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Happy Valentine’s Day
May all your sweet dreams come true today and every day, because every new day is a celebration in our lives.
Sladkosti k svatemu Valentynovi a ke vsem svatkum. Desserts for your sweetheart for Saint Valentine’s Day and beyond.
Also in response to the Daily Post prompt:
Check out the recipe for the lush Saint Isidore dessert with rum and walnuts at
<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/lush/”>Lush</a>
Top recepty
https://www.toprecepty.cz/recept/15070-rezy-izidor/
Source: Svatek Svateho Valentyna
Writer’s love picks for February
February drives creative work to fruition
By Emma Palova
EW Emma’s Writings
There is something about the month of February, you can call it atmospheric . I was thinking that even before I heard that at a therapeutic meeting earlier this week.
Maybe it’s the overall ambience of the month in between the deep freeze of January and the much coveted arrival of spring in March. If I were to pin the season to the catholic calendar, it is usually the purple time of Lent, except for this year since Lent arrives late with Ash Wednesday falling on March 1.
“Everything is going to be late this year,” my husband Ludek, a chronic complainer, said. “We’re going to have a late Easter.”
No kidding, the Easter Sunday falls on April 16 this year. But, the good news is, the trees here Up North in Michigan will have leaves, and maybe even early blossoms and spring flowers.
We had rain on Tuesday, grayish nothing on Wednesday, a deep freeze on Thursday along with a creepy full moon, and now we are recovering from 20 plus minus degree temperature swings as the work week finally wraps up.
My body” loves” these roller coaster temperatures, and my mind and mood swing accordingly with them.
With the sunshine on Monday, I was at a reasonable high as I met with friends at the “Gathering Place” to discuss progress in our common therapy.
“You know, this really works, let’s do it next Monday again,” T. G. as always was very encouraging.
“I have a lot more stories to tell,” said our new buddy Wendy.
And the mid-week meeting somewhere in the woods next to the old stage-coach road was also a success, all things considered.
Van Gogh painted the Starry Night in Saint Remy.
This is my story.
I do feel grateful for this overall February gap in between the novelty of the new year 2017 and the onset of spring. This February gap finally allowed me to fill the empty spaces on my huge 17-months desktop calendar with my creative work.
Along with Ludek, we made an executive decision that I will self-publish my collection of short stories “Glass Flowers” Copyright (c)2017 Emma Palova. On Thursday, I started pulling the collection of 20-some short stories together after literally years of searching the publishing “maze.”
That search included everything from participating in Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Contests, submitting my short stories to literary magazines, of which, many no longer exist, submitting manuscripts to Writer’s Conferences and of course looking for an agent.
This all-inclusive escapade involved interviews with sales people from several publishing houses that have gone the self-publishing route as well.
“You know Amazon is moving quite fast on this,” said the sales person from Author’s Publish. “We’re keeping an eye on them.”
“Thank you Mr. E. for the tip,” I concluded a series of several hour-long phone interviews after my ear almost fell off. I decided to join the self-publishing mainstream.
Stay tuned for more of my “Publishing Escapades.” Have a great weekend, and a great February. Don’t forget it’s the month of the heart and love. Valentine’s Day is on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
Also some neat events this weekend include:
“Champagne and chocolates” at the Flat River Gallery in downtown Lowell this Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
For more info go to http://www.flatrivergalleryandframing.com
Screening of the “Interlude” at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids.
Love always,
Emma
This post is also in response to the Daily Post prompt @Ambience
Copyright (c) 2017. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Full Moon – February 2017
Sleepless under the full moon
I suffer from insomnia on any given night, let alone when we have a full moon or a super moon.
This morning I woke up at 12:15 a.m. all giddy thinking it was at least 3 a.m. To my huge dismay after tossing around in bed for two hours, I got out of bed to find out that it was only 2: 30 a.m.
Even though I get a lot done in my head, the open sleepless nights are driving me nuts.
However, I credit them for many of my creative works like “Parnell White Nights” (c) 2017, manuscript in progress.
Stay tuned for updates.
Tonight when we were driving home after dinner at a restaurant, I saw the full moon rising up from the east. The sky was still blue and bright, because the sun was still setting on the west. I wish I had a video camera to film both the sun and the moon in the sky. But the sky was getting darker and darker. I just concentrated on taking the photos of the moon. From the first picture of the moon in the blue sky to the last picture of the moon in a completely dark sky, there was only a ten-minute period. I included the February, 2017 Moon Phases calendar, and a description of the Moon Phases. Source: https://stardate.org/nightsky/moon
Weekly Photo Challenge: Ambience
Lowell artist inspires generations
IW Inspiring Women – Jan Y. Johnson
Longtime artist inspires generations embedded in Lowell area
By Emma Palova
EW Emma’s Writings
Note: The IW winter series, which leads up to the International Women’s Day on March 8, features women from all walks of life who continue to inspire others in our communities.
Their positions in the society are not measured by money or the accolades they receive, but by contributions to progress and well-being of all.
Nominate a woman who has inspired you for the series.
Lowell, MI – Artist Janet Y. Johnson, 86, is an icon. Together with artists late David Davis and current Kathleen Mooney, they have created an artistic legacy for generations embedded in the greater Lowell area.
Johnson has been a staple at the Flat River Gallery & Framing in downtown Lowell with countless exhibits of watercolor and acrylic paintings.
The gallery will celebrate its fourth anniversary with the “Let’s celebrate” event with champagne and chocolates on Feb. 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Johnson recalls all the great years of exhibiting and painting in the Lowell area.
“They’re all realistic paintings,” said Johnson about her work.
Some of them go as far back as to the heydays of another icon, the Lowell Showboat on the Flat River in the 1950s.
“I used to sing on it, and then I painted it,” Johnson said during a recent interview at her home.
As we looked at the dark blue watercolor painting of the Showboat with strings of lights floating on the Flat River hanging in the detached studio, one could imagine the lively atmosphere on the deck.
You could almost hear the voices singing:
“Here comes the Showboat.”
Johnson sold two paintings of the Showboat and bought one back when the owner stated, that the painting should stay in the Lowell area.
Johnson has lived in the Lowell area for 57 years.
Growing up on a farm in Alto, Johnson acquired a natural affinity to all animals.
Johnson studied animal drawing at the Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, FL and graduated in 1951.
Prior to that, she studied at the Kendall College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids, and worked as a publication designer for Amway in the 70s.
“It was a wonderful place to work,” she said.
Among her favorites are vivid paintings of exotic animals in circus settings.
Johnson’s most recent watercolor painting is of the Miller Circus which performed in Lowell last August after the fair. She will hang the painting of the circus at the gallery for the new February show.
According to Johnson, the circus ringmaster at the Miller Circus was connected to the Ringlings.
Johnson spent most of 2016 illustrating the children’s book “Gertie Goose.”
“It’s a story about bullying,” said Johnson.
Pat Markle, former teacher of Hastings Schools, wrote the book. This was the third project for the author illustrator duo during the last decade.
The book is available at the Lowell Arts and at the Flat River galleries for $15.
“Gertie Goose” was published by J-Ad Graphics of Hastings in 2016.
“They do a good job,” said Johnson.
For more info on publishing go to www.http://www.j-adgraphics.com/
It is also available on Jan’s Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/janet.johnson.96742277
Johnson’s art will be at the ArtPrize 2017 from Sept. 20 through Oct. 8.
ArtPrize: https://www.artprize.org/jan-y-johnson
For more info on the Flat River Gallery go to: http://www.flatrivergalleryandframing.com
info@flatrivergalleryandframing.com
Copyright (c) 2017 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this story or its photos may be reproduced without the written consent of author Emma Palova. @EmmaPalova
Out of the Woods
A poet’s way
This poem is in response to the Daily Post prompt @clean
Clean
“Out of the Woods”
By Tubie Gilmore
I see a pleasant path, and I begin to ramble
On either side are thorns and rocks
The ground is full of brambles…..
Fallen trees to trip me, the woods are very dark…
But around the corner, and down the path,
I think I can see a park.
I think I’ll walk on the path today, the woods are too scary…
The path is my way,
It has a few hills as I walk toward the park,
But the sun is shining, I am not in the dark……
To get out of the woods
Is simple to do…
Just stay on the path,
And we’ll all walk with you!
Note: The poem was inspired by a therapeutic session with theme “Are we out of the woods” in the “ABC Rooms” held on Feb. 1, 2017.
Copyright (c) 2017. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Graceful
Graceful
In search of grace
By Emma Palova
EW Emma’s Writings
Lowell, MI- I write this not only in response to the Daily Post @graceful photo prompt, but also to find solace and reprieve in grace.
Contrary to my better judgment, I’ve been writing a lot about politics lately. I don’t know if I’ve been doing that to make myself feel better or more responsive to what has been going on in North America, UK and the Middle East.
And I still don’t know if it was the journalist bursting out of me, or the Czech ex-patriot living currently in America. I guess, I’ll never know.
Somebody once said that the worst thing of all is “indifference.” No matter, how hard I try to be immune to it all, the current affairs just bug me.
I am trying to find the grace in me, to accept the future of democracy.
Along with writing about religion, writing about politics, no matter how unbiased, usually gets me into trouble. I really don’t need any distraction at a time when I’ve picked up the momentum to finish the “Greenwich Meridian” memoir about the Konecny family immigration saga.
After coming back from Aunt Marta’s funeral in mid January in Czech Republic, I was so re-energized to finish the memoir, and to pursue the greater Konecny Saga picture. I made space for it in my mind, in my studio and in my work day.
I’ve gathered the necessary research, started the Ancestry Konecny Facebook page, caught up with the Alumni ZDS Stipa page to set the stage for everything to finally wrap up. I have built up the following on social media and most platforms that I know of. I hooked up with a dear director friend whom we seem to have similar goals, at times.
Thanks to my never-ending insomnia, I am caught up with client projects into 2017 as they constantly evolve. I did all the little bureaucracy that I needed to do, put things in fancy five-star folders, and such. I straightened my affairs both here and there, and in between.
I’ve communicated and answered messages both domestic and foreign; on messenger, on text, on Skype, and on phone.
I said hi to an old friend of Irish origin at church last Sunday. I asked about the immigrant family from Africa that the church had sponsored in 2016. I was supposed to teach them English as a Second Language (ESL), but other projects came up.
“Oh, I’ve been neglecting them since it’s so cold outside,” he said. “I really feel bad.”
“Me too,” I thought, without any particular reference to anything.
So what happened? The world happened. I am burnt out like a candle, like the fire in our wood stove.
Even host Alfonso Ribeiro on AFV last Sunday said, “I am out like acid-washed jeans or mullets.”
It’s a cold early afternoon in January. The day is grayish, and so are my heart and soul.
“So, what are you going to do for yourself, today,” Facebook friend Fiosa posted this Monday morning.
Somebody out there on that vast Internet sea responded:
“I am going to look for a job.”
Just before reading that, I arranged my beautiful collection of blooming orchids for a photo shoot for the @graceful photo prompt.
If I really love anything and need anything when I feel whipped, it’s these enigmatic flowers. They literally speak to me in their own language with their beautiful shapes and colors and their bold structure.
They come into full bloom during the deepest frosts Up North in Michigan. They engage in nothing but themselves, in their own grace.
Where do you find grace?
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/graceful/#respond
Thank you for being.
Love always,
Emma
Copyright (c) 2017. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Travel ban with Middle East
Share your thoughts on president Donald Trump ‘s travel ban with the Middle East countries.
According to experts, the executive order banning travel and immigration from the Middle East countries for 90 days is unconstitutional.
White House officials stated Mr. Trump’s executive order is for safety and security of the USA, according to major media networks.
Contact Emma @EmmaPalova #emmapalova #ewwritings and the Americas Community Voices Network with your opinion or your story.
ACVN on http://www.americascommunityvoicesnet.org
Copyright ( c ) 2017. Emma Blogs LLC. All rights reserved.
Do acts of kindness!
I just posted a response to this on my EW Emma’s Writings:
“Be kind, love like a kid.”
Friday of the Third week
Of Ordinary Time
Hebrews 10: 32-39
Mark 4:26- 34
What does it mean to do an act of kindness? Give me examples.
Have you ever done an act of kindness? What have you done that was an act of kindness?
Raise your hand if you did an act of kindness?
In our Gospel, we hear a parable of a mustard seed.If you have ever seen a mustard seed, it is one of the smallest seeds. It is very hard to look at a mustard seed and know that it will grow into a large bush, measuring ten feet tall. Who would ever imagine that this very little seed would grow into a tall bush that is perfect for birds to nest and to come to rest?
We need to do as many acts of kindness as we can because we…
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