Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Words for Wednesday










This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Computer issues led her to bow out for a while.  The meme was too much fun to let go, and now Words for Wednesday is provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast. 

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.  Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...  We can use some or all of the prompts.

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme, which includes cheering on the other participants.  If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.


The prompts will be here again this month but are provided by Margaret Adamson, and her friend Sue Fulton.  They also include photographs taken by Margaret's friend Bill Dodds.

This week's prompts are photographs by the talented Bill:


 
And/or



Have fun.

125 comments:

  1. Bob Seagull; I really hate off-season, the beach is so quiet with no families around.
    Nancy Seagull; not a chip to be seen for miles. We're going to have to forage in the waves again.

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    1. And then Jonathan Livingston Seagull flew to the rescue with a beak filled with chips! :)

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    2. They do love to grab people food, i know that from experience.

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    3. River: I really like this. And suspect that there are many Bob and Nancy gulls about.

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    4. Well at least they will stay healthy a bit longer without the chips!

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  2. 'Stop squawking' ... 'but you bark at me' ... and off they go into the sunset - padding along - ignoring each other's points of view ...

    Love River's comment above ...

    Bill has given us two wonderful images - cheers Hilary

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    1. Sounds like a bickering couple!

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    2. Hilary Melton-Butcher: I hope that they don't let the sunset go down on their wrath.

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  3. They found themselves marooned on a uninhabited island with only a sunshade for shelter. At first they were at each other's throat like a couple of squabbling seagulls constantly bickering at their plight. As the days passed they slipped into a routine of gathering greens on the banks and fishing for food in the sea. They began to talk about memories from days gone by. After a time they didn't put out an SOS sign or try to flag down ships passing by. They realized they didn't want to be rescued. Finally their lives were simple, uncomplicated and good, which was the main reason they'd gone on their vacation in the first place.

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    1. Sounds good to me...that would suit me down to the sand! :)

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    2. My only problem is i’d miss my blogging buddies!

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    3. Linda Starr: Simple and uncomplicated has a HEAP of charm doesn't it? I really like your use of Bill's photos.

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    4. I like this story and sometimes I would ike to be on a desert island away from it all.

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  4. Sylvia Seagull said to her little sister, “Stop following me. Go home.”

    Little sister shouted, “Mooommm, Sylvia won’t let me go with her.”

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    1. A typical squabble, isn’t it!

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    2. Marie Smith: I think most of us have been there. Some of us have been Sylvia and some of us have been that bratty little sister.

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    3. That was my brother...he'd always quickly walk a few paces ahead of me. What boy in his right mind would want to be seen out walking beside his little sister? :)

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    4. Out two granddaughters are at this stage and now the little brother will soon be walking too. More fun!

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    5. yes I can relate to that when I was younger.

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    1. “I've told you a thousand times, but, as always, you never listen to me! I may as well just talk to myself!”

      “Okay! Okay! Stop bloody nagging me! How was I to know they’d changed the dress code? I didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers!”

      “If you’d get that chip off your shoulder and listen for a change I’d have no reason to get into a flap! I told you, since they renovated the headland, removed all the trees and extended the rock wall, the new managers of "The Cave" have made the place pretty exclusive and fancy-dancy. They’re not even serving fish and chips these days. There's no take-away at all!”

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    2. Now i wonder what dress code you could put on birds.

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    3. Lee: New Management has a lot to answer for doesn't it? I am on the gull's side. Of course.

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    4. Of course, EC....I'm on the side of the seagulls, too...if only she would stop nagging! lol

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    5. this is very cleverly written with lots of side meaning. well done.

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  6. What the....!!!! I feel sick. And I hate flying.
    You said this would be easy. That no-one would expect us to hold up the train carrying the payroll as it left the tunnel.
    They said the security was amazing but this is something else. How did they do that? From man to gull in a split second?

    Shut up and keep walking.

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    1. Hahahahaha! I wonder what we're all drinking this morning! Whatever it is, it's working! lol

      Good one, EC. :)

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    2. Oh, great security, indeed!

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    3. Well that had me belly laughing. better than my robbers1

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  7. Here goes:

    The gulls carried the invisible stones in their beaks, approaching the Great Tunnel in the Rock of Doom with caution. There were no words to say and no way to say them. The stones they carried would be the final two placed at the entrance of the Within forever. They would live in peace inside, as long as they could keep the dragons quiet, and others would live in peace Outside where there were no dragons and no more of the invisible stones which had spawned them.

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    1. Sandi: I love it. Mind you I have big, big weakness for dragons. I would like to read more of this story.

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    2. I love this, Sandi. Well done. :)

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    3. A magical world, good story!

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    4. I did it! I wrote a thing. You inspired me, Elephant's Child. :)

      https://storiesofsimcha.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-gulls-and-dragon-stones_16.html

      Can I put a link here?

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    5. Sandi: You can indeed put a link here - and I will be over to check out your story when I have responded to comments. And am looking forward to it big time.

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  8. Sorry, after reading Sandi's contribution I have nothing.
    I am not worthy! lol

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    1. Jayne: I feel for you. I don't read other's contributions before I post my own. If I did I would never dare put anything forward.

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    2. :) haha! Jayne, come on! I want to read yours!

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  9. It's as if that gull picture had volume. I heard the cries of seagulls in my mind when looking at it.

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    1. Bea: It is a brilliant photo isn't it? And many of us could hear their cries going by the stories.

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  10. First story using 2nd image.

    “Yes Myrtle I know you told me we should not build the nest as close to the tide line.”

    “Then why Bob did you insist on building it there”.

    “ Well no one told me there was going to an extra spring tide”

    “ Well if you had listened to me we would not have lost our precious eggs. We would not be as far behind in bringing up a family. Now we have to start all over finding a suitable nesting site and this time YOU WILL LISTEN to me Bob”

    “ But Myrtle darling, look at the fun we have making a family”

    “ Now don’t you try and soft soap me Bob. You make me mad sometimes but I cannot resist you amorous charms”.

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    1. Margaret Adamson: Myrtle has been kinder to Bob than I would have been (just call me hard-hearted Hannah). Great story.

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    2. Heeheehee! She's being very kind to him, considering. Some other gulls would have left him!

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  11. Love all the contributions above :)

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    1. River: There are some good ones aren't there?

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  12. 2nd story using 1st image.(struggled with this one but this is the best I could do).

    “OK The train with the diamond thieves is on time and is due here is 40 minutes. Are the divers ready to dive” asks the Captain

    All 10 highly trained and armed divers silently made the thumbs up sign.

    This isolated mountain with its underground diamond works has been under surveillance for some time and it had taken 11 Months to train officers to be ready to capture the thieves under the name “Operation Diamond”. It was a risky operation however they were all feeing confident that this operation would be a success.

    These diamond thieves had been stealing very expensive diamonds from around the world from people who had the money to afford them. They then had set up these works to change the diamond shapes and sell them back on the market without anyone being the wiser. This had been going on now for 2 years and our contacts had learned that the biggest number of diamonds was just about to be floated onto the markets again and it was critical that these men and women were stopped and arrested now.

    “Ready, dive 1, dive 2, dive 3 dive 4, dive 5, dive 6 dive 7, dive 8, dive 9 dive 10” the Captain ordered. One by one they tumbled into the cold waters.

    When they had all fully disappeared he gave instructions for the crew of his vessel to turn round at speed and get round the corner of the island out of sight so when the train carrying the robbers would come along the tracks they would not see or suspect anything.

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    1. Margaret Adamson: I hope Operation Diamond is a huge success.

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    2. Intrigue! This has the makings of a thriller.

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  13. What great posts above. I like everybody's take!

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  14. Hello EC.
    I'm on time today - well on my time that is
    Find it Here


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    1. Cathy: I saw it earlier this morning - and applauded loudly.

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  15. Forgot to say how good it is to see everyone's take on these great photos
    Cathy

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  16. Oh my, this is a beautiful post. Thanks Margaret for the wonderful stories. And Bill for the great images. I love the seagulls !

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    1. Jo: It is a great meme and I am so very grateful to everyone who contributes - with prompts, with photographs, with stories, with comments.

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    2. Thanks for looking in and with your talent as as writer someday you might like to ry your hand at a story

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  17. Replies
    1. Bob Seagull - “.... and then I just let it go, Nancy, right on his bald head”

      Nancy Seagull - “ Good one, Bob, you always had a good aim”

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    2. messymimi: Loved your take.
      Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: I am certain that some birds do take deliberate aim. And suspect I would too.

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  18. 'Oh god, I'm so thirsty! - all this sand!'

    'Yeah, so am I!'

    'Where can we get a drink?'

    'Maybe there's light at the end of the tunnel over there?'

    'Maybe leads to the local watering hole?'

    'Race you to it?!'

    'Wings or feet?'

    'What kind of dumb question is that? I'm off!'

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    1. The photos are beyond all kinds of spectacular! Salut!

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    2. Love this conversation. :) I can hear it!
      ~Jess

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    3. Nilanjana Bose: As always, I love your take. And Bill's photos are great aren't they?
      DMS ~Jess: I agree. I could hear it too. And rather a lot of the other conversations Bill's photos evoked.

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  19. Great pictures but, somehow, I'm not feelin' it. Everyone else did great though.

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    1. only slightly confused: Sometimes the prompts take us that way (or don't take us). Thank you for featuring them anyway.

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  20. Love those pictures!
    ~Jess

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  21. These photos are amazing aren't they.

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    1. Sandra Cox: Bill's photos are always spectacular.

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  22. My contribution:

    Nancy: "What is this black thing under me? It follows every step I take!!"

    Bob: ("Boy, is she dumb!!") "I just got a call. I have to go back to work."

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    1. fishducky: A red letter day. I am so pleased you have joined us and love Nancy having a blonde moment.

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    2. Very good. I never thought of that angle

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  23. Florence and Winthrop finally were taking their long-awaited honeymoon, despite many disasters. A romantic trip on the famous historic Island Express was expensive but worth it. Tracks led to parts unknown, ocean breezes blew through open windows, and both sighed. "Oh, Winthrop! We're going through that famous tunnel..." Half way, the train screeched to a stop.
    It was announced that it would take approximately twenty hours to be rescued. In the dark of their cabin, Winthrop whispered "Hey, you know what we can do while we wait." Florence answered, "I have a headache."

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    1. Susan Kane: Hmm. Perhaps I am being cynical but a 'headache' on a honeymoon (no matter how belated) doesn't spell marital bliss to me. Great use of the prompt.

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    2. I have written about Florence and Winthrop before. Perhaps I should revive their romance?

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    3. Susan Kane: Sounds good to me.

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    4. A headache on a Honeymoon! Come on!!! Poor Winthrop!

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  24. You guys are great! Thanks for really giving life to my pictures!

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    1. Bill: Lots and lots of life. Thank you for the inspiration.

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    2. Thank you Bill for allowing me to share your wonderful photographs and the response has been great. I am sure we all have had a good laugh at some of the stories about the gulls and that is good for us.

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  25. Birds, bless them. You know they're warm creatures with a beating heart. I often think about earth creatures, so harmless, hungry but they've got feelings too, you know?

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    1. Spacer Guy: I think of them too. And try and do right by them.

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    2. That's for sure. They are very human-like. Or maybe we are birdlike.

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  26. Replies
    1. Bob Bushell: I love them too, but Bill Dodds took them. I would be very proud to take anything that evocative.

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  27. Love the photos and Love everyone's stories! Another excellent post! Big Hugs EC!

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    1. Magic Love Crow: Thank you so much for your encouragement. Hugs gratefully received and returned.

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    2. Glad you loved both stories and phtographs

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  28. Interesting things come to mind, especially those two birds chatting as they walk along :)

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    1. Margaret-whiteangel: And no-one (yet) has put sweet words into the birds mouths...

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  29. I like Bill's photo! Hello from Germany!
    http://travelingbugwiththreeboys-kelleyn.blogspot.ae/2018/05/celebrations.html

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    1. Kelleyn Rothaermel: Welcome. Bill's photos are wonderful aren't they?

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  30. "Oh. My. Gosh!"
    "I know!"
    "So you saw it too?"
    "Um, yeah, how could you not?"
    "I thought maybe it was just me."
    "Heck no."
    "Does she really think dying her feathers pink will make her look like a flamingo? She's a seagull!"

    Elsie

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  31. He did get a cool bird pic! Have a wonderful day!

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  32. One bird to the other: Is that the ocean or is it just a mirage?

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    1. Sandra Cox: The real thing I hope. Mirages have always struck me as cruel.

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  33. Mine is finally posted seaside holidayd. I just had such a hard time getting them to shut up so I could write!

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    1. Cindi Summerlin: I have read it. And loved it. As usual.

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  34. These have been so much fun to read. Thank you for a wonderful prompt, and posts, EC!

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    1. Nilanjana Bose: Thank you. The credit for this week's prompts goes to Bill Dodd and his fantastic photos though.

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  35. I loved these photographs.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: They are stunning aren't they? And triggered some wonderful writing.

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