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:
- sonorous
- trenchant
- cackling
- hurley-burley
- confined
- semolina
And/or
- nourished
- grid
- blue
- atmosphere
- notepad
- porridge
Have fun.
Ooh, some good words here. I'm putting my thinking cap on.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Sandra Cox: I am looking forward to seeing what comes out from under your thinking cap.
DeleteI'm watching the last Brit standing ... have to come back tomorrow ... just Wimbledon time of year!!
ReplyDeleteThanks EC for putting them up ... they look quite fun (I'm pleased to say!) ... cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: Enjoy Wimbledon. And they are fun.
DeletePolitical upheaval too ... so it will be tomorrow - and Norrie is still standing I'm pleased to say ...
DeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: Your political upheaval is headline news here today. I hope you can focus on much more pleasant things.
DeleteThey decided to live off the grid several years ago. Each morning they were nourished with porridge made from grains they grew themselves or what they gathered from the wild. The mountain atmosphere where they made their home was fresh and clean and the skies always seemed to be blue. At the end of every day, they each pulled out their respective notepad and made a comment of their daily chores and the homestead goings on and why they were so thankful. At the end of each year, they each had a novel they could have published. But they were content to read their novel to each other and looked forward to the next day.
ReplyDeleteI love this and it is similar to my own story. Great atmosphere.
DeleteXO
WWW
Linda Starr: I love this. Sigh at blogger's infuriating ways.
DeleteIt sounds like a beautiful and fruitful life.
DeleteHi Linda - that was delightful ... such a great take - thank you ... sounds a delightful way of life ... congratulations - cheers Hilary
DeleteThe pleasures of pastoral life.
DeleteIf I don't sign in to google my comment is anonymous but the above is mine
ReplyDeleteHere is mine. I really loved these words and the story fell into my head right away. Brought memories of my own four brothers.
ReplyDelete---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The dawn was sending slivers of orange red and pink sliding over the dark blue of the ocean outside the kitchen window as Rosemary settled into her first cup of coffee and the morning bowl of semolina.
She reviewed her notepad, her grocery list to supplement their off the grid small farm.
The freshly made trenchant, sonorous voice of her eldest, Andrew, rumbled from the top of the stairs, waking his brothers, no doubt. She had hoped they’d be confined to their bedrooms for another hour or two.
Billy’s cackling tenor followed and this triggered the hurley-burley sound of the middle two boys, Charlie and Davey as they cartwheeled into the upstairs hall.
The atmosphere became ripe with boy as they burst into the quiet kitchen, disturbing the two cats curled up by the range. The dog, Fergus the Irish wolfhound, leaped up from her foot, kissing all of them one by one and then going back to do it again.
Their demands for nourishment was at a fever pitch in the air, words tumbling over each other as they banged around. Porridge! Bacon! Waffles! Eggs!
Rosemary sighed, getting up, pushing her coffee and notepad away.
Just another day in paradise, she thought wryly to herself.
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XO
WWW
Wisewebwoman: This is a delightful vignette of family life. I am so sorry for all the Rosemarys of this world that don't get to enjoy their first cuppa in peace.
DeleteAh, yes, you have to get up even earlier to awaken before the children.
DeleteHi WWW - lovely ... I can quite imagine that way of life for her with her four sons ... and the demands that go with it ... oh I could do with some bacon and eggs - sad: I've only got coffee!! Delightful entry - thank you - Cheers Hilary
DeleteThank you for letting me imagine paradiese - wryly.
DeleteWoot. Woot. Very well done.
Delete‘Semolina porridge? You have to be kidding me. I am a wicked witch. I am nourished by eating sweet, sweet children not health food.’
ReplyDelete‘I know that you have me confined (for the moment) but write this down in your ever present notepad.’ Raven was quite trenchant when presented with the bland diet considered suitable to keep her dietary perversions in check. In deep and sonorous tones she suggested that it was served again the atmosphere would be turned blue immediately. A poisonous blue. Cackling quietly to herself she added that ‘keeping witches is expensive. If you want to attract viewers from across the grid to have a safe look at the hurley-burley of a witch’s life you are going to have to do better than this. A LOT better. ’
Outstanding!
DeleteLove,
Janie
Excellent!
DeleteWhat fun EC - loved this ... she could charge an entry fee and then keep those that risked a look ... a constant supply of sweet children ... especially if there was free entry for the littlies ... cheers Hilary
DeleteThis is wonderful!
DeleteThis is great. I love the way your mind works:)
DeleteIt's funny that you wrote about a wicked witch - that's exactly where my mind went when I saw 'cackling' on the list, too! :-)
DeleteDiane Henders: Cackling demanded a witch didn't it?
DeleteEnchanting. ;-)
DeleteAs always, Sue, you are quite brilliant. I am going to take a crack at this, all the while cursing Hilary for her choice of prompts!
DeleteElephant's Child: This was fun!
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Hats off to those who choose the set with hurley-burley.
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: My hat is off to all of the participants.
DeleteI love the witchery, excellent take EC as always.
DeleteXO
WWW
Working on it.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I am looking forward to seeing where they take you.
DeleteMy offering will be over here.
DeleteGreat choice of words. Good luck everyone!!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: Thank you. I hope they will inspire you to join us. Hilary has done us proud this week.
DeleteI used words from each set. Literature it is not and I couldn't make a rhyme to save my life.
ReplyDeleteThe cackling crone confined herself to sleeping by the fire. The semolina porridge that nourished her made her drowsy and her sonorous snoring turned the atmosphere blue.
The Blog Fodder: You are too hard on yourself. I smiled broadly at this, and some snores do seem the change the atmosphere.
DeleteThanks Blog Fodder - not literature, but fun to read ... great take on the words - thank you ... and snores could definitely change the atmosphere as EC suggests. Cheers Hilary
DeleteGreat use of the words, and very alliterative!
DeleteYou did very well indeed with this!
Deletehurley-burley :) I haven't heard that in yonks!
ReplyDeleteI love all the entries here!
ReplyDeleteRiver: I have just rescued you from the spam folder. I love them too - and look forward to seeing yours on Friday.
Delete
ReplyDeleteHurley Burley was eating semolina while confined to her stall as her handler made cackling trenchant sonorous sounds to distract her.
Mike: Would you believe Spam claimed my response to your comment????
DeleteI am wondering just what species Hurley Burley comes from. And loving seeing Captain Succint riding again.
Brilliant Mike - thanks for joining us ... a large bucket of semolina, I'd guess ... amusing to think about - cheers Hilary
DeleteThree bucks on Hurley Burley in the fourth race.
DeleteFun and to the point, as always.
DeleteAll lovely stories. Sitting with a laptop on my knee with feet up, been reading them EC.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: That is very good to hear.
Delete2nd lot:
ReplyDeletePorridge had nourished her this morning … she'd grabbled her notebook and blue crayon, running out into the calm atmosphere for the day ahead.
Yesterday had been febrile … but now she could play … she was off to the cattle grid … her mother knew the weather would be kind … her daughter could spend the day drawing to her heart's content … safe from the browsing cows.
Now to read your comments ... thanks to you all for participating - cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I love this - and hope she has a wonderful day.
DeleteThanks EC - it's summer here so kids can get out into the fresh air, even older ones! ... just lovely being out and about. I love summer - cheers Hilary
DeleteI'd forgotten what febrile meant and had to look it up! Thanks for helping me hone my vocabulary.
DeleteThe cattle grid as her safety net free to draw. I like that.
DeleteXO
WWW
It's going to be a wonderful day for her.
Delete1st lot:
ReplyDeleteThe customers jostled in a hurley-burley mass … all wanting a refreshing drink … now irritated by the lack of trenchant service.
People were cackling, confined to the saloon … the sonorous overtones were getting louder … the publican thought perhaps some bowls of semolina would help … extra jam might be the cream on the top, eliminating some of that noise.
Cheers to you all – and thanks for commenting - Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: A publican serving semolina? If it keeps the peace why not. I am smiling here and loving the very different directions your words have sent us.
DeleteThanks EC - I remember having my mother's semolina in hospital - loved it!!! Happy memories during a sad time ... and thanks for putting up this week's words. Cheers - Hilary
DeleteI remember raspberry jam on top of semolina as a special treat. they should put it on pub's menus!
DeleteXO
WWW
Sometimes dessert can soothe the savage breast, let's hope it works this time.
DeleteInteresting words, Sue! I hope that everyone who participates has fun.
ReplyDeleteFundy Blue: I hope so too. I really hope for that.
DeleteIn her blue notepad with gridlines for every letter, Goldilocks wrote:
ReplyDeleteAtmosphere - nourishing. Sunlit friendly rooms, with a table set for breakfast, complete with porridge-filled bowls.
Well done Carol - succinct and appropriate ... lovely to read - thank you ... cheers Hilary
DeleteThank you, Hillary. You made my day!
DeleteCarol
Carol Kilgore: Love it. Though I would like to read her next entry too.
DeleteIt's nice she left a good review! lol
DeleteCarol Kilgore: Sounds like a great review. I would like to stay at this place.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Dear EC, for so many weeks I've been away from reading your blog, that today I'm not going to use the prompts, but instead simply say that I've missed your gentle touch on life.
ReplyDeleteIn the past couple of months there's been the visit to Idaho and then a couple of health concerns. However, I have just one more test left to do--in this middle of this month--and then I'm sure all will be, as Mom used to say, "Fine and dandy like sugar candy!"
Hope you are well. And I hope also that I revisit your blog within a couple of weeks. Take care. Please be gracious to yourself for yourself and remember just how many lives you have touched with your compassionate spirit. Peace.
Dee: Thank you so much. I do hope that your next test goes well and everything IS fine and dandy. Much love and hugs.
DeleteDear EC, I still haven't figured out how to leave comments or answer ones left on my blog. I see that my comment here is Anonymous. Just wanted you to know that Dee Ready posted it!
ReplyDeleteDee: I knew that. You comment was unmistakeably yours. When you are leaving comments you should get a choice to log in with google. If you do so, it will allow you to identify yourself.
DeleteA last time his usual trenchant comments followed by sonorous cackling, then the ingredients of his porridge would have confined him not to his last dwelling six feet under, yet, but at least for a nice little while to bed.
ReplyDeleteAnd she would in his Jaguar roll over the cattle grid, enjoying blue sky and the moment's atmosphere. No more semolina, no hurley-burley.
His last words would be: 'Ah, all the years I nourished a viper in my bosom!'
Smilingly she opened her notepad.
Sean Jeating: I am glad that the viper bit him. Which is possibly wrong of me since I don't know the back story. Just the same the viper has me in her corner...
DeleteIt's always nice for a writer to have found a story's or novel's end.
DeleteWell done!
DeleteFun to read Sean - thank you and a different take on the words ... cheers Hilary
DeleteCrazy words. Trenchant? I will post something equally crazy!
ReplyDeleteThe decades of living in their chaotic home revealed much about the three sisters. Being kept in confined spaces, their atmosphere was dank, the air was blue with trenchant yelling, turmoil, and cursing.
Beatrice, Grace, and Marilyn lived far away on the grid that was their village. Even more, the three were blind. Desperate people climbed the rocks to get help. All they needed, just this one thing, was the eye. The all important eye held answers.
At night, villagers shivered as the sisters sang the same dang song: Cackling, was the big number through the night, harmonizing hag-songs of their past. Grace complained, “We sang that one yesterday”.
That was when hell broke loose. The cauldron in which the eye floated was kicked over by Beatrice, sending the eye cascading. The three sisters screeched : “When the hurley-burley begins, love ends". Marilyn crooned the sonorous loudest, so she took off with the harmonies
After the feast of semolina and porridge, it was decided that leftovers would be great for supper. With a dipping sauce a Eye broth on the side, this would be a treat.
After brushing their fangs and scraping their callouses, saying prayers, they settled down for the night. Tomorrow was another day.
If the eye rolled down to your feet, what would you do? Serious business, Answers needed.
After the feast of semolina and porridge, it was decided that leftovers would be great for supper. With a dipping sauce a Eye broth on the side, this would be a treat.
Susan Kane: I do hope they recovered the eye after kicking the cauldron over...
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan - well that took the words into a completely different direction ... poor sisters - they had their help at hand, yet kicked the bucket so to speak ...
Delete... and if that eye rolled towards me in that situation - I guess I'd grab a spoon and plop it back into the broth if it helped them ... and I didn't have to a dipping sauce made from eye broth! I'm happy with the feast of semolina and porridge - safer!
Cheers - loved the read ... I'm glad it's still morning here! Hilary
Great post
ReplyDeleteRajani Rehana: Thank you.
DeleteNot my best, to be sure, but at least I used all the prompts!
ReplyDeleteThere was CACKLING in the camp this morning. Amid the usual HURLEY_BURLEY of breakfast, the ATMOSPHERE got quite BLUE at times, but when unhappy campers have been CONFINED together for already six weeks, one cannot be surprised that the raised voices were less than SONOROUS. Jack, with his normal TRENCHANT dark humour set everyone off when he complained vociferously, in a voice dripping with sarcasm, about the poorly NOURISHED humans with whom he had to share close quarters for another two weeks, all the while looking squarely at Jennifer, who was skinny at best, and had not done well on SEMOLINA PORRIDGE every day. She took out her NOTEBOOK and scribbled something down, tears dripping down her face, clearly the result of Jack’s taunts. She couldn’t wait to get back on the GRID when all those notes would form the basis for a veritable smear campaign against Jack. He was going to live to regret his words.
David M. Gascoigne: Sigh. This is sadly true. And LOTS of other people will join Jenny in her smear campaign. People who don't know either of them...
DeleteHi David - interesting take on the words ... thanks for joining in. I'd hate to be in Jenny's position and I do hope Jack will regret his actions and unfairness in life ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteOh I haven't heard hurly burly in ages! it's fun to see some little used words in this list! :)
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a nice weekend :)
Away From The Blue
Mica: Long time no see. I hope you are well. And yes, hurly burly has almost disappeared hasn't it?
DeleteWhen I saw the word cackling, I think of witches so I wrote about witches.
ReplyDeleteHere's my take on the prompt: Fiction: The Witches Next Door.
Hilary Melton-Butcher, thanks for the prompts.
Have a lovely day.
lissa: I enjoyed your take on the prompts.
DeleteI see a marvelous list of words here! All the best to everyone participating :D
ReplyDeleteDamyanti Biswas: It was indeed a marvellous list - and produced some very different takes on the prompt.
Delete