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, and mixing and matching is encouraged.
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 Hilary Melton-Butcher.
This week's prompts are:
- Silent
- Tea
- Summer
- Scrunch
- Tapestry
AND / OR
- Hare
- House
- Catalogue
- Clear-cut
- Path
Today a catalogue featuring cute Easter bunnies (though judging by their size they are really hares) arrived at the house.
ReplyDeleteI have got used to Christmas cards all featuring winter – despite our Christmas falling in high summer. Our Easter falls in autumn, not the spring depicted on cards and advertisements. Cute bunnies, blossoms and chicks are out of season.
The evidence is clear-cut. We take our lead from the Northern hemisphere and disregard our own reality.
I can choose to try and buck the path which has been set for us or I can remain silent, accept it as yet another part of ‘life’s rich tapestry’, scrunch up the catalogue and settle down with a pot of tea and a book. I really don’t have the energy to spare to try and challenge this Tea and book for me. And I will enjoy them both.
Thanks EC ... well done - and I often wondered about the aspect of celebrating 'our northern' times ... but I guess the early southern hemisphere arrivals, came with those traditions.
DeleteI do know that people who celebrate your changing seasons - but of course here we are celebrating the arrival of our Spring (your Autumn) ... I'm sure it will change in due time.
Excellently well thought out use of all the words ... getting us to think about the other side of the world ... I'm afraid I'm going to enjoy the arrival of longer days.
All the best - and thanks once again for putting these words up for me ... cheers - Hilary
Well written, and yes chicken, bunnies and daffodils for Easter sounds a bit out of place for you ;) Which flowers do bloom now? And do you associate any of those with Easter?
DeleteI am still thinking.Those words ... I'm still not done with the two latest batches, and here are 10 new words ...
Thanks for hosting and making us all think!
Charlotte (MotherOwl): We are having a final flush of roses. Ditto, tuberous begonias. Dahlias are considering blooming - and I don't associate any of them with Easter.
DeleteElephant's Child, it seems kind of sad to me that Christmas and Easter don't seem to be in sync with your reality. I never realized that our Northern hemisphere was encroaching on your holidays.
DeleteA well written story.
Hugs, Julia
As always, a fine job Sue. I think we make far too much of these holidays anyway.
DeleteA celebration should reflect the time and place where it is held, i think. Excellent use of the words.
DeleteI've often thought our Christmas is out of sync, but never, ever thought of Easter that way. Deaf and blind I am. Great way to use the words.
DeleteI've often wondered if it was celebrated and decorated the same. It is a shame that the catalogs and marketing moguls don't recognize this as a completely new arena.
DeleteWell done! You always find such creative ways to use unrelated words meaningfully. And tea and a book is pretty much my idea of heaven! :-)
DeleteI think there is money to be made with Southern Hemisphere cards and decorations. Seeing as how there are more people in sunshine during December instead of snow, the market is there.
DeleteI love what you did with the words, EC. Last week, the first time I actually understood the rules, I saw your story was a fantasy. Today your story is so true, you could have been writing a blog post or a true short story. We DO use the northern hemisphere for our choice for seasons, especially when it comes to holidays and crafts like card making. We also use English as our choice of language on the internet. Sadly, some things are ingrained and will be difficult to change. I think your "story" is well constructed and hits far too close to home. Great job.
DeleteHi - having lived in the southern hemisphere ... it gives an opportunity to promote various aspects of the country to friends and family overseas.
DeleteIt will be difficult to shrug off the English aspects of life in general ... it's embedded around the world.
A perfect story! And one that made me realize how easily I forget each year that no everyone has cold weather during the Christmas holidays. :)
DeleteAs a child I wondered if people in southern hemispheres celebrated Christmas in a different month than me. How, otherwise, would it be possible for Santa to use a sleigh? Great use of words and I agree, it seems not right.
DeleteExcellent write EC! So true in everything you have said! Big Hugs!
DeleteWhy did she just sit silently … oh, I wish she would talk again … the only noise in those early War years was the scrunch on the gravel as the one aged servant they’d been able to keep, delivered tea to her.
ReplyDeleteIt was so unfair this first year of War – the silence - now Summer was here – she so wanted to do more … but needed to stay with her mother …
… she had no idea what her mother felt, or wanted … but she seemed content with her tapestry … her hands were busy … and the image came to be … so sad to see the car emerge … the one he’d always wanted … wanted them to have as they raised their family.
The silence of the unknown …
Hilary Melton-Butcher: This is so very well written and so sad. I suspect that silence is often the only possible response to deep grief.
DeleteThanks EC - I've been reading about the first world war and relating it to other times ... especially today when so many have lost loved ones: I haven't fortunately ... all the best - Hilary
DeleteA well written story. I can picture the silent old lady sitting quietly in her chair, just not remembering anything or recognizing anyone. Very sad.
DeleteJust lovely, Hilary. Sad, but lovely. You are a wordsmith extraordinaire,
DeleteVery sad and poignant.
DeleteGrief takes many into the abyss of silence. I'm glad she had her tapestry to work on at least, and her daughter to sit by her.
DeleteSuch a sad story for these calm words, but well written nonetheless.
DeleteThanks so much everyone ... really appreciate the thoughts - enjoy your day - Hilary
DeleteI like this. Looks like the beginning of a novel.
DeleteI agree, the beginning of a novel. Or even the end. But very well done.
DeleteThanks so much ... TBF and Cindi ... enjoy the day - Hilary
DeleteYou said so much with so few words. And thank you for inspiring words once again this week.
DeleteVery well written!
DeleteThey clear-cut a path to the house so the hare could chew on the catalogue.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant - very succinct as I'm learning to appreciate - all the best - Hilary
DeleteMiKe: I so admire the way you can use the prompts in such a pithy way.
DeleteIn meetings, I always hated the question, "So tell us a little about yourself". I could get that down to one sentence also.
DeleteMike: I hate that question too. Really hate it.
DeleteWhat, no one in that house liked the catalogue?
Deletemessymimi: It was an old Sears catalog from 1920.
DeleteHa ha Mike ... those ancient catalogues hanging around ... buried in damp corners ... yugh!
DeleteI confirm ... I hate the question too ...
A catalog of vegetables, perhaps? Very to the point. I also hate that question in interviews.
DeleteQuite the opposite of Beatrix Potter's farmer - making it easy for the hare. I love it.
DeleteWe sat silent as summer as we drank our tea beneath the tapestry, with the cat in a scrunch under the piano.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Janie Junebug: Love it. And cats scrunch really, really well.
DeleteSounds like a nice, quiet scene.
DeleteSummer cameo at its best!
DeleteThanks Janie for joining us - excellent take on the words ... cheers Hilary
Deletein a scrunch probably afraid someone would bang on the keys! Well done.
DeleteYou're all so kind.
DeleteI'm admiring how you painted such a vivid scene with so few words.
DeleteEl silencio era total en aquel café. Tan solo había un cliente y estaba tomado una taza de té caliente. Auque era verano y ya se sentía el calor, siembre se sentaba en la misma cafetería y siempre pedía un té caliente.
ReplyDeleteDe repente se sobresaltó, escuchar un ruído entre tanto silencio. Era el crujir de una puerta, que se abrió dando paso a otro señor, que pidió un café y se puso a leer el periódico que había en una mesa de aquella cafetería.
Terminado su té, como todos los días se levantó del asiento y pagó su consumisión. Emprendía el camino hacia su casa que estaba dentro de un claro de un gran bosque, le salió a su paso una liebre que andaba por el camino algo despistada y se perdió entre los árboles del bosque saltando ligera por el hermoso tapiz que formaba la hierba entre el suelo de ese gran bosque de árboles.
Dsspués de una hora de caminata, llegó a su casa donde lo esperaban sus hijos y su mujer. La niña miraba con mucha atención un catálogo de libros de cuentos , escogió un libro y le pidió a su padre que se lo comprara la próxima vez que se llegara al pueblo.
A+
VENTANA DE FOTO:
DeleteThe silence was total in that cafe. There was only one customer and he was having a cup of hot tea. Even though it was summer and it was already hot, he always sat in the same cafeteria and always asked for hot tea.
Suddenly he was startled, hearing a noise in the silence. It was the creaking of a door, which opened giving way to another man, who ordered a coffee and began to read the newspaper that was on a table in that cafeteria.
After finishing his tea, as every day, he got up from his seat and paid for his drink. He was on his way to his house, which was inside a clearing in a large forest, a hare came out in his path that was walking along the path somewhat confused and lost himself among the trees of the forest, jumping lightly through the beautiful tapestry that formed the grass between the floor of that great forest of trees.
After an hour of walking, he arrived home where his children and his wife were waiting for him. The girl looked very carefully at a catalog of story books, chose a book and asked her father to buy it for her the next time he came to town.
This is a wonderful use of Hilary's prompts. I do hope that he does choose a book for his daughter - books are the very best presents.
Excellent! And thank you for writing it in your language -- i have been trying to learn Spanish, and i have enjoyed attempting to read and understand it without having to resort to a translation (although i have not quite succeeded).
DeleteThank you for the translation of this pretty story.
DeleteNice story. The difference between drinkers of tea and coffee or what?
DeleteThanks EC for translating for us ... love the story though ... and the hope that a book is selected and bought. All the best - Hilary
DeleteQué historia tan maravillosa, muy descriptiva y fácil de visualizar. What a wonderful story, very descriptive and easy to visualize.
DeleteI love the way the word tapestry is used here to describe the forest floor. Beautiful.
DeleteI look forward to a summer tea, silent but for the scrunch of nature!
ReplyDeleteNature's tapestry
DeleteCloudia: Tea with nature is good in any season isn't it? Thank you for joining us again.
DeleteThat would be lovely.
DeleteShort and sweet!
DeleteHi Cloudia - delightful take ... thank you ... Hilary
Deletethat sounds so relaxing!
DeleteThe scrunch of nature immediately conjured up memories of walking on a forest floor covered with leaves.
DeleteHopping to it! Back to link up later.
ReplyDeleteOkay, it will be over here.
Deletemessymimi: I am already looking forward to it.
DeleteThanks Messymimi - I've commented ... great to see you joining in ... Hilary
DeleteA wonderful story!
DeleteI just visited your blog and left a comment there.
DeleteLaurie: It is, isn't it. I am blown away each and every week by how different people's contributions are - despite the same prompts.
ReplyDeleteNice tale EC. Hadn't really occurred to me about Northern Hemisphere and Easter Bunny being in their springtime!
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: It is though - and I hadn't really focused on it either.
DeleteHi Margaret - I'd always thought about it ... and when in South Africa - it always bemused me that Christmas was often so hot! All the best - Hilary
DeleteI could go to a silent summer tea house at the moment. xx
ReplyDeleteaussie aNNie: I could make a home in one...
DeleteOh yes!
DeleteHi aNNie - The silence of lock-down has been just brilliant ... but a silent summer cup of tea would be just lovely ...great thought you've got here. Hilary
DeleteVery much in agreement!
DeleteMy WfW is up. I cannot say I used many of the words, but I wrote -- a lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlotte - I'll be over ... all the best - Hilary
DeleteI love your story!
DeleteHi Laurie - the challenge is fun isn't it - thanks - Hilary
ReplyDeleteMy second set:
ReplyDeleteThis was clear-cut … the catalogue’s chocolate hare it shall be … then it could be delivered without her having to walk down the path to the house. Easy-peasy … perhaps she could do this for all her Easter giving …
Thanks everyone for joining in ...cheers - Hilary
Wonderful!
DeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: I suspect that the mail system is going to be packed with sweet treats. And that the delivery people are going to walk down a LOT of paths.
DeleteOrdering gifts delivered is so much easier, and gives the delivery people a job to do.
DeleteWe sat there having TEA. Tea – now there’s a thing. I remember when people came you made a pot of tea. Now you have to ask them whether they would like Earl Grey, Lemon Ginger, Jasmine, Camomile, Green or any one of the infinite possibilities displayed on the supermarket shelf. I think today status is based on the number of tea varieties you have in your cupboard! I knew it was SUMMER, not only because I had to SCRUNCH into my pants, the excesses of winter clearly overflowing the waistband, but we were going through the June ritual in the gazebo.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness she was only serving little sandwiches instead of her usual fare of cream buns and petits fours, none of which I would have been able to resist. Who could have imagined that the PATH to corpulence cut right through afternoon tea. The HOUSE was silent since Fred’s death. In times past we would have had to tolerate the blare of his saxophone as he practiced ad infinitum. You would have thought that after fifty years of wailing and screeching, which were the only sounds he ever produced, he would have considered the triangle, or maybe needlepoint! The TAPESTRY of possibilities was endless. Anything but that damn brass instrument of auditory torture. “Oh” she said, “I forgot to mention I have a rabbit coming to visit of late, and there he is. Isn’t he adorable?” How she knew it was a “he” I have no idea, and it wasn’t a rabbit it was a HARE. It looked to me that the “adorable” lagomorph was about to create a CLEAR-CUT in the flower beds, but not having been reproached, admonished, shooed away, or had stones tossed his way, he returned daily for his salad du jour. Coneflowers seemed to be the main feature on the menu. I almost fell over when she shoved a Victoria’s Secrets CATALOGUE my way and asked me to help her choose something alluring. That’s the way she put it. After all, she reasoned, Fred is dead and there are more fish to fry – in a manner of speaking. But Victoria’s Secrets for God’s sake. How will I tell her she is 75 years old and weighs 175 lbs. Camouflage wear might have been more appropriate!
What a wonderful visual of the hare and the garden!
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: Let her dream. We all need to dream. Even those of us who have made repeated trips down the corpulence path.
DeleteMy comment is below ... apologies David ... cheers H
DeleteOh, dear! That last line, i am sorry, that was too good.
DeleteAnyway, let's hope she finds another fish with whom she is compatible.
I enjoy my summer tea in the silent of my house when suddenly I heard the tapestry scrunch
ReplyDeleteOh no!
DeleteSakuranko: Thank you for joining the fun. I do hope that nothing bad has happened to the tapestry.
DeleteYes Sakuranko - I sure hope the tapestry isn't damaged ... thanks for entering - Hilary
DeleteTapestry is delicate, i hope it was just brushing against the wall.
DeleteHi David - wonderful ... my first thought based on your last couple of sentences is: "It ain't over til the fat lady sings" ...
ReplyDeleteClever use of all the words and great you brought in 'lagomorph' for the order of rabbits and hares - I expect she didn't know the difference of those long hare ears ...
Victoria's Secrets - now there's a final thought ... at that age she can do what she wants ... though being around could be a shock! .. and might be the end of many.
Can't help but laugh at the tale and what will go on in 'the house' ... loved it - thank you ... Hilary
I've been away too long and missed this. My contribution to the creativity is [here]
ReplyDeleteCindi: Welcome back. I really enjoyed your tale, and hope it is packed with truth.
DeleteHi Cindi - I left a comment ... thanks for joining us ... it was a delightful tale. All the best - Hilary
DeleteI sat in the Hare House Tea Room, sipping some splendid concoction that had lingering hints of mint and chocolate. On the wall next to me, was a large tapestry -- some 5 by 8 feet -- depicting what I sensed was a late spring scene. The sunlight streaming through the trees and into the garden was a bit more yellow and warmer than early spring sunlight. Other clues were the flowers: bleeding hearts, lilacs, geraniums and several others I didn't know, bloomed in wild abandon, though the garden looked somehow planned.
ReplyDeleteSummer would soon be making her way into this peaceful place. I imagined the scene was not silent but filled with bird song and longed to be there, walking on those paths.
I sighed, drank down the last bit of tea, picked up my things and scrunched my shoulder into the strap of my heavy bag. My livelihood was in it. Sales catalogues for jewelry, make-up, bath and body supplies, clothes and even knickknacks. Personally I wouldn't buy any of it.
"So why sell it?" Where did that voice come from? No one else was in the tea house.
I looked back at the tapestry, set the heavy bag down and...
There are several of us who have found our way here, escapees from a world where peace is so hard to come by.
The start of a very interesting story!
DeleteBish Denham: More please. I do hope your narrator finds here way to that peaceful place, and a job she can enjoy...
DeleteHi Bish - great to see this delightful start to a story ... I feel there's more. The tapestry has tales to tell us ...
DeleteGlad you've escaped to join us - I hope your story has brought you some peace ... stay safe - Hilary
Oh, joy! Getting to explore a beautiful, new world. May happiness await.
DeleteIt is wonderful to see your name, Bish!
DeleteWill try to hunt and peck:
On a Silent summer night, Emma sipped sweet tea, feeling the sugar stream though her.
the porch swing swung as Emma scrunched up her face and spit out the tea, not sweet at all.
No sweet tea then. Emma smiled at the tapestry of a warm summer night before. Sweet tea is highly overrated, she decided.
Susan Kane: Thank you for joining us through your pain. Sweet tea is not something I have ever had - I do enjoy the evenings though and am glad that Emma does as well.
DeleteIntriguing! I read your entry first, Bish. Then I went and checked the words (usually I read the words and then what people wrote). Well done! :)
Delete~Jess
Buona serata e sereno giovedi a te.
ReplyDeleteGiancarlo: Thank you. It will be a busy but I hope satisfying Thursday. I hope yours is good too.
DeleteSplendid words this week and thanks to Hilary
ReplyDeleteSteve: HUGE thanks to Hilary. And all those who visit/applaud/play.
DeleteThanks Steve - so pleased you've enjoyed this week's words ... they've generated very English responses - thank you ...
DeleteWell written story! Very interesting and unique! Happy day.
ReplyDeletebread&salt: There are always interesting stories emerging from the prompts - which is lovely.
DeleteTrully wonderful ❤
ReplyDeleteKinga K.: Thank you. This meme is a heap of fun.
DeleteBuon sabato e felice domenica a te.
ReplyDeleteGiancarlo: Thank you - and to you.
DeleteOOPS. wrote my W.Words story up above.
ReplyDeleteI've been away from my keyboard so I'm late to the party, but I just posted a story with these words on my blog today: https://www.ofeverymoment.com/2021/03/taking-time-to-stitch-tapestry-word.html
ReplyDeleteSusan -of every moment: I have just read your story - and loved it.
DeleteExcellent everyone! Big Hugs EC!
ReplyDelete