Guest post by Kipp Jr

My oldest daughter, nicknamed Kipp Jr. for my blog, has many talents.  She has developed some of these talents due to her love of drawing, reading, and writing.  She often combines these talents with her adoration of animals.  Most of the time this collaboration happens when the rain is falling keeping her inside the house.  The following is one of her books; she made it all by herself.  She was about 8 at the time.  I hope you enjoy it.

A Lesson for Rabbits

 Written and Illustrated by Kipp Jr

Near the foot of a hill was a thick undergrowth of brush, and here, a mother rabbit had made her a home. Every evening she would gather food from the garden and bring it back for her babies to eat.

One morning a wolf came sniffing around her house.  The mother ran away fast.  The wolf ran after her.  She ran through the woods, in a neighborhood, over a log, up a hill, through the city, and in a grassy park.  The wolf was no where in sight. So...

she ran through the city, down the hill, over a log, past the neighborhood, through the woods...

(notice the rabbit riding a horse while playing a guitar...I LOVE that picture!)

and safe in her home with her babies.  "Now let this be a lesson for you.  Never stop running until the danger is gone." said the mother rabbit to her babies.

Name that dog

First of all me and caffeine no longer mix.  I had caffeinated tea for lunch and an afternoon cup of Java.  I am now writing a blog post after midnight.  And what is it that had me up having to blog?  My sister in law asked me to help name their new dog.  It is a male Labrador puppy.

Suddenly I have all these names in my head.  With each name, I test it out with a few common phrases that typically go along with owning a dog.  Here is what I mean:

Well OK I did not come up with all of them.  Wonder woman, Kipp Jr and Squirt came up with Elvis or Presley.  Great names for sure.  Might freak out my sister in law's Mississippian neighbors though.  

"Has anybody seen my Elvis, I am looking for Elvis.  
EL-VIS! Come on home boy.  
Oh look at the time, sorry girls I have to go home and let Elvis out, he has been in the house all day.  
Elvis' doctor needs a stool sample on his next visit, I usually send one of the boys out in the yard for it." 

My first thought was for sophistication.  Winston or Winchester.  Maybe call him 'Chester' for short.  Nah.  How about something less formal.  Buddy.  "Come 'ere Buddy!"  Yea that has promise.  Kind of sweet and simple. 

Maybe Italian?  Marino.  Demo.  Shadow.  Maybe mysterious, "Hey where's Waldo?"  Maybe Irish? Donovan or Sean.  Or just for the sake of calling him home every night for dinner.  Adrian  "Aaaa-dre-ann!"


Hey, no really name him Hey.  
"Hey come here.  
Hey don't put your nose on that.  
Hey stop chewing that.  
Hey you are so sweet."  

Channel Abbot and Costello; 
What's your dogs name?  
"Hey."  
Hey, how are you?  What is your dog's name?  
"Fine thanks.  Hey."  
Hey.  Your dog, whats its name?  
"Hey."  
IS THAT YOUR DOG?  
"Yes."  
What is the dog's name?  
"Hey"   


Thumper might be fun.  Good southern name.  It's all in the quick pronunciation Thump-PER.  "Thump-PER heel boy."  Buck would be simple.  You just could not stop short when he did something you did not like and you were shouting at him; it could lead to a misunderstanding.  Speaking of you.

My favorite might be U.  
"Hey U, come here.  
U, get over here and eat your food.  
U, go get that stick.  
U, do not do that again."  

Calling him in from the neighborhood would fun too as people are out for a walk.  "Hey U, come in here right now!"  It could be fun on Saturday's when the neighbors are doing their lawn work and the dog gets something from you.  "U, DROP THAT.  RIGHT NOW U.  I MEAN IT.  DROP IT!"  


Conversations, in the South, about U would be hilarious or dangerous.   
"U is so cute.  
Ain't no other dog like U.  
U eats poo.  
U's got fleas.  
I saw U humping the neighbor's dog the other day.  (sorry - sorry - really sorry - but I don't care who you are...that is funny)  
I saw U drinking out of the toilet again.  
Why does U like to sniff butts?"  
I had better stop.  I am having way to much fun with U.  Wait...no...I mean the name not you...never mind let's just stop.

Stop - now there is another good name.  Course the dog would be fine with it, he does not know English.  But everybody around him would be so confused.  
"Hey come here Stop.  
I said come here, Stop.  
Eat your food Stop.  
Eat Stop.  
Get some water Stop.  
Anybody seen my dog Stop?  
Sit Stop.  
Load up Stop.  
GET EM STOP! GO STOP GO, GO STOP!"

That is probably a good idea - it is late, I mean early.  I need to stop.  Hope this helps you out sis.  Look forward to hearing what you name him.

  

Photography

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Which brings up the age old question,  "Who is 'they'?"  And has anybody tried to write a thousand words about a picture?  Surely some college professor has made their students do that.  Maybe we should start a contest!  I will do that as my next post.  As a writer, most of the time that is exactly what I am trying to do is present an image in your mind of what is going on in the moment.  To me, it is one of my favorite parts of writing.  

Being creative with a camera is different.  I am trying to find things that others may not normally see.  Maybe its what all photographers are trying to accomplish?

Anyhoo I know most of you that read rockbottom are not from around here, but if you will allow me I need a temporary website to post some work for the locals...  But if you really like what you see and have to have me take your photos...shoot me an email, mail me a plane ticket, a pre-paid rental car, a pre-paid hotel room, and a debit card with a balance big enough to feed me and we should be able to get started.  :)

So without further adieu, I have started a new page with some of my work.  The nomenclature of the page is consistent with other rockbottom features; I have named it "Photos".  Check it out.