Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 416 LIFE and Smile.

© willowdot21 Ritu, me and Marje.

A smile improves life
It’s beauty shines in the eyes
Gaia’s warm embrace

Ronovanwrite’s

THIS IS PART OF RONOVANWRITE’S WEEKLY HAIKU.

Song Lyric Sunday : The one that got away.

Jim Adams

Hi its time for SLS brought to us by Jim Adams and this week June 26, 2022 – is Hidden Gems: great songs that missed the top of the charts suggested by Amy aka E.M..

One of my favourite Hidden Gems is Embers of Love, from Mich Gerber’s Album Amour Fati featuring Imogen Heap.

The track was released in January 2001. I was forty eight ish when this was released and I fell hook line and sinker for the dreamy music spell that Mich Gerber weaved in my head with his dreamy bass and Imogen’s amazing voice! Oh! I love it always have always will. I only have one thing to say Immi what have you got on your head?

The video is of a live performance overlaid by a video of a couple making love.

Mich Gerber (born 1957 ; born Michael Gerber ) is a composer and musician from Bern . Mich Gerber was one of the first to use a live looping system on stage: together with his bass violin and the live sampling system, he forms a solo acoustic bass orchestra. He also redefined the status of the double bass by using the instrument as a lead instrument. Mich Gerber goes his own musical way and composes new music that is difficult to classify.

Mich Gerber comes from a family of musicians. His mother is an organist and his father is a violinist . His first job is theater painting. His musical career began early, but he only turned to the double bass as a student at the Bern University of Music . In search of different musical forms, he not only plays in many different formations (including the Stiller Has formation, which is popular in Switzerland ), but above all travels through different continents and is inspired by the music of different cultures. Back in Switzerland, he begins to realize his solo project. Today Mich Gerber lives in Bern. Information here.

By: Imogen Heap/Michael Gerber

I paint the two of us on a canvas in chains
I hung it on the wall so the story sustains and I layer
The colors with care in veils with the sky boarder than
An ocean and higher than high

I will remember
I will remember
I will remember these embers of love
And I will remember
I will remember
I will remember these embers of love
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down cemented in its socket as
Long as I love

Well lucky you to have me by your side
Never would you know never could you decide
Taking my hands as your own, cover it in gold
Leave me for a moment and I watch you grow old

I will remember
I will remember
I will remember these embers of love
And I will remember
I will remember
I will remember these embers of love
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down
I’ll never take it down cemented in its socket as
Long as I love

I will remember these embers of love

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Heap Imogen Jennifer / Gerber Mich

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE 💜

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS June 25, 2022

Hi its Saturday and time for LindaGHill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday. She popped in yesterday to give us all her prompt, she said: “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “product/produce.” Use one, use them both, use them any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use both. Have fun!”. You can join in here.

Product and Produce

What is the product of twelve and four
Sixteen, no less no more.
Also the shops are full of products
Everything from factory made TVs to rubber ducks.
The farmer toils every day for his produce
Potatoes, greens, wheat and fruit juice.
The market stalls and high street shops
All full of produce and products.

When we are pregnant we produce a child
We love them and they drive us wild
We keep them safe and educate
The product of this is their living fate
The product of a happy life
Be you, husband, sister, brother wife.
Is to go and meet your maker
Who’ll produce a list of your wins or losses be you Buddist or Quaker.

There are more meanings to these words
They can be used often and fly like birds.
But for me my time and rhyme is done.
I hope you’ve liked it and had some fun.

Badge by Shelley Krupa..

K.L. Caley’s #writephoto: Plane.

Plane – Image by KL Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a black and white aeroplane statue surrounded by colourful flowers.

It’s a saucy episode for Morgarna and the nuns I hope no one is offended? This is Part of K.L. Caley’s #writephoto Plane!

******

Silently Morgarna turned and slipped back along the path to the Priory. As she left the woods and headed up the lawns towards the priory, she turned and made sure she was not been followed, and turning back toward the priory she scanned the windows to ensure no one was watching her.
She used Mother Superior’s keys to let herself in by a door half way along the building, she headed up the corridor towards Mother Agnes’s room.
Using Agnes’s keys again she let herself into the Mother Superior’s room.
Raising a hand she said ‘okay you can just listen no need for you to speak.” Lighting a cigarette and getting her flask of Bacardi and Coke out of her bag she offered Mother Agnes a drink. The nun shook her head but smiled an enquiring smile at this strange and wild woman!
Taking a drag of her cigarette Morgarna sat opposite Mother and related what she had seen. ” Now tell me sister are there male Carthusian brothers near here?”
Mother Agnes nodded her head,
” Do they want to join you here?”
Another nod from Mother Agnes.
“Okay I take it you are not in favour of this “
Agnes shook her head vehemently.
” Why” asked Morgarna handing Agnes parchment and quill. Sitting down Morgarna finished her cigarette and sipped her Bacardi while Mother Agnes wrote.
Agnes handed Morgarna her reply which Morgarna read.
‘The brothers are insisting that we vacate this Priory so they can move in, they say being men they take preference over us. It’s not fair Morgarna, we have been here fifty years since I was a young novice. The brothers were here before but they left to join a larger monrastery. Now some of them wish to return. ‘
Morgarna finished reading and put the parchment back on the desk.
“Right’ she said one of the Monks is putting an hallucinagenic powder into your food via the mushrooms I saw a monk do this with my own eyes this evening. Morgarna didn’t need Agnes to write a reply it was actually written all over her face. “Now I have a plan said Morgarna, all I need you to do is not eat the vegetable stew the kitchen nuns have prepared! ” Mother Agnes nodded.

---

Morgarna joined the other nuns for the evening meal. It was delicious, and Morgarna had two helpings much to the other nuns horror, they were only allowed one helping but Morgarna was a guest after all.
After the meal was cleared away and the Nuns went to the chapel to recite Compline.
The powder was beginning to weave it’s magic the nuns were feeling the effects, there was a lot of giggling and throwing off of robes… The powder had quite an orgasmic effect on everyone.

——————

Morgarna was rather enjoying herself too, when she noticed a few monks dressed in the same Carthusian robes as the monk in the clearing entering the chapel.
Reluctantly she waved a hand across her forehead and instantly she was back to normal …” Humm” she muttered, I was enjoying that” taking a deep breath she headed for the chapel.

---

As she walked down the stone hallway towards the chapel she heard a lot of excited sounds… opening the door Morgarna was surprised by the scene that met her. It was a full blown orgy!
Morgarna toyed with the idea of whipping out her special mobile phone and taking some photos… Her better side won and she decided against it!
As she stepped over the entwined bodies some of the monks reached out to touch her….ignoring her pact with Merlin , ‘No magic unless unavailable’, she muttered a few incantations and all the monks penis’s shrunk and then disappeared. This caused so much consideration among the monks that the orgy came to an abrupt end.
Morgarna ignoring the loud protestations from the Monks, waved a hand over all the nuns , immediately they all put on their habits and filed out of the chapel and went to their cells and slept the sleep of the innocent.

---

Morgarna told the red faced monks to re-robe and follow her to Mother Superior’s room. Mother Agnes was rather surprised but not totally shocked. The monks revield that they were there without the knowledge of their Abbot who had no intention of returning to the priory. These monks were simply indulging their carnal instincts completely of their own volition and were drugging the nuns to get their own way.
Morgarna asked mother Agnes what she wanted to do.

---

So it was that just after midnight, eight redface and naked monks were banging on the Monastery door. Around their necks were plaques that said that they had been drugging the nuns at the priory and having their wicked way with them !

---

That afternoon Mother Agnes sent for Morgarna, she had received a message from the Abbot of the Carthusian Monastery. Saying thank you for returning his monks who had mysteriously returned as castrato something that was much needed in their choir.

Mother Agnes asked Morgarna what she had been up to? Morgarna winked and said “Mother I couldn’t possibly say! But they will be firing blanks and singing high for the rest of their lives! “
The nuns were all up early the next day though most of them were complaining of very odd dreams.

---

Before Morgarna left she popped a morning after pill in all the nuns porridge! As she strolled around the garden the Anomaly arrived and she jumped.

Plane – Image by KL Caley

Landing on a colourful flower bed under a black and white aeroplane statue Morgana spotted Merlin waiting for her in the BMW. ‘You’ve got a lot of crawling to do you shit if you don’t want to end up like those monks !”

Paling, Merlin replied “I have a night for you booked at the Ritz ” “No way” Morgarna replied, you can take me to Glastonbury! “

Throwback Thursday – #44 – Fireworks Celebrations

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This week Lauren has asked us about our memories and feelings about our childhood experiences with fireworks.

1) What are your earliest memories of watching fireworks?

I think I was probably three and I can remember being carried around by my eldest sister. I was wrapped in a blanket, I remember the light and heat from the huge bonfire. The noise and the pretty lights. I remember feeling warm and safe and tomato soup hot and warming.

2) Were you more afraid or excited at the time?

I was excited but mainly I was tired but I remember good feelings.

3) What occasions were celebrated with watching fireworks?

When I was a child it was only Guy Fawkes night Nov 5th ….one of my bothers got married on that date I guess it was a good way of never forgetting his Anniversary!

4) Did you travel to fireworks shows, or did your family have their own, safe and sane explosives?

I don’t remember the family ever traveling to a display. We had a small back garden but our nextdoor neighbours had a huge garden that ran down to the Cemetery…it was huge. Most years we had a party there with a big bonfire that neighbours and friends would spend a couple of days building. There were always lots of people there . Everyone brought fireworks but it was the duty of about four of the men to be in sole charge of the display.
There were always jacket potatoes and tomato soup and usually a pudding too.

5) Did you ever light off illegal fireworks?

I don’t remember ever doing so but I was a scary cat! I remember my brothers would throw “jumping jacks ” around and ‘bangers’ too and that used scare me . I know of several people who were maimed or blinded my rogue fireworks or misshandled usage.

6) Did you typically have a family celebration before the nighttime display? What did it include?

We always had a gathering before we all went next door and often afterwards too. Usually some food, alcohol and drinks for the adults. It was always impromptu and when I was old enough to join in fun!

7) As you grew older, did your feelings about fireworks change?

No, not at all they are fine at a distance and properly organised. I am not keen on big displays …I don’t like, crowds or noise . As our boys got old enough to enjoy fireworks we always, if hubby was around or on my own if he was working, went to the Guy Fawkes night parade from our town centre up to the big field where a bonfire was lit by the Mayor. There was always a fun fair and food and drink stalls. The boys loved it. I was always exhausted when we got back because I had had to pretend it had been fun!

8) Now the thinker: Many places are restricting fireworks now because of the trauma it can cause to pets, young children, and sensitive adults. How do you feel about restricting fireworks?

I totally agree, they should not be on general sale. If you want fireworks you should go to a properly organised display. All too often these days people let fireworks off for birthdays, weddings, parties, New Year’s any old excuse.
Unfortunately these days fireworks sound like guns and bombs and are very unsettling for pets, nervous people and children alike. There is a new reason too we have many Ukrainian refugees staying in the UK there some staying near to us , I doubt they want to hear them a odd times..

This is part of Lauren and Maggie’s brainchild, Throwback Thursday.

Ronovan Writes Sijo Wednesday Poetry Challenge #15. Use SUMMER as your inspiration this week.

© willowdot21

Fields of gold stretch for miles to the horizon as far as the eye can see.
Sunflowers turn their faces to the sky yellow and green reaching for blue.
Gaia is at her best her skirts swirling around.

© willowdot21

This is part of Ronovanwrite’s Weekly Sijo Challenge.

One-Liner Wednesday. Why does it always rain on Glastonbury?

The sun is out again here and at Glastonbury it’s hot but tomorrow and until the festival finishes and beyond! there is a drop in temperature and 60/70 % chance of rain, no wonder they call it Mudstonbury?

This is part of LindaGHill’s One-Liner Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday: Hungry .

© willowdot21

WordlessWednesday

K.L.Caley’s #writephoto. Mushrooms.

Mushrooms – Image by KL Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a mass of brown mushrooms all growing on top of one another.

Did Merlin go too far last week? Will Morgarna ever forgive him?

Mushrooms.

“What the hell is going on?” Morgarna was struggling with reality. What had happened to this place where was the ensuite and the carpet! Hang on there’s a pot under the bed needs must …
Morgarna was wondering where Merlin was and why everything of comfort was gone from the room when the sound of a key turning in the door made her jump off the pot and pull her knickers up!
“Ah! my dear , Mother Superior will see you now” a young fresh faced girl dressed as a nun said smiling at her.
Morgarna rubbed her eyes and said “what the fuck…who the hell are you?”
The novice blushed visibly and replied ” well my dear you can’t deny your Anglo Saxon roots after that speech!”
“No I am not, but sister what’s going on? Where is Merlin ? “
Again the nun looked embarrassed “Merlin…there is no Merlin here. We are in a priory. No men allowed!”
“Oh!” said Morgarna” feeling smug and also annoyed at being hyjacked. “Not for much longer you’ll soon have some of your Carthusian brothers join you! “
The young woman looked fit to faint as she took in what Morgarna had just said!

---

The two women left the room and went down several flights of stairs and along a narrow stone passage past a huge kitchen where a number of nuns were silently busy, past a dinning room, empty, and a beautiful chapel full of flowers and stain glass windows . Everywhere was silence, so loud l could be cut it with a knife. Eventually they came to a huge wooden door the novice stood forward and in a very quiet voice she said, do not speak unless you are spoken to. Morgarna opened her mouth to reply but the young woman put her fingers on her lips and her eyes beceahed Morgarna to comply…… Morgarna did.

---

The inside of the room was very dark even though it was mid morning the only light to work by was candle. There was a large desk covered in papers and sat behind it was a tiny lady of advanced years. She had a kindly face and she looked every inch the Mother Superior.
The novice bobbed her knee, Mother Superior smiled and motioned that she should leave.
Once the door was closed the older woman motioned to Morgarna to take a seat. She offered Morgarna a plate of fruit, cheese and bread and a glass of golden mead , then surprised Morgarna by saying. “Eat my dear it’s getting late in the morning and I need you to think straight.We are Carthusian nuns so please listen carefully as I do not wish to repeat myself as I have taken a vow of silence”
Smiling and sipping the mead Morgarna felt at home, she also ate heartily as she felt quite hungry. When Morgana finished eating she dug out her cigarettes and lighter, as she lit one she noticed a file in her bag. Obviously it was going to be relevant. As she pulled it out she spotted ‘Hi Babes’ written on the front. Taking a drag on her cigarette , much to the silent constanation of Mother Superior, Morgarna muttered ” Don’t you Hi Babes me you shit” then looking across at the nun she winked and said, “Sorry Mother but he can be a real creep, oh! And these” she said raising her cigarette , “these will be more common place soon, maybe not tailor made like mine but definitely around! “
Mother Superior smiled and nodded while Morgarna read the file.
“Morges, Hun I know I was a tad sneaky.. Okay I was a total shit posting you back to the middle ages but Mother Agnes is a lovely lady and she has helped me out more than once.
She got in touch with me because some of the ladies of the order are acting very un nun like, high jinks , skinny dipping and generally terrorising the locals! Yup Morgs you’ll fit in perfectly!
This usually occurs after the evening meal…could you be a sweetheart and look into it please? ” The file was signed with a flourish.
Looking up at Mother Superior Morgarna smiled, “Okay Mother I am here now and very happy to help so if you don’t mind me pottering about I will see what I can gleam ” Ending on a smile she lent across the desk and picked up Sister Agnes’s keys from the desk, the nun smiled her concent. Morgarna drained her meade lit another cigarette and left Sister Agnes wondering what type of witch Merlin had sent her!

---

Morgarna walked along the corridor, her Doc Martin’s clonking on the stone floor. Using the keys she checked out every, storeroom and cupboard, cell, refrectory and chapel, nothing was out of place or out of the norm. She checked every herb, vegetable and fruit, there was nothing unusual or dangerous. She tried the water from the well, yuk! It was disgustingly pure and fresh. Finally she checked the wine and mead barrels in the celler. Actually she checked each barrel twice!

---

It was now early evening and Morgarna was sitting in the gardens enjoying the quiet wondering exactly what had she missed because so far there was nothing at all that could send anyone off the straight and narrow.
Just the she spotted one of the kitchen nuns heading off into the woods, an empty basket in hand. On a whim she decided to follow her.
The nun took a winding path to a clearing, a musty place full of decaying leaves and fungi. The nun stooped down and filled her basket from a mass of brown mushrooms all growing on top of one another.

Mushrooms – Image by KL Caley

Instinctively Morgarna hid behind a tree trunk and watched as a man dressed in monk’s robes emerged from the other side of the clearing he spoke to the nun who, startled dropped her basket of mushrooms. As the Monk help the nun gather up the mushrooms Morgarna saw him sprinkle some powder over the fungi. At once Morgarna knew what was going on……

This is part of K.L.Caley’s #writephoto.

Throwback Thursday #43 – Sensory Memories

Maggie said: “Welcome back to Throwback Thursday. Perhaps there is no stronger memory trigger than a sensory experience. Those are the things we hear, sense, or smell, that take us back to aother place and time. “

This challenge is the brainchild of Lauren and Maggie

So here we go down the rabbit hole?

Do certain smells bring back memories for you? Maybe a flower, or a perfume, or the smell of a certain food cooking? If so, can you share one such memory?

I could share many of all different smells but the best are of Mum’s cooking: Hot cross buns for Easter, cinnamon and dough. Mince pies and sausage rolls Christmas, roast meat and veg Sundays. No smell at all…it had to be Wimbledon fortnight during those weeks Mum was on strike, she loved the tennis so it was salade every day!

Have you ever sensed a strong smell that reminded you of someone only to realize the smell was not actually present? How do you explain that?

Tobacco, Dad smoked a pipe it was constantly in his mouth when ever I smell tobacco I think of Dad…I have often smelled that smell for no apparent reason.

Share a YouTube video, or name the song and tell us about the memory.What song immediately whisks you back to another place and time?

Kate Bush Deal with God always takes me back to 1985 when I bought The Hounds of Love album. Takes me back to being a mum of three boys with a husband on a flying squad who I rarely saw. It kept me going…so did every track but especially Deal with God… Even the video with Kate Bush chaseing after Michael Hervieu was how I felt, chasing an ever absent husband, chasing children, chasing life! Now thanks to Netflix and Stranger Things it’s bigger than ever.!

Is there a taste that reminds you of a person, place or memory? Does that food happen to be one of your ‘comfort foods’?

Summer pudding made with stale bread and fruit always reminds me of mum.
Also treacle pudding and custard the first pudding I made hubby we both love it but rarely have it now.

Have you ever been somewhere new and immediately felt at home as if you have been there before?

Yes often… I believe I may of been there in a former life.

Have you ever experienced déjà vu? If so, how do you explain it?

All the time I explained what I think above.

Are there sounds that remind you of another place and time? (Something like a clock ticking, a train whistle, a horse galloping, gentle rain, etc.)

The whistle of a steam train takes me back to my childhood holidays. Dad and Mum never could afford a car so the whole family travelled by train! So the woosh of steam from between the wheels of a train or its whistle and I am back as a tiny girl being lead by the had of an older brother or sister off to the seaside!

Do certain textures or colors trigger memories?

No not really. Though I always think of Nuns when I see long black cloaks..not good memories.

Do certain stories, books, or poems remind you of someone from your past?

Fairy tales by The Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, remind me of Dad and my three sisters they always read to me….my brother’s didn’t!

What sensory stimuli surrounding you and your present environment do you think might evoke memories of you for your family or friends?

That’s a hard one, the boys should possibly be triggered by my music, Queen, Imogen Heap, Kate Bush, the grandsons sandwiches with lettuce in, chocolate and huge hugs 🤣🤣💜💜
Friends? my purfume Paloma Picassa.