Calico Connections #18

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to a picture prompt. Picture prompt weeks are quick reading. Snippets are limited to 300 words. There are several pictures to choose from, and each author picks one to include in their story in some fashion.

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Once everyone settled down and brought out the sewing projects they’d brought with them, Sarah peeked around the room, trying to see what everyone was working on without being too obvious or noisy. She soon discovered that she didn’t need to worry about being too curious. Everyone was quite pleased to share what they were working on – without even being asked. Everyone took turns holding up their piece or asking for help with a stitch or a perplexing sewing problem. Some shared designs they’d clipped from the newspaper for possible future projects.

Between the sewing, nibbling on cookies or tarts, and then sharing in Eliza Jane’s birthday cake, the afternoon flew by. Those with children in school started gathering up their pieces, to get back home before the children arrived.

Another half-hearted mention about forming a quilting club came up. But those mothers with school children soon put that idea on the back burner.

“School’s about out.”

“Bring the children with you.”

“Then it will be harvesting time.”

“Maybe after school starts back up in the fall.”

That’s where the discussion ended. Sarah did see where some of the mothers had a valid point about the fall being a better time. Besides, if they waited a bit, Sarah knew that gave her more time to get to know the other women better. It would also give her time to practice her stitchery.

Although, thinking of all the sewing that was going to be occupying her days in the near future, brought her knitting to mind. She still had balls of wool that she’d hand dyed from gathered plant material back in Oklahoma that she hadn’t used yet. She wondered if she’d get a chance to pick up her needles again.

Or would all of her time now be devoted to sewing and quilting?

Check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections #17

We’re back spending time with Calico Connections. It was supposed to be my Christmas book last year. It didn’t happen. Real Life intervened and it didn’t coincide with “my plans”. We’re returning to the women behind the quilt squares that are in the Taylor County Historical Museum in Bedford now. Maybe this time I can make inroads on the story and finish it up for 2023.

It’s 1934 and Sarah and Frank have moved the family to Uncle Scott’s farm in Iowa. They and the children – Faith, Edward, and Elizabeth – are still meeting their neighbors and settling into the community of Athelstan.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘luck.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Elizabeth had plopped down in the seat her mother had vacated. “Mama, did you wash my blue jumper today?”

Sarah dumped the dustpan into the barrel on the other side of the stove that served as a trash can. “No. I didn’t do the wash today.”

Faith’s head jerked up. Elizabeth turned so abruptly she almost fell off of the floor. Edward was the only one oblivious to his mother’s comment. He sat on the floor running a small metal truck up the table legs and back down.

Looking surprised, Faith questioned her mother. “You didn’t? But it’s Monday. You always wash on Monday’s. Always.”

Elizabeth turned and gave her mother her usual poor-pitiful-me look with her huge brown eyes shining and threatening to turn on the water works. “But Mama. I need my blue jumper to wear tomorrow.”

“I’ll wash tomorrow. I reckon you can wear it on Wednesday instead.” Sarah didn’t feel worried about not having all the clothes clean and done for one day. As Faith had made note of, she always did the wash on Monday. Even if it was raining, she usually still did it and simply hung the clothes under the porch eaves or inside.

“But I needed to wear it tomorrow,” Elizabeth insisted. “My friends, Evelyn Bownes and Berniece Scott have blue jumpers too and we decided we’re all going to wear them tomorrow.”

“Then maybe you should have included me in your planning session,” Sarah said. “If you want to wear that jumper tomorrow, you’ll just have to wear it dirty.”

Elizabeth looked like she was gearing up for a full-force meltdown. Her eyes sparkled with tears as if a facet was ready to be unleashed. Her mouth twisted in a manner she usually displayed just before she burst into tears.

Sarah felt torn. She was exhausted. She’d been cleaning all day. She didn’t want to treat her daughter like a pampered princess. After all, she was the mother. Not Elizabeth. But yet, she also didn’t have the energy to deal with one of Elizabeth’s full out tantrums. Not that they happened that often. Usually just turning the big brown eyes and batting her eyelashes did the trick and people gave in to her. Sarah had a feeling that this was going to escalate.

Sarah shook her head and pointed to the small bedroom all three children shared. “Let’s see it. Go get it and we’ll see how dirty it is.”

Elizabeth ran to the room, disappeared for several minutes, and reappearing holding a crumbled, wrinkled mess.

Reaching out for the garment, Sarah then snapped it to straighten it out somewhat. She held in front of her and examined the jumper with a critical eye. Turning it around, she looked over the backside. “Look here. You’re in luck. There’s only this one dirty spot.” She pointed to a small area near the hem in the back. “We can fix that right up.”

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Calico Connections #16

This will be the last snippet for Calico Connections. I’m all in a tizzy finishing up the tail pieces and it’s off to the beta readers within the next week or so. After this week, my alter-ego Patsy Faye is going to start work on some romance short stories, so the snippets I write to the word and picture prompts will jump back into that genre for a few months.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘yellow.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

A small grin threatened to reveal itself and Sarah quickly threw a hand over her mouth to cover its appearance. “I think we all knew you were mad about not being able to go. You grumped around all weekend over it.” Seeing that Faith still tugged at the ragged edge of the tear, Sarah reached over and lightly smacked the top of her hand. “Stop that. Don’t make it worse.”

“Sorry, Mama.” Faith pulled her hand away and thrust both hands together in her lap. “But now I’m sad that I wasn’t able to watch Leona. I couldn’t be there and be a friend when she lost.”

“Oh, dear. She didn’t win?”

Elizabeth took this moment to ease in under her mother’s arm. She stood watching her mother and sister talk, her head bobbing back and forth between them.

“No. She made it to the fifth round. Some boy won it. A thirteen-year-old from Blockton. He goes to Hope School.” A slight smile flickered across her face. “I remember the school’s name because it’s almost like my name.”

Elizabeth butted into the conversation. “That doesn’t make sense. That name isn’t anything like yours.”

“Yes, it is,” Faith replied. “Faith…like me. And hope. You know…faith, hope, and charity?”

Elizabeth’s expression remained blank.

“Never mind, dear.” Sarah pulled Elizabeth in closer to her. “You’ll understand that part someday.” To Faith she said, “You’re right. Faith and Hope. They go together, don’t they? So, does anyone know the boy that won?”

“Some of the kids did. They kept talking about him. I guess they knew him from some of their families that live in Blockton.” Faith tipped her head down and pulled a folded-up yellow piece of paper from her skirt pocket. She carefully turned back the folds and read from it. “Elmer Ray Downing. That was his name. And the word that eliminated Leona…it was…”

After pausing, Faith continued. “I can’t say the word. It’s D-I-L-A-T-O-R-Y. Leona had to write it down for me. I’d never heard it before. She never had either.”

Faith pushed the paper across the table to her mother. “What does that word mean, Mama?”

Sarah looked long and hard at the strange word in front of her. “I can’t say as that I know that word either. I couldn’t have spelled it. Leona has nothing to be ashamed about in missing this one. I probably would have been disqualified long before getting to this word.”

Pushing the paper back to Faith, Sarah asked, “Did you ask your teacher what the word meant?”

“No,” Faith admitted. “I didn’t think about that. I guess I didn’t want to look dumb.”

“Well, ask her tomorrow. No shame in asking questions. That’s how we learn.”

Elizabeth’s head bobbed up, her dark curls bouncing. “You too, Mama? Do you ask questions to learn, even though you’re all grown up?”

Calico Connections #15

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘mouse.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

The Monday afternoon following the spelling bee, the three children walked in from school as Sarah finished plucking a chicken and sitting it in the roasting pan. All three removed their jackets and hung them on the hooks just inside the door.

“Chicken for dinner?” Elizabeth asked.

“Duh!” Edward responded. “That’s a dumb question. Can’t you see it plain as the wart on the end of your nose?”

Elizabeth’s fingers flew to her nose to feel. “There isn’t any wart there. You’re being a big meanie.”

The two bickered back and forth for a minute or two before Sarah turned and flashed the mother glare in their direction. “Children…” She trailed off, not finishing the statement.

She didn’t need to. The two stopped their quarreling immediately.

Once Sarah popped the chicken in the oven, she pivoted and stared at Faith, who sat at the table not saying a word. “You’re quiet as a church mouse today. What’s up?”

“She’s always quiet,” Edward said. “She doesn’t talk a lot. Not that that one.” He pointed a skinny finger towards Elizabeth.

Elizabeth’s face flushed bright pink. “Hey! That’s not nice.”

“No, it isn’t,” Sarah agreed. “Edward, you be nice, or I’ll send you to the woodshed to wait until your father gets in from the fields.”

Edward held up his hands in surrender. “No, Mama. Not that. I’ll be good. I promise.”

“All right then. Go kiss and make up with your sister.”

Edward’s face scrunched up in disgust. He started to protest. “Please, no. Anything but that. I’ll be good. I’ll carry in some firewood for you. I’ll go draw a pail of water. Just don’t make me go kiss Elizabeth.”

Sarah parked her hands on her hips. She didn’t say a word. She simply glowered.

Heaving a huge sigh, Edward eased towards Elizabeth. He leaned in and gave the fastest quickest peck possible on the top of her head.

“Thank you,” Sarah said. “Now you can go get me an armload of firewood anyway.

Edward didn’t argue. He appeared happy to be able to leave the room full of women. He dashed to the door, shoved his arms in his jacket as fast as he could and hurried out, letting the door slam shut behind him.

Sarah wiped her hands on the dish towel tucked into her apron pocket and sat down at the table across from Faith. “Now, ‘fess up. What’s going on? You haven’t uttered a single word since you’ve been home.”

Faith seemed reluctant to speak. She picked at a small tear on the oilcloth cover. She hesitated. Her mother remained silent. Faith finally started to explain. “I don’t know. I just feel sad. I was so excited about my friend being in the spelling bee this weekend. I was angry that Dad wouldn’t let me go watch.”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections #14

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to a picture prompt. Picture prompt weeks are quick reading. Snippets are limited to 300 words. There are several pictures to choose from, and each author picks one to include in their story in some fashion.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Sarah didn’t immediately reply. She didn’t want to notch up Elizabeth’s drama and have tears to deal with. She wasn’t in the mood for that. She took a deep breath and paused, deciding whether to draw the firm line with her youngest, or to give in and let Elizabeth control the situation.

Before she moved in either direction, the front door banged shut and Faith rushed into the room.

Breathless and harried, Faith burst out in a stream of words. “Mama, Mama…I almost forgot. Next Saturday, my friend Leona is going to be in a County Spelling Contest. Can I go? Can I go?”

“Leona?” Sarah asked.

“Yes, Leona Booher. I told you we were friends. When we were talking a few minutes ago. Can I go? I want to see who is there and what words they get. We moved here too late for me to have a chance to be in the spelling bee.”

Sarah paused, still holding Elizabeth’s ripped skirt in her hands, albeit her mind was far from the damaged garment at the moment. “The spelling bee is in Bedford? You know…I would like to make another trip there…Bedford is such a lovely town…much bigger than Athelstan. All those brick buildings lining the road, cars lined up in front of all the stores. The one trip we made there right after we moved here…seems to be a bustling place…”

“So, we can go?” Faith jumped up and down with excitement, her face beaming.

“Hold your horses. We don’t know yet,” Sarah cautioned. “We still have to check with your father.”

Faith plopped down on the side of the bed with a huff and crossed her arms over her chest in a disgruntled manner. “Guess we know what that means. You know he’s going to be a grouch and say no.”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections #13

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘branch.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

********

Elizabeth started to skip, until her hand pulled out of her mothers. She settled down and nestled back in beside her mother, tucking her hand back in the safety of Sarah’s grasp. “That would be fun, Mama. I know Edward would like it to. Doris’s brother, Gerald, is one of the boys that they run around with on the playground.”

“Are there any other children in the family? Maybe someone Faith’s age?”

Sarah’s arm jerked back when Elizabeth halted abruptly. Elizabeth looked up at her mother coyly, her big brown eyes luminous and flashing under her thick dark lashes. “Oh…there’s someone Faith’s age. Another child. He’s in Faith’s class.”

“He?” Sarah asked.

Elizabeth giggled and held her free hand over her mouth. “Yes. A boy. Rex. Rex Morris.”

As they reached their place, Sarah stepped up on the sagging steps, Elizabeth in stride next to her. Opening the door, she mused, “Hmmmm…that would be nice. You all three have a friend your age at the Morris’s. I will definitely have to go make Mrs. Morris’ acquaintance.”

“Not all exactly the same age, Mama. Remember, Doris is a year younger than me.”

Sarah swatted at Elizbeth’s behind and turned to drop her pocketbook on the dining room table. “Oh, don’t be a stickler for details. Close enough. You know what I mean. Besides, you already admitted that you like playing with Doris, even if she is a year younger than you.”

Clapping her hands together, Sarah changed the subject. “Now, go get your clothes and lay them on the bed. I’ll be in a moment, and we’ll go through them.”

As Sarah turned back to the front door, Elizabeth asked, “Where ‘ya going, Mama?”

“Don’t pay me no nevermind. Just going to use the privy.”

Twenty minutes later, Elizabeth had all her clothes laid out on the bed. She’d separated blouses from the skirts, not that there were that many in either pile. When Sarah returned from attending to private business in the outhouse, she started sifting through the blouses first. She started putting the nicer ones in one stack and the ones showing more wear in another.

Next, she picked up the top skirt. Twisting it and holding it closer to the window, Sarah examined the skirt with a frown. “What happened to this? This was your best Sunday go to meeting skirt.”

Elizabeth waved a hand in the air, as if to brush off the question. “Oh, Mama, don’t you remember? It was that nasty old branch that caught me the last time I wore it?”

“Why in tarnation didn’t you tell me? We could have had it mended and ready.”

Looking up at her mother, Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears that threatened to cascade down her cheeks. “Because we were moving right after that. Remember? You were throwing clothes in boxes faster than we could do anything.”

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Calico Connections #12

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘crazy.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

*****

“That’s my friend,” Elizabeth said. “She’s not in my class. She’s a year younger than me. But we play on the playground. I play jacks with her, Evelyn, and Berneice. Evelyn’s in my class. Berneice is a year ahead of us. She wins at jacks most the time. I think because she’s older—”

“We don’t need to hear all about your friends,” Edward butted in. He crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. “You’re crazy if you think we all want to hear about you and your little girl friends and all the games you play.”

Sarah wagged a finger in Edward’s direction. “That’s enough of that, young man. You don’t need to sass your little sister, either. I was asking about Doris. Morris was her last name? Isn’t that who Mrs. Older told us lives next to Uncle Scott?”

Elizabeth’s eyes lit up. “She does, she does. Sometimes we meet each other on the way to school.”

Faith sighed and frowned. “That’s not a lot of fun. Elizabeth and Doris chatter away like a family of monkeys. They talk so much I can’t even hear myself think.”

Finally satisfied with the cleanliness of the kitchen, Sarah hung the damp dish towel on the peg on the wall. She swept one last glance around, making sure that she hadn’t missed a dirty dish or utensil. She picked up her pocketbook from the counter where she’d sat it when they’d entered on their return from their walk into town.

“C’mon, children. Let’s leave this bachelor kitchen and head out back to our place.”

“Do we have to?” Edward whined. “Can’t I go help Father and Uncle Scott?”

“I suppose so. Run on out. Mind you, no stopping at the cow’s pond and getting muddy. C’mon, girls. Let’s go take a look at your outfits and see what we can pretty up for Easter services in a few weeks.”

As Edward darted off towards the back side of the barn, the three womenfolk strolled towards the rundown structure that they now called home. Elizabeth tucked her hand in her mother’s, staying close to her side.

Faith edged away from her mother and sister, veering to the chicken pen. “Can I go talk to the chicken’s first? I haven’t stopped to see them yet today.”

Elizabeth screwed up her face, the wrinkles of her nose making her disgust apparent. “Ugh. Who wants to go there? That’s a dumb idea you silly goose.”

Giggling, Faith didn’t look upset over her sister’s pronouncement. “ Just because they don’t like you, doesn’t mean that I don’t like them. We get along, me and the chickens.

As Faith wandered away, Sarah walked on, her youngest child in hand. She spoke aloud, but almost spoke more to herself than to Elizabeth. “If you like to play with Doris so much, I may have to stop over next week and pay a visit to Mrs. Morris. Introduce myself. Maybe we can get together for coffee one afternoon and you two girls can play together.

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections #11

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘hot.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

and see if your Sunday best still fits. Easter is coming up in two weeks. Can’t have you showing up looking like a ragamuffin.”

“Awwww, Mom,” Edward moaned, “do we hafta go to church here too?”

Sending an icy glare in her son’s direction, Sarah merely pursed her mouth and stared.

Faith looked at her mother with a puzzled expression. “But, Mama, we haven’t been to church here yet.”

Sarah turned her glare in Faith’s direction. “No, we haven’t. But we’ve only been here two weeks. We’re still settling into a routine. But just because we haven’t stepped foot in the Lord’s house for two Sundays doesn’t mean it will continue. Especially with Easter coming up. We will be sitting in a pew with our new neighbors come Easter morning.”

Elizabeth piped up with her big concern. “I can take Dolly with me, can’t I, Mama?”

Sarah’s expression softened as she turned to her youngest to reassure her. “Yes, my Punkin. You can take Dolly with you.”

Looking glum, Edward crossed his arms and dropped down to the wooden floor. He eased back, settling up against the wall by the cast iron stove.

“Careful, son,” Sarah cautioned. “Don’t get too close. Stove’s still hot from Uncle Scott cooking the vittles we just ate.”

Edward inched aways away from the stove. He still glowered and pouted. “Don’t want to go to church here. I don’t know anyone yet.”

A slight twinge  filled Sarah’s heart with sadness. “Now, son, I’m sure that’s not true. You’ve been in school a whole week. You must have met some other boys to play with by now.”

“We played together. But they don’t like me. They keep calling me ‘the new kid’,” Edward confessed.

“How about you girls?” Sarah asked. “Have you made any friends yet?”

Elizabeth burst out happily, “Why, yes, Mama. I have lots and lots and lots of new friends. Everyone is so nice. I play with Doris Morris the most. She said she lives next to us. And I play with Jean Marie Carroll. And Madelyn Weese. And—”

Faith pushed at Elizabeth’s shoulder. “You have lots of friends because you talk to everyone. You always talk. You’re never afraid to talk to new people.”

Elizabeth giggled before sticking out a tongue. “Goofy Faith. If you’d open your mouth and talk to people, then you’d have lots of new friends too.”

“I talk to people,” Faith protested.

“No, you don’t,” Edward interjected. “You always have your nose in a book. And you sit at the back of the class. You’re like a big scaredy cat around people.”

“Am not!” Faith argued back. “I talk to people. Well…sometimes I do. But I have two friends. I talk to Leona Booher and Betty Balch. I like them. They’re really nice.”

It took a minute or two for one of the names Elizabeth mentioned to register with Sarah. “Doris Morris…”

Check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections #10

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to a picture prompt. Picture prompt weeks are quick reading. Snippets are limited to 300 words. There are several pictures to choose from, and each author picks one to include in their story in some fashion.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Heading towards the kitchen door, Uncle Scott called out over his shoulder. “Arosfa. That means ‘halt’. Practice that one and tomorrow I’ll teach you another one.”

Edward puffed up like he’d been inflated with a gust of hot air. He strutted around, stopping briefly to ruffle the top of each of his sister’s heads.

They both shrieked. He raced around to the far side, out of their reach. He stood straighter, seemingly growing in the past few minutes. Arching his shoulders back, he proudly proclaimed, “I’m going to learn Welsh commands. I’ll be helping Uncle Scott farm before you know it.”

Sarah tipped her head back and surveyed her only son. Being the only boy, tucked in between the two girls, he tried so hard to find his own place in the family mix. She mused that this move might be a good thing for the boy. Following his great uncle in the farming way was an honorable way to spend one’s life.

Her eyes followed him as he continued parading about the room, all the while staying clear of his sister’s. Sarah stifled a giggle. How he loved to muss the top of their hair. The girls didn’t like it and their retaliation could be swift. He was smart to stay far away from where their arms could swing.

Sarah eyed Edward up and down in a critical examination. “Why, Son, I do believe you’ve shot up a good two inches.”

She walked over and tugged at a trouser leg, hiking it up. “After our trip into town, I was itching to get back to some quilting in the evenings. I wanted to start on my pieced blocks again. But now…looking at your growth spurt, it looks like my sewing hours are going to be spent on your clothes.”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections #9

For the next few weeks – probably next few months – we’re going to go back in time – to Iowa in 1934. Here’s some snippets from my WIP (Work in Progress), Calico Connections.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘angry.’

Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

“I hope so. I could use some friends. Never had many in Arnette,” Sarah confided.

Frank raised a hand as if offering a peace offering. “Now, now…truth be told, we didn’t live there near long enough to form lifelong connections. Me hopping around the country in search of work didn’t keep us settled for too long in one place. I know that hasn’t help with you being able to make friends along the way.”

Uncle Scott wiped out the greasy skillet with a rag as he listened to the word spoken. “Maybe it will be different now. ‘Course you know that I’m hoping you’re here with me for a spell. With these old bones moving slower each spring than the one before, I sure am pleased to have some young blood helping me out.”

Rising from the table, Sarah sat her dirty plate in the dishpan sitting in the sink. “I hope we’re here in Athelstan for a good long time. The two ladies I met today were so pleasant, that I have a feeling I’ll make a lot of friends here. I hope the moving from port to port is all behind us for a while.” She didn’t want to admit to her husband about how angry she felt sometimes when they had to be on the move, sometimes mere months between stops.

“I like being here too. Especially with your mules,” Edward piped up, giving his own opinion.

“They’re alright,” Faith conceded. “I like Jack and Tom, but I prefer the chickens myself.”

“Yuck! I don’t like the chickens,” Elizabeth said. “They cluck and poop all over…and chase me all over the chicken yard.”

Faith giggled and nodded her head. “They sure don’t like you anymore than you don’t like them.”

Edward hopped up from the table and hiked his britches up by the waistband. “Speaking of mules…can I help you steer the mules today, Uncle Scott?”

Scott leaned back against the counter. He hitched his thumbs under his overall straps and gave Edward a hard, intent look. “Well, boy…you reckon you can speak Welsh to ‘em?”

“Speak Welsh? Um…like in…speaking…another language?” Edward gulped and a sea of confusion washed across his face.

“A-yep. Welsh is the language from Wales.” A bemused expression flitted across Uncle Scott’s face. He stifled his humor, as if he didn’t want the young lad to see the jest he found in this exchange.

“Why would I want to speak to them in another language?” Frown lines crossed Edward’s forehead as he tried to decipher the puzzle.

Scott straightened up and patted the top of Edward’s head in a kindly manner. “Because that’s how I command them. I give them their commands – stop and go and such – in Welsh. Because that’s the land our family came from.”

Edward hesitated. He didn’t look as confident as he had when this part of the conversation began. “I could learn…” He trailed off, sounding unsure about whether he really could learn or not.

Check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.

Trisha’s Website