Sunday Poser #109- Looking Good

On 12/04/202212/04/2022 By Susan St.PierreIn In my humble opinion..., Writing Prompts3 Comments

Looking good; Is it vanity or a requirement?

Oh my! This is right up my alley but not the way you might expect.

My attire is 98% about my own comfort. When I’m occasionally color coordinated, it’s a happy accident.

I maintain a good hygiene practice of combing my hair and washing my face, etc. BUT I care not one-bit what others think of me beyond that. I can go all week without looking into a mirror. LOL

In order to show respect, I do “dress-up” for weddings, funerals, and public functions but ordinarily I’m comfortable. My life is more of an internal existence so my outward appearance (which I deem a display for the public) is not of any importance to me.

Those who do look nice are a pleasure to behold yet there are many who seem to try too hard and are (unintentionally) off-putting. “Ladies, you’re beautiful just the way you are!”
If people seem happy and comfortable, any direct focus on their attire doesn’t even register.

LOL… I’m a terrible confidant for those who wish to discuss things that I don’t even notice. People’s weight, new shoes, and hair styles aren’t important to me. Let me tell you about their easy smile or direct eye contact. Those are the things that impress me.

https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2022/12/04/sunday-poser-109/

Simply 6 Minutes- 9-13-22- Requiem for the Artful

On 09/13/202209/13/2022 By Susan St.PierreIn Writing Prompts5 Comments

Today’s prompt is:

https://www.thebrokebackpacker.com/mysterious-places-in-india/

I’d been walking for 3 days without food or fresh water.
Suddenly, there it was!
An ancient cathedral in the middle of this barren landscape.
Was it a mirage due to my exhaustion and near collapse?

Even as I approach, the craftsmanship is breathtaking! All the wooden parts of the structure have long since rotted away yet the builders’ intention of enduring beauty is crystal clear.
No modern-day contractors would even attempt such a project and it is quite doubtful that they could imagine any artful plan anyway. Beauty and divinity no longer matter in 2022, and our humanity shows graying fraying edges directly for that reason.

Sweat pours down my face burning my eyes and I startle awake. Outside of my parked car in the glare of the midday sun, is a Walmart.
My catnap inspired dream of wandering in the heat undernourished-nearly dying-was less gut wrenching than this reality of such banal, purely functional, architecture.

157-words

https://christinebialczak.com/2022/09/13/simply-6-minutes-welcome-to-the-challenge-09-13-2022/

Simply 6 Minutes- 1/25/22- Reconnected

On 01/25/202201/25/2022 By Susan St.PierreIn Writing Prompts5 Comments

This prompt asks us to create a story -using the photo- in only six minutes.
To write your own, or read others, follow the link at the bottom of this post.

Mount-Zoomore-Optical-Illusion.jpg (1024×768) — http://www.opticalillusionsportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Mount-Zoomore-Optical-Illusion.jpg

Jasmine leaned against the tree drinking in her view of the breathtaking mountains. Soon, her real-time vision clouded and was replaced with images from legends her grandfather had told her.
The mountain became a living history based on ancient wisdom. Spirit guides came into focus offering her a grander view of life. All became so crystal clear! She was insignificant but vital to a connected universe… part of a larger plan.
When the eagle’s shadow crossed her face, she awakened. Her worried heart had been replaced with a calm, and balanced, soul.

https://christinebialczak.com/2022/01/25/simply-6-minutes-welcome-to-the-challenge-01-25-2022/

SoCS Saturday 5/29/21

On 05/29/2021 By Susan St.PierreIn Writing Prompts5 Comments

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “collect.” Use the word “collect” any way you’d like.

If I could wave a magic wand and turn every kind word or deed in this world into a delicate butterfly, the sky would be alive with beauty. That collection would be far larger than any other!
Why has this absolute real humanity and beauty become so hard to notice?
Affluent people (not those scraping for daily survival) are currently far more interested in collecting (and carrying the weight of) outrage than just looking around. That’s why.
The media has us collecting problems and despair, and those are rocks!
Rocks are useful for building but you must look down to see them. Have you ever watched people who never lift their heads as they walk? They seem focused but they’re prone to missing out on things, such as, many beautiful sights, and some might even be changed by lifting their eyes, once in awhile, avoiding a fall. (Of course we must not only look up or we would stumble too.)
We would do well to get back to a balance, don’t you think? Let’s start collecting many of our impressions directly from our ‘fellow man’ and from what we actually experience while noting that ‘reporting’ and ‘headlines’ are snippets of information that are most often out of context. And media opinion? Well, we’re capable of creating our own, thank-you, so let’s respect that diversity for change.

My heart is sad when I hear so much outrage, vitriol, and condescension from people across political divides. The stench of constant outrage has them looking at their feet and holding their noses. The 24/7 media is most culpable for creating imaginary monsters out of our human brothers and sisters by grouping and defining them in the most shallow and unimportant terms. We aren’t going to make the manipulation of the media stop but we can lift our heads and notice the butterflies… they’re everywhere!

See the source image — Kindness and goodness are everywhere

Happy Saturday friends.
To my United States brothers and sisters, Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS May 29, 2021 | (lindaghill.com)

Monkey Finds His Way

On 09/27/201303/14/2021 By Susan St.PierreIn Kid Story Ideas7 Comments

A little monkey got up one morning and decided to only look down from the trees.
It was wonderful!
He noticed that other monkeys lived in his neighborhood, he found a banana that had been overlooked, and he discovered his own shadow. Suddenly, he almost fell. His mother caught him and smiled gently.
The next day, the little monkey decided to only look upward.
It was wonderful!
He saw the clouds and the bluest sky. A flock of birds passed over and his heart felt as though it would burst from the beauty of it all. Suddenly, he almost fell. His mother caught him and smiled gently.
On the very next day, a bit more cautious little monkey, decided to look only behind himself.
It was wonderful!
All the while he walked, he could still see his soft leafy nest. Now, he was sure this was his best decision, yet. It made him feel warm and safe. Suddenly, he almost fell. His mother caught him, once again, and smiled gently.

This time, his mother warned him that he must look around to best prevent himself from falling. Little monkey had fun looking around until he noticed ugly, fearful things were in the forest.
This was not so wonderful!
“Mother? I was happier when I looked down and looked back and looked upward. How can you look around and still smile?”
“I have an eye for beauty, a mind that knows discovery and warm memories of safe places, all those things make me smile.”

“I just don’t understand why I must look around when I don’t want to see ugly, fearful things?”

“Because, my dear little monkey, I will not always be near enough to catch you.”

—————————————————
I have no doubt that this story has already been told, in some form or fashion. I am alarmed by what I consider over-protectiveness on the part of many young parents who want only happy, dreamy feelings filling everything in their children’s environment. Because of that opinion, I wrote this story today, and my words came to me separately from any other sources. 😉

Natural Patterns~ My Observations

On 05/08/2013 By Susan St.PierreIn My Photo Adventures9 Comments

NATURE KNOWLEDGE: Giant Leopard Moth

On 05/08/201305/08/2013 By Susan St.PierreIn Nature Knowledge8 Comments

My previous Nature Knowledge post, from today, inspired me to look through my photos of caterpillars. I made another great find that I will probably keep next time that I encounter one. Above, is a Giant Leopard Moth caterpillar. This prickly fellow is not poisonous like the Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar, although he looks formidable. In fact, Giant Leopard Moths feed on broad leaf plants, rather than, decimating trees. I had found this caterpillar at my camp doorstep in New York State. I’m sorry, now, that I did not identify it sooner. It must have been coming out from an eave where it had wintered.

English: A baby moth that hatched from cocoon,... — English: A baby moth that hatched from cocoon, raised the larval state black fuzzy caterpillar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What a lovely moth to behold! (Personally, I prefer moths to butterflies but they are nocturnal and are harder to find.) The photo specimen above, was an actual successful rearing of a caterpillar to adult.

Here’s another borrowed photo:

Giant Leopard Moth (Photo credit: cotinis)

Interesting Facts

It might look dangerous when it is a caterpillar but it is not poisonous and hence can be an easy pet for children.
They get attracted to electric lights during the night, but some experts conclude that more than the females, the males can be seen doing so with the beginning of summer.
Since they navigate effectively in moonlight, electric lights can baffle them, causing them to hover around them.
The caterpillars can roll itself like a ball to mislead its predators, in which it exposes its spines and the orange segments lying between.
These moths are often regarded helpful in controlling invasive plant species.
On being alarmed, glands located in the thorax region can produce a stinking liquid to ward off predators.

My caterpillar photo was from last Spring. Hey, I’ve got some searching to do this weekend! The kids may enjoy raising one, almost as much as, I. 😉