Karelynn A. Spacek : Spinner of Tales

 History of The Haiku      For those who are unfamiliar, the Haiku poem is a three line piece with a pattern of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and then 5 syllables. These poems usually don't rhyme and appear incomplete. This style of writing emerged sometime during the 17th century and one of the more well known poets of the art was Basho (1644-1694). Source: https://iaforhaikuaward.org/what-is-a-haiku/ US State Poems Part 1 Kansas   Tractors plow the fields Golden wheat towering high Yellow blooms shine bright  Missouri An arch rises up, Flourishing by the water. Rivers flow deep blue California Glitz and glamour tempt. A promise of sunshine pulls You under its spell. New York Remember the past Searching for a better life Patriots gather

  Kimonos   A Brief History     The donning of what we think of as the traditional kimono, began over a thousand years ago during the Heian Period. (784-1185 A.D.). Although today, this garb is rarely seen in every day wear, yet during more formal occasions such as weddings, funerals, and tea ceremonies, these ornate garments are worn. At first the kimono was worn with Chinese influenced Hakama pants. These partially pleated pant like skirts were pulled over the kimono to keep it closed. Later during the period, that changed, and so the Obi was created to take its place. An Obi was a lengthy fabric belt that was wrapped around the wearer to keep the kimono closed. Different manners of styling the Obi tails came into style as well.     During the Kamakura period (1185-1333 A.D.), the kimono was part of everyday wear, and adding multiple layers beneath the main one developed as well. This came into importance because certain color combinations could be worn together to represent a famil

 Losing a Parent     You always think that you have more time, but life doesn't care sometimes. One minute you have them and the next, they're gone. I am just one of many that has lost a parent unexpectedly; doesn't mean that my story is any less important.     My mom, according to my dad had been having trouble walking, and that she had fallen a couple times. Now if you knew my mom like I did, I can guarantee that even if in pain, she was prideful and didn't want help. She grew up in a rough household and had to be strong to make it into adulthood. Her father was abusive towards my grandmother, and sometimes claimed that my mom wasn't even his kid. I remember a story my mom told me about how he was choking her, and my mom ran out of the house and stayed away for several hours. So ever since then, my mom became super independent, sometimes stubborn. I can relate, I too can be stubborn when it comes to asking for help. After the third fall, my dad finally convinced h

     Reaching For The Stars            Over the years, astrology has been an on again off again interest that has captured my attention. To think that the stars can play a big role in predicting events has always had a mystical quality that I have been drawn to. I do admit that the determined qualities for my sign are pretty darn accurate. Read on below to see how you match up with you astrological sign. Astrological Signs / Personalities  Aries MARCH 21 - APRIL 19 Strengths: courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate Weaknesses: impatient, moody, short-tempered, impulsive, aggressive Taurus APRIL 20 - MAY 20 Strengths: reliable, patient, practical, devoted, responsible, stable Weaknesses: stubborn, possessive, uncompromising Gemini MAY 21 - JUNE 20 Strengths: gentle, affectionate, curious, adaptable, ability to learn quickly and exchange ideas Weaknesses: nervous, inconsistent, indecisive Cancer JUNE 21 - JULY 22 Strengths: tenacious, highly

 The Necklace       This wasn't how I anticipated spending a rainy Sunday. My grandmother's attic was in need of a thorough cleaning, so guess who got roped into helping? Thick layers of dust and cobwebs clung to numerous stacks of cardboard boxes, left in neglect over the years. These were her "treasures" as she liked to call them. Memories and trinkets from the past held great value to her.     Unexpected storms rolled in, making my scheduled outdoor activities moot. I hope Mrs. Winfield wasn't too upset with the turn of events. She was an elderly neighbor, whom I had promised to help with weeding her small backyard garden. The torrential downpour pretty much eliminated that possibility. A concerned phone call confirmed as much.     I donned a pair of ratty sweatpants, a paint-stained tee shirt, and rubber gloves before opening the first box. A cracked window allowed for a light breeze to circulate through the space. The clean scent was a  welcome addition to fi

  Types of Chocolate Unsweetened Chocolate (sometimes known as baking chocolate) contains 100% cacao and 0% sugar. It’s held together by cocoa butter. Most people find unsweetened chocolate too bitter to eat as is, but it is often used in baking. Cocoa Powder also contains 100% cacao and 0% sugar, but is missing the cocoa butter to keep it together. Cocoa powder is only used in baking and should not be confused with hot chocolate mix, unless you enjoy really bitter beverages.    Dark Chocolate is chocolate that contains over 70% cacao. Not all 70% chocolates will have the same flavors or bitterness since the provenance of the cacao bean can radically alter the flavor, but all will contain the same amount of cacao to sugar ratio. Bittersweet Chocolate is chocolate that contains around 70% cacao and 30% sugar. Nowadays this chocolate is more often used in baking than the traditional unsweetened chocolate. In Europe, bittersweet chocolate is simply known as dar