November | 2014 | Perth Words... exploring possibilities.

Archive for November, 2014

Poetry Postcard: Do I know you?

Posted in Art, Love, Poetry, Poetry Postcards, Writing, tagged Art&Poetry, FrancesMacaulayForde, poetry, PoetryPostcards on November 15, 2014| 4 Comments »

#FrancesMForde #poetry

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All that glitters…

Posted in COMMUNITY, MOVIES, Poetry, Romance, Writing, tagged Christie'sAuction, Diamonds, ElizabethTaylor, FrancesMacaulayForde, LessonNo65, PreciousGems on November 14, 2014| 1 Comment »

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I’m drooling over this Daily Mail article about Elizabeth Taylor‘s jewels. Not just the perfectly matched natural stones (I don’t often see totally natural, they’re usually enhanced or created in my world) but also the artistry of the settings.

“Revealed in all its glittering glory: Elizabeth Taylor’s £100m collection of gems, gowns and art goes on display at Christie’s” according to the Daily Mail article today.

I shouldn’t be envious. It’s her beauty (even in her later years) and how she effortlessly engendered love. So much love, her suitors wanted to – not just adore her but adorn her, with precious gems. I’d LOVE to see the exhibition…

Oh, I know it’s decadent, frivolous – selfish to harbor materials which, selling just one could earn enough to feed a small country, but looking at pretty, shiny things makes me so happy!

They say a man who buys jewelry is rare… I have one and a great love. I know which I value more.

Lesson No 65

See, diamonds are hard

as everyone knows,

a girl must have metal

for this century’s woes.

Getting her rocks off

whether blond, red or brunette

no faking, no waiting – Helen,

woman hasn’t peaked yet.

While gentlemen play with image

cream blondes, brunettes achieve.

Red wears stainless steel bands

inscribed with ‘We must believe!’

Don’t strive for tabloid wants

look past the surface bling,

there’s more to a woman

tho’ the sparkle is tempting…

#FrancesMForde #ElizabethTaylor #Diamonds #PreciousGems #Christie’sAuction #LessonNo65

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Tweet – Tweet!

Posted in COMMUNITY, Other blogs, Writing, tagged @FrancesMForde, FrancesMacaulayForde, FrancesMacForde, Twitter on November 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Well, I’ve finally done it – I’ve joined the birds and I’m learning to fly. (My daughter’s suggestion.)

Only have two boards right now ‘Family’ and ‘Writing’ but I’m sure, as I learn to soar, I’ll think of more.

I’ll start with a few Haikus and see how they’re accepted… you can tweet me @FrancesMForde

And my Pinterest Boards are Frances Mac Forde . Follow me 🙂

Perth City

Swan glitters in

sun, shining on palm-fringed

Riverside Drive.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #FrancesMForde #Twitter #FrancesMacForde

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“Sketching in Ireland”

Posted in Ireland, Poetry, Sketching In Ireland, Writing, tagged AdamFaith, FrancesMacaulayForde, poems, SketchingInIreland, WrittenInIreland on November 12, 2014| 2 Comments »

Is this the end of Faith?

(11.11 am 7^th March 2003)

amongst the threats

(no regrets)

Mesopotamia’s verdant fields

about to be trodden by US heels…

a break from balletic visuals

three second take-off’s

while Kitty Hawk

danced on the waves

below

‘Adam Faith has died

at the age of 62’

after stage performance

a heart attack

such a trooper

parading…

performing…

(Work in Progress: ‘Sketching in Ireland’.)

#FrancesMacaulayForde #SketchingInIreland #Poetry #WarPoems #WrittenInIreland #AdamFaith

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The Eleventh…

Posted in COMMUNITY, Poetry, War Years 1939-45, Writing, tagged 100thWW1, BattleOfLongTan, CentenaryWW1, FrancesMacaulayForde, LestWeForget, RemembranceDay on November 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Lest we forget

our freedom hard won,

young lads marched bravely.

We owe them so much;

minute of silence

– indestructibility!

#FrancesMacaulayForde #BattleOfLongTan #RemembranceDay #100thWW1 #CentenaryWW1 #LestWeForget

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Tulip time!

Posted in Writing on November 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I’ve also done a calendar of these photos on Lulu… http://www.lulu.com/shop/sue-coughlan/tulip-time-2015/calendar/product-21892023.html

Perth Words... exploring possibilities.

I’ve just found out Araluenis in bloom early for the annual Tulip Festival, so I thought I’d share some photos taken way back in 2004.

It’s a nice drive up into the Perth Hills to Roleystone and apart from the gardens, the little restaurant does the most amazing Guinness Steak Pie!

Time to pay them another visit Araluen Botanic Park…

#FrancesMacaulayForde #Flowers #Tulips #MassPlantings #Araluen #TulipFestival #BotanicPark

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‘Flowers from Chris’

Posted in McAlpine Bell Publishing, nature, Poetry, Writing, tagged FlowerCalendar, FlowersFromChris, FranesMacaulayForde, LULUCalendar, PhotoMugs, PODLulu, VistaPrint on November 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »

It’s become somewhat of a tradition to put together a calendar of family photos and give a copy to my son, daughter and ex-mother-in-law as a gift for Christmas.

So, most of today has been taken up by sorting family photos (and getting distracted) from 2014, to fill pages of our calender for 2015. I have so many photos and my grandchildren photograph so well, it’s difficult to choose just one or two…or sometimes three for each page.

Our family calender is private and only for us but now I’ve got the hang of it, and as Lulu makes it so easy, I’ve put together another one ‘Flowers for Chris’. My brother Chris gave me a gorgeous bunch of flowers which I photographed – hence the name. It’s available now for anyone to buy. Next project is a calendar of poems…

I did, however, do my usual and order some photo mugs from VistaPrint because they had a special offer of 4 x $20 which is very cheap and as I responded today, there was also a ‘no postage’ deal. As I finished the order I was then offered another free mug if I bought it within 10 minutes, so I ordered that as well! The result was 5 x 5 photo wrapped mugs for $20 landed in Oz . Score!

A Rose

Made of perfect petals,

Each one molded softly.

From a bud exquisite,

It blooms to velvet beauty.

Softly colored from peace white,

To reds, apricots and golds…

Only a few of the many shades

Found in the lovely folds

Of one, more than just an earthly flower

But surely a gift from heavenly bowers.

A gift of love, of peace that grows

Within the depths of beauty ~ a rose.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #LULUCalendar #FlowersFromChris #FlowerCalendar #PODLulu #VistaPrint #PhotoMugs

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Speak Softly

Posted in COMMUNITY, Poetry, Writing, tagged Ambiverts, CreativeRevelations, Extroverts, FrancesMacaulayForde, Introverts, SusanCain, TEDTalks on November 10, 2014| 2 Comments »

People think I’m an extrovert because it’s hard to get me out of my ‘bat cave’.

According to the latest TED Talk by Susan Cain , the world needs introverts but works hard to turn us all into extroverts.

I’ve added her book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” to my wish list.

May I recommend you spend just 19 minutes listening to this lady…

Speak Softly

I think I’m an ‘ambivert’ because solutions matter

but the spotlight is necessary to share my revelations.

Take me back to a Culture of Characters, not Personality

and I will fit in again, feel like I can take time to myself,

create in silence and only, when I’m ready, reveal all.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #SusanCain #Extroverts #Introverts #Ambiverts #TEDTalks #CreativeRevelations

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A delicious dance.

Posted in Books, Hidden Capacity, Love, Poetry, Romance, Writing, tagged FrancesMacaulayForde, HiddenCapacity, POEM:ADeliciousDance, poetry, Recipies on November 9, 2014| 3 Comments »

A delicious dance

In my kitchen

I contemplate a new mix,

a special combination

with heightened flavours.

The perfected recipe.

At last, a chance

to bite into real love!

The thrill of discovery

I’ve tried unsuccessfully

to master, for years.

Many times before,

I tried blending,

picking ingredients

so carefully…

impatiently

stirring the pot.

But I wrongly used

wooden utensils –

failed to find

the perfect dish,

until you added

that extra dash.

That mysterious tang

which previously

eluded my search –

the ultimate formula.

Tempting my taste buds,

leaving them bereft

of that special essence;

everlasting love.

You are the recipe

and lust the icing

on my now perfected

carrot cake of life.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #POEM:ADeliciousDance #HiddenCapacityAPoet’sJourney #Poetry #Recipies

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Christmas already?

Posted in Books, Children's stories, Christmas, Love, Short Stories, Writers, Writing, tagged BOOK:Santa'sSwim, Children'sPictureBooks, ChristmasBooks, FrancesMacaulayForde, Grandparents, LosingNanna, Nanna&Christmas on November 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Newly released Christmas Books. Now we’re well and truly into November, the shops (and the net) have started their Christmas campaigns and everywhere I turn, I see tinsel.

We’re sending out invites for our usual family Christmas Party and hubby and nephew are practicing their guitars for the carols.

I do LOVE this time of year – just wish my purse felt the same.

This year, I shall be going back to making most of my pressies – sewing or cooking or writing…

But wait!

I HAVE a book which would make the PERFECT Christmas Gift for littlies: “Santa’s Swim” – although I only have a few paperback copies left.

My inspiration was a little Santa Statue from on top of our Christmas cake and my daughter asking for it.

When I was growing up in Africa it was a favorite ritual for Mum and I to make the Christmas cake. As I got older, I confess, a lot of the hilarity came from tasting the whiskey before adding to the fruit. Such great memories, now my Mum is no longer available to hug!

‘Santa’s Swim’ is inspired by treasured memories, of Nanna and her Christmas Cake and Santa, who presided over it. When Nanna dies, young Mandy wears the little statue on a string to keep Nanna close. On the beach, one day, the string breaks and unknown to Mandy, Santa goes for a swim. Now Santa’s lost, will Mandy ever find him again? And does it mean she’s lost her Nanna too?