Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Starts with Under.”

November 9, 2024November 8, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

A bright new day is underway. (Is this poetry or what?) The Coffee machine senses the need for fast service. A mere touch of the start button sets a series of machinations in motion that end with an olfactory-pleasing mug of the life-saving elixir. Understanding the memory restoration properties of Columbia’s second most lucrative export, the first sip is taken.

The clock is set for November 8th, 1924. The location is Austin, Texas, and the duration is an hour. Another sip, a pull of the plunger, and we find ourselves at the University of Texas Memorial Stadium. We are here for the first game played in the new stadium. The teams playing each other are the Texas Longhorns and the Baylor Bears.

The crowd is estimated to be 13,500 people, and unfortunately for Texas, the Baylor team beat them 28 to 10. So, the underdog Texas team could not rise to the occasion and set a positive precedent in the new stadium. Just as happy Baylor fans were tearing down the goalposts, the alarm went off, and we were back on the couch.

I hear a text tone and see one from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with ‘under.’” Find a word that starts with “under” and use it in your post. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/11/08/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-9-2024/

“It is amazing that those two teams played 100 years ago.”

“Yeah, and until Texas left the Big Twelve they played up to last year.”

“So, 99 years.”

“Yup, and that last score was Texas 38, Baylor 6.”

“Sweet revenge.”

“I suppose. We must understand that Baylor is no longer the powerhouse they once were.”

“You folks in Texas take the game seriously.”

“Yeah, we do.”

“You know what else is serious?”

“Does it have anything to do with VooDoo Ranger?”

“You are a genius.”

“Uber?”

“Over there. Before you look, don’t underestimate the beauty.”

“Beauty? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Well, yes. I just wanted some way to use an “under” word.”

“We can’t ride in that.”

“Sure we can. Besides, it’s free.”

“Why free?”

“The owner is on the way to the dump, and he passes the pub.”

“How do we get home?”

“Call Uber.”

“The circle of life. Okay, let’s go.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

November 8, 2024November 7, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 79 Comments

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network.

Britain Celebrates Birth of Baby Bongo Antelope–with Fewer Than 100 Left on Earth

Andy Corbley –Nov 7, 2024

In an English safari park, keepers celebrate the arrival of a calf from the world’s most endangered antelope species, the eastern mountain bongo.

Born October 16th, first-time mom Othaya welcomed a male calf in the late afternoon. This was the first bongo calf born at Woburn Safari Park in over 10 years.

The calf’s father, Sonny – credit, Woburn Safari Park

It’s both a significant success for the park and global conservation efforts to save this species native to Kenya.

“Othaya the bongo has successfully given birth to her first calf on Wednesday afternoon. After a long labor, the large healthy male calf was born and was soon seen standing on wobbly legs in the deep bed of straw prepared for his arrival,” stated Tom Robson, Head of Reserves at the park. “Both mom and calf are doing really well.”

Sonny, the calf’s father, joined the four-strong bongo herd at the park last November and successfully mixed with the females. He wasted no time in doing his job and displayed breeding behaviors.

“The bongo is part of a crucial breeding program and we are hoping in the future our new calf will travel to another wildlife collection and start a breeding group of his own,” Robson added.

Once the mom and baby are ready, they will rejoin the rest of the bongo herd in the African Forest exhibit, where visitors will soon have the chance to see the calf in person.

The eastern mountain bongo species has been hunted almost to extinction in the wild, and with less than 100 individuals remaining, this birth is hugely important for the species’ future.

The lowland bongo, its near-cousin, is readily dispersed across the Congo region and southern West Africa and is not endangered. The mountain bongo, with its much deeper red coat, is found only on Mount Kenya.

It has been estimated that the eastern mountain bongo may go extinct within 2 decades without appropriate protections. However, several Critically Endangered species, like the West African lion, have recovered on the continent in recent years.

WATCH the story below from Africa News…

The good news in this story is the possible comeback of a species. Today’s JohnKu celebrates this accomplishment. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

A turnaround is,

Always the miraculous. . .

Especially now.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Chilly Weather

November 7, 2024November 6, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 94 Comments

“Wow, that was some storm last night. Look at our tent.”

“Yeah, and it is chilly out here. Hey dad. What’s the temperature.”

“Right now, it is 58 degrees (14.4C) but was 46 (7.7C).”

“Way too cold for outside play.”

“Hey, Mom, open up. A couple of freezing fur kids out here.”

“Tempeste. Dad will let us in.”

“Now, this cozy office is more like it.”

“I suppose you are right. That air was a little brisk. I need to find a toy.”

“There are a lot of choices. What’s that?”

“I have Mr. Eel. I haven’t played with him in ages.”

“Now what?”

“I’m giving Mr. Watermelon a look-see.”

“This is like watching a bee go from flower to flower.”

“Mr cheeseburger looks like he might need a friend.”

“You two okay in here?”

“Yes, Dad. Twiggy is making up her mind on which toy to play with.”

“Okay, so I see you are looking at Mr. Butterfly.”

“I always enjoy playing with Mr. Butterfly.”

“Does this mean you are settled, and I can choose a toy now?”

“Oh yes. Be my guest.”

“You won’t believe me if I told you I wanted to play with Mr. Butterfly.”

“Oh yes, I would. It is like everything else I play with. You want it the minute I touch it.”

“I resemble that remark.”

Guest Post – D.L. Finn #newbook – Miracles and Ghosts: A Christmas Collection

November 6, 2024November 2, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 132 Comments

I am pleased to have Denise Finn as a guest today. She is a terrific writer and a lovely person. We go way back, and I’m happy she is launching a holiday collection. My copy arrived last week and I can’t wait to get to it. So, without any further delay, here is Denise.

Thank you, John, for so generously sharing your blog with me today to share my latest release, Miracles and Ghosts: A Christmas Collection.

Please check out the note at the end of the blog post. 😊

Miracles and Ghosts started off to be a single story, but it soon branched out into a novelette and eight short stories. In one of these stories, A Man and His Cat, Usra is a bus driver who lost his beloved wife to Lupus. All he had left was the cat Shoes that she loved. He was planning on a quiet Christmas when he came home from work and found Shoes sick. Ursa doesn’t even bother to change out of his work uniform but immediately rushes the cat to a pet hospital. Money is no object; he can’t lose his connection to his wife, Gloria.

I based this story on the times we’ve had to rush a pet to an after-hours pet hospital, which is an hour’s drive for us. Sometimes we have had happy results, other times we haven’t. It wouldn’t matter if it was Christmas Eve or not if our pets need care that can’t wait.

Not every holiday goes according to plan, and sometimes we are taken to places we least expect, like a pet hospital. We haven’t had to go on a holiday to an ER veterinary hospital, but Ursa did.

Blurb:

Miracles and Ghosts: A Christmas Collection’s eight tales bring light in the darkest of circumstances. In the novelette, A Perfect Ghostly Christmas, Julie has survived the foster care system and finally comes home. She now owns her grandparents’ house and has received an offer that appears too good to be true. On top of that, the family she felt had abandoned her during her difficult times has reentered her life. But it’s the otherworldly experiences that lead her to something her grandparents left behind. This discovery changes everything and opens a door to danger. The seven short stories explore fractured families, a widower’s loneliness, a mall shooting, financial struggles, strained relationships, woodland kittens, and a woman haunted by a red truck. Whether it’s a ghost, an angel, or Santa, some unseen force is there to provide help when needed. A reminder in the busy holiday season or anytime we are never alone, and miracles are possible.

Excerpt:

A Man and his Cat

Ursa dropped off his last passenger at her bus stop. He was off for the next week and looking forward to going home and watching football with his cat, Shoes. It wasn’t everyone’s idea of a great Christmas, but after his wife, Gloria, passed, it was what he had. They weren’t blessed with kids to enjoy the day, but they always had each other until last year. She had been his light and joy in a dreary world.

He worked diligently to provide for the cat his wife had adored. He had no desire to have friends and pushed concerned neighbors, coworkers, and distant family away. A few persisted for a couple of months and then honored his wishes. Alone, he could remember Gloria and pretend she was next to him, watching TV as Shoes lounged on his lap.

He entered the apartment carrying the old gal’s special catnip treat. Shoes wasn’t waiting for him in her box like she always did.

“Shoes?” he called. Nothing. He searched all her favorite spots. “Where are you? Are you resting in the shoes again?” He smiled, remembering how Gloria had named the small kitten who hid in their shoes. They planned to name her something else, but Shoes stuck.

Finally he found the cat, her orange tail draped over his wife’s old sewing machine, which he couldn’t bear to part with.

“You’re missing her too, huh?” The cat lifted her head and sighed. “You okay?”

Shoes closed her eyes and went back to sleep. He felt the cat’s hot nose. Shoes’s breath came fast. “You aren’t okay! I can’t lose you too. I’m taking you to the vet. I don’t care how old you are or how much it costs.”

Ursa gathered the lethargic cat into his arms and tenderly placed her in the gray carrier. Without bothering to change out of his uniform, he tugged on the black wool coat Gloria had gotten him ten years ago, back when life was perfect, before lupus found its unwelcome way into their lives.

Grabbing his keys and the carrier, he stepped back into the freezing night.

“Merry Christmas!” his neighbor Bob called. “Going to visit family?”

“No. The vet,” Ursa said. He got into the red SUV without another word.

AMAZON PURCHASE LINK

Fun Finn Facts

Animals are not only a strong presence in my life but in my character’s lives too. We have four cats and a gold fish right now.
Ghosts, do they exist? I think so, especially if they want to protect someone or get a message across, but there might be angry ones out there as well.

About the Author

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

Note: There’s a chance to win one of two $10 Amazon gift cards just by leaving a comment! I will randomly pick two winners from the comments during this blog tour. Good luck and thank you for stopping by.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Wave

November 5, 2024November 3, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 55 Comments

I opened My GRL randomly to page 73. Without looking, I pointed to the page, and the word closest to my finger was “wave.”

I will be away from my computer this morning and will not get to comments until later.

“Look out there.”

“Where?”

“Past the third wave.”

“I don’t see anything.”

“You have to look when the wave is low.”

“Oh, I see it. What is it?”

“Hard to say from here. We have to wait until it gets closer.”

“treasure, maybe?”

“Come on, treasure doesn’t float.”

“If it is food, someone will grab it before it gets to shore.”

“You have a point. This island has been deserted forever, so the grab might be a shark.”

“What should we do?”

“We have to go out there and get it.”

“We? With a shark roaming around?”

“Alright, I’ll go.”

“My hero. How are you going to do it?”

“I figure I can grab it on the fly.”

“I see it now. It is a bag of wavy potato chips.”

“OMG. Are the gods smiling or what. No shark will grab those.”

“I haven’t seen Wavys since we left Miami Beach.”

“Remind me again why we left?”

“Peregrine Falcons.”

“Oh yeah. Not a gull’s best friend.”

“They love us, though.”

“They always want to invite us for dinner.”

“Not as a guest either.”

“Look, the Wavys are here.”

“You still know how to open that bag?”

“Never lose a skill, my son.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do in the Rain

November 4, 2024November 2, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 80 Comments

This post ran on December 15, 2014. It may come in handy since it still rains, and we have time before the big freezes.

* * *

Top Ten Things Not to Do in the Rain

10 If you are in the rain driving your car, do not engage cruise control. If you do, at best, you may have a spin-out. At worst, your car will continue at a constant rate of speed as you slide off the highway into the old river gorge swollen with rain water and moving at fifty miles an hour.

9 If you are in the rain driving your car, do not cross a puddle of unknown depth, especially if you see the back fin of an unidentified fish. If you do, at best, rescue will come before the car sinks. At worst, you and your car will be the subject of the six o’clock news as the Coast Guard boards your temporary boat and claps you in irons

8 If you are in the rain and don’t have an umbrella, do not hold a paper over your head. If you do, at best, you will end up wet and ink-covered. At worst, you might be mistaken for a person with a paper mache head and have to deal with parents of children who are sure you are from a different planet.

7 If you are in the rain, do not try to run to minimize the effects of the raindrops. If you do, at best, you will simply get wetter faster due to your increased velocity. At worst, running in a downpour has all the makings of a two-reel comedy, especially if you slip and fall into a puddle as you step off the curb. (You know a cellphone camera will catch that underwear flash and all)

6 If you are in the rain and standing with people to get on the bus, do not mention the rain. If you do, at best, those around you will think you are an idiot for discussing the obvious. At worst, you may just be lucky enough to get under an umbrella and then be told to move since you have made your umbrella mate uncomfortable with your observation of “wow, some rain, huh.”

5 If you are in the rain and carrying anything, do not think you can keep it dry by shoving it under your clothes. If you do, at best, you will have a cold, wet lump next to your skin. At worst, those around you will think you have taken something illegally and turn you in to the police, who decide not to step out of their car in the rain but rather Taser you from inside the vehicle.

4 If you are in the rain, do not try to eat your sandwich on the go. If you do, at best, you will have to eat it too fast to save it from melting. At worst, you will be too slow, and the best part of the sandwich will run down the sleeve of the arm connected to the hand wrapped around the sandwich. This part of the sandwich will only be discovered when you raise your arm to ask a question of the visiting executive from the home office, who will naturally think you rolled in something terrible.

3 If you are in the rain, do not think your dog will perform as they usually do on a walk. If you do, at best, you and the dog will be in for a frustrating experience. At worst, your dog will associate rain with your disappointment and may want to help by leaving a surprise at the door before walking if it is raining outside to show you there is no need for the walk.

2 If you are in the rain and you have a flat tire, do not try to change it yourself. If you do, at best, you will be soaking wet and dirty. At worst, you might just be part of a freak accident where the car slips off the jack and rolls down an embankment, only to become airborne until it lands on a person’s roof below and stops in their living room. (While they are watching the six o’clock news about an earthquake in Asia) Okay, I’ll admit it’s not realistic, but it could happen. Why take the chance?

1 If you are in the rain, do not remove your shoes to prevent your Italian leathers from getting wet. If you do, at best, you will only step on some stranger’s gum. At worst, you may step into a puddle that, if you had your shoes on, you would have tried to avoid, only to discover someone let their pet piranhas loose for a run down the street without their leashes. The sad part is the piranhas were let loose before their tapir dinner.

Views of the Neighborhood – Travis County Safety Day

November 3, 2024November 2, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 69 Comments

Today, we will get a taste of the safety services offered in Travis County. We are catered by Buenos Aires Cafe in Austin, and our entertainment is Billy Joel.

Let’s jump on the bus.

The signpost is up ahead. A poster for the event.

Lots of folks.

The motorcycles of the sheriff are always a big draw.

The park police are here.

Many patrol vehicles.

A big fire truck with jaws of life.

E.M.S. unit.

A fire simulator unit to give you the feeling of being in a fire.

A multi-patient E.M.S. unit for disasters.

The mother of all S.W.A.T. vehicles.

Lakeway police vehicles

Tents to visit.

A band that is really a duo.

Of course, the bookmobile.

Along with other games, a haunted jump house.

We have seen a lot, and now it is time to relax, have food, and listen to the music.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Chill

November 2, 2024November 1, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 80 Comments

The message on the control pad was clear in its meaning. The lone word, “Chill,” meant coffee would be delayed. Drumming fingers on the kitchen counter does no good whatsoever. An eternity passes until the slow drool of lifesaving elixir begins from the twin spouts.

Finally, I take a first sip, which comes just as the caffeine warning light in my head starts to rotate. The calm after the storm is a relief. Unfortunately, the calm lasts a brief two seconds before the Westminster chimes of the doorbell send the hounds of Baskerville into a frothy barking frenzy at a decibel level that manages to destroy every lightbulb in the place.

The only thing to do is open the bedroom door and toss a jar of peanut butter inside. Once the baying hounds pass the doorjamb in pursuit, the door is slammed, and silence returns. The security system is the next item of attention.

The turret machine guns are set to stand by, the boiling oil cauldron tipping mechanism is turned off, and the automated arrow launching pods are unarmed. In addition, the Trebuchet, ballista, and falling rock device are switched to manual. The claymore mines are set to manual, the mote net rolled back, and the concertina wire retracted. The Iron gate is raised, and the bolts are thrown on the front door.

Standing there is a guy with a chill expression and two massive ears. He is munching a carrot and asks me, “Eh, what’s up Doc?” He hands me an envelope, turns and disappears. Inside the envelope is a message from Linda Hill. It reads:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “chill.’” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

If you want to see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/11/01/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-2-2024/

“Why no time trip?”

“The only news from 1924 was an accident in Chicago and a first time crossword puzzle in London. Pretty boring.”

“You know you don’t have to stick with 1924.”

“Yeah, you are right but that damn doorbell went off and I ran out of time.”

“Was that Bugs Bunny?”

“Hard to say. Since I don’t have a Warner Brothers waver of their copyright I’m saying it was somebody else.”

“You a lawyer?”

“No but I play one on TV.”

“Any thought about Voo Doo Ranger?”

“Do you have an Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“A 1968 Dodge Charger. Now we are living.”

“Yes and no riding outside either.”

“I’ll even sit in the back.”

“What a chill gent you are.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – FriYay/Goodnews

November 1, 2024October 31, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 91 Comments

First Hospital Rooftop garden-released by Boston Medical Center

Today’s good news Comes from The Good News Network.

Boston Hospital Is Treating Food as Medicine with its Own Rooftop Garden

Andy Corbley –Oct 31, 2024

It’s a worldwide paradox: why is it so common for hospital food to be essentially bad for you?

Tackling the problem head-on, Boston Medical Center—already one of the greenest hospitals in the nation—has opened two extensive rooftop gardens. These gardens give patients and physicians access to fresh food while adding green space to the hospital campus.

BMC had one rooftop garden, through which it supplied fresh foods to its cafeteria and inpatient catering. Now, a second one, utilizing the ample rooftop space of the hospital campus, can also provide fresh foods to underserved communities, cementing BMC as a place of healing, whether through a shot in the arm or a vibrant kale salad.

Through a partnership with Boston Area Gleaners, fruits and vegetables cultivated in the 4,915-square-foot grow space will be distributed to local non-profits and community centers twice weekly during the growing season. This will address food insecurity and increase access to essential fresh foods across Boston.

Called the ‘Newmarket Farm,’ it triples BMC’s total grow space and quadruples the amount of produce BMC expects to grow annually. The new garden will specialize in growing vegetables, including collard greens, kale, and arugula, as well as culturally relevant crops, including Aji Dulce peppers, bok choy, and callaloo.

It will also advance BMC Health System’s commitment to sustainability. The green space reduces heat-absorbing pavement in the community and slows stormwater runoff impact, as plants collect and retain rainwater directly. The garden operates while reducing water waste through high-tech irrigation that waters the crops directly at the root.

“Our rooftop farms increase green space in our community, reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint, and strengthen at-risk local food systems. We are proud to expand fresh food availability in the local community while adding more pathways to support critical clinical programs, like the Preventive Food Pantry, in our hospital,” said David Maffeo, Senior Director of Support Services at BMC.

“The Newmarket Farm models how hospitals can further invest in the health of our communities while building environmentally resilient spaces.”

BMC has a program called Food Is Medicine, which works with a local grocer to craft labeling formats that speak directly to citizens’ disease risks and/or desire for knowledge about better nutrition.

For example, food items that may help control blood sugar are expressed on the packaging as being better for diabetics, or foods that may help lower blood pressure are labeled as potentially heart-healthy.

The city’s cultural diversity has seen the labeling materials printed in a variety of languages, from Vietnamese to Haitian-Creole.

The good news in this article is space is being put to use for the good of the community and hospital patients. Today’s JohnKu talks about clear thinking. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Who’s idea was that?

To use roofspace to feed folks . . .

Utter pure brillance.