From black to grey and grey to red
Streaks of orange and purple form overhead
The eastern sky comes awake
As I begin my journey at daybreak
As the world’s slumber comes to an end
To our daily labours we must now attend
Time to rise, to stretch and yawn
And welcome yet another dawn
Padre
Meant to do it
‘Twas suppos’d to go that way
It was in the plan
It’s really okay
An action deliberate
I didn’t stray
I’d do it again
Any other day
Padre
“It was a brush with death, I tell you,” Mary declared to her friends Peter and Jane.
“What happened?” Jane exclaimed.
“I was crossing the little foot bridge over by the train station, and just as I was halfway over my phone rang. I stopped to get it from my jeans pocket, and I slipped.”
“You mean you fell from the bridge onto the tracks?” Peter asked with a worried expression.
“No, but I did drop my phone on the ground. My whole life is on it.”
Padre
The Dune War, or more correctly The Dune Wars, were actually two separate conflicts between the kingdom and the Ralulee Sultanate. They spanned about twenty years, and brought these two great lands to near ruin.
The First Dune War was fought over the disputed lands of the Trans-Runnel, an area popularly known as “The League Lands” by citizens of the kingdom. This large, highly fertile region was sparsely populated, but the availability of cheap productive land, soon drew settlers from both sides of the border. War, however became inevitable when settlers of kingdom origin declared themselves an independent state; prompting Sultan Razuli the Sixth to respond in order to secure the integrity of his sovereign lands. The mobilization of the Ralulee created calls for King Gomez to intervene on behalf of “Our League Cousins.” These calls, however, were largely ignored in the name of peace, until a small detachment of “Leaguemen,” made a valiant stand against the sultan’s army at a hastily fortified trading post known as “Il Iimu.” The subsequent massacre of the two hundred defenders led to a national uproar throughout the kingdom, and cries of “Remember Il Iimu” echoed throughout the land. Gomez’ hands were tied by popular opinion, and open conflict between the two great powers began the following spring.
After three years of brutal war, “The Peace of League Town,” led to an uneasy settlement with the League Lands maintaining their “independence,” though in reality they became a kingdom protectorate.
The Second Dune War is usually referred to as “The Black Dunes War.” It too was fought over the control of one of the disputed lands, an area with such large reserves of bitumen, that it actually changed the hue of the sand to that of pitch. This substance was in such high demand by both alchemists and some of the High Guilds that its control became a national agenda. Some say that whoever controls the bitumen, control’s destiny itself. Others, however, say that the second conflict was merely King Hector the First attempting to “finish his daddy’s war.” This second conflict stretched on for four bloody years.
These conclicts set the backdrop of my books: The Sisters Tales, The Dragon Hunter Tales, and the newly released, The Scholars Tales. All three are now available on Amazon.
Padre (aka R. V.Mitchell)
I had this great plot idea and I sat down at the computer and started to frame it. A basic outline started to come together right away. Then it happened, there in the corner of my mind was a little nugget that just had to see the light of day. So, naturally I wrote it. That done, it was back to the cool plot of high adventure. Well, at least until another great story idea stated whispering in my ear. I jotted down the idea and started back to the major work at hand. “Wait, aren’t you going to finish me?” the other idea called, a bit louder this time. So, I went back to it and fleshed it out. That seemed to make it happy.
If you see a pattern here you aren’t wrong. A few weeks ago I released a “lesser tale” from my fantasy world. It is a short story made of short stories, and they have been tweaked and adapted to make a coherent whole. But the short story is not the project I was working on. It did, however, have to be written in order for it to allow me to get back to the larger work. Sometimes writers’ block is because another tale needs to be told.
I am happy to say that once the short was done and dusted the other came together in record time, and I hope my tale of adventurous scholars will be ready soon.
Happy writing everyone.
Padre
After a week rushing to and fro
The weekend is a time to take it slow
While pressures mount on every weekday
It’s time to decompress on Sat-here-day
Yes, sitting and relaxing
With a game or a snore
No deadlines or directives,
Who could ask for more?
Padre
A whistle
A shrill sound upon the breeze
An incessant sound
That makes me ill at ease
Where does it come from?
Whatever might it mean?
Is it all just in my head?
Or is there something untoward
As yet by me unseen?
Padre
Is he your fur baby from the moment you met,
Or just money-drain at the vet?
A companion loyal for all time,
Or just another ‘kids’ pet’ in a long line?
Company and friend for the downtrodden in need
Or a money making prop for ‘homeless scroungers’ greed?
A partner to share your long daily walks
Or a confidant who listens quietly when you talk?
Is he these things in part,
Or even more?
Whatever the case,
Remember to get Pedigree Chum at the store
Padre
After a long delay, one of the Dune Wars Lesser Tales will soon be coming out as an ebook on Amazon. While parts of this work have previously found their way to this platform, the complete story will tie together loose ends and hopefully make for some enjoyable reading.
Though thought to have been extinct for hundreds of years, reports of a dragon have been circulating in a remote and secretive kingdom. Heroes from the great kingdoms of the age have tried and failed to battle the beast. Now an unlikely champion has emerged. He is the Dragon Hunter.
Padre
I have written on the subject of sandwiches in the past: More Than Something Between Slices of Bread and Crusty Perfection. In addition, I have posted several recipes for this dietary staple of the Western diet. I have seen these creations at all levels from slapped together “on the go” food to gourmet treats.
One origin story behind this food is that the Earl of Sandwich ordered that he be brought sliced cooked meat between slices of bread so that he wouldn’t have to leave the gaming tables. While it may well be the root of the English name for the stuffed bread snack/meal, I doubt that historically that this was the origin of the food itself.
English sandwiches, in my experience are rather lack-luster, even if they were “invented” here. When I first moved to England, virtually all sandwiches were bread and butter with something else in between. Well, at least they all had butter or margarine on them. Other condiments were possible, but seemingly rare. Subway and the like were yet to make in-roads, and burgers were a confusing buy.
Yes, burgers were generally called beef burgers, after all they contained no ham. A vegetable burger was a beef burger with lettuce on it. Wimpy was around with by American tastes a rather odd flavour, and McDonald’s hadn’t conquered the world as yet.
I find the Dutch terms interesting as well – bread and butter and sandwich are the same word. “Bread and ham” is another linguistic description , as is “invested bread.” In Afrikaans – “closed bread” seems to sum up the dish. I am no expert on the languages, but my rudimentary understanding of them does applaud their accuracy.
Some sandwiches have outstanding bread, others luscious fillings, and yet others lovely sauces. Fellow blogger Fandango has a regular feature where he asks a provocative question. I would like to give you one of my own today. It is a philosopical matter of sandwich theory. Is a good sandwich one in which the internal ingredients are the most important, and the bread merely a delivery system, or is it about the bread, and the filling is only to augment to flavour? Let me know your take on this classic.
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 