Friday, September 29, 2017

Daily Treasures- Autumn Cometh

Fall has arrived again my friends. God has begun painting the leaves in brilliant colors and the pumpkin flavored noms are infiltrating the store shelves, well they've been doing that for a while now haven't they? I love this time of year, there's a magic to the air that no other time of the year holds. Other perks include the fact my favorite constellation, Orion, returns to our skies this time of year. It's like welcoming back an old friend after his long journey each year.

 
The other day I was working outside when I get under my favorite poplar tree. The breezes started blowing causing leaves from the poplar and surrounding trees to rain down in golden splendor. I stopped long enough to take in this miraculous moment and catch some leaves as I do each year.



Nature is quite the magician if I do say so myself. I was walking down the drive to the mail box and before me seemingly suspended of it's own accord was a little yellow leaf swinging and dancing in the air. I just stood mesmerized by this act of simple, yet astounding magic.


I find that I'm frequently inspired to write about this season. Something about the views, smells, and feel of it is creative juice of a special blend. Last year I decided to bottle Fall's scent even if it was just in word:

Parfum d’automne*


If Autumn could be perfumed

What would be it's olfactory?

It'd be the scent of chopped wood

That clings to Daddy's shirt after working on winter wood

The aroma of sun dried leaves that crackle beneath your feet

The fragrance of Marigolds that scent a Fall night

The unique smell of an Autumn breeze

That blows cool over the hills

Ratting the trees

Demanding leaves to play with

To finish it off healthy sprinkles of pumpkin spice and cinnamon

That engulfs our nose and taste

That is what a bottle of Autumn should smell like


I also enjoy the store finds this time of year. I generally have two wish lists during the season. One for the items that would be my décor for Halloween/Fall, and the items that I want to add to my regular year round décor. What can I say I love some creepy mixed with the many other things I throw up in my space. I got things up like a Dollar Tree Gargoyle I bought ages ago when we were still attending the Halloween Festival in Brevard, NC, and this Dracula Rubber Ducky the folks gave me. Heck I have one of those changing haunted portraits from last years Dollar General Halloween line I keep up. You can find her in the second picture of The Spooky Vegan's post, the lady on the top row. I don't know what it was about this portrait, but it was destined for my wall. When I first saw it I though it was cool cause it was A. a changing haunted portrait , which I've always wanted, B. She transforms into a vampire my favorite horror monster, C. Her normal state was just such a lovely portrait that I'd have hung even if it didn't change. I didn't buy her that first day, I didn't want to make a knee jerk splurge purchase. But after I left the store I couldn't get the piece out of my head, I even had christened her Lucillia, either that first time in the store or the days following. So I of course returned, and after a pulse quickening search through the male portrait stack I found Lucilla, and since then she's hung above my computer watching me work, procrastinate, and stuff my face. My general rule with shopping for not essentials is if you can wait on purchasing it wait, and if it's still something that stirs in your heart and mind days or even a year later get it, but in the cases of thrift stores and day sales best to just act, but have self control.

Ok my friends have a good weekend, enjoy God's beauty around you, and may He always Bless You!
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer
And from his slumber on my bed the Vampire >vv< Kitty

 
*I used a language translator to attempt to get the French for perfume of Autumn or Autumn's perfume, if you speak French let me know if that's right. I just thought the title needed to be in French.*

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Time and Other Fleeting Things

They say "The best things in life are free", but I think it would be more true if it was said "The best things in life are free and fleeting." This is the mindset I'd planned to write with when I first was going to write this last month. Time has been fleeting, so much that like The Art of Doing Stuff did a few weeks ago and Running in a Skirt does this will have to be a massive dump of the last couple months. I have been a flake on many things this season, this blog being one of them. So with "free and fleeting things" in mind I'll try to stay on theme as I do an account of some of the things that have happened the last couple months.

Max Patch

 
Well in the latter part of July we took a trip to Max Patch, North Carolina. We hadn't been since 2015 maybe. For those who've never been, Max Patch and the surrounding area is a beautiful rural land. There's places to fish, hike, horseback ride camp, even some letterboxes and geocaches. We packed a lunch and took a nice ride there, despite having the daylights jarred out of me once we hit the gravel. For those that don't know I enjoy car rides sometimes I think it's the best part of an outing.


We usually stop by Max Patch Pond were certain times of the year you can see the tadpoles in various fleeting stages on their way to adulthood.


I also love seeing the butterflies gathering by the water, such beautiful and short lived creatures...




...and flora.

It was nice hanging with the folks in a laid back setting ,looking at nature, checking out the local music stations, visiting where my Grandpa lived. Enjoying the little moments.


Asheville Anime Regional Convention

I really don't know how to add this to the theme it wasn't free and it happens every year, but the memories made are fleeting and can't be repeated? It was a fun time and a beautiful day.


 

I ran into this self published author I'd met at the final GeeKOut last year, Amanda Churi. She came in tow with her fiancé this year. Who dazzled me with so sleight of hand, even though I've studied up on the subject. I ended up purchasing her first book, which she publish as her senior English project. It was after reading the book that I realized she'd probably given some of her fiancés' attributes and name to one of the main characters. So for that moment I met him, it was like when one meets an actor who portrays a character you like, it's the closet you'll come to meeting that fictional character. Despite being a large book a finished it rather quick, as I'm prone to do to good stories. I may have to buy the second one.

Welcome to the Wild
One of the things I enjoy about living where I do is the abundant wildlife that can be found in our yard. We have deer that roam and munch on our fruits, we have one that we have been watching for the last couple years who we call flip tail cause of it's over fondness to tail flipping. We also have turkeys that come around every year. This year a turkey has been roaming with her chicks. You can't help put smile seeing the little things following Momma around. We also had a turkey decide to roost in one of the trees behind the barn each even. It was enjoyable to see it up there when I'd go to the feeding:

 
Sadly this joy was short lived for it decided to stop roosting right before the eclipse, actual a lot of the animals vamoosed right around the eclipse for a time. But the deer and Momma Turkey returned. Actually in that same tree a few weeks ago the Momma flew up into it, then growing chicks followed suit each seemed to be trying to out do it's sibling till the tree was full. I couldn't help to think of that Peanuts Thanksgiving Special and Sally trying to get a Turkey Tree. I guess I found it. The little family it still around, but I haven't seen them much if at all since that tree display.

Eclipsed
 
One fleeting cosmic event we enjoyed in August here in the States was the total solar eclipse. It was something I'd been looking forward to for months. Thankfully my sister was able to hook us up with proper eye wear amidst all that eye wear drama. I even was inspired to do a bit of art after hearing our local country station Kiss Country talk about the Cherokee having an eclipse event. They also mentioned who they believed a frog was eating the sun... Being descended of Cherokee, at least that's what those who studied my family tree have told me, I found this fascinating. I mean I look at all these other cultures who had ideas of ferocious beasts devouring the sun, and my ancestors thought it was a frog... I'm just wondering how this belief began. Anyway not long after hearing this, maybe even the same morning, this image came to mind of a frog with the sun in his belly. I'm not the best drawer, but who else is gonna do your vision, so I gave it a try. I entitled it Nvdo Walosi Ugisgo. It's one of the Cherokee phrases for eclipse I learned from Your Grandmother's Cherokee. I'm kinda pleased with it.

On the day of the event itself we watched all the coverage and toasted as we watched the moon eat the sun, mostly. I think my Dad figured we were in the 99.6 range if not more. It was enough to transform the world into some strange realm where you couldn't help but think about those lizard men you saw on Facebook. My sister and family got the epic eclipse pics. I did manage some cool shots, you can tell strange things is going on.

Watching all the big eclipse parties on the tube you kinda wish you went to one, but at the same time it was nice to share in this special moment just with some of the special people in your life, plus not far to collapse in my bed, my sleep was so screwed up around that time. I'm also inspired to do more creative work surrounding the eclipse something comparing how my ancestors handled it to how we do now.
Still Together All These Years

Earlier this month my Mom and Pop celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. I'm sure as it probably does for most time as flow by, but I'm glad their marriage withstood it's test. We went for a family celebration at a local restaurant. I'd actually been there the night before with Fangirl, so double the burger pleasure.

This is me abandoning adulthood to play Tetris with the Tetris Tot they've apparently decided to start serving.
Well that is the chronicles of time that has soared passed me. My prayers go to those of you effected by the hurricane, wildfires, and earthquakes. I pray the Lord keeps your all safe. God bless you friends!
Ninja <[0000]---------------[0000]> Writer

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

A Summer Gathering and Momma's Cooking

Hello friends if your in the summer climate as I am right now, I hope you're keeping cool. Earlier this month in the States we had the Fourth of July (Independence Day), yes way overdue writing this. We celebrated with a cookout, an event that usually is just involved Fangirl coming up, the Folk, and me, but this year my sister and I'll call her June Bug decided to bring their brood, making it a total of 8 people.

This caused my Mother to have to conjure up an alternative dessert plan. She off the bat created a new cake recipe that I call: Mom's Improv 4th of July Cake. Though don't let the title fool you it'd be great at any time. I don't have any pictures, it's a pretty simple cake, but I will share the recipe I originally posted on Gilded Wings:


Mom's Improv 4th of July Cake

Ingredients:

Berry Mix:
1 Cup Sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup of Blueberries
1 to 1 1/2 cup of Strawberries (crushed)

Cake Mix:
2 Cups of flour
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
2 Eggs
1/2 cup of cooking oil
1/2 cup of evaporated milk (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)

Also:
Whip Cream
Cooking Spray
Preheat oven to 350

Instructions:

Preparing Your Berry Mix

Add your blue berries and strawberries to a bowl. Pour in the sugar and stir it all up. Let it set for an hour to two hours, stirring every 30 minutes till it forms a juice.

Preparing Your Cake Mix

First add the dry ingredients (the flour and sugar), then add the wet ingredients (everything else). Then stir till you get a smooth, well mixed batter.

Let's Mix These Two Mixes

Once your juice has formed strain out the berries into the cake batter. SAVE THE JUICE!
Mix the berries into your batter.

Bake Creation Bake!

Spray a 9 X 13 cake pan, and pour in the batter. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick.

After Baking
Once the cake is out of the oven, and still hot take spoonfuls of the berry juice you saved and spoon it all over the cake. MAKE SURE YOU SAVE AT LEAST HALF OF THE JUICE! Now let it cool down.

Nom Nom

Cut up the cake however you wish. Serve your cake piece topped with whipped cream. Finish by drizzling some of your remaining juice over it.

Enjoy!


After our feasting, we all went outside to enjoy the fireworks. My sister's brood had brought some glow sticks and a balls. June Bug made her a crown out of glowing periwinkle ring. She was like queen of the rave! Ok not really, but maybe the glow queen of the cookout.

There was one point I was sitting on the porch edge in the dying day watching my sister play catch with the boys as lighting bug, or you may call them fire flies (I think both names are beautiful), an I was like this was definantly almost like the quenticenal american Summer/Fourth of July. If it wasn't already cliche enough we later roasted marshmellows for s'mores over the grill's charcoal that was still burning.

I'm also going to remember it as the Forth we had watermelon out our ears. See as part of our usual Fourth menu we have watermelon, so my parents bought one. Well her comes my sister with one, which we used for out cookout, then my Grandparents up the road called saying they was gonna have to send the rest of their melon to us cause some rencent dental work was making it hard for them to eat it. So my sister and me had to get it. There was a half plus about 3/4's of another half we carried back along with bags of onions, yes there was qoting of Dirty Dancing after this. Needless to say our guests went home with Melon, cause our was untouched in the fridge. Actually I was eating that melon, when I wrote this back on the 11thm we still had half of it at that time.

I guess before I go I'll post this one summery type craft thing I fell in love with. I mean this post is summer related. It's a tutorial for Solar Color Changing Ombre Converse Sneakers from the Dream A Little Bigger Blog, props to Epbot's post for me finding it. I think that would be cool, or heck even getting regular paint and coloring up some shoes ombre style would be awesome. Though I don't know about this particular brand of flats, I know certain flat bottom tennis shoes are not the best protect on our gravel/rock drive way, and if you step on a single piece of sharp gravel in them, it's about as bad as if you did it barefooted.

Well I hope you have a good weekend friends and enjoy the summertime. God Bless You Guys!

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Writing, Words, Women

*Warning this post is long and full of blatherings and wild tangents ;p*

This post was originally suppose to be a post relating to the 4th of July, but it turned into a post themed around women writer's. I also think it has shadows of a post I'd planned to write about words but discarded everything but a couple links. So at the creative juices urging let's get going.

Happy 20th Harry Potter

20 years... I almost can't believe it's been that long since the first Harry Potter Book, also crazy it'll be 10 years the 31st of July since the 7th book came out. I guess time flies like the snitch.

This world is very special to me, because of it I have great memories. Memories involving my friends, the books, movies, various thing other fans have done, and even my 11th grade research paper, yes I geek like that. :P Read my post over at Gilded Wings where I recall two big memories including the first time I read Harry Potter.

Rowling's work also has been known to be a bit of calm in the rough parts of life. In the darkness of anxiety/depression that followed 9/11 her word magic gave my frazzled mind a brief respite.*

Not only do I find Rowling's world amazing, but after watching J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and Me many years ago I was inspired by her creative way of working. She just had piles of papers and scraps with writings, drawings, and information. I think of her as one of those authors that just really knows her world inside out. I think my creative juices just envied that view of scattered piles of creative energy.

I guess the only other thing I can say is thank you Rowling for giving us this amazing world. Keep up the magic!


While I Was Seeking

When I was doing the search for literary magazines to send poems off to on the Poets & Writers website I went found The Columbia Review. There I discovered Nikki Shaner-Bradford's On Hanging Poetry In Your Dorm Room; which really made you think about the relationships between fans and the objects of their fandoms. I also fell (or maybe refell) in love with the idea of putting poems and maybe other words somewhere on your wall. I can't help but think of this Keri Smith blog post when I read about putting stuff on your wall.


Getting a Room

I also suggest you read you Shaner-Bradford's other published piece in The Columbia Review : Finding a Room of One's Own in the Modern Day, which is an interesting read involving a book I like A Room of One's Own by yes another lady writer Virginia Woolf, where actually she discusses women writing in the book. Yes lots of women and words.

Continuing on the A Room of One's Own train, I found myself dying to reread a very short story, by another woman, I've actually just did so right before/during working on this, though I feel I may have to give it another read through when I'm with the post, I feel I was too distracted earlier to have had a good read. It's called 5:00 A.M: Writing as a Ritual by Judith Ortiz Cofer from her book The Latin Deli, though my copy of the story was found on page 529 in the book we used for expository writing class in college called Odyssey- A Guide to Better Writing: Third Edition. I think I found it thumbing through the book, cause what else could you do with a book you couldn't sell during the book buy back, this isn't necessarily bad especially with English books cause you may find you own a treasure of literature now. I actually loved this piece so much I took advantage of the rip outable pages and tore it out, and I guess tossed the book, sadly this left it subject to the perils my void of a room , but as luck had it I think it was Fangirl, who took the same class two semesters later, had her a copy that I think was destined for the garbage, so I got it.

Getting back to the story itself It's about Cofer's writing ritual she established, she even briefly gives a nod the title of Woolf's work. I mean it's a very short, simple work, I don't see it being life altering to most people, but to me I think what make's me revisit it often is the image she gives about her mornings and her writing ritual. I just love that image in my head. I wonder sometimes what would happen if I took myself somewhere with less distractions, I imagine I'd probably focus better on trying to write poems now that I seem to have found my creative urge again.

Scent of the Book

Not long ago I finished a book, that I got as free gift in an Amazon purchase, don't you love when that happens. The book was called Elsie's Tender Mercies- Book Seven of the Elsie Dinsmore®: A Life of Faith® Series based on books by Martha Finley. According to the copyright section of this book it came out, or at least was copyrighted, in 2001, but Finley's books first came out in 1868. So yes been around in some form a while. I read it unsure the age group it was meant for, I'm still not sure though it might be for a younger audience, but I still enjoyed the reading. I learned, or more likely relearned , about life and events in the south during the reconstruction era after the US civil war. Plus it also has lessons of faith, which is why I knew I could read it with no fear of any explicit content. The strange and cool thing about this book is when I opened it up an stuck my nose in to take a good whiff, yes I am a book sniffer guilty as charged, I found instead of the usual booky smells you'd get, it's something I guess homey and feminine. I think maybe akin to going to your Grandparents or getting something from them that's been in their home, and it's a nice little scent of comfort, but that's my Grandparents, you may have a whole different experience. Anyway back on track this lovely scent I don't know if it's the book's natural scent or something that it acquired over the course of it's life, but I feel it's the perfect scent for it and it's main character Elsie®. I feel if I were to run into her, or go to her home, this would be the scent she'd and it would be perfumed in.

Coming Attraction

I'm in the process of reading a book of poetry called A Homespun Legacy by Sarah Sabina McFall. I don't think she was like a well known poet, but I've enjoyed what I've read so far. It's a thrift store find, but one that has an interesting tale beyond the poems within, but I plan on a special post just about it once I'm done chronicling all things around this book.



Crazy Ideas Time: Internet Collage Book
As I was trying to find that blog post for the Keri Smith link. I had this crazy idea hit me. If your like me you probably have a bunch of favorite links saved in your favorites, or pinned somewhere. I started thinking what if someone started going through their texts, social pages, and favorites folder links, and picked out the cream of the crop, got all the permissions they needed and collected it into a book and called it something like My Digital Life or My Internet Life. I just wander what that would be like. I think that would be an interesting view of the collector's life. Why don't you do it yourself you may ask. Simple I'm already prone to being stressed and crazy, that would probably put me in the deep end of the crazy pool.


Ok friends I think that unexpected whirlwind of women writing their words has died down, though I think that tongue twister is there to stay. It just seize me and would let go till it got all those words out of me, some words I didn't even really know needed coming out. So do you guys have any tales of women's word's or word's written about women writing words? Write it in the comments or my socials. Till next time friends may God Bless You!


* Rowling's work joins that of other authors whose works has give my anxiety ridden brain a break since I first had problems when I was 9 or 20. This list includes Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitter's Club Mystery # 12: Dawn and the Surfer Ghost and Mercedes Lackey's Vows and Honor books.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

A Day Long Road Trip

Good evening my friends. Well I reached another year. It was time spend with my family, extended family at the family reunion, and soul family. So I'm deeming the theme the Birthday of Family. I prefer doing like Grace in "Good Witch" and spending time with family on birthday, which aired the not long before my B-Day. Why is it around my B-day it seems my TV produces the B-Day eps?

As part of my B-Day gifts Fangirl decided to take me on a day trip to Gatlinburg, since I'd mentioned it been a bit since we'd been on a trip. Despite some anxiety problems, getting lost, rain, and pain in the legs from sitting in the car, I still enjoyed myself. I mean it's the unexpected things that makes for the great stories.

Bryson City/Cherokee



We actually ended up visiting these areas a total of 3 times each. But it gave me a chance to see parts of the area I hadn't seen, or haven't seen in a loooong time. Being smart women we stopped at Bryson City's Visitor and Heritage museum. While Fangirl took a restroom run I looked about the first floor of the museum. In a small room they'd taken pieces I guess found from various old school rooms and made a mock one room school house. In entrance room was pews and a piano from a church or two, and some other literature safe under glass. You have to wander the stories behind them. The days of learning and early Sunday mornings.

 



During one of the drive troughs we passed the Sequoyah Bear in Cherokee, It's part of these artistic bear statues in Cherokee. I don't think I'd seen this one yet. For those who don't know yet he is the man who I believe who developed the Cherokee Syllabary.

 

Nantahala Gorge

We also ended up in the Nantahala Gorge. The rain that came down formed a mist over the creek where we'd been observing rafters. I decided to tell Fangirl about the Giant Wasp/Hornet Legend I read Mountain Ghost Stories and Curious Tales of Western North Carolina by Randy Russell and Janet Barnett. Yes I'm evil.

 

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies™

At the aquarium Fangirl got the opposite what she hoped. See as I've mentioned I have Anxiety. In certain crowded situations I'm fine, but sometimes when there's screaming kids, people who really have no problem invading your personal space, and lots of noise all in one area I have a tough time, so her solution was go on a weekday, sadly it was a weekday during the summer... yeah. Add in my ever worsening OCD, which I don't think I had the last time I was there, it wasn't a cakewalk, but I still managed to find good times.


One great memory of this trip was the fact I got to touch a jelly fish, and not have to be peed on afterwards! I never believed I would touch one, now I can add it to my list of life experiences. So what does a jelly fish feel like? Basically as the name implies jelly like.


Fish Amongst the Trees

One of my most favorite parts of the aquarium is the underwater tunnel. It's beautiful and a bit scary. At one point I took a break from getting pictures, which I'm prone to do a lot because my parents aren't able to go to places like this, and just observed the shark swimming above me for a bit. I watched the way it moved through the water, both scary and amazing.

I found myself looking at the fish floating by and imagining I could be a mermaid, this may have me been me coping with the anxiety too.

 

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditurium™

I hadn't been here since my first trip to the town. We were greeted by I wanna say wax figures of a couple famous people in body alterations one is a Lizard Man that I've seen a few times on TV. Since my last visit there have been some great interactive things added. In one room where your moves effected the screen where there was some live club/trance music going on I was "Rave!", well in my mind.

I have two favorite areas of the odditurium the first is the cemetery. It's all spooky and got creepy pieces, and my favorite, the vampire hunter kit. VvvV

My other favorite thing is the swinging bridge tunnel they have, and I have to say this pic Fangirl got of me is creepy cool and my eyes just have the perfect effect.

 

That piece of paper in me hand is from a Zoltar Machine. It was a favorable prediction for me.

Clouds

Through out the day, wisps of fog hung low upon the mountains. Sometimes you felt you could just reach out and touch. The clouds played through the green mountains, over the blackened patches from the fires last year, and the sun could sometimes be found enter woven within it.

 




Well I hope you enjoyed my tales from a day long road trip. If you want to see a few more pictures and some other memories from the day read the blog I did for the Imaginative People's Association Blog: Gilded Wings

God bless you my friends and may your journeys be great.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Season Changing


 Smells of Spring's lilac have given way to the rosy scents of Summer
Heavy in the evening and morn, especially after the rain fall
Cherokee roses have taken their wild spaces again
As the pink rose bushes began showing off early this year
 Blooms come out on the poplar tree near the barn
 I have to touch a waxy, orange, pale yellow petal
 
Arriving a week early than it should
A lighting bug blinked into existence
Soaring in the moon's light
As if born from the glow
 
Nests crafted on beams
In the shelter of barns and sheds
Now lay barren
As the children grew their wings
And found the sky


Nature is full poetic inspiration. I hope you have a good weekend friends. God Bless You!

Saturday, June 3, 2017

A Birthday Poem


 

Another birthday approaches

Another year added to the notches of your body
But ignore all that negativity over aging
You got more to celebrate
 
Today you started as a miracle
It doesn't matter how you were received
Because to God you are a beautiful gift
And every year since you arrived
It's a time to remember all the treasures
That have come your way
A chance to honor all those pieces
Making up the being that is you
Your obsession with chocolate
Probably not healthy, but it makes you smile
Your love of car rides
And singing loudly, yet badly, to good music
 
Unfold the map of life
Honor every mile
See how far you've come
The passengers you've picked up
Hikes in the cow patty field
Tater loving dogs
The old high school fight songs
Your ever patient soul family
Your favorite Chinese Restaurants
 
Today laud all your lines and curves
Your good parts and mistakes
Turn the music up
Belt it out loud
Be thankful in every breath
Celebrate God's gift in that He gave you another year