K.L. Caley’s #WRITEPHOTO – POISONOUS PLANTS

K.L.Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows bright pinkish-red trumpet-shaped plants

Poisonous Plants – Image by KL Caley

“Ouch! That’s exactly what I hate about these medieval shoes!” Merlin winged as he landed.
“No sympathy hun, you insisted on being authentic” Morgana laughed making little quote marks in his face. “Personally I find my old Doc Martin’s serve me well, even in medieval times. If anyone asks why they are so strange I just say they are made in France.”
“Damn that hurts ” Merlin had stepped on another stone. Losing her temper Morgana snapped at him “Will you man up, you baby! It’s your own vanity’s fault that you are walking round in what is basically fancy leather socks! “

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They had landed in a long and dank passage with earth floors. They checked Merlin’s notes and after checking their barings they head towards a set of steps. Morgana took two torches out of her bag and handed one to Merlin.
As they reached the top steps they checked to see if they were still alone. “Okay” said Morgana “torches out and remember who you are”
“Yes I am a Lord Failin and you my little pretty are my harlot” Merlin replied pinching Morgan’s bottom ” Smiling she looked Merlin in the eye stamped firmly on his foot. “Watch where you put your hand hun ” Merlin bitterly regretted only having soft leather shoes on.

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Merlin and Morgana made their way through the castle it was very odd, no guards or servants anywhere . “It’s like the Marie Celeste” said Morgana ” and I would know because I was on that ship.”
Merlin cleared his throat and said “Right we need to find the Queen’s appartment she is the one seeking our help.” Morgana delved into her bag again and took out a map of the castle. “Ah!” She said here we are up a floor first on the left just as I remember”

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As they entered the Queen’s chamber they were shocked to see a terrified Guinevere hiding behind a chair by the fire.
“Who are you sir and why do you dare to enter my chambers?” Asked the Guinevere .
“I am Lord Failin your majesty and I am here to help you. Now I have been told that all the servants and soldiers are either intoxicated or ill.” Said Merlin giving her a flourishing bow as he did.
“You both look familiar have we met before? ” Asked Guinevere.
Morgana smiled at her and replied, “Maybe my queen but in another life” “Hush harlot don’t confuse matters, hush now my queen sleep”
Guinevere fell into a gentle sleep immediately. “Not lost your touch yet” muttered Morgana.

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As they left the Queen’s chambers the smell of vomit and diarrhea suddenly become stronger, as they advanced they found servants, guards, nobles and ladies in varying stages of sickness …some were not sick but so drunk that they were incapable of speach or standing up!
“I think I know what this is ” Morgana announced “We need to check the kitchen right now.”

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The kitchen was the same as everwhere else, sleeping bodies, drunk and confused children and a lot of mess. Merlin looked around and saw himself asleep in the corner….what a good-looking chap I am he thought to himself!
Morgana made him jump coming in from the kitchen garden “I have found the culprit, *Rododendrom as we know the nectar is posionious!”
“Indeed” replied Merlin “But who has done this, I don’t remember any sneak attacks undertaken when the castle was …..err… under the influence do you?”… “No but I do remember you mentioning you had got annoyed with Arthur and decided to spice things up a tad…. Looking at your former self there in the corner you must of tried tad too much of the mead! “
Merlin looked on sheepishly….”Don’t just stand there Hun you’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do before day break and this lot awake to the mother of all hangovers! “
Looking horrified Merlin asked, “And what are you going to do”
Morgana sat on a near by stool and lit a cigarette. ” After this hun I am going to find some wine….. certainly not mead and have a catch up with Guinevere.” She replied throwing a handy mop in his direction!

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

*The toxins responsible for the poisonous effects of Rhododendron are grayanotoxins. These are highly oxygentated diterpenoids that have been presumed to be produced elsewhere in the plant as a natural chemical defence against insects.

Azalea/Rhododendron: (Rhododendron spp) Highly poisonous to cats and dogs and cows even if just a few leaves are eaten. Daffodil: (Narcissus) All parts of the daffodil are harmful. Dogs sometimes eat the bulbs, but even a small bite can kill a small animal.

Effects. Rhododendron toxicity is rarely fatal to humans, and symptoms usually last no more than 24 hours. It results in short-term gastrointestinal and cardiac problems, and the severity depends on the amount of honey or nectar ingested.

Grayanotoxins are produced by Rhododendron species and other plants in the family Ericaceae. Honey made from the nectar and so containing pollen of these plants also contains grayanotoxins and is commonly referred to as mad honey.

more information at Wiki

Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge Prompt No. 79: (VERVE) in the C rhyme line.

Enthusiasm and delight
Mixes with Gaia’s perfect plan
The insects are a happy gang .
Some just crawl others take to flight.
Joy da vivre keeps them up all night.
This party is full of such verve
The bugs are on an upward curve.
Butterflies, spiders, ladybugs
All bouncing mad as if on drug.
Phychedelic bugs, high on lovre.

This is part of Ronovanwrite’s Weekly Décima Challenge.

One-Liner Wednesday – Aaaand…. Vampires.

Its galloping towards Halloween and so let’s look at some of my favourite guys!

“That’s often the way here with vampires. Quiet lives, active deaths.”

MATTHEW SCHOFIELD

“From the crypt, the greatest Halloween story ever told. And it was true”, McClatchy DC Bureau, October 31, 2016

THIS IS PART OF LINDAGHILL’S ONE-LINER WEDNESDAY.

K.L. Caley’s #writephoto Tomb.

K.L.Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a table tomb. Whilst a lot of the stonework is eroded, it is obvious this was quite an ornate tomb in its time.

The Tomb – Image by KL Caley

Morgana woke with a start, as the fog cleared a headache and a huge hangover took charge of her head! …. “why oh why” she asked herself did she always party so hard? Not bothering to wait for an answer from herself she stood up and surveyed the the collateral. Bodies, booze, and a few nasties she decided not to investigate too closely, she smiled and thought that was a good week, that was. Lighting a cigarette she found her heels and headed for the door.
It was getting cold outside, the year was heading down to winter, popping back in the door for a second Morgana helped herself to a coat and headed off up the road to where she’d left Merlin’s BMW.

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Parking the car, worse for wear and dirty, she left it just below Merlin, still thoroughly stuck in the bricked up arch. Smiling sweetly as she past him she said, “not long Hun’ I just need to freshen up! “

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Later after a very silent meal, Morgana could not resist teasing Merlin, “Oh! What’s your problem Hun, you looked so cute as a little naked green man” Smirking Morgana look Merlin right in the eye, she loved to see him squirm ! Merlin was not looking his swarve self and his face was pinched with anger! He tutted as she lit another cigarette, “Why do you do that he asked you know it’s a killer” Morgana laugh, “Hun, we are immortal I am just gonna do as I please”
“Okay” said Merlin “you can do just as you please but we are here for a purpose and we have another job! “
“You say we Merlin but why is it always me that has to jump and cope? ” Merlin smiled and touched her arm, “Morgana my dear you are simply the best and while I am being honest I do think I went a tad too far over the cream tea incident. Mind you the damage you have done to my beautiful BMV …” He broke off there and Morgana thought she could see a tear in his eye.
After finishing his wine Merlin continued, “Anyway Morgana, this trip needs both of us, so you will not be going alone! ” Morgana choked on her drink, “How, you always said you had to be here to control the Anomaly, how will we get back?” she spluttered. Merlin mumbled something, Morgana kicked him, “what? louder” Merlin looked out the window and repeated, “I LIED!” Morgan threw what was left of her wine in his face and stormed out.

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The next morning found them dressed in medieval garb, walk through heavy mists in an ancient cemetery…. They approached an old table tomb, they stood at the head and waited. Merlin looked very handsome and imposing in his wizards cloak he was just about to compliment Morgana, but she lit up a cigarette and the moment was spoilt.
After a few minutes the Anomaly arrived , the two linked hands and took the leap. To any onlookers it would of appeared that this strangely attired couple disappeared into the tomb. The only evidence they had been there was Morgana’s dieing cigarette on the ground by the tomb.

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

#TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge: #Poet’s choice.

On the first of the month, you can now experiment with freestyle poetry, as long as you also add a syllabic form to your poem.

Here is  an old  Halloween  poem  that I wrote in  2013. I bring it out every year, it’s one of my favourites, so I make no apologies. It is a rhyming couplet . AA,BB,CC,DD,GG,HH,II,JJ,

~~~~~~~~~~

I know that it is  raining,  I can see that it wet

But you are my familiar,  and not a blooming pet!

I have asked you nicely I have even said please

Now go and get me food or I shall infest you with flees.

Excuse me, Lady  Mistress, this does not seem quite right

Just where in my contract does it say I have to work for you at night!

You have run me ragged every minute of today.

I am tired and my feathers wet, here in the warm I need to stay.

Pardon me! my fine feathered friend, pardon me my beauty.

I am not requesting, I am demanding that you do your duty.

I am the one in charge, not you, I’m the tortured Vampire.

You do as I bid, what are you waiting for. Wet weather attire?

Well Mistress that would not go amiss for I am not a duck,

And if I get lost  you will miss out and that would be bad luck.

Be Gone! Get out! and find me fresh blood

And if you play your cards right I’ll dip you in the stream on your return to remove the mud.

Scream into  the rain

THIS IS PART OF COLLEEN’S TUESDAY CHALLENGE.

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS October 1, 2021

Badge by Shelley Krupa.

Well what do know LindaGHill is not here this week, instead Dan (from No Facilities) is here in her stead. So in preparation for visiting with David, Cheryl, and Dan at the bar tomorrow, Dan will providing us with our Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Okay Dan what’s the prompt please?
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “inspire/aspire/expire.” Use them in any form you like. Use one, use two or use them all if you want. If you use two, you get bonus points! If you use all three, Cheryl will put your next drink on David’s tab. Enjoy!

Inspired by Dan , who knows I aspire to be a poet I hope to claim my drink before the offer will expire!

pixabay

Aspire
To fly higher
To be the one
Who others inspire
To reach for the sun
To work and have fun
To live life to the full
Be the best in the pool
To be the goal and then expire

Part of LindaGHill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

K.L.Caley’s #WRITEPHOTO – EMERGING.

K.L.Caley

KL Caley is our for the Thursday Writephoto challenge, and this week our picture is supplied by Geoff Le Pard.

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a green man (with the traditional leaves for his hair) emerging from a bricked up tunnel.

Photo From ©Geoff Lepard.

“Now hold on Morgana” Merlin shouted as he backed away from the *Fury that was fast approaching him with fire in her eyes and mud and blood on her naked body. “Hold on nothing you thieving swine, what the hell do you think you are doing with my coin and note collection” Morgana was so angry she forgotten her state of undress and all her aches and pains.
“You have ruined my car with your temper and cigarettes and as you had your bank cards with you I decided to check out what you had knocking about here! Personally I think that’s quite reasonable”
Morgana raised herself up to her full height and went for Merlin’s jugular! “Reasonable, reasonable” she screamed in his ear, “you’ve put me through hell this last week and you’ve not given a flying cuss about my welfare, no sorry no appreciation just you moaning about your car and expecting me to pay for the damages! Then to top it all sending me on a mission impossible”
Merlin looked her in the eye and whispered, she was choking him, ” You do look magnificent when your angry and especially when you’re naked! “
That was it Morgana flipped their truce to work together fell by the way. Our of her mouth came some unutterable words in an ancient language …. Merlin paled , he felt himself being lifted into the air and propelled across the room and through the wall of the lab. Whilst flying he found himself turning green and his beautiful black hair turning to leaves!
“Hold on Morgana” he yelled you solomly swore no magic on each other” Morgana was not listening she dumped the moonstone on the table then headed for the bathroom!

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Two hours later after a bath and a meal Morgan got into Merlin’s car and lit a cigarette looking over to left she smiled and waved , “Bye hun” she shouted waving her cigarette in his direction, “See you later, hopefully you’ll of learned some manners by the time I get back I am off for a drink! Merlin struggled but he was stuck fast half in and half out of the wall. He was furious, no voice, no movement and no clothes! and Morgana had his beloved car.

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• A Fury : The Erinyes, also known as the Furies, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the Iliad invokes them as “the Erinyes, that under earth take vengeance on men, whosoever hath sworn a false oath”. Wikipedia

Memories.

image from here.

Memories.

They  wriggle  and they giggle  and they run and hide

You know them all, you’re the one who put them inside.

They hint  and they suggest,  they rub around the edge

You have to keep them active for absence of them turns  your mind to veg.

They are beautiful  and ugly , huge and very small

They are  full of importance and yet  they have none at all.

Warm and soft  and fluffy , scary  , evil  and terrifying

Having  a birthday party or turbulence while flying.

Having  your  first baby  or your wedding day

But  when you have to remember them, they’ve often flown away 

Dancing with your first love  kissing him goodnight

Arguing  with your family  .. boy that was an almighty  fight !

Fighting off depression, facing down your fears

Memories dancing  and prancing, escaping  through your ears.

Your first teddy’s name was Jingles your first job was blast

If  you let  your  memories run  it’s like  a film with a giant cast!

You  need to keep it active  you cannot let it rest

For if you do not use it deserts you and that is not for the best.

Watch it  very  carefully be aware of the tricks it plays on  you

You must keep it buzzing or it will wonder off into the blue.

They  wriggle  and they giggle  and they run and hide

But  you know that they are in there, you’re the one who put them inside.

They hint  and they suggest,  they rub around the edge

You have to keep them active for absence of them turns  your mind to veg.

Song Lyric Sunday: In Praise of FANDANGO.

Jim Adams

This week it is Fandango Sunday and our theme is Other, That, This. Now Jim Adams (our gracious host for Song Lyric Sunday ) tells us that our Fandango is a stalwart of the WordPress community.  You have to give him credit for blogging on an iPhone, that’s a definite plus in my book because I do all my blog from my Android MotoG.  Everyone should be familiar with his daily FOWC, his weekly Provocative Questions and Flash Fiction photo challenges and his new Story Starter prompt.  He is a very dedicated blogger who always has something to say.  HAPPY SUNDAY FANDANGO.

For my part I have chosen three songs that are very close to my heart. They are songs that sing and mark my life. I am a woman with all the foibles that involves. I have had good and bad times both physically and mentally. …if I am truly honest these songs relate to my mental wellness or lack of it at times. Times I don’t drag up but the made me what I am so I own them proudly.

First up is Some Other World from The Alan Parsons Project.1977, I had two of our boys, I was lonely, insecure and to be honest struggling with hubby working away for days , sometimes weeks on end at short notice. I had always been a huge SiFi fan and was reading a lot of Isaac Asimov, so the I Robot album was right up my street. So when the children were in bed I would curl up on the sofa with a book and listen to I Robot, sometimes I’d just watch pictures in my head.

The Alan Parsons Project was a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. They were accompanied by a varying number of session musicians and some relatively consistent session players such as guitarist Ian Bairnson, arranger Andrew Powell, bassist and vocalist David Paton, drummer Stuart Elliott, and vocalists Lenny Zakatek and Chris Rainbow. Parsons was an audio engineer and producer by profession, but also a musician and a composer. A songwriter by profession, Woolfson was also a composer, a pianist, and a singer. Almost all the songs on the Project’s albums are credited to “Woolfson/Parsons”.

The track is from their second album I Robot released in June 1977. The album was intended to be based on the I, Robot stories written by Asimov, and Eric Woolfson spoke with Asimov himself, who was enthusiastic about the idea. As the rights already had been granted to a TV/movie company, the album’s title was altered slightly by removing the comma in “I,”, and the theme and lyrics were made to be more generically about robots rather than to be specific to the Asimov universe. The cover inlay reads: “I Robot… The story of the rise of the machine and the decline of man, which paradoxically coincided with his discovery of the wheel… and a warning that his brief dominance of this planet will probably end, because man tried to create robot in his own image.”

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Ever since childhood I have never really felt good enough. I have always put on a good show though and I really try to help others. I realise now that a lot of what I have done in my life is to please others, keep the peace and be accepted.and that’s what this Alanis Morissette track is all about.

That I Would Be Good” is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette that was first featured on her 1998 album Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and later an acoustic live version of the song was recorded during a session for MTV Unplugged on September 18, 1999. It was released as a single from the latter album on February 8.

The constant electrical buzz that can be heard throughout the track came unintentionally from Ballard recording too close to an amplifier. He re-recorded the guitar section to correct it, but Morissette immediately noticed the change – “What happened to the original?” – Ballard told her the buzz was bothering him, but she said, “No way. We’ve lost the magic, and you’ve gotta put it back.”

“That I Would Be Good” was chosen to be the lead single of the album, being released in December 1999. The CD single features the MTV Unplugged version of “That I Would Be Good” and live versions of “Would Not Come”, “I Was Hoping” (from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie) and “Forgiven” (from Jagged Little Pill).

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I have often felt bogged down in life but everyone has the same to deal with. This woman’s work, seems to say it all. I am not sure whether the song is written from a man or woman’s perspective to me it could be either. Apparently it about a man who wife and child are in danger due to childbirth but I feel you can read this song either way. I have had miscarriages, I very nearly lost our eldest at birth, thank god for post natal care (NICU) as it’s called these days. I love Kate Bush and hers is the original, yet I had to include Maxwell’s version because I have to admit it is my favourite.

“This Woman’s Work” is a song written and performed by the British singer Kate Bush. It was originally featured on the soundtrack of the American film She’s Having a Baby (1988). The song was released as the second single from her album The Sensual World in 1989 and peaked at 25 in the UK Singles Chart.

The lyric of “This Woman’s Work” is about being forced to confront an unexpected and frightening crisis during the normal event of childbirth. Written for the movie She’s Having a Baby, director John Hughes used the song during the film’s dramatic climax, when Jake (Kevin Bacon) learns that the lives of his wife, Kristy (Elizabeth McGovern), and their unborn child are in danger. As the song plays, a montage sequence of flashbacks is displayed, showing the couple in happier times, intercut with shots of him waiting for news of Kristy and their baby’s condition. Bush wrote the song specifically for the sequence, writing from a man’s (Jake’s) viewpoint and matching the words to the visuals which had already been filmed.

The version of the song that was featured on The Sensual World was re-edited from the original version featured on the film soundtrack. The version released as a single was a third, slightly different mix.

“This Woman’s Work” is one of several songs that were completely re-recorded on her 2011 album Director’s Cut. The new version features a sparse performance of Bush singing and playing piano.

In 1997, American R&B musician Maxwell covered the song for the release of his album MTV Unplugged. The artist later re-recorded the song in studio for his album Now (2001). This version of the song was released as the album’s third single in 2001 and peaked in the US Billboard charts at number 58 (Billboard Hot 100 in 2002) and number 16 (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs). This version also appeared in the movie Love & Basketball.

The song was featured on week 7 of So You Think You Can Dance (American season 5) (22 July 2009). It was used as the music for a contemporary dance choreographed by Tyce Diorio and performed by contestants Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE 💜

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Sept. 25, 2021

Badge by Shelley Krupa.

Our lovely host LindaGHill has given us this week’s prompt for SoCs.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “near/far.” Use “near,” use “far,” use them both if you’d like. In fact, if you start your post with one and end with the other, you get bonus points! Enjoy!

Photo by Tomaz Barcellos on Pexels.com

Far away in the land of never never lived Princess Charmless. Unlike all her princess sisters Charmless was far from beautiful, far from dainty and far from demure. In fact she was so far from being princess like she was often mistaken for one of the commoners. She was, though the nearest to kind in her whole family.

Now near to the castle there was a blacksmith’s forge and that’s where Charmless loved to spend her days, getting hot and dirty helping old Dan the blacksmith. Dan knew exactly who she was but chose not to let on because he was so pleased to have a young and healthy assistant.

Charmless was never happier than when busy at the forge. The King and Queen knew where Charmless was and were happy to know she was, safe and near unlike when she was younger and running off near and far!

One day Prince Charming from a neighbouring kingdom had need to visit the forge. He came in dressed in all his finery and was immediately taken by the unglamorous but cute assistant.

Well so far we have Prince Charming and Princess Charmless thrown together by fate. … Well I am running out of time so to cut a very long and involved story short , they fell in love and got married and bought a nice little castle near both kingdoms. They lived happily ever after.

Oh! They had a huge wedding and their friends came from far and near!