Month: July 2013

It Was The Accent — Flash Fiction

/ Kate's Bookshelf / Leave a comment

The Scot lounged back in his chair, his glass of beer poised at his mouth.  “The ladies used to flock to me and I could never figure out why,” he mused modestly.

She arched a brow in his direction, surprised he had such an unfocused view of himself.

“You do know it was the accent,” she stated so casually, as if her words were an aside thought, that for a moment she thought he hadn’t heard her.  She had taken two sips of her drink before he finally answered.

“No, that can’t be what it was,” he said, a bit of a question lilting up the end of his statement.

“Trust me.  It was the accent.  Women go for the brogue,” then she laughed at her slight rhyme.

He laughed slightly, hesitantly, still disbelieving her.  He settled back into his chair a bit more, contemplating and wondering if she was right.  He’d have to think on it more, but she had a knowing look in her eye.

“What?” he asked.

“I like the brogue.  I could listen to you all day. Why else do you think I’m sitting here having a beer with you for no apparent reason?”

 

There is a man I know, a very, very charming Scotsman who was a part of our community for ages it seemed.  He has since left and been gone for three years.  Just last Friday he came back for a very short visit and I got to see him.  It was like he hadn’t been gone at all.  I once had a conversation with him about how all the girls at, I think Stanford, flocked to him and he wasn’t sure why. (he was in his lat 40’s to 50’s)  I looked at him and said ‘You do know it was the accent.’  I don’t think he believed me, but honestly, if you heard this man tell stories, joke and flirt with you, you would understand.  His accent is incredible and he uses it to his advantage.   Hearing him say ‘It’s good to see you, dearie’ is quite remarkable. And he did say that to me when I saw him last week along with giving me a very nice long hug then he spat out some random Gaelic saying how beautiful everything was. A feast for the ears.

He has now left our town, and I wonder if I will ever see him again.  Charming man.  Charming accent.  Trust me, it is definitely the accent.

Well, Doughan is kind of just charming himself.

Signing off

~Kate

Related articles

Dragonflies – Wordless Wednesday

/ Kate's Bookshelf / 2 Comments

Cardinal MeadowhawkI went to a presentation on dragonflies this last week, purchased the field guide for dragonflies and damselflies in this area, then got to work identifying what’s buzzing around out here in NorCal.  This is a male Cardinal Meadow hawk who came to rest on one of those wreath hangers they use at cemeteries.  His lady friend stopped by for a moment too and I was able to capture the both of them.  But this is the Mr.  I’m now dragonfly hooked.

Signing off

~Kate

Related articles

Flash Fiction — Dragonfly Wings

/ Kate's Bookshelf / Leave a comment
Close up of a dragonfly on a Lotus Flower Bud ...

Close up of a dragonfly on a Lotus Flower Bud on green background – IMG_7149 (Photo credit: Bahman Farzad)

The woman cackled as she held her mortar and pestle grinding up the iridescent dragonfly wings.  This last ingredient would be the killing touch to her potion.  The fine hairs would cause her victim to choke, drawing blood and making the poison infuse his throat.  He would pay for his actions.  He would die an agonizing death.  And she would laugh.  She would stand over his convulsing body and laugh at how easy her revenge had been.

 

I went to a symposium this last week on dragonflies and damselflies.  While there, one of the things that caught my attention was how dragonfly wings are made up of a material similar to our nails.  Very hard and durable.  I also found out that there are microscopic hairs on the wings, which is why other predators do not eat the wings of dragonflies.

I thought this was very interesting and I thought to myself, what a great bit of information to use for someone making a poisonous potion.  Supposedly the hairs can irritate the throat.  What better way to kill someone off than by having them ingest something that could damage their throat and maybe make the poison that much more affective?  So, hence, this little flash fiction piece.

Signing off

~Kate

If You Only Knew What I Put In My Journal

/ Kate's Bookshelf / 6 Comments
What I need to put on my journal

What I need to put on my journal

Lately I’ve taken to carrying my journal every where I go, whether I write in it or not. I just want it with me for that time when a thought strikes my head and I have to put it down or fear losing the idea.  However, along with having my personal ‘space’ with me and the convenience that comes from having it around, there is also the danger of someone reading something of mine that I would much rather keep private.

The only reason that came to mind, because most of the time I don’t even think of someone reading my journal, was because I came out of the store the other day and my bike (bicycle) was surrounded by a contingent of high school boys from one of the camps.  My journal lay neatly in the basket, ready for anyone to crack it open.  See?  I am quite unconcerned about where I lay my journal. It’s not wise.

Had anyone cracked it open they would think I have a very active love life.

” I was fantasizing about arriving unannounced at Stephen’s. Oh I would love to surprise him.”

“Owen… I have sexy ideas for him.”

“Tony has gained weight, but he still looks as sexy as ever… (and I won’t add in what else I said because it’s too hot for paper)”

And that was only the first 4 entries into the new journal.  Now, only one of these is actually real.  One is a character, and the other, well is just me appreciating male beauty.  Sue me, I’m a single gal with a lack of eligible men around.  A girl has got to have some fun.

I shudder to think of what those boys might have though had they flipped through the journal.  And I am sure I would shock the pants off most people with what is in my other journals that I’ve completed.  Heck, even some of them I turn bright red when I read it and go, uh wow, so that’s what I was thinking.  I go from innocuous to more graphic than I’d want anyone to ever know.  It’s my personal journal so I fill it with everything.  Literally, everything.

One time a friend of mine was talking about how she had her journal with her in her purse wherever she went, and because she liked Nancy Drew, she had taken an old cover of one of the books to use as the slip in cover of her journal.  She pulled the journal out of her purse and handed it to me to look at.  Unconsciously I started flipping through the pages before I was slammed with the knowledge that I was just flipping through someone’s private words.  I immediately slammed it shut, admired the cover and hoped that my friend hadn’t thought that I was reading her words.  I didn’t see a thing, M.  I promise!  But we sometimes forget how easy it is to look at someone else’s thoughts.  I had never thought of how vulnerable my personal thoughts were.

I still don’t think about it all that often. I much prefer dragging my journal with me wherever I go.  I just need to remember in the future that sometimes it’s more accessible than I might want.  I wonder if anyone else has felt that way.  That they like their thoughts close at hand, but if they were to ever fall into the wrong hands….. Whew, can you imagine what people might think of you?

As per the photo for this post.  Tumblr.  I adore Tumblr, on a side note, for fun pictures like this.  I like thinking that the things I write about people would be jealous and wish they had come up with the idea first.  Granted, I don’t think my ideas are all that spectacular, but hey, one can dream.  And besides, the statement on the book is accurate.  Some of my thoughts are things you just wish you might have come up with….. because they are so odd you could study me for science…. Ha ha ha.

Signing off

~Kate

Related articles

Breaking Away In The Summertime

/ Kate's Bookshelf / 1 Comment
Cover of "Breakaway"

Cover of Breakaway

“It’s not the sun you’re trying to find, something else is on your mind…” So go the words of Art Garfunkel‘s song ‘Breakaway’. I’d love to type up all of the lyrics so y’all could hear how nice they are. (this is a prompt from The Daily Post : Daily Prompt : Earworm)

I am a child of the 80’s, but some of my favorite music is the things my parents listened to. The ‘Breakaway’ album is one in particular from my Mom. It’s funny how much I love the record; and yes it is really only a record. I’m looking at getting mp3 versions for my player, but I still do vinyl. <—- see the link to one of my other posts——  The one thing that makes it odd too is that my mom classifies it as one of her break up albums. One of the guys Mom was engaged to broke it off and this was the record that was playing or got played or whatever. So for her it brings back not so good memories, though she is quite happily married to my father for over 30 years.

But I adore this record. I have specific times I enjoy it more; fall, winter, when I’m ironing, but right now it has popped back into my mind and I’ve turned it on several times in the past week.

I blame it all on Josh Groban who has just released the song “I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)”, a cover or remake of Art Garfunkel’s version from the Breakaway album. That song got me singing and I knew I needed to listen to the original. And of course, with the pops and crackles of the record and the speakers that go in and out, it’s its own kind of nostalgia. And honestly, shouldn’t most music from the 70’s be played in the summer when it’s hot?

That’s just my two cents.

Signing off

~Kate

Related articles

Why I Rationalize Audio Books As Being Good But Kindles Are Not

/ Kate's Bookshelf / 5 Comments

I have posted several times on my love of books.  I adore books and I find reading them most acceptable.   I usually draw the line at e-books, and have been quite vocal on not really wanting a Kindle or Nook.  However, I find it perfectly fine to listen to audio books.  What is wrong with me?

 

I was thinking about this the other day while going through a great spat of audio books.  Maisie Dobbs, The Great Gatsby, The Summer We Read Gatsby, Maisie Dobbs 2: Birds of a Feather, and several more.  I have no issue with audio books. In fact, I really enjoy them, especially when I am out watering the farm for hours, or clearing out a row of weeds.  They are one of the things that can make me go on.  If I don’t have something to distract me, I will literally go insane and not be able to finish.

Cover of "Great Gatsby, The"

Cover of Great Gatsby, The

I love how the narrator can capture certain nuances that I might not have seen in the book.  A whisper, a bit of sarcasm.  I love putting the people to a voice.  I love that I don’t have to hold a book.  Isn’t that terrible?  That I’m saying I don’t want to hold a book?  I would hold a book if I could, but water and books don’t mix well.  I love the fact that I can go through a book I just might not read any time soon, and actually enjoy it.  The Great Gatsby being one in particular.  I have been meaning to read it for years, but I just could not get into it the few times I picked it up.  Now, I am interested in actually reading it and picking up other nuances I don’t get from the audio.

 

I think audio books are great for kids.  While I do think that reading the actual words is better, at times with learning disabilities like dyslexia, audio books open up new opportunities that might not have been there because the reading aspect is very difficult.  My father has dyslexia and while he has become a better reader over the years, I do know he enjoyed a few audio books, especially on those long drives to work when I was younger.

 

1966 cover of the revised version of The Secre...

1966 cover of the revised version of The Secret of the Old Clock, the first Nancy Drew mystery (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My sister loves to read.  She is the older of us two, but due to having down syndrome, she has stayed a child.  But she loves to read.  I’ve never seen anyone fly through Nancy Drew‘s as fast as she does. (I hated Nancy Drew and still don’t like her) One think she absolutely loves is audio books that are unabridged so that she can read along in the book while listening.  Yes, she has done that with all the Harry Potter books, she owns both the books and the audio cd’s (read by the marvelous Jim  Dale, and if you want to hear him again, listen to The Night Circus) almost all of the Redwall series, and several others.  I’ve even got her interested in listening to the Maisie Dobbs book at some point.

 

So, you can see I think audio books are quite cook.

 

And yet I take issue with e-books.  Le sigh.

 

For those interested, most of the audio books I listen to I download through my library’s connection with Overdrive Media. Overdrive is connected to 22,000 libraries and schools, and you can download e-books and audio books if your library is connected.  Check it out HERE  

 

I really encourage you to check them out.  Many can be downloaded to mp3 players and some can even be burned to cd.  Great for those long car rides as you travel to your vacation destinations this summer.  You never know  what you might find.  And it definitely makes the time fly.  Just as my mom who was surprised at how much weeding I accomplished the other night in only about an hour.

 

Signing off

 

~Kate

 

Related articles