Louise is a writer, poet and photographer who feels most at home when out and about, watching, photographing, and writing about the flora and fauna to be found along the lanes and in the meadows of her local area. She can happily spend hours lost in a field full of wildflowers.
He stands beside the water with the setting sun at his back, his pose deceptively casual. Between his hands clouds begin to gather, a roiling reflection of the sky above. In their midst a spark of sunlight ignites. It grows steadily in intensity until a golden orb burns; the wild energy of the stars compressed … More Cee’s Oddball Challenge: 2015 Week #7
Two nights in a row this week I managed to photograph rather nice sunsets over the field next to my house. The first night I watched (and photographed of course!) as the sun sank below the horizon in a gorgeous golden glow. The next night the sky turned a lovely mottled pink. I thought I’d share some … More Sunsets
This post is in response to Heena Rathore P.’s Word of the Week (WOW). This weekly meme is a great way of improving your vocabulary. If you wish to participate, simply create a post with your word and leave a link in a comment on Heena’s WOW post. Here’s my WOW for this week: Word calumny … More Word of the Week (WOW): Calumny
Emergence Clad in umber tones, arising from winter’s sleep with the promise of a young sun’s caress, with tentative steps the maiden begins her dance upon the eternal spiral, embracing the innocence of snowdrops in fresh bloom. I’d not originally planned this to be for Cee’s Which Way Challenge – I knew I wanted … More Emergence
This is my entry for this week’s Friday Fictioneers Challenge run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words. The Other House Mary sighed. She liked this property but… it didn’t speak to her. Her gaze strayed from the garden and quiet streets towards the house opposite. “If you’re interested,” the estate agent said, … More Friday Fictioneers: The Other House
Here’s my second edit for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. This week I wanted to create a soft, dreamy effect. I began by opening the original in camera raw on Photoshop Editions (the first time I’ve ever explored this area of the program). I reduced the contrast, shadows and saturation and increased the exposure, highlights and whites. I then also slightly … More One-Four Challenge: February Week Two
Here’s this week’s entry into Monday’s Finish the Story flash fiction challenge, run by Barbara W. Beacham. This challenge gives you a picture prompt and the first line and asks that you finish the story in 100-150 words. The given line is in italics. Dropping her line into Fool’s Lake, she patiently waited for something … More Monday’s Finish the Story: Fisherman’s Friend
How many people have sat there, upon the old wood of the bench on the green, watching the slow life of the village pass by? For many years it has provided a place to stop and rest; now it’s old and worn, wearied from its long labour. Moss and lichen mottle the surface like age … More Cee’s Black and White Challenge: The Bench on the Green
This post is for Cardinal Guzman’s monthly blogging event The Changing Seasons. He asks that you post a gallery of between 10 and 20 photos for each month, all taken in an area near to you. Over the course of the year we’ll get to see the landscape changing. If you would like to know more about … More Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #2 January
This post is in response to Heena Rathore P.’s Word of the Week (WOW). This weekly meme is a great way of improving your vocabulary. If you wish to participate, simply create a post with your word and leave a link in a comment on Heena’s WOW post. Here’s my WOW for this week: Word Bailiwick … More Word of the Week (WOW): Bailiwick
This is my second entry for this week’s Friday Fictioneers Challenge run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s picture prompt was provided by Melanie Greenwood. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words. I felt a little guilty because my first go at this prompt didn’t really fit the guidelines on Rochelle’s challenge – she states that … More Friday Fictioneers: Cursed
This is my entry for this week’s Friday Fictioneers Challenge run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s picture prompt was provided by Melanie Greenwood. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words. A few weeks ago I posted a little fantasy story called Hunted that screamed at me to be continued. Today’s flash fic is that … More Friday Fictioneers: Hunted Part 2
It powers over the viaduct, a metallic monster with fire in its belly, breathing steam and smoke into the air in pungent billows; a marvel of Victorian engineering. Its passage is accompanied by the roaring clatter of metal against metal. Behind the engine trail carriages, filled with passengers enjoying a touch of old-fashioned luxury as … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #5 – Steam Train
It’s a new month and so time for a new picture for Robyn’s One-Four Challenge. For this first edit I used Photoshop Elements. I began by cropping it a little off the bottom and sides. I then selected the smudge stick filter, which I set to a relatively low stroke length, highlight area and intensity. I … More One-Four Challenge: February Week One
Here’s this week’s entry into Monday’s Finish the Story flash fiction challenge, run by Barbara W. Beecham. This challenge gives you a picture prompt and the first line and asks that you finish the story in 100-150 words. The given line is in italics. Diamond Jack had his hideout next to the Rattle Snake River. … More Monday’s Finish the Story: The Shootout
For long years the pair have stood guardian over the sacred space, their presence conceived to repel what evil spirits might wish to venture within. Their features, once finely carved, are worn and weathered now with the passage of time. One sleeps in peaceful repose, free of all cares. The other watches the world. And … More Cee’s Black and White Challenge: Textures
This post is in response to Heena Rathore P.’s Word of the Week (WOW). This weekly meme is a great way of improving your vocabulary. As a lover of words, how could I not join in? If you wish to participate, simply create a post with your word and leave a link in a comment on … More Word of the Week (WOW): Anthropomorphic
This is my entry into the Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s picture prompt was provided by Ted Strutz. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words. Grandma’s House “You box up in here,” Emily said. “I’ll do the bedroom.” Lizzie nodded numbly, looking at the furniture: the table, chair … More Friday Fictioneers: Grandma’s House
A Path Through History Rickety fences direct your steps with genteel insistence as you follow the meandering path, uneven stone beneath your feet and the summer sun warm upon your skin. With curious eyes you explore the ruins. Once an extravagant display of elitist dominion, a focal point for struggles of class and ideology, the … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #4 – A Path Through History
This is my entry four week 4 of Robyn’s One-Four Challenge, which asks that you edit the same picture in four different ways over four weeks. For this final edit I wanted to create a more psychedelic image, drawing on the slightly more esoteric role of mushrooms (though ink caps do not have any hallucinogenic … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 4
This is my entry into this week’s Monday’s Finish the Story flash fiction challenge run by Barbara Beacham. This challenge gives you a picture and an opening sentence and asks that you finish the story within 100-150 words. The opening sentence is given in italics. Click the link above to check out some of the other entries. She was … More Monday’s Finish the Story: Predator
The lanes twist and turn across the countryside, crossing, merging and dividing as they skirt around fields and farmyards, winding in leisurely meanders in an intricate tarmacked maze. Muddied verges, puddled from recent rainfall, are torn and frayed by the tires of vehicles forced to pull aside on the narrow route. In the chill of … More Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Roadscapes
This post is in response to Heena Rathore P.’s Word of the Week (WOW). This weekly meme is a great way of improving your vocabulary. I’ve learnt so much more about my WOW word while researching for this post! If you wish to participate, simply create a post with your word and leave a link in … More Word of the Week (WOW): Amorphous
This is my second entry into the Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge run by Rochelle Wiseoff-Fields. This week’s picture prompt was provided by Georgia Koch. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words. ‘Just look! Isn’t it wonderful?’ Kev exclaimed. ‘Wonderful?’ Valerie shifted her disgusted gaze between him and the dilapidated vessel, her painted lips pursed. ‘How … More Friday Fictioneers: The New Boat
This is the first of two entries into this week’s Friday Fictioneers flash fiction challenge, run by Rochelle Wiseoff-Fields. This week’s picture prompt was provided by Georgia Koch. The challenge is to write a story within 100 words. Hunted Genre: fantasy Mikael stumbled from bridge to river bank, weaving energy threads to mask his passage. There was … More Friday Fictioneers: Hunted
The sounds of water lapping against the rocky outcrops below drift soothingly to your ears as you traverse the Devil’s Bridge, following in the footsteps of centuries worth of travellers. Your hand trails over the stone balustrade as so many have done before. The structure may be mottled with moss and lichen, it may be … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge 2015: Week #3 – Devil’s Bridge
This is my entry for January week 3 of Robyn G’s One-Four Challenge, which asks that you edit the same picture in four different ways over four weeks. To begin with this picture was again edited on PicMonkey. First I increased the shadows, highlights and contrast and added a faint green cross-process. I then slightly … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 3
This is my entry into Barbara Beacham’s Mondays Finish the Story, a flash fiction challenge that gives you a picture and an opening sentence and asks you to finish the story in 100-150 words. The sentence given is in italics. They finally made their escape… Evie sighed in relief. The jeep was falling far behind … More Chase – Monday’s Finish the Story
Each nook and cranny around the yard is home to a woodpile, the contents collected through years of beaver-like industry. Dead trees, old tables, builders off cuts – all meet their fate beneath the blades of chainsaw and axe. Once decimated they are laid out and stacked in funereal precision, awaiting their time … More Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: Wood
As I’ve mentioned before I’m currently working on a series of images for an Enchanted Forest story and scenery set. This picture began life as a quick sketch of a toadstool house. I decided to turn it into a colouring picture. If anyone wishes to print it out and give it to their children to … More Toadstool House Colouring Picture
This post is my entry into Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers Challenge. This challenge gives you a picture prompt and asks you to write a complete story in 100 words. This week’s picture was provided by Jan Wayne Fields. Ten Years I died in this room, ten years ago today. They’ve barely used it since. My family was broken like … More Friday Fictioneers: Ten Years
Shadowed What secrets lie hidden within the shadowed corners of history? With gazes drawn to the bright vistas, the carefully chosen points of focus, we view a scene shaped by the victors’ hands, by those in positions of prominence and power. Seek with a careful eye amongst the shadows: the secrets of the dispossessed may someday … More Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadowed
Here’s my entry for January week 2 of Robyn’s One Four Challenge, which asks you to edit the same picture in four different ways over a month. For this week’s edit I used the online photo-edit site, PicMonkey. I increased both shadows and highlights before desaturating the picture to full black and white. To finish off, I … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 2
This is my entry for this week’s flash fiction challenge from Mondays Finish The Story. This challenge gives you a picture and an opening sentence and asks you to finish the story within 100-150 words. The opening sentence is given in italics. Racing down into the atmosphere, the unidentified object crashed, leaving behind one … More Catch! – Mondays Finish the Story
It moves like a great beast: slow and steady as it trundles along lanes dry and dusty after the weeks of summer drought. I watch it pass, see the sun glinting on dirty paintwork, and I try not to choke on the clouds of dust disturbed by its passage. Soon it has gone and only the faint haze … More Cee’s Which Way Challenge: 2015 #Week 1 – Beast
Among the Toadstools Can you hear the lilting strains of the music of the universe drifting from within the fey circle? Let the melody captivate your senses and dance, carried on waves of pure enchantment footsteps flying in an intricate design, as you soar along the spiral of existence, celebrating life and death and every … More Among the Toadstools
I’ve decided to join in with Cardinal Guzman’s monthly blogging event. He asks that you post a gallery of between 10 and 20 photos for each month, all taken in an area near to you. Over the course of the year we’ll get to see the landscape changing. If you would like to know more about … More Monthly Photo Challenge: The Changing Seasons #1 December
I’ve been saying for a while now that I’m going to join in with Robyn G’s One-Four Challenge – well this month I’m actually doing so! This challenge asks you to edit the same picture in four different ways over four weeks. If you would like to find out more, or join in with the challenge, … More One-Four Challenge: January Week 1
I’ve decided to have a go at some flash fiction so, to start me off, I’m joining in with Mondays Finish the Story. For this you’re given a photograph and the opening line and the challenge is to complete the story within 100-150 words. I hope you all like my offering. Silently as the people … More Heli-copper – Finish the Story
An Image Of Concern Twisting, curling. A vague idea gathering form and substance. An inkling – troublesome yet indistinct. A hint, a look shared, an outline defined. Shading added. The caress of fear, pulsing worry. Something’s wrong, something’s wrong, something… An easy way to find the truth. A simple question. But… Do you really want … More An Image of Concern
The place where you can find out what Lillie thinks
Looking at life through blue eyes
: around the world :
Looking into why we do the things we do (and some crochet) each Monday
Amanda Tuke - nature writer and urban nature champion
A photographic journey.
Here and now, with all of it.
An Enchanted Place 