Author Archives: wordcloud9

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About wordcloud9

Nona Blyth Cloud has lived and worked in the Los Angeles area for over 50 years, spending much of that time commuting on the 405 Freeway. After Hollywood failed to appreciate her genius for acting and directing, she began a second career managing non-profits, from which she has retired. Nona has now resumed writing whatever comes into her head, instead of reports and pleas for funding. She lives in a small house overrun by books with her wonderful husband.

Buddy: O Happy Day!

Posted on June 16, 2016 by wordcloud9

Buddy the Rescue Dog LOVES his ball launcher! As Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “It is a happy talent to know how to play.”

Posted in Dogs, Humor | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

An Amazon Mystery: The Butterfly Thieves

Posted on June 15, 2016 by wordcloud9

There’s some strange behavior in the Amazon jungle that has Lepidopterists scratching their heads.  Bamboo shoots, one of the most coveted sources of nectar for the local ant population, are being blatantly pilfered by the cherry-spot metalmark butterflies (Adelotypa annulifera), and the ants are … Continue reading →

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Naomi Shihab Nye Talks about Writing

Posted on June 15, 2016 by wordcloud9

Palestinian-American poet, essayist and novelist Naomi Shihab Nye is a wonderful writer, and she’s also a terrific teacher. In this video, Marcia Franklin talks with her  at the 2012 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference. The two discuss the themes in Nye’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Poetry | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Fishing: The One That Got Away

Posted on June 14, 2016 by wordcloud9

One of the joys of childhood for many lucky kids is time spent on the water fishing with their dad. If you actually catch anything, it’s even better. But this boy had an experience of “the one that got away” … Continue reading →

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Mass Shootings – What We Can No Longer Ignore

Posted on June 13, 2016 by wordcloud9

FACT: Too Many People  Are DYING  – Because even if there’s a court order to keep you away from your terrified ex, because even if you have a history of mental illness or violent behavior, you can still walk into … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Murder, Terrorists | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Mass Shootings – What We Can No Longer Ignore

TCS: 3-D Printers ‘Just One Word – Plastics’

Posted on June 13, 2016 by wordcloud9

The Coffee Shop is an open thread-style discussion forum for human interest news of the day. —oooOooo– This is an open thread. There are several hosts, each host being responsible for picking a “theme of the day” and starting the discussion. … Continue reading →

Posted in 3-D Printing, Aviation, The Coffee Shop | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Airborne Cat Plays It Cool

Posted on June 12, 2016 by wordcloud9

When pilots of small aircraft run through their pre-flight check lists, they may want to add one more item: inspect plane for stowaway cats. Fortunately, this cat kept her cool, and made it to back to earth safely. Pilot Romain … Continue reading →

Posted in Aviation, Cats | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Sometimes Sad Stories Have Happy Endings

Posted on June 11, 2016 by wordcloud9

On May 31, operations were underway to rescue people trapped by the rising floodwaters of the Brazos  River in Texas. A camera operator  captured this footage of a Fort Bend rescue crew saving a dog, chained to the front porch … Continue reading →

Posted in Dogs, KIndness, Texas | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Word Cloud: SOLSTICE

Posted on June 10, 2016 by wordcloud9

by Nona Blyth Cloud While Memorial Day has become the unofficial start of summer for Americans, the actual start of the season is the Summer Solstice, which this year begins at 6:34 p.m. EDT on Monday, June 20. I’ve decided … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Summer, Word Cloud | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Word Cloud: SOLSTICE

Mooseogorsky’s Windchime Rhapsody

Posted on June 8, 2016 by wordcloud9

Britta Schroeder posted this video and brief explanation: Healy, Alaska – As I lay in bed this evening, I could hear my wind chime blowing up, but when I looked out the window, not even a blade of grass budged. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Humor | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments