© irene waters 2014
(7 photographs)
The layers skin thin
a borers delight, koalas
don’t like the paperbark
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
In response to Cee’s Fun Foto prompt
© irenewaters 2014
Charli inspires me with the reflection on why she comes up with the prompts she chooses each week. They are often related to historical research she has undertaken in the process of preparing to write her story of Cob and the events that lead up to his death at the hands of Hickock at Rock Creek. I find this history fascinating as I often do other history that I come across.
from wikipedia Sir Walter Raleigh
from wikipedia Bess Throgmorten
One such history was the love affair between Sir Walter Raleigh and Bess Throckmorten. How did Queen Elizabeth feel as she placed Sir Walter and her lady-in-waiting, Bess, in the Tower? Was she jealous of the child Bess carried? But questions remain unanswered for me in regard to Bess as well. Why did she do what she did after Raleigh’s execution?
Pamela walked to the clothes line. The rut in the path caused the bag hanging off her waist to bang her hip with each lopsided step.
“You’ve got to stop doing it.”
“No. I don’t want to.”
“It’s not healthy.”
“Why?
“No habit is healthy if you can’t stop doing it. I’m surprised the authorities let you do it in the first place.”
“Legal precedent. They had no choice. Bess Throckmorten did it. Twenty years she carried Sir Walter’s head. Carried it ’til the day she died.”
“That wasn’t the only rut Bess had. She was jailed for the other.”
Charli’s prompt October 29, 2014 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about a rut. The rut can be a habit, a circuit or a furrow in a road. It can be what causes the crisis, tension or the need to change. And if your writing feels stuck in a rut, use the flash fiction to do something radical. Who knows what is lurking behind the doors of your imagination!
Respond by November 4 to be included in the weekly compilation.
© irene waters 2014
In response to shadow shot Sunday
© irene waters 2014
Every day for me is a bad hair day. I was born with that kind of hair. I just can’t help it. Only yesterday my mother who is 86 said to me.
“Irene I have to talk to you seriously.” I thought it was going to be about end of life stuff as she looked me straight in the eyes. ” You have to do something about your hair. You can’t go to New Zealand to present a paper looking like a hobo. No-one will take you seriously.”
© irene waters 2014
People paid to have their hair like this in the eighties – mine came naturally. “I happen to like my hair at the moment” I told my Mum. No-longer does it look like a frizzy mop. The hair dresser has taught me about PRODUCT. It is still big but with untidy looking curls. Nonetheless she asked me to demonstrate how I combed it. She might be able to give me some tips. Compared to how it has looked throughout my life I think it is great.
© irene waters 2014
Sometimes I would fluff it out on purpose. Once I added a beard made from my dog’s hair.
Mostly I did not.
© irene waters 2014
What I have discovered with my hair is that my personality changes to suit my hairstyle. When it is as above I am quite mad. I have the courage to do anything, say anything and be what I want to be. I think this is because people have no expectations of me. I look like a loon and people are more often pleasantly surprised than disappointed.
I do get my hair cut short on occasions. My husband hates it. He likes the mad look. My mother loves it short. It is how she kept it when I was a child. My personality goes inwards. I become conservative, quiet, dull.
© irene waters 2014
Forever a child in my mother’s presence I agreed that I would probably go to the hairdresser prior to my forthcoming trip but I can guarantee it won’t be cut short – I need that infusion of courage my bad hair gives me.
None of this has anything to do with my bite size memoir bad hair day.
I had to get to work. We argued most of the morning. My car sat in pieces, parts in the lounge room, others loose under the bonnet. The mechanic, my husband, sat drunk in the kitchen. There was no choice but to take the panel van I had never driven. Nervously, I eased out from the kerb and did a U-turn to take the easy way onto the highway. Someone always let you out. When the traffic lights turned green I moved forward. Just as I crossed the intersection the steering wheel came off the column. I had no control. I decreased the pressure on the accelerator and applied the slightest of pressure to the brake. Even then I veered toward the gutter, hitting it and coming to a stop. Shaken, I couldn’t even rest my head on the steering wheel. Definitely a bad hair day.
Written in response to Lisa’s Bite Size Memoir prompt.
Oh and even long hair as untameable as mine can put me into a mood of sophisticated play acting.
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
These 4 photographs all taken in France show steep descents firstly by stairway, the descent from the skies and then …..well lets hope the brakes held.
In response to weekly photo challenge.
The press has long been guilty of using highly emotive language i.e. the use of strong words to play into the readers feelings – to coerce, to persuade , to horrify, terrify, support political parties, to hate others, and simply to sell papers. The use of vile over bad gives a larger feeling of disgust.
In Australia our politicians are doing this all the time. They have our nation terrified and elections are won on fear with statements such as “reds under our beds”. Our current government is particularly good at doing this (and in fact looking back most of our liberal leaders seem to use this form of control.) Our current leader has the nation worried about refugees, terrorists, Islāmic religion and using positive words for the destruction they are rorting on education, health and most of the social issues which affect people. The latest is ebola.
Ebola is a serious issue. There is no denying that. We need to get in and do what we can in West Africa but our PM is against this. The newspaper journalists I feel are a little sad we have not had a case in this country. We’ve had a few attempts. There was the nurse in Cairns then a few in Southern Qld but none developed so that the papers could spiral us quickly into a state of terror by the use of a similar reporting to the United States. The youtube above shows the differences between UK and US reporting beautifully.
When I saw this I couldn’t help but laugh and immediately thought of Jenni’s weekend funny challenge.
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
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