Written for Haiku Fridays with J-Dub.
My haiku is based on Jillβs image.
Tag: Summer
Heated Hallucinations
Written for Melissaβs Fandango Flash Fiction
Challenge. Hereβs where the prompts took me.
Montauk: A Cameo Poem
Written for Davidβs Wea’ve Written Weekly
where our PoW, the lovely Lesley, asks us to
write a Cameo poem β a tiny distilled moment.
Thanks for the prompt, Lesley & David!
Those Were The Days
Our gracious host, Rochelle, is asking us to get
creative in 100 words or less using the photo
seen below. Welcome to Friday Fictioneers.
This is where the prompt took me.
RDP Sunday: snowflake
Today at RDP, drkottaway asks us to get
Β creative with the word βsnowflakeβ. Thanks, Doc!
Hereβs where the prompt word took me.
RDP Saturday: terror
Today at RDP, Punam asks us to get
Β creative with the word βterrorβ. Thanks, Punam!
Hereβs where the prompt word took me.
RDP Thursday: kindred
Today at RDP, we are asked to share a
story, poem, photo, painting, essay, etc.,
focusing on the word βkindredβ. Hereβs my take.
See You In September
This week at Glyn Wiltonβs Mixed Music Bag,
heβs asking us to write about a song in which
the title or a line mentions the current month.Β
Hereβs my September artist and their song.
Autumn Breeze
Written for Gerry & Sueβs Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge, using the word βshimmeringβ.
Hereβs were the prompt word took me.
Sealed With A Kiss
This week at Glyn Wiltonβs Mixed Music Bag,
heβs asking us to write about a song in which
the title or a line mentions the current month.
Hereβs my September artist and his song.
August: Rilo Kiley
This week at Glyn Wiltonβs Mixed Music Bag,
heβs asking us to write about a song in which
the title or a line mentions the current month.
Hereβs my featured August artist and their song.
Summer Pandemic
This week at Glyn Wiltonβs Mixed Music Bag,
heβs asking us to write about a song in which
the title or a line mentions the current month.Β
Hereβs my final artist for July and his song.
Damn! It’s Hot
Written for Shwetaβs Saturday Six
Word Story Prompt #144 – βfunβ.
Hereβs where my thoughts took me.
Wildflowers: An Etheree
Written for Crispinaβs Crimsonβs
Creative Challenge #036.
I have chosen photo #3.
This is my etheree.
Summer Fling
Written for Sammiβs Weekend Writing Prompt #404
using the word βtarnishβ. In 55 words, this is my flash.
Messin’ With My Frozen Zone
Written for dVerse Poets
Quadrille Monday – #216
where todayβs prompt word
is βhintβ. Here is my quadrille.
For The Right Price
Written for OLWG #397.
Our three prompts appear below.
This is my flash.
Crop Invaders: A Haibun
Written for Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge and
Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge where the
required words are “wrong” and “hoarding”. This is my haibun.
The exact year escapes me but it was a long time ago, to be sure. It was the summer we returned from vacation to find our tomatoes had ripened into gorgeous red orbs ready for eating. I could practically smell that grassy-green, spicy-sweet summery aroma. But something seemed wrong, off somehow. I felt like I was not alone in my garden, like I was being watched. Taking a closer look, I discovered disturbingly large caterpillars feasting on our lovely harvest. The bloated green creatures blended in so well with the underside of the leaves, it took a few seconds to register why our crop was full of gaping holes. Probing, boring, ravaging, gorging, hoarding. No tomato was salvaged that summer. Not one. That was the year I stopped planting tomatoes.
garden interlopers
devastation
signaling summerβs end
NARΒ©2024
This is βEnd of Summerβ featuring Katie Melua and L.U.C. from The Peasants soundtrack
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.
Just A Spoonful
Written for GlynβsΒ Mixed Music Bag week #26
where we are asked to write about a song by a group
or solo singer beginning with the letter K or L.
The Lovinβ Spoonful was an American band formed in 1964 by singer John Sebastian with guitarist Zal Yanovsky, drummer Joe Butler and bassist Steve Boone, cementing the quartetβs official lineup.
While they were a band that blossomed from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the 1960s, the groupβs name was inspired by the blues song, βCoffee Bluesβ …. the classic song by Mississippi John Hurt. The song supposedly has a deeper, more suggestive meaning if listened to closely enough.
“Coffee Blues” was always a big crowd pleaser because of Mississippi John Hurt’s particularly innocent delivery and his guileless way of presenting it. His audience was frequently filled with beautiful college women …. a group for which he always had appeal.
By 1969, after only five short years together, The Lovinβ Spoonful called it quits. In those few years as a group, the band had amassed a number of hits, including βSummer in the Cityβ, βDo You Believe In Magic?β βDid You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?β and βDaydreamβ.
My first featured song today and favorite Lovinβ Spoonful song is βSummer in the Cityβ, a classic rock number that captures the excitement, energy, and heat of a bustling urban summer. The song opens with a distinctive drumbeat that immediately sets the tone for the fast-paced tempo and catchy melody. John Sebastianβs smooth, soulful voice sings about the hustle and bustle of the city streets, with the sound of car horns and sirens in the background adding to the urban ambiance. As the song progresses, Sebastian describes the heat and humidity of the city, urging listeners to βstay coolβ amidst the oppressive weather. The chorus features a memorable hook that perfectly captures the vibe of a city summer: βHot town, summer in the city/Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty.β
Overall, βSummer in the Cityβ is a quintessential summer anthem that has stood the test of time, evoking the excitement and chaos of city life during the hottest months of the year.
This is βSummer In The Cityβ by the Lovinβ Spoonful
My second-favorite song by the Lovinβ Spoonful is βDid You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?β, a catchy and lighthearted pop song that explores the dilemma of choosing between two potential love interests. The song opens with a bouncy guitar riff and John Sebastianβs playful singing, setting the tone for a fun and flirtatious track.
The lyrics describe the difficulty of making a choice between two people, with Sebastian asking: βDid you ever have to make up your mind?/Pick up on one and leave the other behind?β The song captures the excitement and confusion of young love, while offering advice on how to navigate this tricky situation: βOne of these days you know you gotta make up your mind/But you better decide before you run out of time.β
Overall, βDid You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?β is a fun and upbeat song that captures the excitement and confusion of young love. Itβs a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners of all ages, offering a lighthearted perspective on the challenges of navigating the complexities of romance.
This is βDid You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?β by the Lovin’ Spoonful.
Before ending I thought it might be fun to feature βCoffee Bluesβ, the song from which the Lovinβ Spoonful got their name. Thatβs all Iβm going to say about the song; let’s see if you can figure out what makes it so suggestive a song.
This is βCoffee Bluesβ by Mississippi John Hurt
Big thanks to Glyn for hosting Mixed Music Bag every week.
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.
Feeling The Burn
Written for Friday Fictioneers where we are
encouraged to get creative by writing a story
of no more than 100 words using this photo
as our inspiration. Here is my 100 word story.
It was the summer of β59 and I was going to spend July and August with my cousins at the shore. Iβd been packing since my last day of school, finishing two days before taking off.
The following morning I awoke with fever, sore throat, bumpy tongue and a facial rash. Scarlet fever, the doctor said. The disease was highly contagious. I was prescribed antibiotics and my parents were warned to keep me home.
My summer plans were abruptly cancelled; I was dejected. All I could do was watch my friends playing, my nose pressed up against the window screen.
NARΒ©2024
100 Words
This is βFeverβ by Little Willie John
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.
Of Memories And Dreams
Written for Friday Fictioneers where our gracious host, Rochelle,
encourages us to get creative in 100 words or less using this photo
as our inspiration. Here is my 100-word photo-inspired story.
Funny thing about dreams and memories; sometimes itβs difficult to tell them apart. Sometimes I just donβt want to.
That summer β¦. after the breakup β¦. I needed to be alone …. to think β¦. to put the hurt behind me. A few days at that motel on the beach seemed like a good idea at the time.
Everywhere I walked β¦. everything I saw β¦. reminded me of you. The scent of salt water. Scattered shells and seaweed. That song. Hot summer nights. Stars so close you could touch them.
Memories and dreams of you β¦. theyβre funny that way.
NARΒ©2024
100 Words
This is βIn Dreamsβ by Roy Orbison
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.
Getting Kookie On The Beach
Written for Six Sentence Story where Denise
encourages us to get creative in just six sentences
incorporating the word βengagementβ. Hereβs my six.
The idea of my parents chaperoning me to the beach that night was mortifying but I figured I had to suck it up if there was a ghost of a chance of having any fun during this vacation in Surf City, so that night my mother, father and I went for a stroll on the beach, me hanging back about ten feet or so hoping the cool bonfire kids would think I was by myself; music was playing and marshmallows were roasting on long sticks β¦. everyone was tan and blonde and beautiful β¦. and thatβs when I saw him β¦. he looked just like Edd βKookieβ Byrnes from β77 Sunset Stripβ and when he glanced up as we walked by and smiled, I fell hopelessly in love.
Thankfully, my parents quietly observed the group without their usual compulsion to make conversation and, satisfied what they saw wasnβt a remake of βReefer Madnessβ, sat for a while high on a dune delighting in the reflection of the moon on the water; when it was time to go, the three of us walked back to the beach house β¦. but not before I had a chance to look over my shoulder and giveΒ EddΒ a little wave; he grinned and waved back (I was in heaven) and I knew I had to go to the next bonfire β alone.Β
I guess being out in the sun all day must have fried my parentβs brains because, when I nonchalantly asked them the next night if I could walk down to the bonfire by myself for a little while, they actually agreed; all I could think about was seeing Edd again and how relieved I felt that my older sister considered herself βtoo mature for a teeny-bopper beach partyβ and didnβt want to tag along.
The group was friendly and waved me over so, as casually as possible, I headed straight forΒ EddΒ and sat down next to him and someone handed me a cold beer β¦. my first ever .β¦ which I liked quite a bit; the kids were intoΒ Jan and Dean andΒ The Beach Boys β¦. I was aΒ BeatlesΒ girl but I wasnβt going to let that get in the way β¦. and by the end of the night,Β EddΒ and I were holding hands and agreed to meet again the following night.Β
That was the most blissful week of my young life β¦. lots of kissing and petting β¦. professions of love β¦. an βengagement ringβ fashioned from a Bud Lite pull tab β¦. but we didnβt go beyond 2nd base; in all my 16 years, Iβd never been as happy or excited to be with someone as I was with Edd.
At the end of the week we exchanged phone numbers and promised to call each other but that didnβt happened and itβs ok β¦. I never really thought it would …. I’m content with the memory; one thing I’m sure of is none of my friends will ever be able to say they spent a week making out on the beach with Edd βKookieβ Byrnes.
NARΒ©2024
This is a really awful song called βLike, I Love Youβ by Edd βKookieβ Byrnes and Joanie Sommers.
Hereβs the theme song for the TV show, β77 Sunset Stripβ.
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.
Move Over!
Written for Stream of Consciousness Saturday where
we are asked to feature the word “move”. Here’s my stream.
Here it is …. the so-called unofficial start of summer …. and we’re celebrating Memorial Day once again in my neck of the woods β Southern Westchester County in New York. In case youβre not familiar with the area, Manhattan is about a 45-minute drive south β far enough away for us to be in the suburbs but close enough to get into NYC for a show or dinner if we want to. Weβre approximately an hour from Jones Beach heading east out to Long Island and 2 hours from the Catskill Mountains up north.
Weβre in a nice spot and weβve loved living here for 45+ years but we often bring up the topic of making a move. And why would we do that if itβs so nice here? Two big reasons: stupid-high property taxes and ever-increasing congestion.
Our little village was exactly that when we moved here; now the population has exploded and every family member old enough to drive has a car. We live on a very quiet cul de sac and never think about the congestion in town until we actually have to go to town. What used to be a 5 minute drive to the supermarket or post office is now triple that (or more) because of the number of cars, trucks and school buses on the move .β¦ and letβs not even start talking about road work! Thereβs construction everywhere we look and some of it takes years to accomplish. By then, itβs time to start repairs again! Move it!
So, if we did decide to leave New York, the big question is β¦. where would we move to? I have no idea! It seems like everyone complains about the same problems of high taxes and too much congestion no matter where they live. Besides, the physical act of clearing out the house, packing up, moving and relocating at this stage of our lives is daunting; I can barely manage packing for vacation!
Things to think about, for sure. For now, I think Iβll move out onto the deck, sit in my lounge chair, drink my iced tea and listen to the birds. Bill will light the grill around 2PM; now that you know where I live, cβmon over!
It’s time to roll out some Nat King Cole and “Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer”!
NARΒ©2024
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not for use by anyone without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
SUMMER AND SMOKE
This is a photo of a rock in my backyard, one of many in the town where I live. It’s actually more than just a rock; it’s a boulder and what you’re seeing is just the tip. The rest of this massive rock is underground and a section twice as big as what’s visible above ground takes up one corner of the very rear portion of our basement workshop/laundry room. So common are these large rocks that there are areas in my neighborhood with names like Rockcliff Estates, Rockingstone, Rocky Hollow and Rock Ridge.
In the middle of the rock is a fairly large patch of moss; that is something new, brought about by the recent extreme humidity and lack of sun. The branches of our Kousa dogwood tree are drooping lower than ever; even I, the vertically-challenged member of the family, need to duck under the branches when walking in the yard. It’s the thick dampness in the air that’s weighing down tree branches and plants. Canadian smoke hangs suspended in the atmosphere; it’s surreal.
We’ve been stuck in this weather pattern here in New York since mid-June. It’s oppressive. The unforgiving trifecta of summer β haze, heat and humidity with daily on again/off again rain β is relentless and leaves us feeling drained and on edge. Our clothes and bed covers are warm and damp. The AC helps, of course, but the wetness lingers, and makes everything now feel cold and damp. There’s no escaping it; even the birds hide in the shade of thick bushes. It’s eerily quiet and still outside.
It feels like I’m living in the middle of a Tennessee Williams play. I could really use a mint julep served in a hammered copper mug with generous amounts of bourbon and shaved ice.
NAR Β© 2023
The Elephant's Trunk 