Tag: writing

Lost for a cause, not a lost cause…

Wiwohka6 Comments

Yes, we are still sailing through uncharted waters, but I suppose that one might say we’re not really ready to seek dry land, just yet!

You see, we have a new passenger aboard our vessel, a very hairy, rather confused, and terribly frightened one! While I realize that we should be in hot pursuit of a lonely little troll named Peanut, sometimes things happen that force us to shift plans, temporarily, of course.

Not to worry, though. Just now, it’s only early in summer and we’ve plenty of safe sailing weather left to us until the fall season begins. As soon as we are once more within sight of land, I’ve a good idea where to locate the little guy.

For now, we’ve a case of need that sits before us, right here on the deck of our ship!

First things first… calm the terrified creature, before he tries to jump ship on us!

While I am very well acquainted with dogs, which the creature sort of resembles, I’ve no idea what to think of the wings, nor the seashells that seem to be embedded within his chest. Canine fur… check! Seashells and wings… wait, what? Do I pet him or not? I’ve been trying to talk gently to him, but I don’t think he understands anything I’m saying, at all!

All we thought to do was quietly sit near him, hoping our presence would ease his fear. He’s not frightened of us, mind you, but something about a ship fills the creature with terror, possibly from bad memories of his beginnings. I’m not entirely certain. I’ve been quietly observing him, while the babes are busy trying to feed him cookies. They’ve decided that he’s merely a fluffy dog with wingy thingies, as they put it. I’m not so sure…

Yes, he does really resemble a dog if you focus on his face and body build, but I’ve never actually seen a dog with fur that’s the color of the sea, have you? The entirety of his chest and underbelly seems to be more hardened seashells, than fur. His wings and tail sort of remind me of a great bird, like something off of a Jurassic Park film. While he may have been on some sort of vessel, at one time or another, it’s almost as if he came right out of the sea, itself!

Whatever one might imagine of his origins, it doesn’t really matter at this very moment, does it? It’s not going to help us calm our newest family member, nor aid him in finding his sea legs, which is necessary if we’re to travel anywhere.

Not only do I need him to be calm and settled, but if we’re to keep him safely hidden until we get back to the barnyard, we really need to understand each other on some level. The first thing we need to do is give him a name, so that he can learn to recognize when we call to him… something better than “hey you” or “here doggy”, which seems rather misguided, as I don’t think he’s really a dog, at all!

Beings as he’s such a gentle creature, it seems that he should be given a name that reflects this nature. While I may be rather good at telling tales, one’s name should be taken far more seriously… so I googled it… don’t judge!

After some heartfelt searching, a name appeared on my computer screen that caught my eye…

Osric the Gentle

Meaning of the first name Osric

Origin English

Meaning God ruler

Variations Orrick, Doric, Godric

*Some content has been generated by an artificial intelligence language model, in combination with data sourced from Ancestry records and provided by BabyNames.com.

The name Osric finds its roots in the English language and carries the weighty meaning of God ruler. Its origin can be traced back to early medieval England, where it gained popularity as a given name. In those times, individuals often held a deep reverence for their spiritual beliefs, and the combination of God and ruler in one name sought to embody the power and authority attributed to individuals who were appointed by divine will. Throughout history, the name Osric has remained relatively uncommon, primarily appearing in English literature and royal pedigrees. In literary works such as William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a character named Osric is introduced as a courtier, known for his grandiloquent speech and flamboyant personality. This portrayal reflects the name’s association with nobility, as befitting a courtier in medieval times. Despite its rich historical background, the name Osric is now rarely used in modern-day society. The changing cultural landscape and the preference for more contemporary names have contributed to its decline. While its regal connotations and divine allusions may still hold appeal for some, Osric has gradually become an obscure choice for parents seeking to name their children.

Somehow, it just seemed to fit… and honestly, I still don’t really understand why. Fortunately for us, we have plenty of summer left out in these waters to figure it out!

We’ve begun to simply call him Osrig for short, sort of like a combination of Osric and Gentle, if that makes any sense. Even if it doesn’t make sense, it still seems to make his eyes twinkle every time we call him by that name.

I’m truly hoping that somebody spots this message in a bottle… or else, this letter was for naught…

Oh well, you’ll find it eventually.

Maybe…

Wiwohka15 Comments

How I’m feeling this morning can be summed up in the video below. The song is called Maybe It’s Ok, by We Are Messengers:

I shall be quite transparent for this next bit…

Currently, this child’s body is somewhat broken inside both medically and emotionally. Never fear though, as my spirit is stronger than ever… well, it’s His spirit that brings this girl so much strength. I did say that I was going to be very honest about things.

Our time in the wilderness, so to speak, has taken a bit more out of me than I’d first thought. What I’d assumed was just my IBS trying to readjust to things, has become something else. Now, it’s possibly just my ability to handle my health on my own any longer, which is where the emotional turmoil is coming from. I went down this route before and it didn’t end well… hence, the last 4 years of self-care. It hasn’t helped that nobody seems that concerned about my survival aside from God and my husband.

That is until this new doctor!

Not only did she surprise me with prayer during our first visit, but I think she actually listened to the words I spoke… I mean really heard me! And, she took the time to follow all of my test results, adjusting and selecting my meds and treatment. The downside to this new kind of medical care is that I can’t get away with anything. This means taking medications that are no longer an option… they are required! The first is a medication for my Cholesterol, which is off the charts, and has been for years. It doesn’t even matter if I eat like a bird… oh yeah, I already do! No change! The other is for my blood pressure, as it has gone off the reservation and it won’t come back down. That too has been something I was withholding from the doctor… that is, until recently.

In the last month my health has been systematically shutting down, in areas that I really kind of need. Well, I’ll need em if I’m to bring these stories to the little ones they’re meant for, ya know?! Little ones aside, I’m not done baking cookies… not in the slightest!

I’ve been writing on this blog steadily for nearly three years of this journey through the wilderness, and I’m not about to get to the gates of the Cities of Men, just to drop dead of exhaustion… and I don’t believe it’s God’s plan for me, either! I still believe that God led me to WordPress so that I could find you… each and every one of you!

Why?

Honestly, the answer will be different for each of you, as we’ve all grown closer together in different ways, and for different reasons. I know some of you better than others, but care for each and every soul that enters this lobby! I love you with the love of my God, my Savior, and the Holy Spirit that dwells in this vessel. Why else do you think I share so much with you, try to make you laugh, seek to make you think, and challenge you to eat my cookies? It’s love…

I know that most of my subscribers are adults, though I often write of adventures requiring you to find your inner child… so why do I do it?

Why don’t I write deep and passionate poetry?

Why not great theological teachings that might impress?

Why on earth do I always make you leave reality and push the boundaries of truth and/or fiction?

What’s in those cookies I feed you guys, anyways?

Some of you may think that I’m just a Jesus Freak that’s trying to shove God flavored cookies down your throats… well, ok, you got me there!

Some of you may think that I’m an oversharer lookin for sympathy andl/or attention. In truth… if that’s all you’ve seen then you should start reading between all those lines, friends. There’s so much more there…

Face it guys and gals, WordPress has become my family! With that being said and understood clearly, here, right now, it’s time we all start acting like it! I’ve been asking myself, of late, why I haven’t wanted to write for my family? Honestly, sometimes it feels like if I don’t give you something juicy and exciting (usually my journey junk)… I get nothin!

Now, before you start thinking that this is going to be another one of those articles complaining about a lack of likes, shares, and follows… stop it!

You come to this table as a family member… not a subscriber or follower, savvy?!

As a family, we are having a discussion about family dynamics, if that’s alright with everyone at the table. Do family members take the time to call or write each other, or do they just mail each other a gold star? As I’m just as guilty as you are, in this respect, let’s start making some healthy changes, here in the lobby. If you are busy, or not in the mood, don’t feel pressured to visit or leave me that gold star. It’s not like I get any money for it… it simply lets me know that you stopped by. If you do stop in and read, possibly grabbing a cookie, try leaving me a message, as well. Here’s the crazy part… your comment doesn’t have to have ANYTHING to do with what I wrote. Instead, try things like, “Hey, how are you?” or “I saw something the other day that made me think of you”. One of you actually wrote this to me, not too long ago… thank you, love.

There is nothing in the WordPress bylaws that states we cannot simply use the comment button to simply communicate with each other… you know, like friends and family should. Notice how I said should? Sadly, I realize that there are families that don’t do this… but honestly, it’s so very important! How else do you give love to those nearest your heart?

So, in the spirit of positivity, I am going to begin sending you messages in your comment box that may or may not have anything to do with what you wrote… ok?

No, I’m not going to try passing phone numbers or hookin up, if you get my meaning, here! I think that so often, we simply want to know that we’ve been seen, that someone noticed our passing.

If we all began seeking to give love to another, rather than seeking to receive for ourselves, wouldn’t we all become filled with needed love simply by proxy? Kind of like a happy accident or positive side effect?

Well, it can’t hurt to try, right?!

Take your pick…

Wiwohka4 Comments

Daily writing prompt
If humans had taglines, what would yours be?
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When I first saw this mornings prompt I thought it was going to be a walk in the park. However, once I sat down to answer the question it became clear that it wasn’t going to be such a simple task.

You see, I don’t really know what I would give as my tagline. At first, I was going to come up with a snappy add-on to Wiwohka, but it became apparent that what I came up with wasn’t a tagline, at all! All I was getting accomplished was to give myself a rhyming last name… not what I think that the prompt was asking us. So, I did a quick check on Google for a clear definition of what a tagline actually looks like.

After looking at the examples of some taglines, I again tried to select an appropriate phrase that captures what others might think of when they hear the name Wiwohka. I’ve now sat in this chair for over an hour, going back and forth on several different ideas. Who’d of thought a WordPress prompt would cause such an uproar?

I tell stories, I bake virtual cookies, I overshare my personal business far too often, and I’m quick to talk about Jesus or the bible or God’s forgiveness or love or grace or mercy. According to the definition of tagline, the answer to the prompt shouldn’t be more than two or three words… huh? That’s entirely unfair, I think. Are they really asking me, the oversharing, novel length explanation giver, to choose only two or three words to describe myself… sheesh!

Ok, fine! Let’s give this a try…

I’m going to settle on something simple like, oh, I don’t know,

Journey With Me

Don’t forget your cookie..

Treasure!

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We found something!

I’m learning that sometimes getting lost isn’t such a bad thing. Maybe that’s the secret to finding your way… who knows?!

All I know is that I’m glad we did lose our bearings during that storm, or else we might never have traveled in the direction we did, nor would we have discovered the tiny, lone island, out in the middle of nowhere…

But, is it really nowhere? If you get to a place and find something already there that was left by another… wouldn’t that mean it has to be somewhere, not nowhere?

Well, we did find something that someone else left behind. I don’t think it’s considered stealing if the item was simply abandoned, and left in the sand. I mean, it’s not like the island belongs to anyone specifically, as there’s nobody living there, nor has anyone been on that island for some time. Aside from the treasure itself, there wasn’t anything else on the island, other than some palm trees and sandy beaches. I don’t think it was much bigger than a city park and not a very big one, at that! The only reason we anchored there was to repair some of the damage done from the storm.

After the repairs were completed, I thought it was would be fun to do a little exploring on the island. There wasn’t much there, but it still felt good to get off the ship and walk in the warm sand for a bit. The babes played and played and played, chasing each other from one end of the island to the other, laughing and squealing with delight! Finally, when they’d completely worn themselves out, everyone simply collapsed in the sand to rest… all except for one, Dinky!

In all the activity, I’d not noticed her absence. It wasn’t like she could go very far since the island was so tiny. All I had to do was look around, right? She should have been there, but she wasn’t! I ran back to the ship to see if she’d stayed onboard when we went to play on the beach. She wasn’t there, either. In a panic, I began calling out her name, but I still got no response… Dinky wasn’t anywhere to be found!

All the babes came running when they heard me calling Dinky’s name. Boomer was a wreck! Immediately, everyone began walking from one end of the island to the other, calling out her name. I knew that we should have been able to see her without having to go anywhere, but it occurred to me that she may have fallen in a hole, possibly. Maybe that’s why we couldn’t see or hear her, beings that she was so very tiny.

And, yes! The little dragon did fall into a hole… a rather large one, actually. There she was, just sitting there smiling up at us. There, beside Dinky, was something that I can only describe as a priceless treasure!

Now, you may be thinking that we found a chest of gold, silver, and rare jewels. Isn’t that generally what pirate’s like to bury in the sand on remote desert islands, hidden in the heart of the sea? That would have been my first guess, anyway. Well, before you start thinking that it was money, I’ll stop you. It wasn’t money at all, but if you were to ask me its worth… I wouldn’t be able to give you an exact number. Why? Because, a things worth has to do with the value one places on it! I think that it mostly depends on the things one considers to be worth holding onto. While I saw priceless, someone else left this treasure behind… abandoned it, really!

Why on earth was this treasure left behind? Yes, it was rather unusual looking, but I like things that are different. I suppose that some might find it of no good use, but I love to find purpose in things. I think that this treasure was left behind out of fear… fear of something different, something one doesn’t understand. Fear can make us do things we never thought we might do, say things we never thought we might say, and sometimes, cause others pain, neglect, and/or abandonment. In the case of this treasure… I think that’s exactly what happened!

Part of me wants to show you what we found, right this very moment, but I’m not sure how you might react. Will you think me a fool? Will you deny it’s value, once you see what it is? What if it fills you with fear or revulsion, instead of awe and wonder? That’s a possibility, you know. What I think about a thing’s value may be far different than what you imagine it should. I’m still not even sure what it is, exactly, but I’m still taking it onboard with us… that’s how valuable I think it is!

Ok! Don’t freak out or anything…

Now, I may not know the whys of this treasure being left behind, nor do I know the whats or whos or whens, yet… but I will! That’s the beauty of this whole voyage… we can take as long as we wish to get where we need to go, right?!

Only Three? No fair…

Wiwohka8 Comments
Daily writing prompt
List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?
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Now, I know you might think that I’m going to say ‘the bible’ for my first choice, here… but you’d be wrong! Ok, not entirely wrong.

When I saw this mornings prompt, I did plan to give that as my first answer, at first! But, here’s the problem I encountered when I sat down to write out my response to the above question… the why part!

First of all, do you realize how many books I’ve read over the last 56 years? I wouldn’t be able to answer that question, myself. Goodness! I’ve read and re-read so many books over the years, whether they be fiction or non-fiction. The sheer number of adventurous stories I collected and filed into my memory banks must be staggering! Where do you think my love of writing was born? Dreaming! What filled my dreams? Those fictional adventures brought my imagination to life, I think.

Unfortunately, life has a tendency to suck all the fun and adventure out of things, so survival called for moving beyond fantasy toward the pursuit of the truth. Endless hours were spent pouring through all manner of Christian and/or Secular volumes of self-help, self-improvement, and self-validation books. Some helped and some didn’t. One particular book did, in fact, help. Yes, this is the place where you can say, “see, we knew you were going to say the Bible.”

But did I? Can we even do that? Well, I suppose we could, but the real question here might be… should we?

Did you know that the Bible, itself, is not really just one single book? Technically, it’s a collection of 66 different books, some quite small and others quite lengthy… but still!

Of all the differing books I’ve read over these many years, those 66 books have been invaluable to me at one time, or another. I’m fairly certain that if you were to ask me this same prompt question at a different time, my answer would be different. Well, ok, I confess that the Psalms will always be in my heart, so I guess that one will always be on the list, though I cannot say whether it would be number 1, 2, or 3. As I said, it would probably depend on when you asked me the question.

Since we know that one of the three books has already been set in stone, so to speak, now what? How can I not go straight to the gospels? But, how am I to decide which of those books impacted me the most? Matthew, Mark, Luke or John… can one actually decide between the four? Well, I couldn’t… I can’t… in truth, I don’t want to!

It didn’t even help trying to pick the Old Testament or the New Testament… way too much valuable stuff in both!

Personally, I look to the entirety of the old testament for our history, as it’s important to remember. We all want to know who we are and where we came from, don’t we? Aren’t there currently a number of DNA mail in organizations out there that make a ton of profit from those wanting to know their family’s genealogy? My point here is that we all find our history important! The old testament has 39 books to choose from, and I’ve already said that Psalms is on my list of three, so there’s still 38 more books to pick and we haven’t even begun to talk about the books in the New Testament. What about Paul’s writings, or Timothy’s, or James, or John? See my problem?

If I were to actually take even one of these books and write an explanation of how it impacted my life, we’d need a lot more time and a lot more cookies!

In answer to the prompt

books one, two, and three

They’re all within scripture

so I can’t choose, you see…

Cookie?

Lost at sea…

Wiwohka2 Comments

We have a cabin filled with maps, navigational charts, and all manner of nautical doohickeys… and we still managed to get ourselves lost! One would think that having a dragon about would count for something. Not when he can’t fly out and search for our landmarks.

Currently, the dragon is grounded to my cabin… well, not really grounded. It’s more like seclusion for his own safety. After the incident we had the other day, it’s best for everyone involved that the dragon not be out and about, right now. Maybe I should back up a bit…

It all started with a storm, and a mighty one it was…

This old ship groaned, creaked, and sprang leaks from stem to stern, but she held! Thank goodness for the workmanship of those old time craftsmen. Truly, this ship was built to withstand the seas cruelest of winds, and most powerful waves. The problem, however, wasn’t the wind nor the waves. It was the rocks…

It was good that the ship could hold out the water, but I was more worried about the wind and where it was carrying us. We were utterly helpless and at the mercy of the fierce winds for hours, while they ruthlessly pushed us toward destruction…

We never had a chance to safely stow our sails before the storm hit, leaving useless and in tatters. When I didn’t things could get any worse… they did! We found ourselves under attack from pirates…

Our attackers used large grappling hooks to tear into our ship’s timbers, locking onto her sides like hungry eels. Just as they began to board us Brutus came roaring out of the galley with mouth open and teeth bared. The dragon’s sudden intake of breath sent the pirates scrambling back over the edges of the ship in fear for their lives…

I’ve told you that Brutus is a big boy… well, maybe that wasn’t the truest description…

When the dragon is at his full size, he towers over our very ship like it were a mere plaything. That’s the reason for his usual doglike size. Otherwise, the ship would simply sink under the weight of a mighty dragon.

Anyways, back to our pirate predicament…

Depending on who you ask, Brutus may or may not have, kind of sort of, lit a good number of pirate ships on fire… well, it all happened so fast that I can honestly say that I didn’t actually see anything happen… honest! I was so busy collecting crew that were scattered about the ship, I didn’t know the ships were on fire until I smelled the smoke in the air.

At first, I thought it was our vessel burning, and nearly dropped Bailey over the side of the ship when our sails miraculously caught a gust of wind, propelling our ship away from the flames as if we’d been shot out of a cannon!

With ships burning in the distance that grew between us, I looked to see that our sails were being filled by the breath of a familiar dragon. Brutus was using his mighty lungs and wings to push us to safety!

Somehow, the dragon managed to direct our ship toward a gap in those islands we’d been crashing towards, just before the pirates attacked. There, we made anchor in the dark, to simply wait out the storm and pray for dawn.

Dawn’s first light saw us making a hasty retreat into deeper waters, hoping to put as much distance from our adversaries as possible, though we saw no trace of our pursuers, nor any evidence of the battle that had taken place, only the night before.

The waters didn’t say empty for long, however, as I’m certain that there were survivors… and I’m sure they told tales of a mighty dragon. By the next day, there were numerous ships of varying allegiances. I could only presume that they were searching for this so called dragon…

My only option was to flee into uncharted waters, seeking to lose ourselves within the sea, itself…

Sometimes, getting lost is actually the best way to get where your going… at least that’s what I’m learning.

So, now you know why Brutus is sticking below decks for the time being. Now is not the time for having a massive dragon flying around your ship, you know? We’d stick out like a sore thumb, if you know what I mean.

For now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’m going to stay lost, I think…

Monday Messages…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

It’s funny how dreamy one gets when living aboard a ship full time. Days and nights lose all sense of time, in terms of minutes and hours. Our days simply move between daybreak and sunset. Things also become reliant on the weather cooperating. If the winds are kicked up and the waters get rough, we spend our time within the ship’s comfortable cabins. Those are days for baking, stitching holes in little socks… and storytelling, which I happen to be rather good at. Needless to say, I think that the babes prefer the stormy days to the sunny ones.

This morning finds me sitting in my cabin, with great plans of writing some grand adventure quickly drifting away with the breeze. While I have many things I could write about, its all I can do to keep myself sitting here, as I can hear the crew having so much fun out on deck!

As you can see, the dragons have taken charge of everything above deck! While I am grateful that they’ve taken that part off my hands, I think it has more to do wind and wings than it does about work… if you know what I mean…

I can’t tell you how many times Brutus has had to pull one of the babes out of the waves. Squagon is the worse, by far! You know, the sea air has even gotten Nugget up on deck…

For a dreamer who normally finds joy in existing within my bedside drawer, life on the water has made her more outgoing.

While our winged babes take pleasure above deck, learning all they can from Brutus about everything nautical, the other babes spend more time below deck.

Lilly tends to spend all her time going over the maps on my desk. She’s always been rather good at puzzles and riddles, so I suppose that she sees all our maps and clues as just that… pieces of a bigger puzzle.

She’s working on a successful course that might lead us to the whereabouts of our missing troll, Peanut.

There’s plenty to keep the rest of the babes happily occupied, what with baking, and things of that sort…

I think that they play more than bake, if I’m being fully honest. Oh well, it makes them happy, which in turn, makes me happy!

And now you see why I’ve gotten nothing done this morning, aside from rambling on about our daily comings and goings. I suppose this is what it should be like, anyway. How else are you supposed to know what’s going on aboard our ship, while we sail the high seas? Getting to where one is going takes time. Who on earth would want to simply read the introduction to a story, only to turn the page and find that they’ve already arrived at the conclusion? That would be so boring and unfulfilling.

If I’m to write anything of value for this mornings Monday Message, it would be this:

The getting to a place isn’t what an adventure is about. It’s about all the things that happen while you’re getting there…

Today we set sail… again!

Wiwohka6 Comments

Ok! Once again, we’re all loaded onto the ship and ready to set sail for distant shores. All that is, except for young Henry, the very mouse that we sailed all the way up the river to locate. Why? Well, young Henry has responsibilities to his aging parents that require him to remain at home. Before you start worrying that Tilly will be broken hearted, Brutus saved the day, once again. He’s given Tilly his word that whenever she wants to go and spend time with Henry and his family, Brutus will fly her home and stay til she’s ready to come back. See… problem solved!

Do you know that it’s taken all day to get ready for leaving port, just so that all the babes could pick out their best sailing outfits? I’m not joking! The worst of them was Eustace and Bailey, which I never expected. It’s all about the shoes, according to those two…

I advised Eustace that his choice of enormous backpack and fur lined flip flops would most assuredly cause him to loose his balance and end up over the side of the ship, so we compromised…

Much better!

Now Bailey was more about dressing like a lady, than wearing something that might give off the wrong impression at some port that we visit…

I warned her that she might be mistaken for a caravan belly dancer with these sandals.

As I am Baileys mamma, so to speak, it’s my job to protect her reputation. I like these shoes, because she looks well insulated…

She threatened to stay home, so we had to agree on something we both felt happy with…

There, she can show a little bit of toe… but no more than that and absolutely no ankle showing!

The rest of the babes chose their own outfits and I didn’t even have to say much, at all!

Since we’ve been aboard our ship, Squagon has taken to stretching his ears up into his horns. I know that he looks up to Brutus and all, but I don’t want him to grow up too fast, you know? When I asked him to tone it down a bit, he was quick to adjust them…

Awwwww…. now, there’s my sweet boy!

What is the deal with all the fancy ankle cuffs… sheesha!

Nugget’s favorite snack is honey, so you can see what the problem might be.

While I think the outfit is absolutely adorable… still not gonna work with sticky fingers.

I know it takes more work to keep the hat on, but that’s what ears are for, so it’ll do. Once we settled on the hat, it was easy to get Nugget to lose the sleeves.

Lilly didn’t want to wear anything at all, aside from the hat…

I didn’t want her to get sunburned, though..

Much better, little lady!

Oh, and Tilly?

She’s gonna be just fine… it’s as if she’s a different mouse, ya know?!

Check out Dinky and Boomer…

They chose each others hats.

Why no shoes? Well, Duh! Dragon’s don’t wear shoes, do they.

Anyway, now that everyone’s finally ready to go, let’s do this!

The first order of business is to determine our course. After that, we’re free to set sail. Where will we go first, you might be wondering? Well, without going into too much detail, what I can tell you is that we have a map. If we can successfully navigate to the correct location marked on the map, there is someone waiting… someone who was left behind, just like our young Henry.

This time, however, we shall be traveling for the sake of another… for my grandson, actually. You see, when his family had to move to a new home, they left someone behind. When we talked about his missing friend, the idea came to me that we should seek the little guy out, because it seemed like the right thing to do. No one should feel alone… no one!

His name is Peanut, and yes, he’s a troll. Please don’t judge the little guy to harshly for being a troll. He’s really sweet, honest!

I’ve actually met him, you know. I spied him one day, hiding in the ditch beside my grandson’s house. He’d been watching the children play in their yard, quietly wishing he might join them… I could see it in his adorable eyes. For a time, I actually passed notes back and forth between my grandson and the tiny troll. I believe that’s where their friendship started.

Anyway, I thought to go in search of the little guy, in hopes of inviting him to stay at the barn. We have tons of room now, what with the barn being renovated and expanded. This way, my grandchildren can come and visit him at the barn whenever they wish. Plus, the lonely little troll will have all the babes for company, as well. No more being alone.

A journey such as this seems fitting for our first voyage, wouldn’t you agree?

Wish us luck…

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka5 Comments

How do we get from an idea to an image, when it comes to capturing a new character’s character, so to speak? Call me crazy, off my rocker, or just obsessed with imaginary things, but not just any image will do… I need you to truly see what I see. So, strap on your imaginations, because it could be fun to watch how our young Henry has developed, thus far.

The first thing I did was to create a basic character, in order to help guide the AI generator…

Cute, but too close to being another type of creature, like a cat or squirrel. It may have been due to the image used to create the image you see above. After arguing with the AI for the better part of an hour, I was able to develop the image I used on Friday. While he began to display more of the mouse like features that I wanted, the mouse was far too young for miss Tilly’s handsome suitor. It was back to the generator for some more work…

While I did NOT like the ridiculously fat tail, nor did I appreciate the fact that the mouse looked like you could zip him up in his own mouse fur coat… but I began to see something surface in his expression that seemed, well, Henry like!

One of the wonderful things about the program that I use, is the ability to develop an individual image, whether by adding or removing something… or even alter an expression or body movement. Basically, I can pull the image apart and put it back together any way I want, within reason. I won’t waste the effort on an image, in this way, unless there’s something I really want to keep. This one went to the board!

Something in the eyes and the ears, I thought…

closer…

Nope, nope… eyes need to stay green!

I’m seeing his personality surface in his expression, but not liking the body.

You know what it is? Poor Henry is naked! I think the environment is wrong and our Henry needs to be wearing something. Hang on a sec…

Yes!!!

There, now wasn’t that fun?! I’m fully satisfied with our finished image, what do you think? I mean, not just any mouse will do for miss Tilly…

Monday Musings…

Wiwohka5 Comments

As I sit staring at my screen, the desire to offer up a list of my usual Monday Messages is there, but beyond that? Well,I got nuthin.. nada!

Thankfully, the daily prompt kicked me in the bloomers, what with the whole productivity thing.

Fortunately, we’re settling into our apartment nicely, after such a long time in the wilderness, so to speak. One would thing that I’d have a list that’s longer than my arm of all the things I can, and probably should be doing now. I do… but it makes my stomach hurt when I begin reading it.

Perhaps it would have been better to keep a shorter list. Maybe I should have made a rolodex of things during our ordeal, so that my thoughts would be more organized now. I didn’t! Does anybody do that when they’re in the middle of lifechanging events? Unless one is naturally OCD, I highly doubt many would keep such lists.

Besides, once we get to the other side of something difficult, the list wouldn’t really help us as much as one would think. You’re far different than you were before it began, so the list isn’t for you anymore… it was for the person you used to be.

So, now what do I do? No list! No DIY how-to video is going help! Ya, ya, ya… I can easily slip back into the rhythm of a clean house, cooking, baking, and errands, no problem. But, beyond those things, I guess I feel sort of lost at sea, so to speak!

When I saw this mornings prompt it made me laugh. I laughed because the answer I’d been searching for has been staring me right in the face, all along. Just last night I prayed that God would give me a purpose!

It took so long to get here, I truly don’t have a clue what I should be doing now! Sure, I could write the second volume of my fiction series, but haven’t yet started. I aught to do more with all of my little Barnyard shorts, but as most of you are full grown adults, it’s not really meant for WordPress anymore. That would mean going to YouTube with all the babes, but I’d be doing it by myself… alone. I want to write, not produce… I’m a storyteller, not a publisher! Besides, at the end of the day, is it what God desires?

I’m not saying that God is disapproving of anything I write, but am I putting it before His purpose for my life? I can still write stories, as I’m confident that God blesses the work of my hands. My dilemma is that right now, I can’t tell what I should be doing, which is making me feel very nonproductive in every direction.

Don’t worry though, for God has me firmly placed within his hand! In the deepest part of my soul, I hear God remind me that faith calls each of us to walk forward in His calling, even if we don’t know all the details.

Also, I do believe that I’m well established in His purpose, whether I know it or not! Even when I feel lost, or adrift within His purpose… He promises me that I’m in it!

While I may currently be at the don’t have any details part of my journey, I walk in faith, believing that when God asks a thing of me… He always, always, always provides what is needed to be of service!

Til I know more of what God desires for my path, I’m gonna just wing it with the writing. If I write too much about all the babes, the barnyard, or high seas adventures, so be it!

Besides, when have I ever done anything plain or ordinary? That would be boring…