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 week's prompts are:
- Wellington Boot
- Art
- Murmuration
- Sedge
- Thresh
- Fissure
And/or
- Heath
- Race
- Cottage
- Mosses
- Windbreak
- Ajax
Have fun.
Huge thanks to Hilary for providing the prompts this month. Next month C.Lee McKenzie will challenge us from her blog.
It had been a long winter. A wet winter. A hard winter. Wellington boots were an essential (ugly and clumsy as they are). Picking her way across the sedge and the mosses to her car half a mile away was hard work. Fissures in the road meant that she could not park any nearer and mostly she stayed at home. Today she had to go into town. Her perishable food had gone (or perished). Ajax (to clean the mud off everything) was now a permanent fixture on her shopping list.
ReplyDeleteReluctantly she stepped outside to start the long avoided trip to town. And stopped dead in her tracks, blown away by the sights in the grey sky above. Art. No, ART expresses it better. Perfectly choreographed birds flying in their thousands, ebbing and flowing like puffs of windblown smoke. They ‘should’ cannon into each other and the formations break down into threshing, flailing wings. They don’t.
Robyn had seen and marveled at murmurations on screen. Here, today, standing in the windbreak formed by her cottage on the heath she stood and marveled at the reality. She dropped her bag and her list at her feet and simply stood and watched. She was not going to race into town and miss a precious second of this wondrous display.
DeleteExcellent story.
Love it! I've been lucky to witness moments like that. A lovely story, and excellent use of the words! :-)
DeleteYou never cease to amaze me, Sue. You are brilliant!
DeleteI like to write mine before I read any, so here is mine and now I shall see what others said!
DeleteThere once was a woman existential in nature, cleaning lady by day, detective by night, and she always knew where the bodies were buried. For her, solving cases was an art as much as photographing nature. Today by chance, she captured a stunning starling murmuration not far from her cottage nestled in a heath of open country so thick with sedge one must thresh their way through while being wary of mosses creeping about as well. Some say her work turns dark and disturbing, and yet her conscience wouldn't allow her to ignore these random cases, like the lost Wellington Boot she discovered half buried in a bog running along a windbreak behind her cottage. She knew quite possibly this was a race to uncover perhaps a murder weapon, a victim and of course the killer. Oh my, and yet with the church bells striking noon she realized she still held a bottle of Ajax, her cleaning not yet complete her seeing this dangerous fissure at hand of the lost Wellington Boot and its victim shall have to wait.
I used all the words too!
21 Wits: I like to write mine before I read others too. And am smiling at your feisty protagonist. We need people like her - the world over.
DeleteWhat is buying Ajax compared to enjoying a natural wonder?
DeleteLovely story.
Love it EC, and I would stop what I was doing to watch a murmuration too. I saw a small one many years ago, while waiting at a bus stop, every now and then they would hover as smaller younger birds caught up with the rest.
DeleteHi EC – brilliant exposition of taking time out to witness one of nature's wonders … oh and I could see her walking across the sedge – 'pain in the butt' that her car was so far away … I hope that was not another remembrance! Lovely read … thank you … Hilary
DeleteHi 21 Wits - that was really clever - I'd love to read more of the story ... that Ajax has to appear again somewhere in the murder mystery ... cheers Hilary
DeleteYes! Yes! Yes! I love it!
DeleteWhat a wonderful description of one of nature's wonders. I'm happy she stayed and watched.
DeleteEC, i hope i would take the time to stop, too.
Delete21Wits, well told!
21 Wits: Sounds like there's a murder afoot:)
DeleteWell done.
I absolutely love your story EC you paint such a vivid picture of her awe and wonderment. We all need days like she had!
ReplyDeleteXO
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Wisewebwoman: A murmuration is something I would seriously love to see...
DeleteWow, you are pro at this EC. Excellent use of the prompts. I seldom write, and so found these prompts quite challenging.
ReplyDeleteJulia
Julia: Thank you. Some weeks I struggle too. I am not going to admit just how often I walked away from these, scratching my head.
DeleteGreat words this week. This fell into my head really quickly.-----------------------------------------------------------
ReplyDeleteGranny was a fierce gambler. She’d gamble on anything, she’d gamble on her own death if there was a payout for her. Her birthday was the highlight of her year as we always took her to the special race course which was a mile beyond the heath bordering the town of Ajax.
She knew her horseflesh, the perceived mosses on the course, the fissures on the track, the sedge on the siding. She had her apparel down to a fine art: her windbreaker, her wellington boots and her lucky sou’wester hat.
She said the same thing every year. If only she could have a cottage right by the course so she could be there all year, just walk over and place her bets every single day. This year she didn’t fail us. She sighed for the imaginary cottage and just then a murmuration of starlings flew over the course.
Well, would you look at that, she said, her betting slip up close to her eyes. I’m putting the bank on Cottage Starling today.
We all agreed it was the best birthday ever.
She won the jackpot.
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XO
WWW
A great job, Wisewebwoman. A great story. I did find the prompts a bit challenging this time.
DeleteJulia
Wisewebwoman: Brilliant. I do hope that she used that jackpot to buy the cottage.
DeleteOh my you did an excellent job of using the words, your story is as if the words were just made for it, an interesting read. I did have a bit of a struggle at first but they finally all came together for me too.
DeleteWhat a story! Very Irish. I am blown away.
DeleteWell done WWW, I hope Granny was able to buy her cottage after that win.
DeleteBrilliant WWW - and of course she could buy the cottage ... I hope her winnings were sufficient! Excellent take ... cheers Hilary
DeleteOh, buy that cottage, Granny! Loved this.
DeleteWhat a fun story!
DeleteMy old friend, Anna, wanted to escape the rat race as she called it, and wanted to meet me halfway at a small British cuisine restaurant in the country. Anna was late and no doubt, because she had taken the wrong turn again. Ajax is just a small town but to Anna, it was a big metropolitan.
ReplyDeleteAs I waited for my friend to arrive, the flavor of the conversation at the next table started from boring to plain disgusting. One complained that she had lost a brand new Wellington boot and her windbreak jacket when she moved last week and still could not find them. Then they both started talking about the game of Thresh. Not my kind of game..., finally the conversation turned to how much her fissure was causing her discomfort, at which point, I tried to distract my thoughts to more pleasant things.
My eyes turned to the art on the wall. The first painting I saw was a quaint little English cottage, surrounded by mosses and sedge and tall flowers, and the next painting was of a murmuration of birds in the sky and and heath. It reminded me of a perfect serene place and then my friend Anna arrived and as I had thought, she was late because she had gotten lost. Poor Anna, she never could trust her GPS.
I was glad that she arrived because I was getting very hungry. We ordered and somehow, the other's conversation just faded into nothingness.
Julia
Julia: Your struggles didn't show. I am a chronic eavesdropper but there are some conversations I would rather not hear. And anything to do with personal fissures falls into that category. I am so glad that lunch with her friend made that conversation melt away.
DeleteIt took me there Julia as I love to eavesdrop while pretending to read.
DeleteXO
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Eavesdropping this was a genius turn of events, quite a read it was, thank you. It's always so much fun to see what direction everyone will go.
DeleteIt's possible the uncomfortable fissure was in a tooth. I don't mind listening in while waiting for someone, but I usually hide it by pretending to read a book.
DeleteDrawn from life; the last word is even Beckett-esque.
DeleteHi Julia - a wonderful weaving of the words, with a rather uncomfortable conversation to listen to - I'd have moved or walked out ... but so pleased Anna eventually arrived. Delighted to read it - cheers Hilary
DeleteThis was a fun way to use the words, overhearing or eavesdropping can be painful.
DeleteA very nice slice of life story, i am glad they got their meal at the end.
DeleteCharlotte Bronte? Not here she isn't?
ReplyDeleteAjax made his second loop into the heath, with the race leading to Old Lady Wellington’s cottage. She was baking bread, smoke trailing. Her cottage had been in the family for centuries, green with mosses and ivy, and her bread was legendary. Heading up to the old barn, Ajax welcomed the windbreak if provided. Old Lady Wellington waved him on over, slice of hot bread and butter in hand. Cross country races were tough. Old Lady Wellington made them all a little bit easier. It helps that she is Mee-maw to half the village.
Susan Kane: Hot fresh bread and butter? I am almost tempted to join that race. Almost.
DeleteSusan Kane: Oops, somehow my comment didn't make it here so I'll try again.
DeleteFresh hot bread and butter sure sounds more tempting than the bananas that they hand out to the Women 10K runners in Scotland although the bananas has more potassium.
Julia
Hot bread and butter yum. I remember after one race they served hot bagels and cream cheese. Well done/
DeleteXO
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This was a fun read and Old Lady Wellington would be a pleasure to meet! Of course, now my dinner must include fresh hot bread and melting butter!
DeleteI like hot bread, but not with butter which gets all melty and soggy. I'll have my butter on cold fresh bread.
DeleteHi Susan - fun take on the words ... and what I need now is hot bread and butter ... it'll make the day brighter! Plenty of aspiring Brontes around ... cheers Hilary
DeleteOh, I could smell this story, the barad, the smoke and th heather, all blending into the exhaustion of the long race.
DeleteShe's the kind of lady i want to go visit.
DeleteGreat job with the prompts you used.
DeleteThey were a healthy race, always cleaning their cottages of mosses with Ajax and wearing windbreakers.
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: What had the mosses done to them? Thank you for joining us again.
DeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: I bursted in audible laughter on this cute short story and I'm still laughing.
DeleteJulia
Thanks Alex - succinct and pertinent as always ... cheers Hilary
DeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh, have you ever tried writing an Elfje - This should be an artform for you.
DeleteI like what you did here.
You make it look so easy.
DeleteArt got his Wellington Boot stuck in a fissure hidden by the thresh of sedge while a murmuration flew overhead.
ReplyDeleteMike: Brilliant story, but Art has to be more careful and watch where he walk next time.
DeleteJulia
Mike: I am always tickled by Captain Succinct's use of the prompts.
DeleteI bow to the master of taciturnity.
DeleteThaaaanks Sean! Now I have to look up ANOTHER word! 😁
DeleteHaha to Mike and Sean ... fun to think we're teasing and testing each other - great take on the words ... thank you! Hilary
DeleteOh! Like it.
DeleteWatch your step! Good story.
DeleteHi everyone and particularly EC ...
ReplyDeleteAn original Wellington Boot was on display in the Museum … but was it an Art exhibition … so here was a huge painting by Joe Bloggs, a well-known 17th landscape painter, whose works are secured in the vaults at Britain's National Gallery.
This painting brought out during the Covid years … it showed a wonderful murmuration over the sedge, before the field had been threshed.
Yet the public could see the repaired fissure in the canvas caused by a slash dating back to the Napoleonic era … but all reports on this exhibition are commenting on the Wellington Boot that stands proud in front of Joe Blogg's artwork. She thought it was a strange display of history at this time.
Cheers to you all - I see have some fun reads ahead of me ... I'll be back - thanks to you all - Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: A fascinating take on the prompts. I was intrigued to learn (investigating your prompts) that the Wellington Boot was once a smart (and distinctly upperclass) piece of attire. The only ones I have ever owned were white ones I took to Antarctica with me.
DeleteBravo, this was an excellent read and felt nearly as if I were there too, and bringing in history and today with COVID how perfect this was. Here in America the Wellington Boot is kind of a big thing, but it worked perfect for my mystery solving detective, thanks.
DeleteThanks for that, Hilary. When next time visiting the National Gallery I must not miss this very Joe Bloggs.
DeleteHiya - the Wellington Boot was one of Napoleon's (apparently) and was on display at a tiny museum in the Wellington Arch, over the road from Apsley House - Napoleon's London home ... where they were celebrating the Battle of Waterloo and his life (and dinner) in 2015 ...
DeleteHowever Joe Bloggs would be delighted to see more of his art works on display at the National Gallery!
The Wellington boot of non-Napoleon fame is well admired as footwear here too ... it's also used for throwing as a game - at times ...
Cheers to you all - Hilary
Wellingtom boots deserve a museum of their own.
DeleteIt is amazing what goes for art sometimes, although i am partial to a good pair of boots when i need them.
DeleteWell done Hilary.
ReplyDeleteXO
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Thank you WWW ... cheers H
DeleteHilary Melton Butcher: Yes, the Wellington boot is quite popular it would seem...
ReplyDeleteEven, the art can't escape all the changes in people's taste these days.
Julia
Thanks Julia - I've put a note up about the Wellington Boot ... just to add a little to its history!
DeletePlenty of modern Wellies around today ...
cheers Hilary
On my way, although i have a late meeting tonight, i'll try to get back and link up as soon as i can.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: When you are ready. There is no rush and your life is always so very busy.
DeleteMy very quickly-on-the-way-to-a-meeting bit of story will be over here.
DeleteAlso, i'll have to catch up reading tomorrow.
Oh my goodness, your words read like a film playing ever so sweetly I could relate with her on so many levels, and of course the beauty of what she was about to experience made everything wonderful. I love that we both used Ajax the cleaning substance, as I like to use the first thoughts that run through my mind when I read the words. Excellent story you weaved for us.
ReplyDelete21 Wits: This is SUCH a fun meme, and I am blown away each week at the different directions to prompts take us. Definitely the more the merrier and thank you for joining us again.
DeleteIt is extraordinary the range of ideas that people come up with to accomplish their take on the prompt words ... it's fun ... I love doing it - cheers to you both - Hilary
DeleteI agree totally!
DeletePondering about Ajax' end, he put the Sophocles back in its place.
ReplyDeleteHe should have threshed the chef and chased him out of his kitchen into the heath-peat swamp forest where sticking in mosses he had probably found the boot for today's Beef Wellington.
Ah! A murmuration of vultures circling over the sacrilegious man. He grinned. If Art knew.
Anyway, tomorrow morning he'd repair the fissures in the old windbreak, then have lunch at The Sedge Wren, and in the afternoon the grandchildren would challenge him to an egg-and-spoon race around the cottage. Time to fall in the feathers and put his head on his pillow.
Sean Jeating: Smiling as always. And I love the very different sides to your protagonist, from delighting in a vulture murmuration to planning and egg and spoon race. Will he allow the grandchildren to win I wonder...
DeleteKnowing him, only his hips could prevent his triumphant victory, Sue.
DeleteWell done on your take Sean, I love how you mingled so many thoughts on the words.
DeleteXO
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Hi Sean - I must 'get into' learning more about Greek Mythology and Tragedy ...
DeleteYou keep reminding me ... which is very necessary and for which I'm grateful you're reminding us keep learning ...
While this deviated into today's story - love it and thanks ... cheers Hilary
Hehe, I liked this very much.
DeleteIt sounds like he needs a new cook. Nice story!
DeleteAjax? Now I have to look that up, I don't recall any Gods by that name, but...
ReplyDeleteHe was no god, indeed, River. Ajax was a mortal.
DeleteThank you.
Delete2nd set ...
ReplyDeleteThey were renting a cottage, so they could get to see the Dutch football side, Ajax, play in the Johan Cruyff stadium … one of the greatest footballers in history.
This was Vince's treat … and they'd agreed they'd race across the heath towards the city, they'd had to slow a little when the ground full of mosses squelched under their feet.
Still onward they went into Amsterdam … finding a bus to the arena – where they had their photo taken besides the Cruyff statue, where he's depicted in full flight running for the ball.
The memorial game celebrated the footballer's life and gave Vince a really special day to remember for the rest of their lives.
PS I owe everyone a visit ... I'll be back - and I've enjoyed offering EC my range of Words for Wednesday ... cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I love this. Special days to remember are soooo individual, and beyond precious.
DeleteOh, good - and thanks for the words!
DeleteA beautiful day that will warm their hearts for a long time to come. Choose experiences over things every time when it comes to gifts.
DeleteAnother great take on the words Hilary.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
The windbreak round the cottage
ReplyDeleteKept it sheltered from the heath.
Mosses and sedge grew in the low spots,
Where water seeped from underneath.
A murmuration of starlings would race the storm,
Their flight a work of art,
And we would sit by the open fire,
And swear we’d never part
Hi BlogFodder - love your take on the words - thank you ... and I'm fascinating that you're in the Ukraine at the moment ... I'll keep an eye on your postings (and will back-read some of them) ... as well as wish you well at the moment. Take care - cheers Hilary
DeleteThe Blog Fodder: This is truly lovely. A romantic take on the prompts which warms my heart. Thank you.
DeleteSweet poem, I enjoyed reading it.
DeleteBravo!! Wonderful use of the prompts.
DeleteOh, well done!
DeleteNow, that's a poetic take on the prompts!
Deletewell done!
DeleteI'm a voyeur on this Wednesday, Hilary and Sue. It's Twitter Pitch Day and I've got the con, so I just popped over to read some of the entries and admire the skill in putting together stories from your challenging word lists.
ReplyDeletecleemckenzie: Thank you for taking time out from your busy day. I hope the Twitter Pitch Day goes really well for all participants - and I look forward to seeing what prompts you offer us next month.
DeleteThanks Lee - great to see you here ... no worries being a voyeur! Cheers Hilary
DeleteFinally I join the party. This time around I've been writing short 'poems' known as Elfjes with these Words for Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I learned something new, reading all these wonderful takles on the prompts. A murmuration. I thought it was only the act of murmuring ;) That bird phenomenon is known in Danish as 'Black Sun' as the starlings blots out the sun with their numbers.
DeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): I am late to the party but will investigate your work in a little. Black Sun? I can see that but (for a change) prefer the English version. Murmuration is a sight I hope to see.
DeleteHi Charlotte - Interesting about 'the Black Sun' for a Murmuration ... fascinating and yes appropriate thought ... cheers Hilary
DeleteTHE HILLS ARE ALIVE by Granny Annie
ReplyDeleteThis was a perfect day to leave my cottage after being in quarantine. A nice walk would be bliss. It was just a small hill but a place of beauty covered by mosses. My heart demanded that I make the climb. Wearing my good Wellington Boots, the journey began.
It was a joy to view the sedge in bloom. There were horses being exercised on the heath. They seemed to be involved in a race.
I loved to view the murmuration taking place above me. The birds created art of their own.
I was concentrating on the starlings and I failed to see the fissure in my path. My boots got caught in the split earth I could not get my foot out of the boot. It had twisted and latched on. It would surely take the strength of Ajax to free me. The sky was darkening and the weather would soon turn much colder. I was glad the hedge wall nearby created a windbreak that would keep me from freezing.
I could hear the thresh of wheat and called loudly for the workers. Hopefully they would come and free me from this dilemma. I tore at the boot and could not pull my foot out. Suddenly I was inspired to speak to the hill and pat the soft dirt. “Please let me go” I begged. The earth slowly moved and opened wide to allow my release.
All things will respond to kindness, i think. It's worth a try.
DeleteThere are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. ;-)
DeleteGranny Annie: I love it. And politeness and kindness NEVER goes astray.
DeleteA lovely story, Granny Annie. I am glad that you didn't have to walk back with only one boot!
DeleteL liked this tale of ancient magic. The hills are alive.. am I the only one continuing ... with the sound of music?
DeleteGranny Annie: This is lovely. I especially like ' The birds created art of their own'. Great use of the prompts.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Hi Grannie Annie - loved it ... and the title: so appropriate ... brilliant story on the prompts ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteOnly as good as the prompts Hilary. You did a good job this month.
DeleteThanks EC for letting me and my word selectios invade your space this past month ... it's been fun - with some great ideas, tales, poems coming to the fore.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting us all - much appreciated ... cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: Thank you so much for both providing the prompts and for your regular visits to cheer us on.
DeleteThanks EC - I gather it's raining ... and you've had some cricket going on! But always enjoy the prompts and everyone's answers ... I too hope you're feeling easier ... take care - and with hugs ... cheers Hilary
DeleteHay buenos relatos, en las historias que han leído los participantes.
ReplyDeleteSaludos de buenos días.
VENTANA DE FOTO: There are some excellent stories aren't there? Have a wonderful day.
DeleteAlways fun to see what people put together.
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: It blows me away each and every week.
DeleteI am late this week, but here it is.
ReplyDeleteI’d be willing to bet that AJAX never wore WELLINGTON BOOTS, or anything resembling them, towering figure of strength and vitality that he was. But a wimp like me, hunkered behind a WINDBREAK down on the HEATH was glad of them. The SEDGES were soaked after three days of non-stop rain. There was a time when I would have RACED through them without a thought for personal comfort, but those days are far behind me. As I eased my arse, double-layered with lined trousers and waterproof overpants onto the sodden MOSSES, the thought crossed my mind that I could have stayed in my cozy, warm cottage, sipping on a fine single malt. The ART of bird watching demands a little discomfort, however, a FISSURE in the veneer of complacency we all have, a sort of never-ending rite of passage. I THRESHED around a little, uncomfortable in whatever position I settled into, but suddenly there it was. A MUMURATION of starlings; a common bird, an object of displeasure even for some, but for a few brief moments transformed into kaleidoscopic wonder. As they swerved and veered, flew in formation, banked and shimmered in the sun, I knew why I was there. What’s a little discomfort to witness one of the true spectacles of nature. I know I’ll do it again.
Well written story indeed I would also trade some creature comfort for this sight.
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: I am with you about 10000 per cent (conservatively speaking). This is a sight I have never seen for myself, and discomfort seems a small price to pay.
DeleteThere is always beauty in the moments we can spend with nature. Good job with the prompts David.
DeleteWonderful story. Wonderful descriptions. Drew me right in. Kudos.
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: That was nice use of the prompts. I think I would risk a little to see nature doing its thing. It's fascinating to see birds and other creatures about in their business.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Oh well done David - the passion of the hobby overrides all discomfort ... personally I'm not so sure! A little comfort and warmth is good for me! We're so lucky to see murmurations here ... over Brighton and the sea ... but as you so rightly point out 'the Art of Bird Watching does demand a little discomfort' ...
ReplyDeleteNature is just special - thanks for reminding us what wonders exist out the fresh air ...
Great story using the words ... cheers Hilary
Good choices❤
ReplyDeleteGood choices❤
ReplyDeleteGood choices❤
ReplyDeleteKinga K. Thank you.
DeleteI never play along but wanted to pop in to say hello anyway. I hope you are feeling better than the last time I checked in and hope you will get some relief from the sweltering heat soon!
ReplyDeleteMartha: Thank you. It isn't obscenely hot at the moment but it is very humid. Sigh.
DeleteYou did an awesome piece, EC! Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteI'm super late with this but here's the link: Fiction: The Hunt on Wind Breaker Island
ReplyDeleteThe prompts are quite interesting as I rarely use most of these words.
Have a lovely day.