Charli Mills | But I Smile Anyway...

April 5 – Flash Fiction – Sun Silly Preschoolers!

09 Apr 2018 28 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #CarrotRanch, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charli Mills, Flash Fiction, School, Sun Silly

Charli’s prompt this week:

April 5, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a silly sun story. Up north, “sun silly” is the energetic and playful response to returning sunlight. It could also be an April Fool’s jest, a silly story, or a reaction to spring fever. Be silly and write playfully! Go where the prompt leads.

Just got in by the skin of my teeth, what with my little break, but here you are!

Sun Silly Preschoolers!

Billy hung precariously from the climbing frame.
Jane was running round and round the playground like a crazed lunatic.
Another group were taking great pleasure in pulling the flowers off the line of shrubs in the planter.
And there was more…
Mrs Jackson sighed.
She’d heard of the full moon doing something to the children’s behaviour in school. Not just heard, but experienced many times over the years.
But after a long winter and delayed spring, this was the first time she had seen the effect of the long awaited sun on her charges – truly sun silly, they were!

https://carrotranch.com/2018/04/05/april-5-flash-fiction/

March 29 – Flash Fiction – Fingers That Fly

30 Mar 2018 44 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #bloggersbash, #CarrotRanch, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charli Mills, Flash Fiction, Flying Fingers

Charli’s prompt this week:

March 29, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about fingers that fly. Think about the different ways we use our fingers and what happens when we add speed. Go where the prompt leads.

Life Savings

Nervously, Frank handed the package over to the girl.
“Now, be careful with that-” He paused to look at her name tag “-Jennifer. I worked hard for those dollars. Now they tell me I gotta keep it in a bank, and not under my mattress. Safety, they say. It was plenty safe with me – until they got that new cleaner in. I don’t like her. Always tidying. I know she knows where I keep my money…”
Frank watched as Jennifer’s fingers flew, deftly lifting and counting the bills, like a seasoned pro.
“You will keep it safe, won’t you?”

https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/30/march-29-flash-fiction-challenge/

March 22 – Flash Fiction – Follow Your Dreams

23 Mar 2018 50 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #bloggersbash, #CarrotRanch, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charli Mills, Flash Fiction, Follow Your Dreams

Charli’s prompt this week:

March 22, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story using the theme “follow your dreams.” Bonus points for throwing a badge into the tale. Go where the prompt leads.

I did it mum. I took your advice.

“Follow your dreams, love,” you’d say to me. “Don’t let anyone stop you. I’d hate for your life to mirror mine.”

Born at a time where a good Indian wife and mother was nothing but that, my mum had dreams of being a doctor. Instead she was married off early, and, well, no one was going to encourage their daughter in law to study more, or, God forbid, work.

As I stand here, with my degree in my hand, my only wish is that you were here to see it too…

https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/23/march-22-flash-fiction-challenge/

March 15 – Flash Fiction – Carrot Cake

16 Mar 2018 71 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #bloggersbash, #CarrotRanch, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Cake, Charli Mills, Flash Fiction

Charli’s prompt this week:

March 16, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about carrot cake. It can be classic or unusual. Why is there cake? How does it feature in the story. Go where the prompt leads.

Oh Charli, just reading the prompt made me hungry! Carrot Cake is my favourite and I have shared a great recipe here… and I am not cruel, I even shared my carrot cupcakes at the last Bloggers Bash, and the recipe and photos are here!

Right… here goes! A little tongue in cheek flashback to when Geoff and I baked goodies for the last Bloggers Bash. It is (slightly) fictitious but I did really bake and make all those things! And Geoff makes a mean cake too… tried and tested on two separate occasions!!!

Cake-Off!

Lifting the last box from her bag, Ritu sighed with satisfaction.
The pastries, bites and cakes had all reached the venue intact: Nutella puff pastry twists, Rocky Road bites, and her favourite, carrot cake cupcakes.
Nothing else was laid on the table… until he turned up.
Armed with gluten-free, sugar-free fare, His Geoffleship laid his plates across the other table half.
The competition had arrived.
Soon the room began to fill with the attendees of the Bloggers Bash, ready for the Blog Awards…
But for these two bakers, the real winner would be who won the Great Bash Bake-off!

CarrotCakeCupcakes

20170702_104813

https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/16/march-15-flash-fiction-challenge/

And if you are interested in the chance of more cake… maybe you need to get yourself to the Bash, it is overshadowing that other minor event, that happens to be the Royal wedding, on May 19th, 2018, in London! Get your tickets HERE!

March 8 – Flash Fiction – Balloon

09 Mar 2018 95 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #CarrotRanch, Balloons, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charli Mills, Flash Fiction, Missing

Charli’s prompt this week:

March 8, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that features a balloon. It can be a party balloon or a hot air balloon. How does it add to your story? Go where the prompt leads.

Jenny tied the last of the balloons up. There. The room looked amazing.
Decorations adorned the walls and banners saying Happy 16^th Birthday were hung up around the room.
“There you are, Amelia. A party you’d have been proud to host.”
Pop!
A lone balloon burst.
And with that, Jenny burst into tears.
Was that another sign? That she wasn’t coming back?
It had been 9 years since Amelia went missing, disappeared from the local park whilst playing with her friends.
Yet Jenny had never been able to accept she wasn’t coming back.
Was it time to accept reality?

https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/09/march-8-flash-fiction-challenge/