Bluebirds and Birch trees

I had to unpack about a box of my books that were tucked away for a long while so my parents could have my copy of Narnia for reference, and I feel suddenly very happy to have small stacks of books around my room again.

 Hey there readers! Less than 4 hours until NaNoWriMo begins. Hard to believe isn't it?  Already, my plans for NaNoWriMo have changed since earlier this month. While I had originally planned on simply writing down my world building for several stories at once, I've opted instead to work on one solitary story that has only started to make itself at home earlier this year.  I had (once again) planned on pantsing the story (as NaNoWriMo calls it, the act of writing with no plan or outline at all). But once again, the story made itself know in the form of three characters who's names and personal stories came out of that foggy area most stories tend to shroud themselves in.  So, instead of four I'm working on one. And rather than no plan, the inkling of a plot line has decided to make itself known.  I know I don't update regularly, but throughout the month of November I'm hoping to post regular updates on either processes, or different things that happen. Ei...

 I've learned many things from the comfort of my couch at home. I've watched documentaries, seen the beginnings of tv shows that have now blossomed into full thrown mayhem and plot twists. I've also listened to a lot of music, and seen a lot of things around the room that I haven't always taken in before.  Sitting on my couch at home, even though my reasons for being there aren't always great, I always tend to take at least one good thing out of it. Even if it's just a simple sketch.  I wouldn't say I'm resigned to ending up on the couch, or that I'm always comfortable with it. But I've learned to be okay with it. Okay with the fact that, life happens, and sometimes you just can't go anywhere.  And on those days, I slow down. I don't feel the need to rush getting things done, so I turn my mind to other things–the learning things.  I watch documentaries on those days I'm stuck in the living room, because then I know I can learn or...

 Hey guys! First off, sorry I haven't gotten to posting that book post/recommendation. It's been a far more picky post than I'd hoped it would be.  But in the meantime–I finished my first knitting project for Fall! (Or Autumn, I call it both, so bear with me on this)  First off, I had been gifted a lovely skein of alpaca yarn that is simply gorgeous, and super super soft! But it's not been worked so much that it has lost all of it's natural fiber look.  I hadn't been sure what to make with it, as it was only a couple hundred yards, and it's not a whole lot of yarn if you're wanting to make something to wear.  Lo and behold, a cowl came across my vision one day, and it seemed a simple enough project. My cowl  Now, unlike most knitters, I didn't knit mine in the round. Not only was it a bit of a pain to try and gauge it correctly on circular needles, but mine aren't the right size for working with this particular skein, which is in the...

 That's to say, I hope we all are! Who here doesn't like books?  If you said me, well my friend, you will learn.   I don't say that to be mean or creepy, no no no! I say it to say, you don't know what it is you are missing.  My love of books began before I could even read. But the day that I learned how, though, I remember that vividly. I was three years old, and I remember the book that my mom used to teach me how to read. Thus, the family's next bookworm was born. (Have you ever heard the term bookdragon instead of bookworm? It's kind of interesting, but I do love a good classic.)  Books ever since then have accompanied me through time. Good times, bad times, fast times, slow times, busy times and quiet times. All of this, and still it can happen that one can either A) Continue searching for more books, or B) Run out of books that fill you up inside.  'A' happened for a long time, but gradually it seemed that no matter what I looked for or pulle...

 Nostalgia's not a bad thing, so long as you don't let it take away from your future.

 There's hope. There's always hope. Even when others tell you there's not. There's hope. There's hope my friend for new beginnings.  There's hope for new things. There's hope for beginnings. So don't give up my friend. There's always hope for new beginnings.  Whether it take you far or leave you near. There's always hope for your new beginning. Where will it take you, and what will you do. Even if you don't have the answer, God says, "I do."  Run to Him my friends, as I am learning to. Run into His loving arms. We'll find no better sanctuary.

 On one jacket I own, is a pattern of various stars. Some of them large, others small. While it might not be the warmest or even the prettiest, it's special to me because of those small stars.  I don't know when exactly stars started being so special to me. Maybe it was on one of those days when I realized that compared to somewhere I'd once been, the sky I see outside my window now holds so few.  Was it the day I saw the moon. Or the night the light came streaming through my window, bathing my bed in clean moonlight. The day I saw the full moon with clarity in its pale fullness. Or the night when the pale light eased my fears.  I do not know exactly when the night sky came to be so important to me.  All that I know is, I would not trade it. Not for the glow of the city nor spotlight.  Nothing manmade can yet compare to the serenity of that comforting moonlight as it spills through my bedroom window.

I have a guitar. Have I ever told you that? She's a lovely cherry red, I call her Aurora. Well, I do now anyways. It wasn't until recently that she had a name at all. You see, I wanted to name her something to do with gold because that's the color of her strings. And if it's one thing that school has taught me, it's that AU stands for gold.  AU for gold. Aurora for Aurora Borealis. When I think of the Aurora Borealis, I think of space and how beautiful it is. It's so full of colors that capture the eye and can take you beyond imagination. Words dare to describe the sheer terrifying beauty of space and all that it contains.  Space contains so many stars. Stars that sailors used to sail by. I often now wonder what it would be like to lay awake at night and stare up at the stars. For the night is not as dark as it seems. I wonder what it would be like to lie awake on the deck of a ship as the waves rock me to sleep while I gaze up at the sky. I wonder what it...

 Sometimes life can catch us unawares. Especially when we least expect it. And while nothing particularly major has prompted this simple realization, it had been the culmination of many different and small things.  It can be hard, when you realize that things have changed. Sometimes so slowly you don't even see once something has been completely turned around, others more quickly.  It's strange to think about, all these simple days going by one by one. So unassuming. And yet, they pass.  Each day passes whether I make something of it or not. Each day goes by and many I don't even realize. Hours slip away until I don't even realize they've done it. Until before long, it's a new day again.  When did this happen, and why? Are hours suddenly shorter or filled less somehow. I doubt that. I believe it is me who has changed. That tends to happen, especially when we least expect it.  When did I get to be this age? How come some things from years ago still se...

 Dear Chapter 1,  Why must you be so difficult? Forgive me if that seems forward. But I really think we have a problem. Your incessant inability to say what you mean, or what would be right to say. Tendencies to dawdle and delay, no knowing what to say. Why, just right now I do believe you enjoy not having any words on your page.  Oh how you infuriate me Chapter 1! You really do. Rewrite and delete, the circle is always the same. Oh when oh WHEN will you let me say what it is that I want to say!  Chapter 1, I know you have a load of possibilities, all wrapped up into one and simple phrase. That first sentence, that first solitary strand of words that so often change the tide. Must you be so picky, with both your words and understanding.  I do have to say, that this is quite possibly the most hardest thing I've ever had to say.  Chapter 1. You are the hardest.  No offers of what should be said or how I should proceed. You have no guidance a...

Sometimes, it's really easy to get caught up in life. Sometimes, so much so that you can easily forget what a lot of us might consider 'small things'. For example; drinking water. I have a bad habit of not drinking enough water, and I don't mean I forget to drink several glasses a day kind of forget, I mean "sometimes I forget to drink a single glass of water a day" kind of forget. I know that, the solution doesn't inlay in drinking down a tall glass all at once, because the body doesn't soak all of the water up like that, most of it might not get absorbed at all. However, sipping, taking time with it, that'll absorb and hydrate the body. For me, I don't seem to be very good at doing that all the time. I don't drink water very often throughout the day, which usually leads me to chugging down a single large glass in the middle of the day or later at night, and that's not a good way to do it. When I thought about it, I realized tha...

 Why hello there readers! Have you come to join me today? For on this, the February the seventh, is my two year Blogiversary! To be honest, I don't know what all to include on such a thing as a Blogiversary. But, I've got to start somewhere!  How this all came around on this little blog of mine, was short list, and a rather simple goal. Summer 2015 - A Brief List 1. Learn as much as I can. 2. Be the best I can be. 3. Connect stronger with God. 4. Do the things that have been set in my heart to do! And the goal, of writing one short story for every day of the year. Because, as I said then– "It's impossible to write 365 bad short stories if you write one a day!" (I'm quite certain I'm quoting someone here.) So how did that all go so far? Well, let's see. Learn as much as I can... well, that's quite a lofty goal. But I'll say that I've managed to learn what it is that I've needed to learn when I n...

Some parts of my life feel like they happened just yesterday, but others, a lifetime ago.

 Recently I managed to acquire the full 11 scores by Adam Young (though he has them all available on his website for free and I encourage you to go check them out!)  Today I listened to the album titled: Apollo 11: the music to accompany the momentous event of man landing on the moon. As such, I feel that the music is a magnificent accompaniment to one of the most well known events in modern history. I encourage you to go listen to the fabulous album, and let me know what you think! -Mae *I do not own this artwork, it belongs to the creator James R. Eads.

Oh me, oh my, is anyone still awake? The hum of life and cricket crows, Of hummingbirds and daffodils, and lilac flower grows. Of times of tot and tittle tee, of laughing days, just you and me. Oh me, oh my, is anyone still awake? I sit here and wonder, just where I would dare to wander. Where I would choose to grow, if not for one and simple crow. Oh me, oh my, is anyone awake? Where the world goes, and where the world blows, let the simple shining truth, come out once more, out from under this old roof. Oh me, oh my, is anyone awake? There's a story and a thing yet to be told, and once again I'm not certain where it goes. I just move along with the words, to go wherever it is that they may flow. Oh me, oh my, isn't this a sight? My heart yearns for things unseen, and deep within the valley lay, a silver bay, and sunset gleam. Oh me, oh my, is anyone still awake? Come sit a...

 So often, oh so often, things in life bog us down. And we wonder, "why?" My friend, life is hard. But at the same time, are you taking care of yourself? Now I don't mean that in a discouraging way, on the contrary, what I'm asking is, "are you taking care of your health and wellbeing?"  It's easy to get caught up in life and have things easily slip away from us and out from underneath the limelight. I know, it happens to me all the time. But one thing I am endeavoring to change for certain this year, is how well I take care of myself. Such as: drinking more water, getting at least 1 hr. of high cardio a week to start, not eating so much sugar, spending less time on the computer and more time reading books, less time watching tv and more time studying.  These things, can be either simple or hard, it just depends on how you look at it. Drinking water: I don't know when this became a "problem" for me, I just stopped drinking as much ...

 Today, January 1st, 2017.  I didn't go to sleep until well past 1 AM, and woke up about 8 hours later.  I didn't finish a drawing I was working on, until close to 12:30 in the morning.  I didn't do a lot of things this past year that I could have. But I won't let that stop me from doing my best this  year.  I use the word I a lot. Because I find myself both easy and hard to talk about. I talk about myself and my experiences, because I don't know what else to say.  Sometimes I'll post a word, or maybe a story, an opinion, who knows. But for the most part, I've talked about myself because I don't really know what to say. So how about this for a change:  Talk more about things, people or places. I mean, come on. I feel like I spend all of my time researching. Have something I talk about consistently maybe once a month or once a week. Share joys, not sorrows.  Three goals for my blog. How about three goals for me: Grow c...

 Things that I find fun in personalities #1: people who dress like they're going to a rave or a rock convert but love drinking tea and having charming conversations.

 There are fewer things more enjoyable than biting into a homemade cookie. Made to the right amount of crispy chewiness. The chocolate chips scattered throughout it. The richness of the butter making it wonderfully smooth. Paired with a good cup of tea, I can think of few things more that to me, bring joy to my morning touch of breakfast treat. Christmas's Savory Sweet  Where do they come from?  Where did they go?  The cookies are made,  The doughs are rolled.  Made of every type and call,  The brilliant delights.  A kind for all.  So many treats and so many sweets,  To all of us this kindly thrall.  So sweet and enamoring.  This tasty treats delight.  They bring a smile,  And a light,  To all who eat,  A Christmas's chocolate savory delight. ©Mae Fort