Our Cathedral

Posted on October 28, 2023 by crispina kemp

17th October 2023

The earliest parts of Norwich cathedral date to late C11th, but it has been much extended with later Gothic additions. I like these Romanesque parts the best

Starts With C, one of the titles from Maria Antonia’s #2023picofthe week 

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They Called Her Didz

Posted on October 28, 2023 by crispina kemp

Image: Enrique Meseguer on Pixabay

Her family called her Didz, and only her family knew why.

She had strange memories, memories that didn’t tally with anyone else. She’d say, You remember that time when… And her family would sadly shake their heads.

Folks thought her a liar, a dreamer, a fabulator – but aren’t we all fabulators to some extent, exaggerating, elaborating, finding the narrative that is our life?

She had several lives. She had dissociative identity disorder: d.i.d.

73 words for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Dissociate

Note: I came across this mental disorder when researching a story, and I gulped, for we’ve always called my eldest daughter Didz. But that’s cos she’s diddy.

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Friday Fungi

Posted on October 27, 2023 by crispina kemp

A few of the fungi seen on our walk 14th October 2023. Enjoy, you fabulous fungi fanatics!

14th October 2023 

Insy-winsy ones…

14th October 2023 

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The water was high!

14th October 2023 

These and the next two were growing around, in and on an old stump

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A slime mould…

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The green on these brackets is algae…

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And to finish, the type of fungi that elves, gnomes, pixies and fairies love best!

Hope you enjoyed

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CCC259: The Treasure Hunt

Posted on October 26, 2023 by crispina kemp

Are you sure this is the place? What does the poem say?

‘Beside a river yawning.’

And?

This is the River Yare. Yare, yawn, close.

I suppose.

‘Beneath a cover dawning.’

What’s that supposed to mean?

Open to the sky?

But it isn’t.

Some of it is. And ‘Above an ivy bank.’

Okay, I’ll give you that. What else?

‘In a building cold and dank.’

Yeah, I guess so. And what happens if we’re the first?

We get to compete in the National Treasure Hunt.

And the prize is?

Our power bills paid for an entire five years!

Right, let’s go look – and hope no one’s beaten us to it.

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Crimson’s Creative Challenge #259

Posted on October 25, 2023 by crispina kemp

Every Wednesday I post a photo (this week it’s that one above.)
You respond with something CREATIVE

Here are some suggestions:

  • An answering photo
  • A cartoon
  • A joke
  • A caption
  • An anecdote
  • A short story (flash fiction)
  • A poem
  • A newly minted proverb, adage or saying
  • An essay
  • A song—the lyrics or the performance

You have plenty of scope and only two criteria:

  • Your creative offering is indeed yours
  • Your writing is kept to 150 words or less

If you post a link in the comments section of this post I’ll be able to find it.

Here’s wishing you inspirational explosions. And FUN

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Tuesday Treats: Wow! Colours…

Posted on October 24, 2023 by crispina kemp

Some colourful details from our walk on 14th October 2023. Enjoy…

14th October 2023

Incredible colours on this strayed-by-the-wayside Virginia Creeper…

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The wild privet is tame by comparison…

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Willow leaves, golden in the sun…

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Orange timber of alder, showing the four trunks that made up this tree…

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And more orange…

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The delicate pinky-mauve hued heads of Hemp Agrimony hanging on…

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While the heads of others of that species are blown!

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The spidery seed-clusters of Old Man’s Beard/Traveller’s Joy, wild Clematis…

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And in the woods, Spindle bears orange berries hidden inside fuchsia-pink calyxes while the leaves begin their journey to vibrant magenta…

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14th October 2023

And a shot I couldn’t resist. These are proper British snails. So pretty…

Hope you enjoyed. Don’t miss Fungi Friday!

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Sunday Picture Post: By Woods and Lake

Posted on October 22, 2023 by crispina kemp

14th October 2023 we hop on a bus to Norwich, and hop off again on the outskirts of the city… we’re going to Whitlingham Country Park. Please join us, it’s such a sunny day…

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Blinded by the light as we bypass Trowse village… a quick click between passing traffic to capture the light on Trowse meadow…

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14th October 2023 

There’s a small woodland before the park, and we always pop our heads (and cameras) in there before going further…

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Too early yet for the leaves to turn… but look what greeted us at the park…

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Alder is a tree of many colours, producing several different coloured dyes according to which part of the tree is used

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Not much variety on the lake. The usual swans, gulls, geese, mallards, moorhens, coots…

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Now where’s that second coot gone?

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Across the lake a “hide” from which, on an earlier visit, we took wonderful photos of a nesting swan… and beyond that, something “gothic” (it’s a church and is quite a distance beyond those trees)

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One of the channels which enjoy visitors don’t have to wade through mud

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Beyond the lake there is River Yare… same as reaches the sea at my home town

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Into the woods and up the hills, and down again…

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My favourite two trees in this woodland…

That’s it for now, folks. Hope you enjoyed. Tuesday Treats focuses on Colour.

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Fresh Cut Alder

Posted on October 21, 2023 by crispina kemp

14th October 2023

We visited Whitlingham Country Park on 14th October (see my posts for tomorrow, Tuesday and Friday). Several of the alders had been recently cut, exposing such wondrous vibrant colour!

Orange Rules, one of the titles from Maria Antonia’s #2023picofthe week 

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The Eagle and the Crow

Posted on October 21, 2023 by crispina kemp

image: Nanne Tiggelman on Pixabay

“That’s it, I’ve had enough,” said the crow.

“But you’ve barely begun,” the eagle screeched. “How many fields have you stripped?”

“I’ve stripped my share. I’m not as young as I seem.”

“You’re not old. Were you here before those fields were made, and they started planting them corns?”

“Oh, and I suppose you were.”

“I watched those thieving mice move in, that’s how old I am.”

“Huh, you’re no guard, that’s why they made the scarecrow.”

“Neither is that strawman, now that he’s absquatulated.”

85 words written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Absquatulate

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CCC258: A Bottle Bewitched

Posted on October 19, 2023 by crispina kemp

Trudy the Witch enjoyed a tipple
Just a sip or two
She couldn’t cope with a bottle full
She couldn’t cope with two
She stood the second on the wall
When I passed I felt its pull
Irresistible
Alas the witch had spelled it
Untouchable
I reached
I tripped
I fell
Collided with the wall
Head spin
Eyes dim
Darn it all!

Posted in Crimson's Creative Challenge, Photos, Poems (Some Silly) | Tagged , , | 8 Comments