“Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
Cookie?
Today, let’s all try to Bee positive!
… even if the world stings, honey, life can still taste sweet if you work toward the good of the hive, pollenating those around you with the fragrance of goodness gifted you by the Master Bee Charmer, himself…
If someone were to ask if you wished to be either a Heffalump or a Woozle, I bet it would be a good minute before you could confidently answer. Well, maybe it’s just me, beings that I’m quite small and have only just begun reading through the Winnie The Pooh series.
Ok, so maybe I’m somewhat large for an ant, but I was only just born last summer, and it did take me all winter to learn my letters and sounds. If I’m to be any good at writing, I gotta figure a good many things out on my own… that’s what journalists do, you know.
We do a good amount of reading, interviewing, and gathering up the facts, before we put things down on paper… or keyboard.
Please don’t say anything, but I may have gotten in over my head with this Winnie The Pooh business. You see, I sort of made a big deal about being able to read books all by myself, and assured Mee-maw that I didn’t need her help.
Things were going fine, til I got to the part about Heffalumps and Woozles…
Are you kidding me? That’s not fair!
As I’ve been told, time and again, Google is my friend, so I went to said friend. But, now I’m more confused than when I started. I’ll try to explain.
Ok, so according to Google a Heffalump is like an adorably chubby Elephant that can fly, but only when you’re dreaming, I guess. A Woozle is apparently meant to be a Weasel, but cuter, and also flying like the Heffalump… and again, only seen when you dream them.
Time out! Am I the only one whose never seen them before, aside from these Winnie the Pooh stories? How come Google knows about them, and I don’t?
Or, better yet, when did Google ever get the chance to interview the dreamy little stuffed teddy bear, hmmmmm? Answer me that!
Ok, ok, ok… let’s say that I buy this whole Google meets Winnie the Pooh stuff. If I accept that Google got it right, after questioning the teddy bear, I am expected to believe that Elephants can indeed fly, as well as Weasels… but, apparently, only in my dreams. Or does that mean only the teddy bear can see them when he’s dreaming… this is so confusing.
What if I want to see them when I dream? Can I? And, more importantly, do I want to see them? Google says that they represent fear and/or anxiety, well, at least that’s what I think it’s saying. Here, I’ll show you…
What follows are the actual definitions from Google’s AI:
A heffalump represents a childhood fear of the unknown, an imaginary creature stemming from the word “elephant” as mispronounced by a child, often depicted as a large, monstrous, or scary beast. While first described as an unseen, dangerous “heffalump trap” in A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books, the concept was later expanded in Disney’s adaptations to include the real, friendly, and less frightening Heffalumps and Woozles, ultimately becoming a symbol of overcome fears and prejudices.
A woozle represents the unknown, a manifestation of unfounded fears or anxieties, as depicted in A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh where the characters chase their own tracks, thinking they are Woozle tracks. This concept extends to the “Woozle effect,” where weak, unverified evidence is repeatedly cited, leading to the mistaken belief in a fact or urban myth, such as in political or public health misinformation.
Wait a minute… how did we get from fluffy purple elephants and pink Weasels, to the White House?
I will agree that elephants can be easily frightened, and weasels ARE rather high energy and anxious creatures, but to compare them to a politician… that’s taking things a bit too far for my liking.
I did like the part about overcoming fear of a thing, and also about truth over here say, as far as the whole misinformation thing goes.
Me? I’m only an ant, and a young one, at that! Somehow, even if I hadn’t gone to all the trouble of looking things up, I think that the book does a fairly good job of helping me figure things out… and it didn’t need a politician to do it! Just sayin.
I better give you some goodies, like Mee-maw does when she gives her two-cents on a thing…
My family is here for a visit, so I hope you don’t mind sharing… they don’t!
Made of Iron, made of wood
Some have fallen, while others withstood
Some can be burned, or break free from their moorings
While others hold strong, given plenty of shoring
Bridges offer travel, from one side to the other
providing a way, helping one reach his brother
These connections need work, in putting them together
They provide safe passage, even if there’s foul weather
If a bridge is destroyed in the depth of a storm
The gap that it leaves, is where heartache is born
We must tend our bridges, making sure they stay standing
holding firm to the ground, over waves life keeps handing
If your bridge falls apart, breaking away from the dirt
Get down on your knees, and confess all your hurt
Even if your bridge broke free in the storm
God can build a new bridge, fully shaped in His form…
Who would have thought that it would be so much work, trying to create an adorable troll that wasn’t a cartoon? Seriously! In truth, as much as I enjoy working with images, writing is my main passion, not art! At some point, I must accept that this operator’s errors are the main problem. With that being said, I think I’ve been able to come up with some decent images without compromising the quality of Peanut’s lifelike features.
The first image was my favorite, as far as a realistic background goes, but our little Peanut looks downright inappropriate, if you ask me!
Take a look…
I had to cover the little guy up, just so that you can see the image. For whatever reason, Norbert (AI) thought taking the troll’s clothes off would make the background look more realistic. I don’t know, but I did nearly spill my tea in my lap when the image first appeared. Shocking, really! While a mother’s love finds nothing offensive about a chubby naked baby (we find it adorable, and so, so pinchable), but as for the rest of the public… butterflies it is!
I did go back and correct Norbert, in regards to the clothing issue. And, I think it’s a start toward creating the images of Peanut that I wish for you to fall in love with, as I have…
However, as the clothes were put back on, notice how the scenery goes right back to looking like a country Barbie Cottage. But, by fiddling with the level of creativity that I allow Norbert to have, we finally began to get somewhere.
What do you think?
I had to remove Peanut from the first image and insert him into another, for a start. It’s better, but realistically, I don’t want to have to edit each and every image, because darn it, that should be Norbert’s job!
So, I had a thought! What if I take the image of the Peanut I love, and ask Norbert to change the house in the background? Look what happened…
For some reason, if I ask the AI to change a specific thing in the image, rather than ask it to blend the two together, perhaps it’s less confusing. You know how I have a tendency to talk a lot. Well, maybe I overexplain things when asking the AI for help. Hmmmm… I’m going to keep at it!
For now, at least, we are beginning to get somewhere, maybe.
Seriously, I wasn’t going to say anything else.
Nope! Not going to say any more.
I mean it, I’m not!
……..
………….
Ok, fine! There’ll obviously be cookies…
But, I mean it… I won’t say another word!
Does “Hugs” count?
Today must be one of the laziest days we’ve had in quite some time. Honestly, I didn’t realize how good it would be to get back to the barnyard. There isn’t much better of a feeling than sleeping in your own bed, after a long time away from home.
Eustace was invited to a company retreat, so I’m not exactly sure what he’s doing, just this moment, but I can hear snores coming from the porch, the barn, and my upstairs bedroom. It seems that everyone around here is sleeping in, this lovely Friday morning. Everyone, that is, aside from myself.
While I might not be able to enjoy coffee anymore, I still love to sit in the still of the morning, with a good cup of tea. It’s so quiet, aside from the wind in the trees or the occasional birdsong floating across the meadow.
Well, I should say that it’s usually very quiet. As for this morning, it’s a fair bit away from being the normal serene calm that I’m used to experiencing. Funnily enough, I’m not bothered in the least from all the snorts, mumbles, and growls calling to me from every corner of the barnyard. In fact, I find it rather comforting, like a warm blanket on a winters day.
Snoring babes means happy babes, as far as I’m concerned. Life at sea has it’s benefits, but when it comes to rack-time aboard a massive ship on the water… well, you never know if you’ll wake up in your bunk, or on the floor, what with rough waters and high winds!
Take Osrig, for instance. He barely came out from under my bed while on the ship, but now that we’re home, he rarely comes in the house. His favorite spot for napping is just outside the kitchen window, on the porch…
Honestly, I don’t know that we’ve ever seen him so happy and relaxed.
Speaking of seeing someone happy, oh my goodness, you should see miss Tilly! Well, you can’t actually see her, right this second. She woke up when I did, begging me to help her pack a basket of fruit for young Henry, and his family. She left straight-away, headed for the river where the two lovebirds often meet. I don’t suspect she’ll be back til this evening…
Ahhhh, young love! Something tells me that she will be spending a great deal of time with her sweetheart’s family, which I am glad for. Tilly has grown up right before our eyes, and in such a short time, it seems. Besides, Henry spends a lot of time here with us, as well. I’m thinking of inviting them all for Thanksgiving dinner. There’ll already be an army of ants, from Lilly’s kin, and Squagon has invited family members from both his Acorn and Pinion Valley clans. The more the merrier, I always say!
Well, my tea has gone cold, and my tummy is shouting “Oatmeal… Oatmeal… Oatmeal!” I best get busy making breakfast.
Oh, yeah… and it’s FRIDAY, everyone! Have a blessed weekend… hugs
By the Sea…
I think I would live by the sea, if ever I could
Waking up to sounds of the ocean, would feel good…
Drinking tea on my deck, the sun warming my face
It would ever so peaceful, existing in that place…
Each and every dawn, could seem like new beginnings
I’d thank God for everything I have
Far more precious than any lottery winnings…
Yes, I know I’d live by the sea, if ever I possibly could
I’d build castles in the sand like a child
Honestly, I think everyone should!
I’d bake cookies in my kitchen, leaving all my windows open
Bringing hungry neighbors by for treats
At least that’s what I’d be hoping!
For certain, I know that I’d live by the sea, if ever I got the chance
I’d sail the seas with my savior
from dawn til dusk
So, I guess company should call in advance!
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?
This week’s tinkering session has brought to light several glaringly obvious problems. One has to do with the whole ship naming idea, and the other has to do with how Norbert (AI) and I get along.
Go ahead and take a seat, as I fully intend to expound on both problems, quite extensively!
After wasting more hours than I care to admit, in an attempt at designing a show stopping, Emmy award winning, and downright flawless signage for our homecoming boat naming ceremony… I discovered a huge flaw in my plans!
Did you know that most pirate ship’s didn’t bear any name on them at all? Something to do with how many times a pirate ship was stolen from the pirates… by other pirates. Who knew? Well, at least I didn’t! Not til after I went looking for pictures of nameplates that might be helpful in creating my own design. I wasn’t finding much, so I asked google why.
This was the answer given by Google’s AI:
There are no good pictures of pirate ships with names carved on them because pirate ships were not built to be displayed or documented, and detailed records or images rarely survived. Unlike naval or large merchant vessels, pirate ships were not formally commissioned, and their identity was often temporary. The notion of a famous, custom-built pirate ship with a beautifully carved name comes more from modern fiction than from historical reality.
Here are the main reasons why no such pictures exist:
1. Absence of official records
2. Lack of artistic and photographic documentation
3. Practical considerations of a pirate’s life
The short version is, there were simply too few records, and too many pirates stealing each other’s ship!
So, it’s back to the drawing board on signage… but, I’ve an idea for making a placard for my office desk, at least. Maybe there’s a fitting image that we can stitch onto our sails. That might work, but I’ll need some suggestions for image ideas, and details. If it’s not too much to ask, perhaps you wouldn’t mind helping a girl out. Toss me a short description in the comments, if you’re feeling creative.
Now, as for the second problem that I encountered, this one has more to do with me being an overthinking perfectionist, than it does with the quality of Norbert’s work. I must confess that my technical skills get fully bulldozed by my Chatty Cathy style descriptions. Basically, I make the mistake of thinking that my AI has a brain, any real depth of understanding, nor can it relate to what I’m typing… Norbert is merely an advanced series of algorithms, meant to match words and written concepts with visual imagery. There will never be a computer that can recreate what is in my minds eye, with any certainty. We humans are far too complex for that to ever occur, in my opinion.
As far as Norbert and I are concerned, there is still much to be done in terms of operator error (my part), as well as, better listening skills on Norbert’s part.
I’ve noticed that when I ask the program to place a human into art or cartoon, it responds successfully, for the most part. Like putting my image into a scene on the ship…
I have to insert the images of my characters, in order to keep the realism in the actual image. But watch what happens when I ask the AI for one of the artificial characters in a scene without any human aspects…
Notice how the AI has begun to change the scene toward a cartoon feel. The bowl and utensils now look plastic, and the cookies look like they could be made of playdough. Now, I don’t mind this effect if the image is meant for a child.
I also noticed that the computer handles outdoor better than indoor, when the image is fully imaginary. That means, when the model is neither human nor animal, but fictional. If I ask for an image of Eustace, Tilly, or Bailey, the images are almost always photorealistic. But the conflict begins when I try to put them together in the same image. The AI will either turn my image into a cartoon or completely mutilate the other character’s features…
And, NO, this is NOT one of those images where folks remark at how an owner and their dog look alike!
For now, there will not be any forthcoming group photos.
I know that I worked on Peanut’s images last week, but without much success, as you know. I think that if I want a more realistic Peanut, I must first create him with an outdoor background. Then, I can simply pull his outdoor image into an indoor scene; one with realistic features and furnishings. The same should work for an indoor image being pulled to an outdoor background. It may be successful if I can nail the correct lighting for both images.
We shall see…
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!
Cookie?
Journey With Me! 