This is the 300th post that Keith Channing has created as a prompt. I joined his prompts after the 36th. So this means I have been enjoying and participating in Keith’s prompts since August 4th, 2015. Boy, time flies when you are having fun. Congratulations Keith on a fine job.
In Keith’s words.
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
The photo,
Westward Ho by John W. Howell
“Amos. Come here and look at this.”
“What is it.”
“There is someone out in the south pasture on a lawn tractor.”
“I told you to make sure that gate was locked.”
“Never mind that. What is she doing there.”
“From my view, she’s mowing the hay.”
“We don’t want that do we?”
“I’ve thought it’s about time. I was just looking over the baler yesterday.”
“But she is cutting the hay, and look how it is blowing out in little pieces.”
“I think you’re right. That’s not the kind of thing we want. Hey, you on the tractor. in the pasture.”
“Me.”
“Are you on a tractor?”
“I think so.”
“Are you the only one in the pasture?”
“Besides you?”
“Yes.”
“I guess so.”
“So what are you doing here.”
“Heading West.”
“Heading West? On a lawnmower?”
“It’s the only vehicle I have.”
“But you are making a mess of my pasture.”
“I thought you would appreciate getting it cut.”
“The pieces are so small I won’t be able to pick them up.”
“Oh, I never thought of that.”
“You from around here.”
“No. I’m from New York.”
“New York City?”
“Yes.”
“And you came all the way to Iowa from there?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I have to give it to you. I couldn’t imagine doing that myself.”
“You want me to finish the mowing?”
“Maybe you need a break. What’s your name?”
“Jenny. Jenny Deere.”
“You wouldn’t be related to-”
“John Deere? Yup, he’s my dad.”
Fiction Favorites 
Huh. I wouldn’t imagine a Deere living in NYC. Guess fame and fortune changes people.
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You know how fourth generations get away from their roots? Well, she’s trying to get back.
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Wonder how easy it was to park a tractor with alternate side of the street parking laws.
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Gotta set the alarm for 11:50 PM and move it.
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Nice one, John. Did you know that the village of Westward Ho! in north Devon is one of only two settlements in the world that include an exclamation mark in their name (the other being Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, Quebec)? It has an interesting story – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westward_Ho!
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Which I would have mentioned had you said there was only one 😉
I remember passing by that sign on one of our road trips!
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I thought was the only one. Thank goodness for Wikipedia, eh? 🤗
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Yes indeed. Keeps curmudgeons off the street. 😁
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Indeed!
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I’m glad you have seen it, Dale. 😁
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I have to say, Keith, you make the idea of obscure facts seem normal. 😁 I enjoyed the history of Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! and Westward Ho!. Congrats on the 300
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Thanks, John. I was fascinated to learn that it all started with the Westward Ho!tel.
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Well, Westward Ho! came first. The hotel was built to house all the tourists who would visit Westward Ho! (named for the book) See I read it all. Thanks for the half-hour diversion.
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I know that area quite well. Bideford was one of my father’s weekly calls and my brother and I took turns going with him on his rounds during the long summer breaks.
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LOL! This was great, John! Kudos on your dedication!
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Thank you, Jill. 😊
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You’ve been doing this for a very long time, no wonder I can never beat you… okay, and you’re more ingenious than I. Good job.
My thought was, “He told me to do laps around the yard , but he didn’t say How I had to do them!”
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See I like that storyline. I never thought of that one. 😁
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haha, a little bit of my laziness showed through on that one!
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Very creative read on the prompt, John. Only you could have connected the girl with John Deere. As always, thanks for the morning chuckles. 😊
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Thank you, Gwen. She is an heiress trying to get back to her roots. I know, TMI 😁
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Love it, John. Kudos to you on your commitment to the weekly challenge. And congratulations to Keith on hitting the 300 mark.
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I had to mention it since knowing Keith would let it go as no big deal. Thanks, Staci.
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Thanks for starting my day off with a smile! (There must be a country song in there somewhere.
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Here is a quick one. 🎶You started my day with a smile when you offered to walk that last mile. Sorry to say my love but that mile I can’t rise above. I’ve earned every step of the way and it remains my debt to pay. I’m sorry I shot him dead and wish he never has said. Those awful words to you but he did and now we’re through. 🎶 😁
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I should have known you would deliver on the song!! 😀
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Need music now.
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Do Lucy and Twiggy sing/howl, perchance?
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No they don’t. Lucy will give you some back talk when you correct her. It sounds a little like singing at first then it ends with a bark. As in “I’m not going to do that.”
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Ah, so she takes the old stink eye to the next level. Good for her!
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She does not suffer we fools lightly. 😁
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😀
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😊
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That picture offers so very many possibilities… I rather like where you went with it. Fun stuff as always. Wow… both you and Keith are deserving of kudos!
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Thank you, Dale. 😁
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😊
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😊
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Love this, John!
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Thank you so much, Becky. 😁
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Me too! We laughed when we saw the name!
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I’m sure.
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Haha! Very cute, John. I loved it 🙂
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Thank you, Mae. 😊
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I think I saw it in Louvre Museum. The title was: When Iowa meets New York. The painter: John W. Howell 😉👍💙
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Hahahaha. For some reason this really hit my funny bone. Thanks for the laugh. 🤣
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Lol 😂
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😁
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I love it. Maybe you can get a really tiny bailer for that fine cutting.
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I think they sell those in the Deere store.
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I guess what they say is true. To the Deere way of thinking, every day is tractor day.
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Yes Deere would think that way. Not every one runs like a Deere though. 😁
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Nice one Boss.
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😊
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HA! That’s good, John. I am laughing, and I thank you for that.
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Always a good thing. Thaks for letting me know you got a laugh, Dan.
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Ha Ha! A most unpredictable twist, John. Great response to the prompt!
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Thank you, Jan. 😊
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Jenny Deere…lol. Maybe she will trim our lawn up too on her way.
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You could ask. Thanks, Denise.
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Haha! Jenny Deere—what a gal. Your story made me think of a somewhat similar story. One of the groups I volunteer with reads the local newspaper so that people with vision issues can still get the news. We read newspapers from small communities, so the “crime” in their cities is pretty funny. We used to read these papers on live radio without rehearsal. One story I read was about a stranger who got on somebody’s lawn tractor and started cutting the homeowner’s lawn. The homeowner was distressed and called the police, who came and apprehended the mower. I could barely keep it together because it sounded so ridiculous. Bigtime crime! 🤣
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When I lived on the Coast there was a guy on a lawn tractor on the state highway and drunk. He got a DUI and jail time
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That’s one way to get your name in the paper.
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And picture with the height scale behind you.
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Mr. Deere would be very proud, of course, he might not be too happy about his daughter driving a product made by the competition. 🙂 Congratulations, to Keith for the 300th photo prompt! Well done!
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Thank you, Mark.
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Love the ending!
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😁
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[…] Westward Ho by John W. Howell © 2021 […]
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