In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

So wrote physician and poet John McCrae in 1915.  A soldier from Ontario Canada, McCrae fought on Flanders fields in Belgium. In the second battle of Ypres, in one of the first chemical attacks in history, Germany pounded the Canadians with a chlorine gas nightmare that lasted seventeen days and nights. The Canadians held their line amid the dead and the maimed and wounded, and during that horrific time, McCrae’s close friend was killed. He saw to the burial service himself, and that’s when he noticed the  red poppies around the graves of those who died at Ypres. Struck by the pretty flowers growing wild surrounded by death and destruction, he composed the poem destined to become a symbol of the bloodshed of war. Since then, the poppy serves as a reminder of precious blood spilled.

Around the world today is Armistice Day or Remembrance Day. In the states we call it Veterans Day. If you see a poppy seller today, be sure to buy a poppy. They raise funds to care for war veterans and their families.

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I read an article entitled How Women Can Save the World by Telling Epic Stories in the Movies. For the rest of the week, I’ll discuss woman as storyteller.

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100 Things Blogging Challenge!
For 100 days, I’m posting a little something from my chosen topic of Words & Quotes of Love. There are 29 entries to come. Here’s one for today:

“No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.”

~Francois Mauriac

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*FREE * FREE * FREE*

The Exquisite Quills Holiday Anthology Vol.1 is out and is full of lovely wintery stories of all kinds
Come get your FREE copy and please spread the word!
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374815

LOVE WAITS in UNEXPECTED PLACES – Scorching Samplings of Unusual Love Stories.

Notice the new cover? FREE on Smashwords. If you haven’t read me yet, why not sample?
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/333971

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Romance Author Promo Op on my Exquisite Quills group blog. We have Set the Scene in Six: Authors are welcome to share a backdrop or lead-up to a scene from their novel every Sunday. And every Wednesday is First Kiss Wednesday.
Come share a 300 word kiss.

What is, or better who are, Exquisite Quills?
http://exquisitequills.blogspot.com/ An old group of author friends & their new reader/writer friends.
Yahoo Groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExquisiteQuills/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/527671093985960/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExquisiteQuills

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