“And in the Emerald Isles…. John Stuart Parnell, called the uncrowned King of Ireland, was quite terrified by the color green.” An excerpt from Superstition and the Superstitious by Eric Maple, published in 1971 by A.S. Barnes, New Jersey.
This character was certainly not terrified.
“Sarah caught her breath and walked over for a better look. She unfolded the blanket with one hand and draped it over the sofa. Not a blanket, a quilt, she corrected herself, stroking the fabric..small diamonds of all shades of blue, purple, and green formed eight-pointed stars on a soft ivory background. Tiny stitches formed smaller diamonds within each colorful piece, and the lighter fabric was covered with a flowing, feathery pattern, all made from unbelievably small, even stitches. A narrow vine of deep emerald-green meandered around the edges. ‘How lovely,’ Sarah whispered, lifting an edge up to the light to better examine it.” An excerpt from The Quilter’s Apprentice by New-york Times best-selling author, Jennifer Chiaverini, published in 1999 by Simon and Schuster.. It was the first novel in a much-loved series..
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…” A line that has withstood the test of time in this technological day and age. Joe Garner in his book, Now Showing: Unforgettable Moments from the movies published in 2003 by Andrews McMeel Publishing, reminds us of a little of the magic behind the scenes in The Emerald City. “…to change the color of the horses in The Emerald City, Jell-o powder was brushed into their coats.” …Nothing is ever quite what it seems, is it?
“Deep in my thoughts, I sit down and listen/ To this awesome silence./ Behind the painted doors and embroidered curtains/ There used to be music and dancing./ Hunting r fishing parties were held/ In the emerald forests or beside the marble pools.” An exerpt from The Ruined City by Pao Chao (414-466)(China) Translated by C.J. Chen and Michael Bullock and featured in the collection, World Poetry by The Quality Paperback Book Club.
“Under the lime tree it was cool and peaceful; the bees and flies, when they flew into the circle of its shade, seemed to hum more softly; the clean, slender blades of grass, emerald green with no glint of the sunshine’s gold, were still; tall stalks stood motionless, as if bewitched; …” Ivan Turgenev in On The Eve, published in 1950 by Viking Press.
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Don Jackson
