Keith's Ramblings

for Shweta’s Six Word Story Prompt where the given word is Evil.

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Last week the given word was Silent, sand my effort’s right HERE!

 

for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt where the given word is Yard, and the limit, 83 words.

For the uninitiated, Yard of Ale glasses have been around since the 1700’s and were originally used for handing beer up to stagecoach drivers, and also for making ceremonial toasts.

Nowadays the Yard of Ale Contest is played in pubs all over England. You have to drink the entire yard, 2.5 pints in the quickest possible time. Due to the shape of the glass, the beer can’t escape the bottom of the bowl until the glass is tipped right up which can be fairly perilous!

 

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Welcome to the Yard of Ale Contest!   

First up, it’s George. 

Glug-glug-glug-glug … sigh!

Thirty-five seconds, congratulations!

Next, Fred.

Slop-slop-slop-slop … phew!

Twenty-nine seconds, great!

Now for Benedict.

Sip-sip-sip-sip … mmmm!

Three minutes, forty. How gentlemanly!

It’s your turn, Molly.

Whooooosh … yea!

Fourteen seconds, incredible!

Where’s Keith?

Me? Noooo!

You, yes!

No!

Yes!

Okay then, here goes.

Splish-splash-splish-splash-splosh … gasp! 

Sorry mate, you spilt more than you swallowed. Disqualified.

 

At least I tried. I got drenched, but I tell you what, it’s done wonders for my hair!

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Back in 2017 I wrote about such a contest when a competitor managed to get his false teeth stuck in the yard glass! If you’re interested, it’s HERE!

for Six Sentence Stories where the given word is Deal.

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Mellissa sat on the grass bank, her journey brought to a sudden halt as she’d broken down once again.

‘It’s time I got a new one’ she said to herself.

‘This is fantastic value’ said the slick salesman ‘but if you  want something really special and feel like splashing out, this one’s state of the art’.

‘I really like it, how much?’ Melissa enquired.

‘Eleven’ he said, ‘nine’ she replied, ‘ten’ he said thrusting out his hand, ‘deal’ she agreed.

Carbon fibre bristles, an ebony handle, vertical takeoff, and zero to a hundred in three seconds, Melissa was the envy of her fellow witches.

 

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Thanks to GirliOnTheEdge for hosting.

 

for Friday Fictioneers

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Apple trees hang heavy with ripe fruit. Shiny cherries dangle like musical notes as bulbous pears await the fruit picker’s hand.

Mighty combine harvesters travel back and forth. Their rotating blades level fields of swaying crops leaving in their path bales of hay like so many golden chess pieces.

Vintners harvest grapes from hillsides, and the time has come to gather brewer’s hops then dry them in pointed oast houses ready for next year’s ales.

Soon, Mother Nature will enjoy a well-earned rest as the rich soil nurtures dormant seeds, and hedgerows play host to hibernating creatures of the undergrowth.

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Thanks to Rochelle for hosting and to Sandra Crook for the  photo.

During almost every journey I seem to be held up  by something similar this time of year!

Click the Froggies to join in the fun!

for Wordless Wednesday on a Tuesday and others..

Two weeks ago you joined me at a stately home. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to show you the interior because no photography was allowed.

Recently I visited another, and this time there was no such ban! The lighting was dim, and I wasn’t permitted to use flash, so they are not the best, but I thought I’d show a you few of the many rooms anyway!

 

 

Click pics to enlarge!

Now, where’s the door?

 

In we go! This is the library …

Drawing room …

Something room …

Dining room …

Music room …

Fancy a nap? Bedroom …

Hallway …

Can’t remember …

There’s the garden. Lets go outside!

Careful down the steps …

Woodland …

Japanese garden …

Formal garden …

Kitchen garden …

Looks like rain …

That’s it! I hope you enjoyed our visit.

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for Shweta’s Six Word Stories where the given word is Silent.

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for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt where the given word is Newspaper and the limit, 68 words.

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My photo was on the front of a national newspaper the other day. 

Above it, the headline said Hero Risks Life in Knife Attack.

I’d been walking along when I saw two people arguing. I noticed one was clutching a blade. They started to fight. Someone had to step in and break it up. 

That’s me with the other onlookers straining my neck to get a better view.

 

for Friday Fictioneers.

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The river’s beautiful this time of year.  The water, so clear.  Beneath the surface lay golden pebbles.  Glossy green plants reach downstream.  Floating Autumn leaves rush by as a small branch gets caught in overhanging grass.

Look, there’s a frog.  And an inquisitive vole! 

Listen.  The rippling flow is mesmerising; splish, splash … whisper.

Watch.  The dancing ripples twinkle like bursting stars.  Flickering, flashing, glistening.

I see a carp, I spot a perch.  Here a chub, there a minnow.

I say, that looks tasty.  Should I catch it?  Oh no, it’s on a hook!  We fish need to be so careful!

 

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Thanks to Rochelle for hosting and to Penny Gadd for the picture.

Click the Frish to join in the fun!

 

 

for Wordless Wednesday and others!

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I have 184 photos to sort through which will take some time, so today I’m just making do with a few I took on my beautiful little campsite in rural Dorset!

There was a pub across the road!

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Here’s a taste of what’s to come!

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