Did anyone happen to see four horsemen head past this way? Just wondering since, as Kay mentioned yesterday, the skies here in beautiful California have taken on quite the Apocalyptic coloring.
At least it’s not blisteringly hot to boot. A quick check of my thermometer shows that there has been a twenty degree temperature drop in the past two days. If this was a competition though, beautiful Colorado would be the winner. They had both record heat and then record snow, all within 48 hours. That’s just crazy!
Nature is either going through a cranky phase or trying to get our attention. I hope things calm down soon. Nothing like breathing smokey air for a while to make you appreciate clear fresh skies. Fortunately, other than air you can see and a fine dusting of ash all over the yard, everyone is fine here. I can’t imagine how horrible it has been for those in the path of the flames.
Fortunately I was able to plant the flowering shrubs, which had been languishing in my kitchen sink, into the backyard the other day during a very brief patch of clear. I didn’t do the best of jobs, but the plants are still alive, so I’m going to call it a win. As long as the assorted wildlife that have been digging holes in my lawn and tunneling under my fence leave the plants alone, I’ll be able look forward to some pretty flowers in a few months.
With nothing left to plant (thank goodness) and no plans to actually leave the house for the next few days, I’ll have plenty of time to tackle some of those projects I’ve been meaning to get to for, well, quite some time. The mending pile has been giving me the evil eye for weeks, so maybe I’ll start there. Before wading into that delightful task, I think I’ll give today’s writing prompt and random words at shot.
Care to join me?
For those of you working away on a story (whether a first draft or a polished version on its way to publication), if you’re not feeling random, we’d love to hear a bit – whether it’s a scene, a paragraph, or even a phrase that you are especially pleased with and would like to share.
If you don’t have a story in progress, or just want to work on something new, I hope either today’s random words or writing prompt will catch your creative fancy.
Ready?
What if: “Your character is planning an escape?
Feel free to interpret the “What” any way you choose (or ignore it completely) and include any (or all) of the following random words:
phantom clean annual damage
buffer diamond exchange escape
cannon passenger seed harmony
trust grey sweat lottery
I look forward to seeing your stories in the comments. If you’re not feeling in the writing mood today, or don’t have time, feel free to post suggestions you might have for future “what-if” prompts. Ideas are always welcome.
Happy writing to all!
Eight Ladies Writing 
Congratulations on getting your planting done, Elizabeth! I hope they can survive the smoke and ash.
I used up all the words today, but the story doesn’t make much sense. I just wanted to put in a T-shirt cannon, so … what’s a sprint for if you can’t put in a T-shirt cannon when you want to?
The Great Escape
Miles Pollard shot off the T-shirt cannon, blasting another grey sweatshirt into the bleachers.
“Clean hit,” said his best friend, Arlo, who was following the action with his binoculars. “You whacked a drunk guy in a MAGA cap.”
“Any damage?”
“Looks like he escaped injury. I trust you won’t make that error again.”
Miles grinned, loading up the cannon. “So how are things going with the engagement?” he asked. “Did you go diamond shopping with Galatea yet?”
“No,” Arlo said gloomily. “We had a full and frank exchange of views on that subject. Her mother is about to have kittens.”
“She’s pregnant with kittens?”
“Ha,” Arlo said. “No. She’s doing her best to destroy the beautiful harmony that is Galatea and me. She’s a bad seed, Miles, I’m telling you.”
Miles considered his responses as he shot off the T-shirt cannon again, a duty he’d assumed for the benefit of his father’s annual skeet shooting charity fundraiser. The normally solitary effort provided a welcome buffer against the demands of the shooting, which he didn’t like and didn’t understand, so he was more than understanding of Arlo’s difficulties with his future mother-in-law. The parental units could be so difficult.
This year, however, he’d brought Arlo along to ride shotgun at his father’s event. He’d wanted to hear more about the phantom engagement and almost certain nonmarriage of his best friend.
“You know, Arlo, you have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting married,” he said finally.
“You just hit a guy wearing an All Lives Matter shirt,” Arlo said, his eyes glued to the binoculars.
“Of course, I did,” Miles said. “You’re not the only one planning an escape.”
Thanks, Kay. I hope the plants live too. Now if only the air was clear enough to go outside and enjoy them.
I liked your sprint today and total agree with the need for a t-shirt cannon. Now . .. about that phantom engagement of Arlo’s . . . that has me curious.