PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
Ada, Bonnie, Christy, Donna, Eileen, Francina, and Ginette grew up together in St. Ignace. Their mothers stayed home and made pasties. Their fathers worked as woodsmen, railroad men, and on the ships of Lake Michigan. They married young and followed their parents’ footsteps. They canned food in autumn, made quilts together, and talked soaps over coffee. Their kids cut teeth together.
Husbands die. Kids move away. Since 1985 they’ve flown together to Florida through winter, staying in the same beachside condo. Not this winter. Their bones ache with cold. They are alone but for Zoom.
By March, there are six.
[100 words]
Learn more about St. Ignace, Michigan here.
Learn more about pasties here.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the fearless leader of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
Seven roses, seven friends. So sad
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I know, it’s heartbreaking. The story immediately jumped into my mind when I saw the photo :( Please let this be the last winter old friends are parted from each other.
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Deeply poignant and saddening, Very well written!
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Thank you very much, Neel. My heart goes out to those ladies :(
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Quite a believable tale I’m afraid. Nice one!
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Thank you, Susan.
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So many lost, and the tragedy of not being able to say goodbye to loved ones. Herat-breaking.
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Yes it is :( Thanks for reading and commenting.
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You’re welcome :-)
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Oy for the heartache. Beautiful use of the prompt, though …
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Thanks much, Na’ama.
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Very well written, Li. :)
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Kitty, thank you :)
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You are welcome, Li. :)
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Dear Lisa,
Poignant piece. Wonderful use of the prompt. (I never counted the roses. ;) )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, thank you. I wouldn’t have either but when I knew what I was going to write, I had to :)
Shalom,
Lisa
p.s. I just sent you some photos per your request :)
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Gut wrenchingly sad and poignant, a brilliant take, brutal but delicate
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Thank you, Shrawl. Knowing how tight-knit folks are in those small towns and knowing how brutal the winters are up there my heart goes out to those ladies.
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What a sad story. You evoked the small town feeling very deftly, with its closeness but also its limited opportunity.
I was fascinated to see your link to pasties as well. I live just outside Cornwall, and they’re rather familiar to me!
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Thank you, Penny! I live in the lower part of the state where pasties are scarce but whenever I drive north I make sure to get one (at least!) I know they didn’t originate in the US, probably relatives from your neck of the woods brought them over.
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I do in fact have relatives in the USA, but they’re in Pennsylvania. They were lace-makers and came over in the 18th century.
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Awesome!
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Very sad and moving story. Well done.
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Thank you, Josh.
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What a poignant moving story, beautifully told. Thank you. <3
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Thanks for reading and your comment, Louise <3
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Such a moving story in so few words.
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Thank you, Sadje.
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You’re welcome 😉
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Hopefully next year all 6 will not have to worry.
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A moving story. I don’t know how much longer we will be confined to our own places. A change of scenery will do everyone good.
On another note I have often wondered why the shape of the savory pastie is so similar to the sweet gujiya we get in India.
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Thank you, Subroto.
Makes you wonder! Gujiya sounds tasty. Any recipes you care to share are welcome :)
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There are a number of traditional recipes but this will probably work for you https://www.easycookingwithmolly.com/2017/03/best-gujiya-recipe/
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Thank you! I just copied and saved it.
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Very moving, Li :)
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Thanks Chris :)
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The isolation is the hardest part of this past year. I hope it will be easing soon. (K)
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I keep hearing about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If it gets approved, all 3 companies are jacking up production so hopefully us 16 and over that didn’t qualify in other ways will be getting it soon.
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I hope so. Although I know many seniors that haven’t managed to get an appointment yet. They did say there will be more vaccine available in March.
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A story you couldn’t have imagined writing a couple of years ago. A perfect take on the picture, well done.
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Many thanks, Keith. You’re so right :(
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Very sad, to lose one of their number and not even to be together for their last days.
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Sad story, but these are sad times of isolation and grief for many. I love the details you spin out as you build characters and their world. Well told, Lisa.
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Dora, thank you, I wish it wasn’t so :(
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Sorrowful and touching … a very sensitive write. I enjoyed your story very much.
Be Safe 😷 … Isadora 😎
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Thank you, Isadora.
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at least, they have enough good memories to cherish and live on.
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Yes, Plaridel.
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So many missed events: plays, operas, symphonies, movies but you hit the nail on the head with this story, I miss meeting up with friends the most.
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Thanks for reading and your comment, Alicia.
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Yikes! I forgot to mention how well you captured that feeling.
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Thanks again, my friend :)
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I knew we were in Michigan the moment you mentioned pasties. I’m married to a Yooper.
And I began to sense the sad ending when they had to be together via Zoom. Really good writing.
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Linda, delete my answer for privacy purposes please. It’s where he went but don’t want a lasting record that bots can harvest at some point. (yes, I’m paranoid.)
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I understand. Hate it that we have to be concerned. I will delete. Terry went there too. But he’s 77, so we don’t have to worry :)
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:) The only uni in the world whose campus was designed to be an arctic wind tunnel!
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Terry loved it. He lived to ski back then. He loved the endless snow, and even the deep cold. Brr. Not me.
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I was amazed to know that MI has mountains! My son doesn’t like the snow but it toughened him up. Even today he won’t wear a coat outside where we live. It’s not cold enough lol
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I loved driving along that stretch where Munising is.
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We took 28 to 41 from the bridge. I see Iron River isn’t that far from Amasa. My grandparents had some neighbors who spent every summer in Amasa, and when we bought my grandparent’s place they became our neighbors. It was the Premo family. The husband was a biology prof at the community college and the wife had a greenhouse. The neighbors have passed on but I think at least one of their sons still lives up there. The dad’s name was Claude and the sons were Bruce and Dean (and maybe one more?)
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I can’t figure out how to delete it since it’s on your site. Can you do it from there? I’ll keep looking for a way.
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Oh ok! Thanks for letting me know. I forgot it was on my site.
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Please let me know when you succeed.
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I think it’s done now. Tried to keep the comments after.
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Not that I’m snooping, but I’m next in line to comment. You have to delete the comment, Lisa, thought your admin page…
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Thanks, Dale! :) I’m at the admin page now and will wipe it from her.
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;-)
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Beautifully done, Lisa. Oh, I so hope the remaining six can winter again together next winter!
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Thanks again for your help, Dale. And thank you for reading and commenting. Me too!
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My pleasure.
And let’s send them some positive vibes :)
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A heart breaking, and poignant tale Ms Jadeli. Well written.
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Thank you, GiN.
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A whole community and a generation of friendships in 100 words. I suspect Zoom is no substitute for each others physical company – shame.
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Many thanks, James.
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Another gorgeous image. 🤓
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Do you write any flash fiction? Friday Fictioneers is a blog where everyone writes to the same image and then links up to Mr Linky. If you do, check it out. There are a lot of really good writers there.
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I don’t do much fiction writing myself but I do enjoy it when words are put together beautifully. Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll take a look.
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You’re very welcome :)
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So many of us have lost someone dear this past year without getting the chance to say goodbye. Your story struck a cord with me. Beautifully written, Lisa.
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Brenda, thank you.
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Such a truly depressing story…yet, a true reflection of the present times. so many lost… so few left….
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Thanks for reading and it’s a rough reality for us.
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Yes, it is. This past week was so very hard. Between minister and my PTSD buddy, they helped in me getting Leah Mae.
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This was inspired and so very sad.
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The virus took my support group facilitator. Our group was not bonded by location but the story is close enough to apply to it. Thank you for reading and your thoughtful comment, Michael.
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Such a lovely, heartbreaking story. Thank you for sharing.
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A truly sad but real illustration of these timmes we’re all battling through, well done
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Thank you, Michael, wish it wasn’t so.
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Ah, a pandemic tale.
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Thanks for reading and your comment, Ronda.
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thats a lovely story you wrote. Thos poor women!
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Thanks for reading and your comment.
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