ASK Jane Marie

Dear Jane Marie,

 

How is it possible that 19^th century characters with no computers or smart phones are able to communicate and see your responses and photos posted in your Goodbye Lie Diaries?

 

Ruthie, Roswell, New Mexico

 

 

Dear Ruthie,

 

In The Goodbye Lie series, I hope the reader is transported into the surroundings, sorrows and sweet sentimentalities of the characters. I simply call it magic, magic of the mind …  In the same way, the players in my stories are able to reach through time to communicate with us and we with them.  I can’t tell you how this particular magic works, only that it does. Because of this, we can read their 19^th century entries and thrill that they can see our entries, too.  Oh, I don’t know, do they awaken to find a note on the tiger oak secretary in the corner of their library? Perhaps it is discovered on the low parlor table beside the rocker.  Is it printed, in cursive or does it have a typed script?  How are their responses transmitted and posted to my blog?  I imagine they hand write their postings or do they send the replies by way of a telegram, but to what address exactly?  I haven’t gotten any hard copies of telegrams in my purple mailbox. Is it simply telepathic, yet telepathy is not so simple. You, of all people, Ruthie, living in the suspected land of aliens, I imagine can relate to this wonderful magic.  I don’t question it any longer, I just go along for the adventure between centuries!  I’m glad you’re on the excursion with us all!  

Hugs and blisses,
                                                                                                              Jane Marie

Goodbye Lie Diaries- Miss Ella and Spring

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

Late 1800s

 

Miss Ella

Miss Ella writes:  I so love spring.  The windows are open and the curtains are dancing.  The birds are happy, too, and singing so loudly outside my office, they are distracting me from my ciphering.  The proof of that is I’m writing in my diary.  I think Aqua Verdi Passenger Line will survive while I  take I few minutes to myself.  I can see the daffodils out by the Talkin’ Tree.  I love bulbs.  One day there is nothing and the next time you look, there they are, their pretty flower faces seemingly looking right at you.  I don’t know if my girls will find as much pleasure as I do gardening.   When they were children, we planted pansies together on either side of the front steps. As they are getting older, they are so busy, Breelan with her writing, Carolina with her designs and Marie—I don’t know what Marie is busy with, now that I think on it.  She is very often with Sophie Belle and I’m afraid the two of them might get into trouble the way Breelan and Nora did. Well, more Breelan, really.  Nora always seems to land on her feet. In spite of her mother, she is such a lovely young lady.   Sorry Lord, it is not for me to judge, but You have Your hands full with Aunt Noreen alone!  Bless her heart.   

 

 

Here is a photograph of my daffodil, Miss Ella. 

 I suspect it looks very much like yours! 

Jane Marie, 2014

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

The Goodbye Lie Diaries are communications between the fictional Dunnigan characters from historic suspense Goodbye Lie series set in the 1880s and present day.  We share the same Amelia Island, Florida, same town of Fernandina, same Atlantic Ocean, same Amelia River, same weather, same growing conditions, same buildings on downtown Centre Street, well over 100 years apart ... jmm

 

A Goodbye Lie Fave-Handmade Lace Hankie

In the 1880s when The Goodbye Lie takes places, girls and women, all, carried pretty hankies.  That's no longer the custom. For a special occasion, a wedding, a Christening, a theatre production, a ball, an anniversary or anywhere you might shed a few tears and need to dab your eyes, then a lace handkerchief is perfect and oh so feminine.   You can purchase one, of course, or make your own.  It's not difficult and will be treasured as an heirloom. If for a bride, it can easily be made into a baby bonnet for her first child.

(click on the links above and enjoy articles from our website, www.GraciousJaneMarie.com)

 

 

You'll need:

• One 9"x 9" square of batiste or any finely woven white cotton fabric or linen that is soft to the touch
• 44 inches of one inch wide lace, flat on at least one edge, cut into four equal pieces
• Sewing machine or minimal experience in hand sewing
• Matching thread
• Straight pins
• Embroidery thread and needle, white or colors (optional)

Cut the lace into four 11 inch lengths. 

Wash and press the fabric square.

Lay out the fabric square

Center the flat side of an 11 inch length of lace on each edge of the square and pin in place.   You want any scallops the lace might have to be on the outside edge, away from the cloth square.  The ends of the lace pieces should overlap at right angles. 

With a tiny zigzag stitch, carefully sew the lace around all four edges of the hankie. 

With a tiny zigzag, carefully sew from each corner point of the cloth square out to the edge of the lace.   When all four corners are sewn, carefully snip the overlapping lace off the corners close to the diagonal stitching and discard.  The lace will be joined in a diagonal seam at each corner.  

You may also roll the raw edges under and secure them by hand with a small whip stitch.  Add the lace as mentioned above using tiny straight stitches.

You may choose to embroider a few white on white or colored flowers and leaves in one or all the corners.  You can even put the initials of the bride or baby or grandmother or godchild in one corner.  I sewed a white shamrock on the handkerchiefs I made for the bridesmaids in my daughter Barbra's wedding.

 

If time is short, just add lace to a store-bought hankie that has the edges already finished.

 

Article reprinted from www.GraciousJaneMarie.com



Nina and Pinta in Fernandina on Amelia Island, FL

What a fun little island we live on!  After a book signing at Books Plus in our historic downtown, I walked to the marina and shot this photo of the Nina and Pinta tied to our dock.  While these are replicas of ships from 1492, I love them amidst the modern yachts.  With the sun setting as a backdrop, it was quite a sight.

 

visit www.thenina.com/ for more info

 

Hollywood Hearts - Spring, Spring, Spring!

Once again it is Spring, at least on the calendar.  No matter if you are ankle deep in snow, slush, mud or sand, here is a fun song called Spring, Spring, Spring from the 1954 movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers by Stanley Donen.  Thank you to Adam Grayson for posting this song. Enjoy!

 

Click here to view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwa89n7lb_g

 (Sorry, you may have a commercial before you hear the song on You Tube, but it's worth it if you listen to the simple poetry in the lyrics.)

 

St. Patty or St. Paddy?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

to ya from Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie series characters  Michael Dunnigan, Miss Ella, Breelan, Carolena, Pat, Marie and Aunt Noreen!  Oh,  and me, too, Jane Marie.  

 

I also want to make certain we all say the abbreviated version of this annual Irish greeting correctly.  It's Happy St. Paddy's Day NOT Happy St. Patty's day, since Patty is short for Patricia!  After all, Saint Patrick was a fella! 

 

 

And just in time for the holiday, see the photo below. I was looking over our courtyard garden and found this sweet little shamrock plant growing between cement and metal!

 

 

Just In Time For St. Patrick's Day

What?  You need to sound as if you're from Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day?  Listen to this short YouTube video called How To Do An Irish Accent.  Click here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2PHch4IPPQ to learn the basics in 2 minutes and 34 seconds!  Have fun!

And, too, listen to this little Irish ditty, It's a Great Day for the Irish, sung by Judy Garland. Click here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrt_PA5PflM

M_____ on Invitations?

Have you ever wondered if you're filling out the RSVP wedding invitation card correctly when it comes to the large letter M followed by a long blank line, as in M_____________?

 

 

 

I wanted to make certain I was doing this properly all these years, so did a little research.  This is the answer.  You add the rest of the letters in your title, as in Mrs. or Mr. Always include the name of your guest, too.  If you aren't sure at the time just who your guest will be, but you know you will be taking a date, write and guest.

 

 

 

Goodbye Lie Pinterest

I love Pinterest! 

 

 

Please visit my Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie Trilogy board at: http://www.pinterest.com/1janemarie/amelia-islands-goodbye-lie-trilogy-by-jane-marie-m/.  Find the fashion Breelan wears, the fan Carolena carries, the furnishings Peeper polishes and so many other items circa the 1880s and there about, when the novels take place.  If you look closely, you may just see those Dunnigan girls and even Aunt Noreen walking between the images...

Enjoy my other ever-changing boards, too, which include:
Rich Romance
For the Manor
Created by Hand
People/Places/Prizes
Just for Me
Martha Bear and Captain Fancy Patch
For the Tum-Tum
Word, Words,
Faith

See them all my boards at http://www.pinterest.com/1janemarie/ 

Left Handed Discovery

I'm left handed and recently discovered something about pens with advertising on them.  If you hold the pen in your right hand, you can read the name.  If you hold it in your left hand, the name is upside down!  Talk about discrimination.  It's such an unfair world, don't you think?

Quick Fix

Did you just get a phone call from a friend or relative saying she, he or they were just around the corner and would arrive at your place in five minutes? There are dishes in the sink and the dishwasher is full of dirty or clean dishes! What can you do?

Remove the top rack in the oven. Find a basin or bucket that will fit in the oven. Quickly fill it with the dirty dishes and hide them in the oven. Just don't forget they are in there and turn it on the next morning to preheat.

This handy hint came from the mother of  Jo Nix. Thanks, Mom!

PS With all the ways I try to avoid or hasten my time spent doing chores, I'm ashamed of myself for never thinking of this.  Of course, in the past, I have gotten really good at barring the way with a sawhorse and zigzagging caution tape across the kitchen entrance.  

What a mess!

Open Face Tomato Cheese Sandwich - Family Fave

Martha Bear

 

 
Martha Bear, spokesbear for our 700 page  website, www.GraciousJaneMarie.com , star  of her own free online silly short stories at www.MarthaBear.com and who makes cameo appearances in Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie Trilogy says, "Since tomatoes are available year-round in the grocery stores, you don't have to wait to grow your own. Two or three open face sandwiches per person are usually requested, so have sufficient tomato slices, bread and cheese on hand for the number of people you’ll be serving.

 



To make one open face sandwich, you’ll need:

• 1 slice of a large fresh tomato or enough smaller slices to cover one slice of bread
• 1 slice of bread
• 1 slice mild yellow cheese (I use Velveeta lite.) 
• Oregano, fresh or dried

Set the oven to broil. 

Place all the bread on a cookie sheet and heat until the bread is lightly brown on one side. 

Remove the bread from the oven and turn the bread over. 

Place the cheese on the untoasted side of the bread. 

Top with a tomato slice. 

Sprinkle each sandwich with oregano. 

Return sandwiches to the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the bread are brown.  

Serve while hot. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

This recipe is reprinted from our website, www.GraciousJaneMarie.com.

Quote by Nancy Kamp

"We make glaciers look like medal winners..."
                        -Nancy Kamp
                         freelance editing
                         jewelry making  
                         www.greenlightWrite.com

Goodbye Lie Diaries - Marie Dunnigan - the horse tail





Late 1800s

Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida
 

Marie Dunnigan

Marie Dunnigan writes:  I recently learned the most dreadful news while I was volunteering as a nursing assistant. There was a young man in a wheel chair with a bandage around his eyes.  I asked what happened to him and a nurse said he was hit across the face by a horse’s tail.  While everyone knows not to stand behind a horse lest it kick you, the swish of his tail is like a whip, but it is more than that.  The nurse explained how the hair from the horse tail is jagged and not smooth like that of the mane, so it actually lacerated the man’s eyes.  I so hope he recovers.  Over my long eighteen years on this earth, I had never heard there was a difference in texture between the horse’s mane and tail.  I knew surgeons use the hair from the mane to stitch up wounds and guessed they didn’t use the tail only because of the location where it naturally would be dirty.  While I would prefer being at home reading a romantic novel in the shade of our talkin' tree, I must admit when I learn new things, I feel smart, almost as smart of Carolena, my big sister.  She has the best brain of all of us, except our mother.  Miss Ella outsmarts Daddy every day of his life.

 

 

2014

Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida

 

Jane Marie writes:  I, too, found out this fact when we were visiting Fort Clinch, here on Amelia Island, Florida.  While there are no real soldiers stationed there in this time, gentleman called re-enactors dress in Civil War uniforms and pretend the year is 1864.  It’s so very interesting to those of us who love history.  Well, I know you’ve been to Fort Clinch over the years.  I don’t know if the two-story building directly across the parade ground from the main entrance was build in your day. When you climb the stairs to the second floor hospital, the first thing you notice is, unlike the other buildings with red brick interiors, all the walls here are  painted white inside and the windows are opened.  The breeze was glorious this hot late summer day and the man playing the part of the surgeon explained that General Grant, (I am sorry if that name still upsets you), I believe he said it was Grant, received word how a bright and ventilated room speeds healing. To this end, he ordered all the infirmaries, where possible, should be located on the second floor and have white walls.  He also mentioned to those of us visiting about the difference between a horse’s mane and tail.  I’m not around horses very often. We ride in automobiles, powered by gasoline, but next time I am, I will compare the two by feel.

Oh, and as to your mother being the smart one in the family, I have to agree.  With all that goes on in the lives of the Dunnigans of Amelia Island, it takes a powerful woman to handle the unexpected and keep everyone feeling comforted and stable--everyone except Aunt Noreen.  She is impossible to control...


Marie is the youngest sibling of four Dunnigan children featured in Amelia Island's Goodbye Lie Trilogy set on Amelia Island, Florida in the 1880s.  Through the magic of electronics, she and the other characters in these fictional novels are able to communicate with their author, Jane Marie Malcolm, who, coincidentally resides in the same town of Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida.

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