The Life of The Knife...

I had just turned eighteen that month, but I had lived as an adult since I was twelve and got my first adult job, serving ice cream at the local Sweet Shop. World War Two had just ended after four long years when we all took as many jobs as we could handle to make up for our boys and men who had gone to fight that War. Now they were returning and looking to take back some of those jobs. Even though we girls had been more than busy working at whatever was needed to support the War effort, we had become very reliable doing grown-up things, while at the same time we remained very juvenile and slow about the rest of life. We lived at home and had little experience with the opposite sex partly because our long working hours and lack of young men in our age group, for being either in the Service or working at a War job also. So when Mary, my best Girl Friend at the Telephone Company announced the arrival of her brother Bob, a pilot from the Air Force. She was hoping to help his return by getting him some dates among her telephone friends. I declined to put my phone number on the list she held on a clip board. The girls listed were far more experienced than I and I was sure I could not compete. We both worked split sixes, which meant we arrived in the morning at six A.M. when the telephone was very busy and worked for four hours until things slowed. Then we had four hours off for lunch and reading… sometimes shopping if we had any money. We had to be available for the next four hours of...

Goodbye 2014

GOODBYE 2014… by the way what is next? In spite of a few more aches and pains 2014 has been a very good year.  Living in it together with my husband of 68 years, has been fun and brought us many surprises.  How can 2015 compete I wonder? Perhaps it doesn’t really have to,  for just living it is worth the effort.  The Pacific Ocean is still full of beautiful, rolling waves of water and the sky above it is unpredictably, variable as always.  A fifteenth Great-grand child joined the family party.  Will 2015 compete with that?  Probably. But that is Real Life and this is Fiction.  Fiction does whatever it does.  It is not bound by rules in the same way as Reality.  Fiction travels beyond everything and finds things that Reality hasn’t even dared to dream about yet.  All inventions that make it into Reality lived in Fiction first. Today I will go into the Fictional World just to see if I can trip over and accidently discover something the Real World here has yet to meet. Maybe it isn’t due to be here in 2015.  Maybe it is far beyond in a number no one knows.  Does that matter? Not to me.  Let me see it and judge it’s eventual usefulness. I learned early that what man can predict is almost here.  I have to go back to Kindergarten for the first time I heard that: “Someday a man will walk on the moon.”  When I was five that sounded like an impossibility, but as the grown-up who said it was our School Teacher, I could only believe it and wait as the years went by until it came true. Then the surprise! When our man walked on that distant moon,...

Can You Keep A Secret? Dec14

Can You Keep A Secret?...

I noticed it first that spring day when I was out early working in my garden.  The air was soft and the garden almost called me for some attention, so this was a perfect day to get back into the habit of tending to my rose garden.  Little shoots were beginning to appear on the winter pruned bushes, so I was clearing weeds and making space for some low, early blooming, annuals to bring color to the borders. My Calico Cat, as she often did, was sitting just above me on the brick wall, not to watch me work, but to gather in some sun and doze as I worked.  I often wished I could teach her to yank out weeds and help me a little, but that was not going to happen, so I began to mentally choose between my many choices of low, summer, flowers to plant into my almost ready soft soil. I was deep in thought and didn’t notice when the large white Bird landed next to the Cat and they sat side by side seeming to be deep in conversation.  When I looked up surprised, they didn’t even notice my sudden attention, but continued the quiet conversation as though my presence didn’t matter at all. There was no reason for it to, of course, except that it was to me a very strange event.   In the past, if a Bird of any size landed in view of my Cat, Cali, she took on a pouncing position and made ready to at least scare it away, but this looked like two nice elderly ladies having a tete-a-tete over… in this case, on, the back fence. Curious, I moved a little closer as I worked.   I don’t know what...

Self Evident Dec10

Self Evident

Libby was sure that the outcome would be self evident.  But it was what it was and difficult to nail down.  She would need to study the clues and see if they had more going on than she understood at first. This being a female Detective had turned out to be more difficult than she figured when she left the Police Academy to strike out on her own.  Some thought she was crazy to quit so close to her graduation, when that Academy diploma would have gotten her a life time job with a pension in many Cities around the Country. It was partly because a job with a well known Detective Service had been offered to her  so in reality she was far from alone and it was just a little bit that she was at odds with the latest class instructor, who took a dim view of female Detectives and did his best to discourage any that came his way.  The Management seemed to take the view that anyone who could be discouraged should leave this difficult profession, male or female, as it was too dangerous to be done by the half-hearted, thus  Professor Fredricks won out when she left. So here she was,  in over her head in clues to a murder that were leading her nowhere. They were all bits and pieces that might one day add up, but Libby did not see it yet.  Knowing that she had been partly intimidated into leaving the Academy, she was determined to carry this case on to a conclusion. So she sat alone at her desk looking over the facts. A young woman had died at the hands of someone, while apparently alone on the street taking her regular path home from...

About That Orange House Dec06

About That Orange House...

The house was located in a small California College town that had been for many years a large and prosperous Orange grove. Orange was a very nice little city that advertised itself as… Orange, The City with Appeal, which proved, that if nothing else, they had a sense of humor. But time had passed and the older houses were getting run down as the Orange Orchards disappeared and were replaced by larger more modern homes. Thus when Kelly had graduated with honors from High School and chosen to go to College in that area her father had been impressed by the low cost of the older houses.  So he had given her the choice… you may attend school in one of their Student Dormitories… or I will buy a nearby house and you may, with a little fixing up on your part,  have a house that is very close to School, but in a yard of its own, where you may choose to take in room-mates or live alone. Having a house of her own was her instant first choice.  Now, after the first few weeks, she was thinking she should have looked it over very carefully before deciding. There was something strange about that house and she was very curious, but also a bit frightened by the old creaky place.  Perhaps it was being alone after growing up in the big, boisterous, house with four older brothers. When her Mom and Dad had found it and been so impressed by how cheap it was, they decided that the present economy was the reason and had not inquired further. They all walked through it together and in broad daylight and agreed that it was charming. The outside wood was painted white with green on...

Sunny

Sunny is not the weather forecast nor is it the name of a fluffy little white Bunny.  In this case Sunny is a tiny wisp of a Honey Bee who flies among the flowers to gather nectar to make honey.  This Honey Bee named herself Sunny to set herself apart from the millions of other bees that shared the Hive and did the exact same work and were her twins as they all looked alike. Her place in the Hive was somewhere in the middle because she was one of the many, many, ordinary bees who, just like her were simple, ordinary female Working Honey Bees. She did not tend to the Legendary Queen, or her eggs. The male Drones did that work. In fact Sunny was so ordinary that she had never even seen the Queen, even though she had been given to understand that every Hive had to have one Queen in order to exist. Sunny’s job was simply to go out every day in search of nectar to bring back to fill the empty honey comb cells as fast as they were created by others. She wasn’t even one of the elder class, who made wax to build the millions of tiny water proof compartments that were built by those trained Worker Bees with more experience, who had been taught by their elders the secret of the Bee’s abdominal glands which produced chemicals to turn the nectar into wax for building these containers. The Drone’s only took care of the Queen and fertilized some of her eggs, which grew into more Drones.  The rest would automatically grow into female Worker Bees like Sunny. But if any named themselves Betty, Barbie or Sally, she didn’t know which they were as they all...

After The Rain Nov06

After The Rain

Coral sat at her desk where she should be writing the ending to that too long awaited story about her recent trip to Florida, but the memory of it brought her to the verge of tears again.  Just write a conclusion and be done with it, she urged herself.  Instead she still sat looking out of the window reliving it. The sun was throwing warm air into her room and she fought back by pulling down the shade.  Coral was not in the mood to enjoy the sun while her heart was all the way across the country in the cool Florida rain.   It had rained for most of her short stay at the Grand Hotel in Orlando. Rain didn’t bother Jeff in fact he loved it.  He explained it right at the beginning, “It’s because the everyday Florida rain is different.  It covers you with cool tears of joy.  You have to come out and walk in it to begin to understand what I mean.” He took her by the hand and brought her to his side with his wide cheerful smile that warmed her more than the sunshine and almost as immediately as the light rain surrounded them, Jeff bent close and whispered, “Do you feel what I do, the fresh air, the cool drops touching your face.  This is not a hurricane, Coral, it is not even a storm, it’s just plain and simple, soft, everyday, rain. They came to a bench facing the sand and with a cursory brush of the damp seat, they sat and watched the gentle drops pit the sand lightly and disappear.  The water rolled in gathering the drops into the gentle swells that broke just before reaching the sand. And Jeff explained that too....

If I Were A Story

If I were a story I would start like this… Once upon a time… that is a good story start because it lets the reader decide which time.  It can be long ago in the past or just the day before… but not tomorrow. Then after you have a start you must begin at once to create some characters in that time.  Children make good characters because they are so interesting; Especially those who have reached the age of reason.  They will know at once what time they are in and begin to do interesting things.  Some more interesting than others. Let’s say we want a pair of children.  So they can speak to each other and decide what they want to do that day… in that story.  That way you do not have to do all of the work yourself.  If they are too young to drive away in a car then perhaps they have bicycles, if not, they must walk or run. Oh oh, they are running.  Are they running away from something or in a hurry to get someplace?  I don’t see anyone chasing them, so they must be in a hurry to get someplace fun. Ahh, there it is… up ahead.  I see an Amusement Park.  It is a small one with a Merry-go-round, a tall enough Ferris wheel, and there just a head is what they are running right to… the Ponies. They each want one and they each have the price of a short ride so they buy the ticket and choose a Pony. Now the two of them, a boy, Hayden and a girl named Kyren are going slowly around the fenced in circle slowly bouncing up and down as they cling to the horses reins. Oh...

Story 103 Oct25

Story 103

THAT SAME FICTION BY BEVERLY MOSIER After rewriting Story101 into Story102, I wondered what it would be like to get back on that same Cruise ship, STORMY KNIGHT, and look at those same characters from a different point of view.  So this might well be called, Here We Go Again. Haven’t you ever wondered what would have happened if only you had done one thing differently? Turned right instead of left at particularly confusing split in the road?  Hindsight says if you change one thing, you change everything.  Is that really true?  Let’s try it and see. STORY 103  Chapter One The boy stood at the dock and looked wearily from the little boat with the name on the side freshly painted to read CAMP HOPEFUL and then to the big one just beyond that was so large that it didn’t half fit the dock.  It had the challenging name of STORMY KNIGHT. Now that name rang a bell with Wes.  It sounded like the story of his life.  He got out of the line of boys, all about his same age of 17, and walked across to watch who boarded the other boat which was really a Ship, as he wondered… what kind of people were getting onto that one? The Captain stood at the top of the ramp and greeted each person as they arrived.  He looked like a movie star Captain all dressed in white with gold on everything gleaming in the morning sunlight.  To Wes he looked proud and pompous,  like the Principal at his boring High School. He looked back at the line of boys still kicking each other and impatiently smoking their last cigarettes before they were led onto the Boat and delivered safely to Camp Hopeful, where...

Story 102 Oct24

Story 102

I look at my “List of Stories” and see that I have just written 100 Stories this year.  There were more in the past before I began to count them.  Those stories are much longer and there are maybe 10 or 12 of those. Number 100 this year is called, ‘THEY SAY’… , a short mystery, 23 pages, featuring a lady named Pam and a fellow called Eric who together solve a mystery they discover about a Laguna hillside lake.  Some of those very short adventures into writing are far less than 23 pages, and might be called bed time stories. Thus this is a rewrite of story 101. I’ll keep the same people as in 101 but call it 102. Okay, let’s try that and see where it takes me!  I can give her that same good start on a calm ocean and let the trouble happen … when it happens.  I suppose I could lift the ban on storms to get more exitement. You and I will meet again after I rewrite, “The End”, and then we will all know what we think about story number102…  This one seems to have picked up a couple of pages. You told me this… “WE CAN’T BUY THIS UNFINISHED ENDING”  “THAT KID COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRORIST!”  and  “THERE WERE TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS” So here I go!  In 102 I will get busy and see if 101 could have been better. I may even ask for your opinion one more time. STORY 102 CHAPTER ONE It might have been a perfect scene if the sun would have only come out from behind the cloudy mist, because the Pacific Ocean was in a good mood with rolling swells and a clear horizon behind water that...

Story 101 Oct23

Story 101

I look at my “List of Stories” and see that I have just written 100 Stories this year.  There were more in the past before I began to count them.  Those stories are much longer and there are maybe 10 or 12 of those. Number 100 this year is called, ‘THEY SAY’… , a short mystery, 23 pages, featuring a lady named Pam and a fellow called Eric who together solve a mystery they discover about a Laguna hillside lake.  Some of those very short adventures into writing are far less than 23 pages, and might be called bed time stories. Thus this is story 101.  Imagine that!  What shall it be about? I have no idea at this point.  Under my method it receives a Title and some People for a start.  It ends when it is over.   I really can’t guess how long each will become as I begin. Let’s make 101 a Mystery also.  What names shall I borrow for this Mystery?  If I call the lady, Nancy, I can work the mystery round some art!  If she meets a guy named, Peer Swan, he could be a sailor and they could meet on a ship of some kind where Nancy has gone to paint scenes of the sea. Okay, let’s try that and see where it takes me!  I can give her a good start on a calm ocean and let the trouble happen … when it happens. You and I will meet again after I write, “The End”, and then we will all know what we think about story number101…  Goodbye for the next 50 pages! CHAPTER ONE It might have been a perfect scene if the sun would have only come out from behind the cloudy mist,...

They Say Oct22

They Say

CHAPTER ONE Pam paused from dead heading her roses to watch a scuba diver come ashore from his early morning dive.  She had expected to see him carrying a lobster.  She had seen one every day this week,  but he was empty handed. As set his tanks next to his fins on the grass at the bottom of her hill and began to pull off his wet suit, he noticed Pam watching and commented on her pretty roses. “I didn’t think roses would grow this close to the salt water, but yours are doing great.”   Pam explained that they took a little extra care, but she liked them, so they really are worth the work.  “No lobster today I see.”  Pam said to make conversation. “Oh they are there but the season just ended.  I couldn’t take a chance with the man in Tan.’  He laughed, his eyes going to the top of the west hill where the man in Tan with a badge on his chest and a patch on his arm, often sat looking down at the ocean watching for fishing offenders.  You know what would happen if I came in carrying an out of season lobster.” “A ticket?” “Almost never.  He would simply confiscate the lobster and all of my equipment; tanks, mask, fins, wet suit and all, even gloves if I had them, and I usually do if I go after those feisty lobsters.  That is worse than a ticket.  So no I was just paying a little short visit to Lobster Town.  You know that small under water place where lobsters are born and all of the underwater life who can, like to sit around out of sight, breathing air for relaxation.” “No I don’t know.  I live...

Beyond The Horizon Part II: The Need to Know Oct10

Beyond The Horizon Part II: The Need to Know...

                    PART TWO OF BEYOND THE HORIZON     It began as a party trick, a way to revive a slowing party of young adults.  It worked amazingly well.  Not because the Fortune Teller they put together was so good.  Two good friends dreamed it up and they were winging it themselves for the fun of it. So no, a Gypsy outfit and lots of jewelry, and a turban or something to hide their  hair, which would have been a giveaway, did not make the chosen first woman a terrific Madam Marvel, Viewer of the Future.  There was much more to it than that. After while the two young women decided that it was the guests themselves, regular neighborhood people, couples and singles just out to have a pleasant evening with friends that created the difference. They saw the unusual, Madam Marvel take a seat behind a small table with a shining Crystal Ball in front of her and were caught up with a new feeling, something they did not even know they had, their own deep basic desire to know their own future. Just dress up a passable Gypsy Madam Marvel, playing the part of a Fortune Teller, and the people who will quickly deny being believers in that sort of thing and a few willing to admit there might be something to it, will line up to let the fake Madam read their Palms, tea leaves or a hokey Crystal Ball to tell them something they have been secretly wondering about…  their future. That was how it started in Daisy Dane’s household.  Her best friend, Roseanne Allen, with a little effort, was the first to be disguised deep in the Madam Marvel costume...

Willy Will

“My goodness look at that clock!  I’m running late.”  Mother called from the kitchen.  “Will one of you children please bring me my purse from the closet.  I need my cell phone and it’s in my purse, hanging on a hook in the closet by the front door.” The children were all around the room very busy playing.  Playing is not easy.  Have you ever tried to get those tiny Leggos put together, or the dress off of a doll with a big head, or work a hundred piece jigsaw puzzle?  It’s hard work. “I would Mommy,  but I’m busy trying to get this dolly out of her good dress so I can put on her new night gown.”   Isabella explained from her place on the floor next to the small trunk full of Doll clothes. “I’m building a bridge over the train track for the cars to go over.”  Hayden looked up from his knees on the rug by the big round train track, to tell his Mom why he was too busy right now. “I can’t leave yet because I have to find where the last six pieces in this puzzle fit in.”  Beverly sighed.  “It is very hard working on this little coffee table.  “Make Jake to give me some room on the big table.” “I’d get the purse, but I’m reading my book right now and it’s so exciting.”  Kyren said from the sofa by the lamp. “ I have to find out what happens next.” “I can as soon as I finish painting this model car blue.” Jake called from the table where the newspapers to protect the table from spilled paint were spread all over the place. Willy had looked up at hearing his Mom’s request and...

The Future Lies Beyond The Horizon Oct06

The Future Lies Beyond The Horizon...

All of life awaits you just Beyond the Horizon, just out of sight.  Even with very good binoculars the horizon is as far as you can see.  Even Fortune Tellers and those who pretend to go further, are only guessing as they tell you what you want to know and often what you don’t…  just to seem more authentic. Daisy and her friend, Rosanne stood in Daisy’s room about to part after a lengthy conversation about future plans.  School was ending and they were both graduating from High school and anticipating a long busy life that seemed to lie ahead. Daisy admitted that she almost sought out a psychic, because she was so anxious about the future.  Her friend, Rose told her that it would be a silly waste of money and that, she, her closest friend, could guess her future better than a total stranger ever could. “But they do it for a living so they must have some sort of insight.”  Daisy insisted. “I will make you a deal.  You pay me the money and I will read your future in the cards or your palm, even tea leaves if you wish.” Rosy laughed,  “ Even if I had a Crystal Ball, it would make no difference, they’re all the same to me!” “That’s silly you don’t know the future.”  You’re just a, a, a… Person!” “I know you…  that gives me an advantage over any stranger.”  Rose insisted. “Okay.  Here’s a dollar.”  Daisy took the single paper dollar out of the jeans pocket. “Now you tell me.   Will I be accepted into Cal Tech for next year?” “Boy do you see cheap Psychics !  A whole buck!  What kind of an answer do you expect for a dollar?” “The truth. ...

The Cat Who Came Back From The Sea...

The little orange kitten opened his eyes to the world for the very first time.  It was a much bigger place than he expected from what he heard while he was gradually awakened by his birth Mother.  Anxious to see what everything was all about, he hopped out of the bed he shared with the rest of his still sleeping litter and went for a short wobbly walk. His birth Farm was very interesting with some giant animals like the horses,  and the little ones almost as small as he was or smaller, like the baby chicks others in between consisted of cocky roosters and egg laying hens, ducks, swans and then the one baby goat who tried to butt him as he walked by. What wonders must the rest of big world have if this Farm had so many?  He decided at once that he must see all of the world.  But it was much larger than even he could imagine and he would unexpectedly travel over much more if it than he could even guess. The curious little Kitten decided to venture beyond the fence that surrounded the Farm, even though it was very interesting right here. His walking was not yet steady as he looked at the different new scenery. So he grew tired and decided to sit awhile and just rest a minute.  Just outside of the gate he was frightened by four very big, black, dogs.  But they yawned as he strolled slowly by.  They were all four stretched out sleeping, so were not a threat. Maybe the seven little spotted pups who wrestled each other endlessly would stop jumping on each other and chase him,  but they didn’t.  It was still very exciting. But pretty soon he got...

Beverly Mosier Takes A Time Out Sep06

Beverly Mosier Takes A Time Out...

I woke up this morning knowing I must stop writing all of this nonsense… at least for awhile.  Other things were waiting for me to give them my time.  All around me I saw duties that were neglected because I was having far too much fun just writing all of this unimportant non-sense.  I see my garden, which calls me through the very window I sit in front of to write.  Also there’s my kitchen, which needs… almost everything.  And everywhere I look I see a neglected household. I didn’t count my husband because I was always ready to close the computer to do something with him… if he wasn’t hiding behind his own computer, that is. I took out My Story List and was surprised to find that I had written more than 90 stories by this year.   I had not even included the ten or so longer novel type books from a couple of years back. I should add them to the story list someday.  They are just not on this computer. Some of the short story titles leaped out at me and I smile inside remembering them.   My own biography of the Second World War, “The Home Front”, starting with my parents meeting, and ending when I met Bob, my wonderful life time husband and partner for 68 years… so far.   Other titles gave me pause… did I write that?  I wonder?  What is that one about?  If I had time I would re-read a little to find out…  maybe one day soon. I very often used the family names.  The children seemed to like reading their name–sakes and the impossible situations in which I usually took them.  They had fun  with the frequent Fairies, Trolls, Elves and...

Pacific Passage Aug14

Pacific Passage

The young crew lolled about the new teak deck waiting for the Captain to order them to work. He was waiting for the Cell Phone word to come in from the boat’s owner that he and his four guests were on the Dock ready to shove off. Without the owner and his guests the boat and crew stayed just off shore rocking on the low swells from the south. It was an excellent little boat, not big enough to call a ship, but large enough for a Captain and a crew of four plus the owner and up to five guests to live almost comfortably, once every one adjusted to the crowding that was part of boat living. Grant Moore, the owner, had spend three years just working on this wreck he had purchased for next to nothing and now he had something anyone would be proud to own.  Grant really felt more at home with the boat sitting in the dry dock, as for most of the three years he lived aboard and worked day and night making it the beauty it had become. Early on he had begun to call the trashed old boat, my “Saving Grace”,  In reality the boat and he were saving each other.  Grant had lost his wife and two children in an automobile accident and he had begun to work his grief out by working around the clock on saving this old boat, along with himself. Three years later he had rebuilt all of the wooden interior over with Mahogany and Cedar.  The metal was polished bright brass in some light fixtures, door handles and hinges and all rails.  He took his sweet time to make each detail perfect, even every board of the smooth Teak deck.....

Hide & Seek

“Shhh, he will hear you.”  Eight year old, Kelly was looking for the children who had run to hide as well as possible in the time it took him to count to fifty, which was a fairly long time, as he had gotten confused about what number came next and had actually started over.  That might not have been in the rules…  but what could a guy do? As soon as he arrived at number fifty he immediately pulled off the blind fold and began to look around for the six kids who had run off at number one… the first number one. There was not a child,  boy or girl, in view.  So he did a slow turn trying to decide which way looked to have the most likely hiding places.  Kelly was hampered by a temporary blindness, left by the tightly tied blind fold put on by Bella, who the oldest at nine and did a mean knot. The sun was low, so soon they would all have to go home, once it had gone down.  This game may not be finished before then, which was fine with Kelly, as he simply hated to be “it!” He stepped quietly to the left toward the cave he knew was on that side of the beach.  The sand gave up no clues as about two million foot prints had been pounded into it since it was smooth as silk after the morning’s high tide. If he was very quiet he might hear one of the girls giggle.  Seven year olds  Kyren, his own sister, Rory and little Victoria,  were unable to stay very quiet for very long, being , you know, girls.  The boys, nine year old, Hayden,  Skyler,  youngest at six  and especially...

A.S.A.P. Jul06

A.S.A.P.

As soon as possible.  Does that mean as soon as it is possible for you to do it?  Or at once…  like in a Nano-second or else trouble follows? Betty used it often and she wasn’t sure herself what it meant exactly.  Her Father used to say, “ ASAP Bets”… and she hopped quickly to it no matter what it was.   Was that just Daddy’s tone of voice or was he wanting something important at once?  She wasn’t sure. Even at a very young age she was not taking any chances.  She rushed to do whatever it was. Now as an adult her reaction to him was the same.  So when his very last words to her on the telephone had been, “And Bets, I need you to do this ASAP.” “Yes Dad , of course, but what?”  The phone went dead and she learned only hours later that he was gone.  She knew he was ill, but had not expected him to actually die of this sickness. Yet, only minutes before, he had telephoned her with that strange message… his last words, as far as she knew. They told her he had been found at his desk, phone in hand.  His heart had just stopped. What had he wanted her to do ASAP? By the time she arrived at his home, he was no longer there.  The Doctor who was summoned by his housekeeper had tried to find some life then failing that had sent him to be cremated according to his patient’s previously written instructions. Betty already knew it was his choice to be placed with her Mother who had been gone for many years. But what had Dad called her to do?  An examination of the papers on his desk...

Seventh Heaven Jul06

Seventh Heaven

There are places here on Earth that have been said to be Heaven on Earth. To qualify for that heavenly name it must be a peaceful place with pleasant weather all year around. There must be lovely landscapes, beautiful flowers, blue skies and delightful foods. Then the most important of all the population must fit into all of that perfection with ideal personalities and good will. Pam and Eric lived there and appreciated the things that Heaven on Earth, better known as First Heaven, provided for them. They could swim in the warm waters and climb the gentle green hills. The fruits and vegetables that grew in abundance gave them instant relief from hunger. And the grapes and oranges were juicy and ripe just as they grew on the vines to quench their thirst. The First Heaven was almost perfect in every way except one. There were no challenges. Absolutely everything came too easily. They began to wonder if there was more of a challenge up in Second Heaven . So one rather mild but perfect day they caught an Angel flitting by and called out, “Beautiful Angel of Heaven can you tell us how we may get to Second Heaven?” The Angel paused and looked them over. They seemed to look alright, so he answered. “It can be a bit difficult. To get admittance to Second Heaven you must perform an act that qualifies you to become a member of that more distinguished of Heavens, known for entertainment challenges.” “An Act?” Eric was confused, “ Do you mean like a play or something?” “I mean something like no other, that sets you apart from the very good commoners in First Heaven.” And he flew off, as he was far above the petty problems...

Our America

How we became the red white and blue I listen to the music of the young men in Celtic Thunder and feel the songs they sing of their Ireland and Scotland homes oh so wistfully. I feel the places they recall just as blissfully, as my Mother’s own Parents came from there.                                                                                                                                                          Also from a place called Denmark across that dangerous sea traveled my Father’s Parental pair.                                                                                                                                             They came to America to carry on their lives and make use of their ability to work on a land they knew was free. To build their own farms on which they grew both wheat and meat to feed the growing family.                                                                              ...

Flowers Jun20

Flowers

Zoe put the new arrivals in the cooler and stood admiring them through the glass.  The color was perfect for the Adam’s Wedding this weekend. They were the exact shade of blue Ali, the Bride, said she wanted when she left her order and the small swatch of sky blue satin.  Zoe was sure the Bride did not realize the difficulty in finding suitable blossoms in blue.  No one ever did. She had often been confronted by a Bride to be who wanted all Roses and all blue. Then she had to explain that Roses came in many colors, but not a pure blue.  Then the unconvinced customer would point to a blue Rose at her neckline, which of course was a perfect Rose bud, true… but in sky blue silk.  If she suggested that Michael’s might carry what she was looking for, the customer often left to go to another Florist, deciding that we were unreasonable. These fresh Agapanthus’ with their large round heads filled into a grapefruit size globes of small, blue trumpet blossoms would be very good for the tables with their long stems and sword shaped deep green leaves. For the Bride’s bouquet she planned to use several of the sky blue Spanish Iris by folding back the petals into the shape recognized as an Orchid, but in a better blue color than any Orchids she had seen. A few of the fluffy, little 3 inch, pale blue, Scabiouses as the back ground flower with their dainty, white, centers would accent the white lace and satin ribbons,  Zoe could picture in her mind. There were two large bundles of the light blue Bachelor Buttons that would make perfect little boutonnieres for the Best man and his attendants, in spite of...

Better

A MAGIC FICTION It could look a little bit better but Jane was tired of working on it so decided to settle for good enough.  But unwillingly she let the words her Mother always said at a time like this pop into her head…  Mother said this every time, “A job worth doing is worth doing well.”  There were many days when Jane wished she had been taught that a job may be good enough when it wasn’t getting any better.  Perhaps she would teach her own daughter that so she wouldn’t feel guilty when she just didn’t want to always waste her time trying to get everything so perfect.    When she gets a daughter… after she gets married… as soon as she finds a guy to marry… or even one who calls for a second date,… if she ever gets a first date. Jane was an old, fifteen and a half, who had never been kissed or pursued by a boy.  She had to admit some of that was her fault, because she disappeared into the background as often as she could, just to avoid being the center of attention.  But the question was how could it be better?  She sat before the old mahogany dresser she had been polishing and looked into the three way scalloped mahogany framed mirror she had just cleaned and wondered, Why do only Princesses in Fairy Tales have Magic Mirrors that show them the way to be better?   But there she was a plain girl with a plain name staring back at her with her dark blonde hair pulled back out of the way held tightly in a rubber band. But as she sat criticizing her image the plain Jane in the mirror began to...

Fantastic! Jun14

Fantastic!

Unbelievable !   Isn’t that the same thing as fantastic? Some things that are fantastic are not unbelievable, like landing on the moon and flying past Jupiter to take photographs.  At least I have no trouble believing all that N.A.S.A. accomplished, or those deepest ocean photographs of odd looking living things that would be unbelievable if drawn from an artist’s imagination. But this story is unbelievable, for the very reason that it may not even have occurred, so we are left to believe it or not.  Each must make up his or her own mind and if fantastic is all they can agree upon, so be it. Darrell left his job right in the middle of the day to run an unrelated errand.  What happened next was this.  He walked to the corner from his office building to cross the Main street where there was a cross walk, and completely disappeared from the middle lane of that busy highway. The drivers of the two cars that swerved around him both attested to that fact.  They had both screeched to a stop in fear that that the man they both saw suddenly right in front of them had been hit and perhaps killed. The first and closest car was driven by a young man named Henry, who had only gotten his driver’s  license a couple of weeks ago and was thus scared speechless, even though he spent the last four years in the Navy. The other driver was a young nurse on her way to her first job at the Central Hospital and whose main fear was of being late and losing a job she had worked so hard to get. They met in the middle of the street and just stood there looking around...

The June Moon

The Moon for June came out too soon, why I cannot say, but it arrived one day, on the last of May, and said I am here to stay, so just keep on playing, because I am staying, no matter what you say. No you must wait, it’s not the right date, the Sun ordered him away… So, The man in the Moon asked for a spoon, because like a goon, the last star of May, wants him to play, a happy spoon tune, then stop very soon, on the dot of high noon, because lunch is on the way.  He’ll sit and stay to dine where he lay, without any pay, as he wanted to sleep, on the dune with the sheep, as they don’t make a peep, and never will weep, as the little ones leap, when they should be asleep, but still creep, up so high in the fresh air, with not even a care, with wool socks to wear, that will always be there, if they order another pair, but sure they must share, for even a bear, will not care, if they’re so rare, and try not to dare wear, an unmatched pair, when they must beware, as they shrink everywhere, if it’s a hot day and the date was late May, when the Moon begins to stray, it won’t feel brave this crazy way, so he’ll watch for the Sun, and began to run, when the light does come to see the new day,  Like a limp helium balloon the Moon will drop and lay, upon the soft hay, to rest from this last day.   Then the Sun takes a turn, and begins to not burn, as bright as high noon. It takes an hour to wait...

Hot Tub Astronomy Jun10

Hot Tub Astronomy

Bev’s Hot Tub Astronomy stories we originally written for friends and family. Many made their way to publications like Astronomy and Sky and Telescope. Several years ago we published them to various locations on the internet in order to freely share them with more of the world and they’ve subsequently been republished across several amateur astronomy sites. Today, we’ve finally moved them into her permanent portfolio, along side her many great works of art & literature. To the inspirations for her art and to the readers, editors, and critics, thank you. Hot Tub Astronomy Hot Tub Astronomy: A Guide for the “Wet Astronomer” Hot Tub Astronomy: Halley’s Comet Hot Tub Astronomy: A Star for Everybody Hot Tub Astronomy: What is Your Sign Hot Tub Astronomy: Mystery of the Red and Green Flashing Lights Hot Tub Astronomy: Navigating the Celestial Hot Tub Hot Tub Astronomy: Meteorites: My Sky Diamonds Hot Tub Astronomy: Day Star Day (not yet available) Downloads & Links The Original Hot Tub Astronomy BlogSpot Uploads Download Hot Tub Astronomy for you Kindle – Download Hot Tub Astronomy ePub...

Fantastic! Jun10

Fantastic!

Unbelievable !   Isn’t that the same thing as fantastic? Some things that are fantastic are not unbelievable, like landing on the moon and flying past Jupiter to take photographs.  At least I have no trouble believing all that N.A.S.A. accomplished, or those deepest ocean photographs of odd looking living things that would be unbelievable if drawn from an artist’s imagination. But this story is unbelievable, for the very reason that it may not even have occurred, so we are left to believe it or not.  Each must make up his or her own mind and if fantastic is all they can agree upon, so be it. Darrell left his job right in the middle of the day to run an unrelated errand.  What happened next was this.  He walked to the corner from his office building to cross the Main street where there was a cross walk, and completely disappeared from the middle lane of that busy highway.   The drivers of the two cars that swerved around him both attested to that fact.  They had both screeched to a stop in fear that that the man they both saw suddenly right in front of them had been hit and perhaps killed. The first and closest car was driven by a young man named Henry, who had only gotten his driver’s  license a couple of weeks ago and was thus scared speechless, even though he spent the last four years in the Navy.   The other driver was a young nurse on her way to her first job at the Central Hospital and whose main fear was of being late and losing a job she had worked so hard to get.   They met in the middle of the street and just stood...

The Rescue Jun04

The Rescue

       “Make your next Tale about… “ and give me a suggestion, usually using them or their pet.  This one, our granddaughter by marriage, Jackie, wanted me to write about her pet dog, Chelsea, who she and her husband, my grandson, Scott, both claimed was very exceptional  I have had this dog as a house guest several times, so I know they are quite correct. The thing is this, they do not know as much about their dog as I do, as a writer I have ways of learning more from other people’s pets than they do.  It is a secret carried to the computer. Take Karen and Tripp’s, Magic Bunny, for an example. Without my story they would never have learned about the magic their pet possessed. I suppose Beverly’s Last Elf does not truly qualify as a pet…unless you ask her.  She would agree with me and so would the Elf.  But if that Elf is out, then so are Alex and Josh’s Robot and Isabella and Victoria’s Bear. We’ll let the readers decide just what is or is not a pet. In any case I am tempted to let them in on what I know about Chelsea, who they think is simply a dog… an exceptional dog, but a dog just the same.  I know the strange as fiction truth. They found this remarkable dog in a Rescue Kennel, so they missed her early life.   All they knew was of the many dogs they chose to pet pamper and walk to help out at the Rescue Kennel, she was always the most… friendly and happy to see them arrive. But long before she met them and began to enjoy her time with these new folks, she had lived...

If There Are No Losers, No One Wins! Jun02

If There Are No Losers, No One Wins!...

Young Victoria didn’t know the rules, if indeed there were any rules.  In her six year old life winning was the only rule she lived by.  She was a born competitor.  If there must be a loser, so be it, she reasoned, as long as she was not the one losing. Some days her parents, Frank and Ali, discussed their only child’s attitude.  It was easy to see that she was a bright girl with a very unusual ability to find a way to win whatever challenge she was given. “But she is only six.”  Her Mother reminded her husband.  “Isn’t that a bit too young to have put such demands on herself?” “I will agree with that, but I don’t understand what you would ask of her instead.”  Victoria’s Father wondered.  But Ali did not have a true answer to that either, she admitted, “Being first in a race or beating all others in a game are valuable goals, however,  should it be so important?  I keep waiting for her to lose at something…anything , just to see how she handles being a loser.   If that happened now and then and she won some and lost some, and carried on the same with both, I would feel better about it”  “Do you want me to talk to her about that and maybe learn how she feels about being a loser?”   Frank suggested as a possibility. I have a cute little book from the library that I plan to read to her.  It’s the story of the Tortoise and the Hare.” “I don’t see the connection.”  Frank said with an amused smile.  “It is an old story with that, “Slow and steady will win the race.”  message.  “However, he is already winning...