Off to the cemetery

Chris Hall35 Comments

Paris Photographer – Louis Paulin

The red-headed women had laced up her new trainers and walked off to find what she would do, she was pleased with them, they were all the rage apparently, they were very comfortable and practical too – cool, in fact – so she continued to walk further to the cemetery, known as the Cemetery of the Large Quarries (and an interesting fact).

She’d not seen her two lovely gargoyles for ages, nor any of her vampire friends, and although she had a good day, and night, including a rather nice dinner in a bistro, just off the main road in Montmartre, she was still missing all of them.

She was still musing about what she had eaten and drunk last evening; especially that final little drink – absinthe, one of the favourite ones from the vampire people, and the best one, according to Francis.

And at that moment, the red-headed woman saw Francis, he was sitting reading by one of the graves in the shade, almost blissful she’d thought.

She was about to mosey over to him, but then someone else appeared, and who was he, she wondered; she watched as they greeted each other, he was stooped and wizened, and wearing a large hat, and then she realised he was a priest, and a very old one to boot.

The red-headed woman got closer, trying to catch the name, but all she could hear was ‘Father…’, gosh that was annoying; she was so interested to listen that she tripped… oh bother.

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

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Di of Pensitivity 101 –Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: RATHER, FATHER, FURTHER

 

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

More #SixSentenceStories

 

 

 

 

Time to climb

Chris Hall41 Comments

I haven’t climbed this one
it looks doable
shall I try it?

easy to start with
going well
but now it’s getting harder
but that’s the point

slowly does it
and cling on
whoa, that was scary

I’m almost there
and yes… that vista!

~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Dennis Yu @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this is a photo-shopped image (time-lapse image) of a man climbing a rock. The photographer has captured different stages of his climb and it looks like many people are climbing the rock. The last stage of his climb is when he is triumphantly sitting on the top of the rock.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #290 photo prompt.

What do you see # 290- 26 May, 2025

Wine, lovely wine

Chris Hall33 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Gosh, lovely wine, and only around the corner. So nice to be in the wine area. There are several vineyards right here. And really, really close. I mean just 10 mins away.’

‘Did you know that you could get an old, but refurbish wine-press, and not too far from here?’

‘Nice idea, although we don’t have very many vines in our yard.’

‘Maybe buy some more in the garden centre?’

‘Or just buy a load of grapes… some of those great big boxes in the supermarket.’

‘Hmm, that’s easier, and already grown.’

‘So back to the question, should we find a wine-press?’

‘I am sure it could be brought here, and we could use the old shed, since there are no hens anymore.’

(a little sigh for a moment)

‘So what do you think?’

‘Hmm, we don’t have to worry about this just yet…’

‘True, not until the spring… you know, around September, I think.’

‘Oh well, you know what time it is now?’

‘Ah, so it is!’

‘Okay, you get the glasses, and I’ll get the bottle.’

‘Chin-chin!’

‘Bottoms up!’

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

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.

(180 words)

Just blissful

Chris Hall48 Comments

it’s rainy and blustery
since it’s winter and chilly
but if we are all inside
it’s really blissful

It’s May, and its beautiful… sometimes still, but since we’re in the south hemisphere it’s pretty cold now!

~~~~~~

It’s a Dodoitsu – nice!

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Selma

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 13, MAY 20th: Stay In Joy

Always Paris

Chris Hall47 Comments

Paris Photographer – Louis Paulin

The red-headed women had woken up, and rather quickly, she’d sat up and looked around, wondering what time it was, clearly the sun was already quite high in the sky – what a beautiful day – she thrust her slippers on and almost jumped up from the bed.

She opened the two French doors, as the warm air flooded in, she gazed around the tiny balcony; then she gazed around again, looking up, around and everywhere, but there was no sign of the two lovely gargoyles – they were her friends!

She padded back into the kitchen to make some proper coffee, and something to eat; there was a slightly stale half a baguette which was good enough, she would share some of the crust with the two little doves who were nesting there.

After finishing her breakfast, or rather brunch, she wandered into the bedroom to dress – something fresh and light since it was May; she straighten her duvet and put her pjs on top with her pillows – all perfect now, especially since her pjs are called Cat-Puccino (yes, really).

She had been sitting on her bed, where all her treasures were strewn around now, not very useful, apart from her ruby ring which was pretty valuable; but the problem was she was bored – just bored; but that’s not the reason… no! time to go out.

She should trust her instincts, she would find something to do, and with that… she strided off – at least it’s wonderful Paris, as she smiled.

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Di of Pensitivity 101 –Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: THRUST, TRUST, CRUST

 

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

More #SixSentenceStories

 

 

 

 

A guy and a cat

Chris Hall43 Comments

He is an old guy
and rather downtrodden.
He stares in the distance
and thinking not too much.

Meanwhile the cat
sits pretty and pleased;
she’s the clever one.

is it his?
that cat?
now let’s see.

The guy turns to the cat
and the cat looks to him
but of course we are together,
now let’s go to eat something.

~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Maksym Mazur @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an old man sitting on a bench with a black plastic bag at his feet. A small black and white cat is sitting next to him under the bench. The man is shabbily dressed and looking toward the right with a forlorn look.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #289 photo prompt.

What do you see # 289- 19th May, 2025

Craft Market

Chris Hall41 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Another trophy,’ grinned Joey as he moved around the small museum, ‘and what a nice little find.’ He walked from one side to another, deciding where that best location would be.

He had been to the craft market at the start of the day, all the best bargains could go any time. He’d been poking around the various stalls, all kinds of bric-a-brac and stuff, and he almost couldn’t find anything appropriate. But then he saw it. Just a small wooden statue with a long face and a round tummy. Rather pleasing.

He’d haggled a bit, pushing down the price, even though he knew it was much more expensive – or at least he thought so. But of course he would do that, he couldn’t help himself. Always a dealer, as he winked, and then he hurried across the town, to open the museum.

But he couldn’t decide where to put this lovely piece.

He was sure it was very old, and also it must have come from somewhere in West Africa. Maybe Gambia or Sierra Leone? Why did he think about that? He should have to send an email to a few friends around the world. But meanwhile he would put the little piece on the desk at the front, next to his laptop.

He picked it up again.
Then he closed his eyes.

‘You must have been in a large ship, and dangerous. From Africa to North Carolina, USA, but in between you went to Liverpool – is that right?’

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

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.

(250 words)

Just a broken chair

Chris Hall52 Comments


Just a broken chair – and it’s a Hainka

just a broken chair
but so many stories appear
even though it’s old

I can still sit there
shadows and sunshine are fine
just a broken chair
but more stories still unfold
and what will happen next time?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Melissa from Mom With a Blog

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 12, Hainka, 5/13/25

Health Kick (Tales from the SSC&B)

Chris Hall33 Comments

Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

The red-headed writer (aka la Raconteuse) had decided that she would not go to the Six-Sentence-Café-and-Bistro today, no naughty-but-nice things to eat just at the moment; she was already primed to eat healthy things, and she had several juices on the go, plus for breakfast she had some muesli and half of a mango.

Then suddenly she could hear a ruckus down below, she opened her front door, it seemed that a couple of officers were waving a warrant around in one of the lower apartments; it was interesting, but best not to get involved, she thought, in any case petty rules were not for her, as she shut the door, and rather quickly.

She potted around in the living space, as she grinned: primal, she thought, it was a new plant called a Venus fly-trap; she peered closer, aha she beamed, another one caught – excellent!

She went to the tiny kitchen, and quickly washed the dishes, but she glared at that messy thing on the corner; perhaps she should forget about using that juicer, it was so messy and fiddly, and it took forever to clean it.

She went for a rummage in the bedroom – lots of things were under the bed – she pulled everything out and there it was, the useful box and inside was the receipt and the warranty, because by this time, she knew she would never use that juicing thing ever again.

But now she was hungry again, what would she eat… maybe another banana?

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Di of Pensitivity 101 – Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge: PERHAPS, PETTY, PRIMAL

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

More #SixSentenceStories

Just a few flowers

Chris Hall35 Comments

just a few flowers
on the edge of the landscape
it’s so grey
there’s no mauve, jasmine or pearl
so smoggy in that city

but close by, the colours are vibrant
there’s dahlias and daisies
so vivid

but it’s blurring now
such a shame

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

Image credit: Brooke Balentine @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a few flowers lying on the parapet of a high-rise building. In the blurred background, the tall buildings of a cityscape can be seen.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #288 photo prompt.

What do you see # 288- 12 May, 2025