Author: jacquelineobyikocha

A wordsmith with a vivid imagination, an eager mind and a burning desire to carve out tales. As I journey with my muse to that land of all possibilities and self discovery, I hope my personal evolution will serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone who chooses to stop by.
Creative Writing · Hope · Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Musings · Photographs · Poetry/Poems · Weave that Dream · Writing

As Magic Abounds…

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

ξ

The air is so crispy
The birds are quite chirpy
The magic of nature abounds
As I imbibe all the sounds

ξ

My quick strides grow shorter
My eyesight gets sharper
My senses soak in deeper
Pictures become magically wider

ξ

The lady and her dog walk past
Bow-Wow says hello
The labourer offers a fleeting smile
And he works pretty fast

ξ

So much floral blooms
And golden, droopy trees loom
Scented float of planted perfume
There is simply no room for gloom

ξ

More barking dogs
The tinkle of calm waters
The men play a hand of golf
And a bird catches a grub

ξ

A deep sense of satisfaction
Of peace I sense within
As the Sun peeks to say hello
I am happy to embrace me

ξ

My passion has called
Now, no longer ignored
I hear the reverberations
Of the magic hidden within.

ξ

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
Written during my morning walk.

Writing 101 – Day 1: Magic

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short Stories

Barnyard Circus…

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

Bright lights

The circus came to town. Lizzy wished to go, but she knew that was unlikely.

They were poor. Ma couldn’t afford such frivolities as she called it, but Lizzy’s eager heart still yearned.

As she milked Bess her friend, she confided in her.

”Oh Bess, it would be lovely to see those wonderful things that Alice described.”  Bess mooed in understanding. When she was done, she patted Bess, collected eggs from Henrietta and went back to the cottage.

Bess mooed to Henrietta, who clucked to Gertrude the Gander, who quacked to Bucko the goat, who bleated to Gobbles the Turkey, until Hootensia the wise barn owl made a suggestion and they agreed to the plan.

What a wonderful time Lizzy had. Lots of fun stuff to do and bright lights too.

Her animal friends and the fairies dotted on her. They made face paints from flower petals and wove a flower tiara for Lizzy.

When she woke up, she was disappointed that it was a dream, until she saw some petals stuck in her hair and the sprinkle of gold dust on her window ledge.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inlinkz code

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

Creative Writing · Inspiration - Motivation · Monday Motivations · Photographs · Poetry/Poems · Quotes For You · The Daily Post

Are You Contagious?…

jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

1449473785386[1]

Around and around the weeks don’t last

Monday is here, in a blink floats past,

And Tuesday rolls in just as fast.

Quick fun fact:

It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. We dare you, give it a try!

It’s lovely to start the week and each day as much as we can with positive outlook. I find Leannenz Monday memes interesting.

Do have a beautiful week, awesome people.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Family · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Life · Personal story · The Daily Post

Twiddle Dee…Truant Me…personal

jacquelineobyikocha24 Comments

1449412878069[1]

Mum, now that I have grown old enough to know better, I am sorry for wasting your funds in the past; this apology was long overdue. Thank you WordPress for reminding me.

You painstakingly paid for several sessions of holiday piano classes with my primary school music teacher, but it seemed like a waste of precious childhood vacation time in my eyes, not when some of my playmates were busy playing hopscotch next door.

So, I hopscotched away my time and never got past clumsily tapping little ditties and the ‘do re mi fa so la ti do’ of piano things.

In simpler terms, I played truant with my piano lessons and I received a thorough telling off, a note-worthy smack and cancelled piano lessons since it appeared that I had no appreciation for the fineness of music.

Who knows, maybe if I had stuck to it, I might have struck the right chord and become a musical child prodigy.

Please don’t dare chuckle when I say that I am now expending my own money trying to play catch up with the piano lessons that I should have learnt back then 😃

However, I am not totally a lost cause, I did learn how to play the flute quite well and it’s not such a bad thing, just that it leaves me breathless.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post prompt Strike a chord.

Do you play an instrument? Is there a musical instrument whose sound you find particularly pleasing? Tell us a story about your experience or relationship with an instrument of your choice.

Life · Personal story · Photographs · The Daily Post

I Stare An Enemy Down With My Two Eyes….personal

jacquelineobyikocha34 Comments

1449403893794[1]

As a matter of fact, I have been stung twice in my life by Scorpions!

The first time was as a very curious young toddler playing in a rubble of stones with playmates and I got a shock of a sting from an annoyed scorpion that I must have disturbed while rummaging.

The pain of that episode has receded to parts of my memory that I can’t quite recall, but my mother remembers quite well.

The second incident was as a teenager in boarding school who was rushing to the refectory from prep in the evening.

I unwittingly stepped on my enemy once again and the pain of that sting scarred a part of my mind forever.

The burning degrees of pain, when the venom from the sting of a black scorpion crawls up one’s leg are very memorable and would make a grown man cry.

The scorpion in this picture was captured through my lens, at a safe distance in a rain-forest reserve.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post Photo Challenge Eye Spy

A link to my neighbours/Community · Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Love · Short Stories Series

Dating Debacle…Bridegroom Wanted Urgently!

jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

Romantic couple

Tess tried not to feel upset and anxious.

45 minutes…

She has been waiting for 45 minutes and the small sips of her drink had dwindled to the last remaining drop.

”After this drink, I am just going to leave,” she muttered.

”It’s not as if I needed this drink that badly, but I couldn’t very well sit and twiddle my thumbs while waiting for a dude who obviously has no plans of turning up.”

The Goose and Berry was not really her kind of place.

It’s a testosterone filled pub where men stared unabashedly at her, which made her throat tighten in discomfort.

”My mistake not to have taken Kate’s advise to heart.” She chided herself.

As the queen of online dates Kate has quite some experience under her belt.

”Always breeze in 10-15 minutes after the agreed time and if the dude is not seated and waiting, walk out quietly.” ”Never set off on the footing of sitting around and waiting for the guy to turn up.” A very bad trend! Kate advised.

Just as she signaled the waiter for her bill with her lovely manicured fingers, her late date came breezing in and as he ambled over, her internally wired male data appreciation did a quick scan.

He’s not bad looking.

”Tall” – Check

”Attractive” – Check very attractive.

Nicely turned out in his fitted deep blue jeans and light blue checkered shirt with rolled sleeves, which showed off appropriately muscled and brawny arms.

Not bad by half an inch, her inner goddess muttered but he obviously sucked at time keeping.

With a wry smile of apology he drawled an excuse of a meeting running late and battery running low.

He is easy on the eye like Sunday morning and she was willing to take his excuse.

”Who knows? We might hit it off.” She thought.

She felt the stirrings of attraction – on her side at least, and as she ran her appreciative eyes once again from his face downwards, her zoom lens zeroed in on a well placed hickey by his left ear.

She blinked and stared. Yes indeed, its a hickey and even a faint trace of lipstick and powder on his collar.

Maybe it’s an enthusiastic colleague, she excused the hickey.

”My apologies once again,” Tim said. ”So what would you like to eat, have you had something?”

”Hmm!” She thought ”Ah! A guy who likes to take charge of things.”

They ordered and got comfortable in getting better acquainted beyond the online basics and everything seemed to rhyme well, but Tess’s eyes couldn’t stay away from straying to the hickey and powdered collar now and again.

He had her laughing in no time, sending the right vibes up and down her spine.

”He’s worth several more dates.” Her inner goddess sighed in agreement.

”Good sense of humour” – check.

”Seems confident in himself” – check.

She tried to rein in her runaway thoughts, but he stood up suddenly and before she could say Linda, a buxom fireball of a lady descended on them, fireballs stance all taut and poised for a showdown.

”Tim, what a surprise.” Uttered fireball in a voice that dripped with lethal anger and not too surprised.

”This must be your illustrious business partner.” Fireball gave Tess a disdainful look.

Tess was quick to deduce that fireball must be the hickey planter and lipstick owner.

”Close your mouth darling. I am sure you thought I was too stupid not to know that something didn’t add up with your sudden flux of meetings in recent times. I had to confirm my suspicions for myself.”

Tess quickly gathered her wits and her handbag and made a quick exit. She didn’t want to get caught in the flak of an angry woman’s tirade.

”What a philandering Tomcat!” She shook her head as she tried to process the entire scene.

”Why on Earth do I always manage to find the dodgy, cheating characters?” She muttered in resigned sadness.

To be continued…Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 

The links to other parts are attached in case you haven’t read the previous series.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

As you know, I always like to excavate other neighbours treasures and I offer some to you today 🙂

Nutstrok always has me howling in laughter.

This quote by Deb put a smile on my face.

A new cooking discovery at Chez Gharkepakwan.

Lovely pictures of beautiful libraries to visit from Noirfifre.

I am not old by Non smoking lady bug.

Best song for grammar police found in Deb’s backyard.

Helpful tips for those who experience allergic, reactions from Smiling away allergies.

Today’s inspiration from Etta.

Some vibrant Christmas cheer from Lucid Gypsy.

One Love Many Names from Blabberwockying.

The Daily Post · writing ideas

For Sure, I Will Read It…

jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

If the truth be told, what I know for sure is that I would not be able to resist digging into the book about my life and I will probably run to the very last page to see how it ended before taking my time to go through it with a fine tooth comb to know if the author/s got it right to the letter, if they did a shoddy job or if they tweaked it a bit to make the naughty parts juicier.Naked Truth

I am not going to tell you righteous tales of being so good that I won’t read it.

That would be telling a lie and my guardian angel would probably cover her eye’s in embarrassed shame at such a blatant fat gaffe.

It has been written already, so I might as well indulge and remind myself of somethings and possibly prepare myself for the best years of my life which lies ahead.

It actually reminds me of Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past. About how he got to mend his grumpy ways after the early revelations.

Without doubts, I know some pages will make me cringe in, ‘how-could- I-do-that’ manner.

Some would make me cry, laugh, get angry, sigh ,moan, feel nostalgic and every possible emotion that will be caught in-between.

I guess I will order up a box of tissue in case I turn into a watering pot, some feel good Swiss chocolate and a nice tub of Haagen Daz ice-cream to help smooth my ruffled feathers back into place or calm raging nerves if need be.

What a lovely exposition that would be, if ever such an opportunity came. After all, ”to be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

The Daily Post prompt This Is Your Life.

If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you? If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover. 

Uncategorized

It’s Meet and Greet Weekend @ Dream Big!! 12/4

jacquelineobyikochaLeave a comment

Jump in and get your feet wet!

Creative Writing · Love · Poetry/Poems · Quotes For You

To Read, To Love, To Laugh, To Live…

jacquelineobyikocha8 Comments

1449303472754[1]

As we lay basking
Under soft gentle breeze of the day
I beseech you, my love
To read to me some more
That your words may give me life

♥

Read to me, my sweet one
That your soft words
May wash over me
Flowing through my veins
Embedding themselves
In the core of me

♥

Mesmerize me with
The flow of your words
That drops from your pale glossy lips
That I may drink in each syllable
To nourish and satisfy
The deep yearn within

♥

Enchant me with
Your expressive eyes
That I may find myself
Ever caught between
The reflections of your pupils
And there shall I remain

♥

Embrace me with your love
That it may cloak my being
With serenity and with warmth
And I may taste it’s sweetness
Like honeydew even when
The days fail to look bright

♥

Read to me my sweet love
That these words may empower my mind
And put laughter on my lips
That I may go places with you…
Where I have never been before

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

DAY 5

Jennifer at INK and QUILL has invited me to participate in 5 day photo story challenge.

Challenge Guidelines:

Post a picture each day, for five consecutive days. Attach a story to your image.

*can be fiction / non-fiction
*poem / short paragraph
*each day nominates another blogger

I invite Sam at Starlit Octave Band  a fabulous blogger and poet, to join the photo story challenge. I look forward to reading from you if you choose to participate. Enjoy 🙂

 

Devotions · Family · Gratitude · Love · Personal story

To The Daughter Of My Heart… personal

jacquelineobyikocha47 Comments
Wearing a crown painstakingly made by my younger brother :)
Wearing a crown painstakingly made by my younger brother 🙂

My dearest darling daughter,

I watch in awe as you edge on the cusp of teenage-hood, so fast, so soon, since it seems just like yesterday that your cute, squiggly and warm self was handed into my arms and you truly became mine.

I still relive your valiant struggle to surmount all the challenges faced by a tiny preemie and as I look at you today, my tall elegant child, it is in amazement of God’s goodness and grace over your life.

Daughter mine, my gentle unassuming child, in my minds eyes, I remember your tiny arms outstretched to me so many times as you uttered, ”carry mama” always a toddling step behind my feet.

Now, look at you! My beautiful budding young child, full of her own dreams and aspirations and bright as the morning star.1449293617280[1]

The love that I have for you cannot be expressed fully with words and my heart burgeons with so much delight with The Heavens for allowing you to be mine.

I say this so that you may always know, that even if you look back tomorrow and I am no where to be found, that I love you to the ends of time.

That I love you unconditionally and irrevocably.

Know that as your wings grow and are stretching to fly, that I pray for you today and always.

I pray that your star will always shine as bright as The Heavens created it to be.

I pray that you will soar like an Eagle and that wisdom will always follow you.

I pray that deep peace that flows like the oceans of time will always be your portion and the flow of your joy shall be like a river.

I pray that the generosity and compassion of your heart will continually expand.

I pray that abundant Grace will be your daily cloak, that favour will be your portion and that the Mercy of God will never depart from you.

I pray that your courage will be boundless as you grow into a confident, strong lady, filled with faith, hope and love.

I pray deeply that life will treat you well.  Be blessed. Be happy. Be well.

Happy 12th my precious girl Nnenna, Adaobi, Christine, Mmesomachukwu.

You truly decorate my life and my heart.1449293417812[1]

I love you loads and loads.

Mummy.