Mish is hosting dVerse Quadrille today. We are asked to use a variation of the word “Smudge” – so many ways this word could be used so I went through my photos, looking for inspiration. Landed on this one and well, just had to use it!
Smeared and smudged
face full of chocolate
Putting on a show
with makeshift microphone
belting out pure joy
at summer’s freedoms
Can it get any better than this?
Childhood is not meant to be
neat and tidy all the time
the hose can wait
So way back on Monday, Merril hosted prosery Monday, where we have to write an exact 144 words of prose – not poetry – using a phrase chosen from a piece of poetry (isn’t that sneaky?) This time, Merril chose the following line from Jo Harjo’s “A Map to the Next World.”
“Crucial to finding the way is this: there is no beginning or end.”
Well now. I knew where I was going and then tripped and got busy on other stuff… Determined, I was, to do this baby so here I am! And yes, those who know me, know I am rather obsessed with Tuscany. What can I say? I felt I belonged in the three weeks I spent there!
We bought the plane tickets. With cancellation insurance. Which we ended up needing. I knew it, dammit. The thing is, I know better. I know it in my gut that the Universe is always listening… Even when you don’t realise you are sending out the message, she is listening. Needless to say, the plans that were, were no longer. I never expected they’d be erased from the possibility of. Hell, it was no longer even spoken of. That idea had become a dream that I alone was dreaming.
Life is funny, you know. You think in linear terms until you realise what’s crucial to finding the way is this: there is no beginning or end. All the variations of the quote about not being about the destination but the journey are muddily clarified as you realise you did make it. All on your own.
I had it all planned out. After exchanging with Marina and learning there was an eclipse of the sun happening in a few days and that she, living in Athens, Greece, would not be able to see but I could (a portion of it), it was determined I would attempt to take some pictures.
I knew it was an iffy proposition at best because there is no good place to capture the sunrise anywhere near me and my house is too low for me to see anything properly though I might have a small chance if I climbed up on my roof (a relatively easy thing to do). Of course, I had to promise to share with Marina 😉
It just so happens I had to be at work at 7:30 this morning to greet the roofers (yay, me) so it would be all the easier to wake up (I’m still working on convincing myself it was) at 5:30. Sunrise was officially at 5:04 and the experts said we would be able to see it some time after that.
The alarm went off, I hopped out of bed made my way to the kitchen to step outside and, just as I had suspected, way too low. Shoot. I looked at my roof, looked at the bit of sunrise I had and realised it wouldn’t matter so no need to risk breaking my neck (I’m not a monkey like my 23-year-old is. Well, not anymore, anyway!)
5:45, my running clothes on, Tabata timer set to 32 minutes I decided not to waste this early morning. This running/walking thing I’ve been doing for the past three months is surprising me still. I had to keep it short this morning because I had enough time to make a coffee, shower, etc. and be at work for 7-stupid-thirty.
For the first time in over a week it was actually chilly out there! I rounded my corner, kept on going until I got to the first little park and right in front of me. BOOM! Damnation! No camera. This was my first attempt with the camera phone. No visible eclipse. Sigh. But man was it bright.
I took a few more steps and then took this. But only realised the something special just now. I thought it was a bright star
I thought okay… not quite what I was hoping for but… how cool is this effect?
I was chuffed to see this phenomenon. I couldn’t capture the eclipse but a flare sort of did! I promise, last one like this 🙂
So, enough with the picture taking, I had a run/walk to finish.
I got home and decided to do my stretching in the backyard. I was pretty much blinded by the light, so to speak!
I got out my trust Canon with my 75-300 lens and tried to look by not looking at the sun. Yeah. Ummm… Not an easy thing to do.
Most of the eclipse was over by then but I still caught a smidgeon of it. I know, I know, we can barely discern it on this one. Bottom left, maybe if you squint 😉
I particularly liked the following one where the last bit is a bit more visible…
But then I played with it a tad and gave it a bit more drama.
I’m frankly more than a little in awe that any of these turned out at all. If you want to see a truly beautiful photo of the partial eclipse, please check out David Kanigan’s right here. It’s absolutely stunning!
Good Wednesday morning, my peeps! The sun is shining and I dunno about you but I am in that part of the world that is Hot! Hot! Hot! Rochelle has snagged one of my pics this week, so there is no way I can’t play, right? If you want to as well, please click on the frog below and add your 100-word story. G’head, it’s fun!
“What the heck is that?” Rochelle exclaimed.
“It’s a Montreal landmark called the Gibeau Orange Julep, been standing, in this iteration, since 1966. The first, smaller, had to be moved to make way for the expressway.”
“But what is it?”
“Sorry! It’s basically a fast-food restaurant where you can have burgers and poutines and the drink it is best known for, the orange julep, a family recipe that dates back to 1922. Wanna try it?”
“What does it taste like?”
“You ever have a creamsicle?”
“Nope.”
“Imagine ice cream with an orange popsicle coating.”
“Hmmmm.”
“Yeah, it’s a love or hate thing.”
***
If you’re interested, the MTL blog did a nice little write-up on this place. You can read it here.
A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments. Almost didn’t play and then something came to me… must be my circumstances what done it…
It started with one
Then one begot another
And another
“It’s unusual,” they say.
“Don’t worry.”
Yet, it hasn’t stopped
A silent crescendo
that grows and grows
Piling up
Engulfing me
Burying me.
I must get out
An outstanding job from our Sorceress of the Pen and Gown
🌹Dahlings, welcome to “A Tangle of Scribbles”! Rene Rosso here presenting Art Gowns’ third Tangle Tribute to Tim from Off Center Not Even, for his gift of pencils & other art supplies for One-Eye.
I now hand over the mike to our Art Director Rebecca Budd. Rebecca has single-handedly brought back the fad of Palazzo Pants, aka, “the gown of trousers”.
Good evening! During the great pencil drought of 2021, One-Eye had no other course but to do a line of Art Gowns scribbled in black, blue and red ballpoint pen. It’s an exciting collection, so let’s check out the catwalk.
AGM Marina had the first fitting. Being the artistic type, she chose this wild “Why do I have to draw ballpoint scribble gowns?” venting style.
Although AGM Shey lost weight from all the DracGoth 3 am visits , it was good news during fittings. She was the…
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Friday Fictioneers is here! I’ve been looking at this pic for a good while, trying to come up with something original. So. instead, you get this! Thanks to Rochelle for hosting this come rain or shine and, this week, thanks go to Liz Young for this wonderful image! Click on the frog below, if you happen to have something better to tell! Remember, 100 words, maximum!
©Liz Young
click to play!
Oh boy! I bet the story for that one is interesting!
No kidding. Kid does a Ferris Bueller, only, instead of putting it in reverse trying to back up the odometer, puts it in drive and it flies off the stand, through the garage and then through the wall!
Good one! How about this? In full War of the Roses mode, wife takes husband’s precious car and instead of squashing it with her big-ass monster truck, puts a weight on the gas pedal and lets it fly!
Oh yeah. That’s good too.
Probably just some dumb-ass who can’t drive.
Probably….
Kim is hosting dVerse today and has asked us to write about fruit. Having bought my very first basket of seasonal strawberries, how could I write about anything else? I thought I’d be writing about all the ways to use said fruit but the muse had other plans!
We have become spoiled
That’s what we say, anyway
Strawberries can be had year-round
From all sorts of exotic locations
But really. Tell the truth
Are they really worth it?
How can you compare these hard, tasteless,
not to mention oversized “berries”
with those ruby red, juicy
bursts of summer?
It starts in a field on a sunny day
You have to crouch to discover where
those beautiful red flavour bombs are
Pick one and bring it to your nose
inhale its distinct scent
Brush off the sand or dirt
Hold it by the stem and bite off the tip
or the whole thing, depending on size
and your level of gourmandise!
The berry is soft yet has some yield
and the tiny seeds add a special crunch
as the juices slide down your throat
By the time you’ve had your fill
your fingers are stained
your belly is happy
you might even have berries in a basket!
But you are convinced that
you are once again a kid and
are filled with summer’s essence
Been way too long since I participated in a CCC and now I’ve a couple lined up 😉 I took a walk in old Longueuil (difficult to pronounce, I know. If you can say feuille (leaf) then you can say Longueuil). If you can’t, lots of Anglos call it Longay. 😉 Anyhoo! I went there last Sunday and when I happened upon the Co-Cathedral St-Antoine-de-Padoue, I took many a picture. I realised that I could use one of them to go with Crispina’s challenge… so I did!
I’m really loving the gilded bronze work on this window. What do you think?
I–
Must require some maintenance, though… you know, getting rid of the verdigris that is sure to form unless taken care of regularly.
It’s–
Mind you, it could takes years but still. Extra work. Then again, the verdigris has a certain charm, too. Oh! Look inside the windows. a lovely mosaic! Wow. The sun shining through there must be fabulous, yes?
Ye–
Maybe we should rethink our design. It feels rather drab now when you compare, no?
No–
Mind you, ours is rather ornate as well. And I have to admit the light coming through all the various windows is really lovely. But grey. Why did we keep it all grey?
It’s–
Yes, yes, this is a massive structure… What do you think?
Umm. What you said! I think they are each beautiful in their own way.
You know what? You’re right. Why compare?
Here are a couple more pictures of the whole building – which cannot be taken without a drone…
Friday Fictioneers. On a Saturday! Who’d a thunk? Why not is what I say. Thank you, always, to Rochelle for hosting this weekly challenge. And thanks to Miles Rost for the use of this great picture. Should you want to play, just click on the frog below and add your 100 words’ worth! G’head, it’s a great way to learn how to cut the fat in your writing.
©Miles Rost
Click to play!
How do you do that?
Do what?
Balance it all. Get everything done.
Wherever did you get that idea?
I watch you. I see. You seem to have a handle on everything.
Ha ha! Trust me, I don’t. It may look like it but oh, hell no. I do not. Not even close!
I think you’re pulling my leg. Tell me how you do it.
Listen to me. And don’t look too closely. I am the queen of illusion. I flit, I dance, it’s all smoke and mirrors.
Fake it till you make it?
More like baffle them with bullshit.
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