Up Close – Through My Eyes

Brie Anne Demkiw over at WordPress has chosen the topic Up Close for the photo challenge this week. Right up my alley! Ready to see a different world? Click on each photo to see the details in more detail!!

How is this face to face with a bee? Check out her beautiful wings.

Looking at nature up close

Did you know that there are curlicues inside the dandelion blossom? I didn’t!

A dandelion

The heavy pollen is hanging on to this daffodil.

Swimming in Salmon

Lovely colors are found inside an almond blossom.

Almond blossom

The Birds Nest fungus is 1/4 the size of a dime. Imagine my surprise to find the little “eggs” inside of it.

Inside the Birds Nest

I never knew that the inside of a vinca, or periwinkle, was orange and fuzzy.

Periwinkle Center

Did you know that one individual petal of a clover blossom has many parts?

Long stalked clover

As each faerie releases, what is left behind looks like a pin cushion.

The last of the fairies

There you have it! I hope that you did give each of these photos a closer look. There is a lot of detail to be found in a world up close!

Be well…. ^..^

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Snow in July – Friday Fictioneers

Snow in July – Photo by Dee Lovering

Snow in July? I guess anything is possible. I put on some winter clothes and headed to the park.

I grabbed a hot chocolate and went inside the pavilion. Sitting on a bench, I looked at the happy faces of the children on the merry-go-round. They always make me smile.

After sitting for a good hour, I put my mittens back on and headed for home. I turned on the news. “Scientists today are giving us a bit of alarming news. Climatologist Dr. Radovich of NOAA reports that the earth is heading for an ice age.”

So much for global warming.

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Thank you Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers and to Dee Lovering for the photo that inspired this story. And, thank you dear reader for taking the time to stop on by for a quick read. Have a fantastic day!

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Big Foot – Mondays Finish the Story

Today, the start of a work week, is the day that I devote to hosting the Mondays Finish the Story flash fiction challenge. In the challenge, I ask that you use between 100-150 words that uses the opening line and the photo prompt to create your story. Here is today’s photo and the opening line is in bold and italics. I hope that you enjoy my story.

© 2015, Barbara W. Beacham

“The petroglyphs told the story of an unusual event.” Now most would look at all the symbols that cover the rock in this photo. What they should be looking at is the area on the upper left.

Do you see the two figures at the left? The one on top is a dog. The one below it is Stands Tall and Points. The two of them used to travel together. The art depicts a story he told the Anasazi.

He tells them that not only would there be a migration of big horned goats, but also snakes. Hunting will be good.  He says the rain is coming. He lets them know to secure the ladder to the cliff dwelling. They were all good signs.

The grandfather looks at his sleeping grandson. He is now asleep. Too bad the grandfather thought. I was just getting to the part where Big Foot comes in. Few paid attention to that symbol.

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Mondays Finish the Story

You too can take part in this challenge. To get there just click HERE!

Enjoy the day and sorry for the late post today. A bit under the weather… Dear reader, be well… ^..^

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A King and a Throne – Sunday Photo Fiction

Henry’s New Throne – Photo by Alastair Forbes

This is a story of a king and his throne, and one seldom heard of.

Gertrude is a fine seamstress. She is known to have the swiftest needle in the entire kingdom. You just did not want to piss her off by complaining about anything she made, only because she had a funny way of getting back at you.

Her husband, Rolf, is a fine carpenter. He lovingly worked as quickly as he could to create a new throne after the last one broke. Together with his wife, they crafted a very handsome piece. The following day was to be the unveiling and they hoped it would pass muster.

They stood at the very back of the room as the king swept in. Walking tall and proud he made his way to the throne. Stepping up on the dais, he turned and planted himself on the seat. He held onto the arms tightly as he tested it out. Smiling, he waved Gertrude to the front of the room.

She approached the king. Whispering in her ear, she looked at him in shock. Raising the royal tookis, Gertrude inspected the area, and apologetically pulled the needle from Henry’s backside. Rolf smiled.

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Sunday Photo Fiction

A huge thanks goes out to Alastair Forbes for hosting Sunday Photo Fiction, and for the amazing photo that inspired this story.

Thank you dear reader for stopping by and be well! ^..^

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Half and Half – A WordPress Photo Challenge

Ben Huberman over at WordPress has chosen the topic “Half and Half” for this week’s photo challenge. He says, “…share an image that has two clear halves, literally or figuratively. You could focus on composition, like me, and take a photo with an explicit dividing line (either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal). Or take the theme in other directions: zoom in on a pair of objects that together form a whole. Show two people whose demeanor or personality complement each other. Or bring into balance two opposing visual elements — light and dark, color and its absence, sharp focus juxtaposed with blurriness.”

Here is my world of half and half.

Half smooth, half rough.

Sea foam

Two halves of a wine barrel.

Pulling the barrel apart

Acorn squash cut in half.

Cut the acorn squash in half

Split image in a reflection.

One lovely reflection

Half on, half off.

I was so tired after flying that I fell asleep on the stairs!

The top half and bottom half.

Yellow cone up close

There you have it! A world of halves. Thank you for stopping by today! Be well… ^..^

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Visiting Dijon – Friday Fictioneers

Today I am writing for the Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge. Today’s photo was taken by Sandra Crook and it is of a street in Dijon France. Let’s see where this photo takes me…

Dijon – Photo by Sandra Crook

A breeze blew through the street, carrying the aromas of baking bread. It tickled their noses making their stomach’s growl.

“Do you smell that?” Claire asked Jean Luc.

“It smells glorious.”

Following their noses, they found the patisserie. Ordering beer and sandwiches, they sat to eat. Jean Luc got up and asked the gal behind the counter, “Do you have any Grey Poupon?”

“No!” she replied.

Jean Luc returned to the table. “Did they have any?” Claire asked.

He shook his head no showing her his empty hands.

“This is just not going to cut the mustard,” she said smiling.

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Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting Friday Fictioneers, and to Sandra Crook for the photo that inspired this story.

To you dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this sappy tale.  I just had to do something with mustard.  😀

Have an amazing day and be well… ^..^

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Delphine Takes Flight – Mondays Finish the Story

Today, the start of a work week, is the day that I devote to hosting the Mondays Finish the Story flash fiction challenge. In the challenge, I ask that you use between 100-150 words that uses the opening line and the photo prompt to create your story. Today’s post features fellow writer Martin Furman who came up with this week’s opening line. Here is today’s photo and the opening line is in bold and italics. I hope that you enjoy my story.

© 2015, Barbara W. Beacham

“Delphine always wanted to pilot her father’s plane and when he forgot his keys on her tenth birthday, she knew that taking off would be easy.” She certainly had watched him often enough. Heading out of the house through the hangar, she opened the door to the cockpit. Climbing inside, she buckled in.

The key slid into the ignition. She pushed in the mixture knob in to send fuel to the engine. She followed this by pushing in the carburetor knob. She flipped the master switch up. Then she primed the engine. She then opened the throttle. Turning the keys, she heard to engine fire up.

Delphine headed onto the runway, excited as she took off. She saw the world below her get smaller. There was her house and the orchards. When flying with her dad, he always pulled on the little yellow button. She pulled it and heard a whoosh. Fluid sprayed out behind her.

Circling back, she flew over the house. There was her Dad in the driveway waving his arms wildly. “Uh-oh,” she thought.

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Mondays Finish the Story

You too can join in on this fun challenge! To get to the Mondays post, click HERE!

A huge thanks to Martin for taking on the challenge of coming up with an opening line!

I hope that you enjoyed my bit of flash, and I would like to thank you for taking the time to drop on by. Have a magnificent Monday and be well… ^..^

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June 24th, 2011 – Sunday Photo Fiction

The Tower Bridge – Photo by Alastair Forbes

We visited the Tower Bridge back on June 24th, 2011. It was an unforgettable visit to say the least. On that day, we witnessed something remarkable.

It started out as an ordinary day. My husband and I were visiting London and were staying at The Tower Hotel. We took the short walk to Starbucks and then decided to take a walk on the Tower Bridge.

There were a few clouds in the sky, and a good breeze as we made our way to the bridge. My husband was taking video so when we got home he could put together a short film for the neighbors to see.

It was on the way to the bridge that we saw them. Three lights in the sky were in a triangle formation flying to the west. They passed behind the clouds. Emerging they made a sudden turn to the south and disappeared.

There they were again! Two were flying north and the other south. In a flash, they were gone, and so were we. We were on one of the aircraft. We saw the greys and heard the question, “Wine?”

My husband’s camera was still taking video. Won’t the neighbors be surprised?

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There is an actual video clip that actually captured a UFO sighting on that fateful day. To see the video, click HERE!

Thank you Alastair Forbes for hosting Sunday Photo Fiction and for the photo that inspired this story. Thank you dear reader for stopping by today. Be well… ^..^

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Pretty Feet Contest 2015!

It is past time that I feature, as I do every year, the pretty feet contest! This year we have a number of exciting contenders! You get to vote on whose feet you like the best and in a couple of weeks I will announce the winner! Are you ready to check out some really pretty feet? Let’s go!

Contestant #1 – Buffalo

Buffalo

Contestant #2 – Cougar

Cougar

Contestant #3 – Elephant

Elephant

Contestant #4 – Flamingo

Flamingo

Contestant #5 – Frog

Frog

Contestant #6 – Koala

Koala

Contestant #7 – Meerkat

Meerkat

Contestant #8 – Wallaby

Wallaby

There are the contestants for 2015, and now you get to vote! Just click on the button to register your vote.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! Be well… ^..^

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Symbols – A WordPress Photo Challenge

This week Jen H. over at WordPress Photo Challenge has chosen the subject “symbol” for this week’s photo challenge. I kept thinking of the symbols that I have seen throughout my travels. Here we go!

An Alaskan native art symbol…

Native art

The lines shapes and designs in this glass roof, painted by Native Americans, are were found in the desert of AZ.

Lines, shapes, designs – Geometry!

Petroglyphs certainly tell a story! Click on this photo twice to get a close up of something that is thousands of years old.

Petroglyphs

Stained glass created to re-create a symbol.

Stained Glass – 2

Symbolic art…

Another piece of art on the outside of the building

There you have it! A variety of symbols…Have a terrific Friday and be well!

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