A trip to Africa: Rhino

Rhino is one of those really interesting animals for me.  I can see the need for such a tusk on their person, but when you really look at them closely, they just look like oversized gray-colored hogs to me, but with a horn on their face.  Certainly, I'm not making fun of them, but look at the lines, then compare their body-type to that of a common pig.

http://pixabay.com/en/rhino-rhinoceros-perissodactyla-67622/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

A trip to Africa: Lioness

If Lion is king, then Lioness must be queen - and she does all the work for the pride.  They head out to do the hunt and they raise the kids.  :)

http://pixabay.com/en/africa-animal-big-carnivore-cat-17344/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

A trip to Africa: Hippo

One of the single most dangerous animals in Africa, causing more human deaths than even Lions!  And check out those teeth - I can see why...  I always thought that hippos had flat teeth, like cows.  Clearly, not.  :)

http://pixabay.com/en/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-95472/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

A trip to Africa: Giraffe

Giraffe is one of the few animals in the world with a blue tongue.  Ever see one try to eat something that's on the ground?  It's pretty entertaining.  Don't tell them I said that, though, k?

http://pixabay.com/en/africa-african-animal-blue-fun-16831/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

A trip to Africa: Cheetah

I thought we'd take this week and head out to Africa.  There's so many really interesting animals out there with all kinds of fun markings.  I hope you enjoy the trip to Africa this week as much as I am!

http://pixabay.com/en/animal-big-carnivore-cat-dangerous-19621/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

Happy St. Patty's!

http://pixabay.com/en/background-clover-patrick-day-21735/

Visual Inspiration: Earth

I'm a keen night sky observer.  Sometimes, I wish I could just fly up to those far away places and see them for myself!  If I had a little more magic than dandilion fluff, I might just pull it off!  Actually, there is a way that you can do it; with your imagination.  I read somewhere that "imagination" is your "Image Machine."  :)  That's such a cool idea!

Anyway, we've had people and telescopes head out to space and take pictures for us.  It's not quite the same, but it is INSPIRATIONAL!

http://pixabay.com/en/earth-blue-planet-globe-planet-11009/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

Related articles

• Visual Inspiration: Peacock
• Visual Inspiration IV
• Visual Inspiration III
• NASA's 'Inspirational' Mars Flyby

Visual Inspiration: Dandilion Wish

I think most kids (me included) have been told that if you pick these and wish *really* hard, then blow the seeds off the stem, your wish will eventually come true.  Dandilion fluff blowing in the wind is one of the most magical things I can think of, aside from stepping into a fairy ring and getting wisked away to live in the Fairy Kingdom for the rest of your life.  That hasn't happened to me, though (or I wouldn't be writing this now, I'm sure), so I just enjoy the magic of dandilion fluff.  :)

http://pixabay.com/en/dandelion-flower-summer-garden-53800/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

NaNoWriMo this Spring!

I just joined Camp NaNoWriMo!  Yah, I love art and writing and cello music and dogs - what could make a life better than all those things?  Well, how about having a few of YOU join me at Camp??  My Camp name is jaymethunt and I'm writing a fantasy fiction book.  I really enjoy magic, dragons, fairies, and all that; but I also have a strong love of battles, too.

http://pixabay.com/en/book-love-the-reading-romanticism-58942/

y favorite author is Robert Jordan, who is now deceased, but like JRR Tolkein, he wrote books that are just GREAT stories, full of characters you want to root for and help win.  You cry when they don't and you bawl your head off when one of them dies.  THOSE are great stories.

Do you have a great (or even a good or not-so-good) story inside of you?  Want to join me at Camp and write with me?  You have to be 13 or older to attend camp this year.  They don't have a camp for younger authors in the spring yet.  But if you're younger than 13, you can start preparing now for YWP NaNoWriMo!  Just because you can't actually get to writing your novel now (and still get credit for your story for NaNo), doesn't mean you can't do a few things now, like:

• Write your outline
• Write a few stories that you're not going to enter into NaNo, as warm-ups!
• Read about the snowflake method to get a story written
• Peruse Plinky to get some ideas for a story you never even considered writing

ost people try to reach the recommended fifty thousand words for the month.  I've tried that and just not been able to hit it.  I've tried for a couple of years now.  November is just too busy for me!  So, I thought I'd give it another shot in April (though you can also try in June) and set my goal at thirty thousand words.  It's *just* 1000 words per day, right?  I can do that.  I think.  Hehehe.  Maybe I can only do it if I get to count all my blogging (personal one at jaymehunt.com and this one) and ATCsJr.com posts...  I know I write that much daily right now.  The trick will be to do it all without dropping the ball on ATCsJr and my own site!  Last year, I did drop the ball on my site and this one was just beginning again, so it doesn't really count.  Hehehe.

Oh, yah.  I'm using this tool to get it done:  http://scriffon.com

Anyway, consider this a personal invitation from me to you to write a novel in April!  Hope to see you there...


ey!  We should just pick a month and call it NaATCMo.  lol.

Visual Inspiration: Parrot

Parrots are another fabulously colored bird.  Who could resist those intense reds and yellows, greens and purple-blues??  As long as s/he doesn't bite, I'm up for painting this one!

http://pixabay.com/en/parrot-ave-captivity-animals-birds-55293/

Another for your inspiration folder. It's CC0, so you can download it and keep the image for your own uses, if you like.

Related articles

• Elephants and Art