Comments on Julie Zickefoose: How Do You Spell "Shitepoke?"

One could do worse than come up on the first page ...

2009-03-20T15:54:00.000-05:00

One could do worse than come up on the first page when you google Shitepoke. Neil, I hope you come back. There's lots more whitewash where this came from.

When I was growing up in North Carolina, my father...

2009-03-20T15:23:00.000-05:00

When I was growing up in North Carolina, my father's family used the word shitepoke to refer to herons. I never knew what it meant or where it came from. I had forgotten the word until I ran across it in an old Robert Ruark essay and Google'd it. That led me to your explanation.

Thanks for solving a childhood mystery in such a hunorous way!

My sweet and saintly Grandpa used occasionally to ...

2008-08-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

My sweet and saintly Grandpa used occasionally to tell me I was full of stewed prunes. I was many years grown before it clicked, and I was a bit shocked when it did.

Thank you for the experience! I've watched the big...

2008-08-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

Thank you for the experience! I've watched the big herons fly many a time here in AZ but never seen one empty out.

LOG: "flushes easily," LOL!! I didn't even reali...

2008-08-13T18:24:00.000-05:00

LOG: "flushes easily," LOL!! I didn't even realize I had made that joke!

~Kathi

Interesting how many comments this post has provok...

2008-08-13T12:11:00.000-05:00

Interesting how many comments this post has provoked...

A few years ago, as I was driving along a great blue heron arose flying out of roadside drainage ditch, flying eye level for awhile besides my car and then lifting gracefully up up above eye level. Just as I was marveling at its lyrical grace and elegance, it let go with what you refer to as "the giant dollop of fish emulsion exiting its cloaca".

Well that was an eye opener to say the least...no lie, it looked like it was dropping an entire bucket of white paint as it flew.

Even though the GBH had the consideration not to fly drectly over my car, I shut my sun roof anyway. Sort of a reflexive reaction.

For your edification, here's a comment from a frie...

2008-08-13T11:33:00.000-05:00

For your edification, here's a comment from a friend who doesn't like, do the Google account thing.

"I don't think the pronunciation has much to do with politeness. Shite (with a long i) is a recognized variant, probably used most commonly in the UK and some former Commonwealth nations. First few times I heard it was from ANZUK military in the Vietnam era. They weren't particularly polite folks, by the way. I wondered then whether it might be cognate with the German Scheisse, but I don't think so.

Really...I wouldn't shite you."

Well, I'll never look at herons the same way again...

2008-08-13T11:11:00.000-05:00

Well, I'll never look at herons the same way again! That's so funny - I had never even heard that name for them. I guess there's nothing like a good poo joke.

Sweet ol' Grampa. My interaction with Charlie cons...

2008-08-13T10:25:00.000-05:00

Sweet ol' Grampa. My interaction with Charlie consisted of him trying to poke me with his cane, a ferocious look on his face. Sometimes, in a show of affection, he would call me over to look at his frostbitten toes.

I have just laughed myself limp, especially since ...

2008-08-13T10:09:00.000-05:00

I have just laughed myself limp, especially since my grandfather used to refer to all us kids as "Shitepoke". I never had any idea...

Julie,If you google "colloquial name for heron" th...

2008-08-12T23:17:00.000-05:00

Julie,
If you google "colloquial name for heron" this blog post is #1 on the list!
Who'd have thought :0)
Caroline in South Dakota

I really am laughing out loud. Julie, you are fun...

2008-08-12T20:27:00.000-05:00

I really am laughing out loud. Julie, you are funny and heartwarming at the same time.

Lynne, I'd think a sloughpumper would be an Americ...

2008-08-12T20:19:00.000-05:00

Lynne, I'd think a sloughpumper would be an American bittern...something we're short of in Southern Ohio. Isn't there another special name for a green heron?

KG Mom, you're onto something! Don't you love knowing that a section of your town might be named "Sh-tbag?"

And you guys wanna know what's wonderful about the Web? Google "shitepoke," and this post pops up on the first page, #8 out of about 5,000 entries. Think of the curiosity seekers it could lead to this blog. No wonder the readership is so diverse and interesting!

Now you have it. Shitepoke has meaning. Next tim...

2008-08-12T19:54:00.000-05:00

Now you have it. Shitepoke has meaning. Next time I flush herons, I'll know what to look for and laugh as you did. And I'll remember you and your dear Dad, too. I would love to have known him. You need to get that canoe out more often ;-)

That's a new one on me! Too too funny! Glad you ...

2008-08-12T19:01:00.000-05:00

That's a new one on me! Too too funny! Glad you enjoyed the laugh with you dad!

"he flushes so easily" ... ohhhhh Katdoc.Nice comb...

2008-08-12T18:34:00.000-05:00

"he flushes so easily" ... ohhhhh Katdoc.

Nice combination of the ridiculous and the sublime, Julie.

Aww--Julie--this post is funny and tender and info...

2008-08-12T18:33:00.000-05:00

Aww--Julie--this post is funny and tender and informative, all mixed up in one wonderful piece.

It also makes me wonder about the origin of the name of a section of the city I live near. There is a section named Shipoke--pronounced SHY-poke. No idea where the name came from, but since it is right on the river banks, and we do have herons flying, I'm wondering.

I never heard "shitepoke," but the name fits, does...

2008-08-12T18:10:00.000-05:00

I never heard "shitepoke," but the name fits, doesn't it?

I have a resident Green Heron at my pond this year, and I'll be blessed if I can get any kind of decent photo of him - he flushes so easily. Still, I'm glad to know he is there.

Many things still make me think of my DOD, gone these 20 years. I still miss him, every day.

~Kathi

I've heard that expression but up here the country...

2008-08-12T17:18:00.000-05:00

I've heard that expression but up here the country name is "Slough pumper"

My eyes zeroed in on that poo stream right away.

Oh Julie! I grew up in southern Ohio calling them...

2008-08-12T16:54:00.000-05:00

Oh Julie! I grew up in southern Ohio calling them shitepokes and my family members still do. It never once ocurred to me what it means. You are so funny and smart!