Strolling
At last I see hope
wild violets smiling through
a purple delight
Wordless Wednesday
Creativity!
There’s a new blog in town. It’s called Creating Something Every Day and has been created by Myfanwy, who some of you may know as Chittle Chattle. For a weekend of fun and creativity Myfanwy posted 33 prompts with the idea of getting as many people as possible to spend 15 minutes , or more of course, seeing what they could produce. There is a Facebook group as well as her blog and for several days people around the world have been posting photos and sharing their makes. And what makes! the work has been both beautiful and inspiring, using a multitude of media, lots of which I’d never heard of.
I just posted once, to the Facebook group, three potential journal covers that I designed especially for the challenge.
These are all created from my photos, the central circles are from the chocolates I posted here . https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/weekly-photo-challenge-joy/ with some editing in Pixlr and Photoshop. The background type print is a photo that I took of my own short story.
I’m a dabbler and I quite like the results but if you go and peep at the Facebook page, the work there is wonderful. I think Myfanwy is repeating the challenge weekend once a month but you can also ask to join the group and share something you make at any time.
This will explain all!http://createaday2014.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/
The Trojan Horse
Legend tells us that after 10 years of fighting with the Trojans the ancient Greeks turned to subterfuge to win the war. They built a huge wooden horse, hid their best soldiers inside and then pretended to sail away. The Trojans, thinking the horse was a splendid battle trophy, dragged the horse through the gates of their city. Under cover of darkness the Greeks crept out and opened the gates to the rest of their army. Troy was overthrown and the rest is history!
I went to the ruined city of Troy a couple of years ago. Seeing a huge wooden replica of the horse was an unexpected justaposition.
This post is for the Weekly Photo Challenge at WordPress where the theme is juxtaposition, join in here http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/photo-challenge-juxtaposition/
100Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week#118
Julia has been to a conference this week and took advantage of the opportunity to talk about the childrens version of 100WC which is a huge success in schools around the world. She is always on the look out for people to visit and comment on the children’s writing so if you have a little spare time go and talk to her. The conference inspired her prompt this week, it was just a sea of faces.
Here is my tongue in cheek attempt.
Calories
I took a bow with the rest of the troop, one – two – three and the music started. It’d been a long time since I last performed that routine, I was desperate to keep up, one step wrong and we would have ground to a halt. I stopped looking at the audience, it was only a four-four beat, but I had to concentrate to get my feet right.
It was just a sea of faces, but I recognised Nina, Lori, Rossi, Louisa, even Dido and Daisy – goodness knows how they snuck in!
My Wii friends had come to cheer Wii Mii on, ahh twenty calories burnt! 
To join in visit http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week118/
Lazy Poets Thursday Tanka
Flotsam
a rusting record
of vehicle or tin can
decays origin
thrown long ago by human
sure to turn to sand with time
Sunday Gave Even More
After leaving Branscombe, its beach and the lovely St Winifreda’s church, we drove back through Sidmouth and continued west up to Peak Hill. On the right is a free car park, the edge of Mutters Moor, a lowland heath where the walks have stunning views. There was a lot of mud and puddles on Sunday. 
Sunny gorse, pinecones and last years beech leaves next to this years new shoots.
Our Lady of the Woods had fallen, undermined by the flood. 
There were magical reflections. 
And after an hours walk we found ourselves nearly back at the start, when we had the first hint of something splendid. 
This is always a beautiful view, but today the light was perfect, changing every minute and to make it even more special, a family of ponies, Dartmoors I think.
Sunday January 19th, the day that kept on giving.
Click on any photo for a bigger view.
Marianne has begun a new challenge where you take one trip every month, near or far, and take photos or write all about it. Join her here http://eastofmalaga.net/2014/01/20/new-challenge-one-trip-every-month/
Wordless Wednesday
Sunday Kept on Giving
After leaving the beach at Branscombe yesterday we went up to see the church, St Winifreda’s. 
Partly Saxon, but mainly Early English and Norman, there are some interesting and unusual features to be seen. 
Like the Jacobean carved oak gallery above. And below, this 18th century three tier pulpit. The first tier is for reading lessons, the second for prayer and the top is for delivering sermons. I’ve never seen one before, have you? 
St Winifreda’s has some beautiful little details to admire.
Just two of the windows were stained glass, but richly coloured. 
Every pew had hand stitched hassocks, some in memory of parishioners, but also one for every monarch in English history. These are the most recent, Victoria, Edward V11, George V and GeorgeV1
I thought this little niche memorial to Branscombe people lost in WW1 and WW2 was very special. 
All in all , it’s a very special church. I like its simplicity, solid wood and stone floors and that it is so very ancient, how many hands have touched those old stones? 
These pretty stone and thatch cottages are just along the road and that’s where I’ll leave you today!
Yesterday at Branscombe
The weather forecast got it right, yesterday was a blue sky day that shouted come and see me. So off we went, heading east to Branscombe, a little village on the coast between Sidmouth and Beer. A few years ago Branscombe hit the headlines because a huge container ship, the MS Napoli ran aground there spilling its cargo along several miles of coast line.
14 tonnes of anchor
How it happened
A sunny resting place
All is pristine now and once the long single track lane to reach Branscombe has been successfully navigated, it’s the perfect spot for some winter sun.
Heading out to sea
Towards Beer’s white cliffs
West towards Sidmouth
Cliff erosion
A little magic
Remains of autumn
Two very happy dogs, Dido and Daisy
Sunday was a day that kept on giving, more tomorrow!
Lucid Gypsy 