The insertion of an X into the word CHRISTMAS (in place of the word “Christ”) has long been a controversial topic. Most folks presume that the change is a sacrilegious gesture, the common saying “taking Christ out of Christmas” familiar to all of us. Until my own research into historical facts, I assumed this was the… Continue Reading
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” ~Micah 5:2 Phillip Brooks (1835-1893) was a preacher of excellence within the Episcopal Church. He held a Doctorate of… Continue Reading
I am often asked about the portraits chosen by Sourcebooks as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy on the covers of the Darcy Saga Sequel Series. Who are they really? Who painted them? A while back I uncovered the secret identities of the gorgeous woman and handsome man who represented Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. I’ve decided… Continue Reading
This Regency woman of influence first intrigued me years ago and those of you who have read my novels know that I worked her into the pages a couple of times. Before I get into a dissertation about her, let me just say that one aspect of the fun in writing a literary piece set… Continue Reading
Automaton (plural: automata or automatons) is a self-operating machine, or a machine or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a predetermined sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instructions. Some automata, such as bellstrikers in mechanical clocks, are designed to give the illusion to the casual observer that they are operating under their own power. The history of automata is vast and complex.… Continue Reading
Lakes and rivers are plentiful in Kentucky, thanks to the plentiful rain. I don’t think the moving van was out of sight before my husband announced his desire to buy a fishing boat. I suspect I rolled my eyes, as I did the subsequent two or three dozen times he broached the topic. Unlike me,… Continue Reading
Here it is, the final installment in my series on Georgian and Regency Era servants. The first six posts covered, in detail, the men and women who maintained the interior domains of an estate manor house. Now, with this post today, I will finish the blogs covering the duties of those men and women who… Continue Reading
On the week’s topic of gamekeepers, a fascinating extra tidbit is that these men were directly responsible for the creation of many breeds of dogs. Breeding and care of the dogs used to aid in the hunt and to guard the estate were a major portion of the gamekeepers’ duties. The following list of dog… Continue Reading
Continuing on with the series on Regency and Georgian Era servants who worked outside of the manor house, this week focuses on those men who managed the estate’s wildlife. Specifically, this meant those animals hunted for sport and food. Gamekeepers The earliest gamekeepers, as far back as Saxon times, were by Royal appointment… Continue Reading
A “Georgian Garden” is defined by the UK National Trust as one which dates from 1714 to 1830. On Tuesday I shared information on the men and women who designed and maintained these massive parks, and yesterday the blog post was a historical overview of landscape styles during this period of time. Today, I am… Continue Reading
Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter. The park was very large, and contained great variety of ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points, and… Continue Reading
The time has come for my series on Georgian Era servants to exit the manor house doors and stroll about the pristinely manicured garden pathways to meet the men (and upon rare occasions the women) who performed their service outside. Six previous posts were necessary to detail the army of staff and servants working inside… Continue Reading
As a companion essay to Monday’s blog post on the servants who cared for the children in a Regency household, today I will touch upon the topic of childcare itself. I say “touch upon” because it is a huge subject so cannot be delved into deeply. Whole books have been written on the historical trends and… Continue Reading
I am almost finished with the staff and servants who worked primarily inside the stout walls of a manor house during the broad Georgian and narrow Regency Eras. I say “primarily inside” because they did wander outside from time to time, of course. However, all the people covered in these essays thus far were considered… Continue Reading
Do you love cookbooks? What about ones that were written over 200 years ago? If classic French cuisine or Medieval feasts with venison or traditional English fare appeals, then I have just the cookbook(s) for you! The following are the biggies from the Georgian Era and before. In each instance, the books are in the… Continue Reading
