Picture Problems

The digital age has changed the way I store photos. They're all on my phone, my computer, or my camera. But I have piles of pictures in my basement from years ago and there's no task more time consuming than sorting through them. This weekend I tackled several boxes filled with photos, determined to organize the shots. My plan of attack went something like this...

Category 1- What the Heck is That?

Really? Who wants to see that? All the terrible shots that showcase blurred images and overexposed film must go. If it's not worth framing or putting in a scrap book, hold nose and put in trash.

Category 2- When?

Put photos in chronological order. Easier said then done, unless someone thoughtfully penciled in the date on the back of the photo. 1960? 1961? Who knows?

Category 3- Awww!

Distractions, distractions. I totally get stopped  in my tracks over the older pictures. The one above is me at about age 6 with my doll buggy on the sidewalk in front of Grandma's house. The pup standing next to me is Peggy. Peggy belonged to the neighbors up the street, but she made it a habit to come down and visit me each day.

How I loved to pretend Peggy belonged to me. I stared at the picture and an incident that happened with her came to mind. The next thing I knew, photos fluttered to the floor as I ran for the computer to tap away at a new story idea.

Yep, just like I said. It takes me forever to sort through pictures.

Pretty Porcupine

I'm sure every family has a story that they love to tell over and over again. Usually the star of the story gets a bit weary of hearing it, but hey, that's what families are for, right?

We have a story that involved our oldest when he was an adorable first grader. The incident happened during a surprise we got while attending the first grade school play and had to do with a "pretty porcupine". I won't go into details, as it will likely appear someday in an essay, but I can tell you our son wishes we'd forget the whole thing. So of course rather than forget it, at his rehearsal dinner a few weeks ago we unveiled a surprise groom's cake.

A pretty porcupine!

Our son disemboweled this cute little critter with the gusto of a starving hunter. While he cut and conquered, we took delight in sharing the story with the bride's out-of-town family. The porcupine had leaped right out of the bag, so to speak, and our son wasn't very happy about it.

Come on, doesn't anyone have a sense of humor anymore?

P.S. Mom and Sister were finally forgiven.

A Small Christmas "Tail"-Final

Alas, all things must come to an end. And so it is with this Small Christmas Tail...

A Small Christmas "Tail"-Final

When the Man opened the door to let him inside, Casey discovered a surprise. The living room was full of people. And since there wasn't a stranger among them, he didn't even need to bark once. He wagged his stubby tail and went from person to person, greeting each one in turn. Even the most insatiable attention seeker would be satisfied with the number of  pats and ear scratches he received. 


Then the Lady appeared carrying a huge tray filled with delicious smelling food. The air around it made his mouth water with the aroma of ham, turkey, sausage, and cheese. Casey sat as close to to the tray as possible, but knew better than to sneak a nibble. As usual, his patience paid off. He received a juicy morsel of ham from the Man which was so tasty, he swallowed it whole.

The entire room seemed filled with smiling faces. But contentment soon turned to excitement once the people began to exchange wrapped packages of all sizes and shapes. Casey watched paper drift to the floor as treasures were uncovered amidst exclamations of delight.

And then, the Lady held out a package for him!

She held it while Casey's teeth eagerly ripped paper off in bits and pieces until he discovered a fine new fleece toy. He mouthed it and was rewarded by a thrilling squeak. This prompted him to prance around the room, making it squeak with every step. The people laughed, so he ran three more laps before dropping the toy and smiling a doggy smile of his own. He couldn't remember when he'd had such a marvelous time.

Much later, after each guest had bundled up and left, Casey rested his muzzle on his new toy. The Lady and the Man sat close together, talking quietly while the fireplace snapped and crackled with warmth. Suddenly Casey lifted his head.

How silly to look for a single word to describe the meaning of Christmas. No doubt Christmas did include fun, sharing, home, and peace. But there was something else, too. He abandoned his toy and jumped on the couch to snuggle between the Man and the Lady. Casey pondered the evening's events until just the right word came to mind. And in his opinion, it was the best one of all.

Love.

Love is the meaning of Christmas. It's the thread that sews all the pieces together, neatly as his new fleece toy. He watched as Sasha stalked to the tree and batted an ornament. Yes, he decided, even love for a cantankerous cat is part of the magic of Christmas. And wouldn't it be perfect if that same magic filled every day of the year?

Casey yawned. He knew that to be a question for another day. And then, as the Lady gently stroked his head, the little dog fell asleep in the flickering light of the fire.

###

From all of us at Critter Alley, may this holiday season grant you fun, shared blessings, a happy home, peace, and love.

A Small Christmas "Tail"-5

Thanks again for the wonderful comments. We're approaching the end...

A Small Christmas "Tail"

The doe saw Casey and her eyes grew wide. She didn't move a muscle, as though frozen in place. Casey feared she might flee at any moment and tried to reassure her.


"Hello, ma'am. Don't worry. I'm only an ordinary little pup. I don't chase deer."

She seemed to relax a bit, yet prudently kept her distance as she spoke.

"Sorry. I'm still pretty skittish. Things have been so frightening in the woods. Thank heaven it's better now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's finally Christmas. We look forward to it all year. Christmas is the time when the men with guns leave the woods and peace finally returns for us."

Casey's ears pricked forward.

"Are you saying that Christmas means peace?"

"For us it does. No more guns blazing. No more running for our lives. No more beloved friends that disappear forever."

The doe's eyes sparkled with liquid. Casey shook his head.

"That sounds terrible."

"Yes, indeed it is. That's why we're so fond of Christmas. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get home so my family doesn't worry."

And with that, the doe turned and bounded away through the trees. Casey listened until he could no longer hear the sound of her hooves drumming along the ground.

Puzzled, he tried to sort out his thoughts. So many different opinions. Did Christmas mean fun, sharing, home, or peace? It certainly wasn't an easy concept to pin down. A northern breeze ruffled his fur and Casey shivered. The sun had sunk low enough to make the air feel cooler even without the wind.  He longed for the warmth of home and the dinner that he knew awaited him.

A full stomach never failed to inspire. Perhaps he could figure out the meaning of Christmas later.

A Small Christmas "Tail"-4

Onward to Part 4...

A Small Christmas "Tail"

Casey loped out the door and felt only a little guilty at scattering the yard full of birds. No matter. He knew they'd be back just as soon as he went inside. Birds never let anything bother them for long.

As was his custom, Casey carefully marked the perimeter of the yard, which served to warn strangers not to trespass on his territory. He felt it only proper to avoid any unpleasantness by letting them know who was in charge. Once he finished that task, Casey raced to the farthest point of the yard which bordered a small lake. The water sparkled with golden pink sunlight.


Casey licked his lips. After so much hard work, a cool drink would certainly hit the spot. And as an added bonus, he didn't even need to worry about his feet getting muddy. The ground had been hard for weeks. Casey touched his muzzle to the surface and began to lap until he noticed a large gray fish swimming just beneath the surface. He lifted his head and nodded an amiable greeting.

The fish regarded him cautiously and then nodded in reply. Casey recalled how his people once talked about fish being brain food. That must mean fish were smart. As long as such an intelligent creature was handy, why not ask him about Christmas?

"Sir, do you happen to know anything about Christmas?"

The fish pursed his mouth and bubbles traveled from it to the surface. With each bursting bubble, Casey heard words that sloshed with every syllable.

"Of course I do. That's the time when humans drag green trees to the water and throw them in for us."

Casey pricked his ears forward and tilted his head to the side.

"But why would they do that?"

More bubbles drifted upward.

"It gives us a safe place to bring our young ones into the world. Christmas is about home."

Then the fish turned smoothly and with a flip of his tail glided away. Casey scratched a tickle behind his ear while he thought. Could Christmas be about home? The idea made him long for the warmth of the house, so he turned to trot back to the door.

But before he'd taken more than three steps, he noticed a beautiful doe move from the cover of trees to the lake.

A Small Christmas "Tail"-3

Thanks for all the kind comments. On to Part 3!

A Small Christmas "Tail"

The next afternoon, Casey jumped on the chair that his people kept by the window. He saw dozens of birds in the backyard. They hopped and scrabbled in the dirt, chattering merrily at each other. Soon a large Cardinal glided toward the window and perched on a feeder that sat nearby. He looked like a wise old bird, so Casey tapped the window politely with his paw.


"Excuse me, sir. I don't know anything about Christmas. Can you tell me what it means?"

The bird preened his brilliant red feathers and cocked his head to the side.

"Why certainly I can. The first thing to know about Christmas, is that when it arrives, so does cold weather. And for birds, cold weather means hunger. It's very hard to get food when the temperature drops."

The thought was alarming. Casey always looked forward to mealtimes, and certainly didn't like the idea of an empty bowl.

"So Christmas means going hungry?"

"Oh, no. Actually, quite the opposite."

The bird fixed his dark little eyes on Casey as he continued.

"At Christmas kind people remember us and put good things outside. Seeds, bread crumbs, corn...all sorts of delicious treats. And even after Christmas, most of them don't forget us, especially during the coldest times. Why, I don't know what we'd do without Christmas and the food people share with us."

The Cardinal fluffed himself up into a feathery ball and then flew away to join the other birds. Casey sat back on his haunches. Perhaps the Cardinal was right. Christmas must be about sharing. He jumped from the chair down to the floor and trotted toward the door. Though he wasn't looking forward to braving the cold, he barked obediently and waited. Nothing made a trip outside more urgent than lapping up a bowl full of water. And the Lady had no sense of humor about accidents.

A Small Christmas Tail-Part 1

I penned a Christmas story as a way to celebrate the season.  Hope you enjoy!

A Small Christmas Tail


The front door swung open and the voices of the Lady and the Man filled the house. They spoke fast in a high-pitched way that brought a small brown rag-tag dog racing to discover what had happened. His ears perked to attention while his entire back end wriggled with the effort of wagging a stubby tail as hard as he could make it go. Crisp air whooshed inside as though seeking the room's cozy warmth. A strange object followed.

"Look out, Casey. We're coming through."

With the Man's words, the little dog did a stiff-legged dance backward without once taking his eyes off the sight of an enormous bristled stick that pushed into the room. A few needles fell softly to the floor, making an awful mess. Such things usually upset the Lady. But today, she only laughed.

The stick smelled of pine and dirt and outdoor scents that pulled Casey in closer for a more thorough inspection.

The Man inhaled deeply.

"Smells good, doesn't it?"

The Lady and the Man got the stick inside and then pushed it into a metal bowl that helped it stand upright. The top nearly reached the ceiling. Casey watched as the Man cut away a net that freed branches which dropped to the side. The stick began to look more and more like one of Casey's favorite outside trees. He buried his snout in one of the lowest branches. The Man was right. It smelled wonderful.

Then another strange thing happened. The Man and the Lady began to wrap wires around the tree. Then they plugged it into the wall and the whole thing began to glow brighter than the living room reading lamps. Even after that, they continued to put strange shaped items on the tree. The ones Casey could reach moved enticingly when he touched them, so he couldn't resist pulling one off to taste it.

"No, Casey," the Man's voice was stern, but he tempered his words by patting Casey's head.

"This is your first Christmas, so I know it's all new to you. The tree is to help us remember the Christmas season. But you mustn't touch it."

Casey's ears sank and he laid down to watch as the Lady and the Man put the final touches on the tree. They smiled and nodded as they gazed upon its splendor. Casey had to admit it looked nice and made a fine addition to the living room.

He began to wonder about the word, Christmas. What in the world did it mean? He hoped his people would say more about it. But instead of talking, they turned on the television to watch a program that featured one song after another. Casey jumped on the couch and nosed his head under the Lady's hand. She obliged him by smoothing the fur on his head.

"I just love Christmas," she sighed.

Christmas again. The more he heard, the more he wanted to understand it. Finally Casey decided there was only one thing to do. He'd ask those best known for their powers of observation.

His friends, the animals.

Fingers Still Crossed

I heard from the Chicken Soup folks again last week. Apparently my story has made the next step in their process and I needed to approve edits. I read the copy and found few changes, so I promptly faxed back my consent. I'm not even sure the ink was dry before the machine pulled it through. Therefore my fingers are still crossed!

Sure hope I receive definite confirmation soon. My hand is getting a cramp from all this finger crossing!

Lady Luck Writer-Style

A while back I mentioned a story that I planned to send for a Chicken Soup book project. Yesterday I received an email that said my story was a finalist! They sent a contract to me that I duly printed out, signed and faxed back today to the Chicken Soup editor. Now comes another wait to see if I make the final cut.

One thing I'll say for sure. When someone expresses interest in publishing you, it certainly provides incentive! I plan to get back into the daily discipline of writing while I hope for Lady Luck to pay me a visit.

Fingers are crossed!

Bad Dog Blues

Leifericanderson photo


To My Fellow Coffee and Critiquers:

I'm so sorry. I really intended to come to group last night. I even had an old story that I planned to rework and bring along to read. As I remembered it, the story was close to being ready...just needed a little tweaking. So I pulled it out on Tuesday to make the changes and run off copies.

I found it in my file and took a look. Was this the same story I remembered? This tale didn't require tweaking. It required a major overhaul. I fiddled with it. Then I fiddled with it some more. Quite a while and a few more gray hairs later, I put it away.

I have two weeks until the next group, don't I? If it's not ready by then, please put me in my kennel without a treat.

Bad girl!