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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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.
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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
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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
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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Well, we’re moving again. It’s always hectic, but I consider it a chance to explore a new place and meet new people. Since I know this won’t be our last move, I like to look at it as a vacation—a really long vacation. We thought we’d be moving back to Virginia to our house on
On the Road Again… Read More »
I love architecture. My family will confirm this, as they have often joined my meanderings down cobblestone streets or busy sidewalks to view a building. And so it was when Dave and I recently visited Palma de Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain. We were on our way to see
Seeing Moor of Palma Read More »
These days, it seems most people play games online. Me? I’m a bit old-school. I prefer board games. There is something special about sharing the fun while sitting around the table with friends and family. And, you may even learn something as you play. This week, we are visiting our son and his wife in