Starting is always an exciting adventure.
Here I am starting to head into the veteran’s home to do my therapy work.
This is as close as I’m getting to that guy. …Pretty sure he’s trying to kill me.
And starting off for a road trip to the park.
Trees get started from these. Mom says the word, “Don’t eat the acorns!”
Fall colors are finally starting in my neighborhood.
And at the park…
Mom started a new story last week. She is working on it with her online writing class – Making Picture Book Magic.
She had to think up a bunch of different ways the story could start, and then pick the one she liked best.
Probably should keep trying…
She had to do a few more things before she started writing, but then she started. She wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote. Then she said, “I have written over 500 words and I’m nowhere near finished.” and “I feel like I’m drowning.” and “Why would you steal blueberries? You don’t even LIKE blueberries!”
Who? Me?
After Mom was finished drowning and finished cleaning up the berries that I chewed and spit out, she started her story all over again. So, that’s how it starts. …and starts again…
Cupcake Speaks 
Comments on: "How It Starts" (67)
Bella loves blueberries. Beary not so much. x
Someday, Beary and I might taste them enough times that we’ll start to like them…
Love and licks,
C
Seems there are so many ways to START. Then there is DOING and finaly TO END. Look forward to your views on the latter 2 points. from Mary & Benji woof-woof.
So true, M and B. There’s a lot more to it than just the start. Don’t tell Mom. I’m not sure she can handle it right now…
Love and licks,
C
You don’t like blueberries…butt you do like acorns? We hope your mom’s story turns out well.
BIG licks,
Wally & Sammy
Thanks, W and S. Mom thinks that’s weird, too. Also, I’m NOT afraid of thunder or firecrackers, but I AM afraid of ladders and balloons. Go figure…
Love and licks,
C
‘Once upon a time’ always seemed to work as a good start, Cupcake, but nowadays Granny starts a story with “once upon a time…” and then she repeats it serveral times, just like a record that is stuck… 😀 We love the picture of the beautiful tree and your talkative face. I think that is it where it starts. Pawkisses for a wonderful start of the week my furriend 🙂 ❤
Thanks, Little B. I’m glad Mom isn’t the only one who gets stuck on repeat like that. I think everything should start with my face.
Love and licks,
C
That’s true… we start to write and then we have to pick up chewed blueberries or acorns … or walnuts… and when we go back to our story… we have to start again, because after removing the chewed things we changed our mind or we have different thoughts than before… so it sometimes happens that my mom starts to write a funny story before she has the giant mess of her beloved furchild… and after that, she starts new with a crime story :o) btw: be careful with that giant berd… never show it your back, Cupcake :o)
Thanks, E. This writing game might be tougher than it sounds, when there a fluffy child to take care of in between. Chewing things and spitting them out is my hobby. I guess it can be pretty distracting…
Love and licks,
C
My Mom said starting was the easy part……DOING was super tough……and ENDING was a big relief! Maybe that’s why she doesn’t write anymore? I hope your Mom gets her story just right and I’m sure that she will. As for you and blueberries – I think you just wanted to play with them and maybe give them a gentle squeeze with your teeth to see if they tasted better than the last time you tried them? Hey – we never know about stuff until we TRY!
Hugs, Sammy
You got it right, S. How will I ever know if blueberries turn into something delicious if I don’t check them? Then go back for more and check them again? Ditto cucumbers, lettuce, peas, and bananas.
Love and licks,
C
I imagine it is hard to get a good start on a story. Cupcake, we don’t blame you for eating acorns, they are yummy or at least the donkeys here think that they are. Hope the Mom figures out a good start to that cute picture book.
Joe and Smoke are so lucky to be allowed to eat the acorns. They sure smell good!
Love and licks,
C
starting is fun you never know what comes next it is never boring, I hope I can start something new today..
I agree, F. Starting seems like lots of fun…. when I do it!
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake starting is the hardest thing…we know where we want to finish..and know where we have been..but the start is now and that is the trickiest..like a blueberry on the floor..we may start on something and have to really chew at it until it becomes finito…but then again it may just end up a mushy blueberry 🙂 go Mum go! Loves Fozziemum xx
Thanks, FM. So far, Mom is still chewing on her story. It’s not a mushy berry….yet!
Love and licks,
C
Hahahaha good 🙂 xx
I’ve never had blueberries. I must try one or a dozen. And might I add – you are looking beautiful as usual Cupcake 🙂 XOXO – Bacon
Awww. Thanks, B. With all the fruits you eat, I’m surprised blueberries haven’t ended up in your bowl.
Love and licks,
C
I know! I’m so surprised myself. I put them on mom’s grocery list for this weekend. I gotta try some! Thanks for letting me know about them. XOXO – Bacon
Blueberries??!!! I can’t imagine, Cupcake! I admire your Mom because she is writing. I am not a writer like your Mom, but I can’t find the energy to put two words together lately to get a post up. I still love commenting though but I think I am slowing down… 🙂 I enjoyed your Mom’s pictures today!
Thanks, Pix. Sometimes things slow down just before a big push. You never can tell. We always love when you stop by to comment!
Love and licks,
C
Starting isn’t easy, especially when you’re not even sure where you’re going. Often I find it’s best to just start and then figure out the rest along the way.
You sound a lot like Mom, W. Just put one foot in front of the other…. Or one word in back of the other… and see what happens.
Love and licks,
C
Butt BLUEberries are SOOOO good… you really Should eat ’em up.
Love that you go to read to the veterans!!!
Thanks, F and E. I don’t actually know how to read, so I just cuddle with the veterans and let them pet me and kiss me.
Love and licks,
C
Man, that’s a lot of starts, Cupcake. That eagle…way scary. You got much closer than I would have. As far as the blueberries go, I don’t know if I’ve ever had those before but I will take strawberries from Mom and spit them out. They are very disgusting. Have you ever seen the video of the dog who stole all the tater tots and spit em out when they got caught? This reminded me of that.
*ear licks*
Noodle
P.S.
Good luck to your mom!
Gah! We saw that tater tot thief on AFV last night. He was sneaky and SO funny. I brought my berries into the living room one at a time. That’s what Mom couldn’t understand. Why keep coming back if I didn’t want to eat them? She doesn’t get me…
Love and licks,
C
Sometimes it would just be best if our Mom’s didn’t try to figure us out. Of course, it’s quite obvious to me that you were doing it just because you could. *ear licks* Noodle
Charley loves watermelon but not blueberries and certainly not Acorns;o) And the best start to ANY story is ‘Once upon a time’ indeed…it takes me right to the lands of imaginations full of expectations of adventures big and small…keep on writing!!! xo Johanna
Thanks, J. Once upon a time stories were always Mom’s favorites too. When she was little, she loved the book Fifty Famous Fairytales that she got for Christmas. She read it till it literally fell apart.
Love and licks,
C
My Mom always like Once UPON a Time…it’s a great way to start a story…sets the mood the moment you hear the words. Boomer
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Mom agrees, L. Can’t beat a once upon a time story for a warm fuzzy feeling.
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, please let your mom know I’m happy to hear she’s taking Susanna’s course. And keep cheering her on! 🙂
Thanks, T. Mom is loving the class and learning a lot!
Love and licks,
C
Today the vet told Mom to feed me blueberries because they have such great anti-oxidant and anti-cancer agents. Not that I have cancer – it is just a preventative. I am looking forward to trying them. I do love strawberries and melon and all the other fruits I have tried other than bananas. I hate bananas. Hey, Mom used to try olives all the time even though she disliked them, hoping she would one day like them. And guess what? She loves them now. Keep trying those blueberries, Cupcake!
Your vet is smart, L. Mom eats the blueberries because they are healthy. I beg for them and make a collection on the floor. Maybe Mom should hide a blueberry inside a meatball, so I will be strong and healthy, too!
Love and licks,
C
New beginnings. Every day. Keep on plugin’. ❤️
That’s what we’re doing, G. That’s ALWAYS what we’re doing….
Love and licks,
C
veteran’s home …. near Menlo Park?
Yup! That’s the place. Lots of old soldiers in there love to pet me and give me treats.
Love and licks,
C
Dearest Blueberry Bandit, I’ve never fallen for a bad boy before but I think I’m going to ‘start’. Because you’re just too cute. You and mom always make me laugh too. BTW, that crazy eagle does look menacing, good eye Cupcake, good eye xoxo ❤ B
You’re going to “start”. Gah, Boomdee! I see what you did there! Tricky. 🙂 You can’t fall for this bad boy, though because I’m a girl, even though I look like a boy in my sailor suit. My next costume will look more girly. Stay tuned…
Love and licks,
C
Oh ya, silly me. Well now, I always need more girlfriends…tee her. Looking forward to your next costume xo B
Thankfully Delilah does NOT try and eat the acorns! There are SO many acorns here and the cars drive over them, yesterday I said, too bad we can’t eat acorn flour, because that’s what it’s turning into!!
Mom is very diligent working on her stories. Sometimes we think it should start one way, when in fact after we’ve been working in it, we realize it doesn’t begin that way at all.
The life of an author…
Apparently, acorns are the food of DONKEYS, so Delilah and I are both out of luck. You’re right about stories. Mom thinks she’s in charge, but the story is really in charge of itself! Surprise!
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, you stay away from that evil eagle! I always like to start my walks with Mom, and I bark and bark and bark… but she’s very slow getting started. She is NOT that slow at starting writing tho. She says she imagines it’s all done and good and then gets in front of the computer. BUT she always starts with a picture to get it going.
We don’t have acorns, and I’m definitely not going to try pine-cones even tho some of them look like cat poop (yum). Haven’t tried blueberries, they seem very little. I like apples tho.
You look very pretty in those leaves …
Blushing Cooper the Cattledog.
PS, your mom is very brave joining a writing class… Mom thinks that would be very nerve wracking. GO Cupcake’s mom!
Coop
Thanks, C. The blueberries are very little. That’s why I made a collection of them before Mom figured out that I wasn’t eating them. It sounds like your Mom mind-writes before she sits at the computer. Mine does too. Even though her class is very low pressure, she tries to keep up. That’s the hard part.
Love and licks,
C
Tell her you were stealing blueberries as a way to provoke her muse!
Good plan, Mr. N. She’ll never see through that one!
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, you look adorable in your sailor suit and I love the way you posed so nicely for mom to take the photo. Absolutely gorgeous! 😀
I see you went on a lovely adventure again and you looked so beautiful! It’s always great to see the great shots mom takes of you and these are my best stories ever.
I love stories that starts with ‘Once upon a time’ and it looks like mom is enjoying her online classes, not that I think anyone can teach her anything. She is so good at everything she does. 😀
The photo of you in the autumn leaves are my favourite. Please tell mom I thank her for sharing all these great photos of you and have a lovely day and week. ♥
Thanks, S. The picture of me in the leaves is also Mom’s favorite. My favorite is the one in the car. Because…. Well…. The car! Yay!
Love and licks,
C
haha! Yes, I noticed you like car rides as well. 😀
I hope your mom’s story goes well.
I get asked why I take strawberries, as I don’t eat them! But I won’t tell!
Sometimes, collecting foods is fun. So is chewing them and spitting them out.
Love and licks,
C
ahh lol I love seeing your posts Cupcake!!! Beautiful pics too!!!
Thanks, S. I think my pictures really MAKE the post…. Just sayin”.
Love and licks,
C
Choppy suggests you steal some better food next time (and/or stomp on the blueberries – they make such an excellent fur and rug and clothing dye!).
Thanks, C. I agree. The few times I chewed and spit out berries, Mom was very impressed with my artwork. She said the word, “Gross.” That’s good… Right…?
Love and licks,
C
Choppy certainly likes gross and thinks it is something to aim for in all aspects of her life!
CUPCAKE! You HAVE to go to the Veteran’s Home in that sailor outfit in your header. You are totally adorable!!! Also, you know, (this is Katie’s mommy speaking instead of Katie) I loved “Once Upon a Time” and I still do as an opening sentence of a fanciful story. It creates the old childhood magic in a flash second of reading those words. I will read thru to the end even if it is very simple. I do not require college level reading all of the time. 🙂 MOL
Thanks, KI. You’re a mind-reader. I already wore my sailor suit to the VA. The guys LOVED it. I may wear it again next time we go!
Love and licks,
C
It’s and endless, thankless process sometimes. Cupcake, you sure know your mom well! Loved the sailor outfit. You could have accompanied me on a cruise to Hawaii in early October. While weI were cruising the Pacific, Archie was cruising the highways with our son, Matt, who is a truck driver. Archie loved living in the cab with Matt and put many smiles on people’s faces. He had his favorite places in the big cab. Matt only took a couple of pictures of Archie — wish I had one of him in the front truck seat or with the truck. He’s only 11 lbs. 🙂
Aye-aye, captain! I could’ve definitely cruised with you, P. Sometimes, at the park, I try to go on the swan boats in the lake. Mom says, “No dogs allowed.” And pulls me the other way. I think Archie is very brave riding shotgun in the truck with Matt. What a man…!
Love and licks,
Cupcake