Several years ago, I took part in the National Geographic Genome Project. This study tracked migrations using DNA samples to compare to indigenous populations. Unlike the genealogical sites that compare submitted data to DNA, this looks at your ethnicity, not individual family members, and compares it to those populations. It was fun to participate and […]
Part of my byline claims I’m a traveler. With Dave’s knee surgery and rehab, this summer hasn’t presented many opportunities outside our local area. I recently mentioned that to a friend, and she said, “but you live overseas. Isn’t that like always traveling?” I suppose you could see it that way. But it’s more than
How could I choose? Read More »
In researching the next book in the MacKay mysteries, I am learning a lot about protesting, boycotting, and secret societies. As in many time periods, certain everyday items can take on new significance. In the Pre-Revolutionary period, homespun fabric represented the boycott of English goods. A red and white flag symbolized the Sons of Liberty,
(G)nomenclature: Dwarf or Gnome? Read More »
Have you ever attended a local fall festival? This week marks Lughnasadh, the fourth of the ancient Celtic quarter festivals celebrating the year’s passing. Ancient cultures divided the world into light and dark: day/night, summer/winter, sun/moon, and so on. It helped them understand life and the natural world around them. They began the year with
Celebrating Lughnasadh Read More »
Smuggling invokes images of pirates on the high seas. And yes, Blackbeard and others have been romanticized over time in stories as well as movies. In researching Angus’ arrival in Philadelphia for Death on the Line, I learned that they would not have sailed all the way up the Delaware River to the city. The
Fiction is the art of telling a story. But history is based on facts, though we all know that history is written by one side or the other or from one person’s perspective. So I try to keep in mind that old saying “trust but verify.” How important is accuracy in telling a story? What
The other day, my landlady showed up with a bucket of currants. Don’t get me wrong; I love currants. But what was I to do with a bucket load? I froze most of them in small batches in freezer bags by first spreading them out on a tray in the freezer for twenty minutes. But
Dreams really can come true, and recently one of mine did. Since taking part in the Pompeii Food and Drink Project, I have longed to join a hands-on dig. Twelve years later, working with many of those same people, I joined the Melite Civitas Romana Project, examining the ruins of a Roman Domus and its
When you look back at the past, do you think of a simpler life? Or do you consider it a more difficult time? That is a tricky question as it depends more on your circumstances than the basic elements of daily life. But I think it’s a bit of both. Sometimes, I think it would
Those were the days! Or were they? Read More »
When someone says “Black Forest,” what springs to mind? Black Forest cake? Cuckoo clocks? Well, you will find those in plenty and many quaint villages of half-timber houses. But Dave and I stumbled upon a living-air museum, and our plans for the day changed. We went to Colonial Williamsburg as often as possible when we
All-in-One Housing Read More »