Day 17 of the A to Z Challenge brings us back to my photography feature, hosted by Wordless Wednesday.
Normally, Wordless Wednesday is exactly that - a posting of an image that speaks for itself. But sometimes a few words are required.
Like today - since Q is for Quilts, and these are the two quilts I received for my wedding.
This one was made for us by Brad's Aunt Carol.
Gorgeous!
This one was made for us by my grandmother - not the one who lived here in Cole Harbour with us, but my dad's mom. She's 88 years young, and lives in Michigan.
This shot was taken 12 years ago in our Toronto apartment. That's my husband with our little cousin Emily (she's now much taller...)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Nearly Wordless Wednesday - 195
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 6:29 AM 2 comments
Labels: A to Z Challenge, Quilts, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Nearly Wordless Wednesday - 194
Day 11! of the A to Z Challenge brings us back to my photography feature, hosted by Wordless Wednesday.
Normally, Wordless Wednesday is exactly that - a posting of an image that speaks for itself. But sometimes a few words are required.
Like today - because today, K is for Kelly Boyce, debut western historical romance author with Carina Press.
Kelly and I joined our local chapter of Romance Writers of America around the same time.
She has generously driven me to almost every meeting since then, as well as out to the yearly retreat, has been my roomie, my lunch partner, dinner partner, party partner, and general cheerleader and cherished friend.
So Kelly - as you celebrate your dream-come-true with the release of your first book next week - I raise a glass of our favorite pinot grigio.
To Kelly.
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:59 PM 2 comments
Labels: A to Z Challenge, Kelly Boyce, Wordless Wednesday
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Nearly Wordless Wednesday - 193
Day 5 of the A to Z Challenge brings us to my photography feature, hosted by Wordless Wednesday.
Normally, Wordless Wednesday is exactly that - a posting of an image that speaks for itself. But sometimes a few words are required.
Like today - because today, E is for Endearing Exploitation flick by hometown boy, Jason Eisner
Jason Eisner grew up in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on Canada's east coast, as I did.
While I have never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Eisner, I was thrilled to hear of his initial filmmaking competition win a few years back, which placed his fake trailer for a movie that didn't exist into Grindhouse, by Robert Roderiguez and Quentin Tarantino.
Eisner's fake trailer proved to be so popular with audiences, he was able to secure financing for a full length feature version of Hobo With a Shotgun.
Last night my husband and I joined a lively crowd for the 7:00 screening of the film at Park Lane in Halifax. The audience clapped when the title appeared onscreen. I love it when film audiences clap.
Since we eat up these kinds of movies, both of us really enjoyed this debut feature. Rutger Hauer's performance as the Hobo is the endearing part of the exploitation flick. He plays his role as if he's in a legitimate drama, which anchors the entire film.
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 1:01 AM 7 comments
Labels: Exploitation flick, Hobo With a Shotgun, Jason Eisner, Rutger Hauer, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 192
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:22 PM 6 comments
Labels: Daffodil, Nova Scotia, Spring, Wordless Wednesday
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 191
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 12:04 AM 6 comments
Labels: Elderbank, Mist, Musquodoboit Valley, Nova Scotia, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 189
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 9:20 PM 4 comments
Labels: Mom, Recovery, Surgery, Wordless Wednesday
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Weekend Writer's Retreat - 44
Here's the latest installment of Scorpius' boyhood back story.
Scorpius is a character from my dark fantasy work in progress. For the first twelve scenes posted for the Weekend Writer's Retreat, we follow him as a seven-year-old, fetched from the nursery by a falconer to become his apprentice.
The next twelve scenes follow ten-year-old Scorpius as he discovers the dangers of serving the nobles he'd once imagined were family.
The third set of twelve scenes give us a thirteen-year-old Scorpius, who discovers the true extent of his master's attempts to shield him from the cruelties of life outside their falconer's cottage.
We rejoin him at age sixteen.
You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.
Scene 44
She took him by surprise, her slender fingers cupping his face before he could catch his breath.
His eyes widened with shock, only to see her lashes closing before him, too near to focus. He stiffened as she had done, but when her lips covered Scorpius’, he kissed her back.
She’d caught him on his knees, twisting back from securing the replacement perch in one of the hawk mews. When he wrapped his arms around her, she pulled back to gaze down at him.
The look in her eyes left no doubt that she desired him. His confusion must have played over his face, because she traced the line of his eyebrows with delicate concern.
“Alegreza,” he said. But she placed one finger on his mouth, shaking her head solemnly.
A deep shiver of delight ran its way through Scorpius at the way she gazed at him. He could forget all about the way she’d huddled by herself in her ma’s empty room above the clothier’s shop. Her eyes weren’t shadowed by grief, weren’t shimmering with tears which raked across his heart every time they rolled down her face.
Now she radiated command, as though her entire life wasn’t dependent upon whether the falconer’s lover could find a position for her to serve at an estate. It made his heart swell to see her gaze down at him like this.
He was just covering her hands with his own, intending to kiss them, when his master’s voice rang out in the distance. Scorpius made to gain his feet, but Alegreza pressed down hard on his shoulders.
Glancing up in irritation, he wasn’t prepared for the flood of longing that rushed through him at her silent order to keep quiet. She slowly shook her head no, raising bumps all over his skin.
Richolf’s voice grew closer. Scorpius couldn’t stop himself from moving to answer several times, but she held him like a hunter holding back the dog. Eventually his master went searching for him elsewhere.
“What-?” he asked, grabbing her wrist as if to shake her off.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” she said. “The other day, in the field?”
He nodded, swallowing hard.
“Well, I want it, too.” She slipped her arm from his grasp, once again taking hold of his face, which made his heart thump in anticipation. “And if I’m to go to an estate to serve, I can’t wait for things to happen someday.”
It weighed heavily inside him, the image of her departure haunting his mind’s eye.
When Richolf’s voice called out again, he looked up into the market girl’s eyes and saw her determination to seize this moment while she was still mistress of herself.
He’d never openly disobeyed his master before. If he’d done anything wrong it was because he hadn’t understood something, or had acted in error. But right now, hiding in the mews with Alegreza, Scorpius too felt the need to reach for a little piece of his own joy.
Grabbing her tightly to him, Scorpius kissed her deeply, so deeply she sagged to her knees to join him.
©
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 8:41 PM 3 comments
Labels: Alegreza, Scorpius, Serialized fiction, Wordless Wednesday
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 188
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 6:40 AM 4 comments
Labels: Ducks, Neighborhood, Winter, Wordless Wednesday
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Nearly Wordless Wednesday - 187
1850s cameo valentine from the ephemera collection of Malcolm Warrington
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 6:51 AM 5 comments
Labels: 1850s, Cameo, Victorian valentines, Wordless Wednesday
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 186
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 1:17 AM 2 comments
Labels: Osgood Hall, Toronto, Wordless Wednesday, Wrought iron
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Nearly Wordless Wednesday - 185
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 10:48 PM 6 comments
Labels: Julianne MacLean, Kindle, Short story, The Rebel, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 184
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:35 PM 3 comments
Labels: Book signing, Connie, Friends, Pamela Callow, Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 183
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:31 PM 3 comments
Labels: Mother-in-law, Potato, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - 182
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:18 PM 5 comments
Labels: Christmas, Ontario, Toronto, Wordless Wednesday, Yonge-Dundas Square
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Almost Wordless Wednesday - 180
This was our rockin Christmas Day karaoke party, courtesy of my brother-in-law Jeff, pictured at center. He's a karaoke DJ and brought his gear for us to sing to, one Christmas in the 90s.
Groovin to the tunes is my sister-in-law Karen and my husband Brad.
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 12:01 AM 6 comments
Labels: 1990s, brother-in-law, Christmas Day, Karaoke, Sister-in-law, Toronto, Wordless Wednesday
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - 179
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 12:01 AM 3 comments
Labels: 1960s, Baby, Christmas, Michigan, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - 176
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:44 PM 3 comments
Labels: Baking, Christmas, Fruitcake, Mom, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - 174
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:12 PM 4 comments
Labels: autumn, Burning bush, Euonymus alatus, Garden, Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - 173
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 10:26 PM 6 comments
Labels: Brad, dog, Finn, Keisha, Wordless Wednesday