Tag snow

#SoCS Stream of Consciousness Saturday ‘Frosty’ #SaturdayThoughts #FlashFiction

LucciaGray 14 Comments

This post was written in response to Linda Hill’s weekly Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. 

This week’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “-sty.” Find a word that ends in “-sty” or use the word “sty.” Enjoy!

Frosty

A few words have crossed my mind, such as:

Nasty, but I refuse to let any type of unpleasantness into my life.

Dusty, but I’m not in the mood to think about housework or dirt.

Crusty, I was tempted, but it’s way past my bedtime and I’m not hungry.

Hasty, I’m no longer in a hurry. I’ve been there, done all the rushing around, life is slower now.

Misty, this word brings sad memories. It’s the name of our cat who was run over, and I don’t need sad memories right now.

So, I finally settled on Frosty because I live an hour and a half’s drive from the Mediterranean Sea, where the climate is mild, so frost is a pretty, exotic thing I see very little of, and therefore it has no negative connotations for me. On the contrary, I looked through Pixabay and found some lovely pictures of frost, like this one:

I would love to stay at a log cabin, like the ones you see in films, in distant places like Canada and Alaska, sit by the window and write whatever comes to mind, drinking cups of tea and hot chocolate, by the fireplace, and eating hot soup with crusty bread (maybe I am hungry?).

I’d write a story about a writer who was in search of inspiration. She rented a cabin in the snowy countryside in the Alaskan wild where she found a diary in the bedside table drawer, left behind by a previous occupant who had also come to write a book.

She opened the first page and read:

Once upon a time a writer needed solitude to write her novel, so she rented a cabin and found a diary written by a previous occupant. It started with Once upon a time…

She wrote the first chapter, and then she left.

She returned every year to find her diary in the same place. She wrote a new chapter each year.

(And now I’m going to bed, because it’s one o’clock in the morning.

Tomorrow morning I’ll reread my post and write the end of the story.

Hi! I’m Back. Here’s Part II).

“Good morning, Maggie.”

Maggie turned to the pretty young girl and smiled.

“Where would you like to go today?” the nice girl said, showing her images on a screen. “There’s a beach, the mountains, a thick wood, or …”

“I want to go back to Alaska.”

“If you’re sure?” Maggie nodded enthusiastically.

The girl pushed Maggie’s wheelchair into the viewing room. “Why are you always so keen on frosty Alaska?”

Maggie’s eyes shone. “I have to finish my novel.”

The young girl caressed Maggie’s wrinkled hand, put on her 3D glasses and said, “Alaska it is.”

****

Carrot Ranch #FlashFiction Challenge #99Words ‘Wish upon a star’

LucciaGray 7 Comments

This 99-word flash fiction piece was written in response to Charli Mills’ weekly challenge at Carrot Ranch. Thanks Charli for the prompt!

January 21, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that rephrases “light at the end of the tunnel.” Think of how the cliche replacement communicates a hopeful ending and aligns with your character or story. Go where the prompt leads!

Wish Upon a Star

We were trapped.
Heavy snow covered the city, jamming doors and roads.
Soon it would reach our windows and block our view of the static sea.
“Mum, why did the moon disappear?”
Thirty, twelve-hour days had passed since the moon exploded and vanished.
 “I want to go home.”
Asteroids were crashing all over the planet, causing tidal waves and earthquakes.   
Archie pointed to the gigantic stars lighting up the sky. “I wish one of them would come and be our moon!”
“Who needs a moon when hundreds of stars are shining brighter than ever?” I said, hugging my son.
 *****

Well, that’s where ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’ took me.

In this case, mother and son are hoping a gigantic star will take over the Moon’s vital role as the Earth’s satellite so they can recover their lives, but the outcome is uncertain, in spite of the brightness of the light or the stars.

I haven’t taken part in this challenge for over a year, in fact, I haven’t written much flash fiction in the same amount of time.

I enjoy the challenge of writing flash fiction, and I think it’s helped me improve my writing as I explained in this post, so I’ll be gradually getting back into the routine.

Hope you’re having a creative Monday!

#SundayWalks ‘7 things I forgot in 2020’

LucciaGray 8 Comments
I forgot to be impatient, because life isn’t a race, it’s a journey to be savoured. 

I forgot to complain when I switched off my morning alarm, because every day is a unique gift to treasure.

I forgot to worry about setbacks, because they show me a lesson I need to learn.

I forgot to feel guilt about my choices because they are a result of my free will, and they have brought me to where I am.  

I forgot to feel fear, because, ‘only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.’ Dorothy Thompson.

I forgot to feel bored because this world is the most fascinating place in the universe and I am lucky enough to experience living here.

I forgot to feel entitled, because this world owes me nothing I don’t deserve. Instead, I learnt to say thank you for every breath I take, everything I see and feel, and everyone in my life, including you, dear blogging friends and visitors.

And finally, I forgot to worry about everything I had lost over the years and remembered everything I had.  

Tell me, what did you forget in 2020?

#WritePhoto ‘The Chess Game’ #FlashFiction #300Words

LucciaGray 9 Comments

The Chess Game

“This year we’re having a different Christmas,” my grandmother said as she moved her pawn to the side, capturing mine.

“Why did you do that?” I asked.

She pushed her glasses up and raised her eyebrows. “I had to, didn’t I?”

“You could have ignored it.” I sulked.

She chuckled. “And let you capture mine?”

“Why not? I’m only nine. Most of my friends can’t even play chess.”

“You’ll never learn if I let you win all the time. Anyway, it’s only a pawn.”

She was right, but I didn’t like being little. The grown-ups were all smarter than I was, and it really annoyed me.

“Come on, Tom, it’s your turn.”

I moved my knight. “So what’s new about this Christmas?” My grandmother always came up with great ideas for games and outings.

She showed me a picture of green fields and snow-covered hills. “I’m renting a cottage right here, for the weekend.”

My jaw dropped. It was in the middle of nowhere. “Are we all going?”

She moved her queen. “Of course! It’s Christmas. There’s a real log fire and plenty of hiking trails, and board games to play in the evenings!”

My parents would never agree to staying at such an isolated place. They were always working or going out with friends.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Don’t you like the idea?”

It would be nice to spend a few days alone with my parents and grandmother. That hadn’t happened in ages. “I think it’s a great idea, Granny!” I said as I captured her pawn with my knight.

“Pay attention!” she said as she captured my knight with her queen.

I sighed hoping she’d be as good at convincing my parents to stay at the cottage as she was at playing chess.

****

This piece of flash fiction was written in response to Sue Vincent’s weekly photo prompt. Join in or read other entries here!

Ariel, coloured by my granddaughter, Elsa.

 

#PhotoOfMyLife Day2 Cantabria #Spain #Tanka

LucciaGray 1 Comment

Ice cold mountain stoops,

Peering down at autumn leaves,

Waiting patiently,

For spring to dress them once more

With flowers and leaves galore.

The rules for this Twitter Challenge: no people, no explanations and challenge one new person every day. I was challenged by @GeorgiaRoseBook check out her blog.

I challenge @BookClubMom check out her book blog.

As I already told you, I’m terrible at following rules, so not only have I written a tanka, now I’m going to tell you all about the picture!

I was here, for a freezing week, a few days ago. It’s a cold, but beautiful part of the north of Spain, where my mother and her family originally came from. There is a skiing resort nearby (see photo below), but I just visit for the scenery!

#AtoZChallenge ‘H is for House’ #Haiku #NaPoWriMo #PoetryMonth

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Lonely house by shore
Wrapped in ice-cold sea and snow.
Warm wood glows inside.

****

This photograph was taken by my friend and colleague Thor Walum, retired English teacher and lover of Spain and photography, who lives in a beautiful, tiny island in the north of Norway, which I was lucky enough to visit some years ago.

The light and colours I saw in Norway, were spectacular. I’ve never seen such fabulous colours anywhere else I’ve visited.

Thor took this photo at the end of November, during the dark months, when there are only a few hours of partial daylight, from the bus on his way into town on the island of Hinnøya. It used to be an old sea house, used by fishermen, but it has been refurbished recently, preserving its original shape of a hundred years ago.

This is the same view, earlier in the year, with more daylight and less snow!

You can check out some more of Thor’s fabulous photos here on Facebook,

****

This year is my fourth AtoZ Challenge. My theme this year is poetry once again. I’ll be writing a haiku a day, but I’m also adding a new hobby to the posts, photography. I will post one of my photos, or a donated photo, every day to accompany my haiku.

This April, I’ll also be sharing my poems and joining another group of poets at National Poetry Writing Month, organised since 2003 by Maureen Thorsonn. Write 30 poems in 30 days. I’m in! What about you?