What’s Leftover In Your Life? #WordlessWednesday #Photography

Wordless Wednesday – No words, just pictures. Allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Photo of a bowl containing foil-wrapped Father Christmas chocolates
What do you have left over?

Not sure what Wordless Wednesday is or how to participate? Click here for full details.

Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Although I am not hosting this challenge, you can leave a link or pingback to your post in the comments section to help promote it to other bloggers.

To help those with eyesight-impaired vision, please remember to complete a description of your photo in the ‘alt-text’ and description boxes of the picture in the WordPress media library. For more details, check my post, Adding Images Or Photos To Your Blog Posts? 4 Essential Things To Do.’

Did you miss last week’s Wordless Wednesday?

Follow Hugh on Social Media. Click on the links below.

If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

What’s Your Favourite And Oldest Christmas Tree Decorations? #WordlessWednesday #Photography

Wordless Wednesday – No words, just pictures. Allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Photo of a Corgi Christmas tree ornament hanging on a white Christmas tree with warm-white lights.
Christmas Corgi
Photo of a Christmas angel on top of a Christmas tree
Christmas angel – bought Christmas 1983

Not sure what Wordless Wednesday is or how to participate? Click here for full details.

Linking to the Sunday Stills Photography challenge hosted by Terri Webster-Schrandt – Theme: Festive.

Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Although I am not hosting this challenge, you can leave a link or pingback to your post in the comments section to help promote it to other bloggers.

To help those with eyesight-impaired vision, please remember to complete a description of your photo in the ‘alt-text’ and description boxes of the picture in the WordPress media library. For more details, check my post, Adding Images Or Photos To Your Blog Posts? 4 Essential Things To Do.’

Follow Hugh on Social Media. Click on the links below.

If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Footprints In The Snow – A Poem For Christmas

Footprints in the snow
Lovers' kiss under the mistletoe
On the tree, the lights do shine
Once again, it is Christmas time

In the church, the sound of a choir
While up above, the moon climbs higher
Stockings hanging, gifts all wrapped
The sound of Santa, sleigh all stacked

Carrots for Rudolph, a sherry for Gran
A bottle of something for Uncle Stan
As midnight approaches, the world falls asleep
And in the morning, the snow will be deep

No more shopping; those socks will do
Nobody will guess what I got for you
As Christmas approaches, a new year awaits
Wise men wondering what stars hold their fate.
Photo of a snow meadow with footprints in the snow.
Can you see footprints in the snow?

Did you see some Corgis playing in the snow in the above video? I wonder who they are?

I used the ‘Verse’ block rather than the paragraph block for my poem. I think it gives poetry a much better look on a blog post.

Do you use the ‘Verse’ block if you’re a poet and publish poetry on your blog?

I’m not a lover of poetry. It’s one of the most complex forms of writing that eludes me. Yet, ‘Footprints In The Snow’ was among my earliest posts on Hugh’s Views And News.

It got a few likes and comments, so I thought I’d give it another airing, given that my blog now has a broader audience.

Since ‘Footprints In The Snow’ was published in December 2014, my poetry cogs have remained frozen. Not even summer heatwaves have thawed them.

Poetry, quite simply, remains a mystery to me.

What do you find most challenging to write?

Follow Hugh on Social Media. Click on the links below.

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

What Are The Best Festive Colour Combinations? #WordlessWednesday #Photography

Wordless Wednesday – No words, just pictures. Allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Photo of some festive greenery with red berries and warm white fairy light on a fireplace. A Father Christmas figure with a black cat on his shoulder is behind the decoration.
Green fir branches with red berries and warm white lights for Christmas

Not sure what Wordless Wednesday is or how to participate? Click here for full details.

Linking To Sunday Still Photography Challenge hosted by Terri Webster Schrandt – Theme: Holiday Red And Green

Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Although I am not hosting this challenge, you can leave a link or pingback to your post in the comments section to help promote it to other bloggers.

To help those with eyesight-impaired vision, please remember to complete a description of your photo in the ‘alt-text’ and description boxes of the picture in the WordPress media library. For more details, check my post, Adding Images Or Photos To Your Blog Posts? 4 Essential Things To Do.’

Follow Hugh on Social Media. Click on the links below.

If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Have You Seen A Festive Tree As Cool As This? #WordlessWednesday #Photography

Wordless Wednesday – No words, just pictures. Allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Photo of a Christmas tree made up of white branches and twigs decorated with stars, owls, leaves and warm white lights.
What’s the coolest Christmas tree you’ve seen?

Not sure what Wordless Wednesday is or how to participate? Click here for full details.

Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Although I am not hosting this challenge, you can leave a link or pingback to your post in the comments section to help promote it to other bloggers.

To help those with eyesight-impaired vision, please remember to complete a description of your photo in the ‘alt-text’ and description boxes of the picture in the WordPress media library. For more details, check my post, Adding Images Or Photos To Your Blog Posts? 4 Essential Things To Do.’

Follow Hugh on Social Media. Click on the links below.

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

What Kind Of Magic Or Trickery Is This In November? #WordlessWednesday #Photography

Wordless Wednesday – No words, just pictures. Allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Photo of a house taken at night that has Christmas lights in its windows.
Is Your Home Ready For The Festive Season? Or Is It Still Too Early?

Not sure what Wordless Wednesday is or how to participate? Click here for full details.

Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Although I am not hosting this challenge, you can leave a link or pingback to your post in the comments section to help promote it to other bloggers.

To help those with eyesight-impaired vision, please remember to complete a description of your photo in the ‘alt-text’ and description boxes of the picture in the WordPress media library. For more details, check my post, Adding Images Or Photos To Your Blog Posts? 4 Essential Things To Do.’

Follow Hugh on Social Media. Click on the links below.

If you enjoyed this post and want more like it, click the ‘Subscribe’ button to stay up-to-date with my latest content.

Copyright @ 2024 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Flash Fiction Friday – Christmas Present

November 28, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the saying, “not my monkeys, not my circus”. What is the situation that would spawn that aphorism? Have fun with the setting and characters! Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

Christmas Present – by Hugh W. Roberts

Watching the happy couple unwrap their gifts brought so much joy and happiness. I love Christmas.

One last gift, but who’s the recipient?

“The tag says it’s for you; somebody from your past?” said Veronica.

“Me?” replied David.

He hesitated at first, but his face was a picture when he pulled out red fishnet stockings and suspenders.

The atmosphere changed before death arrived. But it would be the next Christmas before they joined me.

Not my monkeys, not my circus,” I laughed as I walked out of their lives unnoticed.

Nobody cheated on me, the ghost of Christmas past.


Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***


Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’

***

32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Copyright © 2022 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Flash Fiction Friday – The Gift Wrapper

November 21, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, “Oh, my.” It can be used in storytelling or dialogue. What is the cause for such a response? Have fun with this one! Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.


The Gift Wrapper – by Hugh W. Roberts

Reggie always helped me with packing Christmas gifts.

He had an eye for matching tags and ribbons with the right paper. All the gifts looked terrific.

“Thanks for your help again, Reggie,” I said while putting away the remainder of the Christmas wrapping paper.

I always got the same reply when he looked at me with deep brown eyes.

But this year was different. No brown eyes were looking up at me.

“Reggie?”

Silence.

“Oh, my!”

There was no sign of Reggie. Surely my pet rat hadn’t crept into one of the fifty-wrapped boxes sitting under the Christmas tree?

***

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***


Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘Glimpses.’

***

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Copyright © 2022 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

Have You Seen The Christmas Goat?

December 2, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes the littlest Christmas goat. Who does the goat belong to? What is happening? Go where the prompt leads!


Have You Seen The Christmas Goat? – by Hugh W. Roberts

Many have admired the Littlest Christmas Goat. It shines as bright as the Northern Star on a dark, freezing December night.

Its sparkling eyes and inviting, warm interior help thaw out cold fingers and chilled bones. The surrounding Christmas illuminations fill the air with festivities, laughter and happy memories of Christmases’ past.

Legend says – ‘see the Littlest Christmas Goat on Christmas Eve, and all your Christmas wishes come true.’

True? Yes, but only the elf-like landlady of the Littest Christmas Goat alehouse knows the honest answer. In her world, all Christmas wishes come with a price. Your life.

***

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Copyright © 2021 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.

The Magic Of Christmas

The Magic Of Christmas

It always snowed at Christmas, and it was one thing Fiona detested.

A white Christmas was one of the remaining bits of magic the festive season had over her. This Christmas, she needed to get rid of it once and for all.

Witnessing the arrival of the angels every Christmas Eve had helped keep the magic alive. But last year the angels seemed different; different to how they had always appeared to Fiona. Last year, the first Christmas Fiona hadn’t believed in the magic, the angels had refused to show their faces to her.

“You’re too old to be hanging up Christmas stockings,” Fiona yelled at her daughters as they approached the fireplace. “And you can lay the table and cook tomorrow’s dinner if you want to celebrate. Christmas Day is now going to be like any other day. The magic of Christmas no longer exists.”

At the stroke of midnight that night, Fiona made her way out of the house. Would the angels show their face this year?

It wasn’t long before the warm globes of light appeared. The angels had come back and made their way to the only part of the garden where virgin snow lay. It hadn’t snowed for two days, yet the footprints Fiona had made in that part of the garden were no longer visible.

“You’re not real! Why don’t you show me your faces anymore? There’s no such thing as the magic of Christmas,” she shrieked, as all but one of the angels touched the undisturbed snow and melted into it. As the winter air chilled Fiona’s bones, the last angel turned around and beckoned her towards it.

Doing all she could to stop herself moving towards the creature, its ugly face made Fiona want to scream, but nothing but a silent screech came out of her mouth. She tried thinking about the magic of Christmas in the hope the creature would go away, but her body refused to stop moving. By the time she reached it, its terrifying face had melted away.

Fiona’s heart raced. Had they gone?

A noise from behind her forced her to turn around and look back at the house. Now, before her, the whole garden was full of untrodden, virgin, snow, yet it had not snowed.

As she made the first hesitant steps towards the house, Fiona’s journey abruptly stopped. From underneath the snow, a hand appeared and grabbed her ankle. Her screams went unheard as the warm hand pulled her into the world of non-believers.

Fiona’s last sight of the magical world she had once believed in was that of a stout figure, dressed in red with a long white beard, standing on the roof of the house.

“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas,” laughed the figure, as the final remains of Fiona melted into the virgin snow.


The image in this post was created by me using Canva.

Copyright © 2021 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.