Joyous Configuration! Open Thread for June 12, 2026

 I have nothing to add, really!

Happiest of F'linedays to you!

Love, P

💮

It Was A Hot Summer Day in The Great Forest

 

Uncle Bob's dream house. Still a dream!

            Strangely, there are some very hot days in the summer in the Great Forest. It sounds hot, before it feels hot. It’s like you can hear the forest floor baking. Insects make lazy little doppler effects, as they come near, then fade away. There is a resinous odor in the air, once the sun is up.
            Maurice had been doing some of the heavier jobs for Ooog, learning how a True Howler could also be a gardener. It was all new to him, this plant-based life. But he got into the slow pace of it, learning what garden plants needed, and he learned how to supply those needs.
            While Maurice and Ooog gardened, Thaga got out some materials. She knew the outside of Maurice’s bag would have to be tough. It was going to be worn by Maurice, after all, and he was likely to be hard on it, if his history was anything to go by.
            She chose a piece of heavy tent fabric which had been lurking in her sewing closet for years. It was made to be used a lot and very tough. For lining she picked a piece of heavy red and black plaid flannel.
            At first she had been thinking of a cross-body bag, such as used by urban hikers, students and such. But then she started imagining Maurice getting it hung up on things as he went about his life in the forest, things like brush and branches. She realized that it needed to be closer to his body. So she designed one similar to what we could call a fanny pack, to be anchored to a belt at the waist. She decided to put some copper rivets at the stress points.
            In combination with her other duties in the house, building the Howler’s bag took three days. Finally, it was done. She showed him how it worked, cutting the belt to his size so there wouldn’t be any long hanging strap.
            His book, pen, and harmonica fit it perfectly.
            “It’s like a pocket, without the pants!” he told Thaga, prancing about.
            Maurice liked to wear the bag in front like a Scotsman’s sporran, so he had instant access to his treasures and could keep an eye on them.
            Thaga and Ooog had learned to love Maurice, and he them. Ooog said, “You can stay if you like, Maurice.” Thaga agreed.
            “Thanks,” he said. “That’s just about the best thing anyone ever said to me. I might be back. I like the garden. I didn’t know anything about plants before!”
            But he wanted to see Ralph, after all, that’s why he had returned to the Northwest. So, on that very hot bug-singing day, he trotted back down into the forest, heading for the Home Clearing.
            As Maurice trotted along, the sun beat down on his shaggy head, his tongue lolled and he panted, but he was really enjoying the secure feeling of having his things with him in their own pocket sans pants. There was a pleasant rhythmic flopping sound as he ran.
            “Look at you!” Ramona called when she saw Maurice. She was busy teaching Cherry the names of her ancestors as far back as she remembered them.
            “Pretty cool, huh? Is Ralph in the cave or up on his log, Firekeeper?” said Maurice. He unsnapped the bag to demonstrate its wonders, and snapped it back up.
            “Ralph isn’t here; he’s up in the meadow with Uncle Bob at the Stump House. You know Bob don’t you? I’m sure you’ve met. Why don’t you run up there and show off your new bag? They’d love it!” said Ramona. “It’s just perfect for you, Maurice!”
            “I’ll find them!” he said. Even if he hadn’t known where the Stump House was he could  have sniffed it out. Howlers have a tremendous sense of smell.
            But, to help himself along, he pulled out his harmonica and began composing a searching tune. It was quite audible for some distance.
            Up at the Stump, Uncle Bob heard the searching tune coming closer and closer.
            “Ralphie, do you hear the music? Is it magic, or is it real?” said Uncle Bob.
            “I bet that’s Maurice!” said Ralph, because he could hear the music too. “You remember Maurice? Of course you do, he’s been here before.”
            “It can be magic and real at the same time,” said Ralph.
            The music filled the air. Even Aunt Suzie was listening as it grew closer and louder.
            “It’s perfect!” whispered Uncle Bob, gazing into the middle distance. He sang in his light husky tenor.
           

When I saw you,

My heart just fell.

Like an apple dropped,

In a wishin' well.

 
            “Hey, everybody, Lookie what I’ve got!” sang Maurice in his growly Howler voice.
            “Thaga does great work!” said Ralph.
            “Neat tune!” said Uncle Bob, all starry eyed.
            “Thanks!” said Maurice, “I’m just now inventing it!”
            “I’m just now working on some words!” said Uncle Bob.
            “Maybe you two should get together!” said Ralph.
            “Yeah!” said Uncle Bob.
            “Let’s do it!” howled Maurice.
            “Just perfect!” sang Ralph is his soft massive basso voice.
            And so it was!

🎼

Fair Enough

 

            His mothername is unpronounceable for we humans, so we call him Ralph. He inherited the name from a certain raffish old dog. Dog was loved, so is he.
            Recently, he and I got together for a little interview over a cup of verbiage, served as it always is, right here. Both of us had a couple of questions to air.
            “Say hey, P, what are the rule here?” said Ralph.
            “No holds barred,” I said. “I just have a few technical questions. I have no idea what kind of questions you have!”
            “I’m not very technical. You know that,” said Ralph. “Do you mean practical?”
            “Maybe that’s better. I compare what I know about you and your life with the alleged Sasquatch doings on video. It brings up questions. Like, do you twist and break branches as a form of communication, or at all? I’ve never seen that mentioned in your activities.”
            “I used to. We all did. It started out as a game in the woods when we were kids, to see if we could like, um, reform branches and small trees without breaking them off. We wanted to change living trees. It was like an art form.
            “Eventually, it became a sort of contest between families to see whose trees looked the best. I think the video makers over interpret it. It’s mostly just fun or art,” said Ralph.
            “OK, makes sense. My younger brother and at least one of the sisters used to do a similar thing when we were kids.”
            “No kidding? That’s kinda sweet,” he said. “Did I know you when you were a kid? I remember some kids like that.”
            “You might have known me, but I didn’t know you. You know darn well I didn’t see you, if you were there,” said I.
            “Fair enough!” said Ralph, laughing one of his big deep laughs.
            “Now a question for you, how did you find out about me then,” he asked.
            “That’s hard to answer. Long ago when all the world was young, we heard of the Yeti. Thought it was folklore. Then there were rumors of a creature said to roam the forest, we and some Indians said ‘Skookum’ for this creature. Still thought it was probably Indian stories. Their form of literature, you see?
            “Years went by. We lived on the Res up north and heard a few things, but not much. More about Stick Indians than you guys. The locals did not relish the thought of Stick Indians. I think they were a sort of Wendigo or shapeshifter.
            “Long after that, I started putting down word, sputtering at first, rough stories. Then one day, you came to visit me in these words. You began to reveal yourself, and then you had a family and a whole life in the forests of the mountains which you called the Great Forest,” I said, finally.
            “Interesting. Maybe I was sorry for being so elusive back then when we were both kids,” he said. He crossed his legs, twiddled his toes, and reflected on them solemnly.
            I laughed. “No harm done, my dear friend!”
            “OK, another question. In the long run, do you think it was a good thing that Ramona cooks your food now, and how about learning to speak American English? Ralph, do you wish things had not changed that way for you? Would you like to go back if you could?” I asked him.
            “No, no! Even a Forest Keeper knows that learning is a good thing. It’s a matte of poise, keeping in balance. I mean we use some human skills to enhance our lives, but we don’t put on pants and go live in town. See the difference? We stay in the Forest. We are the Forest and the Forest is us! But you know that!” he said.
            “What is essential about you and yours?” I said.
            “We live in the present.”
            “That was quick!” I said. “Hard to do, for humans. We long for the past, or hate it, or we long for something coming that will be better, or we fear it. Interesting. I’m trying to imagine what it would be like to live utterly in the present.”
            “Ya gotta love it, “ he laughed. “Gratitude helps.”
            “So, Compiler, why haven’t you written much about Twigg and his family lately?”
            “Yeah, well, they haven’t revealed themselves to me very much,” I said, not too happily.
            “I get it, you don’t want to fake it,” he said.
            “That’s right. I’m just waiting,” I said.
            “Here’s a question for you,” I said. “Are you, as a species, from Earth? Or did you come from somewhere else?”
            “From Earth. We’re not fallen angels, or demons, or whatever they dream up. We’re a lot like you, but different. Aw, P, I don’t know everything about our source. Just the same as you. You have the old Book; we have our stories too. I think we’ve been here as long  as mankind, or maybe longer.
            “I’ll tell you another thing. Forest Giants, Squatches, whatever name they call us, have sinners among us. Just like you. Some are kind. Some do evil,” Ralph sighed. “Another thing, we have the same Maker.”
            “I believe that,” I said.
            “Before we break up this tete-a-tete, do you have any words of wisdom for humans?”
            “How about just chill out! Take care of each other like you mean it. Form follow function you know. Fake it until you make it? For pity’s sake stop throwing everything away for stupid imaginations! Money isn’t life! Life is life!” he said.
            “Personally, I think we, as a species, are awfully short-sighted for people who are always looking back or forward,” we both laughed.
            “Any word you’d like me to take back to the Forest?” he asked.
            “Hm. Carry on? Look out for poachers? Be wise? Let it be? I think you mostly have it covered,” I said. “But, really, just give my love to Ramona and Cherry, and the wolf and the cats.”
            “Will do,” he said.
            I heard his big soft laugh and then he was gone, and I was sitting here with my keyboard and a cup of coffee. 

            “Fair enough,” I thought.

💚

It's A Howler's Bag, Man!

 

 
            Another day rolled around, and another sleepover around the fire. Morning came and once more Ramona strolled out to start the day and wake the sleepers. It would be a soup morning. She had some onions and some leftover young buck roast, enough to make a pot of soup.
            Bob and Berry had returned from their quarantine in the meadow. You remember that Daisy Dust is toxic to cats. Thankfully, they seemed to have escaped infestation.
            Maurice sat up and said, “May I go in and get my book and my harmonica, Firekeeper?”
            “Of course,” said Ramona absently, while deciding how much fuel to put on the fire.
            Maurice came back out with his stuff. He wrote a few lines in his book. Then he laid it down and started playing some old Cream tunes. Train Time, definitely.
            Ralph woke, blinking and yawning. Cherry joined the party. Blue stretched and yawned then went back to sleep at Cherry’s feet.
            The music continued. Maurice was working out a little tune of his own, but he didn’t want to tell anybody that’s what he was doing. He just kept working on it. It got a little repetitive.
            Ramona put her soup ingredients into her large pot. Chopped venison, chopped onions, salt, garlic, and some greens she had laying around, and water of course. It would be plain, but good.
            When the soup was just about ready to serve, Maurice said, “May I put my stuff back up on the shelf?” to Ramona.
            “Of course,” said Ramona. A tiny gnat of annoyance ruffled her serenity. She shooed it away.
            After soup Maurice asked for permission to get his harmonica again.
            As she was dropping the bowls into her bucket of water for a quick rinse, Ramona thought she could see how this was going. It also felt like a rather busy morning. She gave it some thought, but didn’t say anything for a while.
            Then Maurice wanted to put his harmonica away again, because he and Ralph were going out to gather fuel. Ralph wore the big leather pack that Ooog had made for him. Ramona noted the backpack and its excellent practicality once more.
            A plan came to mind.
            Ramona whistled and waited. Soon Maeve appeared. She hadn’t been very far away, just far enough to be riding Ralph’s shoulder as he gathered wood.
            “I’m here, do you need me?” she asked Ramona.
            “Yes, Maeve. I believe I do! I wondered if you would go talk to Thaga. Ask her if I may come see her today. I have a question and will bring Maurice with me. Would you mind?” said Ramona.
            “Of course I will. What’s up? Is it a secret?” said Maeve.
            “There are no secrets from you, Madam Raven,” laughed Ramona. “I would like to ask Thaga to make Maurice a bag for his stuff, since he doesn’t wear pockets or pants anymore. He really needs a way to carry his book and harmonica around! He really does! Let me tell you!”
            “You got it,” said Maeve, who blasted off in a great theatrical flapping of black wings.
            Before Ralph and Maurice returned, Maeve was back with a message.
            “Thaga says to come on up. She will be expecting you,” said Maeve. She had a cup of the morning soup, since she hadn’t been there for breakfast.
            “Very good. That’s just what I thought she would say,” said Ramona.
            When the wood gatherers returned, Ramona said, “I have a plan.”
            “This is what I propose to do, Baby, and Maurice. Cherry and Maeve and Blue, and I, along with Maurice, will go up to see Thaga. She’s expecting us already.
            “Maurice, would you go get your things again and bring them along? I want her to see what you have and to design and make a bag for you!” announced Ramona.
            “Yes, Firekeeper,” yelped Maurice, running for the cave.
            Ralph winked, and kept stacking firewood.
            Ramona didn’t really need to bring everybody, but it seemed like fun, so she did. As it turned out, Ralph wanted to tag along, so he did. Bob and Berry had gone off hunting or fishing or something. They did their own thing a lot.
            So, it was a large party which arrived on the porch of the Neanderthal’s stone cabin. Ramona tapped lightly on the door and in a moment Thaga appeared, with Harold at her feet.
            “Come in, come in, everyone,” she said standing aside so that they could pass.
            “You know why we are here, dear Thaga. Our friend Maurice has a few things that he needs to keep with himself. He needs a bag.
            “We have come to you, for help,” said Ramona.
            “Of course, I will help. Let me see what this bag needs to hold,” said Thaga, getting right into the spirit of the venture.
            Maurice showed Thaga his few things. She nodded, and said, “I see!”
            “Thank you, Ma’am,” Maurice whispered, almost too excited to speak.
            “It will take me a while to make a nice bag with a soft lining, to protect your harmonica. I think that Maurice should stay with us here for a while. I’ll make a nice bag, and he can help Ooog in the garden. How about that? Good idea?” said Thaga.
            “We have plenty of room, and Thaga is a good cook,” urged Ooog, who had come in to see what was going on.
            “Yes, please,” said Maurice.
            “Wonderful,” said Thaga. “Sit yourselves down around the table! I have a big batch of cinnamon rolls just coming out of the over and I will make some coffee!”
            No one in their right minds would turn down such an offer, so they all did sit down at the big table and have a wonderful after breakfast snack.
            Maurice played some of his songs, just because it was such a festive day. Then, Ralph, with Maeve riding along, Ramona, Cherry and Blue, all said their goodbyes to Thaga, and Ooog, and Harold, and to Maurice, and they all trooped back down to the Home Clearing.
            Ramona was quite pleased with how her plan had gone.
            She and Cherry took the dishes from breakfast over to the river to scrub them and brought them back to dry, ready for the next meal.
            While they were gone, Ralph and Maeve had a nice chat about this and that when they heard a plaintive voice approaching.
            “Ralphie!” the voice cried. It was Uncle Bob, of course.
            “Bob!” said Ralph. “Is everything alright?”
            “I’m stuck. I mean, I’m having trouble with this song I’m working on. I thought maybe you could help me!” said Uncle Bob, looking all pent up and worried.
            “I’ll try to help. Maybe Maeve can help too!” Ralph giggled.
            “He could do worse!” said Maeve.
            “But, Bob, you know who you should really get to help? Maurice! He’s a master song maker. He’s not here right now, but he’ll be back in a couple of days! Can you wait that long?” said Ralph. “Maurice can build you a tune, and you can do the words!”
            “Aw, Ralphie! That’s a great idea, Man! I’ll keep fiddling with the words at home, and see Maurice when he gets back,” said Uncle Bob, happily.
            “Perfect!” said Ralph.

🍀

Good Morning! Light as Air, Open Thread

 Just a little old bubble.

I hope you have a lovely June 8th!

💮

Ramona, Thaga, And The Daisy Dust

 

            Ramona and Cherry had spent the night snugged in the quilts inside the cave, just like they usually did. But, Ralph, Maurice, and the wolf and the cats had slept outside by the fire. It wasn’t even a cool night, being summer and all.
            When Ramona woke early, as she always did, to stir up the fire and make a little something to eat, the sleepover crew were still snoring. Bob and Berry were on one side of the fire with Blue. Ralph was starting to wake and look around. Maurice was still out cold, with his long tongue hanging out of his snout.
            Ramona laughed when she saw him, but then she looked closer. There was something moving on that snout!
            “By all the buds and berries, Ralph, wake up!” shouted Ramona. “It’s a flea!” and she jumped back away from Maurice.
            Ralph’s eyes flew open, he sat up!
            Maurice woke, looking all around to see what the emergency could be.
            “Maurice, dear friend,” said Ramona, “you are inhabited  by an army of fleas! We’ve never had fleas here before. Oh, I don’t know what to do!”
            Maurice scratched thoughtfully at his haunch. Ralph looked like  he was thinking fast.
            “The Tansy always worked in the cave. I don’t know what to do to a living person!” cried Ramona.
            “I’m sorry,” said Maurice.
            “Thaga will know,” said Ralph. “She knows everything! We need Thaga!”
            “We do need Thaga!” said Ramona. “Baby, will you and Maurice go up to the house, find Thaga and show her? I’ll stay here and get some food ready. By the time you get back these fish will be fried.”
            “That’s just what we’ll do, Mona,” said Ralph, still yawning. “Come on, Maurice, you heard the Firekeeper!”
            Ramona plumped down on one of the conveniently placed logs there, and started cleaning the fish who had been napping in her five gallon bucket. The scraps went into the fire as she worked.
            “Please hurry, I feel itchy all over,” she said to their retreating backs. “Ew!” she said.
            When the boys got up to the Neanderthal's stone cabin, smoke was pouring out of the chimney, so they wouldn’t be waking anyone, they were glad to see.
            Ralph banged on the door a little louder than usual.
            The door opened immediately, and there was Thaga with her eyebrows up, and Harold at her feet. She had her big striped apron on, her silver hair in a bun well out of the way and her sleeves rolled up.
            “Good to see you, Ralph and Maurice too! It must be some kind of emergency. Are Ramona and Cherry well?”
            “It’s fleas, Thaga! Yes, Ramona and Cherry are well, but a little fussed up! Maurice here came to visit yesterday, and this morning Mona saw fleas on him. She didn’t know how to fight fleas on a person, so she sent us to you! Can you help?” said Ralph, all in a rush.
            “Fleas!” said Thaga. “Oh no, poor Ramona. Poor Maurice. Wait right there!”
            She didn’t invite them in, but vanished back into her kitchen.
            In two shakes she was back with a cloth bag of something.
            “I was kneading dough, but no matter. This is a real emergency! Tell Ramona that this is Daisy Dust. It kills all bugs, and is bad for cats. So send the Pumas out to camp in the woods for a while when she uses it.
            “Dust it all over Maurice, getting it all through his fur. Sorry Maurice, but you’ll feel better when it’s all over. Tell her to dust it on the floor of the cave too. And! If any of you feel something crawling in your hair, treat yourselves the same way you treated Maurice,” instructed Thaga.
            She nodded and said, “Give Ramona my love. I’ll see you all later, flea free! I need to knead. Goodbye.” And she handed the bag to Ralph and shut the door.
            Thus excused, Ralph and Maurice turned around to head for home.
            “Hey, Ralph,” said Maurice, “maybe we should dust me out here before we get back to Ramona. She shouldn’t have to do it.”
            Ralph agreed that it was a sensible idea. So, halfway between the stone cabin and the Home Clearing, Ralph dusted his friend Maurice all over with the Daisy Dust. He worked it into Maurice’s ears, and tail and everything, very firmly with his big hands. Dead fleas began falling from Maurice as he worked.
            “Now you do me,” said Ralph. “Just in case. I can’t tell if I have fleas or I’m just itching in solidarity.”
            Maurice did that. He got Daisy Dust all over Ralph’s hair, until both of them thought it was enough.
            “I think we’re OK now, let’s go back,” said Ralph. A dead flea fell out of his beard.
            Back at the fire circle, Ramona’s big square pan was covered in frying trout. She was sitting there still looking alarmed, but hopeful.
            Ralph explained to Ramona what Thaga had said to do with the Daisy Dust. He also explained that the medicine was bad for cats, and told the Puma bros to hang out in the woods for a day.
            Following directions, Ramona dusted little Cherry, and Blue too, very thoroughly. Then, she did her own hair, with a little help from Ralph.
            Then, just to be sure, she went inside the cave and covered the floor with a dusting of the flower powder. She put the remaining bit in the bag, up on the shelf right beside Maurice’s Book and harmonica. Just in case, you know, though books and harmonicas don’t generally host fleas.
            When she came back out, she said, “Did you ask her about making Maurice a bag for his things?”
            “No, Mona,” Ralph laughed. “It was all about fleas today. You’ll have to bring that up with her later.”
            “You’re right, Baby! Let’s eat these fish. Thank the Maker for Thaga! She always knows!
            “I’ve never seen her fail!” said Ralph happily.
            “I’m sorry I brought fleas, Ramona,” said Maurice. “I didn’t mean to!”
            “It’s alright, Maurice. The fleas are dead or dying, and the food is ready. Let’s eat it!”
            They did, and she also made a pot of coffee in celebration, and to make Maurice feel welcome.

💚🍵💚

           

The Bad Things They Did All Day

 

 

            “Toots, are you there, Honey?” said Suzie, a little exasperated.
            “I’m always here these days,” Toots mrrred back. She was at her usual station. “There was a time. Let me tell you when I roamed the world and I was not here. Well, until night when he called us in.”
            “I’ve never been able to roam. Tell me about it,” sighed Suzie.
            “It’s a lot bigger outside. There is no floor, nor walls. The outside goes on forever. Under your paws are dirt, or sand, or grass, or you can climb trees. If it’s raining you get wet. If the sun shines you get warm. If the wind blows you can feel it in your whiskers,” said Toots, looking a little pensive.
            “I just knew it would be different. A house is like a box with things in it,” said Suzie. “It sounds so wonderful outside!”
            “Ah, it’s wild out there. There are Tricky Dogs, Sneks, Bad Birds who will eat you right up! There are pretty good reasons for a small cat to not be out there!” Toots said. “I speak from experience.”

            There was a loud crash somewhere near Suzie…Sweetie ran by like his tail was on fire.
            “Look where I can go!” said Sweetie, furiously swarming up the painter’s easel. “You do it now! Come on, Booker!” he yowled. “Never noticed this thing before!”
            “But, what if she doesn’t like it?” said Booker, staring up at his brother, who was on the top crossbar staring at the ceiling as if he might suddenly take a flying leap at it.
            “What?” said Sweetie. “Who?”
            “Ma P. That’s her thing you’re climbing!” said Booker.
            “Wheeee! It’s great, I can see the whole house from up here!” exulted Sweetie.

            “Speaking of wild things, and danger, Toots, can you hear what’s going on in this house? They’ve run amok.”
            “Have they actually broken anything yet?” Toots asked.
            “No…. But they mess up all the rugs! And they claw at window screens! They jump inside the fridge, Toots! I never behaved like that in my whole life! I think they’re broken,” announced Suzie. “Something is Purrwackie™!”
            “Who’s Purrwackie™?” asked Mr. Baby as he strolled by Suzie, who appeared to be talking to herself again.
            “The curtain climbers,” huffed Suzie at his retreating back.
            “Aw, they’re good kids! You’re just jealous, Suzie,” laughed Mr. Baby, looking back and winking.
            “I must say, your boyfriend has a kindly outlook!” giggled Toots. “Maybe you should jump into the fridge and just see how exciting it is!”
            “You ought to see them there lurking behind the steak packages! Quite mad,” said Suzie. “And, he’s not my boyfriend! He’s fat!”
            “Booker too?” said Toots, gasping for air as she laughed.
            “Sometimes!” said Suzie.
            “Maybe you should try it! Let me know what happens,” said Toots.
            “I’d probably get trapped in there!” said Suzy, Cautiously!
            “Oh, OK. Maybe don’t sneak into the fridge,” said Toots. “Caution is always best!”
            On that note the conversation drew to a close. The house was suddenly quiet. The Scouts must have gone to bed. All was serene, unruffled, and quiet.
            The fridge purred softly in the background.

😹😻