Blog
Writing Before Paper
Last week when I was working on a craft project with kids at church, I offered them the choice of using white paper or card stock with a tan swirl pattern designed to look like parchment. I was guessing that in in the time of Jesus, paper hadn’t been invented yet. But...
Hanging in a Different Kind of Hammock: Highlands Hammock State Park
Hammocks in Florida are not always fabric loungers attached to trees. Sometimes, the term instead refers to the trees themselves. A hammock is strand of hardwood trees with a dense canopy that provides shade and serves as home to an array of animals and plant life....
Native American Cooking Techniques I Will Not Be Using this Thanksgiving
On a trip to Colorado years ago, we visited a site with replicas of ancient American cliff dwellings. The site is commonly decried as fake, but we enjoyed the opportunities to climb through the semi-accurate replicated dwellings, and we particularly enjoyed all the...
Royal Funerals in Regency England: Private Affairs at the End of Public Lives
The recent funeral of Queen Elizabeth II broke with a 300-year-old British tradition started by George III. His predecessor and grandfather, George II had a large and public funeral at Westminster Abbey in 1760. That would be the last time the 11th Century icon hosted...
I Shouldn’t Complain: The History of Women’s Bathing Suits
Since I live in a beach town, it should be easy to find a bathing suit that fits, right? It isn’t. I can find thousands of t-shirts that mention the word "ocean," but nothing comfortable to wear in the actual ocean. But it used to be so much worse. When tourists...
Pirates of the Algarve: Not the Highlight
Algarve, the southernmost province in Portugal, was the first stop on our cruise around the Iberian peninsula and I have to admit I did zero research on the history before we left. That was a mistake. Besides being beautiful, the land has a truly interesting history....
The Road to Hell is Paved with Special Effects- Visiting the Rock of Gibraltar
After our recent cruise around the Iberian peninsula, the story I’ve told people the most concerns an unfortunate experience with a creative, foul-smelling pickpocket ruse in Málaga, Spain. However, what I personally hope to remember most from the trip was my wonder...
The Last Thing I Expected to Find on a Battleship: Cake Wars
The Battleship North Carolina, more than 36 tons of steel boasting powerful guns and unexpected speed, engaged in every major offensive in Pacific theater during World War II. Now, of course, the guns are quiet, and instead of racing around the Pacific to protect...
Camping with History: Manatee Springs
In 1774, Philadelphia botanist William Bartram was in the midst of a five year exploration of the southern British colonies of North America, spending most of his time in Florida and Georgia. His descriptions and drawings, later published in a travel journal, inspired...
Mardi Gras and Carnival Season: Decadent Holidays We Can’t Blame on the Pagans
It usually does not take a lot of historical investigating to find a pagan origin to many of the most sacred Christian holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Easter is a tremendously important and holy celebration. But the timing of the holiday and traditions such as...