Today, we rely heavily on clocks. Almost everything we do happens on a time schedule. I used to joke that I couldn’t get away from them. There are watches, the clock on the stove or the walls of the house, my car, my computer at work, and later my ever-present phone. But what did people […]
Do you remember what you wanted to be when you were a child? At one point, I wanted to be a veterinarian, then later a lawyer. After joining the debate team in middle school, I discovered the theatre department. This was what I wanted to do. And while I loved debate and did well, being
What do I want to be? Read More »
Whether you celebrate Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day, Candlemas, Groundhog’s Day, or all of them, the beginning of February is a busy time on the calendar. So where did these all originate? I’ll start with the easy one; Groundhog’s Day. This celebration began in the United States in 1887. It seems to have nothing to do
I confess I am more interested in ancient history than modern. My husband, however, has a passion for World War II. A few years ago, we joined my parents on a tour of the beaches at Normandy. I learned a lot and found it very interesting. But I didn’t come home and do further research.
It Looked Good on Paper Read More »
I’m often asked how I do my research, and I’ll admit it is a bit haphazard. I read as much as possible about the time and location to see what was happening. If it piques my interest, I work it into the story. But I try to double-check the source and verify the truth or
I should know better. I’ve seen Roman sites in Italy, Great Britain, Germany, and even on the island of Crete. So why was I surprised to find them in The Netherlands? Granted, it was the frontier, but Romans were there when Julius Caesar conquered the tribes between 57-53 BC. The subsequent 450 years of Roman
The Limes the Limit! Read More »
I sat down today to write this week’s blog post about the Roman ruins we found in The Netherlands last week. Then the doorbell rang, and Widgit, the dog, went crazy. He usually barks, but this time he was excited. Opening the door, I saw four local children dressed in the robes of the magi.
While many Americans celebrated Thanksgiving and feasted on turkey with all the trimmings, Dave and I explored the Weihnachtmarkt, or Christmas Markets, in Germany. These typically open on the first weekend of Advent and some run through Epiphany on 6 January. The first documented Christmas Market was in Dresden Germany in 1434. This was a
It’s time for Gluhwein! Read More »
During my time as an interpreter with the 7th Virginia Regiment, my favorite topic was plants and their edible and medicinal uses. Our food displays were split into soldier’s rations and the items found in a typical home at that time of year. At any given event, children came up to look and ask questions.
Every so often, the poem, The Englishman’s Nightmare, by Tom Anderson Cairns makes the rounds. It is usually printed on tea towels and coffee mugs and tells the tale of an Englishman coming home after a hard day’s work. Everywhere he turns, he admires his modern conveniences, and while he is so proud of them,