Applause and Feedback

Inside Outlaw
Heyes as a preacher?  Why not!  Your knowledge of horses once again shines in this story, and they become characters in themselves rather than mere background fodder.  Love as well how you were able to use the prompt throughout in different ways, especially the bar shoe (love learning new tidbits while relaxing with a read).  And a fun change-up of the partners' usual behavior when it was Heyes who was famished.  All in all, lots of fun and very entertaining!

Silverkelpie
Nice continuation of your story.  So the plot thickens.  Whatever Heyes' plan is, it certainly sounds mysterious.  Something to do with a long slender bag full of clanking bars?  Hmmm, very interesting.  I'm looking forward to the rest of this.

Distant Drums
Our resident poet strikes again.  This is sad.  I can't imagine Kyle gone, especially so cruelly.  They live dangerous lives, yes, but we know them as good-hearted.  That the ultimate happened is unfathomable in a way.  Poor Wheat.  So easy to turn to the bottle to drown his sorrows and buy some company -- human or 50 proof.  Nicely done.

Cimarron
So Lucy was known to some as Lucifer?  But that was a previous life, and now she and the boys are leading quieter and more obscure lives under different names.  Heyes' stealth visit provoked reminiscing on both parts.  There is a lovely quiet to this, although I laughed out loud at the following line, "Honesty is a good thing but you don’t want to get fanatical about it.”  Loved the insight into the boys' past.

Hanna Heyes
Ah, another diary entry (I know about those!) and it's Judy's!  Good to see her again.  The little asides are fun ("October 13th, 1883,...again") and there are so many great lines ("the Sheriff of Sweetness!"; "Loving outlaws is hard work."; "I grabbed that big pretty gun out of his holster."; etc.).  LOL  Loving her delusion and the allusion to the magic saddle bags.  She's a bundle, for sure, but of what?  Oh my gosh, I am rolling as I'm reading this -- hilarious!

Moonpie
So Silky's protege might be his daughter?  Another con game gone awry by the actions of one Hannibal Heyes.  Yes, it takes one to know one, doesn't it?  (I've heard that recently -- smile.)  However, she has a choice some would find very appealing, so she just might win in the end ...  Well done!

Remuda

Back story of how Clem met the boys. I could really hear Clem in my head as she writes. Interesting take - felt like part of something bigger perhaps? What was Heyes doing working in a general store, the Kid in the tannery. And then! What went wrong between them? Why did Heyes leave so suddenly? Sooo many questions. Please be more.

Keays

I'm an avid reader of your tales, Keays - followed them right from the start. It was good to read this again. Made me want to start all over.

Inside Outlaw

Be still my beating heart! Like the Kid I was beginning to think something awful had happened to Heyes. Great twist at the end.

Silverkelpie

Lots of chuckles in this one. Getting the name wrong, the remark about the cutlery, the enquiry about a rival moonshiner, I could go on. Not sure I see Heyes as an arsonist - will they have to send for Kyle? Will we find out more next month?

Distant Drums

Oh right to the end I thought it was Heyes taking about the Kid. Poor ... better not spoil it for other. Beautiful DD.

Cimarron

Poignant conversation with somebody who helped the boys escape from the life Valparaiso decreed for them. Was there a nod to Game of Thrones? We always pay our debts - sounds familiar but probably true. I think they always did if they could. A brief conversation that touched Lucy/Roberts I think. Very nice.

Remuda 2

Wow! Heyes didn't mince his words did he? He left odious Pierpoint have it with both barrels. But he probably saved Colonel Harper a lot of money. Liked the pick up about "Well!" I agree this certainly was a game about game.


HannaHeyes

Judy! Sheriff of Sweetness! Poor woman - she's good fun though. Well for us she is - not sure the boys think so. It would be wonderful to see. I think there's mileage in Judy, HH, so I hope we see her again.

Moonpie

Bars? I kept thinking - where do bars come into this? Then silly me! Ina and Jacob BARR. Good job Heyes was right about the badger game. I had an awful feeling at one point he may have been wrong. But I should have known better. We are dealing with a self-confessed genius after all. Interesting that the Kid's concern for the needy folks overrides his normal wariness. Good story.

Cimarron:  Just curious, what brought Hi Jolly to your attention?  I enjoyed the story very much. I would get tired of eating beans myself.  One thing for sure, Kid Curry was never boring.

Keays:  I think that Karma likes being the horse of a thief, he would understand  that she enjoys taking something every now and then.  Enjoyed reading it.  Do horses like bread?

Silverkelpie: Heyes' timing is really good, starting the fire and the lightening striking at the same time.  Loved Kid taking the steaks with him to the fire.  You just hafta love him.  I liked the part where Heyes thought that Kid wouldn't mind burning the school house down because he didn't like school as a child.

Riders57:  What is pork cake?  I don't know if i would eat anything called "cow slobbers" meringue? is ok though.  That was a painful way to let Chomps go. I have heard of vinegar pie, have not made one yet, but maybe i will this holiday season.  A good story.

MoulinP:  I do like this ongoing story, but it tugs at the heart.  Why isn't Kid seeing someone?  I know that there is a backstory coming at some point, but why can't he be seeing someone now?  I really glad that Heyes didn't get the quilting bee assignment, we know about his sewing skills from Miracle at Santa Marta.

HunkeyDorey:  Mrs. Bacon is some piece of work, sheriff is right, she is ornery.  They were only trying to eat something. I loved Heyes' solution, smart man.

Javabee:  Heyes really shouldn't torment Kid about food, that could be dangerous. Hey, the saddlebags really are magical. 

Moonpie:  How fascinating, your description of the swarm of bees, how it moved in such precision and moved around Kid, never touching each other or him.  How seeing something so odd and different and removed in time could bring you back to a place you left behind so long ago.

Distant Drums:  A touching poem.  Jed waiting for Han to come back for him, knowing that he would and keeping food for him when he did.

Thank you for your kind comments, Gin16.  In light of comments made by certain people about certain  minorities in the current climate I googled their place in the Old West and found this man among many others.  He seemed a character and stuck in my mind for a story.  His presence just seemed to fit this tale perfectly.  Who else could have introduced the boys to this meal?

Great story, Cimarron. A little bit of an education for our boys, although, the chances of Kid, eating kid curry again, after leaving this group, are highly unlikely.

My ex-husband's father grew up in India, and he knew how to make many of the Indian dishes, as did my ex. He even insisted on doing everything from scratch, including grinding and chopping all of his own spices. Dinner at the in-laws' was always interesting. Your story brought back a lot of fine memories and lovely aromas from that time, in my life.

Cimarron - Right from the verse at the start, through to the way the stranger brought tension with him built the story beautifully.  I could understand Hi Jolly's concern about his family.  The dish you had them eating was just so on the nose for them.  Loved it.

Silverkelpie

Kid certainly did have his priorities straight in this little story. It takes true dexterity to eat two steaks while fighting a fire, or at least, pretending to.

I love Heyes' comment "I hope nobody tells his wife.", when it appears that it was his wife who hired the boys to catch him in the act.

Is this one of two, or are we left to our own imaginations?

Keays - This really made me smile.  I really enjoyed the animals antics and the trouble she caused.  You really have a knack of getting right inside the mind of the horse.

Silverkelpie - I love a Hannibal Heyes plan, but the Kid clearly doesn't when it interrupts his dinner.  Clever Heyes managed to get the preacher man to drag Roseburn out of his love nest in front of the town.  His wife is going to be really mad!

Keays - Ha!  Karma Lou and her antics again.  I loved this line, "Karma-Lou was having no problem at all, deciding which culinary delight to sample first. It was easy. Obviously, it was the one closest to you."  Of course it is! Fits the prompt perfectly and thanks for sharing it.

Cimarron -- a fun story.  Your dialogue between the partners was spot on and very interesting to learn of Hi Jolly.  Great pun on the food.

Riders - Fantastic title and great, descriptive opening lines.  I wondered where do you came up with the recipes until I got to the end, and I was very impressed by the historical research.  It really added to a very visually-written tale.  I really don't fancy any of the vinegar dishes, but I loved reading about them and the way they affected the boys.

Riders - An excellent name, terrific description, and superb picture-painting in this one.  Yes, poor food will gnaw away at morale.  Now I'm wondering, why all the vinegar, but you answer that in the wonderful historical notes.  I loved it.

Silverkelpie -- a good snippet.  I'll have to go back and read the preceding parts of this tale (while waiting for the end).  Some good lines, and an interesting pensive Kid at the beginning, pondering where he could have gone had he paid attention in school.  I wonder why we always assume the Kid is less interested in education, what from the show indicated that (it did indicate he was possibly less well educated -- but that's not the same).  I make the same assumption so I just wonder.  Anyway, good tale and looking forward to the conclusion.

MoulinP - Oh, I love the idea of auctioning off Heyes.  He'd break the bank for sure.  Now I can't wait to see what he's got in store.  It can't possibly be what I'm thinking, the board is PG.  You bring in the real description of the later Heyes in the series, kudos for that. Is that all he went for?  Mind you that was a lot of money back then.  I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of this one.  Thanks for playing.

MoulinP - You catch the Kid's angst in these lines, hidden nicely among all the lightness, "he gave her the look he used to reserve just for the Kid".  This looks right up my street and I can't wait to read the longer story.


Distant Drums - Poor little Jed, sitting so alone and controlled in a cold, loveless place.  I'm so glad little Hannibal came back for him.  Good job. 

Hunkeydorey - So they aren't allowed to eat their own food on that bench?  She picked on the wrong men today, didn't she?

Javabee - Ooh, the Kid is really hungry and the saddlebags are flat.  I share the gunman's suspicions.  Is Heyes making empty promises?  This was terrific fun and it captured the relationship between the boys perfectly.  They tease but are ultimately there for one another.  I loved it.

Moonpie - I wondered where this story was going, and then you hit us with this flashback which is a great description of PTSD.   It would make sense for the boys to have flashbacks after that experience and it was masterfully written.

Distant Drums - You paint a picture of a desolate little boy in a loveless and uncaring place perfectly.  The dimpled smile appearing at the window suddenly makes the world seem bearable.  The hiding of the bread and cheese at the end perfectly captures the practical side of the man he will become.

Hunkeydorey - A very amusing little vignette, full of great dialogue and humor.  It was fun to see have a plan to sort things out while the sheriff and the shop owner argued over their heads.

Javabee - Heyes should really be more worried about a hungry Kid than that.  What is he thinking?  I'm sure he's just teasing him.  Great to see the magic saddlebags put in a starring role.  What a great way to use them.  I'm sure the Kid would agree.

Moonpie - A simple scene quickly takes a tragic turn in flashback.  I loved these lines, "It was an eerie, unearthly silence; no birds sang, no chickens clucked, and the horses stopped galloping.  Reality dampened everything but the death, the fear and the smell."  This was a great way to show how trauma can stay with us.

Distant Drums: Of course Han is coming back to rescue his cousin! The first they they'll need to do is stop for a decent lunch. Got a kick out of this line, '...while the man who has all the answers
because he forbids any questions...'

HunkeyDorey: How irritating, when a person can't even sit down and enjoy their lunch. It seems that there is always someone who has to make of point of pushing their authority. How nice to have the sheriff on their side, this time. I loved Heyes' solution to the whole problem, and it seemed to satisfy the law, well enough

JavaBee: Ah, yes! The magic saddlebags. I wish I had a set of those. Especially if it came pre-packed with pie and roasted chicken. LOve the line, 'The Kid studied Heyes with the eye of a gunman targeting his prey...'.



Moonpie:A swarm of bees, yikes! I don't know if I could have just stood there and let them envelop me, but then I don't have the kid's nerves of steel! Memories from the past; they to tend to come haunting, when you least expect it.

Cimarron - Fantastic ending.  The perfect dish for this prompt, and such excellent historical notes too.  I loved it.

Silverkelpie - A cunning Hannibal Heyes plan was helped by the weather, and almost hindered by the Kid's need not have his dinner interrupted.  He's clearly not finished with Roseburn though, so I'll have to wait impatiently for the rest of the tale. 

Keays - As ever, there is a perfect fit for every prompt in your epic.  Karma is at her misbehaving best here and of course she'd be drawn to the bakery stall.  Loved the last line with them picking out the grit.

Riders - You not only give the new cook a wonderful name, you also describe him perfectly.  The food names are none too appetising though.  The historical notes answered all the questions which popped up as I read.  Yes, all that vinegar would interrupt a while lot, and not just your lunch. 

MoulinP - I've never read a story about the boys in a charity auction.  What a great concept.  The poor Kid seems to be getting left behind, but from the sound of things the longer story will make sure he gets top billing.  I'm really looking forward to reading more.

Distant Drums - You manage to pack a lot of emotion into these short poems.  That sad little boy seemed so alone until the dimpled smile at the window  came to rescue him. 

Hunkeydorey - Great fun and an original take on the prompt.  If anyone can see a way to work around petty rules it's Hannibal Heyes.

Javabee - Great to see you back.  I hope life has settled down for you more.  You grab us by putting us in the thick of the action with great descriptive language.  Lol!  The magic saddlebags.  What's he got in there?  A hog roasting on a spit?  Not too far wrong then!  That was a lot of fun.

Cimarron - Great little poem at the start, but the scene was soon interrupted by a real historical figure?  Fantastic research and a you couldn't have picked a better meal to give the Kid a change from all those beans.

Silverkelpie - Heyes really seems to have it in for Roseburn, but that's only to be expected if someone tries to hurt the family of one of his men.  The storm was a convenient cover for his arson, but I'm now looking forward to seeing what the rest of his plan is.

Keays - Karma is the biggest interruption to lunch you can get.  As you show there is no stopping her once she gets going.  This fits perfectly and is a lot of fun.

Riders -  You start by giving us a view of the boys stripped down.  No complaints here.  Fights over food are just the start of a romp through the life of the Devil's Hole Gang, and you had me curious about the new cook or the start.  You had me curious about all the vinegar, and the cooking terms but answer them as colorfully as you introduced them.  A great take on the prompt. 

MoulinP - Oh, they got amnesty and the Kid is worried about losing his partner.  An auction?  Not a bad amount, but at least the Kid is still available.  Well, this lunch promises to be a lot of fun.  Count me in for the full version!   

Hunkeydorey - A fun story with the boys caught up in the petty, small-town rivalries.  Of course Heyes has a solution, but I bet they just wanted to disappear as soon as the law turned up.  

Javabee - Do the Kid's rumbling stomach was the interruption?  Very in character, and so is Heyes' teasing.  Love the magic saddlebags, and it's great to see them produce something better than those horrible suits for a change.  Great fun.

Moonpie - The bees certainly interrupted the Kid's lunch and showed us how scarred he was by his childhood horrors.  Short but powerful.

Cimarron - Kid curry?  Of course it was way better than endless beans and could never be boring.  The historical notes were riveting too.  Great research.

Silverkelpie - The whole scene with the Kid with the steak was very funny, and right in character.  Of course he didn't want to leave his dinner, but Heyes obviously needed to be there to make sure his plan unfolded just as he wanted it to. 

Keays - This was certainly an interrupted lunch.  Karma interrupted the whole day, but doesn't she always steal the show?  Thanks for the laughs.  

Riders - Wonderfully descriptive language in this, from the way you bring us the smothering heat, through to the picture of the open-mouthed outlaws, "like a passel of baby birds waiting to be fed."  I did wonder if the teeth were his own, but you took me down another path to a parcel of great historical notes. 
 
MoulinP - Yes, it fits the prompt perfectly.  The meal is interrupted right at the start.  What an original concept and this post-amnesty story looks right up my street because the Kid is still available.  What could possibly go wrong?  What indeed.   
 
Distant Drums - A very poignant poem, with this line leaping out at me, "the man who has all the answers because he forbids any questions".  It is very telling of the type of people running the home, and the way the children there are expected to behave. I was so glad that shadow bobbed into view.    

Javabee - Well, that was certainly a magical lunch, but it looked like Heyes was heading for a fall for a bit there.  He sure does like to live dangerously, doesn't he? 

Moonpie - You are right in showing that flashbacks can come at almost any time, triggered by almost anything.  It was a very poignant tale, and brilliantly showed the human frailties inside the damaged man.

Cimarron:
Interesting to see how little attitudes change over time. Hi Jolly was very protective of his family for good reason. The folks in his new country had so little respect for him, they wouldn't even show him the courtesy of getting his name right. Feeding Kid Curry, the outlaw, a plate of "Kid Curry", the dish was a great way to end the story on a light note. Nice!

Silverkelpie:
Glad to hear Heyes confirm that the Kid's contribution to the team is just as important as his. I was surprised to read that Kid doubted it. The visual I got of Kid running buckets of water while simultaneously chewing on two steaks was priceless. Our favorite gunman takes his commitment to finishing his meals to a whole new level in your story. Great stuff!

Keays:
Heyes must really love Karma because he kept his sense of humor instead of getting angry with her. What a tricky girl she is, and Buck ended up with a snack as well! Imagining Kid standing by and grinning at his friend's ordeal seems very true to character. It's always a pleasure to read your stories.

Riders:
Riders, your descriptors are so vivid and the language so colorful, I practically felt the heat of that "Summer" as well as the heat of the "Fire Chili". It's interesting and true to character that Kid caught on to the change in Chomp first, by noticing the deterioration of the food, while all Heyes noticed was the lack of fighting among the men. However, Heyes knew his men, and knew how to get them to let Chomp leave. Very interesting recipes. I have to admit I was relieved to find out the "cow slobbers" was really just meringue. Whew!