Earwigging… again (Tales from the SSC&B)

Chris Hall51 Comments

William Bereza on Unsplash

Back into that wonderful Six-Sentence-Café-and-Bistro, the red-headed writer (aka La Raconteuse) was ready to write another chapter in her story.

Earlier she had been far too busy to do anything but eat and drink, since she’d had a very late breakfast (or brunch); she had been umming and arring about the menu for ages, as Tom was on leave, and Mimi was not here either. In the end she plumped for a couple of small pancakes with bacon and syrup (very proper for those American people, as she grinned), and in the meantime she munched some toast with butter and jam, or was it marmalade she wondered for a moment, but anyway everything was delicious, and she drank two coffees as well.

She went back to her usual booth where she opened her laptop, she was so happy that it had been fixed by this clever guy, since it took more than three days to work properly again. Without her laptop she had to write things down using paper and pen or pencil, and now she had so many notes and scribbles in her little notebook – what a mess! – but at least now she could continue to write on that laptop.

She had been working for more than an hour, but then she walked over to the bar, she smiled and waved to her great friend, the Bartender, while the tall, thin man gestured to the small group in the corner, and now, of course, she would be earwigging again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: JAM, MARMALADE, SYRUP

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: GESTURE

More #SixSentenceStories

That Book

Chris Hall38 Comments

That Book

She looked at the cover,
and then picked it up,
she wondered who had written it
since there was no signature.
The back cover was also blank,
so time to open that book.

And what did she find?
Actually… nothing.
It’s her to write it you see.

~~~

Image credit: Eveling Salazar @Unsplash

This image shows a book with a title – Free forever printed on its cover. The image in monochrome where the book is greyish white and the background is dark.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #300 photo prompt.

What do you see # 300- 4th August, 2025

Art on Words

Chris Hall19 Comments

it’s a victory
flags are all around the world
but it is not true
is it in a gallery?
but no, it’s just in a house

so what would we think?
maybe it’s a metaphor
it’s just… difficult

~~~

Metaphor – a tanka and a haiku – great fun!
Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Robbie Cheadle

Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge #23, 7/29/25: Metaphors

Tour de France 2025 – the final finale

Chris Hall31 Comments

Paris Photographer – Louis Paulin

‘Okay, the final race for the Tour de France this year, it has been excellent so far, don’t you think?’ smiled Francis, as he inverted the first bottle of champagne, while Joan and Scatty sip some, as they all watched the large television.

‘It’s such a wonderful place in the heart of Paris, all those lovely buildings and statues, meanwhile the cyclists will cycle around the Champs-Elysees (four times as usual), but this time it will be longer since it’s going up to the top of the Butte Montmartre,’ said Francis.

‘Gosh, right by us,’ said Scatty, ‘you know, I’m going to go out there, just now; I can get a little patch of grass near the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur, and that will be perfect,’ as she grabbed her coat, then she reversed for a moment to say, ‘I will have a great position there, I’m sure!’

‘Well, I think this is much cosier, and there’s only the two of us,’ said Joan – ‘yes, I think so too,’ said Francis, as he put his arm over her shoulder.

‘Ah ha, here it is,’ said Joan, ‘such a beautiful sculpture for the horse, and it looks very like me where I’m sitting proudly up on the Place des Pyramides – oh yes, valour… that was me at the time, wasn’t it,’ as she grinned, – while Francis gave her a big kiss.

But what happened to the two gargoyles… and where’s that red-headed woman? – well, we guess it’ll be next time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Di of Pensitivity 101 – Friday’s Three Things Challenge: VALOUR, INVENT, REVERSE

 

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: PATCH

More #SixSentenceStories

 

 

 

 

Walking around the Castle

Chris Hall42 Comments

She’s wearing her red coat, which is warm and long, and it’s perfect. She wonders what she should write today, since she has a small notebook in her pocket. She strides across the ancient bridge; she stops in the middle. She surveys the large loch, pulls out her pencil and paper, and scribbles a few lines: it’s a haiku – from Scotland to Japan.

from heather
to cherry blossom;
just divine

~~~

Image credit:  Christian Crocker @Unsplash

This image shows the back view of a woman dressed in modern day attire, and a red coat, walking towards an ancient castle in Scotland, over a stone bridge.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #299 photo prompt.

What do you see #299- 28 July, 2025

Margot and her 2CV

Chris Hall25 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Gosh, this will be fun,’ grinned one of the boys.
‘Yes, we’re all going on an adventure.’
‘We have got everything we need,’ smiled Great Aunt Margot. ‘Now get into the back of my 2CV boys, we are going to the woods, since it’s autumn so we can get some mushrooms, and maybe some truffles.’
‘Truffles? What are those?’
Great Aunt Margot waved a hand as she continued to drive, and rather fast, ‘truffles are very good and very expensive, but we will see.’

The three of them tootled around in that little car for a bit, when suddenly Great Aunt Margot stopped, and then reversed, and stopped again. ‘Look boys, there’s eggs available. You can get out and ask,’ as she gave one of them some notes.

The two boys trotted over to the sign, and then into the little farm.
‘Is anyone here?’ shouted both of them.
For a moment it seemed that no-one was around, but just a little later, a very nice lady appeared.
‘Ah, that would be Madame Margot,’ the nice lady said. ‘Two dozen, I imagine,’ as she waved back.

Soon that was sorted, they were off again. ‘Time to find some mushrooms and do some truffle hunting,’ grinned Great Aunt Margot.

They walked around the woods, and all three of them had lovely mushrooms, although sadly they didn’t find any truffles this time.
But they did see something in the distance…
Yes, that’s right, a couple of unicorns – and yes, they are real.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

A Frog Song

Chris Hall33 Comments

Photo by Paul Szlosek


a small pool
forest green and clear
just lovely

and who can we see?
that’s right, a wonderful frog!
he says ‘om’ and ‘om’
and he’s placid and peaceful
in his lotus position

~~~

It’s a haiku 3/5/3, plus tanka – such fun!

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Selma
And there is Paul’s Wonderful World of Color – great photos!

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 22, July 22nd: Photographs

Tour de France 2025 – 3rd week

Chris Hall39 Comments

Paris Photographer – Louis Paulin

The two gargoyles were talking in hushed tones as they made over to the aerodrome: ‘Come on we are not mad, we are good at everything, aren’t we,’ said one – while the other one said, ‘quite so, we both remember that huge balloon, and that was fine,’ – as the two of them got into a helicopter.

Scatty and Joan had been still looking for the two gargoyles, not realising that they were up in the sky; they’d been on that big motorcycle for ages weaving around from left to right and back again on the Tour de France.

‘Hold on,’ yelled Scatty, ‘this is a big challenge,’ – but meanwhile Joan yelled back, ‘I am feeling nauseous and I have a headache, although at least I haven’t a malady and I’m sure I’ll be fine when we stop.’

The red-headed woman was on another road listening to many lovely melodies as she hummed in her little red car, it was very much quicker since this was one of the main motorways, and she was going to the south of France having found that The Old One and Mr Cushing had been staying near Cannes.

Francis was still at home and lounging around while watching the Tour de France; he had double-checked the time for the final race, and as usual it was at Paris, on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday.

He smiled as he continued to watch; whoever would win, he would make sure there would be plenty of champagne on ice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Di of Pensitivity 101 –Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: MAD, MALADY, MELODY

 

Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge
Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: TONE

More #SixSentenceStories

 

 

 

 

Joshua Trees

Chris Hall63 Comments

The Joshua Trees

stunning, aren’t they,
powerful too,
great – magnificent, in fact,
yet the trees are stark and strange.

the sun has just risen,
the trees are warming up nicely,
but did you know that they can walk around?

if you look carefully,
you’ll see them,
promise.

~~~

Image credit:  YS @Unsplash

This image shows Joshua trees in a California desert, in the background the sun is rising over the hills.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #298 photo prompt.

What do you see # 298- 21 July, 2025

A new gallery

Chris Hall37 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

The two boys were back in France, in a small town where Great Aunt Margot lives.
‘What’s the time?’ said one of them, as they both looked up to the big clock outside in the main square.
‘Okay, one more time to walk quickly around the great church – why not?’
‘Shall we do it?’
‘Yes, let’s go.’

Meanwhile, Great Aunt Margot had bought her usual things in the market: a long baguette, some very oozy cheeses and three little patisserie cakes, which she put in her big basket.
She then stopped next to the new gallery.
‘How is it going, my dear?’ said Great Aunt Margot.
A young woman smiled. ‘Anything you would like?’
‘Hmm, something small perhaps,’ as she stepped into the shop.

A couple of minutes later the two boys appeared.
‘What have you got?’ asked one of the boys.
‘Never mind about that, I will show you that back at home. But any way it’s almost lunchtime,’ as she grinned.

The three of them chatted happily, as they walked down to where they stayed, but no one would be able to find what they did after that.

And also in the small town, not far from the woods, you might still see a few unicorns, and their names are: Victor, Wellington, Xena, Yasmine and Zacharia.

So thanks for that Jenne and C .E. Aye, we’ve had a great time, and maybe we will see you around sometime.

So now I must find a new tale, but where?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.