“The Hudson River is a 315-mile (507 km) river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York in the United States. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the Upper New York Bay between New York City and Jersey City, eventually…
Day: October 7, 2021
#MemoirFest Day 15: Write about the Harvest Time of Year
Yesterday, we discussed how, in writing memoir, it is important for us to write about the events of our lives, from our own perspectives. Many people view harvest time as the weeks during which Starbucks serves Pumpkin Spice Latte, or as the time when the craft stores line their shelves with fake pumpkins, orange garlands,…
#MemoirFest Day 13: Write about Your Memories of Going to a Fair
I grew up in the Bootheel of Southeast Missouri, which is about 120 miles from Memphis, Tennessee. The highlight of my autumns was that of going to the Midsouth Fair in Memphis. My mother will soon be 95, and every time I see her, I hear her repeat: “Brush your teeth and comb your hair….
#MemoirFest Day 9: Map Your Way to Your Childhood Home
I have created an actual map of the area around my childhood home, and for today’s #MemoirFest prompt, I want you to create a map for the area around your childhood home, too. You can scribble it on paper, but I primarily want you to walk around that area with your words. I want you…
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving – Read the Book Free
The Headless Horseman – Painted by John Quidor in 1858 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving Published in 1820 lThe fictional narrator of this story is Mr. Knicerbocker] In the bosom of one of those spacious coves which indent the eastern shore of the Hudson, at that broad expansion of the river denominated…
#MemoirFest Day 7: Write about a Farm – It’s a Matter of Perspective
One of my favorite but older picture books is Rockwell’s Apples and Pumpkins. Apples and Pumpkins is about a family’s visit to a farm to pick from the bounty that was growing there. The simple book exemplifies the fact that various people in the USA view farm life differently than I view farms. Some people…
#MemoirFest Day 6: Write about a Teacher – Hitch Your Wagon to a Star
Seventh Grade was an important year for me. I attended school in a small, rural town, and there were two school buildings there: the Elementary School and the High School. Seventh Grade was the year that my classmates and I shifted from swingsets and monkey bars to metal lockers and Physical Education in a gym…
#MemoirFest Day 5 – Write about School – Be Honest
Before I post my #MemoirFest Prompts for each day, I like to go to Goodreads to see what other writers have said about that prompt, and normally, I find beautifully crafted and inspirational words. But when I looked at the quotes about school, I was a bit surprised, as I was reminded that School was…
#MemoirFest Day 4: Write about a Primary Caregiver – Write about What You Know
The prompts for both days 1 and 2 had to do with the writing about a specific House that you have known well. There are a few golden nougats in those prompts: Write about a House — something that is concrete and not abstract. Write Specifically Write about What You Know I’ll repeat Tips 2…