Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – ‘Food’

December 14, 2024December 13, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 51 Comments

After putting the food for breakfast into Twiggy and Tempeste’s bowls, it is time for coffee. Thinking a change would be good, the coffee machine was ordered to brew a Latte instead of the standard straight 10-ounce cup. The button is pushed, and nothing. The machine stares back at me as if a big mistake is about to happen. The touchpad asks, “You sure?” Once more, the order is confirmed, and the sounds begin almost like the machine shrugs what could pass for shoulders. Steamed milk followed by a shot of espresso and then foam.

Grabbing the finished product and taking a sip turns the mind to the clock. Today, the clock is set for December 14, 1924. The location is Fairfield, Montana, and the duration is thirty minutes. The plunger is pulled, and we arrive in Fairfield in time to see a record being set.

The town of Fairfield, Montana, set a weather record for most significant drop of temperature in a 12-hour period, from 63 °F (17.2 °C) at noon to −21 °F (−29.4 °C) at midnight. It is now midnight, and my cheeks are starting to crack in the cold. Being caught in twenty-one degrees below zero temperature in PJs is not the most comfortable thing in the world. Just as my Lattee begins to freeze, the alarm goes off, and we are back on the warm, comfy couch.

Linda Hill sent a text. It reads, “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “food.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/12/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-14-2024/

“Well, you had no trouble with the food prompt.”

“No, it seemed to flow with the morning routine.”

“How was that Latte anyway?”

“It was great in liquid and popsicle form.”

“Hard to believe that big of a temperature swing in twelve hours.”

“Yeah, I can tell you that the temperature below zero was cold. I heard some guy say it was a dry cold. It was cold, cold.”

“Don’t you think next time you should wear something more substantial than PJs?’

“Yeah, I didn’t think that one through.”

“Did anyone want to loan you a jacket or anything?”

“No. An old guy asked if I needed any food, but that was it.”

“Lucky you weren’t put in a mental hospital.”

“I suppose. Never gave that a thought either.”

“I have a thought.”

“Bubbles, amber liquid, thought of a food in some parts of the world?”

“I think you are on to me.”

“Call Uber.”

“He’s right over there.”

“I see we are going first class.”

“At least there is a backseat.”

“I’ll give you that. But not much more.”

Views of the Neighborhood – City Hall Art Gallery

September 8, 2024September 7, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 66 Comments

Today, we are visiting the Lakeway City Hall Art Gallery. The artist whose work is on display is Gloria Hagan. We are catered by Juniper of Austin, and our entertainment is Kermit the Frog

Picture of an old time school bus

So Let’s go

About the artist

“Georgia’s love for painting blossomed during two weeks of lessons at a local Tulsa art museum in her teens. Years later, she had the opportunity to learn Chinese Brush Painting while living in Indonesia. The teacher was an artist who had escaped to Indonesia from China during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Lessons were unusual, as the teacher spoke no English, while Georgia spoke no Chinese and only limited Indonesian.

Georgia picked up her paintbrush again in earnest as a post-retirement hobby when she moved to Lakeway. Friends from the Lakeway Church encouraged her to join the Lakeway Painters organization in 2015. The paintings displayed here result from her continued association with that group.

Here we are at the installation. As you can see, all the art is framed and matted. Because of light challenges, I was forced to crop out the frames so you could see the art close-up. Any smudges are from removing glare since all the art was under glass.

Untitled – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Look Out Below” –

Colored pencil on sanded paper

“How May I Serve You” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Pair of Oranges” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Harvest Spectacular” – Acrylic on canvas board

“Christmas Nutcracker” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“We’re Getting a Dog??” -Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Watching TV” – Penci on sanded paper

“Rocket” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Crested Crane” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Great Crested Grebes – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Where’s My Coffee?” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Buddy” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“You Call Uber?” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Goldie” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“I’ll Have What He’s Having” – Print of a colored pencil original

“Bambi’s Buddy – Colored pencil on sanded paper

“Got Carrots?” – Colored pencil on sanded paper

Well, that’s the tour. Now it’s time to relax, listen to music, and enjoy some food. I hope you have a peaceful week.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Lucy in Full

May 19, 2022May 18, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 98 Comments

“Do you realize we have a full episode today?”

“Did Dad get his Mac back?”

“No, he is still without the Mac. They had no parts to repair it, so he told them to send it back.”

“So why is there a full episode?”

“He figured out how to get photos on the site from his Dell laptop. The photos aren’t as good but better than nothing. I thought I heard something.”

“For an old guy like him, that’s something. I hear he’s back from his break.”

“Yup, he is back with a vengeance. Man, this is something.”

“What are you finding over there?”

“Hard to say. Seems different, though.”

“Hold on, I’m coming. I don’t want to miss a thing.”

“You can have whatever it is. I’m going to the patio.”

“I think you may be losing it. There is nothing here.”

“There was something there. Did you lose it?”

“Seriously, Lucy. I couldn’t find a thing.”

“For heaven’s sake. I track down a perfectly good puma, and you let it get away.”

“Puma? You’re kidding, of course. I don’t see a puma anywhere.”

“I would say it’s too bad cause now it’s gone.”

“I’m going to tell dad you are teasing me.”

“I would do that. On top of the fact he has no Mac, I’m sure he’ll appreciate you whining about a missing puma.”

“Maybe I’ll just lay on the porch.”

“Good choice. I’ll join you.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “a phrase you grew up with.”

May 7, 2022May 6, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 63 Comments

Sitting with a cup of coffee and staring at the PC causes the overwhelming feeling of wanting to get a hammer. No, not just a hammer but a big sledgehammer. A transition to a MAC pro back in 2015 caused the mind to relocate all Microsoftknowledge into that dark space of the brain reserved for things that go bump in the night. Now that the MAC has gone to the hospital to carry on, the PC must once again be worshiped.

Yes, the single keystrokes and immaculate interfaces with all things Apple have been displaced with the clunky stagger around in the dark until the answer is found system that is the legacy of Bill Gates. When you have to sign those user license agreements that often accompany a Microsoft product, the fine print has a clause that no one reads. We all promise to be Bill Gate’s cabana person if called upon. We also promise that no matter how difficult the program is to execute, we will keep at it until our hair falls out.

So staring at the 100-pound laptop that gives off enough heat to warm St. Louis will do nothing in helping to write this post. As the parents always said. “A journey starts with the first step.” My first step will be to the front door since the Ring camera just announced a delivery. It is a hope that nothing of the cartoon nature will pop out of some obscure place. As luck would have it, a package sits on the driveway totally flat and covered with the marks of a supersized tire. The thought of it being my MAC Pro drove the hysterical reaction of going through the security protocols like a madman to reach my baby.

A gentle lift while the tears build to overflowing signaled a lightness of the package that could not be the MAC. Ripping the flap, there was only a message inside. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “a phrase you grew up with.” Include in your post a phrase your mom/dad/grandparent/sibling used all the time when you were growing up, or just write whatever inspires you based on that phrase. Enjoy!

If you would like to enjoy, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link

https://lindaghill.com/2022/05/06/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-7-2022/

“Lost your MAC, huh?”

“Not lost. Just being repaired.”

“You MAC nerds drive me crazy.”

“Why’s that?”

“All the whining when you have to use real computers.”

“You mean Microsoft operating systems?”

“Yeah. Takes raw courage to stick with ’em.”

“Seems like you would want to live life easier.”

“Like you said, “A journey starts with the first step.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Living with Microsoft is a journey.”

“And the step part?”

“One at a time. Soon it doesn’t seem so bad.”

“Great way to live.”

“Besides.”

“Besides what?”

“PCs are much cheaper.”

“For good reason. Are you going to continue pitching for Bill Gates or want a beer?”

“Beer, please.”

“Good choice. Let’s go.”

“I’m buying.”

“Even better.”

“When’s your MAC coming back?”

“Don’t want to talk about it.”

“That soon, huh?”

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

May 6, 2022May 5, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

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

One-eyed Cat Missing For 5 Years Shows Up on Offshore Oil Rig Baffling Owners
By Andy Corbley -Apr 28, 2022

A five-year odyssey for a cat named Dexter seems to have finally come to an end after a long, covert stay at a prison was interrupted by his arrival onboard an offshore oil rig, which finally resulted in a call to animal services.

The cat was a regular “well-loved” hang about at Her Majesty’s Prison Grampian in Peterhead, Scotland, where staff used to “fuss over” him and even gave him the nickname One-eyed Joe.

Then a most unexplainable thing happened: One-eyed Joe somehow ended up in a shipping container a mile-and-a-half away at the town’s port before being shipped onto an offshore oil rig, where workers “ran away frightened” after the all-black cat jumped out of the container.

After filling out an incident card, (which must have been humorous) the staff aboard the rig took to Joe most kindly, who was now quite comfortable with living alongside the rig workers. According to The National Scot Newspaper, he was “spoiled rotten” during his time there.

Eventually, though, someone called the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Aberdeen, who retrieved Joe after the cat had been flown off the rig on a helicopter—a remarkable feat considering how hard it is normally just to get a cat into a carrier.

“We were alerted to an incident of a cat being found in a shipping container offshore,” Aimee Findlay, a Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer, said in a statement. “We’ve no idea how the cat ended up there but attended the heliport to collect him.”

One-eyed Joe was microchipped, and upon scanning the staff learned his name was actually Dexter, and that his owner had lost the cat five years ago.

“We are so glad that he was well looked after for the time he was missing but we’re even more delighted to be able to reunite him with his original owner, thanks to his microchip being up to date,” Findlay said.

The good news here is Deter was well taken care of and eventually united with his family. This week’s JohnKu talks about not giving up.

If a loved one is lost,

Have faith that they will return . . .

Remember Dexter.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue # 342 by Keith Channing

January 11, 2022January 10, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 63 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 it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.combefore 6pm on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). 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.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”

The photo.

Now What? By John W. Howell

“Looks like he’s out.”

“Amazing. We were just talking about him and out he went.”

“You have to understand. He is a highly-strung dog and sometimes he just needs his rest.”

“Well, what about you? Maybe we can continue the interview while he naps.”

“Up to you.”

“You could give us some background on his life.”

“Like what?”

“Where was he born and the like.”

“That I don’t know. We found him at the side of the road.”

“Ah. A rescue.”

“Not exactly.”

“What then?”

“He was hitchhiking. We stopped and asked him if he needed a ride. He jumped in the car and that was it.”

“Extraordinary story. So he’s been with you ever since.”

“Yes. We got a call from his previous owner who wanted to visit him.”

“Really. That’s odd.”

“I’m not surprised that his previous owner wanted to contact him.”

“He’s that good?”

“I’m not sure that’s it.”

“What is it then?”

“Once he takes up residence, good things happen.”

“Like what?”

“Like that Lotto win, you are here to talk about.”

“That was some win. Where did you get the ticket?”

“I really have no idea.”

“You having memory problems.”

“No. The dog bought the ticket.”

“W-what? “Is the legal?”

“Don’t see why not. He’s over twenty-one in dog years and as far as I know, the Lotto rules don’t forbid ticket sales to dogs. When he wakes I’ll let him tell you the particulars.”

“You are saying he can talk?”

“Seven languages.”

“Anything else?”

“He’s a licensed financial advisor. I’m going to need his help.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “In the”

January 8, 2022January 7, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 71 Comments

In the month of December there were holidays on Saturday. Now that the holidays are about over, it is time to pay attention to the Stream of Consciousness prompt hosted by Linda Hill. In fact, I was sitting on the back porch drinking coffee when it occurred to me that I had not seen any envelopes or boxes either from the sky or on land. The hole in the backyard from the embedded chest is finally fixed, so anything falling would not be appreciated.

Thinking no deliveries a bit odd for a Saturday, I decided to go to the front of the house in the chance something had been dropped off. It’s doubtful that it would happen without Twiggy’s alarm being tripped, but it never hurts to check. Walking out the front door a large van was blocking the driveway. Walking up to it there was a small logo just below the cab window. It took a minute but getting closer it turned out to be this.

Going around to the driver’s side I knocked on the window. There was a bit of commotion inside the van but eventually the window slowly sunk into the door. A boxing glove on the end of what looked like one of those things old folk use to pick up stuff came out at great speed. Ducking away from the blow I was able to grab the note stuck to the glove. Here is what it said.

Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “In the.” Start your post with the words “In the” – that’s the prompt! Enjoy!

As I finished reading the note a huge anvil from above buried itself in the street right behind me.

If you would like to join this fun visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/01/07/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2022-daily-prompt-jan-8th/

“In the slim chance I missed something , what was that verbiage all about?”

“An intro to the prompt.”

“I noticed you started with “in the.”

“Well yeah that was the instruction.”

“How did you know that?”

“I read it in the note.”

“But the note didn’t get their until that stupid cartoon boxing glove came out of the van.”

“Yeah so?”

“So how did you know?”

“I cheated.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I read Linda’s email and knew the post had to start with “in the.”

“My goodness. This is the first time in the near past that I can remember you admitting you cheated.”

“Well, come on. The risk is pretty low. What’s Linda going to do? Sue me?”

“No but in the chance you would go unpunished, I may deny you a nice barley pop.”

“Now that would be cruel and unusual punishment.”

“I guess you are right.”

“Really?”

“Besides it’s your turn to buy.”

“Of course, it is.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – Fri-Yay/Good News

January 7, 2022January 6, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 83 Comments

Today’s good news is about an endangered species in Scotland.

This story appeared on the Good News Network and is duplicated here in its entirety.

A man who found a tiny kitten buried in snow thought it was a lost cat—only to find it was one of the most endangered mammals in Europe.

32-year-old chef Pete MacNab was out for a walk in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park with his baby son and a friend.

They spotted a group of sheep circling something. As they drew closer, the animals scattered, revealing a tiny tabby kitten lying in the snow in rural Dava Way.

The feline was unable to get on its feet. It looked freezing and its coat was all matted with snow. Not wanting to leave the creature in difficulty, Pete’s friend, Piotr, carried it the three miles back to town. He noted its claws were like “miniature razors,” and the pair joked that the little creature must be a Scottish wildcat: a rare species known to live in the Highlands.

After it was left at the vets on Wednesday, Pete began posting on local Facebook groups but no owner came forward.

Piotr and his partner began planning to get a cat bed and re-home the kitten—which they’d named Huntleigh.

But, the following day, the vet confirmed a specialist had in fact identified the wee tabby as a Scottish wildcat.

There are only around 100 to 300 of the species left. The only wild member of the cat family in the UK, it’s also one of the most endangered mammals in Europe.

Because of their bond with the kitty, Peter and Piotr have since begun a fundraiser to raise money for a charity helping other wildcats—which has raised more than £5,000 ($6,800) so far.

Peter’s now been contacted by the Royal Zoological Society, which is part of the breeding program, to say the campaign has happily boosted their fundraising, too.

If you’d like to donate to the GoFundMe these friends have started on behalf of Huntleigh, just head to this link.

The Good News here is money is being raised as a result of finding and rescuing one little kitten that will go to help restore the endangered species.

Today’s JohnKu talks about accidental discovery that leads to great things. I hope you have a great weekend.

A small kitten found,

Unravels a mystery. . .

That saves a species.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Lucy Think About 2022

December 30, 2021December 29, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 99 Comments

Well, Little One, the year 2021 is almost finished.”

“Do we get another one?”

“Why yes, we get another one. It’s called 2022.”

“So why do the years keep changing?”

“Gee, no one has ever asked me that before.”

“You have to wonder. The same question could be, why do the clocks change?”

“The years change because humans need to mark time. They want to know where they’ve been and where they are going.”

“What about the clocks?”

“You have me there, Little One. I can’t think of a good answer.”

“Anything special we need to do when the year changes?”

“We can make up some New Year resolutions.”

“You have to explain more about that. What are resolutions?”

“So many questions. Let’s just say you promise yourself that you will be a better dog in the next year.”

“I thought I was the best I could be already.”

“For instance. Maybe you not bark the UPS person to St Louis.”

“Oh, so resolutions are giving up what you love to do?”

“No, I think it is more thinking of others more than yourself.”

“So the UPS guy doesn’t like the barking, and if I gave it up, he would be happier?”

“You have hit the nail on the head, Little One. I think you have the idea.”

“Between you and me? That’s not going to happen. I’ll have to think of another resolution. Maybe giving up snowboarding.

“Well, you work on it. In the meantime, I hope Dad resolves to do something about these leaves.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Rev

December 4, 2021December 3, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 61 Comments

Trying to concentrate on a paragraph revision of the revision that was just revised, it came to me that my mind was preoccupied with that chest sticking out of the turf in the backyard. Leaving the keyboard, I wandered over to the window just to check and make sure the chest was still there. Reaching in my pocket, I pulled the shiny key and was surprised at how warm it felt. Looking into my palm, the slight glow of the key caused me to drop it.

Picking it back up, it left what could be described as a burn mark on the floor. Making a mental note to figure out how to explain that, I headed to the yard. Approaching the chest caused the key to vibrate, confirming my original suspicion that it and the chest belong together.

Putting the key into the obvious place on the chest caused a spark, much like putting a screwdriver into an electrical outlet. Who does that? You ask. Now you know why my banned activities include electrical work. Anyway, after the spark, turning the key in the lock did not produce any results. After several revolutions, it was clear something else was needed. While scratching my head to figure out the problem, a guy in a blue uniform came up behind me. “Special delivery,” he said. The surprise caused me to jerk the key from the lock. The chest lid popped open. “Sign here,” said the guy. I did, and he handed me an envelope and left.

Wondering who would send me a special delivery letter, I ripped it open. Here is what it said. “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rev.” Use “rev” or find a word that contains it. Have fun!” It was signed “Linda.”

If you would like to have fun visit Linda Hill’s blog and read how. Here is the link. /https://lindaghill.com/2021/12/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-4-2021/

“So, what was in the chest?”

“Don’t know.”

“Wait a minute. What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I didn’t look.”

“For heaven’s sake. You are like cliffhanger central.”

“I think you said something like that last week.”

“Well. It’s true. We all sit here listening to your goofy monologues, and then you leave us out on a limb.”

“We only have so much time, and I had to get the prompt in there.”

“Yeah, what’s up with ‘rev’ anyway.”

“Really revs your engine, right?”

“Let’s review why.”