Object of the Day, Caption Contest: The Ol' Gray Mare

Click above image to enlarge.

Well, here we have another Victorian trade card from my collection of ephemera. This was a standard stock card which could have been printed with specific information for a business or a company. However, it never was.

It’s…it’s…well…I’m not quite sure what’s going on here. So, once again, I look to all of you for inspiration. Let’s have a “Caption Contest.” It’s a contest inasmuch as you’re participating, but that’s about it. Rather like Mr. Punch’s Puzzles, there’s no prize, really. Just public congratulations. Still we have fun. 

You can give me a caption, or, you can come up with a whole advertising scheme here. What’s being advertised? What company is this? What would the back of the card say? Let’s see what you come up with!  Post your answers in the comments.  

Haiku Contest Winners Chosen

The Haiku Contest Winners Are…


Many thanks to all of our entries. I think they were all excellent. Your votes are in, and we have a tie. The winners are:

Jason Roush

Dark where no one else


hears what soft music you hear,


light from loss of light.


Solitary stone


at the bottom of the sea,


time never knew you.

And…Darcy

Lazy summer days,


parasols and big straw hats.


Where are they today?


Sand pails and sea shells


children playing in the sun


sunset on the shore.

Congratulations to you both!

Contest for the Week: Write a Haiku

“Punch”—whether real or imagined by Julian, Lord Fallbridge in our blog-novel, Punch’s Cousin—has written a little poem for his “master.” Whether he knew it or not (I’d say, not) Punch has written a haiku. Part of living a beautiful life is accepting into our hearts the poetry in everyday things. So, I’d like to invite each of you to write a haiku this week. A haiku is a three line poem. The first line amounts to five syllables. The second is seven syllables, and the last is five again. I’m a fan of haiku. In fact, sometimes I just rattle them out for no reason. I’m curious to see your haiku. Just post your poem as a comment below. At the end of the week, we’ll take a vote to decide which we like best.


I look forward to reading your poems!