Code Cards!

PHOTO PROMPT © Liz Young

“Zing, what do you suppose all those cards are for? Unique designs! Are they for fortune-telling?”

“No, I don’t think so,” replied Zang. “Fortune-telling cards are called Tarot Cards. They look different from these.”

“Hmm. They all seem to have different, rather silly-looking characters on them. We should see if we can find anyone actually using them.”

“Where would we look? “

“Wait–maybe they’re special code cards, for secret messages!”

“Let’s just send images home to Zerkon. The code-breakers will figure it out quickly.”

“Well, I hope they don’t think we’re just joking around!”

Advertisement

The Artist

PHOTO PROMPT © Rowena Curtin

Jacey watched from her upstairs window as people walked the narrow street. They went into some of the stores, eating or purchasing souvenirs, and coming back out smiling and laughing.

Jacey love the colors of the buildings. The brilliant sun spoke to each color as it rose into the blue, blue sky. The only thing Jacey couldn’t tolerate was the dingy, colorless pavement. She’d gathered enough tips to get another can of paint, Her brushes were clean and ready. By sunrise tomorrow, there would be more rows of intricate swirls and loops.

And she would clean up the messes, too.

_______________________________

(I see that my last post was two weeks ago, a rather lengthy absence for me. This winter has taken its toll on my health. First, six or so weeks of mono; and now I have a severe case of bronchitis. I am SO done with winter! It’s actually been quite mild for us, and I think that’s part of the problem. It hasn’t been cold enough long enough to kill the nasty viruses that seem to be taking people down this winter. I think I have a serious case of the doldrums. I need a fresh breeze to push me out of this funk. Hoping there will be some fun stories to bring a laugh this week!)

Laundry Day

PHOTO PROMPT © Miles Rost

Going to the laundromat was a dreaded weekly chore. Aimee lugged her tablet and a thermos of coffee, planning to use the time for her research project.

Loading the two washers, she thought about her project: A study of housework in America from pre-colonial days to the present.

“Things sure have changed,” she mused. She browsed the photos she had gathered depicting washdays of old, from rivers or pools to tubs, paddles, and scrub boards; the first wringer washers to today’s “automagic” machines.

Aimee sipped her coffee. “I guess it could be a lot worse!” she decided.

Shady Side

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Belinda glared at Jerry. Her face was seriously flushed from the sun. Sweat dripped off her nose and chin.

“Next time, would you PLEASE cough up the extra couple of dollars for the shady side?”

Power. Fear. Money.

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

Zing and Zang perched on the fire escape, watching and listening to the people far below.

“We haven’t been to China yet,” observed Zing. “People here seem very concerned about China. Zang, you have deeply studied Zerkon. Has our own planet ever been at war with our own people?”

“No, Zing. Nor with any other planets, as far as I know. War is costly and counter-productive.”

“Then what is the point?” queried Zing.

“Power. Fear. Money.”

“Seems to me they have more to fear from each other than they do from us “aliens!”

Always

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

Grace’s gaze took in the bench, the fence, the bridge, the water. The only thing she really saw, though, was the bench. Their own special “love seat.”

Jude had sprayed it quickly one day, laying claim to this particular bench. Today, she didn’t sit down. It was too wet from the rain.

“Ours forever,” Jude had said. He held her close. “I’ll always love you.”

Two weeks later, he died in that horrific accident. She didn’t. She wished she had.

Her body healed, but not her heart. Never her heart.

Wait a Minute!

PHOTO PROMPT © Alicia Jamtaas

“Wait a minute, Son! You forgot your keys! Here, catch!:

“Thanks, Ma! See you tonight!”

Bloganuary 2023: Jan. 31

Today’s prompt: Where is the best place to watch the sunset near you?

I did not take this photo. It could, however, have been taken right in my front yard. Our house faces north, and we often get displays similar to this one. I’m sure there are other more scenic views in our beautiful state, but this is the one we see the most often without having to drive anywhere to enjoy it.

Bloganuary 2023: Jan. 30

Today’s prompt: What would you title the chapters of your autobiography?

Chapter One: Birth (one page)

Chapter Two: Life. (7.5 pages, one for each decade of my life)

Chapter Three: And Now, in Closing. . . .(one page)

Honestly, I couldn’t get serious about this one. I’ve had a good life. I’ve done some stupid stuff, some awful stuff, and a lot of good stuff. Nothing that couldn’t be said by zillions of other people who, like me, will never write an autobiography 🙂

Bloganuary 2023: Jan. 29

Today’s Prompt: What is something you learned recently?

I was curious. If islands are simply the above-water tops of massive under-water mountains or mountain ranges, then what about continents? Are they also anchored to the floor of the ocean by vast mountain ranges?

So I did some research, and found that many geologist agree that continents are indeed the visible tops of mountain ranges. That the major difference between islands and continents is size.

When I shared this concept with my science-minded husband, he had some very good questions about how it could be possible that continents are simply very large islands. His questions made a lot of sense. So now I’m reading about continental drift and colliding mountain ranges and that island that is forming in the Pacific from an underwater volcano.

What I’m learning is that I don’t know very much 🙂

Here’s one of the articles I’m reading:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/volcanic-eruption-creates-a-new-island-in-the-south-pacific-1809