Category: blogging

Unexpected Pumpkins
blogging · Halloween · non-fiction · Writing

Unexpected Pumpkins

Featured Amy8 Comments

As I was checking out at the grocery store (there are no self checkouts at the store where I shop), a young mom with two kids pulled her cart in behind mine. One boy was about five and had blue framed glasses. The other boy was about three and wore similar glasses in green frames. They both had on skeleton jammies, which were black with white (obviously) bone print. Their mom was dressed up as well, but I wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be. Possibly a witch? They all looked festive and adorable. The older boy was quite chatty and pointed out there were three pumpkins in the cart – in fact, all they had in their cart was pumpkins. The older boy excitedly told me they were going to paint the pumpkins, and of course I responded with an emphatic, “Ooo, that will be nice!”

I paid for my order and vaguely heard the Mom of the boys ask the cashier if she needed to bring the pumpkins out of the cart to have them rung up. The cashier said no and I didn’t think anything of this interaction until I went to leave and everyone was looking at me. I asked what happened and the cashier grimaced and said, “I misunderstood. I need to give you a refund.”

“For what?” I asked, thoroughly confused.

“I charged you for the pumpkins. I thought you were all together.”

In a split second, I understood the assignment the universe had bestowed upon me after a frustrating and disappointing interaction earlier in the day. My inner imp activated. 

“Nope, you don’t,” I said with a smile. “Have a good Halloween and enjoy the pumpkins!” I said to the astonished and speechless mom as her two boys looked from me to her. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she could form words. She thanked me and the boys squealed. It didn’t take the boys long to suss out that whatever happened, it was definitely a good thing because everyone was smiling.

In fact, I was still smiling and enjoying the scene of surprise joy as I remembered I had frozen food items and it was a warm October day, so I picked up my pace. As I wheeled my cart towards the door, I called over my shoulder, “Everything happens for a reason! Happy Halloween!”

And that, my friends, is how I made my own brand of benign mischief on the afternoon of Mischief Night.

Happy Halloween! 

The Devil Can’t Dance
blogging · Halloween · Humor · poetry · Writing

The Devil Can’t Dance

Featured Amy2 Comments

I’ve danced with the devil

We did the do-si-do

I spun him around

And stepped on his toes

He bent forward in pain

And shot me a look

So I took my left hand

And offered a hook

He rubbed his jaw

And started to smile

And that’s when I said

“It took me a while

I was just here to learn how it’s done

When evil turns good

And cruelty becomes fun

And now that I know

I really must say

You’re a terrible dancer

And I can’t stay”

The devil was sad as he watched me go

I didn’t turn back

I didn’t want him to know

But something had happened

And he never saw it

When he was bent forward

I stole his wallet.

©️2026, Amy Bates, itsamyisaid.com, all rights reserved

Though She Be But Little…
Advice · blogging · daily prompt · poems · Writing

Though She Be But Little…

Featured Amy4 Comments

If you had to sum up your life philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?

…she is fierce! – William Shakespeare, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 3, Scene 2.

That pretty much sums it up. I’ve just researched the original context because to be honest, I despise William Shakespeare. I know the quote is from the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I’m sure it’s an unpopular take to dislike William Shakespeare, but I will not budge. He did add some fabulous words and insults to the lexicon and some people think he’s a genius. So there’s that. I didn’t like Shakespeare well before I had a personal reason to dislike the man, and I know that doesn’t make any sense, because he’s long dead, but it makes sense to me. Fun fact: I also despise William Faulkner, so it’s not only Shakespeare feeling the wrath, although my issue with Faulkner is more about his run-on sentence problem and his tedious writing. I also don’t like his themes. Now I’m pissed off because I’m thinking about Faulkner and Absalom, Absalom! and the paper I had to write on it in college. Ugh! I won’t be elaborating here, because this prompt isn’t about Shakespeare nor Faulkner – although discussing Faulkner raises my blood pressure, and it is better suited to another post where I can fling some Shakespeare insults to offset the side effects.

Anyway, the point is – and this is taken out of the original context in the play, which was meant as an insult – it doesn’t matter what people think I can do, I will always try. If one never tries, one never knows what is possible. I have achieved many things in my life simply by opening my mouth, picking up the phone, typing an email, or physically ambulating to a place. Even if you’re small in stature/vertically challenged, or young and therefore “little,” you’ve got a voice and you’ve got willpower. Whatever your differences are, they are strengths. Use them.

My Favorite Prompt Ever
blogging · daily prompt · Flowers · I love trees · Nature · Nature photography · Oak trees · Photography · Skunks · squirrels · Trees · Willow oak trees

My Favorite Prompt Ever

Featured Amy4 Comments

Share a few recent shots from your camera roll, no context needed.

Zoom in and to the right of the green box: 🦨

This might be my favorite prompt ever prompted! It’s hard not to give context, though.

Let’s just say fall has fallen. Summer flowers are still blooming even though the nights have become cool. The squirrels are getting fat for winter, and the smallest babies that were born in September are slowly getting big. I have visitors at night, and they live under my shed. They are small but mighty. Everyone fears them, even the fox. They are black and white and sassy all over. Normally I’m not too concerned about the size of the squirrels and with what they’re doing, but William, my Willow oak, is sick. I have written about William in other posts. He’s my 100 year-old, 80 foot oak tree next to my house. I was going to get him cabled to support his canopy and bifurcated trunk, but the third guy I had out to look at the tree informed me that the tree has got mushrooms on its bark and they’re not just at the base. I shouldn’t be surprised because I’ve lost two large limbs off of this tree in the most recent storms. One crashed into my patio table and broke it. The other one landed in my Japanese maple, but didn’t break the tree. Luckily, the carnage has missed the house, but one of the bifurcated trunks will take down my entire house as well as the neighbors’ house if – rather, when, not if, and that’s terrifying – it falls. This tree has been home to many animals over the 100-ish years, and the last bunch of late season, baby squirrels is still living in it. I’m hoping to get the tree cut down at the end of November. I am grieving William, even though I know it’s the best thing to do. As I said, fall has fallen (as well as large limbs). But at least it’s not dark at 4PM like when we have to turn the clocks back. Oh wait…😒

A West Virginia Rest Stop
blogging · cats · daily prompt · Humor · tennis · travel · Writing

A West Virginia Rest Stop

Featured Amy7 Comments

What’s the worst travel experience you’ve ever had?

Apologies to anyone reading from West Virginia, but I have seen the Mothman Prophecies several times, it’s soon to be Halloween, and as such, I don’t want to stop at a rest stop in your state ever again.

There is something forboding about West Virginia. The mountains creep up on you like when your pillows fall on you in your bed. It’s a stifling feeling. I was traveling through to get to a tennis tournament in another state and needed to stop for some food and to use the bathroom. I didn’t actually want to stop, but multiple bladders in the car (including mine) insisted.

Not only do the hills have eyes, the people at the rest stop have eyes that see through you. They look at you as if they’ve never seen anyone from “outside” before. Maybe they haven’t, but it gives one the impetus to move just a little bit faster. And that’s what we did – we did our business, bought our food, and left the rest stop as quickly as possible.

No country roads are gonna take me anywhere, John Denver (RIP).🏎️💨

🤠
In The Words of Prince
Advice · blogging · daily prompt · Uncategorized

In The Words of Prince

Featured Amy6 Comments

What does it mean to be a good person?

“She saw him standing in the section marked ‘If you have to ask, you can’t afford it’ lingerie.” It’s a lyric from the song The Glamorous Life written by Prince and performed by Sheila E. Great bop, by the way.

The lyric is taken from the old idiom which used to be popular, and essentially means there are no price tags on very expensive things, and if you have to ask what it costs, you can’t afford it. How does that relate to the prompt? Thanks for asking. It is this blogger’s opinion that being a great person is not advertised and there is no formula. To conjure up a set of adjectives to describe what constitutes a great or a good person gives me pause (not paws). I feel uncomfortable explaining that because it feels contrived. If you have to ask what makes a great person, then either you haven’t been thinking about it or you’re not practicing it.

The act of being “great” is subjective and also quiet. Do good, be great, and don’t tell anyone. And you know what? I’ve just answered the prompt.

Have a great day, everyone. Happy hump day!

*While researching photos for this piece, I just discovered JP Morgan is who coined the phrase “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” That tracks.