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Crimson’s Creative Challenge #197 – Love in Sunsets

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I was hesitant to participate in anything as I know I won’t have time to be a proper participant.  I leave tomorrow for a week-long getaway.  Nature: mountains, rivers, and whatever you have to offer, here I come!  That said, I figured I would use Crispina’s lovely image as an excuse to let ya’all know I’m not dissing you and will return to reading/commenting/participating in one week.

While searching for my matchy-matchy photo, I fell on the one directly below.  It sparked an idea so I’m using it and have added the “real” matchy-matchy below, just because I can.

“The first stab of love is like a sunset, a blaze of color — oranges, pearly pinks, vibrant purples…”
― Anna Godbersen, The Luxe

I’ll take a mix, please

Wild, hot, and exciting

Calm, peaceful comfort

Too much of either

Does not balance bring

 

All of one is exhausting

All of the other, dull

 

Keeping it alive require a little of both

In various combinations

Hour, days, weeks, months, years

Together and apart

Time is valuable

We must use it wisely

 

“They sit together, physically separate but utterly connected by the moment they’ve created”
― Stan Lee, A Trick of Light

Kinda-sort matchy-matchy…. right?

“Time is valuable. For all the time we’ve lost by not being together, it has made you the most valuable thing to me.”
― Courtney Peppernell, Pillow Thoughts

Growing UP – CCC189

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Normally, when I participate in Crispina’s CCC challenge, I find my matchy-matchy photo and write something witty or funny (I hope).  as I was thinking about what to write, I decided to go find some quotes to start me off and riff off of (say that fast, three times!).  However, not able to make up my mind, I have instead left you with two quotes and a song.  Sometimes, you just have to let go and not overthink things.

“Where’d the days go, when all we did was play? And the stress that we were under wasn’t stress at all just a run and a jump into a harmless fall”
― Paolo Nutini

“I still don’t know what it really means to grow up. However, if I happen to meet you, one day in the future, by then, I want to become someone you can be proud to know.”
― Makoto Shinkai, 5 Centimeters per Second

I love Paolo Nutini and once I found the quote, had to have me a listen and figured, why not? Maybe my peeps would enjoy this tune, too.

CCC172 – Catch the Moon

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Oy. I love when I challenge myself to try something waaay outside of my comfort zone.  I saw Crispina’s photo and knew I had some sort of matchy-matchy response (very much IN my comfort zone).  Then dVerse came along on the same day I was going to respond to the CCC, and challenged us to try a Sparrowlet.  So, of course, I thought, I can do this and merge two challenges since the CCC is open to pretty much anything, as long as we don’t exaggerate and go over 150 words – why I would never! Okay, maybe once or twice…  That said, my skills as a poetesse need much fine-tuning.  I like to think my attempts will gain in sophistication as I keep stretching…

 

The winter moon, above shines bright

And I so wish, with all my might

That I could hold it still till noon

And offer it for your delight

And gone would be all sense of gloom

Above shines bright, the winter moon

 

Within my arms, I’ll hold you close

Breast to my breast, nose to my nose

I know you won’t resist my charms

For it is you, I love the most

To never let you come to harm

I’ll hold you close, within my arms

 

 

Divide and Conquer – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #168

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So funny that I happened to take a helicopter flying in the same angle as Crispina’s plane.  When I saw this challenge, I knew I had to play.  I decided to go ironic this time.  It sure feels like this is how things work sometimes…

This is not the time to criticize.

Not the time to say who is better at what, ok?

We each have our talents and lacks.

That’s neither here, nor there.

The important thing now is to work together.

We need to divide and conquer.

That IS working together!  We can cover more territory this way!

You go left, I’ll go right.  We meet in the middle on the other side.

Good?  Excellent. Go!

***

So? What did you find?

Whaddaya mean you don’t know what you were looking for?

For fuck’s sakes.

 

Over Here! Crimson’s Creative Challenge #162

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It’s been way too long since I played Crispina’s challenge. When I saw the photo, I knew for sure I had to!  I have a slew of Robin photos and since I now have a reputation for doing the matchy-matchy thing, well, here I am.   I kinda joined in on her post, though not with such wonderful style 😉 It’s all in fun!

Pssst!  Hey you!  Over there, in the branches!

What? Who said that?

Over here!  Look to your left and up a smidge!

Oh! Hello!

Why are you hiding?

Look over there! There is an eagle!

Silly boy.  It’s not real.

Are you sure? It looks it to me.

That’s what they want. They want to keep us away!

But why? We mean no harm.

Who knows what goes through the minds of those humans.

Well, it’s not right.

No, it isn’t. So, you done hiding?

You bet! Scooch over!

 

 

 

Missing Zeke – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #156

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When I saw this week’s Crimson Creative Challenge Prompt, I thought, hmmm… reminds me of another we had done, awhile ago.  So I went searching and was surprised to find that the prompt, no. 108, was issued on December 3, 2020, and I responded, as I often do, the next day, so on the 4th.  Exactly five months later, my boy Zeke was with the angels.  And now?  It is six months, to the day of his passing. I guess sometimes there is a numerical thing that goes on. This time with the number 4.  Anyway. I digress and blather on. A little poem, for Zeke

Eleven months to the day I wrote about you

How you had slowed down and we had switched places

Where once you waited for me,

I now waited for you

Five months to the day, you slowed to a stop

Passing over the Rainbow Bridge

Such a lovely expression, isn’t it?

 

My walks still take place in various woods around me

And each time I think how much you would

have loved this one, or that one

I sometimes think I see you out yonder

And I wait and I wait and I wait

But I know, deep in my heart

it is naught but wishful thinking

True Reflections – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #112

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This has been hanging out in my drafts since, well, forever!  I had trouble finding the original challenge since Crispina posted it last December… and I took my picture a few months ago, thinking, I seem to remember there being a puddle reflection back sometime ago.  I was right and here is the result.  Good thing Crisp insists there is no time limit 😉

 

There are those whose reflections are pristine:

perfection personified, not a flaw to be found.

Are they true?

Does the pretty exterior hide an ugly interior?

One should not be so quick to judge:

not the too pretty, nor the too plain

for neither may be truthful

The imperfect reflection

may actually hide

the real and honest beauty

hiding inside

When we stop judging the exterior

and take the time to learn what hides beneath,

both the pretty and the plain

can shine with their own version of beautiful

 

 

 

In a Barren Field – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #149

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As many of you know, when I do decide to participate in Crispina’s challenge, I like to find a matching photo.  I can’t say that I’ve ever taken a picture of wind turbines, however, I was immediately reminded of a picture I once took in similar conditions. Always fun to get that muse going, isn’t it?

In a barren field, I look to my left

there is nothing

save for three mechanical trees

their metallic branches turning,

harnessing the wind

creating energy

Will more be planted?

 

In a barren field, I look to my right

there is nothing

save for one tree, its branches

stretching up, reaching

playing with the wind

creating energy

Will this one be replaced?

 

What Lies Beyond? – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #144 & #143

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Good Thursday my peeps!  I feel like have not participated in a CCC in way too long.  Which really, has not been that long as it was less than a month ago. I can’t seem to get a handle on the time, lately.  Anyhoo, I had plans, big plans for CCC #143 and then did diddly-squat.  So this week, how perfect that Crispina chose a photo that I could not only matchy-matchy with but which I could put together with the previous week’s and again matchy-matchy!  It takes so little to please me…  And I am way short of the max of 150 words so I shouldn’t get in trouble.

 

What Lies Beyond?

 

What lies beyond this fence of grass?

Is it safe; can we see?

We cannot help but ask

 

To the left, lies the golden sea

After which you will find

A town, or rather a piggery

 

And to the right, don’t be surprised

Are two tall structures

Not meant for our kind

 

But straight ahead, do not be shy

Chances are, when all is calm

There will be ones like you and I

 

 

Pay No Heed – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #141

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When I saw this week’s CCC prompt, I was fairly certain where I would go with it. Then I did. And went over the word count. Forgiven, Crispina? Hopefully this garnered a chuckle which saved me a good chastising.  Hope you enjoy my little silly today 🙂

First, we set up a guard, trying to keep the hooligans out.  Maybe we should have made the sign bilingual?  No matter what language it was in, they ignored it.  And the guard.  Not that he put up anything near close a fight, actually.  Truth told, he went and hid under the stairs, quivering as they walked on his head, so to speak.

Once past the gate, the hooligans were meant to be discouraged them from crossing the stream on their way to our pond.  This time it was in English. Did that deter them? Not on your life. They feared no prosecution.  Even laughed from below and wallked all along until they reached their destination.

A sign indicating the water was dangerously deep did not give them pause.  Rather the opposite – just like we knew it would. He he he. The over-hanging branch was further invitation.  First one dove and landed, head in the super soft muck, legs sticking out from the waist down. Or was it up?  We sat back and laughed, watching them help their buddy up and running off our property.  We knew this group was taken care of.  Why none of ’em ever tests to see just how deep it is, is beyond me. Serves ’em right, little bastards.