First Annual Report for the Blog– “2014 In Review”

December 30, 2014December 30, 2014 / jrmilson / 2 Comments

The WordPress.com folks, who host my blog site, prepared a 2014 Annual Activity Report for this blog.

“Here it comes.” — Waiting for the Activity Report (Photo credit- Ron Niebrugge, Wild Nature Images)

Here’s an excerpt:

“A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,800 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 45 trips to carry that many people. This blog featured 51 new posts and was visited by readers in 67 countries in 2014, with the United States leading the way, and the United Kingdom, Italy, Ireland, Australia and Brazil close behind.”

“Little Red Bear”– Pleased as Punch!
(Photo credit- by Wildlife Photographer Marina Cano)

This blog began as a way to share creative works and writings in May, 2014. With that in mind, and considering most days I am still figuring out step by step what I am doing in the social media and tech world, and that the above report reflects activity starting from ground zero for only a little more than half a year, I am very happy with that. Or, as my good friend Siobhan Daiko would say- I am “really chuffed!”

Special thanks to Siobhan Daiko , Lesley Sky, Kim Gosselin, Frank Clark and Adele Wilson for being top commenters in the year, to Sylva Fae’s “Sylvanian Ramblings Blog” for being one of the top referral sites right behind Twitter and Facebook, and to the wonderful artist Christine Southworth of “Bear Prints Studio” who provided original artwork for my primary blog image– “Milson, the Steampunk Bear“, top right. And another special thank you to Matthew Milson, my author son, who pushed me into starting the blog in the first place.

Bear Hugs! Perfect in all Sizes!

And a big Bear Hug and Thank You to all who have visited and continue to follow along. Your support and encouragement is what keeps it all going. Onward now to an exciting New Year, featuring many new creations, writings and the upcoming release of the first collection of “Little Red Bear” stories.

We’re off to a great start. Let’s keep it rolling! — Jim (and Red!)

“Little Red Bear”– Story Research in a Tree (Photo courtesy of National Geographic)

Big News! “Howie the Hound Dog” Planning a Return?

December 27, 2014 / jrmilson / 1 Comment

Hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas, Holidays and Festive Time!

A lot to do here. Working hard with Red to finish the first collection of short stories in his upcoming “Adventures of Little Red Bear” series. Preparing a new Blog Post for Monday morning—about being specific. (Gee, thanks Santa!) And Charles Dickens is back again after the holiday, working with me on that poem started awhile ago. Much to do.

And this morning, to top it off now– there’s more! I awoke an hour early this morning with my writing muse going a hundred miles an hour in my head, got up and going, and made breakfast figuring to get an early start on it all. I opened the front door to get some fresh air and found a “Special Edition” of the local “Owl Hoots & Toots” backwoods newspaper at my doorstep.

Big news! Word is that Howie the Hound Dog over at the old Cooper place on Flint Crick is fixin’ to get a new band together! Howie’s last group broke up when . . . . . . . . .

Well, before we rush into a rumor with our overalls half pulled, let me check it all out first and get the whole story together before I bother you with the background details. But if it’s true (the “Owl Hoots & Toots” is very reliable) then toe-tapping times may be coming back to the holler!

I will do some digging around, see what I can find out and let you know more about it all next week. Rusty the Fairydiddle is busy fact-checking the Owl’s article too, and trying to get a confirmation from Banjo the Bluegrass Bunny. In the meantime, you might want to retrieve your dancing shoes from the back of the closet!

Remember, you can always sign up to follow the blog for Free and have notifications of all new posts delivered directly to your email inbox. There is an easy link in the right column. We surely don’t want you to miss out on Howie the Hound Dog’s return and getting a new band together! That ol’ boy could bark and spark all night!

So I will get busy and be back next week with more. Best wishes for a wonderful, safe and healthy holiday season! – Jim (and Red!)

Howie the Hound Dog.
(Photo credit- Christina Talley)

Fireside Questions for Santa

December 24, 2014December 24, 2014 / jrmilson / 4 Comments

With Christmas Day drawing nigh,

I have some questions and wonder– “Why?”

Like, what is it about Santa that makes little kids cry?

And how in the world does he get reindeer to fly?

How high do leaves go when they “mount to the sky”?

How many toys do elves make versus having to buy?

So going to stay up late, or at least I’ll try,

And will hide behind the sofa, on Santa to spy.

I want to face him– eye to eye,

To directly ask the jolly elf guy—

“With no disrespect or meaning to pry–

How is it a fat old man can be so spry?

And get down the chimney without bruising a thigh?”

So busily hanging stockings by the chimney to dry,

While waiting here for Santa with questions to ply,

But for now I’m hungry and will bid “goodbye”,

Here anxiously awaiting the Old Boy to drop by.

Goodness, gracious, me oh my.

I wish that I had some Pumpkin Pie!

Wishing a Merry Blessed Christmas to all– “and to all a Good Night!”

— Jim (and Red!)

Santa Claus Drying Socks By The Fireside

An Original Short Story– “Susie’s Bear”

December 8, 2014 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

An unexpected major winter storm and a very sick little girl compound the problems of an Indiana farm family struggling to survive in the depths of the Great Depression.

An original short story to share for the holiday season. Please click here for a Free Read here on the Blog — “Susie’s Bear”.

I hope you enjoy the story, and please feel free to share with friends and family. Thanks as always for reading and following! Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and the best of the holiday season! — Jim (and Red!)

ps- Please watch for the first collection of short stories in the “Adventures of Little Red Bear” series coming in the new year!

Currier & Ives– “Winter Moonlight”

Picture Book Pass it On!

November 24, 2014 / jrmilson / 2 Comments

The month of November is Picture Book Month and Michelle R. Eastman, children’s book author of “The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale”, has started an initiative called Picture Book Pass it On (#PBPiO). Here is a link to the Facebook page → Picture Book Pass it On. The purpose is to celebrate the power of the picture book. For more information about Picture Book Month, here is a link to their website for more information → Picture Book Month.

Picture Book Month Ambassador

I was tagged by the wonderful and creative Sylva Fae. If you have not visited her delightful family friendly Blog yet, I invite you to do so at → Sylvanian Ramblings Blog.

To participate in “Picture Book Pass it On”, there are three steps–

1- Post a “shout-out” to celebrate your favorite picture book. It can be anything from posting a selfie of you and your favorite picture book, to tweeting a line from one of your favorite characters or scenes, or post a picture or video of you reading a favorite picture book with a child, pet, or loved one. Or blog about a favorite picture book memory from your childhood.

2- Pledge to donate a copy of your favorite picture book to a local children’s charity or cause (doctor waiting rooms, battered women’s or homeless shelter, prison waiting room where children wait to visit an incarcerated parent, a struggling school, etc.)

3- Pass it on. Help spread the word about Picture Book Pass it On (#PBPiO) by encouraging others to accept the three calls to action to keep the movement going year ‘round.

The Little Blue Engine, from “The Little Blue Engine That Could”

I am very happy to participate in this activity, so here we go.

1- Because it had such a great impact on my early life and beyond, my favorite picture book of all time is “The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper. Challenged with physical disabilities very early in life at age two, this book’s positive messages of determination, optimism and hard work in overcoming challenges and obstacles still influence my life and work today. I do not remember how early in life my Mother began reading it to me not only for the story message, but also using it to teach me to read very early. It helped foster a life long inner determination and attitude of “I Can. And I Will.” Along with a life long love of reading, books and everything trains!

“The Little Engine That Could”, my old copy

“The Little Blue Engine That Could”

“The Little Engine That Could”- Goldenbook

2- I have a collection of Little Golden Books from days past with my own children, and will be donating those along with copies of “The Little Engine That Could” to a local preschool in need of a boost.

3- I strongly encourage anyone reading this to take up the challenge, and keep moving this wonderful effort forward.

Picture Book Month Ambassador

“The Little Blue Engine That Could” with Clowns

Thanks again to Sylva Fae for asking me to participate in this wonderful activity, and for rekindling some very fond memories. Happy Picture Book Month! Pass it on!

“I think I can. I thought I could. And I did!”

An Original Short Story– “Haystack Harry”

October 29, 2014 / jrmilson / 1 Comment

Hey folks! Happy Halloween Week! Hope the pumpkins are carved and candy bins resupplied, because the little ghosts, goblins, superheroes and Disney Princesses will all be making their rounds very soon. It’s not wise to disappoint. As the old saying says– “Trick or Treat!” I find treat wrappers a lot easier to clean up the next morning than dried up trick leavings.

Speaking of Halloween and the Autumn Season, what do October, fall harvest time, sweet potatoes, Missouri Mules, old wagons, hay bales, cornfields, crows and a scary character in a dilapidated old barn all have in common? They’re all featured in a new, original short story, of course. It’s entitled “Haystack Harry” and appears under the “Free Reads” heading at the top of the page. Is it scary? Is it not? You’ll have to read to find out for yourself. Here’s a little bit to get you started.

“Sunday. Thinking back, yes, I believe it was a Sunday. An exceptionally warm day as I recall now. Maybe even a little hot for an early October morning on my Uncle Coley’s farm outside McKittrick, Missouri.

“I had traveled out to the country that morning with my parents to visit and look for a Halloween pumpkin, and we were not surprisingly recruited into digging sweet potatoes from the field and storing them in the root cellar. “Gotta beat Ol’ Jack Frost!” he barked while bringing the mules up to hitch. It seems Uncle Coley always had a “helping out” chore to “lend a hand” on when visiting.”

Here’s a quick link to read the rest of the story → “Haystack Harry” Short Story.

“Haystack Harry” is a farm and country story for all ages. Please feel free to read to little ones, and pass along to share with others. Hope you enjoy the story.

Thanks as always for the visit and reading! — Jim