Underbelly

July 10, 2014 64 comments

Here we are on Thursday with Friday Fictioneers, the prompt for which was posted on Wednesday. Confused? Never mind, because it’s story time, hosted as always by Rochelle.

The photo which prompts our 100-ish word story this week was contributed by Kelly Sands and features big clouds over houses. But are they clouds? ARE THEY? Or are they actually Something More Sinister (dum dum dummmm)? My story this week is a bit nuts, so bear with me.

The other stories this week can be found by clicking on Bracken, the little blue froggy, below.

Here’s the photo of the clouds. OR ARE THEY CLOUDS? etc etc.

roiling-cloud-1

Copyright Kelly Sands

It came from Outer Space. NASA had pictures and everything.

One evening in late May it had appeared over the sleepy hamlet of Little Frimpton. The residents took it in their stride, as country folk often do.

“What be that, Jed? Looks loike clouds. But not clouds.”

“That be the underbelly o’ one o’ them giant aliens, Jethro.”

“Oh. ‘Nother ale?”

In June it broke wind, hospitalising several members of the Little Frimpton Knitting Circle during a particularly complicated crochet demonstration. Gas masks were distributed to the villagers.

They could only hope that nothing more solid would follow. Though as one pragmatic farmer noted, “It would be good fer moi fields.”

Sharing My World Week 26

July 6, 2014 14 comments

It’s half-way through the year and time to Share My World once again. The questions are posed on a weekly basis by Cee – go check out her wonderful photos!

share-your-world2

 

Is your refrigerator, organized or a mess inside?
I’d call it organised, though some might brand it a mess. Everything always goes in exactly the same place every week, so I know where everything is, so that makes it organised.

However, I’ve had it for nearly 6 years and have never cleaned it, so that makes it a mess 🙂

When I moved house in February, the freezer part at the top was so full of ice it filled an entire sink. There’s lots more room in it now!

My Fridge

This is the day before my weekly shop, so it’s quite empty!

As I’m feeling generous, here’s a bonus pic – the freezer portion, which sits on top of the fridge.

My Freezer

Ice cream and pizza. Who’d’a thunk it?

If you could be famous for one thing, what would it be?
I’m not really sure I want to be famous, but if I were I think it would be as a novelist, in common with many others who have answered this challenge.

Then I would be invited on all those comedy panel shows and I’d be awesome and everyone would love me and I’d be rich and I’d be the nation’s hero and women would throw themselves at me etc etc BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

But I wouldn’t let it change me ‘cos I’m really well adjusted.

What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?
Choose just one thing? That’s a tricky one. Maybe visit New Zealand. Did I ever mention Hobbits before in these challenges? I think I did.

The scenery is very beautiful!

Where do you eat breakfast?
On a weekend, I only have coffee. In fact, coincidentally, some is brewing at the moment! I drink it in the living room.

My Coffee

Here it is, sitting in front of my trusty George Foreman grilling machine.

On a work day I also indulge in a Kellogg’s Special K “Biscuit Moment”, which I eat at my desk.

That’s all for this week, see you next week!

Categories: About draliman Tags:

Sunday Stills – Power Lines

July 5, 2014 11 comments

I was reading one of Cee’s posts and that put me onto a photography challenge, for which I have the perfect photo! I actually published it a couple of weeks ago as part of a set of photos I took while on a walk from my house to the next village.

This week’s topic is “power lines” and is part of Sunday Stills. I took the photo because I thought the power lines looked quite cool from down on the road. You can just make out the warning triangle at the bottom of the pole, telling people to stay clear – “danger of death”!

Hedgerow 4

From Now Until Eternity

July 3, 2014 50 comments

It’s Friday Fictioneers time! Our lovely host Rochelle is back at the helm, and this week’s photo has been contributed by Claire Fuller. Thanks, Claire!

To read this week’s other contributions, click on Bracken, the blue froggy, below.

claire-fuller-3

Copyright Claire Fuller

 

Prince Ionus smiled to himself as the little band of adventurers crested the hill and crossed the plain. Excellent, he thought. It has been an age since I made new friends!

He watched as they approached the cave. Their triumphant yells became screams of terror as Medusa, emerging from the darkness, froze their limbs with her terrible gaze. Their screams now echoed only within the depths of his mind.

Ionus projected his thoughts outwards. Calm yourselves, my new friends. Learn to accept your situation. Soon we will exchange stories, but there is no rush. We have from now until eternity!

A Cautionary Tale

June 28, 2014 35 comments

Here is my entry for June’s Storybook Corner, hosted by Adam Ickes.

I usually post my entry with mere hours to go, but I have three weeks yet – are you impressed? Here is the logo.

ogre-castle

Read more…

Categories: Fiction Tags: ,

Sharing My World Week 25

June 28, 2014 19 comments

Here we are at week 25 of Share Your World, hosted by Cee over at her photography blog.

share-your-world2

 

What is your favourite type of dog?  (can be anything from a specific breed, a stuffed animal, drawing, cartoon or character in a movie or TV show)
I’m really a cat person. I spent my childhood afraid of dogs ever since one ran off with my underwear on the beach while I was tiny 😦

I prefer cute little dogs, like the Andrex puppy (in case you don’t have this brand where you live, it’s toilet paper).

Andrex Puppies

The Lads.

Name one thing not many people know about you.
If I told you lots of people would know it, instantly making my answer a lie.

Have you ever gone scuba diving?  If you haven’t, would you want to?
I’ve never gone scuba diving, but it sounds wonderful. Floating around in the peace and quiet, watching all the little fishies swim past.

What was the most important event in your life last week? (anything goes it can be a good nights sleep, finished a reading book, winning the lottery, or getting married)
I didn’t win the lottery and I didn’t get married (not that I remember anyway). I was on holiday, so nothing important really happened that I can think of. It was more a time of little victories. I got out of the house (it’s not unknown for me to spend my two week holiday never going out except to get groceries). I did jobs around the house. Stuff like that.

Categories: About draliman Tags:

In the Name of Progress

June 26, 2014 38 comments

It’s Friday Fictioneers time! Our host Rochelle is taking a break, but the show must go on and this week’s photo (originally a prompt from August 2012) has been contributed by Madison Woods.

To read all the other contributions click on Bracken, the little blue froggy.

 

tree2bcrook

Copyright Madison Woods

It had stood for countless ages. Wars had been fought around its trunk. Lovers had embraced beneath its branches. Countless generations of forest creatures had lived and died high in its canopy.

It had seen sunshine and rain, peacetime and dreadful war. It had witnessed good times and bad, famine and prosperity. It had survived the hottest of suns, the harshest of winters and the most furious of gales.

Centuries of memories lay embedded within its massive trunk. Rock, bone, metal.

The earth shook and the tree wept chlorophyll tears as the bulldozers drew closer.

Welcome to Camelot

June 25, 2014 24 comments

On Monday I went for a trip to Tintagel, a little village on the north coast of Cornwall. It’s a tiny place, but boasts more car parks than you could believe. Why, I hear you ask?

I parked in the “Sword in the Stone” car park. Does that give you a clue?

It’s supposedly one of the possible locations of King Arthur’s court, he of “Round Table” fame. I’ve been to Tintagel several times, but this time I coughed up the £6.10 to go onto the castle grounds (owned by English Heritage) for the very first time.

Kastel Dintagel (Cornish) or Tintagel Castle (English!) was built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall in 1233. It is said that Richard built his castle on this spot to link him forever to King Arthur, who according to legend was conceived and born here.

The phrase “Earl of Cornwall” is interesting in itself – in 1337 Cornwall was promoted to a Duchy (the first in England), and it now has a Duke (Charles, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall).

Anyway, enough of this history/myth/legend! Here are some pictures. The cliff-top part of the castle is actually on an island. You wouldn’t believe the number of very steep steps involved crossing over. I got a good workout 🙂

If you click on any of the pictures, you get a little slideshow thing of larger versions.

Cornish Hedgerows

June 24, 2014 26 comments

As it is another lovely day (and I’m still on holiday) I went for a walk to the next village, Ladock, a round trip of just under three and a half miles, so an nice distance for a wander.

In Ladock I visited the village shop (which turned out to be essentially a Portakabin) and bought an ice cream. I also bought a bottle of Diet Coke to drink on the way back as I’m notorious for wandering around in the sun without drinking anything, which leads to an afternoon of headaches and Paracetamol.

Categories: Photos Tags: , ,

A Riot of Colour in the Draligarden!

June 22, 2014 20 comments

I’ve been out and about in my tiny front and back gardens with my camera phone again, and have discovered a riot of colour! As usual, I don’t know the names of any of them.

I have arranged it to open the photos in a new window or tab when clicked (depending on your browser setup). They look even better when bigger!

Here are some pretty violet things. They're everywhere!

Here are some pretty violet things. They’re everywhere!

Read more…

Categories: Photos Tags: , ,