Everyone’s heard the phrase, “Put your John Hancock on it.” Did you ever wonder where the phrase came from? John Hancock was one of the fifty-six delegates to the Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence. In fact, Hancock was the first man to sign it, and he did so with a large, bold […]
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For the past week, the weather here in Maryland has been in the 80s. Having recently moved here, I’ve been told this is unusual for late October. And overnight, it plummeted. The high today was 50°, with it dropping further by sunset. It’s Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, Samhain, and I’m glad to feel a brisk
Since the prehistoric man met water, he has tried to conquer it. Circumstantial evidence of man using some form of watercraft to cross between land masses dates back at least 900,000 years. These ancient crafts were most likely dugouts made from carved or burned tree trunks. Having lived on the island of Crete, I was
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I’ve always heard terms like ‘different as two sides of a coin’ or ‘two sides to every story.’ And as an amateur historian, I am constantly reminded that history is written by the victors. I found many examples of this researching the MacKay Mysteries. And I am finding even more as I study the ancient
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We discovered produce markets when we moved to Italy. The fresh-from-the-vine strawberries rarely made it home before we attacked them, the juice running down our chins. We found the same in Greece, where weekly market shopping became a habit. Over time, we discovered we preferred this vendor for peppers and onions and another for tomatoes.
To Market To Market Read More »
This week, I am continuing my backyard series. If I drive a few miles to the end of the main road that passes our neighborhood, I can see Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, across the Potomac River. Several years ago, Dave and I, along with other members of the 7th Virginia, slept in
Marvelous Mount Vernon Read More »
Well, we are finally settling into the new house and able to do more exploring of our new area. Over the summer, I wrote a few posts, mostly about exploring close to home, even in your own backyard. While I love to travel, I also believe you don’t need to go very far to find
As an interpreter with the 7th Virginia Regiment, I enjoyed speaking to people about history. While most events were Revolutionary War battle re-enactments, some were educational, designed to share Colonial American life with the public. Often, I noticed that while they came for the battles and the sound of the rifles and cannons; they stayed
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During COVID, we lived in Germany, where the restrictions were strict. But outdoor fitness, especially caring for animals, was allowed within your family group. Dave downloaded an app showing places near the house to hike. As you can imagine, our dog joined us for many of those walks. We found gorgeous mountain views and hidden
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Moving overseas, I expected things to be different, but I was unaware of reverse culture shock syndrome, that feeling when suddenly things that used to be normal now seem foreign. This was my third return to the U.S. after living overseas, and it hit me hard once again. Even the simplest things feel unnatural, leaving
Why is that man honking at me? Read More »