Let’s face it: I have to post every day. I tried to not, but I can’t help it. I reserve the right to skip a day, if I can, but so far it’s been impossible. People ask me how I can possibly post daily, and I explain: “I don’t worry about providing content of value.”

But today, heck!

Like, first, I was reminded that friend and fellow writer Leslie R. Lee has a butt-load of terrific books and stories available on Smashwords for FREE, for 99 cents, or for Pay-What-You-Want. This includes PACKAGED, one of my all-time favorite books EVER. It is BRILL!!!!! What brought it to mind is his series of “Forgotten Ornament” Christmas stories. Go get ’em!

Then, I got reminded of Pogo Possum, a comic strip character beloved by my mother and grandfather. And by me, come to that. Also beloved by Thomas Haller Buchanan, who has this wonderful tribute site with some of the strips posted. Thank you, Mr. Buchanan!

While we’re on the subject of possums, I’m sure I’ve shared with you the MePearlA YouTube channel, on which Georgette Spelvin, acolyte and former caregiver of the deceased Pearl the squirrel, tells us … well, many things.

Now, you know I get unsolicited messages, asking if I would like to buy articles, sell links, or otherwise collaborate with other writers/bloggers. Most of these are like, “What the actual…”, but some of them tickle me. Like this one:

Beak-a-boo 😎 – I’ll be super quick today:

I’m Dale from Chipper Birds, a blog about you guessed it, birds. Nice to tweet you.

(Sorry if these puns are hawkward.)

Anyways, I’m emailing you beak-ause your page also mentioned birds – https://marianallen.com/2014/11/wild-tame/ – and it was owlsome.

We just published a guide to the most beautiful birds in the world, and I thought it’d go great with your page. Please could you add a link to it?

Here’s the blog: https://chipperbirds.com/beautiful-birds/

If you did link to it, I’d be happy to tweet out any of your blogs to my social media followers as a ‘toucan’ of my appreciation.

Please let me know what you think?

Thanks so much,

Dale

Dale, I want to know who writes your material. Also, your site is super! I totally grooved on your post about the Chinese Phoenix. Wonder why?

Nails

I bought a rack for my nail polishes, and they won’t all fit on! I keep trying to get rid of some to make room for more, but I neeeeeeeed them all! And I neeeeeeeeeed more!

Well, you know, I don’t, actually.

ANYWAY, I did my nails for Christmas. OVERdid them. I needed to just pick one thing and do that, but instead, I did ALL the things!

That thing on the pinkie nail is called fluid art. It wasn’t entirely successful. Oh, snap. I like the partridge in the pear tree, though.

A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: Write about a bird and/or a possum in a tree.

MA