La Cosecha

Bilingual stories teach children about virtues

May 15, 2023 2:35 pm | By Emily Booker

Francesca Follone-Montgomery lives a life of creative improvisation that has seen her write four books By Gabrielle Nolan Francesca Follone-Montgomery, OFS, likes to adapt the expression, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” “I say, make a lot of things: lemon cream pie, lemon cookies,” she laughed. “Whatever inspiration, be creative, make life like a jazz improvisation. I got so much more out of life being able to improvise a little bit, with the help of God.” Mrs. Montgomery, a parishioner at All Saints in Knoxville, has lived a life of creative improvisation. Originally from Italy, Mrs. Montgomery was born in Florence and grew up in Florence and Pisa. She moved to the United States in 1998, wanting to be a jazz singer and write a book about the American composer and pianist George Gershwin. Instead, God had different plans. She lived in Washington, D.C., for 10 years, where she... Read more →