The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below. My story continues from last week. Two people with different beliefs meet. Can they make it work. Let’s find out what is next for them. To read the story from the beginning, click HERE
Credit: Al Forbes
Could a Donkey Love An Elephant (Part 4)
When Roger and Julie were finished their coffee, Roger said, “Would you like to go to dinner with me next week?”
Julie smiled when she answered him, “I would like that. Let me give you my number.”
Taking out his phone, Roger entered her number and said, “I’ll give you a call during the week but now I have to meet my father. He is probably finished at the rally by now.”
Stepping out onto the sidewalk, Roger and Julie moved toward the crosswalk where the indicator changed to “walk”. Suddenly there was a screeching of tires and the blowing of horns. An old woman dressed in dirty rags lay in the middle of the street, her shopping cart overturned and all her belongings strewn everywhere. No one came forward to help the homeless woman.
Moving fast toward the fallen woman, Julie said, “Roger call 9-1-1!”
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below. My story continues from last week. Two people with different beliefs meet. Can they make it work. Let’s find out what is next for them. To read the story from the beginning, click HERE
Credit: Al Forbes
Could a Donkey Love An Elephant (Part 3)
Lifting his cup, Roger said, “When you’re not protesting our next President, what do you do with your time?”
Julie smirked about the way he asked but answered him. “I’m an equine dental technician. I help horses all over the state keep their healthy smiles. How about you Roger?”
“Horses? That sounds interesting. I am a CPA at a firm in New Jersey.”
“He won’t be our next President you know. He cannot if women’s rights are to move forward.”
Roger hadn’t been following women’s rights in the news but he knew they strongly opposed the Republican platform. Right now he wanted to move their conversation away from their political differences.
“I think for now we should agree to disagree. I want hear about your work with horses. Why teeth?”
“Agreed.” Julie took a sip of her latte and told him about the world of equine medical services. She found she liked this man and want to get to know him.
“Horses begin cutting teeth within a week of birth. Their teeth are one of the most important aspects of their health. I’ve been around horses my entire life so it was a nature progressing for me.”
“I’ve never ridden a horse.”
“I think we need to remedy that. You should come out to my family’s stables soon.”
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below. My story continues from last week. Two people with different beliefs meet. Can they make it work. Let’s find out what is next for them.
Credit: Al Forbes
Could a Donkey Love An Elephant (Part 2)
“Are you hurt? Let me help get away from these crazy protesters.”
“I am not hurt. CRAZY? We are not crazy.”
That is when Roger noticed her fallen placard. The thought that this beautiful women was one of these crazy Democrats, sent his mind racing like a tube on an uncontrollable river. He made up his mind and plunged on.
“This may sound kind of crazy. Do you want to get out of here and get a cup of coffee?”
“Weren’t you heading inside to hear that mad man speak? I could use a break.”
“He is not mad but I could miss it this once. I’ll text my dad who is probably already inside.”
After sending the text, Roger and his new acquaintance walk away from the protesting crowd.
With a coffee shop nearby, they crossed the street and entered the little shop.
Even though the shop was crowded, Roger managed to grab a table in the corner.
“I forgot to ask you your name? I am Roger.”
“Pleased to meet you. I am Julie.”
Sitting across from each other, both wondered where to find common ground.
Yesterday while reading through my Twitter news feed, I came across this photograph posted by the USS Hornet Museum @HornetMuseum. At first I thought this would be a great addition to my ancestry records as I thought that my dad would have experienced this Thanksgiving feast but in looking back at the muster rolls, my dad was transferred off on October 25, 1945. The war with Japan was over by this time so the transition to peacetime had already begun. Even though, he would not have been on board for this event, I thought it was a fitting posting for today, Thanksgiving 2015.
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below. My story today cannot be told in 200 words so I will tell it in more then one week of Sunday photo fiction.
Credit: Al Forbes
Could a Donkey Love An Elephant
Our story today is like many you’ve heard before. It has all the elements of a love story and all the elements of a Shakespearean tragedy. Two lovers faced by the great divide from the people in their lives. Sound familiar? It should because just like Romeo and Juliet or Tony and Maria, our lovers meet, fall in love and are torn apart by that great divide.
________
“Karl, I won’t be able to meet you and the guys this weekend. My dad and I are going to Philadelphia,” said Roger.
“The Republican rallies?”
“With any luck we’ll put a Republican in the White House again.”
________
On Saturday afternoon, after finding parking, Roger and his father walked to the hotel where a rally for one of the Republican candidates for President was being held. They had difficulty getting through because a crowd of protesters were blocking the entrance. As Roger reached the steps, the crowd swelled and a woman holding a placard was shoved. When she fell at his feet, Roger reached down and helped her up. She looked into his eyes and he into hers and the world around them fell away.
The New York Post, established on November 16, 1801 as the New-York Evening Post, describes itself as the nation’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper. Today, the newspaper is a tabloid format; however it has a rich history.
Alexander Hamilton
Founded by Alexander Hamilton with about $10,000 from a group of investors it became a well respected broadsheet in the 19th century. Hamilton and his group of investors were from the Federalist party. Hamilton chose William Coleman as his first editor.
William Coleman
The publication changed ownership many times over the year and in 1976, the infamous Rupert Murdoch bought it for $30.5 million. He adopted the tabloid format which is the journalism style of his other newspapers. The newspaper boast having six headlines in the “Greatest Tabloid Headlines” list. Here is one of its most infamous.
Federal regulations limiting media cross-ownership of certain media outlets (Fox Broadcasting Company), Murdoch was forced to sell the publication in 1988; however he acquired it again in 1993. The newspaper has received a lot of criticism since Murdoch’s ownership as it is labeled sensationalism, blatant advocacy,and conservative bias. It has had it’s share of controversies as well. The most sensational of these can be read here. Today, the Post is owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation and shares a building with Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.
As many of my readers know, my mother passed away this year. You may also know that my mother was from Ireland and her Irish heritage was a big part of her life. I’ve been enjoying a series of novels that I am sure my mother would have loved. I wish she was here today so that I could share them with her. With my commute to work, I often listen to books on CD. Oh how my mom would have enjoyed listening to these stories.
Often I go to my local public library and borrow books on CD and when I discover an author that is new to me, I devour every recording available. This is the case recently with the An Irish Country Doctor series of novels by Patrick Taylor. Here are just a few of the book covers from the series. There are currently 11 novels in the series and before long, I will enjoy them all.
My mom was raised on a farm in County Tipperary Ireland which is in the Republic of Ireland. Although the novels by Patrick Taylor take place for the most part in Northern Ireland in a village a short distance from Belfast, the description of the village and the folks that live there makes me think of my mom’s life in Ireland. In these novels the reader is transported to rural Ballybucklebo in County Down, Northern Ireland. No it is not a real village name but there are likely many villages like it and after reading these novels, I want to go there. County Down is a real place. It is one of six counties in Northern Ireland. Any one of the small villages in the county could be Ballybucklebo.
These aren’t ancient stories. The setting of the first novel, An Irish Country Doctor is 1964. Some of the novels flashback to an earlier time in one or more character’s lives but for the most part it is the mid 1960s. They are not stories in a vacuum either. While Patrick Taylor focuses on the people of this rural village, he also throws in a little Irish history as well as Irish and world current events happening at the time. Just a touch without turning the stories into political points of view.
Not being in the medical profession, I am fascinated by the way Patrick Taylor weaves the medical stories into his novels. You learn a few things without being overwhelmed and some of them are quite humorous.
My mom often referred to the Banshee but she never expounded too much about her. In An Irish Country Girl, I learned so much Irish folklore. This novel is 4th in the series and is one of the flashback stories I mentioned earlier. It takes place in County Cork, Ireland in the late 1920s.
If you are looking for stories that will thoroughly entertain you and you like to be transported when you read, I’ll use a phrase often used by one of the important characters. These stories will come on a treat for you.
Check out what Goodreads.com has to say about these novels. This link also lists them in order and I recommend reading them in order.
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below.
Credit: Al Forbes
Watch Out for the Potholes
“Shane I am sure you’ve heard your father and I talking about how the winter wreaks havoc on the roads. I only mention it again because you are a new driver. Watch out for the potholes.”
“Sure mom.” Shane hadn’t looked up when his mom was speaking. With his eyes glued to the television, he was achieving his highest score yet on Grand Theft Auto.
Frowning in frustration at her son, Virginia went to the kitchen when she heard the telephone ringing.
“Hello?”
“Hey Mrs. P. Is Shane at home?”
“Tanya? Sure just a minute.”
Virginia handed her son the receiver as he came into the kitchen and left to give him privacy. After a short while, Shane found her in the family room.
“Tanya is at the mall. Can I borrow the car to meet her.”
“Yes but remember what I said about the potholes.”
——
“9-1-1 What’s your emergency?”
“I’m not hurt but I do need help. I was warned to watch for potholes, but I didn’t expect a sinkhole larger than the car.”
I was searching online and I happened upon a topic on History.com called Halloween by the Numbers.
Did you know that there was a pumpkin grown in 2010 that weighed 1,810 pounds? Here is a reference to judge just how heavy that was. It weighed as much as a dairy cow or roughly half the weight of a small car.
Did you know that U.S. growers produce over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins per year. That is more than twice the weight of hte Empire State Building. The top pumpkin producing states are Illinois, California, Ohio, Pennsylvannia, New York and Michigan.
A pumpkin is a member of the gourd family which includes cucumbers, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, watermelon and zucchini. These foods are native to Central America and Mexico but are now grown on six continents.
46% of American adults carve a pumpkin for Halloween.
On October 18, 1767, in order to settle a boundary dispute, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon complete a survey of the boundary between the colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland as well as areas that would eventually become the states of Delaware and West Virginia.
Hired by the Penn and Calvert families, Mason and Dixon, English surveyors had the task of settling a dispute over the boundary between the colonies owned by these families.
Map of the original Mason and Dixon Line
Through 1760, there had been a lot of border violence between the colonies’ settlers.
The British crown demanded that the parties involved hold to an agreement reached in 1732.
Mason and Dixon were asked to determine the exact whereabouts of the boundary.
What is now referred to as the Mason-Dixon line finally settled the boundary at a northern latitude of 39 degrees and 43 minutes.
The line was marked using stones, with Pennsylvania’s crest on one side and Maryland’s on the other.
A “crownstone” boundary monument on the Mason–Dixon line. These markers were originally placed at every 5th mile along the line, ornamented with family coats of arms facing the state that they represented. The coat of arms of Maryland’s founding Calvert family is shown. On the other side are the arms of William Penn.
In 1763 when Mason and Dixon began, the colonists were in protest over the Proclamation of 1763 which prevented settlement of land beyond the Applachian Mountains. The purpose was to prevent the angering of Native Americans.
When the line was concluded in 1767, the colonies were in a dispute with Parliament over the Townshend Acts, which were designed to raise revenue for the empire by taxing common imports including tea.
An American colonist reading with concern the royal proclamation of a tax on tea in the colonies, part of the Townshend Acts; political cartoon, Boston, 1767. Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The line would come into play twenty years later when in the late 1700s, the states south of the Mason-Dixon line would begin arguing for the perpetuation of slavery. Those north of the line hoped to phase out human ownership. With the Missouri Compromise of 1820, this argument was set to rest for a time being. Through this compromise, the nation accepted that the states south of the line are slave-holding and those north of the line are free. The compromise eventually failed.
The Missouri Compromise
One hundred years after Mason and Dixon began their survey for the boundary dispute, soldiers from opposite sides of the line fought against each other in the Battle of Gettysburg.
The Battle of Gettysburg by Currier and Ives
One hundred and one years after the line was completed, it was finally decreed in the United States that men of any complexion born within the nation had the rights of citizenship. This was through the ratification of the 14th Amendment.
Chuck Yeager broke the 768-mph sound barrier in 1947 while piloting this experimental Bell X-1 rocket plane.
Just how fast is the speed of sound?
The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit time by a sound wave propagating through an elastic medium. The SI unit of the speed of sound is the metre per second (m/s). In dry air at 20 °C, the speed of sound is 343.2 metres per second (1,126 ft/s). This is 1,236 kilometres per hour (768 mph; 667 kn), or a kilometre in 2.914 s or a mile in 4.689 s.
On October 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound.
Who was Chuck Yeager?
Born in Myra, West Virginia, in 1923
Combat fighter during World War II and flew 64 missions over Europe.
Shot down 13 German planes and was himself shot down over France, but he escaped capture with the assistance of the French Underground.
After the war, he was among several volunteers chosen to test-fly the experimental X-1 rocket plane, built by the Bell Aircraft Company to explore the possibility of supersonic flight.
It was believed by many aviators that attempting to fly faster than the speed of sound would tear up the aircraft. Chuck Yeager put these theories of transonic drag to rest on October 14, 1947. With his X-1, he flew over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California and was lifted to an altitude of 25,000 feet by a B-29 aircraft and then released through the bomb bay, rocketing to 40,000 feet and exceeding 662 miles per hour (the sound barrier at that altitude). The rocket plane, nicknamed “Glamorous Glennis,” was designed with thin, unswept wings and a streamlined fuselage modeled after a .50-caliber bullet.
Chuck Yeager beside the X-1 nicknamed Glamorous Glennis
On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress authorizes the first American naval force which is know today as the United States Navy. Since hostilities were underway since April with the former motherland, Great Britain, there had been little thought about the protection by sea. When news of a British navy fleet being on its way, action was needed. In November, the Continental Navy was formally organized. In December, Esek Hopkins was appointed its first commander-in-chief.
Commodore Esek Hopkins (1718-1802), Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy
The first fleet consisted of seven ships: two 24-gun frigates, the Alfred and the Columbus; two 14-gun brigs, the Andrea Doria and the Cabot and three schooners, the Hornet, the Wash, and the Fly. The Navy often names ships the same as a previous, hence these familiar ship names from the World War two error. The Navy had success during the Revolutionary War with several victories. Afterwards it was disbanded for several years, but formally established again when the Department of the Navy was established in April 1798.
The Assignment: The idea of Photo Fiction is write a story of around 100-200 words (which is also called Flash Fiction) based on a photo as a prompt. In this particular photo fiction, the story must be based on the photo below.
Credit: Al Forbes
Autumn Leaves
Autumn leaves of yellow, orange and red,
On this September 23, 1964, the Paris Opera unveils its new ceiling which was painted as a gift by Belorussian-born artist Marc Chagall. It was typical of his masterpieces with its childlike simplicity, luminous with colors and of a dream world.
Paris Opera Ceiling by Marc Chagall
Who was Marc Chagall?
Marc Chagall
Born in the town of Vitebsk in the Russian empire in 1887.
His parents were Jewish merchants.
The Jewish and Russian folkloric themes to which he was exposed in his youth influenced his artwork
He took up drawing as a child and in 1906 went to St. Petersburg to study art with the help of a rich Jewish patron.
In 1908, he was invited to the Zvantseva School to study under the prestigious theater designer Leon Bakst
In 1908 he produced one of his great works, The Dead Man, a nightmarish painting inspired by a brush with death.
The Dead Man, Marc Chagall 1908
In 1910, another Jewish patron sent Chagall to Paris, rescuing him from what might have been a career confined to folk art.
In Paris he was embraced by avant-garde artists who encouraged him to exploit the seemingly irrational tendencies of his art.
His I and the Village (1911) generated widespread enthusiasm.
I and the Village, Marc Chagall
Chagall entered the artistic phase that many viewed as his best. His pictures, wrought in a variety of artistic mediums, showed a fantastical world in which people, animals, and other figurative elements were cast in bright and unusual colors and seemed to dance and float across the canvas.
He had his first one-man show in Berlin in 1914,
With the outbreak of World War I, Chagall was stranded in Russia during a visit to Vitebsk.
He welcomed the Russian Revolution of 1917, which provided full citizenship for Russian Jews and brought official recognition of Chagall and his art.
He was made a commissar for art in the Vitebsk region and helped establish a local museum and art academy.
He was soon frustrated by aesthetic and political quarrels and in 1922 left Soviet Russia for the West.
He was welcomed as an idol by the Surrealists, who saw in Chagall paintings like Paris Through the Window (1913) an important precursor to their own irrational and dream-like art.
Paris Through the Window, Marc Chagall 1913
He took up engraving and produced hundreds of illustrations for special editions of Nikolai Gogol’s Dead Souls, Jean de La Fontaine’s Fables, and the Bible.
In 1941, he fled with his wife from Nazi-occupied Paris to the United States, where he lived in and around New York City for seven years.
War-induced pessimism and sadness over the death of his wife infused much of his art from this period, as seen in the Yellow Crucifixion (1943) and Around Her (1945).
In 1945, he designed the sets and costumes for the New York production of Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird.
In 1946 Chagall was given a retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art.
In 1948, he returned to France, and eventually settled in the French Riviera village of St. Paul de Vence, his home for the rest of his life.
In 1958, he designed the sets and costumes for a production of Maurice Ravel’s ballet Daphnis et Chloe at the Paris Opera.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he produced stained-glass windows, first for a cathedral in Metz, France, and then for a synagogue in Jerusalem.
In 1964, Chagall completed a stained-glass window for the United Nations building in New York that was dedicated to the late Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold.
Chagall’s stained glass at the United Nations.
Andre Malraux, the French minister of culture, commissioned him to design a new ceiling for the Paris Opera after seeing Chagall’s work in Daphnis et Chloe.
Working with a surface of 560 square meters, Chagall divided the ceiling into color zones that he filled with landscapes and figures representing the luminaries of opera and ballet.
The ceiling was unveiled on September 23, 1964, during a performance of the same Daphnis et Chloe.
As usual, a few detractors condemned Chagall’s work as overly primitive, but this criticism was drowned out in the general acclaim for the work.
In 1966, as a gift to the city that had sheltered him during World War II, he painted two vast murals for New York’s Metropolitan Opera House (1966).
Murals at the New York Metropolitan Opera
In 1977, France honored Chagall with a retrospective exhibition at the Louvre in Paris. He continued to work vigorously until his death in 1985 at the age of 97.
