Michelle Franklin's Blog, page 46

RIP Maeve Binchy: Soilse na gréine linn inniu

Today, Ireland- and, indeed, the world- has lost another literature great. The esteemed and much-beloved author Maeve Binchy has passed into the otherworld. A natural storyteller and lover of small-town life, Maeve created stories that glorified her home and brought her wonderment of the small to the world at large. Circle of Friends, Minding Frankie, Tara Road: these are just a few of the many, many stories she shared with us.

Soilse na gréine linn inniu. You will be greatly missed.

In Support of Love

In honour of the great Sally Ride.


Many of you know about D.O.M.A., the Defense of Marriage Act, a legislation that exists to disallow same-sex marriages and to deny benefits to same-sex partners. I cannot pretend to understand the sense behind this legislation, but I can only hope that it is done away very soon. The LGBT community deserves our love and our support, and though they are having difficulty finding acceptance in certain parts of the world, they always have a home on the Two Continents. ...

Story for the Day: Special Hearing

Women can hear everything. Remember that when you're planning a woman's birthday or telling your friend how much you dislike a woman's cooking. 
Doesn't look nearly half as appealing as
Shea's shoppeThe end of autumn brought Meraliegh’s birthday, and though in the Calcannan household birthdays were of moderate consequence, marked with a small celebratory cake and a handmade gift in the true Frewyn style, to Beryn her birthday must be everything. As his parents had rarely left the Dunhuram...

Reviewing the Classics: John Seymour's Forgotten Household Crafts

To me, Frewyn belongs to that simpler time, one that hearkens back to days where water came from either a well or a pump, fences and hedges were made from withies and wattle, and where the notion of being the woman of the household meant that she was the captain of a most honourable ship. John Seymour, ever disappointed with modern contrivances making many things harder and more wasteful, wrote many books glorifying his young days, recanting the time that he spent as a you...

Story for the Day: Sowing

There really is nothing more attractive than watching two hardworking men bonding with their young sons.
Beryn stopped at the end of the path and looked up to find Aiden and Adaoire standing in the large field beside the house, sacks of wheat grain slung over their shoulders and their sons running eagerly about. He smiled and leaned against the fence as he paused to watch them.                “Come a-here you two,” Adao...

Story for the Day: Building Character

Many of the happiest people I know are those who work hard for little monetary compensation. Two of those people are Adaoire and Aiden. All that dirt builds character.


The twins left the Seadh Maith well-satisfied with the intelligence they had gleaned from Beryn: the drinks had done well to grant them an image of this woman who, by Beryn’s designs, was heralded as the greatest woman in all of Frewyn. The only thing left to do to complete the business was to convey the news to their famil...

Reviewing the Classics: John Seymour's Forgotten Arts

John Seymour was an advocate for the good life: for simple gaeties, gardening and farming, husbandry and general craftsmanship. Having grown up on a small rural plot, he enjoyed gleaning everything he needed from his own freehold: he wore the wool from his own sheep, ate the produce from his farm and garden, and learned a multitude of skills that helped him to become completely self-reliant. He published a variety of books about self-sufficiency, and was a firm believer in the idea that...

Story for the Day: Mr Cluck

Beryn has many interesting and unique creatures on his land, but none so ridiculous and lovable as his prize cockerel. A WIP of the Ode to Cluck by Twisk, complete with hens.
Twisk asked me not to post the newer version.
She said nothing about this one, however.Placing his hand upon her back caused her to rouse. The first moments of wakeful confusion with muffled humphs and the delicate fluttering of eyelashes drew his attention, and all his notions of what might be done so...

Story of the Day: Chune's Tears Pt 3

Bilar judged it best to say what must be said and smooth away evils as they should arise. He took Martje’s hand and said in a quiet tone, “Martje, there is something we need to discuss.”                Her eyes flared in horror. “Am I dyin’?” she whimpered.                “No, Martje. I’ve sat you here because there is something I as a cleric ha...

Story of the Day: Chune's Tears Pt2

I have to return to the doctor this week to see what can be done about my gallstones, or "Chune's Tears". We'll see how nice I am to the doctor should he insist that I give up chocolate again.
Struck by the sight of Martje lying along the ground trembling in the throes of horrific agony, Bilar leapt to her side, endeavouring to remain as composed as knelt to her and rolled back his long sleeves. “Martje, can you hear me? If you can hear me, I need you to lie on your back.” He placed his hands...