A Mystery Surprise

Ann H GabhartAnn's Posts, One Writer's Journal 35 Comments

The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us. (Ashley Montagu)

I’ve done these mystery photo games several times now. I’m always surprised by your guesses. Sometimes I’m surprised that you all come up with right guesses. Other times I’m surprised that nobody or at least very few see what the picture actually is.

I don’t know why I am surprised by that. I rarely can figure out these kinds of pictures when I see them in other places. Of course then the photographer generally has a specialized lens that takes tremendous up close photos. I’m not that high tech with my pictures. That’s why the close-ups are a bit fuzzy at times. I read about an attachment I can buy to put on my phone and take better close-ups, but I haven’t gotten around to searching it out. Instead I just keep taking pictures, cropping them, and then putting them out here to see what you think.

And it’s always fun to see what you think. This time the most popular guess was a pine cone from Becky, Joy, Kathy, Marji and Sandi. A few of you just admitted to being stumped, but Laura, Melanie, Margaret and Karen, you still get an entry in the giveaway. Some of the guesses had me smiling this time. Lucy said cow patty, but while I’ve considered it, I’ve never taken a picture of that to try to trick you all. Lois said a tractor or truck track in the mud, and I have to admit that I did once take a picture of that. But it looked exactly like mud when I cropped out a bit of the picture. The mud picture got deleted. Shirley had a fun guess of shrimp on a plate, and Rebecca agreed it might be shrimp after she thought maybe I’d zoomed to outer space for Wednesday’s mystery picture. That had me smiling for sure. I smiled even bigger with Elaine’s guess of Santa Claus. Of course Santa might wear one of these in the summertime.

I really liked April’s guess of a shell. I could see that. It isn’t right, but it does look like some shells I’ve seen. Connie guessed a butterfly or moth. She knows I like to post butterfly pictures on my Facebook page now and them. Ellen was seeing a mushroom or a rose on a knitted cap. Evelyn saw a flowering cabbage plant. Another great guess that was wrong, but I could sort of see it. Virginia said a button or decoration on an clothes or shoes. Lisa B said a woolen scarf, another good but wrong guess, as was Paula’s guess of a raffia flower. I like Linda’s guess of a coiled up spring too. Linda is helping her mother right now who broke her humerus, the bone in her arm between the elbow and shoulder. Her mom is 90 which doesn’t make things easy when trying to mend a broken bone, but Linda says her mother is determined to get better. So whisper a prayer for Linda and her mom.

Back to the mystery picture, nobody got it right. The closest to being on the right track were Karen with her Amish rug guess, Peggy with her wound up rope and Lisa R with cloth or rug.

So here’s the big reveal of the rest of the picture. It is the top of the second Shaker hat in the row on the left. I am surprised this picture was such a mystery. Pleased, I have to admit, although I’m wondering if I not be quite so mysterious. I don’t want you to get discouraged and quit playing. Trouble is, I’m never sure which ones you’re going to get right away and which ones you won’t. I have posted pictures I thought would be difficult only to have it turn out to be an easy puzzle.

So puzzle number three is up top. I tested this one on my husband and daughter and they didn’t get it. But I won’t be surprised if you all get it right away. Either way, a right guess or a stumped guess, gets you an entry in my drawing for winner’s choice of one of my autographed books. I’ll pick three winners on October 11, 2017 by random number drawing. The contest is open to those 18 years old or older where not prohibited by law. No purchase is required and you don’t even have to sign up for anything. Just play the game and have fun. At least, I hope you have fun. It’s a brain exercise for me to figure out what is mysterious and what is plain to see. They tell us exercise is good, even for the brain.

As always, thanks for reading, and I’m looking forward to your guesses.

Comments 35

  1. Sunlight through spiderwebs.
    We’ve had company so just now getting on the computer.
    Words Spoken True is the book I am after!! And… for everyone reading these comments, don’t ~ absolutely don’t! ~ miss reading These Healing Hills. I am ready to go back again and again. Kathleen

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      Aww, Kathleen. That is so nice. And if you win, Words Spoken True is a story you might like. Lots of history of 1855 Louisville in that one and more romance than in most of my books. Nice guess too. I’m getting ready to do the big reveal. 🙂

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    I love all your guesses. I have to admit I must have been really tricky this time as you’ll find out in a few hours. But your guesses were wonderful. So glad you are playing my mystery photo game.

    Virginia – at least you guessed something different. I did try a hair brush once. Everybody got that one right. Sigh.

    Lucy R – It does look like something going to seed, doesn’t it?

    Emily – I like how you added the sun-dried part to the dandelion puff.

    Lois – Fun that you came back with another guess. And a broom being made by Shakers is a fun guess too.

    Ashley – I’ll make that wish anytime. I really like dandelions. I think they look like sunspots. I even wrote a devotional about dandelions once. You can find it on my website under devotional thoughts, I think.

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    Welcome, Carol A.! So glad you came by to play my mystery photo game. Broom straw is a nice guess and one Rebecca agrees with. But I’m not telling for a couple more hours whether you’re right or wrong.

    Edith – I love your guess and you may know I do like to take picture of spider webs. Hmm, could you be right? The reveal of the rest of the picture is coming up soon when I post a new mystery photo tonight.

    Carolyn B. – Thistle seed or dandelion puff is a popular guess. Could be right. Could be wrong. 🙂

    Joy – I’m glad you came by with a new guess. Being right is not all it’s cracked up to be. Fun and imagination score higher. And pine tree branch is a very good guess. Not saying it’s a right guess, but a good one.

    Rebecca – You’re in there with Carol on the broom straw, but I have to tell you there’s no braided rug. Thanks for playing.

    Connie L – You’re not the only one to guess the sun peeking through leaves. That is a great guess and I have taken pictures of the sun peeking through leaves. But did I try to make a mystery picture out of one of those? Guess we will soon see when I post the “rest of the picture.”

  4. It looks like a spider web with early morning dew! You were tricky with the hats…when I looked at the picture again knowing what it was it still didn’t look like a part of a hat but then again maybe it does. Thanks for remembering my mom in your prayers. We are making memories!

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      You aren’t the only one that couldn’t see the hat top even after I showed the rest of the picture, Linda. But that’s what it was. I promise. Maybe I’m getting too tricky, do you think?

      I love the spiderweb in dew guess. Edith guessed something the same. I am amazed by spiderwebs as long as I don’t run my face into them while I’m walking. So we’ll see.

      So glad you and your mom are making those memories.

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