News of the Rodeo Classic.

Carrot Ranch

Sue Vincent is many things, blogger, mother, grandmother, carer to her older son and and a founder member of the Silent Eye a modern mystery school and friend and inspiration to many worldwide.

© SueVincent.

I have met Sue and joined her and her companions from the The Silent Eye on a couple or their weekend workshops. My life has been enriched by knowing her. I have learned a lot from her and basked in the warmth of her friendship.

Like many others I have been inspired by her posts about her musings, beliefs and always been uplifted by her regular #midnighthaiku. Like many others I have joined in with Sue’s #writephoto prompts. Weekly Sue has tirelessly supported other bloggers by sharing their responses to to #writephoto. As well as explaining about the photo prompt and entering her own contrabution. Also her thoughts on her life, her family and reminiscences of her childhood and youth are always a delight to read. Not forgetting the the wise words and thoughts from her loving dog Ani at The Small Dogs Blog which are also a delight.

© SueVincent

Recently, Sue has been faced with a new and difficult challenge: lung cancer. You can follow her blog to find out more directly from her. The Covid pandemic has served not only to pose a specific threat to a anyone with a severe respiratory illness, but it has caused loss of human connection through self isolation.

Now it’s time for Sue to receive something back from the community she’s been a cornerstone of for a decade. Jointhe Rodeo for the Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic at the Carrot Ranch – a contest, parade, and celebration all in one!
There are many ways to participate. One is to visit the prompt image, “Hidden”, at the Carrot Ranch. The prompt image and entry form will go live on Monday, February 1st, 2021. Enter a flash or a poem by Friday, February 19th, 2021, and you could win either $100 or a copy of one of Sue’s books. The form will allow you to give a small donation for Sue and her family, and a link can be found on the contest page. The winning entries will be announced at the Carrot Ranch on March 22nd, 2021.

The contest is not the only way you can help, there’s always the “Parade”. Reblog one of Sue’s posts from any of her sites (Daily Echo or France and Vincent) with a comment about why you found it special. Follow her blogs. Read one of her books, then leave reviews where you can.

Also, go ahead and reblog, tweet, Facebook, or somehow otherwise share the contest! 99 word literary art is a fantastic way to celebrate a blogging hero and wonderful woman.

Carrot Ranch

Three Things Challenge #175

Welcome to Di from pensitivy101: The Three Things Challenge #175
Every day she’ll give you three things that will hopefully trigger your creativity.
You don’t have to use them all if you don’t want to, simply read the prompt and see what comes to mind.
Your three things today are: STABLE BOLT FOOT

Dave took aim with his crossbow. This was an easy shot, he held the bow stable and released the bolt. Sadly the pressure of the competition got to him and the bolt went wide of the mark and embedded itself in the foot of the tree.

Enter the 6th Annual SoCS Badge Contest!

Hi Linda and everyone here is my entry for this year’s SoCs badge. The photo I have used is all mine from my recent trip to Canada. Good luck everyone.💜💜

Five Steps to Recovery.

In the last 20 years I have broken my back twice. Where does Five come into this equation, I hear you ask. Well, I am going to share with you Five steps to recovery after a broken back.

Step 1: Positivity. After more than a month in hospital and two of the three operations I needed, I went home. I had to be brave because I had to learn to walk again. That was not easy. Physiotherapy is very important and you need to make yourself do all the exercises you are given. I really needed to push myself to walk at first. I counted lampposts and felt very proud if I could reach two and then turn round and get home.

Step 2: Friends. I discovered who my real friends were. Many dropped me like a stone because I was too hard to deal with. The good part about this was I learnt who my real friends are. The ones who stay around are my diamonds in the dust.

Step 3: Certainty. There will be a lot of fears and pain to contend with. Find something to occupy your mind. That’s how I found blogging. I was seeing a pain psychologist and she suggested I try writing my thoughts down. That is how my blog was born. I can honestly say blogging saved my sanity. I have met so many wonderful people here in the bloggysphere.

Step 4: Medication. This is tricky. You need to find the fine line between the pills helping you and forming a dependency. I got hooked on Tramadol and Gabapentin, both highly addictive. I had to endure 5 years of withdrawal. That’s another story. But with determination and the help of my hubby and my blogily friends I am now pain killer free. I am not pain free but I am off those pills that dragged me down.

Step 5: Perseverance. I can honestly say that if you believe in yourself and are determined you can come back from anything. I wasn’t always sure I would make it but I never gave up. So what I want to say to you is never give up and never give in 💜

Results for Rodeo#1: Dialogue.

The results for Rodeo#1 : Dialogue at the Carrotranch are in. You can see the rules and winners and all the entries here.

This was my first entry for a competition there. I had fun with my entry, I was an also ran but I enjoyed reading the winners entries and the honourable mentions, and I also enjoyed reading all the other entries too.

Anyway here is my little effort.

“Does that chap realize he’s talking to St Francis.”
“No way not a chance in hell”
“Does St. Francis know who he’s talking to? ”
“Well he just might , he is patron Saint of writers after all.”
“Tell me, why did Satan turn Frank into an ancient Tortoise?”
“Well he is always dicking about trying to upset the status quo.”
“Yes but it’s usually you,Gabriel who’s his target.”
“Can you hear what he is saying Michael”
“Not really but I’m pretty sure it’s not the meaning of life”
“Omg, he’s bitten Frank. No”
“I wander what he said.”

————–

NB.Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers and journalists. A bishop of Geneva, Francis died in 1622.

Thank you to all involved and, congratulations to all the Winners and Honourable Mentions. Have a great weekend 💜

The Hunt

http://attention2detailblog.blogspot.co.uk/

Round and exquisitely drafted.

Soft and smooth in milk chocolate crafted.

All must be eaten nothing left to chance.

The hunt always  can lead us a merry dance.

A Happy Easter to everyone

 

 

 

 

Written for this weekend’s Trifecta Writing Challenge.

Exactly 33 words including an idiom within.

Click the link for full instructions and to contribute.

Wednesday Poetry Challenge #3 October 26, 2011

Wednesday Poetry Challenge #3

Eliza and her brothers

October 26, 2011

PART 1 WILD SWANS WITH 127 WORDS CHANGED  (FROM MY ORIGINAL POEM)

Each winter our little swallows sing before

flying off to the land of a fortunately blessed king.

Ten plus one sons all handsome and true

He also had a beautiful daughter too.

The sons went to study every day with pride

A bright sparkling star on their chest and a sword by their sides.

The Princes proudly wore their fine baring for everyone to see, they worked with pencils of pure gold

They were truly erudite, always completely learned by rote all that they read and were told.

The Princes, little Eliza fair happily sat all and every day on a clear glass chair.

She owned for the ransom of half a kingdom such a  picture book to rest her eyes on.

Happy and gay these lucky children their lives filled with love and such joys they had.

Good times don’t last forever; their father took for his queen a woman who was bad.

The new queen wanted their father for herself alone. So the children were no longer welcome in their home.

The children were enjoying games as the wedding guests arrived

Enviously watching the meal, which they had cruelly been denied.

They were unaccustomed to feeling hungry or pushed aside

Their father didn’t notice, being too wrapped up in his bride.

Shocked the children found it difficult to believe a cup of sand was all they’d received.

They were ordered, make the best of things and pretend it was delicious food and just to make believe.

The queen who was black hearted, did not want Eliza fair, so her fine life she took from her.

Away into the country, far from the palace, she gave Eliza to a peasant and his wife.

Helped by her evil tongue she whispered in the king’s ear darkening the princes names.

The king began to ignore his sons, forget them, he no longer joined them in their games.

The queen being impatient with the princes soon insisted they go away

And make their own lives in the world. She did not want them there one more day.

“Go, grow feathers and take flight and you shall all be mute.”

Things did not go as she planned because as they went they turned to her in salute

They were handsome, strong white swans they circled the castle and then

Disappeared away off to the woods.

PART 2 WILD SWANS (PART OF) POEM IN 187 WORDS.

the wicked Queen

Long ago where the swallows winter

There lived a happy and contended king who had all he could ask for.

Eleven sons and a daughter but he lacked a queen.

His sons were all hansom and they work hard a school

With golden pens and books to read they were never fools.

Eliza had a throne made of sparkling glass she

She owned a book the price too much to ask.

One day the king  met a beautiful woman he wanted in his life.

She did not like his children but the king was wealthy so she desired to be his wife.

The children had been happy and worked hard at school.

But the wicked woman starved them and was very cruel.

Not even did she let them feed at the wedding feast.

She set their father against them with black lies she whispered in his ears

She banished Eliza to a peasant farm, the black queen did many wrongs.

And put a curse on her brothers and turned them into mute swans.

They flew away from the castle and off to the woods to find Elisa.

PART 3 WILD SWANS (PART OF) POEM WITH 62 WORDS CHANGED.

the once happy home

Long past where the birds migrate

There was a loving and kind ruler, he owned everything you could ask for.

Eleven boys and a girl yet he missed his wife.

His sons were very hansom and they studied long at school

With golden pens and books to read they were not fools.

Eliza had a seat cast in clear glass

She had a tomb the cost too much to ask.

One morning the king chanced upon a beautiful woman he wanted in his life.

She did not want his children but the king was really rich and she wanted to be his wife.

The family had been idyllic and worked hard at school.

Yet the wicked woman hated them and was really cruel.

Not even did she allowed them to enjoy the wedding feast.

She set their father against them with lies she whispered in his ears

She hid Eliza on a peasant farm, the woman did many wrongs.

She laid a curse on the brothers and magiced them into white swans.

They took off from the ramparts and away to search for their sister Eliza

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is no time limit here, these challenges are open until site is forcibly closed down.

Eliza and her brothers

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