treated them with tolerance, but none of them turned her head from the Green Man, who had sought her hand when no others would.

 

 

Night after night, she fended off a parade of handsome Princes and Kings.  Day after day her ladies fashioned another gown, trying to outdo the previous one in beauty and uniqueness.

 

 

Day after day she watched the seas for some sign of the green Man’s bright sails on the horizon.

 

 

At last there was only white silk that seemed to hide all other colours in its shadows left in her case of fabrics.

 

 

She took it out and caressed it, delighting in the way it slid through her fingers.  “I wish to save this gown for when my future husband, the Green Man, arrives.  And this is how I want it to look.”

 

 

And so it was that her ladies fashioned a gown to be the envy of every highborn woman in every country.

 

 

It was of clean and simple lines, and a bodice set with squares of abalone, mother-of-pearl, and lapis lazuli set in it like a necklace.  With Thread-of-Silver, they embroidered circles of ivy, mistletoe sprigs, holly, and white roses along the bottom of the gown.

 

 

The lady went to the Royal Jeweller and asked him to make her a discrete coronet.  A silver band to sit among her curls, engraved with flowers, and set with magical stones that continued in the silver netting that fell to the ground.

 

 

The lady tried it on, and she was well pleased and thanked her ladies-in-waiting with generous gifts and sweet words of gratitude.

 

 

And so, not long after, she spied a black spot on the horizon.  Her heart beat so she could barely breathe, and she ran home, calling for her ladies in waiting as soon as she had seen the bright colours of the Green Man’s sails.

 

 

Once she was dressed in her white gown and she had caught her breath she returned to the docks to await the Green Man.

 

 

At long last, the Green Man’s fleet filled the harbour, their sails were each of a different pattern of silk, and they lay at anchor peacefully.

 

 

With all due ceremony, and great pomp, the Green Man walked from his ship, across the plank, and onto the dock, where the Lady awaited him with bright eyes and glowing smile.

 

 

She could see nothing of his face behind a cunningly carved emerald mask.  At last they stood face to face, and still he held up the mask.

 

 “

My Dear Lady of the Blue Harbour.  Will you still wed me?”

 

 

The Lady answered happily. “I have awaited this day forever and a day, yes, I will wed you.”

 

 

At last the Green Man took down his mask, showing everyone an ugly, twisted old man’s face with spindly legs and potbelly.

 

 

“One last time I would ask thee.  Wilt thou marry me as I am?”

 

 

“I will marry thee, whether thou art handsome or no.  You have always treated me with gentleness and respect, and have gifted me with loveliness and comfort.  Yes, I will gladly call you husband, and follow wherever thou wilt go.”  The Lady knelt in her white raiment and kissed the wrinkled hand tenderly.

 

 

The Green Man threw back his cape and dashed the mask to pieces on the dock’s planks.  “And so our love will be fulfilled.!!”

 

 

In a flash of golden light he stood tall, becoming a young and very handsome prince, medals at his breast and a golden crown covered in rare jewels sat amongst his golden brown curls.  His sea green eyes were afire with love for the Lady.

 

“When I was young a Sorceress cursed my Kingdom and me.  Neither would know a happy day, or prosperity until I would be accepted by a Lady who did not recoil at the ugliness she set upon me.”

 

 

And so it was that the Green Prince and his White Lady were married and travelled to his Kingdom on the other side of the deep, sweet sea, where they lived happily ever after, and made sure that the people of their kingdoms would know happiness as well.

 

 

Again, what has this to do with out Tarot Journey?  This surely is The Lovers of the Major Arcana.  The choice between love and lust, a true connexion, and a passing fling.

  

 

"Love has a thousand feathers."

How The All-Mother Got Her Cloaks

How the All-Mother got Her Cloaks

 

All-Mother was always her happiest when she was with all of the lovely animals She and All-Father had created for our blue-and-green jewel in a far-flung arm of the Galaxy and Universe.  She would walk through the wilds and Her animals would put aside their daily lives and follow her in growing parade; where wolf and deer, bear, Cougar and sheep walked peaceably with small furry things, lizards, snakes, birds and frogs chatting as they scurried in the leaf-mould.

The larger birds all wished to perch on her shoulder in a friendly manner, but she had to remind them frequently to take care with their talons on her bare skin.  All of the animals knew that they could wound All-Mother without meaning to, despite being as careful as they could.

At night, All-Father and All-Mother rested beneath a blanket All-Mother had woven from bits of the animals’ shed fur that was caught on thorns.  She spun it in the evening, singing a wordless lullaby in time to her foot on the pedal of her spinning wheel.

One such night, while All-Father and Mother slumbered, the animals met deep in the forest.

 “All-Mother needs some protection, not just from our claws, but from the weather as well.  In deepest Winter I have watched Her shiver as She scattered food on the snow so we would not starve.”  Bear spoke in his slow, deep-thinking way.

 “What can we do?  Any of us would gladly give Her our skin, but She would not allow us to harm ourselves so.”  Wolf’s yellow eyes were sombre. 

“Some of our hides would do less than nothing for our Dear All-Mother!!”  Chipmunk’s busy little voice was barely audible.

“My hide would not protect our All-Mother from the cold.”  Snake’s words were sibilant and hypnotic. 

“Agreed, my skin will only repel water.”  Salamander ‘s words were mournful.  “That would not keep her warm at all.”

“No it would not work for warmth, but she would appreciate shelter from the rain.”  Owl spoke from his perch on a hollowed oak.  “Perhaps what we should do is this…” He laid out a plan all creatures thought was brilliant, and all agreed joyously to participate in.

Night after night, every animal in the wilds passed by Owl’s tree to contribute to the gifts for their All-Mother.  Every animal gave a piece of hide; each allowed their own choice of where the hide came from.  Almost unanimously the animals chose a place closest to their hearts to show how much they loved All-Mother and Father.

 Pride after pride of Lions strode to the secluded glade; those noble kings donated two kinds of hide.  The males shared their glorious manes, and the females shared their bellies, warm and golden. That is why to this day Mother Animals will have bare places on their bellies.

The Zebras all offered either white or black stripes, so that their stripes could be reproduced.  On the soft ground their hooves made no sound as the herds deposited their gifts

Bears all shared their shaggy hide, whether it be black, white or any colour in between, they took the hide from nearest their hearts, to show their love for All-Mother.

 The wee rodents also offered their hides; tiny bits could be added together to make a section of squirrel, or chipmunk.  There were also small pieces that fit a place too small for a large animals’ hide.

Other great cats, the leopard and cheetah, jaguar and tiger also gave of themselves happily for All-Mother’s comfort. 

 The wee housecats also gifted their fur, and stayed to encourage others when they came, as well as guard the glade from All-Mother during the day.  Their defence consisted of racing through the trees until they met up with All-Mother, and then they tripped her up ecstatic snugglings, silken head-butts and purred cries for attention.

Wolves, by the pack, or the Lone Wolves who forsook their solitary ways to give their coats to All-Mother, even the cubs added their baby fluff to the Wolves’ donation.

 Dogs trotted in with their tails wagging and tongues lolling, as happy as could be to be serving the All-Mother.  The ones with the greatest hearts remained to soothe the tender places left after the bit of hide was gifted.  They also set themselves to lead All-Mother astray from the glade; they would easily inveigle Her into a game of tug-of war or chase-the-stick

The horses trotted through, gifting from their long, graceful manes to trim the fronts of the cloaks, they studied the growing pile of gifts and nodded their heads approvingly.  They also offered to carry the hide from animals that could not travel on land.

 The seals, sea lions and Walruses gave their waterproof hides to go around the face of All-Mother to keep ice from forming.  Their barks of happiness could be heard in the faraway glade.

When the parts for the gifts were all together the insects took every little piece and cleaned off any mess on the skin, and then combed them with their legs.  When everything was perfect spiders took their turn, as did the silkworms.

 Slowly, four magnificent cloaks began to take shape; all of them held a small piece of every animals’ hides.  The spiders and silkworms sewed them together, with all of their eyes focussed on how prettily the pieces were fitted, and how the patterns and colours complemented one another.

Often the spiders and silkworms would stop to exclaim in delight at how well certain pieces of fur would match.  ‘Look here, how the mane of the lions looks with the coat of the panthers next to it’, or, ‘Doesn’t the red of Foxes’ coat look even more striking next to Zebras’ stripes.’

Two cloaks were all of fur, warm and comfortable; and would fit All-Father and All-Mother perfectly.  The second pair was of the skins of snakes and reptiles, and rubbed to a soft gloss with the oils donated by otters, beavers, and other water mammals.

The birds were unhappy about being unable to contribute to the cloaks, until Owl told them what they could do for All-Mother’s comfort and pleasure.  Bird after bird perched next to Owl and pulled soft down from nearest their hearts. 

The Spiders and Silkworms wove soft grasses, and then they were stuffed with the down to form a soft bed for All-Mother and All-Father.  There was enough of the soft grasses and down to make small cushions for them to rest their heads on as they slept.

Finally all of the gifts were ready.  The animals were all in a swivet awaiting All-Mother’s response to their generosity.  The next day as All Mother visited Her creations the animals began to slowly lead her in the direction of the cloaks.

 The flowers scattered petals on All-Mother’s path, as they always did, as the leaves on the trees danced for joy when All-Mother came their way.  She would pause to smell a flower here, and embrace a stout tree as She was led by the parade of animals closer to the Glade of Gifts as it became known.

The All-Mother entered the Glade and stopped with Her mouth open; from sturdy branches hung two cloaks in a patchwork of all of Her animals’ fur, more branches held the cloaks of reptile skins; before this was the soft cushions full of down.

“Oh!  My dear Creations, such love is in these gifts!”  She turned to the animals with tears in Her eyes, now She could see the small patches where they had donated their hides for Her comfort. Overflowing with love and reverence All-Mother healed all of the small patches, leaving them bare.

 And that my loves, is why all of the animals will have a bare patch somewhere on their body.  So now, when you see your animal’s bare spot you will know that the All-Father and All-Mother do exist and that they love us very much indeed.

 What has this to do with our Tarot Journey?  The High Priestess is the one that teaches us how to honour the All-Father and All-Mother in everything that we do.

Mysteries are not communicable

Save to those who know.

I Have Found My Way In!

Having learned from previous Journeys with Mme. La Enchanteur that doorways to Lemuria lie somewhere between the subconscious mind and the imagination (shades of “The Twilight Zone”!) I closed my eyes to find my doorway. I fell asleep and my doorway opened wide, to a High-Def, Wide screen vista of Lemuria and her history.

I dreamt of a small village, a few talented, hardy individuals carving out a niche in Cyberspace for themselves. The first tenuous strands attached to the World Wide Web, and sent out more tendrils. Other, like-minded adventurers follower the connexions to their source, and the village grew.

More Webs stretched ‘round the globe, and now connected hearts, minds and Spirits. The village planted Dream Seeds, and grew Secret Gardens to rival the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The villagers each built their own Castles in the Air and saw their dreams gain substance. Soon the village began to have a tourist trade, with people from the world over coming to see the wonders in the village and carry the word of the village further.

I came to join this village and wondered what my place in this magick should be. No sooner had I thought this than I saw a place, from deep within the fertile earth of my imagination, a place of birth and immortality. The village gathered round this place of sunlight, constant blossoms, and the smell of ripening fruit. Each member had their own time of labouring, and giving birth to children of great beauty. As each new life was begun, so many members of the village cheered and exclaimed with joy, that soon the village was a bustling city and still growing.

My place in the village, and one purpose of the village was that, to be a nursery to talent, ideas, and growth, not only of mind and imagination, but also of Spirit and ideals. The village is also a place of great change, new members would stagger in, sore wounded and weary of Spirit and discovered that there would be support and guidance through every step they would make from now forward.

How we each make the journey along our healing road is different for every person, as it ought to be; yet we all know that others have been there and others will follow behind us. We have been gifted with the most precious knowledge of all. We are not alone!!

I hold the bag Mme. La Enchanteur has gifted me with, it has such weight, and the energy contained in such a wee package, pulsing with the life of creativity. In it are so many tiny tools to use in my travels. And a deck of Tarot Cards, unlike any other deck I had in my collection.  The Packet of Dream Seeds I return to Mme. La Enchanteur, I have been in the village long enough to have my own Dream Seeds to carry with me.

“The Rumi Tarot” created by Nigel Jackson, based upon the teachings of the Sufi scholar Rumi, full of mysticism, deep wisdom and ageless beauty. The Fool is, of course the beginning, and he is an innocent young man, unprepared for, and unaware of the dangers ahead of him on his journey.

"Be foolish, so that your heart may know peace."

The inscription at the bottom intrigued me, “Be foolish, so that your heart may know peace.” Foolish, the word has so many negative connotations. Someone that is stupid, naive, unaware of what greases the wheels of the world.

Having done the Tarot for over 35 years (O My Gods!!) I know that none of those are what the Tarot’s Fool is made of. In the Tarot the Fool is someone who is innocent, and does not look either backwards or forwards, someone overflowing with trust and optimism.

Here a leopard accompanies the Fool. Instead of asking why not a dog, like so many other Fool Cards in the Tarot, I asked why a leopard. My first thought came from the Queen of Wands in the Thoth-Crowley Tarot Deck.

The Queen wears flowing locks of reddish brown hair and is accompanied by a leopard. Legend has it that once upon a time the Queen wore long shining black hair and her companion was a panther. They were purified by their troubles and travels and the queen had flowing golden locks and her panther became a lioness.

The Queen looked back over the path she had travelled and her heart was so moved by those people that were still struggling that she chose to remain where she was instead of continuing on her path, so!  her hair became reddish brown and her constant companion wore the dark spots of a leopard as it too chose to stay and help.

Perhaps this is why the leopard instead of the dog is by the side of the Fool, to be a helper and guide to the Fool.  Or perhaps the Leopard is A Fool from a Previous Journey, who joyously partners the fool.  Together they may symbolise that we are at once The Fool and The World. 

Hrmmmnnnnhhhhh… that sounds like a whole ‘nother post, for another day, perhaps even an author other than myself!!

Hadley Happenings, Pt. I

Kids, I think you’re old enough now to learn about the history of our town.  About 150 years ago, Old Benton Hadley came here to build a dream; his dream was of a gracious, idyllic town near the university, jobs and hospitals.  Back then the University was a Teacher’s College, with the farms nearby, a lake full of fish and waterfowl, miles and miles of wood to be logged, and the state’s first real hospital.

The hospital was the finest one for five states around!  It had a modern, sterile surgery, a safe place for mothers to have their babies, everything was as new, and high-falutin’ as Old Man Hadley could make it.  Back then, there wasn’t a name for men like Hadley, nobody called a man who could turn everything he touched an entrepreneur.  He started with one wagon, and the cider mill.  He began to buy up land along the river, one small parcel at a time; until he had enough for a small city.

He started the Teacher’s College, and built the Grange Hall down on Main and Washington; just like it stands today… except back then there were buggies and saddled horses, not all them noisy automobiles.  He brought in a real Minister, and built that Evangelical Christian Church, the one that’s a monument to Old Benton Hadley nowadays.  Then he built one of the finest schools and libraries in the state.  People were beginning to move here, and telling their kin and friends about the town of Hadley.

Old Man Hadley had wanted to call this place New Eden, but when the time to name his dream came, the grateful residents voted him down… everyone but Hadley himself voted to name the town after the man that had built so much, and given so much back to the people that helped his dream grow.  The town survived the War Between the States, famines, droughts, World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II without losing any of its old-fashioned charm.  The farmhouses of the first families were put on The Historic Register over ten or so years, so Main Street always looked like one of those Currier and Ives woodcuts.

The first hospital was torn down and a new, modern one replaced it, attached to the University, which now had darn good medical, nursing, and law schools.  The doctors that came out of that hospital were known to be some of the best doctors around.  About 15 miles down the road from Hadley, they built another hospital, encased in chain-link and barbwire, with Guards and dogs, and you had to show a permit to get through those towering ironwork gates.  That is the State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

Things started to change here in Hadley, the ‘Founding Families’ moved on, and their big, fancy houses were turned into Nursing Homes, them fancy-schmansy Bed-and-Breakfast places for snooty tourists, Museums, Antique Shops, and even a place that told the cards and the crystal ball upstairs with all manner of things downstairs and in the basement.

Now the witch that owned it didn’t look like any movie witch, she leaned over the fence and gossiped with her neighbours.  Everybody loved her specialty teas, and she made desserts that had even the most persnickety of them skinny models comin’ back for more.  There was even movie stars come all the way from Hollywood to have her back up things for their fancy parties.  She even had the Governor ask for her tea-cakes come Christmas!!

Anyhow, she tried to warn us about bad things comin’ our way, and we didn’t listen.  Nossir, we patted her hand and called her a worrywart.  Told her not to take on so, they might take her to that Big Crazy House.  I dunno what made her stay; I’m glad she did though.  Even after what happened to her when that fella escaped from the Big Crazy House.

First any of the people in Hadley knew of it was when there were so many State Troopers roamin’ around the county they were like leaves on a maple tree!!  They asked us to voluntarily agree to a sundown curfew.  Of course we disagreed, the new movies were opening at the drive-in, and one of three movies was an Elvis musical!!!

They told us there was a chance that a patient had gotten out of the State Hospital and they wanted to be sure we were safe.  We pooh-poohed them and laughed as we asked, “How much damage can one crazy man do?”

If’n we had known who was on the loose, we would’ve all been locked up snug in our houses, Elvis musical be damned!!  They didn’t tell us, for fear of a panic; if we had known it was ‘Hungry Harry’… well!! “Hungry Harry” had led the police, State Troopers and The Feds on a merry chase through a half-dozen states before they finally tracked him down, already sucking all the blood out of another victim.

Hungry Harry thought he was a vampire, like in the old Bela Lugosi movies, and he would go to some kind soul’s door asking for some food in exchange for doin’ chores.  He would work for them for a few days, always polite and respectful.  He never cussed in front of womenfolk, told bad jokes where young’uns might hear, went to Church every Sunday, and paid a handsome tithe when he had money.

You’d have thought Harry was a good, God-fearin’ man down on his luck… If’n you didn’t know his story.

Anyways, they did catch him, prove that he had killed nigh onto forty people, and drank all their blood before they caught him and slapped him into that hospital sayin’ he was too crazy to know what he’d done.  Hell!!!  Beg pardon folks.  He knew all right, he just spun a good yarn for the head doctors is all.  Sorry if I sound bitter, I can explain that later.

Now I was tellin’ you kids about the witch that lived here, and how she was good people and nobody was afraid of her.  She had this big old dog, one of them Great Danes; he was all black and worshipped his owner.  When she would work in her flower and herb gardens he would sit by her and watch every move she made, tail wagging ever so slightly. 

If she was on the porch, with her lemonade and a paper, he’d lie next to her; every so often she would drop her hand to his head and scratch his ears gentle-like.  His tail would start thumpin’ on that porch like a big old kettle drum and he’d lick her hand before he would go back to sleep.

The dog slept by her bed at night, and went with her almost everywhere she went.  We all worried about what she might do when she lost that dog, and we knew she would.  Them big dogs don’t live as long as they ought, and the witch weren’t hardly 40.

Well… that Hungry Harry escaped slick as you please from the State Hospital and started lookin’ for blood again.

The witch was sleeping so peacefully in her big old bed with handmade quilts on it and them pretty curtains she had woven herself on the windows over the shutters she had painted a nice robin’s egg blue.  The dog was sleeping on the floor next to her, snoring just the littlest bit.

The witch got woke up sometime in the night, by a dripping noise and a funny creak.  She slipped her hand out from under the quilts and the dog licked it like he always did.  Nice and reassured she went back to sleep, and dreamed whatever witches dream.

Come morning she got bright and early to cut flowers for the shut-ins and herbs for her medicines.  “Eleazar?”  She called her dog, who wasn’t laying on the floor on his big rag rug.

She whistled him up, and still he didn’t come.  Now she was getting worried, that dog never left her side.  She looked through that whole big house, calling and whistling, her face getting sadder with ever whistle.

Finally, she thought she’d take his leash and go look for him, wondering if he had nuzzled the door open and gone out to ‘do his business’.  The leash wasn’t on the hook by the kitchen door like it was supposed to be.  Now she was getting really frightened and ran out the back door.

There was her big dog, dead, hanging from a porch rafter by his leash that creaked ever so slightly in the breeze.  That tongue hung limp from his mouth, and the blood dripped, slowly from the end of his tongue.

She commenced to screaming, she sounded just like a bean sidhe right out of Ireland.  When the nieghbours started arriving the poor lady was crying and trying to get that dog down all by her self.

Everyone wondered who would do that to her dog, he was the kind that might lick you to death, but never deliberately hurt you.  Some of the men got her dog untied, while her lady friends tried to comfort and calm her down.  These fellers that had fought the Krauts and Nips in WWII were teary eyed as they brought that dog down and laid him carefully on the ground.  They took turns diggin’ a grave for him, as they did that, the witch was taken inside and given some of her own tea to calm her down.  I remember, Herm Nestor’s wife… what was her name???  Anyway, she commenced to scrubbing the porch where blood was splattered Hell, West and Crooked.  I do apologise ladies.

She musta been there for nigh onto three hours scrubbing and scrubbing, with a stiff brush and lye soap before them stains were almost gone.  That poor girl’s hands were raw for almost a week from doin’ that, but she said that she couldn’t let the witch have to clean that up, finding the dog was bad enough.

A few days passed by and the killing of the witch’s dog was settling down.  The witch kept telling us that Eleazar (Who names a dog that anyway?) was just the beginning, that it would get worse.  Everyone thought it was the shock of finding her dog like that that had her so upset.

Until them kids down on Apple Tree Lane that is…

Monstrous Makeovers

Voice over spooky music, screen fades to stylised monster images.

 

“Good evening ladies, gentlemen, and monsters! Welcome to the premiere of ‘Monstrous Makeovers’. I am your hostess, Medusa.”

 

Close-up of hostess snakes on her scalp in a restless French Twist.

 

She is wearing an obviously designer gown, flawless make-up and jewel studded dark glasses.

 

“Halloween is growing closer every day, and there are a lot of worthy monsters being left out of the number One night for monsters.” Medusa moves a comfortable arrangement of couch and chairs at centre stage. She seats herself on an immaculate fainting couch upholstered in deep blood-red Panné velvet.

 

“Tonight our guest will be La Llorona. But first, a word from our sponsors.”

 

Cut to commercials-

 

Nature’s Farms Dried Fruits)

“Do your little monsters prefer their Halloween candy to good healthy food? This year, why not hand out snack packs of Nature’s Farms dried fruits? Full of nutrition and natural sweetness, these snacks won’t have kids’ Moms sitting up with a child that ate way too much candy.”

 

(Costume Barn)

“Are you tired of wearing the same tired, old costumes for trick or treat parties? Come down to the Costume Barn across from the Wonder Bread/Hostess Outlet Store. We have some one-of-a-kind costumes that are sure to be a hit at any party. We have costumes for every budget and size.”

 

(51st Street Bakery)

“Is your party in need of some fresh-baked goodies? At the 51st Street Bakery our talented cake decorators can make a cake that will add the perfect touch to any party. From Litter box cakes to skull-shaped cookies, we have a selection that can’t be beat!”

 

Fade in to centre stage, and Medusa, breaking up a dispute between two snakes, while never losing a bit of her poise.

 

“Welcome back to our television audience. To those living in the American Southwest, this lady needs no introduction. She’s known for her passion, and love of water. Please give a warm welcome to La Llorona!”

 

Enter La Llorona from stage left, Medusa stands and kisses the air close to La Llorona’s cheeks.

 

“Please sit here dearie.” Medusa motions to a wingback chair in darkest blue figured satin. La Llorona sits gracefully, gathering the tatters of her shawl closer to her chest.

 

“Tell us, in your own words, why you would like to be a part of the Halloween Festivities, and what you hope to gain from a Monstrous Makeover.”

 

Pan from Medusa to a close-up of La Llorona.

 

Well, I really love children, and since I’ve lost my own, I miss playing with children, and making up stories to tell them.”

 

“What stories did you tell your children before you drowned them?” Medusa smoothed a yawning snake back behind her left ear, and dangling shield-shaped earrings.

 

“I will always regret making that mistake. I should have known better, but I let passion cloud my thinking.” Her spectral face shivered for a moment under the lights.

 

Medusa patted La Llorona’s hand sympathetically. “When we get back from commercial break, we’ll let the audience ask questions of our guest, and then vote on whether or not La Llorona should get a monstrous make-over in time for Halloween.”

 

Fade to commercials:

 

(The Candy Company)

“Are your kids staying home for a party instead of Trick-or-Treating this year. Have you heard one too many horror stories about deadly treats in treat bags. This year, let the Candy Company create wonderful, one of a kind treat bags for your little ghouls and beasts.”

 

(Public Service Announcement- Centre Street Hospital)

“Why worry about the goodies your kids get Trick-or-Treating? For the safety of our children, Centre Street Hospital is offering free X-rays of Halloween Treat bags until midnight on Halloween. While you’re here you can pick up pamphlets and poisoning, with Poison Control’s Toll-Free number on every pamphlet. Make your family’s Holiday safe and fun.”

 

(Pretty Miss Cosmetics)

“Do you get tired of trying to paint your family’s faces for Halloween, and ending up with ugly smears instead? For less than 5 dollars per person, Pretty Miss’s make-up artists can give you Hollywood-style face painting, with hypoallergenic, food-safe cosmetics. We will be open until midnight on Halloween for your face-painting needs.”

 

Fade to audience at Monstrous Makeovers:

 

“You there in the third row, in the tacky aqua sweater set.” Medusa points to a nervous young woman, with her hand timidly raised.

 

“Uh… Yes… La Llorona, how do we know that our children would be safe around you?” Her words are almost lost in the tumult of agreement from the rest of the audience.

 

“I have been punished for over 100 years for what I did to my own ninos, I have no right to make any other mother suffer like I have. Now all I want is for all the children to be safe and have a Happy Halloween.”

 

La Llorona stands under a spotlight.

 

“If I was lucky enough to become a part of Halloween, my costume would be as safe as possible. Light-coloured clothes, with glow-in-the-dark accents, face paint instead of masks, and sturdy shoes for little feet to be protected.” Her words are met with some boos, mixed with a lot of cheers.

 

“All right studio audience, pick up your voting boxes and vote yes or no. When we return from this commercial break we’ll have the results of your vote.”

 

Fade to commercials:

 

(Special Holiday Event)

“Thursday night, uncut, and without commercial interruption; see the holiday tradition “It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”, running from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Share thus heart-warming story from your childhood with your family.”

 

(Willard’s IGA Grocery)

“This week, and through Halloween, Willard’s IGA has pumpkins, corn stalks, fog machines, and all of your party needs for super-low prices. We’re so sure that we have the best prices we will meet and beat any competitors’ prices on the same product. If you bring in an ad showing a competitor with a lower price, we will not only meet their price, we will knock and additional 10% off our already low prices.”

 

(Shadowville YMCA)

“The Shadowville YMCA wants your family to have a safe and memorable Halloween. This year we are having Halloween Parties for children, teens, and adults, as well as films running all night in our recreation room, hayrides, and a huge haunted house, all for your family’s fun. We will serve a simple dinner, and have plenty of treats for everyone. Make your Halloween easy, memorable, and fun with the YMCA!”

 

Fade to Medusa and La Llorona standing centre stage.

 

“Welcome back everyone!” Medusa silenced a snake hissing from the swirl of her French Twist before continuing. “We have had in incredible response to La Llorona’s plight. Not only did the whole studio audience vote, our phone lines are still jammed with calls from all over the world!”

 

La Llorona blushed faintly, and smiled crookedly.

 

“The audience has let their wishes be known with a landslide vote!! An amazing 97% of you voted yes! You want La Llorona to have a Monstrous Makeover, and be a continuing part of Halloween traditions!”

 

Close-up of La Llorona’s startled face, before she bursts into tears.

 

“A special note to our home audience- if you know of a monster you think deserves a Monstrous Make-over please e-mail us at www.https://WTVS-MonstrousMakeovers.com/TheyDeserveAChance, or text us at 1031 2009, standard texting rates apply.

 

Be sure to tune in again next week to see the results of La Llorona’s Makeover, and to see our next guest Monster.

 

Stay tuned for our Friday Night Retrospective Movie, “The Creature From the Black Lagoon”.”

 

{{OK gang, here’s your chance, write your own letter to the TV station, and let us know why your Monster should recieve the Makeover.}}

Souper Saturday

My friend Shiloh; you remember Shiloh, I know; inspired me again with one of ner posts.  This one an ABC’s of Independence Day.  You can find hers at:

http://sunnydreamer.net/janu-dec2009/patriotic-feeling.shtml

 

My ABC’s are below:

 

The ABC’s of Independence Day

 

A is for Atlantic,

Wide Ocean between

The Colonies and King.

Betwixt the two.

Views and ideas

Were changed

And then challenged.

 

B is for Betsy Ross,

Leaning over her sewing

In red, white and blue.

Stripes and Stars,

Symbolising the Hopes

Of Thirteen Colonies

Seeking freedom.

 

C is for Continental Congress,

Penning the words:

“We hold these truths to

Be Self-Evident,

That all men are created equal.

Endowed by their Creator

With certain unalienable rights.”

 

D is for “Don’t tread on me”,

Emblazoned beneath a snake

Coiled to strike out in defence.

A banner to rally round

An ideal to fight for

A country to begin building

A dream now dreamt around the world.

 

E is for Equal,

“All men are created equal.”

We still strive towards this.

Men should be counted by their deeds;

Not by the colour of their skin

The label on their faith

Or where they live.

 

F is for French,

Our Allies across the sea,

The creators of Lady Liberty.

Whether explorers, Nobility,

Simple Farmers, or trappers

These amis have become

Part of the faces and names here.

 

G is for Guerrilla Warfare

Quite the change from the

Stylised and rigid ways of war

Practised in Europe for years.

Hidden behind hillocks,

Or the rafters of barns

Were fearless rebels.

 

H is for History Teachers,

Passing on the stories of our

Forefathers’ deeds and dreams.

More than dates and places,

The story of what was won,

The dreams to be made real

The strength we are heir to.

 

I is for Indians,

The first, true Americans,

More than Pocahontas.

Whether it was Crazy Horse

In the South West,

Or Squanto

In the North West.

 

J is for Justice;

As in “Justice for all.”

The way the founders meant it.

Not for just the moneyed few,

The famed and beautiful folks,

Or those with political power,

But for every single American.

 

K is for Key;

The composer Francis Scott Key,

Witnessing a battle at night.

“Oh say can you see

By the dawn’s early light?

What so proudly we hailed

At the twilight’s least gleaming.”

 

Lis for Life,

All men are ordained with certain unalienable rights,

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

By these lofty ideals we were begun,

None are but chattels,

Not by name, race or faith

Can they be denied.

 

M is for Marquis,

The Marquis de Lafayette

Leaving his homeland.

To support  via deed

Finance spent upon it

This pretty dream,

That will be America.

 

N is for National Anthem,

Sing it standing,

With hand o’er heart.

Sing out in the voice

Of millions of dreams

“Whose broad stripes and bright stars

Through the perilous fight.”

 

O is for Open Elections,

Over two hundred years

Of National intention.

We are free to choose

Who our leaders will be

They are not born to the role,

But should earn it through service.

 

P is for  Pie;

All-American pastry treat,

Full  of juicy apples,   of course.

One of the trio

Of American symbols

With seasons of Baseball,

And barbequed Hot Dogs.

 

Q is for Quitters,

Something that the rebels weren’t

No, they held on no matter how drear.

With feet frozen,

Clothed in near rags.

With no food in their bellies

Or fire for warmth.

 

R is for Red Coats

The British uniform,

Also called Lobsterbacks.

The bright red jackets

And crossed white bands

They were walking targets

For the Sons of Liberty.

 

S is Stars and Stripes,

The bright-hued  flag

That watches o’er this land.

Stripes of red and white

Stars of shining white

On their field of blue

One for each original colony.

 

T is Taxation,

Our forefathers decreed

Taxation without representation unfair.

We were granted to right

To say nay to taxes

We deemed unfair

Or unnecessary.

 

U is for Under Siege,

Something we have survived

Time and time again.

From the Revolutionary War,

To the Civil War/War of Northern Aggression,

On the balmy shores of Pearl Harbor

And the Towers of 9-11.

 

V is Valley Forge

A frozen and starved bivouac

For the fledgling army.

Despite the icy darkness

Stars hidden by clouds

Very few fires for warmth,

Still the patriots persevered.

 

W is for  White House’

Home of our Leaders

And Fortress of our hopes.

It has housed Heroes, Royalty from everywhere

Movie stars and starlets

And the lines of everymen that

Tour her halls and our heritage.

 

X is for “X”-tremes

The complementing climates

Of fifty diverse states.

From Alaska’s sub-Arctic climes,

To Hawaii’s tropical shores.

We boast forests, mountains,

Oceans and lakes, and deserts.

 

Y is for Youthful Outlook,

That our culture can boast,

Born of many ways and places.

From the souls of every country,

In dances fast or slow,

In the voice of many instruments,

And stories immigrating with us.

 

Z is for Zephyr,

Those sweet cooling breezes

Wafting past our waning grills.

Seated in lawn chairs, or stadium seats,

Awaiting the magic

In fireworks’ shifting glow.

Thursday Thirteen

Shiloh is a constant source for things to blog for me, and this is the first in a continuing  series of blogging memes.  They are called the Thursday Thirteen, and I am starting with Thirteen Things about me, for every letter of the alphabet.  Today is the letter “A”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIRTEEN THINGS ABOUT ME-A

1: Adventurous- for me an adventure is anything from checking out a new website to camping in the middle of Mr. Black Bear’s territory.

2: Artistic- this blog and some others are full of my artistic endevours, not only pencil, pen and ink, and watercolour paintings, there is also digital art, prose and poetry that I can claim as my work.

 

3: Angelic:  I don’t know about this, there have been people that call me an angel, but I’ve torn too much of my clothes on my devil-horns to accept that.

 

4: Amethyst: one of the June birthstones, and one of my birthstones.

 

5: Astrologian- I am a student of astrology, I neither teach nor practice it, just study it.

 

6: Ambassadress, I consider mtself an Ambasadress for my faith (Wicca).  I hope that I can help to forge greater understanding and acceptance between traditionally antagoinistic faiths.

 

7: Ambidextrous- to a point, mostly from uncontrolled multi-tasking!  LOL

 

8: Anti-functional fixedness- I can think up more uses for one thing, a good example is my pen-knife, I call it my Multi-putpose tool.  I use it to clean under my nails, scrape gooey stuff off a surface, sharpen pencils, and so forth.

 

9: Associative- as in free-associative, when someone says a w0rd I will see a nymber of different images I associate with that word.

 

10: Androgynyous- I don’t restrict my interests because they are ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’, I enjoy drag racing as much as I do cooking, and playing with automobiles as much as sewing, crocheting or embroidery.

 

11: Anachronistic- I have always felt out of place, step and time in the world as it is now.  That helps explain my preference for tales out of time and world.

 

12: American- as in Daughters of the American Revolution, which I could be if I so desired, my Mum’s Aunt is a member.

 

13: Angry- something I prefer to not be!!  LOL

Another fun little quiz

My friend Shiloh had this fun little quiz on her blog (http://sunnydreamer.net/janu-dec2009/easy-fill-ins.shtml), so I thought it would be fun to give it a whirl myself.

 

Copy and paste this quiz to your blog, and then fill in your own answers! It’s fun! (So they say…)

Five names you go by:
1) Gwen
2) Miss Gwen
3) GwenGuin
4) Gwenerrella

5) Gwennie

Three things you are wearing right now:
1) Plaid flannel boxers
2) Faded blue tank top
3) My tortoise shell banana clip.

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1) For Mum to feel better
2) To be able to meet my special online friends face-to-face.

Three people who may fill this out:
1) Jo
2) Lynda

3) Chrys

Two things you did last night:
1) Waded thr0gh 100+ pieces of mail in my AOL inbox.
2) Started work on a post for this blog.l

Two things you ate today:
1) A breakfast Sandwich from Wendy’s.
2) These round little tater tot creatures, also from Wendy’s

People you last talked to on the phone:
1) Matt
2) My Psychiatrist’d office.

Two things you are going to do (or already did) today:
1) Add a new post to my personal blog.

2) Finish the post I started last night.

Two of the longest road trips:
1) Phoenix AZ. to Flint MI.
2) Tempe AZ. to Corvallis, OR.

Three of your favorite beverages:
1) Classic Coke
2) Bottled Water (preferably Dasani)
3) Ice cold 2% Milk

“We Must Start Now”

Despite its rather dramatic appearance, the title of this post is quite innocuous.

 

For Christmas  Mum found me the loveliest ‘kit’, called “The Writer’s Retreat Kit”, it comes with a book and 24 cards, 20 of which are lists of writing prompts.

 

My friend, Shiloh, myself and Mum are using these prompts.  And our prompt for today is this: “We must start now…”.

 

“We must start now.”  She said, in her tiresome, oh-so-prim voice, the voice that irritated three generations of the family.  She was the Matriach so it was verboten to argue or show irritation. 

 

“You…”  She pointed at the eldest.  “You will do as I say, without any of your romantic notions.  We do not indulge in such fancies in this family.”

 

“You, stop hiding behind the pillar, and stand where I can see you.”  The First Son had been sidling away, hoping to avoid another  dressing-down.

 

Second Son was sitting patiently, staring at nothing, his eyes faraway.  Youngest Daughter was still young enough to have tasted little of the sharp side to Matriach’s temperament.

 

“You.”  Matriarch returned her attention to Eldest, her heir and grand-daughter.  “You will go, with the duenna I choose, and you will do it with the grace and character our family is known for.”

 

“But, Grandmother…”  Eldest began.

 

“But nothing, you have known since weaning this is what you are expected to do.”  Matriarch voice grew  sharper.  Eldest’s brothers cringed, knowing how quickly Matriarch lectures could turn into a harangue on every failing,  flaw, and sin (real or imagined) of the one who dared question her, even if Matriarch was patently in error.

 

“You will not deviate one whit from what I have said.  None of your complaints, whining or wheedling, you know what to do, and how to do it.”  Matriarch’s voice was hard as rocks underfoot.

 

“Yes, Matriarch.”  Eldest put as much acquiescence as she could pretend into her voice, hoping to allay Matriarch and thus save the entire family from being harangued interminably.

 

“Now… go and pack your things, and none of those silly paints or diaries.  Pack your prettiest clothes, and all of your jewellery.  Get some prettier slippers than those frights on your feet now!  And while you’re at it, get yourself a makeover, you look frumpy and spinsterish.”

 

“Yes Grandmother.”  Eldest stood and walked from the room, her grace and energy in every line. 

 

“And walk like a lady, not an alley cat in heat!!!”  Matriarch’s words followed her like vengeful bees, still intent on stinging.

 

“You!”  Matriarch turned her attention to Eldest Son.  “Have you done as I told you and ectricated yourself from that… that… moggy?”  None of the ladies Eldest Son had been seen in the company of met Matriach’s exacting standards.

 

“Yes Matriach.”  Eldest Son was a skilled dissembler, he had no intention of shedding himself of a charming, intelligent, and well-bred lady’s attention because of some imagined flaw Matriarch found.

 

“Good.  I have arranged for you to meet some suitable young ladies tomorrow evening.  Do be charming, and well-dressed.  We can’t have them thinking that we cannot afford proper clothes.”

 

Eldest Son knew what that meant, another evening of listening to Matriarch pontificate to some weak, insipid femmes, with no spirit or passion.

 

“You!!”  Matriarch turned to Youngest Son, who ferigned complete attention.  “Hmmmnnnppphhh…  I doubt you were paying attention.”

 

Younget Son rattled off everything that had been said, inflection-perfect.

 

“Don’t be impertinent, it is not likeable or attractive.”  Matriarch never relented, or admitted that she might be wrong.  “Go, and tell Eldest Sister that she needs to hurry, she will be leaving in just three days.”

Youngest Son left Matriarch room gratefully and went to Eldest Daughter’s rooms.  She was giggling with the duenna Matriarch had chosen.

 

“We did it!  We did it!!  Matriarch is so sure we are fighting  she wouldn’t consider sending anyone else!!”  Eldest Daughter and the duenna embraced and threw themselves across the bed.

Inspiration From Shiloh

Fourth from Fourth

 

 

 

Shiloh ( http://sunnydreamer.net/octo-dec2008/tagged.shtml ) posted this meme on her blog recently and I decided to go for it.

 

First, post the fourth picture from the fourth folder on your computer.  I went to the fourth folder on my computer and it only had 2 pictures.  I tried going one forward and one backward, and those folders contained copyrighted images.  Since that wasn’t working I went to the fourth folder of my photos and found this pic.  Since I am always ready to show off my kitty-girl I was pleased.

 

Then come the lists of eight!

 

8 Favourite TV Shows:

1)    Star Trek

2)    The X Files

3)    Night Gallery

4)    Animal Police

5)    The Pink Panther (the original animated series)

6)    Monty Python’s Flying Circus

7)      Planet Earth

8)    Most Evil

 

8 Things I did Yesterday:

1)    Made Thanksgiving Dinner

2)    Learned to Play Mexican Train Dominoes

3)    Laughed until my sides hurt

4)    Managed to get some of Skye’s feltings removed

5)    Gave Kryssi a small gift

6)    Got awesome hugs from Kryssi and Troy

7)    Had so much fun in the here and now that I forgot I have 2 cameras

8)    Slept for 12 hours straight

 

8 Things I look forward to:

1)    The next family get-together

2)    Watching Kryssi and Troy’s marriage prosper and grow

3)    Having a book published (someday)

4)    Watching the family young’uns grow up

5)    Continuing to enjoy my partnership with Shiloh

6)    Continuing to work with Soul Food Café

7)    Growing old with Skye

8)    Learning more cool stuff

 

8 Favourite Restaurants:

1)    Filibertos (what’s not to like about ‘real’ Mexican food?)

2)    Red Lobster (of course)

3)    Good ol’ Kentucky Fried Chicken (they make the best cole slaw- bar none)

4)    Chompies Bagel Factory and Deli

5)    Olive Garden (pretty close to homemade Italian)

6)    Barro’s Chicago Style Pizza (clean restaurant, quality food, and excellent service)

7)    China China  (I love good Chinese food)

8)    Tom’s BBQ (they make these incredible fried onions)

 

8 things on my ‘Wish List’:

1)                To travel ‘round the world and give my online friends ‘real’ hugs.

2)                To have a number of books published.

3)                To spend days in the Louvre.

4)                To celebrate my Birthday (the Summer Solstice) at Stonehenge.

5)                To reach further back with my family tree, to see of we really are descendants of Petosegay of the Ottowa Peoples.

6)                Hear Bagpipes played in the Scottish Highlands.

7)                Visit Ireland to see where my Irish ancestors came from.

8)                To meet the members of my favourite band.  (Rush)

What I Am Grateful For

I would be poor indeed if I did not list the things I am grateful for:

The 10 Things I am grateful for:
1) Hope
2) Loving and being loved
3) Friends
4) Family
5) Laughter
6) Pets of any kind
7) Music
8) Books
9) Colours
10) Faith

What You’re Grateful For

As I said in the previous post, I asked friends what they were grateful for, and here are the responses O recieved:

 

 

From PSP With Friends:

 

Peggy:

My Gratitude list:   1.  My Heavenly Father 2. My family 3.  My pets 4.  My good friends & my Internet family 5.  My health 6.  My blessings from the Heavenly Father 7.  My ability to grow wiser, financially, spiritually. 8.  My hobbies. 9.  The chance to be a blessing to others. 10.  The change of the seasons.

 

 

Ten things I am Grateful For:

Lord Jesus
My Mom
All my wonderful Friends and extend family
The love for PSP and sharing with others
All the animals in this world
To have a life of my own once again.
To be in the country and enjoy nature all around me.
Clothes to wear and food in my stomach
Gladness  to be able to smile and also to shed tears for friends, family and my own sorrows at times.
Glad for all the wonderful people I have met in my life, each one has given me the best gift of all, a place in my heart.

Hugs
Bobbie

 

 

Ten Things I am Grateful For

my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
my husband and best friend, Chuck
my  family
my church family
my Learn PSP family
my friends
my animal babies
To have a roof over my head
Food on my table
clothes on my back
and each and everyone of you! opps that`s eleven!
MaryLou Wescott

 

 

 

From Dane’s Ladies

 

 

That one makes you stop & think , Good Question :

 

1. Life

2. Family

3. Friends

4. A Roof Over Our Head    

4. Food in our bellies

5. A Car To Get Places

6. A Job To Make Money

7. My Health

8. My Pets , Beagle { Peanut }

9. Coffee . lol

10. God , That is Good To Us

 

Lynda

 

 

If any of my reraders would like to add their 10 Things I am grateful for list, you can post it as a comment here, or send it to me in an e-mail at Ooodolezs@aol.com, mark the e-mal re: 10 Things so I know it isn’t spam.

Gratitude- Ten Things

My friend Shiloh threw a blog party to celebrate gratitude, and I am still thinking about gratitude.  I asked friends to tell me what they’re grateful for, as well as asking my Mum.  Since Mum is here with me she wrote her list on a piece of paper.  The list so charmed and delighted me that I had to scan it and post her list as she wrote it.

I know it sounds rather silly, but Mum is in pain so much of the time that she is sadly cranky, her list was 100% ‘Our Bomba’.  I was so soked to see that Bomba that I wanted to show her off, as well as the darling drawing she put on her list.  I’ve always envied Mum her ability to do those quick sketches that remind me of a DaVinci study.

 

Bomba is Grateful For

An Interesting Question

One of my groups of ‘E-Friends’ has this cool round of “Question of the Day” that the ‘leader’ sends to every member to answer and share with everyone else.

Today, the leader, Kathy, sent out an excellent question to ask yourself:

When I die, what will I be remembered the most/least for?

I thought it would be more accurate if I didn’t look in at me, but out towards the people in my life that know me the ‘best’ and go through their comments about me for a somewhat more accurate answer to the question.

Start, of course, with what you hear the most.

“Oh ______ you are so ________, I love that in you/I wish I were like that/I respect that about you!”

I would really like to hear everyone’s response to this one.  I was very surprised, and more than a little embarrased.

The things about me that bothered people are either behaviours that I am trying to change, or I have to have something repaired (i.e. get dentures/bridgework/lose some more weight) to fix a particular problem.

The only things I found that were said more than once and weren’t really complimentary were my weirdness (it’s true, I read the dictionary for fun!), my woo-woo side (metaphysics, and multiple faiths), being the typical dotty artiste, and the intent writer who feels the eternal odd kid, and my temper… everyone who has seen me *snap* will agree, the worst thing to see, and the thing that is seen the least, is my rage. 

That wasn’t what embarrassed me, it was when I started totting up compliments, not just words either, deeds as well.

I have been told as far back as I can remember how intelligent and smart I am, how talented an artist and writer I am, how well I can help people, how much fun it is to be with me, ad infinitum. 

Even those don’t humble me the as much as when people go on and on about how good I am.  I don’t think I’m that good, the way I conduct myself in the world is the way people should be. 

I really would like to hear what your ‘voices’ say to you, and that it is happy words you find.

These Are Fun To Do #1

My friend Shiloh regularly posts writing prompts, and exercises to wake up your mind.  Below is one that I am sharing.

Our newest collaboration is via

http://www.kaleidosoul.com/index.html

This is an amazing site for all creatives. She and I will each be posting our cards on our personal blogs, along with a smallish amount of interpretation.

http://sunnydreamer.net/soulcollage.shtml