New Prompt Site
If you are a long-time blogger and find time and time again that you’ve already answered the WordPrss prompt, you might want to try this new prompt site by Jennifer Nichole Wells. It generates a new prompt for each person who visits, and you can post your response on her website. It’s fun. Give it a try:
http://jennifernicholewells.blogspot.mx/2015/08/jnws-writing-photo-prompt-generator.html
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Break the Silence.”
Better Said
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Break the Silence.” When was the last time you really wanted (or needed) to say something, but kept quiet? Write a post about what you should’ve said.
As per usual lately, I find I have already written two different posts about this prompt some time ago. For my answers, go here:
https://judydykstrabrown.com/category/the-perfect-squelch/
and here: https://judydykstrabrown.com/?s=break+the+silence
WEIRD BROMELIADS
How do these bromeliads get up onto the electrical wires??? (Yes, it does have tiny blooms like little flags..pretty dried up on these plants.
They have sticky seeds that stick to the feet of birds. Then when the birds perch on the wires, they leave the seeds behind to grow in their new home.
I couldn’t resist playing around with this image.
To see prettier flowers, go here: http://ceenphotography.com/2015/08/14/flower-of-the-day-august-14-2015-rose/
What You might Not Know about Dr. Seuss
In the 50’s, 23 different Dr. Seuss poems were published in Redbook Magazine. All but one, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” were original. “The Zode in the Road” By Dr. Seuss was not included in the list of rhymed stories that they published, but I know it was published in a magazine, because my mother cut it out and glued it to cardboard (I believe because I used it as the poem I memorized it for school–something we had to do once a week way back then) and for many years I had it in with my favorite “things.” Here is that poem:
The Zode in the Road by Dr. Seuss
Did I ever tell you about the young Zode,
Who came to two signs at the fork in the road?
One said to Place One, and the other, Place Two.
So the Zode had to make up his mind what to do.
Well…the Zode scratched his head, and his chin and his pants.
And he said to himself, “I’ll be taking a chance
If I go to Place One. Now, that place may be hot!
And so, how do I know if I’ll like it or not?
On the other hand though, I’ll be sort of a fool
If I go to Place Two and find it too cool.
In that case I may catch a chill and turn blue!
So, maybe Place One is the best, not Place Two,
But then again, what if Place One is too high?
I may catch a terrible earache and die!
So Place Two may be best! On the other hand though…
What might happen to me if Place Two is too low?
I might get some very strange pain in my toe!
So Place One may be best,” and he started to go.
Then he stopped, and he said, “On the other hand
though….
On the other hand…other hand…other hand though…”
And for 36 hours and a half that poor Zode
Made starts and made stops at the fork in the road.
Saying, “Don’t take a chance. No! You may not be
right.”
Then he got an idea that was wonderfully bright!
“Play safe!” cried the Zode. “I’ll play safe. I’m no dunce!
I’ll simply start out for both places at once!”
And that’s how the Zode who would not take a chance
Got no place at all with a split in his pants.
Probably most people don’t know that Dr. Seuss also wrote “Our Job in Japan,” a training film for soldiers embarking on occupation duty in Japan in 1945–that was later remade into a documentary entitled “Design for Death,” that received an academy award in 1947. HERE is a link to that training film which contains some information I had never heard before.
Looking through my photos to try to find something appropriate for the Chai (Life) prompt, and yet also thinking I wanted to find something for Nan, I came upon these pictures of Aztec dancers who were dancing in the Ajiic plaza right outside the cultural center where we had the dance performance for the second Camp Estrella group. At the end of their performance, I heard the loud drumming and went out to find what I judged to be a thunderbird dance. Certainly, this dancer looked like a thunderbird. Growing up in South Dakota, I was very familiar with this Sioux symbol of thunder and lightning and rain, but I was a bit confused about why they would be executing a North American indigenous dance.
It was only later, while editing, that I realized that it was not in fact a thunderbird, but rather a white owl, which can be seen very clearly from this front view.
I then remembered how I was kept awake last night by the very loud hooting of an owl, which reminded me of the white owl who had swooped down over my yard on three different occasions the last time my friend Patty visited me. She had seen it twice at night and was afraid I wouldn’t believe her until finally, one night, he appeared while I was outside as well. Then, the entire theme finally came together for me. Legend has it that when you hear an owl call, someone near to you will be leaving this plane.
I also love it that in the above picture, one of our camp participants is standing above the dancers in his own mask, made in the camp. It is on top of his head.
And so Marilyn and Garry, here for you is the white owl that called Nan’s name. I hope you soon find peace in remembering what a wonderful life you shared with each other and in remembering what the owl teaches us: that death is just a part of life and that without it there could in fact be no life. Somehow the only way we ever seem to be able to try to comfort each other is in stating the obvious.
http://teepee12.com/2015/08/12/serendipity-photo-prompt-2015-18-chai-081215/
I’ve asked my dizzy alter-ego Libby to guest write this first ever blog on the new blogsite developed by Jennifer. Not sure if I’ll get it posted, but here goes! A feature of this site is that it generates a new prompt for each person who visits it by pairing an adjective and noun. The prompt I received is:
Dizzy Representative
and so, with no further ado, I’d like to introduce my dizzy representative, Libby. And Heeeeere she is:
“Well gee, I mean, I never thought
I’d be the first one to be caught
posting on this rad new site,
I mean, well like, it’s really quite
an honor for a blonde like me
to be the first, but golly gee,
I’m gunna do it anyways,
tho I am sightly in a daze.
I really have been so darn busy
that it has left me feeling dizzy.
That’s why I’m feeling tentative
to be first representative
Wait. Is that what tentative means?
Or does it describe baggy jeans?
I knew I shouldn’t take the plunge
So I hope Judy will expunge
The words I’ve written here and now.
Otherwise, I’ll take a vow
to never write her blog again,
for surely, ad-Libbing’s a sin.
Love and Kisses, Libby”
(Judy’s dizzy alter ego whom you will never ever see again. Promise.)
To get to the website and the prompt generator, go HERE.
Jade Plant
This was my friend Chuy’s plant and every time I look at it, I think of him. He used to take my friend Betty and me out into the small villages to see precolumbian artifacts and ruins. 
I love the buds as much as the flowers–the shading and the tight little promise of delicate white flowers to come.
They are like presents that open themselves. Every day a new collection of perfect blooms.
Impossible to choose a favorite shot, so I’ll be as profuse as the plant and just include them all!
http://ceenphotography.com/2015/08/13/flower-of-the-day-august-13-2015-hydrangea-bush/
Life Piles Up
You know that this can happen. It’s silly asking why
the books and papers pile up from desktops towards the sky.
You do not dare to open the window that’s nearby
lest the papers blow away to flutter yon and nigh.
I wish I had a simple life with time to do it all
so I could post a picture to prove it to y’all
that my house is super organized and tidy and pristine.
My life as orderly as tasks spewed out by a machine.
Unfortunately, nothing stays in its usual space.
A new thing starts before I’ve filed the old thing in its place.
Boxes from camp still stand in rows out in my garage,
while papers from last April’s trip slide down in a barrage.
I cannot find the cord and mike that belong to my amp.
Perhaps they’re buried deep within the boxes left from camp?
Or other boxes in my car from events even older?
I think perhaps dealing with life is more than I can shoulder.
Somehow I think that WordPress may have gotten word
about my loaded desktops. I know it sounds absurd,
but if you’re keeping track of prompts then surely you have noted
that lately this one topic is one on which they’ve doted!
I told you you just four days ago–I’ve cleaned off desk and table.
I promised I would clean the rest when I was free and able;
and so today I’m sorting books and papers and detritus,
but to this prompt I’d like to say, “WordPress, kindly bite us!”
Okay, the desk area in my bedroom that I promised to clear off the other day is a little bit better. To check up on that by comparing to its state just four days ago when we had a very similar prompt, go HERE.
In the meantime, the desk in my sala hasn’t piled up again–much. So please, WordPress–no more nagging. I’m as organized as I’m going to get for awhile. Okay to check up again in six months.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Sweeping Motions.” What’s messier right now — your bedroom or your computer’s desktop (or your favorite device’s home screen)? Tell us how and why it got to that state. (Note: Okay, i must admit when I read “your computer’s desktop” I was thinking it meant the desktop my computer sits upon! So, I may have misunderstood the prompt, but oh, well.)
How can you know I’m not cheating? In black and white, lots of colors pass for grey!!!
See? She’s really grey! Squeak/nee Birdie/nee Annie no longer comes onto the property now that a second and third dog have been added. She is faithful to this wall. Especially at mealtime. I don’t know where she sleeps. Not in her bed in the nice warm cat carrier in the garage anymore. She is semi-wild.
Storms dumped tons of rocks onto the beach in La Manzanilla last year. Made for a lot of gray!
This gray heron is almost invisible against banks of grey stones.
Six inches of sand and dirt completely obscured the paving stones on main street so first timers were mislead into thinking there was no paving at all. Men worked for weeks to shovel out the packed sand and reveal the pavers underneath.
Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge 8/12/15
Today I just wanted to play with a detail of one rather wilted Thunbergia blossom that I snapped a picture of. I just wanted to use it in a painterly way to see how far the image could be stretched. I’m rather limited in my editing choices, but it was fun.
http://ceenphotography.com/2015/08/12/flower-of-the-day-august-12-2015-ryan-c-dahlia/
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 