American writer Washington Irving published The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 1820. It’s a spooky tale of murky possibilities. A perfect story for Halloween. The story begins in 1790 in an area near Tarrytown, New York that is called Sleepy Hollow. The hollow had a reputation for enchantment and the appearance of unusual apparitions, the
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TAJ MAHAL GARDENS & LORD CURZON
This is a story about gardens at the Taj Mahal, and the man who made them uniquely British. This photograph taken in 1874 shows something you don’t see in contemporary pictures. Very tall trees. The Taj Mahal wasn’t just a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal. It was a Mausoleum and Gardens, equally important parts of a
“HARVEST” Season
Autumn officially began with the Equinox on September 23, when the hours of darkness and light were almost equal. As we move forward in the northern hemisphere, the days become shorter and the nights, longer. It is a time of gloom and the early stages of Seasonal Affective Disorder. The word Autumn is a French
Hot Chocolate for a Rainy Day
Watching the rain from Tropical Storm Niala splattering on my windows brings the coziness of curling up with a good book and hot chocolate to my mind. Hot chocolate is more than a satisfying warm drink filled with legal antioxidants and illegal sugar. It conjures up exotic origins, leisurely indulgence, and beautiful serving utensils. The
A Story About Speed Daters
It’s time for a book review. This time the story is One Night at the Jacaranda (2013). The plot follows eight people who find themselves at the Jacaranda Bar for an evening of speed dating. The premise is simple. In author Carol Cooper’s heterosexual example, an equal number of men and women register for the event.
MUTED FLOWER LANGUAGE
Incipient autumn is an odd time to be talking about the language of flowers, so I must have been channeling seasonal changes in the southern hemisphere when my mind turned to floral communication this morning. Or, maybe it’s my reluctance to welcome cooler weather. Unless we’re bombarded by the floral industry near Valentine’s Day, most
No White After Labor Day? Who Says?
I’m old enough to remember a fashion saying that, even at the time, didn’t make much sense. “Never,” it was said, “wear white after Labor Day . . . or straw hats.” I recall there was a difference between summer clothes and fall clothes. Summer clothes were lighter, often sleeveless and generally more comfortable. Winter
The Wealth-Happiness Quandary
Last month, Jacob Davidson published an article about the ten richest people of all time. Relative incomes were extrapolated via various means to account for differences in historic and current currency valuation. The complete list is below. I’m going to focus on three American men who built enormous fortunes before turning to philanthropic endeavors. In American
A Shed by Any Other Name . . . Is Still a Shed
This is a blog about sheds. It happens to many people. It happened to me. One day the Handsome Bloke said: “I rather fancy a shed.” “But we have a storage closet.” “They’re on sale.” “We don’t need a shed. It’ll take up space.” “I’ve always wanted a shed.” The Rubbermaid shed sits across
AN AVANT-GARDE ORCHID SHOW
I went to the Hilo Orchid Society’s 63rd Annual Show yesterday, a memorable event for its sumptuous displays of orchids large and small. This year’s theme is Orchids Avant-Garde emphasizing collectors and gardeners’ never ending quest for the newest orchid variety. “The orchid world,” according to Rick Kelley as quoted in the Hawaii Tribune Herald,
ART & MINERALS AT LYMAN HOUSE
Do you ever see an announcement of an upcoming exhibit or event and think, ‘I’d like to see that?’ Last April, I saw an article about Nā Kuana`ike Pāheana o Hawai`i: Artistic Perspectives of Hawai`i. It’s on display at Lyman House Museum until September. Hmmm…I’d like to see that…sometime. I promptly forgot all about it
OZ & THE CROSS OF GOLD
Last week I wrote about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum in its incarnations as a popular children’s book, the 1939 movie that has become a holiday favorite, and the story’s latest incarnation as the musical Wicked. (Here.) What more is there to say about Dorothy’s adventures in Oz? It turns out
ONCE UPON A TIME IN OZ
Last week I visited the magical Land of Oz. Sitting in Seattle’s Paramount Theater auditorium, I traveled via the musical notes and flashing lighting displayed in Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz. And I wondered, what is it about Oz that brings us back to the story generation after generation?
ABRAHAM CLARK’S ‘SACRED HONOR’
Before we bid farewell to the 2015 celebrations of Independence Day, I draw your attention to the Declaration of Independence and and the life of Abraham Clark, a member of the New Jersey delegation to the Second Continental Congress. What might the Declaration’s closing phrase have meant to a man neither wealthy nor prominent outside
MAGNA CARTA – A STILL LIVING DOCUMENT
At the close of last week’s episode in the story of Magna Carta, King John had managed to alienate almost everyone in England, as well as the French and the Pope – an impressive array of enemies. Nevertheless, John remained king. And in medieval England, the king was God’s anointed representative on earth. Many of John’s
Happy Birthday, Magna Carta!
Last Monday, June 15th, the Magna Carta was 800 years old. Yeah, I know. It’s not a date on the tip of your tongue. But, without the Magna Carta there wouldn’t have been a Declaration of Independence, and without the Declaration we wouldn’t celebrate the 4th of July. And without the 4th of July,