Copyright-Janet-Webb
When the week draws toward its close we all draw a deep breath as we know the weekend is coming. But for those of use infected with the Friday Fictioneers virus, there is another event we look forward to completing. It is the written response to the picture prompt posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields each week.
A special thanks to Janet Webb for the photo we use as the jumping off point. I must say I had to take some time to interpret the photo. I even considered Zombie and Vampire tales before I finally settled on the 100 words below.
I have made many friends with the 90+ souls that try this task each week. We have friends from the far reaches of the globe that follow each other’s stories each week. It is an exicting effort, both in the writing and the reading. Come along with us and try your hand at the Friday fictioneers prompt!
Genre (General Fiction)
I saw very little of the beautiful farm my Grandfather took such pride in.
The fields were overgrown from years of neglect. No animals roamed as they did in my youth; there was only remnants of fence that were hidden by vines and briars.
Mom told me it was not salvageable, but I had to see for myself. I was glad Pop could not see it now. He would have found it so depressing.
Looking at the barn behind the white pickets I realized the sale was necessary. No one in the family cared enough anymore to do the job.
That’s sad. The memories may fade with the sale. Great writing idea though.
Happens so often too….nice take
Joe, I had a story all written that was similar but where the ending went in a different direction with a family member moving to the farm and bringing it back to life, before I went in a completely different direction. I find hope in the number of young families moving to farms to do organic, sustainable farming on small family farms.
janet
organic, sustainable farming on small family farms. — yes, wonderful.
It is sad when you have to let go of the past. Great post!
This makes me so sad. You are wishing he would change his mind…
good story.. i particularly liked this line “I was glad Pop could not see it now.” something I’m very familiar with..
Joe – I enjoyed. What once was beautiful – still beautiful in his memory. How things are left behind in life when people choose not to care, like tending to a grave.
Life moves ahead and there is always a result of something neglected.
Sadly nostalgic – well done.
Thank I
i hesitated for a while with this one.
sad when he realizes that the sale is necessary..a good story..
Thank you. Unfortunately when thew one wiht the most passion is gone the burden can fall to the way side.
Dear Joe,
A poignant story. Nice work.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I ruminated through Zombie and Vampire stories before settling on this one. The prompt stumped me at first. Thanks for reading and commenting,
I’d be up for the challenge. In fact, it’d be a priveledge and an honor.
The few the proud…you must be a Marine!
It’s not about where you end up. It’s about how you got there…and you did a great job of getting us there. Well done.
Tom
Thanks for reading, the kind comment and the assessment!
Good one Joe. So often we don’t value things.
Pingback: Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Story Challenge: I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls | Poetic Mapping: Walking into Art
Hi Joe,
Some great descriptions here and the selling of the old family homeplace is sad. One picky point. Shouldn’t it be were instead of was in reference to the remnants? Ron
I waffled on that. I think i will change it to was. Thanks Ron.
I hope the old homestead finds owners who care.
It is likely the next owners will not have the same affection and desire to make over the farm to its original glory. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
But if they make it a home, isn’t that glorifying it?
Oh definitely. It is certainly a positive move forward for the farm. It is better for another to purchase and reclaim it to some of its former glory.
How sad. And so true of so many family farms – it’s just too hard to make them work. Poor Pop!
This is a sad story. But maybe for the best. Well told
An all too common tale. So depressing. If only the homes and the land around them could tell us all their stories with so much more clarity. Yes, Pop would not care to see the current state of things. I think you captured a truth so many must endure so very well.
Whoa, that was sad but a definite reality. I’m living on the land my Great-Grandfather homesteaded. Many of the neighboring places, which were once large family farms, have been sold off like the one in your story. We’ve lost a lot of our sense of community as well.
nice, well put together story and description. I was there at the building listening with them.
Randy
Thank you for reading and commenting. I enjoyed this prompt.
we’re on sort of the same wavelength this week. I enjoyed.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
So many of those family farms have fallen to developers–sad.
Yes, i hate to see a farm chopped up to make another subdivision.
A shame about the state of the farm in this story. Would have liked to see if there was some twist that made him hold onto it, as it feels in the start of an introduction to a bigger story. Liked the wording and the setup, though, lovely description, good work here
Unfortunatley there is no immediate follow on. The farm will be sold as no one wants to take on the project.
Joe,
For someone who likes to personify optimism, this piece shows all to well your pessimism. Good to see you are not inhuman. …uhh…you are aware that the prompt photo is a fake, ryt?
Sad that no one in the family cares. You really pinned down the feelings of neglect and despair with your words.
It seems so sad to me to see old houses and farms lying neglected. My wife and I drove up to her aunt’s house yesterday and we counted about a dozen places like this. I know for many the financial burden is just more than it is worth.
Thanks so much for reading and ocmmenting on the post.
This brought tears. My grandfather’s garden, including his rose garden, was allowed to go to rack and ruin after he died. To cut a long story short, As a teenager, I took it over. It was my first ever garden. Ignorant as I was, I loved it and have kept gardens ever since. I have learned a lot from gardening. If you don’t mind me saying, I don’t think it was a coincidence that Jesus appeared after his death as a gardener.
love your guy because he did not take all the gossip…at least took the time to make his own assessment of the situation. perhaps my country boys in my story can help renovate this old barn.
Sad, but I guess true to a lot of ancestral properties.
Yes. so many following generations are involved in pursuits different than their parents or grand parents. Thanks for reading and commenting.
So hearbreaking!
Oh, that’s so sad but often the case with the lives we live these days. Well written and thought provoking.