Roberta Writes – d’Verse, W3, CFFC, Bird of the Week, and Sunday Stills

#CFFC, #d'Verse, Bird of the Week, photography, poetry, Sunday Stills, W3 2 Minutes

Another crazy week has come to an end. My mother has had a terrible few weeks with blepharitis and severe eye pain. This condition, combined with her chronic dry eye has made her quality of life very poor. She’s been wearing a hat pulled right down over her eyes and the antibiotic cream made her practically blind. Very worrying for me from a fall risk point of view.

I took her to my optometrist at 7.30am this morning (she squeezed her in) and she now has a whole treatment plan to treat both chronic conditions. I’m hoping she will have no pain and be able to read again soon.

TC has also been in India for the last two weeks. He arrives home this afternoon. When he’s not home I have to do everything so life feels even busier than usual.

This is the main reason why my post is late this week but, as I always say, better late than never.

I’ve put a few challenges together again today.

d’Verse and W3

Nancy’s prompt is to write a poem in four-stanzas with eight syllables per line about a hard-earned accomplishment. You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/06/17/w3-prompt-216-weave-written-weekly/

Lillian’s Tuesday d’Verse challenge is Get out your crayons and come colour with me. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/06/16/get-out-your-crayons-and-come-color-with-me/

I’ve been learning colour theory for my painting. I am very happy with the results and will share a new painting incorporating my new skills soon. In the meantime, here is a poem about colour theory.

Splat and that

world of colour theory opens

mixing and matching a great game

drop of red enhances golden

tones that ignite into bright flame

***

splashing orange into umber

instills richness into brown

change like wakefulness from slumber

remarkable shade turnaround

***

smear of scarlet into China white

uplifts it to the palest pink

now white painted sections look right

retraining mind on how to think

***

Van Dyke brown enhanced with light blue

brings a greater deepness to dark

eye perceives subtle change in hue

enriched pigment resets benchmark

d’Verse and Bird of the Week

De Jackson’s prompt is to write a quadrille (44 word poem) about a myth. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/06/15/quadrille-250-mything-poems/

You can join in Bird of the Week here: https://anotherglobaleater.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/egyptian-goose-birds-of-the-week-invitation-clxxiii/

My poem is about the myths surrounding the African Fish Eagle which I was privileged to see on my recent bush trip.

The Messenger

know as the ‘Voice of Africa’

its iconic yodeling cry

trails across the blue sky

like condensation from planes

African fish eagle

steeped in mythology and folklore

revered in Bantu and Shona traditions

as its carries messages

between the heavens

and the earthly realm

My photographs of the African fish eagle

Sunday Stills and CFFC

Dan’s CFFC challenge is green. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/06/15/the-crayola-box-of-8-green-cffc/

Terri’s Sunday Still’s challenge is also green. You can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/06/14/sunday-stills-monthly-color-challenge-exploring-evergreen-and-wonder-in-the-great-outdoors/

These pictures are typical of the South African bush during autumn (except for the Country Club one).

Baboon
Male kudu
Mom and baby hippo
Elephant
Lion with his tongue out
Fountain between the trees at the Country Club
Rhino in the bush
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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

96 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – d’Verse, W3, CFFC, Bird of the Week, and Sunday Stills”

  1. Lovely poetry and photos, Robbie. I’m impressed you were able to squeeze it all in while managing everything else. I hope your mother’s condition improves and this new treatment plan is successful. You’re both in our prayers.

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  3. I love the photos and your poems Robbie..and oh, I hope your mom feels better soon. I too have chronic dry eyes, and I am under a lot of gels, ointments, drops name it..but its working..

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  4. Oh Robbie, life can be so chaotic…! Empathise with your mum, I get that. I have to use drops for dry eye daily and a night time one, I also have a hot compress I use daily.. it all really does help.
    Love your colour poem, can’t wait to see your painting, and all your lovely pics etc – fab post Robbie 💞

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  6. Oh, I wish your mother a speedy and full recovery, Robbie.
    I loved the poems. Can’t wait to see your painting.
    And wonderful nature pics. You have a talent for capturing those moments.

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  7. thanks Robbie, enjoyed all these, pics and poems; the Indian Fish Eagle is indeed a fine looking bird; love the lines: ‘as it carries messages/ between the heavens/ and the earthly realm’.

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  9. I hope your mother is feeling better soon! I’m glad your doctor was able to squeeze her in.

    You know how much I love color! Loved the descriptions. The photos are wonderful. How exciting to see that eagle! They are similar to our bald eagles, which always thrill me to see. The ones I see around here, fish, too.

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  11. Beautiful poems and pictures, Robbie! Thank goodness for doctors who care about their patients! I hope your mom starts feeling better soon.

    Yvette M Calleiro 🙂

    yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

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  12. I love your coloring poem. I played with crayons and paint this week, too (but I’m not nearly as skilled as you are).

    At first I thought your picture of the eagle was a bald eagle. It looks very similar to American bald eagles, but after reading up, I learned they are related, but are different species.

    I am praying for your mom. It doesn’t sound fun at all.

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  14. A great combo of poems and photos! Sorry to hear of the issues your mother is having with her eyes.
    I love lots of deep color in my paintings. Love your poem.
    Your animal photos are really great!

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  15. Hi Robbie, I do hope your mother will get better and soon. But lovely photos and verses, all very nice, but the best is the photos of the African fish eagle. Could it be Abdu?

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  22. Many thanks, Roberta, for your various information:) I very much understand the problems of your mother, because I have the same ones! I wish your mother all the best. I also love your poem “The Messager” and the yodeling cry of the African fish eagle and the various pictures from your surrounding!

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  23. I made a special trip to the Boise zoo to see fish eagles when I was creating a tribal creature for my Lanternfish trilogy. They’re pretty amazing birds. PS: I don’t think that’s a hippo in the bush.

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  24. Robbie, I’m glad you were able to get your mom into the optometrist and hope the treatment gives her some relief. Love all the poems and photos, but have to chime in with Craig about the “hippo” in the bush. 🙂

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  30. That must be so miserable for your poor mother. alas old age does bring with it various parts of us not working or healing as they used to.

    My husband wasn’t away often or for long, but it felt like a bit of a holiday when he returned, especially if anything had gone wrong while he was away!

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      1. I’m sure you are. I have a friend whose husband worked in the oil industry and was away for most of their married life. The last part of his career was in Nigeria and she did not ever go there! I have another friend whose husband never leaves her side! Best wishes for your mother.

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  31. I am so sorry about your mom’s eye conditions. I wish her a speedy recovery. The poems are beautiful and the Fish Eagle poem is fascinating. I did not know that Fish Eagle’s are called Voice of Africa. The photos are amazing and a lot of fun to look at. However, I assume the last photo should say “Rhino in the bush” rather than “Hippo in the bush”.

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  32. I’m happy to read your mom has a treatment plan, Robbie. Head and eye pain can be so debilitating. Lovey poetry and green photos of animals enjoying their environments. The fish eagle look so much like the American Bald Eagle! Your poem captures the reverence of the Fish Eagle in many ways like poetry written for the Bald Eagle. Very cool tradition!

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  33. I’ve loved studying colour theory in my time so I utterly enjoyed your poem, Robbie! Glad you’re having fun with it. And my goodness, your photos are amazing. It must be incredible where you live!

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  41. Dag, Robbie. Ever so sorry to hear about your mother. The eyes can be very sensitive but she should be much better in a few days. Patience is the word.

    Your bush photos are always impressive. That rhino had its horns sawed off by the Park rangers, hasn’t it. (Thanks for the flavour of Africa as always…)

    Totsiens

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  43. Sorry to hear about your mum Robbie, hope that resolves positively and soon. Thank you for the magnificent photos. I liked your colour poem, and I liked the Quad too – what a regal raptor.

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  44. OMG!

    Sorry to hear about your mom, Robbie. I hope this new regime brings her back to a better quality of life.

    As WP’s most irregular blogger, I reiterate, no such thing as late. But there is such a thing as fabulous posts, and this is one of those.

    That eagle is magnificent. All the animals are perfection. And I learned about mixing Van Dyke Brown with light blue. Thank you!

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  45. Robbie, I loved how your poem shows that even a tiny drop of color can change a painting in a big and surprising way. 🎨

    Also, I’m so sorry your mother has been having such a hard time lately… It was very kind of your optometrist to see her so early, and I hope the new treatment helps her feel better and enjoy reading again soon.

    ~David

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  47. I’m so sorry about your mother. My first husband had blepheritis, and I often had to soak them. It helped get the infection out along with using the medicine. Your poor mom. Then the woman with great eyes writes a poem about the magic of color. the the fabulous focus on green, with a difference that few can replicate around the world – wildlife. I love the tongue hanging out. Keep on being amazing, Robbie. 🙂 xxx

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  49. That eagle is a beautiful bird! Has your mum been given a course of steroid eye drops (they might help)? It’s not a good idea to take steroids for too long as they may cause the pressure in the eye to increase, but usually a short course can be beneficial.

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