This week the three prompts from aooga at OLWG #389 are
1) thirsty souls, 2) police dog, and 3) Armandoβs Market,
to be used as we like …. as is, as an inspiration or not at all.
Also, Gerry C & Sue W ask us to incorporate the word “eerie”
in their Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge. And finally,
I have used one of Kevin’s brilliant images from No Theme Thursday
as the inspiration for my post today. Here is my haibun.
Woman Of Substance
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are
asked to get creative in 250 words or less using
the photo below as inspiration. This is my story.
Leftover Gremlins?
ROAD HOGS
This is Week 44 of Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag and we are
being asked to choose a song by a group or solo artist whose
name begins with the letters S or T. This is my choice.
The Day the Music Died
Written for Friday Fictioneers where our host Rochelle
has asked us to use the image below as inspiration
to get creative in 100 words or less, making
every word count. Hereβs my flash.
Just For Fun – Happy Halloween
I hope you enjoy these Halloween Funnies,
borrowed from my friend, Bluebird of Bitterness.
Get That Cat-A-Comb!
Gashkuduro
Written for Wordle #678; I have incorporated the 12 words
which you see below into my story and featured one of the
amazing images created by Kevin at No Theme Thursday.
Here is my story; heed the warnings within.
ghoulishγ»nightγ»windγ»tricksγ»spinγ»wrap
spellγ»withinγ»deadγ»cryptγ»buriedγ»wicked
When The Vow Breaks ~ A Quadrille
Written for dVerse Poets Quadrille Monday
where we are asked to write a 44 word poem in
the format of our choice incorporating the word
‘promise’. Here is my promise quadrille.
The Letter
Written for Kevinβs No Theme Thursday 10.24.24,
Fandangoβs Story Starter #172 (#FSS), Eugiβs
Moonwashed Weekly Prompt (pretend), and
Gerry C & Sue Wβs Weekly Prompts Wednesday
Challenge (fascination). This is my story.
Bar Kathmandu
Written for No Theme Thursday where Kevin
has offered us some incredible images to
inspire and get our creative juices flowing.
Revamping of a 2020 tale, this is my story.
Heads Up
Written for Kevinβs No Theme Thursday 10.24.24.
Weβre offered incredibly creative images to inspire
and get our writing juices flowing. This is my story.
Family Affair
Written for Song Lyric Sunday. This week Jim Adams
has asked his readers in his post ‘Quality Time’ to write about
a song dealing with parenting or a child/parent relationship.
This theme was my suggestion and here is my reply.
Tout Doucement
Written for Sammiβs Weekend Writing Prompt #387 and
Sue W & Gerry Cβs Weekly Prompts β The One Day Prompt #7,
incorporating the words βunexpectedβ and βone dayβ
written in exactly 15 words. This is my 15-word flash.
The Prayer
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are
asked to get creative in 250 words or less using
the photo below as inspiration. This is my story.
Faith No More: An Ovi
Written for Ovi Poetry Challenge #71.
Our inspiration word is βrespectβ
and this is my ovi.
The Continuing Adventures of George and Martha, Vol. 4: Sea of Love
Written for Friday Fictioneers where our host Rochelle
has asked us to use the photo below as inspiration
to get creative in 100 words or less,
making every word count. Hereβs my flash.
Transformation: A Reverse Dectina
Written for Sadjeβs What Do You See # 259.
This is my response … a Reverse Dectina.
Stroke Me
This is Week 43 of Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag and we are
being asked to choose a song by a group or solo artist whose
name begins with the letters S or T. This is my choice.
Wild Weather Wildflowers
Written for Wordless Wednesday,
where a picture’s worth 1,000 words.
New York Wildflowers in 80ΒΊF October!
Here are my near-drought photos.
A Great Working Relationship
Written for The New, Unofficial, On-Line Writerβs Guild.
This week the three prompts from Aooga at OLWG #388 are
(1) tea coloured eyes, (2) change the words of this poem,
and (3) New Mexico schmerz. We can use them as is,
as an inspiration or not at all. This is my story.
So Alone: An Ovi
Written for Ovi Poetry Challenge #70
Our inspiration word is βemptyβ
and this is my ovi,
Like A Leaf On A Breeze: A Haibun
Written for dβVerse Haibun Monday 10.21.24 ~
Fall Foliage or Spring Blossoms. Here is my haibun.
Whether winter, spring, summer or fall, the view from my bedroom window has afforded me comfort and solace in times of physical and emotional struggle. The simple, unadorned panes of glass are a constant in my life, keeping me company, offering the best show in town. After all, what could be better than observing the changes brought about by Mother Nature? As the daily view gradually transforms, so do I. The delicate buds that caressed the tree branches in spring burst open full of life to face the summer sun; now they cling precariously to those same branches, a dainty necklace of copper, bronze and gold strands. More sky is visible through scantily clad tree limbs. Oh, what a tantalizing tease! The silvery glow from the hunterβs moon is an organic lightshow. What will tomorrow bring?
spring blossoms plant warm wet kisses
fall leaves crunch underfoot
winter flakes form crystal blankets
NARΒ©2024
This is βForever Autumnβ by the Moody Blues
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
#9 Dream
Sometimes you see an image
and you know itβs perfect for your story.
This is Kevin’s pic from No Theme Thursday: 10.17.24
and here is my story.
Dear Ryan
Written for Kevin’s No Theme Thursday 10.17.14 photo prompt,
Sammi’s 94 word Weekend Writing Prompt #386,
Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge
and Gerry & Sue’s Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge.
Responses must be exactly 94 words (for Sammi), including
‘teach’, ‘ahead’ and ‘simplicity’. Here’s my little story.
Doris sat in the kitchen proofreading her letter.
Dear Ryan Seacrest –
Imagine my surprise when I tuned into “Wheel of Fortune” and discovered youβre the new host!
Where the fuck is Pat Sajak? He could teach you a few things about show business! You have a nice smile and might have a future ahead in commercials.
Youβre a cutie-pie; I wouldnβt mind a roll in the hay with you, thatβs for damn sure. Next time you’re in Wichita, stop by Dorisβ Donuts β simplicity at its tastiest!
Iβll keep the light on.
Fondly, Doris Lipsmacker
NARΒ©2024
94 Words
From 1952, this is βWheel of Fortuneβ by Kay Starr
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
Intoxicating Me
It’s Sunday and that means it’s time for Song Lyric Sunday!
This week Jim Adams has asked his readers in his post “Spirits”
to write about a song that mentions drinks or cocktails.
Theme suggested by Di at pensitivity101.wordpress.com. Here is my reply.
Pull up a stool and start running a tab, because weβre diving into a very popular topic in the music world: booze.
Drinking is practically a worldwide pastime. After all, Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying, βBeer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.β Frank Sinatra once said, βAlcohol may be manβs worst enemy, but the Bible says to love your enemy.β And then, thereβs the greatest quote about alcohol by the legendary comic actor W.C. Fields: βI spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wastedβ!
Whether itβs beer or wine or the hard stuff, there are countless songs about drinking. Some of these songs are upbeat, while others are dark. Some are joyous while others are sorrowful. Regardless, many have resonated with fans spanning multiple generations.
Iβm not much of a drinker; while I do occasionally enjoy a glass of wine π·, a very dirty martini with extra olivesπΈ , a spicy Bloody Mary πΉ or an ice cold Stella Artois πΊ on a hot summer day, more than one of any of those libations would wipe me out.
I took some time to explore songs about drinking through a variety of different lenses, from love ballads to cautionary tunes of heartache and everything in between. At the end of it all, when it comes to drinking, most people just want to unwind, have a good time and forget about whatever troubles theyβre dealing with.
Not so my featured song today … a classic jazz number from 1938 called βYou Go To My Headβ which artfully compares the effects of love and drink. There are quite a few versions of the song and Iβve heard most of them; none, in my opinion, come close to Billie Holiday.
Born April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Billie Holiday was a superstar of her day. She first rose to prominence in the 1930’s with a unique style that reinvented the conventions of modern singing and performance. More than 80 years after making her first recording, Billie’s legacy continues to embody what is elegant and cool in contemporary music. Billieβs complicated life and genre-defining autobiography βLady Sings the Bluesβ made her a cultural icon. The evocative, soulful voice which she boldly put forth as a force for good, turned any song she sang into her own. Today, Billie Holiday is remembered for her musical masterpieces, her songwriting skills, creativity and courageous views on inequality and justice. To read more about the extraordinary life of Billie Holiday, please follow this link.
Three different recordings of βYou Go to My Headβ by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie made the Top 20 list in 1938: Billie Holidayβs version was one of them. Written after a long night at a local speakeasy, the songβs melody can be played as bright and effervescent or as introspective and melancholy. The song has been featured in the movies Laura (1944) and The Big Sleep (1946).
Iβve been in love with βYou Go To My Headβ since the first time I heard it as a young teenager. Itβs a sophisticated jazz piece about love and booze β¦ a very unusual choice for a 13 or 14 year old girl who didnβt know anything about either subject. Somehow I knew this song was much more than a ditty about drinks and love. Itβs also the first song with an adult theme which I memorized and practiced singing. Iβm sure no matter how many times I performed this song later in life, I never sounded as cool and classy as Billie Holiday.
This is βYou Go To My Headβ by Billie Holiday
LYRICS
You go to my head
And you linger like a haunting refrain
And I find you spinning round in my brain
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne
You go to my head
Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
And I find the very mention of you
Like the kicker in a julep or two
The thrill of the thought
That you might give a thought to my plea
Casts a spell over me
Still I say to myself, “Get a hold of yourself”
Can’t you see that it never can be?
You go to my head
With a smile that makes my temperature rise
Like a summer with a thousand Julys
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes
Though I’m certain that this heart of mine
Hasn’t a ghost of a chance in this crazy romance
You go to my head
You go to my head
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: J. Fred Coots/Haven Gillespie
You Go to My Head lyrics Β© Wb Music Corp., Toy Town Tunes Inc, Toy Town Tunes, Inc., John F. Coots Jr. Trust Music
Producer(s): John Hammond, Bernie Hanighen
Vocal: Billie Holiday
Composer, Lyricist: J.F. Coots/H. Gillespie
Guitar: Danny Barker
Drums: Cozy Cole
Re-Mastering Engineer(s): Seth Foster, Mark Wilder
Piano: Billy Kyle
Saxophone: Babe Russin
Clarinet: Buster Bailley
Trumpet: Charlie Shavers
Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and to Di for a terrific theme suggestion! Be sure to follow the links and check out their sites.
Thanks for stopping by. See you on the flip side. π
NARΒ©2024
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
Luca’s
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are
asked to get creative in 250 words or less using
the photo below as inspiration. This is my story.
I was waiting outside Lucaβs Restaurant for my guy to show up with that lovely little glassine envelope of blow. He was running late and I was freezing my ass off, chainsmoking. Even at this hour the place was busy.
A cozy-looking niche in the wall beckoned me; I scooted over and huddled there to keep warm. I was agitated, my toes tap-dancing inside my boots. It had been several hours since my last hit and I couldnβt collect my scattered thoughts.
Shoving my hands into my pockets to stay warm, I immediately came in contact with a stubby vial; a little spoon dangled from a delicate chain β¦ a very clever design β¦ although I must admit the one with the miniature spoon neatly built into the inside bottom of the screw-on cap was pure genius. This was a nice surprise! I had changed jackets the other day and didnβt remember it was there.
Elated, I wrapped my fingers around the bottle, smiling at the feel of the all-too-familiar smooth glass. I removed the vial from my pocket; it was difficult to see but even in the darkness I knew it was empty. Crap!
Where the hell was my guy?
As if summoning a genie, he appeared in the glow emanating from the light above Lucaβs doorway. I began to stand when piercing sounds of squealing tires stopped me. Three unmarked cars pulled up and the feds jumped out, surrounding my guy. Busted!
Dammit! I receded into the bushes.
NARΒ©2024
250 Words
This is βSnowblindβ by Styx
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
Change Is In The Wind
This is Week 42 of Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag and we are
being asked to choose a song by a group or solo artist whose
name begins with the letters S or T. This is my choice.
Itβs 1990. The Berlin Wall has just come down. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. A heavy metal band from West Germany releases a power ballad called βWind of Change.β The song becomes the soundtrack to the peaceful revolution sweeping Europe β and one of the biggest rock singles ever. According to some fans, itβs the song that ended the Cold War.
Looking back to 1970, the working-class town of Hannover, Germany, was decidedly not a bastion of R&R music, but Klaus Meine and brothers Rudolf and Michael Schenker changed the way the world perceived Hannover … and even the rest of Germany. As originators of the hard rock band the Scorpions, the trio created top ten hits and generated worldwide attention through both their musical talent and controversial album covers. By 1994, with 15 albums to their credit, the band was deemedΒ βthe greatest German rock exportβ.
Singer Klaus Meine first performed in a band called the Mushrooms. His budding musical career was interrupted, however, by a stint in the German Army. Upon his return to civilian life at age 23, he met a 16-year-old guitarist named Michael Schenker who, four years earlier, had started playing guitar for a young German band. Together they formed a band called Copernicus.
Soon after forming Copernicus, Michael Schenker got an offer from his brother Rudolf to join a band called the Scorpions. Although Rudolf was the Scorpions original singer, he extended the invitation to Meine after seeing his work with Copernicus. On December 31, 1970, rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker, lead guitarist Michael Schenker, and singer Klaus Meine kicked off what would become an international R&R force for decades.
The bandβs success inspired the release of a live album and a one-hour video movie about the tour titled Worldwide Live. They took part in a record-breaking rock festival in Brazil called Rock in Rio, where they played for 350,000 people. The German rockers went on to play behind the Iron Curtain in Budapest in 1987, thus becoming one of the first Western bands to venture into the Eastern Bloc.
The Scorpions continued to break international, geographical, and political boundaries. The band returned to the Soviet Union in 1989 to play in the Moscow Music Peace Festival at Lenin Stadium. They performed in front of 100,000 people, and the experience provided the inspiration for their super hit single on theΒ Crazy WorldΒ album ββWind of Changeβ which tookΒ Crazy World toΒ mega-platinum status. During the Persian Gulf War, troops adoptedΒ βWind of ChangeβΒ as their anthem.
The single reached #1 in 13 countries and won the ASCAP Award as one of the most performed songs of 1992. Soon after the Berlin Wall fell, the Scorpions played to more than 300,000 fans in the Roger Watersβ production of Pink FloydβsΒ The Wall βLive in BerlinΒ β90.Β By 1994,Β Crazy WorldΒ stood as the best-selling rock album in Germany … ever; with estimated sales of 14 million copies sold worldwide, it is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
This is βWind of Changeβ by the Scorpions, 1989
From Crazy World this is βWind of Changeβ, 1991
LYRICS
I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
An August summer night
Soldiers passing by
Listening to the wind of change
The world is closing in
Did you ever think
That we could be so close, like brothers
The future’s in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change
Walking down the street
Distant memories
Are buried in the past forever
I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams (share their dreams)
With you and me
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night (the glory night)
Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change (the wind of change)
The wind of change
Blows straight into the face of time
Like a stormwind that will ring the freedom bell
For peace of mind
Let your balalaika sing
What my guitar wants to say
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams (share their dreams)
With you and me (with you and me)
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change (in the wind of change)
Written by: Klaus Meine
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Big thanks to Glyn Wilton for hosting Mixed Music Bag every week. Please be sure to follow the link and check out Glynβs site.
Thanks for joining me today and spinning some tunes.
See you on the flip side. π
NARΒ©2024
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
Steve McQueen
Written for Friday Fictioneers where our host Rochelle
has asked us to use the photo below as inspiration
to get creative in 100 words or less,
making every word count. Hereβs my flash.
βWell, here we are, Chip. Back in Beech Grove, Indiana!β
βYou know, Babs. The old homestead really hasnβt changed much.β
βThe Colonial Movie House is still open! Man, Iβm so happy they didnβt get rid of that beautiful faΓ§ade. Mom hated it, always saying it looked like a widowβs walk.β
βI bet you canβt remember the first movie we saw there, sis. Loser buys lunch.β
βAre you kidding me? It was βThe Blobβ with Steve McQueen. God, I loved that man!β
βThatβs right! I forgot about your crush!β
βLook! Fire Station #1910 is now a burger joint. Youβre buying, bro!β
NARΒ©2024
100 Words
Author’s Note: Beech Grove Indiana is the birthplace of Steve McQueen.
This is βSteve McQueenβ by Sheryl Crow
From 1958, here is the trailer from βThe Blobβ starring Steve McQueen and βa cast of exciting young peopleβ!
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
Dinner With The Boss
Written for Di’s Three Things Challenge #M849 and
Eugi’s Moonwashed Weekly Prompt; this is my story.
Joe did it again.
This morning he found himself in the elevator with his boss; they were chatting amiably about the baseball post-season games. Joeβs boss was impressed (and a bit jealous) to learn that Joe had a home theatre set up in his rec room with a 96β Samsung smart TV.
Before he could stop himself, Joe invited his boss over for dinner, a little billiards and the baseball game that night β¦ without first checking in with his wife, Amy. This was not the first time Joe invited someone over without asking Amy; true, they were his friends and Amy didnβt mind because they just ordered pizza and played pool. But this was his boss and Joe was expecting Amy to cook a nice meal. And it was already 3:30 PM!
Joe sent Amy a text (because he was too chicken to call her in person!): βHey, babe! Boss coming to dinner. Big opportunity for me! Donβt care what you have to do, just make me proud. Luv ya.β
Amy stared at her phone in disbelief. A thousand thoughts raced through her head. Wishing to avoid an unpleasant conversation, she answered Joe’s text with a simple “OK” but her blood was boiling.
Two hours later when Joe and his boss opened the front door, they were greeted with the most mouthwatering aromas coming from the kitchen. Joe looked around in awe at his sparkling house and the beautifully set dining room table. Amy greeted them, all smiles and looking lovely.
βBabe!β Joe whispered breathlessly. βThe place looks fabulous and dinner smells amazing. Howβd you do all this?β
Amy blushed sweetly and whispered backΒ βIt wasnβt so hard, honey. I just hired Minute Maid Cleaners, a personal chef and a waiter.β
βYou did what?? We couldn’t possibly afford all that!β Joe barked.
βSure we could, honeyβ Amy laughed, βafter I sold the pool table and the TV.β
NARΒ©2024
Prompt words βmaidβ, βwaiterβ and βcleanerβ for Di
and βblushedβ for Eugi.
From the era of the caveman, this is βWives and Loversβ by Jack Jones
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 