-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Have to say I am astonished to be chosen, Sea – and grateful, despite feeling that I fell far short of ‘enthralling’ in comparison to those far more apt which were posted, and made impressive reading. Also, following what has been something of a let-down day, this was a welcome cheering, so thank you for that. I’ll aim to post August’s…[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year ago
Okay Sea, that ‘honesty snagged my conscience:
The last time I cried was as I attempted to sleep, having earlier been admitted to hospital after my husband Steve correctly diagnosed the oddness of my being unable to control my fingers, while doing the Saturday General Knowledge as potentially a stroke. Quoting ‘FAST’, he did everything right…[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year ago
<p style=”text-align: right;”>Sorry Sea, I’ve been racking my brain (while fighting off Ken Dodd and attempting to pack for some days in the Hebrides) but am totally bereft of words about tears.</p>
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year ago
Thanks, Ath, for this months competition theme, what a great crop of entries it garnered.
Congratulations ,everyone, for the interesting and well crafted reads and well done Sea for being the one taking the lead into the July challenge.
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year ago
Oh, hooray, and congratulations @ Seagreen, but similarly to all for a varied and thought-provoking selection of ‘last times’. Thank you too Ath for the prompt – a subject which I ponder increasingly frequently.
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year ago
Just pulled the last bit of candy floss from my brain, looked at some famous last quotes “Julius ‘Groucho’ Marx and Noel Coward.” Played with some authors and their book titles, used some well know sayings and came up with this bit of fluff.
<u>The last question</u>
I was surprised when the invite appeared mysteriously on my lap.
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition May 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 1 month ago
Congratulations, Ath, for your interpretation with a twist and well done Sandra, Sea and Libby as well.
I enjoyed everyone’s entries.
Its always interesting to see others take on a challenge prompt.
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition May 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 1 month ago
Congratulations Athelstone, and thanks to Terrie, Sea and Libby for their responses to Janette’s May challenge – all so entertaining – and for the summing up.
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition May 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 2 months ago
Renewal Dance
Below a patchy canopy of leaves, sunlight falls in dusted shafts of light, highlighting small tufts of fluffy-winged seeds, spiralling and soaring in the breeze and somewhere, within the cool, dark, caverns of under-earth, the chime of rock, root and soil begins its soft, ceaseless, song of renewal.
Stirred from slumber beneath the…[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition May 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 2 months ago
Lyrical determination (thin on legend)
2001, around eleven, on the first day of May, lying on a sun-striped bed in an attic studio, John Martyn exhorted, ‘May you never’, in a voice fluffy and worn as the sheet beneath them and a saxophone further ramped up lust while Fran Lloyd satisfactorily surrendered her virginity to Ivo Kinnersley. Ivo,…[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition April 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 2 months ago
Well done Janette for and Seagreen for such entertaining tales, and thank you Libby for forcing me into finding new characters to deal with this tricky prompt. I was grateful for the part played by Google.
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition April 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 3 months ago
Three sleeps become one [342 words]
Odd the way memory works, Changes shape and emphasis as one grows older. For me, hearing myself echoing my mother’s faux cheery encouragement as she told me and Robin, my brother, ‘So, you’ll be staying with Granny and Grandad Trent for a little while. Just three sleeps – ‘ shocked me. That I was …. not ex…[Read more]
-
Sandra posted an update 1 year, 3 months ago
March competition winner declared, and I urge everyone to read the half dozen entries as evidence of the strength and breadth of talent in the Den, and thank Athelstone, for providing the venue.
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition March 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 3 months ago
And, at close of play, I confess I find myself reeling at the richness of the offerings sparked by this ptompt, and rather than daunted by the necessity of choosing a winner, feeling well rewarded by the pleasures of reading them – thank you all.
<u>Terrie</u>’s single word of denial sparked instant interest, and maintained it with phrases suc…[Read more]
-
Sandra posted an update 1 year, 4 months ago
Six days left before the monthly comp deadline, and three VERY different, exciting and surely inspirational entries already. Make my selection of a winner all the harder by posting your response.
-
Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition March 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 4 months ago
‘you will mistake the gulls
for the screaming of a girl
and run out of your flat
to an empty landing’
No.
The landing is not empty.
You know what you see.
And the gulls, well, you should have remembered, they’re always there. Wheeling and calling, ghostly as Valkyries, looking for a better prize than picking at bleached bones of…[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition – February 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 4 months ago
Thank you Knicks – Seagreen’s prompt really did its job!
-
-
Sandra started the topic Monthly competition March 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 4 months ago
Apologies for the delay. As is my wont, I was attempting to find a line or two of poetry to act as opening line and/or prompt which took longer than anticipated. However, in Andrew McMillan’s ‘physical’, entitled ‘TODAY’, I found
“you will mistake the gulls
for the screaming of a girl
and run out of your flat
to an empty landing”…[Read more]
-
Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition – February 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 4 months ago
Wow, Sea, that is a surprise, especially as I felt completely out-classed by every other entry – but challenged too, which was a Good Thing. I’m away from home at the moment but will aim to post March’s compTuesday evening. Thank you all for the several inspirations.
- Load More

I have posted my congratulations and comments and not sure why they are not showing here! Perhaps under Seagreen’s link? This site confuses me at times. Anyhow, Congratulations once more.