The announcement of the closing of the Lowell Showboat in the first days of the new year 2017, after months of city officials’pondering how to save the landmark came as a surprise to some. W…
Source: Lowell Showboat closes
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Lowell Showboat closes
The announcement of the closing of the Lowell Showboat in the first days of the new year 2017, after months of city officials’pondering how to save the landmark came as a surprise to some.
Watch for full story.
Lowell Showboat closes | Fox17
Healthy outlook 2017
Have a healthy outlook on 2017.
Source: Healthy outlook 2017
Healthy outlook 2017
Healthy outlook on 2017
Healthy body starts with a healthy mind
By Emma Palova
EW Emma’s Writings
Lowell, MI- I am looking forward to a healthy new year 2017 that begins with us. It’s not about what 2017 has in store for us, but what we have in store for 2017.
Physical health starts with a healthy mind of having a positive outlook on each day ahead of us. Even though 2016 is gone, we draw on its strengths, not weaknesses. We let the past powerful moments carry us forward, no matter how low or high they were.
We transform them into a new physical, emotional and spiritual entity. With a healthy mind we can tackle anything. A sick mind produces a sick body, and vice versa.
Healing curcuma
Healing and overall wellness can come in many forms, and from many different directions. I’ve learned to recognize these seemingly insignificant directions. The body talks in…
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Happy New Year 2017
Best wishes into 2017, a sincere thank you for 2016 to all my readers around the world.
Source: Happy New Year 2017
Happy New Year 2017
I would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year 2017. May all your dreams come true in the upcoming year. May it bring peace and love around the world.
Let it fill us with joy.
On this last day of the year 2016, known in Czech Republic as Silvester, my heart goes out to my readers around the world.
A sincere thank you to all my followers for a very fruitful 2016 filled with deep appreciation for the passion to write.I am thankful for the ability to transform the human experience into stories.
This is my story.
You motivate and inspire me on my writing journey every day. You make me who I am.
Love always,
Emma
Copyright (c) 2016 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
In Retrospect 2016
Looking back at the second half of 2016
Note: This is the second post on the Daily Post theme “Retrospective” on https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/retrospective/
By Emma Palova
EW Emma’s Writings
Lowell, MI- The second half of 2016 rocked and we rocked with it. We rocked the Milky Way as we elected the 45th president, Mr. Donald Trump by the vote of the Electoral College.
We’ve seen stars rise, shine and fall; both on the human scene and in the sky. Most recently we marked the death of Carrie Fisher better known as Princess Leia in Star Wars. Her mother Debbie Reynolds, the star of the 1952 “Singin’ in the Rain” musical died one day later.
Hometown Christmas “Up North.”
Mr. Edwin Roth at a Christmas party in 2016 with Frank Brechbiel.
Artist Linda Kropf Phillips with first sketches.
They joined a string of deaths of famous personalities in 2016, starting with David Bowie in January and Prince in April.
We proudly watched the summer Olympic Games in Rio 2016.
We lived through nature’s wrath at us in tornadoes and fires, as we ran human stampedes in malls seeking deals after Christmas.
Finally, we were so disappointed after the much coveted “Hatchanimals” that didn’t hatch.
It was a year to remember, personally and nationally.
Things lost, things found in 2016
Summer breaks rediscovered
In July, I rediscovered the magic of the summer break as our granddaughter Ella Chavent, 6, of Fixin’, France spent her first summer on our three-acre ranch in northeast Kent County.
Starting in July, every morning I took her to the St. Pat’s summer school in Parnell, MI so she can improve her English.
“Grandma, tell me one of your stories,” she asked.
Paris from a rooftop restaurant with the view of the Eiffel Tower.
During our brief ride, accompanied by the music of Queen, I told Ella about “that dude with the fancy Corvette,” who almost ran over a boy.
Together, we celebrated Christmas in July after I bought Santa and rocking horse ornaments at an estate sale in Fallasburg for quarter a piece.
“Who died?” I asked at the sales tent which featured lovely items like a black J. Marco Galleries dress with a perfume bottle pattern.
“Our sister did,” said the lady at the dress tent. “We miss her.”
We went to the Picnic Pops concert in Canonsburg to listen to the music of Queen. We beat the heat on the beach in South Haven and explored Ella’s first fairs: the Ionia Free Fair and the Kent County Youth Fair in Lowell.
We gardened and picked red currant to make currant pies, we bought tart cherries at H&W Farms in Belding and made tart preserves and syrup.
Ella went on her first field trips to local farms.
Motivated by Ella who was going to a catholic school, I returned back to church after a 10-year long sabbatical.
Chaos in my mind
Our international family clan on July 4th under the pergola.
And a new journey has begun. I still have on the fridge Ella’s paper star with these words:
“You were made for greatness,” Pope Benedict.
August, Burgundy revisited
Ella and I headed back to France in mid-August. I had her on a leash and she carried in her backpack a collection of stuffed animals.
“They are my tain tains,” Ella said passionately. I could only feel what tain tains mean.
“Grandma, hold on to me, I need you,” she said.
We held on together as we landed at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris after a sleepless flight.
“Nice to meet you,” said a woman in a short skirt.
“Selene, this is mom,” Doc Emma introduced us. “Mom, this is our friend and au pair, Selene.”
Selene was the first of a colorful set of characters, I was to meet during my third stay in Burgundy.
From my studio on Rue Magniens in the peaceful wine village of Fixin’ I wrote about the “Climates” aka vineyards in the aftermath of the Bastille Day killings in Nice.
September, things new. .Podcast platform
Upon my return from France, I dedicated my studio time to new accounts, such as the Americas Community Voices Network as we headed into the election.
It was a feverish time of exploring and discovering on both the WordPress and Podcast platforms.
The fall at the Pala ranch means preservation of pickles and tomatoes. Why? Because you have to answer to winter when she asks.
“What did you do in summer?” so goes the old Czech saying.
October, things old, things new
October delivered a bang in many different ways, on many different levels. My cousin Brona Pink of Stipa, maintenance manager for Zoo Lesna, visited the USA for the first time. He stayed at my parents’ Ella & Vaclav Konecny in Big Rapids.
Today, I wish we had spent more time together.
We also celebrated our wedding anniversaries, Ludek and mine, along with our son’s Jake & Maranda.
On Oct. 21, the Rockford Ambulance took me to the Metro Hospital on M-6 aka “Hotel.” I passed out from exhaustion and dehydration, and I started a new path to better health and wellness.
November ushers in president-elect Trump
In spite of my better judgment, I voted for Mr. Donald Trump on Nov. 8th. As a lifelong Democrat I voted Republican for the first time. Doc Emma missed the election by one day.
“Good, at least she couldn’t vote for Trump ,” my mom Ella said angrily.
Tired of old Washington tactics, much like the rest of the nation, I was ready for a change.
A spiritual and physical change in everything.
I started with myself; I did a thorough inventory of my mind and my physical belongings.
I have fiction manuscripts collecting dust on the shelves in my studio. They’re good stories. I was the bad one.
I stopped the rut of yo-yo dieting and overeating. I cleaned the shelves of my pantry and threw out a lot of old things.
If perfection exists in this world, the family Thanksgiving 2016 was next to perfect. As a family we got together, we didn’t fight, nobody got drunk and we didn’t burn the turkey.
After the holiday, my parents left for their winter stay in Venice, Florida, as fires blazed in Kentucky and tornadoes whipped Alabama.
December whips and shakes
Dec.7, 2016- On the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, I tied yellow ribbons of hope around our ranch.
On Dec. 7th, I published the first installment of the 2016 IW Inspiring Women series featuring artist Linda Kropf Phillips of Lowell at https://emmapalova.com/2016/12/07
Dec. 8- I started marketing a brand new account for Costa Rica on ETravel & Food at https://etravelandfood.wordpress.com/2016/12/08/visit-jaco-costa-rica/
Dec. 10- Together with the Fallasburg Historical Society, we celebrated the biggest “Christmas at Fallasburg” party ever, thanks to the power of the social media.
“Thank you Mr. Zuckerberg, your Facebook helped me make the party a huge success.
No pun intended, but it was a party for the “history books.”
On Dec. 17, I passed the Czech Christmas baking tradition on to granddaughter Josephine Marie Palova, 3. She joins the gallery of the Palova bakers spanning generations of traditional Czech baking.
Yesterday on Dec 28, I mourned the loss of my doggie friend, Annie. Annie was the neighbor’s dog who filled in the gap after my dog Haryk died almost three years ago.
“We’re heartbroken,” our neighbor announced Annie’s death.
“I loved her like my own dog,” I responded in tears. “Goodbye, Annie.”
As we close on this year, and the red dogwood twigs in Christmas bouquets have new shoots, the yellow ribbons are still hanging around the house.
Dec. 29- Today is my brother Vas’ birthday. He has completed 55 trips around the Sun. May he enjoy many more.
“Happy birthday, Vas.”
Copyright © 2016 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
END
2016 Retrospective Kaleidoscope
Looking back into the future
By Emma Palova
EW Emma’s Writings
Lowell, MI – As I look back at 2016 like into a colorful kaleidoscope that keeps changing when I move it, I see a clear picture of the past.
I move it again, and I can see how the little pieces are transforming into the future, that is the upcoming year 2017.
Sometimes I shake that kaleidoscope violently, so that the picture changes into what I want it to be.
Well, it never is what I wanted it to be. Just like the molecules and atoms in space keep fusing and defusing, so do the events that these little pieces form not always to our liking.
And I have to quote Mr. Albert Einstein:
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
As in years previous, I looked deeper and deeper into what I saw around me. At times, experts call this,” being aware.”
Things lost and found in 2016, things old and new
On the last day of January in 2016, I rediscovered the power of the church in the christening of grandson Dominik Ludek Pala at St. Rose Catholic Church in Hastings, MI.
I had broken away from the church for many years. As I watched the christening rituals and both of my adult children, Emma & Jake, standing at the altar with the baby at the center of attention, I realized something big was happening inside and out.
My brother Vas was sitting in the first pew to the right, Dominik’s uncle, war veteran Tony was holding the baby, and my daughter Doc Emma Chavent flew in from Dijon, FR to be the Godmother to Dominik.
The church united us all together regardless beliefs, distance or occupation.
Things lost for 10 years: the church, but not faith
In February, I rediscovered Florida, that some people Up North lovingly call southern overrated “Hicksville,” either flooded by tourists or college kids on their spring break.
I’ve been going to Venice, FL for writer’s retreats since 2009. This time, our entire group led by Doc Emma went to Saint Petersburg. And I loved it. I loved St. Pete for its cosmopolitan feel, culture and secluded historical beaches.
Things lost: St. Pete’s city pier that has been rebuilt many times was gone to make way for a new one.
In March, I observed my son Jake’s birthday too sick to go to Hastings. On March 8th, which is International Women’s Day, I gave accolades to all the women who are making a difference in this world in my popular series on EW Emma’s Writings “Inspiring Women.”
Also my favorite feature post on March 19th is “Czech Name Days” honoring my grandpa Joseph along with millions of Josephs around the world.
We celebrated Easter on March 27, still without my parents Ella & Vaclav, who winter in Venice, FL.
I wasn’t even a CEO (Christmas, Easter, Only) visitor to church on that festive Easter Sunday, when most of the women wear white dresses.
However, I wrote about the age-old custom, the whipping of girls and women in “Memoir highlights Czech & Slovak Easter Traditions” in Czech Republic. The post generated incredible controversy about being evil to women.
See post :https://wordpress.com/post/emmapalova.com/167550
Things lost: me
April to me signifies spring, here in the North. I gave it salute in many different ways: April 8th, according to Czech calendar is Emma’s name day. Throughout the year, I write posts about Czech name days wondering why Hallmark has never jumped on this social occasion. Many countries around the world celebrate name days, not just Saint Patrick of Ireland.
My daughter Doc Emma was also born on that day in the old country Czechoslovakia.
Her birth certificate is now a historic document, a testament to the changing times in the former socialist country. It reads, born in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia. The Moravian city Gottwaldov no longer exists under that name. It took back on the old name from the capitalist times under the industrialist Bata, and that is Zlin.
It was also the 45th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. I usually write the post “Earth Day” to honor Mother Nature. Locally, the sign by Wege/Wittenbach Environmental Center in Lowell best expresses my feelings at any time of the year, and especially now as we enter 2017:
“May Peace Prevail on Earth.”
May is big, anyway you look at it. It’s “Mother’s Day” and the earth blossoms to honor all mothers. I celebrate my birthday on May 9th with my family and my friends. The annual get together on our three-acre ranch surrounded by lilacs in northeast Kent County is the highlight of my year.
Top row: Eliska and Anna.
May 9th also coincides with the “Czech national holiday” that celebrated the freeing of Czechoslovakia from the Nazi occupation in 1945 when Soviet troops arrived in Prague.
The modern calendar changed it to May 8th when the Americans freed the beer city of Pilsner in western Bohemia.
I call the change in the date of the biggest Czech national holiday, a farce in history, depending on who you are currently serving. Actually, it is a little piece in that ever-changing kaleidoscope.
Naturally, people critiqued me for using the real date of freedom for the Czech national holiday. For me it was a lot like changing the American Fourth of July Independence Day to let’s say July 3rd.
History, and the way we live it and change it to our own fancy, is an endless source of inspiration to me.
On May 13, 2016, I picked back up the “Greenwich Meridian” memoir which was the reason, why I started blogging in the first place in January of 2013.
Based on that, I published the post “Picking up the Pieces” on https://emmapalova.com/2016/05/13/picking-up-the-pieces/
I call June the month of the Gemini and the Summer Solstice. I write about both in my posts. Three of my great friends are all Geminis. I don’t know if that is a coincidence or some kind of a card trick that I could use.
In June of 2016, I found a friend that I thought I had lost a long time ago. I found her in such a way that even a kaleidoscope couldn’t put a picture like that together. I am sure I will write about this in 2017.
Right now she is calling me for the fourth time, so I am wrapping up the first half of the year 2016.
Written also in response to the Daily Post Retrospective
The second half of 2016 will continue, stay tuned…..
Copyright © 2016 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
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