April is Maryland Archaeology Month. On Saturday, I joined the local archaeological group, providing activities for children to learn how we can study the past by examining the items people left behind. Most of them asked, “Like their trash?” I suppose that is one way of looking at it. Archaeological digs can be found throughout […]
This past week, a large swath of the U.S. saw a total eclipse. While it was tempting to go, the timing just wasn’t right for us to travel. I watched the near-total eclipse from the NASA Space Center at Wallops Island in August 2017. Though we were at 82% coverage, I remember the dimness as
Scotland is one of my favorite countries. The first time we went there, we took three-year-old Megan. I’d just found out I was pregnant before we left. Little did I know then that our son, Ian, would attend university there, first in St. Andrews and then in Edinburgh. So, I have spent a good bit
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Happy Easter! Καλό Πάσχα! Frohe Ostern! Did you know that Easter does not fall on the same day around the world? I had heard this, but it wasn’t until we lived in Greece that I learned more about it. At the first Council of Nicaea, in what is now Turkey, Christian leaders met in 325
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We got up early on Wednesday to catch the Metro into Washington, D.C., to see the cherry blossoms. I’d wanted to go since we’ll be moving away from the area later this year, so I kept an eye on the ever-elusive peak bloom date. Last weekend’s warm, sunny weather over St. Patrick’s Day sped up
A Gift of Friendship Read More »
As the saying goes, “Everyone’s a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” Now, we all know that isn’t true, but there is a large percentage of Americans with Irish roots. I have ancestors from Donegal. But where did the phrase originate? The main reason may be due to the significant Irish immigration throughout history
A Little Luck of the Irish! Read More »
Today is March 8th, International Women’s Day during Women’s History Month, and I am attending The Women in Publishing Summit. So, what else is there to write about for this week? I’m even stealing the theme of the Summit, Better Together, for this article, as it seems appropriate. International Women’s Day began in New York
We’d been in Germany for a year when COVID hit, forcing us into lockdown. Our upcoming trip to Wales was canceled, and we spent the following year forced to stay at home. That ruling was particularly strict in Bavaria, but we found ways to make the most of it. One of the five things we
Happy Saint David’s Day! Read More »
For my birthday this year, Dave bought a ticket for me to visit the Monet Experience in the District. I’d thoroughly enjoyed the Van Gogh Experience in Munich the year before. However, I prefer Monet’s works and was excited to go. Everyone has their personal preferences in terms of art, and Dave is not a
Today is February 14th, Valentine’s Day, and I wondered about the origin of this day that celebrates love and romance. I remember, as a child, we decorated shoe boxes at school and bought boxes of small Valentine’s cards to put inside. Everyone received a card from everyone else. And I remember those little candy hearts