Have you ever noticed houses with mansard roofs and dormer windows? In case you don’t know what I mean, here’s… Read more Did You Know? Second Empire Architecture
Category: Origins
Autumnal Equinox Celebrations in History
For the first day of fall let’s take a look at some ways the autumnal equinox has been celebrated throughout… Read more Autumnal Equinox Celebrations in History
Tolkien’s Influences: Maxims I and Maxims II
A few months ago I wrote a post about The Wanderer, an Old English poem that inspired several aspects of… Read more Tolkien’s Influences: Maxims I and Maxims II
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ben & Jerry’s
This year I’ve been recommending a history podcast in my email newsletter each month. Of course this has led to… Read more 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ben & Jerry’s
Did You Know? Discovery of Vitamins
Do you have any idea when vitamins were discovered? I didn’t until I looked it up today. Thirteen vitamins were… Read more Did You Know? Discovery of Vitamins
Tolkien’s Influences: The Wanderer
In The Road to Middle Earth: How J.R.R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology Tom Shippey includes as an appendix “a… Read more Tolkien’s Influences: The Wanderer
The History of Rusticated Concrete Blocks
The house we were hoping to buy (not the one pictured here), before the offer fell through, was an American… Read more The History of Rusticated Concrete Blocks
Did You Know? 12 Facts About A.Y. Jackson
One of the first pieces of art I ever bought was a large print of an A.Y. Jackson painting (Maple… Read more Did You Know? 12 Facts About A.Y. Jackson
Did You Know? World’s Oldest Parliament
After posting about the library we visited on our trip to Charleston I got thinking about other travels Andrew and I… Read more Did You Know? World’s Oldest Parliament
Did You Know? Owen Sound & Underground Railroad
Did you know that Owen Sound, Ontario was the northernmost terminus of the Underground Railroad, the secret network of citizens… Read more Did You Know? Owen Sound & Underground Railroad
Did You Know? Birthday Celebrations in History
Last year I published a post about the origin of birthday candles on my sister’s birthday. Today another family birthday has… Read more Did You Know? Birthday Celebrations in History
Did You Know? Maldon Sea Salt
Very recently I have acquired a fascination with salt. This sudden interest has two sources. First, I bought a cookbook… Read more Did You Know? Maldon Sea Salt
A Short History of the Pacifier
What do you know about the history of the pacifier (also known as a soother, dummy, or binky)? With a… Read more A Short History of the Pacifier