The Ranch is open, but I’m on hiatus at the southern edge of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The unpaved backroads, hilly terrain, links of lakes and ponds, woods, and the Green Mountains disorient me and yet feel familiar. Several times, going around a bend or glimpsing the humps of ancient wooded mountains, I have anticipated a memory, experienced the feeling of recall only to remember I’ve never been here before.
As if that’s not surreal enough, I’m driving around in D. Avery’s truck. I’ve met her mom at the Juedevine Library where we introduced Wrangling Words in 99 words to Vermonters. I had a beer with her brother at the local American Legion where he’s a big mucky-muck very important person. I fed her dad’s chickens and survived a jaunt through the woods when her friend, a local librarian at the Craftsbury Library, said the trail was how to get there. I’ve never hiked through the woods across a mountain ridge to get to a literary event but, hey, I’m game!
Right now, D. has Vermont beans in a crockpot and is visiting with JulesPaige across camp on Greenwood Lake. She baked sourdough buns, and I made a green salad with tarragon dressing, using honey Jules brought from Pennsylvania. We are waiting for Ann Edall-Robson to arrive from Canada and Susan Sleggs from New York.
Pinch me. I’m living the dream of Some Day.
Some Day I was going to lead a nature writing retreat, call it a refuge because it would be a place to rest the writer’s soul and fill up the creative mind. The Refuge, like the Ranch, would be a safe space to explore Writing Dreams, and further craft, platform, and publishing while learning from the Nature Writing Greats who have influenced me over the years. I wanted to be like Annie Dillard or Wallace Stegner and have a special place from where I could write and inspire others to do so, too.
Greenwood Lake is D.’s special place, and she’s sharing. We had a day of getting to know each other, a day to build trust. The next day we played out loud going to the center of a waterfall, witnessing loon choreography, chasing loons and herons in kayaks, chatting up lake neighbors, and discovering mysteries in old cemeteries. I can imagine a young D. accompanying an uncle as he researched their old family ties here, running off and finding a curious obelisk. I can picture her opening the metal cover on the side, surprised to find a mirror inside. The mirror is gone but not the memory.
Lots of things did not happen before I stepped onto the plane to come here — I’m still waiting on final word with home and MFA. But never mind. I’ve come to the Kingdom, and it’s time to focus on that Some Day and share this Refuge, get it going to become an annual event. We welcome Ranchers tonight, including as koala proxy standing in for Norah Colvin. She also sent us treats and sparkling notebooks. Perfect for the realm.
Collections are going to back up as I’m on hiatus, but I will return to “home” by the 24th when D. and I are reading from last week’s responses to the microhistories. Thank you for joining us in that activity! I’ll return after that with good news and catch up with each of you and publish the collections (last week and this one). Because of my time away, I’m setting up the July 11 prompt to have an extended two-week deadline. I hope you have fun with it!
July 11, 2019, prompt: “My kingdom for a koala!” In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about a koala in a kingdom. You can create a character out of Norah’s koala and give it a Vermont adventure. Or you can make up a story however you want! Can you pull off a BOTS (based on a true story)? Go where the prompt leads!
Respond by July 23, 2019. Use the comment section below to share, read, and be social. You may leave a link, pingback, or story in the comments. If you want to be published in the weekly collection, please use the form. Rules & Guidelines.
Koala in the Kingdom by Charli Mills
Koala jangled plastic hips when the morning sun hit her solar panels. She danced with a big grin while three loons circled in a pattern like a watery Celtic knot. She guarded the birding binoculars from her book perch beneath wildflowers. Koala stood in a mound of chocolate covered macadamia nuts, watching the Lead Buckaroo sneak bites when she was supposed to be fixing dinner. Koala smiled when the card from her Australian writer connected the gathered Ranchers from the Kingdom to Down Under. In 99-words, no more, no less, Koala bore witness to literary art and writerly friendships.
Have fun, kids.
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Having a blast! 😀
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“Yeah, yeah. Pal, where are we? I don’t know if we’re here or there.”
“Shush Kid. Mebbe it ain’t about you or even me.”
“Reckon they’s havin’ fun?”
“Yep. The Poet Lariat is right there by a real live fire, an’ sure ‘enough she’s a real live wire. An’ hear thet? The Prentiss’ have jist arrived fer fireside chats. Hey, here’s Shorty. An’ Jule’s hub. OMG ain’t this cool? Could this git any better?”
“Sounds like we’re here.”
“Right here. Jist heard Ann Edall-Robson’s on her way too. Then Susan Sleggs.”
“Think they know we’re here?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Nope.”
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Thought I glimpsed Kid in the Poet Tree but it was Blue Heron. Mighty fine country, this here Vermont.
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Sounds like you’re already having a marvellous time and it’s only going to get better when everyone else arrives. Thanks for the mention. I hadn’t thought of it going ‘public’, then what could I expect from a writer. Now I just have to figure out how to spell ’embarrassment’ in 99 words. 😂😊 Perhaps my grandchildren will help. They’re coming over to play today.
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I love the koala theme, Norah. I have my photo holding a koala plus koala on the tree.
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That’s awesome, Miriam. Where was the photo taken?
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From our Australia trip. I don’t remember the exact location but I wanted to find out. We flew to Sydney, went to Blue Mountain, Brisbane, then flew to Cairns and drove along the coast to Cape Tribulation. We went to a Koala zoo somewhere there. Do you know any Koala zoo in those areas?
We paid to have the picture taken and they also used our camera to take some for us.
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Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is quite close to me here in Brisbane. You can certainly have a photograph taken with a koala there. I had mine taken when I was about seven. But there are other places where you can hold a koala and have a photo taken too; for example, Currumbin Wild Life Sanctuary at the Gold Coast and Taronga Zoo in Sydney. Perhaps the back of the photo was stamped with the location. Can you see the back or is it glued into an album?
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Thank you, Norah! I’ll check. We probably went to the Koala Sanctuary near you not the zoo in Sydney.
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If only we’d known each other then. It’s only 15 minutes from me – just down the road. 🙂
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Wouldn’t it have been wonderful, Norah? In my future travel, I’ll keep in mind of where my blogger friends are. 🙂
We’re coming back to Australia plus New Zealand. We may not go to Cairns this time. 🙂
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If you come to Brisbane, let me know. 🙂
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I surely will, Norah. It’s would be wonderful we could meet. 🙂
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What a great idea to send a proxy, Norah, and your thoughtfulness and generosity is nothing to be embarrassed about. And perfectly apt to have a prompt in your honour.
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Thanks, Anne. I do feel honoured to have instigated a prompt. The prompt has in turn instigated an idea for a picture book, so I’m pleased about that. 🙂
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OH WOW!!! That’s fantastic.
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Norah, you have been such a wonderful part of our refuge! Sorry, we’ve had a few accidents with your proxy! Koala is living the adventure, that’s for sure. Hope you know that we all appreciate your generous spirit and welcome you here. ❤
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Thank you, Charli. It was important for me to feel a part of it, even if I couldn’t be there in person. Now you’ve got me wondering what happened to my proxy!!! I hope the adventures included some laughs. Adventure goes best with laughter. 🙂
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Sounds like a great time you’re having. I’d love to do something like that some day.
Since starting my WordPress blog around 20 months ago I’ve met so many other writers. I used to feel quite isolated but now I feel part of a community of like minded people. It’s my dream that one day I’ll meet some of the other writers whose work I have constantly read over the last year. However I’m in New Zealand and I have no money for travel, so at this point it’s just a dream for the future.
I hope you all have a wonderful time. Hopefully it will be quite creative ❤
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What part of New Zealand, Joanne? We went to Australia 15 years ago, but my hubby and his siblings want to go to Australia and New Zealand probably in 2021 (we made travel plan for 2020 already). They are Aussies.
In my future travel, I would keep in mind of where my blogging friends are.
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I’m in Christchurch.
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Thank you, Joanne. I’ll make a note of it.
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This has been a long-time dream, Joanne. The extended version is to get to Australia and New Zealand. It’s wonderful to build community with writers and it starts with safe space to play with words and stories like here at Carrot Ranch. Glad to have you part of this community!
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I’m excited for you, Charli! Your Someday is not too far off.
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Thanks, Miriam, this is an exciting time!
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Yes, Charli. You’ll have to have an opening house when things are settled!
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That sounds lovely! I remember the first time I went to Vermont. It felt like going home although I’d never been before. I tried to make it home but fate intervened and rightfully or wrongfully, I listened. I hope you all enjoy the writing retreat…wish I could be there. 😀
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Sascha, I’ve not had such a strong feeling of having been to a place I haven’t. Fate leads us down unexpected paths but I’m finding as long as we show up for the daily ride, it can be amazing.
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I think all of the green–there is so much, even the license plates!–must have reminded me of my childhood, going for summers to West Virginia which was also green and wooded, a place I missed and loved.
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[…] Princess Koala at the Kingdom Diner was written for the Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge. […]
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Here’s a link to my story: https://saschadarlington.me/2019/07/11/princess-koala-at-the-kingdom-diner-amwriting/
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Good one!
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Thanks so much, Charli! 🙂
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Enjoy your visit to the waterfall and woods of creativity and rejuvenation–sounds like a little slice of much-deserved heaven!
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Gushing waters beneath the falls fill the well with crystalline waters. Ah, yes, this is a slice of heaven.
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These are the things that assure us of the goodness of life. ❤
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Seems you’ve had a warm welcome, Charli both in the landscape and its people. I’m sure all the ranch hands are with you in spirit. Hoping you all have a marvellous and productive time and looking forward to hearing more. And photos!
Never seen a koala, but will be back with my contribution eventually.
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Lots of warm welcomes here and yes, lots of photos. I may use Ann Edall-Robson’s photos, or Jules’. They are both snapping shots! We are having good productivity. Have fun with the Koala. 😉
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Look forward to seeing them. Have a great time.
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Hey Charli, Sounds like you’re having a well deserved good time! Funny, I’ll be at Lake Champlain next week, on vacation with the family.
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Pete! You are like 90 miles away! Have a wonderful vacation.
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Sounds like an awesome time Charli!
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It is, Susan! Thanks!
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[…] Charli’s Carrot Ranch 99-word Fiction Challenge […]
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Sounds like you have had a wonderful time Charli! Here’s hoping it’s all onwards and upwards for you!
Managed a BOTS one!
https://butismileanyway.com/2019/07/12/july-11-flash-fiction-challenge-koalas-kingdom/
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Definitely, the world has shifted, Ritu, and it feels like for the better.
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I am really pleased for you 🥰
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[…] July 11: Flash Fiction Challenge […]
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Thanks, Anita!
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It sounds like you are having a smashing time, Norah. I am so happy for you all.
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[…] Carrot Ranch Koala […]
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In one of the few quiet moments I’ve penned;
In the Greenwood Kingdom
Sheila Koala took a walkabout in a different outback. She needed a solar recharge… she wondered if even the coming full moon would be enough to allow her to dance with all the words she was planning to pen to paper. Just imagining how to listen to the wild strawberries and decode the lightning bugs, and luxuriate in the loons compelling call… this is a strange new world.
At the waterfall the sun not quite out, the trail slick from the previous days rain. Moss was growing brown veined white quartz. These are things that would also help renewal.
©JP/dh
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Very slight change at the site.
See you all when I return. The Poet Lariat of Carrot Ranch 🙂
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Sounds adventurous as same as the Ranch.
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Your time in Vermont must be the best! Thank you for all the stories of what’s happening there. I”m so glad Norah sent along something special. 🙂
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OK…
I messed up a couple of things. The link to my story is wrong in the submission. It should be
https://tnkerr.wordpress.com/2019/07/14/fascinating-stories-from-science-i/
There was also a link to the Australian Museum embedded in my story. It doesn’t appear to have made the jump into the submission. It should be
https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/mammals/drop-bear/
I’ll try to get it right next time. Prolly won’t though, but I’ll try.
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Awww, that sounds like so much fun Charli, wish I could have joined in 🙂 Here’s my entry for the week. Hopefully, I won’t be disappearing for long periods from now on 🙂 https://jagahdilmein.wordpress.com/2019/07/15/a-gift-fit-for-royalty/
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Here’s mine for this week.
http://susansplace.blog/2019/07/15/the-koalas-picnic-flash-fiction/
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