I would like to announce the start of the 2025 Annual Trapperman Kids Art & Writing Contest!

THE PRIZES:

FIRST PLACE $100 PLUS a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!
SECOND PLACE: $75 PLUS a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!
THIRD PLACE: $50 PLUS a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!

TO ENTER:

You must be LESS than 18 years of age and a Trapperman member or family member only. You must have your parent's permission to enter, as the winners will be asked to pm me their addresses in order for us to ship the prize packages to you. You must submit your entry no later than 9 PM EASTERN TIME ON CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24TH. NO EXCEPTIONS PLEASE! To submit your entry, you must post a scan or good quality photo of your finished drawing or painting, as well as TYPE IN your writing or story RIGHT HERE IN THIS THREAD. YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME, AGE AND STATE YOU RESIDE WITH YOUR ENTRY. Ask for help from your folks, or other members here if you have difficulty posting. This is so all Trapperman members may see and read it. Previous winners may enter again! Let's see how you've improved over the years!

THE RULES:

This year's theme is: "The Beauty of Nature!!!" -

FIRST, write a story that describes, "The Beauty of Nature" and whatever that means to you. It could be a true story, or a fictional story you've created in your mind. I'd like this story to be a few paragraphs minimum, if possible. I know this may be difficult for the very young contestants and we will consider this when we judge the entries at the end. Include many details to make your story interesting, who, what, where, when, why, how!?


SECOND, You must draw or paint a picture that goes with this story and illustrates it in the best possible way. It may be FULL COLOR OR BLACK & WHITE. It may be done in PENCIL, INKS, WATERCOLORS, ACRYLICS, OILS, CHALKS, CRAYONS, MARKERS, or the KITCHEN SINK!!! Put as much effort as you can into it! I want to see what talented young folks we have here on Trapperman! Then have someone take a nice brightly lit photo or scan of it and post it here with your story!!

ONCE AGAIN, THE CONTEST ENDS AT 9 PM EASTERN TIME ON CHRISTMAS EVE !! NO EXCEPTIONS. YOU FOLKS ON CENTRAL, MOUNTAIN, AND PACIFIC TIME PLEASE MAKE NOTE!

WE WILL ANNOUNCE THEM HERE ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, SOME TIME AFTER MRS. CLAUS HAS HAD HER COFFEE…..

PM ME IF YOU OR YOUR FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS.

WELL KIDS, I SUGGEST YOU GET BUSY!!!
AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL THE TRAPPERMAN FAMILY!!!

From The Goodman's
Joe, Julie, and Carly
www.JoeGoodmanPrints.com

Joe--you may want to post this,on the kids forum also--some have been asking about it.

Tom

Do the kids post story and copy of drawing as a reply here? tks, Gary J

yes

One of my favorite events. Good luck too all!

The beauty of Nature- By: Brody Burke Age-12 Proctor,MN
I believe the beauty of nature comes from waking up early to watch the sunrise and catch fish as well as long dark drives at night watching the moon shine down on your car. It also can come from long hikes in the woods checking traps for beaver trying to stay as dry as you can as the rain comes down with big thick drops. Even sitting in a deer stand for many hours listening to the birds rise and come back to your shack or cabin hoping you will have more luck the next day. Or watching the first snowfall come knowing summer is over and it's winter and getting closer to the new year. It comes from days at a nearby lake searching for agates and having the opportunity to swim and meet new people. It comes from the first week at a campsite with a big fire and smores signaling summer is near and knowing the next morning you will be able to have that opportunity least one more time. That is what I believe is the beauty of nature.
posted by Gary J

The Beauty of Nature
By Karis Phillips - 11 years old
Grand daughter of Steve Phillips (Riverotter)

Nature is Gods creation, and it is beautiful in many ways. We are to enjoy it and use it as he meant, not to abuse it. The land, the waters, the trees and plants, and birds and animals. My favorite part is the animals, especially the bright colored birds. I love the Red Bird (Cardinal). It is so bright and colorful and sings. They eat seeds and bugs, they really love sunflower seeds. You can enjoy watching them around bird feeders, guarding the seeds from other birds.

I see Red birds around my grand parents house, they have several bird feeders. One day, I was walking around outside and saw a bright colored bird on the ground, it wasn't flying off. It seemed hurt, I went over and picked it up in my hand, it stayed for a few seconds and flew off. I hope it was ok. It was so pretty and soft. They say a Red Bird is a sign of an angel of your loved one that has passed.

I would like to welcome Karis & Brody to my Christmas contest! WoW!!! Two excellent entries, for sure! I hope you other kids get busy working on your entries. REMEMBER, the deadline is tonight at 9 pm eastern time! Good luck everyone!!

Joe Goodman

Here is 9 year old George's picture. I'll type out his story when I get another break.

Sa’adrii Pope
13
Please PM me for address
Plants with personalities
The sun sparkled over the flat green meadow, many unique plants where dancing in the soft breeze each with their own personality and stories. Some bitter some sweet but all designed by mother nature so each one designed with a beautiful feature.
The Lilys sang a soft toon to wake up all the bees reminding them of a full day of work ahead. The Fireweed await to be selected by little children to be taken home to their mothers as a token of love, the Fireweed are pleased to be picked because they believe they are the most beautiful of them all. The Chicory flowers stand sour because they like to cause trouble when a baby cub tries to eat it, it likes to retaliate with bitterness.
The Dandelions are the most confident of them all waiting for their time to shine, where they turn into fluffy balls of what seems like cotton for young children to wish on when they dream big. But for berries they are the most prepared sitting low to not be seen by the bear, but all are loved the same by the mother of nature who gave them their name.

THE HUNT FOR A PACK
BY KIERAN, AGE 10

Once there was a wolf named Ryan who was alone. He was alone because his mate had died when they were hunting a bear. He needed to leave to find a new mate. He spent the rest of the day hunting to get ready.

Early in the morning he woke up and started travelling and he made it past the forest, and he made it to a large plain. He had a big problem. He could not find a place to stay for the night. It was a new moon and it was so dark Ryan could barely see. While he was walking he found a marten den, and a marten came out. The marten saw him and started to attack him. He started battling the marten and defeated it. Now he had a place to sleep so he went to bed. In the morning he was hungry so he went hunting and found a group of rabbits and killed two of them and ate. He found a lake and got a sip of water.

Ryan got to the end of the plains and stepped in quicksand. He started to panic and couldn’t escape. He was slowly sinking. Then he found a rope that was in the quicksand so he started to pull himself out. He got out and then started walking again and made it into a forest and it started snowing. In a few minutes it started to get really cold but soon Ryan found a tree that had fallen over so huddled under it and went to sleep. In the morning he woke up and it had stopped snowing so he kept going. He came across three other skinny wolves. They started to attack him. Soon Ryan saw a few vines hanging overhead. The plan was to climb up to the trees and outsmart them by getting caught in the vines. He started to climb and they followed. They followed him and one by one they fell and got tangled.

For the rest of the day, Ryan walked and as the sun was setting he found a mountain with pine trees. It was a full moon, and Ryan could see far despite the snow beginning to fall. He started looking for shelter but saw another wolf in the snow. Ryan cautiously approached the wolf. He saw that there was a cave behind her as he approached the other wolf.

“My name is Ryan, what is yours?,” he said.

“I am Shadow, why are you here?,” she responded.

“I am here to find a mate. Will you be my mate Shadow? We are both here alone.”

“I will be your mate, Ryan,” Shadow answered.

One year later….they ran under a full moon on a snowy night with three pups running behind them.

The End (or maybe)