Now, some of the mustard in our front yard is going to seed. To thrive in their nitch as a weed they, of course, have lots of seeds. Seeds are 1.0 mm by 0.5 mm. The cylindrical seed pods are about 4 cm long and about 0.8 mm in diameter. In the plant I picked, seed pods extend 20 cm below the initial flower every 8 mm or so. The flower has petals and male parts that look like pollen sacks. Since the plants are in seed, the pollen must have been released weeks ago.

Between working remotely (the recent snow storm to hit the east coast resulted in our offices being closed for the past two days) and clearing snow, I starting thinking about the friends and acquaintances I haven’t or heard from in the past year. We are coming up on 12 months since the pandemic hit the shutdown phase, and we began to lose track of a lot of people.

This was really pointed out to me as I was looking for a story to read this evening. While going through my bookmarks, I noticed several stories by Elsbeth.

revised version of "The Secret of M.Y.T.H." is up:

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/88718/secret-myth-rev...

I looked through some old posts about milestones and kudos, and found this one of my own from 4.5 years back: https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog-entry/62570/milestone. It seems almost quaint, talking about pushing over 100 Kudos and such. My latest off-dashing, Still Another Dress Code, posted last Tuesday, zoomed up to 100 Kudos in a couple days, and is now at 126.

I'm pretty sure just about everyone knows the title comes from the first season theme to the anime "Magic Knight Rayearth". I based the mood of the main character on the lyrics, specifically to the English translation made for the US Sega Saturn version by Working Designs.

I've got an idea for a story and not sure if it would go over well

the story is about a man who had committed assault and rape tries to reform and make up for the harm he's caused, and may involve him changing into a woman.

would you read a story like that?

I've had new contact with my estranged Son, something I had given up on. He first emailed me, saying he was thinking of me, and tried to talk about my living in sexual sin. Sorry to drop the Religion Bomb on you, but I shared Matt 19:12 and Isaiah 56:4-5 with him, and later I got an email from him asking for my forgiveness.
He can't speak a sentence without using Scripture or mentioning God.

I'm very thankful but I do not plan on a deep relationship.

Gwen

Scottish musician and producer, Sophie, has died following an accident in Athens, according to the Guardian see link below. It's always a tragedy when someone so young dies and at age 34, would have expected to have many more years to live.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jan/30/sophie-acclaim...

Trying to find a story a boy leaves home and transition then becomes wealthy and adopts a little girl returns home to the shock of her parents and sister that there son is now there daughter
Thanks charlize

Based on a little "What If" scenario, I decided to attempt to write a new story. Surprisingly, it took only a couple months to complete. I imagine some will pick up on what's going on right away. I am being deliberately vague in the first chapter, but all will be clear, hopefully, after second chapter. There are six chapters in all, and the story is a bit over twelve thousand words. I would rate it a mild PG. Things are seldom as they seem. Skim milk masquerades as cream.

so apparently last night I started shouting in my sleep.

I cant remember what I was dreaming that would make me cry out.

The thing is, as a kid I did that a lot, and even as an adult I still did it until I started going to therapy and recovered some of the memories of my abuse (which is when I started having flashbacks instead), and as far as I know I no longer cried out in my sleep - until last night.

You're gonna have to forgive me if that's a little concerning for me.

for a new Gaby volume coming on Jan 27th!

Cheerleading is part of the American identity and frequently used as a story device or plot on this site. But how much do those of us not actually involved really know about it. A new film claims to take the lid off a less than glamorous world of exploitation nastiness and the victims as always are women.

See attached link from the Guardian and see if you still want to write about cheerleading.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/26/a-womans-work-d...

The whirlwind of Kissy's life seems to be slowing down... or is it?

Butterscotch 35 - Bamboo on BC

Butterscotch Remedy (Song)

I begun a new tale I've been working on for too long; two years. I got to chapter 8 when the virus reared its ugly little head and interrupted life as we all have known it. Unfortunately I had to post it as a pfd. I simply couldn't post it as a regular tale because I got error message after error message. I can't figure out whether I derped or the program derped. And I simply couldn't waste more time messing with it.

Just watched Joss Whedon's film SERENITY again, his follow on from his tv series 'Firefly'.
If anyone here is a fan of them and doesn't know. Randalynn on BC has a fantastic follow on story from the film here
Connecting Flight

Okay, so yesterday, after I has an exhausting day running Sharon and Sam around, my mom offered to make supper for me.

And while coming back to the kitchen while carrying a heavy pot with a heavy lid on it, the lid fell off and hit her on the top of her foot.

the top of the joint of her big toe was pretty swollen, couldn't put any weight on the foot, and I started struggling with guilt.

And then the day got worse.

I managed to trip and slammed into the carpet just about as hard as I could

So at this point I was sore, guilty, and worried about mom.

Just a notice before I get to our regularly scheduled programming. As per this blog, I will be removing Battle for Earth, the prequel to this series, from Bigcloset Topshelf and my website soon. So if you haven't read it and still want to, you may want to get on that.

Legacy of Earth: Birthright Battleground By Daniela A. Wolfe When a mysterious ship appears to confront the Valiant, all hell breaks loose.

Not the Night Master and the Dragon's Hand (a bit risqué):

https://tinyurl.com/yyshyyaa

(Part of large set of photos I took at NolaCon, the 1988 World Science Fiction Convention.)

Not sure why it took two attempts for the Tiny URL to go through. :-(

Just an FYI in case folks don't see me there.

its not been a bad week so far.

Just noticed a new Julie O. story on Fiction Mania for those of you interested.

President Elect Joe Biden is planning to nominate Dr. Rachael Levine as HHS Secretary. I wish them the best, though I think that some will fight this. She is Transgendered.

Youth sports have a purpose. They can be wonderful environments to teach valuable life lessons. Or, they can be culture cauldrons to develop bias and hate.

I love youth sports. I also love the effort to win. Excelling is a basic human nature and vital to the perpetuation of mankind.

Winning and compassionate youth sports are NOT incompatible.

I once ran a youth basketball program with about a thousand participants. The players were boys and girls ages ten through fourteen. Our program fed into three high school programs.

Four men with a secret little hobby get swallowed up by a cosmic phenomenon...

Pete, Doc, Josie and the General fall through the Hole in the Sky into a new world. Where are they? Or is that even the right question?

Andrea Lena shared these pictures with me and they are so beautiful I just have to pass them along.

https://www.emmalesliephotography.com/transcend

Hello out there,

I hope you're all doing well! Like I said earlier I have been working on Walker's Path. The new chapter has come out!

This ones all abo-- Well you'll have to read to find out!

You can view the new chapter here.

I really hope you all enjoy it.
Katherine

Okay. Here's the deal. I tried to post this before and got some flak. This guy has the information you need to get the financial help you need.

This is ME, not some virus or worm or hacked into account! I will grant you that the presenter SEEMS a bit scattered and he thinks he's funny, BUT he is not asking for ANY money from anyone. He is merely presenting information that a lot of people might not be aware of and how to GET what is available for things like rent and utility assistance. Like some tax breaks. Like child care or student loan assistance.

Hello out there,

Made a lot of headway last night. Wrote around 2k words for Walker's Path.

Generally, I write while I'm downstairs and lately I've been spending a lot of time upstairs. That is until we found a rat digging around in our pantry. My dad set out some poison and the rat ate it. It died in a wall somewhere near my room. So needless to say I'm not spending much time in my room anymore.

I'm both happy and sad. Sad because I am not spending as much time with my friends anymore and happy because I'm actually getting some writing done.

Just a general appreciative comment to Susan Brown on Football Girl Books 1 & 2. I reread both books on Kindle, and like before, I really loved them, and am looking forward if and when you write book 3.

Daphne46

NEW BOOK WARNING! I have just uploaded FED ON FEAR to Amazon for a Kindle eBook and a paperback.
For those of you who might have read The Rats of Hell - this is a rewrite and expansion of that story - bringing it into Natasha Mackay's universe - long after she has died (or has she?).
Kindle version is already available - the paperback might take a day or so longer.

Fed on Fear

So, I don’t have an exact timeline, but soon I’ll be removing Battle for Earth from this and other websites. If you wish to download a copy for yourself, I have no qualms with that, but I hope that you’ll choose to support me when it is released on Kindle. I’ve already asked to have it removed from a certain other website, but only because I cannot directly remove it myself. I have put notices on several organizer pages for the series, the very first serial part, and on my website.

I hope everyone has a deliciously demented day,

2 years ago, I had a benign tumor removed from my brain. The surgery went well, and the incision site has healed pretty well, although it still hurts at times. The tumor was squeezing my cerebrum on the left side of my head, causing what, for all intents and purposes, were short circuits in my brain. At times, my memory would completely disappear for several minutes. The partial brain seizures were frightening, and when I told people about them, even my doctor, I received the advice, just get your blood sugar under control.

I don't generally do this when I post a new chapter but seeing as its been a while since I posted the last one and well frankly, I said there wasn't going to be anymore. I thought I'd let everyone know that there is in fact a NEW chapter of Wayward that I posted today. Its a bit on the short side because well I haven't written anything in a bit but I'm just happy I pulled my ass off the floor to do something again.

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/88409/wayward-part-6

Hello out there,

It's been a couple of weeks since I put up a chapter of "Walker's Path" and I wanted to apologize.

We've been having problems with my nephew that I don't really want to get into and I've been having problems getting the medical care that I need. Specifically some trans-related surgery.

I also have a lump on my right breast that has been steadily growing. I found it in October 2018 and got a biopsy in 2019 which showed that it was benign. I'm hoping for the same result and hoping that I can get it removed soon as well.

Due to Covid 19, I haven't been out more than once a week, to avoid it, and that is since January. Life is just really strange right now. I've been doing my best to keep distracted and calm, though the VA is anxious to get me on Psychotropic drugs. I doubt that I shall follow their wishes.

Four secret crossdressers looking for a quiet week in the North Woods face alien phenomena.

A new serial appearing in Patreon for everyone: Click to read on Patreon

has passed, but we're still eating leftovers!

When I usually talk about my negative self talk, aka "Mr. Nasty", its a "tape" of my various failures.

But sometimes, I get a "tape" that's much, much worse.

This "tape" is connected to my rapes, and the word it uses to describe me isn't "failure".

It's "Evil".

The reason I'm bringing it up now is that I spent most of last night trying to fight off that "tape".

So I think Team Dorothy to come to my rescue again.

Send words of encouragement, praise, or just send a hug if you can.

Thank you in advance.

I feel like I'm living in a waking nightmare.

I was wondering if anyone knew if these couple authors were still active or not. Zoe Taylor, Ashley McGreagor, Dark Kitten of the "Becoming Robin" series and spinoffs. And Susan Brown of the "Home Alone" series? Oh, and Jennifer Sue of A Summer's Odessy"?
I've recently downloaded the books on Kindle, and reread them, but all stories hinted at more to come.

Like I said I was wondering if anyone knew if they were still active or not?

I wrote TWO stories on here, years ago, predicting Trump trying for a dictatorship (Choices,choices and Emily's Strange Life). Do I get kudos or was it just obvious all along?

For various reasons it has beeen five years since I last contributed to this site (other than lurking in the background, reading stories and awarding kudos). How quickly time passes! I have, however, continued to write but in each case have run out of ideas after 20,000 or so words. I have just posted the first chapter of a new story. I have so far written 29,000 words and have an idea of where it will go after that, so I will post one chapter a week with reasonable confidence (d.v.) that I will be able to complete the story.

Louise

Just to let other writers and readers know that I recently tested positive for covid-19. I have a heart condition, borderline diabetes, age, covid-pneumonia to make things interesting. I am doing well as I am taking an antibiotic to help my lungs and had an infusion of a medicine that is to help me fight this as well.
Besides feeling blah and bored I m doing well.
The Big Closet family is important to me. Your thoughts mean a lot. MY heart and prayers for others with the disease, quarantining themselves and medical people.

Hugs, Jessie C

well, I just learned that the girl I helped look after for several years, who I left due to the fact her parents openly put me down and she didn't object, passed away two years ago.

I mostly feel like another opportunity for me to make amends is gone.

meanwhile, my mom is calmer, but also eating less, so things are not looking good here.

hugs appreciated, folks

Hey everyone,

An article from the Guardian which may be thought-provoking or even helpful to some. It suggests we are often too harsh on ourselves and that in order to be more kind to others we need to show ourselves a little more compassion. With the current situation of lockdowns, economic problems and risk of illness, it may be an interesting read.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jan/06/silence...

Since my mother has begun to suffer from dementia, she has been constantly worried that the place is on fire.

We couldn't figure out why, until I remembered her telling me that when she was a small child the cabin she and her family were living in caught on fire, and she had to help get the kids.

which has me wondering if there is a connection between dementia and PTSD. And whether I'm going to be reliving my rapes if I get dementia as well ...