monthly flash contest

Our April Flash Contest was based on our weekly creativity prompt #147 written by Stone Soup ’20–21 Intern Sage Millen. Her prompt, which asked participants to visit the same spot every day for a week and record what they saw—whether through art, photography, or writing—generated a wide array of fabulous submissions, from daily photographic representation of a lounging house cat to ultra-scientific observation notes reminiscent of natural science journals. Thank you to all who submitted their stunning work, and thanks again to Sage for providing us with the prompt! In particular, we congratulate our Honorable Mentions and our Winners, whose work you can appreciate below. Winners “Observing My Backyard” by Rishan Chakraborty, 11 (Portland, OR) “The Island” by Madeline Cleveland, 11 (Belleville, WI) “The Tales of Freeman Gardens” by Claire Liotta, 12 (Glen Ridge, NJ) “Dolly’s Home” by Elizabeth Sabaev, 10 (Forest Hills, NY) “Over the Ditch” by Daniel Shorten, 10 (Mallow, Ireland) Honorable Mentions “My Backyard” by Reena Bao, 11 (Bedford, MA) “My Description Paragraphs for Six Days” by Diya Chakrabarti, (Portland, OR) “Times of the Day in My Room” by Chelsea Liang, 11 (San Jose, CA) “Our Playground” by Tang Li, 8 (Palmetto Bay, FL) “Magnolia Bliss” by Pranjoli Sadhukha, 11 (Newark, OH) “Interesting” by Ava Shorten, 11 (Mallow, Ireland) Selected for the Stone Soup COVID-19 Blog “My School” by Feifei Wan, 9 (Portland, OR) Selected for the Stone Soup Blog “Spring in Central Park” by Lila Laton (New York, NY) Rishan Chakraborty, 11 (Portland, OR) Observing My Backyard Rishan Chakraborty, 11 4:00 p.m. 4/5/2021 On the second floor of the southeastern part of my house, my work room provides a spectacular view of our backyard. Right outside my window, which faces east, a noble fir with peculiar blue-green needles is located. When I was little, I thought that a Christmas tree with needles the same color would look amazing. However, I realize now that cutting the tree down would be a shame. All of the trees rock in the wind, but the noble fir is steadfast. When it does move, it moves gently, and sometimes it almost seems like it is breathing. 4:00 p.m. 4/6/2021 On the opposite side of the noble fir, a large, shaggy curly willow resides. When I was younger, my brother and I would grab one of the many dangling branches and run, pretending we were swinging from vines like Tarzan. Earlier, the branches were bare and speckled with tiny curly leaves. Now, there are hundreds of leaves on the tree, and the shape of its branches gives it the appearance of possessing bright green hair. 4:00 p.m. 4/7/2021 In our backyard, we have an old, tattered play structure. As a young child, it was one of my favorite places to hang out. Imagination would turn it into a spaceship, a boat, an airplane, and even a temple. In the summer, we would invite neighborhood kids to play with water guns, and the play structure could be used as a fort offering a vantage point, or somewhere to escape if you were under attack. Now, the slides are dirty, the swings rickety, the tarp missing one half, but I still cherish the fond memories associated with it. 4:00 p.m. 4/8/2021 A bird comes along, its purpose undefined. Very likely it came looking for food. The question remains unanswered. I did some research and discovered that it was probably an American Robin, which is known to search for insects on the ground, hopping around in the process. I have keenly observed birds in my backyard too, such as a hummingbird, which flits around looking for its food. Spring is here, and as the days grow longer, more and more birds will start showing up, almost as if they are making the backyard come alive. 4:00 p.m. 4/9/2021 In the very middle of my backyard, a solitary maple sits, deserted on an island of dirt. A few flowers nearby don’t provide much company. The maple tree once had a bird feeder, and would be visited by birds all day, but since the feeder was taken down, it has been left alone. It sits on an island of dirt, surrounded by a sea of grass, almost like a stranded castaway. A coconut also used to be on the same island, before it was taken and cracked open with a rock by two 6-year-olds. Now, the maple is left to itself. 4:00 pm 4/10/2021 In my backyard, a noble fir with interesting blue-green needles sways, as though breathing. In my backyard, a willow tree swings in the wind, branches swishing through the air. In my backyard, a damaged play structure creaks, enduring everything thrown at it through the years. In my backyard, a bird appears, although not the first one to visit. In my backyard, a maple mourns and wishes for company. In my backyard, memories stay alive. Madeline Cleveland, 11 (Belleville, WI) The Island Madeline Cleveland, 11 Day one: A buttery golden carp jumps a few feet from my boat as I sink my paddle into the water’s still surface. I hear a scraping sound as my kayak runs aground on a gravely beach. I have reached my destination. I carefully walk onto the muddy shore. A few moments later, I am in tall swaying dry grass. I sit down on the bank to write this. Another graceful fish splashes, breaking the quiet. Carp are common in this lake, but each is beautiful and unique. Kind of like people that way, each and every one is special. I walk back to my kayak and paddle to shore. Day two: I sit on the shore in the same spot I did yesterday. I’m starting to realize why the fish love this place so much. This island is untamed. On one side, there is a gravely cove, perfect for parking kayaks. On the other, there is a sandy beach. And, on the south tip, where I sit, is a serene area with moss carpeting the lake floor. The carp are especially fond of these shallows.