Like us on Facebook
The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © AJ Wilson
Genre: Historical Faction
Word Count: 100
WOODSMOKE AT TWILIGHT
Had it not been for scouting, I might never have seen the great outdoors beyond my backyard. My parents adhered to the eleventh commandment—“Jews don’t camp.”
Overnights were the best. Following an afternoon hike, we’d gather round the campfire. Our mouths and fingers gooey from roasted marshmallows, we topped off the day scaring each other with ghost stories.
“My uncle found a man’s head in the grass,” said Lucy in a loud whisper.
Margo added, “His golden eyes glowed.”
Back home in my own bed, I wouldn’t sleep for a month without a nightlight.
I miss those good times.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Sounds like it’s where you got your start in story-telling too
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Neil,
Hmmm….could be. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
You reminded me of my Girl Guide camps. We had blue uniforms with red scarves, and carrying a rope on the belt was mandatory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Reena,
Happy to have triggered a happy memory.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
As kids everything was new and we believed in anything. I miss the freshness and the ability to be surprised. Were the girls telling you a story or the truth?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Tannille,
Oh dear me. If those stories were true all of us would still be in therapy. 😉 Growing up does take the magic out of things, doesn’t it?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just a bit. But the good thing about being a writer is we can create magic. 😀
LikeLike
Aww, a cute story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Sadje. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re most welcome
LikeLike
I miss camping with scouts, too. I was always last to bed first to wake. I was the fire-tender, the coffee maker, the lookout for wild things. I was a night person (years of being packed from one bar to the other with mom assured that). I was the one who knew the survival and hunting skills the other girls squealed about. I was also the easiest to scare with ghostie stories. Oh, nightmares… gorge hogs, scarecrows, etc. (still am not fond of scarecrows in fields). Ah, what memories. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Bear,
I was usually the one who forgot her permission slip. 😉 Great memories. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Learn to live in the great outdoors is a big part of growing up for a lot of us, and if it was scouts, that is great. Of course, if it was scouts, then those stories were a big part of growing up…
LikeLike
I had my guess which scout was you, and going out to the InLinkz page, I see that I was correct 🙂 (Assuming you used you 😉 ).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Trent,
I was always easy to spot in those guess the baby picture games, too. 😉 I loved scouting, thanks to some fantastic leaders. Sweetest childhood memories. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Rochelle,
They don’t? Who knew? I was in the Brownies but never joined in any camping… wahhhh! But we did go to Camp Wilviken in Grade 5 with the Grade 6 and that was so much fun. How else can you say you have had a childhood if you’ve never had a bloodsucker on your leg, or heard the tale of “Thumper”… Such great memories you have evoked!
Shalom and lotsa camaraderie-filled love,
Dale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dale,
I know it’s not really true for all Jews, but my mother’s idea of a picnic was opening a window. I still remember her coming along on a mother-daughter hike. Pretty funny.
As for childhood…don’t forget that someone always found the Poison Ivy 😉
As for the eleventh commandment click here for fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfzuw9yS-T0
Shalom and lotsa buddy lovin’ hugs,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, of course not. I seem to recall you writing on this subject before. You might have even included this video 😉
My mother was “brought up in the bush” so she feels about camping about the same as your did!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You caught me. 😉 I have posted another version of this song AND this story is a pared down Pegman story. from five years ago. Five years???
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to know my memory isn’t failing me 😉
Whoa… FIVE???
LikeLiked by 1 person
Time flies when you’re…well it just flies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Buahaha! Right! Speed o’ light!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ghost stories around the campfire.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always fun, right James? Thanks for swiniging by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
For me it was church camp every summer. Methodists heartily believed in camp!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Judy,
Church camps are wonderful. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
What would camping be without the good old ghost stories. Sam’s hand followed me for years. Lol. What fun though when we were young and our minds were so open. Good story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Annonymous Jan,
Yep. For me it was _______’s golden arm. And oh those stories of ghosly Ricky (Rickyard) road. Thanks, m’luv.
LikeLike
Girl Scout camp are some of the best memories of my childhood. I went from Brownies (age 7) until I was 15 years old. I loved it! Great story. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Kimber,
I went from 7 to 13. Our troop 499 lasted until we were in 6th grade. I tried another troop in 7th grade but it just wasn’t the same. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why do we love to scare ourselves ourselves out of a good night’s sleep!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Linda,
Good question. Can’t say. But there is something about a campfire that invites ghosties. 😉 Thank you for stopping by for a S’more.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Lisa. A good place to go from time to time, isn’t it?
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rochelle, it absolutely is. The other day I was thinking of something I’d mulled over a million times without resolution, and finally the pieces fell into place. You are very welcome, my friend.
Shalom,
Lisa
LikeLike
We were never campers either. I must admit I still prefer a bed, but I do have incredible memories of trips away with friends at that age. Funny how ghost stories are a rite of passage for all kids too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jen,
Yep. Ghost stories are a part of overnight camping. And they were fun. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Look at all those happy little faces!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Liz,
We were a happy troop of cuties. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
There’s nothing more exciting than sharing a creepy story around a crackling campfire! Delightful, Rochelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your sweet comment, Keith.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
What a delightful memory, ‘cept the not sleeping without a night light for weeks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lish,
I did have an overactive imagination. Those stories did come back to haunt me. 😉 But how fun was it to begin with? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
those were great adventures, good times indeed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Carol Anne.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
i can relate to this story being an eagle scout back in the day. those were the days indeed. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Plaridel,
Congratulations of making it to Eagle. A lot of work goes into that. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
lovely bit of nostalgia, we can all relate I’d say, scouts or no scouts, I love being outside in the dark and the quiet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Shrawley,
I’m with you on outside, quiet and dark. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Oh what fun. We didn’t have girl scouts… at least I never knew about any but there were school trips where ghost stories were told. Good times.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Gabi,
It seems most of us have ghost stories in common, whether in scouts or otherwise. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great time to be a child. I spent my middle boy years in the Scouts–camping was the highlight every summer school holiday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear James,
I loved those scouting camping trips. They make up some of the highlights of my childhood. Thank you for sharing my campfire for a bit.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
The eleventh commandment? Was that on the slab that Mel Brooks dropped? Those times as kids were the best. We had a small patch of trees in our yard. My friends and I build a bunch of forts out there and probably camped out there every weekend in the summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Nobbin,
I think you might be right about the tablet Mel Brooks dropped. 😉 Camping was the best, even if my parents never understood it. Thank you for sharing my campfire for a bit.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, there’s always the benefit of having chicken soup nearby. 😉 This was a fun read! Even with the scary bits. Never really understood the ‘fun’ of those. Not even as a child. Then again, I’m an odd one. Still am … 😉 Na’ama
LikeLiked by 1 person
Na’ama Y’karah,
Viva the odd ones. 😉 Life would be so boring without them. Not that I’d relate or anything. 😉 😉 Glad you enjoyed. Hm. Chicken soup over an open fire. Sounds good to me. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Odd is perfect, eh? 🙂 I mean, at the very least, perfectly unique … 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was a brownie/girl scout leader when my daughter was a child. It was a lot of work but well worth the memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Dawn,
Never had a daughter but I did endure a few boy scout camping trips. No matter the weather. Thank you for stopping by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like both a nightmare and fun at the same time. What a lovely memory to capture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Brit,
Those times were so much fun. Even with the scary nightmares. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooooooo creepy stories are the best/worst on camping trips ❤ fabulous story!
LikeLike
😅Haha, I don’t believe it, I was away on holiday last week so missed Friday Fictioneers typical the week of my photo I’ll have to look through the stories 😊
LikeLike