Happy and Blue 2

“I’m going to the store for some food” said the Camp Leader. “ Gather some firewood so we can have a nice campfire tonight. We will sing songs and tell stories.”

So the boys divided up the work of gathering firewood and quickly set about the task.

Billy gathered the kindling. He picked up small twigs and dried grass and placed them in a pile next to the fire pit.

And Bobby picked up smaller branches that could be used once the fire was started and he piled them near the fire pit.

Jimmy and David picked up large branches to use when the fire was burning. Branches that were big enough that they would burn for quite some time. And they stacked them near the fire pit as well.

After the kindling, small branches and larger branches had been gathered the boys were hot so they decided to go swimming. What could possibly happen next…>>

Jimmy was one of many of the Sparrows hiding in the tree branches that day. The day the Crows came searching for eggs. Sparrow eggs to be exact.

The leader of the Crows had seem the Sparrows build their nests and after letting them settle long enough for the eggs to be laid he had gathered his friends for what was to be an easy meal.

Sparrows tend to be afraid of Crows. After all Crows are big and loud. And Sparrows are small and generally somewhat quiet.

But on this particular day something strange happened.

The branch that Jimmy was sitting on was not large enough to hold the weight of a Sparrow. Particularly one that was shaking in fear, like Jimmy was.

And the branch gave way and Jimmy began to fall. And as he fell he did what every bird does. He tweeted loudly and spread his wings to begin flying.

He didn’t get to fly though. What will happen to poor Jimmy??…>>

We write words on our sites.
Words we fuss over and worry about. Words we put together with other words to make sentences or statements that we hope someone else with find worthy of reading.

And we write because someone or something influenced us to do this.

On her site The Oolong Inkwell Mistina asked a question about our struggle between writing for external approval and writing for our personal satisfaction.

When I was 6 years old my Grandfather read me stories about animals and children.
And that same year, I read those same stories back to him.

I’m sure that I messed up a lot of the words. I probably even changed the stories into something that I remembered about them when he read the words to me.

But I told them. And it meant a lot to him. As it did to me.

My Grandfather died before I turned 7. And no, not because of my horrific story telling.

What I write today reflects the stories that we shared. Which is likely why when I checked the reading level my writing is geared to it shows that it’s written at a Grade 2 level. I was in Grade 2 when my Grandfather and I read the stories.

The sarcasm and satire are borrowed from my Father and the stories are from the place in my mind that read them to my Grandfather.

When I write a story it’s really for my Grandfather and my Father. I miss both of them.

They are my external audience. They are the ones I try to please.

And when I write for my personal satisfaction I write because the stories bring back memories of when I was that little boy reading to my Grandfather.
And because the sarcasm and satire bring back memories of my Father joking about things that happened.

As a writer we are all influenced by someone. Some event that happened in our lives that make us feel compelled to share our story with someone else.

So, today’s question is:
1)Who or what influenced you to start writing?

“I’m homesick” said Callii to her Parents.
“But we are home” replied Mother.
“This is our house. Our new house.” chimed in Father.

Mothers often don’t get it. Or they do but they don’t want it I suppose.

And Father’s are often completely confused by things that females say. Things like Callii’s comment. So confusing.

“Why do you feel homesick?” Callii’s Mother asked.

And as soon as he heard the word “feel” Father snuck off through the kitchen and out the back door. Why is Callii homesick? And where did Father go?

“Stop!!!” yelled Edna. And the dog stopped running. But he didn’t stop growling and showing his large sharp teeth.

“I know something that you need to know about.” continued Edna.

“What is that rabbit?” replied the dog. “It better be something really good or…”

“There’s another dog outside that dug up one of the bones you buried.” Edna blurted out before the dog could finish. “And he said he was going to bury it in his yard.”

“Oh that dog is in so much trouble” said the dog and he ran outside to catch the thief. Will Edna be ok? Will the dog catch the thief?..>>>