In answer to Fandango’s Provocative Question about whether we believe in ghosts or not, here is my ghost story: https://judydykstrabrown.com/2018/10/26/ghostly-happenings-at-a-12th-century-scottish-abbey/
Ghostly Happenings
4 Replies
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Wild Women Writers at the Quinta San Carlos
I just sent this batch of photos off to the 7 other women who were the participants of our last writing retreat as well as Judy Reeves, our leader. Thought you might enjoy seeing them as well, and perhaps later I’ll publish a few of the dozen or more timed writings I wrote during the retreat as well. Service, food and facilities were amazing. At any given meal, we had a minimum of 4 waiters standing to cater to our every need. If our glasses emptied, they were filled without asking. Special dietary needs were catered to. When we retired to our meeting room after every meal, there was already a buffet set out with cookies, chips, veggie plates and sodas, water, coffee and tea. There was literally food available at every minute of the day from 7 a.m. when we went to breakfast until 9:30 p.m. when we finished dinner. And, when we went for a bonfire after dinner, they had a huge cauldron of corn on the cob set up with all the fixings for Mexican corn on the cob–mayonnaise, chili, limes and parmesan! This was our sixth retreat together–each one in a different place in Mexico. We’ve already decided to return back to Quinta San Carlos for next year’s retreat. (The subject was Micro-memoirs and everyone did wonderful work. We’re trying to get Judy to offer an open workshop next year in addition to ours and if so, I heartily recommend it.)
Click on any photo to enlarge all.
Here’s more information on Quinta San Carlos: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g667915-d1028385-Reviews-Quinta_San_Carlos-Jocotepec.html
They also have their own website with more photos, but it is in Spanish.
White Hibiscus: FOTD Nov 20, 2019
Relax. The World is Rosy.
Relax. The World is Rosy.
A passenger on Air Force One has issued a decree.
In flights over the ocean, he’s noticed no debris.
Thus, reports of scientists concerning plastic trash
are, POTUS assures us, probably too rash.
Do not accept the evidence of scientists verbatim.
Comments by reality stars furnish better datum.
Wind turbines cause cancer. Global warming is a farce.
Proof that GMO’s are really harmful is too sparse.
Of course we are ecstatic to discover science is faulty.
Next they’ll make daft declarations that the ocean’s salty!!!
https://shop.donaldjtrump.com/products/trump-straws
Truth is stranger than fiction? Yes, it is true the the Trump campaign has made $460,000 selling plastic soda straws with Trump’s name stamped on them.
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/08/politics/trump-global-warming/index.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-claims-wind-turbines-cause-cancer-reigniting-long-feud-2019-4
The prompt words today are evidence, trash, daft, ecstatic and flights.
Unbelievable! A Font Created out of the Patterns of Gerrymandered Congressional Districts
Log on here: http://UglyGerry.com to tell congress how happy you are that your vote doesn’t matter due to ridiculous Gerrymandering of districts. Go to the link below to read the entire article on The Week.
This illustration of the alphabet as well as information below is reproduced from The Week. You can see the full article here: https://theweek.com/speedreads/856423/someone-made-font-gerrymandered-congressional-districts
ger·ry·man·der
verb
gerund or present participle: gerrymandering
-
manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.
-
achieve (a result) by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency.
-
Floral Scene with Photobomber: FOTD Nov 19, 2019
Queen’s Tears bromeliad with Kukla as photobomber! Not the first time she’s wandered into a shot.
For Cee’s FOTD prompt
Black Sheep
Black Sheep
Your baseball cap conspicuous among the Easter hats,
you intersperse beatitudes with sounds of batting stats,
and when you are not muttering, you whistle or you hum.
Everywhere we’ve gone, you have stuck out like a sore thumb.
I try to introduce you to acquaintances or friends,
but your chatter never ceases. Your prattle never ends.
These one-end conversations are getting rather dry.
We cannot get a word in, so in time we do not try.
Last year you kidnapped Grandpa and took him to a bar,
then left him in an upstairs room—teeth floating in a jar.
Once we had reclaimed him, we gave thanks that you had vanished,
and this note is just to tell you we’ve decided you are banished.
You’ve embarrassed us at Christmases, at Easters and Thanksgivings,
so we have decided that we have certain misgivings
regarding future visits. In short, we hope you’ll never
seek to reattach past family ties we hereby sever!
Prompt words today are sound, carriage, conspicuous and baseball.
On the Subject of Cracking Knuckles
On the Subject of Cracking Knuckles
Please don’t snap your bones at me.
I cringe, I plug my ears, I plea.
If you must make noise with body parts,
please stick to burping, coughs or farts.
Since popping sounds tend to astound me,
Do not crack knuckles when around me!
I do not like that brittle sound,
so please don’t crack your bones around!
For the dVerse Poets prompt “crack.” For Quadrille Monday.
Morning Hibiscus: FOTD Nov 18, 2019
Letter from the People of America
Photo by Louis Velazquez on Unsplash. Used with permission.
Dear Elected Representatives:
(A Letter from the People of America)
We ventilate our dwellings of many different kinds,
but may not have the sense to ventilate our minds.
Perhaps we fear we’d stir up something that has died—
some milk of human kindness that’s buried deep inside.
As kids sit scared in cages and countless forests burn,
you think you’re given license to hoard all that you earn,
protecting it from others who have need of it,
flailing around in luxuries of your money pit.
Yachts and cars and mansions should not buy peace of mind
when they leave our planet in a lethal bind.
Our plastic world is flailing. It chokes on its excess.
How can you turn your backs on its extreme duress?
We elect our rulers. They are not born to reign.
In return we must demand that they share our pain
and do not profit by it with cash for legislation
leading to their betterment and our consternation.
Look at where we’re going and look at where we’ve been.
Open up your minds. Let truth and justice in.
During your term of office who’s advanced as far as you have?
It seems the teeming masses did not profit as a few have.
We’re taking back our government, abolishing each clause
that gives you the entitlement to profit from the laws
you enact for self-interest. It’s time that you were outed
and all who vote against our interests were routed.
You defend bad judgement, support your corrupt clown.
Now all who stand behind him must also be brought down.
You overlook the obvious for motives all your own.
You’ve opened up the cage and the dove of peace has flown,
stalked by a bald eagle who feeds on those for whom
it should serve as symbol of something else but doom.
We must bring back our liberty, nobility and pride.
Resuscitate a country that many fear has died.
The truth is there before you, so open up your minds
to see there’s a solution for our present binds.
If you refuse to topple that one on whom you dote,
we’ll topple you one after one–when we go to vote!!
Prompt words today are ventilate, scared, stir, licence and earn.
