a sharing connection (3)

Fiction Friday: The Wine Tasting

by Sara on January 13, 2012

The RWH prompt from Write on Edge: In four hundred words or less, write a fiction piece based on a definition of the word “flavor.”

I’m not sure I totally got this prompt right, but I had lots of fun writing it. Thanks to Cameron for suggesting it:~)

“Class, swirl your wine and sniff it.” Mattie’s voice was so serious, Harrison almost laughed.

Usually, Mattie was the one laughing, but this was the final test for her Wine Educator Certificate. He was here to give her moral support.

Harrison swirled his wine. The woman beside him followed his example, but spilled wine down her shirt.

She giggled. “Oops, my bad!”

Mattie sighed. Harrison handed the woman his handkerchief, noticing her twinkly green eyes.

“Who wants to tell us what they smell?” Mattie asked.

The woman with the stained shirt waved her hand. “I’ll try!”

Mattie looked wary, but no one else volunteered. “Okay, Lilly, what do you smell?”

Lilly sniffed. The wine went up her nose. She sneezed. Red wine flew everywhere. People ducked. Harrison laughed out loud; he couldn’t help himself.

Lilly lifted her glass. “Sorry! It went up my nose. Let me try again.” Mattie stopped her.

“That’s okay, Lilly! Let’s taste our wine now.”

After everyone had a taste, Mattie asked Harrison, “What flavors do you taste in the wine, sir?

He swirled the wine in his mouth and spit it out. “I think I taste blackberries, a hint of vanilla and maybe…chocolate?” He made his voice uncertain.

“You’ve got a good palate!” Mattie acted like he’d won a prize. Both knew he had more than a good palate! After all, he was a Master Sommelier.

“It tastes like wine to me, but it’s good!” Lilly put her glass down with a clunk. Red wine spilled again.

Mattie glared at Lilly, but didn’t say anything.

The class progressed. Lilly spilled more wine. She laughed at her klutziness. Harrison liked her ease with herself; she wasn’t pretentious, kind of like his favorite Pinot Noir.

As Mattie enthused about the flavors of wine, all Harrison wanted was to taste the flavors of Lilly. Breathing in her smell – jasmine, citrus, with a hint of deodorant – he watched her sip her wine. Heat rose in his face thinking about tasting her full red lips.

She left early, disappointing Harrison. But when he stepped outside, she was waiting wearing a sexy grin.

He discovered she was also a Sommelier, but hired to test Mattie’s ability to handle difficult students. Mattie passed, just barely.

Later that night over a bottle of wine, Harrison leaned over, kissed Lilly and said, “Hmmm. Sweet, slightly salty with just a hint of an excellent Pinot.

{ 36 comments }

A Crack in the Sky

by Sara on January 9, 2012

photo by sara b. healy

Uh Oh!

There’s a crack in the evening sky.

The scientists cannot explain it.

It just appeared one evening.

They’ve sent probes, but none have returned.

You are a Sky Reader, the select few who know how to read the skies.

You have been called on to find out about this sky crack.

If you don’t find some answers, the leaders of the world will destroy the crack.

So, Sky Reader, do your thing.

What caused this crack in the sky?
How can it be repaired or should it be repaired?
What, if anything, is behind the crack in the sky?

The world is waiting for your answers.

{ 24 comments }

The Right Epitaph

by Sara on January 6, 2012

This is fiction story written for a Red Writing Hood prompt from Write on Edge. The prompt was to write a story in which an epitaph features prominently. The word limit was 500 words or less.

The subject matter of this story may make some readers uncomfortable. Constructive feedback is welcomed. Tell me what you liked and tell me how I can improve:~)

Tommy watched the graveside service standing beside an ancient oak tree. Silver-gray moss hung from its twisted branches and swayed in the warm breeze. A young preacher spoke the eulogy. His voice was so soft only a few phrases made it to Tommy’s ears.

“…a good servant of the Lord…”

“…beloved by all …”

“Give me a break!” Tommy spit the words out. He didn’t think God would be pleased about this eulogy.

The preacher finally stopped. People dropped flowers on the casket and spoke to the sobbing wife. Eventually, old Herman and his grandson stepped forward, checked the straps and the machine lowered the shiny new casket into the grave. After a few minutes, two pallbearers in their black suits stuck shovels into the nearby pile of dirt, symbolically tossing chunks of it down.

Preacher Beau’s wife screamed as the wet dark dirt fell on the casket. Her scream woke Tommy’s memories. In his mind, he smelled the musty bed in the church basement and saw Preacher Beau coming towards him, his flabby skin pale against the clumps of black body hair.

He remembered screaming into the pillow as Preacher Beau held his head down. When he was done, he threatened Tommy. Said no one would believe him. Said he’d tell people Tommy stole from the church. Said Tommy would be sent away from his parents. Tommy kept quiet. He never told anyone about the basement visits.

His mom called him with the news of Preacher Beau’s death. She begged him to come home for the funeral, but he made excuses. He came anyway, but stayed hidden. He needed to see the bastard laid to rest for himself, but he wouldn’t honor him. No, he had other plans.

After the cemetery cleared out, Tommy waited until Herman finished covering the grave with the backhoe. A light rain dampened his unshaven face and his tennis shoes squeaked as he left his hiding place, walking towards the grave.

When he reached the rounded pile of dirt, he saw the headstone. Below the facts about the preacher’s birth and death was the epitaph, “A godly man who served the Lord all his days.” Tommy laughed out loud at this fiction chiseled into the headstone.

He’d fix that epitaph. He unzipped his backpack and pulled out the waterproof cloth with its words printed in permanent ink. He climbed up on the mound, placed the cloth over the headstone, stepped back and read aloud what he’d written.

“Here lies the lying Preacher Beau
Swore he served his people well
But for the sins they didn’t know
God made sure he went to hell.”

The next morning, Herman and his grandson son saw the covered headstone.

Herman gasped in shock. “We need to take that down right away. Help me, son”

The grandson grabbed his granddaddy’s arthritic hand with his own strong one. With tears in his eyes, he said, “Leave it, Granddaddy. That’s the right epitaph for Preacher Beau.”

*** * * * ***

Every society, animal and human, in order to survive must make the health and safety of its young a top priority. Continued failure to do this will put the society at risk.

No one is comfortable with the idea that children are raped or experience sexual abuse. Yet, the National Center for Victims of Crimes estimates that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will have experienced an episode of sexual abuse while younger than 18 years.

The numbers of boys affected may be falsely low because of reporting techniques (Botash, Ann, MD, Pediatric Annual, May, 1997).

{ 20 comments }

Holiday Blues

by Sara on December 22, 2011

photo by sara b. healy

You are not accidental. Existence needs you. Without you something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace it. That’s what gives you dignity, that the whole existence will miss you. The stars and sun and moon, the trees and birds and earth – everything in the universe will feel a small place is vacant which cannot be filled by anybody except you. ~ OSHO

This is one of my favorite quotes. I put it up today because, for some, the holidays will not be joyful and happy. I don’t mean to be a spoil sport, but the reality is this holiday season…

Some of us will feel lost.
Some of us will be alone.
Some of us will feel sad.
Some of us will be forgotten.

Take a few minutes to read this message again.

“You are not accidental. Existence needs you. Without you something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace it.” ~ OSHO

Absorb these words into your heart.
Remember them.
Repeat them.
And don’t forget to…

Share them.

In the hectic days of the holidays, take time to notice people around you. When you come across someone who’s not in the “holiday spirit” or who seems kind of sad, overworked, or just lonely, give them the gift of these words. Remind them of how essential they are to you, to the world, and to the Universe.

Let these powerful words light a warming fire in someone’s soul this holiday season:~)

2011 Thank You

Thank you to all of you who visited A Sharing Connection this year. Whether you left a comment or stopped by briefly, you are very much appreciated!

Also, I want to thank the people whose words of wisdom helped me this year. Through your comments and your posts, I have gained so much from what you’ve shared with me.

The blogosphere is such a unique space. It allows us the freedom to test our creativity, to express our points of view, and to share our commonalities. I look forward to continuing to share this space with you in 2012.

I wish you all a very happy NEW YEAR.

{ 13 comments }

Holiday Memories

by Sara on December 19, 2011

Video by PDG Productions, 2010
Song by Pink Martini

One of my fondest holiday memories occurred Christmas of 1989. We were all excited as snow had been predicted all day. Where I live, this is a very unusual event. We all hoped for a “white Christmas.”

By the time, we arrived at the evening holiday church service; the “predicted” snow still had not showed up. While disappointed, we still enjoyed the service.

We sang holiday songs as candles twinkled all around the room. We said special prayers for those in need and gave what we could when the collection plate was circulated.

Finally, the last song was sung and it was time to leave. We collected our coats and in a large group headed for the doors. When they opened wide, so did our eyes.

In the church lights, pristine white snow sparkled everywhere – on top of trees, bushes, roofs, sidewalks and the ground. It was like we were stepping into a snow globe.

We all stopped and stared, even the kids! However, it wasn’t long before they were running and jumping into the snow. Holiday “dress-up” clothes were forgotten as snowballs flew through the air and children made snow angels.

No one wanted to leave. For those of us who don’t see snow often, it was a beautiful and magical moment and became a fond memory:~)

What about you?

Even if you celebrate a holiday different than Christmas, what is one of your fondest memories of a holiday? Briefly describe it in the comment box.

{ 26 comments }

Photo Quote: Persistence

by Sara on December 5, 2011

photo by sara b. healy

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” ~ Albert Einstein

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Story Photo: Bad Hair Day

by Sara on December 1, 2011

copyright by sara b. healy

The Haircut

I sat down in the chair.
He gave a haughty stare.
He said, I know just what to do.”
I asked, “Can I really trust you?”
He said, “Sure. I’ll fix everything.
Don’t you worry; I’m the hair king!”
I listened to snip, snip, snip,
Waiting for the perfect clip.
Now, my hair hangs uneven
Thanks to a cut by Stephen.*

This poem is loosely based on a Red Writing Hood prompt. The prompt was to write something about hair and I think the idea was to write a story, a character sketch or anything other than what I ended up writing. But sometimes you just have to go where your muse takes you!

Since no story developed, I began a desperate search for a picture to put something up at my site. I found this one and “VOILÀ!” Somehow, the picture, the prompt and my muse decided to play together. It’s not exactly what Cheryl intended with her Write on Edge prompt, but I had lots of fun writing this. In addition, I’ve been in that chair many times:~)

What about you?

Have you been in a chair like Stephen’s?
Care to share any of your stories about hair cuts?

* This poem is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. So, for any of the hair stylists out there named Stephen, this means I’m not talking about you:~)

Note to my readers:

I will be around the blogosphere off and on in December. My daughter and her husband will soon be visiting from England. As I don’t get to see them very often, I plan on spending as much time as possible with them. I know you will understand:~)

{ 24 comments }

Being Thankful

by Sara on November 21, 2011

copyright sara healy (click to enlarge)

The Challenge: Sharing thanks

It’s almost Thanksgiving in the States. This is a holiday based around “repeats,” meaning we usually repeat the same meal every Thanksgiving – turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

Sure, there’s some variation from state to state and home to home, but this Thursday, most Americans will give thanks, eat basically the same meal, and, with bellies full, sleepily watch football. Many of us will repeat the meal the next day stuffed into a sandwich.

I’m offering my own “repeat” this Thanksgiving. A year ago, I wrote a post about writing four-words of thanks. I liked this post. It was fun sharing my own four-word thankful moments and reading the ones left in the comment box. It made me feel, well, thankful:~)

Some of you have already done this challenge. I invite you to try again with the idea of Autumn in mind. If you haven’t done this challenge, give it a go. Make a list of your own four-word thankful moments about Autumn or Thanksgiving via the comment box.

The cool part of doing a “repeat” post is you get to quote yourself:~) Here’s my quote from the first post:

“Sharing thankful moments is like planting seeds for growing a more loving world. Each thankful moment you write sends energy out to others and reading someone’s thankful moments only adds to our own.” ~ Sara B. Healy

Rule One

There’s only one rule to this challenge, but it’s important! Each line you write about thankful moments must contain only four words!

You can use any style of writing – poetry, free verse, songs, a list/collection – whatever suits your needs, as long as you stick to Rule One.

Here’s my list of “thankful moments” for Thanksgiving, 2011.

Fall Camellias boldly blooming
The recovery of friends
Crisp baby blue skies
A remembered dog’s trust
Cats stretching in sunlight
A lover’s listening ear
Tree leaves on fire
Laughter chasing away tears
Exceptional women for daughters
Ice coated green grass
Chimneys exhaling wood smoke
Words playing effortlessly together
Creative words from readers
Leaves crunching under footsteps
Chicken soup’s comforting smell
Fingers gently massaging shoulders
The thrill of beginnings
The contentment of completion
Drinking spicy apple cider
Football flags wind dancing
Writing words of thanks
Reading words of thanks
The gift of gratitude

Okay, it’s your turn. What are your four-word thankful moments about Autumn or Thanksgiving?

{ 26 comments }

The 7 x 7 Link Award

by Sara on November 17, 2011

Liz, The Writing Reader, awarded me the 7 x 7 Award. I’m not a big fan of blogging awards, but this one is very original.

It was also given to me by a person I consider extremely creative. Liz puts up the most imaginative prompts for writers and artists. AND she does it every single day! Her ability to think of the different subjects a writer or an artist can explore amazes me.

As most of you know, blogging awards come with strings. The strings for this one are:

Answer 7 “the most…” things about my blog
Recommend 7 other bloggers for this award

WOW, was this tough! It was like being at a country fair and being both contestant and judge. I reviewed ALL my 322 blog posts back to 2007. That’s a lot for me.

The nice part of this review was it felt like I was turning the pages of a scrap book. I could see how my writing has changed over the years, reflecting my own life changes.

The sad part was reviewing comments and realizing how many people I’ve lost touch with. Some are no longer blogging, but others are. One of my intentions is to go back to and revisit some of these people. I’d liked to know what they’re up to in life.

First 7: The Blue Ribbon Goes to….

Most Beautiful Post: A Picture for Your Thoughts. This was a challenge! How do you judge the beauty of your own posts? I selected this one because of the picture AND the words.
Most Popular Post: The Dance. What a surprise this was! I selected this one totally on the comment numbers.
Most Controversial Post: When You’re Stuck in a Moment. Controversial posts aren’t my norm. So, I selected this post because it was the most revealing of all my posts and the subject is controversial.
Most Helpful Post: Kindness Can Improve Your Health. How could I go wrong with this one?
Most Surprisingly Successful Post: Story Photo: Guessing Game. I’ve been doing Story Photo posts for a quite awhile. You never know which one will connect with readers. This post was definitely a surprise because my readers really responded to it.
Most Underrated Post: Managing Worry. Okay, I confess this was one of MY favorites. However, to paraphrase Roger Dangerfield, “It got no respect!” That’s not exactly true. It was an early post before I understood the “etiquette” of blogging:~)
Most Pride-worthy Post: Recipe for a Blog. I’m proud of this post because it was written when I was really stuck. I couldn’t think of anything to write and was desperate! My muse came through and this one has all the ingredients I like in a post – twists and turns, humor, and fun.

Second 7: Frequent Visitors

The second 7 is to give this award out to 7 blogs. Okay, I hate this part. How do you choose from so many wonderful sites? I decided to pick bloggers who have been frequent visitors to my site over the years and randomly selected seven from this list. As these are bloggers I also visit frequently and love their sites, how could I go wrong?

Chris, Work Consciously – Ah. The “wise one” is what I call Chris. His site always gives you nuggets of important wisdom to take away with you. He also challenges his readers to really think. He motivates and encourages all of us to take a deep breath and fully experience our lives.

Ginny, Special Moments in Time – Want inspiration? Ginny’s site is full of it. She always writes something encouraging for others. In addition, she shares her art and photography. It’s a great combination.

Kelvin, Puppet Kaos – If anyone got the right mix of left and right “brainness,” Kelvin did. He’s most logically creative person I know. He always comes up with topics full of knowledge and humor. In addition, he’s the real “Puppet Master,” but in the most positive way:~) If you watch one of his puppet videos, I guarantee you’ll love it and it will “tickle your funny bone.”

Linda of From Roses to Rainbows – I’ve watched Linda’s site grow and seen how her talents have emerged like flowers in the springtime. Her writing amazes me. She’s so creative and has lots of fun with her writing and her photography.

Lynn, Good Things Happen – Ages ago…in blogging years (2007, like me), Lynn decided to write a blog about three beautiful things that happened in her life. Whenever I visit, there’s always a connection I make with something she shares. In addition, her site reminds me to look for the beautiful things in my own day. She also uses her own lovely photographs.

Shay, Shay’s Word Garden – What can I say about Shay? She’s one the most talented and prolific poets I know. She writes poems that are sometimes edgy, sometimes dark, sometimes funny, and sometimes they make me blush:~) The common ingredient in all them, however, is creative genius.

Susan, Today’s Path for a Healthier Tomorrow – Susan’s site is full of important information about health. She uses her own humor and common sense to guide her readers away from dangerous health risks, while also making suggestions for creating a healthier environment and lifestyle. Visiting her site is always a learning experience for me.

I hope you will visit these sites. I guarantee you will gain something from each of them. Please stop by, say hello, and congratulate them for this award:~)

{ 25 comments }

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