Sunday Salutations and Memorial Day Buddy Poppies
Inspired by Memorial Day remembrances, we give you a pleasant weekend of roses and random local birds. (This week had some unique birds for our neighborhood.)
Buddy Poppies for Memorial Day
Today a World War II veteran gave me a Buddy Poppy (trademarked by VFW) and inspired this post.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars organization first handed out poppies in remembrance of their buddies that didn’t make it home. Other veterans groups followed suit in adopting the poppy for this purpose. It is a sad but potent reminder of what memorial day is about, remembering the fallen.
https://www.vfw.org/community/community-initiatives/buddy-poppy
Roses and Remembrances
Our new roses are very vibrant this week, growing and some of the bright red reminds me of the little poppy that Tod picked up with morning. It also reminds me of military members I have known, from our nephew to our role-playing game friend. I am thankful for all the ones I have personally known, even those like my grandfather that have passed and were not taken from me via war or their duty. Still, it is nice to walk in the garden and our peace and serenity here and be grateful that I can have a valley of roses.
Our new roses are from Antique Rose Emporium. They came in wonderfully healthy and are growing very well in our Texas heat. (We recommend them but they only ship during a specific season.) https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/
Our newest Antique Rose Emporium, roses are below. They have been delightful to watch grow and bloom. They already look like bushes instead of sticks and are producing beautiful blooms from cream to brilliant reds.
Wings of Freedom - Our New Bird Friends
This week feels like summer and we have been seeing new and different birds. Oddly the smallest one was the loudest, but it isn’t that always the way?
This week we had a new little red-headed woodpecker was on the old power pole in the backyard. Tod has named him “Texas Pete” and already has a story in mind for our rather loud neighbor, possibly in future episodes of Chaos Critter Tails.
Yet his knocking was not only new feathered friends we found this week. Tod got some photos of these odd birds on the median eating bugs or worms from the ground this morning. Does anyone know what they are? I know nothing about birds, but I am always happy to see bugs getting eaten up.
Chaos Tip of the Week
Today, my tip is a little different. Go and find the place you find the most peace, feel the most free, and shut your eyes and thank the world for the blessings that make such quiet moments possible. Thank both the mortals and the supernatural/mystical that have blessed you.
Chaos Question of the Week
What advice do you think your rose would whisper to you at midnight? Do you think it would praise the sun, long for the cool of rain, or provide mystic singing praises about freedom, bravery, or the mysteries of the universe?
Publishing News: Five Seconds of Power
Our first superhero story, In Fine Print, is out and available on Amazon as part of Five Seconds of Power: A Five Second Rule Anthology!
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Seconds-Power-Kristina-Casasent-ebook/dp/B0F319V1M7
Through an accident of alphabetizing, we’re lead author! I guess we’re really Team And More emeritus now! We are joined by our fellow Alpha Merc Sam Robb, who was in the first anthology in which we were published and also published us in Minstrels of the Galaxy.
Based on the 5 Second Rule RPG from Lucky Newt Games.
Live Real Press says:
You are participating in a new study by L&G Inc. Though the compensation isn't very good, they could be the key to your dream of having superpowers. After weeks of pokes and prods, and far more mental and physical tests than should be legal, you are one of the few whose power awakens! The catch?
You're stuck in this facility with a few powered individuals until you learn how to work together as a team of superheroes. Oh yeah, and everyone's power—including yours—is limited by 5 seconds in some way.
So why go through all this?
Because someone mentioned there would be a portal at the end of this training that could take your group anywhere, anytime. And did you catch the part about being a superhero?
Loved the rose photos, Anna, Tod. Come the fall, we'll be ordering a rose from that company. 🫡
The wading birds look like American White Ibis, IIRC. 🤔
My favorite place is my back porch; this morning the Feline-muse slept on my foot while I worked on a short story. 🙂
"What would a rose whisper to me?" I suspect it might be, "Hey! Did you remember to turn off the hose after watering us?" 🤦♂️ I forgot once and ended up with a puddle under the faucet.
We went up in the Tetons today. Lots of peace there. Such glorious scenery. Snow for the pups to play in. Greens, reds, russets, golds, ore greens and the whites of the snow. Truly grand.