A Writer's Revelations . . . . . . . . by Judy Ann Davis, Writer & Author

Friday, September 7, 2018

A Salute to Johnny Appleseed!

Sunday, September 23rd is the first day of autumn this year. When we think of autumn or fall, images of colorful maple leaves, cool crisp air, smoky fires, cornstalks, hay bales, chrysanthemums, and pumpkins come to mind. But it’s also harvest time for many varieties of apples that will be eaten as fresh fruit or made into cider, applesauce, strudel, dumplings, cakes, pies and more.

Every time I think of apples, my childhood memories invoke the tales of John Chapman, a barefoot man with a pot on his head who traveled the land sowing apple seeds along his travels and who became an American legend.

Better known as Johnny Appleseed, he was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois as well as the northern counties of present day West Virginia.

The second child of ten children, John Chapman was born on September 26th, 1774, to Nathanial Chapman and Lucy Cooley Chapman of Massachusetts.

The popular image is of Johnny Appleseed spreading apple seeds randomly everywhere he went. In fact, he planted nurseries rather than orchards, built fences around them to protect them from livestock and wild animals, left the nurseries in the care of a neighbor who sold trees on shares, and returned every year or two to tend the nursery. His first nursery was planted on the bank of Brokenstraw Creek, south of Warren Pennsylvania.

According to some accounts, 18-year-old John persuaded his 11-year-old brother, Nathaniel, to go west with him in 1792. They lived a nomadic life until their father brought his family west in 1805 and met up his sons in Ohio. Sometime later, when Nathaniel decided to stay and help his father on their farm, John began his apprenticeship as an orchardist under Mr. Crawford, an owner of apple orchards, inspiring Johnny Appleseed’s life’s journey of planting apple trees.

John Chapman was also a missionary for the New Church (Swedenborgian), preached the gospel as he traveled, and converted Native Americans, whom he admired. In return for telling stories to children and spreading The New Church gospel to the adults, he was often given a floor to sleep on for the night and sometimes supper.

John Chapman died on March 18, 1845.

Supposedly, the only surviving tree planted by Johnny Appleseed is on the farm of Richard and Phyllis Algeo of Nova, Ohio, and is a variety that ironically ripens in September and is used for baking and making applesauce.

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I'm thrilled to announce that FOUR WHITE ROSES was a finalist in the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Awards with winners to be announced this fall: It was also a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards earlier this year. https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

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Monday, August 27, 2018

August 18, 1920 - Let's Not Forget!

As writers, we often create heroines who are strong, vibrant, sincere women with the ability to think and reason on their own and who are single or married, working women or stay-a-home mothers and wives.

In history, August was a busy month for five mothers who bore sons who later became United States Presidents: Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President, on August 4, 1964; Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. President, on August 10, 1874 (died 1964); Bill Clinton, 42nd U.S. President, on August 19, 1946; Benjamin Harrison on August 20, 1833 (died 1901); and Lyndon Baines Johnson on August 22, 1908 (died 1973)

Lucy Stone

But while we salute these mothers from Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Ohio, and Texas who raised extraordinary sons, let us not forget a most important date in August, 98 years ago, that touched the lives of all women across America.

Thanks to the early efforts of women’s rights pioneers like Lucy Stone and Susan B. Anthony and many decades of a long, sometimes frightening fight, we would never have arrived at the momentous date of August 18, 1920 when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote and granting them the responsibilities of citizenship.

Susan b. Anthony

And this is not a right to be taken

lightly. Despite our party affiliation, despite our personal political

issues, despite our like or dislike of our present legislators or

President, we need to salute these brave, candid women who,

when speaking out publicly for the emancipation of women

and women's voting rights, were often heckled, spit on,

peppered with rotten vegetables, sprayed with water or jailed

These women and other female activists and reformers paved

the way for us under very violent and disrespectful circumstances.

They resisted those who disagreed, persisted, and won us

our rights as equal citizens of the United States.

As women writers, homemakers, technicians, clerical assistants, teachers, bankers, businesswomen, doctors, lawyers and the list goes on and on, we now owe it to these honest, forthright souls to carry on the tradition and utilize the rights they fought for. Please vote this year.

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I'm thrilled to announce that FOUR WHITE ROSES was a finalist in the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Awards with winners to be announced this fall: It was also a finalist in the Book Excellence Awards earlier this year. https://www.amazon.com/Four-White-Roses-Judy-Davis-ebook/dp/B06XPBKY7F/

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

BON APPETITE! Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Casserole

It's that time of year when our gardens are starting to provide an abundance of vegetables. Green peppers are one of them. For many, it's a love or hate relationship with this vegetable! I love peppers of all colors--green, red, and yellow--in salads. Here's a recipe that makes green peppers taste perfect. Sometimes I prefer to leave out the the corn.

Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Casserole

2 cups cooked rice

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large green peppers, diced

1/2 cup finely diced onion

29 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

3 (14 oz) cans tomato sauce

2 (14 oz) cans corn, drained

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef in a large stock pot, drain, remove from pan and set aside. Heat oil in stock pot on medium high heat and add green peppers and onion. Saute 5-10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. To stock pot, add tomatoes, sauce, corn, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer five (5) minutes. Stir in rice and ground beef. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serves 10 - 12 people

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

July - A Salute to Ernest Hemingway

Hemmingway 's Home

When anyone mentions novels such as A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, you immediately think of Ernest Hemingway. Often known as one of the great American 20^th Century novelists, he was born on July 21, 1899, in Cicero (now called Oak Park), Illinois.

Hemingway served in World War I and worked in journalism before publishing his story collection, In Our Time.

Carriage House

In 1953, he won Pultizer Prize for The Old Man and the Sea; and 1954, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Sun Also Rises is another of his well-known works.

Because he began as a writer of short stories, Hemingway developed what he called the Iceberg Theory for writing where facts float above the water and the supporting structure and symbolism operate out of sight. The theory involves pruning language and is often referred to as the “theory of omission” allowing the reader to draw his own images and conclusions about certain aspects of the story.

Writing Room in Carriage House

However, Hemingway’s life could best be described as one full of drama, debts, and many mishaps, accidents and injuries. He traveled widely and was married four times.

Sadly, he suffered from bouts of mental illness and paranoia. He committed suicide on July 2, 1961, in Ketchum, Idaho.

When I visited the Florida Keys a few years ago, I was able to tour his home where he lived and wrote during the 1930s. He has his own writing area above the carriage house as you can see in the pictures. Enjoy!

I'm featuring UP ON THE ROOF AND OTHER STORIES

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https://www.amazon.com/Roof-Other-Stories-Judy-Davis/dp/0999089609/

Hey Jude!