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.
This month the prompts will be here, but are being provided by David M Gascoigne. This is David's last week providing the prompt and I thank him for testing my grey matter.
This week's prompts are:
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.
This month the prompts will be here, but are being provided by David M Gascoigne.
This week's prompts are:
- Formidable
- Reticent
- Naturalist
- Hoity-toity
- Ego
- Combination
And/or
- Exude
- Strident
- Copious
- Salient
- Temerity
- Euphemism
Have fun. Next month the prompts will be provided by Cindi. I look forward to seeing you there.
Audrey’s distinguished and formidable forbears would have been spinning in their graves. There was nothing reticent about her outcry. And nothing hoity-toity about the strident way she expressed it.
ReplyDelete'WHO had the bleeping temerity to choose the beach? I don’t give a flying fig (yes I know that euphemism is one of last week’s words) about beach volleyball. I do care about the sand. This appalling heat is making me exude bucket loads of sweat. The ugly combination of sand and sweat means that copious amounts of sand have stuck to all of my salient bits. So do the sandflies and the mosquitoes, who have acres more flesh to feed on. It does a girl’s ego no good to be captured itching, slapping and scooping at the stuff in full display of the world.
I like nature. In its place. Which is not here, and not today. Today I am a nudist NOT a naturalist.'
Muy buenoooooo hijo de elefante!!!!Genial!!!
DeleteYou do have a way, Sue,
DeleteWhen in a minute falling into the feathers I shall still smile.
DeleteExcellent! The beach is lovely, in moderation and at the right time of year. Otherwise, no.
DeleteI feel so sorry for Audrey, the sand is bad enough, but to have sandflies as well is just too much. Perhaps she should invest in a neck to ankle suit.
DeleteVery nicely done EC.
Brilliant EC ... I can see it, and feel it ... yugh - the thought! Cheers Hilary
DeleteThe downside of being a nudist. Heh.
DeleteI immediately thought of aglow when I saw bucket loads of sweat. I'm afraid I'll never look at that word the same again:)
Thumbs up for Audrey's story.
Hahahaha! Oh, dear...
DeleteWonderful:) thanks for your sharing.
ReplyDeleteAzka Kamil: Welcome and thank you.
DeleteDesde aqui mi aporte mezclando un poco las opciones:
ReplyDeleteInvitacion:
Una cosa era estar con su grupo de amigos , divertirse
Y darse permiso para decir mas de una groseria
Allí todo estaba permitido, pero esta vez la asaltaba la temeridad de encontrarse con el, en la casa de sus padres.
Apenas llegó salieron a recibirla y se mostraron muy amables
Era una casa grandiosa con un copioso árbol en el frente y otro saliente por un lateral que daban un aspecto majestuoso a la propiedad
Al ingresar le parecio estridente el color de los muros que resaltaban con las lamparas de estilo
Apenas se sentaron a la mesa Tiffany comenzó a ponerse un tanto nerviosa y a exudar por todos los poros lo inquieta que se sentía en aquella reunión.
Cuidando las palabras, valiéndose de distintos eufemismos para hacer referencia a su trato con amigos cuando los padres del novio le hacían alguna pregunta.
Fue una tarde inesperada, que deseaba terminar rápidamente. Solamente había asistido para conformar su ego, sabia que podía con la situación.
Al despedirse se sintió formidable, como una combinación perfecta de éxito y placer, pero estaba segura, que la próxima vez que la invitaran se mostraria un tanto reticente.
Saludos Hijo de Elefante, gracias por la posibilidad de jugar siempre, ten buena semana!
eli mendez:
DeleteFrom here my contribution mixing the options a little:
Invitation:
It was one thing to be with your group of friends, to have fun
And give yourself permission to say more than one rudeness
Everything was allowed there, but this time she was assailed by the recklessness of meeting him at her parents' house.
As soon as she arrived, they came out to greet her and they were very friendly
It was a grandiose house with a copious tree in front and another overhang on the side that gave the property a majestic appearance.
Upon entering, the color of the walls that stood out with the style lamps seemed strident.
As soon as they sat down at the table, Tiffany began to get a little nervous and to exude from every pore how restless she felt in that meeting.
Taking care of the words, using different euphemisms to refer to his dealings with friends when the groom's parents asked him a question.
It was an unexpected afternoon, one that he wanted to end quickly. He had only assisted in shaping his ego, he knew he could handle the situation.
When she said goodbye, she felt formidable, like a perfect combination of success and pleasure, but she was sure that the next time she was invited, she would be a bit reluctant.
Greetings Son of Elephant, thanks for the possibility to always play, have a good week!
I love your contribution and am awed that you have the temerity to play (and succeed) in a language which is not your first. Loud applause. Have a wonderful week.
Enhorabuena Eli Mendez.
DeleteGracias por su historia.
DeletePuttin' on my thinkin' cap now...
ReplyDeletemessymimi: Your thinking cap always produces excellent things.
DeleteMy story will be over here.
Deletemessymimi: And I loved it.
DeleteRepeating myself:
DeleteNot messy, at all, Mimi. A nice after-work-kitchen-dialogue and a fine lesson in diplomacy. An enjoyable read.
Buon mercoledi.
ReplyDeleteGiancarlo: Thank you, and to you.
DeleteDeirdre Snodgrass was a FORMIDABLE birder. Some thought she was a little HOITY-TOITY, but I never shared that opinion. She simply EXUDED self-confidence and was never RETICENT about asserting herself. The fact that her voice was a little STRIDENT did nothing to assuage the wounded EGOS of those with whom she sometimes did battle, especially insecure men. Well, battle might be too strong a term, but there were skirmishes, no doubt. An old-style bare-knuckle fight springs to mind!
ReplyDeleteOne has to remember that Deirdre was of the old school, a dedicated field NATURALIST, who prided herself in the COPIOUS field notes she made, the sketches done quickly and accurately at the time of the sighting, with SALIENT characters highlighted. If you had the TEMERITY to challenge her, you had better be damn sure of your facts. The COMBINATION of her superb records, her unrivalled knowledge of many species, and her encyclopedic understanding of all things ornithological left little room for doubt. This was all before the days of digital-photography, I hasten to add.
I had not seen Deirdre for several years, but a friend recently let me know that she had died (she would have hated the EUPHISM “passed away”) and I was given to thinking about her. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to her journals. They would make the great foundation for a book.
Maybe I’ll try to find out where they are!
Now, that's what I call playing with words!
DeleteThe heart of someone who has not sucked English from his mother's breast is rising like a falcon up to the sky.
David M. Gascoigne: I remember reading a biography about Ms Snodgrass Formidable she certainly was. And single minded and driven. I felt for her family though - remembering that she didn't attend at least one daughter's wedding because of her bird watching commitments. What a wonderful use of your prompts.
DeleteThey would certainly be worth looking into.
DeleteDeidre sounds like the sort of person who would leave me either tongue-tied or babbling like a blithering idiot. She does make a good story with those words though.
DeleteHi David - Mrs Snodgrass definitely a daunting woman - but I sincerely hope those journals come home to roost and be remembered in future generations. Delightful story ... cheers Hilary
DeleteA formidable naturalist, known to be rather reticent than hoity-toity would not, in a combination of temerity and being fed up with euphemisms, with both a copious and strident outcry introduce his contemporaries to his alter ego?
ReplyDeleteWhy not? The latter might exude his salient feature.
Sean Jeating: So many naturalists ARE formidable (see David's use of his prompts). I wonder whether it goes with the territory?
DeleteYou nailed it succinctly, Sean.
DeleteShort and to the point, Sean Jeating. A great use of the prompts.
DeleteYou nailed that one.
DeleteThank you all, for petting my ego. ;-)
DeleteExcellent use of prompts, Sean.
DeleteA challenging mix this week. I'll let the words stew a bit and see what pops out.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I look forward to seeing what percolates to the surface.
DeleteVery good EC.
ReplyDeleteThe reticent naturalist had a formidable ego in combination with a hoity-toity attitude.
ReplyDeleteWell done Mike - simple and clear ... clever too - cheers Hilary
DeleteMike: You really do excel on packing the words into the smallest possible space.
DeleteNot someone i want to meet, i think.
DeleteFighting for taciturnity, now I know why I am green-eyed.
DeleteMike, you always use very little ink and paper to tell your story. You would do well living in a tiny house I think but not with this naturalist.
DeleteExcellent use of the prompts.
Hi EC and David ... here's the first:
ReplyDeleteLook at me … you might think me Hoity-toity … but I, Ego I, that combination of being me … I am the Formidable all-knowing Naturalist … and am Not Reticent, so you Will make sure my name comes first in the credits – it is My due.
The second set:
The Temerity of that child … what does she know about Copious amounts of Salinity … and why is she yelling so Stridently …
I can’t see anything … the ooze doesn’t appear to have changed … the corner-door has always exuded an overpowering nauseous smell … perhaps she’ll learn one day.
Ooooh … the door exploded open causing the gunk to splatter everywhere … perhaps I’d better pay more attention to my child and her audacity.
Cheers and thank you David ... these have been interesting words to concoct into some form of narrative ... Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I really like both of them. And of course the far from reticent naturalist needs to come first in the credits.
DeleteYour second take has me shuddering. I have no doubt that gunk was noisome...
Thanks EC ... very odious and foul ... cheers for now - H
DeleteGreat job on both sets of prompts, Hilary. It has been fun providing the words and seeing what people do with them.
DeleteGreat use of the prompts Hilary. I hope the child has survived and is reformed. lol...
DeleteYou always come up with something clever.
DeleteOoh, I especially like the second one, Hils, and interestingly enough am currently reading a story about doors that explode before the person inside disappears.
DeleteSmiling ... smiling ... smiling ...
DeleteWOW, so many very skilful ways with words here today!
ReplyDeleteWell done everyone...I really enjoyed reading them all.😊😊
Ygraine: I am glad that you enjoyed reading them. Some day we will tempt you to play as well.
DeleteI only used the first set of words. My story is here: WfW
ReplyDeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): Thank you. I really enjoyed this snippet form your continuing story.
DeleteMadam President
ReplyDeleteShe wore tailored made clothing and was of formidable size without a reticent nature. She certainly was not a naturalist as she wore imitation perfume. Her hoity-toity attitude was remarkable. One never quite knew how to approach her as she walked in the room. Her ego seemed to precede her and people felt a combination of admiration and oppression at the same time.
She refused to use the mike and as she addressed the audience with a voice that exudes confidence. She went on with copious and salient litany of achievements and reasons why she should become Madam President. She had the temerity to suggest that she alone could save the world.
She was direct and never used euphemisms to express herself and demanded our votes.
Julia
Julia: I can picture her, and wonder whether her confidence is justified - as so many politicians are not. Great use of David's prompts.
DeleteDemanding can backfire into creating demand-resistance in those who hear it.
DeleteWell done Julia - yes ... I can definitely see her making her mark, and ensuring she won't succeeed!! Cheers Hilary
DeleteWell done and certainly sounds like many a politician.
DeleteI feel reminded of someone called "lizard'.
DeleteUnlike the naturalist, who while reticent was amiable, his formidable wife was quite hoity-toity, with an ego to match. The man was short and round. She was tall and thin. A smile never touched her lips. They made, most assuredly, an odd combination.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Jack Spratt and his wife? I really enjoyed this. Thank you for joining us again.
Delete:)
DeleteSounds like i want to meet him, but not her.
DeleteWell done Sandra ... good use of the words and descriptions of their characters ... cheers Hilary
DeleteI think I've met that couple before, lol...
DeleteWell done.
Good one.
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I really like your blog, it's interesting and inspiring!
I wish you all the best!
Greetings from Poland!
Ayuna: Thank you.
DeleteBravo! Bravo! to everyone's wonderful stories, and to David for such challenging prompts! My contribution this week has been posted here: https://ofdandelionsandsunshine.blogspot.com/2021/08/words-on-wednesday-825.html
ReplyDeleteCindi: I have already read and thoroughly enjoyed your use of David's prompts. Thank you for joining us again. I look forward to seeing where your prompts take us next month.
DeleteIs hoity-toity a word?? 😂 It must be. I am so happy to see it here.
ReplyDeleteI'll be reading!
Sandi: It is lovely to see you here. It is a word, and has been beautifully incorporated by many people into their takes on David's prompts.
DeleteLove your post :)
ReplyDeleteAzka Kamil: Thank you.
DeleteHere is a possibility:
ReplyDeleteLady Letitia was one formidable lady whose personality made staff reticent about contacting her in her favorite garden. She was a devout naturalist, running and bounding about the flowers in her naked saggy skin. “No hoity toity lace for me.” Letitia’s ego always exploded when anyone challenged her combination of being free and mean spirited.
“After all, I am THE Lady. Get over it.”
Susan Kane: Leave her to enjoy her garden I say... Thanks for joining us again.
DeleteHoity toity with an ego makes a fun combination on it's own! these are good prompt ideas, thank you for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good weekend ahead of you! Fun one here, a birthday party to go to each day!
Away From The Blue
Mica: Enjoy your birthday parties. We are still in lockdown so much of my weekend will be spent in the garden.
DeleteBuon fine settimana.
ReplyDeleteGiancarlo: Thank you - and to you.
DeleteHave a weekend filled with birds and flowers, word slinger;)
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: The weekend HAS been devoted to birds and flowers. And other people's words. I hope yours is lovely.
DeleteA reticent naturalist named Flo
ReplyDeleteWould exude pride where ever she’d go.
Hoity-toity she seemed,
But too shy to be deemed
As formidable as her ego.
The Blog Fodder: I love this - and am very glad that David's words inspired you to poetry. Very glad, and having read your latest post, unsurprised.
DeleteHi The Blog Fodder - what a delight to read ... so well done - cheers Hilary
DeletePhotos or paintings with combination colors make me happy!
ReplyDeletebread&salt: Me too.
Delete