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 this month but are provided by Margaret Adamson, and her friend Sue Fulcher. They will also include photographs taken by Margaret's friend Danny McCaughan.
This week's prompts are photographs provided by Danny McCaughan.
Such different and intriguing images...
As I said in my last post, I will be largely away from the internet for the next few days. I look forward to reading your stories when I return.
The house is old. It is isolated. It is only visible at the moment the sun sets on a windy day in June. Local people talk of it, but none of them have seen it much less stepped inside.
ReplyDeleteI have been trapped here for decades.
As I sit by the closed door and look through the magical Dorian Grey portal I think that I have aged pretty well. My senior self is completely silver and has a magnificent mane. That grumpy face says that my unseen tail is lashing to a steady metronome beat though.
Of course it is. The portal keeps me young but young or old I am still a cat. A closed door says only one thing. I want to go out. I want to come in. NAOW...
Clever!
DeleteThis was ghosted by Jazz...I can tell.
DeleteWell done :)
DeleteI got nuthin' zip, zero, zilch, nada
I love your take on these photographs of Danny's. Very clever. Have a lovely few days away and hope you come back refreshed and relaxed
DeleteVery clever indeed, both you and Danny.
DeleteEnjoy your day.
Hugs, Julia
Oh, but I love this, EC :)
DeleteExcellent marriage of the images!
DeleteEC I so love this younger self older self! Well done!
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Brilliant! I love this!
DeleteThat second one is powerful.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it just and very special to Danny who took it. I hope you will write a story this week Alex.
DeleteAs I stare out the window and rumuniate about the reflection of a past life (or is it a life passed?) I know at least one thing: It's time to relax and smell the tuna. It's been a good run and this Owner (not like the other one who kept me in a cage and brought people in every day to see me) is quite user-friendly and easy to operate. I may, eventually, grant him more of my time.
ReplyDeleteI wander outside for a few minutes, yawn, and turn to enjoy the sunset. Life could be much worse. Actually, I feel peckish, so maybe not that worse.
It's time for a snack and a nap. Where is the Owner when I need him? He's so dreadfully needy sometimes and makes the most peculiar noises when he calls me for dinner. I simply must impart on him some airs and the proper decorum.
I like you take on the photographs. Good story.
DeleteWonderfully done. So many good turns of phrase :)
DeleteWell told!
DeleteMark Koopmans. Laughing here.
DeleteOh I do like this one, having been trained by many cats myself!
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Very good!
DeleteTwo such different but beautiful photographs for this weeks prompts :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Yes Danny is one of my bird group but also an excellent photographer so I hope you will try and write a story about them.
DeleteLowcarb team member ~Jan: Aren't they lovely.
DeleteHello! Thank you for the beautiful photos as always.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like Danny;s photographs. He is a wonderful photographer and it will be lovely for him to see some stories written about his images. Looking forward to seeing your story.
DeleteRiot Kitty: Not my photos - but yes they are lovely.
DeleteEnjoy your time away..look forward to your return soon.
ReplyDeleteInteresting photos to write stories about or a phrase or two.
Now I am interested to read your story/s and what you make of the 2 photographs.
DeleteMargaret-whiteangel: Not precisely enjoyable but I am nearly back - and thoroughly enjoying the tales.
DeleteI'm not at all sure I can write anything from these pictures. They're just not 'speaking' to me.
ReplyDeleteI know you can come up with something.
DeleteOh! Dear! How I’ve aged!
ReplyDeleteI hadn’t realised how grey I’d become. I must remember to smile more, too.
I’m starting to look like Grumpy Cat who lives over in the cottages beyond. Never mind! I don’t get out and about much these days, anyway...so who cares?
The grey cat does look very grumpy Lee Good take on it
DeleteHehe, He'll learn.
DeleteYes, a smile makes everyone look a bit younger.
DeleteLee: Grey and grumpy here too.
DeleteWell done Lee, I didn't think of reflection when I wrote my story but you and EC have run well with that theme!
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LOL!
DeleteGerald had always wanted a Long haired pedigree silver tabby. I think it stemmed back to when his mother took him to Cat shows and that is when he fell in love with this breed. I preferred an more "normal" looking cat not one that looked stuck up! When we married, we lived in a flat so there was no question of being allowed a cat there however when we moved into our own house with a garden, Gerald brought the
ReplyDeletesubject up again.
Well who I am not to want to please my sweetheart. We researched several breeders but settled for one in London. So off we went to get Gerald's kitten. He had decided that this was going to be the greatest most wonderful cat in the world and before he even saw him, he had named him Gatsby. It actually turned out that indeed that was a great choice of names for his cat.
Gerald was nearly beside himself when he saw this bundle of fluff.
On the plane home, I mentioned I would like to get a tabby cat but one from the rescue centre to be able to give it a better home and also to be a companion for Gatsby.
The very next day, we went to the rescue and I fell in love with my tabby. A gorgeously marked kitten with white mittens for paws. I lifted her onto my knee and she nestled down.
They had named her Flora so we put her into our cat carrier and brought her home. When we let her out, she went do lally, tearing round the kitchen, jumping on everything, and I thought Flora was not a name to suit her at all so I renamed her Ditzi!. I suspected she had never been free but had been confined to a cage.
The two cats had totally different personalities and although they tolerated one another they did not spend that much time together when they grow up. Ditzi would have like Gatsby to play with her more often but Gatsby felt it his duty to sit on the windowsill opposite the bird feeders to keep an eye on all the comings and goings. As a bird watcher myself, I was a bit worried about this but eventually the birds accepted him and he never caught a bird. He became the resident "Bird Watcher".
Now Ditzi was a cat of action but also to me a very affectionate cat. She loved to be out and about and would go off on adventures of her own and although she asked Gatsby to come with her, he solemnly replied " I have a job to do here, I have no time for your adventures". So Ditzi went on these alone. I never really knew where she went but occasionally
she would bring me a present of a dead mouse!
You can see our old cottage and the Mournes Mountains in the background and often at weekends we would stay there. Gatsby would never come, but remained on guard on the windowsill and was happy enough when the neighbour next door feed her. On the other hand, Ditzs loved it there. Open fields and plenty of countryside to explore. It was heaven for her.
One evening, I began to think she had been gone for a long time so as sunset settled over the cottage, I went to look for her. I walked along the lane which lead to a farmers yard and just before the yard, there she was. To my horror. Dead! She had taken one risk too many and probably been run over by one of the tractors. I cradled her up in my arms and next day buried her in our garden at the cottage. I was broken - hearted as I had grown so fond of her.
Although the two cats had never really spent much together, Gatsby
appeared to miss Ditzi and in fact I believed she moaned for her. I did
not replace Ditzi and so Gatsby is the only cat we still have and still
is on duty as our "Bird Watcher"!
Why do these two wonderful photos inspire us to tales of death and doom? You have written years into a short story, i lived there for a short while, thanks.
DeleteAwww, that's an excellent portrait of lives.
DeleteMargaret Birding For Pleasure: You pushed rather a lot of my buttons with this well told snippet.
DeleteOh I felt so sad about Ditzi the fun cat. Reminded me of my own cat-losses.
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Hi EC - hope your week is going according to plan.
ReplyDeleteI know the years will pass me by ... but please don't let me look like that.
Cheers - interesting photos ... Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: That is quite a look isn't it?
DeleteHope your week went well.
Well let's hopr your cat does not end up like Dorian Grey. It seems those pretty photos give rise to sad or depressing stories. You have written well.
ReplyDeleteI hesitated to press publish. But I did it. I have written The End of Susan's story.
Uglemor: Thank you. I have read The End - and find it very sad. Some stories HAVE to end that way though.
DeleteI just adore that beautiful Persian Cat! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteyes isn't he gorgeous
DeleteRO: I have a weakness for plain moggies, but that autocratic looking beauty IS gorgeous.
DeleteI love an orange skyline
ReplyDeleteIt is a magnificent image. Have you got a little story about the shot perhaps?
DeleteAuthor R. Mac Wheeler: You are an addict of colour and skyscapes. As I am.
DeleteHello there
ReplyDeleteMy contribution will be on the blog in the morning. It took a while - interesting prompts this week.
I hope her memory comes back very soon
DeleteCathy: Heading over to read it now.
DeleteOne of these days I need to get into this, it always looks like fun. The photo's are amazing, especially the first one. Would like to be there right now relaxing. It's been so hectic here these past months, dealing with Dad, his declining health and all things related to getting his house ready to sell, and getting it sold. House closed yesterday, a huge relief and a huge thing off my plate.
ReplyDeleteWhy not make "one of these days" now Sandy or perhaps have a try next week. There is no right or wrong way to write a short story.
DeleteSandy: The photographs are lovely aren't they? I suspect that hectic has been an understatement for you over the past few months. Look after yourself - and join us when you can.
DeleteGreat pictures, i ended up with two stories.
ReplyDeleteTwo very different stories. I love the 2 cats talking to one another.
Deletemessymimi: Late to the party, and heading over now.
DeleteWith a bit of luck this should work
ReplyDeleteYou can find my effort HERE
Cathy: It worked - and I thoroughly enjoyed your tale.
DeleteYes it did work and I loves the story. Yes sometime all you have to do is listen.
ReplyDeleteHumans always assume they are the only ones who lack self-esteem. But, oh, how wrong they are!
ReplyDeleteI was born a tabby. And, for me, tabby is SO ordinary and common.
I have never been happy with my fur. I long to be a Persian.
I sit for hours in front of the window, just willing my image to change into what I want.
Sometimes, I truly believe I SEE it...myself as a Persian!
And it is only a small step from there to imagine myself in a beautiful garden too.
Ah, the power of thought!
Can you see it too?? 😉
Ygraine: Thank you for joining us. I love your take on the photo, and mourn for everyone (regardless of species) who longs to be different.
DeleteHugs.
Yes, I love this, reflective of how I sometimes feel looking at youth and vitality and so much beauty.
DeleteThank you!
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I love this!
DeleteYes I do believe it is happening!! Great take on the cat photo
ReplyDeleteI used the prompt but I created a post on my sooper seekrit Rattling Bones Undead Musician Magazine blog, and it would be too damn hard to try and explain all the silly and convoluted sub-plots in play. The easiest way to explain the piece I created on this occasion is "Dr. Who fan fiction crossover." I think you might enjoy the dialogue between the two brothers who were turned into cats, but I don't know anyone else here really, and I wasn't in the mood to have people looking down their noses at me for sharing fan fiction.
ReplyDeleteThe Real Cie: You have lost me. I would love to read it - are you going to give me further hints about where to find it? I am also 99 per cent certain (at least) that no-one here would look down on you.
DeleteI'd like to read it, please throw a link. I've tried my hand at fan fiction too, offline only, sorry - as well as writing out World of Warcraft plot lines. Link
DeleteYes you have got us interested, now throw us a link line please
DeleteHere is my story. Oh my this was fun, got me out of a slumpy morning!
ReplyDeleteWisewebwoman
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Wisewebwoman: I loved your story, and am glad it lifted you.
DeleteI also loved your story. Well done.
DeleteThe pictures are a delight.
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: Danny takes excellent photos doesn't he?
DeleteYes Bob I am glad you liked Danny's photographs as a photographer yourself. He is in my bird group and often sends me his excellent photographs.
DeleteI am posting on behalf of DANNY who decided to try his hand at writing a story which I think is much more difficult when he has taken these great shots. Anyhow, here it is. Enjoy. You need to say it aloud, with punctuation and feeling!
ReplyDeleteGatsby.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?
Look at me.
Who do you see?
The outer cat is grey and old,
The inner me is young and bold...
The sun is setting o’er my home, near the mountains where I roam, where the prey is swift and fleet, now too fast for aged feet –
But in my mind I chase them still, e’en though now I wish no ill, just to keep my glorious youth, when I was rapid, short of tooth…
And feared by all.
But as I glance in mirrored glass, knowing that my time will pass, I close my eyes, and see the youth that once was me - the master from whom all would flee -
And know that I am loved, and in my home I am still free,
To dream the dreams, and just be me.
A great take on both your wonderful photographs Danny and many thanks for sharing them with us.
DeleteI love your poem Danny, and thank you for the photographs.
DeleteGreat images and great writes everyone! Big Hugs EC!
ReplyDeleteMagic Love Crow: Thank you so much.
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