I love holidays and celebrations. Though some, like Groundhog’s Day on the second of February, I find rather silly. And yet, I turned on the news to see if Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Would there be another six weeks of winter? And how does a groundhog know this? I was a little more vested […]
A Groundhog Predicts the Weather? Read More »
On Saturday, Dave and I attended the kick-off of the VA250, Virginia’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the events leading to American Independence. I learned a lot about the role the county where I live played in our history. I remember hearing in school the story of the shots that rang out on Lexington
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While writing the third book in the Dun Cael series, my research involved learning about Iron Age horses. Reading the descriptions of their short stocky legs and shaggy coats reminded me of the ponies on Chincoteague and Assateague Islands on the Virginia/Maryland border. As a young girl, I read Marguerite Henry’s book, Misty of Chincoteague,
I love to travel and this month is giving me several opportunities. For Christmas, we are flying to the U.K. to spend the holiday with our son, his wife, and her family. So, in the past few days, Dave and I drove to North Carolina to visit our daughter and her family. Then, it was
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Despite the fact that we won’t be at home for Christmas, I wanted to put up a Christmas tree. So, we did. In the old Victorian houses we had, we always found the largest trees possible and filled them with ornaments. We decided to put the tree in front of one of the windows in
I’m wrapping up Native American Heritage Month with a visit to Wolf Creek, a reconstructed Native site about a half hour away. We’d passed highway signs for it before, but we were always on our way somewhere else. So, despite a bit of snow on the ground, we trudged down the hill to visit the
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Today, the term matriarchal is often misunderstood and is frequently construed to imply that women had sole power or leadership. However, other terms, such as matrilinear, might be more accurate as this implies balance and cooperation between the genders, where women also have an essential role in the decision-making process. Nowhere is this more evident
In searching for the next topic for Native American Heritage Month, I came across a reference to the importance of language to native speakers. That resonates with me, as years ago, I began learning Scottish Gaelic. With a daughter who did Scottish Highland Dance and played bagpipes and a son who played the fiddle, I
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November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples in the United States. There are many ways to celebrate their heritage. Recognize their contributions to American History from agricultural practices (such as the three sisters: corn, beans, and squash) to their military service, contributions to
Living in so many places over the years, Dave and I have learned that while we love to travel, we often find interesting things to explore nearby. And our recent move has been no exception. Whenever I mention to someone here that I am interested in history, they always say, “Well then, you’ve heard the