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Meet Patricia Wood

March 25, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

I’m inspired…

WordMothers - for women writers & women’s writing

Interview by Nicole Melanson ~

Patricia Wood was born in Seattle, Washington and currently lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her debut novel, Lottery, was short-listed for the 2008 Orange Prize for fiction in the UK. She has contributed a short story in the anthology collection Sunset Inn: Tales of the North Shore, which benefits Hawaii Literacy, and her latest novel, Cupidity, was recently released in December.

While Patricia has always considered herself a writer, she has had various careers from being a medical technologist in the US Army, to giving horseback riding lessons, to teaching Science to high-risk students. She has helped crew sailboats across the Pacific, done shark research at Midway Atoll, and competed professionally in horse shows with her jumper Airborne. While working on her PhD at the University of Hawaii, she earned her certificate in Disability Studies.

Patricia now lives on a sailboat with…

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Furnishings

March 24, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

CastleRedmond Court, Midleton, Co Cork. 2003.

Furnishings

listening to shower

water rhythms

then silence as you

shave sans mirror

wafts of Gillette

down the stairs

zing straight to

my wanton womb

I mouth blues

chopping garlic

you appear saying

‘For some reason

I am suddenly starving!’

@FrancesMForde #FrancesMacForde #LovePoems #Romance #SketchingInIreland #Beggorathon2015

Posted in Begorrathon, Ireland, Romance, Sketching In Ireland, Writing | Tagged Beggorathon2015, LovePoems, romance, SketchingInIreland | Leave a Comment »

Re-Blog: Louise Allan

March 23, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

“How Liz Gilbert won me over” by Louise Allan.

@FrancesMForde #FrancesMacForde #LouiseAllan #LizGilbert #PerthInternatWritFest

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10 Composition Tips with Award-Winning Photographer Steve McCurry

March 22, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

Excellent advice for photographers or visual artists in any genre!

TwistedSifter

The COOPH (the Cooperative of Photography) explains 10 photo composition tips with the help of Steve McCurry’s incredible photographs. McCurry is an award-winning editorial photographer best known for his photograph, “Afghan Girl” (Sharbat Gula), which originally appeared on the June 1985 cover of National Geographic magazine when she was approximately 12 years old.

Be sure to watch the informative video above. I’ve also written out the 10 tips below so you can check back on this post for reference. For more, visit COOPH and Steve McCurry’s official site.

#1 Rule of Thirds
Place points of interest on intersections

composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (1)

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#2 Leading Lines
Use natural lines to lead the eye into the picture

composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (2)

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#3 Diagonals
Diagonal lines create great movement

composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (3)

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#4 Framing
Use natural frames like windows and doors

composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (4)

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#5 Figure to Ground
Find a…

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Lost Perth Sensational 70’s

March 21, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

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Actually taken by my family of our family in 1975. (Don’t know who ‘Andy Parry’ is at all?)

Last night, a new TV show hit Perth screens; Lost Perth Sensational 70’s debuted on Channel 9. And it all started with their Facebook Page!

And what a sensation it has been! So many loved being taken down memory lane, seeing shots of Perth from way back when… we’re all ‘when-we’s at heart, hey?

I was one of many thousands who sent in a photo now included on the site. Mine was taken when I first arrived here in 1975, playing mini-golf with some of my family in Scarborough.

Next week, (same time, same channel) the episode will be ‘Lost Perth Sensational 80’s’ and I can’t wait!

Here’s the link to view the program: http://www.9jumpin.com.au/show/lostperthsensational70s/episodes/season-1/episode-1/lost-perth-sensational-70s/#autoplay

@FrancesMForde #LostPerthSensational70’s #ScarboroughMiniGolf #PhotosWayBackWhen #WhenWe’s

Posted in COMMUNITY, Other blogs, Perth City | Tagged LostPerthSensational70's, PerthCity, WhenWe's | 1 Comment »

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 18, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

Take a moment to watch the video. It’s worth it.

The Verbal Spew Review

I had originally planned on sharing with you all an extensive Spew Guide to St. Paddy’s Day, but as I told Niall the other day, proceedings came to an abrupt halt following the “Knacker-Drinking on the Canal” segment. I had genuinely intended on completing it, but, well, I got kind of distracted.

So instead I will gift to you a charmingly precious recount of the Story of St. Patrick, as told by a schoolchild and recorded in a classroom in Dublin during the 1960s. These recordings were collected, remastered and animated by the Oscar-nominated Brown Bag Films, and would later become known as “Give Up Yer Aul Sins”. They would also prove that nobody tells a story quite like a Dub does.

Don’t forget that The Begorrathon, as part of Ireland Month, will be ongoing throughout March, and that The Great Irish Care Package will be up for…

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Beggorathon: Paddy’s Bridge

March 17, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

St Patrick’s Bridge, Cork City, 17th March 2003.

An Irish Prayer

“May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.”

PPPCharlesvillePonyTrapCUSS

“Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish be there with you.”

Quoted.

@FrancesMForde #HappyPaddysDay #IrishBlessings #Begorrathon2015

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Begorrathon: McDaids

March 15, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

(I’m a Folk music follower from way back and established the Wanneroo Folk Club in Perth’s northern suburbs in 1985. )

McDaid’s Pub, Midleton, Co Cork is very well known for it’s regular Folk performances. I lived there for 14 months and t’was lovely to discover a thriving Midleton Folk Club a short walk down the road.

This is a beautiful version of “Passage West” recorded at the club and performed by Caroline Fraher who can also be seen doing a duet with Josh Groban on her web page.

We enjoyed the informal, crowded, traditional music venue’s atmosphere. Having to sit on the floor didn’t faze us at all – I was soaking it all up, until this…

McDaid’s Folk Club

We carefully stepped through the seated crowd,

she smiled in surprised delight

and pulled you down

to whisper invitingly.

I watched the young guitarist finger-pick,

thought about her possessive

hand placed on your

willing arm and felt sick.

@FrancesMForde #FrancesMacForde #Begorrathon2015 #FolkClubs #McDaidsMidleton #MidletonFolkClub #Ireland #MidletonCoCork #Poems

Posted in Begorrathon, Ireland, Music | Tagged Begorrathon2015, FolkClubs, Ireland, McDaidsMidleton, MidletonCoCork, MidletonFolkClub, poems | 1 Comment »

Begorrathon: Femoy

March 14, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

Femoy, Ireland, 2003.

@FrancesMForde #FrancesMacForde #FemoyIreland #Ireland #Begorrathon2015

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BOOK: Remnants of Empire

March 12, 2015 by Frances Macaulay Forde

This should be an interesting read.

Although the paperback is available, I’ve just purchased the Kindle version of Remnants of Empire ~ Memory and Northern Rhodesia’s white diaspora by Pamela Shurmer-Smith.

The hard copy was published to coincide with the recent ’50 years of Independence’ celebrations but I have far too many books on my shelves, so this time, Kindle will do.

I absolutely agree about the metal Baobab tree design, as explained in Pamela’s cover notes.

There’s also an interesting music video by Pamela’s very talented musician son, which brought back many memories of my childhood.

@FrancesMForde #FrancesMacForde #BOOK:RemnantsOfEmpire #PamelaSchurmerSmith #NorthernRhodesia #WhiteDiaspora #AfricanMemories