Sunday May 23rd, 2021

The exercise:

For the first time since we moved to Penticton, we got a babysitter for the boys this afternoon so that Kat and I could go for a hike together. Before we left Miles asked me to take pictures of everything we saw, so that he wouldn't miss out I suppose, so I ended up with a lot of pictures.

Which got me to thinking that it's been a bit since I last used the picture prompt. So... today, the below shot from our hike is your prompt:

 
Write something inspired by it, or that takes place there - up to you.

Wednesday January 2nd, 2019

The exercise:

Your prompt today is this:

I mean, just look at it. There are stories to be told here, clearly. So tell me some.

Saturday March 10th, 2018

The exercise:

Write a four line poem inspired by:

Usually I go for a walk along the river after lunch in Oliver before I pick Max up to bring him home from play school. This is one of the sights by the trail.

Friday March 9th, 2018

The exercise:

Write four lines of prose based on:

That, for those who are curious, is the footbridge near Max's Learning Centre.

Thursday March 8th, 2018

The exercise:

Going to do a few picture prompts in a row. Feel free to try to weave a story that connects them all or just take each one on its own.

Let us begin with this one:

That's where I do most of my writing on the days I take Max to play school in Oliver. It's the coffee shop next door, a nice cozy corner to settle in and ignore the world while I write.

But, you know, make it whatever you want for the tale you write, obviously.

Friday August 10th, 2012

The exercise:

Write four lines of prose inspired by:

I'd been hearing odd noises in one of our walnut trees for the past week or so, but couldn't figure out what was making them. Finally spotted this guy this afternoon, after which I had the below conversation with Kat.

All set for the market tomorrow, with a big load of nectarines (~320 pounds worth), and a pretty decent selection of veggies too. Will try to get a picture of our stall before the crowds descend.

Mine:

"At this rate we're not going to have any walnuts left," I lamented after showing Kat the above picture.

"I'm pretty sure we'll be fine - there's a huge crop out there."

"Or we'll have the biggest squirrel in the history of the world. Made entirely of walnuts."

Thursday July 21st, 2011

The exercise:

It's been a while since I made use of a picture prompt, so I had a browse around National Geographic's photos of the day and found this beauty:

So let that be your writing inspiration today.

Three more sleeps until Kat comes home. Not that I'm counting or anything.

Mine:

If you stand very still,

And silence your breathing,

You can hear the ghosts -

Some coming, some leaving.

Their eyes are upon you,

Their breath fogs the air;

They'll answer your questions,

If you've the strength to dare.

You move on, lips sealed tight;

They guide you on your way.

And though you didn't ask,

They tell you anyway.

Monday December 20th, 2010

The exercise:

We're on the road today, heading for Vancouver. Not sure if I'll have internet access tonight, so this post is scheduled.

The prompt? Give me some captions for this National Geographic picture:

Mine:

"Does anyone remember where we parked the car?"

*   *   *

"Hey, who invited the photographer to the party? Because I know I sure didn't."

*   *   *

"We really need to get another toilet - these lines are getting ridiculous!"

Thursday August 12th, 2010

The exercise:

On the way to Burrowing Owl there are a couple building remnants which date back about a hundred years, to when the area was ruled by cattle ranching. I've been wanting to get a picture of them and this morning I finally had a chance to bring my camera with me:

So today we're going to use that picture to inspire our writing. Tell a story during that barn's construction, it's glory days, its current condition, whatever.

Mine:

The sign says keep out,

But I don't think that I will.

I'll just take a peek,

Since I've got some time to kill.

It smells old in here,

Worse than my grandma's attic;

There's not much to do -

Very anticlimactic.

I guess I'll climb up

And maybe look for some bats.

Nope, no luck up here,

Just more dirt and some stray cats.

Here kitty, kitty,

Let me give you a wee scratch.

That's... was that a crack?

I hope the ground's a good catch...

Sunday June 13th, 2010

The exercise:

I'm back, full of sunshine and fresh air and wide open spaces.

Today our assignment is to provide a caption or two or three for this picture I took this weekend:

This fine fellow was hanging around in a pasture about a two minute walk away from where the ceremony was held.

Mine:

"What did you just say about my mother?"

*     *     *

"Put the camera down and nobody gets hurt."

*     *     *

"Welcome to my pasture - have you tried the grass?"

Thursday May 13th, 2010

The exercise:

Tell me a story that happened here:

Kat and I went for a walk in the woods today (where the above was taken) and it was lovely. However I was, once again, left completely exhausted. This whole slow healing thing is a pain in the ass.

Mine:

We walked that dirt path

For what felt like days.

I began to think

We were in a maze -

Isn't it funny,

The tricks our mind plays?

The sun was sliding

Down toward the trees

And the air was cooled

By a sudden breeze.

I began to wish

You'd not lost your keys.

We never found them

But that was okay,

For we found ourselves,

In our bumbling way,

And we still wander

Side by side today.

Sunday April 11th, 2010

The exercise:

Caption this picture:

I edited a story by Kat's eight year old cousin Ginny over Easter weekend and we hung out with her and her family this evening. I was caught completely off guard when Ginny gave me a thank you card with a lovely little note inside.

What's that got to do with the picture? On the cover of the card was a dog, with glasses on, sitting at a keyboard. I couldn't find it online, so the above had to do.

Mine:

"If you don't get me that report by noon I will eat your shoes for lunch."

*   *   *

"You really expect me to believe that your owner ate your homework again?"

*   *   *

It's safe to say that Chuckles was not impressed that he'd lost his tenth straight game of Solitaire.

Wednesday March 3rd, 2010

The exercise:

I have to admit, I quite enjoyed the chapter of Lessons in the Dust that I worked through last night. I'd take that as a good sign, but I seem to recall the quality dropping off pretty quickly. We'll see.

The exercise today is to give a caption or two (or more!) to this bit of concept art from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, which hits movie theatres this Friday:

Mine:

"Go to your room or I'll have my makeup artist do his worst with your dog."

*     *     *

The Red Queen was not impressed with her guest's opinion that dinner 'tasted of skunk spray' and insisted that they leave immediately.

Saturday February 20th, 2010

The exercise:

This week's four line poems will be inspired by this picture from the October 2009 issue of National Geographic:

Mine:

The sands had tried to swallow me

Ever since time began,

But I remained there peacefully

Until the dawn of Man.

Thursday January 28th, 2010

The exercise:

I was digging around National Geographic's photo section today, looking for something to use as a prompt, and came across this:

So today we're going to offer up some captions for that shot. Doesn't it look like a painting?

Mine:

And so the dolphin invasion begins...

* * *

"Stop pushing - there's plenty of room for everyone!"

* * *

"Last one out of the water is a rotten roe!"

Sunday January 3rd, 2010

The exercise:

Here's your prompt for today:

I took that before dinner on Christmas Eve at Kat's parents, but feel free to place it anytime and anywhere. I think this was one of the first pictures I used my tripod for and I liked how it came out.

Mine:

Six will sit down to dinner tonight,

Their faces warmed by soft candlelight.

Six glasses will be filled by the host,

Who shall then propose a wordy toast -

The waver in his voice only slight.

He sits back down, his speech concluded.

Drinks are sipped by guests so deluded,

Then one by one they fall into sleep

And collapse to the floor in a heap;

The host can no more be excluded.

Wednesday October 28th, 2009

The exercise:

Voila, your first picture prompt from the new camera:


Mine:

Down this street
That's oh so still,
Lovers meet
Against their will.

Know they're wrong,
But can't choose right;
Lust too strong,
Why even fight?

Time ticks on,
Soon he must go;
Best be gone
'fore husband shows.

But one day
Their game will end
When she says:
Let's just be friends.

Thursday October 1st, 2009

The exercise:

Welcome to October or, as I like to call it, Birthday Month.

I'm in the mood for some picture captions today. So give me what you got for this:


Mine:

"Dude... did someone say 'pizza'?"

* * *

This picture was taken shortly before the photographer's tragic, incredibly violent death. Police are still searching for the killer lion cub.

* * *

"Don't tell me it ain't my nap time. If I say it's nap time, it's nap time. Got it?"

Thursday September 24th, 2009

The exercise:

I'm in a prosey kind of mood today. Which is annoying, because the prompt I'd intended to use was very much meant for poems. I'll have to save it for another day.

I was just inspired to do some writing on LJ's site and I feel like using another picture to get ideas flowing over here. So, once more, lets go browse National Geographic's photos of the day and find something to get your imagination going.

I used this one:


Mine:

The dry grass scratches my bare legs, like Rosun's beard against my cheek. But I cannot think of him now. If I lose focus now I will never feel his touch again, nor hear his words dancing in my ears, nor...

No. Now it is the time of the Hunt.

The spear is light in my hand, its finely carved shaft smooth against my palm. I keep low as I approach the clearing, using the dense trees for cover. I do not hear my Sisters on either side of me, but I know they are there.

I reach the final row of trees and peer carefully around a trunk. The beasts are alert but unmoving. I believe that some part of them feels our presence but they are unable to understand that feeling. To translate it to self-preservation, to flight.

A sparrow call reaches my ears from the right and I make ready. In moments we will burst from the treeline, whooping and screaming to the Gods, and the beasts will scatter. But they will not be fast enough to escape me. I will not fail my husband. I will not fail my daughter.

"Come, Sisters," I whisper fiercely, "let us, at long last, fill our bellies with flesh tonight."

Tuesday August 18th, 2009

The exercise:

The topic for this week's Two Haiku Tuesday is... a picture:


I took this picture while we were up at Cathedral Lakes - oh, I forgot to mention that I created a Flickr account and threw some pictures up over there. Feel free to have a look.

I decided, for at least one of my haiku, that I'd try to actually do a 'proper' one (that would be the first one, in case you can't figure it out). I do know what a true haiku looks like, Kat did buy me a book on them after all, I just like to do silly ones more.

But a change of pace is never bad, so on with the show!

Mine:

Wildflower keeps watch
As Water runs by laughing -
All is right today.

* * *

Standing in this place
It's very hard to recall
Why I work inside.