Milly – Part 1

Please follow Jennie’s series on Milly — through part 4!

A Teacher's Reflections

Our “This Land is Your Land” quilt was the last quilt my class made.
Let’s start at the beginning.
How did quilting in my classroom even begin?
It was a divergent pathway.

Every good story has a great backstory.  To know how Milly came into my life and tell you about her early years in my classroom, I have to back up and tell you what really happened.  It’s a great story, and began what would become a legacy.  Hang onto your hat!

“It happened like this…”

My husband and I were at a fall wedding in Philadelphia.  We had an hour to spare, and went to the historic district to visit Carpenters Hall. After the tour, we had ten or fifteen minutes until all the museums closed.  Directly across the street was the National Liberty Museum, so we headed over.  Walking into the museum I was thunderstruck by a…

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A Wish For A Happy Writing Day!

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This is a simple wish for a happy and productive writing day for all the writers out there!

I hope you are able to reach your daily goals and keep your WIP going forward!

So, Happy Writing Day! (This is an unofficial declaration!)

Thoughts From Chaucer and Shakespeare

Today I will offer a few quotations from writers from earlier eras about creativity, learning, and teaching.

(illustration from Cassell’s History Of England – Century Edition – published circa 1902)

“And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche”

“And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.”

These are the Middle English and the Modern English versions of this quotation from “The General Prologue” of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. This idea is of enormous importance to me, because I am both a teacher and a life-long student.  All people should try to continue to learn throughout their lives and to teach someone else the wisdom they have amassed.

(Portrait of William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor
NPG London)

“Suit the action to the word,

the word to the action, with this special observance,

that you o’erstep not the modesty of of nature. For

anything so over-done is from the purpose of playing,

whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to

hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature, to show virtue

her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age

and body of the time his form and pressure.”

                                William Shakespeare (Hamlet Act 3. Scene2. lines 16-23)

Shakespeare speaks to the importance of representing life and humanity as it is and to examine the world in its complexities; it can also be an injunction for all creative efforts. I do not mean we should eliminate abstraction, metaphor, or altered forms, but that, at our core, we are creating art about humanity and our world.

Keep learning and keep sharing what you know.

Baby Stellar~

Here are beautiful photographs from Cindy Knoke!

Curious & handsome,

baby,

stellar jay,

wanted to be friends.

I was most happy,

to oblige!

Cheers to you from the Oregon Coast~

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Quotations on Justice

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“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

                                                                      Elie Wiesel

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“No man is justified in doing evil on the ground of expediency.”

                                                                      Theodore Roosevelt

(https://commons.wikimedia.org)

“When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?”

                                                                       Eleanor Roosevelt

“An injustice to one person is a crime against everyone, and we must always try to achieve true justice in the world.”

                                                                     Charles F. French

Have A Good Writing Day–Everyday!

(https://pixabay.com)

I simply wanted to wish all writers a good writing day–today and always.  I also hope you will have excellent production on whatever project you are tackling.

Never doubt your abilities, and work on getting your first drafts done. They will not be perfect, but you will then have material to revise.

Remember to try to write every day and read everyday.

Happy Writing!

 

Get The Draft Done! is available here: Amazon.com

Gallows Hill can be found here in ebook.

Gallows Hill in paperback can be found here.

An interview about Gallows Hill can be found here.

Please follow the following links to find my novel:

ebook

Print book

Thank you!

The book trailer:

Maledicus:Investigative Paranormal Society Book I

My radio interview:

interview

Available on Amazon

Available on Amazon

Available on Amazon

Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society, Book 1 by Charles F. French — 100 reviews!

Photo by rovenimages.com on Pexels.com

Yay!

Woo-hoo!

My book Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society, Book 1 reached 100 reviews on Amazon!

Here is one of the most recent reviews:

Invite Maledicus into your home, you won’t regret it!

“If you enjoy paranormal and horror tales despite the eerie feelings hanging over your head after you finish a read, I highly recommend Charles F. French’s debut novel: Maledicus. You will become acquainted with a trio of retired old friends who become determined to unveil a sinister haunting. This novel explores grief, friendship, and love while still piercing your mind with horrid depictions of torture and pain. French’s storytelling will take through history from the early roman empire to our present-day Pennsylvania. This multi-layered thriller will leave you wanting more so don’t forget to check out French’s other work!”

Best, Brenda

Please follow the following links to find my novel:

ebook

Print book

Thank you!

The book trailer:

Maledicus:Investigative Paranormal Society Book I

My radio interview:

interview

Brittany’s Street Art

Here is an excellent post from Bon Repos Gites on street art in Brittany.

Bonjour From Brittany

There is probably an interesting conversation to be had regarding the nature of graffiti and public art and another on whether graffiti can still serve as a rebellious expression when it is found on sites approved by the municipal authorities. Does graffiti need to be illegal or subversive to properly wear its tag or is safe street art equally as credible or valid?

This weekend, the capital of my Breton Département of Côtes d’Armor, Saint Brieuc, is hosting the fourth edition of a now popular street art festival. This year, the walls of seventeen buildings across this north coast city are being painted by graffiti artists from across France. Unfortunately, the covid-related travel restrictions have limited the international nature of this year’s festival but previous editions have featured artists from neighbouring Belgium, Germany, Italy and the UK as well as from further afield, such as Peru and Kyrgyzstan.

The images…

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Godless Horror: Life, Death & YouTube Ghost Videos in an Increasingly Theatric World

Please read another excellent post on horror from that extraordinary critic, K. C. Redding-Gonzalez.

Zombie Salmon (the Horror Continues)

It’s been a rough few months. A dear friend lost his battle with cancer, and I have been battling a wicked dental infection and a dying tooth for two months while navigating the weirdness that has become American social behavior – largely very threatening and intimidating aggression by an unpredictable public daily at my job…and elsewhere.

Needless to say, after having to bolt the doors against an unmasked “veteran” threatening to come into our VETERINARY CLINIC and duly express himself in protest against mask-requirements, sporadic curbside requirements and apparently our political ignorance and professional incompetence (and then dealing with typically three or so of these types daily) has been taking its toll. The physical and emotional stress has been all but intolerable. If it weren’t for the love of the animals we see, I would be one of those “enlightened, epiphany job quitters.” But as it stands, I also don’t…

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Requa California~

Please enjoy these lovely photographs from Cindy Knoke!

The Klamath River Estuary is where the 257 mile Klamath River empties into the sea in the community of Requa California.

Requa is located in Yurok County,

on Yurok Native Land.

Portions of Redwood National Park lie within these Yurok lands.

Jim provides perspective!

This is Northern California wilderness,

centered around the wild Klamath River.

The Yurok’s are California’s largest Native American tribe with a population of nearly 5000.

Their territory extends about 40 miles up river. Click to enlarge and you can see the small community of Requa on the left bank of the river.

Cheers to you from Klamath River and Requa California, in Yurok County~

For more on Yurok County & The Klamath River, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klamath_River

https://www.yuroktribe.org/our-history

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