Roberta Writes – a medley of challenges and a thank you #poetry #photography

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This is a catch-up post as it’s been a busy week and Michael had his final year dance last night. Parents were invited to a dance cocktail event, so it was a busy day.

My poems are for three challenges. Silver Charms is written for Frank’s d’Verse challenge here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/08/04/haibun-monday-8-4-25-silver/ and Esther Chilton’s writing challenge for small here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2025/08/06/writing-prompts-77/

False Spring is for Merril’s d’Verse challenge here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/08/07/mtb-a-revisit-with-the-cherita/

Silver Charms

When I was a girl, charm bracelets were the fashion. Every girl had one and the accumulation of charms for the bracelet was competitive. I was not a girly girl and my ambition at the time was to race BMX bicycles with the boys. I never asked for a charm bracelet. My mother clearly thought I should take more of an interest in the girls’ activities, and she presented me with a silver charm bracelet for my 10th birthday. Insightful woman that she was, my first charm was a small bicycle, perfect in every way. It even had tiny pedals and a bicycle stand. Having always been enchanted with light, the silver bracelet did please me and I did ask for new charms for a few years. The charm that delighted me the most was a small boot – sounds ordinary, but it wasn’t. The boot opened up and inside were the old woman and some of her children. This was my favourite charm. It still is as I still have this charm bracelet after all these years. I don’t have my BMX bicycle, however, so mom was right.

charms sparkle brightly

fantasy catching the sun

young girl’s silver dreams

False Spring

a week of warm weather

***

weavers fooled by false spring

madly start nest building

***

fickle nature changes her mind

bleak ran and grey skies return

my plants safe for a bit longer

CFFC – Morning

These photographs are for Dan’s CFFC post and are of early mornings. My timings have overlapped with my previous morning post but I can live with that. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/08/04/time-of-day-morning-cffc/

The first photograph is of sunrise over Tokyo from our hotel room. This was taken through glass.

The following photographs were all taken at Madikwe when we stayed at Thakadu Bush Camp.

Picture caption: a very muddy Cape buffalo in the early morning
Picture caption: I love this picture of the muddy buffalo in the morning light. The reflection off his muddy torso is amazing.
Picture caption: sunrise in the bushveld

Lastly, I would like to thank Freya Pickard for her wonderful review of Lion Scream. You can read it here: https://purehaiku.wordpress.com/2025/08/06/lion-scream/

Freya is a huge supporter of the poetry community here on WordPress and hosts a biannual haiku challenge which will be opening for submissions soon. Freya also has a marvelous collection of poetry and fantasy books which you can find here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Freya-Pickard/author/B086XFHF9L

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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88 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – a medley of challenges and a thank you #poetry #photography”

  3. I remember the charm bracelet phase too. A new charm became your birthday present for the next several years until it got too heavy to wear. There were some lovely charms, but nothing competes with a bushveld sunrise, Robbie. xx

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  4. I always wanted a charm bracelet when I was a girl. So interesting reading about yours. Love that first charm – so apt for you. I finally got my charm bracelet for my 40th birthday.

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  5. I love your charm bracelet story, Robbie, and that you still have it.

    And thank you for participating in my dVerse prompt. Nature can be very fickle.

    Wonderful sunrise photos. I also like the reflection on the buffalo, but all the sunrises are beautiful.

    Congratulations on the wonderful review!

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  6. I have my mother-in-laws charm bracelet which is loaded with charms, but too heavy to wear. I never had one of my own. I was shopping with a 13-year-old yesterday and she has a Pandora charm bracelet. I guess they are popular again.

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  14. The photos of the Ca[e Buffalo are great – seems odd that mud can add beauty. And photos of a buffalo seems appropriate this week – they should only be shot with cameras. Nice review 🙂

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    1. Hi Violet, you should buy one if you want it. I have bought may things as an adult I could never have as a child. My library is now 3,000 books and I have a huge collection of antique and vintage dolls and teddy bears. My mom laughs and says I’ve bought all the things she couldn’t afford to give me as a kid.

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    1. Hi D, I hope you are well. I am trying to write down my childhood memories as a series of haibuns. I do it when the prompt brings something to me in that regard. Our weather is colder than usual, and it rained … in July. I’ve never known that in my lifetime nor my dad in his.

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  20. A very charming story and beautiful poem and the muddy buffalo was amazing. It is a great post and congratulations on the nice review for LionScream. That book is certainly a masterpiece.

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  21. I had a charm bracelet when I was a kid, not many charms on it, though. I liked wearing my mother’s charm necklace, which had belonged to my grandfather’s first cousin. (I don’t know what that would make her to me.) I still wear it. I probably shouldn’t wear on Zoom, though. It jingles when I move. I love nature’s color palette in the two buffalo photos, the first one in particular.

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  22. Wonderful light in those photos Robbie.
    My mother thought I needed a charm bracelet too. My older daughter has it now, though she never wears jewelry at all–but she likes personal keepsakes. I think she has my mother’s charm bracelet too. I probably wore it a few times, but I was (and still am) prone to losing things, so it was probably for the best that it stayed in my jewelry box. (K)

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    1. Hi Kerfe, I am like your daughter and I very rarely wear any jewelry. All of mine is in a safe. I don’t like wearing jewelry for safety reasons but also because it is impractical for my lifestyle with all my safaris, walks, painting, cooking and baking.

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      1. It’s true, when you work with your hands, rings and bracelets get in the way. I do wear necklaces, but I don’t own anything valuable, at least beyond sentimental value.

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  23. Your sunrise and animal photos are wonderful. I smile at your charm bracelet story, as I had one, too. I didn’t have the bicycle charm, but I had a piano charm where it opened, a King Tut charm that opened, and a box of chocolates that opened. My granddaughter has the bracelet.

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  24. Robbie, I enjoyed this whole medley — from the charm bracelet memories (that boot sounds magical!) to the shift in tone with ‘False Spring’.

    For me, your early morning shots, especially the muddy buffalo, feel like such a different but perfect counterpoint to the poems.

    ~David

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  26. WOW! Three winners for the price of one admission ~ Thank you! Photos are amazing and the ‘false spring’ description in your Cherita so lovely.

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  27. I have a silver charm braclet… I ended up getting most of the charms for it though. I really don’t wear that much jewelry. The gold charm braclet I got for my 16th birthday I may give to my grand-daughter when she turns 16. She is a girly girl!

    Lovely photos. The weather is very fickle. The only thing you can count on about weather is that it will change.

    I read Freya’s review – continued success!

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  28. I love sterling silver and white gold, Robbie, so “Silver Charms” was entertaining as I’ve had charm bracelets over the years. The little bicycle charm was a good idea from your mom. Beautiful photos too!

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  30. Charm bracelets were popular when I was about ten. Your charm sounds so cool and interesting. I had a poodle, a skate and several more. It was gold, and when we first moved to California our home was robbed, and it was taken. Even though I didn’t wear it, it was something given to me by many special people in my life.

    Your pictures are amazing. I love the lonely tree. All the sunsets are so lovely. This was a captivating post with all its diversity. 🙂

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    1. Hi Marsha, I have lost a few special items through home robberies. We’ve had a few over the years. I am sorry you have also experienced loss through theft. Mine is silver so the thieves left it when our house was robbed. They didn’t value silver. I’m pleased you enjoyed the pictures.

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      1. This was a long time ago – 40 years, to be exact. 🙂 xxx I haven’t missed it as far as wearing it. It was a memory of all the people who gave me charms. 🙂 xxx

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  32. how did I miss this post ??? I love the story of the small boot bracelet and the photos from the bush camp; and that lttle poem about the fickleness of nature that caught the bush weavers out —

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