NOOOOOOO… The Horror…

Wiwohka4 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Your life without a computer: what does it look like?
View all responses

I was born in the late 60’s, spent my earliest years on a farm with only a single Black and White television that was encased in wood that came from Atilla the Hun’s battlefields… nothin like stubbing your toe on the corner of a 300 lb block! While I understand that my numbers are, in most probability, grossly over exaggerated, are they really… really?

Anyway, my point is that I’ve lived in both non-computer days and the current computer age, so yes, things looked different.

But is that different a good or bad thing… or is it just the times, or progress, if you will.

I remember taking typing classes in high school, and excelled at typing, matter of fact… I got skills! The thing was though, outside of a class at school, or my part-time job at an insurance agency, I never used a typewriter. In fact, I’d wager that most of the other student’s parents didn’t buy them one for personal use at home. Could you imagine having to bring your own typewriter with you, packed up in your backpack, or better yet, stuffed in your school locker? Nowadays, you can wear it on the right lens of your glasses. That’s only if you’ve the pocket change for one… their ridiculously expensive!

While I fully miss talking to others out loud, instead of texting, and writing letters on paper and sending them in the mail, one cannot deny the convenience and speed of using a computer. One single solitary box (in some instances, no bigger than a stick of gum), you can hold numerous differing translation of the bible, a building worth of encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesaurus’, and past news publications from eons past. You can access a plethora of books on fiction, history, science, religion, and more… from your cell phone/smartphone/pda/tablet/kindle/ and of course, those glasses I mentioned.

It’s undeniable that computers have incredible uses in today’s modern society…

But, we all know that too much of a good thing can spoil it’s goodness, in the end.

Checks and balances, moderation, and wisdom, should rule at the end of the day, wouldn’t you agree? Just make sure you don’t forget the old school days and ways, because you never know when we may need to use it again.

Take a moment to think on this…

If all our power grids went offline, indefinitely, how long might it take before the war over toilet paper returns?

Don’t forget your cookie…

Wednesday Words…

Wiwohka3 Comments

Eustace watched Game of Thrones, and now he walks around the house dressed like he’s about to go hunting, whispering “winter is coming”, in the most ominous way… and then quickly adds, “so eat your vegetables!”

He seems to think that it’s hilarious, and has chosen to perform this little ball of apparent comical genius for the company’s Fall Festival Talent Contest.

Ok, maybe it is sort of funny, but I’m not so sure it’ll win him any prizes.

Is this one of those times when you tell your friend their fantastic, because you don’t want to hurt their feelings? You know, like they do for all those contestants auditioning for all those talent shows on television? I don’t want to mention the actual shows, since I think that American Idol and America’s Got Talent have legal teams that block people from using their names for things like this.

Anyway, I don’t know what to do, here. Should I let him do it, or should I try to talk him out of it?

He is a cheeky camel, as you know, so perhaps he really doesn’t care what others think. Who knows? Maybe he’ll be a hit! I mean, he did take an unscheduled summer vacation, and they welcomed him back with open arms. For all we know, he might actually win the contest and become an overnight star!

If you want to know the truth of the matter, I think this whole venture has more to do with retaliation, than any trophy or applause! You see, I think Eustace got his feelings hurt when the company turned down his idea for adding a fresh vegetable cart in the break room. They stated that with the Holidays right around the corner, there wasn’t enough **((time))** to add another venue to the company’s upcoming employee events…

Camel’s are stubborn, you know. I don’t think this is over, do you?

It’s never too late…

Wiwohka2 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What skill would you like to learn?
View all responses

Well… nobody put a deadline or age limit, here. What’s a girl to do?

I thought about it and I thought about it, and then I came up with a somewhat usable list of possibilities:

A professional body builder, maybe…

Ewww, NO!

Perhaps, I could become an artsy Glass Blower…

Well, I could, ya know.

Hey, what about becoming a ball room dancer?

I love to dance! Mmmmm, better not! My ankles aren’t as strong as they once were.

You know, maybe I could go back to college and become a veterinarian, or something like that…

Nah! Homework stinks!

Now, it might be a hoot to learn how to build a house…

or even become a Marine Biologist…

But, the problem I’m having with most of these new skills is that they take more time and money than I got.

Besides, maybe I should focus on balancing a grandbaby and baking at the same time…

She’ll be here by Thanksgiving, I think. Now this is a skill I will thoroughly enjoy mastering!

Cookie?

You didn’t think I was going to make you eat the ones that fell on the floor, did you? I wouldn’t dare do a thing like that!

Inside…

Wiwohka2 Comments

What you see on the outside isn’t quite what I look like on the inside. While time marches on, offering no free rides or even discount coupons for the journey, this body of mine has seen its battles… some only small skirmishes, while others were devastating battles, leaving costly scars.

On the outside, many of my scars have faded into wrinkles and laugh lines, to be forgotten, or simply overlooked by those that I encounter… but, there they remain, none the less.

On the inside, however, who I am is far different from what many are allowed to view. I am still that wild, and indestructible creation that my heavenly Father created with painstaking detail.

I was created in the image of God, which is nothing less than beautiful!

I am a warrior for God… me!

A life begun in wickedness and shame, transformed into that which reflects Grace, Redemption, and so, so much mercy!

You know, I’m glad for all my scars, as they remind me of where I came from, and all the lessons learned from the journey.

I believe that when we give all our hurts over to God, those bruises and scars transform into armor! Not just any armor, though, but the armor of God! Etched within all those scars will be found verse after verse of eternal truths, put there by the very hand of God.

Now, it is He that flows through my veins…

Growth…

Wiwohka3 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What details of your life could you pay more attention to?
View all responses

“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…

Heffalump or Woozle…

Wiwohka5 Comments

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!

Rise and shine…

WiwohkaLeave a comment
Photo by Maksim Romashkin on Pexels.com
Daily writing prompt
What’s your #1 priority tomorrow?
View all responses

Ummm… well? You know, if I were to take a guess, seeings as I’m only just having TODAY’s first cup of tea, I’m going with waking up as my answer to this mornings prompt about tomorrow mornings activities.

Sometimes, WordPress, you ask the silliest questions. By all rights, I shouldn’t, but due to my having such a charitable disposition this morning, I’ll allow you to share in the cookies… but, just this once!

Don’t make a habit of it…

Saturday Sweet talk…

Wiwohka8 Comments

As you must know by now, I’ve had to go ala natural with my foods. This means having to rethink every single thing I eat, from the ground up!

Baking sweet things has been my passion from the time I was a small girl, as I talk about my Easy-Bake Oven at every opportunity. Being the tenacious cookie monster that I am, there will be no white flag… no meek signs of retreat, no, no!

Seeing’s as it’s already heading into the holiday baking season, we’ve been afforded the opportunity to begin displaying our favorite sweet treats… even if it is Gluten, and mostly, Dairy Free (I can still bake with eggs, even if I can’t eat them on their own).

For now, I shall bring you a new recipe each Saturday that can replace an old one, thereby, allowing continued baking success for this Wiwookie Monster (I know, that was worse than a bad Dad Joke).

I know that I probably told you about my first successful Banana Muffins adventure, but it was a bit like cheating to be honest. I simply bought a box mix and added water, in a manner of speaking. The point is, it wasn’t homemade the way I’ve always done in the past.

I’m not about to be bested by something as silly as flour or milk, are you kidding me?! No way…

I found a recipe on Pinterest that I’ll share for anybody that’s interested, because it came out so good that you’d be hard-pressed to consider it Gluten Free.

And, there was hardly any sugar added…

https://www.noglubread.com/gluten-free-banana-bread-recipe/

gluten-free banana bread

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

A moist and flavorful gluten-free banana bread recipe that even picky eaters love.

  • Total Time: 75 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

Scale

  • 3 medium overripe bananas
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil (or melted butter)
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mash the bananas in a large bowl using a fork.
  2. Add eggs, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract; stir well.
  3. Add gluten-free flour blend, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix until almost no powder remains.
  4. If using, fold in nuts or chocolate chips now.
  5. Pour the mixture into a greased or parchment-lined loaf pan.
  6. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, starting to check at 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Let the bread sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack before slicing.

I only had two overly ripe bananas and one that was fresh and new, so she suggests that you can add several tablespoons of raw honey to add more sweetness. Besides adding three tablespoons of raw honey to the mix, I opted out of the nuts and chocolate morsels, so as to get a true taste of the banana. I used everything else per the recipe, aside from adding a sprinkling of brown sugar across the top, for that crunchy crust that I especially love.

It rose just as much as a normal gluten bread…

And it was very sweet, moist, and had a bready texture as one would expect from a sweetbread…

I give 5 stars to this recipe, as I only had to add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 3 Tbsps. of raw honey, in order to achieve a Banana Bread Lover’s melt in your mouth sweetbread!

Definitely, two thumbs up!

Tune in next Saturday for the next scrumptious scientific survey of sugary sweets, or possibly savories, or maybe even some soul foods. If you’ve suggestions for any specific scientific surveys you’d like me to try my Easy-Bake hands at, shout it out!

Have a blessed weekend, my sweet WordPress Family.

Remember that God loves you very much! And, so do I…

I get up again…

Wiwohka3 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What’s the trait you value most about yourself?
View all responses

While this may not be a Christian song, per say, it sure captures the trait that’s kept me alive, thus far… in a round-a-bout sort of way. God will out, in the end!

Just sayin!

Want a cookie?

Archives(2016)The Finish Line!

Wiwohka2 Comments

(I’ve added the photo, but the content is in it’s original form)

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”     Acts 20:24

If I woke one morning to find myself standing at the finish line of a race, with a trophy in my hand and a bunch of people cheering, I would be quite confused.  I would be wondering why it was such a big deal and would feel kind of funny standing there with some silly little trinket in my hand.  The blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to run that race are what makes the finish line so valuable, and what gives that trophy such importance.

There are so many times where I think I have it figured out and then things go in a completely different direction. It reminds me that He is God and I am not.  I always look back from the other side of things and see so clearly how things went the way they did and why.  I think, how did I not see that, because it is so obvious. I am realizing that I do not have nearly the patience and faith that I think I do.  There is so much less fear and frustration when I do not seek beyond one day at a time.  Tomorrow is never certain so why waste my time worrying over what is not here yet.  If I focus on what I choose to do, say, and feel in today, I am much more content and I see more of what He wants of me.

The journey is where we find value, making us who we are.  I think I want to look to my finish line and see my Heavenly Father waiting for me with love, hope, and open arms; then I can strive everyday to find joy in my journey and finish well!