Thankful Thursday - L'il Brother

Last week I posted on how I was thankful for my sisters, and I am - but I don't just have sisters, I also have a 6 year old little brother, Roley, who I'm also thankful for.

My brother is funny, often on purpose. While opening presents this week, he would grab the bows and stick them all over his face, and scrunch up his nose in the way that is so him. He has a wonderful imagination as well as a Monster under his bed. Not a bad monster, though. This Monster is named Poley, and scares away his bad dreams. Poley has a sister who lives under my bed named Googi.

Oh, you NEVER know what our Roley is going to say next!

Wordless Wednesday - CHEESE!!

Memory Monday - Christmas Treasure Hunt

First of all, I would like to say thank-you to everyone who downloaded my book yesterday - my KDP Report page says that there were 137 units purchased! Hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Make sure you leave a review - I'm running a contest here on my blog!

Now, for the Memory Monday:

There once was a girl who wanted a bike for Christmas. So, on Christmas, she ran downstairs to look under the tree. Unfortunately, there weren't any packages quite big enough for a bike, so she decided that there probably wasn't any bike for her under the tree.

Her disappointment was fleeting, for there were many, many stupendous presents. Soon, the thought of a bike had all but been forgotten.

Now, her family had a fake tree - a six-footer - and they liked to hide smaller presents within the tree. So, when they opened all the presents, or were pretty sure they had opened all of the presents, they instructed the girl to give one last check through the branches and make sure they had gotten all of the presents.

Well, there weren't any presents - but there was a slip of paper. It said Snack Drawer. Huh. Well, the girl decided to check this out. She ran to the snack drawer and found another slip of paper with another location on it. She ran all over the house, wherever the slips of paper dictated.

Until she got to a slip that told her to go to the garage. She went to the garage - but there weren't any slips of paper in there. The girl, however, was not to be dissuaded! There was a huge pile of boxes there in the corner - perhaps the next slip of paper was somewhere in them.

So she pulled down the boxes. Imagine her surprise and delight when, there, was a BIKE!! It was pink with streamers on the handles. She fell in love at once.

Spiritual Sunday - Born to Die

Today is Christmas, the day of Christ's birth. Now, we don't know if today was really the day he was born, but that's not really the point. The point is, God, the Holy God in heaven, became man, became a tiny baby humble enough to be born in a STABLE.

And why? What did it do to serve Him? NOTHING! Coming to earth and being born in Bethlehem was of absolute no use to Him! Then why did he do it? Why did the Lord and Creator of the Universe decide to clothe Himself in human flesh and be born as a baby?

He was born to die.

Now, every baby who gets born will die at some time or another (or at least most will), but Jesus' whole purpose in being born as a tiny baby in Bethlehem was to die! And why did He come to die? It wasn't for Him - He would have much preferred not dying, indeed, in the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed that the cup be taken from him - no, he came to die for us. He, the Creator of the Universe, Lord of all Creation, came to earth, was born as a tiny baby, so He could grow up and die so He could take our place, so he could take our sins and wash us white as snow.

People like to keep Jesus in that manger. If He stays in the Manger, they don't have to worry about Him being the almighty God who has the power to judge them forever. Indeed, His Justice REQUIRES Him to punish those who do not accept the world. They argue that if he's a loving God, he wouldn't send any to Hell. Yes, he is a loving God, but he's also Just, and a Just God cannot allow sin into heaven.

He sent Jesus to be born in that stable so He could die on that cross because he is a Loving God. By having Jesus die in our place, his Justice was satisfied, and his Love allowed us a way to get to Heaven.

But people don't want to accept this. Why? Why would they turn down an offer like this - Jesus, the Son of God dying in there place so they can get to Heaven? Because they don't want him to follow his rules. If they admit that Jesus is Just, then there are Rules, rules like no lying and stealing, no coveting, no messing around outside of marriage. Even though their lives would truly be so much better if they followed these rules, they don't want to follow them.

Yes, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and laid in a Manger - but he didn't stay there. Indeed, if he had only come to stay in that manger, he would never have come at all.

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas, and as a Christmas present to all my loyal readers (and anyone else who I've told) the Kindle Version of "Sew, It's a Quest" will be free on Amazon all day today. Get your copy while you can!

Celesta's Christmas

Celesta lived with her mother and father and three older brothers, Peter, James, and Henry, and her two younger sister, Mary and Martha. Mary and Martha were twins.

Now they lived in a smallish house, and Celesta had to share a room with the twins, and all three of the boys had to share a room. It was also drafty, so in winter, Celesta often woke up with both of her sisters in her bed.

They didn't have much money, but they always made do, especially since they had plenty of love to go around.

Now, it was Christmas Time, and Celesta was excitedly looking forward to it. Imagine her disappointment when her parents told them that the didn't have enough money for presents this year. The twins were still too young to understand Christmas presents, and the boys were old enough to understand going without, so only Celesta ...

"But ... but ..." Celesta complained, her lip trembling, "Christmas isn't Christmas without presents!"

"Now, Celesta," said Father. "It's not our choice. Besides, I'm sure Grams will still be sending us a nice package."

Celesta wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Grams always just sends us socks!" she complained.

"But they keep your toes warm," said Mother. "And you know how cold it gets."

But Celesta refused to be talked out of her disappointment. She had been looking forward to Christmas and all the presents she would be getting. Well, they never had many presents, but there always had been presents.

When Mother pulled out the tree, she refused to help put it up. "What's the use?" she asked. "There won't be any presents."

"Celesta," said Mother, "I know you're disappointed that we won't be getting any of you any presents, but you're stubbornness is going to completely ruin Christmas. Christmas isn't about Presents, you know."

"But Presents are so much fun!"

"Yes," said Mother, "they are fun - but so are so many other things about Christmas. And we're still getting the best present of all."

Celesta looked up. "The best present of all? And what's that. Or can you not tell  me because it will spoil the surprise on Christmas day?"

Mother chuckled. "It's Jesus! The whole reason we have Christmas. So we can remember that God sent us Jesus as a baby to earth."

Celesta frowned again. "But that was years ago! We can't unwrap him on Christmas day!"

Mother sighed. "Celesta, sometimes the best presents are the ones you can't unwrap - like Jesus. It might of been years and years and years ago, but it's still just as important today that he came to earth as it was when he came to earth two thousand years ago."

"But I want to unwrap my presents on Christmas Day!" moaned Celesta.

Mother, seeing that there was nothing more she could say, left Celesta to pout while she finished putting up the decorations with the other five.

When they went caroling on Christmas Eve Celesta didn't want to go. However, since the rest of her family were going, she had to go, too. So they all got bundled up, and headed down the street to sing. Since her heart wasn't in it, Celesta just mumbled the words. Luckily, since the rest were singing so much louder, the people they were singing to didn't notice.

When they finally got home, Celesta plopped down on the couch and sat there dejectedly while her family got ready for bed. She must have dozed off, since next thing she knew, it was morning! Christmas Morning! And, to her amazement, there were too many presents under the tree to count!

She rushed to the tree to examine the gifts. Somehow she was no longer in the coat she was in the night before, but in her pajamas - which she thought was strange, because had her mom had dressed her the night before, she would have thought that Dad would have also carried her to bed. As she was looking at the to-from labels, her brothers and sisters appeared in the living room doorway. They didn't seem surprised at all to see all the presents.

Soon their parents came in, and okayed them starting to unwrap, so they did. There seemed to be no end to the presents - dolls, crafts, dress-up clothes, books with lots of pictures, and on and on. She kept expecting them to find the last present, but every time she looked the tree, there were still lots more presents left. She was starting to get overwhelmed - how was she going to be able to PLAY with all these presents?

Then she noticed the Nativity. It didn't look at all like it should. Mary, Joseph, the Shepherd and the Wise Men were all opening presents and the Baby Jesus was stuck off in the corner.

"That's not how it's supposed to be," she told her Mother.

"What?" said Mother.

"Mary and Joseph and the Shepherds and the Wise Men aren't supposed to be opening presents - they're supposed to be worshiping Jesus!"

"What do you mean, dear?" asked Mother. "Aren't presents what Christmas is all about."

"But ..." said Celesta, confused. "Jesus is what Christmas is all about. It's Jesus."

Suddenly she felt as though she was being shaken, and heard the twins calling her name and telling her to wake up. She opened her eyes and realized that it had all been a dream. She was still on the couch, but the only thing that had changed about what she was wearing was that her coat and shoes had been taken off, and a blanket had been put over her.

She looked at the Nativity. It was how it should look - Mary, Joseph, Wise Men and Shepherds all worshiping the Baby Jesus - the true meaning of Christmas. The tree only had the box from Grandma under it - but Celesta didn't mind any more. She liked socks, after all.

They ate breakfast - pancakes and syrup - Celesta's favorite, then Dad read the Christmas story from Luke, answering questions as they were asked. Then they opened the package from Grandma. As predicted, everyone got socks - two or three pairs each.

Celesta thought that she had never had a better Christmas, despite the fact that there were no presents. Just then, there was the sound of the doorbell. Dad opened the door. It was Celesta's friend, Gerta from Sunday School, as well as Gerta's little sister, Hallie, and Gerta's parents. Gerta's dad was holding a good-sized box.

"Gerta and Hallie found out that your children weren't getting any presents this year," said Gerta's mom, "so they insisted that they give them some of their presents."

Celesta's parents invited them in, and they had cookies and hot chocolate, then Gerta and Hallie insisted that Celesta and the twins open the presents they brought them. They hadn't brought any for Peter, James or Henry, since Peter, James and Henry were all boys, and Gerta and Hallie were both girls, and had only gotten girly presents. They didn't think the boys would have liked dolls. The boys agreed.

It doesn't really matter what they had brought them, because, as Celesta learned, presents weren't the reason we have Christmas - they're just a nice bonus. Jesus is the reason.

Foto Friday - Robert

Prince Robert of Locksley, Robin's twin brother. He's as calm and steady as she is excitable and unpredictable. Being the best sewer in the world, he's considered strange by his fellow princes, so Robin's pretty much his best friend. Despite anything she might say, Robin's very attached to him, and might have never gone on the quest without him. Indeed, she probably would have gotten herself completely lost.

But, then, they would have never gotten back their horses without her ...

Thankful Thursday - L'il Sisters

I'm thankful for my little sisters - I have two of them. The older one, V. Kathie, is not much younger than me, and enjoys picking my brain for her books (!). I actually don't mind that too much, since I'm constantly picking my mom's brain. (well, often, when I get stuck!). She's much better with music than myself, and loves teasing me about how I never hit notes, and if I do, it's the wrong ones! She has, however, retuned my harp for me, so that I can play in different keys.

The younger of my sisters, Miss Full of It, is much younger, at only two. She's such a sweetheart, and so talkative. She's opinionated. Her chair has to be just so, and everyone has to be just right. Her toes taste good, too, and she's so ticklish. I just love tickling her. She enjoys watching me play games on my computer, especially the ones that go BOOM!!! She's a riot.

Wordless Wednesday - A Frog

Fan Page!!

Check out my new fan page! I will be putting fan comments here - and I need comments! When I have fifty, I will be holding a drawing, and will be giving out a free copy of my next book, Saffron's Big Plan, which is a collection of short stories, one of which is a prequel to Sew, It's a Quest. 


Facebook me, Email me, comment somewhere on my blog, just get me those comments so you can have your chance at winning a free copy of my book!

Memory Monday - Oooooh ... Ahhh ...

There once was a little girl - no older than four, and it was a tradition in her family that every year at Christmas they would all climb in the car and drive around and get lost while they looked at all the houses with all the pretty Christmas decor.

"OOOOHHH ..... AAAAHHHHH ...." They'd say, or if it where in a a spot with LOTS of houses it'd be "Ooah, ooah, ooah," really fast so they'd make sure that they oohed and ahhed at every house. Of course, they all knew that you weren't supposed to ooh and ahh at the traffic lights.

So when, this year, they were stopped at a traffic light and the little girl went ooh and ahh ... her parents thought she was oohing and ahhing at the traffic lights.

But she wasn't. She was oohing and ahhing at a house way off in the distance that she COULD see. Her parents didn't listen to her, but she knew - she KNEW she was oohing and ahhing at a house. To this day, she stands by that fact. Just ask her!

Foto Friday - Robin

Okay, so I'm not the best artist in the world. But, anyways, this is my drawing of Robin, the MC of "Sew, It's a Quest."

Princess Robin of Locksley is the best swordsman in the world - apparently due to the fact that she and her twin brother were given gifts by their Fairy Godmother and that these gifts got mixed up. She's hardheaded and hotheaded, yet loyal and protective to her friends, especially her twin brother. Her moto seems to be "Fire! Fire! Fi- wait ... was I supposed to aim?"

She's a bit of a rebel, refusing to wear a dress except when absolutely necessary. And she refuses to let her parents arrange a marriage for her, insisting that she will only marry a man who can best her with a sword. 

Thankful Thursday - Woods

I am thankful that we have woods behind my house. You see, these woods are great to hide in, and no one ever can find you there. (even though there isn't much to them). They're a great place to retreat to to think and get control of your feelings when you're mad or sad. They're also a great place to run to if you're being chased.

Yep, I love my woods - because I know them like the back of my hand!

Sew It's a Quest's video

Wordless Wednesday - Tomatos

Tasty Tuesday - Apple Cake

This is one of my favorite recipes.

You'll need:
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 Granny Smith Apples
Chopped Nuts (opt)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and Flour pan. Mix sugar, oil and eggs until blended, then beat it up for a minute. Add remaining ingredients excluding apples and nuts. Beat it up again. Chop up apples and stir them in. Stir in the nuts. Pour in the pan, stick it into the oven.

Bake until you can put a toothpick in and pull it out the way you put in (No goo!) 35-45 minutes.

Memory Monday - How did he ...?

Once upon a time, there were three girls playing school with barbies. The two older girls were playing the teacher barbies, while the little sister of the one girl was playing the dad doll. (Ken?)
The school had a "no pets policy" but the dad kept disregarding it and insisting on bringing pets. "Why can't there be pets?" he finally asked.
"Because we have no place to put them," the teachers replied.
The dad drove silently away in his car, and the teachers thought that they would have some peace for a while - but no! Within minutes, the dad had returned - with a huge, double-story cat and doghouse balanced on top of the car. "Now," he said, "you have a place to put them."
As the two teachers stared, one turned to her fellow and said, "How did he get that up there?"

- True Story!

Infiltration - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the Beginning.

Tiger's Memoir:

Perhaps I might have had a different life. Perhaps the events that happened to me could have happened to another. But they did not. They happened to me. Whether they happened due to any merits or faults of mine, I will not pretend to say. They happened to me. That's all I know.

This is my story. Snap’s too, but she comes later.

I was born in the second month of the year 1006. My Ma was Daffodil, an herbalist, and my Pa was Aspen, a scribe. They named me Tiger Lilly. Tiger Lilly Bunnitoes. I have thick, curly light brown hair and blue eyes. I'm short, even for my people. I prefer trees to the holes that many of my people live in, and I always envied my friends who lived in trees. My feet, which have almost never had shoes on them, are covered in thick curly hair that is a shade darker than the hair on my head, which helps protect my feet while I climb trees.

I was the oldest, and in the years to follow, I gained a younger sister, named Mary Gold, who is five years younger, a brother, Sugar Maple who is eight years younger than her, and another sister, Vi Olet who is six years younger than Sugar. I also had many, many cousins.

Zinnia Moustail and Mag Nolia Eaglewing (though we always called her Maggi) were my favorite cousins. They were also the two closest in age to me. We did everything together.

We’re Elvings, half elf, the other half long forgotten. Not human, only that we’re sure of. Each of us, upon our births, received a ring, our Ring of Innocence. This would remain on our finger until our 24^th birthday (though I have since learned that you would say that we look 12). On our 24^th birthday, our Ring of Innocence would fade and we would receive our Ring of Faith, which would remain on our finger until our death. Usually. Sometimes, an Elving doesn’t get their Ring of Faith, and they were cast out of our homeland, the Rowa, into Limbo.

Nothing lives in Limbo.

I shall begin my story at about the time of the 24^th birthday of a friend of mine, Black Walnut Turtle Shell. I was 19 at the time.

Black Walnut was a funny boy. I could sit at his feet listening to his stories for hours. He had a friend, Petune Ia Skunktail, who had appeared out of nowhere some time back. She had no Ring of Innocence. She always said that it was because, where she came from, they don’t give Rings of Innocence. I didn’t quite trust her. Black Walnut always said I was just jealous.

I have since realized, maybe I was. I had a crush on Black Walnut, even though I was only nineteen.

The day before his twenty-fourth birthday, he showed up just outside the door of our hole, in which we lived. (I was always so envious of my friends and cousins who lived in trees)

“Tiger,” he said, as I passed with a basket of herbs for my Ma’s apothecary. “May I speak with you?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Tiger,” he said. “Have you ever considered what is beyond the Hedge?”

“No,” I answered. The Hedge was what surrounded the Rowa, and protected us from the evils of Limbo. It opened only when an Elving was unable to get his or her Ring of Faith and thus had to leave our safe haven. “Nothing lives beyond the Hedge.”

“But what if something does?”

“Nothing does. If there was, we would know of it.”

“But what if –.”

“Black Walnut,” I said. “If you talk like this, you might not get your Ring of Faith tomorrow. Now, I need to get these herbs to Ma.” I disappeared into the tree that held Ma's apothecary.

Then he left.

The next day was his birthday. It was a grand occasion, for we Elvings love birthdays. There was plenty of food, plenty of games, plenty of laughs, plenty of people to talk to.

We were all enjoying ourselves, but I had a strange foreboding – which sprang in part from our conversation the day before. It didn't help that I caught him and Petune talking to him in a low voice, the words of which I was unable to catch.

At 3:43, for he was born at 3:43, all of the festivity stopped. Everyone watched as Black Walnut's ring faded from his finger. Then Black Walnut's father put his hand next to his son's. Everyone caught their breath.

Nothing happened. They stood like that for a full minute. Nothing happened.

“Son,” said Black Walnut's Father at last. “Do you not believe? Your Ring of Faith will not form itself, have your rejected our teachings?”

Black Walnut looked his father in the eye. “I don't know … I … How can I believe if I have no evidence?”

“Very well,” said his Father, his face hardening. “You are no longer my son, Black Walnut. Leave.”

Black Walnut glanced around, but he was met with hard looks from everyone. When his eyes met mine, I looked away. “Very well,” he said. “I will leave.”

The party was over. Since he had been unable to exchange his rings, the day had turned from one of joy to one of sadness and sorrow.

I heard many, “Pity that he has to leave's,” and “But he was always such a nice boy's,” but I don't think the speakers really knew.

That night, I was sitting in the lower limbs of a tree, thinking. I've always thought better in trees.

“Tiger!” I heard Black Walnut's voice. I ignored him. “Tiger!” He called my name several times, but I ignored him. “Tiger ...” he finally said, “Please listen.”

“Leave,” I said. “You're no longer Rowan. I cannot talk to you.”

“Very well,” I heard his voice say. “But, good-bye, anyways. You've always been a good kid.”

I could hear the hurt in his voice, but I ignored it. He left. Maybe, had I responded differently that day, my life might have since turned out differently, maybe not. All I know is that that I responded this way and that my life has since turned out this way.

It was only after I heard the distant sound of him hacking into the Hedge, for we lived very close to the Hedge, that a tear slid down my cheek and I whispered, “Farewell.”

But I knew he was going to his death. Nothing lives in Limbo.

It was only days after that I realized that Petune had disappeared. I later, after asking many questions, learned that she had disappeared the very night that Black Walnut left.

I threw myself into my studies – I was my Ma's apprentice and was studying to be as good an herbalist as she. I tried to forget, as everyone else did, or at least seemed to, that Black Walnut had ever been among us. Yet I could not. I played and explored the trees with Zinnia and Maggi, and watched my younger siblings and cousins. Mary got apprenticed to a goatherd – for she loved animals.

We lived on with our lives. But I couldn't forget.

Snap's Journal:

My name is Snap Dragon Skunktail. I am in training to be an Infiltrator. My sister, Petune, was an Infiltrator, a successful one, too. She brought back Black Walnut, who she's in love with. Bleh, I say. I haven't been told who my Target is, yet, but I'm hoping that it's not a boy.

An Infiltrator has to be smart. They have to know how to blend in with the Rowans and keep the Rowans from discovering where they came from, for Rowans don't know that there are people here in Limbo, that there are many, many people here in Limbo.

It'll be hard; especially since we Limboians don't get Rings. Those Rings mess with the Rowan's aging, making it take four years for them to age as little as it takes us to age in one. They count their years differently, though, so they have two winters, two springs, two summers, and two autumns each year! This means that, when they say they’re 18, they’re really 36, but only look 9. I’m up to the challenge.

They're superstitious, too. They believe that they have a God named Yshew. They claim that they get their Rings from him and a whole bunch of other baloney. Those Rowans are so backwards. We got rid of our gods centuries ago. They also claim that their Rings give them the ability to talk to their friends long distance – through thoughts! And they claim that the gems change colors and stuff like that to help them with whatever their “job” is.

My instructor, Mr. Eucal Lyptus Snakeskin, was the best Infiltrator of this century. When he Infiltrated, he brought TEN Rowans back with him! My sister was aiming for two, but the little girl didn't come. Black Walnut had been her main Target, though. She doesn't talk much about the girl, never even says her name.

Well, I need to get back to work,

–         Snap Dragon.

Tiger's Memoir:

I was collecting herbs with Maggi and Zinnia one day in the middle of first summer. Now, Maggi was apprenticed to a seamstress and Zinnia to my Ma’s Ma, or my Mama, as we Elvings call our maternal grandmothers, Baby’s Breath Elkhyde, who was a baxter. Baxters are women bakers. We were close to the Hedge – maybe a hundred feet – when I came across a stream. In the middle of the stream was a bundle of some sort, so I waded in and pulled it out.

The wrapping was a strange material – a sort that I had never seen before, one that kept out water better than oilcloth, but it didn’t feel quite like oilcloth. Inside was a book.

Something told me that my Ma and Pa wouldn’t quite approve of this book, so I hid it in a nearby tree. I later snuck back there and read the book. Often.

It was an interesting book. It was full of ideas and stuff that had never occurred to me before. Perhaps, had I left that book in the stream and had never read it, my life might have turned out differently – perhaps not. I cannot say.

Snap’s Journal:

I’ve found out today the name of my Target. It’s a girl named Tiger Lilly Bunnitoes. When I told this to Petune and Black Walnut, they immediately changed the subject. Of course, I would never of guessed what they changed the subject to!

Petune’s going to have a baby!

I’m not sure what to say.

I asked them if that meant they were now going to get married. They just laughed. “Maybe,” they said.

I hope they do, Petune would be so pretty in a wedding dress.

Then he kissed her. Bleh!

I can’t wait until I can go to the Rowa in two years and get away from those two. Those lovebirds!

-          Snap Dragon

Tiger’s Memoir:

Autumn has always been and always will be my favorite time of year. In autumn the trees have exchanged their uniform greens for all sorts of beautiful colors – reds, oranges and yellows! – and have not yet lost all of their leaves. There’s just something about fall that makes me want to sing!

I just couldn’t stay inside our hole.

So I snuck out while Ma and Mary Gold were washing the dishes and made my way down to the stream where I had found the book. On that day I heard a song on the wind … I was never after able to exactly remember what the words were – but I do know that the theme of the song stuck with me. It was a song I knew my parents wouldn’t like, but I always was trying to unearth the words from my memory.

Zinnia found me. “Tiger,” she said. “Aunt Daffodil is looking all over for you! Where’ve you been?”

“This is too pretty a day to spend inside,” I answered. “I just had to come out here and enjoy Yshew’s greatness and goodness!”

“But that’s not what you’re supposed to be doing right now,” said Zinnia with her hands on her hips. “You’re supposed to be at your Ma’s apothecary helping her. She’s worried about you!”

“I guess you’re right,” I said, and followed Zinnia back.

However, once Zinnia disappeared into Mama’s bakery, I started dawdling again. Autumn is just too pretty a time of year!

True, my Ma’s apothecary was in a tree, and for all practical purposes outside, but I still dawdled.

I felt a warmth from my Ring and looked down and saw that it was glowing. Nothing new, it meant that someone wanted to talk to me. And I had a good idea who, too.

I closed my eyes and a picture of my Ma formed itself in my mind’s eye. “Tiger, where are you?” I heard her voice in my mind’s ear.

“I’ll be right there!” I thought back to her.

“Never mind,” said my Ma, “I need you to find some St. John’s Wort instead.”

So went to find St, John’s Wort. I managed to bring it back in a somewhat timely fashion, but all through the day, I was dawdling.

Snap’s Journal:

Tonight’s the night! Tonight, I’m going into the Rowa, tonight I begin to Infiltrate my Target, that Tiger Lilly Bunnitoes. Tonight I’ll leave Petune, Black Walnut and their bratty little boy, Magnol Ia, behind. They said that they’ll get married after I get back with Tiger Lilly – they actually said her name this time! – so I don’t want to fail and I want to come back.

I’ll be leaving at dusk tonight. According to Mr. Snakeskin, it will take until past midnight for me to hack through the Hedge. I’m up to the challenge, though! I will hack through that Hedge and I will succeed. Tiger Lilly has a few friends that I’m supposed to be trying to Infiltrate as well – but Tiger Lilly herself is my main Target. The more the merrier, I say.

I’m up to the challenge!

Anyways, I need to go finish packing. You’ll be coming with me, too, book, so I need to pack you, too.

Talk to you next in the Rowa!

-          Snap Dragon

Foto Friday - Jess the model.

This is my doll, Jess, modeling a hat I made. I like how that hat came out, with it's swirl. Jess was a birthday present from a friend when I was nine.

I have more pics of Jess modeling my hats, but I like this one best.

Thankful Thursday - Wrapping Paper

I am thankful for wrapping paper. I just think I'll remind myself of that before I get completely and entirely bogged down by this year's wrapping.

You see wrapping paper has it's uses, for instance, it keeps you from finding out what you're getting for Christmas. I, for one, don't enjoy ruined surprises.

And it is fun to wrap ... when you have space to do so. I especially like decorating the packages.

Wordless Wednesday - Last Year's Snow