Tag: warm

Lifestyle · The Great Book Of Lists

Embracing My Quirkiness….The great book of lists.

jacquelineobyikocha28 Comments

Dolls[1]

La Duchesse gave us a prompt ’embracing my quirkiness,’ that not only made me laugh but also made me spend a little time looking at those itty-bitty sides of me that though they may not be original, are part of me, like dusting of freckles or the little mole that occupies a part of your body.

I’m showing you my clay feet and it’s possible that the list is longer than this, but I’ll keep it short so that you don’t run away into the bush to get away from me 😉

  1. I am a touchy feely person, especially with those who I feel close to (but it’s not uncommon for me to hug a new found friend).
  2. I nibble my husband’s food when he’s eating. This used to drive him nutty, but 16 years has made him soften, that he now feeds me himself 😉
  3. I doodle while thinking or listening intently. I have no idea why, but I hear clearly this way.
  4. I carry a notepad everywhere. Everywhere!
  5. I could go for eons without remembering to watch TV. Just leave me with sufficient books, a thick notepad, and music, please 🙂
  6. I watch people’s feet and mentally try to build a fictitious life about them. Please don’t ask me why.
  7. I make up nonsensical songs about anything and sing when cooking. I think I borrowed the singing when cooking from my mother. She did it all through my growing up years and she’s been in the choir like forever.
  8. I always start a conversation with a total stranger; in a safe vicinity of course.
  9. I write to deal with issues on my mind. I pick it apart on a piece of paper.
  10. Okay, I am a die-hard romantic and still enjoy my Harlequin romances et al… feel free to wiggle your eyebrows 😉
  11. I collect itty-bitty silly dolls and give them names.
  12. I am always barefoot at home; pregnant or not. I just like the coolness of the floor under my feet and only put them into my cozy froggy footwear just before bedtime. I’m still trying to understand that.

Thank you for bearing with me and not running off by now. I’ll be watching your feet 😉

Jacqueline

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

I have to say I’m in awe and spellbound by her poetry. She is amazing at describing love and life in her poems. She creates such beautiful images with her words. Truly, she is a talented writer and I’m so excited to have her poetry book and to continue reading through it.

Out of the silent breath

Everyday People

A neighbour and a pug…Every day beautiful people # 57

jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

“A good neighbour is a blessing.”

Neighbour[1]

A lovely and friendly neighbour and Tess the pug. The children get on with them, especially Tess that can be such a lady despite her bull- doggish looks. They are moving away to another part of town. We’ll surely miss them.

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Everyday People · kindness

Animal kindness…Every day beautiful people – Kindness Challenge

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

I wanted to join the Kindness challenge right from the onset but with so much on my schedule, I could barely see where to fit it in until an idea struck me that I could tie it with my daily observation of everyday people. I’ll try as much as I can to keep to the challenge for the next few weeks.

However, having always being a people observer, over time, I’ve noted both the lapses in human kindness as well as the beautiful expressions of kindness people show.RevofKindness

The lady below caught my attention during my early morning visit to the park over the weekend.

Pets and strays are not particularly a favourite in this part of the World though people own their pets and learn to keep them behaved, but in the case of strays, they are at the mercy of mercy.

I’d noticed the cute kittens when they wandered closer but within minutes, I was privy to a scene that made me happy.

The kittens seemed to know that their benevolent ‘Cat lady‘ was on her way, so they wandered out of their hidden corner.

She buys food for them from a nearby Waitrose and comes to the park to feed them each day, under the scolding gaze of the groundskeeper.

We had a chat and she related to me on how she had been told off severally by them, but her mind just couldn’t let her be when she thought that they were starving and now the groundskeeper ignores her 🙂

She couldn’t take in pets ‘cos her apartment is ‘no pets allowed.’ We talked about letting an animal shelter know about the little ones and she agreed to look into it and I thanked her for doing what she was doing.

I left with some sense of happiness. Her kindness didn’t go unnoticed.

Cat_lady_3[1] Cat_lady_2[1] Cat_lady[1]

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Observe kindness around you: “no act of kindness no matter how small, is wasted” – Aesop

P.S. You are invited to our monthly blog party this weekend. It’s fun and you get to meet fantastic folks:-)

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

May I live,

unafraid to breathe.

Free from a choke-hold,

that becomes a stronghold.

May I live,

unafraid to live,

clinging to my expectations,

with feral desperation.

*

*excerpts from my poem*

Rononvan's Weekly Haiku Challenge

Magic abounds…Ronovan writes weekly haiku challenge

jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

I love the glitter ‘magic and glimmer’ that we are offered for this week’s Ronovan’s Haiku.

Twin, Sisters, Love, Girls, Blue Eyes, Beauty

The children’s laughter sounds magical
the glimmer of their glow sticks
twinkles in the bright rays of Sun

****

She watches them from the kitchen window
her eyes glimmer with tears
heart-filled with life’s wondrous magic that abounds

****

They were mere glimmers of yesterday’s hope
like dreams conjured from magic
gorgeous twins to love in a swoop.

***

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Haiku · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Poetry/Poems · Rononvan's Weekly Haiku Challenge

Cosy up!…Ronovan writes weekly haiku challenge.

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

I like rain, but not lightning. It still scares me especially when it crackles fiercely, though I wear my big mama panties, grit my teeth and pretend to my children that I ain’t scared. I prefer to be ensconced in my warm abode during such weather. Preferably, with a mug of warm cocoa or tea and some biscuits.

When possible, I always prefer to be ensconced in my warm abode during such weather. Preferably, with a mug of warm cocoa or tea and some biscuits.

Now Ronovan’s prompt makes me hungry and desirous of some gentle rainfall.

Huddling in bed under my cosy duvet

I enjoy a blissful read

forgetting the fierce lightning and heavy rain.

♣

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Image credit: Pixabay

Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Brand me whole as only you can

That the entire score of me

Knows nothing but the fullness of you.

Love · Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post · Weave that Dream

Ah What a Rainfall….a love poetry.

jacquelineobyikocha38 Comments

falling rainPlip, plop, tlop tlop, goes the rain drops…

Sweet memories swirl in my mind
Of young days spent
getting soaked to the skin
With nothing akin to worry in sight
Just children, playing in the rain
Wiggling tiny waist and skinny bums
Ah! What a rainfall.

Of rainy days and hair gone nappy, spongy wild from wetness
Of mother dear telling us to hold our ears and listen well
We held our ears and listened well to the chastising
Not to play in the rain again
Until the next fall came.
Quickly forgetting our pulled ears,
Yet again we went. Little urchins we were.
Ah! What a rainfall.

Nostalgic memories of rainfall
Transport me to grandma’s detached warm kitchen
Of the earthen clay pot that contained the cool, refreshing water
Water so clear from the stream, with smoky sweet unique taste
Sitting on little stools watching the drip drops of rainfall
As it gathers in puddles before us
The chicken comes to roost and dry its feathers
Of the smell of roasted dry meat, spices and the sound of pounding mortar
Even the nanny goat likes the homey kitchen, it was warm for all.
Ah! What a rainfall.

Wistful memories of rainfall
Of the days of a blooming damsel
With hair woven in neat cornrows and powdered face to illuminate her glowing self
Rain drops avoided with care, cornrows must be kept in place.
Ah! What a rainfall.

Delicious memories are here with me
Of lying in your arms and listening to your heartbeats
They seem to rhyme with the drip drops of the rainfall
Of cuddling under the covers, as the windows mist over
Whispering sweet nonsense and laughing softly
To little jokes only known by the two of us
Ah! What a rainfall.

Dreamy memories of dreamy moments
Of wondrous yearnings and many birthing
As we clung to each other
Excluding any other
And basked in the warmth of our own dew drops
Ah! What a rainfall.

Desirous moments, may the rains fall
May they make pitter-patters all over the roof top
As you design your patterns of love all over
No longer soaked to the skin am I
yet I feel the drops of the rain within your heat
and it seeps into my heartbeats.
Ah! What a rainfall.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

In response to The Daily Post prompt singing in the rain
Safe inside, toasty warm, while water pitter-patters on the roof… describe your perfect, rainy afternoon.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short story

Some Edible Mushroom…

jacquelineobyikocha7 Comments

Red_poisonous_mushroom_in_the_hand

The cool early morning breeze seemed soothing and refreshing, but Jen did not think so.

She was chilled to the bones. The night had been very cold with rain drizzles.

Her lightweight jacket and rucksack were barely enough barrier against the chill,

and the park bench was not made for a good night’s sleep.

She knew she could not linger for too long,

constant fear of being accosted by the groundskeeper,

kept her as uncomfortable as a colicky cat,

but she had no energy left to undertake yet another long trek,

to a county soup kitchen.

She had chosen this quieter place, to keep out of the way of the officers,

who diligently monitored the obvious public ones, and were quick to shoo you along.

She stared blankly into the lush green fields,

the early morning tweets of birds, reminded her of home,

of the birds that had built a nest in the old oak in the front-yard.

Her heady dreams of finding that pot of gold,

at the end of the ever elusive rainbow,

had tugged and pulled at her,

until she left her small hometown, to the city of fortune.

She could remember ma’s tears as she stubbornly sought her way.

Her cupboard had quickly run bare, her rent a history to be told,

items of value pawned at such an accelerated rate.

Still pride would not let go, nor a cry for help uttered home.

The intercessions were getting busier by the day,

With people clutching individually inscribed cardboard’s.

Eyes silently pleading, in hope of a hand out.

She had grown tired of the pitiful stares,

Of the leers with suggestive looks on their faces,

Of the eyes reluctant to make contact,

Of the eyes that looked as if they had seen vermin or vomit.

She resolved to find a way to go home to ma,

At least a warm bed and food she would find.

Hunger pangs were gnawing her insides,

Last nights sandwich had barely been enough.

The sprouted dewy mushrooms glistened in the morning light,

Their toadstool shapes looked so pretty, clean, soft and edible.

Grandma gave us some of those, when I was a little girl she recalled,

but grandma forgot to educate the little girl,

that most times, those attractive ones, would surely pack a wicked punch.

She gorged from desperation, and drank from the water fountain,

Several hours later, she slept and was no more.

P.S. Remember to show compassion to the less privileged around you. You might very well be saving a life. 🙂 Thank you.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Humor - Bellyful of laughter

The scale on my head…

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weight scale

Who created the weighing scale, If I may ask?

Who was that overzealous person that apportioned clothes sizes?

Can someone please tell me?

Who was it that decided,

that my pudgy good self,

my sexy and I know it self,

Is just not the cutting edge shape?

Well, if I must tell you,

since you need to know,

its just my awesomeness spilling all over.

Besides, I need my extra curves,

to keep me warm on cold nights.

That’s all! 😉

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

P.S. Photo credit: The comedy card company.