Photo Credit: Pixabay Public Domain
She always reserved room for chocolate.
kat ~ 9 February 2016
A Six Word Story based on the Prompt:” Pleasure”. Thanks to Nicola Aukland a “Sometimes Stellar Storyteller” for hosting. Read more HERE.
Tag Archives: Challenge
Etchings
Photo Credit: A Mixed Bag 2011
Jonathan’s grandfather had left him an old map containing a detailed description of the quarters he kept while serving as a member of the Royal Engineers, 172nd Tunneling Company. They had been commissioned by Churchill in 1940 to dig an elaborate maze of tunnels through the chalky walls of the White Cliffs of Dover during World War II.
When the National Trust discovered the tunnels in 2013 and opened them for public tours after clearing over 40 years of debris, Jonathan reserved a ticket hoping to find the mark his grandfather had made decades earlier.
His grandfather’s map read, “One hundred twenty-five steps into the belly of the Fan Bay, bear right and continue on 12 metres or so. It’s there I left my mark for all eternity and generations to come.”
Jonathan traced his grandfather’s steps deep into the tunnel. It only took him seconds to find the initials and the date, 25 November 1940 etched into the chalk walls. Jonathan ran his fingers over the letters carved into the wall. “This is your legacy to the world Gramps,” he thought, “But your stories? They are forever etched on my heart.” …for all eternity and generations to come…
kat ~ 9 February 2016
(199 Words )
A story inspired by the photo above for Sunday Photo Fiction’s Weekly Challenge. To read other stories or enter your own, click HERE.
Nugatory – Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku
Happy Friday to you! Today’s Word of the Day from dictionary.com is another one of those dinosaur words. It is a word that appeared in the early 17th century and had a fairly good run of it until the 20th century. One might even say that “Nugatory” is a nugatory word.
So why am I spending an entire post on this nugatory word? Why do I spend any Friday, for that matter, on a nugatory quest in pursuit of interesting anecdotes for nugatory words? (I’m not sure I like this word…it doesn’t roll off the tongue like some words do…perhaps this is why it has gone the way of the dodo!)
And yet here we are. One might say, I pursue these words on a dare. And this is true. I am determined to see it through, this challenge I set for myself to write a haiku based on dictionary.com’s word of the day. Or you might say it is because I have a haiku to write. But I certainly don’t need the added aggravation of trying to fit a long-in-syllable, obsolete word into a haiku when there are plenty of reasonable prompts available to me.
The thing is, when Thursday evening comes, my excitement grows in anticipation of Friday’s word drop. Sometimes I even wait up until midnight to have a look. (Note: the Word of the Day doesn’t post at 00:00:01…just an FYI if you’re interested. Sometimes it doesn’t post for HOURS after midnight.) But it is the surprise of it and the challenge of it that gives me joy! It matters not to me how nugatory a word may be…even if the nugatory word is in fact “nugatory”!
Because words…beautiful words in all their forms, quirks and origins have value in the role that they have played in defining how we have evolved over time. If you don’t believe me, consult the Urban Dictionary to be enlightened.
I admit, I do love reading dictionaries for FUN! And I also love writing Haiku. So what’s not to love about this nugatory weekly practice?! I can’t think of anything! 🙂
Have a great weekend! And if you dare, snuggle up with a good book, like um…a dictionary or an encyclopedia if you’re really looking for something deep! 🙂
From a simple Google Search I found this definition:
nu·ga·to·ry ˈn(y)o͞oɡəˌtôrē/adjective
adjective: nugatory
1-of no value or importance. “a nugatory and pointless observation”
synonyms: worthless, unimportant, inconsequential, valueless, trifling, trivial,
insignificant, meaningless “a nugatory observation”2-useless; futile.”the teacher shortages will render nugatory the hopes of
implementing the new curriculum” synonyms: futile, useless, vain, unavailing,
null, invalid “the shortages will render our hopes nugatory”Origin
early 17th century: from Latin nugatorius, from nugari ‘to trifle,’ from nugae ‘jests.’
Nugatory Haiku
nobody listened
her thoughts were nugatory
they assumed…what fools!
we dismiss cursive
as a nugatory form
scorned like the dodo.
it’s nugatory
the way some candidates stump
as if they will win.
kat ~ 5 February 2016
Fragility
Photo Credit: Erin Leary
It was the most beautiful house on the harbor, resting on pylons in the shallows surrounded by water lilies and draped in wisteria. The Otis Family lived there for over a hundred years…until the fire.
I remember the flames lapping the night sky turning it an angry red, the heavy smoke eclipsing the full moon. That night I became acquainted with death and the fragility of life.
I visit the harbor when I am home. T’was the flu that kept me from the party that night. The stupid flu that nearly took my life that summer saved me.
kat ~ 4 February 2016
(99 Words)
A flash of fiction in response to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields weekly Friday Fictioneers 100 Word Story Challenge. This week the story is inspired by Erin Leary’s photo above. If you would like to ready other stories or enter your own, click HERE.
Slow Down – A Haiku
If you don’t slow down
You’ll likely arrive too soon
To an early grave!
~kat – 3 February 2016
This Haiku is inspired by Haiku Horizon’s prompt this week: Slow. To read other Haiku or enter your own click HERE.
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