Quiet days

Sometimes things can get a little overwhelming. But with this little guy around, you can’t get caught up in your own thoughts for too long before he has distracted you with the next most exciting thing in the world. Even a field with some roaming chickens in it can improve your day. 😁

He reminds me to smile and laugh every single day, even the hard ones!

Humanity is like an Ocean

Kate sobbed into the pillow. Talia leaned over and rubbed her back.

“Kate, it will be all right!” Kate sat up and looked her sister straight in the eyes.

“No Talia, it won’t. Each day, I do my job, I try to help and it seems each day another injured creature must be put to rest. And why? Because humans do not care! They have no time to pick up their waste after a trip to the beach or the park, indeed, they do not care what products they buy as long as it has the brand they want to be seen with or a price they are willing to pay. But who really pays the price, Talia? Those sorrowful creatures that look deep in my eyes as I soothe them and try to comfort them in their final hours.”

“Listen, my dear sister. You are correct, some humans, do not care but not all are like that, and I feel the tide is turning in our favour. You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. Until then we must keep campaigning. Keep spreading our word. Keep rescuing the injured. It will be worth it in the end. I assure you.”

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

Originally written in response to WQW – Ocean.

#WRITEPHOTO – Priory

Afternoon Everyone,

Welcome to the weekly #writephoto prompt!

At the priory

The monks sit and pray

At this majestic building

Day after day!

Priory – Image by KL Caley

For visually challenged writers, the image shows a beautiful old yellow stone priory with ivy growing up the sides.

The regulars already know this bit, but for those that don’t:

  • Each Thursday at Noon GMT I will post the #writephoto prompt
  • Use the image and prompt as inspiration to create a post on your own blog… poetry, prose, humour… light or dark, whatever you choose, as long as it is fairly family-friendly.
  • Please have your entries linked back to the original prompt post by the following Tuesday at Noon GMT.
  • Link back to this post with a pingback (Hugh has an excellent tutorial here)  and/or leave a link in the comments below, to be included in the round-up.
  • Please click their links to visit the blogs of other contributors and take time to read and comment on their work.
  • Use the #writephoto hashtag in your title so your posts can be found.
  • There is no word limit and no style requirements, except that your post must take inspiration from the image and/or the prompt word given in the title of this post.
  • Feel free to use #writephoto logo or include the prompt photo in your post if you wish, or you may replace it with one of your own to illustrate your work.
  • By participating in the #writephoto challenge, please be aware that your post may be featured as a reblog on this blog and I will link to your post for the round-up each week.

If you need some more inspiration or fancy a bit of light reading, check out last weeks round-up.

I can’t wait to read your creations.

Take Care.

KL ❤

#Writephoto Round-Up – Bucket

Bobbing boats floating out at sea
Sandy beach as far as the eye can see
The wafting smell of fish and chips
Knowing just one bite will go to my hips

Exciting children splash and run
Building sculptures just for fun
Decorated with scavenged treasures
A seaside day filled with pleasure

Bucket – Image by KL Caley

This sunny little picture was taken at Seaton Carew in the North East of England. My husband and I have visited there for years as it’s a bit quieter than other seaside towns. We used to take our dogs to a brilliant sand dunes section and watch them run up and down the sandy banks. Now with my little one, it’s all about visiting the main beach, collecting seashells and getting that all-important ice cream treat!

I’m so sorry, I haven’t quite got round to reading them all yet, but here is the wonderful collection below (if I have missed anyone, please let me know).

Entries:

I hope you’ll join me for another #writephoto challenge published today at 12 o’clock GMT.

Thank you all for taking part in #writephoto – Bucket

Take Care
KL ❤

Finding The Way

Ella had been lost for days.

Why had she made this deal with the devil?

But she knew she would take the deal again in a heartbeat. She would do anything for her family.

Yet, this never-ending maze was torturous. Exhausted, she dropped to her knees and let out a sob, which quickly turned into a desperate prayer.

Silence followed, then slowly her determination returned.

Getting to her feet, she navigated through the trees once more, arriving at a well-worn path.

Up ahead she saw an iron gate with the words “the way” written on it.

“Thanks”, she whispered.

The Way Gates – Image Credit – Keith Hardy

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a wrought iron gate with the words “the way” written on it. There’s a path beyond the closed gate leading into a tree-lined lane

This 99-word story was written in response to Sadje’s WDYS #137 challenge.

Review of The Visitors Book and other ghost stories by Sophie Hannah

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Paranormal

The Visitors Book – Cover


📖 This collection contains four short stories:
• The Visitors Book
• The Last Boy to Leave
• Justified True Belief
• All the dead mothers of my daughters friends

✍️ The Visitors Book is a story about Victoria and her strange partner Aaron who get into a huge row when she refuses to sign the visitors’ book at his London flat. Although from the short glance Victoria had at the book, there is something rather peculiar about the names in it, soon Victoria realises she could be in danger.

👫 The Last Boy to Leave is a heartbreaking short story and probably my favourite within the book. After relocating to a new area, Jen and Greg decide to throw their son Max a birthday party in their home. It soon descends into chaos with kids, running around everywhere, practically destroying the house and ignoring all Jen’s rules. Yet one young boy stops and helps Jen to clean and tidy, he’s polite and kind, yet something is not quite right about him.

👓 Justified True belief is such an interesting short story centred around medical health. The theory is pretty much those with an illness can detect others with the same illness. It’s very difficult to say more than that without spoiling it but it was a really good concept and I would have happily read this as a longer story/novel as it seems to have a lot of possibilities.

🗺 All the dead mothers of my daughters friends was probably my least favourite of the collection. It was probably quite accurate but it pretty much focused on snarky in-fighting between mothers at a school playground.

🗣 I often think it’s useful to see an extract of a book to get an idea of the writing style. Here is a brief extract so that you can see a sample of the writing yourself:

Aaron closes his eyes. ‘Will this argument ever end?’ he murmers.
‘Would you prefer me to back down and say, “You’re quite right, I’m so sorry”?’
‘Yes, I would. And then I’d like you to sign my visitors book.’
‘Jesus! Your obsession with getting me to sign that stupid book is bordering on the creepy, Aaron. Why does it matter so much to you?’

💭 Overall View: I enjoy a good ghost story and this was an enjoyable, short, sweet collection. I preferred The Last Boy to Leave and Justified True Belief to the other stories. They had just the right level of creepy and believable to them which I prefer. All in all, though an enjoyable collection and I look forward to reading more by this author.

👍 Please leave a like if you think my review/feedback of the item was helpful to you. Alternatively, please contact me if you want me to clarify something in my review.

The Visitors Book – Extract

#Writephoto Round-Up – Well

Temple of water
A magical site
Hidden by nature
Away from the light

Stumble upon it
Bare your true soul
The well will listen
And let the magic flow

Well – Image by KL Caley

I couldn’t decide whether to tell you guys that this was a well or not, would you know it was that without the label? Unfortunately, I couldn’t decide what else to call it, pyramid didn’t quite sound right.

I love this little well, doesn’t it look like it belongs to some sacred ritual site. Well, (haha) it belongs to Mount Grace Priory in Yorkshire so perhaps there was a ritual or two related to it. It’s a stunning place, and one of our favourite days out. Highly recommended if you are ever in the area.

I’ve had so many wonderful responses and enjoyed each and every one. I have tried to reblog a few since the post went out so hopefully, you will have seen some of them trickling through, but here is the list below (if I have missed anyone, please let me know). It makes for fantastic reading.

Entries:

I hope you’ll join me for another #writephoto challenge, I’m a little late in publishing this week’s round-up so the new challenge is already live: #writephoto – Bucket

Thank you all again for taking part in #writephoto – Well.

Take Care
KL ❤