S is for Sunshine

This week’s Saturday Evening Post is about daylight, sunshine to be exact. Sunshine is a wonderful concept. It is good for the flora, good for the body and good for the soul. As it turns out, sunshine is good for blogging and for friendship. How? Let me show you a couple reasons why the latter statement is true.

Three special bloggers have all added some sunshine to M3’s world:

Debbie Adams

Deb of Debbie Adams Art: A wonderfully talented artist whose work jumps to life. She has delightful dogs who also occasionally post to her blog. Stop by and meet Debbie, Cici and Cassie. You may even run across a few Wombies while you are there because Deb has adopted them as she did with the adorable pooches.

Sue Dreamwalker

Sue of Dreamwalker’s Sanctuary: Sue is an inspiring woman who takes us all on a beautiful journey through her poetry and thoughts about our world, our environment and our interactions with one another. She has a lot of wisdom to share from across cultures. Her passion runs very deep.

Wendy Reid

Wendy Reid

Wendy of Wendy’s Works: Wendy has a fabulous imagination. Not only is it an integral part of her fiction, but it is also a core to her infectious personality. She is far from a one-trick-pony. Her works are diverse and rich and entertaining and worth every word.

Each of these three bright women has awarded M3 the Sunshine Award. Each of them had a bit of a different take on the award, which makes them individual. Both Debbie and Sue awarded the classic award with the standard questions. Wendy’s was a bit of a twist. I am going to go one step beyond them all!

Sunshine Questions

The Sunshine Award has the following questions:

  1. Favorite color
  2. Favorite animal
  3. Favorite number
  4. Favorite non-alcoholic drink
  5. Facebook or Twitter
  6. My passion
  7. Giving or getting presents
  8. Favorite pattern
  9. Favorite day of the week
  10. Favorite flower

Some of you were around when Raven of Leyla awarded M3 the first Sunshine Award. Without cheating, think back to what I answered to the questions. You will see why a few sections down from here.

Slightly Different

In Wendy’s creative version of the Sunshine Award, I had to write a 100 word flash fiction piece incorporating sunshine. My entry into her contest is below:

“Another day of sunshine!” the annoyingly cheerful weather girl pronounced. He longed for the refreshment of a drenching rain. He kicked the dog in an attempt to make himself feel better. With a yelp, the mutt scooted out the doggie-door into the garden. Clyde recognized the familiar sound of earth hitting side of the house. He just hoped the mutt would not unearth his latest deposit. Certainly, it, like all the others, should never again see the light of day.

Seems Wendy thought it was up to snuff, even if I admit having a very, enormous problem with both flash fiction and 100 words. Even if you missed previous Sunshine Awards, remember this section. Keep reading.

Sunshine Secrets

Wendy’s version did not have the standard logo or the standard ten questions. Instead, she revealed five secrets about herself. I am going to go a bit further and reveal five secrets about me and sunshine.

  1. I can sunburn in less than 30 minutes in the sun.
  2. Although you cannot see how without a black light, I have freckles on my face. Under the light you can see the tiny white slices between them.
  3. No sunlight enters my bedroom.
  4. I move my laptop during the day to avoid the glare from the picture window I write beside.
  5. I want a completely solar powered home.

Are you ready to see how the three sections are going to come together?

Seamed Up

There are a few things I need you to do. See if you can recall or guess at least five of my answers to the ten Sunshine Questions. Then, write a 100 word flash fiction using the word sunshine.  (If you want, you can do one or the other. I would love to see who is going to do both!) Why? Oh, because it is fun. That’s why!

Selection

Depending on the rules for the various incarnations of this award, I need to award this to five to fifteen blogs. Rather than call you individually onto the carpet, I am going to do something different. If you fulfill one or the other requests from Seamed Up, you can collect the corresponding badge from above.

If you choose to do both, you can collect my variation on the Sunshine Award Badge.

Red's Version of the Sunshine Award

Who is feeling adventurous? Who will be first? How many will I give out?

The first two questions are up to the M3 Readers. The last question I can answer. I will award one to each blogger who stops by to participate. If you already have one, try it out just for fun. If you have not had one, grab one. If you want another one, by all means, give it go! Three ways to get one or get all three!

Everyone of you who comes to M3 is special. You are the blogs I follow, comment on, share, blog about, shine the spotlight upon, enjoy, brag about, use as examples, the list goes on and on. Each one of those things qualifies you for a Sunshine Award. You are the reason I blog and cruise the blogosphere. You let the sunshine into my world.

Stretching

We are in nearing the home stretch of the A to Z Challenge. Next week, the final letters will be revealed. If you visit the link at the beginning of the paragraph, you will not be transported to the A to Z site. Instead, you will go to the directory of the A to Z posts on M3.

Be sure to visit the three lovely ladies who are responsible for tonight’s award show: Debbie, Sue and Wendy. You will instantly know why I haunt their blogs. Be sure a link to your blog is in the M3 Green Room so others can find you, too!

This is Red, your captain speaking. I hope you have enjoyed this little deviation from our regularly scheduled Saturday evening programming to let in a little sunshine. I have extinguished the no smoking sign, and you are free to move about the cabin. Until next week’s Saturday Evening Post, enjoy. xxx
Red Signature


~~~~~~~~~~

Please vote in the poll, as I will be taking it down before the next post. I am looking forward to your answers and your flash fiction. Have a wonderful rest of the evening/morning!

If you tweet or +1 this post, please use the hashtag #AtoZChallenge!

(c) Ann Marie Dwyer 2012
Re-Blogging of this or any other post on Momma’s Money Matters is expressly forbidden.
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29 Comments

  1. Quick, draw the curtains, I’m being blinded!

    I hope you know what the proper answer to question number 2, your favorite animal, is.
    Binky recently posted..Social BeesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 21, 2012

      Wombies are one of my favorite, and you know it. But, you do know, I am engaged to a polar bear, don’t you?

      Reply
      • I suppose I could let you off on that one. Wombats are often compared to little bears.
        Binky recently posted..Social BeesMy Profile

        Reply
        • Red

           /  April 21, 2012

          But so much cuter than koalas… 🙂

          Reply
          • Absolutely! Koalas and kangaroos get all the publicity, while us wombats just get ignored!
            Binky recently posted..Social BeesMy Profile

          • Red

             /  April 22, 2012

            How many of them are building a rocket?

          • The irony is most koalas are too spaced out to care, and kangaroos aren’t exactly rocket scientists either. When I get to the moon, we’ll see who gets the publicity!
            Binky recently posted..Social BeesMy Profile

  2. You know I am going to do this Red! You know I want the pretty picture with the Blue!

    I will maybe answer questions about myself (I hate those).

    I will imitate you in offering it up to anyone who wants one (by sending them to you). I have decided all awards should stand alone and not be forced on others who may or may not want to have to pick!
    valentine logar recently posted..Throwaway ChildrenMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 21, 2012

      Oh, I am so very glad you did!

      ***If you are reading this comment, scroll down to the red pingbacks at the bottom of the comments and click on the link to QBG Tilted Tiara to see Val’s answers! Brilliant!

      Reply
  3. I have not been ignoring you. Seems I’ve been buried in e-mail. Am only 175 behind now. Would like to join you in your challenge at least partially. Time will tell.

    Great idea you have.

    Tah tah for now.

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 21, 2012

      Oh, I know you have been busy cooking up great flash fiction. I think you may well like this one! Wait until you see Val’s take on the whole thing!! So very glas to see you tonight!

      Reply
  4. I love what you did with this Red and thank you for all the mentions! Also like your version of the award. Nice with the orange. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Jake staggered out of the bar with a bottle in one hand and a cigar in the other.

    The streets were full of partying people, windows were being smashed and pitched battles springing up as the law became a joke.

    Jake laughed and squinted up at the brilliantly coloured bands of light in the sky.

    He was going to get started in his new job tomorrow, but there was not going to BE a tomorrow.

    In the electrical store he could see the big TV’s displaying the reporters on the news channel and watched their silent mouthing, all clearly stressed.

    He walked back to his apartment and closed the curtains, slouched in his chair and drained the bottle.

    He was just dozing off when the brilliant light struck his window, igniting his curtains.

    For an instant he felt the burning heat of sunlight on his flesh, then the shock wave arrived, obliterating Jake, his home and much of the planet.

    For so many of Earth’s millions there would be no more tomorrows…

    Love and hugs!

    Prenin.
    prenin recently posted..Saturday – demotivated, but still writing.My Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 22, 2012

      Excellent flash! I love the details. Great job, Pren!
      {HUGZ}
      Red.

      Reply
  6. Here are my knows & guesses.
    Favorite color green
    Favorite number: 3
    Favorite non-alcoholic drink Tab
    Facebook or Twitter Twitter
    My passion children
    Favorite flower dahlia
    John lifted his face and his hands to the sun. “Ah, sunshine.” The warm rays fairly blasted his white face with the sun’s loving touch.

    “A day without sunshine… never gonna happen again. Not ever!”

    “Twenty-two years, four months, six days, three hours and,” he looked at his watch, “eighteen minutes.”

    “Sunshine,” he proclaimed again and smiled up at the great glowing orb in the sky. Through closed lids it burned his eyes and he barely cared.

    A car stopped at the curb and the door opened. “Let’s go,” the driver growled.

    John got in without a glance at the prison he left behind.

    “Got a hit lined up,” the driver announced as he pulled away. “Vito in Chicago. Hardware’s in the trunk with the cash.”

    “I’m on it. Just drop me in the loop.”
    MJ Logan recently posted..Crappies in the CanoeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 22, 2012

      ROFL! OK, answers and guesses:
      1. Second favorite
      2. Close
      3. Second favorite
      4. Not even close
      5. The product of my passion (literally and figuratively)
      6. Not a chance.

      Loved your flash. Grab an award. How fitting for Saturday Sunshine 😉

      Reply
      • Awe… I was really sure about #3 and I changed #4 from FB to twitter. Don’t know why and as usual, I should not have changed my first impulse. Of course, I was entirely off base with #6 as well… but that was truly a guess.
        MJ Logan recently posted..Crappies in the CanoeMy Profile

        Reply
        • Red

           /  April 23, 2012

          LOL! No, I did not choose FB or Twitter. I have fun on FB, but I despise Twitter. I like G+ 🙂 I live on coffee….

          Reply
  7. I’ve used FB and hated it, I use Twitter some, but really don’t care for it. How is Google + better?
    I live on coffee too. drink it from the time I get up to bedtime. :-)… and smoke too.
    I’m not much for writing…just a poem now and then. I tried this challenge yesterday, and got 100 words exactly, but then realized it was non fiction.
    Oh yeah, I burn in less than 30 minutes too.
    Thanks for the link and your kind words, Red…you’re very kind. You have yourself a grand ole day!
    HUGZ XXx
    Deb recently posted..Earth DayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 23, 2012

      LOL! No one would have known it was not fiction! So many people hate FB. I have managed to make it fun, but it took me a few years to get to the point I could cope with both the platform and the people. It is a bizarre mixture. You had better have an umbrella….xxx

      Reply
      • But I would have known. But that’s okay, I’ve worked up another one. I guess I’m bent on getting the pretty flower award…lol
        Of course I have an umbrella. I have two big ones and a “First-Up canopy. 🙂

        Favorite color ~ Don’t have one
        Favorite animal ~ Hmm dog and wombie
        Favorite number ~ 3
        Favorite non-alcoholic drink ~ coffee
        Facebook or Twitter ~Twitter
        My passion ~ Family
        Giving or getting presents ~ Giving
        Favorite pattern ~ Hmm. I have no idea
        Favorite day of the week ~ Today
        Favorite flower ~ Wildflowers

        Flash Story…100 count
        She’d go to the doctor tomorrow for her lack of breathing, but did not know she would not see the sunshine of that day. She socialized, and drank heavy. Later she sat on her couch pondering her day. She called her friend to fix her screen door from the recent reckless drunk. He came, she dosed, but he would return the next day with some glue…she dosed. He woke her to tell her. She thanked him, told him she loved him.
        He locked the door behind him, and she dosed thinking of her beloved husband and never woke up again.
        Deb recently posted..Earth DayMy Profile

        Reply
        • Red

           /  April 23, 2012

          Excellent flash, Deb!! Grab your pretty flower award 🙂 And I love your answer for favorite day!

          Reply
  8. Red I am honoured.. and as I have only just dropped by to see this wonderful award and it being late here in the UK.. and Ive been up since 5 45 and at work All day.. My head needs to get into gear and read all of your above post again.. LOL 😉 as Im what you call goggle eyed and glazed.. Smiling here with Wide grin that you should even consider me for such.. So I am extremely grateful…
    I think you Bring More than a Ray of Sunshine to many peoples lives Red..
    Thank YOU!!
    ~Sue
    Sue Dreamwalker recently posted..Earth Day~ ThoughtsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 23, 2012

      Rest well, my sweet friend. I shall see you on the morrow. {HUGZ} Red.

      Reply
  9. I havent forgotten Red… Just been extra busy..
    OK.. Here to guessing your answers~

    Favourite Colour ( wouldnt be RED now 1would it Red? )
    2Dog.
    3number 7
    4Water
    5FB
    6Writing.
    7 Giving
    8 Not a clue, but floral as a Guess
    9. I would go with TODAY
    10. All FLoweres…

    Wishing you a Great Weekend Red… and Lots of Hugs back.. ~Sue x

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 27, 2012

      Great guesses, but you only got two half right 🙂 I hope you are having a fabulous, restful weekend. {HUGZ} Red.

      Reply
  1. Sunshine Days – QBG_Tilted Tiara

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