What Is That Scent?

This is Day 7 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Summer Rain. Please visit the other participants for more interesting views on this topic.

Do you ever step out the door, sniff the air and say, yep it's gonna rain today? Do you wonder why you know this? I'll tell you. It is called petrichor, and is often used to describe the scent of rain in the air. More specifically, it is an oil from the earth that is released into the air just before a rainfall. 

It is a smell that most people are familiar with, whether or not they know why. It is suggested that we find this scent pleasing because we inherited our fondness for it from our ancestors who relied heavily on rain for their survival.

Right before a rain there is increased humidity which penetrates the rocks and soil and is just enough moisture to release the petrichor. This is even more evident when the rain actually begins to fall and the scent is carried on the wind. I notice this earthy fragrance most during an early Summer rain. 

Check out this video to see how this happens.

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Life's Turning Point

This is Day 6 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Life's turning point. Please visit the other participants for more interesting views on this topic.

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt. -Max Lerner

Most of us are stronger than we give ourselves credit for being. Many times we only figure it out when we are faced with one of life's turning points. Now not all turning points are bad or stem from some tragic event, but those that do bring us face to face with the need to find our inner strength. If I had to define a "life turning point" I would say it is when something changes you in such a manner that you feel things will not be the same going forward. In other words, a turning point is not a bump in the road or a plot twist, it is a significant life event.


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Kidnapped

This is Day 5 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is A Fading Memory. Please visit the other participants to find out what has faded from their memory.

The story of Charlie and Alex continues as they are sitting in the pub reminiscing over events of the past year.

"That's another one for the history books" said Charlie, cradling his beer and staring blankly at the TV mounted on the wall.

"Yeah" agreed Alex, "We were nearly murdered by Colombians, but we sure got the last laugh on old Jorge. Then there was the camping fiasco. Poor Bobby! He took a lot of grief about being chased up a tree by a wild turkey. Did you see the Turkey-thug mugshot...the whole bureau was laughing about that."

"I seem to recall you took a fair amount of ribbing over your run-in with SWAT and the girl with mafia ties," remarked Charlie.

Alex grimaced, "That didn't look too good, did it?" Hopefully that's just a fading memory, eh?

"As Richard Fish would say, bygones" quipped Charlie.

"Who? Oh never mind." Alex called for another beer while he waited for Charlie to continue.

At that moment Charlie's phone rings. 

"Charles Shore" answered Charlie. "Yes." Silence as Charlie listens.  "New York. I see. Will do. Yes sir, thank you." 

"Well, we're off and running. That was the Deputy Director. We have a case. It's a kidnapping."

"Okay.  Details?"

"Here's the thing, it's not just another kidnapping. It's Jenna." said Charlie, closely watching Alex for a reaction.

"Oh." said Alex quietly, pushing his beer aside.

"Look, given recent events, if you'd rather not work this case..." The unstated implication was could he work the case objectively, and if there was any doubt he would be temporarily reassigned.

"I get where you're coming from Charlie, but no, I've got this, we're good. What do we know so far?"

For more adventures of Charlie and Alex:

Risky Business

Aliens, Really?
The Colombians
The Key
Stranded
The Last Laugh
The Morning After

Bears, Beans and Beer

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Disappearing Ink?

This is Day 4 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Pen and Paper. Please visit the other participants to see what they have put forth on this mighty prompt.

The pen is mightier than the sword but the paper upon which the words are written is easily destroyed.

Early writing began some 5000 years ago with pictures, e.g. the cuneiform script, which were impressions made in a clay tablets with a blunt reed used as a 'pen'. As time moved forward, real languages were created and eventually, paper-like material made from the papyrus plant replaced clay and stone, and recorded history began being written on scrolls. 

Romans wrote on wooden tablets with sheets of wax, while Europeans used parchment with bone or metal writing implements. This is just a tiny sampling of how writing evolved chosen to illustrate how far we have come since those first primitive markings.

In the centuries that followed came the quill and inkwell, the fountain pen, ball point pens and the use-and-toss disposable Bic Stics, not to mention the lead pencils we began school with. Yeah I know it's really graphite. There are pens in all shapes and colors, some light up and some even talk. Do you really want a talking pen when you're trying to write? 

Anyway, with the age of the computer and the internet, keyboards and displays are rapidly replacing the art of writing - of actually grasping a pen and forming letters into words and words into sentences. A recent post on Facebook posed the question - should we still teach cursive writing in school?

If you have to ask that, is it too late already? Is this to be the fate of the pen and paper? I hope not!


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The Wonderful Potato

This is Day 3 of the 20 Days of Chill writing challenge hosted by P. J. at A ‘lil HooHaa. Today's prompt is Life just wouldn't be the same. Please visit the other participants to see how their lives would be changed.

There are a lot of factors that can change one's life. Anything can happen at any time. Things beyond our control can spiral until we are left spinning into infinity. Relax, that's not where we are going here.

No, what I'm going to talk about today, while less ominous, is still quite serious. I'm talking about potatoes - baked, boiled, fried, roasted, scalloped, mashed, hashed or any other way you fix 'em. 

I was weaned on potatoes (a.k.a. taters). I love 'em. I could have hash browns for breakfast, fries for lunch and a baked potato for dinner. I couldn't imagine a world without potatoes.

Potatoes are healthy and nutritious, at least until you deep fry them or load them up with butter or gravy. One medium potato has about 165 calories and a whopping 70% of your daily vitamin C needs. They are also a good source for Vitamin B, Potassium and Magnesium.

There you have it folks. Taters are good and good for you. Life just wouldn't be the same without 'em!


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