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. And huge thanks to those of you who come back, sometimes time after time to cheer other contributors on.
The prompts will be here this month, but they are being provided by David M. Gascoigne. An additional prompt from Charlotte (MotherOwl) is to include Bright Red Orange in your take on the prompts.
This
week's prompts are:
- Decent
- Necklace
- Ecosystem
- Money
- Ground
And/or
- Armed
- Way
- Lodge
- Willing
- Guardians
Jack and his wife are pretty DECENT people. They have always been WILLING to help in their community and have proven themselves caring and compassionate. They are avid birders and GUARDIANS of nature too. On a trip to Peru they were enjoying a great day together, a little off the beaten track perhaps, but immersed in a near pristine ECOSYSTEM with exciting birds and other creatures too. When they saw the old man on the GROUND at the side of the trail, looking distressed, it was second nature to go and help. No sooner had they tried to help him up than four ARMED thugs burst out of the undergrowth. The old man had been a decoy. With a gun to each of their heads, Jack and his wife were robbed of everything they had – MONEY, rings, a NECKLACE, their passports – even shoes, and left to find their own WAY back to the LODGE where they were staying. All too often this world is a pretty sad place.
ReplyDeleteWell done David, similar in nature to my own. Great fun with your words!
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David M. Gascoigne: A very sad place - and getting sadder by the day.
DeleteI was liking the story until the four armed thugs appeared. Sadly this is something that happens far too often in this world.
DeleteAs they say "No good deed goes unpunished" I am so sorry for your friends.
DeleteAnd crap, I had no idea you were writing about Peru. The only red orange stones I could think of were citrines, so I needed to geographically set the tale there
Hi David - thank goodness they weren't killed ... but way too much of this sort of thing going on everywhere in the world. Sad to put it mildly ... cheers Hilary
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: Well, this was a sad tale but not unlike real life.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
It's a tale too often told. You did it justice with your treatment of it.
DeleteOof. I did not like the way this storyu went, but it's too often true.
DeleteLooks as if they were lucky and literally escaped with their bare lives.
DeleteHi EC and David ... an odd tale:
ReplyDelete"The code – what did they say the colours meant? … Bright … was that blood? Red – did that mean immediate danger? Orange – what's that for … a warning perhaps …
Now surely someone who had so much money, groomed themselves so perfectly, looked after their estate – its grounds and thus the ecosystem – didn't really need that antique necklace – they should sell it … then they wouldn't be targeted.
When do they need to send the flares up … if the robbers are spotted? A bright sparkling flare – to announce their presence; the Red Flash to highlight the danger; … or just the orange – that the household is in waiting mode.
Strange but true happenings in the land of an Elephant's Child blog … let's hope it's not the spectacularly Bright one that appears."
I'll be around to check in on one and all ... cheers Hilary
Well done Hilary, we come here for the words and leave enchanted with the results.
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Hilary Melton-Butcher: Send them all up. Now.
DeleteAmazing job, Hilary. A unique use of the words.
DeleteInteresting use of the words.
DeleteWonderful, Hilary!
DeleteThanks all ... cheers all - Hilary
DeleteNicely done! It's hard to remember those codes.
DeleteStrange tale, but let's hope nothing bad happens tonight.
DeleteA while ago a woman hiking through the mountains of Peru fell and had her foot lodged between some rocks. When her companion tried to help her, he had to dig into the ground to loosen the rocks that held her ankle. Once she was released they noticed something in the soil. After some careful prodding they realized they had unearthed a some jewelry along with two small bronze animals. It looked old to them and they were willing to act as guardians of it until they reached the city where they turned it over to the local authorities. However, they refused to disclose the exact location where they found it. They did not want to be the cause of any disruption to the ecosystem of that pristine area.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, after diligent research, the items were discovered to be ancient Incan. They were then cleaned and restored by The Museum of Pre-Columbian art. Like most museums they scheduled an invitation only event for pre-showing when they had the items ready to exhibit.
Armed with her usual less than decent temperament and personality, Amelia elbowed her way through the crowd, pushing people out of her way. Money be damed, she truly believed she had every right to be at the gala, even though she was not a contributing member of the museum or even an invited guest.
And if not for her brash rudeness she might have been able to see the pride of the new exhibit, the gold necklace with embedded red orange citrines. Instead she was ushered out by security. Karma.
Brilliant take on the words, Anne. Engrossing.
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Anne in the kitchen: Definite karma - and much prompter than usual.
DeleteI like stories that have buried treasures involved.
DeleteHi Anne - well done ... a tale that definitely could be true today - except worse could befall her. Love the museum part of the story - cheers Hilary
DeleteAnne in the kitchen: I was expecting Amelia to steal the necklace or something but not getting kicked out for being rude.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Archaeologists now have responsibilities to not only the departments of antiquities of respective countries, but also to their environmental departments, to work on digs in places like this carefully, often having to return the sites to the same condition once they are done with a dig (if it's not a huge ruin that needs to remain uncovered). It's not like the old days where they just went in a razed a place to get all the treasure they could find.
DeleteI did enjoy your story and am glad Amelia wasn't allowed to stay.
Justice served. I like that. And thanks for using my colour.
DeleteAdvocatus diaboli here ;-)
DeleteAmelia didn't have to be good and hand in her find. And now she's being punished for it? That doesn't sound fair.
Here's mine, all words and colour used.
ReplyDelete__________________________________________________
Working for a company involved in maintaining ecosystems was destroying him mentally along with the planet. Jeff felt constantly ground down by the devastation in every country in the world, Where were the other guardians?
The guy in the alley stopped in front of him and dangled a sparkling necklace in front of his face.
Fifty bucks! he hissed.
It was a decent necklace for the money. Though the other guy looked shifty, ill at ease, glancing around and behind him. Anxious to be on his way.
“She don’t want it. Ungrateful bitch, you want? Sell you cheap. Fifty bucks.”
Nell’s birthday was tomorrow and here it was, pretty sapphires on a gold chain reflecting the sky. No way! What a bargain! Willingly he handed over the money and put the necklace in his pocket.
Suddenly. a barrage of local police in bright orange viz vests surrounded him. Armed and fierce looking.
They immediately threw him on the ground and reached into his pocket and screamed ladrón! at him as they bundled him roughly into a nearby van.
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Wisewebwoman: Not where I expected this to go. Poor Jeff.
DeleteWow. Quite a story! Mine is based on fact - is yours, perchance?
DeleteOh poor Jeff, but he is the inocent here, I hope the police let him go once they learn this.
DeleteWow, I did not see that ending coming.
DeleteHi WWW - sounds like an early crime story which needs resolving ... cheers Hilary
DeleteWisewebwoman: Never buy from someone you don't know, at least, Jeff shouldn't have. Poor Jeff.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Yikes! Buying off the streets is not a safe bet, is it.
DeleteOhh, The fence is as good as the thief, is what we say, here turned into real life.
Delete... and thanks for using my colour ;)
DeleteHm, and what about the shiftly looking other guy?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePint sized Rosie’s bright red orange hair behind a poster that was almost as big as she was caught the photographer’s attention. She fired off a few quick shots and a journalist quickly honed in
ReplyDeleteRosie was happy to be interviewed, and it went viral.
‘We don’t need and can’t afford another Gated Community. A new highway through our precious forest? Armed guards to protect the necklaces of consumers who already use more than their share of our resources? Don’t be ridiculous.
Evergreen Glade is an important area. It supports several rare and endangered plants and insects.
Money will not buy them back when they are destroyed by this development.
We are willing to be the guardians of this precious ecosystem and have lodged a protest to the Environmental Commission. Do the decent thing and stand with us. It is literally our way or the highway – our way says NO to highways, and a big YES to biodiversity.
Well done, Sue. Long live eco warriors.
DeleteExcellent Sue and well done Rosie, I hope "they" take notice.
DeleteWell done Sue, activists are the best!
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I really enjoyed this, as I have just seen the natural areas that used to be close to my house were cut down to build about 10 more houses. Fall will never look the same, but the deer that used to live there are now occasionally in my front yard.
DeleteExcellent Sue - so much destruction of our landscape - I hope the Everglades succeed and go on to help other communities - cheers Hilary
DeleteIt's so hard to watch the destruction.
DeleteWoot. Woot. Activists unite.
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Yes to biodiversity and activists. I hope they persevere. Thanks for using my colour.
DeleteI am with Rosie. However:
Delete"We will inevitably die out, just as the dinosaurs died out. And the earth will continue to turn as before. After one or two geological eras, only a strange bone or gold ring will bear witness to the fact that we were once here." [palaeontologist Jan Zalasiewicz in "The Earth after us"]
Me and my friend hired a DECENT LODGE in a lovely ECOSYSTEM in the south of the country, for several days.
ReplyDeleteOn the third day, while on our WAY to explore the desert with its yellow and sometimes BRIGHT ORANGE colors, we suddenly faced two ARMED bedouins from a nearby village.
First, they threw my friend on the GROUND, tied up his hands and feet. As we had no MONEY on ourselves, they pointed at my amber NECKLACE. I wasn't WILLING to hand it in to them even with the gun pointed at me. It was a superb inheritance from muy Mum. I told them, however, "release us , and you can have it."
Back at the Lodge, we told the GUARDIANS of the place, about our 'adventure'. The police was immediately notified. The next day, I got my necklace back.
DUTA: I am so glad that your protagonist got her necklace back - its loss would have been very hard for her to bear.
DeleteMore greedy armed thugs, I am glad she got her necklace back.
DeleteGreat story and a happy ending!
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I too am glad she got her necklace back
DeleteHi Duta - I'm so glad she got her necklace back from the Bedouin - interesting addition to the story telling - thank you - cheers Hilary
DeleteIt's nice when the story turns out well. It doesn't happen often.
DeleteGood for her to have her necklace back, I hope the police was not too harsh on the bedoins - and thank you for including my colour.
DeleteToo brain dead from work to think creatively, but that second batch will definitely churn some good ideas.
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: Are you ok? I don't think I have ever heard you admit to brain deadness before.
DeleteYes, what EC said, RUOK?
DeleteAlex - take care ... what EC and RIver say rings true - with thoughts to you ... Hilary
DeleteOkay, I'll get going.
ReplyDeletemessymimi; I'm sure you will come up with an excellent story.
Deletemessymimi: I am echoing River.
DeleteThank you! It is over here.
Deletethecontemplativecat here. I have to think. I haven't written here for a while. See you later.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: I look forward to seeing where the words take you.
DeleteIdeas are churning here...
ReplyDeleteRiver: I am glad to hear that. And look forward to the results.
DeleteWell done all.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: Thank you. I had to resurrect your comment from spam again.
DeleteI made my Armed
ReplyDeleteWay into the
Lodge
By Willing the
Guardians not to notice me!
Inside I found a Decent
DeleteNecklace, and chart of the local
Ecosystem. No
Money though. Then I dropped to the
Ground and slipped stealthily away!
Cloudia: You add being a ninja warrior to your skills. I love this.
DeleteYou're quite sneaky, aren't you?
DeleteCloudia: This is good! I like the way you used the prompts.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Thanks friends!
DeleteNinja thief ;) I like your verses, and I like th way you use the words.
DeleteI feel like I'm on time for once but it's already Thursday elsewhere but at least, it's still Wednesday here.
ReplyDeleteI do find ecosystem a bit of an awkward word and I hope it makes sense in my story. Here's my link: Fiction: The fighting lodge
Thank you David for the prompts. And thank you Elephant's Child for hosting them.
Have a lovely day.
lissa: I have read and thoroughly enjoyed your take on the prompts. Not a place I want to go, but one I loved reading about.
DeleteIt was a DECENT NECKLACE for the MONEY. And the fact that harvesting the BRIGHT RED AND ORANGE shells didn't hurt the ECOSYSTEM was an added bonus. It was indeed unfortunate that I dropped it since it fell in a gazillion pieces when it hit the GROUND.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra Cox: Very unfortunate - though I wonder about the ecosystem. Thank you for joining us again - I always love it when you do.
DeleteThat's a sad ending for the necklace. If the shells are common enough it doesn't hurt the ecosystem, perhaps she could get another.
DeleteSorry for the necklace, Red and orange shells sounds interesting. Thanks for this intereting use of my colour.
Deletethecontemplativecat here.
ReplyDeleteHal purchased the necklace online from Art D’eco-systems who listed this treasure on Amazon and it was worth the decent amount of money he had spent. He chuckled as he thought how it would look on Clara. Then Hal tripped, hitting the ground with a cracking crunching bone. The necklace was fine, but he would put off giving Clara this special gift. Maybe next week.,
Susan Kane: Poor Hal. Glad that the necklace was fine, but feel for him and his crunching, cracking bone(s).
DeleteOuch. Poor Hal. AND yup, you can buy anything on Amazon:) As always, enjoyed your take.
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Poor Hal. I hope he'll be well enough by next week.
DeleteThe armed guardians at the lodge were not willing to get out of my way.
ReplyDeleteMike: But were you willing to get out of their way? I do hope they didn't see the need/have the urge to use their arms on you.
DeleteTheir arms were useless because I was armed.
DeleteMike: So much confidence...
DeleteHa ha ha ... "Their arms were useless."
DeleteWow, these words inspired lots of responses. Well done everyone!
ReplyDeleteFundy Blue: I am so grateful that Delores created this meme. It has been running for a long time and is still fun.
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ReplyDeleteArmed guardians, in their lodge wearing a bright red orange necklace, for decent money are willing to find a way to ground the ecosystem
ReplyDeleteSean Jeating: Money, money, money... Sigh. And I suspect that grind might be a better word for what they will do to the ecosystem. For what too many of us do.
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