It may seem a bit late to write about New Year Resolutions, unless I resolved to write about them last week, but failed to do so, so now I’m starting my resolution again. Or perhaps my resolution was not to start writing my blog again until the middle of January,
Sleigh bells ring Are you listening? In the lane Snow is glistening A beautiful sight We’re happy tonight Walking in a Winter Wonderland Winter Wonderland is one of several songs featuring sleigh bells that has nothing to do with holiday celebrations. The focus is on winter chill and sleigh bells.
The first holiday trees appear like Halloween ghosts foretelling Christmas Future. Then, during the first two weeks of November, decorated synthetic evergreen trees stand in shopping malls, grocery stores & check-out counters. Some are tall. Some are short. All seem to whisper, “Forget the turkey, it’s time to fill Santa’s
Thanksgiving, a national holiday embedded in American mythology, has changed over the years from an emblem of American history and unity to a day that includes eating, shopping, and watching televised football games and parades. Below are a few factoids of Thanksgivings past. When I was a child, billboards advertising
There was an old woman who rode on a broom,With a heigh, gee-ho, gee-humble;And she took her old cat behind for a groom,With a bumble, bumble, bumble. — From Gems from Mother Goose When Gems from Mother Goose came out in 1899, the standard witch description depicted an older woman
Like every month, October has its share of serious and whimsical commemorations. The month that is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month is also National Pizza Month and National Popcorn Popping Month. Likewise, there is a week for getting organized and a week for fire prevention. Special
Every season has its own special foods, and two of the foods most associated with fall are apples and pumpkins. Both are harvested between late August and the end of October, and both have associations with fall in the northern hemisphere. As the nights become longer and the weather chillier,
Writing historical fiction is tricky, particularly if the story is based on or inspired by real people. I’m currently writing the second book in my Salem Stories series based on the 18th century Crowninshield and Derby families of Salem, Massachusetts. The story is about real people in the context of
A church as old as Zurich’s Fraumünster has an abundance of art dating from the 9th century. I found two of these pieces particularly interesting in their artistic symbolism. Separated by about 500 years, the scenes show how differently artists interpret biblical stories over time. The older one interprets religious
Among the sites visitors to Zurich are most likely to visit, Fraumünster, with its clock, tower stands tall. Many sightseers are church tourists who take a moment to visit churches famous for their architecture, stained glass, or as the site of famous historical events. Others come to Fraumünster specifically to
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