When It Leaves ~ Na’ama Yehuda #writephoto

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Sue Vincent

“What is that thing?”

Melanie squinted against the glare. Shrugged. “A microscope with duck feet.”

Tony frowned. His sister was easily the most annoying person to ever occupy the Earth. Well, after James. James was worse.

The boy stole a look behind him as if expecting James to manifest, even though he knew that the youth was many miles away. You just didn’t know. With James.

Melanie rested her chin on her knees, hummed under her breath, and played imaginary piano with her toes, watching the sand swish around her soles. She was hungry. She wondered what they’ll have for dinner. She lifted her head to glance around. The beach was slowly emptying but it was too early to check the bins.

Continue reading at Na’ama Yehuda

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In Our Youth ~ Annette Kalandros #writephoto

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Sue Vincent

You glisten always.

Lighting no difference–

In pitch black even,

You glisten,

Continue reading at Hearing The Mermaids Sing

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Normality

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Sue Vincent

“Normality is a paved road: it is comfortable to walk on, but no flowers grow on it.”
Vincent Van Gogh

There are certain things we learn in order to live as part of a society that has, at least, the potential to live in harmony. There are orderly patterns that make up our lives, dictated by everything from our natural biology and emotions, to societal pressures and the necessities of survival. To live a normal life is to adhere to those patterns.

Yet, it is seldom those who do so who achieve greatness in any field. It is the rule-breakers, the mavericks, the innovators; it is those who use the imagination to create… it is those ordinary people who end up living extraordinary lives who change the world and the way we see it.

Some actively pursue fame and fortune, bringing all their drive to bear upon the task in hand. Others find a different path leads them away from the security of their own normality and they may find themselves blinking in an unexpected spotlight. For most of us though, ‘normality’ is the path we tread.

Or is it?

How many of us fit the accepted mould of ‘normality’ and what is it anyway? The outer life may have a steady job, marriage, car, dog and… 2.4 children. That ‘.4’ has never struck me as ‘normal’ in any way… average, perhaps, but not what you would call normal. How is slightly less than half a child ‘normal’? The mind boggles…

Continue reading at The Silent Eye

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Glisten ~ Cheryl #writephoto

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Sue Vincent

Silent silvers shine

Reflective tears burn my eyes

Holding heavy hearts of memory

Only one missing from the three

Gazing upon the water, now, my child and me.

Reblogged from Cheryl at The Bag Lady

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Solace #midnighthaiku

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Sue Vincent

When life clamours loud

Solace found in solitude

Peace in the shadows

*

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Tobias and the Angel: Grateful Dead… Stuart France

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Sue Vincent

William-Adolphe Bouguerea

*

… “If a story is canonical in one tradition and uncanonical in another it immediately raises two questions.”

“What makes it ‘canonical’ for one tradition?”

“And what makes it ‘uncanonical’ for the other?”

“One might have supposed that it would have been more likely to be canonical for the Hebrews, considering its age and subject matter?”

“Many years ago when we first became aware of Apocryphal Bible stories, we got very excited about this tale when we heard about it, especially in view of the fish connection. We immediately procured a copy of said Apocrypha, at no little expense, and looked at this story first, fully expecting to be accosted with highly significant arcane knowledge… and drew a blank.”

“And now?”

“Well now, I strongly suspect that there is highly significant arcane knowledge within it.”

“Which would be?”

“The trouble with arcane knowledge, it’s very difficult to transmit in mundane terms.”

“But one has to, at least, try.”

“Agreed. The first clue to the importance of this story is to realise that it is a Grateful Dead tale. I know, I know, this element of the tale has not yet been given.”

“So, you had better make amends post haste, hadn’t you…”

Continue reading at The Silent Eye

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Shimmer ~ Trent P. McDonald #writephoto

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Sue Vincent

Spiff watched the clock-slaved workings of the tides. He stared fascinated as the shimmering water rushed over the land. He had seen it all before, but the speed still took him by surprise.

Once again, as it had every other day, a strangely shaped figure approached just in front of the water’s edge. He waved as always, but the figure ignored him.

Ignoring the figure in turn, Spiff set his focus past where the tides had shredded his ship as it pushed it against the rocks, and out towards the horizon.

Continue reading at  Trent’s World

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Dreaming Stones: The Place of the Heather Priests

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Sue Vincent

Our final visit of the workshop was to be a silent, withdrawn location that owes much of its history to its very isolation. Hidden amongst the hills of the Braes of Glenlivet, the buildings of Scalan remain invisible until you are almost upon them… even when you know they are there. Dean had chosen Scalan for its peace and solitude as much as any other reason. It was a place where it was rare to see another living soul and the land wraps itself around the low buildings.

Unfortunately for us, we had chosen the one day of the year, it seemed, where an event was to be held there. The Annual Mass, a pilgrimage to Scalan which is normally held in July, had been quietly moved forward to coincide with the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the consecration of a Bishop at the site.

For us, it meant that the silent buildings Dean had chosen for their solitude…and to allow us to be undercover if the weather were wet… were about to be thronging with hundreds of people sharing a religious rite. Not only would our work not share the space well with their worship, but there was also a fair chance that they would not understand five pentagrams laid out on a place they consider holy ground. Discretion, respect for their beliefs and the herding of a guardian encouraged us to move a little deeper into the hills for our work… but not before we had looked around Scalan itself.

The buildings look like the remains of farm, and for a part of its life, that is exactly what it was. Traces of that part of its story abound, from the shreds of faded wallpaper clinging to the walls, to the remains of the waterwheel.

But Scalan’s history is both darker and brighter than that. Originally established in 1717, at a time when Catholicism was effectively outlawed, Scalan was the last seminary in Scotland where Catholic priests could be trained in secret. The old chapel now stands roofless beside the newer, two-storey building erected fifty years later. Because of the isolation and secrecy, at a time when code-words were used to describe anything pertaining to Catholicism, the soldiers charged with eradicating the worship found the place difficult to find… and the priests who trained there were known as the ‘heather priests’.

Continue reading at France & Vincent

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Glisten that Glowers ~ Balroop Singh #writephoto

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Sue Vincent

He sits at the beach. Alone, abandoned. The glistening sea seems to mock at him. The horizon is hazy; the beauty of the beach seems meaningless. The shimmer they soaked in sizzles within.

This sea is never going to be the same. Never. It had swallowed all he had, stripping him of his securities. The waves devoured her and he looked helplessly, shrieks died within his parched throat. He could hear them even in his sleep.

Continue reading at Emotional Shadows

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Glisten ~ Willow Willers #writephoto

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Sue Vincent

Sofia stood on the shore and looked longingly at the silver pathway that the moon was casting on the water. A distant memory touched her mind of when she would of been able to walk that path.

From where she stood she could see the storm gathering momentum , she thought of Peter and his friends who were out there on the water. She had wondered why the son had sent them on ahead with a storm coming in.

Continue reading at willowdot21

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