Lillian Francis's Blog, page 133
December 9, 2015
J is for...
Jingle Bells.
A popular Christmas song written by James Lord Pierpont, Jingle Bells was originally published under the title 'One Horse Open Sleigh' in 1857. It was originally written for Thanksgiving and it was said to be a drinking song. It had racy lyrics for the time, certainly unsuited to an audience of children. It implied that during a sleigh ride through the snowy woods an unchaperoned couple could get up to all sorts shenanigans.
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open...
A popular Christmas song written by James Lord Pierpont, Jingle Bells was originally published under the title 'One Horse Open Sleigh' in 1857. It was originally written for Thanksgiving and it was said to be a drinking song. It had racy lyrics for the time, certainly unsuited to an audience of children. It implied that during a sleigh ride through the snowy woods an unchaperoned couple could get up to all sorts shenanigans.
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open...
Scrooge McStorytime
Reads of Christmas Present
Winter Wonderland by Heidi CullinanI’ve been waiting eagerly for Paul’s HEA since, well, since I finished the last page of Arthur and Gabriel’s story at the beginning of last December. I fawned over the cover and rejoiced when the blurb revealed who his Christmas beau would be. I added to wishlists, and snapped it up as soon as it was available for pre-order. On release date I downloaded it to my Kindle and then sat (im)patiently on the file until 1st December. So mu...
Winter Wonderland by Heidi CullinanI’ve been waiting eagerly for Paul’s HEA since, well, since I finished the last page of Arthur and Gabriel’s story at the beginning of last December. I fawned over the cover and rejoiced when the blurb revealed who his Christmas beau would be. I added to wishlists, and snapped it up as soon as it was available for pre-order. On release date I downloaded it to my Kindle and then sat (im)patiently on the file until 1st December. So mu...
I is for
Ivy
Following on from yesterday's post.
By Robert Schneider [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
Ivy is the counterpart to holly both in the carol and in decoration. Like the evergreen hollies, ivy stays green throughout the year which led some cultures to believe it had magical properties. Apparently it could keep a home free from lightening strikes and ward off the devil. It symbolized eternal life and rebirth. In some cultures, ivy was a symbol of marriage and friendship, perhaps due to its ten...
Following on from yesterday's post.
By Robert Schneider [CC0], via Wikimedia CommonsIvy is the counterpart to holly both in the carol and in decoration. Like the evergreen hollies, ivy stays green throughout the year which led some cultures to believe it had magical properties. Apparently it could keep a home free from lightening strikes and ward off the devil. It symbolized eternal life and rebirth. In some cultures, ivy was a symbol of marriage and friendship, perhaps due to its ten...
December 7, 2015
H is for
Holly
is a shrub with waxy green prickly leaves and red berries. Most varieties of the plant are evergreen. The berries provide food for birds but are toxic to humans causing nausea and severe stomachache.
CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)],
via Wikimedia CommonsSo the plant is still bright and vibrant against the snowy landscape that we like to think our Christmases will be and the colours of the holly are the ones th...
is a shrub with waxy green prickly leaves and red berries. Most varieties of the plant are evergreen. The berries provide food for birds but are toxic to humans causing nausea and severe stomachache.
CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)],
via Wikimedia CommonsSo the plant is still bright and vibrant against the snowy landscape that we like to think our Christmases will be and the colours of the holly are the ones th...
Guess who's a finalist over at the rainbow awards?
"Rainbow Pride Cheesecake" is the official pin-up boy of the Rainbow Awards especially created by Paul Richmond
Lots of really talented authors and yes, little old me.
Theory Unproven is a Rainbow Awards finalist.
G is for...
Good King Wenceslas.
What do we know about him apart from the fact that he went for a tromp in the snow on Boxing Day?
By Good_King_Wenceslas_10a.gif: Brothers Dalziel
derivative work: Victuallers (Good_King_Wenceslas_10a.gif) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The song was composed by a Victorian, the Rev. John Mason Neale in 1853. But the Good King Wenceslas was actually born centuries earlier. He was the Duke of Bohemia in the years 921-935, born and raised a Christian but with a Pa...
What do we know about him apart from the fact that he went for a tromp in the snow on Boxing Day?
By Good_King_Wenceslas_10a.gif: Brothers Dalziel derivative work: Victuallers (Good_King_Wenceslas_10a.gif) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The song was composed by a Victorian, the Rev. John Mason Neale in 1853. But the Good King Wenceslas was actually born centuries earlier. He was the Duke of Bohemia in the years 921-935, born and raised a Christian but with a Pa...
December 5, 2015
F is for
friends and fandom. (or a post where I shamelessly name drop people more talented, popular, and famous than I am)Because without either of those things I wouldn’t be writing this blog post now.
I never intended to read fan fiction. I was only looking for artwork and fan vids. Honestly. But my tag line on my fan blog says it all,'Never reading fanfic...maybe just one...one more won't hurt...Damn!'. So, I was reading fan fiction but I had no plans to actually write any. Nope. No...
I never intended to read fan fiction. I was only looking for artwork and fan vids. Honestly. But my tag line on my fan blog says it all,'Never reading fanfic...maybe just one...one more won't hurt...Damn!'. So, I was reading fan fiction but I had no plans to actually write any. Nope. No...
December 4, 2015
E is for
By Dinner Series[CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)],
via Wikimedia CommonsEggnog
Apparently a 'marmite' drink, in that you either love it or hate it.
From what I can find in my research most people agree that Eggnog can trace its roots back to a concoction called possett, a drink of hot milk curdled with ale. Over time eggs were added to the mix bringing possett closer to the drink we commonly know as eggnog. The ale was removed and replaced with rum.
Nowadays most recipes se...
December 3, 2015
D is for
Dick Dongle.
It’s the name Kris Kringle goes by when he’s making one of his ‘specialist’ movies.
Hey, don’t judge, the guy needs to have something to do the other 11 months of the year.
and Deadpool.
The movie poster is here!
Roll on February.
It’s the name Kris Kringle goes by when he’s making one of his ‘specialist’ movies.
Hey, don’t judge, the guy needs to have something to do the other 11 months of the year.
and Deadpool.
The movie poster is here!
Roll on February.
December 2, 2015
C is for
well, that would be Christmas.
and Coming Soon.
I know I only blogged about New Lease of Life a couple of days ago but I don't get to say those words all that often. With my writing speed I'm lucky if I can use them twice a year. So, for those who may have missed it, coming soon, on Christmas Day no less (which fits nicely with the C theme) my new novel 'New Lease of Life'.
Cover art by Paul Richmond.
New Lease of Life
Phillip used to laugh a lot, back when his friends called him Pip. However the...
and Coming Soon.
I know I only blogged about New Lease of Life a couple of days ago but I don't get to say those words all that often. With my writing speed I'm lucky if I can use them twice a year. So, for those who may have missed it, coming soon, on Christmas Day no less (which fits nicely with the C theme) my new novel 'New Lease of Life'.
Cover art by Paul Richmond.New Lease of Life
Phillip used to laugh a lot, back when his friends called him Pip. However the...
