I found an old post from last spring that I thought rather fitting, if you twist the daily prompt’s meaning just a smidge…
This was one of my ‘Investigating Truths’ episodes, but it seemed fitting, somehow.
For as long as I can remember, I have made sense of myself and this world in two realms of thought. One realm of thought is in the actual and physical sense. What we see, do, talk about, eat and feel are things in the here and now. The second realm of thought is what I think of as my storybook, or cartoon version, if you will. Let’s call this part the “Behind the Scenes of My Truths,” the adventure version.
What follows is written in storybook version…….
I am wild from the top of my head all the way down to my toes! It is all that I can seem to remember of myself. My journeying, or running if I am being truthful, has always found me far out in the desert. For as long as I can remember, there has been a path worn, from one hidden oasis to another, by my very own feet. I have hidden them well, though, so most that wander by are unaware of my presence.
As the years of my life rolled forward, I found that there was One who had been following my footprints, always leaving little packages of love for me. On one of my journeys along the outskirts of the Cities of Souls, I came to realize that the One whom I had sensed, was in fact my True Father! It was both joyful and difficult to become aware of Him.
I stayed…
Before I knew it, time seemed to have sped forward in my journey, by a great many years! I discovered that I had settled down right inside the walls … building relationships with others, and trying to live and do things the way all of the others thought was right.
My Father showed me the gifts given to me, but instead of being at peace, I became fearful…
I believed that I was losing myself, and would simply become a nothing, moving along by habit!
So this wild child ran!!!
I fled into the desert with as much speed as possible, for my feet had become softened over the years spent within the walls built by man. Many times I fell, stumbling over rocks and debris that had been left on my paths. Had it really been that long? I was not sure if the way had become obstructed or if I had simply forgotten my exact path. Many seasons were spent wandering, clearing out my old and unused paths.
Time rolled on…
Oh, I would come near the outskirts, just close enough to remember what I left behind. The intensity of my pain and fear, along with the guilt over my failure, drove me away again and again…
My last act of running into the desert, or defiance as I see it, nearly cost me my very life, but that is for another time. For now, I leave you with this thought…I am still that wild child inside, but my Father has been revealing to me the graceful Phoenix that He is rising up from the ashes of her truths…
You didn’t think I would forget your cookies, did you?
I’ve known for some time now that I could very easily live in either a library or a bookstore. But, after thinking on the prompt this morning, the idea of living above my own bookshop/bakery… now that does has a whimsical feel to it, if I do say so myself!
There would be numerous rooms for reading…
All with different styles to choose from, thereby allowing the reader to find their favorite chair, as well as finding just the right amount of light…
or maybe just the right amount of pillows…
Here’s where things get rather interesting. You see, my ideal home would be somewhat magical. There’d be a desert trolley, effortlessly rolling from room to room, all by itself. My magic trolley would offer up the best kinds of cookies and pastries one could imagine…
Why?
Because, all of my reading rooms will come with a complimentary tea/coffee service, obviously! Nobody likes having to put a good book down, just to eat or drink, sheesh! Most avid readers would just choose to starve, I’m guessing. But I say, “Not on my watch, they won’t!”
Now, let’s talk about ambiance, or atmosphere, if you will. What’s a good reading session, without the accompanying sounds and smells of a delicious bakery, just up the stairs…
That’s where I’d spend half my day, baking my heart out! Oh, and I’d have one of those air blowers on my kitchen vents, pumping the smell of sugar cookies out into the streets.
The front of my bookstore would offer both an indoor and outdoor seating area…
And, just behind my bookstore would be a beautiful city park, filled with lush green trees, fragrant flowers, and numerous kinds of birds and other small wildlife…
So, there you have it, folks! My ideal home, all rolled up into a dreamy oasis of cookies, characters, and creature comforts!
From the time I was very small, I loved to write. I was reading Louis Lamour books when I was roughly eight years old. No, my childhood wasn’t an easy one, so reading and writing were my sustenance! I could lose myself in worlds far better than the one I was enduring. I was reading adult books before I’d ever learned the meaning of all the words. The funny thing is that the books made sense, somehow.
Here I sit, nearly fifty years later, still learning. When I began this blog some eight years ago, the memories slowly began to resurface, giving rise to many wonderful, and some not-so-wonderful stories, poems, anecdotes, journal entries… and eventually, stories began arriving. Big ones, small ones, funny ones, sad ones… and some that made readers say, Huh?
When I really began writing heavily, it was in early 2023. Back in those initial days, weeks, and months, my writing was more a therapy session than anything more. I looked toward WordPress subscribers as a silent audience, or a studio sounding board, if you will.
But then, over time, something began to change. My subscribers, or readers if you will, began to comment, share and respond. Not like fans, though, but rather my friends. I might even be so bold as to say that many have become like family to me… like a village, really! You have all watched me suffer, struggle, cry, rage, and lament my journey. But, you have also been with me through blessings, joys, and countless literary adventures!
You have encouraged me to keep going, supported and loved me through some of the worst of times, some of the hardest life lessons, and some of the deepest joys of my journey! For this reason, I want to share something with you that while being rather small, brings me a great amount of joy in sharing with you, my most treasured family.
I know it’s only an e-book, but it’s got to start somewhere, right?
God Bless my husband’s abilities, for without his hard work and skills, it would have been impossible for me to navigate all this publishing stuff. I’ve a mountain of manuscripts just sitting, collecting dust, which is the opposite of what I wish for them. This is certainly worthy of at least a peek, if not a full read. Oh, and since it’s published on Amazon Kindle, members can read it for free! Don’t worry though, I still receive royalties, even if you don’t purchase it.
For now, I’ve simply included a link to the book, which is below, but you can also just look it up on Amazon.
Faith without action is rather empty, so here is an action…
I don’t think I could have done any of this without you, my WordPress family. So, I offer my most sincere thank you from the bottom of my heart, for all of your love, support, and encouragement… Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”. Matthew 17:20
While, I can unashamedly admit that crying is something I’m rather good at, there are certain moments, experiences, and memories that bring about those joyful drops of emotion that WordPress is inquiring about.
Among the list of crybaby culprits, we have everything from a good song to an old photo album. But nothing get’s my facial sprinklers going like the first cry of a newborn baby!
The miracle! The first sounds of new life! And, they used to say that the louder a baby cries, the stronger the lung’s, so there’s even more joy bubbling up to my fully operational fire suppression units!
In fact, I cried just as much for all my children’s’ firsts! If we’re all being fully honest about the depth of our joyful tears… it has to be babies, children, and and/all small helpless living thing. Just being honest, here.
The picture I shared is of my middle daughter, shortly after her birth. She will soon be celebrating her 33rd birthday, and on or near that date is the expected due date of her first baby. Our newest grandchild shall be the cause of countless joyful tears. But I have to stop talking about her, or those pesky waterworks will short out my keyboard. I’m trying to answer this silly prompt!
Ok! I know it’s Labor Day, so I will not tax your holiday brains with anything further… well, maybe just a few seconds longer.
Thought #1 – What would the world become, if whenever one says or does something hurtful to another, they experienced the exact emotional pain that their victim felt?
Thought #2 – What’s a baby dreaming of when they smile, or even laugh out loud while sleeping?
Thought #3 – My oldest daughter was a sleep laugher, a sleep talker, and a sleep walker. Nothing scarier than waking up in the middle of the night, with a five year old child standing beside your bed, staring at you in the darkness… it’s creepy!
Thought #4 – I shall truly miss you, Bacon, but if you won’t go on a diet and become less salty… well, it’s not me, it’s you!
Thought #5 – I miss pizza!
Thought #6 – Maybe I should visit an actual tea shop in search of something other than peppermint. I’ve tried peach tea, which was gross tasting after the first or second sip. Many years ago, someone invited me to a full tea service lunch, and they served this tropical sort of coconut flavored tea that was divine! Maybe this flavor should be investigated further.
Thought #7 – I wonder if my granddaughter will have light or dark hair?
Thought #8 – It’s settled! I am truly loving my self-crafted pixie haircut!
Thought #9 – Good Grief! How is it that we can look so old on the outside, when we still feel young on the inside?
Thought #10 – I miss that kitty so much! Gidget was her name, if I recall, and she was the loveliest long-haired Calico I’d ever set eyes on!
Thought #11 – It’s funny how I can’t remember things like my favorite grade school teacher’s name, or much of my childhood years, but I can remember the names of every pet that entered my life… from the beginning. My mother’s poodle Buttons, my first cat, Leroy Brown, my first pony, Candy, and our old Mule, Jack. Then there was my dog Rags, an Old English sheep dog, and our twin white cats named Nip and Tuck. One had a black tip on his tail and the other a black tip on one of his ears, but otherwise they were identical.
Thought #12 – Wow! This is a rabbit hole that could consume the whole day, and I simply don’t have time. The list, so far, has only been in the first 8 years of my life.
Thought #13 – Maybe I should write a short story for each of my Furbies, one at a time, just to relive those joyful memories.
Thought #14 – I don’t think that money changes people… maybe it just brings out who they really are on the inside. I’m fairly good at being poor, but will I be as honorable of a person if given better finances?
Thought #15 – My thoughts lead me back to scripture…
“For I know the plans I have for you,“ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
I suppose that waking up is a good start to one’s daily quality of life, wouldn’t you agree?
I mean, one can fill their day with a myriad of differing habits to enrich their daily lives, but not if we’re still sleeping.
Personally, I make every effort to spend time in scripture, each morning. While studying God’s word, I’m praying, worshiping through music, and writing in my journal. The rest of my day is spent repeating habits from the day before, like cleanliness, nutrition, my writing, time spent with my husband, and the list could go on.
My point is, time waits for no one! So, if I desire an improved quality of life, the first habit for success… wake up!
Cookies! Now cookies are also very good for our quality of life, so don’t forget to take one, or even two…
I took the initial image that I’d begun with several months ago, combined it with some of the newer images, and asked the AI to create an updated version of our little troll.
These are the first images that were offered using the new character, asking for Peanut to be exploring a pirate ship, and suggesting that he wear a blue shirt and denim coveralls…
While Peanut looks rather cute, I wasn’t pleased with the AI’s freedom with changing up the shape of his face, willy nilly. The ship also looks as if it were crafted of either Lego’s or Lincoln Logs… ewww! No thanks!
I went back to the texting suggestions and asked that it give me a photorealistic image, only to be offered these next images:
Still getting images of a toy boat! If need be, I can always remove the background later, or place Peanut in an entirely different image. Some days I get lucky with the first image, but other days cause me grief, but it is only AI and it’s only as good as it’s user! Though Peanut is rather cute in several of the shots, it’s hit or miss as to whether he’s skinny, chubby, or plastic looking.
The funny thing about the AI, is that it remembers. When I have those really good pics, I put a star on them and keep them in albums. My guess is that Norbert (I named the AI) can remember the images I liked, the ones I discard, and any changes I’m asking it to make. Over time, Norbert is able to create successful images without nearly the amount of failures as there were in the beginning.
So, I starred a few and asked for the same thing, but gave Norbert more freedom for creativity. I only lowered the slider bar about 5 percent, but was rewarded with a few much nicer images. Keep in mind that I’ll be transferring the little guy to a far more impressive pirate ship…
So, we know that Norbert is getting better at showing me an adorable troll, but what’s with the hands and feet? He either has too many fingers and toes, or they simply look like they belong on a doll. Luckily, I’ve a draft board that allows for correcting things like facial expressions, and/or mutated body parts like those ridiculous hands and feet.
First step, make Peanut look less plastic:
Not perfect, but much better, I think! Now to fix the ship…
However, that level of editing is not as easy as it seems. I spent over an hour with little to no success. This will take a bit longer than today’s post, so bear with me. At least Norbert, our AI, is becoming far more agreeable to preserving Peanut’s key features, so there’s that!
Stay tuned til next Tuesday’s Tinkering for the final Peanut, as well as, the reveal for our final ship naming ceremony. Hopefully, I shall see you there…
To this day, everytime I remember back on this show, I can remember the lyrics to the insurance add that ran during the commercials… Mutual of Omaha… people… you can count on when the goings tough…
I would spend every Sunday evening watching this show, as it played right before the Wonderful World of Disney. My parents would finish watching their line up of the Lawrence Welk show, and Hee Haw… finally relinquishing the entertainment box to the small humans. Back in the day, most families only had one television in the house.
Marlin Perkins was such a wildlife superhero to this little girl! I wanted to grow up to be a National Geographic journalist. I would spend most of my free time pretending I was out on that African safari, making friends with the baby Giraffes I saw onscreen…
Or I pretended to find wild baby Cheetah cubs, carrying my poor cat around in a blanket in the middle of summer… til he got hot and escaped my clutches…
While I’d love to spend my morning filling you in on all the goings on around here, I’ve only enough time to say that we’re all back aboard The Torrent, safe, sound, and headed home. It’s sort of funny, if you think on it, because when I say that we’re headed for the barn… we are literally headed for our barn, lol!
There’s far too much to do around the ship, at the moment, so you’ll just have to wait til we get home for more information regarding our tiny troll’s decision about where to live. At least, for now, Peanut has a desire to visit our barn. I assured him that we would assist him in finding his way, and that he could stay as long as he wished to do so.
If the weather stays fair and the winds hold, we should make it home by Friday. As a pirate would say, keep a weather eye on the horizon… or as Gandalf told Aragorn, “Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East.”
Ok, well maybe it won’t be quite as dramatic an entrance as that, but I think you’ll get the idea.
Journey With Me! 