Following up on the previous posts on this bizarre holiday taking place, the next question is: How did Halloween become so popular? One note I must make is that despite serious study that contradicts the direct, complete link to the Celts and Samhain celebrations, most commentaries maintain this as the...
The origins of “Halloween” are steeped in mystery, vague references, superstitions, and suppositions. Personally I am not a fan of Halloween due to the death, terror, and general nastiness are at the center of the day. Enmeshing myself into that sort of stuff is not high on my list! Despite...
In the early years when the Roman Empire persecuted Christians, many martyrs died for their faith. Christians have been honoring these martyrs since at least the second century AD. The Martyrdom of Polycarp, probably written near the middle of the second century, attests to this reality: Accordingly, we afterwards took up...
NOTE: This blog is originally from 2014 and written a few days before my birthday. I continue to share it since the history of my family and my childhood is, of course, still relevant to who I am. Maybe it is time for an update. I’ll have to give that...
Last week I highlighted novels mashing together Jane Austen with monsters of one sort or another, adding a bit of fun with two titles fabricated by me. Hehe…. That post is here: Austen Monster Mash and the fake titles & authors were #3 The Haunting of Pemberley by Elizabeth Drummant and #12 Anne...
As a follow up to last week’s blog post on magic lantern and Phantasmagoria history, I am sharing the excerpt from My Dearest Mr. Darcy where Darcy and Lizzy attend a performance while on holiday in Norfolk. So turn off the lights, put on some eerie music, read on and...
Autumn Squash Soup 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 20 oz package precut) 1 tablespoon canola oil salt and pepper to taste 1 15 oz can pumpkin 1 cup vegetable broth 1 cup apple cider 1 cup half and half 1 1/2 tablespoon honey 1/4 teaspoon curry...
David Matthew Macfadyen was born on October 17, 1974 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, the son of Meinir, a drama teacher and former actress, and Martin Macfadyen, an oil executive. His paternal grandparents were Scottish and his maternal grandparents were Welsh. Macfadyen was brought up in a number of places, including Jakarta, Indonesia, as...
Love ’em or hate ’em, Jane Austen mash-ups are everywhere! By definition, a “mash-up” is a derivative work consisting of two pieces of media conjoined together. In the Austen world this was originally attributed to movies like Clueless and Bridget Jones’ Diary where Austen characters and plotlines were set into modern...
Imagine it is 1817. You are in a theatre usually reserved for opera performances and ballets. It is pitch black with eerie music rising from the orchestra pit. You are clutching onto the armrests, or your companion, while witnessing a marvel never seen before. Ghostly visions mysteriously projected from hidden...
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Icing & Caramel Drizzle A cupcake that offers the best of both worlds—sugar and spice. Ingredients: ½ cups Vegetable Oil 1 cup Brown Sugar 1/3 cups Granulated Sugar 2 whole Eggs, Room Temperature ½ teaspoons Salt ½ teaspoons Cinnamon 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract...
The word “Gothic” conjures a host of imagery to us these days. For the moment let’s set aside visions of head-to-toe black painted and garbed Marilyn Manson. LOL! Instead, let’s delve into the history so as to learn what the term meant in the Regency Era, specifically in relation to...
It is October so we are approaching Halloween. That brings topics of death to mind, whether we like it or not. LOL! I know this may sound odd, but I have always thought old graveyards peaceful, in a way. The cemetery in Mississippi where my grandparents and many other relatives are laid to rest is...
We all know the legendary story of Robin Hood. In the time of Richard the Lionheart a minor noble of Nottinghamshire, one Robin of Loxley, was outlawed for poaching deer. At that time the deer in a royal forest belonged to the king, and killing one of the king’s deer was therefore...
Time for more movie trivia and little know facts. Yeah! Last time I covered Star Wars tidbits — that post is HERE if missed — and continuing on the trend of my geekdom, here are some fun and perhaps little-known facts from the first Lord of the Rings movie, The...
