? STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

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Sept 28, 2005? 

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Now on to the good stuff..........

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Animal awareness series endorsed by Shiloh and Hank our mascots; all stories must receive their approval.

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The Wooden Egg

Sharon Bryant

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Many years ago I purchased a wooden egg.?  It was painted white with a hint of pink coloring on it.?  It was used to put inside dresser drawers and give off a nice? scent to keep clothes fresh smelling.?  Why I never threw it out I have no idea.?  Maybe because I'm a pack rat and think, "Gee, some day I may use that."?  (That's how we pack rats think!)

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We have seventeen chickens and roosters.?  I want no more.?  I don't mind listening to the cockadoodle doo's every morning at 5:00 A.M. but I don't like birds all over my porch.

We put a wooden box on one corner of the porch and in that box several times the one hen has laid eggs, sat on them, hatched them.

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For some reason the hen has decided to lay her eggs on the top of our picnic table.?  Saturday my husband was walking up on the porch when the hen laid one and it went rolling.?  He tried to catch it, but it landed on the porch floor with a big splat.?  The hen must have had twins because a couple minutes later, another egg dropped from her and hubby caught that one.? 

We wanted to get the hen to go back into her box but wasn't sure HOW we'd do that.? 

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Hubby asked me if I had a plastic egg.?  I said no.?  He said he remembers his mom long ago telling him if you put a plastic egg near the area you want the hen to lay eggs, she will.?  It was then I remembered the old wooden egg in my dresser drawer.? 

I got the egg and it was the perfect size.?  I THOUGHT if we just placed it in the box, the hen would see it, get the message, "This is the incubator" and no more eggs would be laid on the picnic table.? 

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Every evening I feed an elderly man.?  He always comes over to our house at 6:00, eats, watches television with my husband then leaves at 9:00 every night.?  He was aware of the problem with the hen and her eggs.

Saturday evening he came to the house, and as he was walking up on the porch, he looked into the box and saw an egg.?  He knew we were putting the eggs in our frig, so he picked it up.?  When he came into the house, he said, "Hey, the hen laid another egg, but this one sure is heavy!"?  We began laughing and told him it was a wooden decoy egg.

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Yesterday when I woke up, I checked the box and the hen was? sitting on the wooden egg.?  I thought that odd, surely she could tell that hard egg was not one of hers, but she sat there making the noises she does when she's protecting her eggs.?  An hour later I went back outside and checked the box.?  Both the hen and the egg were gone.?  I knew the egg was too heavy for the hen to? lift out of the box.?  Hubby said Ladybug or Bob, our dogs, must have got the egg.?  We looked all over the porch and yard for that wooden egg.?  I finally found it slid between a flower pot and the porch.?  It had tiny bite marks on it so we knew one of the dogs had got it from the wooden box.

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I put the egg back into the box, went back into the house, and saw the hen go to the box.?  A few minutes later I saw her leave the porch.?  Sure enough, there were two eggs in the box.?  I grabbed the real one up, washed it and put it in the frig.

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I'm so glad now that I saved that old wooden egg all these years.?  Being a pack rat paid off.?  It just may keep my chicken/rooster population down!

Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

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About Me:

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? I am Sharon Bryant,? 59 years old and reside in Alabama.

I lost my child in 1977 when he was five and I write
articles on bereavement often.

I am a chocolate/candy maker and also a wood crafter and knitter.

I am married to a wonderful man, and have two remaining children, a daughter 25,
Amy, and a second son, Randy, age 22.

My main goal in life is to help those who
have lost a child. My website is: www.angelsremembered.tk

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Today's Queue Stories
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The Pirates, Hey Ho: I remember

Saskia Nienna Streidel

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I remember when I was a pirate. I was brave, I was strong, I was huge. I was about six years old. My hair was long long long, falling over my back, my skin was white and painted with freckles all over. I hated those freckles, but I pirate does not care about the look. So I put on a mean smile, looked at my friend, pirate Eva, six years old, short brown hear, golden skin, a look like a boy.

???What kind of adventures are we looking for today, pirate Eva????, I asked her.

Eva smiled her ???I will be in trouble soon???-smile and made a sign with her hand.

???That is our adventure???, she said.

I turned around to follow her sign with my eyes. The ???Blies???, our river!

The Blies was a wonderful river, flowing through the grassland behind the house Eva lived in with her aunt and uncle. We both loved the water. We loved the whisper of the Blies. Me more then Eva. And I liked the Blies, because for me it was a romantic spot. My granny had told me, that a cousin of her grandmother died in this river. She killed herself, because she did not want to marry the man her parents wanted her to marry. I loved stories like that. Eva did, too. But she had another reason. She loved the blood, the pain, the death in the story. She was really like a boy. When I told her the story she had just one thing to say.

???COOL!???

For me it was just the most romantic love story I had ever heard. And it was the story of my family. So I loved this river, and I loved to play there. But when I looked at the river on this day, I knew that Eva was crazy.

???Eva, it is autumn???, I said. ???Are you crazy????

She looked at me like she would want to kill me for disrespecting her by using her real name.

???Pirate, Saskia. I am the old, brave, mean pirate Eva. And I know what time of the year we have.???

I looked at the river again. It was autumn. The river was not a river anymore, it was an ocean. The water was running wild, hard, aggressive. It was everywhere. No grassland was left. Sometimes the water came closer to the houses, most of the time it even made its way to the basement of the houses. Eva knew that. I knew that. But Eva wanted to play on the water.

???There is no river, pirate Saskia???, she said. ???There is an ocean with a lot of islands in it we could conquer today. We should get our flag?  and prepare to leave. We need water, bread, fruits for the vitamins. And chocolate for the moot.???

I still looked at Eva. She WAS crazy, she wanted to kill us. I guess she noticed my look, because she asked me if I would be?  scared.

Scared? Scared? A pirate? A pirate is never scared.

I let the nice good girl Saskia slip away and dressed myself in the brave pirate Saskia, who was happy about every adventure.

???I am not scared, pirate Eva???, I answered her. ???I am just wiser then you are. We have no ship!???

That was a problem the young and wild pirate Eva had not thought about. But I did. And I had an idea. The air mattress!

???Where is the air mattress, pirate Eva? I know you had one. We could make a faboulus ship out of that old thing. It would be fast and strong and glide over the water like a dolphin in the sea.???

Well, a pirate a word. We built the most prettiest ship in all the world. It was uncomfortable, it had not much space, it was red with white points and stripes on it ??“ but it was our ship and it was fast. We brought it to the water. We gave the ship a push and then we jumped on it. It almost sank when we jumped on it.

Pirate Eva wanted to threw away the bread.

???It is too heavy!???

???We will need it!???

The usual discussion between pirate Saskia and pirate Eva started.

???We have chocolate!???

???Throw that away!???

???No, the bread is heavier!???

???But we do not need chocolate. We will land on a strange island. We know nothing about it. We could get lost, we need something to eat. Chocolate will just make us fat and slow!???

We did not throw anything away. We tried to balance the weight out and we conquered the wild and mean ocean of our village.

It was really fun! We were on our way to the island.

Of course we never got there. The water was running to fast and wild. The air mattress was not strong enough. The water took us into the wrong direction. Eva did not care, I did.

???Isn??t that great????, she smiled.

I did not think so. I mean, I liked the salty smell of the ocean. But all that was my fantasy. There was just dirty, stinking water under us. It looked brown, dirty, old. Pirate Saskia wanted to go home. But we were not able, too. The air mattress, our wonderful ship, did not do what we wanted. It did not turn, it did not swim good, it did not bring us home.

Eva started to get scared, too. But she tried not to show it.

I started to think about what to do and that relaxed me a bit.

???We are brave pirates!???, I told Eva. ???We will always come home to our beloved ones who trust in us!???

We started to sing. Our song! The pirate song! HEY HO PIRATES WE ARE. HEY HO. LOOK AT US. HEY HO PIRATES ARE?  COMING. HEY HO. LISTEN TO US!???

Nobody listened to us, nobody heard us.

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Two hours later, two brave and strong pirates came back to the house. They were?  dirty, they stank, they were wet and had cold. But they were still singing.

HEY HO PIRATES WE ARE.

One day later two brave and strong pirates were at home in bed, sick, hot, poor. But they kept singing.

HEY HO PIRATES WE ARE.

17 years later two brave and strong pirates do not know each other anymore. They went down different roads, they lost each other.

But the one pirate, with the freckles in the face, sits in her office right now and sings the song:

HEY HO PIRATES WE ARE.

HEY HO HEY.

Saskia Nienna Streidel

saskiaofthewoods@yahoo.de

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My name is Saskia Steidel, I am born the? 17.10.1981 in Germany. I live in a small?  village in the middle of the woods and love to write. Right now I study learn therapy and music therapy and I just quit my job as a ticket manager in the administration of an soccer club, to have more time to study and to write and to work as a Nanny, what I really love. So far I published poems and some other pieces in different books and published one book called "Am Ende der Nebel". Right now I am writing on a children??™s book.

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Mermaid Wonders Above Sea Level

by Nicole M. Stevenson



A long time ago, I use to dream in black n white and now I dream in
color! When you can let your imagination take you to new depths you
can achieve new heights. With all of the obstacles that life deals us
today. You have to stick to your passion your dreams, your ambitions
even your thoughts can become a reality.

Like mermaid sitting in wondering about life above sea level, she
made a conscious decision to get up n move. "To walk close to the
edge And Not To look Over Is Simply Unheard Of" written by Nicole M.
Stevenson. Don't let your dreams drown, swim to the surface and do
something about it.

I can vouch to allowing life to get the best of me at times but, I
can now vouch to the proven fact that I will arise to any occasion
set before me with God's help in his guidance I can go far. Writing
is my passion, it is now my realty and it is my life.

Writer, Artist, Freelance Journalist, Radio Host, Editor, Manager,
Founder, Columnist, Entrepreneur still dreaming of being playwright,
author and what ever else my mind comes up with. Not afraid to dream
in a world of confusion, setting forth to inspire others to live
there life creatively.

Drawing what I perceive and living breathing writing enjoying life to
the fullest keeping it real and allowing people that know how to walk
up right to be in my life. Positive, clean, fortunate, outspoken
individuals that dream in color!


I want to thank those that have inspired me outside of my family.
Nancy Gilliam mutli talent Victoria Christopher Murray author of
Grown Folks Business, Valerie McGee author of Insight, Teri Wiber
creator of www.heartswithsoul.com , LA Banks author of Minion and
several romance novels, Vincent Alexandria multi Talent Black Rain,
Denise Campbell author of Man Killers, Author/Publisher Tiffany R.
Love?  from the bottom of sea level to the top?  of the surface
thanks!!!

? Written by Nicole M. Stevenson

? poetnwrite@yahoo.com

Nicole M. Stevenson

Radio Host of First Cut

airs www.artistfirst.com

every Monday at 7pm Est

Editor 30talent First Cut!

Manager/Founder of http://groups.msn.com/30Talent/

Writer/ Journalist/Freelance Writer/Artist/Entrepreneur

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Hurricane Dennis

Sharon Bryant

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For those who know I live in Alabama, many emailed me asking if we were ok.?  Yes, both my husband and I are, and our dogs Ladybug and Bob.?  So is my son who lives 15 miles from me.

Some have asked me what does a hurricane feel like when it's striking.

That all depends on how close you are to it when it hits land.

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I live 200 miles from Gulf Shores, Al.?  When I moved here 13 years ago, I never dreamed a hurricane could come this far with the force that it does.?  Fooled me.

Last Sept. hurricane "Ivan" struck our area with such force, we had to leave our home and get into our shelter when the windows began rattling and the house started shaking.?  I can take a lot but going up into the eye of a hurricane is not the way I want to go.

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Last night was what I would call "hairy" here.?  First the winds, then the torrential rain that comes down so fast, it feels like needles on your skin.?  Then the winds again and rain combined.?  In my area we were hit with 73 mph wind gusts.?  Nothing compared to those who live on the coast and got the full impact of "Dennis."

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This is my fourth hurricane.?  The worse was when I was on the coast when Hugo came through.?  We had to evacuate and I went to Richmond, Va to visit friends.?  Never dreaming it would go the path it did, we were what we thought out of its path.?  We were struck there with 85 mph winds.?  When you get hit with wind that strong, you can barely walk against the wind.?  If you have snaps on your shirt, they can jerk those snaps apart in a split second and you are standing there wondering where your shirt or blouse sailed off to.?  I lost my blouse in that storm trying to run.

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Some in our area are saying that our news gave us an "overkill" with the hurricane being on most of our local channels all day and night long.?  I say, if you do not like what you see on TV, change the channel or pop a movie in or turn your radio on.?  When a hurricane is coming, I definitely want to know which way it's heading and the intensity of it, especially when you live in a state that is on the gulf.

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Some of my friends live in the Mobile Bay area,? and they survived ok.?  Luckily for that area, "Dennis" shifted a little allowing them to get full impact.?  Not that I want ANYONE to get impact of a storm that massive, but I'm glad my friends came through it ok.

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Last year when Ivan came through my area, we had trees down all over, power lines, roof damage on many homes, trees on houses and cars, etc.?  We try and prepare when we know one is headed our way, but sometimes when it's a bad one, you aren't always prepared.?  No one can pinpoint the destination strike of one and be 100%?  correct when a hurricane? can shift its movement within a few miles.?  We can only watch it on our news channels and hope it moves away from us.

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Our mama hen laid another egg during this mess last night, so I guess chickens don't worry too much about hurricanes.?  Or else it "Scared an egg out of her."?  We sheltered her egg laying box to keep her away from the pelting rains and wind.?  Ugly, our big rooster got scared, tried to fly up in the tree too fast, fell and he's limping today.

Bob and Ladybug are just glad to go outside and it's not raining like it was yesterday.

And me........I'm just glad my area kept the power on and we didn't lose our electric.?  Living down here in this heat, when your air conditioner goes out, is miserable.?  Plus I just had a big load of ice cream delivered? at my shop on Friday.?  I didn't want to offer it to customers in a glass saying, "Drink it, it's fine."

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Some ask me why I moved here.?  Well.......I lived in Michigan all my life except for the 3 years I lived in Norfolk, Virginia at the Naval Base and three months in? Arizona when I went out there to do a painting job in Mesa.?  We had one hurricane? in Norfolk? in the 60's when I was there.?  In Arizona, I lived through a "dust devil" which to me was an upside down tornado.?  It starts on the ground as a funnel and grows larger until it is unbelievable powerful and can do much damage.

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I like the southern climate.?  As I grew older, I became to dislike the frigid cold weather of the north.?  I like not wearing heavy winter gear for months, and just running around in a sweatshirt in winter.?  I like shorts better than long pants, and I love sandals without socks!?  And I love the terrain here, the mountains and hills.?  Alabama is a beautiful state with shoreline and mountain areas, and flat areas for those who prefer that.

So that's why I moved here.?  Plus my husband is originally from Birmingham, Alabama.

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So.........now we'll keep an eye on the commotion in the ocean once again that will be "Emily" if it becomes a tropical depression then on to another hurricane.?  And I'm thankful no lives were taken on our shore when Dennis struck.?  We can replace material things, but a life can never be replaced.

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The latest from north-central Alabama

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Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

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Writers Feedback

What a lovely story about God's love, "Namaste" by Debra Shively.?  It really touched my heart.?  Thanks.?  Sharlett Hunt

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This was a beautiful piece, so understanding of the presence of the Divine in us all.?  What a wonderful gift Debra has to be able to see that in each person she encounters.?  Namaste, Debra!

Maria

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Prayer Requests and Updates

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Jackie surgery is over now and she came through it great thanks to all of your

prayers and the good Lord. When we got to the hospital they was running two

hours behind in the outpatient surgery, they finnally got her in at noon, the

doctor said that the test on her gallbladder was just borderline and he couldn't

take it out.

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After surgery the doctor met with me for consoltation on Jackie's surgery, he

said that the? tear where the hernia was was? small but there was alot of her

intestines was hanging through the small hole and? he thought that was the

problem with her gallbladder not working right.

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She isn't allowed to drive for two weeks and can't lift anything heavier than

a coffee cup, so I am taking care of her. Thank you all for your prayers for

Jackie and God bless and be with each and everone of you!!!!

GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!

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Sincerly

Your brother and sister in our father God

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Richard & Jackie Sims

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Hello Gang,

Would you please hold any emails to me for a short time??  I am having some

internet problems and monitor problems.?  My intentions are to change providers

to a cable type system (dsl)within the week if I receive my cd/tutorial from

Alltel phone comany; my present phone company. If you need to write, please

use this mailbox; leedy70@copper.net?  This box seems to work better or at least for now.

My son in law is out of the hospital but is having a battery of tests on Wed. of this week. Also, my daughter, Cheryl, has a tyroid problems; a goiter. The specialist is going to be doing a biopsy to rule out cancer. Please pray that this will not be found. I have deeply appreciated the prayers/concern with these concerns and I will give you an update as I have one; assuming that my computer stays healthy.

God bless to you and yours, Normie

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To all;

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Jim Lyle has to go in Oct. 27Th for surgery to replace the difibulator in his

heart, it has malfunctioned and has been shocking him.

His wife Shirley has a broken back, she goes in for consultation Sept. 30 th.

I am not sure if they know God so you might pray if they don't that they will

come to know him and his love for us!

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All your prayers for this couple will be deeply appreciated and may God

bless you all!!!

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Thank you

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Richard & Jackie Sims

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? SENIOR WRITERS

Chief Writer: Sharon Bryant

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? Agee, Vance;? Apted, Violet;? Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al;?  Berry, Nell;

Boda, Ginger;? ? Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.;?  Cavalera, Robyn; Crider, Mark;? 

Deming, Barb; Doherty, Maria; Goodier, Steve; Halley, Ellie Braun;

Harris, Kathy Anne;? Hunt, Sharlette;? 

Jacobson, Gary;? Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Jenkins, Pamela;

Liles, Norma; Lock, Joyce; Mazzella, Joe;? Ojeigbe, Georgewaters;

?  Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan;?  Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan

Walker, Bill; Walker, Joe;? Warner, Gorden K;

Whirity, Kathy;? White, Robert;

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STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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