Dan Antion

Alphabet Soup—CFFC JusJoJan

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I am bouncing between two of my favorite promptpateers today. Cee gives us what appears to be the last, and perhaps most appropriate of the color prompts – Holiday Colors:

This week our topic is Holiday Colors. Choose the holiday or holidays you celebrate. If you are like me, I really don’t celebrate holidays, you can pick a color or colors of your choice.

That leaves me lots of room to find something in the archives. The other prompt is from Linda G. Hill, as she continues the January tradition of Just Jot January. Today’s JusJoJan prompt is “Constellation,” and was suggested by Willow over at WillowDot21.

I want to stop for a minute and thank these three women. Cee’s Fun Foto challenge has kept me in business these past six months. When I released “Knuckleheads,” I thought my blogging life would get back to normal. The other two books in the series were written – what more did I have to do?

As Marley said to Scrooge, Much!

Having Cee’s challenge available, and being able to slip in under the deadline each Monday, allowed me to maintain my preferred schedule and get a little extra life out of some old photos.

Linda’s JusJoJan challenge is one of my favorites of all the prompts that are out there. After slowing down for the holidays, the opportunity to spring to life in January–possibly posting every day–is a great way to get back in gear. And, for those of you who follow me, it should be easy reading. Linda counts anything as a jot. She doesn’t care about timing, length or content. So, I can participate without wearing out my welcome in your inbox. Just keep teling yourself, “it’s only for the month.”

Finally, I want to thank Willow. Not just for today’s prompt, but for her support of my blog and my books. She joined me at the bar last year, She interviewed me at a tea party, and she reviewed two of my books at a pub. She reminded me recently that she stands ready to get together and share her thoughts on the third book in the series. I plan to take her up on that offer once I get some year-end/year-beginning things out of the way.

As for today’s prompt, Constellation. Navigating life these days is often as difficult as it was when men were traveling the seas, guided by the stars.

Let’s see what I can find in those archives:

Bees like Goldenrod
Like I said, fascinated. Sorry for the redundancy.
Red doors. Wreaths. Lamp. Brick work. This has everything.
I took about a dozen photos of this door. The lighting was great for viewing on a dark night, but difficult to work with. I like this one the best, as it features the door.
Chamber of Commerce. Still decorated for the holidays but it’s a good look.
Side door to the library. I like how the sidelights wrap around the transom window.
I think I wound these correctly
Our Christmas lights,
Winner of last year’s Christmas lights contest.
The ghost of Christmas Present lives here. In the kitchen, they are baking cookies.
The Colt Dome decorated for Christmas.
Fireworks at Central Park – New Years Eve, 2003
New Years Eve 2003 – the small pond had just been restored.
Now, that’s a floral decoration for a headstone.
MiMi just wants to straighten the ornaments.
The flag and the wreath from Veterans Day


If you like magical realism with suspense, action and a bit of family sarcasm, you will enjoy these books:

Knuckleheads
The Evil You Choose
When Evil Chooses You

Series page on Amazon

My profile page (and books) on Lulu

All available on Kindle Unlimited!

43 comments

  1. Hi Dan I agree with you about Cee and Linda they keep us on our toes and entertained!
    Thank you so much for the mention I appreciate it and I am looking forward to sharing your book.
    Your photos this are a triumph especially the cat in the christmas tree and the ghost of Christmas present! …. keep well! 💜

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  4. Ok, MiMi is starting my year off with a huge belly laugh! I think she wanted to get that cat ornament and bring it to her hammock! Too funny.

    The floral headstone is quite unique. There must be a story to go with it. The Colt Dome looks like a ginormous ornament and the beautifully decorated home was quite an undertaking.

    But the bees on the Goldenrod make a striking photo with the promise that spring will return.

    I do love the photo of the log house/barn….the wreath, candles in the windows and what appears to be a Christmas tree inside. Perfect Christmas card!

    Old Glory sharing the spotlight with a Veterans Day wreath is very poignant.
    Ginger

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    • Thanks Ginger. The tree photo is from MiMi’s kittenhood. These days, she stays low, but we did find her on the table next to the tree, bapping one of the ornaments. I guess they never really grow up.

      Gold was one of the Christmas colors I searched for. That was the first picture that popped up, and I liked it.

      I was stunned the first time I drove through that cemetery and saw that flower. I’m surprised they let it stay there, but it does add some much needed color in the winter.

      I hope you have a great first week of the year. Looks like it’s going to be a wet one.

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  6. Doors with wreaths are a wonderful way to start the day and the year! But of course Mimi has a point: a cat in a Christmas tree is always inspirational. Not to mention that black and white make for elegant formality. Then the New Year’s Eve lights reflected in the pond — that definitely is a constellation. All good for rousing me from a Christmas stupor.

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    • That’s what I like about JusJoJan, Maureen, rousing me from the quiet slow days at the end of the year. MiMi is always ready for a formal affair, and she wants to remind us that colors are great, but black and white are special.

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  7. Hey Dan! Happy New Year. Oh yes, bees and blooms and leaves! Who is that handsome Santa? Love your house lights and is there actually a house underneath those winning lights? I need to get my post up. I’ve loved this color run. I attempted JusJoJan last year and feel I should have a go at it again. Stay tuned. Congrats on finishing the book project. It’s a wonderful series.

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  16. Hi Dan
    I like the way you acknowledged the trio of bloggers and how they inspired you!
    And your colorful photos were a constellation of richness
    My fav was the one with the two red doors and wreaths – the wreaths looked like pretty eyes and brought a smile

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  19. Dan, I want to wish the best for you and yours in 2023. Want to circle back to that Eat’n Park Christmas advertisement from an earlier post…I break out a big smile every time I see that. Had much the same reaction when I saw that shot of MiMi as an ornament checker.

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  20. OMG but I do love that cat!!!!!! ROFL here…. thank you so very much for the chuckle, it was very much needed tonight. As for the doors, I think the white railing leading up to the white door with the red wreath is the epitome of Christmas decorations… love it.

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