Indy Brings Nothing But A Lonely Java

Scott is currently in Indianapolis for a racing expo going on annually and really for me nothing about that is good. For one I am alone (well not really, my super ninja Nakita is coming to hang out while Scott is away and having a girl friend over will be awesome!) and on top of that it is freaking cold outside. I made an attempt to start a fire but that requires a lot of upkeep to make the heat and fire going and I am just NOT good at multitasking. Wine helps but it makes multitasking even more difficult. Don't worry. I only had 2 glasses of Merlot,the fire filtered out and wine eases my nerves of thinking a crazy demon is going to break in and destroy all awesome in this house (I watch A LOT of Investigation Discovery shows about murders and crime dramas).

Welp, that is my piece of knowledge for today. I miss my husband very much and cannot wait to see him again on Saturday. Until then you may have to suffer through gushy love stories I wrote because I hated that he was leaving/left. Enjoy the stories everyone, my brain is really talking a lot right now and if I keep talking it just will not make sense.

Abandon the search for the truth; settle for a good fantasy. 

5 December 2013

The Bird and The Fish

Bird loved the sky. She flew everyday and saw lands in all the corners of the world. Her life was blissful. Simple. She flew. She ate. She drank water. She bathed. She lived her life everyday without a thought that anything could be different. Of course she had seen other animals but bird never thought anything of them. She never spoke to them and life was still grand.

One day, bird was bathing in the little beach the water had created. Her hunt for bugs that day had been successful and a cool bath was just what she needed. As she bathed she saw something in the water. She looked really close and SPLASH something jumped up out of the water and sprayed her with water! She was stunned!

“Hi! I am fish. Did I help you get clean?”

“Fish? You splashed me! Why?” Bird was shocked but mostly surprised. She was having a lovely evening until she was interrupted from this fish.

“I just saw you splashing yourself. I don't have many friends here. I am more of a dreamer and everyone else her just swims, lays eggs and eats. They are so boring. I like to talk to other animals who have different lives than me. What do you do flying animal?” Fish really loved other animals and wanted to learn all he could.

“Well next time don't scare me so! You really ruffled my feathers and got me into such a great fright. I am bird. I fly the great blue skies and eat the bugs. I see everything in the skies. I watch the deer run the great plains. I watch the humans go into big tall buildings and drive great machines called cars! I see everything from the sky. Fish, what do you do? You don't have wings. How can you see anything in this sea”

“Oh I see so many things! I jump around sharks while they swim deep out at sea. I play with dolphins while they tease the humans on their large boats! I dance in front of the humans who dive deep in these looking for exotic coral and other sea creatures. The only problem is my fellow fish are so boring! They swim and eat and swim and eat. They mock me for wish I could run or fly. Do you dream of being different?”

Bird wanted to answer no and until then she had not wanted to be anything other than a bird but she had flown over the sharks. She had watched the dolphins and whale jump out of the waters. She had seen the coral reefs from high in the sky and until then she had never thought they would be anything but things under the sea. “Yes fish. Now I do want more than this flighty life. I follow the winds and my fellow bird. I have fun and I have never desired more but your life sounds so exciting!”

Both were at a crossroads. Both wanted more but neither could possibly have more. Bird would surely die under the great sea and fish would shrivel up to dust in the air for too long. What were they to do?

“We can be the best of friends. I may be a fish and you may be a bird but we can travel our areas and tell each other tales of lives we cannot live. We can live through each other and never desire to be more. We can dream!” Fish was excited to hear tales about the sky.

“That is wonderful fish. I must admit I was a bit taken aback by your splash but I will say I am very glad you did. I have to go now friend but I promise I shall be back tomorrow. Maybe I will even tell you about the great lions of Africa and the tigers of India!”

From that day on fish and bird met almost everyday at different places in the world. Fish told tales of great shipwrecks and planes that had fallen from the sky. Bird told of every animal on land, of massive waterfalls in Canada and the explosive volcanoes of the Hawaiian islands. They formed a wonderful and true friendship and stood the test of time. A friendship that their children and grandchildren would not only speak of but share with each other from generation to generation.

6 December 2013

The Lover's Light

It breaks through the curtain,

Splashes golden rays of delight,

It kisses their cheeks,

The lovers breath in the warm sun.

Her deep green eyes,

His soft baby blues,

They gaze deeply,

Affection pouring through their souls.

The warm sun dances on their skin,

The chilly air brings them closer,

He loves her ambition and tenacity,

She loves his creativity and kindness.

The light,

The inviting morning light,

It brings them bliss,

In their loving abode.

7 December 2013

The Birth of Baby Sea Turtle

Baby sea turtle had a cozy home. He slept and grew in the comfort of a soft shelled egg buried deep in a sand pit by his mother. She took great care to slowly dig the hole that she would lay her eggs to hatch future generations of sea turtles in Costa Rica. He would probably never know his mother but from conception he knew how dangerous it was to lay hundreds of little eggs.

His home was nice but his quarters were beginning to feel cramped. He had food fed to him from inside his shell and he could hear the calming waves of the ocean all throughout the day. Being a baby sea turtle meant he already knew what his purpose was once he was ready to break free. He had to get out of his shell as fast as he could and crawl to the ocean. The waves would take him out and then it was his job to stay with his brothers and grow so more baby sea turtles could be born.

From the time he was a little dot in his egg he prepared himself for the race. It wasn't actually a race considering his brothers were probably not thinking so but, to him, it was still a race. His egg was near the top, he could just feel it and he was going to be the first into the sea!

The time had come, his shell was just way too tight for him now. Baby sea turtle chomped and sliced at the soft shell with his beak. He flapped his arms to tear the crease open wider and sand filled his shell. He continued to flap is arms and he felt movement underneath him. His brothers were waking and hatching as well! He must move faster. Faster he went with great determination he broke the surface of the sand only to see a soft light just above him.

The people often watched the sea turtles hatch and would even protect them from crocodiles, birds and other prey since they are such an endangered animal. Baby sea turtle was very grateful for this and gave the people a tiny wave. Off he went and with a final push he thrust himself out of the sand!

There it was off in the distance. Home, his new home at least. Much bigger and more free than his little shell. Oh the places he would see and creatures he would meet! The finish line was near, his brothers were closing in, he had to pick up his pace. The people were cheering for them but he pretended that they were cheering for only him. Closer and closer, each break of the waves made each flap of his arms faster and stronger until finally CRASH he broke the finish line!

He won! The waves gave him a great push. The push subsided and he swam with so much grace and speed then another push and he was even further from the shore. Baby sea turtle and his brothers knew that their mission was survival and this was the first step. They succeeded this day, their birth day, but they had many more days ahead of them. That was no matter, for now they could celebrate life out in the great blue Pacific Ocean.

8 December 2013

Myssa and the Wooden Ornament

It dangled from the tree like a menacing little mouse. Spinning and taunting her as if to say, “come and get me, if you can.” Ever since her humans had put that stupid tree up that ornament teased her the most. She would make that ornament regret the day it was put up.

Every day she scouted the tree. Myssa had to find the opportune time to knock that pest down and destroy. She certainly couldn't do it when her humans were watching. No, they loved those wretched, sparkling and dazzling ornaments. She knew that if she got yelled at for chewing on the tree that her people were watching. Stealthy as she was, her humans was constantly aware of things and thwarted many of her daily missions.

Today would be the day though. No more teasing. No more spinning. The wooden ornament would finally meet its end. She sat at the top of the stairs and waited until the lady human took a nap. It was taking too long. She knew the lady human was a sucker for kitty cuddles so Myssa pranced herself down the stairs. She jumped onto the couch and curled herself into a tiny little ball to snuggle. The lady human instantly fell for the trap and off she slept dreaming of who knows what, probably stupid human things.

This was her chance and with the furnace blowing, the ornament was spinning at an irritatingly fast speed. She slowly made her way to the tree, always making sure to watch for the lady human. She had to be done in time to make it back to the lady human and not let her cat ninja skills be known. There she was, ornament in sight and WHACK one swing and it was down for the count! She ran back to the couch and ever so lightly hopped back to her original spot. “Success,” she thought as she dosed off dreaming of her next mission for the day, destroying the piece of carpet at the bottom of the stairs.

9 December 2013

The Little Starfish and Her New Beginning

Off the west coast of California lies a tiny beach town named Pismo Beach. It has a huge pier that makes this town the perfect postcard backdrop for all the natives and tourists alike who visit daily. This pier is also the grand home of a little starfish name Nicolette. She loved her home but she did not love the other sea creatures and birds that lived their too.

Nicolette lived with muscles, clams, seagulls and pelicans. She had no one like her on her pier. She washed up there on day and never left. She never really did mind until visitors brought an increase in her neighbors. They were not very good influences and were often cruel to Nicolette.

“You're so strange! Look at your bumpy shell and weird orange coloring! Haha you should just let go of this pier and float on to a new home!” The muscles would scream at her daily new insults.

“Go ahead make the leap little Colette. Go on you can do it,” said the gulls to Nicolette. They wanted her to jump so they could have an easy meal. They certainly couldn't grab her off the pier because the waves would thrash them into the sea.

Over time Nicolette felt a great hatred for herself. Why was she there? Why did she care? Why would she stay when no one liked her? She often thought of giving up and just letting the gulls take her away. Just when she was at her weakest, a family of seals swam into town. Nicolette always loved when the seals came because the laughter and joy of the people made her happy. Just then she saw a baby seal swimming towards her and dread filled her body.

“Oh no. Not someone else who hates me,” worried Nicolette as she watched the baby come closer.

“Look mom look! A lone starfish! Hi starfish. I am Eloise. This is my first trip in the ocean and I love it! What is your name?” The baby seal was very excited for life and made Nicolette uncomfortable. She had made friends before who became mean to her.

“I am Nicolette but sometimes the birds and fish call me Colette, among other things.”

“Wow Nicolette! What a pretty name! You are so pretty too!”

“Hahahaha what a silly seal are you,” screeched one of the gulls.

“If you want someone interesting to talk to you should stick to the birds, we see the world. Little Colette sees nothing. She is just an ugly, but tasty starfish,” screeched another gull.

For Nicolette that was enough shame. She decided to give in to the mocking birds and teasing muscles. “Well Eloise as you can see I am nothing great. It was nice meeting you but now I must let go and give in to the sea.” With that she let go of the pier and the birds immediately swooped down.

“No! I will not let you do that,” yelled Eloise. She grabbed Nicolette and started to swim away but the birds were diving at her. They began ripping limb after limb off of Nicolette until there was nothing left but her body in Eloise's mouth. “Don't worry, Nicolette I will get you out of here. Mom we have to go I have to save my friend!” With that the seals were off. They headed up north with Nicolette until finally they reached San Francisco.

“Thank you Eloise but I fear your efforts were wasted. I am even uglier now that I don't have my points,” Nicolette was very sad now. Everything about her and all that she had known were destroyed and gone.

“Don't worry my friend. I will protect you. I will stay here with you and always be your friend no matter what!”

Eloise and Nicolette became friends but Nicolette never felt herself until one day not long after she felt a change. She felt happy. She never really thought about the new place she was at but she felt herself growing and was very fond of Eloise and her seal family.

“Eloise why did you bring me here? Why did you stick me on this large bridge?” Nicolette enjoyed her new home and it felt much more safe than her old home.

“Well I was born near here and when I saw you I thought that you would look even more beautiful attached to this big red bridge! And wouldn't you believe it but you do. Look you have even begun to sprout new limbs!”

To their excitement, all of the points the birds had eaten off were coming back. Nicolette was becoming brand new. Her points were larger than before. They were brighter and more beautifully orange than ever. She was brand new and all because a friend cared. As Eloise grew older, she stayed away for longer periods of time. She would always come back and sometimes with her new babies. They remained the greatest of friends and Nicolette learned that no matter what she was beautiful and if she ever needed to she could shed her skin and start over. She also learned that life is too wonderful to worry about all the negative things, instead she would shine in the positive.

10 December 2013

Nikki, Vechi and the Magic White Jetta

Vechi thought he knew how directionally challenged Nikki was but this is not what he expected. Nevertheless, he was prepared to forge a new road with his girl or the lack of a road as this trip was shaping things up to be. The day started out normal for the two lovebirds but normal was never really in the cards for them. Their whole lives they lived by the blow of the wind and wonderfully the wind had brought them together. Unfortunately, today they might end up flattened out into one pancake at the bottom of the PCH.

Nikki has never been known for her ability to read directions. Maps, GPS, someone sitting next to her giving her complete instruction, none of it ever got her anywhere without getting her lost first. Many fell victim to her inability to understand directions and many had heard, “I am NOT lost! I am searching.”

In her beautiful new Jetta, Vechi and Nikki set out to ride the coast and soak up all of the glorious sun California had to offer. This day was exceptionally lovely. The warm temperatures coupled with the cool mist of the sea made the hot kiss of humidity bearable enough to drive from sun up to sun down. With music blasting, the pair drove, but to where?

“Hey Vechi, um, I'm totes not lost but like where are we?”

“I thought you put the beach Java told you about in your GPS?”

“I did but...”

“Nikki! Watch out!” Vechi screamed as she veered right and straight through the barrier that guarded travelers from a cliff side death.

They say it is just like the movies when you see your end nearing but those people have no idea how real that is. With a flash and a bang they crashed through that metal barrier and sailed through the sky screaming. All of this happened completely in slow motion. As it has already been mentioned before, this was not a normal day and Nikki certainly did not own a normal car. Their screaming caused her car to sprout wings and start talking.

“Please stop screaming. You're not falling anymore,” said her car in the most irritated voice.

“Oh my god the car is talking!” yelled Nikki as they were no longer careening towards the unforgiving rocks below.

“I am not 'the car' Nicole Marie. I am Betty.”

“Betty?” At this point Vechi had passed out. For Nikki, a talking car was not the craziest thing she had ever seen. Again, normal was not in her vocabulary.

“Betty White to be exact. Oh don't look at me that way. You're the one who purchased a white car. Betty is just the name that the universe gave me,” Betty was not kidding. The world gave her the epic name of one of the greatest funny women on earth. “Will you wake him up please. I will just keep flying her unless he wakes up. It takes the both of you to make this work.”

“Oh ya, duh, Vech! Hey Vechi!” SMACK! Since he would not wake up to her yelling she had to give him a little five finger inspiration.

“What? Who? Ouch! Did you slap me?!”

“Ya. I had to. Hey at least I didn't try to take you out with a rubber duck this time.”

Vechi thought this over for a moment and figured that was fair enough but now what? They were soaring through the air in a flying, talking vehicle. He just wanted to go to the beach. He wanted to have a nice day with the girl of his dreams but now he had been thrust through a guard rail and thrown into the sky.

“Stop panicking and start thinking of what the two of you want,” said Betty to the now only slightly stunned pair. That is when it came to both of them. Betty drifted herself down to the sea and turned into a boat. They had always wanted to sail off into the sunset together.

Leaving behind the extremely frightened and confused travelers on the Pacific Coast Highway in the dust, Nikki and Vechi sailed forward on the open water. With Betty in sleep mode they dreamed of new adventures they could take in their magic white Jetta. The greatest depths of the sea, the expansive reaches of outer space, nothing was off limits so long as they were together and could dream.

 

Baby It's Cold Outside

It is snowing and boy is it pretty to watch out my kitchen window but oh my is it freezing. Even my dog Buddy is chilly which isn't saying much, he is a chihuahua mix who likes sweaters and cuddling so close to your body you sometimes end up sitting on him. Don't worry, he is the one who will crawl under you. Just look at this picture to see how comfy he is:

Ya he is such a tortured soul isn't he?

Anyway here are a couple stories and if you read to the end you will get a sweet treat to make you smile on this cold evening!
 

3 December 2013

Enter My Summer

I have spent the first portion of my life learning how to live. My spring is coming to an end and I am entering the adulthood of my summer. I will open this new chapter with joy because I am not as naïve. I am a little more wise and a lot more mature.

My spring time gave me many lessons to learn and live by. I learned basic things like love, compassion and how to care. Some lessons were more difficult to swallow. Shame, disappointment, failure, hurt were all lessons I had to learn and I am glad I did.

Now that I am nearing the end of my spring I am can feel happiness and nostalgia at the chapter I get to lose. I sowed the seeds of my youth. I watered those tender flowers with many tears and gave them plenty of happy, sunny days to grow. I made mistakes, trampled a couple of my growing flowers but now the seeds I have planted in life are budding.

My summer is near. My time to sprout is coming. I have to the tools to lead a happy life and watch my blossoms bloom into beautiful flowers. This new chapter is terrifying but exciting. In this time I will bring new life into the world. I will make a difference on the lives of others and I will guide my children through their spring. This is my shining time. This is my story, although it is short now, I still have three more chapters to grow and tend this garden of life that I am living.

4 December 2013

The Snowflake

High in the sky where the clouds begin to form, live moisture droplets who wait for the instructions of the air. With a whirring of the wind and a great temperature drop, the sweet little moisture droplets freeze into beautiful dancing snowflakes.

Each one different, each one elegant with sharp clear edges that come together to form a lovely winter design. They sit upon the cloud, layering one by one to tumble to the earth and coat the ground in chilly, white fluff. The cloud gives way and lets loose the flakes.

Flitting and fluttering, the snow sprinkles from the sky like tiny little angels dancing through the air. The snowflakes twirl and tumble in cold delight. It coats our trees and our yards and freezes all it touches. Even though they chill us to our core, the sparkling beauty of the fresh fallen flakes make cold nights cozy and brings a pink blush to our smiling cheeks.

Sweet little flakes bring winter to our doors. They make the Christmas season joyous and give us reason to light fires in our hearths. So dance little flakes from your home in the clouds. You chill the outdoors and bring us closer inside. 

And now here is your treat:

 

The Show 'Reign" Makes Me Want To Punch The Writers For It In The Throat

Harsh I know but that show just makes my blood boil! Now I totally understand that an historical drama has to take some artistic license when creating a show. It has to get ratings after all and it needs to keep people interested. Fine. But sometimes they take artistic license and COMPLETELY rewrite history!

There are some key points in the show Reign (which I must admit I have only seen a tiny bit because what I have seen has been too wrong to watch) that just blow historical fact out of the water and do not make the show even slightly accurate to Mary, Queen of Scots time in France.I'll list them here:

• Mary arrived in France when she was 15 in the show.
• She is average height and weight with dark eyes and very dark hair.
• Francis II is a dashing and handsome prince who is occasionally mean to Mary.
• Francis II has an illegitimate half brother named Sebastian who is in love with Mary.
• Everyone has a British accent.
• Apparently prom dresses were an acceptable form of dress in the 16th century.
• Francis II had mistresses.
• None of her ladies in waiting are named Mary.

I am going to leave it at that because that is all stuff that happened IN THE FIRST FREAKING EPISODE! I cannot imagine how much worse it got from the pilot. Okay now lets get to the facts.

Mary's Arrival

Mary became Queen of Scots when she was just a day or two old. To ensure her power, her mother was made regent and she was sent to France at the age of 5 to be raised as the betrothed bride of Francis II, the Dauphin of France and future king. This would combine French and Scottish power in Europe. There is no way, no how and no reason Mary would have arrived in France at the age of 15 like the show suggests.

Mary's Appearance 

Being that she was related to the Tudor family (cousin to Elizabeth I and great niece to Henry VIII) she was known to have auburn red hair to bright red hair. She had green t hazel eyes and was exceptionally tall for a woman in her time standing nearly 6 feet tall. That doesn't even begin to describe the girl who portrays her on television.

Francis and His Appearance/Demeanor

Francis II was weak, sickly, short and uninterested in courtly things. Now that is not what the show portrays him as! Also to take one of the points down here, he did not have any mistresses. He was hardly married long enough to consummate his own marriage let alone be healthy long enough to prance around and have a vigorous sex life.

Bash

There is absolutely nothing to say about him because he did not exist. Diane de Poitiers did not have any known children other than from her marriage before Henry II came along. This is not to say that Mary was not known for her affairs but that happened in Scotland. I believe she was not as savy or hungry for power when she was in France like she was when she moved back to her homeland. This character Bash is just nonsense.

Oh The Accents

Why are French, Scottish and Italians speaking with British and American accents?!?!?! I mean come on!

Prom Dresses On A Soon-To-Be- Monarch and The Rest of the Court

The clothing designs are not just wrong but they are offensively ugly. At least on The Tudors they made things "sexy " for the show but attempted to stay within believable period piece clothing. In Reign, the girls hardly wear sleeves (French were SUPER Catholic so this is really bad) and a lot of them are wearing strapless prom like dresses! WTF? That doesn't even make sense. I understand they are trying to appeal to the teenage girls watching but please don't try to tell me that teenagers think ANY royal would wear a frilly prom like dress, especially in the 16th century.French fashion was sexy and all the rage then but not that sexy.

Where Are The Marys

I completely understand that naming 5 girls all Mary in a show about a girl named Mary is rough. I get it, but that was the names of Mary's ladies in waiting and her best friends to boot! Now at the very least the show could have added names that were 16th century Scottish or English but Lola? Kenna? Aylaa? Greer? Those don't even sound like names girls would have now let alone 500 years ago! The Marys didn't always get along perfectly (they are women after all) but they weren't completely the skeevy, oversexed bitches in this show. 

I do not like to complain unless a show is just outright wrong and strays too far from the story. I get that they are just trying to entertain a crowd. At the very least they should have looked at Mary's life, asked how they could make it more exciting (I don't know why you would need to. One of her real life lovers in Scotland was stabbed to death in front of her!) and then made a new person with similar qualities and called it truly fiction like the show is. It makes me so mad because those are things people believe. Those are things that people are insistent are true like Marie Antoinette having an affair with everyone and Anne Boleyn sleeping with everyone including her own brother and possibly being the daughter of her own husband. Use your artistic license and create a true and exciting story about Mary because she was absolutely nothing shy of fascinating!

That is my historical rant of the day! I hope you learned something! And if you didn't well here are some stories of mine.

29 November 2013

Jack

You sit in your kennel,

It is your warm little den.

Your sight is waning

But you're still my sweet old pup.

When we first met you were scared.

You didn't trust people,

They hurt you and hit you,

Yet you still fell in love with me.

I named you Jack

And loved you with all my might.

I comforted you through scary seizures,

You kissed my tears when people hurt me.

You are growing old my sweet pup,

But your love for me has only grown stronger.

I will love and care for you till the end,

Because you changed my life for the best.

30 November 2013

The Mermaid, The Seahorse and The Dolphin

The waves crashed and broke among the rocks near shore. Laughter could be heard in the distance and birds were screeching in the morning sun. It was a beautiful summer day for the entire seashore but the sea was telling Cordelia that there was a problem. Cordelia was a mermaid, a daughter of Poseidon, and she loved to travel the seas. Because she was a daughter of Poseidon, the sea sprites told her when there is good or when there is bad and today there was a bad message going through the sea.

“Naida we have to go. There is someone or something in trouble. We have to find them and help them.” Naida, the seahorse, and Cordelia were the best of friends. They did everything together including help the sprites solve the problems of the sea.

So off they went, following the flow of the ocean until they heard a sob far off in the distance. The push of the sprites got stronger and stronger until they came upon a baby dolphin. Weak, hungry and sad, the little baby dolphin wept near the surface slowing losing her will to keep going.

“Sweet baby, why are you crying? Where is your family? Dolphins travel in families my sweet, you shouldn't be alone,” said Cordelia.

“My family is gone. We were driven into a small cove. The people grabbed me from my family and dropped me out by myself far from my family. They are all gone in a sea of red,” said the sad baby dolphin. “Who are you?

“I am Cordelia Genevieve Ceto Oceane, daughter of Poseidon, goddess of the sea. The sprites tell me when they need my help and led me to you. This is my friend, Naida.” The baby dolphin was amazed to see them. Cordelia had long, waist length, blond hair. Her eyes were a glistening emerald green. She was covered with a bodice of green and blue sea glass and tiny shells all laced together with the best seaweed. Her tail was a vibrant and royal purple color with splashes of green throughout. She was so beautiful and the baby just loved looking at her. Naida complemented Cordelia very much she was was very purple with a blue streak down her back and blue eyes, brighter than the sky. “Sweet baby, what is your name?”

“I do not have one. I was just born when my family was taken from me and my mother never got to name me, Will you name me?”

“Hmm... now what shall we name her?” pondered Naida to Cordelia. “ We have to keep her and take care of her so we need a good name. A fitting name for our little blessing and miracle. We need a happy name, a beautiful name, a name that will make all smile when they hear it. How about Amia. It means beloved.

“That is beautiful Naida! What do you think sweet baby? Do you like the name Amia?” asked Cordelia.

“That is a wonderful name my friends! Are you going to help me from now on? Do I live with you now?”

“Yes, my sweet. You are now Amia, miracle of the sea, companion of Cordelia and Naida, joy to Poseidon. You will live with us and be safe with us. You see Amia, not all people are bad. Some still are. Some still harm the oceans and the seas but many protect it as well and we will help them to protect it. You are ours now and we will make a new family for you, my sweet,” said Cordelia to a no longer weeping Amia.

The mermaid, the seahorse and the dolphin swam off into the sunset. Cordelia and Naida showed Amia the happy people on the beaches. They showed her the smiling people on the ships. Best of all they showed her how great and beautiful the sea is and all the lands that touch the sea. They swam for days enjoying the happy feelings of the sprites in the seas.

1 December 2013

The Revolution

Chop! Yeah! Chop! Yeah! The day was long and hot. The fear was palpable and the smell of blood made Marie's head swirl in terror. The view from her jailed area was no better than what her senses gave her. Marie was labeled a royalist and for that she was going to die.

Royalist was a harsh word. Really she was a friend of the King's sister, Madame Élisabeth, and thus a royalist. Now all is lost. The king is dead. The queen is dead, accused of heinous crimes. The King's sister is dead. Thousands of people are dead. Most without a trial, including Marie.

Marie grew up with the royal family. She came from a wealthy family and the children of these families spent plenty of time at Versailles creating names for themselves and their families. Marie enjoyed her time at court. It was all she knew and her family made sure she spent plenty of time with the royal grandchildren of the Sun King.

Sadly, the Sun King died and left a tragic situation to his grandson and his Austrian granddaughter-in-law. France had no money. The new king and queen had no knowledge of how to run a country and were never taught how to be anything but the shining faces of a great kingdom. They were doomed.

The poor queen was gossiped about by everyone. She was said to be incompetent, she spent too much, she didn't care about the people, she didn't care about the elite, she slept with everyone, she was a foreigner so clearly she hated France, etc. So many hateful things were said about her but Marie loved her. The queen was an enigma, a great beauty! She was also very young and naïve when she was thrust into the strict and financially depleted world of France. Marie always loved that she shared a name with the Austrian queen of France.

The king did not fair much better. He was pressured from the three Estates to make changes in each of their own favors. He was pressured from the Americans to aid in their revolution. He was inexperienced, shy and rather unfortunate to not have the ability to be a strong leader, he really could not say no to any of the Estates, especially the first two. After depleting the royal treasury helping the Americans, a failure of the harvest caused famine with the people. This caused the city of Paris to go into great chaos. The guillotine only helped make that chaos as bloody as it could be.

Now in the midst of the Reign of Terror, anyone who ever showed favor with the royal family were being beheaded in mass executions. No trials. No help. Just death. This day was Marie's turn. As she was loaded into the cart with other victims, she remembered what the extremely devout Madame Élisabeth had been said to have done before her own execution commenced, Madame Élisabeth helped everyone she was with stay strong and repeated the De profundis until it was her turn to gracefully die.

Chop! Yeah! Chop! Yeah! Everyone in her cart cried. Most were her age. She kept them strong and remembered that soon the fear and terror would be over. De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine. The first went. Chop! Then the next. Chop! The crowd cheered for the hated royalists to die. Domine, exaudi vocem meam. Fiant aures tuæ intendentes. Marie continued to say the De profundis for the next chop and the next chop until it came her time. The crowd was ravenous and the metallic stench of death was overwhelming as she was strapped onto the board awaiting her death. In vocem deprecat....CHOP!

2 December 2013

Red Flower of the Mountains and The Birth of the Hummingbird

Long ago, in a time before man crossed the oceans to expand there lands, lived a girl named Red Flower of the Mountains. She lived in the high Andes mountains with her family and many different creatures. Red Flower of the Mountains got her name from her fiery red hair. Her skin was the smoothest almond color of all the land and her long hair was as dark as the night.

Red Flower lived in a great darkness. Her uncle ruled the land under a fierce hand. Everyday he sacrificed villagers and he kept all the food from them, providing only half rations per family. Red Flower lived in great sadness because her uncle murdered her whole family to gain his title. He kept her to one day make her his wife when she was old enough to provide him with children.

Everyday, Red Flower would climb to the tallest mountain and pray to Mother Earth for help and guidance. This day Mother Earth finally responded to Red Flower with a gift and a message.

“Today beautiful child of the mountain I will give you something to help your people. I can only give you this gift but you must make it the object that saves you and your people,” said Mother Earth. She handed Red Flower a tiny little egg. “This egg needs to be cared for. It needs to be nurtured and loved. I made this egg strong so you can keep it close your heart and safe from your evil uncle. Care as deeply for this egg as you do your people and a wonderful treasure will emerge from it. Many will follow. All will bring hope and strength to you and your people but only if you provide it with everything it needs. I need not tell you more. It is all within your soul what to do next.”

“But Moth...” whoosh and with the sound of the wind, Mother Earth was gone leaving only the tiny little egg behind. “I will nurture you and make you everything that my people need to survive these dark days.”

Each morning Red Flower would hold the egg close to her breast, breathing a rhythm into it and whispering sweet words. Each night she would cradle the egg in her warm hands preparing it for life. Then one morning there was a change. The wind blew lightly causing the leaves to float and the calm river to ripple. Her uncle was growing annoyed and began threatening another sacrifice to calm the fluttering wind.

“Gather the people Red Flower and tell them we are killing the most we have ever killed tonight! There will be bloodshed and destruction. If the wind is not satisfied with this I will kill more until she is!” Her uncle was infuriated that the leaves and river were dancing at an even faster pace now.

“I will do no such thing to my people you cruel beast!”

Smack! Her defiance provoked a slap louder than the thunder and a single drop of blood graced her tear streaked cheek. The slap also caused the egg to come loose from her hand and cracked on the ground.

“Oh no! You broke it! I failed! Mother Earth I am so sorry!” cried Red Flower, her tears even bolder now.

“What is this you are hiding from me? A tiny cracked egg. Ha! It is nothing now!” and with a squeeze her uncle crushed the egg and dropped the ashes from his cold hands. “The people needed to be gathered. I suggest you go now before the same thing happens to you.”

Red Flower was heartbroken. Defeated she crawled to the ashes of the egg she had been entrusted and cried hot, searing tears over it. Suddenly the ashes began shaking. Red Flower stopped crying and watched as a tiny bird formed from the hardened ash created by her tears. She had fixed it! The final thing the egg needed was her intense love. She had cared and nurtured it but she had not been able to give it the best feeling of love until it was lost. Until all her hope was vanquished.

The tiny little bird was extremely colorful. It had a red patch at its throat and was speckled in patches of blue and green iridescent feathers. Its wings flapped so fast that Red Flower could not keep up with it. Darting all over her with a heart beat that hummed a soothing but quick rhythmic tune. This little bird intensified her joy. It gave her the greatest feeling of hope since such a tiny thing could survive being crushed into dust. Most of all it inspired her to live and help her people live as well.

“I will name you Hummingbird for your lovely beating heart,” said Red Flower and with a kiss named the tiny bird. Just then the dancing leaves burst into hummingbirds. From the ripple of the water sprung hundreds of tiny humming birds. There were red ones, blue ones green ones, purple ones, hummingbirds of every color. The sound was exhilarating! All for the villagers gathered outside to see what the noise was and they were delighted at the colorful sight of tiny dancing and fluttering birds. The people felt the same joy, hope and life the birds had given Red Flower.

“What is this nonsense!” Screamed the uncle. “ I will sacrifice all of you today if I have to!” With that the birds stopped and began whizzing around and around the people. Their fear was gone! They began yelling at their leader. Their unity and strength caused the hummingbirds to descend on the uncle. A tornado of hummingbirds surrounded the uncle. He swatted at them but they were too fast. One at a time they pecked at him.

“Stop! Help me! Argh! Help me! Please! ARRRGHH!” POOF! The uncle, the evil and cruel leader vanished into a swarm of tiny bugs that the hummingbirds gladly ate up. The people cheered and peace was once again restored amongst them all.

The hummingbird is a beautiful bird. Thanks to Red Flower of the Mountains, this bird brings joy to all who see it. It gives everyone around it the gift of hope and a reason to celebrate life. The hummingbird's delicate nature and graceful flight bring beauty and laughter to everyone it comes in contact with. Most of all it reminds us of the peace we all must find within ourselves and all that is around us.

The End.

The Holidays

It has been entirely way too long and my stories are building up! I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season. I got to spend my Thanksgiving with my mom, my two brothers, my wonderful husband and our good friends Simon and Cata Jones. Simon and Cata are from Australia and Columbia, respectively. It was nice to show a couple of foreigners what a real (mildly dysfunctional) American holiday is really like. We had an extremely pleasant time and I am so happy to have such a great group of people around us.

Now I started this blog mostly to show off my writing skills but also as an outlet for my views on history. Starting tomorrow I will be discussing history as well as sharing my stories. There are a few things I have been learning about French and British history that make the shows based on their royals just mind boggling with how inaccurate they are. Since this is my blog, I am really excited that I get to go on rants and tangents about historical inaccuracies! Being the passionate person that I am, I know you all will love this new addition to my blog!

Enjoy but before you do here is my favorite Shakespeare quote, well one of my favorites!

Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 6

Friar Lawrence

These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey

Is loathsome in his own deliciousness

And in the taste confounds the appetite.

Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.

 

 

23 November 2013

The Way of the Earth

The wind brushes across the grass, lightly grazing each little blade. Freshly cut, the green grass is ready for a new day. The clouds roll in. Rain will feed the grass. Filling the dirt to its watery limits and forcing the worms to squirm out of their cool, dry home.

SNATCH

The sun is now shining and the bird grabs the worm. Wriggling and squirming the worm is brought to new little babies. Mouths wide open, screaming for a bite, mom swallows the worm then feeds her hatchlings.

Day by day the baby birds grow. They get new feathers and learn to fly. Now off on their own they venture out, making new homes in trees and lamps of human buildings. One young little bird, naïve and unknowing, baths in fresh rain fall underneath its home.

Purrrrrrr

Suddenly chaos erupts. The cat catches the bird mid air. Cold and lifeless, the cat plays with its new toy. It brings it inside where the people scold the cat and joke about what a naughty kitty it is. And this is how our world works. One achievement, one simplicity, one lifestyle, is the downfall or success of another but no matter how survival bids you, the sun will shine and the grass will grow for this is the way of the earth.

24 November 2013

Sunshine

The dew catches the light,

Sunshine gleaming freshly on the grass.

The chill of the new morning,

Glistening the hope of a grand day.

Warmth graces the cheeks of afternoon lovers.

Sparkling eyes,

Glittering freckles,

The glow of sunlight embrace their souls.

The sunshine gives life to new days,

It enlightens our hearts,

Wraps us in joy,

And helps us embrace night's shadow.

25 November 2013

Daughter of Flora

They say everyone who looks into their family history will find a secret sooner or later but Azalea never thought such a secret would turn her world into an unimaginable adventure. It all happened when she visited her grandmother, Lily Rose. Lily Rose was the great matriarch of the family and could bring a lifeless plant back from the brink with a little bit of water and a tender kiss. The catalyst to Azalea's life changing moment came because Lily Rose was dying.

As Azalea held her grandmother's brittle hand, she wept at the thought of losing the most important person in her life. She thought of how her grandmother had taught her to garden. She thought about the beautiful and exotic plants they grew in Lily Rose's backyard. As she was wishing for more time she heard a whisper.

“ You are more precious to the world than you know my dear granddaughter. You come from the depths of history. Our family was worshiped by the Romans and nearly forgotten in fall of that greedy empire.”

“Please get some rest grandmother you aren't making sen..”

“I AM NOT DEAD YET! I am trying to tell you about who you are! Why do you think gardening came so easy to you? You could touch anything from this earth and make it whole if you really wanted to but I kept that from you. I was worried you were like your mother and only possessed partial powers. She couldn't handle the power or lack of it. It took her from you young and I didn't want that for you but you are all that is left of us and you are strong. You are so strong!”

“I don't understand! What are you talking about? Should I get the nurse? Do you need help grandmother?” Azalea was horrified. Was her grandmother losing it in these last moments. She wasn't making sense. Fear, anger and desperation all swarmed around her. Just then Lily Rose spoke again.

“I do not need a nurse child but I only have a short time to explain so wipe your tears and listen closely to what I have to say. You are a daughter of Flora. You derive from her ancient blood line. She married Favonius, the gentle western wind, and together they protected plant life and brought the joyous spring time. There used to be many of us but as time wore on each generation produced less and less of the Flora line. The last great bearer of the blood line was me, that is, until you were born.

I tried with all my might to teach your mother the art of our power but she just wasn't capable. I didn't realize that her lack of power would be her undoing. You see your mother died having you because you were the true carrier of the blood line.”

“I killed my own mother?” Azalea was beyond horrified at this point. She felt nearly shattered. She never knew her mother for she had died shortly after childbirth. “Why did my being kill her?

“She wasn't strong enough to endure the birth of a full daughter of Flora. It is how my mother passed and all the other halfling mothers before us. Only a child of Flora can survive if she has a child with a Favonius or if she is born completely void. Now dear, I don't have much longer but you have to know so much more.

Anything that grows from this earth you can save. If it is completely dead it will not come back but most things are not completely dead. That you will figure out on your own. Each of us has our own way. Mine was simply to kiss it back to life. You will find your way. The other thing you must know is that we are not alone. Your boyfriend, what's his name?”

“It is Ash grandmother, you know that,” Azalea was annoyed now. Why did she bring up Ash? She had felt a connection to him since they were young. They loved to be around each other and hide in the field over the hills.

“Yes, Ash. You know Ash's family name is Zephyr correct? Do you know that Zephyr is the name of the western winds? He is you Favonius. He is your match. He is your protector, your equa...”

“Grandmother? Grandmother?” Azalea knew her grandmother was gone but oddly she wasn't sad. She was too overwhelmed to be sad. Was this information worth her slight torment now? Did she really need to be troubled by the declarations of her elderly grandmother? She always felt she would marry Ash but was any of this true?

That is when Azalea noticed the calla lily her grandmother was holding had turned nearly black. There was only a slight tint of green in the stem. “Oh what the hell!” she thought to herself. She stroked her hand from the base where the green was to the tip of the flower because that just seemed like the correct method for her. The green grew upwards and burst into a deep purple. The lily had been white. It came back different! It came back new. Azalea knew then her life would never be the same and somehow she had to explain it all to Ash.

26 November 2013

My Love

Eyes closed, deep in a slumber,

Dreaming of far off places

And robots of future days.

So calm, so sweet.

Ah, those eyes.

Crystal blue but just a hint of gray.

Love lost in them,

But found with a tender gaze.

You dream peacefully my dear love,

Your handsome smile tells me so.

I loved you the most today

But when you wake I shall love you more.

27 November 2013

J and S

The day was hectic, chaotic and almost failed to be. Hail damage had grounded planes and airlines overbooked the entire day. This was the first time J had ever flown alone. Her heart pounding and her palms sweaty. She cried as she was told she couldn't board.

“Don't worry we will figure it out. Go to the customer service desk and I will call my mom,” said S in a slightly nervous tone.

“I called United and I looked up prices. Are you still in line?” Mom was trying so hard to help J but mounting sadness over a trip that may not happen continued to build. “Don't worry we will get you out to Florida.

Finally it was J's turn to talk to customer service. The only reasonable flight they had was to Orlando, a bit of a drive but doable. J ran to her new gate and boarded her first solo trip. Finally relief ran through her bones and she relaxed on the flight. S picked her up and boy did he out do himself. He pulled through the airport pick up in a brand new, cherry red mustang. J was beyond impressed and her heart fluttered. It had been a week since she had seen her love and this was their three year dating anniversary. She was so happy to be picked up and taken out in such a nice car. The weather was so beautiful and they drove off to dinner to celebrate their time together.

And what a dinner it was! Enormous fish tanks filled with exotic fish lined the dining area. Treat after treat and course after course were brought out to their delight. Dinner ended with a little dessert surrounded by white chocolate shaped like an egg. As the waiter poured a hot berry sauce over the egg it melted to reveal a mini cake underneath. J glanced at S and soaked up the wonderfully blissful night.

After dinner, the adoring couple decided to walk the beach. With a bottle of champagne in hand, they found a cozy spot and watched the thunderstorm far off in the distance over the Gulf of Mexico. It was the perfect night. The air was thick with humidity, a slight breeze cooled the warm air and the stars twinkled in the perfectly clear night sky.

Nothing could be better, thought J as she laid back with S in the sand. Just then S stood up and asked J to stand with him. Maybe we are going for a night swim, thought J, that is until S got down on one knee.

“I love you J. Will you marry me?” S was so nervous when he presented her with an astounding amethyst ring that her placed it in her hand and closed it around the ring.

“Really? Really? Is this real? Is this for real? Really?” Shocked, excited confused, J didn't know what to think. S had told her before that he wasn't sure he ever wanted to marry but here he was asking her to spend their lives together.

“Is that a yes?”

“Sorry, yes! Yes of course! Oh my god yes!”

They cried and they kissed. It was such a beautiful moment forever engrained in the lives of these two lovers that they would never forget. J could one day tell their children how their father kept the ring in his pocket all week for fear of losing it and because of this fear, he didn't even place the ring on her finger but instead in the palm of her hand. And S could tell their children how their mother was so shocked by what had happened that she didn't even say yes! This is how the two became one and they lived happily ever after.

28 November 2013

The Thankful Duck

Lucy was a duck that lived like no other duck. She had a home with humans and their pet dogs. Lucy grew up with her humans from the time she was a little duckling. Her humans all went down to the feed store and picked Lucy out of all of the other ducklings to take home and make her a member of their family. The little girl human even named her!

On morning, Lucy was in her pond in the back yard splashing away and playing when a robin swooped down from the trees and landed near the pond. Lucy had seen many different outdoor creatures but typically the robins kept to themselves in their nests high atop the trees.

“Hello duck. I see you out here everyday and I wonder why you don't fly around with the other ducks? You seem much happier than the other ducks,” said the robin to Lucy.

“I have a home here. My humans picked me out at a store where there were lots of baby ducks. I live here with my humans and they take care of me and play with me. I even get to cuddle with the dogs and ride them around the house and yard! Robin, why don't the other ducks live with humans?” Lucy had seen other ducks but she never really thought that they didn't have a human family.

Robin explained to Lucy that the other ducks spend all their time outside. When it is cold they follow the geese to warmer places but they must feed themselves and each other. Lucy felt a very overwhelming sense of gratefulness come over her. She loved her humans and the pet dogs that were her friends. They were so kind to her and loved her and she loved them in return. She had a warm home, no worries, her very own pond and an all around wonderful life. After talking to the robin by her pond, Lucy the duck was a very thankful duck and made sure to give her human and dog family extra love this day and the days to come.