Tag: My GRL

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

~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments
White’s seahorse released in Australia – Supplied to ABC News by Dr. David Harasti.

Today’s Good News comes from the Good News Network. Here is the story in its entirety.

100 Tiny Endangered Seahorses Released into Sydney Harbor with High Hopes

By

Andy Corbley

Australia continues to rehabilitate its populations of White’s seahorse, an “Australian icon” and the only such creature on the nation’s endangered list.

In May, GNN reported that hundreds of White’s seahorses were released into the waters north of Newcastle into specially-made “hotels” as part of the largest release of captive-bred seahorses in history.

Now, as part of another reintroduction, a tide pool north of Sydney Harbor in a place called Clontarf will become the latest release site for these tiny sea creatures.

The seahorses were bred at Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney, and the Aquarium’s curator, Laura Simmons, says the release is just one of several already done and several more planned for 2024.

Also known as the New Holland seahorse, these small animals display a number of very interesting characteristics, including ovoviviparous reproduction, whereby the female creates the eggs and uses an ovipositor to place them in the male’s brood pouch, where they are fertilized and carried until birth.

They also display strong fidelity and seasonal monogamous mating. Their population numbers have been in decline for years.

“We really want to reverse that trend and get them re-established,” Simmons told ABC News AU. “They’re our seahorses, this is an Australian icon.”

Simmons said this release at Clontarf is the sixth release this year, following up on previous successes at Chowder Bay in Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay, and Little Manly Beach, totaling over 400 individual seahorses.

Swimmers at Clontarf may be able to see the seahorses clinging to the habitat net in the tidal pool but are encouraged not to disturb the animals.

The good news is these fragile animals are being given a chance for a comeback. Today’s JohnKu talks about comebacks. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Chance by John W. Howell © 2023

A fragile small horse,

Is being given a chance . . .

To make a comeback.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy Gets More Freedom

~ John W. Howell ~ 98 Comments

“Hey, Dad. Where did the fence go?”

“Well, the doctor said you can move around the house.

“so that means I can walk anywhere I want?'”

“That’s right. You have free rein.”

“Rein? What does that mean?”

“It’s a term in horse riding. It means you are free to go where you want to go.”

“How about these ugly runners. Can we pick them up now?”

“No, they have to stay for another week.”

“The leash. Do I still have to have a leash in our yard?”

“Yes, that’s another item we must use for a week.”

“How about the height of the couches? Are they going back to normal?”

“We want to wait a while on that. You are doing so well we don’t want you jumping off the couch.”

“We had stairs. Maybe we could put those back.”

“Oh yeah and you would promise to use them each time, right?”

“Well, I would try to use them each time.”

“Let us be the judge as to when we raise the couches. We also want to put back the white carpet at the same time.”

“That is a smile maker. I love that carpet. So fuzzy.”

“It won’t be long. Till then, enjoy your freedom in your house.”

Finger Point Prompt – Bullet

~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments

I guess everyone knows how this works. I open a book to a random page, and then, with my eyes closed, I point. The word or words closest to my finger is the prompt.

Today, I opened The Last Drive to page 171, and the word “bullet” ended up nearest my finger. So that’s the prompt.

Bullet by John W. Howell © 2023

“What’s the name of your horse?”

“Bullet. How about yours?”

“Daisies.”

“Daisies?”

“Yeah, Daisies. Got something to say about that?”

“No, it just seems like an odd name for a horse.”

“Why’s that?”

“I mean he’s big and strong looking but to have a sissy name like that seems odd.”

“Sissy name?”

“Well, maybe I shouldn’t have said that, but it seems inappropriate.”

“Maybe if you knew how he got the name, it might change your mind.”

“So tell me.”

“He has had ten owners, and none could ride him. The last one was bucked off.”

“That had to hurt.”

“Pushing up daisies”

“Oh my.”

“Hense the name. Any more questions?”

“Nope. A fine-looking animal.”

 

 

 

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Spruce

~ John W. Howell ~ 44 Comments

A picture of a string with drops of water- the logo for SoCS

 

The aroma of coffee fills the air, and while a spruce-up of the machine takes place, a thought comes to me. When the machine delivers the coffee, there must be another trip into the past. The coffee pours forth from the spouts into my cup as if answering a wish. The crema finish lets me know the sipping time is near.

Drinking coffee and setting the clock to December 23, 1620. This is the day the pilgrims started the permanent settlement in Plymouth Massecuctiuts. The time on site is set for two hours; before the coffee is done, we are here.

There is much activity as the Mayflower dropped anchor two days ago in Plymouth Harbor. Today, the pilgrims begin work on dwellings that will shelter them through their brutal first winter in America. Miles Standish is leading the building efforts. The task is formidable since housing will be required for 102 passengers. In the meantime, the Mayflower will be used as the dwelling while the houses are built.

Miles Standish is agreeable to an interview. Getting past the awkwardness of trying to explain my presence, one question is asked. What is the biggest challenge so far? His answer is”Finding enough food for all these people.”

The alarm interrupted the conversation, and my warm living room displaced Plymouth’s cold and windy coastline. A text is coming, and it is from Linda Hill. It reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “spruce.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Enjoy! You can visit her post if you want to see what other bloggers have done with the prompt. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/12/22/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-23-2023/

Spruce by John W. Howell © 2023

“I thought you would go see Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose.”

“That never occurred to me.”

“It was a giant plane built out of wood.”

“I know the story. I’m just saying it never came to mind.”

“So what were you thinking?”

“I focused on December 23 and remembered the Pilgrims were starting to build a permanent settlement.”

“I’ll bet the houses were made of spruce.”

“We don’t know that, but pine would have been more available given the location.”

“So, how was it at Plymouth.”

“Windy and cold.”

“I read where only 53 passengers and half of the crew survived that first winter.”

“Yeah. It was a tough one for sure.”

“Lucky for us, we have an established pub to go to.”

“And let me guess, you have ordered the Uber.”

“I sure have. It’s right over there.”

“Near that airplane.”

“The spruce Goose, you mean?”

“Where did all that water come from?”

“What’s the title of this blog?”

“Fiction Favorites.”

“Fiction means we have water.”

“So we fly to the pub?”

“No, we glide on our water. That’s allowed in fiction.”

“Well, okay, it should be fun.”

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA- TGIF – FRI-YAY/Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 74 Comments

YouTube screengrab

He Crowdsurfed in a Wheelchair to the Stage, and Coldplay Pulled Him Up to Play Harmonica (Watch)

By Andy Corbley

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.

It’s easy to think that being in a wheelchair means the end of activities that involve intense physical movements—like big wave surfing or, in Rob O’Byrne’s case, crowd surfing.

Rob is not someone who thinks this, however, and even though he lost all control of his body from his chest down, he still loves going to gigs, a favorite occasion from before his accident.

Rob has not let his disability impact his attendance at gigs. Being that he can sing but can only move one arm, he has taken up karaoke with a particular like of emulating the voice of Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

One of his favorite bands, they were in Dublin recently for a tour. Rob just had to be there. At a certain point, he told the Guardian, they released these big bouncy balls into the crowd. Concertgoers were having a riot playing keepie-uppie, and in the pursuit of this frivolity, two very large men fell over Rob, trying to reach one.

The men were very apologetic and decided to lift Rob, wheelchair and all, into the air to see better. A smaller stage sat just in front of the main stage connected by a causeway, and soon, the two men began to carry Rob closer to the small stage, with the crowd either parting or pitching in to carry him.

“I raised my arm in the air,” Rob remembers. “Eighteen months earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to do that—I’d had a tendon transfer, which helped me get back some muscle that I lost in my arm. I was the first person in Ireland to have that operation.”

Even though the security guards were screaming to put him down, Chris Martin helped pull Rob up onto the stage—in front of 80,000 people. Martin apparently asked him a few questions about his age and profession, then asked Rob to join with him in a simple song.

“He handed me a harmonica. I don’t play, but he said he’d look down when he wanted me to blow on it. He made up a song on the spot: ‘We’re in Dublin with Rob, he’s a PT,’ stuff like that,” says O’Byrne, who is a personal fitness trainer for people with similar injuries. “It was short but sweet.

After the show, he and his friends were elated going up Dublin’s O’Connell Street, Rob playing the harmonica—in which Martin had stuffed 50 euros—the whole way.

The news went viral and global, with musician friends as far away as New Zealand calling to express their jealousy that their wheelchair-bound friend had played music with Coldplay in front of more fans than they had cumulatively played for across their whole careers.

WATCH the video below, courtesy of Coldplay and the BBC… 

The Good News here is that Coldplay’s Chris Martin has a heart and demonstrated it to 80,000 people. Today’s JohnKu talks about heart. I hope you have a lovely weekend and Happy Holiday.
Heart by John W. Howell © 2023
You gotta have heart,
Said the songwriter to us . . .
Chris knows what it means.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy on the Hoof

~ John W. Howell ~ 109 Comments

“You know it’s cold out here.”

“For heaven’s sake, you have your cougar sweater on.”

“We Texas pups aren’t used to this below-freezing weather.”

“It is 43 degrees F (6 C). Hardly freezing.”

“I think I hear some deer breathing.”

“You can actually do that?”

“Well, no. Had you going though, didn’t I?”

“I guess you did. I never know how extensive your animal skills are.”

“I do think there are some deer out here. I can almost smell them.”

“You kidding me again?”

“Heck no. Over in those trees, I think they are gathering.”

“Let’s go over there and maybe catch a glimpse.”

“Okay, we don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Believe me, I wouldn’t want anyone to know you were stalking decorations.”

“I still say there are some over there.”

“I think it is time for dinner.”

“Okay. There’s that too.”

Tuesday Anything Possible – Kreative Kue # 412 by Keith Channing

~ John W. Howell ~ 59 Comments

In Keith’s words.

“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before Sunday evening UK time. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here. Thank you for taking part.”

Keith’s post. https://keithchanning.wordpress.com/2023/12/18/kreative-kue-412/

The Photo

My Horse by John W. Howell © 2023

“So I told the stable master that you need a new stall.”

“Why would you do that. Mine’s perfectly okay.”

“I think it is too small for you.”

“Are you saying I’m fat?”

“No, not at all. You are a big horse, is all.”

“I like the cozy stall.”

“But wouldn’t it be nice to just be able to stretch out?”

“I get to do that all day. Look at us now.”

“I mean when you’re sleeping. Wouldn’t it be great to totally relax?”

“I hate to say this, but when I’m sleeping, I am totally relaxed.”

“I wish I could do something for you that would make you more comfortable.”

“Well, there might be one thing.”

“Oh, yes. Just tell me what it is.”

“If we could ditch the person with the lead rope and ride wild like the wind, I would be more comfortable.”

“Aw gee. I don’t have the riding skills for that kind of riding.”

“All you would have to do is hang on.”

“That’s just it. I don’t have the leg strength yet.”

“Well, if you had the strength, does it sound fun?”

“Yes, it does.”

“Great. We’ll put that on the agenda.”

“One thing, though.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t tell my Dad.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t speak, Dad. Only kid.”

 

 

 

 

Top Ten Things Not to Do at the First Singing of Silent Night in 1818

~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments
Photo by Thomas Galler on Unsplash

This post ran on December 24th, 2018. I hope you can enjoy it again.

* * *

This Top Ten list of what not to do continues with a historical backdrop. On December 24th, 1818, the Christmas carol “Silent Night” composed by Franz Xaver Gruber was first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. If you time travel, here is a list that might keep you from making a mistake and prepare you for a Merry Christmas.

Top Ten Things Not to Do at the First Singing of Silent Night in 1818 by John W. Howell © 2018

10 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not sing off-key. If you do, at best, the crowd will cover you up. At worst, the choir director will call a couple of big guys and have you removed. (We know you love to sing, Gerrald. You just have to sing more quietly.)

9 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not try to avoid contributing to the collection plate being passed by Tiny, the WWF champ. If you do, at best, Tiny won’t notice. At worst, Tiny, who promised 10% of his earnings to the church, will take offense. (Being held upside down and shaken until the coins fall is not the best thing, Gerritt. It sure beats a windmill body slam, though.)

8 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not wear your “Happy Birthday JC” Christmas sweater. If you do, at best, most will not understand the message. At worst, a six-foot-seven Knight of the Templer will take it upon himself to eliminate your sweater ( I think I would offer to take the garment off and do some kind of penance, Giacomo. Otherwise, he will keep applying pressure to your head.)

7 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not arrive late for the service. If you do, at best, there will be a seat in the back pew. At worst, you will be directed to the front bench. (While you are taking that long walk, Gibson, the director, is holding his baton in mid-air, waiting for you to reach your seat. Good thing you wore a red scarf. Your face matches it correctly.)

6 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not think you know the words, and avoid using the hymnal. If you do, at best, you’ll only be noticed by a few. At worst, the entire congregation will be nudging each other and pointing, as you get most wrong. ( You can almost feel the mocking, can’t you, Gille? Wait until you turn around to leave.)

5 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not fall asleep during the sermon. If you do, at best, only the priest will know. At worst, your snoring is the subject of more than a few giggles. (Sadly, the priest decides to use you as an example of the sinning world. Oh, and don’t compliment the priest on his sermon on the way out, Gimle.)

4 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not finish that 32-ounce big gulp tankard before you arrive at the service. If you do, at best, the service will be short. At worst, the service turns into the highest mass with the most ritual possible. (After the first hour, you are beginning to openly sweat, Girisha. I would pray harder for mercy.)

3 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not wear your Long Live France t-shirt. If you do, at best, most will not remember the War of the Seventh Coalition in 1815. At worst, most of the congregation are veterans of the war. (It looks like you have hit a sore point, Guiliano. I think you might want to exit through the side door.)

2 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not go a-wassailing for too many wassails before the service. If you do, at best, the cold night air will straighten you out. At worst, you’ll accidentally do a header into the pew in front of you. (I know you just meant to bow your head, Gleipnif. Try telling that to the spinster on whom you are laying.)

1 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not try to sneak out without shaking the priest’s hand. If you do, at best, the side door will be unlocked. At worse, you choose the wrong door and realize you are now in the priest’s vestment room. (Funny how that door locked behind you, Godfrey. You will now have the pleasure of explaining precisely what you are doing here once the priest is finished shaking hands.)