The Lost Prairie Chronicles

[Pierre k31]

True, factual stories of the St.Marie Family in Lost Prairie Montana.
The few fictional accounts that might appear are identified as "Tales From The Tall Grass".
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[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #2

[hillwalker]

You have a great talent for relating a particular memory as vividly as if it were happening there right in front of our eyes.
I was there with you on that log, watching the hunters walk past and the deer emerge from the trees. I could actually feel myself holding my breath waiting to see what happened next - would you raise the gun to your shoulder or cherish the moment and let it pass.

We have deer on the hills nearby but only get to see them close up when heavy snow drives them down into the valleys - but you describe prefectly their reactions and behaviour.

Superb writing - and on the basis of the taster in part 1 perhaps you have more to share.

Thanks for this wonderful moment, H

[Pierre k31]

I thank you, H.

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The Lost Prairie Chronicles #3

[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #4

[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #5

[hillwalker]

You describe a different world, yet I felt a part of it from your natural conversational tone and the relaxing style you employ to tell your tale.
What I particularly appreciate is that although you throw in a fair bit of authentic terminology, you don't patronise the reader by trying to explain every detail. You assume the reader understands every word and bit by bit the picture does become clear.

Only one slight quibble came to mind - the rather tired cliche 'quiet as a churchmouse' in #4. If you decide to change that expression I am sure you can find a wealth of metaphors from your personal experience that will fit the bill.

Good stuff, H

[Pierre k31]

How about "Quiet as a fieldmouse"? :lol: We have more of those here than churchmice and the church is quite a ways down the valley.
heh.........

P

[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #6

[hillwalker]

Yep. Brilliant again.

I don't keep a horse at the moment (!) but I figured out why nailing boards on the outside of a fencepost might not be the brightest idea. One kick from within and it's next stop the open prairie I guess. But some of your potential readers might be a little less savvy - so a very tiny hint might be in order.

This reads so easily. It shows the tremendous effort you must have put into it - and it certainly has the authentic voice of a prairie-dog [not an insult I hope?] to my 'British ears' anyway.

and fieldmouse? of course!!!

[Pierre k31]

I began writing the Chronicles for the kids some years back. Its an ongoing effort that will most likely end with my next to the last breath.
As fate would have it, my wife is from Farmborough Kent. Not a US citizen and has no intention of becoming one. When she enquired about her status she was told that she'd have to attend English classes in Helena Montana for three weeks prior to becoming a citizen.
She slammed down the phone uttering "bloody fools" under her breath. :lol: That was 35 years ago and she remains a British subject.

P

[hillwalker]

I shall look forward to more of the same.
I'm just amazed no one else has picked up on your stories yet. Mind you, I post poems as well and there tends to be a lot more activity on the Poetry forum (not always welcome, I hasten to add).

This is the kind of stuff that should get published if you ask me.

[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #7

[hillwalker]

Here we go again, another brilliant piece of real-life spiced up with exotic words like 'Caulx Mountain' and 'Tamarack'. It is like stepping into another world and your skill as a writer brings it all to life.

I had to hide a smile early on though. Most of the youngsters over here would assume there is only one type of Mall in the States. But I know exactly what you were referring to, have no fear.....

H

[Pierre k31]

I hadn't thought about that. My kids didn't see a shopping mall until they were nearly in their teens. It took that long for one to appear in our neck of the woods.
Hyar we go...............................

[hillwalker]

You've got me hooked, I'm afraid.

Great Danes? My brother used to have one they called Tank (no explanation needed for where the name came from). While he was a puppy he got mistakenly left alone in the kitchen one morning. When the family returned they discovered he had eaten an entire sliced loaf (plus wrapper), half the oven liner from their electric oven and a potted plant (including the compost and part of the pot). Quite a varied choice of diet.

[Pierre k31]

Ha! I remember our second Dane Sid Hartha eating an entire pan full of muffins, paper and all while we were at a school funtion down the valley on year. Funny schtuff.

Old Motley.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/zfk3155/motley1369.jpg

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The Lost Prairie Chronicles #9

[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #10

[hillwalker]

I'm running out of superlatives to describe this material. Have you considered approaching an agent/publisher with it? Seriously, it shows a tremendous amount of craft and is no doubt a labour of love.

By the way - have added an EDIT to my last post on your 'gun control' piece that you might want to read, hot off the press.

H

[Pierre k31]

I've been writing these for my Family and actually hadn't considered anything beyond that. Hmmm.

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The Lost Prairie Chronicles #11


BTW......... This is, in fact, Abigail and Pooh just a few days after the spring incident.


P

[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #13
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[hillwalker]

Marvelous stuff again.
Having milked by hand myself when still a tiddler this all makes perfect sense to me. Of course, nowadays 90% or more of the UK's dairy heards are machine-milked and the milk is sent away to be pasteurised, homogenised, sterilised, whatever.
But you still can't beat the taste of milk straight from the udder.

[Pierre k31]

H, out in the ranches is the only place you can get whole milk anymore. Posie gave Lyn something like an easy 1/5th volume of cream right off the top of every 5 gallons.
I'm guessing that you might not be a lot younger than me?

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[hillwalker]

I'm guessing that you might not be a lot younger than me?

Well, my avatar photo's a bit misleading - I've put on a few years since it was taken. 59 coming up this Saturday as it happens..... but I stopped counting years ago.

H

[Pierre k31]

Happy Birthday, H. I've got you by 10 years, and I wish I didn't! :lol:

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[Pierre k31]

The Lost Prairie Chronicles #16

[moonbird]

Feeling bored and utterly sick of playing computer games, I logged on to the forums here, hoping for something to read that wasn't vampire- or werewolf-related. Here with your Chronicles I've found it.

Like what I expect to be most people, I'm divided into two halves: the first, which rules the majority of my life at the moment, is the logical side. I've been gifted at math and science my whole life, and I'm currently aspiring to become and astronomer and discover alien life. (Did I mention that I've also been considered a nerd my whole life?)

The other half, my simpler, more pure side, often takes a backseat to the excitement of astronomy, but today you've brought it back out. Before discovering the joys of math and science, I wanted to live out on a ranch and write stories for a living. It seemed like the perfect fit. I've always loved the simpler agricultural life, and the quiet of the country seemed the perfect atmosphere for writing.

Later in life I ran into reality. Everything's been "the economy" this and "the recession" that lately, and I discovered that keeping up a ranch these days it tougher than I thought. Strange as it seemed, I considered discovering alien life more likely than owning a ranch.

Sorry to bore you with this brief summary of my lifelong dreams, but to properly critique your stories it's necessary. So here it goes: I think today, the balance inside me has tipped just a little more toward my simpler side. Your stories of caring for your animals, raising your kids, and the humors of your friends and neighbors have reminded me of what I would miss out on in the cold scientific field.

Maybe I'll become an astronomer; maybe not. But either way, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your stories, and I hope you add more soon. And by the way, Hillwalker suggested you publish some of your stories, and I completely agree. I think it would make a wonderful little book of short stories.

This reply is almost a story in itself, and again I apologize for its length, but allow me to make one final statement: of all the stories I've read on these forums, (and believe me, I've read quite a few) yours was my favorite by a long shot. If and when your book comes out, I'll be the first to buy it. :)

[Pierre k31]

Interesting insight into your world, moonbird. Were it not for a very strong family bond among the St.Maries I think my children may have been overwhelmed by current events too. We all do what we can to stop the rampant idiocy, but we also realize the futility of our dwelling on it for the time being. Our time is coming before too long, and in the meantime the St.Maries remain a solid unit with both memories past and present giving us the determination to resist the weight that has this country in it's grip.

I'm glad that the Chronicles took your mind off the present and carried it to a gentler not too distant past.

P
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[hillwalker]

Catching up again after a couple of days side-tracking elsewhere.

Your flair for telling a story never flags, and like moonbird I'm finding a lot here to occupy my mind. Wonderful stuff.

H

[Pierre k31]

Thanks, H! :smile5:


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[Pierre k31]

#19
A side trip into the Tall Grass.......

[hillwalker]

You really lead an interesting life there, and it's a delight to have you share it with us.

The only question I have is how many pinches of salt should I take with that coyote story....? or is it plain fact? Because if so, even with a tripod, you have one steady hand, sir.

H

[Pierre k31]

Probably a pound or so. :lol: A story told in The "Tall Grass" means a tall tale to us.

P

[Pierre k31]

Maybe I should give you a bit of background on me.

[hillwalker]

Now it begins to make sense - and I love the metaphor regarding the 'tall grass'.
As for your equipment and your hawk-eye skills, all I can say is 'wow'.

[aliengirl]

I have read a few of your chronicles and they are really well written. It seems that you have a penchant for story-telling. One can't figure out the elements of reality and fantasy easily. And its a symbol of a good tale. Hope you'll continue.

[Pierre k31]

That I will, Aliengirl, but note that every one of them is a true story with the exception of the One Smooth Hole tale from the Tall Grass. Tall Grass tales are always noted as such.
These are factual records of my kids growing up in Lost Prairie. I'm giving the kids a written record of things they've forgotten or were too young to know.
Thanks for your comments!

P

[Pierre k31]

#20

In our Family's early days

[Pierre k31]

Adios.

[hillwalker]

I really enjoyed these last two pieces because I can identify with them more, even here in my little corner of Scotland.

We have the same problem with deer numbers in Scotland (indeed on the land immediately surrounding my village) - but 'amateur' hunting is not permitted under any circumstances. Deer culling only takes place with escorted shooting parties arranged under licence or as part of the estate management - and generally only occurs between July and October. Walkers are advised not to wander into certain areas when deer management is taking place - for their own safety, and to avoid disrupting the culling.

We have similar problems with 'townies' venturing out onto the hills dressed and equipped as if they are on a day's shopping trip. Many get caught out because they under-estimate the severity of the terrain, the way mountain weather can change so rapidly, and in particular their stamina and direction finding skills.
From my 'pen-name' you might guess I spend a fair bit of time in the hills. I have seen my fair share of idiots who know better than anyone else. It is truly frightening - particularly when they are accompanying young children into the wilds,

H

[aliengirl]

That I will, Aliengirl, but note that every one of them is a true story with the exception of the One Smooth Hole tale from the Tall Grass. Tall Grass tales are always noted as such.
These are factual records of my kids growing up in Lost Prairie. I'm giving the kids a written record of things they've forgotten or were too young to know.
Thanks for your comments!

P

Well, I didn't mean that you were just making it up. Sorry, if it seemed so. I REALLY like your stories very much. The life on Prairie seems exciting but tough. As a person living in a concrete jungle, they remind me of pastoral calm and freshness. I'll surely keep looking for your posts.

[Pierre k31]

No reason to apologize, AG. I'd guess that most of what's written in this forum is fiction so it would be easy to confuse the two. I'm not so sure that your concrete jungle isn't a tougher place to live. Maybe, maybe not, but definitely different circumstances, opportunities, dangers etc.
Seems like facing a bear or a bull moose and dealing with them might be easier than facing line-doing, dope smoking morons in an alley.
Reading a number of the stories here leaves me with a sense of profound disappointment with an apparent silent acceptance of drug use and odd lifestyles.
For me it's a proof of failure of the American family unit, parenting and values now missing in so many young people.
Oh, well........ I'm out of my element, and oddly enough it would appear it's out of my children's element too. Most assuredly the result of their growing up in a completely different circumstance.
Thanks for your comments, AG.

P

[Pierre k31]

#22
Laying in bed, from under the covers

[Pierre k31]

Adios

[hillwalker]

More good stuff, pierre. I'll keep coming back for the latest installment fear not.
Thankfully we have no coyotes over here - but someone is proposing releasing wolves back into the wild (the last ones were hunted to extinction about 180 years or so ago).
The hill farmers are not especially keen on that idea!

[Pierre k31]

I can tell you're reading them, H.
675times so far!! :lol:

P

[hillwalker]

Hehe. No, I think most readers enjoy then move on without a word of thanks!

[Hawkman]

I haven’t read all of these yet, I still have a couple to go but I haven’t read one that didn’t transport me across the pond to Lost Prairie. You have an outstanding talent as a writer and if you aren’t already, you certainly should be published. The chronicles are utterly brilliant.

Best,

Hawk.

[Pierre k31]

Thanks, Hawk. My wife asked the same thing, so maybe......... But I have no idea how to go about it anyway.

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