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:
- Jubilant
- Ginger
- Shimmering
- Beachcombing
- Smudge
- Rosetta Stone
And/or
- Charcoal
- Wool
- Toga
- Abyss
- Coffee
- Leaves
Thanks EC ... this is my first set:
ReplyDeleteOh Smudge … I wish you could talk … your languidness suits our visits to the shimmering sea, where I can beachcomb – and you can join me if you wish … or watch contendly from the shore …
But oh oh … it'd be wonderful if you we could chat jubilantly about the success of the book I've just published …
This has been my dream … a novel based around the Rosetta Stone – now my fantasy has come to fruition … come my Smudge – time for some gentle cuddles … while I have a celebratory glass of ginger wine, and you can have a mackerel snack …
I'll be back - cheers to one and all ... enjoy the words! Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I love it, and hope your protagonist and Smudge enjoy their snacks...
DeleteTo read this in French and Spanish as well would leave it as much of a mystery as the Rosetta Stone was to its discoverers.
DeleteLike it.
Nicely done Hilary. I knew a cat called Smudge.
DeleteXO
WWW
Hilary, I think Smudge is a great name.
DeleteThat's a lovely vignette.
DeleteI'm up for the snuggles and willing to try ginger wine, but I might pass on the mackerel snacks!
DeleteWonderful usage of the prompt, Hilary!
DeleteMackerel snacks no thanks, but Ginger wine, maybe,. I hope to once read this book of yours.
DeleteI struggled with this week's prompts for some reason. For what it is worth, here is my attempt.
ReplyDeletePerhaps some day a mud lark (or someone just beachcombing) will uncover a Rosetta Stone equivalent that will allow us to understand the language of birds and animals. I would be jubilant. When the young Ginger cat comes visiting instead of seeing a shimmering flash of fur and legs as he scarpers out of reach I could assure him that I meant no harm. With luck I could also tell him that the charcoal cat who lives here (and swears at him) is more bark than bite (incongrous as that sounds). I could talk to the birds, and perhaps come to a compromise about which plants they devour ,what sustenance they need and how to stop their numbers declining.
While I am dreaming, I can see a use for a multitude of similar stones. Not just a stone that would tell me/us whether the Ancient Greeks or the Romans have a better claim to the toga, but stones that would allow people from opposing political parties, religions or cultures to sit down over a cup of coffee (or tea) and discuss their differences . Stones that would allow us to all see when someone is attempting to pull wool over our eyes…, stones we could use to smudge over our differences and come to a better understanding.
Sadly I am almost certain that the abyss of miscommunication will continue and deepen which leaves me in despair.
I wonder, what a story that would have been had you not had to struggle with the prompts, when already this one is excellent.
DeleteSean Jeating: Thank you. Muchly.
DeleteA wonderful take EC and if only we could sit down and arrange for real communication between nations on the real problems that plague us and stop all the posturing.
DeleteXO
WWW
Although you struggled, reading your work is never a struggle.
DeleteSad and true. You did a wonderful job.
DeleteHi EC - love it ... life is muddled enough as it is ... so being able to wake up from that dream would certainly help ... no stoning ahead. Well done - it didn't feel a struggle and I love the two cats portrayed! Thank you - Hilary
DeleteThis is great, Sue. I will give it a try later and hope that I struggle so well.
DeleteAn excellent use of the prompts; and a wonderful dream. If only it could come true!
DeleteWell written ... if this is you struggleing ... I feel humbled.
DeleteGetting busy.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I am looking forward to seeing where the prompts take you.
DeleteThank you, but it took me nowhere new this week, we have another "car adventure" story.
DeleteMy story will be over here.
A shimmering charcoal spider named Ginger and a smudge-proof toga awningclam named Abyss, while beachcombing under leaves discovered the real Rosetta Stone. Jubilant as the felt they shared a coffee.
ReplyDeleteSean Jeating: I love the idea of a spider and a clam sharing a friendship - and a coffee.
DeleteNicely done Sean, clams and spiders forming an alliance.
DeleteXO
WWW
Excellent! Coffee all around.
DeleteHi Sean - what a great take and imagination to come up with this delightful vignette - thank you - cheers Hilary
DeleteMaybe they'll sail away like the owl and the pussycat and live happily ever after!
DeleteYou painted a vivid picture in few words. Well done!
DeleteFun words as always. I'll be back.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could be at a Jubilee.
DeleteLittle Ginger was ready for the Queen. She had heard the history of English Royalty, and now she rested on Dada’s shoulders. And there she was, the Queen, who shimmered in a golden glow carriage. There was so much noise that the Queen could not hear Ginger, as she cried out. Some other tourists pushed Ginger, and she pushed back with some smudged hands.
When the Queen passed by, Ginger called out as loudly as she could. No matter what Ginger said, it came out as “Wool and charcoal, toga and abyss, coffee and leaves.” Only a few of those understood what Ginger was saying, and soon the crowd was roaring in laughter. The Queen asked the head guard what he heard, and he only could respond: “Yes, mum.”. He snickered as Queen as she left. Oh, sure he knew what the words said, but he wasn’t about to tell her.
Susan Kane: I like this - but am very, very confused about what Ginger was trying to say. Love the smudged hands addition.
DeleteA lovely story, although like EC, i do not speak Ginger.
DeleteHi Susan - clever interesting take on the words ... with the storyline of the Queen and her Jubilee ... oh yes - if we could understand all that was said. Cheers Hilary
DeleteEmperor's new Words or what, nicely written, but I feel confused.
DeleteI had such a good time with these words - all used. Thanks Hilary for the prompts and EC for posting them.
ReplyDelete---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosetta Stone, private detective. It wasn’t her real name, of course, but it looked so professional in gold script on her office door. A play on words. Not noticed by many. It was no one’s business what her real name was.
She was jubilant today, a Friday of a tough week. Her client had just left, leaving a rather large retainer. She brushed back her shimmering ginger hair, her finest feature, and took a long sip of her coffee as she finalized her notes. She pulled out one of the leaves on her oak desk, inherited from her father, and plopped her laptop from her briefcase on it. She found that most clients liked her old fashioned pen and paper approach. But honestly, she had no time for it, so she typed her notes up rapidly.
Her business was all image: the old fashioned gumshoe relentlessly pounding the streets in her charcoal wool suit, in search of the perp, smudged under the eyes from exhaustion. Of course this aided was by some subtle eyeshadow application.
Now here she was, googling like a mad thing, finding her client’s wife and her sleazy companion at the Ritz Carlton last Monday night checking in on the webcam footage right at the abyss of their few hours of unbridled toga-ripping beach combing. They were clawing and pawing at each other in anticipation.
Hard evidence from her brilliant hacking and cracking of every computer system known.
Such easy money for ten minutes of her time.
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XO
WWW
Wisewebwoman: I love this. I am grinning broadly as I read. Thank you.
DeleteCaught! Well done, both the ginger-haired sleuth and the one who thought her up.
DeleteHi WWW - what fun to read ... and I love her name ... cheers Hilary
DeleteRosetta Stone ... what else but a privae eye. Brilliant!
DeleteI see Rosetta setting up a detective agency with Philip Marlowe. ;-)
DeleteThe Jubilant Ginger was
ReplyDeleteShimmering. We decided to go
Beachcombing. It was too warm to go Smudge the Rosetta Stone.
A wonderful day indeed!
Cloudia: I love it - it is way, way too long since I have gone beachcombing.
DeleteA day beachcombing is always lovely.
DeleteHi Cloudia - what a fun take ... thank you - Hilary
DeleteNIce, I need to go beachcombing as well now.
DeleteWhile wearing a wool toga and sipping charcoal flavored coffee, he slipped on wet leaves and fell into the abyss.
ReplyDeleteMike: Ouch - and thank you Captain Succinct.
DeleteThat charcoal flavoured coffee didn't do much good did it ... thank you for this - cheers Hilary
DeleteChrcoal flacoured coffee, she almost deserved that abyss.
DeleteDeath, where is thy sting? What an extravagant ending.
DeleteIf the coffee tastes like charcoal, i might jump! Fun mini-story.
DeleteSearching the abyss where my brain used to be, I can find no recollection of Rosetta Stone. Off to google!
ReplyDeleteRiver: Happy exploring...
DeleteRiver - that will keep you occupied for a while! Enjoy the research ... cheers Hilary
DeleteOh, another rabbit hole, enjoy. For me it was puzzles.
DeleteIsn't it nice to be able to research things so easily now.
DeleteFun words and I love reading everyone's inputs.
ReplyDeleteHi RBH - so pleased you enjoyed this selection of words. Thank you - Hilary
DeleteRomance Book Haven: This is such a fun meme. Perhaps some week you will join us.
DeleteHere's my 2nd offering:
ReplyDeleteGentlemen, gentlemen … 'tis time for coffee, or are we to chew coca leaves …
The charcoal-dyed-wool togas, have in our exuberance of the coca, splayed out behind us … tripping us into the nightmare abyss that those coca leaves slowly drift us into ...
Cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: Oooh. I have often wondered what coca leaves taste like, and really like this take despite the long fall I forsee...
DeleteI don't want to know ... and I'd hate to fall into that abyss in any which way - cheers Hilary
Deletewith or without togas, the cocoa leave abyss does not sound enticing ;) Well written.
DeleteA rather dire predicament, if you ask me.
DeleteDavid was ninety-five years old and JUBILANT about his life. It was good to be sipping iced COFFEE on a beach in The Maldives, all the while knowing that within a few years, due to oceans rising, it may soon no longer be above water. Below it is an ABYSS into the ocean higher than Everest is above the Earth. The morning had been spent BEACHCOMBING, a pleasant diversion from the rigours of producing another documentary. The water was SHIMMERING causing him to squint at the brightness. No doubt he was contemplating the life he had lived and all that he had seen, from the GINGER fur of a Proboscis Monkey to the CHARCOAL SMUDGES on a winter-plumaged gull. How much wonderment was engendered by thoughts of a WOOLY Bear caterpillar? From this tropic island to the rugged TAIGA of the far north, he had experienced nature in all its formidable glory. Man had always been on a quest for a ROSETTA STONE it seems, while the answer to everything was all around him. Sadly it was all ignored, he LEAVES nothing unsullied, soil and air poisoned, oceans polluted, wildlife exterminated. David had tried, had made every valiant effort that was humanly possible – unfortunately all for naught. The mutual suicide pact with nature has already been signed.
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: This is sadly so very true - but I would classify it as murder/suicide rather than a suicide pact. I will send you an email in a minute with some wise words I came across this morning.
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne, did you read my story before writing your own, or how did the taiga enter your tale as well? It is well written, sadly realistig and pessimistic.
DeleteI have still not read your story, Charlotte. I will go and do that.
DeleteYou are right, Sue. Murder/suicide would be far more accurate.
DeleteThis is too sadly real. It breaks my heart.
DeleteHi David - so true ... and told in your inimitable way ... also humans inexorably go forward into the abyss of destructive life - so well told - thank you ... cheers Hilary
DeleteBy the time David is 95, many things may have changed in the Maldives. At present, David, whom I know to be less thoughtless than the average tourist, would surely not visit this "state", which dumps its rubbish in the sea, oppresses minorities, is eaten up by corruption and has recently also become a haven for a few Russian oligarch's yacht?
DeleteWhich, of course, does not change the future prospects for the islands.
Excellent dystopia, David.
This is so much fun! I see so many fun ways the prompt has been used here :D
ReplyDeleteDamyanti Biswas: It is a heap of fun. Perhaps you will join us some week.
DeleteI only used 6 of the words today:
ReplyDeleteDANGEROUS TREK by Granny Annie
It had been a a long arduous journey. The scorching heat, the wild animals, the robbers were serious threats..The old cowboy was jubilant as he finally reached the end of the desert. His horse Ginger enjoyed the water this oasis provided them. When Cowboy Bob first saw the shimmering image of the water well and tree ahead he thought sure it was just a smudge in his eye...a counterfeit depiction. He believed he knew how the archaeologists had felt when they discovered the Rosetta Stone. Bob knew they would soon reach the ocean and begin splashing in the water and beachcombing.
Granny Annie: You used those six words very, very well.
DeleteI feel his jubilant feeling reading this!
DeleteThere is nothing quite like reaching a long desired haven.
DeleteHi Granny Annie - well done ... I sure hope it was the end of the desert ... and not another mirage. Thanks for joining in - cheers Hilary
DeleteThis week finally writig happened: Words for Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): I have already read and applauded your use of the prompts. How I love your continuing story.
DeleteThe ginger-haired girl dug her toes in the damp sand as she walked along the shore beachcombing.She brushed at a smudge on her hand, looked up and saw a shimmering in the distance. Ignoring the heat, she hurried forward and just managed not to squeal. Jubilant, she picked up a beautiful, perfectly-formed, pink-centered Conch. Maybe it wasn't the Rosetta stone, but still it was a delightful find.
ReplyDeleteGreat word picks, Hils.
Sandra Cox: I WOULD be squealing jubilantly. This is great.
DeleteThat would be a delightful find! Well told.
DeleteExcellent piece!
DeleteHi Sandra - excellent ... I remember pink coloured shells on Virginia Woolf's beach (our beach too!) in Cornwall - by Godrevy lighthouse ... they were tinged that colour from the mine run off a little way inland. We were always rushing along looking for those pink ones. As you say - not the Rosetta Stone, but plenty of memories from the shells.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the words ... cheers Hilary
Ah yes, to the Rosetta Stone for animals. And double yes to getting the birds to come to an agreement about what they do and don't eat, lol. Very nice!
ReplyDeleteLet me see if I can write a short story with those prompts.
ReplyDeleteHaddock: I do hope you can. The more the merrier definitely applies for this meme.
DeleteI enjoyed your take on this week's words, and also enjoyed the other stories from people. The imagination is taken on a wonderful journey :)
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: Thank you. I delight in the very different takes each and every week and am very pleased that you enjoy them too.
DeleteThe idea of a Rosetta Stone is incredible.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: Yet another amazing fact.
DeleteHave a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteashok: Thank you - you too.
DeleteMore info.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: About what?
Delete