This challenge was started by Delores a long time ago. Troubles led her to
bow out, but the challenge was too much fun to let go, and now the Words for Wednesday is provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast with Elephant's Child as our coordinator.
The general idea of this challenge is to make us write. Poems, stories, subtitles, tales, jokes, haiku, crosswords, puns, ... you're the boss. Use all Words, some Words or even none of them if that makes your creative juices flow. Anything goes, only please nothing rude or vulgar.
It is also a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true.
So Please, remember to follow their links, go back and read other peoples' stories. And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement. And we ALL need encouragement.
The general idea of this challenge is to make us write. Poems, stories, subtitles, tales, jokes, haiku, crosswords, puns, ... you're the boss. Use all Words, some Words or even none of them if that makes your creative juices flow. Anything goes, only please nothing rude or vulgar.
It is also a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true.
So Please, remember to follow their links, go back and read other peoples' stories. And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement. And we ALL need encouragement.
-- 🇦 -- 🇧 -- 🇨 --
All May the Words will be provided by David M Gascoigne and they will be made public at Elephant's Child's blog.
Today we had the words:
- Temperature
- Hope
- Roost
- Gentle
- Humidity
- Change
- Cope
- Reality
- Carcass
- Landscape
- Light
- Weather
I used the first batch, and as always in the order they were given, for a small story, only hinting at the magic that Susan and her grandmother are sharing.
As the temperature rose, so did the hope of Susan and her cousins. Each day they would follow Grandma to the roost and look into the nest where the hens were brooding. With her gentle hands Grandma touched the eggs, checking humidity and feeling for that subtle change. Susan so hoped the hatching would happen while she was still there.
And then, one rose-coloured morning Susan awoke and felt different. She found Grandma in the kitchen. "Grandma, will the chickens hatch today?" she asked.
"Why do you ask?" Grandma asked, "You know impatience is of no avail here. Chickens take 3 weeks, 3 days and 3 hours."
"I woke up feeling so sure today would be the day," Susan explained.
"And you might very well be right. I feel the same. Help me prepare breakfast, and then go and wake up those sleepyhead cousins of yours."
Susan was more than happy to comply.
- - - - - - - - - -
My answer - The Words for Wednesday as mentioned above, is an immense source of inspiration. My other source is everything I hear and see around me. Today, closing the chicken coop, my genealogy from April's A-Z challenge and those words just went together to form the story above.
I have a question. The last sentence
Susan was more than happy to comply.
Would I do better to leave it out?
At first I wrote the lines without this ending, then I felt it was a bit naked, now I think this line is maybe not necessary anyway - is this a case of less is more, is it a case of show, not tell, or is it fine as is?
An early typo struck me. Did you mean chance to be change? And yes, I would leave the last sentence out. As the story unfolds we will see whether Susan complies.
SvarSletI really like this - and wonder whether Susan has a bit of precognition in thinking that today is the day.
Thanks
Slet- autocorrect at its finest. Of course change, as it is one of the words!
- Superfluous sentence, won't make it into the story proper - if this whole scene ecven makes it there.
The precognition, which Susan shares with grandmother, is one of the signs of her magic. It is part of what makes them good with animals, and in Grandma's case sick people too.
I hope the chickens hatch for Susan and her Grandma. When I'm writing, most often a sentence will build itself around one of the words and then I go on from there.
SvarSletThey will, I think.
SletThat is how I do too. A sentence forms around the first word, and off it goes. If the first word won't collaborate, it takes me longer time to find the story.
For me this time "carcass" kicked off my story, which built itself around the sentence.
SletThis is my first time at your blog. This is so interesting. I would leave the last sentence out too. The ending is crisper with waking the "sleepyhead cousins." You can reach my blog at https://www.victoriamarielees.com/ All best to you!
SvarSletThank you ... crispier, a good word. I think you're right. I will go visit your blog when spring business has abated a bit ;) At first glance it looks interesting and witty.
SletI think that line ends the story nicely. I'd keep it.
SvarSletWell, now you make me doubt again. I trust your advice, as I admire your writing.
SletIf the story ends here, keep the line. If the story is continued, it wouldn't be needed, as you could show her going to wake everyone.
SvarSletI like the story and do hope they got to see the chicks hatch.
You solved the gordic knot. Thanks. It stays here, but in the - hopefully - next installment where the cousins enter the scene, poof, away it goes!.
SletThanks.
I like Grandma, she sounds wise and kind.
SvarSletI do think inspiration comes from everywhere, even when you think they are meaningless.
I think the last line, Susan was more than happy to comply., is fine. But then again, you sort of don't need it. I suppose it depends on what comes after this. We know Susan will wake her cousins because that seems to be the next natural step. Whether she is happy to comply, well, we sort of know she is because of her anticipation of the hatching.
Have a lovely day.