Pablo

PHOTO PROMPT © Jan Wayne Fields

Pablo rolled up one side of the canvas that shielded his flowers from the sun. It was already hot.

Miguel slept, wrapped in his dreams, stretched out behind the flower cans. He could sleep anywhere, a blessing of youth.

Pablo watered his flowers and fiddled with his arrangements, enjoying the fragrance and beauty, until he was alerted by the hissing rattle that warned of danger. Glancing at his own feet, he saw nothing. Moving carefully around the truck, he finally spotted the snake coiled near his son’s head.

His clippers were his only weapon.

The Wedding Dress

Photo prompt provided by John Nixon

Art walked past the store daily, smiling to himself at what people thought were antiques. Why, some of the things in that store were just like wedding gifts he and Rosie had received over 50 years ago! “Antiques! Huh!

Then, one morning, he stopped in shock, staring at the lovely wedding dress. Time misted his eyes with the memory of sweet Rosie walking down the aisle to marry him, wearing that very dress!

“Over 50 years,” he thought. “I wonder what the story is.”

He decided not to inquire. He hoped another couple had found joy, like his and Rosie’s.

Oh, Just do This. . . .

“Friend”: “So, how are you today? Any better?”

Me: “I’m okay. How are you?” (Because I always try to deflect.)

Friend: “You know, sometimes my back goes out, too. Have you tried a chiropractor?”

Me (sighing inwardly): “Yes, but he no longer touches my lower back.”

Friend: “Well, he’s not helping much! Are you taking calcium?”

Me (losing patience): “Yes. What I have is a condition. My bones are crumbling, pinching nerves. We treat the pain, but this is not going away.”

Friend: “Hmm. Well, maybe you need to change your diet. . . .”

Me: “Okay, nice to see you. Gotta run.”

Minnehaha

PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

The trek had been arduous. Some died along the way, their long home marked with stone cairns.

After what seemed an endless expanse of desert, the land began to slope upward. A cool breeze carried the smell of fresh water, and their animals began to strain toward the life-giving perfume.

Some of the People had tears rolling down their dry, sun-dark faces as the temperature began to plummet. They could hear the rush of falling water, smell the vegetation, see the tracks of small animals.

The new settlement was called Minnehaha–Laughing Waters.

(I took a little poetic license with this one. It made me think of a favorite spot in Minneapolis. Here is the real Minnehaha Falls)

The Trellis

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

“Well, that’s something new!” Zing was puzzled.

So was Zang. “What’s it for? It’s not plugged in to anything.”

“Well, it leads to that balcony. Maybe it’s an outside entrance?”

“Too small for humans, though. They’d get stuck. Let’s go up and take a look.”

“You sure?”

“Of course. Go invisible and teleport up.”

When they neared the top, they heard, “Hey, Don, did you remember to water the tomatoes?”

“Doing it right now!” The balcony door opened. A bucket was tipped into the trellis, showering Zing and Zang as it flowed to the planter below.