Saturday, September 12, 2026 Hello, everyone. I’m trying to finish up my new novelette, and if I can make it, finish an old non-fiction slang dictionary that I put aside last September. So this is just a quick, off the cuff post and flash fiction, written at the last minute. I didn’t take time away from … More Weekend Oracle-Card Flash Fiction & Dragon Lore
Wednesday, August 9, 2026 Welcome, all. September is finally here, but it still feels like August… and July… and June… and half of May. Here, that’s how long it’s been since we had a break from the ultra-hot days. Daphne: Yummy Human, are you complaining about the hot weather again? Cut it out. I’m not … More Whatnot Wednesday: Where, What, When We LISTEN #CFFC
Saturday, September 5, 2026 Hello, all. Back in 2016 Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland got stuck in my mind. The world around me seemed to have gone topsy-turvy and down a weird rabbit hole. Allow me to digress. First let’s do a one-card reading, intended for grounding or centering. It’s from the Alice in Wonderland … More Weekend Oracle Card Inspired Flash-Fiction
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 Hello, all. It’s already Thursday for some of my readers, so I’m hitting the publish button for this post. Also, since I’m among the worst haters of acronyms, let me explain (even though most of you are familiar with it) “WIP” means work in progress. I’ve mentioned that I’m finishing up a … More Whatnots: Doors, WIPs, Museums, Radios, & the Scoobies
Saturday, August 29, 2026 Hello, everyone. I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend. The week slipped away from me — I’ve been working on a 1920s paranormal novelette that I plan to release in about a month. At the last minute I realized that I didn’t have a post ready, and I didn’t know … More Saturday Flash Fiction
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Hi, everyone. This Wednesday is a mix of old and new “whatnots.” Starting with this awesome new photo above from Dan Antion, that he took in honor of my August promotions for Brother Love: A Crossroad. The mural in his photo features Robert Johnson. The legend of Johnson making a deal … More Whatnot Wednesday: a Hot August Crossroad, Would You Rather with Teri Polen, & the Scoobies
Saturday, August 22, 2026 Welcome, everyone. Many people associate eerie, spooky things with wintery scenes. However, for me, they go with the hazy heat of summer. If me being that way that seems unlikely to you, maybe it’s because as a child my sister died not long before the beginning of August. (I’m not looking … More 3 Kinds of Readings for these Hot August Nights
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 Welcome, all. The Scoobies are lazy on this hot August day, but I told them there was a nap-time story in it for them if they helped with this installment of Dan Antion‘s “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). Dan asked the multi-part question, Where, What, and When do you read? Where? … More Whatnot Wednesday: Where, What, When We Read #CFFC
Wednesday, August 13, 2026 Hello, everyone. Last week, I mentioned that throughout August I’ll be sharing about Brother Love: A Crossroad. (Click here for that post because it will tell you more.) I also said that Dan Antion made a lot of great photos to illustrate the blog version of this story. Those photographs included … More #ThursdayDoors for a Hot August Night
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 Hello, everyone. We’re almost halfway through August, and no significant cooldown in sight here. As monsoon seasons go, this seems like a dry one. Trying to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Trying to choose which bridges to cross… and which to avoid. ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᎤᏂᏬᏂᎭ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᏃᏕᎳ ᎤᏂᏚᎵᏍᎬ … More Whatnot Wednesday: A Rabbit Hole
Saturday, August 8, 2026 What’s your name? Who’s your dragon? Does it breath (does it breath) smoke and fire like me? Welcome, all! I couldn’t resist the quirky, groovy 1960s video above. I was happy to find it because a line from this Zombies’ song kept running through my head when I started thinking of … More Who’s Your Dragon?
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 Welcome, all. The Scoobies (Daphne and Velma) are on hand again to help with Dan Antion‘s color challenge. This week, Dan said any of the Box of 8 colors with white for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). The Scoobies picked blue as the color to go with white. So, we’re on … More Blue and White #CFFC, & The Story of the Story-1: A Hot August Night
Saturday, August 1, 2026 Welcome, everyone — and welcome August! This is me, just sharing about my life. It might not sound like it, but I’m not complaining, just describing the world around me. Yes, I’m glad to see the new month (even though it’s still blistering hot) because I just want to get rid … More On the Horizon: Hot August Nights and Dragons
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 Welcome, all. The Scoobies are here again, bringing their particular brand of fun to help you over the midweek hump. Dan Antion gave us a challenge to use pairs from the old “Crayola Crayons Box of 8,” for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC). Always a mystery-solving duo, the Scoobies and spent … More Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies and Color Pairs #CFFC
Saturday, July 25, 2026 Hello, all. I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing weekend. Or if it isn’t that low-key, maybe you need a distraction. In that case, how about a little floriography trivia. July will sone be done and I haven’t done a floriography post yet. Also, this post marks a year of the monthly … More July Flower of the Month: Larkspur
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Hello, all. The Scoobies are ready to ponder and play and generally help you over the midweek hump. Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color purple for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). The Scoobies and I have been looking around the house for “purples” in all their lovely shades and … More Whatnot Wednesday: the Scoobies & the Color Purple #CFFC
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Hello, everyone. The Scoobies are on hand, bringing cheer to help you over the midweek hump. Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color orange for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). The Scoobies and I spent the day looking around the house for our favorite “oranges,” but we had to use … More Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & the Color Orange #CFFC
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 Welcome, all. The Scoobies have another color quest from Dan Antion. This time he gave everyone the Crayola Crayons color black for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). When I lived in Washington, DC, everywhere I looked it seemed that I saw nothing but people dressed in black. Seriously, tan was a … More Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & the Color Black #CFFC
“Those who won our independence… valued liberty as an end and as a means. They believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.” Louis D. Brandeis, Supreme Court Justice, 1927. Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our … More Independence Day #250
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Welcome, all. Despite the WP jackassery, I managed to get a version of the draft I was writing of this post last week. It’s wonky looking, and they added a bunch of blank “boxes,” and the text looks scrunched-up… But the Scoobies didn’t want their photo session to be wasted. That … More Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & the Color Brown #CFFC
Saturday, June 27, 2026 I got up at 3AM, mostly because I just couldn’t get comfortable. Then I fed the confused Scoobies and made coffee. Sorting clothes before the day could get too hot, I did a load of laundry and waited for daylight. However, by 7:30AM, I had almost waited too long to go … More Seeking Serenity
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Hello, everyone. I expect that I’m not the only one having trouble getting over this midweek hump. Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color blue for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). I could also do the “One-line Wednesday” thing and use the titular question of the song below, “Am I … More Whatnot Wednesday: #CFFC Color Blue
June 20, 2026 This week I had a technology-computer-writing disaster. It was, really, really… really bad. I have an appointment today for assistance, but it didn’t sound hopeful. Actually, I don’t know if I will continue writing if it is not resolved (it was that extreme). So, keep your fingers crossed for me. Meanwhile here … More Crazy Critters: Resa’s Raccoons
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Update: Do Not Give Your Cats Tea! Someone was going to try and give their cats green tea. Of course, I made it clear that I was showing green boxes of tea, not green tea, but just the same… Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Velma (L): Hey Daphne… where’d that green paneling come … More Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & Favorite Greens #CFFC
Saturday, June 13, 2026 A YouTube short video of pastel orange roses and a black butterfly Hello, all. I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing weekend. Yesterday we had a much needed, lengthy rain. I don’t see many butterflies here, other than small delicate white ones. Although, there are a lot of roses. I’m sure they … More June Flower of the Month: Rose
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 Welcome, all. The Scoobies are on hand, bringing cheer to help you over the midweek hump. Dan Antion posted so many beautiful examples of yellow for his “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC) that, with some encouragement from Daphne and Velma, I decided to participate. The Scoobies and I spent the day … More Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & Favorite Yellows #CFFC
Wednesday, June 6, 2026 Heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited my midweek post to help me choose a book cover for my upcoming nonfiction book. It’s a resource book for authors, but it has loads of 1920s details for trivia lovers, and anyone who simply thinks the Roaring Twenties are the cat’s pajamas! Previously I … More Help Me Decide-2: #BookCover Finalist
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Alrightie. Welcome to Grumpyville… I just lost an entire post because my Internet blinked off. And I was asking so nicely, for your help in choosing a book cover — and I so carefully described what the upcoming book is about. However, now I’m doing the bare basics. If you would … More Help Me Decide — #BookCover
Saturday, May 30, 2026 Daphne: What’s that vibration? Velma: It’s either a big air tanker taking a water-bomb to the forest fire, or Yummy Human singing Karaoke, or… Oh! It might be her drum! Daphne: That’s not a plane. I only like Yummy’s singing when she makes up kitty-cat songs with my name in them … More Scoobies: Velma Different Drums
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Welcome, all. Dan Antion‘s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge. To join the fun, pick one of the doors that were submitted as inspiration for the challenge and write. It doesn’t have to be a story — write anything that door image inspires in you. The inspiration door I chose for today’s story … More The Girl Behind the Door #TDWC
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Welcome, all. This post is part of Dan Antion‘s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge. To join the fun, pick one of the doors that were submitted as inspiration for the challenge and write. It doesn’t have to be a story — write anything that door image inspires in you. The inspiration door I … More Whatnot Wednesday & #TDWC
Saturday, May 16, 2026 Hello, all. I didn’t have any exercise or other post ready for this weekend, so I thought I’d just share something pretty, and… serene. The day before, I had made the Night Cafe image above. ( I wrote the descriptive prompt “at twilight a harp stands beside a pond where two … More Serenity
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Hello, everyone. This whatnot is for Dan Antion‘s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge. The Pumpkin Hat Girls are back with the conclusion to the “New Boyfriend” storyline. To join the fun of this challenge, pick one of the doors that were submitted at Dan’s blog as inspiration for the challenge and write, … More Whatnot Wednesday, #TDWC: Pumpkin Hat Girls-3
Saturday, May 9, 2026 Revised Hi everyone. I originally combined this post with a “Cronesboro” installment because I didn’t want to push an extra post onto you. However, for the way I organize things, I’ve decided to separate them. So, here’s a shortened floral feature. Comments are closed though. Flowers of the Month: Lily of … More May Flower of the Month: Lily of the Valley
Saturday, May 9, 2026 Revised Hi everyone. I originally combined this writing post with a Flower of the Month post. Yes, I changed my mind and divided them. I’ve been so caught up in the Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (#TDWC) that I forgot to open the door for reader participation in a new Dragons of … More The Dragons of Cronesboro Writing Exercise: Don’t Show OR Tell
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Welcome, all. This is not a tarot reading post. Although, I’ve been intrigued by the deck above. The cover art went perfectly with this post, so Pamela Love gets a shout-out. However, The Pumpkin Hat Girls are back again for another contribution to Dan Antion‘s 2026 Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). … More #TDWC — The Pumpkin Hat Girls: Secret Handshake, a Short Story
Sunday, May 3, 2026 Hello, all and happy May. Thanks for dropping in for another “Cronesboro” writing exercise. Describing a location can add substance to a story. However, it doesn’t have to be multiple paragraphs (or pages) of description. Another way to handle that description is by telling about a character’s reaction to a place. … More Dragons of Cronesboro-3: Exercise Brick & Mortar Locations, feat. Kerfe for #TDWC
Friday, May 1, 2026 Welcome, all. The Pumpkin Hat Girls are back to kickoff my contributions to Dan Antion‘s 2026 Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). There’s a new member in the group. If you want to join the fun challenge, then pick one of the doors (blue link above) that were submitted at Dan’s blog … More #TDWC — The Pumpkin Hat Girls: The New Boyfriend, a Short Story
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Hi, everyone. May just might be my favorite month, and that’s because of Dan Antion‘s 2026 Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). This morning Dan posted all the “doors” images that people submitted for storytellers to use as inspiration prompts for the challenge, throughout the month of May. I say storytellers because … More Whatnot Wednesday and Inspiration for #TDWC
Sunday, April 26, 2026 Hi, everyone. I’ve had a “detour” to the next Cronesboro writing exercise. I haven’t even been able to finish the exercise for brick & mortar locations. I’ve been in contractor hell, with a bad experience with a landscape company I hired. Dealing with their bullshittery has had me absolutely beside myself. … More Detour to Cronesboro: Poetry Treasures 6, @RobbieCheadle
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Hello, all. It’s time for another writing exercise. Last week I asked everyone to participate by commenting with “locations” for the small desert town where this story takes place. Rebecca Budd mentioned several “places” and one of them was a dry creek bed. That made me realize that I should divide … More Dragons of Cronesboro, exercise-2: Unexpected Locations
Saturday, April 18, 2026 A new Cronesboro writing exercise is ready and waiting for me to format it. So, stay tuned — it will be posted later on Saturday. Comments are closed, because I’ll be back soon. ♣ The video trailer below will tell you about a different story. How can I get this whimsical … More Next Exit: Cronesboro
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 Hello, all. I had over half of this post done when my computer crashed. What I had saved of the post in WordPress… well, didn’t save. I’m starting over, but with an abbreviated version. Flowers of the Month: Daisies and Sweet Peas I expect that everyone is familiar with the charming … More Flower of the Month: April
Saturday, April 11, 2026 Hi, everyone. There isn’t much new here today because, the short version is that on Wednesday a teeny-tiny fiend attacked my eye and scratched the cornea. I’ve been a whiny mess. Not to mention that I can see even less than usual. Also, last weekend was a holiday for a lot … More So, are you coming to Cronesboro? (#WritingExercise)
Saturday, April 4, 2026 Hello, everyone. Last weekend when I asked him for some vehicular inspiration, John W. Howell took me virtual car shopping. So, John is going to kick off my writing exercise project today. (Yes, exercise, because I still can’t depend on myself to do another of my serials.) John’s suggested car was … More Imagine Something Strange: The Dragons of Cronesboro (#WritingExercise)
Saturday, March 28, 2026 Hello everyone. I didn’t have a post for today… but then I started missing hanging out with all of you. So I decided to rerun a short story from October of 2022. The photos were graciously provided by Dan Antion. It was also a nod to his novel, The Evil You … More Weekend Short Story — The Game of Sinful Delights
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Hello, everyone. The Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC) prompt that Dan Antion issued on Monday was for “View from Something on (not over) Water.” So, today I’m visiting another of my books because I featured a watery setting — A Peril in the Bayou. While it is the second book in … More Whatnot Wednesday: #CFFC View from the Water
Saturday, March 21, 2026 Happy spring, everyone — or whatever season it is in your hemisphere. I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing weekend. I’ve been asking you to “Imagine Something Wondrous.” Today, simplicity seems downright amazing, hence the title, Simple Weekends. Reading With that in mind I’m simply offering a one-card oracle reading. I used … More Simple Weekends: Oracle & Agapanthus
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Hi, everyone. On Sunday I asked everyone to “come out to play” by writing a character profile of a very quirky vampire (or a vampire minion if you’d rather). There were great responses, and most were even quirky. I wanted to feature them here today. I asked questions that would help … More Whatnot Wednesday: All the Vamps, plus Tessalina & Tater Tot
Saturday, March 14, 2026 Hello, all. Yes, you saw the word vampire in the post title. You don’t see me with those ever-fashionable blood-suckers — at least not much. I’ve only written a couple and they were definitely quirky. However, I’ve been ponderating ways of bringing you readers into the fun again. It will not be … More Imagine Something Quirky: Build Your Own Vamp (with Reader Participation)
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Velma: Hang onto your string, Daphne. Did she say free books? Velma: I don’t see any books. Maybe they’re under the sofa… Hello, everyone. The Scoobies and I welcome you to Whatnot Wednesday. Dan Antion, the moderator of Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC), posted this week’s prompt — workstations. I realize this … More Whatnot Wednesday: Authors at Work, #CFFC, & Free Classic Novels
Saturday, March 7, 2025 Hello, all. WordPress lost my entire post last night, but I’m giving it another shot today. The month of March blew in and there is a good bit of symbolism associated with this third month, including the many things associated with St. Patrick’s Day, and two zodiac signs touching March — Pisces … More Flowers of the Month: March Floriography
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Welcome, my chuckaboos! If you weren’t here last week, back in the Steam and Victorian Eras, “Chuckaboo” was slang for dear friend. Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC) and the prompt is Gizmos and Gadgets. Dan Antion, the host, posted a lot of modern-day tools. The tools I’m featuring go back a … More Whatnot Wednesday: Who’s the Tool of Tools? #CFFC
Saturday, February 28. 2026 Hello, everyone. Don’t bother with that mask — germs don’t spread via computer. At least not yet. All week, I’ve been down with an allergy/asthma/cold thing. Granted, after a solid week of dust-storms before that, I guess it was inevitable. I feel like crap (on and off), and well… I feel … More WHEN are We? And an Oracle
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Hello, everyone. Today I’m visiting another of my books that includes inventions and/or inventors. The steampunk-fantasy novel, “The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers: A Cornelis Drebbel Adventure was written spontaneously, when readers of my blog gave me sets of “three random things” to fuel the tale, back in 2015. Readers … More Whatnot Wednesday: Fantasy Tools, #CFFC, & a Story
Saturday, February 21, 2026 Happy Lunar New Year Hello, all. I guess I’m late with that wish. I made the “Fire Horse” image for a Night Cafe daily challenge, but at the time I wasn’t satisfied with it for the holiday. However, a different post came to me today, and it fit. Here in my … More Imagine Something Wondrous 5: Wind Spirit
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Daphne (foreground): Is Yummy Human talking about us? This is a Whatnot post, isn’t it? Velma: No and yes. You heard her say POSY… that’s not anything to do with cats. And it’s not about a crinkum-crankum either. Daphne: Wha— Velma: Don’t ask. I can’t talk about it here. It’s bawdy … More Whatnot Wednesday: Steampunk & Real Steampunkery, #CFFC
February 14, 2026 Hello, everyone. I had hoped to have a new Valentine’s story for you (actually a substantial one) but that just wasn’t working out. I picked it up and put it down, time and again for two years. This week I officially scrapped it. However, as I’ve suggested to other authors, sometimes … More Valentine Story of Kokopelli’s Daughter
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Daphne: Yummy Human, don’t you think you should brush me before you go to bed. Maybe if you do, I’ll be so subdued that I won’t wake you up at 3AM… Velma: No, Yummy Human, tell us a bedtime story. Daphne can brush herself. I want to know about the foldable … More Whatnot Wednesdays: Atom-Punk Tech, #CFFC Photo Challenge, & the Scoobies
Saturday, February 7, 2026 Hello, all. I’m here with this month’s floriography trivia. As I noticed in January nowadays, the list of “animals associated with February” apparently includes half the animal kingdom — along with some that I begin to wonder if I’ll find them for every month. For instance, the owl represents February’s birth … More Flowers of the Month: February Floriography, & Nicole’s Review of The Geostropic Pearl
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Hello, everyone. With my head full of hearts, I welcome you to Whatnot Wednesday. There are enough different hearts that this qualifies as a Whatnot post: Abstract hearts for the challenge, steampunk hearts, vintage hearts… On Mondays, Dan Antion is the moderator of “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). The topic for this … More Whatnot Wednesdays: Hearts, Abstract #CFFC
Saturday, January 31, 2026 Welcome, everyone. As we shift from January to February, I thought it would be nice if we could just relax together, quietly for a moment. Maybe we can share a warm, cozy beverage — whatever you like. The magic teapot has coffee, hot chocolate, Irish coffee, mulled wine, or anything else … More Imagine Something Wondrous 4: Whimsical Tea
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Recently, blogger and poet, Nicole Sara absolutely dazzled me with her review of The Delta Pearl, A Steampunk Riverboat (book-1 of my colorful take on a steampunk duology). The slideshow above contains some of the illustrations I’ve done for the story over the years. I hope you’ll click the “Continue reading” … More The Delta Pearl: A Riverboat Cruise with Nicole (a #BookReview)
Saturday, January 24, 2026, Does that title sound cranky? I don’t care. I’m ready to “resign.” WordPress has destroyed my (constantly adapting) way of creating posts one time too many. After many hours of trying since I encountered their latest debacle of an “improvement” yesterday, I’m going to do my best to give you something … More Imagine Something Wondrous 3 (like WordPress not ruining something else)
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Hello, all. On Monday morning as I drank my coffee, the above video drew my attention when it showed up on my YouTube feed. No matter the genre, I usually enjoy song-videos what show composites of several different singers, harmonizing together from their various locations. This one, “Light of a Clear … More Whatnot Wednesday: Clear Blue Morning, & Dead of Winter at Robbie Cheadle’s
Saturday, January 17, 2026 Hello, all. I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing weekend. Or if it isn’t that low-key, maybe you need a distraction — one that doesn’t require a lot of thought. In that case, how about a little floriography trivia. January in my location means wintry things. I wanted to add the January … More Flowers of the Month: January Floriography
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Hello, all. Let me tell you a funny thing about Daphne. She doesn’t meow. She makes all matter of chirping and trilling sounds, but not a meow among them. When she’s extra excited about playing, she makes a woo-ooo-whoo sound. I’ve finally figured it out — she’s singing the opening of … More Whatnot Wednesday: Cat Fu Fighting, staring the Scoobies
Saturday, January 10, 2026 Hello, all. With the image I made last week, were you able to imagine any positive, happy, or amazing things? I understand some of you were not. Let’s try again today with a different style of image. Imagination Prompt The image at the top of the page shows a woman gazing … More Imagine Something Wondrous: 2
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 Daphne: Yummy Human, doesn’t all this seem awfully…. random? Yes, Daphne. That’s what makes it a “Whatnot Wednesday” post. Daphne: I get that, but this is a whole lot of random… Why don’t you brush me instead. I promise not to give you any love bites. (Not many anyhow. You’re yummy, … More Whatnot Wednesday: the Scoobies, #CFFC, & a Reading
Saturday, January 3, 2026 Hello, all. You’re an inspired group, and you inspire others, including me. As promised in my midweek post, today I’m starting a new series. My intention is to help us all, not just keep as positive of a thought as we can, but to imagine things that are full-on splendiferous! With … More Imagine Something Wondrous: 1
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Goodbye to You, 2025! Hello, everyone and happy New Year’s Eve. As we kick 2025 to the curb, I’m not going to bemoan what an utter disaster it’s been… (Although I guess I just did.) Nor am I going to sing the praises of what a great and glorious thing 2026 … More Goodbye 2025 — Hello Imagination
Saturday, December 27, 2025 Hello, all. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. The two rabbits above seem to be enjoying themselves. Yes, I’m squeaking in, just under the deadline for a December flowers of the month post. Flowers of the Month: Holly and Narcissus Holly and Narcissus Though I don’t think of the … More Flowers of the Month: December Floriography
Wednesday, December 24, 2025 Daphne: Look, Velma — there are new ornaments on the tree. I’m taller, do you think I can reach them? Velma: No, but there might be more than chestnuts roasting if we mess with those, because Dan Antion made them. Daphne: Chestnuts roasting? Is that some kind of chicken breast? Seriously? … More The Scoobies on Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 20, 2025 Hello, everyone. It’s still unusually warm here, and Santa hasn’t suited up yet. He’s just hanging out with the cacti and watching reruns of old Christmas shows. Although, he gave me the idea to rerun something myself. At the end of every post, I feature one of my books. If you … More Ghosts of Book Fairs Past
November 17, 2025 Hello, everyone. Welcome to Whatnot Wednesday. I hope your week has been good so far. On Monday, Dan Antion posted that this is his one-year anniversary as moderator of “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC). Kudos, Dan. The topic for this week was “Winter, Summer or both.” I’m limiting my post to “Winter” … More Whatnot Wednesday & CFFC Winter
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Welcome, everyone. I know it’s been a rough year. It doesn’t really feel like Christmastime to me, but I’m going to try. Not to rub your nose in it, because I realize most of this nation (and some other countries too) are freezing your schnoz off, but as I write this, we’re … More Christmas? Here’s a sale
Monday, December 8, 2025 This week, Dan Antion, host of the Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC), gave the prompt “Autumn or Spring — or Both.” To me the “Both” part spoke of contrast, and I’ve always found the contrast of flowers in snow to be magical. It reminded me of something I put in the … More A Bloomin’ Snippet for #CFFC
Friday, December 5, 2025 “Calm down, Daphne. It’s the camera angle.” Welcome, everyone. Let’s start the weekend early. The weather is actually very nice in this neck of the woods, but I know that is not the case for many of you. It might be a good time to stay inside and watch some old … More TV Weekend: Legal Shows
Saturday, November 29, 2025 Hello, all. For those in the United States, I hope you enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving holiday, and maybe some sale shopping too. After all, it does make me feel grateful when I am able to give a little gift to someone. There’s no shame in enjoying gift shopping, or the challenge … More Positive Thoughts: a Utopia
Wednesday, November 25, 2025 Daphne: Hear (hear…hear) Me (me…me) Human (an…an). I (I…I) am the Energy Oracle (el…el)! To attain enlightenment, you must brush me (me…me). Yummy Human, why aren’t you brushing me? Didn’t you hear my supernatural echo voice? Be sure to use both brushes. Whatnot Wednesday Daphne brushing her own face with the soft brush. Meanwhile, … More Whatnot Wednesday, Oracles, & #ThursdayDoors
Saturday, November 22, 2025 The video above is Joni Mitchell performing “Black Crow” in 1998. Hello, everyone. For those who were paying close attention, you’re right — this isn’t the third episode… but it actually is the third. After I published the Rise of Mnemosyne short story last week, I came across this vignette that … More Short Story Saturday: The Rise of Mnemosyne Part-3
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Hello, everyone. First, I’m sharing a little silliness in the video above, with the Scoobies. Now to the post. Back in March, with a Flower of the Month post, I mentioned oracle cards. Several people asked me to do a post about them. I took a bunch of photos, but I’m … More The Scoobies and By Request: Oracle Cards
Saturday, February 1, 2025 Hello, everyone. I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. It’s been a while, so you might not remember, but… Early this year I shared a couple of stories that were set in a parallel dystopian world. It’s not a world that I can visit too often, but I said that I … More Short Story Saturday: from the world of Mnemosyne
Thursday, November 13, 2025 The image above shows the first result from each of Google, Bing, and Duck-Duck-Go when I did an image search today for the word “elegance.” Wednesday Ponderating Hello, everyone. Lately I’ve been ponderating… wondering about a topic to which I haven’t given much thought since I left my “real world” job … More Wednesday Ponderating & #ThursdayDoors — Elegance That Was
Saturday, November 8, 2025 Hello, all. You’re an inspired group, and you inspire others, including me. That inner oomph doesn’t always come easily. Keeping it can be even more difficult. So today I’m giving a collection of simple things for each day of the coming week. You can use them in any number of ways … More Daily Dose of Inspiration for the Week Ahead
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Whatnot & the Scoobies I was going to do a Wednesday Writing post, then the “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” was suggested because its topic was libraries, and my libraries have doorways… I’d say this is definitely a Whatnot post! So… Velma, do you want to be a blog star today? Now, … More Whatnot Wednesday Libraries: #CFFC, Writing, #ThursdayDoors
Saturday, November 1, 2025 Hi, everyone and happy November. I hope November will stick around longer than October, or September, or August, or… You get it — time flies. In fact, time flew so fast that I forgot to do an October floriography post. Now it’s November… Maybe time flew for a reason — owls … More Flower of the Month: November Floriography
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 (The Scoobies: “We don’t need no stinkin’ outfits.”) Hello, everyone. I hope you’ve had a great week so far. As if I didn’t already have half a dozen nonfiction books in progress, an idea for another one came to me while I was working on my atom-punk novel. The notion came … More Wednesday Writing: Dress Your Characters, the 2020s
Saturday, October 25, 2025 There isn’t anything I really want to say today. However, I do want to send each of you a wish. Be uplifted by sparkling hope We rise by lifting others, said Robert Ingersol. That is what I mean to do with this post. ♣ ♣ ♣ Well… I do have one thing to say… … More A Wish of Hope
October 22, 2025 Hello, everyone. Welcome to Whatnot Wednesday. I hope your week has been good so far. It wouldn’t be a “Whatnot” without the Scoobies. Although, those two cats are being lazy today. This year, Daphne has taken to occupying the hammock that’s beside my desk-chair whenever I work at the computer. That’s her … More Whatnot Wednesday & CFFC Vintage Food Market Photos
Thursday, October 16, 2025 Hello, everyone. Today most of my doors are written, doors made of words. I invite you to open this door into the simpler world of my fantasy, “Dead of Winter.” There are many doors in the world I built for this epic story. Some open to frightening unknowns, others open to … More #ThursdayDoors to an October Excerpt
Saturday, October 11, 2025 In the predawn stillness, after a night of tossing and turning, with unpleasant dreams during the scant moments of sleep, a woman finally drifted in peaceful slumber. However, elsewhere in the house… “Velma, did you know that when Yummy Human was kitten-age there was a famous cat singer named Steven? It’s … More Caturday Morning’s Broken: Scoobies Song Parody
“Teagan Riordain Geneviene’s Speak Flowers and Fans: A Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology is just that kind of book — one that enchants, teaches, and lingers.” … More Rebecca’s Reading Room on “Speak Flowers and Fans”
Monday, October 6, 2025 Hello, world. Sometimes you get a real Monday of a Monday, but today it’s a marvelous Monday! I knew I was going to be at Teri Polen’s fabulous month of Halloween interview posts (Bad Moon Rising), but I was happily surprised to be featured in Dan Antion’s CFFC Photo Challenge. Heartfelt … More Marvelous Monday: I’m at #BadMoonRising AND at Dan Antion’s blog
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Hello, all. It’s no longer a secret… Winter is coming — Again. For years, I’ve wanted to combine the entire series “Dead of Winter” into one volume. When current events made my story even more relevant, I had to do it. When I started writing this epic back in 2010, a … More Announcing — Dead of Winter Omnibus #EpicFantasy (& audiobook), & 10th Anniversary Bad Moon Rising
Saturday, September 27, 2025 Here’s a little teaser This video is intentionally incongruous for an epic fantasy book. I hope it tickles your funny bone. Cover Reveal Due to changes with Amazon KDP (publishing) rule changes, this will only be available in e-book. I’ll share more next month. Thanks for visiting. Hugs! ♦ ♦ ♦ This is … More Coming October 1st, and Cover Reveal
Thursday, September 25, 2025 I’m blessed to have made many long-lasting, long-distance friendships through the WordPress blogging community. One of those is Roberta Eaton Cheadle. This morning, she posted a marvelous review of my steampunk-fantasy “The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers.” Click the big blue link below for Robbie Cheadle’s wonderful post. Click for … More #ThursdayDoors to Friendship, & a #BookReview
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 Daphne: I’m confused. I thought “Whatnots” were for Wednesdays… but Yummy Human has a Whatnot post and it’s still Tuesday. She said something about her favorite thing being a book review. Velma: You’re right. That’s kind of odd. Actually, I heard her mention something about I love your cupcakes too. But … More Whatnot: The Scoobies & a #BookReview
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 It’s been a long time since I did a short story, so let’s get right to it. The Book Found on the Subway There was nothing particularly momentous about the moment that changed my life. It was an accidental discovery, though an incredible one — an invasion. Not one country invading … More Whatnot Wednesday Short Story
Saturday, September 13, 2025 Hello, everyone. It’s good to see you here. Today I have floriography trivia for the month of September. This month is represented by two different flowers: asters and morning glories. Together, the aster and morning glory capture September’s essence—a time of deep emotions, wisdom, as well as a mindful appreciation of … More Flower of the Month: September Floriography
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