July 4, 1776 was the historic day when the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. Every year, Americans rejoice and celebrate Independence Day with great fanfare. Amidst colorful parades, flag hoisting ceremonies, and barbecue parties, Americans remember the suffering their forefathers endured to win them precious freedom. “Since the signing...
Getting back to writing my novel also meant getting back into research. Both I love, so it has been a win, win! Today in the “What is that thing?” category, a new discovery for me was the device seen to the right. First introduced in the late 1600s and popularized...
In visual art, the term Chinoiserie is from “chinois”, the French word for Chinese. The artistic style was a fanciful European interpretation of art and designs seen in countries all over East Asia, including China, Korea and Japan. The beginnings arose in the 13th century when trade routes opened between Europe and...
Sea bathing has not always been a desirable activity, especially in the colder climes such as England. The wide open waters were frightening and strange debris washing onto the beaches raised alarm. Merely walking upon the sand was, in certain places and periods of time, considered a risky undertaking. By...
“Ten thousand a year and he owns half of Derbyshire!” So said Charlotte Lucas to Elizabeth Bennet in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice. To be fair, this statement is not in the original novel by Jane Austen, nor do the descriptions of Pemberley give any details of the...
Titles of nobility are one of those areas Americans have particular trouble wrapping our minds around. It doesn’t help that the rules and application of British titles are extremely complex, and have changed in multiple ways over the centuries. In some respects, reading the various titles or hearing them uttered in a movie is akin to...
If you have read my first novel, Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, then you know that a duel with swords takes place toward the end. Naturally, in order to present a realistic duel, or simply have a duel at all, I needed to research the hows and whys as pertinent during the Regency...
Today I’m bringing the eighth and final installment in my study into Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. Past posts can be read by clicking these links– Floriography history & A and B flowers Floriography C and D flowers Floriography F and G flowers Floriography H, I, and J flowers...
Sutures have a long and bizarre history, dating back to ancient Egypt, where everything from tree bark to hair was used to stitch human flesh back together again. Physicians have used suture to close wounds for at least 4,000 years. Archaeological records from ancient Egypt show that Egyptians used linen...
We are entering the cold weather where cuddling up by the fire with a steaming mug of something warm, such as hot chocolate, is an evening favorite. So here is a short history of this delicious beverage. Between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago, cacao plants were first cultivated in Mesoamerica...
November 5th is “Bonfire Night” in the UK, the day when Britons everywhere set fire to massive piles of flammables, light fireworks, and host parades. Straw dummies representing Fawkes, as well as those of contemporary political figures, are tossed into the bonfire. Why, you may ask? Well, here is a bit of...
Today I’m bringing the seventh installment in my study into Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. Past posts can be read by clicking these links–Floriography history & A and B flowersFloriography C and D flowersFloriography F and G flowersFloriography H, I, and J flowersFloriography L and M flowersFloriography N,...
Today I’m bringing the sixth installment in my study into Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. Past posts can be read by clicking these links–Floriography history & A and B flowersFloriography C and D flowersFloriography F and G flowersFloriography H, I, and J flowersFloriography L and M flowers Nasturtium ~...
Here is the fifth installment in my study into Floriography — the cryptological communication through flower use or arrangement. Past posts can be read by clicking these links–Floriography history & A and B flowersFloriography C and D flowersFloriography F and G flowersFloriography H, I, and J flowers Lily of the Valley ~...
Carrying on in my search for unusual words and origins, time to tackle the letter J. More fascinating history lessons in etymology and strange words for your enjoyment! I LOVE vocabulary! For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY Java/Joe Java is a reference to the island of...
