Just a quick note to say you can now find us over here....From The Desk Of....

Cheers!

After much thought I have decided to take some time away from blogging. I have also decided that when I do return to the blogosphere I will be starting up a brand new blog to reflect some of the changes in my life, and self since initially starting up this blog. To this end I will be developing a new website, and when ready will concentrate my efforts, and all my favourite memes into one blog only.

I am actually finding this process quite exciting, and am looking forward to coming back with a brand new, and even better blog.

Thank you to all the readers of this blog, and I hope you will consider joining me over at the new one.

I will be posing a link to the new site, and blog when available...stay tuned.....

Oh, and I will still be contributing to The Paranormal Blog...so please do join us over there too.

Happy Thanksgiving to any and all Canadians that happen to surf by

Sue
XOX

What makes the above photo so special is that it was taken in 1909. No, I'm not kidding 1909! Yet it looks like it could be from 2009!

It is almost eerie to think these girls have passed on long ago.

To see more photos like this please visit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prokudin-gorsky/

Here is the wiki entry on the photographer who expierimented with colour photos at the turn of the last century:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Prokudin-Gorsky

Enjoy!

Since my Mom passed away last month I have been tackling a long put off project, and that is to scan all of our family photo albums, and store them electronically. This task has brought me some comfort, and my blessing of good memories that I can hang on to during this very difficult time.

The photo above was taken almost 20 years ago. That is my Mom (aged 55) at the time, me, and my middle daughter Sarah.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope the upcoming week is a good one for you.

Blog Your Blessings

I am currently reading The Death of Kings: A Medical History of the Kings and Queens of England, which was a gift from my eldest daughter. She picked up a copy for me at Westminster Abbey in London during a vacation this past summer. So far it is proving to be a most fascinating read! If you would like more details you can check it out here. Definitely recommended for those interested in history, royalty, and/or medicine.

If you are interested in historical re-enactment please visit the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-enactment Group website to learn more about it.

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For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

I was going through my Mom's things, and came across this news clipping from 1961. My Mom is Toni Demeter, and I like the answer that she gave to the reporter.

How would you answer? I think my own answer would be similar to my Mom's with the exception that I would like the money that some very famous people have accumulated.

Sorting through old photos, and my Mom's personal files have actually helped in my coping with her recent death. I feel closer to her, and my thoughts are turning to happy memories, instead of the intense pain that I felt since her diagnosis, and death.

These photos were taken at the 2009 re-enactment of the Battle of Fort Erie.

If you are interested in historical re-enactment please visit the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-enactment Group website to learn more about it.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Canadian National Exhibition Poster, 1919

On 12 September 2009, the national edition of The Globe and Mail (Focus & Book section) will carry a notice formally announcing the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund. Grant application details will be provided that inform all Canadians who wish to research, commemorate or otherwise mark what happened to Ukrainians and other Europeans during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.

The funeral for my Mother was held on Monday the 24th. I am still in shock, and overcome with grief. Her brief illness, and death are still unreal in my mind, as if I will wake up from some horrible dream.

Here is the eulogy I gave for my Mom. I did not think I would be able to do it, but thanks to Matthew who was at my side at the podium I was able to deliver it.

On behalf of the Schmidtke family, Diane, Otto, and myself I would like to thank you all for coming here today in order to celebrate my Mother's life.

My Mother, Toni, was the daughter of Ida who many of you know affectionately as Oma, and her husband Maurice. Mom was born on July 3rd 1934 in Ukraine during a time of great upheaval in that location of the world, and grew up amidst tumultous, and tragic historical events.

No child should ever have to go through what my Mother, and her siblings endured along with millions of others. As the Germans, Russians, and the Allies dropped their bombs a young girl of about 10 or 11 years old ran from a bomb shelter that was in absolute chaos. There had been a screaming baby, and in terror someone had nearly suffocated the child while trying to quiet him. The young girl grabbed the baby and ran with him in her arms The baby was the girl's brother. And I am told that the girl saved the life of her brother that day. That young girl was my Mother, and that baby is our Uncle Paul.

Life, even after the war was over was not easy, and my Mom spent part of her early years in what is known as DP or Displaced Person camps. These camps were set up at the end of WWII in order to try to help the millions of stateless refugees that resulted because of the war. Many of the people who ended up in these camps were malnourished, sick, and even dying. Despite this very harsh life my Mom told me how the children in the camps including herself would make their own toys. They would make dolls out of sticks because that is all they had. And they, the children, stuck together, and looked out for each other.

When my Mom was able to go to school she was an excellent student according to her report cards, and she loved to perform on stage something that has been passed down in her granddaughter Sarah. Mom loved to sing, and she danced ballet.

One of the nicest memories of my Mother from this time period was related to me by Otto's sister Lily who told me how my Mom and my Mom's sister Helen sewed a Bolero jacket, and a skirt for her when she escaped from Eastern Germany. She too had nothing. And that is how my Mom and her sister were, kind, generous, thoughtful people.

They were beautiful girls on the inside, but you would have had to have been blind I'm told not to notice how beautiful they were on the outside too. The boys sung songs about the three lovely young ladies, the blond, the brunette, and the raven haired girls. Their beauty was not lost on the occupying American GIs who I am told admired them too, nor in the case of Toni was her beauty lost on a certain young man by the name of Otto who already had a crush on her from the time he was 14.

In the 1950s when the horror of the war was fast becoming history many of the DPs faced an unforeseen future, and chose to relocate to new countries. My Mother applied to Canada, the USA, and Australia, and Canada was the first country to accept her application.

As a teenager my Mom came to this country as a domestic, and a nanny, and worked off her contract in Sherbrooke Quebec. A very brave thing to do in my opinion as during that time she had only her one sister here, who was living in another area of Quebec. My Mom's brother Herbert would eventually settle to the USA, and in the late 50's her Mother and her younger brother Paul would follow to Canada.

Canada became my Mother's home, she loved this country dearly, and did not ever let my sister or I forget how fortunate we are to be Canadian.

During the late 50's and 60's my Mom started out her career with the Simpsons company later to become Simpsons Sears. She worked her way up to becoming a buyer, and was often asked to model for the company as well. When my daughters and myself look at photos from this time in my Mom's life we cannot help but notice what a stunning, and glamorous woman she was. She was gorgeous, and photographed like a movie star. And my Mom did love movie stars, and glamour magazines, and right up until she passed away we would often talk about the latest celebrity scandal or gossip on E-Talk, and of course the Young & Restless.

My Mom married my Dad in Miami Florida on a beach something that is popular today, but pretty trend setting in that era. And in 1967 I made my appearance followed by my younger sister Diane.

Mom took to mothering like a fish to water. My sister will agree with me that we could not have wished for a better Mom. June Cleaver eat your heart out! Our Mom cooked, baked, sewed for us, made our Halloween costumes, took extremely good care of us when we were sick, read to us, helped us with homework, played games, and toys with us, volunteered at our schools, went on school trips, wiped away our tears, supported us through thick and thin even when I'm certain she questioned what we were up to. She always made sure we knew how much she loved us, and never once harmed us in any way. We were so very lucky to have her.

Some of my favourites memories of my Mom were how she would play games with us when we were little like Candyland, and Snakes and Ladders, and this continued on into adulthood only the games got more sophisticated. She would consistently kick my butt in Scrabble, the only person who ever could, yahtzee, Crazy 8s and Gin Rummy. She even played Intellivision with us, getting a trigger finger injury from the joystick. Mom also loved her puzzles both the jig saw kind, and crosswords.

When my own children were born my Mom was always there for me, and became a loving Nanny Toni. She was a very proud grandparent. When I was on bed rest for several months pregnant with Kasaundra my Mom came over and helped with my two older girls, she cooked, she cleaned, she took care of her granddaughters so that I would not have to worry. She was selfless, and never asked for nor expected anything in return.

In mid-life My Mom reconnected with her childhood friend Otto....remember the boy with the crush from back in the DP camps. It turns out his crush never went away, and Otto, and Toni spent 30 years together as constant companions right here in Pickering.

Mom loved Bay Ridges, her home, where both her, and Otto were blessed with meeting Ramona who became like a daughter to them. Mom especially loved taking walks along the beach, and for her 75th birthday in July we were blessed to have one last perfect day spent walking along Frenchman's Bay with her, and afterwards she bought us all ice cream. That was my Mom generous to a fault.

I suppose I should start to sum up now, but how do I condense a 75 year life time into a few minutes. There is so much more I would like to touch upon such as her immense capacity for kindness to every living creature, from her plants, and flowers to the spiders she did not have the heart to kill. My Mom left a positive impression on everything she ever touched, and the one common thing that everyone has shared with me since her passing is that no one seems to have a single bad memory of her. Think about that for a moment. How many people can you honestly say the same for? She was a loving, kind, non-judgmental person and we should all strive to be remembered thusly. She enriched the lives of everyone who met her, and my own memories of her I will cherish in my heart forever.

My Mom passed away August 15th in the house that she loved at 8:35pm as pronounced by my Aunt Doreen. She spent her last day on Earth surrounded by people who loved her dearly including her grandchildren, and took her last breath in the loving presence of that baby brother she had saved more than 60 years ago.

We will miss her dearly, but she would not want us to suffer. She is free now with her own Mama, and her beloved sister. Until we meet again.

I love you Mom.

My Mom passed away yesterday in her house that she loved at 8:35pm as pronounced by my Aunt Doreen her SIL. She spent her last day on Earth surrounded by the people who loved her dearly including her grandchildren.

Her suffering from pancreatic cancer was mercifully brief.

Thank you to all of you who over the last few weeks offered your prayers, love, and support. Mom passed away surrounded by love, and I couldn't have wished for anything better.

Blog Your Blessings

My mother was hospitalized yesterday as she is very weak, and I am not
certain she will ever be coming home again. She is coherent, but again very, very weak. If possible we would like to have her come home to die in familiar surroundings, where she is comfortable, and to that end the staff at Ajax hospital have been wonderful, and a tremendous support.

I just cannot believe how quickly my Mom has gone downhill. Just over a month ago we took a hike along her favourite beach, and it was a beautiful day. And now this....

I HATE cancer!

As most of you know I have been battling thyroid issues for about three years now. In March I had radiation to treat it, and with the help of new medication that I will be taking for the rest of my life I am now feeling much, much better.

However as is life .....my Mom has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is almost always found in late stages, and is almost always fatal.

All prayers, and positive energy are welcome as is your patience when I will need to be away from blogging. While my family is always my first priority I do enjoy blogging and it will be helpful I think while I am coping with my Mother's illness. So I will be around and blogging as much as I can, and when I feel up to it, just not as much as in the past.

Matthew has been of great help and support, and we are blessed to have him.

Thank you all in advance for you patience, and understanding during this very difficult time for our family.

The photo above was taken in the lovely garden of St. Martin-in-the-Fields here in Toronto Canada.

I am going to be taking a few days off from blogging, and away from the the computer in general in order to recharge my batteries. I will check in from time to time so please do say hi in the comments section if you surf through. I hope to be back to regular blogging in about a week.

It is not just trash pick-up that has been affected by this month long garbage strike here in Toronto. City-run museums, art galleries and cultural facilities have also been closed off to the public so far this summer and all programming has also been canceled.

This is particularly depressing for history buffs such as ourselves.

Closures include:

The City of Toronto Archives
Colborne Lodge
Fort York
Gibson House Museum
Mackenzie House
Spadina House
York Museum

I have just added a bunch of new photos to the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-Enactment Group's website of the Grand Tactical event that was held July 11th. If you are interested in the War of 1812 or historical re-enactment please have a look at the site.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Every day I am starting to feel stronger, and healthier. The new medication is working, and coupled with eating very healthy, and exercise, I am really starting to feel like my old self again.

This week my eldest daughter took her first overseas flight alone, and is visiting friends in England. I am very proud of her for taking the initiative, saving up her own money for the trip, and now enjoying her stay.

Add to all of this lovely summer weather, lots of sunshine, and comfortably warm temps, and I feel blessed indeed.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

It was in 1955 that Disneyland in California opened its gates. Did you know that it is the only theme park to be designed, built, and operated by Walt Disney himself?

"To all who come to this happy place - welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America ... with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. Thank you."

—Walter E. Disney, July 17, 1955

Sources: Wiki

I have never been to the flagship park so to speak, but I would love to travel to California one day to see it, and experience the Disney magic.

Have you visited Disneyland?

Happy Weekend!

Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is called Fête Nationale ("National Celebration") in official parlance, or more commonly le quatorze juillet ("14 July"). It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. Source: Wiki

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The British Library recently placed over two million pages of 49 national and regional UK newspapers from the 19th and early 20th century online for research. And over the past weekend I have been like a kid in a candy store doing various searches through these wonderful records.

You can explore these 19th century newspapers yourself by visiting the British Library website.

Cheers!

Last weekend was my Mom's 75th birthday. We spent the day at my parents house, and celebrated by ordering in her favourite Mary Brown's Fried Chicken. It is a rare treat for her because she is diabetic, and really needs to watch her food intake. Needless to say we skipped on the birthday cake, but instead had cupcakes for my niece, and some diabetic ice cream.

It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take a bit of a hike along the nature trails near my parents house.

Matthew snapped this pic of us while we hiked along the path. My Mom especially loves the waterfront trails, and walking along the beach front.

Here is another view of the beach that I snapped as we walked along. It was a lovely day, even if we did all get a bit sunburned.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

It was on July 8th 1947 that the Roswell Daily Record published a press release announcing that the U.S. Air Force had captured a "flying disc" they later released another press release claiming that what was actually recovered was debris from an experimental high-altitude surveillance weather balloon. And from there a modern day mystery was born, and the debate still rages as to what actually happened out in the desert so long ago.

For further info you can check out the wiki entry on The Roswell UFO Incident here.

Keep watching those skies!

Today is a sad anniversary for our family as it marks 10 years since the day my father passed away as a result of esophageal cancer.

My Dad in large part shaped who I am today. He never judged, was always quick to remind me that I was just as good as anybody else, and was one of the very few that I knew I could always count on. He was my biggest supporter, teacher, and my friend. He was, simply put, a true blessing.

Alec A. Demeter Aug. 5th 1922 - July 6th 1999

Rest in peace Dad. While the pain does ease over time, th missing never goes away.

I have been adding some new photos to the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-enactment Group website this morning. If you like historical re-enactment, and are interested in the War of 1812 please click on the link and check us out.

The photos I've shared above depict life in a camp circa 1812. Don't the tarts look yummy!!!

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For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Taken Mount Pleasant cemetery, Toronto Ontario

Please note WW is now played all week.

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The Globe Theatre as pictured below is a reconstruction of the famed London theatre most associated with Shakespeare. It opened in 1997, and is almost on the exact spot of the original.

The original Globe Theatre in London burned to the ground after a cannon employed for special effects misfired during a performance of William Shakespeare's Henry VIII and ignited the theatre's roof.

Source Image Credit: Wiki republished here under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

This past week saw the death of three of Generation X's pop icons. And I am reminded of how each of them was a blessing in some way to me.

Ed McMahon, and Johnny Carson will always remind me of my parents, as it was a nightly ritual for them to tune into the Tonight Show when I was a kid growing up. Memories of the opening theme to the show, and Ed's booming voice, and laugh will always remind me of what I perceived as a kinder, more gentle time where my biggest stress was what to wear to school tomorrow.

Memories of Farah Fawcett also remind me of being a child of the 70s, and stirs up memories of my own youth. Not only did I watch Charlie's Angels, I collected their trading cards, and had all three of their Barbie dolls. Farah was beautiful, and a talented lady who bravely shared her struggle with a devastating, and I'll say it, embarrassing for many people, form of cancer. Perhaps her death will inspire others to seek early detection, and treatment.

Michael Jackson broke the colour barrier, no he smashed for good the colour barrier of MTV with his videos, and his music, and dance moves, which are still highly imitated by various artists to this day almost 30 years later. I do associate both good, and bad memories from my youth with his music, as I am certain all of us can even if we weren't big fans. His music was just that popular. And despite his bizarre personal life, there is no denying his positive contributions to the music industry, and the happiness he brought to his millions of fans.

My life has been enriched in ways by having had each of these people a part of it, as icons of my youth, and for that they, and their work are each my blessing this week.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

This past week saw the death of three Generation X icons with the passing of Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, and the within hours Michael Jackson. I was very shocked to hear of Michael Jackson's sudden death, but sadly I was not all that surprised either.

I would like to remember Michael Jackson for his music, the Jackson Five, and for how we all knew him best in the 1980's as the true King of Pop. It is unfortunate that while his fans will remember him for his early career, others will remember him for the last few years with the allegations of child molestation (although there he was never convicted of any crime) his dangling his youngest child (a baby at the time) from an open window, and of course the numerous plastic surgeries, and other assorted eccentricities.

What a strange, and in ways tragic life Michael Jackson led, and it all ended way too soon.

Paramedics were called to Jackson's Los Angeles home just after noon on Thursday. He was rushed to UCLA Medical Centre where doctors battled in vain for an hour to save his life. He was pronounced dead at 2.26pm, with family members at his bedside.

Michael Jackson's death from a cardiac arrest was probably the result of drug abuse, said a family lawyer who claimed the star was addicted to painkilling medication.

R.I.P Michael Jackson you will be forever missed by your loved ones, and fans, and around the world loved or loathed you will never be forgotten.

Source and Image Credits: UK. Telegraph

I was very saddened to learn of the death of Farah Fawcett at the age of 62 yesterday. Over the past couple of years I had been following her courageous battle with cancer, and greatly admired her bravery in coming forward to bring awareness to the rare anal cancer that she suffered from.

Her later years, and her devastating illness is not how I will remember Farah though. As a child of the 70's I will always remember her for being one of Charlie's Angels, a tv show that we all watched. I had all three Charlie's Angels Barbie dolls, and I collected their trading cards....all lost except from memories of childhood.

I will always remember her iconic poster that every boy I knew had, and some of us girls too.

I will remember Farah for her dazzling smile, and of course for changing the way an entire generation of women styled their hair.

"Born Feb. 2, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, she was named Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett by her mother, who said she added the Farrah because it sounded good with Fawcett. She was less than a month old when she underwent surgery to remove a digestive tract tumor with which she was born.

After attending Roman Catholic grade school and W.B. Ray High School, Fawcett enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Fellow students voted her one of the 10 most beautiful people on the campus and her photos were eventually spotted by movie publicist David Mirisch, who suggested she pursue a film career. After overcoming her parents' objections, she agreed."

The rest as they say is history.

R.I.P Farah.....it feels like a part of my own youth has died with you.

Sources and Image Credits: Zimbio

What a sad, and tragic filled week it has been for those of us in Generation X who lost three icons of our youth. I don't know about you, but growing up in our house during the 1970s my parents faithfully watched The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and his side kick Ed McMahon. I can still clearly hear his voice booming out "Heeeere'ssssssss Johnny!!!!" signaling I was up way past my usual bed time.

In addition to working with Carson, McMahon was the host of the talent show Star Search from 1983 to 1995. He later also became well-known as the presenter of American Family Publishers sweepstakes.

McMahon annually co-hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. He performed in numerous television commercials, most notably for Budweiser.

Something I had not known before was that Ed started his very lengthy career as a Bingo caller. This somehow is quite fitting.

Ed McMahon passed away early Tuesday morning. He was 86 years old.

Source and Image Credit: WBZ.com

I just finished adding some new photos to the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-enactment Group website. The newest photos are in the sections for the Port Dover 2009 event held last weekend, and in the section for camp life in general. If you like historical re-enactment, and are interested in the War of 1812 click on the link and check us out.

Cheers!

I just finished reading Ann Rule's Smoke Mirrors and Murder, and can say if you are an Ann Rule fan or a fan of true crime you will not be disappointed. I am no longer suffering insomnia, but was unable to put this book down, and quickly read it cover to cover in two nights.

Here is a taste:

In some murder cases, the truth behind the most tragic of crimes crystallizes with relative ease. Not so with these fascinating accounts drawn from the personal files of Ann Rule, America's #1 bestselling true-crime writer. What happens when the case itself becomes an intractable puzzle, when clues are shrouded in smoke and mirrors, and when criminals skillfully evade law enforcement in a maddening cat-and-mouse chase? Even the most devoted true-crime reader won't predict the outcome of these truly baffling cases until the conclusions revealed in Ann Rule's marvelously insightful narrative: An ideal family is targeted for death by the least likely enemy, who plotted their demise from behind bars.... A sexual predator hides behind multiple fake identities, eluding police for years while his past victims live in fear that he will hunt them down.... A modest preacher's wife confesses to shooting her husband after an argument -- but there's more to her shattering story than meets the eye. These and other true cases are analyzed with stunning clarity in a page-turning collection you won't be able to put down.

What really struck me in these marriages gone horribly bad case files is how much policing has changed over the last 40-50+ years. DNA was unheard of a few decades ago, and even cell phones are a relatively new invention. New techniques in forensic science, and policing has made catching the bad guys, and getting convictions much easier than in the past, and my hat really goes off to all the older police officers, and detectives.

What has frighteningly not changed is domestic violence leading to murders. And that dear readers is very, very sad, and tragic.

Check out our History Book Nook for more Ann Rule titles.

I had some very good news in regards to my health this past week. I saw my Endocrinologist, and the latest blood labs show that I am becoming more hypothyroid. This is may sound bad, but it is actually good news as it means the radiation I had back in March has finally taken effect. I have started a new medication called Synthyroid to be taken once a day in the morning. It will take about 2 weeks to saturate my blood, and at that point I should finally start to feel like my old self again. In 6 weeks my doctor will assess the dosage that I'm currently on, and depending on how the blood tests turn out will see if they can find a good balance for me. I can then look forward to blood work twice a year as opposed to twice a month and only one small pill daily for the rest of my life.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

It has been described as the most publicized criminal trial in American history, and it all began on back in 1994. It was on today's date that after a lengthy car "chase" along a Los Angeles freeway that was broadcast to the world, and a failed suicide attempt that OJ Simpson was finally arrested, and charged for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. The rest that followed as they say is a very sad bit of American justice history.

I remember my sister, a friend who was visiting, and I becoming glued to the television during the white Bronco chase. We had been planning on going out, but instead watched the news from home. These were shocking, and horrific murders, and at the time I was equally shocked to hear that OJ was the prime suspect. It just goes to show how we think we know celebrities because they seem familiar to us through their work, but that really couldn't be further from the truth.

Image Credit: Wiki

WWII Syringe for direct interhuman blood transfusion Image Credit: Wiki

It was in 1667 that a French physician by the name of Jean-Baptiste Denys administered the first fully-documented human blood transfusion to a human being. The physician used the blood of a sheep to give a transfusion to a 15-year old boy. Soon after he administered sheep's blood again, this time to a labourer, and both of his patients made full recoveries.

The reason given for their survival is the very small amount of blood that was used. Had they been given a larger amount of animal blood they certainly would have died.

Thankfully we have come a long way since then in understanding how blood transfusions work. Today components of human blood are used to save many lives around the globe.

Warming up before the concert. A lot of staff and students had to leave camp early due to flu.

This week went by ok. I had a nice trip up to the the music camp that the kiddo spent a full week at learning more about her cello. The camp itself was very nice, and the faculty quite warm, and friendly. We enjoyed the concert put on by the students, and appreciated the hard work that went into it.

Unfortunately the flu swept through camp, and by Sunday afternoon the kiddo had come down with it too. She had to miss a few days of school, but otherwise is now on the mend.

So far neither Matthew nor I are showing flu symptoms. Fingers, and toes crossed that we remain flu free.

Yesterday the eldest came over for dinner. It was nice to touch base, and learn she id doing well in her career. She works in the non-profit sector for a large medical charity. Thankfully they are not suffering too badly in these harder economic times as they do much good work here, and in poorer nations.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

The Great Barrier Reef was discovered in 1770 when the HM Bark Endeavour captained by English explorer James Cook, ran aground there. The ship was damaged severely. Before that time Europeans were unaware of the Great Barrier Reef's existence. Today it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

To learn more you can check out the Wiki entry for The Great Barrier Reef

Pictured above is a satellite image.

Who do you think is the longest reigning Monarch in the world today? I believe that most people would assume it is Queen Elizabeth II of England, and if that is what you would guess you'd be wrong. In 1950 Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej became King Rama IX of Thailand making him the world's longest reigning Monarch also serving as head of state.

Image Credit: Wiki

The classic dystopian novel 1984, written by English author George Orwell was first published June 8th, 1949. The image above is of the the book's very first cover, since redone, and reprinted many, many times.

The book itself has had a huge impact in my opinion on modern pop culture, and even our language. It has been twice adapted to the cinema and radio, three times for television, and once to the stage.

For further reading: 1984 Wiki entry

It has been a very quiet week around the Didier-Darroch household as the kiddo has been away at music camp. The kiddo LOVES her cello. She practices almost every day, and I never have to remind her. She has been playing cello for about four years now, and was totally thrilled to be accepted into the limited spots the camp had available. Now with the week almost up I am very much looking forward to her coming home. Quiet can be goodly, but only in small doses.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

As a Westerner I remember learning in horror of the events that unfolded in Tiananmen Square on June 4th 1989.

I cannot believe that it has been 20 years since the horrific crackdown on the student-led protests, which started in April, grew throughout May until early June, when troops were sent in, and led to the deaths of 100s if not thousands of Chinese people.

China is not acknowledging the anniversary, and I am left to wonder if anything in the past 20 years has really changed.

I am not overly fond of spiders, but these giant, 37 tonne, mechanical spiders that took part in celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama are definitely cool! I believe these same spiders from France made an appearance in the U.K last year.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

I am looking forward to a relaxing, and extended long weekend. The kiddo is away at music camp, and Matthew has taken a couple of days off of work. His birthday is this Sunday, and we will celebrate quietly at home.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

One of the prettiest castles in all of England.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: Wiki

North Korea has detonated an estimated one-kiloton nuclear bomb in an underground test this morning.

What the heck is wrong with them?!

I am going to do some research into North Korea's history. something I admit I know very little about. The answer to why they are doing this is most certainly there.

Isaac Blessing Jacob. painted 1638 by Govert Flinck. The subject of the painting being obvious (a blessing) it is also a great blessing in my opinion that we can all view such paintings through Rijskmuseum Amsterdam's website.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

It was on this day, May 19th in 1536 that Anne Boleyn the second wife and queen consort of Henry VIII of England, and mother of the future Elizabeth I, was beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest, and high treason.

Published as a stereoscope in September 29, 1905 The original caption reads "The native mode of grinding coffee, Palestine."

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Victoria, first sovereign of a confederated Canada

Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the last Monday before or on May 24 in honour of both Queen Victoria's birthday and the current reigning Canadian sovereign's birthday.

In some parts of Canada, the holiday is colloquially known as May Two-Four. This phrase has two meanings: the holiday always falls near the date of May 24, and a two-four is Canadian slang for a case of 24 bottles of beer, a common packaging of the drink in Canada (and a common purchase of those planning to celebrate the weekend).

So let us hoist up a brew in honour of our monarch! Or in my case and iced tea

Happy Queen Victoria Day!

Sources, and further reading please see:

Queen Victoria Day Wiki

The Government of Canada's page on Victoria Day

In some ways it has been a very hard week, and seemingly not so blessed, but in other ways blessings can be found.

Firstly let me share my new look with you.

Yes, that is me, with red hair! It is something I wanted to do for a few years now, and finally I had the courage to go out, and make the big change. I LOVE it!

My hyperthyroidism is seemingly back under control with the pills. At least I feel much better than I did a few weeks ago.

Because I am feeling better again I got a lot of work down on the websites that I maintain.

And finally.....

We got cable! We have lived without it for years, but because we have a teenager in the house we decided to get it. For the time being I am enjoying tv again.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

I have just finished uploading some new photos to the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-enactment Group, and added in a new section called Camp Life.

If you are interested in historical re-enactments, and the War of 1812 please click on the linky, and check us out

Living history is a great way to teach kids what life was like back then, the hardships, and the horrors of battle.

Life in a 19th century camp as portrayed by historic re-enactors.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

And I say if it was good enough for the Queen Of Bohemia....it certainly is good enough for my family!

Seriously, I would LOVE the opportunity to stay in such a grand country home as Ashdown House never mind live in it permanently. Check out this beautiful bedroom....fit for a Queen!

According to the BBC

The house dates back to the mid-17th Century and was built by the Lord Craven for Charles I's sister, Elizabeth, the exiled Queen of Bohemia, so she might avoid the plague in London.

She died before she could see it and Lord Craven never married but the property remained with the Craven family until 1956 when it was given to the National Trust.

A 41 year lease is available, and the property includes:

*Eight bedrooms
*Two pavilions
*Heated pool and tennis court
*Three keepers' cottages
*Orangery

Sigh....................

It never hurts to dream though!

My blessing today is my Mother, and all the wonderful women who have helped to shape my life so far.

And if you are a Mom I wish you a very happy Mother's Day!

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

Actor and comedian Dom DeLuise passed away Monday night (May 4th 2009) at the age of 75. He had been battling cancer for a long time. Although he made many, many films, and tv appearances I will always remember him best for Blazing Saddles and Silent Movie. Thanks for all the laughs, you will be missed!

A huge wave crashed into the New York City region 2,300 years ago, dumping sediment and shells across Long Island and New Jersey and casting wood debris far up the Hudson River.

Some of the researchers think a giant asteroid may have been involved.

Can you imagine the destruction if another such wave hit NYC today?

Here is what the scientists are saying about that on the BBC

It has been a hard week to try to find a blessing. The news has been getting me down, between the economy, and the swine aka H1N1 - Type A flu I cannot help, but feeling stressed. With the latter my kid's Aunt (ex-sister-in-law) is in Cancun as I type. She left last Friday before the travel advisories. My eldest is house sitting for her, and I had to read her the riot act about not coming into contact with her Aunt for at least 5 days. It sounds mean, but I don't want the Swine flu here.

On a bright note I was able to help Matthew unmask History Of A Haunting which claims to be a reality tv show, but put out a casting call for actors. This offends me as both a historian, and a paranormal enthusiast. Good that the general public can now see the truth.

Since they were casting for an non-frumpy actor I was delighted to find this stunningly frumpy red hat at a thrift store the very day Matthew posted his article. Skelly is wearing it, but you know it is for me.

Now I think this weekend I will turn off the news, stay clear of so-called reality tv, and check out our local churches craft sale for Mother's Day gift ideas.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

Some quick factoids of past flu pandemics:

The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 remains the most devastating outbreak of modern times - infecting up to 40% of the world's population and killing more than 50m people, with young adults particularly badly affected.

In 1957 the Asian flu killed two million people. Caused by a human form of the virus, H2N2, combining with a mutated strain found in wild ducks. The elderly were particularly vulnerable to this flu.

A 1968 outbreak first detected in Hong Kong, and caused by a strain known as H3N2, killed up to one million people globally, with those over 65 most likely to die

Is this 2009 Mexican Swine Flu going to get as bad as the ones listed above? I think we will all know in the next week or two. What are your thoughts? Are you worried about this outbreak of swine flu?

Sources: BBC

I came across this homemade inukshuk while walking near the river on a bright sunny day, and thought I'd snap a photo of it.

Inukshuk means "in the likeness of a human" in the Inuit language. They are monuments made of unworked stones that are used by the Inuit for communication and survival. The traditional meaning of the inukshuk is "Someone was here" or "You are on the right path."

If interested you can see many photos of traditional inuksuk in this galleryek's blessings for me is that I am starting to finally feel a bit better, and the weather here is just glorious putting everyone in a much better mood I think.

Overall despite the past trials with my health I feel in the last few years that I am finally on the right path for me, and that too is a blessing.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

Instructions:

1) Look at the list and put an ‘x’ after those you have read.
2) Add a ‘+’ to the ones you LOVE.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X+
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare X
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier X+
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams X+
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X+
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X+
34 Emma - Jane Austen X
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X+
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X+
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X+
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas X
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac X
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville X+
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker X
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath *
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X+
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker *
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X+
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Alborn
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle X+
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas X+
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X+
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo X

Total read: 35
Total I want to read: 3
Total I love: 13

The Unofficial Earth Day Flag

Happy Earth Day! Can you believe that it has been almost 40 years since the very first Earth Day celebrations? According to Wiki sources Earth Day was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970. Since that time many countries have joined in on Earth Day festivities.

Are you planning on doing anything special to mark today? When the kids were smaller I liked to take them to events around the city that promoted environmental causes. I hope that they in turn will pass this tradition onto their own children someday.

"EARTH DAY is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space.

EARTH DAY draws on astronomical phenomena in a new way – which is also the most ancient way – using the vernal Equinox, the time when the Sun crosses the equator making night and day of equal length in all parts of the Earth. To this point in the annual calendar, EARTH DAY attaches no local or divisive set of symbols, no statement of the truth or superiority of one way of life over another. But the selection of the March Equinox makes planetary observance of a shared event possible, and a flag which shows the Earth as seen from space appropriate."

- Margaret Mead

Happy 83rd birthday wishes for our Queen Elizabeth II! Today is her actual birthday, her "official" birthday is in June. Since the 18th century, British monarchs have been publicly celebrating their birthdays in June, no matter when they were actually born, in hope of good weather for public events.

The King's Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery will fire a royal salute at noon today in Green Park in central London to mark the occasion.

Happy Birthday!

What do you buy the Queen for her birthday????

The Ontario Fire Marshal's office is investigating a fire that gutted the historic Red Barn Theatre in Jackson's Point, Ont.

Canada's oldest professional summer theatre has been gutted by a fire.
The Red Barn Theatre in York Region near Lake Simcoe went up in flames around 11:00pm, Saturday. By the time the fire was put out the entire structure was charred rubble, the Toronto Star reports.

Thankfully, no one was injured.

The Barn was at least 130-years-old and has been operating as a theatre since 1949.

This is very, very sad news for historians, and theater lovers.

Source: 680 News

It has been about 5 weeks since I've had radiation therapy, and I'm still not feeling 100% in fact I am feeling at about 50% and that is on a good day. I am still very hyperthyroid, and back to see the Endo in approx. 3 weeks. Hopefully by that time I will be feeling a bit better. I was able to do a little bit of blogging this week as you can see, and feel pretty good about that. I do miss the blogosphere.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

I came across this news story, and wanted to share it.

Here is a snippet from the BBC:

More than 200 people have attended the funeral and burial in north Kent of an unknown teenage girl who was decapitated about 700 years ago.

Her remains were found by an archaeologist on unconsecrated ground next to Hoo St Werburgh Parish Church, near Rochester.

Her head had been placed by her side, suggesting she may have committed suicide or been executed for a crime.

Her body has now been reburied in the church's main graveyard.

The girl was affectionately named Holly by church officials because her remains were found beside a holly tree used over many years to decorate the church at Christmas.

Read More

Whatever was the true cause of her death it is obvious that this girl came to some horrific end so many centuries ago. The fact that she was reburied with ceremony was a very nice, and appropriate gesture in my opinion.

While I have been taking time off of blogging to recuperate from a medical procedure I have been indulging my book wormishness, and catching up on my must-read list. Currently I am enjoying Marianne Faithfull's Memories Dreams and Reflections.... a sorta sequel to her autobiography Faithfull.

Here is a snippet:

Anecdotal, conversational, intimate, and revealing, this is the iconic artists' raw and honest account of her life, her friends, her triumphs, and mistakes. A wry observer of her slightly off-kilter world, Marianne muses nostalgically about afternoons languishing on Moroccan cushions at George and Pattie Harrison's, getting high and listening to new songs. She fondly recalls the outlandish antics of her Beat friends Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs; is frequently baffled at her image in the press (opening the paper to read of her own demise: "Sixties Star in Death Plunge"); is terrified by the curse sent by Kenneth Anger; and is mortified by her history of reckless behavior, not to mention her near-death experience in Singapore while looking for an opium den. Legendary characters from Henrietta Moraes and Donatella Versace to Sofia Coppola, Juliette Greco, and Yves St. Laurent's dog show up in this anecdotal memoir that spans from the dark side of the 1960s to the bright side of the 1990s, the latter of which saw her collaborating with the likes of Blur and Jarvis Cocker. This is as intimate a portrait as we've ever had of Marianne, as she meditates on sex and drugs, confronts her alter ego, the Fabulous Beast, and faces her own mortality in her battle with breast cancer.

This is definitely a fun romp, and I am enjoying seeing her life through her eyes as opposed to what the popular media perceives her. If you are interested in picking up a copy you can get one from our History Nook for around $10.00 bux.

Regular readers already know that I have had a medical procedure this past week, and will be taking some time off of blogging to recuperate. I hope to be back with regular entries here, and on my other blogs early next week. Thank you to all of our friends in the blogosphere for your kind words, and positive healing energies....they are appreciated.

I'm sorry, but this is going to be a very short blessing this week. All went well with the radiation drink on Thursday, but I'm pretty wiped out, and not up to typing too much today. For the regular readers who have said prayers, and well wishes THANK YOU, you are my blessing as I am on the road to recovery.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

Members of the Eccentric Club of London at their annual Friday the 13th lunch in 1936 – surrounded by objects that are connected with superstitions.

Friday the 13th has never bothered me in fact my own parents were married on a Friday the thirteenth, but they liked to break with tradition as a rule.

Whilst the day and/or number has never troubled me personally, it does cause some real issues for certain people suffering paraskevidekatriaphobia (say that three times fast) or a morbid, and irrational fear of Friday the 13th, as coined by Dr. Donald Dossey. According to a 2000 survey conducted by American Demographics 13% of Americans suffer this fear. Interesting coincidence with that number 13, and I sincerely hope that you gentle readers are not afflicted with this.

The history of where this fear originated seems lost within the mists of time itself, but here are a few theories put forward by others:

Christ is thought to have been crucified on a Friday, which was execution day among the Romans. Friday's were also traditionally execution day in Britain. The number 13 ties in as it was believed to bring bad luck because there were 13 people at The Last Supper.

People have suggested that Friday was the day God threw Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, which would be a lucky guess as the concept of Friday hadn't been invented yet.

Thirteen is an unlucky or bad number in Norse mythology as well. Loki, the most mischievous of the Norse gods, went uninvited to a party for 12 at Valhalla, a banquet hall of the gods. And whilst there he caused the death of Balder, the god of light, joy, and reconciliation.

On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrests of Jaques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templars and sixty of his senior knights in Paris. Thousands of others were arrested elsewhere in the country. After utilising torture techniques to force the Templars to "confess" to wrongdoing, most were eventually executed and sympathizers of the Templars condemned Friday the 13th as an evil day.

Chaucer alluded to Friday as a day on which bad things seemed to happen in the Canterbury Tales during the late 14th century, "And on a Friday fell all this mischance." Perhaps with the plight of the Templars in mind?

In my opinion it was probably a combination of all of the above, and much more that led to the superstition, and belief that Friday the 13th is somehow an unlucky day.

How do you feel about Friday the 13th? Will you be doing anything different today because of it? Or do you believe it to be a silly superstition only?

Further Reading:

A World Of Luck - Friday The 13th

Friday the 13th - Unlucky No. 13 combines Christian and pagan beliefs

Image credit: Getty Images

An old, uninhabited farmhouse near Owen Sound, Ontario. This photo was taken Sunday March 8th 2009. The house itself captured my imagination last summer when I saw it during a road trip to Sauble Beach.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

"Barbie dolls on a display celebrate Barbie's 50th anniversary during New York Fashion Week February 14, 2009. Models showed off twinkling outfits, tiaras and the black and white bathing suit the first Barbie wore in 1959."

Photo Credit: Xinhua/AFP Photo

Love her or hate her Mattel's iconic fashion doll has turned 50 years old today. Happy birthday Barbie!

The photo posted above was taken outside of our local flower shop that is down the street from where we live.

Today, my blessing is the beautiful, warm, and sunny weather we have been having over here in Southern Ontario for the last couple of days. Despite my body feeling like crap as I await the treatment for Graves Disease (only 5 more days) the lovely weather has put my mind into a much happier mood. Everywhere I look people tend to be in generally better spirits around my neighbourhood.

It looks like the snow, and extreme cold may finally be over, and Spring has sprung!

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

Toronto Coat Of Arms

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario. I was born, raised, and continue to live in Toronto, which I dearly love as it is truly a cosmopolitan city!

Wishing my home, and city a very happy 175th birthday today!

With the exception of the pyramids the funeral mask of Tutankhamen is probably the most easily recognizable, and identifiable images of ancient Egypt.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Did you or you Mother or Grandmother collect the wee Red Rose tea figurines?

My Mom collects both the Red Rose, and Tetley tea figures, and over the years I've been given bunches of duplicates.

I remember growing up in the early 70's and eagerly awaiting the next box of tea my parents would buy with the little treasure inside.

My blessing this week comes in the form of someone putting out a whole bunch of these wrapped up in a tin box with a note saying "FREE" please take on it. It was like being a little kid all over again! I have no idea why these people were getting rid of them, but what is one person's garbage is another's treasure came immediately to my mind. The photos you see above are in part the newbies that were added to my own collection. In total there were about 50 figurines in the tin box.

Thank you for stopping by, and wishing you all the best this weekend, and in the week ahead

Abbey's (the originator of Nostalgic Saturday) blog no longer seems to be active, and I have no idea if anyone is participating anymore. I would like to keep it going so will continue posting Nostalgic Saturday entries. Please let me know if you participate.

Blog Your Blessings

The Iraq National Museum was re-opened this past week on Monday February 23rd.

I was so happy to read this as regular readers of this blog would already know. I have blogged a few times on how the looting of this great museum's artifacts greatly disturbed me.

I think the re-opening of the museum will aid in the healing of this country, and its citizens who have been subjected to so much.

My wish for this museum is that they will be able to recover much of what was stolen from them. According to a BBC report only about a quarter of the estimated 15,000 artefacts stolen from the museum have been recovered to date.

Image Credit: BBC

"The streets of Oruro, a high-altitude mining town in the Andes, have been filled with colour and song at the start of Bolivia's largest annual festival, La Diablada or Devil's Carnival."

The costumes including masks are quite elaborate, and gorgeous in my opinion.

Another brightly ornate mask

"Oruro is a mining town and the locals, spending so much time underground, decided to adopt a god of the underworld. Christian tradition dictates that this must be the devil and the Oruro faithful thus adopted Satan, or Supay, as their god. They would perform sacrifices to the devil on a regular basis to ensure their safety in the mines and the devil dancing in the carnival derives from their belief in Satan as their protector underground.

These days, the procession tends to focus more on the patron saint of mining, the Virgen del Sovacón and Pachamama (Mother Earth) than the devil, but devil dances are still an important part of the proceedings."

Tis' the season for carnivals as Spring is approaching, however this one is a party I would love to attend!

Image Credits: BBC

Travel Info: What's On When

I have lots of things to be feeling blessed for this past week. I'll start of with the kid being home from University for reading week. We had a lovely dinner with her, and her BF Jeremy (pictured above).

The sockets from my tooth extractions are starting to heal over, and I can finally eat solid food again!

I'm now off of the anti-thyroid meds in preperation for the radiation treatment in March, and I feel ok. So far, the symptoms of the Graves Disease are still manageable.

And finally I finished our income taxes. Yayyy!!! I hate doing taxes, so feel a great sense of relief when they are completed.

Oh, and the Doctor Who (4th Doctor) action figure I ordered from England has arrived! I just have to pick it up at the post office.

Thanks for visiting, and hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and week ahead!

Blog Your Blessings

One of my fave Christmas presents this year was a copy of Dark History of the Kings and Queens of Europe, by Brenda Ralph Lewis. It is a fun, romp through the darker side of royalty, that is easy reading, and therefore appealing to those who do not like their history lessons coming from a dusty text book.

"Beneath the splendor and sophistication of the monarchies of continental Europe are tales of scandal, mystery, and skullduggery. A Dark History: The Kings & Queens of Europe peels away the glitz to take a wry look at what really happened in the corridors, bedrooms, and dungeons of European power, from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Spanning the whole of mainland continental Europe, this history includes the burning of the Knights Templar, Vlad the Impaler’s stakes, Elizabeth Bathory’s bloodbaths, Louis XV’s womanizing, the mystery of the Man in the Iron Mask, King Ludwig I’s doomed love affair, the suicide pact of Austro-Hungary’s Crown Prince Rudolf, and the troubled life and tragic death of Princess Grace of Monaco.

Tales of murder, insanity, obsessive love, and horrific torture illuminate the troubles of royal dynasties, inter-breeding and empire, with examples drawn from Spain, Belgium, Romania, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austro-Hungary, Germany and France. Illustrated throughout with contemporary paintings and engravings alongside modern photography, A Dark History: The Kings & Queens of Europe offers a fascinating portrait of the dark side of European monarchy."

I came across this vintage poster of a dog show from 1913, and wanted to share it with you. Something about this ad is very appealing to me, and I think it would make a great full sized poster for a variety of rooms or decor. Currently we have several vintage French ads that hang in our kitchen, and I will make a note to share them on this blog in the near future.

Please note WW is now played all week.

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Aged two - 1969

Just like last week I have been able to combine my weekly blessings with Nostagic Saturday. This week's blessing has been my ability to get over my extreme fear of dentists, and actually have a positive experience while having two bad teeth extracted.

That kiddo you see above with the toothy grin is me approx. aged two. It was while I was still very young that my parents learned that my teeth were coming in far too big for my jaw, which resulted in 6 teeth being extracted as they grew in, and numerous visits to the dentist as a kid. To say I developed a phobia is putting it mildly. I used to scream at the news I had an appointment!

My phobia followed me through most of my young adulthood, and while I stopped screaming at the very thought, dentist visits have never been easy for me.

Thankfully in the past year I have found a really great dentist who I am comfortable with, and she has helped me to overcome my fears to the point where I was only slightly nervous during the double tooth extraction this week.

How about you? Are you afraid of the dentist? Are your childhood dental memories worse then they are now? I can say that dental work now is seemingly far better than it was in the 1970s when I was growing up.

Thank you for stopping by, and wishing you all the best this weekend, and in the week ahead

Abbey's (the originator of Nostalgic Saturday) blog no longer seems to be active, and I have no idea if anyone is participating anymore. I would like to keep it going so will continue posting Nostalgic Saturday entries. Please let me know if you participate.

Blog Your Blessings

"Zahi Hawass, Egypt's chief archaeologist, next to a 4,000-year-old sarcophagus discovered at the Saqqara necropolis, near Cairo."

From the CBC:

A storehouse of 30 Egyptian mummies has been unearthed inside a 2,600-year-old tomb, in a new round of excavations at the vast necropolis of Saqqara outside Cairo, archeologists said Monday.

The tomb was located at the bottom of an 11-metre deep shaft, announced Egypt's top archeologist Zahi Hawass, and eight of the mummies were in sarcophagi, while the rest had been placed in niches along the wall.

Hawass described the discovery as a "storeroom for mummies," dating to 640 B.C. and the 26th Dynasty, which was Egypt's last independent kingdom before it was overthrown by a succession of foreign conquerors beginning with the Persians.

The tomb was discovered at an even more ancient site dating back to the 4,300-year-old Sixth Dynasty.

Most of the mummies are poorly preserved and archeologists have yet to determine their identity or why so many are in a single room. One of the sarcophagi is made of wood and bears the name Badi N Huri, but no title.

Full article here

Very exciting news! The article mentions how this latest discovery indicates the sprawling necropolis south of Cairo is even larger than previously thought, and who knows what still is awaiting discovery!

Image Credit: BBC

This is a photo of a War of 1812 event that the Norfolk Militia Heritage Regiment Re-enactment Group took part in. These living history lessons are a great way to teach kids about our past, and the horrors of battle in my opinion.

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW. Thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

It has been awhile since I have been able to participate in either of these memes so I thought I would combine both today.

My little sister, and I in our backyard circa 1976-1977

Here we are colouring Easter eggs in our oh-so 70's kitchen

My blessing this week is my sister who has always been a very supportive, and fun friend! I am blessed to have a close, and loving relationship with my sister. I was reminded via my blog surfing this week that having a good, strong relationship with siblings is not always possible nor even necessairily the norm.

Thank you for stopping by, and wishing you all the best this weekend, and in the week ahead

Abbey's (the originator of Nostalgic Saturday) blog no longer seems to be active, and I have no idea if anyone is participating anymore. I would like to keep it going so will continue posting Nostalgic Saturday entries. Please let me know if you participate.

Blog Your Blessings

The following was sent into us by our friend Richard Fiennes Clinton:

There was a story that broke at the end of 2008 about an amazing discovery at the Grange. For those of you unfamiliar with the Grange, it is the historical home located behind the newly renovated and restored Art Gallery of Ontario. It was constructed in 1817 by the Boulton family, who were a prominent clan in early Toronto (York). The Boultons lived in the house for a few generations and "The Grange", as they called their manor, eventually passed to the widow of one of the Boulton men. She remarried, and along with her new husband Goldwin Smith, set the wheels in motion for the house to eventually become an art gallery. Through many transitions over the last century, it evolved into the Art Gallery that we know today.

The "amazing discovery", pieced together from various accounts that I've heard, is more or less as follows. A descendant of Henry Whyte, a long time butler of the Grange, who was living in Boston, came across his ancestor's papers. Having no real interest in them, he sent them up to Toronto where they eventually ended up as a donation to the Grange. They arrived in the midst of the flurry that was the regeneration of the AGO, complete with Frank Gehry's curvy glass installation on the Dundas side of the Art Gallery. When the documents arrived, they turned out to be relatively mundane journals documenting the day to day life below stairs at the Grange. They chronicled how many bottles of wine were consumed and how many dinner parties were thrown. But out fell a map of the property, complete with a number of enigmatic "x" marks. It seemed a mysterious treasure map, and while the modern twenty-first century additions were being constructed, anthropologists and archaeologists apparently went to work, digging up to see what could be found in all those spots marked with an "x".

According to the story, the "x" marks identified the location of a number of strange wax and clay bundles. Another long time employee, Mary O'Shea, had apparently started working at the Grange at the tender age of 17. For about thirty years, it seemed, she would take a number of small items - sugar, spices, a children's doll, a braid of hair, a rabbit's skull, deer bones, and even small quantities of human blood - and then roll them up in spent candle wax and clay and then bury them all over the house and property. One of the prize finds were some letters that had been intended for her family back in Ireland, but had been returned. They were sent back sometime at the end of the 1840s, presumably after Mary O'Shea's family had been wiped out in the Great Irish Potato Famine.

I was intrigued by the story, as many were. Who was Mary O'Shea? Why drove her bizarre compulsion to capture these items and preserve them in wax and clay and then hide them all around the house and grounds? Did she intend for them to be discovered, or did she hope that they would be eternally hidden away? Was Whyte really responsible for the map, and if so, why did he do nothing to bring her strange actions to a close? Most of it might have seemed harmless enough, but some things, especially sugar, were of great financial value.

I went on the first tour of the archaeological dig in mid January, and was amazed! It was like the set of "CSI : Toronto", only set in the mid 1800s. It seemed that one Dr. Chantal Lee, an anthropologist with an organization called "Anthropological Services Ontario" was heading up the dig. The entire thing had been suspended to help celebrate the re opening of the Art Gallery. AND it was great to have an opportunity to see the Grange again. It was closed done, like much of the rest of the AGO during the construction. It seems that there will no longer be admission to the general public, at least after these special tours have ended, as it is to become an exclusive lounge soley for AGO members.

The following two websites gave some introductory information. The first is the website of the "ASO" and the second links to the AGO / Grange itself.

http://www.anthserv.ca/Grange_2008.html
http://www.ago.net/grange-tour

Shortly after my euphoric visit, it came to light that the whole thing was a hoax. The following article appeared in the Toronto Star on Thursday, January 22nd.

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/575058

There never was a Mary O'Shea (well, okay, there probably was, but there was never the Mary O'Shea as mentioned in the tour at the Grange). The strange little bundles that were credited to her, the archaeological dig to uncover them, and even, presumably, the diaries themselves were all fabricated. Even Dr. Chantal Lee is a total fabrication. The whole thing is "art", I guess, put on by one Iris Häussler.

I felt upset at being duped by the whole thing. I mean, Chantal Lee's business card has a gmail address. What kind of anthropologist has a gmail address for professional purposes? And reviewing the tour in my mind, I suddenly realized that there were all these little quirky bits of history that I should have been suspicious about.

I actually feel kind of angry about the whole thing - angry at the AGO, angry at the "artist", and angry at the volunteers who conduct the tours, if indeed they realize that they are fooling the masses. If they had advised people from the start, that the whole thing was a set up, I think I'd find it much more acceptable. We'd all know it was fake, but even getting people excited about fake archaeology can point them in the right direction. But I wonder how many people will walk away from this thinking they've been exposed to real history. Will they be angry if they discover it isn't? What if this was their one and only exposure to this kind of thing?

I think what really upsets me the most is that we actually do have enough interesting history in Toronto to promote, without relying on made up crap. Spadina Museum ~ that overshadowed neighbour of Casa Loma ~ has a wonderful gallery on the archaeolgical dig that went on underneath the 1866 house. Fort York has a great archaeological exhibit too. The Parliament buildings that were torched by American soldiers in 1813 lay under the parking lot of a car dealership ... but staring through the chain link fence and imagining what's underneath the asphalt is a more worthwhile and "truthful" historical pursuit than visiting the made up junk at the AGO.

I went on the tour again today, a week after the Toronto Star published their article (mentioned above) revealing the whole thing as a hoax. I had hoped that at the end, there would be a disclaimer, something maybe only slightly apologetic but leading into something encouraging ... "See!! We made this up by archaeology and history CAN be this fun!!" But no. They're still pretending it's real.

My final question is "What's the point?" Are they going to reveal to all us suckers that it's all made up? Are they going to contact everyone who signed in for the tour, and let us know it's a sham? Is this their attempt at "performance art"? Or is it a way to increase tour sales and help pay for Gehry's additions and help get back all that admission money that they lost when they were closed?

Even if it is "art", I'm still angry. I wonder how long it would take them to notice that I'd snuck in, pinched a nice Group of Seven, and replaced it with a crudely drawn replica, rendered in crayon? That'd be a hoax, too ... but what's the difference?

Happy Groundhog Day!

An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry, dated February 4, 1841, of Berks County, Pennsylvania storekeeper James Morris:

"Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."

In the United States the tradition may also derive from a Scottish poem:

This tradition also stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and Groundhog Day.

Candlemas, also known as the Purification of the Virgin or the Presentation, coincides with the earlier pagan observance Imbolc.

Source: Wiki

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#6: Janis Joplin - 51.15 Oz.

#5: Leon Trotsky - 56 Oz.

#4: Marilyn Monroe - 50.79 Oz.

#3: Walt Whitman - 44.87 Oz.

#2: Robert F. (Bobby) Kennedy - 51.15 Oz.

#1: George Gordon (aka Lord Byron) - 82.25 Oz.

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#3: Errol Flynn and Truman Capote

A (drunken) one night stand that happened in 1947. According to Capote, "If it hadn't been Errol Flynn, I wouldn't have remembered."

#2:Marlene Dietrich and General George S. Patton

Apparently, they were an "intense pair" of lovers during her time entertaining the troops in WWII...

#1: Aimee Semple McPherson and Milton Berle

This happened four years after the evangelist's "kidnapping" and long before he was "Uncle Milty"... granted, she apparently enjoyed "the deed" at home in front of her personal altar... complete with crucifix and candles.

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#3: The Padded Baseball Glove - Arthur Irwin, 1884

#2: The Zipper - Gideon Sundback, 1891

#1: Basketball - James Nesmith, 1922

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#5: Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy Wiki Link

#4: Krazy Kat Wiki Link

#3: Popeye and Wimpy Wiki Link

#2: Blondie and Dagwood Wiki Link

#1: Charlie Brown and Snoopy Wiki Link

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#4: First Impressions by Jane Austen *Renamed "Pride and Prejudice"

#3: Before this Anger by Alex Haley *Renamed "Roots: The Saga of an American Family"

#2: Catch-18 by Joseph Heller *Renamed "Catch-22"

#1: Tenderness by DH Lawrence *Renamed "Lady Chatterley's Lover"

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#3: Because they believe big is best... This goes for bellies and for beer.

#2: To avoid sex.

#1: As children, their mothers use them as guinea pigs for their cooking.

(Attributed to David Scott-Atkinson, Public Relations Executive and Canadian Trend Observer)

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

Ach! We STILL need some more time to get our offline projects off the ground... So last week, we did seven "recipes" from history, had 'em done ahead of time, and then time-stamped them to ensure a full week's worth of new posts for you!

This week, I'm hearkening to a favourite series of books for a little historical fair... The Book of Lists... and share some of the more "interesting" samples of historical tidbits from various books in that series...

#5: Queen Zingua - Early 17th Century - Angola

She would cripple men because she thought "the lame best perform the act of love". Kept a harem of males and enjoyed watching battles to the death between warriors, then bed the winner. According to legend, she would make love all night to a man, then have him killed in the morning to avoid jealousies and for general amusement. Her "legend" continued until the age of 77 when she converted to Catholicism.

#4: Empress Theodora - 508(?) to 548 - Roman in Constantinople.

Although she worked to ensure restrictions against faithless husbands and public nudity, it is said she would "take on" ten men a day... and then up to thirty of their servants by afternoon.

#3: Cleopatra - 69 to 30 BC - Greece/Rome/Egypt

Aside from the well known lovers, not many people know that Cleo had her first lover at twelve... learned "secrets" on how to make love from a bordello in Alexandria, had scores of young males slaves in a temple she erected who were fed drugs to keep them "aroused" so she could "practice"... and it is said she could tangle with 100 men in a single night. Not TOO far fetched for a woman who would use sex to drive herself into power...

#2: Mnesarete - 4th Century BC - Greece

A prominent and well thought of prostitute in ancient Greece, she is said to have inspired statues of Aphrodite... as well as more than the average attention one might expect! Once, she was arrested and tried for profaning the Eleusinian mysteries and was being defended by a lover, the statesman Hyperides... When it seemed she was going to lose her case (and her life,) Hyperides ripped open her robe and exposed her breasts to the jury... She was acquitted.

#1: King Solomon - 973 through 933 BC - Israel

Solomon had 700 wives... and (estimated) 300 mistresses... which gives one pause for thought... when did he have time to acquire that legendary wisdom... and when did he find that mine???

PLEASE NOTE: This is only a SAMPLING from the original list... to full entry is in the book and well worth the read!

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from Recipe Source...

1 1/2 c Grated carrots
1/2 ts Lemon flavoring
3 1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c Water

Cook carrots, sugar, milk, and water, to soft ball stage (234 - 238 F). Remove from fire, add flavoring, and cool to room temperature. Beat until creamy. Pour into buttered pan, pat down to 1 inch depth, and when firm cut in squares. The grain is likely to be a little coarse due to the grated carrots.

Thanks to Mrs. L.G.Humichl, Perry, IA.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, Recipe Source, and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from Just Hungry...

1 top of a cottage loaf
1 small egg
3 fl. oz. milk
4 to 6 de-rinded rashers
6 oz. mushrooms
1 1/2 oz. butter
1 1/2 fl. oz. oil
1 rounded dessertspoonful flour
6 chopped tarragon leaves [6! exactly!] fresh or dried
salt and pepper to season
1 rounded eggspoon English mustard [is an eggspoon smaller or bigger than a teaspoon?]
1 6 fl. oz. good bone stock or 1 fl. oz. cooking sherry and 5 fl. oz. stock
oil to fry

Scoop crumb from bread knob, invert on table and when hollowed out, vandyke the top edges. Beat egg with milk, pour into what is now a bread water-lily, swill round until absorbed, lower immediately in smoking hot oil and fry until interior is a good golden brown. Keep warm on serving dish in oven at Gas Mark Low or 200°F. Fry bacon rashers dry in a shallow pan turning them carefully until cooked to desired texture. Roll up, keep warm on dish with bread case and add oil and butter to bacon fat in pan. When hot toss unskinned, sliced mushrooms and their stalks into this mixture, shake and turn over moderate heat until they have taken up the frying agents. Toss in flour and mustard and work until smooth with the back of a wooden spoon, add chopped tarragon, dilute gradually with small additions of stock blending thoroughly after each addition until all is smooth and creamily sauced. If choosing sherry, add before stock. Season to taste, pile into ‘water lily’, arrange bacon rolls on top as in our picture and serve piping hot.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from Waitrose...

425ml water
200g bulgar wheat
425ml milk
30g currants
30g sultanas
2 large egg yolks, beaten
Pinch of saffron
50g light brown sugar
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
100ml rum (optional)

Almond milk -
200ml boiling water
100g ground almonds

Put the bulgar, water and half the milk in a pan, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Cover and leave to stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the almond milk: pour the boiling water over the almonds, leave to stand for 15 minutes, then strain. Discard the soaked almonds.

Add the rest of the milk, the almond milk and the dried fruit to the bulgar. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat and add the egg yolks and saffron, stirring. Don't boil. Stir in the sugar, then remove from the heat. Leave to stand for a few minutes, then serve, garnished with pine nuts.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, Waitrose, and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from Plimoth Plantation...

1 1/2 cup whole peas, rinsed and picked over
8 cups water (plus additional water for soaking peas)
4 oz. thick sliced bacon, coarsely chopped

Place peas in a bowl and add water to cover by 3 inches. Leave overnight for cooking in the morning or soak all day to cook for dinner.

Drain peas and discard water. Place peas and bacon in a large pot and add 8 cups fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to gently simmer for 2 hours or until peas are soft and easily mashed. Add water if necessary to keep from burning.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, Plimoth Plantation, and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from the Foody...

1 Hare or Large Rabbit
Blood from the Hare or Rabbit
4 rashers Bacon
2 Onions
1 Lemon
15g (½ oz) Butter
1 tbsp Plain Flour
1 Bouquet Garni
6 Cloves
1 tsp Ground Allspice
Seasoned Flour
Port
Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 170°C: 325°F:
Chop the bacon and onion, zest the lemon.
Lightly coat the joints of the hare with flour and place in a flame-proof casserole dish.
Add the herbs, bacon, onion, spices, lemon zest and seasoning.
Cover with water, bring slowly to the boil.
Cover and transfer to the oven for 2 - 2½ hours or until the hare is tender.
Remove the hare, onions and bacon with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
Discard the bouquet garni and the cloves.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour.
Gradually add the cooking liquid and stirring continuously until thickened.
Stir in the blood and add port to taste, mix well and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Pour the sauce over the hare and serve with redcurrant jelly.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, the Foody, and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from Medieval Recipe Translations...

You'll need...

- The liver, heart, and any other obtainable sweetmeats (except the brain) of venison or beef

- Unseasoned toasted breadcrumbs

- Black pepper & salt

- Venison or beef broth

- Egg yolks, beaten

- Optional: shredded dark meat of cooked chicken or pork OR: cooked and sliced venison or beef brains

- Saffron or few drops yellow food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Chop the liver & sweetmeats into stewing size chunks; boil until done. Remove from the water and drain well. Pass the meat through a food processor (or equivalent device) along with the breadcrumbs and broth until you have a smooth & thick gravy-like consistency. Place in a saucepot and bring to a soft boil; reduce heat to simmer. Add the salt & pepper. Beat in the egg yolks. Allow to cook for several minutes, then serve as a thick soup or an accompaniment to meats. OPTION: after beating in the egg yolks, add shredded pork or chicken (or the prepared brains) along with a few pinches of saffron or drops of yellow food coloring. Allow to cook for several minutes, then serve as a thick soup or an accompaniment to meats.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, Medieval Recipe Translations (A GREAT SITE!!!), and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

This week, we're taking a bit of a break in a way and "time stamping" seven posts... which have a special meaning to us.

On the recommendation of a friend, we watched the entire six part series (and the effective "pilot" episode,) of a kind of cross between a documentary and reality TV program from Britain called "The Supersizers Go..." which, when explained sounds kinda silly... but it really, Really, REALLY wasn't!

It was a lot of fun and had us literally laughing out loud in many spots.

The premise is two people, restaurant critic Giles Coren and comedian Sue Perkins spend one week eating nothing but the diet of a specific time period... and adopting it's dress and some of that time's traditions as well.

They start off with a medical exam to see the "before" situation... and then end with another test to see how the diet and time spent in that "era" affected their health.

Honestly, it was a really great series!

Anyway, as we're taking a seven day rest, we're posting a recipe from each era covered by Sue and Giles... for interests sake... and although fun, DO think twice about trying it out! We can't guarantee ANYTHING about these recipes!!!

Recipe retrieved via Google from Food Downunder...

You'll need...

1 1/3 kg Mutton, diced
4 tsp Flour (4 to 5)
1/2 tsp Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbl Olive oil
An orange, plus its juice
570 ml Good dry red wine
1 sprg rosemary

...and for the cheese topping...

280 gm Self raising flour
85 gm Butter or lard, diced
110 gm Devon Garland, Cheddar or West Country farmhouse cheese,
Coarsely grated or finely diced
Freshly ground pepper
2 tbl Fresh herbs, finely chopped
4 x Spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbl Plain yogurt, mixed with 70ml cold water

Put the flour and seasoning in a bowl and toss the mutton, a few pieces at a time, in it.

Brown the meat in the olive oil, and then add the zest, juice and red wine.

Bring to the boil, tuck in the sprig of rosemary, cover and cook at 150C/350F/gas 3 for about 3 hours or cook it overnight or all day in the bottom oven of the aga.

For the cheese topping:

Rub the flour and fat together in a bowl and then stir in the cheese, pepper, herbs and onions. Stir in enough liquid to make a soft, pliable dough. Transfer to a floured board and knead it lightly.

Roll out to fit the top of whatever ovenproof dish you are serving the hotpot from, cut into wedges and lay them on top of the stew. Bake at 200C/400F/gas 6 for 15-20 minutes.

Huge thanks for the above from Just Hungry, Food Downunder, and of course, The BBC.

The information and images in this post are being used assuming "Fair Use"/"Fair Dealing" as we do not profit nor make commercial use of the information. This information and/or images may be removed at the request of the original copyright holder within seven business days of notice.

I was rummaging through some of my Dad's old stuff this weekend with a mind to getting some of it organized when I came across this. This is his old badge from Research Enterprises Ltd during WWII. Research Enterprises Limited or (REL) was a high technology war industry company.

Occupying 55 acres southeast of Eglinton and Laird, REL at its peak it employed over 7,500 people in buildings covering 750,000 sq. ft of engineering and manufacturing plants. It produced an incredible $220, million worth of high technology radio machinery and precision optical instruments in its six short years. Little remains, just a few red brick buildings on Eglinton and on Research Road.

Incorporated on July 16,1940, and closed in September, 1946, Research Enterprises was the largest single employer ever to operate in Leaside. War conditions gave Canadians a chance to show they were among the world's best in establishing a high technology facility and at maintaining very high production volumes throughout the war.

Noteworthy was the equal staffing of men and women, with
the latter providing most of the inspection staff.

Excerpt from: Points Of Interest Along Lost Streams

I feel blessed that I have such tangible pieces of my family's past in order to give me a better understanding of who they were outside of the roles I knew them in. My Dad's days at REL were long over when I was born in 1967.

Thank you for stopping by, and wishing you all the best in the week ahead

Blog Your Blessings

Over the holidays Matthew and I had the opportunity to see the 2008 film The Changeling. I say 2008 because there was a horror classic by the same name, and several people I know confused this film with a possible remake.

While not a horror this film is based around some gruesome events that occurred in the late 20s - early 30s in Southern California. These horrific kidnappings, and murders of young children became known as the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders.

The film begins in 1928 Los Angeles and tells the true story of a woman who recognizes that the boy returned after her son's disappearance is an impostor. After confronting the city authorities, she is vilified as an unfit mother and branded delusional.

Being a parent the film was naturally difficult to watch at certain points, however I did not feel an emotional connection to the lead character played by Angelina Jolie that I had expected I would. Don't get me wrong I do appreciate Jolie's work as an actress, just not in this film.

The plot is comprised of very difficult subject matter, and I am not certain how it could have been made better while respecting the gravity of these events, and not sensationalizing them. Yet, I was left with the feeling it could have been a lot better.

Seen any good films based on historical events? What do you recommend?

Image Credit: Wiki

Thinking about the 1970s tv show Fantasy Island brings back a lot of fond childhood memories for me, so it was with much sadness that I learned of the death of actor Ricardo Montalban earlier today. Mr Montablan apparently passed away in his home, although no cause of death has been given at the time I am typing this. While Mr Montablan had a long and successful acting career for me he will always be Mr. Roarke. Rest in peace Ricardo Montalban. The actor was 88 at the time of his death.

Photo Credit: Washington Post

The BBC is reporting that ancient graves have been unearthed in Istanbul. The graves contain both skeletons, and gifts for the afterlife.

Historians had believed modern-day Istanbul was first settled around 700 BC however these graves are at least 6,000 years older. To watch a video, and read a full article on this discovery please click here.

Image Credit: BBC

In honour of my recently finding out that there is a strong probability that I am 1/4 Roma I decided to post this photo of a Romanichal Reading vardo wagon, which was taken at a transport museum in Glasgow, Scotland. It is circa early 20th century.

I won't get into too many details here, but there is a possibility that certain Hungarian/Romanian relatives hid the fact they were of gypsy origin when coming to Canada. Can you blame them if they did? Gypsy people are still being persecuted to this day in Europe.

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW. Thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: Wiki

Normally getting the kiddo back into schedule after a holiday break is a fairly difficult, and grumpy task. This week was different, and actually got off to a smooth start and stayed that way. This was a definite blessing as any parent of a young teen will relate to.

The kiddo is blessed to be going to a school that provides computers to each student, and has some really great teachers this year. Their own hard work clearly shows through my daughter's achievements this year, and her appreciation of them, and her school.

That is her classroom pictured above. Hubby says it looks like the NORAD command post. Cool!

Blog Your Blessings

Woo Hoo! I have finished up the final touches on the newly revamped website for the Norfolk Militia (Heritage Regiment) Re-Enactment Group. If you have a few minutes I would love it if you would click on the linky, and have a quick look at the new website. Any feedback is welcome including any constructive criticism.

I LOVE Joomla!

I don't know....I actually kind of like it...

However, according to a BBC news article the Reverend Ewen Souter said the 10ft crucifix was "a horrifying depiction of pain and suffering" which was also "putting people off". It has since been removed from the church in West Sussex England where it had been displayed.

This sculpture of Christ was designed, and created in the 1960s, and is made of coal dust and resin. I believe it reflects the mood, and art at that time period (my opinion I'm no art critic) and to get rid of it is to destroy a bit of history.

What do you think?

To learn more you can read the BBC article here.

Image Credit: BBC

Photo of a woman, and child feeding seagulls circa summer 1957.

Please note that this entry is for both the Tuesday, and Wednesday editions of WW. Thank you for stopping by!

For a list of other Wordless Wednesday participants please click here.

Image Credit: BBC Archives

This past week in another blog I write for I participated in a meme where the theme was hope. I thought the choice for the theme was perfect for starting off the brand new year, and will share a bit of that same entry with you here today. I know that many of you who are regulars here may not have seen the original.

I got this tropical flowering plant several years ago from my grandmother's funeral. It was part of a large basket of planets, and my uncle gave it to me. When the initial flowers fell off a couple of weeks after the funeral they never grew back. No matter what I tried including moving its location, special plant food, etc, nothing seemed to work in getting it to flower.

Then in a weird bit of coincidence guess what I saw on the morning of Christmas eve! I say these tiny flowers are a good representative of hope.....and hope is a wonderful blessing to start out the new year with.

Happy New Year 2009, and thank you for stopping by!

Blog Your Blessings

I came across this vintage new year greeting from the Wells Fargo company while surfing the web earlier in the week. I thought it was so sweet that I just had to share it here.

Vintage greetings such as these remind me that no matter how tough things can get we do go forward, and things do get better. Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

Happy New Year 2009!

Image courtesy: Wells Fargo archives