FanStory.com - I Know a Placeby livelylinda
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted
A blessed tropical woods.
I Know a Place by livelylinda
Sense of Place Short Story writing prompt entry
Artwork by MoonWillow at FanArtReview.com

Seven acres of lush Florida forest - a Garden of Eden located outside a busy college town with a little church nestled amongst this peaceful and natural place. This is a place I know.

Enter these woods with caution. Pairs of deer, appearing to fly with their graceful leaps, will hastily cross your path while on a daily adventure. They don't stay to chat with humans. They prefer their natural deep woods isolation.

Walk casually through the dark greens and black of this perfect picture, along the trails and down the hills. See the rat snake hanging from an eave of the church. It seems to be the eye of God watching parishioners attending to Sunday duties.

Banana spiders thrive in this mecca. They are fearsome in appearance due to their large size, hairy bodies and bright yellow and black coloring. Their webs are large and store unsuspecting
small bugs for future dinners. When you see Mr. Banana, stop and wish him a pleasant day. Then move on, as he enjoys his solitude and needs to sleep in the day following a long night of creating his intricate but sturdy web in the woods.

You rarely see the birds. The black-barked, aged water oak trees reach high enough to touch the sky then shake hands with God. It is a dense forest and their branches intertwine like a giant family gathering for an intimate family portrait. Some are draped with Spanish moss, perhaps the matriarch, wearing their fur coats . . .

Accenting these magnificent trees are the sub-tropic flora. Palm trees and palm bushes, a variety of red, pink, purple and yellow flowers add a splash of splendor amongst the giant water oak forest.

The birds live among these trees. From the smallest wren to the giant black crow, blue jays and red cardinals,the noisy, hard working woodpecker, all dwell here. The density of the forest seems to muffle the noise of their daily activities. But, as twilight descends upon the forest, you hear a symphony of birds singing a lullaby as they say goodnight, goodnight, John Boy, Mary Ellen.

There is a special place behind the church and social hall. Follow the rock-lined path down the hill. You will see the labyrinth at the bottom, a clearing in the woods. There is a beam of light which shines in a circle, much like a stage light, on the far side of the labyrinth. When you stand and look up into this beam, it seems like a pathway to Heaven. Some people say it is only the sun shining through a break in the trees, but I believe you can feel God's presence. You leave that place feeling refreshed, positive and worry free. Your thoughts are of healing, warmth and love, and you are bursting with goodness and God's grace.

Share your concerns and give thanks in this place I know.








Writing Prompt
Write a 400 to 700 word essay describing a place. This should be a descriptive short story, make sure you describe the place very well. This place you are describing can not be a place in your imagination, dreams, ext. It has to be a real place, preferably a place you know very well. You do not have to have been to this place, and this can be a made up story. Be creative and descriptive!

Recognized

Author Notes
Thank you to Moonwillow for use of the picture, "Deep in the Woods".

     

© Copyright 2024. livelylinda All rights reserved.
livelylinda has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.




Be sure to go online at FanStory.com to comment on this.
© 2000-2024. FanStory.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Privacy Statement