Summer Reading List

Hello everyone!

This summer I have a reading list going.  Today I’ll share it with you.

  DON QUIXOTE by Miguel de Cervantes.

 

I’m about a third of the way through this 900+ page book.  It’s gotten really long, so I’ve started on the second one in my list,

TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA by Jules Verne

This one’s good so far.  I’m a bit crazy about science, so the way the submarine works is fascinating!

Now for the rest of my list:

GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens

Sounds really interesting.  I’m anxious to read it!

AN OLD FASHIONED GIRL by Louisa May Alcott

This one was recommended by my cousin.  It also looks fun!  If I have time, I also want to read Rose in Bloom, Under the Lilacs, and Eight Cousins all by Louisa May Alcott.

GRACE TRIUMPHANT by Alicia A. Willis

Now I get into the part in my post where I post about things I want to reread.  Yes, I’ve read Grace Triumphant before and it is AMAZING!!!! Please read it.

Next, another reread.

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas

Another amazing book! This one is one of my favorite classics.  Edmond Dantes is awesome!

And I don’t think I forgot anything…  Well, anyway, I’ll check back with you all at the end of summer and see how I did!

~ Molly ~

 

*DISCLAIMER: All pictures copied from Amazon.com.

**DISCLAIMER #2: All/any of these books may ‘need some whiteout’ because of parts inappropriate to younger (or all, I don’t know) age groups.

 

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Noble Novels Writing Contest!

Hey everyone! I’m part of an awesome group called Noble Novels.  This spring NN is having a writing contest! Check it out!  Click here.

TTYL,

Molly

Nature Pictures

I got a new camera a week or two ago, and in that week I have taken a LOT of pictures. I thought I’d share a few of them with you! 🙂

I can’t remember what this one’s called…

Indian Paintbrush

“Oh Deer!”

Mr. Lizard

Stars

Apple Blossoms

Hummingbird – I took this one through a railing.  Otherwise it’d be better.

Wow, what a wonderful world our God has made!

  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psalm  19:1

What’s your favorite picture?

TTYL,

Molly

Busy Days

Hello everyone!!

I’ll admit it now.  I failed Camp NaNoWriMo.

Now I’ll give some excuses:

I only planned it out two weeks prior to it starting.  Two busy weeks.  And I don’t like the story I used. 😛

 

But on a lighter note, I got my braces off yesterday!!! I’m super happy about that.

To Anna, I’m sorry I haven’t gotten around to your blog tags yet.  I’ll do my best to do that soon!

 

And to everyone following this blog, I’m sorry I never get around to posting.  I’ll try to get better about doing it more often.  If you have any ideas of what I should post about, please tell me! I could do photography, writing, books…. nearly anything.

 

Well, that’ll have to be all for now!

~ Molly

Liebster Award Nomination!

A while ago I was awarded the Liebster Award by Anna from Annie Writes.  Thanks, Anna!

You may be wondering “what is a Liebster Award?” Here is the description and the rules:

Liebster Award:  The Liebster Award is an award for new bloggers and those with few or small followers. It’s an way of giving new bloggers some recognition and encouragement for the hard work. Rules…

1.Create a new blog post on your blog thanking the person that nominated you, link to their blog and put in a  graphic of the award.

2.Answer the questions provided and share some facts about yourself.

3. Nominate others and share your blog post with them so that they can accept their award.

(I copied the ‘about’ stuff from Anna’s blog)

 

1. What is your goal in blogging?

My goal in blogging is to be able to share some of my ideas and inspiration.

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2. Other than blogging, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

Reading, writing (books and poetry), and crocheting is what I do mainly.  I also like being outside.  I’m hoping to be able to have a good garden this year, too!

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3. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?

I’ve never actually chosen a favorite, but I was just looking on the Bible on the computer, and I like this one:

Ps 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? (KJV)

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4. What has God been teaching you lately?

I’ve really been learning about how important His word is.  I know this is a touchy subject, so I’m not going to delve too deeply into my views. 😉

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5. If you could choose a “word of the year” what would it be?

Way. Too. Hard. To. Choose.

Fast, or maybe Amazing.

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6. What is your absolute favorite book? (Just pick one…if it’s possible! 😉 )

(Assuming you mean fiction).

Light of the Last by Chuck Black. It’s the third in the the amazing ‘Wars of the Realms’ series.  You can find it here on Amazon. (Of course, there are a million other books I love.  However, this one is definitely near the top of the list.

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7. When did you start blogging? What inspired you to start a blog?

I started my blog on July 5th, 2017.  I had originally wanted a way to make a bit of money (I’m being honest.  Besides, who doesn’t want a bit of money??)  I don’t get around to blogging very often, though, and right now my goal is to get more followers.

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8. What is your favorite part about blogging?

I like the comments. 🙂

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I nominate:

Maggie

Megan

And anyone else who wants to jump in!

Questions:

1. Why do you like writing?
2. When did you start writing, and what made you do it?
3. What’s your favorite book in the Bible?
4. What’s your favorite book/ series?

(And I’m as terrible at coming up with questions as I am at answering them, so that’s it.)

Now, a few things about me:

• I play three instruments: flute, piano, and mandolin.
• I like science.
• I want to get a book published!
• I am homeschooled, and have been all my life.  Really schooling for probably… 9 years.
• I’m a poet–of sorts.
• I like to write, write, write, write… you get the idea.
• I get silly when I’m tired (like right now :P).

Adios!

M. J. G.

 

 

Camp NaNoWriMo

I’m doing Camp NaNoWriMo this year!

I just joined, like, yesterday, so I am planning a novel in the next 15 or so days.

Here’s the (very basic) synopsis:

Danielle is a fourteen-year-old girl. She rescues another 14 year old girl, Kenna, who has been falsely accused of a crime.

Yes, very basic.  I hope to update it to something a bit more interesting later on.  And now, without further ado, the excerpt:

The first time I saw her her eyes still flashed. Her golden hair blew back in the breeze; her cheeks glowed in the sharp bite of autumn wind. She flashed at me a teasing grin, full of daring, before disappearing into the forest.

The second time I saw her it was all different; her eyes did not leave the ground where they rested, her hair hung limp about her. Her hands were bound behind her with a rope. All of her spirit and zeal for life were gone.

If you want to find me, my username is Molly G.! I’ll hopefully be doing more updates when it starts. 🙂

Are you doing Camp NaNoWriMo this year?

TTYL! Molly J. G.

Books, books, books!

 

If you’re reading this blog, you probably like books. 

So today I’m going to do a little bit of writing about books. (Or rather, a book.)  In books you can find friends and enemies, experience adventures or misfortunes,  and get away from life for a few hours.

Recently my reads have been The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, and its’ two sequels, Twenty Years After and the Viscount of Bragelonne.  I’m on the Viscount of Bragelonne now, and it’s    L. O. N. G.  I’ve been working on it for almost a month.  For me, that’s an accomplishment.

 

In The Three Musketeers, you meet M. D’Artagnan, a young man on his way to Paris from Gascony, with a plan to become a musketeer.  With his fiery temper and strangely-colored horse he is quite a sight. 

But upon arriving in Paris, he finds out that one can’t become a musketeer unless you have served in the guard, or something of the sort, at least two years first.

Then he accidentally offends Athos, one of the musketeers.  (His name is a pseudonym, Athos being the name of a mountain in Greece.)  Because of the offense, D’Artagnan and Athos decide on a place for a duel.

Then he offends Porthos, another musketeers, and sets a place for a duel with him, about a half-hour after the first.  Finally he does the same with Aramis, the third of the Three Musketeers. (Porthos and Aramis are also pseudonyms.)

D’Artagnan arrives for his duel with Athos.  Porthos and Aramis were acting as Athos’s backups, so they were there, too.  The cardinal’s guards arrive just as they are about to start.  But they are so far into it that they can’t back out and pretend that they weren’t doing it.

Athos, Porthos, and Aramis decide that they’d rather fight than be taken by the cardinal’s guards (which they had been not too long ago for the same offense).  The captain of the guard gave D’Artagnan a chance to leave.  D’Artagnan decided to stay and help the musketeers. 

After defeating the guards, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan became good friends, totally inseparable.

But there’s an enemy. Athos has a mysterious past.

After a trip to England for the queen (D’Artagnan doesn’t know any English, by the way,) and a number of other adventures, it comes to the ‘final face-down’.

Follow D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Milady, the Cardinal, Louis XIII, Queen Anne, and the rest of the characters, to the end of this epic tale!

 

Have you read The Three Musketeers?

I hope you have a wonderful day!

 ~ Molly ~

 

P.S. My posts are edited by myself, so I’m sorry for any typos or bad grammar!

Christmas Cheer

I love Christmas.  So does the cat.

 

Christmas (in my opinion) is the best time of the year.  Christmas carols fill the air, the fireplace runs warm and bright, under the Christmas tree is getting full of presents.  (And cats.)

 

I like reading Christmas stories.  Some of my favorites are:

 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.

The Herdman kids lie, and steal, and smoke cigars (even the girls).  They also talk dirty, cuss their teachers, and take the name of the Lord in vain.  The last place anyone expects to see them is church.

No one is prepared when the Herdmans storm Sunday school and take over the annual Christmas pageant.  Before anyone can stop them, they’re plotting revenge on Herod, and burping the baby Jesus.  They’ve got the whole town up in arms.

How the Herdmans turn a series of disasters I to what everyone agrees is the best Christmas pageant ever, is a hilarious, touching, and unforgettable tale from a beloved storyteller.

Favorite quote:  “So that year my father went… to see his bathrobe, he said.”

 

And the Advent books by Arnold Ytreeide are also really good!  There are four in total.  This is the first one we read.

Then there’s Christmas trees.  Personally, I like big ones.  REALLY big ones:

 

What’s your favorite Christmas story?

 

Talk to y’all later, and Merry Christmas!

 

Molly J. G.

 

Once Lost, Now Found parts 2 & 3

Parts 2 & 3

 

Okay, so I can’t figure out how to get the second & third parts on my Short Stories page, so I’m just sticking ’em on here!

 

Part #2

“Eleanor, dear, if you will come with me, there is someone I wish you to meet.”

“Yes, Father,” Eleanor smiled, taking the arm that he offered her.

He led her down the stairs and into the parlor. A young man with bright red hair was standing looking out of the window. As they entered, he turned.

“Eleanor, allow me to introduce Sir Travis,”

Sir Travis bowed to Eleanor, and she dropped a polite curtsey.

Her father leaned close to her ear, “My dear,” he said, in barely more than a whisper, “Sir Travis has asked for your hand in marriage. I have not yet given him an answer, but he is a very rich man,” he paused, “Do try to like him.”

Eleanor felt her cheeks grow hot. Try to like him? Marry him? She felt her heart still inclined to the promise to wait for Edward. But, she thought, Edward is not the same. I told him that I did not want to see him anymore. Perhaps this ‘Sir Travis’ will be the right one.

“My lady, it is an honor to meet you.” Sir Travis bowed again.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, sir,” she replied softly.

“Why don’t you,” her father cleared his throat, “Go stroll in the garden. It is a lovely day.”

“Yes, Father,”

Her father seemed to like this man. He seemed to have excellent manners, and he was almost as handsome as Edward. Almost.

In the garden the two began to talk. Eleanor found that he was enjoyable in conversation. But she found herself again pondering the promise that she had made so long ago to the man she loved.

About a week later…

Edward paced up and down the small room.

“You must understand, Esmond, that I am not welcome there.” He said, “Eleanor herself said that she did not want to see me anymore.”

“I, for one, do not believe it.” Esmond, a dark-haired fellow with blue, twinkling, eyes replied, “I imagine that she is pining for you as much as you are for her.”

“What would you know about love?” Edward growled, “You, who have never liked a girl in your life.”

“You’ve told me all about it,” Esmond replied, “I believe I know all about how to get a girl now. Supposedly steal a ring, then run off for a while, then find it, bring it back, ask her to marry you, and ride off into the sunset.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Really? I thought that was quite complicated. If it’s more complex than that, then I shall never attain a bride.”

“Esmond, you are impossible. Now tell me if you have any suggestions, if you are so brilliant.”

“I never said I was brilliant,” Esmond replied, “But since you asked for my suggestion, here it is: my dear fellow, if you don’t try, you won’t be successful.” He paused, “How is that for advice?”

“Brilliant.” Edward muttered, “Esmond, I don’t know now to try. Eleanor… she… oh, bother you, Esmond, now I will have to go try.”

“I’m sure that the idea would have worked itself into your thick skull eventually.” Esmond replied, his eyes twinkling, “Aye, now you will have to go. Sweep her off of her feet – or kiss her; I don’t care, just get her or I’ll have to get you a doctor.” With that, and a chuckle, Esmond left the room.

“He must think I’m love-sick or something.” Edward said to himself, sitting down to stare at the fire. “Well, I would have to agree with him on that one.”

~ ~ ~

A little while later…

 

Edward slumped into the chair across from Esmond.

“Aye, it is true. She is to be married in two weeks to a fellow name Sir Travis.” He said quietly,

“Do you know anything about him?” Esmond queried

“No, except that he is rich.”

“Then you do have competition!” Esmond exclaimed, “So when are you going to go back?”

“Esmond, stop it!” Edward jumped to his feet, “She made her choice. Sir Travis will be able to take care of her, which is much more than what I’ll be able to do. Esmond, I have nothing to offer her. Besides, she doesn’t like me anymore.” He sat down again.

“Edward,” Esmond leaned forward to face him, taking on a more serious demeanor, “I didn’t mean to offend you, but I still don’t see this situation as hopeless.”

“So what do you expect me to do, kidnap her?” Edward said sarcastically,

“God can work miracles like you’ve never seen,” Esmond pondered for a moment, “Pray about it, Ed; even though it seems that you’ve lost her, God can turn a heart of stone to one of flesh.”

“God. I had nearly forgotten about Him.”

“How could you forget about God? He has not forgotten about you.” Esmond stood, “Ask Him, Ed,”

~ ~ ~

Eleanor felt butterflies in her stomach as she gazed at the dress. Beautiful white fabric embroidered and beaded in an exquisite design.

“Would you like to try it on, My Lady?” the seamstress asked,

“Yes,” Eleanor exclaimed, “I don’t know if I’ve ever been so excited before!”

“Aye, My Lady,” the seamstress bobbed her head in a sort of nod and smiled, “All young girls are that way,”

This, Eleanor thought, is true happiness. Or was it?

NOTE: I didn’t mean to copy Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility with the names Eleanor and Edward.

What in the world am I doing here? Edward wondered. It was nearly midnight, and here he was, sneaking around the place he had never expected to see again. He raked his fingers through his short dark hair; a sure sign of agitation.

He walked silently through the gate and into the garden. Moving along the wall of the house, he slowly peeked around the corner. Two men stood only five paces away.   Edward strained to listen to the conversation.

“So, Travis, it’s working?”

“Aye, better than I expected. I’ll marry the girl, then we’ll have the ‘accident’, her father will die, and she will inherit the fortune. Once we have the money secured we’ll dump the girl somewhere.”

“Brilliant, Travis. It is working extraordinarily well. I must be going.”

Edward flattened himself up against the wall. The man walked right past him. Edward breathed a prayer of thanks that it was dark enough that the man could not see him. Once he was sure that both men were gone he dashed for the gate. He must get to Esmond and make a plan to rescue Eleanor from those brutish men.

Part 3

“Sir Travis,” Eleanor stepped from the house into the garden. He turned, and offered a welcoming smile. A few seconds later she fell in step beside him. She felt her stomach twist in knots as she contemplated what she was about to say.

“Yes, my love?” Sir Travis looked down into her eyes, his were a piercing, icy blue; so different from Edward’s.

“I…” Why could she not say it? Finally she blurted out the words. “I cannot marry you.”

A look of surprise crossed his face. “Why ever not?” he exclaimed,

“Because I promised to wait for another; even if it took a lifetime.”

“Who is this man who has so stolen your heart?”

“Why would you care?”

“Because I care for you,” Travis said with faked sincerity.

“His name is Edward.” Eleanor spoke softly. Edward. That name that had played itself over in her mind a thousand times since the time he left. His image was engraved in her mind, still a beacon of hope that she would see him again.

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“A few months ago.” She paused, then started walking away.

“Then farewell, Lady Eleanor,” he replied, “But I wouldn’t count on your Edward coming back.”

Eleanor turned, fire burning in her eyes. “Sir Travis, you are no longer welcome here. You may go.”

With that, and with a swish of her skirts, she disappeared inside.

~ ~ ~

Eleanor’s father was sitting in his study when a knock came on the door.

“Come in,” he said.

Sir Travis entered. “Sir, I hope I have not disturbed you.”

“No, not at all. What is it you want to see me about?”

“Do you know…” Travis paused, “Someone named Edward?”

“Edward? Aye, I do. How do you know of him, Sir Travis?”

“I saw him with your daughter earlier today. When I asked her about it, she simply said that his name was Edward.”

“What? He was with Eleanor?” The elder man stood, “Why, that man is a thief. He stole a ring, and then, because Eleanor begged me to, I did not press charges. Edward,” he stopped and shook his head, “If you see him again tell me directly.”

“Yes, sir,” Sir Travis bowed and exited the room. His plans were beginning to come together.

To be continued….

 

 

I’m back!

Hello all,

I’m planning on doing a few posts this December, and after that I’ll try to do a post on the first of every month.

Thank you for reading my blog!  I really appreciate each one of you.

 

Feliz Navidad!

 

Molly J. G.