One of the wonderful people I’ve met here in the Blogosphere is Crispina Kemp, a writer and photographer who also hosts a weekly bloghop, Crimson’s Creative Challenge, a very open invitation to respond to a photo prompt in a variety of ways.
This week’s photo from Crispina is of the Tunstall Smock Mill, built in 1900 and restored in 1944, its purpose to run pumps to drain marshlands, and while the purpose of my local smock mill (1746) was to grind corn (maize), you can see the architectural similarities.
The cap rotates so that the sails can be put into the wind, which brings up a local debate- the sailors claim the saying “three sheets to the wind” is nautical in origin (though the sheets actually refer to the ropes attached to the sail and not the actual sails); landlubbers claim that the expression refers to the sheets on a windmill, for to have any but two or four sheets in the wind would cause an imbalance.
Either way, I think the point is, two is better than one, and certainly better than none, which is why instead of claiming to be too busy, or that the photo doesn’t always spark a response, or the timing is simply off, this post is in response to two prompts, Six Sentence Stories, (“claim”) and Crimson’s Creative Challenge, for if Crispina claims that just about anything goes, and if Denise only requires six sentences, well, maybe this suffices.
Both Crispina and Denise are generous bloggers who host a bloghop every week with fun prompts, and who reliably visit and comment on the efforts of others. I encourage you to go by their blogs and see what they’re up to and to sail with their fun weekly challenges.
ShiftnShake 
Thank you 🙂
What a delightful offering this week. Until reading this, I had no idea of the origins of the term “three sheets to the wind”!
I have seen Crispina’s comments at many other blogs. One day I will participate in Crimson’s Creative Challenge 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was wondering what I would do for ‘claim’, and really had nothing then saw Crispina’s post and voila! Doesn’t always have to be a story, does it? I’m finding that when I’m stumped combining prompts helps.
(I also fear it is a sign of a worsening condition, a heightened affliction, a growing addiction) Yeah…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your comments about the possible origin of that sentence is interesting, Ms D. I do enjoy your six sentence posts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Robbie. I enjoy the stretch and flexibility of the Six Sentence challenge. And it’s a fun group that joins in. Thank you for reading and commenting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t believe that was a 6! Well done, and informative!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! I went back and double checked after reading your comment. Yep, six. It can be a tricky challenge and sometimes syntax suffers; semi-colons are most helpful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 It ran so smoothly, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantastic. Love those photos. We have lots of mill-remains, but not so many with sails intact (though there are some) and I’ve never seen a smock mill complete like that. I thank you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This one is well restored. I hope you clicked on my highlighted link to see the Nantucket Historical Association’s videos of this one at work. This mill is the only one on the island that survived overzealous firemen’s explosive desire to practice at putting out fires.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nantucket… I believe my daughter on holiday one year. I saw her many, many, many, many, many, many photos! And thanks for the link
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think this was a great way to not only introduce us to some interesting information but spread the word on two of the best prompts out there! Well done!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you. (It does appear to be as you say, but really, I was simply storied out but wanting to get my Six in anyway.)
These truly are two fun prompts though and I appreciate the work of both Crispina and Denise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, Violet. Thank you. I miss your Sixes 🙂 Pop in every once in awhile, eh? 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Having never been accused or complimented on my penchant for finding alternative interpretations to every day remarks, comments, stories and Six Sentence stories, I feel comfortable saying, “Ah ha!”
This provides me with a sense of connectivity to your comment regarding the identity of the captain in my own Six. (Well, sure, the MC does refer to himself as a ‘captain’.)
(btw: whatever the term denoting the pleasure experienced when a person emphasizes a lesser known bit of knowledge in a manner that allows the reader to learn without feeling lectured to (“…at? upon?!)1
That business of ‘sheets’. cool
We have, (or had, haven’t been over there in a great while), a windmill that sounds like your ‘smock mill’, over on Jamestown.
*the Victorian’s form of ultimate poly-significant word**, akin to the modern ‘Dude’! Condemnation and appellation, expression of pride prejudice and passion all with the slightest of inflection on a very simple sound.
** probably not a ‘real’ word
1) wait a minute, I do know, its called being a clark (the enjoyment of little, not-likely-to-be-encountered-in-any-number-of-conversations-but-when-it-does….)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Um, thanks…
Yeah, Crispina’s mill looks like many on the Cape, Islands, and Rhode Island. You should check her site out for beautiful pictures and history, an Old World connection. And there’s the weekly photo prompt.
LikeLike
I love words, word smithing, and word play. I love learning about idioms and from whence they came. This was fun.. Good six.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Glad to have brought it to you.
LikeLike
Very informative six! My dad was in the navy and hence I knew the meaning of 3 sheets to the wind but I’d never heard about the saying being referred to as a windmill. Very interesting!
This reminds me, I still have Crispina’s challenge to do 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My dad wasn’t in the navy, nor was he a miller, yet I too know the meaning of three sheets to the wind. I think the jury is hung on the origin, land or sea, but still interesting. I look forward to your response(s) to these prompts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A beautiful blending of prompts, and educational, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. It was fun (and educational) to do something different this week.
LikeLike
Interesting to read the ‘Three Sheets…’ expression can also apply to land – and for lovely windmills too. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure. Thanks for coming by.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I learned new things today. I always thought of the term about three sheets as totally different than this explanation which makes more sense. Thank you for the cool post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Yeah, this week I didn’t make sheet up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL
LikeLike
What a great educational SSS! I had never heard the origin for the expression three sheets to the wind. I love the photos of the smock mills.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am fairly familiar with the one mill, but until reading Crispina’s account, did not know this type are called ‘smock mills’. I also found it interesting that the design was not so different between her mill and one despite the one and a half centuries between their constructions and their different purposes. And, yep, words and phrases are fun. Glad you enjoyed.
LikeLike
I did not know that! I love finding out where expressions come from. And I often find that combining prompts is a help!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I know three sheets when I see it, but the origins are interesting.
LikeLike