Roberta Writes – Tanka Tuesday, d’Verse, CFFC & Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour & Sunday Stills

#CFFC, #d'Verse, photography, poetry, Sunday Stills, Tanka Tuesday, The Flower Hour 3 Minutes

Today, I’m participating in six challenges. I think that is a record for me. Between the new job, my parents and their medical and other needs, and my painting, I run out of time every single week. I do write three articles a week for LatinosUSA and two a month for Writing to be Read and those are of my own crafting, so I don’t feel to bad about not posting personal blog posts as often. There are only so many hours in a week. I have also been experimenting with cakes for my parent’s wedding anniversary celebration next week. My new firm closes on 15 December. I am very excited as I think I’ll be able to create a gingerbread house this year. I need about a week pre-Christmas to do that.

Anyhow, on with this week’s poems and photographs. PS, I am having trouble with WP which is flipping all my portrait photographs landscape if I use a slideshow or gallery format. Is anyone else having this problem?

Tanka Tuesday

Yvette asked poet’s to write about heritage. Sometimes I feel as if our modern society is sadly lacking is respect for elders and manners. The muse brought this poem which is an American cinquain. You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2026/09/15/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-82-celebrating-heritage-9-15-26/

Inheritance

often

I tell my sons

‘manners maketh the man’

keep your social inheritence

intact

d’Verse

Kim’s beautiful challenge is Adagio for Strings. I had a tough week trying to solve some complex accounting problems. The muse was stubborn and only brought this when I listened to the beautiful music Kim provided for inspiration. Bad muse!

You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/09/15/poetics-adagio-for-strings/

Thank you for the music but …

music rises

like flames

licking at the edges

of my tired mind

trying

to strike a spark

that could smoulder

burst into flame

fanned by the winds

of enthusiastic

consumption

but

I’m too tired

the spark splutters

then dies

I just can’t

ride the waves

tonight

The Flower Hour & Sunday Stills

Terri’s Sunday Still’s challenge is orange, you can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/09/13/sunday-stills-monthly-color-challenge-orange-you-glad-its-apricot/

Terri’s The Flower Hour challenge can be found here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/09/08/the-flower-hour-47-can-you-ever-get-enough-sunflowers/

Our clivias put on a magnificent show this year.

A single clivia with the sun shining on its front blossoms
Picture caption: Two clivia with the sun creating dappled patters on some blossoms
A single clivia in full sunshine
Picture caption: Lion Scream – a protest cake that was based on The Scream painting by Edvard Munch. The burning volcano in the background and the river of blood represent the Sixth Mass Extinction that is currently underway. This one is manmade and not a circumstance of nature …

CFFC & Thursday Doors

These two challenges, hosted by Dan Antion, just went together this week.

Dan has a new Rascal book out so you can read all about it while you are visiting here: http://nofacilities.com/2026/09/17/rascals-research-begins/

Dan’s CFFC theme is where/when/how we shop. I decided to take you on a shopping tour of a few places in Brussels, Bruges, Bath, and Borough Market, UK (but not shopped at as I don’t like shopping). You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/09/14/where-what-when-we-shop-cffc/

Bruges and Brussels

Chocolate shop with a lot of chocolate on display and a chocolate rendition of Mannekin Pis
Chocolate shop in Brussels
Shop window of Paul's in Brussels showing a big display of confectionary and baked goods.
Paul’s in Brussels
A display of sweet treats stacked into magnificent cake shapes in Bruges
A display of sweet treats in Bruges
Shop window in Brussels with a delightful display of mice families toys and houses
Shop window in Brussels with a delightful display of mice families toys

Amsterdam

A street lined with shops in Amsterdam
A street lined with shops in Amsterdam
The window of an art gallery in Amsterdam. I took the picture because I liked the artwork.
The window of an art gallery in Amsterdam. I took the picture because I liked the artwork.
Entrance of the van Gogh Museum shop in Amsterdam. I like how van Gogh's self portrait is displayed on the door.
Entrance of the van Gogh Museum shop in Amsterdam. I like how van Gogh’s self portrait is displayed on the door.

Bath, UK

People queueing in Bath to go into Sally Lunn's bakery
People queueing in Bath to go into Sally Lunn’s bakery

Borough Market, London

People shopping at Borough Market
People shopping at Borough Market
I took this photograph as I walked into Borough Market
I took this photograph as I walked into Borough Market
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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

114 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Tanka Tuesday, d’Verse, CFFC & Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour & Sunday Stills”

  1. Lion Scream – a protest cake that was based on The Scream painting by Edvard Munch.— was this in your amazing Lion book? I believe so. It’s just so beautiful.
    Loved all your poetry and flowers and doors. Be well Robbie.

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  2. You are very busy with life, work, and creative endeavors. I probably write or edit most every day, but I don’t respond to too many prompts anymore because it’s hard to keep up.

    Good luck with everything. Wonderful photos. Those flowers are beautiful!

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  4. Wonderful poetry, Robbie and lovely photographs. The final photo is my favorite. It has a painting quality to it. I love the way it shows life.

    Speaking of life, don’t apologize for yours getting in the way. You accomplish a lot each week, and that’s only what we see. I know how much mental energy a job like your consumes, not to mention your role as caregiver and family-support-person. Those are all demanding roles, and you do them well.

    Thanks for mentioning my new release. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I hope you can rest a bit.

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  9. Wow Robbie you are such a busy lady. Your poetry, photos and cake making are only one side to you.. there’s also your work, your parenting and your care giving… I agree with your heritage poem … Manners are a dying breed…. 🌹🌹

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  14. You wrote a lot in this post, Robbie and wow, 6 challenges! That’s the way to do it with a busy life like yours! I enjoyed all the photos you shared and the cinquas are lovely! Thanks for sharing the store front of the Van Gogh museum. Coincidentally I’ll be visiting there in two weeks! I loved seeing your cake creation for Lion Scream.

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  19. Kudos to your energy Robbie it shines through even when your music poem explores sensory burnout, I related to it.

    I also feel modern society is lacking respect and manners, and yet as parents I know so many of us try to promote this….

    Some great pics as always, the clivias are stunning especially captured with the sun on them.

    Take care Robbie I am glad to hear you have a long Christmas break to look forward to 💞

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  20. Participating in six challenges in one go while balancing work and family is pure superhero energy, Robbie! The photo tour through Brussels, Bruges, and Bath was delightful—that Van Gogh museum doorway in Amsterdam is such a clever detail. Hope WP stops flipping your photos soon!

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    1. I like doing a few challenges in one post but six is a bit of a record for me 🌞🌈. I think it’s a software glitch. The work around is to load the pictures individually which takes longer. I was going to include Tokyo and Paris but got a bit frustrated with the process.

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      1. Six challenges in one post is still an incredible achievement! That tech glitch sounds so frustrating, especially when you had Tokyo and Paris ready to share—image uploads acting up can take the wind right out of your sails. Hope the glitch resolves soon, and wishing you a wonderful and relaxing weekend ahead, Robbie!

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          1. Finding the root of a tech glitch is always a win in itself, Robbie! Glad you figured out it was Gmail causing the trouble. Wishing you a smooth, productive, and wonderful week ahead! 😊

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  22. You are a modern-day super-hero, Robbie. The more you pile on yourself, and others pile on you, the more you rise to the challenge. We ought to have a challenge contest to see who can play the most challenges in a week, and still read the comments and visit other challengers, too. Maybe at least three visits per challenge. If I did as many challenges as you, I’d have to visit 18 bloggers with every post I wrote. That would take me most of the day. I’ve done two so far this afternoon. That’s super sad, but that’s my pace.

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  23. The fondant art is amazing and that it represents the sixth extinction and the Lion Scream is so profound. I certainly remember your amazing book the Lion Scream with great fondness. The photos are great and so are the poems. A lot of great things in this post and six challenges is a lot.

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  24. I have had Clivias for years as indoor plants, all originating from one plant sent by Interflora. It’s a bit hit an miss when or if they will flower, but the bright orange goes with my living room.

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  25. Robbie…! BREATHE. It seems like you’re spreading yourself paper thin. Take good care of you! That said, your poetry is lovely. The photos are fun. That lion is adorable. And that flower is glorious. Happy Anniversary to your parents. An all around marvelous post. Big hugs.

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  27. That’s a good message for your sons. And the orange in the flowers is wonderful!
    Keep painting when you can, and let blogging fall by the wayside for a bit. You need that outlet.
    And I’m so glad your firm goes on holiday in December. (K)

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  30. Wonderful presentation, Robbie. I love your poems.

    The tanka is great advice, too. Wonderful cake..so much detail. That I would imagine took quite some time…Absolutely amazing, the depth and quality of your creative gifts. Thank you for sharing them. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

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  31. I love your Lion Scream cake. The oldest house in Bath registered as the oldest bath house in my mind. Silly me. Excellent photos.

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  32. There is so much here! But I have to say that my favorite image of all is the window with all the toy mice, especially that fancy mouse house! You’d never have been able to move me from that window when I was about ten. I also like the concept of music as fire lapping at us. Yes, sometimes we don’t “catch,” but still it warms. Music is so often miraculous.

    Happy anniversary to your parents! You have got a LOT going on!

    And, yes, I’ve had some problems with photos. I thought it was because they were taken with Apple products, and they don’t always transfer well to my laptop.

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  33. I admire your six prompt poist, Robbie, and you again inspired poem, especially the music rising ‘like flames pickings the licking at the edges’ of a tired mind, and the ending resonated with me.  And I love the photos!

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  34. ★ 🥇🏆🥇 ★

    You did great Robbie!

    You really do participate in a lot of challenges, and have a hectic life. Honestly, if you need to postpone some of our posts, no worries!!

    I could never keep up with the challenges, although it’s always fun to see what people come up with.

    I’m rooting for your gingerbread house! How long will you have off, before work ensues?

    Hard to say what I like most about this post… everything is so terrific.

    THANK YOU!

    PS.. the WP issue – not yet… 🤞

    ☆༺❦༻☆

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    1. I’m glad you’re not have this issue with photographs and WP. I now have it across all the blogs I write on. Eeek! Thank you for your comment. I have our posts all set up already. I work steadily at things and generally get them done. I will have 4 weeks off which is very nice. I am excited.

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  35. you’re a busy woman , Robbie and your creativity shines undimmed. Love the fotos and flowers and hose two gorgeous poems ‘Inheritance’ and the ‘Music’ one; they should be in anthologies

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  36. I love everything about this post, Robbie! I know all about busy, and you managed to fit great beauty into this post. I love your interpretation of my prompt. Thank you for participating this week!

    Yvette M Calleiro 🙂

    yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

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      1. Thanks for checking on me, Robbie! Sadly, my life was just so busy that I missed the deadline. 😥 I had the page open on my computer, hoping it would pester me until I sat and wrote a few poems, but I just never had enough time to sit and create. I look forward to reading what everyone came up with.

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  37. My goodness, Robbie. First, I had to read the post twice because it is so wonderful. Second, I cannot imagine how you are juggling all your balls, and succeeding everywhere. Hats off to you! Where do I begin? Your Inheritance poem is profound, and I wish all parents felt and understood this. Your orange flowers are gorgeous! Lion Scream is just wonderful, and a perfect protest. I love The Scream. And your doors! I think if I’d been in front of van Gogh, I’d have dropped to my knees. Thank you again for this wonderful post, Robbie.

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    1. HI Jennie, thank you for this lovely comment. I am delighted you enjoyed the photographs and related to my poem. Manners and being considerate and kind towards others is so important in any society. van Gogh was an incredible artist and so was Edvard Munch.

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  38. As always, Robbie, your post is full of verve and color and I revel in both — and the poem on the Adagio, too, because it’s all too relatable, too human, and finally honest. Sometimes you want the “waves” just to subside.

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