calling all writers and poets

Here's a new idea, I've been kicking around for a few weeks. The
J. Peterman post this week inspired me to give it a shot. I'm starting
a new creative writing blog called Magpie Tales. Each week, I'll
throw out a photo of one of my personal objects. (This first object is
rather tame, but believe me, I've got some quirky ones.) This will be
the prompt for a fictional account or poem telling of its history
and/or how it came to your possession. A Mr. Linky widget will be
available for open participation.

Come on, join this wacky magpie; it will be loads of fun! Check it out
by clicking on the link on my sidebar, or on the link at the end of this
post.

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, here is my first Magpie
Tale, just to get your juices flowing...

General Washington's favorite dessert was tipsy pudding. Timing
was everything. When he was home in Philadelphia, he made it a
habit of stopping by Mrs. Lippincott's row house as near tea time as
possible, preferably ten minutes to four, not a minute past, hat
on the peg by the door, and comfortably seated by the fire, in time to
hear her mantel clock chime four.

Her table always brimmed with scones, fruit, and pudding made
with the finest sherry in the region, over sponge cake light as a goose
down feather bed. She was one of his dearest friends, and at times,
he wished he had met her years ago, before he had set his cap for his
sweet Martha.

The general never took sugar in his tea, just a spot of milk, always
set out in a delicately engraved pewter creamer, near his cup.

On a gray November day, some 200 years later the estate of
Mrs. Lippincott's fourth great grand niece, Stella, went up for auction
on the front lawn of her stately farm house in rural Delaware County,
Ohio.

A lot of kitchen goods. Do I hear $10?

I raised my hand, taking a chance on the worn cardboard box with
the green Palmolive logo on the side. Kitchen lots were dicey. But,
it was a thrill to see what prize my ten dollar bill might land; maybe
a quirky McCoy planter or a Bakelite handled spoon.

10 once. 10 twice. Sold to the lady in red for 10 dollars.

I carried the box out and slid it into the back of my old Land Rover.

Once home, I emptied the box onto the kitchen counter, piece by
piece. Two well used metal ice cube trays, several nice Mason jars
with lids, a worn, but pretty yellow calico apron, and jostled in the
bottom, an assortment of utensils, nearly covering a small pewter
creamer, with a delicate wreath etched on each side.

.

THIS JUST IN:

I've had so many ready to participate, I went ahead and set up
Magpie Tales, with the first photo prompt and Mr. Linky widget
ready for Tuesday, February 16. Hop on over and sign up!

http://www.magpietales.blogspot.com/