Susan's Place

Aug 23

1 Comment

Every Picture Tells a Story – It’s a Dogs Life

The Tree Fort

How I want to be a bird up in a tree

Singing songs and chirping, chasing bumblebees

I tried to build a nest, thinking maybe I could fly

Turn into a bird, and soar way up high

Gathered all the leaves and twigs, together to be bound

Now I am exhausted with a tree fort on the ground

Actually, it is quite nice, with all the leaves covering me

I can hide right here escaping, the bath that I so need

Bored

We are two dogs that are bored as can be

Lying on the kitchen floor waiting for a treat

A walk would be nice, out in the sun

Go to the park for a little run

The cat is upstairs hiding…….. from us right now

If he’d come down, we could chase him all around

Swimming at the lake would be lots of fun

Guess we’ll just have to wait for the time to come

Trim My Paws

Why do you look so shocked that I jumped up here

The groomer made me get on her table, so why can’t I here

I went to school today and got one paw groomed

So get out the scissors and please finish them soon

You saw how she did it, so please give it a try

Make the other ones pretty, I am not shy

One night after obedience training I asked the groomer/trainer how to trim the fur on my dog’s paws and so she took us into her grooming room and showed me on one of her paws. When we got home Magz jumped up onto the table as if to say “Okay now finish the other three”

I Wrote a Poem Just For You

I’d love to be able to write you a song

To let you know how much we belong

Side by side every day

Side by side all the way

If only I could find words to write

How I feel day and night

But it is hard to write with paws

Webbed they are but there is a flaw

No pen will fit between my claws

Just take me for a walk today

Feed me treats and I will stay

Right beside you not pulling away

Just tell me nicely to sit and stay

I promise not to be a rat

I’ll never again chase the cat

If you will feed me a bone or two

I will fetch for you a brew

When you come home at night

I’ll be waiting with delight

Wagging my tail to and fro

Just let me out to play in the snow

I know that it’s not polite to drool

Can’t help myself I am a dog you fool

I can read your mind with ease

I know what you want and how to please

But at times dogs just have to disobey

You took me to the vet and now I am spayed

You always fill my water dish

Sometimes I wish you’d throw me a fish

I am a Newfoundland dog you see

At one time fish were free for me

The liver you make my breakfast with

Is really quite delicious

However, if you could just double it up

You would make me a happy pup

So sorry that I shed like a bear

You would too if you had this much hair

I do not like to have my nails clipped

I would rather eat those potato chips

I have a wish for my birthday this year

I hope you don’t find it is too dear

But I would really like a steak

And please oh please bake me a cake

Linking up to PAWSIT Hop Saturday A new blog hop that is dog licious!

Aug 22

14 Comments

Recipes Passed Down

Flash Fiction August 22 shortbread

Every year at Christmastime Meg’s grandmother who was from Paisley Scotland would make shortbread.

Shortbread was an expensive luxury at one time and was usually only made for special occasions.

It is said that these rich delicious biscuits date back to the 12^th century.

Meg would watch intently as her grandmother carefully measured out flour, icing sugar, and of course the butter. Into a big bowl, the ingredients would go, and the hand beating with force would begin.

Ever since her grandmothers passing Meg has carried on with her traditional recipe and bakes many batches of them at Christmas.

© Susan Zutautas 2019

This is written for a flash fiction challenge over at Carrot Ranch. In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about old-world charm. It can be nostalgic or irreverent. You can invent an “old world,” return to migrant roots or recall ancient times. Go where the prompt leads you!

Aug 22

11 Comments

The Atmosphere and Climate Change

Image by Jonny Lindner from Pixabay

Okay, class today we’re going to learn about the atmosphere, does anyone know what atmosphere means?

Billy holds up his hand and answers, I think it has something to do with oxygen and the air that we breathe, and I hear my parents talking all the time about climate change making our weather go all wonky.

Sally speaks up saying, the atmosphere is warming, and I read somewhere that today there’s more oxygen and less carbon dioxide and water vapor than there was in Earth’s early atmosphere.

Heatwaves are more common causing droughts, dangerous floods from more intense rainstorms that are happening and it’s all due to the atmosphere and climate change, said Arthur.

Very good class, Billy, Sally, and Arthur have given us excellent answers. For tomorrow I’d like all of you to write a short story about the atmosphere.

This six sentence story was written for a challenge over at GirlieOnTheEdge. Denise’s word prompt this week is “atmosphere”.

Aug 21

13 Comments

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #41

CC#41

Fred, look over there, what the hell is that?

Ethell, that there is a Canadian goose and he’s staring back at us.

What do you think he’s doing here Fred?

He’s probably cruizing around just like we are in search of food.

Maybe we should go over and introduce ourselves. I hear Canadians are quite friendly.

I’ve heard that Canadian geese can be quite rude Ethell if you get too close to them.

Okay, Fred then let’s get the flock out of here.

bernaches_du_canada_02

Pierre5018 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

This was written for Crimson’s Creative Challenge #41.

Aug 20

16 Comments

CT Scan Results

daveynin from United States [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Marvelous news day

Results are in and I’m clear

Feeling terrific

© Susan Zutautas

This was written for RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #267

Aug 20

The Twisted Cross

Image by alan9187 from Pixabay

She yelled at me loud

Obviously, cross today

Twisted story heard

What was it you heard?

As I twisted my long hair

The cross is missing

From where I asked her

The alters cross at the church

That is a twisted lie

This was written for RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #266 Twisted&Cross

Aug 20

11 Comments

Hélène Vaillant – So Sadly Missed

helen

I’m so sad today with learning on Facebook that Hélène Vaillant had passed away. I started following her here on WordPress and later we became friends on FB.

I’ve only been here on WP since February of 2019 so it was a short friendship. I knew she wasn’t feeling well after the passing of her husband but I never imaged she was close to the end of her life.

Hélène was a wonderful poet and someone I will always remember.

After doing a search I’ve found many people that have written about Hélène and I’m so sorry that I missed all the posts.

RIP Hélène Vaillant.

Always remembered

Never to be forgotten

Rest in Peace my friend

A beautiful poem for Hélène from iidorun.

From Fandango.

Aug 19

11 Comments

Windows

Fandango flash fiction

Gazing out window

Watching life passing them by

Wondering outcome

=================

Dolls in a window

For all passers-by to see

Little girls behold

================

Window to our lives

So much passes before us

Not missing anything

================

Wanting to escape

Too far to jump to be free

Someone will see us

==============

These Senryus were written for Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge.

Aug 18

12 Comments

Rose of Sharon and a Bee

rose of sharon 2

Yesterday I was in Toronto going for a walk and I spotted a bee doing his job. I wish I could have gotten a better shot of him or her in the Rose of Sharon.

rose of sharon