Into the Fire
Temperatures have plummeted back into single figures. And it’s nearly May! So yes, I have felt the need to switch on the gas fire of an evening. And also to take a picture of it with my new camera!
A Rocky Start
It’s time once again for my contribution to Friday Fictioneers, the weekly flash fiction challenge hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was supplied by Dee Lovering.
Apparently my story last week was “a bit dark”, so this one is a bit lighter :-). So here is my idyllic honeymoon story, ably aided by the inestimable Freddy Mercury.
To read this week’s other stories, click on the little blue froggy.
Copyright Dee Lovering
“We’re here!” smiled Rex, bursting into song. “Baarrrcelo-onaaa, it was the first time that we met…”
“Quiet! People are staring!” His new wife looked embarrassed.
“Barcelo-onaaa, how can… ow! Ow!” Rex struggled to fend off Cassie’s handbag.
“Finished? Where’s this honeymoon cottage you booked, then?”
“Lisbon.”
“What? Why are we in Spain?”
“No idea,” smiled Rex. “I wondered at the time why you were booking tickets to Spain.”
“WE’RE IN THE WRONG COUNTRY!”
“Yes! Ah, Barcelona, home to… ow! Ow!”
An old couple watched them from a nearby café.
“Ouch, nasty,” commented the woman.
The man nodded sympathetically. “Must be married, love. I recognise the signs… ow! Ow!”
Nothing to Laugh About
Here is my contribution to Monday’s Finish the Story, Barbara Beacham’s weekly photo/opening sentence prompt.
I’m a bit later this week, as last night I went to see the new Avengers film at the cinema. Also, I couldn’t think of a single story. But rather than miss a week, here’s what I ended up with, for better or worse.
The opening sentence is in bold in my story, and to view this week’s other entries click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Barbara W. Beacham
“Are you laughing at me?”
“Calm down, mate.”
“Are you laughing. At. ME?” Brian repeated, more forcefully.
“No, mate. Calm down. Have you taken your meds today?”
“Are you looking at me…”
“Well, I’m looking at you because I’m talking to you.” Chad was starting to feel a little worried.
“… or are you chewing a brick?” Brian continued.
“What?”
“’Cos either way you’ll lose your teeth,” snarled Brian.
“Okay, Brian, you need to calm down,” said Chad, in as soothing a voice as he could manage. He eyed Brian’s muscular bulk warily. “Look at your happy flowers. Look at the flowers, Brian. Happy, happy flowers!”
Brian stared at the flowers. The flowers stared back. Brian snarled.
“Are you laughing at me?” Brian demanded of the flowers, bunching his fists.
“For Heaven’s sake,” muttered Chad, stomping off to find Brian’s meds.
The flowers began to tremble slightly. They saw their future in Brian’s eyes, and that future was pot-pourri.
Moon Over Houses
When I looked out the window the other evening I saw a photo op, so I grabbed my camera and had a go. I’ve tried pictures like this before but they never came out using a camera phone or point-and-click.
I set the shutter speed to 1/40 second. I didn’t want to risk going lower in case my ageing hands caused the camera to shake too much, especially as I was zoomed in a bit as well.
I’m not sure in the next one if that bright spot above and to the right of the moon is a star or planet or maybe a satellite.
I cheated a little bit in a photo editor. The originals showed a ghost image of the moon (see below). I don’t know if it was an artifact of the lens, or if it’s because I took the shots through double glazing.
Sharing My World 2015 Week 16
Here’s my post for Cee’s Share Your World. Be sure to check out all the lovely photos on her blog!
What are your favourite spices?
I’m not a big fan of spices in sweet or dessert type things, so stuff like cinnamon wouldn’t be on my list. I can’t be bothered to Google which things are spices and which are herbs so I’ll go for pepper, chilli pepper, whatever stuff goes into curry powder and paprika. The hot stuff, basically!
What object do you always have with you when travelling and why?
My phone. It’s multi-purpose – good for any emergencies so I can contact people and good for taking quick photos of cool stuff. I haven’t linked it to my bank accounts (yet) but if I did it really would be a device for all occasions!
What is one thing you love about being an adult?
Not having to go to school. School was rubbish. I’d rather have responsibilities, bills to pay and so on than have to go to school again.
What item, that you don’t have already, would you most like to own?
If we’re going down the fantasy route and it’s only one item, it would have to be something which would enable me to get everything else. So some sort of magical “bag of unending funds” would be in order.
As for “real life” (booorrring) I really don’t know. Most things I want at the moment are replacements for knackered things I already own, like a new sofa, new cooker and the like. I very recently bought a “proper” camera as some of you know, so I have that!
Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Geometric Shapes
I thought I’d have another go at Cee’s Black and White Challenge this week, so I went out and about around the neighbourhood with my camera set to “Mono”. This week’s subject is “Geometric Shapes”.
Here’s the back of my car. I washed it and everything, look at that shine! (Not specifically for the photo, it was dirty.) I don’t know what purpose that honeycomb thing serves, but it makes the car look good as it explodes down the road at high speed.
Here’s the garage I don’t park it in because it’s full of junk. At the left of the photo you can see the leaky gutter joint I haven’t bothered to fix.
I need to weld this shut so the water company can’t see how much water I’ve used. But the joke would be on me – this is actually next door’s water meter cover. Ha ha.
And finally, this is what stops nasty dirt getting into my house.
I hope you enjoyed my pictures :-).
Pioneers
It’s Friday Fictioneers time again, the weekly flash fiction challenge hosted by Rochelle over at “Addicted to Purple“. The photo this week was supplied by top fictioneerer Douglas M. MacIlroy.
To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy.
Copyright Douglas M. MacIlroy
With a gust of icy wind Jared entered the shelter. His wife looked at him eagerly, anxiously, the unspoken question hanging between them. Finally Jared shook his head and looked away.
“All of them?” asked Sheera, her voice trembling. Jared looked at his wife and nodded.
“All of them.”
“So we’re the last.” It wasn’t a question. “We’re all alone.”
Little Hanna ran in and hugged her Dad. “You’re back, you’re back!” she squealed, while in the kitchenette Sheera prepared drinks, carefully mixing a generous dosage of “Martian Deathcap” into each of the three cups.
Drinking deeply, the last surviving “Red Planet Pioneers” faded quietly away.
The Cycle of Life
Here is my contribution to Barbara Beacham’s Mondays Finish the Story. We get a photo and a starting sentence and then 150-ish words to finish the story.
To read this week’s other stories, click on the blue froggy. The supplied opening sentence is in bold in my story below.
So without further ado, let’s join the Harris family on their educational African safari!
Copyright B.W. Beacham
The Harris Family and the Cycle of Life
They followed the buffaloes and their babies along the trail heading into the woods.
“Oh, Daddy!” exclaimed little Betty Harris. “Aren’t they cute?”
“Look at how they frolic along happily beside their parents!” added her mother. “Shall we keep following them?”
“Ooh, yes!” giggled Betty excitedly. “May we, Daddy, may we?”
“Of course!” laughed Father. Betty clapped her hands with glee.
They entered the woods and soon spotted the buffaloes at a watering hole. Father knelt down, readied his hunting rifle and pulled the trigger. The nearest buffalo baby’s head exploded, bits and pieces splashing into the water. Betty gasped.
“Father, what have you done?”
“It’s all part of the Cycle of Life,” explained Mother. “You see, we’re the dominant species and therefore we can kill all the animals!”
“All of them? Wow!” said Betty. “Father, may I have a go with the gun?”
Tune in again next week when Mother discovers the error in her “dominant species” theory in “The Harris Family and the Hideous Child-Eating Lion of Death”.
Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Numbers
This is a post for Cee’s Black and White Challenge. This week the topic is to post pictures of anything with numbers on.
I’ve never tried this before, but my new camera has a black and white setting on it. My photos aren’t very creative, just things from around the house with numbers on, but I was excited to try out the setting on my camera! I shrunk each down by about 60% for uploading.
Click on a picture to see a large-size slideshow type thing :-).
Click for a random post!
Woohoo!
I totally didn't win!
Share Your World
Friday Fictioneers
draliman on life 