Calico Connections – written to the prompt ‘green’

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

The next morning Sarah was up and in action long before the rooster even crowed. Slipping softly out of bed, trying not to wake Frank or the children, she felt her way into the dark kitchen, walking cautiously to avoid loud bumps and stubbed toes.

Running her hands along the wall that led to the kitchen doorway, she followed the turn which housed the counter and cupboards. Her fingers ran to the first drawer without conscious thought, and she pulled it open, poking about until she found the box of matches. Striking a match brought instant light to the room. As dim as it was, it was enough to find the kerosene lamp sitting in the middle of the table and the wick was lit long before the match ran out of flame.

Carrying the lamp, she made her way out the back door into the inky blackness. The sun was just barely beginning its ascent in the eastern sky. The barest blush of light lit the far horizon, not even enough to stir the roosters yet.

By the time she made her way down the dirt path to the outhouse and conducted her morning business, she opened the privy door to see that the morning sun had inched a mite higher in the sky. One lone rooster just barely croaked a rusty feeble cry in the distance.

She grinned at his feeble attempt at greeting the morning.

Little boy’s not ready to face the day either.

She wished she would have been able to sleep a tad longer. But if she were going to get Edward’s birthday cake baked before the heat of the day set in, she knew she had to get this early jump on the day.

The kitchen was so blasted hot in these hundred-degree days without firing up the stove. But it wouldn’t do to have a yard full of youngsters appearing for a birthday party and not have any cake to serve them.

As she passed by the garden area returning to the house, Sarah thought how she usually loved to stop and admire the lush plants that provided so much nourishment and food for the family. Right now, it was too dark to see much of the garden, but she knew what it would look like once the day brightened. Lanky growth with leaves falling off. Too much brown and not enough green. Plants barely hanging on in the horrid, unusual heat.

And that was on the days when there weren’t fresh dust storms to content with. On dust storm days, the whole world was blasted with brown, hiding all specs of color.

Sarah eased the back door open, carefully stepping inside still carrying the lit kerosene lamp to find a small shadow sitting at the table in the dark kitchen. As she sat the lamp in the middle of the table, it illuminated the small face with the cropped hair sitting there with a grin on his face.

“Edward! What in the dickens are you doing up and about so early?”

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

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – written to the prompt flimsy

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

“Thirty-six?” Frank asked. “And here you don’t look a day older than the day I married you.”

With that, Sarah pulled the dish towel from where it was tucked in her apron pocket and snapped it in his direction.

“Good Lord gonna send you to that fiery place with lies like that coming out of your mouth!”

Frank merely grinned and didn’t answer back. Seeing the light in her eyes and the pleased smile on her face, he knew she wasn’t upset about his fudging the truth a little with his statement.

Sarah started to lean back in her chair, but as the chair wobbled under her shifting weight, he remembered how flimsy this one was, and she sat up straight again. “You know, with this horrid heat, I’m not going to bake Edward’s cake tonight. Not gonna fire the stove up for supper either. I rescued a few wretched tomatoes this morning. Plants have stopped producing with this heat, but a few stragglers were hidden under the lowest branches. Figured we could have ‘mater sandwiches for supper.”

“Sounds good enough for me,” Frank said.

With that, he swiveled his head to the doorway, looking in the other room to check on the children. Seeing them all involved with their own play, he turned back towards Sarah and whispered, “I need to run out to the shed and sand the toy car for Edward. I’ll bring it in after the kids are in bed so you can wrap it up for tomorrow.”

Sarah whispered back, “That will work. I’ve been saving a feed sack to wrap it up in. He’ll be so happy when he sees it.”

“Good thing he likes running cars around the floor. Makes it an easy present to make for him.”

Laughter bubbled up in Sarah, but she thrust a hand over her mouth to stop herself before the children heard and got curious about what their parents were whispering and laughing about in the kitchen. “Yeah…running cars all over the floor…and his sisters!”

A frown flitted across Franks face. “Onery boy. He does like to pester his sisters to no end.”

Sarah tipped her head back and squinted her eyes, as if examining her husband for flaws. “And…” she queried. “You never pestered your own sisters like that?”

Frank’s cheeks flushed and he hung his head. “Well, hon…that’s different.”

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

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – glue

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

Edward’s grin disappeared faster than a bolt of lightning.

“What? No birthday party? But…” The cocky grin that Edward had just moment earlier was replaced by quivering lips and eyes welled up looking like a dam about to spill over. “But…Mama…I’m going to be turning ten Saturday. And all my friends are coming over. And you said you’d bake my favorite chocolate cake…”

He trailed off as if he were afraid to speak any longer.

Sarah looked at his stricken face and wanted to back down. But she knew she needed to remain firm. She shifted her gaze and noticed both girls watching her avidly, anxious to see what the verdict for their brother’s birthday party was going to be.

Slapping her hand on the table for emphasis, she spoke to Edward in a stern voice. “Then stop pestering your sisters. No teasing. No mussing their hair. No hiding Faith’s books. No tattle-telling. No—”

“No pinching us,” Elizabeth chimed in.

Sarah turned towards her youngest daughter and gave her a piercing glare. “Missy, I’ve got this handled. I don’t need you putting your two cents in.”

Elizabeth had the grace to blush and cast her eyes down.

Sarah almost thought she meant it. Until she happened to catch the quick smirk and grin that Elizabeth sent in Faith’s direction. But she didn’t feel like dealing with Elizabeth’s antics at that time too. Getting Edward to behave was her biggest concern at the moment.

She laid the spatula on the stove and turned back to Edward. “You’re going to behave? Staring now?”

Edward’s head bobbed up and down so fast Sarah thought his eyes were going to pop out of his sockets.

Goodness, if his eyes come popping out, I’m gonna have to glue them back into place.

She giggled at the off the wall thought that had popped into her head and turned back to the stove quickly before the children saw the amusement she knew must be plastered across her face.

True to his word, Edward was a prime example of good behavior the rest of the week.

She only wished the weather would cooperate as willingly as her son.

Each day was hotter than the day before, having them all sweltering long before the sun even peaked at noon.

By Friday afternoon she was standing in the kitchen, bowls and utensils set out on the table, but stalling about starting on Edwards cake.

Frank walked in and caught her standing there in a befuddled daze. “Not used to seeing you standing there not moving. You’re always in motion. What’s up?”

Sarah grabbed a potholder and started fanning her face. “Need to start baking the cake for tomorrow. But it’s so blessed hot. I’m not wanting to fire up the stove right now.”

Frank dropped into a chair and started mopping his brow with the worn handkerchief he pulled from his pocket.

“Know what you mean. Just came from the feed store. Radio on just reported that Keokuk hit a state record high today. 118 degrees.”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – to the word prompt ‘mouth’

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

“Not now, Edward,” Sarah shushed, taking a quick swipe at his shoulder.

“But Mama,” he whined, “I’m starving. I’m—”

The slight smack on the back of his head preceded her next words. “Hush your mouth, Son. The adults are speaking here.”

Edward pulled his hand away from Sarah’s skirt, crossed his arms in a huff, clenched his jaw and glared at his mother.

Sarah noticed his angry face from the corner of her eye but didn’t feel like dealing with her petulant son at the moment. As long as he remained quiet and didn’t interrupt, she felt she could ignore his ire. She knew that once they were away from the group, she’d have to deal with his behavior.

Fortunately, right then the group quieted and there was a brief pause where no one spoke. Sarah quickly piped up before she lost her chance. “I had to butt in here with a different topic. But while we’re all here, and Georgia is here, I wanted to ask if everyone is going to start getting together to quilt again.”

“That’s right,” Georgia said. “I’d told you we’d talk about it more at the picnic today. Yes, several of us have been chatting about it when we run into each other. Right now we’re all taking a break from it. Too busy harvesting and canning right now. But we’ve been talking about starting up again, probably about September.”

Katie Fidler began speaking as soon as Georgia stopped to take a breath. “And we’ve been talking about making it a full-fledged group too. We’re going to choose a name and have officers and everything.”

Nellie clapped her hands in delight and squealed. “Goody! That sounds delightful. We’ll have like a president and all?”

China bobbed her head up and down. “President and a secretary too! Someone had mentioned also about doing some fund raising and collecting money that we can use for the church or to help people in town that are down on their luck at the moment.”

“Down and out on their luck…why that could be the whole town,” Nellie said.

“Phssat…” China replied. “You know what I mean. Yes, all of us have had better years. But you know there are some around us that are faring even worse and could use a helping hand.”

As the women began chattering again, often overspeaking over one another, Sarah eased back a bit from the group. She tucked her hand in the small of a still glowering Edward’s back and started to guide him away. With her free hand, she gave a wave in the air towards the ladies. “I’m going to go speak with this lad for a moment. And get to setting our food out. September it is. I’ll keep my ears open for when the first meeting is.”

“Be thinking of a name,” one of the ladies called out.

“A name?” Sarah was confused.

“For the club,” Georgia answered. “We’re all going to think of names we like and we’ll vote on our favorite.”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – to the prompt ‘button’

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

China snickered and threw her hands up in the air. “Ha! Silvery coins in my pocketbook? I think I’ve got more buttons than coins in there.”

Katie joined in. “We won’t be making any big trips like that either. Just getting to Bedford is enough. I even hate when we go into Des Moines.”

The women continued chatting as Georgia pulled a wicker picnic basket from the seat of the car and started laying a blanket out. Her mother, Eliza Jane started to reach down to grab a corner of the blanket.

One of the Katie’s rushed over and waved Eliza Jane away. “You take it easy, Eliza. I’ll help Georgia with this. ”

Sarah looked over in time to catch the look on Eliza’s face. Ut-oh, she’s not happy about that.

Before the thought was fully formed in Sarah’s mind, Eliza spoke up in a huff. “What? You think I’m an old woman? Can’t carry my weight by helping my daughter lay out a picnic blanket?”

“No, no….Eliza. It’s not that,” Katie replied. “Why, you can run circles around any of us here. You’ve always been an Iowa workhorse. I’m just thinking that you should relax today. Enjoy the festivities and let the rest of us pitch in where we can.”

Sarah looked at the Katie that was speaking. There were two Katie’s in town. By now Sarah knew each of them, and knew that they were both a Katie. But she still had trouble recalling which one was Katie Fidler and which one was Katie Kemery.

She leaned in close to Nellie’s shoulder and whispered, hoping that the chatter of the group of women would drown out her question so that no one else would overhear. “Pssst….Nellie…which Katie is that? Fidler or Kemery? I don’t have the two straight in my head yet.”

A flash of understanding flitted across Nellie’s face. She put a hand over her mouth and whispered back. “Ah…that’s Katie Fidler. Think of the alphabet, how F comes before K. And if people get taller as they go up the alphabet. Katie Fidler’s a short bit of woman, barely five foot tall. So Fidler is shorter than Kemery.”

Sarah stifled her laughter. She didn’t want to bring attention to her and Nellie’s private conversation. She waited until the ladies had burst into laughter over something and softly answered Nellie. “Thanks. Now with that, I know I’ll remember which one is which.”

Nellie quickly replied. “Now that’s for stature only. Just her size. Not her heart. She may be a mite of a woman, but her heart is as big as anyone else’s in Athelstan.”

Before Sarah could say anything else, three young boys dashed by the group, as if chasing each other. Two veered and ran around the group, and Edward, the smallest one lagging behind darted right and ran up to his mother.

Screeching to a halt, Edward  stood huffing and puffing as he tugged at his mother’s skirt. “Mama, when are we going to eat?”

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

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – silvery

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

Nellie put her hand over her eyebrows, blocking the blinding sun. “Yes, that’s Eliza Jane. Wonder how she’s doing. I haven’t seen her in a coons age.”

Sarah and Nellie got closer to the women circled around Georgia, deep in conversation. Sarah perked her ears up, trying to catch what they were talking about.

“—was the only one from Iowa that won anything,” one of the ladies that Sarah didn’t know said.

Sarah was curious about who won what, but not knowing the lady that spoke, she didn’t want to be rude and interrupt her.

“What’s that? Who from Iowa won what?” Nellie asked.

Sarah glanced sideways at her friend. Evidently Nellie either knew the lady or didn’t care if she interrupted the group.

Georgia spoke up before anyone else could answer. “The quilting contest at Chicago World’s Fair Last Year. Lots of winners, but only one from Iowa. A lady in Hawkee. Mrs. Palmer, I believe, if my memory serves me right.”

“She won the big prize?” Sarah asked. “It was a lot of money from what I heard.”

“No, not the grand prize,” Georgia corrected. “She didn’t make it all the way to the top round. She just won in a regional round. Most of those women only won either five- or ten-dollar mail orders.

Katie Kemery jumped in. “Sure wish I quilted good enough to have entered a quilt last year.”

“Your quilting is just fine,” China said.

“Not good enough to win in something like this,” Katie replied. “Did you see how many quilts ended up being entered in the contest?”

Susie Bownes threw her hands up in the air. “Yes! Thousands! So many. Wasn’t it over 20,000?”

“Yes, over 24,000 entries,” Georgia said confidently.

Sarah didn’t doubt Georgia’s claim. She’d already gotten to know Georgia and knew what a good business head she had on her shoulders.

“No wonder that many people entered,” Nellie added. “With the prize money they had. Thousands of dollars. Why, a whole thousand dollars for the grand prize. Who was it that won that?”

Most of the women shrugged at that query.

Finally, Georgia answered. “A lady from Kentucky. Margaret Caden. It was a traditional quilt. Star of the Bluegrass pattern.”

“Wonder if its on display again this year?” Katie wondered. “I heard they’d opened it up for another season and are showing the quilts again this year.”

“That’s what I read too,” China said. “Many of the winners are being shown again. It’s running now. Through the end of October. All I know is that I sure won’t be seeing them. No trip to Chicago in our future.” She laughed and added, “We don’t even the gasoline money right now to make it up to Des Moines.”

Susie leaned over and nudged China with her shoulder. “What…not enough silvery coins in your pocketbook for a long drive to Chicago?”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – mark

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

“Sorry,” Frank mumbled.

But Sarah didn’t think he really looked too sorry. It didn’t really matter to her whether Frank was really sorry or not. She knew how her husband was. When he got on the topic of farming, he could ramble on forever. And she usually listened.

Well, sort of listened, to be truthful. She hated to admit how many evenings she tuned him out partway through his conversation, not really hearing what he chattered on about.

And they accuse us womenfolk of chattering on unnecessarily.

This time however, Sarah’s brief rebuke worked its magic. Frank stayed silent as the Chevy chugged down the dusty, dirt road. And Faith in the back didn’t utter a peep as she was engrossed in her book.

Sarah’s mind started wandering. Checking over the list of the food she’d brought, hoping she remembered everything. Checking off item items as she thought of them. Plates. Check. Silverware. Check. Tablecloth to lay out on the ground. Check.

And before she knew it, they were pulling up in the grassy lot.

Frank eased the car in, right next to the Morris’s truck. Sarah saw Nellie laying out their belongings on the ground next to the truck. The children were nowhere in sight. Off playing tag, most likely, Sarah thought.

Soon the Baker’s tablecloth was laid out next to the Morris’. After Frank unloaded the picnic basket and baskets containing the food for the picnic, he wandered off to go find the fellas to chat with, leaving Sarah and Nellie sitting together.

After the two women settled in and visited for a few, Nellie stood and stretched.

“C’mon, Sarah. Let’s go visit with the others. Looks like no one’s ready to eat yet any hoo. When they get hungry enough, they’ll all find their way back here.”

“Sounds good to me.” Sarah eased her way up, flinching a little after sitting on the hard ground. “Did you hear if Georgia was coming? I really wanted to try to catch her today and ask if there was going to be another quilting together. I’ve been missing getting together with everyone to sit and stitch the afternoon away.”

“Oh yes, let’s find her and find out. Last I heard, when I was in town last week getting the mail, were that some of the women are talking about starting up a full-fledged club,” Nellie said.

“That’s what I heard too,” Sarah said. “Georgia told me too when I stopped in. Said we’d talk at the picnic. I was hoping I’d hear something definite today so I could make sure and mark it down on the calendar.”

With that, Nellie pointed and let out an under her breath whoop. “There she is. Along with most everyone else too. I see Katie Kermery, Katie Fidler, Susie Bownes….and oh, I think that’s China Scott too.”

Sarah strained her eyes, looking at the gathering next to the Older’s car. “Is that Eliza Jane too? Georgia’s mother?”

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

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – swallow

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

Sarah’s response was a snort and a waving of her hand in the air. “That’s ridiculous. I still say there’s no way you can slide up a banister.”

“Well, maybe you can’t. But Mary Poppins can!” Faith insisted.

Faith proceeded to babble on about the story, and how Mary Poppins was staying “till the wind changes” and then going on about how she was almost to the part where Jane and Michael were going to have a tea party on the ceiling with Mr. Wigg.

By now Faith’s words were whirling around in Sarah’s brain and she stopped trying to keep it all straight. She wanted to tell Faith to be quiet and go back to reading her book. But she swallowed that response.

Truth be known, she’d stopped even listening to her daughter. To be honest, reading didn’t even make that much sense to her. She didn’t know how people could sit there for hours with their face in a book reading about something that wasn’t even true.

Besides that, who even has time to read? Why, I can hardly even keep up with the work around the house and keep the children in clothing. Any extra time I get, I’m going to sit down with my stitchery and at least create something useful and pretty from my time. Not like wasting it all just reading pages in a book.

Sarah’s thoughts were interrupted when the driver’s door opened, and Frank slid in behind the wheel.

Before he put the key in the ignition, his head swiveled to the backseat which only held Faith, her jabbering stopped as she’d dived back into her book. “Where’s Elizabeth and Edward?”

“They went on to the picnic with Nellie and her family,” Sarah answered. “Where you been hiding? You missed the parade.”

“I caught a bit of it. Was chatting with the others at the feed store. Fred Bownes was there and George Booher—”

“Mr. Booher? Darlene’s dad? Did you know Darlene’s having a birthday next week?” Faith interrupted from the rear seat.

Frank frowned and swiveled his head, glaring at Faith. “Excuse me? Was I talking to you…or to your mother? Does this conversation concern you?”

Faith’s cheeks flushed bright red, and she dropped her head. “Sorry, Father,” she uttered softly.

Sarah patted Frank’s forearm softly. “You know what they say…’little pitchers have big ears’.”

Frank turned the key in the ignition and reached under the dash to turn the gas valve on. As he pulled the choke to start the car, he continued where he was before Faith interrupted him. “Yeah, the guys and I were talking about the corn loan extensions. To borrow from the program last year, they had to agree to participate in the corn-hog reduction program this year—”

Mid-sentence, Sarah leaned over and pressed her fingertips to Frank’s lips. “Hon…you know I don’t understand a single word once you start talking shop talk like that.”

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Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – Icy

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

While it was peaceful now, just sitting there, Sarah was starting to feel bored. She was so used to being in constant motion. Just to make conversation and break the silence, she asked Faith, “So what book are you reading that has you so captivated?”

“Mary Poppins.”

“Mary what? Never heard of it.”

Faith stuck her bookmark between the pages and heaved a heavy, exasperated sigh. “Of course not. Mama, don’t you remember I just told you it’s a brand-new book?”

Seeing the look on Faith’s face, Sarah almost wanted to laugh. Oh, how her oldest daughter hated to have her reading time interrupted. Even when it was to remind her to do her usual chores, like gather the eggs or bring in a pail of water. But just for mindless chatter, why that was even more hated. But Sarah stifled her laughter.

Sarah looked out the window, scanning the area. Still no Frank. She may as well chat with Faith. “It must be good, the way your head has been buried in it the whole drive out and you wanting to get back to reading instead of going to the picnic with your friends.

“It is, it is!” A toothy grin broke out and excitement danced from her eyes. “Mary Poppins is amazing. She’s a nanny and she came to watch the children of Mr. and Mrs. Banks. They live on Cheery Tree Lane. And Mary Poppins blew in with the wind and—”

“Blew in with the wind? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Sarah said.

“Oh, it’s not. That’s how she got there. Her with her carpetbag. Wouldn’t that be the most wonderful thing? Just think, in the winter when it’s so icy out, we wouldn’t have to walk and slip and slide. We’d just get where we wanted by blowing with the wind. And she goes upstairs by sliding up the banister and –”

“What? Now you’re talking goofy talk. You can slide down a banister, but you can’t slide up.”

“But she can,” Faith insisted. “Here, I’ll show you.” She began rifling through the pages to the earliest part of the book. Jabbing a finger at the spot she was searching for, Faith started reading out loud to her mother.

“And because she was doing that Mrs. Banks did not notice what was happening behind her, but Jane and Michael, watching from the top landing, had an excellent view of the extraordinary thing the visitor now did.

Certainly she followed Mrs. Banks upstairs, but not in the usual way. With her large bag in her hands she slid gracefully up the banisters, and arrived at the landing at the same time as Mrs. Banks. Such a thing, Jane and Michael knew, had never been done before. Down, of course, for they had often done it themselves. But up — never! They gazed curiously at the strange new visitor.“

Faith stopped reading and looked up at her mother, as if trying to gauge her reaction.

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

Trisha’s Website

Calico Connections – hand

This week I’m writing for Tuesday Tales, a small group of authors that write each week to a word prompt or a picture prompt. My current project is Calico Connections, set in 1934 Athelstan, Iowa, where a group of women and girls created some real-life stitchery squares that remain all these years later.

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

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

“Oh, don’t be a silly goose. You couldn’t eat a whole cow.” Sarah smacked the back of Edward’s head lightly, although the smile in her eyes showed she wasn’t really chastising him.

“Ouch. What was that for, Mama?” Edward rubbed his hand on the back of his head as if she’d really injured him.

“You’re such a goof,” Sarah said. “That didn’t hurt, and you know it.”

Edward just grinned and his eyes lit up with mischief. “I know. Just teasin’ you, Mama. But I am hungry. Maybe I couldn’t eat a whole cow. But I bet I could eat a whole pig.”

Sarah only shook her head and didn’t say a word. She knew when Edward got in his joshing mode, that he wouldn’t back down.

That little cuss can be the most stubborn, independent fellow.

But secretly, she admired his gumption. There were some days that she wished she had a little more gumption in her own self.

The crowd was dispersing, and she guided the children back towards where Frank had parked the car. She didn’t know where he had gotten to. Most likely out gathering with the other farmers, comparing notes on livestock and crops, the dust storms, the horrid, unusual heat, and whatever it was that men talked about when you got a group of them together.

Weaving through the people, a familiar voice called out.

“Sarah! Over here!”

Sarah craned her neck, scanning the crowd, looking for Nellie.

Elizabeth was the one to spot her. “Doris! Hello! There you are,” she called out to her friend that was holding Nellie’s hand just as Elizabeth still had hold of her mother’s hand.

The two friends, Sarah and Nellie, made their way towards each other, each with their own collection of little ones tagging along.

Sarah had to stifle her giggles as she thought of how they were like two mother hens with their youngsters flocked around them.

“When you get down to where we’re all picnicking, look for us. I’ll tell Charles to make sure to leave enough room when he parks so you can park beside us.”

Nellie glanced down at Elizabeth and Doris, chattering away as if they hadn’t seen each other for a month of Sundays. She asked Sarah, “Can Elizabeth ride with us?”

“Yes, Mama, please,” Elizabeth pleaded, her huge brown eyes getting even bigger with her excitement.

“You have room?” Sarah asked.

“Plenty. We brought the pickup today. Lots of room in the back. And we brought bales of hay to sit on. Matter of fact, there’s room for Edward too. Rex and Gerald would enjoy having another boy along for the ride.” Nellie added, “Faith, you want to join us?”

“No thank you, ma’am,” Faith replied. “I’ve got my book in the car and was going to read the next chapter on the way to the picnic.”

All Sarah could do was shake her head and mutter, “She doesn’t get that from me, that’s for sure.”

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