Frances Schoonmaker's Blog, page 2
April 26, 2022
Tea and Biscuits and the Silent Auction at Malice Domestic
Tea and Biscuits from Betty’s I was very happy that my Silent Auction Basket at Malice Domestic went to someone who was delighted to win it. Not only will she have the fun of drinking tea from a reproduction of the Mimbreno china created by Mary Colter for the Santa Fe Chief trains, but she’ll […]
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April 18, 2022
Silent Auction at Malice Domestic
The Silent Auction at Malice Domestic benefits KEEN Greater DC, supporting reading, literacy and communication programs. Creating a basket for the Silent Auction requires thought and creativity.
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March 1, 2022
Mark Twain: Writers and Their Cats
Mark Twain was a writer who loved cats, maybe better than he loved many people. When he was on vacation he rented kittens. The Clemens home was one where cats were welcome. 3 min. read, Kid Friendly.
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February 8, 2022
Alice Walker: Writers and Their Cats
Writers and their cats have a special relationship. Alice Walker sees life-lessons her beloved cats have taught. 3 minute read. Kid Friendly
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January 25, 2022
Hemingway Cats: Writers and Their Cats
"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not,” Ernest Hemingway. Like many writers, famous as well as undiscovered, Hemingway liked having cats around. There is a special relationship between writers and their cats. 3.5 minute read. Kid Friendly
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January 19, 2022
A Yankee in the Bard’s World
A Yankee living in the Bard's World? Tradition and green spaces make Stratford-upon-Avon is a great place for a writer. 2 min read. Kid friendly
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January 12, 2022
Cats and Their Writers
What is it about cats that tugs at the heart of writers? The relationship between writers and their cats is legendary. I've been away from my cats for half a year. Do they miss me? What's a writer to do without her cats? 3 min read. Kid friendly.
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December 23, 2021
Toy Mice and Treasured Family Memories at Christmas
Toy mice and treasured family memories are part of our Christmas. Why do we have mouse ornaments on our Christmas Tree? It started for want of a wind-up mouse. 1.5 minute read. Kid friendly.
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October 22, 2021
Come Along With Me
The clock is ticking on my Four Leaves and Tales Blog, but you’re invited to come with me on the next part of my journey.At the end of October my Four Leaves and Tales blog will fold into my new website. I’d love to take you along with me. Rather than automatically migrate you along with the blog, I figure you’d like a choice in the matter. I’ll still be an occasional blogger, but I am also committed to producing a newsletter with information about the goings on in my world as mother, grandmother, teacher, and writer. If you would like to come along, follow the link. Why not sign up for my newsletter while you’re there? As a thank – you, download a printable set of postcards made from original illustrations of The Last Crystal Trilogy. The newsletter will give you access to advance information about what I’m working on, and other bonus offers. You can unsubscribe any time. You’ll also see my new email address. I’d love to hear from you.
Too much in your in box? Sign up for my mailing list. I’ll notify you when there are special events or news items you won’t want to miss.
A wonderful New Yorker cartoon has a man looking at his cat and saying, “Don’t even think outside the box!” In my last posts I was figuring out how to get one of my cats to quit peeing outside the box. In researching this issue, I discovered that it is a huge problem for many cat owners. Gosh. I thought it was just me. I am happy to report that with a lot of hard work and patience, I managed to get Butterfly back in the box in time to settle in before I left for five months away from Baltimore.
The cats are in capable hands of a wonderful family who are living in our Baltimore home while we’re away. I’m happy to be back with family – my daughter and granddaughter in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon where my daughter is doing graduate work at The Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham. I hope you’ll come along for this next phase of my journey. If not, in the words of the Bard in Romeo and Juliet, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”
August 7, 2021
Why Alabaster Caverns?
The Alabaster Caverns near Freedom, OK are one of two places in the world where you can find black alabaster. Not far from the Santa Fe Trail, it is important in The Black Alabaster Box. 3 min. read. Kid Friendly.
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