Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The Legend of Johnny Applehead (FF)

FF - Friday Fictioneers
Copyright - The Reclining Gentleman

According to popular legend, in the early part of the 1800's a man named John Clapman traveled about the countryside in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and elsewhere planting apple trees.

Often going barefoot with no place to sleep at night, John Clapman was dedicated to beautifying the landscape of the new nation.  Over time, he became known as Johnny Applehead.

As Johnny Applehead continued his travels he began planting flowers, shrubs, and bushes as well as apple trees.  Soon he also began leaving garden gnomes, small windmills, picket fences, metal chimes, and aprons with the words "Kiss Me, I’m the Cook" on them.

Today Johnny Applehead Enterprises is America’s largest distributor of garden gnomes and barbecue aprons. According to popular legend, the man named John Clapman was no fool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I'm happy to present this history lesson to my fellow Friday Fictioneers as I realize most people know very little about the legendary Johnny Applehead.  I myself have extensively studied Mr. Applehead for many years with special concentration in Johnny Applehead garden frog figurines, which are awesome!

Also awesome are all of the Friday Fictioneers, whose takes on the above picture prompt will blossom if you click here

Now, who wants to order some chimes?

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

:D Excellent!

liz young said...

How many Clapman ancestors share the proceeds of Johnny's foresight, I wonder?

Anonymous said...

The Gnomes brings the biggest profit I'm sure. Nice one.

Sandra Crook said...

I come here to read and learn. You have enriched my knowledge once more.

Anonymous said...

Where did my comment go? Did you get it? My laptop went weird... I'm going to blame the stupid Blogger interface - can't possibly have been user error.

Anyway, what it said was I've missed reading your stories. It's nice to be back, however briefly.

Jen (elmowrites)

brudberg said...

Ah... yes our garden is filled with a collection of garden gnomes... :-) If just my neighbors could see the value they give to our neighborhood... but they insist that they are tacky.

Russell said...

We have bunnies, frogs, and girls with no arms scattered all through Connie's flower gardens. You'd really love the girls with no arms, Perry. They're not very good huggers, but at least they can't slap you.

Siobhan said...

Seems he certainly was no fool :)

Unknown said...

Well, thank you so much for this little lesson of Johnny Applehead! Of course, the gnomes came from somewhere. And we must have metal chimes! Nothing is quite the same without them, Perry.

Dale said...

A cute story all wrapped up in a history lesson. What more could we ask for? ;-)

Gah Learner said...

Fun story.

margirene said...

Great fun. He was an entrepreneur. No fool indeed.

P.S. Joshi said...

Hilarious, Perry. This business a sideline of yours then. Mr. Applehead seemed to know the taste of gardening Americans and barbecue enthusiasts. I had no idea ourdoor barbecues went back that far. I have indeed learned something today. Mr. Applehead no doubt learned his skills from the Native Americans. It was probably their way of making the white man look rediculous. :D --- Suzanne

P.S. Joshi said...

I think I mispelled "riciculous"forgetting my grammerly spellcheck doesn't work on your program.Perhaps the spirit of Mr. Applehead has played a joke on me. That's as good an excuse as any I guess. :D

P.S. Joshi said...

I must be getting tired. I mispelled ridiculous a second time. It's starting to look ridiculous. :D

Ravyne said...

Fascinating tale :) enjoyed this!

Dawn said...


I believe we have a Johnny Applehead outlet here in Virginia. ;)

Perry Block said...

:D back at ya!

Perry Block said...

Well, however many Clapmen there were, I guess.

Perry Block said...

Yeah, but the "Kiss Me" aprons are second.

Perry Block said...

Yes, that is why I am here. For your enrichment only.

Perry Block said...

Thanks, Jen, I appreciate that. I always like your stories too. And yes, there's something crazy about blogger interface all that messes up comments, especially the nice ones I write to myself.

Perry Block said...

"They are tacky" are fighting words to the Johnny Applehead family.

Perry Block said...

What a good point, sounds like the girls for me! Perhaps I can come live in your garden. (I can come in to eat, right?)

Perry Block said...

Yeah, but I hope he wore shoes. That wasn't so smart to travel five or six states, even if he did put slippers on.

Perry Block said...

Don't thank me, thank Johnny Applehead.

Perry Block said...

Something funny, I would think, but glad you're not pushing for that.

Perry Block said...

Thank you!

Perry Block said...

Yes he was a 19th century Donald Trump only without the hair and the being nuts.

Perry Block said...

Mr. Applehead indeed learned his skills from native Americans because the Europeans had no apron saying "Kiss Me I'm the Cook." But once they did they no doubt looked ridiculous, or however you spell it.

Perry Block said...

Mr. Applehead couldn't spell it either.

Perry Block said...

I never knew you misspelled it once to let you know who looks ridiculous.

Perry Block said...

Thank you. Yes, Johnny Applehead always fascinates.

Perry Block said...

One of the biggest. I heard you're an investor.

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Dear Perry,

I come here to waste my time.(and to have fun) I'm never disappointed. Why is it that I see Russell's face on one of those garden gnomes?

Shalom,

Rochelle