Happy Father's Day (and a day)

It's been a challenging three weeks at our house, starting with a car accident (not our fault, we were in a parking lot, not moving), severe thunderstorms and tornados that left us without power for a spell, and another bout of diverticulities for me (still in its throes).

So Bertrand the Mouse and his Uncle Barty (Bertrand's father figure) spent a very quiet Father's Day, mostly reading books, which is what they love best.

In fact, Bertrand's entire missing is to bring the joy of reading to children of all ages.

But Bertrand learned his mission (and love for reading) from an older, wiser mouse who made sure Bertrand understood both, even when Bertrand strayed.

For those without fathers and father figures currently in their lives (like nearly everyone in our immediate family and circle), Timothy shared the following reflection with me on Saturday night.

The interesting thing is that my early father figures are gone but Christ was clear, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

A Father that transcends time, space, and is forever.

Amen?

BryonySeries: Bertrand the Mouse

Have you met Bertrand the Mouse? He’s always on the go and happy to lend a helping…paw…to bring the joys of reading to children.

But how did Bertrand come to be?

Here is our initial "Meet Bertrand" post from 2013, which gives a brief introduction to Bertrand. A more comprehensive post will follow at a later date.

Bertrand first appeared in the BryonySeries in "Staked!" as part mouse (a real mouse, not a crocheted mouse) and part red herring. 

His entire mission is to make books approachable and fun for children (and the young at heart).

In 2021, Bertrand was joined by his Uncle Barty when Bertrand went missing.

Kids naturally love Bertrand, at least from my experience at events, and love to get their photo taken holding him (Bertrand loves that, too).

You can also follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

Bertrand's books will be among the other books by WriteOn Joliet authors that we will be giving away from the WriteOn Joliet booth at Kidz Fest this year. 

I am purchasing most of the books we will be distributing into the community. If you'd like to help, please read, "Help Us Promote Reading in Will County this Summer."

Here is a list of our Bertrand the Mouse books (so far). 

Bertrand and the Lucky Clover

Bertrand is tired of fighting for his share of cheese. But when Frances, a very wise cat, offers a solution, Bertrand's luck begins to change.

Bertrand's First Book of Numbers

In this first book of counting and addition, Bertrand shows the joy of playing with numbers. And when he runs out of items to count, he turns to the reader for help.

Bertrand Gives Back

Bertrand puts the "fun" in fundraising by showing young readers the different roles they can play in working for a good cause.

Bertrand's Silly ABC Book

Learn the ABCs with Bertrand the Mouse. Bertrand poses with examples of each letter in this rhyming alphabet story.

Bertrand Spends the Night 

Some children enjoy spending the night at a friend's house. Some are still uncertain about leaving home. Either way, they can experience the joys of a sleepover when they "stay overnight" with Bertrand and his best friend.

Bertrand's First Book of Adventures 1

What do adventures look like for a crocheted mouse? Take a pictorial journey with Bertrand in his first compilation of experiences and see.

Bertrand's Second Book of Adventures 2

What do adventures look like for a crocheted mouse? Take a pictorial journey with Bertrand in his second compilation of experiences and see.

Bertrand's Day at the Lake

Bertrand can't wait to spend a day at the lake. He learns that safety comes first and that water fun has hidden treasures.

Bertrand Faces His Fear

Bertrand was enjoying fall until he saw a scary Halloween decoration. But with Uncle Barty’s help, Bertrand confronted his fear and found the fun in the holiday.

Bertrand and the Christmas Surprise 

It's Bertrand's first Christmas, and he can't wait to meet Santa. But instead of the man in the red suit, Bertrand comes face to face with a bit of Christmas magic.

Bertrand and the Hunt for the Great Golden Egg of Cheese 

One night, Bertrand dreamed the Easter rabbit left a golden egg in the grass, just for Bertrand. He woke up that morning wondering if it were true. So he decided to find out for himself.

Bertrand's Shakespeare ABCs 

Learn the ABCs of Shakespeare with Bertrand the Mouse. Bertrand sets the stage to understanding Shakespeare by posing in scenes that correlates with alphabetically arranged elements of the works of William Shakespeare.

Squeak: Twelve mouse-themed recipes

By Rebekah Baran

Wash your hands, put on your apron, and join Bertrand the Mouse in preparing twelve recipes that will delight humans and crocheted mice alike. Recipes either feature cheese or mouse shapes. Cooking safety tips are included.

For more information about other books in the BryonySeries, visit Books of the BryonySeries: A Quick Overview.

Friendship

So while I've been going through mysterious medical maladies, Uncle Barty and Bertrand have been spending more time with their friends.

Naturally my crocheted mice are worried about me, and their friends - being true friends - are giving them plenty of love, distraction, and support.

True friendship is a beautiful thing, isn't it? We bond in our similarities and respect each other's differences. The similarities remind us we aren't along, and the differences keep things fresh and interesting.

Last night a writerly friend reached out and asked if I needed anything. I said, "prayer and friendship."

She assured me of both, "into eternity."

Anyway, the mice recently sent me this photo. I think that just about sums up this post, don't you?

Happy Tuesday!

Coffee With Bertrand the Mouse

Good morning!

I found an old coffee photo of Bertrand the Mouse the other day, which made me think of all the coffee memories we've made together.

I'm sharing seven with you this morning, with the last photo also featuring Uncle Barty. I hope you enjoy them.

Happy Monday! 

Forsake Reading Nevermore!

If you are out and about on this Halloween day, pop into The Book Market in Crest Hill (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)  and ask to see the fun "nevermore" Halloween prop with the blinking eyes.

Janet Staley brought it out to show Rebekah and me when we hung out there last week. And it's sure to delight any bookworm, not just "Poe" fans.

You can also check out our BryonySeries Halloween display before that goes away and pick up some last minute treats for people who might enjoy them.

Haunted house, anyone?

And if not a haunted house...

...maybe you'll discover some new authors and titles tucked away, here and there, just lurking...

...where you least expect them.

Happy Halloween!

Bertrand's Back-To-School Birthday Bash is Saturday

Have you met Bertrand the Mouse? 

Bertrand's always on the go and happy to lend a helping…paw…to bring the joys of reading to children.

Actually, Bertrand wants people of all ages to experience the joys of reading. So the best birthday present you can give Bertrand is to bring home a book (or two) to read and enjoy.

So he's inviting YOU and all your friends and family to his Back-To-School Birthday Bash.

The party will be from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

We will have miniature cupcakes, party hats, BryonySeries books for sale, birthday games-to-go, and crocheted mice for adoption (while supplies last) with the purchase of any Bertrand the Mouse book.

We will also have complimentary BryonySeries tumblers and backpacks with the purchase of any BryonySeries book, perfect for fun, back-to-school reading on the go.

Ever sing Happy Birthday to a crocheted mouse? Here's your chance!

Hoping this post makes you smile on this first day of the new week.

Happy Monday!

Bertrand and Uncle Barty Come Home

"They say" there are two sides to every story. And that is true regarding the "tale" (or two "tails") I'm sharing here.

The tale is about why Uncle Barty and Bertrand the Mouse went quiet for awhile.

On December 14, Rebekah brought Bertrand the Mouse and Uncle Barty to WriteOn Joliet's Christmas party at a local restaurant, with the goal of taking their photos once the party was in full swing.

But since we were running the party, we forgot to let the crocheted mice run free. With the holidays right after that (and with me working December 23, December 24, and December 25), and with me still not feeling one hundred percent, we managed to shop and wrap gifts for the people in our family.

And that was it.

For the first time in lots of years, we forgot/ran out of time and energy to prepare a Christmas for Uncle Barty and Bertrand.

Right on the heels of Rebekah's birthday and our family Christmas (both on January 7), I was back in the hospital. I am not yet fully recovered (and feel as if I'm teetering on another relapse), so bringing out the mice almost fell off our radar.

I say "almost" because we didn't forget about them completely. We've just been a bit overwhelmed.

A week or so ago, Rebekah remembered the mice were still in her purse and returned them to me. 

OK, that's story number one. But here's what really happened.

First of all, you should know Uncle Barty is a very responsible mouse. Remember, Uncle Barty traveled all on his own from Indiana back in 2021 when Bertrand was missing.

So Uncle Barty thought, with our lives being so topsy turvy, that this was a good time for him and Bertrand to spend the holidays with their friends and return after the holidays.

But when Uncle Barty reached out in mid-January, I had just gone into the hospital. So I suggested they extend their visit, since I was unable to give them the attention they deserved.

At the end of January, Uncle Barty reached out again. I told him I was still under the weather and riding high on anxiety because of it. I assured him it was OK not to hurry home, that it was OK to stay with their friends for awhile.

But you know what? Uncle Barty is not only responsible, he is unselfish. And little Bertrand may be immature. But he is not selfish either.

Quite frankly, they missed hanging out with me, whether or not I had the energy to pay attention to them and catch their antics with my camera to post on social media.

So last night, while I was finishing some neglected BryonySeries projects, I heard a knock at the front door. I opened it and no one was there. 

Or so I thought. Until I looked down.

There stood Bertrand the Mouse and Uncle Barty with their suitcases.

They were homesick.

They missed us.

They didn't care we forgot about buying Christmas presents for them. They didn't care about presents. They cared about us.

And so, they came back anyway. 

I'm glad they did. I didn't realize how much I missed them until they returned.

So that's story number two.

Which one do you believe?

At any rate, they were wrong about the presents. Rebekah and I did, in fact, did buy three new mice books for them when we were out Christmas shopping. Our intention was certainly to buy the mice more gifts. They were very happy to receive the books (as their excited squeaks revealed).

And so, last night...

...they happily climbed into bed, their own bed (which they share with Faith and me), snuggled under the blankets, and read their new books until they fell fast asleep.

The Blessing of Social Media

More people seem to complain about social media than praise it.

But social media is really a communications, too. And like any good tool, its benefits depend on the people using it - and how they use it.

The outpouring of well wishes for my calico Faith were so numerous last week, I'll need most of this week to respond to them all.

The cheerful or funny comments to one positive "good morning" post can also take me a couple days to respond to them if I wind up with an extremely busy day.

But the great part about social media is that the responses will be waiting until I can get to them.

Look, I grew up at a time where one didn't leave home if you were expecting a phone call.

I grew up in a time that, if several people were expecting a phone call, you'd see a racing and jostling to that phone once it did ring.

We can talk to dozens of people at once simply by switching screens or pages.

You can stay connected to the world if you are ill and homebound.

You can find listening ears if you are grieving.

Where else can you receive multiple "happy birthdays" or an outpouring of "congratulations" when you have good news to share? Or a variety of suggestions when you have a problem to solve?

I personally have a favorite page with hilarious memes that I consistently follow, memes that never fail to elicit real laugh-out-loud- laughs.

Now I love in-person gatherings, too. And so do Uncle Barty and Bertrand the Mouse, pictured here visiting some mouse friends.

But I love social media, too.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Consequences

Sooooo...

It's not just children who take advantage of their parents' weaknesses. Crocheted mice have their moments, too. 

You see, I had an especially busy week last week. And Bertrand the Mouse had stacks of books to sign.

I did my part, busy as I was, and got my signature on the pages of all those books. But Bertrand?

Bertrand kept scampering off to other adventures.

Now adventures are fun, sure. But Bertrand's mission in "life" to is to bring the joys of reading to children.

I warned him that he'd miss WriteOn Joliet's radio play at the Joliet Public Library on Saturday morning if he didn't get his books signed.

But Bertrand just didn't listen. Or maybe he didn't believe I'd enforce the consequences. 

So while the rest of us went to the radio play, Bertrand stayed home and signed all his books.

And to make sure he stayed on task...(keep scrolling)

...Uncle Barty stayed home, too, to make sure Bertrand got the job done. 

Hopefully Bertrand has learned his lesson and will do better in the future.

Quick Tuesday Gratitude: Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre

Last night we gathered for tech night in preparation for “An Evening With WriteOn Joliet: Readings to Entertain and Inspire You” which WriteOn Joliet will present this Saturday April 22 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet.

Thanks to my niece Rachel, who stepped up as our creative consultant, I know am familiar with terms such as "cue to cue" and "cyc wall" and the technical skills that happen offstage to make even a readers performance come dramatically alive for the audience.

I really wanted to take some rehearsal pictures last night. But even though we didn't run through the readings, I was surprisingly busier than I thought I'd be. I remembered the photos once I returned home.

Bad timing, I know.

But here is a photo of Bertrand the Mouse I took from his perch on the microphone at the sound effect table before "tech night" went into full swing. I really like the quietness of this image before the action begins: the set stage, the authors gathered, the empty seats waiting for patrons to fill them and be entertained.

I've been dimly aware over the years, from writing stories and attending performances at Bicentennial Park, of what a blessing community theater is and what a tremendous resource the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre is.

But I've never been more keenly aware of that fact than last night, standing onstage, speaking into the mic, running back and forth from stage to sound booth, that this particular community theater is, at its heart, of the community and by the community for the community.

Tickets for “An Evening With WriteOn Joliet: Readings to Entertain and Inspire You” are just $5. They are available online and at the door the night of the performance.

Visit bicentennialpark.org or contact the office: 815-724-3761 or bipark@joliet.gov.

We hope you can make it out to Bicentennial Park this Saturday. We promise you an entertaining evening.

You have Uncle Barty's word for it.

Gonna Flood Social Media With Fish Photos

When I was in second grade at St. Bernard Catholic School in Joliet, I was very fortunate to take a class field trip to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

I only have vague impressions of that trip. But all of them are magical, and I couldn't wait to return.

Well, I had to wait a handful of years, fifty-four to be exact, due to a myriad of circumstances and "life" things in the background.

So this year for Christmas, Jasmine gifted me (and Bertrand The Mouse and his Uncle Barty) with a day at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and lunch in the city.

I took lots of photos of fish, which will appear on social media for months to come on my various platforms, along with explaining why I love fish and water so much.

At any rate, Jasmine took lots of photos of me taking photos of fish.

And Jasmine also took lots of photos of Uncle Barty and Bertrand having a magical time.

But that's for another post.

Friendship

I snapped this photo on February 25, 2018, two days short of five years ago.

The little girl in the photo was the first super fan of Bertrand the Mouse - and she had brought one of her little stuffed animals to meet him.

If you use your imagination to study the little animals, you can see the little girl's animal giving Bertrand a hug. And you can see a happy Bertrand looking straight into my camera.

Her mother had actually experimented with crocheting mice and other animals. Yet she could never reproduce Bertrand.

That's OK. 

Because that little girl's mother impacted Bertrand (and me) in a real and lasting way. You can read about it here. The original post is way more fun than a quick summary here.

I don't know if this little girl, who is not quite so little anymore, remembers her love for Bertrand the Mouse and still likes books.

But I hope she never loses her creative slant to life.

So if you want to know what a happy writer looks like, it looks like this photo.

And I would take one photo like this over a hundred book sales.

Bertrand's Shades of Snow

On Sunday, Rebekah, Uncle Barty, Bertrand  the Mouse, and I drove to Barnes and Noble in Joliet to meet a friend for coffee.

Snowflakes fell thick and fast during our drive, and Bertrand gazed happily out the window, looking forward to finally play in the snow when we returned.

Well, the snow had stopped by the time we left, and Bertrand was super disappointed.

So far, the winter of 2022-2023 is a mild one, in terms of snow. 

That's why Bertrand asked me to share some of his favorite photos from past years, hoping it might encourage the Midwest winter to do its job.

Enjoy!

Before COVID and remote working, I lived close enough to The Herald-News office to walk back and forth to work with Bertrand, even in winter. He loved it!

And some days, he skipped ahead of me.

Even crocheted mice get cold in the snow, so Bertrand makes sure to bundle up!

We;;, he bundles up most of the time...

But sometimes Bertrand would be so excited to play in the snow, he dashed out the door without his winter wraps ("extra" mittens that lost its mate).

Although on sunny days, Bertrand didn't mind the cold at all.

But snow does get Bertrand's yarn all wet. When you're a crocheted mouse, you not only need to warm up when you come inside, you need to dry out. So it's best to be proactive.

But thinking ahead doesn't always happen when you're an impetuous pretend mouse that can't resist adventure.

Because for Bertrand, adventure is everywhere and always calling him.

    This was one of our easier winter walks to The Herald-News.

But some days are too bitter cold for me to chase a crocheted mouse in the snow. So Bertrand has to content himself with living his nonlife from the inside and patiently waiting for better days.

Soap bubbles in the snow? Makes sense to Bertrand!

Snow by day, snow by night: it makes no difference to Bertrand. All snow is fun snow.

Yes, he walked across all of it. No, I did not follow him.

As much as Bertrand loves snow, he enjoys a good whiff of spring air like many other creatures, real or pretend.

And sometimes Bertrand even persuades his Uncle Barty to join him in the snow, when Uncle Barty isn't too busy reading, which is Uncle Barty's favorite activity.

Reading is Bertrand's favorite activity, too. His reason for being is to share the joys of reading with children. But when adventures calls...

...sometimes Bertrand just can't resist.

Uncle Barty and Bertrand the Mouse Enjoy an Old Calendar Christmas

On a typical year, Bertrand the Mouse and his Uncle Barty open their Christmas on Christmas Day, December 25.

But with Rebekah and I both getting COVID in the days preceding Christmas Eve, and with my having to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the two little crocheted mice delayed the unwrapping of their gifts until our traditional family Old Calendar Christmas celebration on January 7.

Delaying the gift-opening in no way dampened their excitement of finally seeing what lay inside their gift boxes or their enjoyment of the gifts once they were all opened.

Here are a few photos of  their fun:

In case you were wondering how crocheted mice opening presents...

This is how! They didn't need any help at all.

Bertrand was happy with his new pillow since it matches the red in his ears.

Uncle Barty happily agreed with the saying on his pillow.

The mice were thrilled with their new St. Nicholas stockings.

In fact, they were so thrilled, they insisted on individual photos to show them off. Again, Bertrand was happy with the red one. Red is Bertrand's favorite color.

Uncle Barty was less concerned about the color. He's looking forward to hanging up his stocking on December 5 and wondering what St. Nicholas might bring pretend mice.

"Santa" brought an extra present for Bertrand: the toy reindeer he's always wanted!

The biggest box contained a book for them to share: "Santa Mouse." The mice love books best of all. In fact, that's their mission, to bring the joys of reading to children.

They spent the whole day as quite as pretend mice. And at bedtime, they were snuggled in bed with their new pillows, reading their new book.

The next time I checked on them, they were fast asleep, tuckered out from an exciting Old Calendar Christmas Day.