Sunday Stills a Rosy Perspective

For Terri’s Sunday Stills monthly color challenge where we are working with “Pink.” I love pink, all kinds and shades of pink. I love pink flowers, pink clothes, pink sunrises, one of my favorite crystals to work with is rose quartz, you get the idea.

from my digital art collage collection

“Pretty pretty please don’t you ever, ever feel like you’re less than, less than perfect. And pretty, pretty please don’t you ever, ever feel like you’re nothing, ’cause you are perfect to me.” ~Pink

Above, a little digital piece with a quote from Pink’s song “Perfect.” There is a more explicit version so be warned if you go looking for the song lyrics.

A crazed computer screen on the fritz? A bizarre finger painting? Hmmmm

Here’s an eclectic bit of pink. What the heck are we looking at? A fish finder sonar screen of Loch Ness from our Nessie hunting trip. The different colors indicate varying water temperatures. It was a fabulous day spent on the waters of Loch Ness, if you have a chance to visit the Scottish Highlands, I highly recommend it.

Sign at the Osaka Rail Station

Here’s an interesting bit of pink signage. It seems that pink is universally associated with feminine. Here the boarding point for the “women only” car on a commuter train in Osaka, Japan. From what I have been told, at peak hours the train can be jam-packed and women complained that being squeezed up against men was undignified. Osaka responded by designating one or more cars as “women only” no men allowed.

An intrepid adventurer

Here a bright pink jacket and very long queue displayed on an intrepid adventurer climbing steps to a small shrine at the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” near Kyoto. Yes, that’s me ;-). Balancing precariously without a handrail I felt like a tightrope walker.

Pretty People

A young couple in traditional dress pose for pictures near Kyomizu. Love the bright pink kimono. Such charming people, they just smiled and waved to tourists snapping away. We were trying to capture the changing foliage but couldn’t find a way to frame the walkway and pond due to limited space. Ultimately, we just left the lovely people in and it turned out beautiful.

Of course, I can’t leave without some pink flowers.

Pale pink lotus flower

A delicate pink lotus flower growing in a large serenity pond in Suzhou, China. There were many different varieties of water lily and lotus in the pond. Lotus tend to be taller and rise above the water much more than a water lily. There you have it, teaching moment. 😉

pink rhododendron

And finally, a gorgeous rhododendron from my all-time favorite flower photography place, the Queens Garden in Invercargill, NZ. The park nearly over flows with rhododendrons of every color and size.

This week’s challenge prompts:

Cee’s Midweek Madness “Any pale color” – see Lotus above
Cee’s FOTD – rhododendron

That’s it from Castle Serenity for this week. Til next time remember

~ Look for me where the wild things are ~JP

Water Magic – a Crimson Creative Challenge

For Crimson’s Creative Challenge # 48

Water Magic 

Here where the water lies golden
where the pink blossoms sway
here near the arch of ancients
the water slyphs come out to play

They dance across the water
they sing the breeze’s soft song
here they practice their magic
as they laugh all the day long

I know for there I have seen them
deep on a mid summers eve
they flew by on gossimer wings
then hidden behind emerald leaves

word count 72

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

The Wall – a Practical Practitioner Flash Fiction

https://morguefile.com/creative/GaborfromHungary/4/all 3bd328e827ad878ce609dad27ac2c21a

Roger has provided us with this week’s prompt for Flash Fiction for the Practial Practitioner.

The Wall

Sharah reverently touched the ancient wall. Old paint chipped and peeling made by methods long forgotten. “Caribbean Green” the elders called it. Colors were rare now, all structures sported the same dull gun metal grey finish. The wooden walls surrounded a strong and solid bunker, where the humans had made their final stand.

From here they had launched the Magnetized Pollution Concealotron, and thus burned the sky to ash. The invaders had been driven off, but the cost could never be forgotten. The nuclear winter that followed wiped out more of the earth’s population than the invaders ever had.

Word count 99

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

Daddy’s Car – a Twittering Tale

Daddy’s Car – a Twittering Tale

Di loved the old bucket, most of her free time was spent repairing whatever had gone wrong that week. Still, Dinocar was eclectic with a fun personality. Di left the garage humming softly but turned quickly when she heard the radio playing her late Dad’s favorite song. “Dad ?”

character count 278

For Kat’s Twittering Tales

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

Frank – a Crimson Creative Challenge

Frank – a Crimson Creative Challenge

He stood at the top of a small rise. Strong and fearsome, he surveyed his domain. The unmown meadow of alfalfa spread out before him. Cattle grazed lazily in the summer sun as he watched over them with his fierce eyes focused. There, by the fence, … INTRUDERS. Frank lunged forward, his deep treads digging furrows in the soft soil. “FACE MY WRATH,” Frank bellowed, throwing great clods of dirt and grass up behind him.

Down the meadow among the lazy cows, Mater shouted back to Lightning, “Don’t let Frank catch ya,” as he sped away from the roaring tractor.

word count 100

inspired by the movie “Cars”

for Crimsons Creative Challenge

Til next time ~Don’t let Frank catch ya ~JPP

Spring Green – a Crimson Creative Challenge

Spring rolls in
like waves
of luxuriant warmth
pushing back
the lifeless brown
of winter

The Dead Lands

The Dead Lands

The stacks still spewed their poison into the air, the barrels of deadly poisons lay unbroken on the ground. A beleaguered Lady Earth had ripped away her own skin to be rid of the invading humans, leaving naught but scorched rock. The Dead Lands they were called.

Dance in the Rain

Rain falls and
lightning strikes
in the heart of darkness
alone tonight

For love will come
and love will go
the rain will fall
and wind will blow

When in love’s storm
our hearts are lost
we chance the fire
and never count the cost

I learned to dance
in the rain,
sing the song
forget the pain

character count 278

For Kat’s Twittering Tales

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

The Axle Box Vortex

Chief Inspector Gadgot was puzzled. Six apparent suicides had appeared on these tracks. The Medical Examiner had found no cause of death.

“Hell Liam, these men should get up and walk for all I’ve found,” the examiner was as puzzled as he.

The Ebony Wisps – A Twittering Tale

The Ebony Wisps had sharp talons and needle-like teeth. They feared only one thing, birds. The children strung open cages between the buildings inviting the birds to come. The birds loved the new homes and twittered merrily away while dive bombing any Wisp that came within reach.

character count 280

For Kat’s Twittering Tales

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP