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, […]
When the Europeans arrived on the continent, they did not find the gold and silver they sought. Nor did they find exotic spices. But what they did find was an abundance of food, much of which they had never seen before. Many foods commonly eaten today were indigenous to the Americas. Whether they were first
Food, Glorious Food! Read More »
November is Native American Heritage Month. So for this month, my posts will concentrate on this theme with a different topic each week. As someone who enjoys learning about other cultures, I find language is particularly important, as it plays a significant role in any society. It is the method by which people communicate and
The Tracks We Leave Read More »
I don’t usually write about my books here. I prefer to share random articles about the past or the culture of the places we travel. There are so many fascinating tidbits out there. But this week marks one year since Angus MacKay sailed to the colonies to try to make something of himself and instead
Happy Birthday, Angus! Read More »
Folk traditions help you learn about different cultures. Our village celebrated Kirwa (kir-vah) this past weekend, a uniquely Bavarian tradition. So I decided to see if I could describe it to someone who had never attended one. At a glance, it looks like a miniature Oktoberfest with bratwurst and beer, singing and dancing. Initially, they
Germany is known for its half-timber medieval buildings, and many towns proudly promote these charming structures. But to my delight, each has also had a buried past. The cities are much older than they seem. In some areas, especially the south, you often find Roman ruins beneath them. And in Bavaria, in particular, there is
Peeling Back the Layers Read More »
I have a confession to make. I live in Germany and have never been to Oktoberfest. Shocking, right? We moved here in 2019, and it was on my radar, but we didn’t make it that first year. I could make the case that it was shut down in 2020 and 2021 because of covid. True,
Sometimes, I wonder about the internet. Having done all those Google searches on Colonial America, they have found me, and articles are popping up on my feed. I recently shared an article on Facebook about the actions Parliament took following the Boston Tea Party in December 1773. Sign of Nine Stripes, my upcoming book, doesn’t
That’s Intolerable! Read More »
In researching the final book in the MacKay Mystery series, I delved more into the relationship between the Native Americans and the Highlanders arriving in the colonies. I had always heard these two cultures identified similarities in each other and worked well together, often intermingling. But I had no research to support these theories. Google
Highlanders & Indians Read More »
Images and quotes about travel have recently been popping up on my social media. I suppose the various algorithms have worked out that I love to travel. I’ll get into what travel means to me, as it is something different for each person. Some people like to go to as many places as possible. Others