Monday Muse - Storm

My Muse decided to be a day late and several dollars short on the Sunday Scribblings prompt, but I figured better late then never so I'm overriding Miss Muse and posting it today.  :)

~~~

Helena ran from the building, flames’ as bright as her hair, licked her heels setting forth a wrath upon her.   What seemed such a simple inquiry turned the robe-clad man into a veritable tempest.

“Who do you think you are to presume to question His mind, His words, His feelings!”

Who was the answer she sought. 

Until a week ago, she’d spent eighteen lonely years in the Mount of Lost Hope orphanage.  The sisters raised her, if one considered three squares a day plus scripture, psalms and prayers enough, to understand the world beyond the austere walls.  She spent days steeped in exhaustive manual labor.  The deepest dark of the night brought whispers of her past, her heritage and little known facts which left her young mind confused.

Now as an adult, out from the heavy handed sisters, the nighttime voice came less often.  When they did reach out to her the words used were meant to arouse and entice.

Tonight, as she ran through the streets, shadows reached out to her, tempting her to sin.  Each corner she passed promised her a place, tempted her with more money and less respect than her current job cooking and cleaning at the local shelter.  Yet, like every other night she moved past them, determined to make tomorrow better than today.

Winds whipped viciously and gathered the mist to hide her.  The damp, wet air brought with it a sense of peace.

Closer to her shelter home, bursts of energy lit the night sky.  Each successive blast showed her shadow against the brick wall.  Beside her the silhouette of a winged beast hovered.

“That can’t be, can’t be…” Helena’s voice cracked and her hand went to the infinity shaped medallion left with her as a baby. “I will not fear that which is not real.”

Oh, I’m quite authentic, Helena Magda. One day soon you’ll see just how real I can be…

Helena swallowed a screech and beat feet to the shelter.  Each step contained a plea to the heavens for protection from God, Goddess or the Natural Mother.  She prayed someone would hear and protect her from the coming storm.

A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond

Currently Reading: Riding Wild by Jaci Burton

Currently Writing:  The Submission (rewrites)  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.

Robert J. Sawyer
 

Friday Retro...

Picture taken from Library of Congress collection

Here's something I adore about gardens...they're eternal. This picture was taken at Mrs. Francis Lemoine Loring's home in 1917 and I'm telling you, it looks like the picture could have been taken yesterday. 

A good garden, imho, takes time out of the equation. If I can sit amidst the beauty and daydream myself into the past, present or future as is my mood of the day, I consider it a win.

A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Fly by Sugar Ray feat.Super Cat

Currently Reading: Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Currently Writing:  More ideas for Talbot's Peak stories.  Editing:  The Submission

Word of the Day:  fard \fahrd\, verb:

1. To apply cosmetics.

noun:
1. Facial cosmetics.

~Another reason I rarely wear make-up.  I could never say "excuse me while I fard." without busting something important with my out of control laughter!~

Tasty Tuesday...

Asian Glazed Drumsticks
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 drumsticks • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 213 • Fat: 4.7 g • Protein: 27.5 g • Carb: 12.7 g • Fiber: 0.4 g  

• 8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
• olive oil spray (I used my Misto)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 4 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.


~Mmmm now doesn't that look yummy!  I took chicken out for dinner tonight, but I'm just so bored with the ways we usually make it, I could cry.  I want to try something fresh and new as long as it's easy peasy.  See I hate cooking.  LOL  Yes, I hate to cook, yet I'm bitching about the same old same old we do with our meals.  I guess I need to get over my disinterest in traditional kitchen activities and find a way to start liking the task...then, will the meals get better?  ;) ~

A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Same Old Song and Dance by Aerosmith

Currently Reading: Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton

Currently Writing:  Ideas for Talbot's Peak stories seem to be rummaging around my brain today.  I might just go with it for a bit.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  Let all of life be an unfettered howl. Like the crowd greeting the gladiator. Don't stop to think, don't interrupt the scream, exhale, release life's rapture.

Vladimir Nabokov

 

Happy Earth Day!

~And a special shout out to my niece who's celebrating her Golden Birthday. Happy 22nd, sweetheart!~

Friday Retro...

Looky here, this picture fits with last Friday's Retro...just from a different view.  That pic shows the sexy fun side of corsets.  This one the reality.

The Queen of Greece circa 1910-1915...gorgeous isn't she. The dress is beautiful, the crown is stunning and the throne is awesome (yeah I like chairs)  Too bad she's probably on the verge of passing out from lack of oxygen....could that waist be any smaller?  Sadly, yes, it certainly could.

I get fashion being about others perception and if everybody else has an Aeropostale shirt, I need one too (lol - Darling Diva and I had that conversation a while back) But thank goodness the rib deforming corseting went out of style...I can just hear my DD saying what other DD's back then must have said, "but mother, my waist must be the tiniest!"  Stomps slippered foot.  "Break the rib if you need to..."

Ugh...fashion flop in my book.  Now that doesn't mean corsets can't be fun in the boudoir, tightened just enough to push up the boobs and give one heck of a cleavage.  ~wink~

A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Changes IV by Cat Stevens

Currently Reading: The Darkest Seduction by Gena Showalter

Currently Writing:  Nothing...this blog and my Shapeshifter Seduction offering were the first writing I've done all week.  So, so busy.  I'm hoping next week is better, quieter.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  Do your bit to save humanity from lapsing back into barbarity by reading all the novels you can.

Richard Hughes

 

Friday Retro...

Oooh look, a dress-up trunk for big girls!  I want one.  ;)


A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Thunderstruck by ACDC

Currently Reading: Afterglow by Cherry Adair

Currently Writing:  More plotting/ideas at this point for my werewolves.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  There are no good girls gone wrong - just bad girls found out.

 - Mae West

 

Wednesday Weave

~sigh~  This weaving thing is harder than I realized.  I started off intent on making a scarf...how hard could that be, right?  Well, right from the start I pooched it.  See, I don't know if you can tell from the picture above, but the solid colored length is how it should look.  Straight and full.  The multi-colored section has a decided hourglass look.  Wide at the ends and thin in the middle. 

So, goodbye scarf! 

All is not lost though...all practice is good practice and my scarf has turned into a pillow. One more solid for the opposite side of the pattern and I'll sew them together, add a back and stuff that baby.  Will it work?  I can only hope...

A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:   Mean by Taylor Swift.   Not sure why this song has hit my radar today,  Darling Diva hasn't been playing it, but it has a catchy tune and I like the sentiment.  Heck, its not the first time I've listen to the kidlet's music when she's not here...I'm guess it won't be the last.  ;)

Currently Writing:  Blogs and hopefully werewolves.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  Each moment is a place you've never been.

- Mark Strand
The Pulitzer Prize-winning poet was born on this day in 1934.

Currently Reading:  Magic Unchained by Jessica Andersen.  Her Nightkeepers series has been inspired and a joy to read.  Awesome characters and a great storyline.
 

Word of the Day: 

pyknic \PIK-nik\, adjective:

1. Having a rounded build or body structure.

noun:
1. A person of the pyknic type.

Pyknic entered the English language in the 1920s. It came from the Greek word pykn meaning "thick."  ~dictionary.com

 

Monday Muse...

~So I'm letting the muse out to give me her thoughts on the picture above and here's what she came up with, go figure.  hehe~

A convent...how archaic.  Did her father really think sending her to live among those sexless women would curb her desires?  No matter how many hours the nuns forced her to spend on her knees, praying for the exorcism of her sin would she forget Anton and all of the beautiful ways he plied her body with pleasure.  She, the future Queen, would rather take her chances in the whispering woods than turn away from the physical bliss found in the arms of her lover.



A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Piece of Pie by Stone Temple Pilots

Currently Reading: Promises in the Dark (Shadow Force, #2) by Stephanie Tyler

Currently Writing It's more plotting/ideas at this point for my werewolves and blogging.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day: 
The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof. 


- Barbara Kingsolver

Happy Easter!

Friday Retro...

I have an endless fascination with buildings and the stories they have to tell... Can you imagine the wealth of activity in this establishment back in the day?

*Children after penny candy
*Men drinking
*Women dancing
*Locals playing music

Those are just a few of the very human things that could have/probably did go on here, but what about the supernatural things?  Most likely this building sat at a crossroads...there could be demons, ghosts, shifters seeking prey...vampires looking for a sip of their own.  Oh yeah, this building will be fun to write about.


A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Thrift Store Chair by Everclear

Currently Reading: Good Girls Don't by Victoria Dahl

Currently Writing It's more plotting/ideas at this point for everything from werewolves to Talbot's Peaks Doomed Love Club.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  It is very risky. But each time a child opens a book, he pushes open the gate that separates him from Elsewhere.

- Lois Lowry

 

 

The Grind...

 ~Whew~  It's Monday again and I feel like I need a break already.  Not good.

From an uber-busy weekend where I barely found time to breath, to a week that looks not much quieter, I find myself wondering it this is to be the new standard in my life?

I hope not.  I have writing to do.  ;)


A Day in the Life of Serena 

Song of the Day:  Cherokee Fiddle by Johnny Lee (Urban Cowboy soundtrack)

Currently Reading: Riptide by Cherry Adair

Currently Writing(In my lucid dreams):  Werewolves and blogs.  Editing(I hope):  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.

- Elbert Hubbard

Recently Read Review:

Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved it! As usual, I was sucked in...set to spin and wrung dry, but wanting to do it all again. If I hadn't already been in love with Tohr from the beginning, watching him make the hard decisions in this book would have sealed the deal.

View all my reviews