Music - By Heidi Luimes

This is a poem Heidi wrote. I LOVE it! Without music, life would be flat.

A string
gently plucked
hammered in a whirl
of thunder
painting pictures
with horsehair
and a thousand tiny vibrations
voices
from a realm
known only by our souls
and the Creator
calling
screaming
whispering
to those who listen.

Kailei

I'm starting to write another short (or many longer) story. I have more that I've already worked on, but here's the first couple paragraphs. Its probably going to be changed and edited alot before the end, so here's the roughest draft of the beginning (I know Heidi wants to read the final draft of this story and another I'm working on :-) )


The two of us lay there staring at the sky. Two sisters who could not be more different. She was fourteen, I was five. The elder girl lay on the soft grass with her hands behind her head. Her eyelids drooped over her bright blue eyes, and her golden hair that shone in the sunlight was fanned all about her. She looked to be tall, and slenderly built. She looked carefree and happy. As though she had no worries in the world.
"Doesn't that one look like a bird?" She looked at me and pointed to some clouds which did look like a bird. I continued staring at the sky without speaking. Out of the two of us, I was the more silent one. "My little silent shadow," is what Aideen had sometimes called me with a smile brightening her face.
The slow ever changing clouds whirled in white shapes and forms above me with the sky blue behind them. I lay there in silent serenity as my sister got up and wandered aimlessly through the field in search of flowers.
The grass was soft beneath my slight figure, and the sun was warm on my clear light skin. The wind blew my dark loose curls around my face as the tree's in the near distance whispered their sweet secrets to one another. A brown bird darted through my view of the sky and captured my attention. The small brown creature darted into the first tree on the edge of the forest and joined in its small chirps with the countless other birds of the forest.
I looked up and saw my sister with a small bunch of lilies walking towards me. "Come now, we should be heading back dear one." She gave me a warm smile as her dainty hand closed around my small childish one.
"Why don't we walk through the forest Deeny?" Aideen looked down at me mildly surprised that I had spoken.
"We have our reasons, little one. Why should you wish to walk through there anyways?" A silence stretched out as I looked up through my small dark eyes to her bright blue ones.
I whispered so that Aideen could not hear me, "Because the tree's feel like home."

Random Thoughts

Its not really late at night, but late enough that I'm not really tired, and have alot of thoughts going through my head with nothing much to do.
Tonight I helped out at our church's girls club, usually I'm in the class with my grade six girls. Its somewhat hard for me because I want to add to the discussion, but I don't know what questions to ask the girls without being too simple, or too hard for them. I sometimes know the answers, but its a different thing altogether asking the questions.
This evening though I was the only jr councellor that showed up, we usually have four of us, one for each group. So this evening I did the tasks for all four groups, so I didn't have a chance to be with my group for the bible study.

Hmm, this time of night my thoughts are usually the craziest. I don't know if I'm the only one, but sometimes I have this reeeally random thought in my head, then it changes, and then it changes some more, and before I know it there's a whole story in my head trying to get out. Most of the time I can't let it get out on paper.. too bad.
Sometimes its really weird, but I'd be thinking of something to do with a trampoline, and before you know it I have this whole science fiction story in my head. (its weird, because that is what happened before... and I'm not even a fan of science fiction)

My brother is still out in Alberta. I miss him tons! On Sunday I talked to him and he said that he might be back in maybe one to two weeks, then I just talked to him tonight and he said about a month... :-(
I miss him lots! But, he's doing good up there, and getting lots of good work done.

Comments

Hey everyone!
It'd be great to get some feedback on some of my posts so I know what you all think of it so far!
(I haven't gotten a single comment yet!) So feel free to comment however you want to on any of my posts!

Cottage Life

I wrote this one evening during our stay at Limberlost Point (In early June) I kinda liked it, maybe you guys will too...

The breeze tugs at my short brown hair as I bask in a burning hot sun. Gently, the waves lap against the side of the raft. Up, down, up, down the rhythm gently lulls my mind into a lazy daze. My once wet skin is rapidly drying, and the towel beneath me becomes damp.
Voices in the distance slowly bring me out of my peaceful daze. I look up from the spot where I lay to se a man and a boy climbing into a small motor boat. Small wisps of my hair screen my vision.
The wind dies down a bit as I lay my head back down to the towel and once again return to my idle thoughts and sleepy state of mind.

Its not very good, but I was bored when I wrote it. I still have my journal from the cottage, and I have many more random paragraphs, but this time not about me and my lazy vacation afternoon.

1 Corinthians - Love

This is one of my favorite chapters. Me and Megan were talking about it on the last night at tamarack (and some other verses such as 1 Peter 3:2-4)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal, If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part' then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Starting New...

The old blog site I had didn't work for some odd reason. I had a hotmail account for the username and it wouldn't accept that when I tried to log in with either of my accounts (hotmail or gmail)
So now I'll have to start over, no big deal though, since I only had a couple of posts that I easily could copy and paste.

The Stone Figure

This is a story that I sent into an adult short story contest, I tied for second place. The funny thing about it though was I was able to send up to three entries, so I sent another one before this. The other one had so much thought and time put into it, and this one I wrote in an hour (starting from scratch, to sending it in, in one hour) and this was the one that I got a placing with.

The Stone Figure

Deirdre

The pain seared through my whole body as I was rooted to the spot. Every part of me screamed to run away, to hide from her, but I couldn't move. The agony seeped into every corner of my body and my mind screamed silent pleas.

It had been too many years to count since the enchantment fell on me. I still remembered that day as though it had happened yesterday. I could almost still feel the searing pain race through my veins when memory of it came. But, of coarse I no longer had veins.

I was stone.

I held the same position while seasons came and went for many years. Deep in the forest I sat, always watching, always waiting. My deep brown hair, long and wild, my pale beautiful skin, my curious brown eyes, and even my long flowing skirt was now stone.

All on me was stone, all but the red scarf around my neck.

I could not turn to look at it, no, but others have. Sometimes a young girl or boy would wander into the small clearing and stare at me with wonder. None of them knew me I suppose, for it had been many years that I'd been here. Most of them just walked up and looked at my shoulders at the strange scarf. Some of them would try to pull on it to take it, but it wouldn't move. And the curious thing was though, whenever one tried to take it, a crow would come and chase them off. This crow seemed to be a guardian of sorts.

I knew the scarf held the clue to releasing me, for I had never owned a red scarf in my life. The biggest mystery was not how it came to be there, but why none could lift it.

None could, till he came along.

Tomas

“Tomas, get your nose out of that book of yours and come help me.” My older brother Rowan startled me. I looked up at him from my spot at the base of the tree.

“What do you want now Rowan?” I asked with a small sigh. Because he was older, I always seemed to have to be his shadow helping him all the time. I didn't mind most of the time though. Being as shy and hesitant as I was I could not do much without him.

“We are supposed to start on the wood pile. Its not going to be long before we will be needing it.” He walked towards me and handed me an ax. Without another word I followed him into the woods.

The tree's near our cottage produced wood that burnt too fast. This was now to be our second winter away from court, and we wouldn't make the same mistake again.

We went further into the forest looking for good wood. It wasn't long until we came to a grove of strong solid trees.

We then started to work on the hard task of chopping down some these large trees.

“Put your back into it Tomas!” Rowan said angrily. Then he mumbled, “I bet your mind is off into one of those books of yours. The boy more than likely would not know an ax from a tree if his precious books did not tell him.”

His words stung, but as usual, I tried to ignored them. I wasn't as strong as he was, so it stood to reason that I could not do as much as him.

Today though, I felt a bit of anger well up in me, but not enough to do something. I just mumbled under my breath about how I, at least was not a simpleton and could read.

“What was that?” Rowan peered at me questioningly

“Nothing.” I had to let it go. There was nothing I could do but continue to ignore his hurtful comments. “I am going to take a break for a little while. I will come back soon.”

Without waiting to hear his reply, I turned on my heels and walked quickly towards what seemed to be a clearing.

My father, mother, and even my older brother always were disappointed in me for not being what they had wanted me to be. I was always expected to be either a fighter or a farmer. My father was once a knight of the king, but after many years of faithful service, and a newly made wound to his knee, the king granted him a small lot of land in which to farm with his sons. My eldest brother was not Rowan, no,there was another older yet than him. My eldest brother was now away taking up the place of his father as a knight. Rowan was always more a settled one though, so he chose to take up farming his fathers lands. My grandfather was also a farmer, and my parents found no shame in the hard labor of the large task of farming lands.

I was different though, I had not shown qualities of either.

Life back in court held many opportunities to read, write, and learn from scribes and learned men. There were libraries filled with stacks of books in which to learn more from.

My favorite books to read always had something to do with history of these lands, or the legends of the former people who dwelt in them.

I continued on, not being far from where my brother was still chopping wood. A small clearing seemed to be ahead, so I walked on a little longer.

I snapped back into the present as I walked into the clearing. There, in the middle of the clearing was a statue of a fair young maiden. So intricate were the details of this statue, it looked as though she could, at any moment, get up and walk towards me.

Small creeping plants twined around her, and moss also grew on her. Though, as old as it seemed, the stone in no way was crumbling or cracking. The strangest part of this statue though, was the vibrant blood red scarf laying on her shoulders. Not a single stain or blemish was upon the scarf.

I heard someone coming up from behind me in the woods.

“Tomas, look, I'm sorry. You need not get so upset about it!” When I didn't respond for a long time, he let out a small exasperated sigh, and sat on the ground near the statue. “Might as well eat now, good time as ever...” He mumbled.

“Rowan, look.” I pointed towards the statue. My brother had paid no mind to it. Clearly he didn't think anything unusual about it.

“Yes Tomas, its very nice.” He spoke as if I was a young boy showing him something simple.

“Do you not think it odd? Look, it surely must have been here many years, and yet on the statue itself shows no sign of age or blemish.And look at the red scarf on her. It is without any stain.”

My brother looked mildly annoyed with me now. “I'm betting that the scarf was just placed there by a wayward child.” To prove his point he walked up to the statue and reached for the scarf. Suddenly, a crow darted out of the nearest tree, and stood defensively on the scarf. Every time Rowan reached and got near it, the bird let out another screech.

Even with the bird there, Rowan still tried to take the scarf. The scarf did not come off, it was as if the scarf too was stone.

I walked up to the statue too, and after Rowan decided to give up on trying to retrieve the scarf, I reached up and touched it.

“Its no use Tomas, the thing is stone too. Besides, the bird will probably give you something to think about.”

When I got near the statue, the crow took one good look at me, then flew away. Rowan's eyes must have mirrored my own shock, for upon my touch, the scarf fell to the ground. It was as if my touch released it from the statue.

“I must have loosed it when I tried to take it off,” Rowan stood up and snatched the scarf off the ground. “Mother will be happy to have something to keep her warm this winter.”

“Rowan, give it back.” Something in my voice must have shocked Rowan, for immediately he obeyed. I did not know why I had reacted the way I just had. It confused me more than Rowan.

The scarf was blood red, with intricate patterns on the side that we had seen. I turned it over to inspect the other side. This had a riddle on it, and it read like this:

The scarf has been taken, the guardian you passed

To break this spell, I give you one last task.

For stone I was, and stone I will be.

Until the day, when you can release me.

The verse was confusing. A spell? What was this about a guardian? Then I thought of the crow that had given my brother such a hard time.

I continued reading message on the scarf.

Travel over lands you've never seen before,

travel over hills, through forests and more.

Retrieve my sister scarf, and put her on stone,

still though, my dear brother, your task is not done.

Though questions come in many a call,

to break this spell, do not answer at all.

When you've kept your secret, I promise to you,

this girl will be released, and all will be true.

Happiness you will have and joy a plenty,

but not, my dear sir, if you come back home empty.

My mind whirled with the enormity of what had just happened. This was no statue, no, it was a fair young maiden trapped in stone. I looked at the figure again, it was no wonder she seemed so lifelike.

I had a decision to make, would I do what was asked of me? Would I go searching over hills, through forest, and in foreign countries to free her? Would I be able to keep this secret? And would the promise that was given me that this figure of a maiden would become flesh be true?

I turned to look at Rowan who was lazily asleep in the shade of a tall oak. I would leave them, I would leave them all and make my own fortune in traveling, and in breaking the spell set upon her.

I would leave at first light tomorrow.

Deirdre

And so, he came. He spoke not of it to his companion, which I later found out to be his elder brother.

All through the long days of waiting after that, I always thought of his dark brown hair. I thought of his bright, kind blue eyes that looked upon me with awe. The same eyes that read the scarf with understanding, became full of fierce determination.

I also remembered how his brother looked down on him and ordered around like that of a servant, and how the one with dark hair always obeyed.

My fate now rested in the hands of the one that was called Tomas. With all my heart I wished him to succeed.

Tomas

It had been hard to leave without any explanations. My mother was distraught, and my brother confused. But I was sure that soon they would forget me. I would be gone a long time, for I had not much basis on where to go to search for this twin red scarf.

I had read alot in my youth about legends and myths, and one of them contained a magical red scarf. The storyteller swore that it was true. I remembered little to none of this story, but it was what I had based my journey on. I had to, for there was nothing else I could do.

Rowan -2 years later-

“Is that dear Tomas?” Asked my mother getting up from the seat by the window. “Oh, Rowan! Rejoice, for my son has come back home!”

I looked up bewildered from where I was by the table. Tomas? Back here home? Why, that fellow had been gone almost two years now. It couldn't be him. He'd vanished without any explanation.

I remembered how my heart had been heavy with guilt, for I thought it had been because of me that he had left. I always played over and over in my mind all things I had said to him, and all the times I looked down on him because of who he was. The day he left was the day I found out how much I really loved him. He was my brother, and had always been there for me, whether it was to help with chores, for advice, or if it was to get out of trouble when we were young.

I hastily went to the window to see an older version of my brother walking towards the cottage. I broke into a big smile, and my brown eyes misted over. I ran towards him, shouting his name.

Time seemed to slow down as he looked up at me. His eyes seemed to be filled with new knowledge, and his once akward smile was now confident. The rolled up sleeves of his tunic revealed a new large scar. I could only imagine what a journey he had to have changed from an insecure youth eight of ten to a young confident man of twenty.

As soon as I reached him I pulled him in a fierce hug, I held onto him tight, not wanting to let him go.

“I thought you were dead. When you left and we had no news of you, we thought you had died.”

“Oh Rowan, I missed you all so much.” As I pulled away I saw Tomas's eyes mist up.

Just then I noticed that behind my brother was the figure in the forest. She was not stone though, no, she was breathing and alive. Her deep brown hair that was once locked in stone, now fanned around her in a wild way and framed her beautiful face. Her large brown eyes looked curiously up at me from the spot behind my brother. She was a young woman, and looked about seven of ten. Her long flowing dress was the color of the stone she had been imprisoned in. And the scarf that seemed to only be fit for a queen rested upon her graceful shoulders. She wore it well, and with pride.

“This is Deirdre, the statue in the forest,” his eyes grew brighter and his his smile lit up as he looked back at her and winked. Deirdre blushed and smiled shyly back, her eyes full of adoration and trust. “There is plenty of time for explanations and stories later, but right now I think I can smell some of mother's good cooking from over here. And trust me, I've waited a long time to eat that good food again.”

I could not help but notice as we were walking towards our home how different Tomas was, and how his eyes always softened when he looked at Deirdre. They looked at each other as though there was no one else in the world but them two. I didn't know what had happened, and how Tomas had released her, but I knew from then on that they would always be together.

Tomas

It had been many years since the long journey. And now me and my wife, Deirdre, had two children, and a third on the way. I never forgot the magical way she had turned from stone to flesh when I placed the much sought after scarf around her shoulders.

The moment she looked at me for the first time, and I at her, I knew the promise that was made was fulfilled. I had not known such happiness and joy as I had since then.

I would always remember what Deirdre told me of the long years of waiting for someone to come along that could lift the scarf, and so lift the spell. She told me of many who had tried to take the scarf, but always the crow would scare them off, for they were not the right one.

I also had many memories that I kept to myself of the long, hard journey. Most of it still at times made me wake in the night with terrors. Things had happened that I would always be scarred with. Deirdre helped me heal some of the wounds. And now I once again could say I was a happier man because of her.

When I came home though, not everything was as happy as I had wished it to be. My father's chair by the hearth was empty, and so it had been for a not even a month before I came home.

I had known sorrow that day, and I did grieve over my father, but I had my whole life ahead of me. And I was sharing it with with my angel.

First Post!

Ok, so basically in this blog all I'll be having is my short stories or random poems and stuff I feel like posting. I must warn you though, sometimes its going to be really random. lol. There are also a bunch of poems and short stories that I have read from other places and really liked, so if I post something that isn't my own work, there will be credits at the bottom of the post.
Anyways, enjoy!