Succinctly yours: incandescent

Every week, over at the Grandma's Goulash blog, is a meme called
Succinctly Yours.
Grandma publishes a photo prompt, along with these instructions:

How low can you go?

Use the photo as inspiration for a story of 140 characters OR 140 words.

Photo provided as prompt

There is also a word of the week, and this time it is incandescent.

Unfortunately, I have a headache which makes it impossible for me to think,

so I wasn't able to use the word of the week right now.

Fortunately, the photo is of a tiny critter we actually saw in Costa Rica,

and it was quite easy to write something about it in 140 characters,

including spaces and punctuation.

When we were visiting Costa Rica, we saw a wonderful little blue-legged fellow called a Blue Jeans Frog. There's nothing like it in Alberta.

Photo by Richard Schear, 2007

Succinctly yours: appreciate

Each week a photo appears on the Grandma's Goulash blog, accompanied by a word of the week. This time it is appreciate. The word was suggested by Grandma's daughter, Calico, before she saw the photo, so it might be difficult to incorporate the two in one mini story. How mini? Very mini. We are asked to use the photo as a prompt for a short story of 140 words, or a short-short story of 140 characters including punctuation and spaces.
Below the photo is my submission of 140 characters, punctuation, spaces and all.

Photo supplied as prompt

I'm afraid I don't appreciate these things properly. In fact, they've terrified me all my life, but I hated to disappoint the grandchildren.


Posted for Succinctly Yours

Succinctly yours: conquer

Once a week, over at the Grandma's Goulash blog, a picture is posted as a prompt for the Succinctly Yours meme. Before seeing the photo, Grandma's daughter Calico chooses a word of the week. The challenge for writer-bloggers is to write a short story of 140 words based on the prompt photo and using the word of the week if possible, or to write a short-short story of 140 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation. The word of the week is optional, but it's easier to fit it into 140 words than 140 characters.

Below, better late than never, is the prompt photo, along with my submission of 140 characters, including this week's word: conquer. This photo brought back memories of my childhood and a 14-foot rowboat called The MacD owned by my dad and my grandfather. My brother and I loved fishing on Lake Okanagan.

Again, my grandfather, father and brother stayed on the lake until sunset, trying to conquer the big trout which had eluded them all summer.

Now that I've written my contribution, I can check out the others, always a great deal of fun. Thanks, Grandma and Calico!

Succinctly yours: privilege

Each week, at Grandma's Goulash, a photo is posted to inspire writer-bloggers to write a short story of 140 words or less, or a short-short story of 140 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation.
There is also a word of the week. This time it is privilege.
Here is the photo supplied as a prompt, along with my submission of 100 characters.

Everyone thought it was a privilege, attending a retreat in an old but very updated Spanish mission.

Posted for Succinctly Yours

Succinctly yours: old advertisement

Photo provided as prompt

Oh, Mama dearest, I'm afraid I'm simply not ready to learn to play the balalaika, but I would like to play horsie with your rocking chair.

Posted for
Succinctly Yours
hosted by Grandma's Goulash

Every week, a photo is provided by Grandma's Goulash, to inspire bloggers to write about it in 140 words or less, or else 140 characters including spaces and punctuation. Above is my submission of 139 characters.
There is also a word of the week, chosen by Grandma's daughter Calico before she saw the prompt photo. This week's word is not balalaika. Actually, it is impetus, something of which I have very little these days, certainly not enough to be able to share any with my Succinct submission.

Succinctly yours: thwart

Posted for
Succinctly Yours
Wherein Grandma, at her Grandma's Goulash blog, posts a photo, and her daughter Calico suggests a word without seeing the photo. Take the two together and come up with a short story of 140 words, or a short-short story of 140 characters including spaces and punctuation — that's the challenge at the Succinctly Yours meme on Mondays.

Above is the prompt photo. This week's word is "thwart"

and here is my submission of 120 characters.

The dinosaurs were athwart the main road and coming closer. Could Mayberry's three-man police force thwart their attack?

Succinctly yours: enchant

Posted for Succinctly Yours,

the microfiction meme hosted by Grandma's Goulash. Each week Grandma posts a photo to inspire us to write a short story of 140 words, or a short-short story of 140 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

Before being shown the photo, Grandma's daughter, Calico, provides a Word of the Week, which can be used, or not, at the writer's discretion. This week's word is enchant.

Here is my submission of 140 characters, which more or less uses the word of the week.

Photo prompt courtesy of Pat and Jerry, microfictionists extraordinaire.

The inexperienced actor was enchanted to play a central character in a new movie, but no one told him to report to Wardrobe for his costume.

Succinctly Yours: transport

I'm so glad to be back to the writing meme with the least writing—microfiction at Grandma's Goulash—Succinctly Yours! Grandma asks us to use the published photo as a prompt, then write a short story of 140 words or a short-short micro-story of 140 characters including spaces and punctuation.
Before seeing the photo, Grandma's daughter chooses a word of the week for us to include, or not, as we choose. No bonus points.
This week's word is transport and my submission is 139 characters, using the unbonus word twice. (She said, humbly.)

Photo supplied as prompt

Al dreamed of a ride-on lawnmower to transport him while he worked at his least favorite chore. He'd be in transports of joy if he had one.

Check out Grandma's Goulash and give it a try, maybe start with 140 words and work your way down to 140 characters. It's fun!

Succinctly yours: serendipity

Rocky cheered the serendipity of finding a container of water for washing his food. Then he realized this gardener hadn't left any food out.

Posted for

Succinctly Yours

hosted by Grandma's Goulash,

in which Grandma posts a prompt photo every week and her daughter, Calico, suggests a word of the week before seeing the photo. Writer-bloggers are to write a short story of 140 words based on the prompt, or a short-short microfiction of 140 letters including spaces and punctuation.

Above is my contribution for today. 140 characters, using the week's word:

serendipity.

Succinctly yours #50: saturated

Photo provided as prompt

Succinctly Yours is a weekly microfiction meme to be found at the blog Grandma's Goulash. It's easy and it's fun. A prompt photo is posted every week for would-be microfiction writers.

The rules? 

Grandma says: How low can you go? Use the photo as inspiration for a story of 140 characters (including spaces and punctuation) OR 140 words.

Grandma's daughter chooses the word of the week before she sees the photo. This week's word is saturated.

Here is my submission of 140 characters, including punctuation, spaces, and the word of the week:

*

The original photo was saturated with color: red sweater, purple coat, bright green grass. The photographer decided to use black and white.

*

This is week #50 of Succinctly Yours. Microfiction enthusiasts are hoping it will continue well past its first 'memeaversary' in two weeks!

Succinctly yours: extend

We'd like to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending ClownCon this year. Give yourselves a hand, now. We can't do it, we're just toys.

Posted for  Succinctly Yours

the microfiction meme over at Grandma's Goulash. Every week, a photo is posted for writer-bloggers to use as a prompt in writing a short story (140 words or less) or a micro-short story (140 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation).

Each week, without seeing the picture first, Grandma's daughter Calico chooses a word of the week. Its use is optional, but I like to be able to fit it in, if I can. This week's word is extend.

Above is my submission of 139 characters, including the word of the week.

Check out others by clicking  HERE!

For Real Toads: submitting my Mad limericks

© Photo by Richard Schear

Insomnia last night. Too many things going around in my head about the upcoming kitchen reno. Beautiful day today and I couldn't even think up something original for the microfiction prompt at Succinctly Yours. Had to resort to a quotation instead.
However, I did come up with three original (and true) limericks for Mad Kane's Limerick-Off, and am now submitting those for Open Link Monday at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads. I'm so glad it is Open Link today!
Now that I have you completely confused about what I'm doing and why, here are the three little limericks I wrote earlier to go with Madeleine's opening line "A fellow who had a degree..."

*

A fellow who has a degree

A doct’rate in something, you see,

His name is Gabor

Which I pronounce Gabber

Because he has gossiped ’bout me.

*

A Canadian who got a degree

In British-in-India hist'ry

Couldn’t come back

To BC, alack!

None at home would hire poor he.

*

A fellow who had a degree

From McGill could not teach Grade Three

Had to get an Ed Dip

Thus delaying his trip

To teach in the North Territ’ry

Succinctly yours: revolution

Each week, at Grandma's Goulash, we are given a prompt photo as well as a word of the week. Grandma's daughter, Calico, chooses the word before seeing the photo. Then writer-bloggers are asked to write about the photo in 140 words or less, or in 140 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation, and to include the word of the week if we'd like, and if we can.
Well, this week's photo and word of the week (revolution) just added up to one thing in my mind, and I could't think of anything else...

Photo provided as prompt

"You say you want a revolution, well, you know we all want to change the world. But when you talk about destruction...you can count me out."

So, my 140 characters, including spaces and punctuation, this week include quotation marks because this is a bit from my favorite Beatles song Revolution from their White Album. (This song is also known as "Revolution 1" to distinguish it from "Revolution Number 9" which is completely different.)

Posted for

Succinctly Yours

Succinctly yours: this week's word: honest

Photo provided as prompt

To be honest, I thought we'd never find my dream home but there it was. It even had red chairs on the veranda, just as it had in my dream.

138 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and the word of the week.

Each week, on the blog Grandma's Goulash, we find the Succinctly Yours meme, with a prompt photo to inspire writer-bloggers to write a short story of 140 words or less, or a short-short story of 140 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation. Grandma's daughter, Calico, chooses the word of the week before she sees the photo.
For other microfictions inspired by this prompt, please click HERE!

Succinctly yours: speculate

His broker wanted him to speculate in the stock market.

His father told him to get a job before speculating in anything.

‡

Each week, over at the blog Grandma's Goulash, Grandma chooses a photo and her daughter Calico chooses a word of the week before she ever sees the photo.

Then writer-bloggers are given a choice:

1. Write a short story of no more than140 words about the photo

2. Write a short-short story about it, using no more than 140 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

3. Use the word of the week if possible, but there's no penalty if you can't.
‡

Above is my submission of 120 characters, including spaces, punctuation and the word of the week, to this week's SUCCINCTLY YOURS!

Succinctly yours: tree, bicycle, hibernate

Each week, a photo is posted at the blog Grandma's Goulash for the Succinctly Yours meme. Grandma's daughter Calico chooses a word of the week before she sees the photo. This week, her word is hibernate, but I couldn't fit it into my 140-character mini-story.

One hundred and forty characters? Yes, including punctuation and spaces! We could also write a short story about the photo, using 140 words, but I managed to end up with exactly 140 characters. So here we have this week's photo, along with my mini-submission.

It would be easier to ride up the other side, where it slants, but to make it on Canada's Got Talent, I'd better learn to ride up this side.

Succinctly yours: bluster

Photo provided as prompt

Oh, yeah? If you think I bluster, Buster, wait until you hear me nag, you old nag!

Posted for
Succinctly Yours
the weekly meme at the Grandma's Goulash blog, when Grandma chooses a photo, then her daughter chooses a word of the week without seeing the photo.
Writer-bloggers are invited to write a 140-word short story about the photo, or a mini-story using 140 characters, including spaces and punctuation. 140 is the maximum, we can use fewer words or characters if we like. We can choose for ourselves whether or not we want to include the word of the week, which, this week, is "bluster".
Above is my submission of 82 characters, including spaces, punctuation, and the word of the week.

Succinctly yours: woman on bench

Each week, a photo is posted on the blog Grandma's Goulash, and writer-bloggers are invited to write a short story about it in 140 words or less, or a short-short item of 140 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation.
I'm running late  this week but I'm going to try for the 140-character option.
Here are my three submissions:

*


The woman sat, dreaming happily after her lunch. Little did she know the park police were coming, to make her their first littering arrest.
139 characters
*
The park policeman radioed: "We've got a litterer, Sarge, on the left: sunglasses and conflicting stripes. Should we bring her in now?"
136 characters
*
Her husband approached and said, "Quick, pick up those papers. Don't you know the new litter law starts today and I'm the crown prosecutor?"
140 characters
*
Each one a mini-story on its own, or read all three in a row for a maxi-mini story with a mere 70 words, half the suggested number.
However, the word of the week, chosen by Grandma's daughter Calico before she has seen the photo, is "dream" and I've used "dreaming" instead. Succinct, yes. Perfect, no. But it is almost midnight. G'night, folks!

Succinctly yours: dinosaur memories

Every week at the blog Grandma's Goulash, writer-bloggers find a photo to inspire us to write succinctly, which means something like "brevity squared". We can write a short story of 140 words, or a short-short item of 140 characters including spaces and punctuation.

There is also a word of the week for us to include if we can. This week's word is memories, which didn't fit into my poem, so I had to use it in my title (which doesn't count). The word is chosen by Grandma's daughter, Calico, before she sees the photo.


I want a dinosaur for Christmas.
Only a dinosaur will do:
One to stand so tall,
To make my bro feel small,
He will cry every time he looks!


140 characters including spaces and punctuation

Succinctly yours: nimble

SNOWMAN AND MOM

His mother had named him Jack, and he never forgave her. His friends teased him, “Jack, be nimble! Jack, be quick!” but he was neither one.

139 characters, not including title

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Posted for

Succinctly Yours

Hosted by Grandma's Goulash

Every week Grandma posts a picture and, along with it, the word of the week, chosen by her daughter Calico who has not yet seen the picture.

This week's word is nimble!
As participants, we are invited to write a short story about the picture, using 140 words or less, or a very, very short story using 140 characters or less, including punctuation and spaces. I have used 139 characters. There are no points awarded, not even extra points for using the word of the week. But it is a fun challenge to let us showcase our writing skills, and perhaps pick up hints along the way.

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To see how the photo inspired other writer-bloggers, please click
HERE!