Elephants Child is providing our prompts this month in the Words for Wednesday writing challenge, this is a fun challenge and we had a really good turnout last week, so please join in this week and enjoy where the words take you, all you have to do is write a story, poem, or whatever comes to mind. Use some of the words or all of the words, just let your imagination flow.
If you join in leave a comment on Elephant Child's blog so everyone else can enjoy your addition.
This weeks prompts are:
copper, explain, ill-fated, truck, neat, unite
And/or
branch, educated, tenuous, hum, decisive, notice
Ole Copper
Ole COPPER was a good old dog, he came into my life when he was just a pup of about five weeks, his breed is hard to EXPLAIN because by looking at him he could be anything. His mom is a really NEAT looking Redbone Coonhound, and this was exactly what I was looking for. But when I laid eyes on that shorter rusty copper looking version of a Coonhound, I just had to have him. My best EDUCATED guess would be that his mom had UNITEd with a Beagle somewhere along the line.
It's not that I take coon hunting all that serious, not like my granddaddy did; I do it more for pleasure than necessity. For me it's nice to get out once in a while with the guys and let the dogs run, listening to that long drawn out bark that Ole Copper had. His sound was very distinctive from the other dogs; just imagine a Beagle/Coonhound's yelping baying sound that commanded your attention, nothing like the TENUOUS barks the other dogs cried into the night. When Ole Copper actually had a Raccoon treed the difference in his bark was definitely enough to NOTICE, a long low baying sound that actually reached down into your chest and tugged at your soul.
On one particular night my Dad J.C. and Uncle Boyd joined my friends and I for our weekly coon hunt, Uncle Boyd brought along his old Beagle Bella, which never did much running, and my Dad had just gotten himself a brand new dog, "The best Coondog in South Carolina!" he said, this dog is so good that he named him Jake (after himself)
Dad dropped the tailgate on his TRUCK and there laying stretched out on his side, sound asleep, looked like what could have been a mix of a Blue Tick Hound and a Bassett, I hate to say it but this really looked like a sorry version of an ILL-FATED want to be Coonhound. What have you got there Dad? It looks like he is too lazy to even get up. I teased him. Dad slid Jake to the end of the tailgate and dropped him to the ground, looked up at me and said. He's just resting.
All the other dogs had already headed out into the woods and were giving chase to something, from the sound Ole Copper was leading the pack. Jake jumped up from the ground and looked around listening to the other dogs, and with a DECISIVE look in his eyes turned and ran the other direction. My Dad just sadly stared at the dog going the wrong way and with a low HUM in his voice just said Damn.
About that time I heard Ole Copper Baying that he had something treed, these dogs hadn't treed anything in over a month. We all took off running towards the sound of the dogs, and then suddenly it sounded like all of the dogs were either fighting one another or were getting their butts kicked by something bigger than a Raccoon or Possum. The yelping and screaming from the dogs made the hair stand on the back of my neck, I knew this was going to be bad, but in the background I could still hear Ole Copper baying "treed".
Getting closer to the sound of the dogs I could see a good sized Raccoon sitting out on the end of a BRANCH way up nearly in the top of a tree, Ole Copper was still baying. I was running through the brush and cockle burrs, and finally broke through into the clearing. I just stood there in disbelief, and my Dad started laughing.
All of our dogs were huddled together at the edge of the clearing, shaking and looking towards the bottom of the tree where the Coon was treed, at the base of this tree standing erect with his paws stretched as far up the trunk as he could reach was Jake my Dads want to be Coonhound, with his head bowed back while he bayed a sound that reached right down into your soul, I swear he sounded just like Ole Copper.
If you join in leave a comment on Elephant Child's blog so everyone else can enjoy your addition.
This weeks prompts are:
copper, explain, ill-fated, truck, neat, unite
And/or
branch, educated, tenuous, hum, decisive, notice
Ole Copper
Ole COPPER was a good old dog, he came into my life when he was just a pup of about five weeks, his breed is hard to EXPLAIN because by looking at him he could be anything. His mom is a really NEAT looking Redbone Coonhound, and this was exactly what I was looking for. But when I laid eyes on that shorter rusty copper looking version of a Coonhound, I just had to have him. My best EDUCATED guess would be that his mom had UNITEd with a Beagle somewhere along the line.
It's not that I take coon hunting all that serious, not like my granddaddy did; I do it more for pleasure than necessity. For me it's nice to get out once in a while with the guys and let the dogs run, listening to that long drawn out bark that Ole Copper had. His sound was very distinctive from the other dogs; just imagine a Beagle/Coonhound's yelping baying sound that commanded your attention, nothing like the TENUOUS barks the other dogs cried into the night. When Ole Copper actually had a Raccoon treed the difference in his bark was definitely enough to NOTICE, a long low baying sound that actually reached down into your chest and tugged at your soul.
On one particular night my Dad J.C. and Uncle Boyd joined my friends and I for our weekly coon hunt, Uncle Boyd brought along his old Beagle Bella, which never did much running, and my Dad had just gotten himself a brand new dog, "The best Coondog in South Carolina!" he said, this dog is so good that he named him Jake (after himself)
Dad dropped the tailgate on his TRUCK and there laying stretched out on his side, sound asleep, looked like what could have been a mix of a Blue Tick Hound and a Bassett, I hate to say it but this really looked like a sorry version of an ILL-FATED want to be Coonhound. What have you got there Dad? It looks like he is too lazy to even get up. I teased him. Dad slid Jake to the end of the tailgate and dropped him to the ground, looked up at me and said. He's just resting.
All the other dogs had already headed out into the woods and were giving chase to something, from the sound Ole Copper was leading the pack. Jake jumped up from the ground and looked around listening to the other dogs, and with a DECISIVE look in his eyes turned and ran the other direction. My Dad just sadly stared at the dog going the wrong way and with a low HUM in his voice just said Damn.
About that time I heard Ole Copper Baying that he had something treed, these dogs hadn't treed anything in over a month. We all took off running towards the sound of the dogs, and then suddenly it sounded like all of the dogs were either fighting one another or were getting their butts kicked by something bigger than a Raccoon or Possum. The yelping and screaming from the dogs made the hair stand on the back of my neck, I knew this was going to be bad, but in the background I could still hear Ole Copper baying "treed".
Getting closer to the sound of the dogs I could see a good sized Raccoon sitting out on the end of a BRANCH way up nearly in the top of a tree, Ole Copper was still baying. I was running through the brush and cockle burrs, and finally broke through into the clearing. I just stood there in disbelief, and my Dad started laughing.
All of our dogs were huddled together at the edge of the clearing, shaking and looking towards the bottom of the tree where the Coon was treed, at the base of this tree standing erect with his paws stretched as far up the trunk as he could reach was Jake my Dads want to be Coonhound, with his head bowed back while he bayed a sound that reached right down into your soul, I swear he sounded just like Ole Copper.
Love it. I can just picture the scene. Thanks Jimmy, you have rocked the prompts again.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that EC, your prompts this week were excellent.
DeleteWell done and most entertaining. You write so very well and you have a wonderful imagination.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
Thank you Sandee, I am glad that you enjoyed reading it and I do appreciate your compliment.
DeleteA great day to you also.
So many wonderful images here. I can close my eyes and see this playing out. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteStephen, This means a lot my friend.
DeleteInteresting story Jimmy. I've never known much about hunting or hunting dogs either.
ReplyDeleteHello River, It's been a while since I was there but just going out was always relaxing for me, going out not actually succeeding in the hunt ;-)
DeleteGood for old Jake! (I had to laugh where you said your dad thought he was such a good dog that he named him after himself)
ReplyDeleteJenny, the funny thing about this is that statement is the only part of the story that is not fiction ha ha.
DeleteHah! That IS funny :)
DeleteI feel like I was there. Great job.
ReplyDeleteDelores, I am truly honored, I am so glad the story was good for you.
DeleteWhat a great story! I loved it and I hope it's true. It's not always easy to tell with these word challenges.
ReplyDeleteHi Jean, This one is actually fiction but based on actual life, the only true part is my Dad actually named a new coondog dog he had gotten Jake after his own nickname.
DeleteTricked me again with that ending!
ReplyDeleteHey Val, Tricked me too because the real Jake's hunting experience wasn't that good ;-)
DeleteI had all sorts of feelings as I read this, Jimmy - mostly to do with your excellent descriptive writing. Next.....!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Valerie, Thank you Mam, I never know what's next until I start writing.
DeleteGood job Jimmy. I'm not handy with these challenges. My mind seizes up :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Rick, I have the same problem when I think too hard about the words themselves. You just may see a list that simply falls together into a story for you ;-)
DeleteMy ex was a coon hunter and boy did you take me back. Really a fun story Jimmy.
ReplyDeleteHey Patti, I'm really glad that you enjoyed it, Thank you my friend.
DeleteI love the way you write. I feel like I'm sitting on the porch with you while you tell me your story!!
ReplyDeleteFran, This is a great compliment, I am truly honored to have you join me on the porch.
DeleteGreat read Jimmy, it was fun seeing what you did with this week’s list of words.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that you liked it Denise, those list of words are fun to work with aren't they.
Deletei am huge admirer of your writing skills Jimmy!!!
ReplyDeleteyou paint story so brilliantly with your powerful words .
Thank you so much Baili, it is a pleasure to have you as part of our little family here.
DeleteDelicious story Jimmy. I loved every word. Never owned a coonhound but did babysit one once.
ReplyDeleteThose coonhounds are good dogs aren't they, even if you are babysitting them. Thank you Annie, it's good to see you my friend.
Delete