Author: Low Wattage

Expat Welshman, educated (somewhat) in UK, left before it became fashionable to do so. Now a U.S. Citizen, and recent widower, playing with retirement and house remodeling, living in Delaware and rural Maryland (weekends).

Waterstone’s Sonnet -Jan Poetry Comp.

I’m found high up, a tiny crescent mark
a comma wand’ring from its rightful place
abused by every ill-read grocer’s clerk
some oft’ used plural noun to sore deface.

When I’m true placed, behind all proper nouns
the power of possession, I’ll at once confer.
I’m in mid-word?  I beg thee, spare thy frowns,
you’ll know the missing letters I do there infer.

A worthless vestige, or some antiquated sign
I never was.  Sad victim of some Ad-man’s pen
will never be, until the writing of the final line
means to us all the great, and last, amen.

When the rules of English usage they defile,
ALL the many Waterstones must we revile.

Marking Time – January 2012 CW Comp.

Marking Time

Len Larcombe, teacher of Chemistry and fifth form master sat at a small desk in the staff room of the provincial public school. It was the spring of 1928 and Larcombe was almost forty years old, ten years before he had been a captain of artillery and ten before that an amateur boxer of some note. His service in the war and in the ring had left him somewhat deaf in both of his large somewhat battered ears. He settled himself into the wooden chair and lit his pipe, pushing the glowing embers deep into the bowl with a calloused and nicotine stained forefinger.

Continue reading “Marking Time – January 2012 CW Comp.”

Photo. Comp. #20 the winner.

Well it was an interesting group OZ, Bravo and Ferret very quick off the mark and then…. well not much until about 24 hours before closing when a flood of entries landed in the post. I was drawn to the entries with humans present. OZ’s entry was tantalizing in content and probably also a lesson on how not to take a photograph in a dark and smoky room, Pseu captured that feeling of satisfaction when participants clear their plates and Soutie’s entry certainly captured the “Merry”. Boadicea’s strawberry meringue has all the ingredients of the competition, a smiling face, perhaps after a glass of good wine, and the anticipation of enjoying a sinfully good dessert. Sipu has a merry group with signs of food and drink in abundance, but for uninhibited “Merry” coupled with some serious imbibing and the implied consumption of some good food I hand the prize this time to Bravo.

Well done Bravo, we look forward to your setting the next.

PS I did like OZ’s bucket of hog parts, it’s the kind of picture that gives vegetarians dyspepsia.

Poetry: 10-January 2012 the Results.

They were all good, there really is an abundance of talent on this site (sometimes it does take a little drawing out).
To use a quote from Janus, I am kind of “rumpty-tumpty” poet myself (if I am any poet at all and I make no claim). As result I do like a rhyme in my pomes and I was drawn to Ara’s late entry and Janus’s masterful compilation of place names for that reason, but for staying with the theme and evoking the kind of perplexity that only a new beginning can do, I must award the “Poisoned Chalice” this round to Bearsy. Well done, that Bear.

A Friendly Poke

Just a reminder that the Poetry Competition has but a few more days to run, it will of course be extended indefinitely, until some contribution from the female side is received.
By way of encouragement I offer this little piece from a local paper. When I read It I thought of Bearsy who has favored this form in the past, I have a hard time with the sonnet, something about counting in fives.
Continue reading “A Friendly Poke”

Sign of the Times?

Back in the late summer the Creekers met and decided to pave our access road. It had once been maintained by the County but about ten years ago they decided the last half mile or so was not theirs and abandoned it to its fate. Several of us appealed the abandonment, pointing out that the road had been regularly plowed during the winter and the local school bus used it when there were schoolkids to be hauled. “Nope” they said “If we did that it was a mistake, it’s not ours and we don’t want it”. The road had never really been paved, it was made by spraying tar and rolling fine gravel into the surface repeatedly over the years and twenty years of unmaintained use had almost destroyed the lot.

We got some estimates from several local paving outfits and decided on who would do the job. Not a cheap process building roads, they all proposed stripping the surface completely and relaying the lot in two three inch layers of hot rolled tarmacadam.

Continue reading “Sign of the Times?”

I may never understand the female mind.

You may recall that in various posts in the past  I have mentioned the severity of our recent winters, cold and snow in abundance.

Well, a month or so ago, during a discussion at the dinner table concerning the upcoming winter and expectation of another doozy, the first mate made an offer to help in clearing the white stuff from about the property.  “I’d like to help” I heard her say quite clearly.  Being the considerate soul that I am, my response was probably “The big tractor with the snow blower up front is a real handful especially on the hill”   but I did remember the conversation, and again showing great consideration quietly acted upon it at the appropriate time.

– Some smart thinking follows >

An Open Letter to the Furry Mustelid.

Sir,

It has been brought to my attention that, following a recent success in the highly regarded 19th Photography Competition, the only thing standing between me and the first ever Triple Crown award here at Boadicea’s Chariot is a positive decision regarding the Creative Writing Competition wisely and skillfully set by your good self and closing in the next few days.

A lifetime spent in the business of marketing valuable and useful technology to reluctant corporate personnel has taught me the value of careful and thorough preparation of one’s case.  I offer the following observations merely as background to what will obviously be a difficult and demanding decision which you will be required to make following December 28, 2011.

-Read on for a valuable offer.>