Whatnot Wednesday: Creativity Challenge, Apples, #Cats, & Slang

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Video above is the Talking Apple Trees scene from The Wizard of Oz

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.”
― Carl Jung

Whatnot Wednesday

Fellow author D. L. (Denise) Finn has been hosting a monthly creativity challenge for poets.  I have no skills with poetry, but I wanted to support Denise in her challenge.  Below is the image Denise posted for inspiration.   It made me think of the angry apple trees from the Wizard of Oz.  I tried my hand at a limerick.

Trees Convene

In a grove where the tall trees convene,
They were plagued by a curious scene.
For the folks sought for pears,
But with mischievous glares,
The trees tossed their ripe apples—how mean!

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Velma in tray box

Velma:  No apples in here.   But if you’ll roll one into this box it should be fun.  Can you put one on a string?

Apple Slang

From Speak Chuckaboo: Slang of the Victorian and Steam Eras:

Pippin:  A type of apple originally, but this term came to mean someone who is of very high esteem.

Apple Lady:  A hard cider drink of the 1860s.

From Speak Flapper: Slang of the 1920s:

Applesauce:  Flattery, bunk.  Usually an exclamation.  Same as horsefeathers.  “Ah applesauce!  I spilled the hooch!”

Apple knocker:  A person who is a hick, a hay-shaker.  Also, appleknocker.  “He’s an apple knocker from up state.”

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In the YouTube video below, a kitten playfully attacks apples.

Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump.  Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs!

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Of course, here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.  This time it’s nonfiction — my slang dictionaries.

From the Author Tool Chest collection

Speak Chuckaboo & Speak Flapper

Speak Chuckaboo & Speak Flapper, by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Universal Purchase Links

Speak Chuckaboo

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0B9W38LDJ

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0B9T8MP1K

Speak Flapper

Kindle:  relinks.me/B083HNK3BB

Paperback:  relinks.me/1656168553

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This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2025 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

42 thoughts on “Whatnot Wednesday: Creativity Challenge, Apples, #Cats, & Slang”

  1. I might be one of the few people who was never a Wizard of Oz fan. One of my nieces adores it and has collection of several items. She’s also visited the yellow brick road in PA?

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  4. Pingback: #CreativePerspectiveChallenge Six Result! #sandracox #teaganriordaingeneviene #poetry #flashfiction #writingcommunity – Author D.L. Finn

  10. Hahahahaha! Okay, now that I’ve got that Kitten and Apples video off my funny bone, I say – I enjoyed your limerick, a lot.

    The Apple Slang is a cool touch.

    Teagan, thank you for this enjoyable mid week post! Yes, it helps hie the hump.

    Hugs!

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    1. 😀 Thanks, Resa. I found that kitten video years ago, and I laughed so hard I cried. I never forgot about it. All these apple-related things suddenly popped into my head after the limerick, so even though the post should have had a tree theme, I just rolled with it. I’m happy I could give you a laugh. Snoozy kitties Daphne and Velma send you and Misha purrs. Big hugs.

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  11. I loved this limerick, Teagan and your inspiration of the apple trees in Wizard of Oz! I’d have to disagree, you can write poetry!

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  12. It seems a lot of life is rooted in hell and reaching for heaven. I remember watching the Wizard of Oz every year when I was a kid. Those flying monkeys gave me nightmares. Those there apples in the video are forces for the kitty to deal with.

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    1. Yes it does… I wasn’t familiar with that Jung quote until I was writing this post yesterday. It was one of those quotes that felt like an ice sledgehammer to the gut. It resonated with me.
      The flying monkeys? Without a doubt, still the all-time scariest, flat-out creepiest creatures ever. Thanks for taking time out to visit. Hugs.

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  14. Fun limerick! I’d forgotten about the apple trees in the Wizard of OZ! haha that little kitten attacking the apples! He looked as ferocious as he possibly could being he was so little. And the apple slang words were interesting, too. 🙂

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    1. Hi, Barbara. That’s probably my all time favorite kitten video. There’s nothing cuter than a kitten pouncing sideways. Daphne and Velma were six months old when I got them, so I missed that stage with them. I’m happy you enjoyed this. Hugs.

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  19. Your limerick was a fun way to start the day. That image does remind me of that scene. I remember that scene being scary when I was very young. That quote is kind of scary, though 😉

    I hope you have a great rest of the week, Teagan.

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  20. How very apt and funny. Teagan! I love the expressions with apple (I’m an apple [the fruit, not the company] fan) in them. Oh, and the video is hilarious! Have a lovely week!

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