Chocolate milk, nachos and guacamole

Warning: Graphic content.

Previously published in the online magazine, Near to the Knuckle in 2014, this short story is what has been labeled "Not a harlequin"! www.close2thebone.co.uk 

If you like this, click the link to read my other suspense, under Michelle Whitehead.

Chocolate milk, nachos and guacamole

by Michelle Boomer

Warren was pleased with himself.

After months of struggle, he had finally reached the end of his journey.

His latest drive into town for his reward and subsequent spur of the moment detour had given him the inspiration he needed to finish what he started.

He always loved late night, or rather, early morning drives. It helped to clear his head. Being the only soul out in the sleeping town gave him a sense of peace and calm. Knowing hundreds of people were tucked in their beds while he was out roaming the streets, stopping at the local twenty-four hour grocery store to pick up his favourite nachos and guacamole, made him feel as if he were part of some great secret. Maybe he was.

Warren stood staring through the huge picture window in the study. It was still dark. The cool autumn sun wouldn't rise for another few hours.

He sipped is chocolate milk and turned back to his computer on the other side of the room. His arms were still a bit sore from lugging the packages out of the car.

After setting down his glass and rotating his shoulders a few times, Warren decided it was time to finish what he had started back in March. After all, he was on a deadline.

He sat at his computer and poised his fingers over the keyboard. This was a special moment and he wasn't about to rush through the end of his novel just to please his publisher. The end of a satisfying and lucrative career deserved special attention. And since this would be his fifth and final novel, he had taken great care to convey each character's experiences just enough for the reader to feel their emotions along with them yet not so much as to draw out an endless scene and lose interest.

Warren began typing the last pages of his thriller suspense. He was actually surprised at how well it had unfolded. He had taken great pains to make sure there was drama and intrigue to appeal to the male population, while at the same time incorporating romance and of course, the detailed sex scenes for the female population.

Uncontrollable crying broke his concentration.

He glared across the room, annoyed at the unwelcome interruption. Now, he would have to leave and deal with settling his nerves. Crying always unnerved him.

He decided to wander the grounds, roll in the dew covered grass. That always settled his nerves and hopefully by then the crying would have quietened. He only had one more day to finish his book before the deadline.

Warren lay on the lawn and played with the ring dangling from the chain around his neck. It used to belong to the most perfect woman he would ever have the pleasure of meeting.

Emily.

He had brought her to this very spot, underneath the willow tree, and proposed. The wedding was under the willow tree. Years later she died under the willow tree. He loved the will tree.

That's when he decided to write his fifth and final novel, to capture forever the best and worst parts of his life. He realized experiencing happiness differed with each life event.

Happiness from marriage wasn't the same as happiness from winning the lottery, or enjoying nachos and guacamole. It was the same with sadness. Feeling sad over the death of a loved one wasn't the same as feeling sad over spilling your chocolate milk.

That's how he had written four best sellers, he had lived most of them.

He stood up, brushed several blades of grass from his trousers and headed back inside.

The house was quiet.

Thank god.

He returned to the study and walked over to the fireplace. After several minutes he succeeded in starting the fire. He repositioned a log with the poker then decided it was now or never.

Time to finish his novel.

He typed out the final scene, the one with the victim and the perpetrator. The victim was sitting on a rather uncomfortable chair, no...couch, no...chair, yes, chair. Her hands were tied behind her back.

His fingers flew across the keyboard. He couldn't type fast enough, the words were racing from his mind to the keys to the screen.

The victim, Sophie, would regain consciousness and be confused. She wouldn't be able to talk, an old teddy bear would be stuffed in her mouth.

Oh, that's good. Creepy old teddy bear.

The perpetrator, Peter, would sit grinning in front of her. He would explain how sorry he was for her. This wasn't supposed to happen but she left him no choice. If she had just left him alone, stopped bugging him, laid off with the casseroles, then maybe she would still be in her tiny little home in the city instead of in the middle of nowhere.

Damn.

Warren stopped his flurry of typing and left the room. He had to pee.

He avoided looking into the mirror. He knew what was there. There was no reason to see the hollow face staring back at him. After his book was finished there would be time for sleep, and maybe some real food other than nachos and guacamole and chocolate milk.

He shook himself, flushed the toilet and washed his hands.

He walked back to the study and picked up where he left off.

The victim, Sophie, worked herself into such a state that she toppled over backwards and lay staring up at the ceiling, gagging on the teddy bear.

Good, that was good. Now, did the perpetrator right the chair?

Warren thought about that for a moment. He took a sip of his chocolate milk.

Yes, the perpetrator would be the gracious host and right the chair. Maybe, for ole' time sake, he would remove the teddy bear?

Warren didn't have to think about that. His fingers typed so fast he had to go back a few lines to fix a spelling mistake.

The perpetrator, Peter, removed the gag.

The victim, Sophie, begged and pleaded, apologizing for bothering him, asking what she could do to make things better. Anything he wanted, anything.

Now Warren was beginning to bore of the scene. Time to close out the book, end it.

The victim, Sophie, finally realized there was nothing to be done. She started to scream, over and over. Somehow she managed to fall forward in the chair, her face smushed against the carpet. Her screams would fall on the shadows of the room, echoing into the night, perhaps bouncing from tree to tree.

Oh that was good. Warren couldn't wait, almost done. Then he could reward himself with nachos and guacamole.

The perpetrator, Peter, would lay down beside her and stare at the green eyes red from crying. He would smile but do nothing to help.

The victim, Sophie, screamed over and over.

And now for the final paragraph.

Warren's heart was racing, his palms were sweaty, the keys on the computer were moist.

Her screams ended with the fireplace poker smashing her skull.

Warren wiped his hands of blood and sipped his chocolate milk.

Time for nachos and guacamole.

Meditating with children

As adults we know how beneficial it is to meditate, helping with physical, mental and emotional issues. If we had learned about meditation as children, many of us may be better able to cope with daily life. Mental health was never given attention 20 years ago as it is today. Things are changing, thankfully. Now we need to teach our children, to give them the tools most of us never had in our early years.

The question is...

How do you gain young people's interest in mediation? How in the world can preschool children sit long enough to meditate in the first place?

Much of what I have found from years of teaching is voice and tone make a difference. It's all in the delivery. This is the first step in gaining interest. "Guess what?..." or in a whisper "You won't believe who came to see me..." or "When I closed my eyes..." are only a few of the opening lines I've used when conducting a meditation. Now, I am reminded to meditate by my preschoolers. They are ready and waiting to begin!

After the voice and tone are set, how do you garner interest from a 3 year old? School age children will take a different approach, more conversational directed towards emotions, stress, anxiety, etc.

Step 1: Find a common interest between you and the child(ren). The most common and universal interest for children, preschoolers and school age most often, is wildlife. Many families have pets in the home. And for those who don't, often the child has the desire for a pet. Children may have a favourite stuffed animal, watch a particular show with animals, and so on. Bring the stuffed animal into the meditation, have it participate. Animals are part of nature, meditate in nature. Wildlife may come to them when they meditate and tell them things they need to know. This is one of the ways I teach children to listen to their hearts, or in adult language, listen to their intuition/instincts. By introducing a wild animal, cool and exciting for children, they are eager to see who visits them. Several of my preschoolers have seen wild animals, even mentioning those we had yet to discuss. This tells me they were drawn to the animal and that it did enter their thoughts.

Step 2: Ask why we meditate. This opens up the conversation, allowing you a starting place. Have they practiced meditation before? What do they know about meditating? What can it do? How does it help our bodies? There may be several answers, there may be none. Always find a positive way to acknowledge their contribution. Children like to know they are right, it helps build their confidence, public speaking, and group participation. They may have a reason why we meditate that didn't occur to you!

Step 3: Explain why we meditate, in their language! School age children are able to understand adult words such as intuition, instinct, energy, clearing, etc. These concepts are more difficult for the preschool child, although there are some children who are quite advanced for their years. "To get the yuckies out of our heads, to get the yuckies out of our tummies, so we can hear our hearts talk to us, so we can hear our tummies talk to us, to calm our bodies, so the animals can come to us", these are the exact phrases my preschoolers have used in the past, words they understand. We review why every day and they know their hearts will talk to them when the yuckies are out of their bodies. A great concept for them to grasp as meditating will be of great benefit when they get older.

Step 4: Be prepared to clarify. Example: Yuckies in my body. Children can understand yuckies, but in their bodies? How do they get there? Will I get sick? Yuckies come from pollution, and from there gently explain pollution from cars, foods, and thoughts that make them sad. Again, their language.

Step 5: Set the mood. Close the curtains/blinds. Choose the appropriate music. One of our favourite sounds is Dolphins and Whales. Another is crickets. There are hundreds of sounds and meditation music, experiment, and always ask the child's opinion. Our latest favourite is the lotus flower. This is a meditation with hand movements, the opening and closing of the lotus flower.

Step 6: Find a comfortable space/position. Have them close their eyes, cross their legs and listen to the music. Sometimes it is difficult for children to keep their eyes closed so they know they can put their hands over their eyes. Some of the children have went from crossing their legs to sitting forward on their knees, head to the floor. And if there is space, they lay on their stomachs or back. Ensure the child is comfortable.

End the meditation by asking them to share their thoughts, what or who came to them. There may not be any answer or there may be several. Always gauge the room/class/child and see if they want to share. Some may, some may not. Never push or give your thoughts, let them say what they like.

An amazing thing happened before meditation one day when we were discussing why we meditate. One little boy said that when our hearts are happy, we can help the mean people's hearts be happy too. We, the teachers, were stunned. A 3 year old child was able to understand that by having a happy heart, they would be able to help those who didn't. Miraculous!

Another day during meditation, one of the children had his eyes closed and was swaying back and forth moving his hands in the motion of in and out in front of his body. Was he subconsciously clearing the negative energy from his body? Was he listening to his intuition? My belief is yes, he was. Children at this young age act without thinking and are more likely to follow their instincts without knowing that is what they are doing.

Remember to make it fun. Children will request meditation and perhaps teach you things you need to know!

We are all deserving of life, together

All photos and images are the sole property of Mother Nature's Heroes and owner Michelle Boomer, unless stated otherwise in captions. Copyright 2018.

WARNING! May contain language and descriptions inappropriate for younger readers. Reader discretion advised.

Imagine seeing your child being thrown to the ground upon birth, her head smashing into the floor, her screams filling the room as she experiences the first horrific moments of life.

Picture your toddler with burns covering his body, ear dangling, eye socket empty, unable to utter a sound as the pain is too great and he is near death.

Visualize your preschooler held down by his neck, kicking and screaming as he is being abused by adults for their pleasure, laughing as your baby cries in terror, squeals of agony burned into your brain.

Vivid enough?

Site after site of horrific images, brutal and horrendous treatment, abhorrent cruelty, all by those who receive a perverse sense of joy and pleasure, in my opinion, in these inhumane acts. All re-posted by animal advocates, Mother Nature's Heroes as I call them. People determined to do all they can to end the violence against animals, to end the destruction, to end the suffering of an innocent life.

It has been several months since my last post. Why? Why continue to blog if I'm not consistent? What's the point?

As much as I want to educate and inform people of the conditions of wildlife and farm life, I have been avoiding writing this. To recall their treatment, their suffering, is extremely distressing to say the least and for much of the day I will be out of commission due to the immense sadness. Yes, this is real. Feeling the pain of their torment is overwhelming. Although not many people are like this, there are those few who, like me, feel for non-humans. Imagine that!

Elephants forced to perform, trainer with a whip

I have learned how Elephants are trained for humans to have the "thrill" of an Elephant ride. They are ripped from their mothers at a young age and abused, whipped and stuck with metal prods, beaten and tortured over and over, broken until they submit.

  

I have seen videos of sweet innocent kittens being dangled by their tails, crying out in pain and then set on fire! I have seen videos of a scared little kitten tentatively starting to smell the hand of a "man" who is calling so gently and then...he raises his boot and kicks the kitten high into the air! Videos of fur burned from a puppy, raw skin blackened, eye damaged, ear ripped off. Videos of a puppy after the brutal attacks received from humans, pain filling her eyes, all four feet cut off! Tigers with teeth missing, torn from their mouths, de-clawed which quite often results in pain the rest of their lives.  A baby calf literally pulled out of its Mother and allowed to smash the ground on its head and then be dragged away while the Mother is crying, calling for her child. Videos of the "King", the gorgeous lion, so emaciated he is unable to stand, ribs poking through his stretched skin as he lays on the ground unable to raise his head, waiting for death.

How is this acceptable? How is this any different than if these heinous acts were committed against humans?

The stories and images out there are beyond comprehension. They are inhumane acts. They are committed by people with black souls, heartless and hateful to the core.

I could go on with my description of the torture from these despicable things, as I won't call them human, they can't be.

In regards to the treatment of farm animals, I have heard it all. The primary argument is "This is how it is/been done", and so on. The life of the farm. Actually, no, it's not a life at all. And whether or not this is how it is, it doesn't make it right. If people are set on consuming meat, shouldn't these gifts be treated with care and dignity? Is there a reason for such violence against those you wish to consume? For everything that happens to the animal including their food consumption and stress, meat-eaters will also consume. You are what you eat is 100% accurate!

I'm not going to get into the debate of meat-eaters vs. Vegans. I have my opinions. What I can say and will: watch the videos of how these farm animals are treated.

http://www.pedalingagainstpoaching.com

Over these past several months I have had the pleasure of getting to know hundreds of heroes. I have had communications with sanctuaries, rescue sites and those raising funds to stop the hunting and poaching.

Jeff Harrison, creator of Pedaling against Poaching. He is cycling to raise money to stop the poaching of Rhinos. I have learned so much from him, including how many species of Rhinos exist! An amazing person dedicated to making a change! Check out his Instagram: pedaling_against_poaching. Thanks for everything you have done to educate me! And Thank you for being a hero to these beautiful Rhino's!

http://www.wildcatsanctuary.com

Another of my go to sites is Wildcat Sanctuary, located in Minnesota. They rescue big cats and have been of considerable help to me, even allowing their image of the now deceased black Jaguar to be on my business cards. Please follow them, support them in their mission to rescue. They have a large facility with numerous videos, including a "view from above", showcasing their sanctuary. There aren't enough words to Thank you for all you have taught me and helped me to teach! Thank you!


Big Cat Rescue located in Florida. They have done considerable work in rescuing big cats and helping to stop captivity, traveling across the country to save all species of cat from life in circuses, homes and zoos! They have guided tours of their facilities, post informative videos and have also helped me in educating my preschoolers. Thank you Big Cat Rescue for being a voice and teaching me about these magnificent beauties!

Siberian Tigers

Animal Defenders International, founded in 1990. They have fought to rescue animals from captivity including big cats, monkeys, bears and elephants. Please visit their website. The amount of work they do on behalf of wildlife is astonishing! From beginning to end they ensure the safety and long-term protection for animals. Their efforts are changing lives! Thank you for all you have done to educate and inspire others like myself! Words aren't enough!

http://conservationhalton.com

One of our favourite sites to visit is Mountsberg, part of Conservation Halton in Ontario. This site houses non-releasable birds of prey, receiving their injuries either due to human imprinting, human interference or naturally. They educate and care for over 2 dozen raptors including turkey vultures, a golden eagle and several red-tailed hawks. I had the pleasure of volunteering many years back and was blessed with feeding from the glove and caring for these magnificent creatures. Please visit their facilities and learn all about Canada's native raptors and how you can help preserve their kind.

Polar Bears International, Canadian Raptor Conservancy, Hope for Wildlife, Bear with Us Rescue and Rehabilitation for Bears, Dr. Jane Goodall, Shark Savers, Ocean Defenders, Jaguars into the Wild, The Dodo, Racing Extinction...there are so many wonderful people out there doing what they can to educate and protect and I'm honoured to have been able to talk to many of them!

Please note some of the rescues and sanctuaries I have mentioned have direct links to their websites under Friends of Mother Nature's Heroes on the side of this blog.

Now, for the sites that are posting and informing the public of the brutality. I have to say, I almost stopped following one of the pages due to the graphic images. I did message them and they made a good point. They agreed how horrendous the posts are and want people to realize what is actually taking place.

Animal News 123. Extremely distressing and disturbing videos. This is one of the sites I scroll past quite often due to the graphic nature of the videos. And these people are one of the reasons I'm changing my lifestyle to becoming vegan. The treatment of non-humans has caused such physical and moral unrest that I feel this is more than necessary. On their Instagram homepage their headline is: All Animals Matter! So true! If you would like to learn more about unethical treatment of life, follow their page!

Meat is Murder87. This page is another informative site. And another one where I learned about the vegan life and treatment of animals. They have sent me links to vegan recipes, answered any question I have asked and always been willing to educate and inform. Thank you for all you have done and are doing for our sweet non-humans!


I want to ensure all those who choose to read this blog that those heroes mentioned are only a few of the sites I follow. There are hundreds! I do want to point out, if you see a site with someone cuddling a wild animal, a tiger for example, they are not helping this animal but instead are participating in cub petting, an abusive practice solely for the purpose of profit and not for the benefit of the animal. Wild animals belong in the wild! Whenever I see a post of human contact, I continue to research and may contact the individual, sometimes with a nasty reply. Depending on their response is how I decide to support their project and educate my preschoolers. Big Cat Rescue and Wildcat Sanctuary have posted articles explaining why human contact is abuse.

Is human contact safe for all species of wildlife? In some cases, such as Elephants, I believe there is human contact at sanctuaries although I have yet to fully research these sites.

I am still learning, researching and asking questions! And it is because of what I'm learning that I am educating the younger generation. No, I don't show them the graphic videos. I never tell my preschoolers how people torture and murder.

My preschoolers know there are mean people out there who handle and hurt animals, wild and domestic. They know wild animals belong in the wild. They have learned when they see pictures of people holding a wild animal that they are "mean people"! They are learning the difference between those handling a wild animal for rescue and those who are handling to be mean. When we talk about mean people and hurting Mother Nature, they always say the mean people need to be put in a garbage can and taken to jail! Their words, never taught by me! So smart!

My goal in teaching these children is to hopefully instill the value of life, any life, into these young ones. They are learning to meditate and get the yuckies out so they can hear their heart and tummy, to calm their bodies and when they can do this, the animals may come to them as they have me. A start towards learning compassion for non-humans.

The young generation are much smarter than given credit. They have so much love and compassion. My favourite conversations with my preschoolers revolve around their desire to help Mother Nature.

I'm going to leave you with a comment from my almost 4 year old preschool student: When we do meditation we can help the mean people hear their heart.

We are all deserving of life, together

All photos and images are the sole property of Michelle Boomer and Mother Nature's Heroes, copyright 2018, unless otherwise stated in caption.

Happy World Animal Day! -Wildlife Wednesday

Today is World Animal Day! A day where we need to recognize and appreciate all that Wildlife is, beauty, peace and love.

Wildlife can be viewed as an extension of us. Or rather we are an extension of them? Often certain animals are viewed as bad, a word I abhor, or dangerous and so on. The fact is, none of this is true.

Wildlife just are. They live to experience, just as we do. They aren't going to come to your door in the middle of the night because they're hungry and want to eat you. They're not going to cut you off in traffic because they're in a hurry to go somewhere. They're not going to take anything from you because they want it. Wildlife does not bother humans. We bother them.

Are they dangerous? First ask "Are humans dangerous?" Anyone/creature can be dangerous in certain circumstances. If you decide to put yourself in a situation with a crocodile, elephant, snake, bear, giraffe, chimpanzee... you need to expect the outcome may not be what you want.

If you put yourself in a situation with a human who is intent on survival, you need to expect the outcome may not be what you want here either.

Wildlife act on instinct, survival and reproduction to put it simply. They are necessary for our planet. They are a gift for all of us to appreciate, each and every species. And they can help us if you choose to let them.

How? How can a squirrel help me, you ask? With this you need to open your mind. What do you believe in? Afterlife? A higher power? Messages from above? Did you ever stop to think that wildlife may have messages too, if you just listen?

Wildlife, Nature and the Environment can send messages. Yes, these words are in caps, because they are titles and I want to get my point across. Many cultures and religions believe in this. Now I'm not saying because a certain religion has this belief that you must also. What I am saying is pay attention to your surroundings and you may be surprised.

Example: I often had dreams, or rather nightmares of snakes and serpents hunting me. They would chase me, appear in the sky, wrap themselves around my arm and yes, I was bitten. Did it hurt? No. It felt like a pressure on my bicep. Was is trying to tell me something? Absolutely.

I have listened to the Snake and now it is one of my totem animals. I love and respect this animal so much that my first novel has a snake as the main character! Sally the Snake -The Quest to the Beginning was written before I grew to love this creature interestingly enough. Now she is published and I educate my preschool children about snakes as often as I can.

Have you ever looked into the eyes of an animal? Do you turn the channel when stories of wildlife abuse and cruelty appear on your t.v.? Do you pretend it isn't happening?

Wildlife has a direct connection to humans. What is happening to them is happening to us. The most obvious example is the Polar Bear. They are losing their habitat, food and numbers. Why? I think you know the answer. The world is heating up which means ice melts, simple. Ice melts=polar bears can't hunt=no food =no polar bears. Humans fault.

Overflowing city garbage=raccoons in homes=household damage=death to raccoon. Humans fault.

Yes, people are victims too I understand that. The difference is that wildlife doesn't choose to invade, starve, suffer. The situation is forced on them by humans. They act out of survival, instinct.

Today, on this World Animal Day, recognize these beauties and educate your family and friends. Wildlife is precious, special and such a gift to all of us. They are unique in their design. They are diverse in their abilities. They are simple in their complexity.

When you are driving your car and see a bird soaring high above, recognize its splendor. If a possum gets stuck in your garbage can, yes it has happened to us, show it love and speak softly. The poor thing is scared to death!

Maybe you live in an area where you haven't had the privilege of observing much wildlife. I have been speaking to an amazing site that allows you to view Wildlife in the natural habitat. Yes, you can see Polar Bears/Bears in the wild, Sharks in the ocean, Elephants drinking, Beluga whales, Baboons climbing down their trees in the morning - I watched them this morning!

Explore.org is a live cam site with footage all day, every day of nature's beauties! This is the site I use to show my preschool children how Wildlife live, not in zoos! I have told my former and current parents, family, friends and anyone who will listen, about this wonderful site where we can be a part of the beauty without disturbing those who live there!

Wildlife experience pain, sadness, joy. Some on levels unlike our own but should that matter? Are we the ones to decide if they feel or not? Life is life.

Let's love all life. Hate, fear and violence only produces more of the same. And showing respect and love to Wildlife can be the start of a better future for every living being on Earth.

I may have been rambling here a bit but for good reason. Too often I see the dismissiveness of others to anything that isn't human or even worse that isn't material! Technology, clothes, make-up, etc. are often more important than the life of another species. This is something I will go on about until I am unable to speak, read or write!

So, thank you for reading my rant and allowing me to express my love, my passion. After all:

We are all Mother Nature's Heroes, all deserving of life, together.

Getting Published! -Miscellaneous Monday

It's your first time publishing a book! Or maybe it's your 5th time! Either way, seeing all of your hard work come to fruition is exciting and overwhelming.

Hello all! Welcome back to Mother Nature's Heroes Family! Yes, we have been absent for a bit this summer!

So, what's new? Well, for the past couple of months I have been working diligently on my soon to be released preschool books!

We have an early middle grade novel doing quite well already! Sally the Snake -The Quest to the Beginning is well know in our community and several others in Southern Ontario! She has been well received and is the first in a series of middle grade novels which will eventually link with our upper middle grade novel entitled: Bala the Unicorn -The fight for Survival.

We will be releasing 4 preschool books this Fall! Here's a sneak peek at some of the illustrations and a bit of their storylines.

The first is called: Mr. Toad and the Volcano. This is a story about a toad hopping into a volcano and having to find a way out!!!

This story was the very first I told at a local day care in 2011! Upon telling the story, I asked the children how Mr. Toad could possibly get out of the Volcano. One thing you need to know, these were Toddlers! One little boy shouted out an answer which became the end of the story. Thank you Wil!

Telling this story led to the next. I usually make them up as I go, not knowing what is going to happen but always making sure the children are interested. If they're not, change it up!

The second preschool book is: Bunny and the Rocket Ship. Bunny wants to go to outer space but meets with danger during her trip!

The third and fourth books are: The Chocolate Monster and the Curse, The Chocolate Monster and the Witch. These books were made from one into two books due to the length of the story. They are about a chocolate monster, and evil witch and a curse that couldn't be broken!

These stories have been well told for the past 6 years! Finally, after not originally considering publication, I have decided to take these well loved stories to print! With full illustrations each page, your child will have the unique opportunity to colour their own book!

Yes, you read correctly! The stories are line drawings! Children will be able to personalize their story as they like!

After polling close to one hundred children, the vote was unanimous! Every single child would want their own unique story to colour!

Each of the illustrations was hand drawn, free hand, no tracing or help from an outside party involved.

So, why am I telling you this? Because once upon a time there was a little girl with a dream but no one (except her Mother), teacher, family, friend had faith she could do much of anything, she was little, quiet and not outgoing. Being an Author and more specifically an Illustrator was out of the question. Do you know how many people want to be the next big thing? Too much competition, you're not an artist, everyone does it, thousands write and never get published, self-publishing isn't recognized, and on and on and on.

The thing is, self-publishing is being recognized! Long gone are the days where all you had to do was look at a book and know right away it was self-published. Years ago I purchased a book from a self-published Author, wanting to support him in his dream. Upon opening the book, I noticed the haphazard margins, lack of consistency in the print, the length of the pages, the poor colour, etc. Yes, this was definitely self-published. I felt bad for this man.

Now, self-publishing involves editing, correct margins, precise colouring of illustrations, obtaining ISBN's, and promotion, promotion, promotion among other things!

I had the good fortune to have lengthy emails, a couple years ago, with a well-published and well-known children's Author who has travelled our great country at length. (Due to the unavailability of this person and not being able to request a quote, I am unable to reveal his name.) I was educated about the publishing world quite thoroughly. At this time, this Author has sold a million of his books and is still going! And he is self-published! How's that for legitimacy?

What I have learned is that neither the self-publishing or traditional publishing houses have much nice to say about one another. If you pursue the traditional route, it is often best to have an agent. Obtaining one is difficult to say the least. There is no guarantee they will sell your book. If they charge you, they are not a legitimate agent. Real agents only get paid if you get paid, remember that.

After attending several writing seminars, writing courses and researching for hours and hours, I have learned there are both positives and negatives to each world. It is more difficult to find an agent and publishing house, but the marketing and exposure is vast.

While self-publishing may appear the easy route, you have to market and promote which can be challenging given your knowledge and sales ability. After all, you are selling yourself.

I was originally signed by a boutique publisher. The back and forth from one contact to another over a span of several months, 4 different people in total I believe, was stressful. I never knew who knew what about my contract, or who was doing what or why did they give me contact after contact?The original contract was not honoured and after a year and a half of nonsense, I ensured it was terminated. Needless to say, not all small publishing companies are honest or care about the author. Sad, but true.

So, in the end, you must set your priorities, your commitment, your time, and your level of persistence to help you determine the best path for you. Talk to Authors, take courses, attend seminars and meet agents. Get a feel of what you're willing to do.

The one positive from the boutique publisher was the lack of Illustrator they were to obtain. This never happened. How is this a positive? I forced myself to be the Illustrator and now I will have completed 5 books as of this fall. How's that for determination!

You never know what you're capable of or what your priorities actually are until you are in the situation. Focus, strive for your dream. Always.

And no I haven't forgotten Fact or Fiction Friday. The last entry was the Shed. Did you guess is correctly? Fiction? Yes, although the actual Shed is located in the Halton region of Southern Ontario.

We are all Mother Nature's Heroes, all deserving of life, together.

The Shed -Fact or Fiction Friday!

This Fact or Fiction story is for you to figure out whether or not this is a true event or one of complete fabrication.

Hello all! It has been a bit since our last post, summer has been extremely busy for Mother Nature's Heroes which is a good thing!!!

As you may recall, Fridays will be dedicated to stories, be them truthful or not, regarding any topic.

Now, on to the reveal of our last Fact or Fiction Friday-The Inheritance. Did you figure it out? Research on the internet? Guess?

This was FICTION! Although the house in the photos as well as the gentleman did/do actually exist, the story behind them is completely false! You can find this story on Commuterlit.com entitled "The Surprise" by Michelle Whitehead.

To refresh your memory about the rules of the game: anything written after the words-Fact or Fiction may indeed be true or not.  Until you read the same words again, everything in between is part of the story.

Let us begin!

FACT OR FICTION?

This story takes place in north Burlington, just off of Walker's line.

There is an old abandoned shed, picture seen here, in the middle of no where so it seems. Beautiful wild flowers grow along side the back, a rickety wire fence with large gaps is a few feet away.

You have to climb somewhat of a steep hill off the side road to get to it, and if you didn't know it was there, you would never climb the hill, as you would probably never seen the almost non-existent path leading up to it.

This shed can be seen from Rattlesnake Point, high above the shed, where climbers like to practice their rappelling skills.

Now, old abandoned houses, sheds, shacks, buildings of any kind usually have a story and this one is no different.

I met a young lady while hiking with my husband at one of the conservation parks, who had lived in the area since birth but more importantly, her family had lived in the area since the late 1800's! Like me she loved history and discovering the stories of her ancestors.

She was familiar with this particular shed and actually asked me why I was interested.

Honestly, I had no idea why. Curiosity mainly. Why was this shed standing in the middle of no where, with no other buildings in sight? There was no road leading up to it, no path other than the one I made through the long grass up the hill, crawling over the broken wire fence behind the shed.

I have always  been intrigued by dilapidated buildings, especially those with no apparent connection with previous life.

She told me the shed had belonged to one of the farms which had since been torn down, just a mile from the shed. The shed was one of the storage buildings farmers would use to store machinery needed for their crops, especially if one broke down at the back end of the property. There was no dead body, or hidden treasure or anything sinister like you see on T.V.

So, the mystery of the shed was no mystery at all. But I did want to see what kind of machinery I could find, and if these antiques were still there. What an amazing find if anything was left, so naturally we went back and I went inside the shed. The entire front side of the building was gone which led me to believe this lady's story was probably true. The less material needed, the less money spent back in the day.

We dug through the rusted piles of metal, nothing seeming to have any particular shape, mostly piles of broken old farm equipment. I couldn't make anything out, nor could my husband. We found nests of wild animals, skeletons of rodents and other small creatures which was interested as I love teaching about wildlife. I decided to carefully pick up a few bones to examine and see if we could figure out what kind of animal they belonged to. As it was shaded in the shed, we couldn't tell at that time.

We trekked back down the hill to the dead end road and went home. The bones we collected were of a skunk and a bunny, no surprise.

Several weeks later we had a knock on the door. When my husband opened the door there was a policeman on the other side.

A dead body had been found yards from the shed, buried only recently and someone had seen us drive down the road. Since the road was used for the Quarry nearby, they wrote down our licence plate and reported suspicious activity! When we were questioned, interrogated more like it, and our fingerprints taken without a lawyer,-we were quite young at the time, it was discovered that we were the prime suspects. Our fingerprints were all over the murder weapon. A rusted piece of metal.

This happened years ago and I'm writing it to tell everyone to leave well enough alone. Leave the old abandoned buildings, the apparent neglected locales, the broken what-evers. Please. I'm telling this in the first person as I don't wish my identity to be known, it has been hard enough to fit back into society and we have moved several times and now live in a different country. We never want to return to our hometown, ever.

FACT OR FICTION?

Love of all life -Wildlife Wednesday

Sitting at my computer late this evening, when I usually would have a blog posted, I find that I'm having a hard time focusing on what I want to say. I had originally intended to write about the Big Cats, or Birds of Prey, or the Wolf population. However I feel compelled to write about the recent posts I've have read on the popular social media page facebook.

As you read my blog, you will begin to understand my love and passion for wildlife, hence the day dedicated to just this topic.

Every day I read a post, article or other informative piece of information regarding the plight of our wilderness. Tonight I read how children tortured a small defenceless puppy and it brought me to tears. Tears to the point of sobbing at such horrific abuse, and the torment this sweet baby endured.

I will never understand how the brain develops the ability to inflict such torture, pain and complete lack of empathy for another living creature.


This post isn't intended to educate, or give factual information. This post is to express and evoke a sense of emotion for creatures other than ourselves.

Look into the eyes of your pet. See the life. See the personality. Our fur babies have personalities, attitudes, unique behaviours that make them who they are. Anyone with a pet knows this.

Feel the love. Feel the connection. Look into their eyes and see the life, the profound love they have for their human. The sheer joy they express when you open the door after coming home from work, when they can't seem to get enough of you and follow you from room to room, happy you're there.

Hear their heartbeat when you lay your head on their chest, the life other than your own. Feel their soul when you rest your face on their body, the knowledge that another creature is breathing, thinking, existing that you didn't create. This is a member of your family, a sacred being, a special creature your chose to be part of a special bond, your Family. Nothing is more sacred than the love shared among family.

Now, imagine this life broken. Legs snapped. Fur burned. Head battered and bloody. Tail ripped from their body, or limp and dangling on the ground. Their fearful eyes crying, not understanding why. Not understanding what they did to deserve the brutality.

Imagine this poor defenseless creature stuffed into a garbage bag, knot securely tightened, sitting in the back seat of a car until it is thrown out the window into the ditch, like the trash. Unwanted garbage that no one will miss, laying in the grass, starving to death, crying for it's Mommy, screaming out of fear. Imagine the horror this being is experiencing, not knowing what is going on, with no Mommy or Daddy to protect it, unable to breath. Vivid and horrific, right?

This is happening. Children are torturing pets, domestic animals for enjoyment! And not just children, adults too.

Helpless, defenseless creatures often become the victims of human games. From lighting a kitten on fire, to throwing one out the car window and worse. Whatever you can imagine is happening.

It is the job of the adult to instill the love and care for Mother Nature in the next generation. While one may feel wildlife is not as important as humans, there must also be the realization that wildlife is here for a reason, if only to make people empathetic to life other than their own.

I often think of the creatures living a fearful existence, and hope they either leave their world of torture sooner than later, or that somehow, someway, they will be saved. No life deserves to suffer. No life deserves to live in fear. No life deserves to experience brutality. Ever.

I like to think that while this is my opinion, I'm not alone in my beliefs. I hope there are more people with the desire to protect life rather than destroy it for the "enjoyment" they think it brings. And in fact, there is no enjoyment, just behaviours indicative of deranged and sociopathic individuals.

After all, we are all Mother Nature's Heroes, all deserving of life, together.