Photo Writing Prompt: Praying Mantis

You are somewhere that doesn’t have computers or the internet or mobile phones.  Write about trying to describe a praying mantis to someone who has never seen it.

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Clothesline

Living in the country allows the luxury of a  clothesline.  I love the way sheet smell after hanging out to dry.  Towels feel a bit rough because we don’t use fabric softener, but I still love the way they feel and smell.  There’s nothing like a good clothesline.  Of course, on days like today when severe weather is predicted, clotheslines become interesting.  Trying to time it just right so the clothes stay out as long as possible before the storm hits.

Today that was made a bit easier by the nature of the storm.  Looking on radar, the clouds travel just in front of the storm.  As long as the sun is shining, the clothes are safe on the line.  I had a nice leisurely lunch, worked on my novel, talked with my best friend, played a few computer games, and waited for the clouds.  Thunder appeared about an hour ahead.  Still the sun was shining and the clothes hung on the line.  More thunder, still sunshine.  Closer thunder, still sunshine.  The clothes hung on the line.

They arrived all the sudden.  Sunlight shone outside one moment, then it was gone.  Okay, time to  bring the clothes inside.  I put shoes on and go outside.  The clothes wave in the wind that precedes the storm.  Thunder is much closer.  The flash of distant lightning lets me know I might have waited too long.  I’m moving clothespins one at a time quickly as possible without dropping the laundry.  I put everything over my shoulder rather than take the time to walk over to the basket.  Shirts, pants, socks, all on my shoulder.  Once I have everything, they get dumped into the basket.  I can hear the rain coming in a sheet.  It will be here in minutes.  I go to the door, open it, step inside, and the rain starts pouring down.

I take the basket into the bedroom and pick up a shirt.  “Ah,” I think, “I love that smell.”

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Photo Writing Prompt: Landing

You are on an airplane that is in the process of landing.  Did anything interesting happen on the flight?  Did you meet someone interesting?  How was the weather during the flight?  Why are you flying to this destination?  Who are you going to see while there?  What sights are you hoping to see?  Is the flight a vacation, for business, or for some other reason?

 

If you wish, you can post your story as a comment.  I’ll gladly approve them.

 

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Garden update

For the first time since being discharged from the hospital, I went for a walk to the garden.  These photos show what I found there.

Potato plant after lots of rain

Tomatoes with cages.

Broccoli after many days of rain. It spreads out and flowers when it gets too much water.

head of loose lettuce

leaf lettuce

Kale with seed pods

row of potato plants

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Busy Day in the Garden

Yesterday, with the help of my family (actually they did the vast majority of the work), we got the cucumbers and more tomatoes transplanted to the garden.  All together there were sixteen Boston pickling, ten straight-8s, and six lemon yellow cucumbers and four tomatoes.

Later today I hope to work in my greenhouse.  I want to wait until the heat of the day dissipates.

Thank you very much to all who worked so hard yesterday.  I love you each.

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Dog’s Life

  Here’s an old dog.  She’s seventeen years old and not in good health.  Imagine you’ve had her since she was a puppy.  Reflect back on those years with her.

 

 

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