April Fool’s Day has been around as long as I can remember, and as it happens for a very, very long time before I was born. All of us “celebrate” the day in some way or another, especially when children, and some pranksters are quite serious about it even when...
Time for part-three of my five-part series on marriage in the Georgian to Regency Eras. Today I shall move on to the wedding ceremony participants and the preparations to be beforehand hand. Here we go! To understand wedding preparation during the Regency, you must start by erasing everything you envision...
Today I continue my five-part series on marriage during the Georgian to Regency Eras. This segment, #2 of the series, will discuss the differences between banns and licenses. Here are the links to all FIVE parts of the series — Part 1 – The LegalitiesPart 2 – Banns and LicensesPart...
Continuing the theme of romance, more or less, I am starting a five-part series on marriage during the Regency Era. Each Monday a post will publish covering the legalities, garments worn, ceremony procedure, and more. Lots to look forward to! To begin, let’s talk about the legalities of courtship and...
I am finishing my four-part series on fashion for the stylish Regency Era gentleman. I happen to adore fashion from these bygone days, so can promise I will revisit the topic from time to time. If nothing else the ladies need a series to even the score! And as I...
“The Kiss” is an 1859 painting by Italian artist Francesco Hayez Description: The painting represents a couple from the Middle Ages, embracing while they kiss each other. It is among the most passionate and intense representations of a kiss in the history of western art. The girl leans backwards, while the man bends his left leg so as...
For some reason ladies tend to get all swoony over the cravat. Hmm…. I am thinking it has to do with the taking off of the cravat, but perhaps that’s just me! Be that as it may, I thought I would dedicate an entire post in my series on Fashion...
Today is the official day set aside for lovers ~ HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! Hopefully couples show their love for one another every day of the week. But, as we have days specially to honor mothers and fathers, as well as veterans and laborers, having one day out of the year...
Valentine’s Day is the time to celebrate love, and what better way than to look into the past for examples of true love? Lessons of sacrifice and committed love can be learned from lovers’ tales that did not end so well. If tragic stories are your cup-of-tea, here are some...
Every Monday in this month of love I am posting a blog on fashion and accessories for the Regency gentleman. Along with a wealth of awesome pictures I will give a bit of history and detail. The images chosen for this series of post are of real garments kept in...
Let’s start with a brief background– Gentlemen’s fashions of the Regency Era – broadly 1795-1825 – arise from the equestrian clothing of English “country gentlemen” of the late 18th century, and a melding with the radical new designs which came out of the French Revolution. To us, the clothing of...
The drinking of tea while nibbling tiny sandwiches is an indelible image of English life. One would probably assume that “tea time” is a necessity deeply entrenched into English history, dating so far back that it has become written into the genetic code! Well, not necessarily. A brief history of the...
Today I am guest blogging on the Hearts Through History romance writers blog. Since I just saw The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug the other day (twice, in fact) I have the miracle of moving pictures on my mind. Figured it was time to revive a past blog on...
For seventy-five years after President Lincoln issued his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation for the “last Thursday in November,” all but two succeeding presidents honored the tradition established by President Washington. In 1865 and 1869, Presidents Johnson and Grant, respectively, chose a different Thursday. After that, every other president annually issued a...
There is very little serious dispute that the first Thanksgiving feast in America, the one all the others are linked to, was with the Pilgrims and Native tribes in the fall of 1621. I say “little dispute” because there are always some who want to darken historical facts. Those disputes,...
