Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Ghost Stories #InsecureWritersSupportGroup #OctPoWriMo

  

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

October 2 question - Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.

I shall combine this question with the following prompt and create a Haibun for your reading displeasure. Imma call this one Ghost Stories.


My early memories include my father reading A Christmas Carol. Scrooge's ghosts have stuck with me throughout my life.

I was a precocious child and a bit of a Wednesday Addams. By the time I was six years old, I was reading Edgar Allan Poe and my father’s collection of EC and Warren comics. I loved the horror hosts who, despite their fearsome appearances (and Vampirella’s scanty attire), were actually quite wholesome.

In my first grade classroom, there was a book about a haunted house with an evil spirit in a jar. I’ve never found another copy of this treasure.

being forgotten

never being recognized

forgetting oneself

And now, it's picture time! The prompt is universal fear.

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay



What if Death shows up looking like Jeeves rather than a robe-wearing skeleton with a scythe? Would that make him less scary? 
"Good evening, Ma'am. Would you care to follow me to meet your maker for a spot of tea?"
According to this picture, Death is a jellyfish-headed mothafucker with lobster claws for hands because I can't draw people. Or much of anything else, really.

As an added bonus, here's a text I received Monday morning.
Surely, there's no reason to suspect that it's phishing. Doesn't USPS always wish their customers a day filled with positivity and joy?

In other news, I've decided not to continue my attempts at building a subscription option on Ream. I've learned that Michael Evans, a genuinely good guy, was forced off the platform he founded. Instead, I intend to focus my subscription-building efforts on my Substack.  

I wish the person playing the loud music with the repetitive rhythm that's giving me a headache would fall into a sinkhole along with their device of annoyance. I'm not the least bit sorry for wishing this. 

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

Image by Rashid Asgher from Pixabay
Ornery Owl is working on making peace with her inner owlet.






My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.



Enjoy some synthwave.




To follow this month's poetic adventures, visit my poetry blog.


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Visit my Start page.



Thursday, September 12, 2024

The Lessons of the Scarecrow 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Willgard Krause from Pixabay

harmless and straw-stuffed
diabolic rural fiend
what is Scarecrow's truth?





Image by Holger Grybsch from Pixabay

Sometimes, an image is wonderful, but it isn't the right choice to convey your intent most effectively. This is true for both visual and written work. 

I initially selected the image of the friendly straw dolly-style scarecrow to illustrate my poem because I didn't want to use the stereotypical horror movie scarecrow. However, this image was not the most effective choice. The shadowy scarecrow figure's ambiguity perfectly conveys the poem's message. It's just a harmless old scarecrow hanging in a field--isn't it? The shadows seem malevolent, but that's just a trick of the light. Probably.

The right image at the right time brings power to your work, lending it a lasting impression. There's nothing wrong with the straw dolly. She can be repurposed. In fact, she will be my model for today's etching. She simply didn't bring the most evocative energy to my scarecrow poem.



I once read an essay about writing good Haiku. Unfortunately, the only thing that stuck with me from this article was that it referred to certain of its samples as "bad" rather than simply showing how they could be written more effectively. Nothing discourages aspiring artists, poets, and writers more than the fear that their efforts will be ridiculed. Shame is not an effective motivator. It is more likely to encourage a person to abandon their efforts than to spur positive changes. 

My scarecrow Haiku will never win any prizes. It probably breaks several rules of Haiku perfection. However, my motivation when writing it was not to win any prizes. I wanted to contrast the harmless scarecrow archetype with the horrific version and raise the age-old question: can you judge a book by its cover? Are scarecrows funny, floppy beings, or sinister creatures hiding wicked secrets? At the heart of it, my true motivation was to pair philosophical concepts with a bit of fun, and I believe I succeeded in that goal. 

I'm not going to do a combination post this time. This post will work nicely for my Substack and as a free post for my Ream channel. 

While I am still committed to the 30 Days of Haiga project, not all 30 days will take place in September. Because of other commitments, I am taking the pressure off myself by making this a quarter-long project rather than a month-long one as I've done in years past. If I write the last of my 30 annual Haigas in December, it's fine.

I'm still learning to pace myself rather than beating myself up for being unable to comply with the too-ambitious goals I tend to set for myself. I consider this decision a win. Creativity should be enjoyable rather than feeling like horrible homework. 

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

Image by LoneWombatMedia from Pixabay

Scarecrows and I have something in common; we're both outstanding in our field. 

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.


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https://naughtynetherworldpress.substack.com/

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Cold Crow and Drab Duck 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

either cold or hot
crow is a dish best not served
choose your words wisely

The prompt put me in a Senryu state of mind.



I know this bird is actually a raven. But it makes a nice stand-in for a crow on its nice, snowy background.

Image by Bianca Van Dijk from Pixabay




Mandarin Duck

Image by Yana Vakulina from Pixabay

mandarin she-duck
beautiful in her own way
despite drab feathers

The Prompt:




Image by eriko okuno from Pixabay


I believe the only place you'll see ducks like these is when taking a trip, and I'm not talking about going for a drive to the local pond in your car.

Do you pity the female Mandarin duck because nobody compliments her drab plumage? I don't. I wish I could be more like her.

When I was younger, I thought I wanted men to be ga-ga over my looks. I was also very conflicted about my body. I hated it when my hips developed but I wished I had bigger breasts. I hated it when gross men whistled or shouted at me from car windows or construction sites, but I wanted the guys my own age to want me. 

I never had the kind of looks that would have made me a sex object. I had a big butt and thighs with a modest chest. My face was "too round" even when my weight was "proportional to my height." I had cosmetic work done on my chin and teeth to make my face more conventionally attractive. 

After having liposuction on my chin, my delightful boss at the airport clothing store told me I should get something done about my "chipmunk cheeks." As she said this, she pinched my cheeks. I was too astounded to say anything. My face was bruised and puffy, I had a compression bandage wrapped around it to help reduce the swelling, and this maniac was pinching my cheeks. This is one of those times where there simply were no words. 

As I got older, I attracted attention because I have the "wrong kind" of body. I have the kind of body where everyone thinks it's their right to tell me how I should change my body. I think it's my right to tell them all to fuck off. 

Unlike my younger self, I don't want to be noticed for my looks in any way, whether it's positive or negative. I look different, so my looks attract attention. I want my creations to get noticed, not me. 

Peter Frampton once said he didn't understand why photographs always focused on his face when it was his hands that made the music. Phil Lynott said that even though he didn't encounter serious racial prejudice (his mother was Irish and his father was from Guyana) he was, nevertheless, aware that he was "other," and it bothered him. 

I resonate with both of these thoughts. What difference does it make if I look like a Playboy centerfold or if I look like a Playhutt centerfold? I'm not a pinup girl, I'm a poet and writer. You don't have to see me to read my words. If you're thinking about me rather than what I've written, either you're a stalker or I need to improve my technique.

As for being "other," I spent decades trying to change my appearance because I thought I looked ugly.

I may never have been beautiful, but I didn't look ugly. I looked like an East European peasant with my round face and stocky body. If that's not your thing, that's fine. I'd never try to force anyone to pretend they think I'm beautiful. 

Here's the thing, though. If you behave like someone not resembling your ideal bed partner is presenting a personal affront to you simply by existing, you, not they, are the problem. Not being attracted to someone is not a reason to treat them like garbage. 

Rather than seeing people's appearances as attractive or ugly, I see them as attractive or neutral. It's a person's behaviors that make them seem ugly, not an asymmetrical face, wonky teeth, the size of their body, or any other external factor.

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.









Friday, September 6, 2024

Final Market of the Year and Hawks 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by G.C. from Pixabay

browsing unique gifts

final market of the year

in a lengthy life

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-69-year-market-toshi-no-ichi.html


I ran the photo through several filters. I really like the stark contrast between the light and shadows. 


Here's the image I (ahem) DREW inspiration from for today's etching.


I had no idea scratching out a bunch of gnomes and other weird things would take so long. I don't think I'll be etching a hawk today. Maybe tomorrow. 

Red tail hawk by Jim Black on Pixabay

out on the prairie

hawks perching atop fenceposts

watching for a meal

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-70-hawk-taka.html


My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Winter Grasses 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Agata from Pixabay

grasses gone to sleep

creatures hibernate beneath

winter has arrived

The Prompt:

https://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2012/12/carpe-diem-68-winter-grasses-fuyu-kusa.html


Here's my first image. From a graphic design standpoint, this is fantastic! The simple lines and bold colors make a strong visual impact, and I tried to ensure that my text art blended in with the feel of the grasses and berries rather than trying to upstage the background.

I'm a graphic design school dropout. I went for one semester in 1998 and never went back. I was hoping to get into video game design. The very first instructor I had took a disliking to me. I really didn't want to go into advertising design, which was her focus, and she seemed to take that personally.

I didn't want to simply copy the above image for my hand-drawn version, so I chose a different picture.

Oh boy, it's a horse. I suck at drawing animals. Challenge accepted anyway because the rainbow scratch paper may make my awful rendition charming in spite of itself.



My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

The Old New Year and Fruitless Blossoms 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 


in a time long gone
new year came at harvest end
heralding winter

The Prompt:

Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

days grow warmer now
in time of fruitless blossoms
world awakening

The Prompt:

I'm aware these Haiku have not been transformed into Haiga. The last couple of days have been terribly busy. I prefer to Haiga in a leisurely fashion these days.

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.



Sunday, September 1, 2024

Winter Camellia Warmth 30 Days of Haiga 2024

 

Image by Mirko Stödter from Pixabay

warmth and happiness
from the winter camellia
in a pot of tea


Digital manipulation by Cara Hartley/Ornery Owl created using Pixlr.
Text art by Ornery Owl


Here is the photo I referenced when making my drawing.


Etching by Cara Hartley/Ornery Owl



Here's my etching with text added in Pixlr.

My creations are © 2024. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0.

Here is the prompt I used for inspiration.

I'm being cheeky with this Haiku. Camellia sinensis is a shrub with white flowers from which we get tea leaves.

Camellia sinensis. (2024, July 15). In Wikipedia.

Enjoy this wonderful, relaxing music while I tell you about this year’s 30 Days of Haiga project.

https://odysee.com/@qooietly:f/m-i-r-a-g-e-deep-relaxation-ambient:1?r=GTwnGJ4fFBQfzuJgpHVpfKBKaC9b8B16

Haiga is Haiku paired with an image. This year, I have rainbow scratch paper and am challenging myself to create my Haiga with a picture I draw. My drawing talent may be similar to that of a six-year-old using their non-dominant hand, but creating my own picture uses different areas of my brain than creating a Haiga using a photograph and a photo manipulation program. I intend to utilize both techniques this year.

As of this writing, I’ve been participating in the 30 Days of Haiga challenge for ten years. However, the challenge was not my brainchild. As far as I know, it was created by Rick Daddario of the 19 Planets Art Blog.

https://19planets.wordpress.com/

The challenge is very special to me, and I will probably continue doing it until I can’t anymore.  


Enjoy this ambient mix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsDMaSiuI4o

This Halloween ambience is pretty much the best music for writing anything ever.