Maybe it’s a mashup

Chris Hall46 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

I didn’t expect that, but what a happy coincidence – two things happened at the same time (well, almost); just like ‘kill two birds with one stone’ (not literally, of course), but now I have ‘Six Sentence Stories’ and ‘The Unicorn Challenge’, how fun!

So, anyway, look at the photo – three musicians, all fine players, performing.

I remember the wonderful song ‘Pass the Dutchie’ (1982), written by three songwriters: Jackie Mittoo, Fitzroy ‘Bunny’ Simpson and Lloyd ‘Judge’ Ferguson from Kingston. It talks about the Dutch oven, a type of cooking pot, in Jamaica, and how very delicious it is. Even more interesting, the Jamaican slang is from a pot holding marijuana, although we would never use it (ehem).

So, enjoy the music!

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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.

Denise Farley of Girlie On The Edge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: PASS
Click on the Café sign for more #SixSentenceStories

Walking in the snow

Chris Hall69 Comments

I can see footprints
but there is only me here
trudging in the snow

a moment later
and now there are two people
that’s so much better

let’s walk together
and do you know who it is?
it’s Piglet and Pooh!

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Image credit: Moostapper@Pixabay
For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a deep blue sky and mountains in the distance. The ground is covered by snow and a single track of footprints is seen headed towards the mountains.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #226 photo prompt

What do you see # 226- February 19, 2024

A journey around the stars

Chris Hall70 Comments


The red-headed writer, aka the Raconteuse, had realise that she had been wandering for months, maybe for years.

But what had happened? she remembered seeing a large ship and she had been shivering on the beach; she was dripping and all she could think was that she couldn’t write because the pen and paper were too wet.

Things became very strange – she was striding over mountains and across lakes, moving around so many places, she looked over oceans – was it the big, beautiful bridge, San Francisco? – and then she moved farther and farther away.

She hovered over the clouds and she felt her heart beat singing with joy; her mind, her spirit and even her soul, brimming over with glee. She thought that she had been to the stars as far as the milky way and back again.

But now she was back properly; the Raconteuse walk across the street, then hailed a cab, whistling loudly, ‘taxi!’

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Denise Farley of Girlie On The Edge’s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt: HEART

Click on the Café sign for more #SixSentenceStories

Free You Mind

Chris Hall70 Comments


She stared at the bridge
looking at the train getting closer
she walked along the metal grid
as the train was almost here, as it closed the gap
she grabbed the ledge, holding on
hoping, wishing.

The water was deep below
blazing in the wide river
shimmering in the sun.

The last thing she said was ‘free my mind’
and she flung herself and fell
down
down
gone.

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Image credit: Suefeldberg
For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a wall graffiti painted on a metallic side of bridge; FREE YOUR MIND.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #224 photo prompt

What do you see # 224- February 5, 2024

Drifting

Chris Hall83 Comments

the journey begins

slowly, slowly
ebb and flow, ebb and flow

wave on wave, back and forth
the moon clicking on, waxing and waning
by month, by month, by month

the mind is drifting
the spirit is dancing
the body is shattered

but now the stars are sparkling
flinging around with joy

this is freedom

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Image credit: Jona 162@ pixabay
For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a figure of a young woman / girl sitting by the waterside. Part of her body is solid while the rest seems to be evaporating in vapour from.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #220 photo prompt

Around the World

Chris Hall
The view through my kitchen window today

Preparing for the coming festivities, modest though they are again this year, I gaze out of my kitchen window. Carols from Cambridge are playing on my CD as I chop and stir. Craning up at the wide blue African sky, I think of all the friends I’ve made across the globe. The storytellers, the poets and the bloggers who through their words, thoughts and dreams make my world all the richer every day.

warm wind blows
while thoughts from abroad
embrace me

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Be happy, be safe, and let us look to a better future for the world, my writing friends!

It’s almost Christmas

Chris Hall73 Comments

The Waxing Crescent Moon has a sickle shape.
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/waxing-crescent.html

North and South (slightly different)

As the festivities commence
my thoughts turn north
to the country of my birth
where snow crunches underfoot
and darkness is driven away
by constant pools of light.

Where ice sparkles
and children exhale
frosty breath
making snow angels
on silvery lawns.

Now I’ve put down roots
where summer’s sun
bakes the thirsty earth
and children dance
on dusty paths.

Here, where velvet darkness
draws in quickly
and Africa’s golden moon
smiles down, I know
I’m already home.

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I wrote this back in December 2021. 
It had been in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #113

Reading from last year!

Chris Hall56 Comments

That’s right. It was 2022!

I was just about to read another book, but suddenly… a little whimper. But never mind, it’s come back.

And that was how I used to read and review – from Goodreads

Here’s what I read the most recently (a little while ago) – April to June 2022 – Q2

My reviews:
2022 Sci-Fi Anthology by E. J. Runyon (Editor)
My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood
The Candle Game and other stories by Chris Nelson
Isak Dinesen – The Life of Karen Blixen by Judith Thurman
Eclectic Verses by Radhika Puttige
The Sorcerer’s Garden by D. Peach Wallace
Daddy’s Girl by Margie Orford
After Rain Skies: Second Edition by Michelle Ayon Navajas

As you know, I used to be a prolific reader and I will again. How soon I don’t know but it is getting closer.



 

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Chris Hall100 Comments

  1. Speech
  2. Writing
  3. Reading
  4. Numbers

These are all different.

I can mostly talk okay now which is good! However, there is much to do.

Each day I choose to write three sentences with two words, using ‘Multiple Sentences Formulation’ and I do three different things.

I start to write carefully. It’s not easy.

I write on the laptop and then I listen to it.

Then I write it again, and I ask lovely husband, Cliff, to make sure that it’s right.

This takes a lot of time. You see, I can’t get the right word every time yet. Sometimes it could take more than five minutes! Even though I get frustrating. But it’s worth it.

I pop a little line here and there in WordPress. Also, once a week, I have been doing ‘Three Things Challenge’ on Wednesday with the wonderful Di at pensitivity101.

Spring has sprung in the West Coast (in the south hemisphere) and floral buds are springing up. The festive season is fast approaching and the villages and little towns are so abundant in beautiful wild flowers. 🌺🌼🌸

I like to read as much as I can. This is quite difficult still, although it’s much better. And how exciting when my lovely friend, Robbie, posted a few days ago, her ‘Roberta Writes’ for my book, Spirit of Shell Man – even though I can’t read properly yet!

Finally, a little bit of numbers. Did you know that I have aways been a demon Scrabble person? This really helps and it’s such fun, with my great friend, Laurette, each Saturday morning. We have scored each time almost 500, and last week we got to 501! She also put a nice photo with me and my cat, Luna.

The Long Road

Chris Hall75 Comments

This is how it starting. Back from the void… ‘Coming Back’

And now, what can I see?

At the very start, it sees that the brain doesn’t recognise in my head properly at all.

Only listening.

Another few weeks. A little talking.

I look at my right hand. I need to write.

I move the pencil and the hand, and I look at my eyes..

This is how it works. (Sort of).

“Your eyes work, but the letters on the page have turned into squiggles. They make no sense. Now meet Howard Engel, a writer of detective stories, who has this condition, but amazingly, has found a way to trick his brain to almost read again.”

Something else

Much later, I find another writer. He had a ‘problem’ similarly to mine.

And I know he’s back, Dylan!

Take a look.

A Writer’s Journey to Aphasia and Back Again. Sort of.

So where am I now?

I am not quite right yet. My legs and arms and everything are good, although walking around is still a little odd. There is a little bit in my sight and I can’t see well on the right, but it is getting smaller.

My writing is getting so much better. Reading is still a bit difficult and talking is the same. Sometimes it is perfect but other times it disappears. Oh well.

Yes, I am ever so slow.

But I’m coming.