last defiant leaf clings to summer memories falls prey to autumn
the holdout
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Author Archives: Maggie C
wilderness
rooted in chaos ordered with complexity nature’s enigma
The Daily Press Weekly photo challenge:
Chaos
Wordless Wednesday (Week 44)
Image
Through My Eyes
This rather large creature showed up on my deck the other day. I’m not a big fan of creepy-looking bugs, so I was none too pleased to see it lounging there in the sun as if waiting for me to fetch an iced tea and a straw.
“Would you like your tea with a squish of lemon?”
“Uh… did you say ‘squish’?” The creature eyed me nervously. Or at least I think it did. With those shimmering eyes it’s hard to tell where it may have been looking.
“Did I? That must have been a swat. A slap. Er, I mean a slip. What I meant to say was a ‘slice’ of lemon.”
The creature shifted from one foot to the other. To the other… to the other…
“Everyone thinks my kind are terrible, and they just want us dead. Okay, so we suck blood. And spread diseases. And harm livestock.”
“And your point is?” I paused, boot in mid-air just inches above the creature’s head.
“Just try to see the world through my eyes.”
“Through your eyes?” I bent down to study the gleaming, striped, colorful shields that I assumed were the creature’s eyes.
“Yes. Look deeeeep into my eyes.” The creature began to sway back and forth. “You’re getting sleeeeepy….”
I could barely keep my head up. I just wanted to lay down and rest.
“When I count to ten, you’ll see things as I do.”
“You can count to ten? But you’re just a bug!”
“One… two… ”
I tried to blink, to turn away, but I couldn’t. The creature’s voice droned on.
“Eight… nine… ten! Now look at me and tell me what you see.”
I flicked my wings and shuffled my six feet.
“Wow! Words cannot describe!” I marveled. “But you know what? I suddenly have a thirst for blood.”
“Great! Let’s go find another unsuspecting human!”
And with that, we buzzed away into the sunny, blue sky.
Who’s There?
Knock knock!
Who’s there?
I don’t know.
I don’t know who?
I don’t know who’s there until you open the door so I can see!
Under the Full Moon
We all know that seemingly ordinary folks turn into werewolves during full moons, right? Well, they’re not the only ones to transform.
Take my seemingly innocent dog Chules for example. He loves to go out and explore in the moonlight.
But sometimes… he morphs into:
a charging bear
or a lone wolf
howling at the moon
or maybe a rearing stallion
or a zombie!
Scariest of all is when he turns into
a hyena!
Fortunately, once the full moon begins to wane, he turns back into his lovable self.
What creatures do you see when you venture out on a full moon?
The Daily Press weekly photo challenge: Transmogrify
JNW’s Halloween Challenge: Full Moon
Graveyard by Day
Clatsop Plains Pioneer Cemetery (est. 1846) in Clatsop County, Oregon USA
I grew up playing (respectfully) in this cemetery. It doesn’t look too scary now, but as a child, I had all sorts of imaginings about what might be lurking in the trees, or about stumbling across — or into — a sunken grave, or hearing otherworldly rustlings and voices just behind me.
And while it looks innocent enough by day, you still won’t find me going there after dark.
Wordless Wednesday (Week 43)
By the Letters
Occupied
Lights shine from within though no one’s lived there for years. The unliving, though...
JNW’s Halloween Challenge: Scary
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Houses and Barns
What Rhymes with Stanza? 