L.Y. Levand's Blog, page 15
October 30, 2013
Featured Art Product: HALLOWEEN THEME! :D
Halloween is coming! :D So here's a pumpkin-theme bag from Zazzle. ^-^ (Psst: It's only $10.95!)
Pumpkin Budget Tote by Duahcal
Create your own bag at Zazzle. Do you have an idea for a product you'd like to share? I'd definitely like to hear it. ^-^
Pumpkin Budget Tote by Duahcal
Create your own bag at Zazzle. Do you have an idea for a product you'd like to share? I'd definitely like to hear it. ^-^
October 28, 2013
Nutrition and Diet: What NOT To Eat (Health Blog Post #13)
Did you do your homework?
Yes, I remembered to check this time. ^-^ If you did, post what you decided to do in the comments!
And...Moving On...
So last week we went over micro and macronutrients. I also told you a few ways to get those nutrients. So, today, we're going to talk about the things you should avoid eating. And I'm going to be far more specific than 'junk food.'
There's a good reason I don't want to just say avoid junk food. First of all, the definition of junk food itself can vary from person to person. Second, not all junk food is apparent at first sight.
Now, I can make this complicated, or I can make it simple. I can tell you to avoid MSG, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, and a long list of other chemicals. And if that's what you're interested in, then by all means check out Eat This! Not That! They have a great list. :)
But if you want a few simple rules to follow:
Only buy foods that have been made with ingredients you have in your own kitchen.
Want chocolate chip cookies? Check the nutrition facts. Is there a ton of stuff in there you don't recognize? Don't buy them. Want a pre-made sandwich? Check the ingredients. Does it have anything in it besides bread, meat, cheese, lettuce, and whatever you enjoy on your sandwiches? If not, don't get it.
Obviously this can be a little more complicated with things like the cookies; the chocolate chips themselves might have several ingredients, and that can throw you off, but as far as general rules go, this is the best I can give you.
The closer you are to natural, the better it's likely to be for you.
In other words, the apple is better than the applesauce and the apple pie. If you want a meat sandwich, get actual beef or chicken, chunk it up, and put it on bread. That's much better than the processed lunch meat you'll find in most delis. They add nitrates, nitrites, sugar, caramel coloring, and salt. I'm pretty sure you don't want to eat anything that's not actual food.
Eat more fruits and veggies!
If you want to lose weight, this one alone can help you with that. Fruits and vegetables have fewer calories per serving than many other things you can eat. So you can fill up on fruits and vegetables, and get just as much food for fewer calories. Eat fewer calories, weigh less. :) Plus, fruits and veggies are great sources for those nutrients we talked about last week.
These aren't the only things you can do for your diet. There are many, many more. These are just some of the most far-reaching ones I could find.
HOMEWORK! :D
This week, your homework is to pick one of the following to do for as many meals this week as you can:
Eat smaller portions
Avoid unnecessary sugars
Eat less meat and more veggies
Get more natural foods
Go organic (keeping in mind that organic cookies are still cookies, and not necessarily good for you. xD)
If you can't do it for every meal that's fine. :) Just try! Any improvements are better than none. Let me know how you're doing by posting below. ^-^
Yes, I remembered to check this time. ^-^ If you did, post what you decided to do in the comments!
And...Moving On...
So last week we went over micro and macronutrients. I also told you a few ways to get those nutrients. So, today, we're going to talk about the things you should avoid eating. And I'm going to be far more specific than 'junk food.'
There's a good reason I don't want to just say avoid junk food. First of all, the definition of junk food itself can vary from person to person. Second, not all junk food is apparent at first sight.
Now, I can make this complicated, or I can make it simple. I can tell you to avoid MSG, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, and a long list of other chemicals. And if that's what you're interested in, then by all means check out Eat This! Not That! They have a great list. :)
But if you want a few simple rules to follow:
Only buy foods that have been made with ingredients you have in your own kitchen.
Want chocolate chip cookies? Check the nutrition facts. Is there a ton of stuff in there you don't recognize? Don't buy them. Want a pre-made sandwich? Check the ingredients. Does it have anything in it besides bread, meat, cheese, lettuce, and whatever you enjoy on your sandwiches? If not, don't get it.
Obviously this can be a little more complicated with things like the cookies; the chocolate chips themselves might have several ingredients, and that can throw you off, but as far as general rules go, this is the best I can give you.
The closer you are to natural, the better it's likely to be for you.
In other words, the apple is better than the applesauce and the apple pie. If you want a meat sandwich, get actual beef or chicken, chunk it up, and put it on bread. That's much better than the processed lunch meat you'll find in most delis. They add nitrates, nitrites, sugar, caramel coloring, and salt. I'm pretty sure you don't want to eat anything that's not actual food.
Eat more fruits and veggies!
If you want to lose weight, this one alone can help you with that. Fruits and vegetables have fewer calories per serving than many other things you can eat. So you can fill up on fruits and vegetables, and get just as much food for fewer calories. Eat fewer calories, weigh less. :) Plus, fruits and veggies are great sources for those nutrients we talked about last week.
These aren't the only things you can do for your diet. There are many, many more. These are just some of the most far-reaching ones I could find.
HOMEWORK! :D
This week, your homework is to pick one of the following to do for as many meals this week as you can:
Eat smaller portions
Avoid unnecessary sugars
Eat less meat and more veggies
Get more natural foods
Go organic (keeping in mind that organic cookies are still cookies, and not necessarily good for you. xD)
If you can't do it for every meal that's fine. :) Just try! Any improvements are better than none. Let me know how you're doing by posting below. ^-^
October 26, 2013
Collapse (Free Fantasy Short Story)
Beenie and the others huddled at the blocked-off tunnel exit for a long moment, simply staring at each other.
There was no escaping the reality of the situation. Peter, their leader, was dead. Or, if he wasn't, he was going to be in a matter of moments. Beenie knew she should feel more awful about it, but a curious numbness had seeped over her. She couldn't feel anything but a vague worry that she should be more unhappy about all of this.
"We'd better get moving," one of the older fairies said, standing upright and wiping his brow. "I'm not sure how long this is going to hold." He tapped the barrier with his forefinger.
"All right," Horace said. "Everybody up. Let's get moving."
It took several minutes for everyone to be up and ready to move further into the catacombs, and they all wore expressions similar to what Beenie thought her face looked like. They looked oddly blank, and yet horrified at the same time. Dew expressed the thoughts of them all when she spoke.
"What are we going to do now?" she said softly. No one had the heart to try and reply, so she fell silent.
They had just taken their first steps down the tunnel when there was a great booming sound, and the ground seemed to shake. Troy let out a yelp that under other circumstances might have made Beenie laugh, and those who could took to the air.
"What is that?" Theta asked, her voice higher in pitch than normal.
As she spoke, dirt fell from the ceiling, and Beenie looked up. Her brain froze for one brief second.
"Run!" she screamed. "They're collapsing the tunnel!"
The booming sound was repeated, and the earth shook as they ran. The boom gave way to a roar, and Beenie heard the rain-like spatter of earth on the tunnel floor. She chanced one look over her shoulder, and saw earth falling into the space they had occupied only a moment before.
"Faster!" Theta yelled.
"They'll be able to follow us wherever we go," Horace cried. "If they collapse the whole tunnel, we'll lead them right to everyone else!"
"Once we get to the catacombs we can lose them," Theta said, panting.
"But then it'll only be a matter of time before they find us all anyway," Kara said, just as winded as Theta.
"But then we'll have time to figure out what to do," Horace said. "And we need to tell them what happened to..." he trailed off. But no one had any question about what he'd been speaking, and no one wanted to finish it anyway, as if to speak it would make it true.
"To the catacombs, then?" Beenie asked.
"To the catacombs," Horace agreed.
They went as quickly they could go, and still they heard the rumble of collapsing tunnels behind them. When they entered the catacombs proper, it sounded far away. But Beenie knew that if they continued to collapse the tunnel, sooner or later they would blast a hole they could come through themselves. And then they would arrive in numbers.
In a matter of minutes they had arrived at the disguise rod. Horace went back to make sure they hadn't been followed, and then motioned for everyone to go through.
Kara and Troy went first, followed by Theta and Dew, and then the others that were with them. Beenie was one of the last to go. She waited for Horace, and only when he was coming back did she hurtle herself through the illusion cast by the disguise rod.
The room beyond was full of chattering creatures and fairies, and Beenie could see in their faces their shock and surprise at their arrival. Beenie slumped to the ground, where the others were trying to recover from their flight.
At first, the whole room fell silent. But then, another roar filled Beenie's ears. This time, voices. Questions. Worries, demands to know what had happened. Beenie covered her ears.
There were others that had been fighting in the Ring there. They had escaped. But none of them had seen what happened, and they were just an anxious for news as the others.
Beenie clamped her hands over her ears even tighter as she saw Horace's mouth start to move. The cacophony quieted, and she cautiously lifted her hands.
"-he told us to leave, and we made for the tunnel-"
Beenie slapped her hands over her ears again. She didn't need to hear this. He was going to get to Peter very soon. She closed her eyes, and tried to think about something else. But the wail when they heard what happened to Peter broke through the barrier between her ears and the listeners. She curled into a ball. And while there, her mind repeated Dew's question.
What were they going to do now?
There was no escaping the reality of the situation. Peter, their leader, was dead. Or, if he wasn't, he was going to be in a matter of moments. Beenie knew she should feel more awful about it, but a curious numbness had seeped over her. She couldn't feel anything but a vague worry that she should be more unhappy about all of this.
"We'd better get moving," one of the older fairies said, standing upright and wiping his brow. "I'm not sure how long this is going to hold." He tapped the barrier with his forefinger.
"All right," Horace said. "Everybody up. Let's get moving."
It took several minutes for everyone to be up and ready to move further into the catacombs, and they all wore expressions similar to what Beenie thought her face looked like. They looked oddly blank, and yet horrified at the same time. Dew expressed the thoughts of them all when she spoke.
"What are we going to do now?" she said softly. No one had the heart to try and reply, so she fell silent.
They had just taken their first steps down the tunnel when there was a great booming sound, and the ground seemed to shake. Troy let out a yelp that under other circumstances might have made Beenie laugh, and those who could took to the air.
"What is that?" Theta asked, her voice higher in pitch than normal.
As she spoke, dirt fell from the ceiling, and Beenie looked up. Her brain froze for one brief second.
"Run!" she screamed. "They're collapsing the tunnel!"
The booming sound was repeated, and the earth shook as they ran. The boom gave way to a roar, and Beenie heard the rain-like spatter of earth on the tunnel floor. She chanced one look over her shoulder, and saw earth falling into the space they had occupied only a moment before.
"Faster!" Theta yelled.
"They'll be able to follow us wherever we go," Horace cried. "If they collapse the whole tunnel, we'll lead them right to everyone else!"
"Once we get to the catacombs we can lose them," Theta said, panting.
"But then it'll only be a matter of time before they find us all anyway," Kara said, just as winded as Theta.
"But then we'll have time to figure out what to do," Horace said. "And we need to tell them what happened to..." he trailed off. But no one had any question about what he'd been speaking, and no one wanted to finish it anyway, as if to speak it would make it true.
"To the catacombs, then?" Beenie asked.
"To the catacombs," Horace agreed.
They went as quickly they could go, and still they heard the rumble of collapsing tunnels behind them. When they entered the catacombs proper, it sounded far away. But Beenie knew that if they continued to collapse the tunnel, sooner or later they would blast a hole they could come through themselves. And then they would arrive in numbers.
In a matter of minutes they had arrived at the disguise rod. Horace went back to make sure they hadn't been followed, and then motioned for everyone to go through.
Kara and Troy went first, followed by Theta and Dew, and then the others that were with them. Beenie was one of the last to go. She waited for Horace, and only when he was coming back did she hurtle herself through the illusion cast by the disguise rod.
The room beyond was full of chattering creatures and fairies, and Beenie could see in their faces their shock and surprise at their arrival. Beenie slumped to the ground, where the others were trying to recover from their flight.
At first, the whole room fell silent. But then, another roar filled Beenie's ears. This time, voices. Questions. Worries, demands to know what had happened. Beenie covered her ears.
There were others that had been fighting in the Ring there. They had escaped. But none of them had seen what happened, and they were just an anxious for news as the others.
Beenie clamped her hands over her ears even tighter as she saw Horace's mouth start to move. The cacophony quieted, and she cautiously lifted her hands.
"-he told us to leave, and we made for the tunnel-"
Beenie slapped her hands over her ears again. She didn't need to hear this. He was going to get to Peter very soon. She closed her eyes, and tried to think about something else. But the wail when they heard what happened to Peter broke through the barrier between her ears and the listeners. She curled into a ball. And while there, her mind repeated Dew's question.
What were they going to do now?
October 23, 2013
Featured Art Product: Orchid Scarf
And, our featured art product of the week! :D I've stepped away from the art canvas for a week, and tried out an accessory instead. :) It's not exactly as I would like it, but it's a start. What do you think?
Orchid Scarf by Duahcal
Browse Pink Scarves Would you like to see this image on another product? Let me know in the comments! :D
Orchid Scarf by Duahcal
Browse Pink Scarves Would you like to see this image on another product? Let me know in the comments! :D
October 21, 2013
Nutrition and Diet: Micro and Macronutrients (Health Blog Post #11)
So we're starting on nutrition this week! :D Because that's what a diet gives us; the nutrition we need to survive - or not, as the case may be.
There are two different kinds of nutrients; macronutrients , and micronutrients . Macronutrients, as the name suggests, are nutrients that we need in large amounts. Micronutrients we need in smaller amounts.
Macronutrients
These are needed by your body in large amounts - as I said before. These are needed to produce all that energy you burn during the day. Macronutrients include carbohydrates , fats , and proteins . (Sometimes water is included with this list, and sometimes it's not - but it's always important. :) If you've ever been dehydrated, you'll understand what I'm talking about.)
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are needed in much smaller amounts than macronutrients. These don't furnish energy, but instead help the many chemical processes your body has. The two kinds of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals .
Not surprisingly, you don't get those things from cookies, cake, candy, and potato chips. Where you do get them is from things like fish (protein), whole grains (carbs), and nuts (fat). The micronutrients can be found in foods like oranges, which have calcium, boron, and zinc.
We're going to work on separating good foods from 'bad' foods over the next few weeks. And no, this isn't the time for you to completely revamp your diet. xD A little bit at a time, okay? One change at a time.
First, your mindset. Yes, you've (probably) been eating junk. Who hasn't? But now that you know what your body needs to survive, you can take a look at the things you've been eating and ask yourself - have I been feeding my body what it needs? If the answer is no, then it's time to rethink your diet.
Homework! :D
Don't worry; it's easy, I promise. Take a look at your typical diet, and ask yourself what you can do to improve it. It doesn't have to be a big list. If it seems like a big challenge, a huge mountain to climb, then just pick one. Then write it in your notebook. Then, work on it a little bit each day. Read: A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY. That doesn't mean throw out the food you have in the house and go on a huge shopping trip because you decided to cut out sugar. (It's really difficult to cut out sugar, by the way. It's in everything, so I would suggest starting on something a little smaller.)
Improvement Suggestions:
Eat less candy
Eat more fruit
Eat more veggies
Learn to read nutrition labels
Cut out one 'bad' ingredient from diet
Drink more water
There are two different kinds of nutrients; macronutrients , and micronutrients . Macronutrients, as the name suggests, are nutrients that we need in large amounts. Micronutrients we need in smaller amounts.
Macronutrients
These are needed by your body in large amounts - as I said before. These are needed to produce all that energy you burn during the day. Macronutrients include carbohydrates , fats , and proteins . (Sometimes water is included with this list, and sometimes it's not - but it's always important. :) If you've ever been dehydrated, you'll understand what I'm talking about.)
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are needed in much smaller amounts than macronutrients. These don't furnish energy, but instead help the many chemical processes your body has. The two kinds of micronutrients are vitamins and minerals .
Not surprisingly, you don't get those things from cookies, cake, candy, and potato chips. Where you do get them is from things like fish (protein), whole grains (carbs), and nuts (fat). The micronutrients can be found in foods like oranges, which have calcium, boron, and zinc.
We're going to work on separating good foods from 'bad' foods over the next few weeks. And no, this isn't the time for you to completely revamp your diet. xD A little bit at a time, okay? One change at a time.
First, your mindset. Yes, you've (probably) been eating junk. Who hasn't? But now that you know what your body needs to survive, you can take a look at the things you've been eating and ask yourself - have I been feeding my body what it needs? If the answer is no, then it's time to rethink your diet.
Homework! :D
Don't worry; it's easy, I promise. Take a look at your typical diet, and ask yourself what you can do to improve it. It doesn't have to be a big list. If it seems like a big challenge, a huge mountain to climb, then just pick one. Then write it in your notebook. Then, work on it a little bit each day. Read: A LITTLE BIT EACH DAY. That doesn't mean throw out the food you have in the house and go on a huge shopping trip because you decided to cut out sugar. (It's really difficult to cut out sugar, by the way. It's in everything, so I would suggest starting on something a little smaller.)
Improvement Suggestions:
Eat less candy
Eat more fruit
Eat more veggies
Learn to read nutrition labels
Cut out one 'bad' ingredient from diet
Drink more water
October 19, 2013
Attacked (Free Fantasy Short Story)
Beenie and Theta ducked back into the catacomb entrance as more rocks flew past, whistling their way to targets.
"We're under attack!" came a panicked cry from behind. Beenie and Theta, the first in the line, were blocking the passage outside.
"Where are Dew and Martin?" Theta asked. "We have to help!"
"We'll find them later," Beenie said. "Look!"
Across the Ring, Peter was hoisting himself to his feet. His movements were slow, laborious, and even from such a distance, Beenie could see that he was panting from the effort and his legs were threatening to dump him to the ground.
"Oh no!" Theta said. "Didn't you say if he left the Ring he would die? Why is he moving?"
Beenie didn't answer. She had already started to fly, dodging the rocks hurled her way by the twisted gnomes below. Many of the fairy and bird squadrons were occupied with trying to push the gnomes back, and very few had noticed Peter's predicament. Beenie was one of several fairies flying to his aid, but there were so few of them she didn't think they would be of any help.
If she could convince him to lay back down, then the fairies could focus on the gnomes. But if he wouldn't...
An instant later she was hovering right in front of his slender, aged face.
"Peter!" she called. "Ypu need to lay down! It's dangerous! You can't leave the Ring!" She had to shout to be heard over the fighting. She ducked another stone, and looked imploringly at Peter.
"To sit back and be defended is not my way," Peter said. "My help is needed, so I must move."
"But you'll hurt yourself!" Beenie said, putting all of her weight on his nose and trying with all of her strength to push him back to the ground.
"Please," Theta cried, joining them. "We need you alive, Peter!"
"Do not worry for me," Peter said gently. "Go join your comrades. They are waiting for you."
Beenie and Theta turned their attention to where Peter had indicated, and saw that Martin and Dew were hovering uncertainly overhead.
"We can't leave you," Beenie said.
"I am not without protection," Peter said. "Go. Perhaps you can help fight them off."
"But-" Beenie broke off her protest as Peter's eyes turned on her.
"Come on Beenie," Theta said, taking Beenie's wrist in her hand. "He doesn't want us."
"But-"
"Go," said Peter.
Beenie allowed herself to be pulled along by Theta, but her eyes didn't leave Peter's for what seemed a long while. She felt like a cloud had settled over her heart. Something bad was going to happen, she just knew it.
Their squadron joined the fight, Beenie and Theta trying in vain to work simple magic spells while they were defended from the gnomes by Martin and Dew. Theta managed a few spells of wind, but they were so weak they could only be used to throw off the rocks that were flying through the air. Most of the other fairies were doing no better. There were a few that managed a flicker of flame every once in a while, but it lasted little more than a second, and did more harm than good.
It was during the fight that Beenie glanced back to where Peter was, and found that he was standing. And not only standing, but using his thin legs to terrible effect against the gnomes that had begun to swarm around him. He kicked, he reared, and gnomes flew through th air, squealing in fright and pain.
The gnomes that had been attacking Beenie and the others turned suddenly, and ran from them.
"What-?" Theta said in confusion.
"Oh no!" Dew cried.
The gnomes were making straight for the biggest threat in the Ring - Peter.
"Go!" Peter trumpeted. "Into the catacombs!"
There was a long moment of hesitation from the creatures and fairies in the clearing, and then there was a rush to obey.
"He's distracting them so we can get away!" Theta said.
"But he'll die!" Beenie cried. "How can they leave him?"
"Becaus that's what he told them to do, and they've learned to obey him," Theta said, taking Beenie's wrist once more. "We have to go! It's our only chance."
Beenie only half-heard Theta; but she didn't need to to know that what the other fairy said was truth. There were too many gnomes. They had rushed in, and now seemed to fill the smooth circle of grass from one wall to the next. Most were around Peter, shooting pebbles at him, poking at him with sticks. But there were others, still pouring through the hole they had made in the walls that had taken so much effort to build.
"But-"
"Go! Now!" Peter bellowed one last time.
Beenie choked back a sob, and turned to fly toward the entrance to the catacombs with Theta and the others.
There was a small knot of forest creatures defending the entrance, and Troy was among them with his parents.
"Beenie!" he called. "Hurry!"
Beenie and the others picked up speed, and shot into the tiny opening. They stopped just inside, and watched as the fairy councilmen worked together to weave a spell.
They were using magic to create a powerful barrier between them and the gnomes. As the barrier took shape and started to block off the view of the Ring, Beenie saw Peter.
His knees buckled, and he fell. As he touched the ground, the gnomes were on top of him faster than he could fight them off.
"No," Beenie whispered.
The barrier sealed off, and she saw no more. She rested one hand against the cool surface as the older fairies collapsed, panting.
"That was almost too much for us," one of them said.
Beenie acted as though she hadn't heard. And she wasn't the only one. Dew and Martin had bowed their heads, and the squirrels' tails had drooped into the dust.
Theta had tears in her eyes, and Beenie was surprised to discover that she did, too.
"He's dead," Theta whispered.
"What are we going to do now?" Troy asked, sounding as if he had a bad cold.
"I don't know," said Beenie.
"We're under attack!" came a panicked cry from behind. Beenie and Theta, the first in the line, were blocking the passage outside.
"Where are Dew and Martin?" Theta asked. "We have to help!"
"We'll find them later," Beenie said. "Look!"
Across the Ring, Peter was hoisting himself to his feet. His movements were slow, laborious, and even from such a distance, Beenie could see that he was panting from the effort and his legs were threatening to dump him to the ground.
"Oh no!" Theta said. "Didn't you say if he left the Ring he would die? Why is he moving?"
Beenie didn't answer. She had already started to fly, dodging the rocks hurled her way by the twisted gnomes below. Many of the fairy and bird squadrons were occupied with trying to push the gnomes back, and very few had noticed Peter's predicament. Beenie was one of several fairies flying to his aid, but there were so few of them she didn't think they would be of any help.
If she could convince him to lay back down, then the fairies could focus on the gnomes. But if he wouldn't...
An instant later she was hovering right in front of his slender, aged face.
"Peter!" she called. "Ypu need to lay down! It's dangerous! You can't leave the Ring!" She had to shout to be heard over the fighting. She ducked another stone, and looked imploringly at Peter.
"To sit back and be defended is not my way," Peter said. "My help is needed, so I must move."
"But you'll hurt yourself!" Beenie said, putting all of her weight on his nose and trying with all of her strength to push him back to the ground.
"Please," Theta cried, joining them. "We need you alive, Peter!"
"Do not worry for me," Peter said gently. "Go join your comrades. They are waiting for you."
Beenie and Theta turned their attention to where Peter had indicated, and saw that Martin and Dew were hovering uncertainly overhead.
"We can't leave you," Beenie said.
"I am not without protection," Peter said. "Go. Perhaps you can help fight them off."
"But-" Beenie broke off her protest as Peter's eyes turned on her.
"Come on Beenie," Theta said, taking Beenie's wrist in her hand. "He doesn't want us."
"But-"
"Go," said Peter.
Beenie allowed herself to be pulled along by Theta, but her eyes didn't leave Peter's for what seemed a long while. She felt like a cloud had settled over her heart. Something bad was going to happen, she just knew it.
Their squadron joined the fight, Beenie and Theta trying in vain to work simple magic spells while they were defended from the gnomes by Martin and Dew. Theta managed a few spells of wind, but they were so weak they could only be used to throw off the rocks that were flying through the air. Most of the other fairies were doing no better. There were a few that managed a flicker of flame every once in a while, but it lasted little more than a second, and did more harm than good.
It was during the fight that Beenie glanced back to where Peter was, and found that he was standing. And not only standing, but using his thin legs to terrible effect against the gnomes that had begun to swarm around him. He kicked, he reared, and gnomes flew through th air, squealing in fright and pain.
The gnomes that had been attacking Beenie and the others turned suddenly, and ran from them.
"What-?" Theta said in confusion.
"Oh no!" Dew cried.
The gnomes were making straight for the biggest threat in the Ring - Peter.
"Go!" Peter trumpeted. "Into the catacombs!"
There was a long moment of hesitation from the creatures and fairies in the clearing, and then there was a rush to obey.
"He's distracting them so we can get away!" Theta said.
"But he'll die!" Beenie cried. "How can they leave him?"
"Becaus that's what he told them to do, and they've learned to obey him," Theta said, taking Beenie's wrist once more. "We have to go! It's our only chance."
Beenie only half-heard Theta; but she didn't need to to know that what the other fairy said was truth. There were too many gnomes. They had rushed in, and now seemed to fill the smooth circle of grass from one wall to the next. Most were around Peter, shooting pebbles at him, poking at him with sticks. But there were others, still pouring through the hole they had made in the walls that had taken so much effort to build.
"But-"
"Go! Now!" Peter bellowed one last time.
Beenie choked back a sob, and turned to fly toward the entrance to the catacombs with Theta and the others.
There was a small knot of forest creatures defending the entrance, and Troy was among them with his parents.
"Beenie!" he called. "Hurry!"
Beenie and the others picked up speed, and shot into the tiny opening. They stopped just inside, and watched as the fairy councilmen worked together to weave a spell.
They were using magic to create a powerful barrier between them and the gnomes. As the barrier took shape and started to block off the view of the Ring, Beenie saw Peter.
His knees buckled, and he fell. As he touched the ground, the gnomes were on top of him faster than he could fight them off.
"No," Beenie whispered.
The barrier sealed off, and she saw no more. She rested one hand against the cool surface as the older fairies collapsed, panting.
"That was almost too much for us," one of them said.
Beenie acted as though she hadn't heard. And she wasn't the only one. Dew and Martin had bowed their heads, and the squirrels' tails had drooped into the dust.
Theta had tears in her eyes, and Beenie was surprised to discover that she did, too.
"He's dead," Theta whispered.
"What are we going to do now?" Troy asked, sounding as if he had a bad cold.
"I don't know," said Beenie.
October 16, 2013
Featured Art Product!
And this week's featured art product! :D
This is a picture I took last spring/summer. We have lots of these flowers pop up around the house, and it just so happened that we had a really clear day, too. :)
Yellow and BLue by Duahcal
Browse more Flower Canvas Prints at Zazzle Want to see this pic on something else? Comment and let me know!
This is a picture I took last spring/summer. We have lots of these flowers pop up around the house, and it just so happened that we had a really clear day, too. :)
Yellow and BLue by Duahcal
Browse more Flower Canvas Prints at Zazzle Want to see this pic on something else? Comment and let me know!
October 14, 2013
Nutrition and Diet: Overview (Health Blog Post #10)
Okay! We've finished up our section on fitness, and now it's time to move on to nutrition! :D
Dieting
I've already referred to this as a dirty word, but it's not really. You have a diet right now. You don't have to 'go on a diet.' All you have to do is change the one you're using now.
But before we get into that too much, do you still have your notebook? If so, take it and write down your fitness routine so far on a fresh page.
Then reread your reasons for getting healthy. Are those still working for you? Because if not, now is a perfect time to change them. :)
Now, let's take a closer look at your diet. Ask yourself some questions:
Do you eat fruits and veggies?
If so, do you eat enough?
What's your definition of 'junk food'?
Do you know what's in your food?
Do you understand the things that additives can do to you?
Write these questions and your answers in your notebook on a fresh page. No, this isn't a test. And no, I'm not going to score you. ;) This is more to help you realize some things for yourself. Most people don't eat enough fruit or vegetables. And most people would define junk food as candy, soda, and chips. But is that what junk food really is?
I challenge you to think about your diet this week. Before we go into how to help you change it to improve your health, I want you to pick some goals for your diet. What you want changed, and why. You can write it in your notebook - or you can post it below. :)
You can also keep a food journal this week, to help you see what exactly you're eating.
Comment and let me know how it goes!
Dieting
I've already referred to this as a dirty word, but it's not really. You have a diet right now. You don't have to 'go on a diet.' All you have to do is change the one you're using now.
But before we get into that too much, do you still have your notebook? If so, take it and write down your fitness routine so far on a fresh page.
Then reread your reasons for getting healthy. Are those still working for you? Because if not, now is a perfect time to change them. :)
Now, let's take a closer look at your diet. Ask yourself some questions:
Do you eat fruits and veggies?
If so, do you eat enough?
What's your definition of 'junk food'?
Do you know what's in your food?
Do you understand the things that additives can do to you?
Write these questions and your answers in your notebook on a fresh page. No, this isn't a test. And no, I'm not going to score you. ;) This is more to help you realize some things for yourself. Most people don't eat enough fruit or vegetables. And most people would define junk food as candy, soda, and chips. But is that what junk food really is?
I challenge you to think about your diet this week. Before we go into how to help you change it to improve your health, I want you to pick some goals for your diet. What you want changed, and why. You can write it in your notebook - or you can post it below. :)
You can also keep a food journal this week, to help you see what exactly you're eating.
Comment and let me know how it goes!
October 12, 2013
The Return (Free Fantasy Short Story)
Beenie rested her forehead on her crossed arms, which were currently on the table in front of her.
"It's not that hard, Beenie," Theta said soothingly. "Try it again. "
"No."
Theta sighed.
They had been trying, for two days now, to get Beenie up to snuff on the magic they were learning, but Beenie hadn't been able to do anything so far. The theory made absolutely no sense to her, and their teacher insisted that nothing would work if she didn't understand the theory.
"Beenie, if you can't do this they might replace you in our wing. Please?"
"I don't want to," Beenie said stubbornly. "I can't get it anyway."
"And you never will if you won't try," Theta said, finally losing her patience as she slapped both of her hands on the table.
"I'll just throw pebbles," Beenie muttered.
"That's not going to help if they won't even let you fly with us!"
Beenie's eyes had started to prickle. She didn't understand why this had to be so hard. The flying was easy. She was better at that than Theta. But the magic...most of the others were already learning the basics of elemental magic, and she was still stuck on the theory.
At this point, Beenie heard something that made her sit upright in her seat.
"Do you hear that?" she asked Theta. Theta cocked her head to one side, and listened intently.
"That sounds like-"
"Yelling."
They stared at one another for a split second before they were both on their feet and then taking to the air. They had been in the catacombs, so any noise they heard had to be loud. And if it was that loud...
Beenie picked up speed, and beside her, so did Theta.
"What can be going on?" Theta asked.
"Well..." Beenie didn't say, but the first thought she'd had was that the gnomes were back. That was the only thing she could think of that would cause such a ruckus.
"You don't think...?" Theta said.
"Gnomes?" Beenie said.
"I hope not. We're not ready."
They both swerved around the other, slower creatures that were also making for the source of the noise, and soon had left them all behind. A moment later they were out in the sunlight.
"Oh," Theta murmured.
It was, indeed, the gnomes. And this time, they had already climbed over the walls. The creatures and fairies were fighting them from the ground and the air. As Beenie made to go out into fray, a stone whizzed past her nose. She flew backward with a yelp, and crashed into Theta.
"Slingshots," Theta gasped. "They have slingshots!"
"It's not that hard, Beenie," Theta said soothingly. "Try it again. "
"No."
Theta sighed.
They had been trying, for two days now, to get Beenie up to snuff on the magic they were learning, but Beenie hadn't been able to do anything so far. The theory made absolutely no sense to her, and their teacher insisted that nothing would work if she didn't understand the theory.
"Beenie, if you can't do this they might replace you in our wing. Please?"
"I don't want to," Beenie said stubbornly. "I can't get it anyway."
"And you never will if you won't try," Theta said, finally losing her patience as she slapped both of her hands on the table.
"I'll just throw pebbles," Beenie muttered.
"That's not going to help if they won't even let you fly with us!"
Beenie's eyes had started to prickle. She didn't understand why this had to be so hard. The flying was easy. She was better at that than Theta. But the magic...most of the others were already learning the basics of elemental magic, and she was still stuck on the theory.
At this point, Beenie heard something that made her sit upright in her seat.
"Do you hear that?" she asked Theta. Theta cocked her head to one side, and listened intently.
"That sounds like-"
"Yelling."
They stared at one another for a split second before they were both on their feet and then taking to the air. They had been in the catacombs, so any noise they heard had to be loud. And if it was that loud...
Beenie picked up speed, and beside her, so did Theta.
"What can be going on?" Theta asked.
"Well..." Beenie didn't say, but the first thought she'd had was that the gnomes were back. That was the only thing she could think of that would cause such a ruckus.
"You don't think...?" Theta said.
"Gnomes?" Beenie said.
"I hope not. We're not ready."
They both swerved around the other, slower creatures that were also making for the source of the noise, and soon had left them all behind. A moment later they were out in the sunlight.
"Oh," Theta murmured.
It was, indeed, the gnomes. And this time, they had already climbed over the walls. The creatures and fairies were fighting them from the ground and the air. As Beenie made to go out into fray, a stone whizzed past her nose. She flew backward with a yelp, and crashed into Theta.
"Slingshots," Theta gasped. "They have slingshots!"
October 10, 2013
Featured Art Product of the Week! :D
I'd like to introduce a new...thing...I'm going to be doing instead of the weekly quote. :) I've been stalking pretty plants and scenes with my camera for several months now, and I also have a Zazzle account, so I'm going to be using those to make some pretty cool products for sale.
*drum roll* The featured art product of the week! :D
This particular picture I took in my aunt's rose garden (with permission, of course). It's now available for sale in my Zazzle store as a canvas! Check out the link below for more details.
Yellow Rose Canvas by Duahcal
Make your own digital canvas prints Want me to design a different product with this image? Request it below! :D
*drum roll* The featured art product of the week! :D
This particular picture I took in my aunt's rose garden (with permission, of course). It's now available for sale in my Zazzle store as a canvas! Check out the link below for more details.
Yellow Rose Canvas by Duahcal
Make your own digital canvas prints Want me to design a different product with this image? Request it below! :D
