This is a new series focusing on the fifty States of the Union comprising the United States of America. Despite the mess my beloved country in is these days, I am still a proud American, particularly regarding our remarkable history. So beginning today, and on the subsequent nine Wednesdays, each...
Ormolu (from French or moulu, “ground or pounded/powdered gold”) is strictly speaking the technique of applying a gold amalgam (gilding) to a metal object, typically one of bronze. The finished product was not only beautiful, but sturdier, practical, and cheaper… comparatively speaking. Making ormolu was an arduous process involving complex stages...
Continuing the quest to cover the alphabet! That may prove impossible due to the vast number of words in the English language, but I can try to find a few fascinating examples. For a list of all my archived posts covering the topic: VOCABULARY Milquetoast Milquetoast describes a “meek, mild-mannered,...
Credit for the EASTER BONNET in American culture is given to the song “Easter Parade” written in 1933 by Irving Berlin. More on this in a moment, but it must be noted that while partially true, special bonnets or hats for Easter pre-date Mr. Berlin by a long mile and...
This is Part V (the finale) of my series exploring the Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. I strongly encourage clicking over to read Part I and Part II as they include truncated bios of Peter Carl Fabergé, Tsar Alexander III, and Tsar Nicholas II. More importantly, ALL of the previous parts relate the history of...
This is Part IV of my series exploring the Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. I strongly encourage clicking over to read Part I and Part II as they include truncated bios of Peter Carl Fabergé, Tsar Alexander III, and Tsar Nicholas II. More importantly, all three of the previous parts relate the history of the eggs...
This is Part III of my series exploring the Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. I strongly encourage clicking over to read Part I and Part II as they include truncated bios of Peter Carl Fabergé, Tsar Alexander III, and Tsar Nicholas II. More importantly, the previous parts relate the history of...
Today I bring Part II of my series exploring the Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. Be sure to read PART I first as I give a brief history on extraordinary jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé, and how he came to create the famous Easter Eggs for Tsar Alexander III. I also highlighted...
With Easter fast approaching, I started searching for topics related to the holiday. Naturally eggs tend to come up, in some way or another, and I do have a couple of interesting egg-centric posts scheduled for next week. In fact, I intended to write a short blog for Easter week...
MAZE MONTH has to end sometime (and tomorrow will indeed be the last post) but as I searched historic hedge mazes I ran across so many astounding structures of a newer creation that I had to include at least one blog about them. The following list is far from complete when...
MAZE MONTH reaches its conclusion with the discussion of hedge mazes from the days of yore! Be sure to check out the previous four blog posts covering the overall history of mazes and labyrinths (links below). In between the historical blogs, MAZE MONTH has included eight posts spotlighting the surviving...
MAZE MONTH reaches its conclusion with the discussion of hedge mazes from the days of yore! Be sure to check out the previous four blog posts covering the overall history of mazes and labyrinths (links below). In between the historical blogs, MAZE MONTH has included eight posts spotlighting the surviving...
MAZE MONTH has so far focused on proper unicursal labyrinths rather than actual multicursal mazes. I’ve used a great deal of blog space covering turf-created labyrinths, despite knowing the instant vision of “garden maze” brings tall hedges to mind. In my defense, factually tracing the evolution of mazes required those...
Dating as far back as the 16th century, and probably far older, the eye bath or eye wash cup was the standard object used to clean the eye until the eyedropper was invented. Most commonly made of inexpensive glass, eye bath cups were also fashioned from porcelain, silver, and later...
High on the top of a hill, with views stretching far over the hills and fields of Hampshire and Wiltshire, is the Breamore Mizmaze. Located about ten-miles south of Salisbury, the small village of Breamore is the site of numerous Iron Age and Roman ruins. A priory of Augustinian Canons...
