This is such a super easy daily prompt… thanks WordPress!
As the prompt only asks “are you” in their prompt, I only need to give a yes or no answer. Whew! I am so grateful for this, as I am super tired today and wish to put my literary efforts into something much more fun and imaginative than this question.
No, I am NOT superstitious!
Here, have a cookie while you search for the first episode of my new live action story… It’s called The Wharf…
Episode 1
Life here can be very tough, for any soul not already hardened by life’s cruel realities! The taverns and store fronts along the wharf are owned by varying disreputable men and women, both of which would sell you to the sea for the right amount of coin. If one wants to eat, they must live and work in the midst of pirates, slave traders, treasure seekers, and drunkards. There was no room for anyone with weakness, nor naivety, of any kind. Letting your guard slip, even for a moment, might very well bring about your doom…
Within the Wharf lay a tavern, filled with all manner of vile men, most living and working on the filthy trade ships, arriving here daily. Few of the locals in the nearby farming communities ever come to the Wharf, let alone frequent such a dangerous establishment. If you were a woman, either you came into the tavern to work, or you were dangerous enough to hold your own in a fight. The Wharf was no place for kind folk, nor was the tavern safe for anyone carrying a coin purse without a gun or a dagger for company.
Inside the tavern you see a young barmaid, busily sweeping the floor near the kitchen in the back of the room. She belongs to the owner of the tavern, purchased off of one of the slave ships some years prior, when she was rather young. She is quite, very obedient to the one who feeds her, and always busy working in and around the tavern. No one bothers her, nor do they pay her any mind at all! Everyone here knows that she is not to be touched, as the owner of the tavern would kill you for even considering it!
Don’t let her meekness fool you, as she is not what she seems. If you did look into her eyes, you would see danger floating within those dark pools of blue, staring right back at you! In her short life, she has seen too much, felt too much and lost too much! This has molded her into a very hardened and wise soul, for one so young. She is also very smart, both in book knowledge and being street savvy. Her three rules for survival are,
Don’t make the tavern owner mad…
Stay out of folk’s business…
Do not bring attention to yourself…
These three rules were born of painful lessons learned over the years of service to the owner of the tavern… most assuredly, the only reason she was still breathing air, even if it did smell of stale rum and dirty pirates!
This night, like any other night here on the wharf, the young barmaid has been busily serving customers and helping in and around the kitchen. The cook asked that she bring in another fish from the barrel out on the dock in front of the tavern, so she retrieves a container and heads outside for the barrel.
As the young barmaid is pulling a sizeable fish out of the barrel, she spies movement from behind the container. Briefly glancing down, toward the disturbance, she spies what looks like a tiny shoe sticking out from behind the barrel. Rule number three kicks in, warning her not to bring attention to herself, so she continues on about her business, carrying the fish inside to the cook.
As she cleans and serves food to the customers, several pieces of dried meat and fruit cake left on guests’ plates, happens to fall into her apron pocket. Her sleight of hand skills rewarded her a small water flask, from the pocket of an old tinker, snoring blissfully in the corner. Since her shift is coming to an end, the young barmaid carries her cleaning supplies out to the shed, next to the barrel on the dock. Inside the shed she takes a strip of cloth hanging on the wall, folds the food and water inside, and casually walks back toward the tavern, discreetly dropping the small package behind the barrel as she walks past.
Once inside the tavern, the young barmaid retreats to her room above the bar. Her room is small, but offers a window that looks out over the wharf, to the sea beyond. From here, she can see directly down upon the front of the tavern, where the shed and barrel both sit, along the water’s edge. She dresses in her nightgown and settles in at the window ledge to watch…
There is just enough light cast, from the tavern’s doorway lantern, for the young barmaid to have a clear view of the barrel. She spies movement from behind the container, but only enough to confirm that there is indeed someone there, but whomever it is, hides themselves very well. She falls asleep with her head resting upon the window sill of her tiny room above the bar.
Who do you think might be hiding behind the barrel?
With the clues given and remembering the three survival rules, what do you think the young barmaid will do?
Obviously, my first thought was of the tortoise, which I often write about when it comes to my steady forward march in life.
But then again, there is the Loud Mouth Frog…
or Chatty Cathy, but she is more of a doll than an animal…
In the past I was akin to a Wolverine, all growly and snarly, with an aggressive attitude…
Of late, however, I’ve begun to see myself surfacing in some creatures you may be familiar with… let’s see…
There’s a mouse I can sometimes relate to…
While at other times I feel a bit Squirrelly…
Anywhere in between, you may find me looking a bit more creative…
Last but not least, there are those days where I just feel more bossy and fussy…
How could I ever forget to remind you of my ability to fling commas, and the like, all, over, everything………,,,, ,,,,,””””: … Just saying! I know she is not an animal, but she is an imaginary creature of sorts… and this is my blog, so I get to put whatever I want in here!
As there are simply too many different animals for me to choose from, I am unable to pick just one. I have mentioned on multiple occasions that I am a maelstrom of emotions, so it stands to reason that I should be able to pick all of the above, just to cover all my bases. Wouldn’t you agree?
Here, have a confusing cookie to go with my crazy answer…
If I could give you advice for today
Bundle some love and give it away…
If I could offer some wisdom
for the rest of the week,
Even when it is hard for you,
think before you speak…
The best way for us all
to get from Monday to Friday,
Leave the gossipers at work
and road rage’s on the highway…
Make time for your loved ones
get plenty of rest,
That’s all I can think of saying
Cause it’s Monday and I’m doing my best…
Let’s have an amazing week!
Since I apparently already answered the daily prompt last year, the feed won’t let me re-answer it… very rude!
If they want to play that game… fine! I shall do it myself!
What do you think you will be like when you are 100 years old?
My hope is that I will be the quirky old lady, reading imaginative tales to little ones, baking yummy goodies for their tiny fingers to grasp, and smacking at the grown up hands that try to fuss over me…
I want to be the old woman that tells jokes, sometimes the rude ones, but mostly the light and funny ones that bring life lessons tucked within them!
Most likely, I will become the granny that toots when she walks, forgets where she is, often leaving the house with her underwear on the outside of her pants.
Whatever I end up looking like, acting like, or sounding like… I will most assuredly be the same woman of Grace that I am today… just smaller, as I’ve already begun to shrink. I used to be 5’6, but as of last years doctor visit, I am now considered 5’5… barely. Yay me!
My only hope is that my rocking chair will come with padding and shock absorbers, coupled with an attached basket for my collection of Flurbies… this old girl will definitely be surrounded by furry babies!
How about you all… if you didn’t like the prompt question, or if like me, you already answered last year, what do you think you will be like at 100 years old?
Tell me about it, while you have a cookie…
My studies this week have brought me to the end of the book of Numbers, and on into the beginning of Deuteronomy. I have to say that it has been a rather emotional reading, as both Miriam and Aaron passed away, the Israelites once again rebel against God, and Moses loses his opportunity to cross the Jordan, into the promise land.
So much has happened to bring our Village to the river that marked the entrance into the land flowing with milk and honey. Even after 40 years in the desert, growing up and preparing for their inheritance, the people still seemed barely ready to handle what was to come.
The people got all the way to the Jordan, sending men across to scout out the land, only to throw an absolute fit before God, over not being just handed an empty country to inhabit! This is with God right there in their midst, leading them, feeding them, and teaching them how to grow up both spiritually and mentally. I say mentally, because, sometimes I think they simply acted like idiots! Sorry, but I got so frustrated with their temper tantrums in front of God, over the things they were experiencing, I actually felt like they deserved to be left there to tough it out all by their onesies… just sayin.
Personally, I would love to be able to say that I’d be a forever changed person, all the way back at the parting of the bloomin Red Sea, but alas, I remember that those were very different times and things are never as easy as they seem. I have to remind myself that I would be of their same mindset, had I been born during those times in our history. Hindsight’s always 20/20, as they say.
I can say that I would have lost my sanity when God sent the snakes into their midst, as punishment for the nasty behavior they were displaying before Him. This was approximately a million plus people, living and traveling together, so the thought of venomous snakes literally crawling all over everything and everybody made my skin crawl. When they repented, God didn’t just remove the snakes for them, but simply had Moses place a poll in the center of their midst, leaving them to go look at it each time they were bitten, so they wouldn’t die. Painful lesson for such a stiff necked people!
Then, when the Israelites had only just gotten to the beginning of the Promise Land, they promptly fell into idol worship with the first town they came upon. Whaaaaattt??? Yup folks, this was going to be a bumpy ride for God’s people.
As I start into the book of Deuteronomy, I am pleased to be able to read through a sort of rehash of what went on over those 40 years, along with gleaning more information that was not forthcoming during my readings of the earlier books. Moses goes more into detail about certain events and happenings, that paint a more complete picture of what occurred along their journey. Granted, I’ve only read the first chapter, so far, but it seems kind of like a behind the scenes look at things.
In honesty, I don’t think I’ve fully read through these beginning books of the bible in such detail since Bible Seminary, when I was only 19 years old. I keep reading things that were either forgotten, or possibly skimmed over in my youthful studies. I’m so glad for the re-read, as there is a great deal of truth that I would have missed out on, by simply overlooking passages tucked within the pages of whosoever beget whom.
Until we meet again next week, I shall continue on into Deuteronomy, as well as, simultaneously following Paul through the books of Corinthians. I am interested to see if I can further glean insights from his letters to the church, as to the behavior of the earlier growth of our traveling Village.
Have a beautiful Sunday of rest, relaxation and family…
If I took the time to write out all the things that I do NOT have, even Wally’s would have a problem accommodating…
Having things simply isn’t MY thing! Most days I must choose one thing over another thing, because we simply cannot afford to replace the thing we ran out of at that time. Things come and things go, so I just make due with whatever things I have at the moment, trusting that when the thing is gone, another thing will eventually replace the previous thing. Some things are expensive, while other things are cheap or free, depending on the moments needs. Some things are quite big, but most things are very small and much more desirable than the big things. At times, I find that a thing I have may suit someone else better, so I give the thing away to make room for some other thing I may soon need.
If my thinking about things has you thinking about things, then I think I’m sharing about thinking about the right things! Shopping sprees are rarely what they seem to be, often leaving us with a great deal of useless things that we once thought we needed, with only a credit card statement to show record of the things we thought would make us happy… I say we stop overthinking about the things we don’t have, and focus on the things we do have… just sayin!
Here, have a Saturday Shopping Spree Staple…
Sometimes life feels like a very, very long highway…
Just yesterday, as I was walking on my trail, my thoughts were swirling around memories, some old and some new. I take so much comfort in seeing God’s hand throughout my journey. I can fully attest that it is by God’s faithfulness alone, that I sit before this keyboard today!
With the truth of things wrapped lovingly around my spirit, it is impossible for me to NOT believe in what God has done for me… but oddly, there are still times that I am faced with things that are out of my control and confusing! Reality tries to steal my hope! Will He once again be there for me, as He has in the past?
This line of thought ran head on into the very scripture I’m using for today’s note…
Note to Self #28
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
When I considered the meaning of this beautiful affirmation, for some strange reason, my mind went to driving cars. When we operate a motor vehicle, we do several things without fail, to make it work safely and properly. Obviously, we need to keep our foot on either the gas pedal or the breaks, for steady propulsion. The other very valuable thing we do is to use the steering wheel… without fail. We all seem to know, for safeties sake, to keep both hands on the wheel!
What might traveling be like, if everyone stopped trying to steer their cars in the proper direction, or simply let go of the wheel when we hit bumps, potholes or tight turns?
I suppose I consider my journey to be like a highway, of sorts, and my faith is the steering wheel. With this in mind, I reread the verse again. Like an automobile navigating the roads, I will drive down life’s highway, steadily traveling with an unswerving hold on the steering wheel of my Jesusmobile! God has already paved the highway for our cars, given us the knowledge to get in and buckle up, and made the ride as comfortable as possible for us… our job is just to steer our little boxes with wheels down the road in front of us.
If I am bold enough to climb behind the wheel and push my foot down on the little GO peddle on the floor, then keeping my hands on the wheel is what needs to follow, in terms of my faith! While I could simply place the car in autopilot, as I know my God is carrying me home, what good is having faith and hope if I take my eyes off the road, overlooking the joy in the journey?
God is the ultimate Insurance Plan, as He fuels my car and handles all the repairs and maintenance. My car is theft proof, as He lowjacked me with Jesus, so there will be NO risk of theft! All I have to do is hold onto the steering wheel, while God does all the rest! Just to make sure you don’t mistake my meaning, I’m not actually controlling the steering wheel… God just told me to hang on!
Last night I took a peek at todays prompt question, just to give myself some extra time to consider my answer. The question I was met with, I’ll be honest, irritated me right off the bat!
Now, I understand that these are nothing more than an electronically generated question rolodex, with no one actually manning the wheel… at least, this is my belief. The problem I have isn’t with WordPress asking, but rather, I know that there are many phishing worms out there that just love to know anything factual or personal about us, as well as any of our favorite things.
Ask yourself what kind of questions are asked of you, while generating any new account log in information… who was your best friend from high school, what was your dogs favorite name, where did you go to school, what is your mothers maiden name, etc. This list goes on and on…
If we are all being truthful here, who all really wants to know our middle names? Would you really be interested in my middle name, along with why I have it? How many of you find it thoroughly entertaining and engaging to read all of the chapters of lineage names within the bible… whosit begets who? I am not lessening the value of the information in scripture, as it is there for a valuable purpose, but it is still tedious to get through, none the less.
Back in the day, folks usually had a single name… one name, followed by your house, clan, or tribal lineage name.
In honor of the old ways, I shall stick with my known and recognized name, here within this community… Wiwohka, meaning, rushing or roaring water!
If you wish to know further, of my lineage, take it to scripture! Beneath the single recognizable name of Wiwohka, is simply a woman of God… The righteousness of God, IN Christ Jesus!
I think that should be enough information, don’t you?!
Here, have a cookie…
Yes, Boomer is going to be OK!
Aside from a slight limp, which the doctor said will subside with time, Boomer is doing much better! He doesn’t even need to keep the leg wrapped anymore, because the doctor wants him to use the leg, so it will get exercise and heal faster.
I wanted to give you an update on Boomers leg, before telling you about what happened this morning. Don’t worry… it’s something wonderful!
When I got to the barn this morning, all the babies were up in arms about what I had said yesterday, regarding the ants. Apparently, when they saw what I wrote about battling and squishing ants, it upset them greatly! Tilly was fit to be tied, because the barn was supposed to be a safe and happy place, where all animals were welcome. She lectured me soundly, regarding our policies to all wildlife, here in the Barnyard. My outburst yesterday had obviously set all the babes nerves on end!
I will be honest in saying that it made me feel downright guilty about all the things I said about ants. Dinky made a point to remind me that I had, indeed, found her inside a boot… and I didn’t squish her or react in anger! Point taken little lady.
Once I apologized for my previous, and apparently, unjustified attack on the ant kingdom, all the babes seemed to come to some form of unspoken agreement on the matter, and the entire clan made a bee line for the barn. Out of curiosity, at their odd behavior, I got up and followed them inside.
When I came through the doorway, into the barn, the whole of the group was huddled around a small box, resting up against the wall. Wondering what all the interest was about, I knelt down and peered inside the box, through a small hole cut into the side. I was taken aback by what I saw…
At first, when I saw the ears, I assumed this was some form of small and unusual bunny. After taking it outside, where the light was better, I discovered that this was no bunny at all!
Laugh if you will, but I am certain that this is some form of Ant/Bunny Hybrid… I know, crazy right? After further examination, I am almost certain that this little thing is more ant than bunny… the ears are really the only big bunny giveaway!
And… when I introduced myself and the babes, the tiny creature visibly relaxed, and then introduced herself…
Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to introduce you to our newest Barnyard Baby… Lilly!
While I don’t, as of yet, know all of her story, there isn’t a great amount of information that I can give on the adorable little thing. I assure you, however, that I will discover who and what she is, over the weekend. All of us here in the yard plan on spending our time getting to know Lilly, and I’ll fill you in as soon as I know her a bit better.
Have a great weekend everyone… Hugs from all of us, here in the Barnyard!
Journey With Me! 