Roberta Writes – W3, Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge, Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour

W3 and Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge

Sally’s W3 challenge is to give a nod to another poet. I have based the rhythm and format of my poem on I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth. You can join in W3 here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/04/15/w3-prompt-207-weave-written-weekly/

Esther’s word of the week is flower/s. You can join in her challenge here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2026/04/15/writing-prompts-111/

This poem is another contribution to my Paris Diaries Poems.

Chateau de Chenonceau (Loire Valley, France)

A survivor of the French Revolution

Five-arched bridge its saving grace

Not sacked; it survived dissolution

Ladies chateau of flowers and lace

Due to it’s owner’s quick actions

It’s now a major tourist attraction

***

Famous for its facade of white stone

And spectacular gardens with terraces

Diana de Poitiers lived there alone

The first of its female heiresses

She planted flowerbeds, vegetables

And an orchard before the entrance

***

King Henry II favoured his mistress

Causing resentment by his jealous wife

When he died after a short illness

Catherine de Medici changed her life

Evicting Diana from castle and court

Queen Regent her vengeance wrought

***

The chateau received an Italian facelift

And a grand gallery over the bridge

Catherine was a notorious spendthrift

Living a life of splendour and privilege

Installing beautiful historic tapestries

While France fell deeper into anarchy

***

Madame Louise Dupin saved the castle

Nicknamed ‘goddess of beauty and music’

She advocated the bridge’s use for travel

Utilising her popularity and good ethics

In spring, the gardens still flourish

It’s natural beauty the soul does nourish

Thursday Doors and The Flower Hour

For Dan’s Thursday Doors I am showing you the exterior of the Chateau de Chenonceau and the separate tower as well as an outside cottage. You’ll have to wait until next week to see inside. You can join Dan’s Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/04/16/the-hungarian-room/

For Terri’s The Flower Hour, I’m giving you a peep at the flower displays inside Chateau de Chenonceau. You can join in The Flower Hour here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/04/14/the-flower-hour-26-lucky-flower-shots/

This is Chateau de Chenonceau

Walt Disney used the castle as the inspiration for one of his ‘Princesses’ castles. Can you guess which one?

This is the front door of Chateau de Chenonceau

This is the original tower on the site of Chateau de Chenonceau. Walt Disney used it for one of his movies. Can you guess which movie?

I really liked this cottage covered with flowering whisteria.

Click on the slideshow below to see some of the flower displays inside the chateau.

Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Imperatively Yours, Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour & CFFC

Frontal view of the fountain showing the centerpiece in good light.

Bonjour! I am back from my 6-day race around Paris and surrounds.

D’verse: Imperatively Yours

Dora has asked poets to write a poem using the imperative mood. You can learn more about this here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/04/07/poetics-imperatively-yours/. I have written my poem about Paris.

Paris in Spring

You must love Paris

What’s not to love?

The sun shines brightly

The statues gleam whitely

Spring abounds everywhere

Tulips model the new colours

Bedecking flowerbed ramps

Which style do you like best?

While pansies peep shyly

From behind tulip skirts

Waiting for their moment

To steal the show

Who will win best bonnet?

And in the corner

A vivid splash of yellow

Daffodils bow their own horns

Along the path

Water splashes loudly

Come and admire me

The fountain thunders

White feather boas

Streaming upwards

Silvery drops blowing

On the treacherous wind

Sharp reminder

That Old Man Winter

Is still directing

The production

Jardin Du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg was created in 1612 when Marie de’ Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, constructed the Luxembourg Palace as her new residence. This is the number one garden in Paris and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, tennis courts, flowerbeds, model sailboats on its octagonal Grand Bassin. It is also home to the Fontaine de l’Observatoire and Medici Fountain. I’m showcasing the Fontaine de l’Observatoire today.

Click on the slideshow to see the Fontaine de l’Observatoire:

This is one of my Youtube videos of this fountain:

You can see more of my Paris Youtube videos on my channel.

Thursday Doors

The Universite de Paris Institut d’Art Et d’Archeologie is near the Jardin du Luxembourg. I really liked the brick patterning of this building which is why I took these photographs. It reminded me of lego.

These photographs are for Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge: https://nofacilities.com/2026/04/09/heinz-chapel/

This is a shot of the Universite de Paris Institut d'Art Et d'Archeologie with its interesting brick patterning.

This is the ornate door of the University

The Flower Hour and CFFC, view as we walk

These photographs are of flowers and statues in the Jardin du Luxembourg. They are for Terri’s The Flower Hours (most of the flowers are tulips) and for Dan’s CFFC as these were taken while we walked. We walked approximately 20,000 steps a day for the 6 days I was in Paris.

You can join in Dan’s CFFC challenge here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/04/06/view-as-we-walk-or-hike-cffc/

You can join in Terri’s Flower Hour here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/04/07/the-flower-hour-25-pop-go-the-poppies/

A picture of yellow and white tulips - closeup

White Monument to Leconte de Lisle in a flowerbed of orange and yellow tulips

Picture of me with the Le Faune dansant sculpture in the background in a flowerbed of yellow and orange tulips

Flowerbed of orange and yellow tulips with some white flowers

Roberta Writes – Tanka Tuesday, Esther Chilton’s writing challenge, d’Verse, CFFC, Thursday Doors & The Flower Hour

How many challenges can I fit into one post? Six is definitely an achievement for me.

Tanka Tuesday and Esther Chilton’s writing challenge

For Tanka Tuesday this week, Yvette asked poets to focus on mental wellness or the lack thereof. You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2026/01/27/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-49-mental-health-1-27-26/

This is last week’s challenge by Esther Chilton and it was shapes. You can read what other bloggers wrote here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2026/01/21/writing-prompts-100/

I’ve written an American cinquain.

Shocking

shape of

future events

looming like thunderclouds

electrified environment

shocking

d’Verse – Quadrille

Punam challenged poets to write a quadrille using the word trip.

Road tripping

across South Africa

road starts out dark grey and smooth

toll booths at regular intervals

stop at Ermelo for coffee

see a mountain goat

road deteriorates

patched potholes, no shoulder

plenty of coal trucks

Stop at Piet Retief

restaurants closed, no power

This is the mountain goat we saw in Ermelo. What I took for a window is actually a doorway for him to get in and out of this shady enclosure.

CFFC

Dan’s CFFC challenge this week is up or down. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/01/26/up-or-down-or-both-cffc-jusjojan/

The gallery includes a giraffe bending down to drink and bats on the roof of the entrance to the Huhluwe-iMfolozi National Park.

My video footage of the giraffe drinking and the bats.

Thursday Doors and The Flower Hour

I am posting these photographs together because the flowers photographs were taken at Lodge Afrique and I’ve also featured the front entrance and door to the lodge.

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/01/29/chinese-room-free-book/

You can join Terri’s The Flower Hour here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/01/27/the-flower-hour-15-desert-daisy/

Roberta Writes – Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge, CFFC, The Flower Hour & D’Verse – Sewing Terms

Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge

I’m late again but Esther’s writing challenge last week was promise. You can read other poet’s contributions here and find her latest challenge: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2025/12/10/writing-prompts-94/

The Promise (haibun)

When I was three-months old my biological father died of a massive heart attack in front of my mother. She was left on her own to raise me as best she could. According to my mother, I was a very easy baby and never fussed or cried unless I was hungry or wet. Mom believes I could sense her sadness and distress and behaved accordingly, making her life easier.

Mom also said that after my father, William Cecil Weatherburn-Baker, died, she promised me that we would always stay together. She travelled with me all the way to South Africa when I was nine-months old and when I was two years old, she married my stepdad who I refer to as Dad. Mom and I have always been together, just as she promised. When I got married, TC and I bought a house in the same road as my Mom and Dad. When Mom could no longer manage the stairs in their house, we sold it and TC and I bought a house with a cottage for my parents. They have lived there for over 21 years now. Mom turned 87 on 21 October this year (2025).

always together

Mom and I, facing the world

remarkable pair

Picture caption: Mom holding me at my Christening

D’Verse

Lillian’s d’Verse prompt is Come Sew With Me Sort Of and you can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/12/09/come-sew-with-me-sort-of/

Holiday Entertainment – haibun

When I was in prep school and junior high, all the girls were obliged to take domestic science as a subject. The syllabus was split into six months of dressmaking and six months of cooking. During my first year of junior high, I was obliged to do an applique project for school. Each girl was required to draw a design on paper and then cut it out of pretty fabric. The process then involved ironing a piece of white backing onto the fabric pieces so that the fabric didn’t fray around the edges. Each piece was then sewn onto the two pillowcases and duvet cover that comprised the project deliverable. Our parents had to purchase the fabric, backing, and bed linen. I decided to create a Holly Hobbie design and took great delight in drawing each piece including a flowery pink dress, patchwork apron, and flowery bonnet. Mom kindly bought me a plain pink duvet cover and pillowcases. I meticulously cut out my shapes and ironed on the backing, ensuring the sticky side was downwards onto the fabric. I used blanket stich to sew my pieces onto the pillowcases and duvet cover. My sewing was neat and tidy and my teacher was pleased with the end result. I was delighted with my new Holly Hobbie bed linen.

I continued to use my applique knowledge to decorate bed linen for my sisters. I entertained myself this way for an entire school holiday. One day, I placed the backing back-to-front and ironed onto the sticky side. That was a disaster as the glue burned onto the iron. I managed to clean most of it off but, after this, Mom wasn’t keen on me using the iron for applique.

I kept my bed linen all through my teenage years until I was seventeen. Cath, however, decided one afternoon soon after her bed linen was finished, to cut out the Holly Hobbie with a pair of scissors. Obviously, that didn’t do the duvet cover much good and it was the end of her Holly Hobbie bedlinen set. She never got another as between the destruction of her duvet cover and Mom’s reluctance to let me use the iron, I gave up applique as a hobby.

applique

fulfilling hobby

creating

beautiful

bed linen for young sisters

came to sticky end

CFFC and The Flower Hour

Dan’s CFFC prompt this week is spring or autumn or both. I bring you spring because why think about autumn until you have to. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/12/08/autumn-or-spring-or-both-cffc/

These pictures are also for Terri’s The Flower Hour which you can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2025/12/09/the-flower-hour-10-festive-holiday-florals-and-decor/

These are pictures of the blossoms on my fruit trees.