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# Sandra Wagner-Wright

Writer - Historian - Traveller

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [BLOG](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/blog/) - This is just a place holder. Make blog entries through Posts.
- [Touching the Past — My Visit to Herculaneum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/touching-the-past-my-visit-to-herculaneum/) - The city of Herculaneum was small in comparison to the better-known city of Pompeii, a town for high-ranking Romans seeking an escape to the seaside with its cooling breezes. It was blazing hot the day I visited. Over the years, Herculaneum sank beneath the earth that grows above ancient cities, and though the site isn’t
- [Touching the Past — Villa Romano del Casale](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/touching-the-past-villa-romano-del-casale/) - It’s hard to imagine the past. As an historian, my imagination can stretch as far back as the 18th century. With a little extra creativity, I can reach the 17th century. But earlier times are elusive unless I can connect with the material culture to build a bridge that connects to the distant past. I
- [When is a Fruit a Vegetable? Consider Tomatoes.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/when-is-a-fruit-a-vegetable-consider-tomatoes/) - “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.” — Brian O’Driscoll, Rugby Player Botanically, the tomato is a fruit. According to botanists at the New York Botanical Garden, fruits are usually sweet and eaten as a dessert. In contrast, vegetables are savory and
- [Tomatoes: From the Andes to Your Garden](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tomatoes-from-the-andes-to-your-garden/) - Have you planted tomatoes in your garden or windowsill pots yet? You might even be on your second planting by now. Statistically, 55 percent of American households have a garden. About 43 percent of those gardens grow food, and tomatoes are planted in 86 percent of food gardens. In fact, Americans eat about 1 billion
- [The Lusty Month of May](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-lusty-month-of-may/) - The realization that the month of May is nearly upon us always brings The Lusty Month of May from the movie Camelot (1967) to my mind. Before the forbidden romance and the tragic fall of Camelot, there was the Lusty Month of May, described in the Lerner & Loewe song as the lovely month when
- [Earth Day: A Revolution for the Environment](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/earth-day-a-revolution-for-the-environment/) - Wednesday, April 22 is Earth Day. This year’s theme is Our Power, Our Planet with an emphasis on the daily actions that support our planet, an orb that floats in the darkness of space. The Earth Day Revolution On December 7, 1972 Apollo 17 astronauts on their way to the moon captured an image of
- [Home Economics & Modern Domesticity](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/home-economics-modern-domesticity/) - In the early 20th century, the emerging field of Home Economics gave educated women an opportunity to become professionals within a respected field of expertise. As new electrical appliances became available in the early 20th century, home economists became responsible for training housewives in their use. Home economists could translate technical knowledge into every day
- [Women's Roles: From Republican Motherhood to Scientific Household Management](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/womens-roles-from-republican-motherhood-to-scientific-household-management/) - This is my second of blog celebrating Women's History Month. The commemoration gives us many opportunities to cheer women's achievements. Often, however, the ordinary activities of women's lives are, if not overlooked, at least unsung. It is impossible to consider women's history without noting women's activities in the home, the often invisible work space where
- [March is Women's History Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/march-is-womens-history-month/) - Women's History Month begins March 1. It's a month designated to celebrate women's achievements, talents, history, and aspirations. A month in which women's efforts to achieve economic, social, and legal can be highlighted. So, it seems fitting to take a moment to highlight the timeline of events that led to this month with its focus
- [Americans & Taxation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/americans-taxation/) - On December 16, 1773, about 100 Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and boarded three English merchantmen carrying a cargo of Bohea tea. The Americans used hatchets to open the 342 chests of tea and dumped a total of 92,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act of 1773.
- [Be Mine, Valentine](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/be-mine-valentine/) - Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. A day associated with hearts, flowers, candy, and (if you are a certain age) a fancy “date” at a nice restaurant. But my clearest childhood memory of Valentine’s Day is those chalky Valentine heart candies. Strangely enough, the small candies still exist. And, as is the case with candy
- [Playing Frisbee: From Pie Tins to International Sports](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/playing-frisbee-from-pie-tins-to-international-sports/) - As cats are always happy to demonstrate, the simplest container or bit of string or laser light can bring hours of frenzied enjoyment. Now that we are two weeks into a new year, I must admit that I find my enthusiasm for simple pleasures increasing. And what could be simpler than chasing a frisbee? Notice
- [Turkey Drives](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/turkey-drives/) - When I first encountered this 1907 Thanksgiving postcard, I thought it was a fanciful parade of turkeys. But the drawing is rooted in the reality of bringing turkeys to market. My lack of knowledge about food sourcing was not and still is not that unusual. Growing up, the closest I came to any understanding of
- [YOU CAN'T STOP TIME, BUT YOU CAN CHANGE IT](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/you-cant-stop-time-but-you-can-change-it/) - Once again, Americans have turned back time. By the time this blog officially launches on November 3, 2025, it will all be over. Americans will have changed time at 2:00 a.m. local time Sunday, November 2. Wait — What? You mean you didn’t know we could control time? Benjamin Franklin suggested the concept in 1784
- [Halloween Stories](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/halloween-stories/) - Halloween, once called Samhain, is nigh. In two weeks costumed children, as well as adults, will pass through neighborhoods or decorated trunk-or-treat parking lots with dulcet cries of “Trick or Treat.” Halloween is the modern iteration of Samhain [pronounced SOW-wen] a Celtic festival that begins at sundown October 31 and continues into November 1. As
- [Bobbing for Apples, An Autumn Tradition](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/bobbing-for-apples-an-autumn-tradition/) - Fall officially began last month, but October is the month I always associate with the changing of the seasons from summer activities to those that announce Fall and the Harvest Season has arrived. Deciduous trees paint the horizon in warm colors before swirling to the ground. Halloween preparations are underway, and black cats are understandably
- [Chapter House Grotesques at York Minster](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/chapter-house-grotesques-at-york-minster/) - The so-called Green Man motif, like the one on the left, is often found in medieval grotesques. An ancient symbol of rebirth, the Green Man is linked to spring, and earlier gods of the forest. Most generally, the Green Man is surrounded by leaves or branches. This Green Man lives in York Minster, beneath the
- [York Minster Grotesques & Other Carvings](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/york-minster-grotesques-other-carvings/) - Over the years, I have visited York Minster many times. And I always see something unexpected, like this chap on the left. It seems uniquely appropriate that a creature such as this should be restrained by fencing in the Stonemasons' Yard. The wide-eyed creature with pointed ears clutches his head while a frog crawls out
- [17th Century Female Artists at the Rijksmuseum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/17th-century-female-artists-at-the-rijksmuseum/) - Today Judith Leyster (1609-1660) is one of the best known Dutch female painters of the 17th century. But it was not always so. After her death, Leyster's work fell into obscurity, often attributed to Franz Hals. But, Leyster signed her work with a distinctive monogram of herself with a start shooting towards the right. It's
- [Women's Portraits in the Rijksmuseum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/womens-portraits-in-the-rijksmuseum/) - The Gallery of Honor in the Rijksmuseum leads the visitor so unerringly to Rembrandt’s Night Watch that the paintings displayed in its alcoves are easily overlooked, if not for guides who point out the paintings she or he finds most worthy of notice. Paintings by Johannes Vemeer, for example, have many more viewers pressing towards
- [Rembrandt, The Night Watch, & Me](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rembrandt-the-night-watch-me/) - When I was in middle school, every student had to take a semester of music and a semester of art before they could take any other electives unless they kept to either music or art for their entire middle school career. I didn’t know if I would like music, but I knew I wouldn’t like
- [Tulips & Windmills](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tulips-windmills/) - I'm fresh back from two weeks in Holland, the land of tulips & windmills. We often don't think much about tulips when they show up in the floral section of the local grocery store every spring, but they have a more dramatic history than some other flowers. Tulips originated in 10th century Persia. Over time
- [Administrative Professionals Day - Celebrate Support Staff](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/administrative-professionals-day-celebrate-support-staff/) - Next week, April 20-26, 2025 is Administrative Professionals Week. It's an annual event the last week in April, with Administrative Professionals Day in the middle. This year it falls on Wednesday, April 23. Official celebrations for office warriors began in 1942 when the National Secretaries Association was founded. The nation was gearing up for World
- ["Your Library is Your Paradise" - Erasmus](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/your-library-is-your-paradise-erasmus/) - I remember getting my first library card. I was six years old, and had to stretch to reach the check-out counter. My mother brought me to the library every week so we could check out books. But I wanted to be a big girl and do it myself. There was, however, an obstacle. The librarian
- [St. Gertrude's Cats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/st-gertrudes-cats/) - Monday, March 17 is the annual celebration of St. Patrick, usually accompanied by leprechaun illustrations and green beer. In recent years, a meme depicting St. Gertrude of Neville stroking a cat she holds in her arms appears about the same time. Caption: “It happens every year: Patrick this and Patrick that. No one remembers me
- [Riding Pillion](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/riding-pillion/) - Pillion is a new word in my vocabulary. According to Merriam-Webster, a pillion is a light saddle for women consisting chiefly of a cushion, OR a pad or cushion put on behind a man's saddle, chiefly for a woman to ride on, OR a motorcycle or bicycle saddle for a passenger. The word pillion seems
- [Tooth Fairy-Tales](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tooth-fairy-tales/) - After the candied frenzy of Valentine's Day, perhaps it's only logical that National Tooth Fairy Day is February 28th. There's a companion day six months later on August 22nd. Katie Davis created the first official day in 2003 when she wrote Mabel the Tooth Fairy and How She Got Her Job. Turns out, Mabel hated
- [Year of the Snake & Legend of the White Snake](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/year-of-the-snake-legend-of-the-white-snake/) - The Great Animal Race Lunar New Year celebrations this year welcome the Year of the Snake, so named because the snake was a the sixth animal to finish in the Great Animal Race organized by the Jade Emperor when he created the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac. He hoped the zodiac would help people
- [Janus, The God of Transitions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/janus-the-god-of-transitions/) - Janus, the Roman god of new beginnings, transitions, and thresholds has a brief moment of recognition in his namesake month. The ancient Roman calendar was a 10-month lunar year of 304 days, and an awkward gap of 61 days. The year began in March, the start of the new agricultural year. By 45 BCE the
- [Setting Resolutions & Pursuing Goals: An Annual Tradition](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/setting-resolutions-pursuing-goals-an-annual-tradition/) - For over 4,000 years people have wished each other a HAPPY new year as they engaged in cultural rituals to invite prosperity into the year ahead. In our family, we eat Hopping John on New Year’s Day, a Southern tradition to invite prosperity in the new year. The black-eyed peas symbolize coins and good luck.
- [YULE: A CELEBRATION OF WINTER SOLSTICE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/yule-a-celebration-of-winter-solstice/) - In the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice will happen on December 21st, marking the season of Yule. It is the shortest day of the year, while also marking the slow return of longer days. Winter begins, but also heralds the hope of spring. At Stonehenge, Neolithic builders shaped the standing stones to frame the winter and
- [Christmas Cards - Paper or Digital?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-cards-paper-or-digital/) - December 9 is National Christmas Card Day. I presume one or more greeting card companies decreed if consumers haven’t organized their holiday cards two and a half weeks out from Christmas, they better get started. Cards to acquire — notes to write — stamps to stick. Now that so many people send digital greeting cards,
- [Hooray For The Pumpkin Pie](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hooray-for-the-pumpkin-pie/) - Thanksgiving will soon be here, and the feast whether vegan, gluten free, or traditional probably will include the perennial dessert favorite: Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkins and their various preparations have been part of the American diet since the first English colonists arrived in New England. One of the earliest recipes for a pumpkin-based dessert appeared in
- [The Devil, The Trickster & Jack o'Lanterns](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-devil-the-trickster-jack-olanterns/) - This is a Halloween tale about the devil, a trickster, and how Jack o' Lanterns came to be. It is perhaps a cautionary tale proving that cleverness can and often does backfire. Once upon a time, there was an Irish trickster named Jack who had several monikers: Stingy Jack, Drunk Jack, Flaky Jack, and eventually,
- [Samhain — The Witches' New Year](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/samhain-the-witches-new-year/) - Samhain [pronounced SOW-wen] is an ancient Celtic celebration marking the death of the warmer half of the year and beginning the next cycle in the Wheel of the Year. The year turns between sunset October 31 and sunset November 1. The specific dates are somewhat arbitrary. Suffice to say, Samhain marks the year’s turning from
- [Black Cats —From Revered to Feared](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/black-cats-from-revered-to-feared/) - In the northern hemisphere, October marks the transition from summer to fall. Pumpkins appear at grocery and garden stores. Leaves swirl in the breeze before dropping in colorful abandon. The days grow shorter. Pumpkin spice is everywhere, especially in coffee and pastries. Neighbors put skeletal Halloween decorations in their yards. And, in general, we become
- [Rum Punch, An Imperial Tipple](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rum-punch-an-imperial-tipple/) - After learning about Puritan taverns [see previous blog], I began researching 17th century “church-raising” in Salem Village. The process is basically the same thing as a barn-raising, and requires almost complete community participation to raise the walls and connect them to the roof rafters. But research often leads to unexpected results. Apparently, the town of
- [Puritans, Taverns & the Sin of Drunkenness](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/puritans-taverns-the-sin-of-drunkenness/) - This is a drawing of the Old Anchor Tavern in Lynn, Massachusetts. the drawing was done in 1866, but the tavern opened in 1643. The tavern was situated in Saugus on the road to Boston, making it convenient for both townspeople and travelers. I find it interesting that this tavern, essentially, looks like a large
- [Rules for Teachers — No Loitering in Ice Cream Parlors](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rules-for-teachers-no-loitering-in-ice-cream-parlors/) - School days, school days, dear old golden rule days, Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick, You were my queen in calico, I was your bashful barefoot beau And you wrote on my slate, I love you Joe, When we were a couple of kids. Will D. Cobb and
- [STAYCATION, VACATION & WALKING IN THE WOODS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/staycation-vacation-walking-in-the-woods/) - As I write this, I am sitting on green grass I don’t have to mow, gazing at gently swaying palm trees, and listening to the sound of surf & chirping birds at a location less than 50 miles from home. In short, I’m having a a stay-cation experience. As it happens, my staycation is at
- [From Catalog Shopping to Amazon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/from-catalog-shopping-to-amazon/) - As Amazon shoppers continue receiving the items they purchased on Prime day, it seems a good time to consider shopping habits from years long ago. Before internet shopping and neighborhood shopping malls, there was the General Store that sold a little bit of everything. If the store didn't have it, the consumer probably didn't need
- [Amazon Prime Day & Other Trivia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/amazon-prime-day-other-trivia/) - Are You Ready for Prime Day? If you haven’t already started reviewing Amazon's extensive inventory, you can shop til your fingers drop on Amazon Prime Day from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time tomorrow, July 16. This year the July shopping spree for Prime members ends Wednesday, July 17 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. The first Amazon
- [Baking 4 + 20 Blackbirds Into a Pie](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/baking-4-20-blackbirds-into-a-pie/) - I've been researching 17th century wedding customs this week and a 1685 recipe for Bride’s Pye caught my imagination. Bride’s Pye included all manner of ingredients that seemed a bit unusual from my perspective, though I admit I am not the most adventurous eater. Examples include cock stones and combs [roosters' testicles and the combs on
- [The Statue of Liberty: France's Gift to America](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-statue-of-liberty-frances-gift-to-america/) - The first time I saw the Statue of Liberty was in 1963, the year this photo was taken. My grandparents, in a spirit of incredible courage & generosity, took my cousins & I on a car trip to see American monuments across the United States. We took the ferry across from a pier in Lower
- [Congress Approves Women's Right to Vote](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/congress-approves-womens-right-to-vote/) - On June 4, 1919 Congress approved the 19th Amendment, also known as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, which states that “The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce
- [THE REMEMBRANCE POPPY & MOINA MICHAEL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-remembrance-poppy-moina-michael/) - In April 1917 the United States entered what is now known as World War I in alliance with the Britain, France, and Russia against the Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. According to Americans favoring intervention in the predominantly European war, this war would Make the World Safe for Democracy as well as being
- [Katherine Naylor: Petition for Divorce Granted](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/katherine-naylor-petition-for-divorce-granted/) - When we left Katherine Naylor in my previous blog, she was 33 years old, a widow with two children and substantial property. In 17th century Puritan New England, widows did not remain unmarried very long, especially if there was property involved. In Puritan culture, marriage was an equal partnership, but the husband was the undisputed
- [Katherine Wheelwright Nanny Naylor & Puritan Dissension](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/katherine-wheelwright-nanny-naylor-puritan-dissension/) - While the manuscript for Sea Tigers & Merchants wends its way through the pre-publication process, I'm doing research for a prequel to the Salem Stories series. My new story begins in 17th century Salem about forty years before the infamous witch trials. The primary characters are Philip and Mary English whose descendent became Mary Hodges
- [April Foolishness](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/april-foolishness/) - Every month comes with unique events and symbols, but April is the only month associated with fools, i.e., those people who are easily deceived, or unable to accept facts. Most people do not see themselves as fools, which may be why Mark Twain pointed out in his usual succinct way, April 1 is the day
- [Goddess Freyja: The Lady](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/goddess-freyja-the-lady/) - Have you ever noticed how many powerful goddesses are worshiped by warrior societies? It’s as if a female entity encompasses everything human warriors find most mysterious. And, so for this last week of Women’s History Month, I bring the Norse goddess Freyja to your attention. Freyja is the goddess of Love, Beauty, Fertility, Sex, War,
- [Women's History Month with profiles of Jeannette Rankin & Anna May Wong](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/womens-history-month-with-profiles-of-jeannette-rankin-anna-may-wong/) - The month of March has eleven awareness celebrations. Some may seem slightly silly, like National Celery Month, established in 2015; others, like Irish American Heritage Month established in 1995, celebrate American diversity.* The designation I find most meaningful is WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH. I 'm dating myself when I share that when I was growing up,
- [George Washington's Teeth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/george-washingtons-teeth/) - Recently I found myself practicing breathing exercises while my dentist injected numbing medication into my gums. Somehow I had managed to acquire a cavity at the back edge of an existing crown. The crown had to be removed, the cavity treated, and a new crown acquired. And, of course, the afflicted tooth was a the
- [Puritans — More Romantic Than You Might Think](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/puritans-more-romantic-than-you-might-think/) - Valentine's Day will soon be here, a day for romance & flowers; cupids & candy in heart-shaped boxes. Like many days our calendars commemorate, Valentine's Day is largely an invention from the Victorian Age. Romantic love has a much longer history, but was not always the foundation of courtship and marriage. In doing research for
- [It's Adopt a Cat Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/its-adopt-a-cat-month/) - Like many writers, I have a feline writing buddy. And what better time to talk about feline attributes than in Adopt a Cat Month. The American Humane Association adopted the slogan in 1975 as a response to the many kittens dropped off in animal shelters in the spring and summer months. Cats didn't always have
- [Year of the Wood Dragon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/year-of-the-wood-dragon/) - Year of the Wood Dragon begins in just over two weeks on February 10. Dragons are considered the luckiest sign in the Chinese zodiac, and people born in a dragon year are said to be charismatic, confident, and powerful. Dragons are also known to be stubborn and dogmatic. Those born in a wood dragon year
- [Successful Resolutions Require SMART Goals](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/successful-resolutions-require-smart-goals/) - 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, in which case I’m right
- [December Sleigh Bells](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/december-sleigh-bells/) - 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 Sleigh Ride Song, another
- [THE "REAL" DOWNTON ABBEY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-real-downton-abbey/) - The recent announcement that next season will be the last time viewers can catch up with Lord Grantham and the Crawley family caused consternation among Downton Abbey's loyal fans. Downton Abbey is the most successful program in the history of PBS broadcasting. In 2013, NBC Universal, owner of Carnival Films, estimated that worldwide, over 120
- [Christmas Tree Trivia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-tree-trivia/) - 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 sleigh.” As Thanksgiving draws near,
- [Thanksgivings Past](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thanksgivings-past/) - 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 a certain brand of turkey
- [HALLOWEEN TALES OF WITCHES & BROOMS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/halloween-tales-of-witches-brooms/) - 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 (often with green tinted skin)
- [Sweetest Day — An Obscure October Holiday](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sweetest-day-an-obscure-october-holiday/) - 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 events happen almost every day
- [Apples & Pumpkins: The Fruits of Fall](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/apples-pumpkins-the-fruits-of-fall/) - 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, a mug of hot apple
- [Writerly Research: Copper-Bottomed Ships & Madeira Wine](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/writerly-research-copper-bottomed-ships-madeira-wine/) - 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 their material culture. Both aspects
- [Two Samples of Art at Fraumünster](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/two-samples-of-art-at-fraumunster/) - 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 symbols via representations of actual
- [Fraumünster Church in Zurich](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/fraumunster-church-in-zurich/) - 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 view the painted glass windows
- [Rüdesheimer Kaffee, Das Heisse Original](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rudesheimer-kaffee-das-heisse-original/) - Rüdesheim am Rhein is one of many picturesque villages along the Rhine River in the German state of Hesse. The nearby Rheingau wine region is noted for its vineyards and wineries producing predominantly Riesling wine. Pinot Noirs are also produced in the region. On an average day, Rüdesheim is a lovely village for strolling, particularly
- [Tales from Heidelberg](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tales-from-heidelberg/) - The history of Heidelberg, a charming city on the Necker River in Southwest Germany, may date back as far is the 5th century BCE. But its reputation today rests in part on Heidelberg University founded in 1386. The university is the oldest university in Germany, and romanticized stories of student life are better known than
- [The Lion Monument: A Living Sculpture of Despair & Regret](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-lion-monument-a-living-sculpture-of-despair-regret/) - Mark Twain called the Lion Monument “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.” And while it is not the only moving piece of sculpture I've seen, [The Pietà comes to my mind.], the lion's face conveys unquenchable grief and despair. But for what? The loss of Swiss Guards at the Tuileries
- [LOUIS XVI, SWISS GUARDS, & A SCULPTURED LION](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/louis-xvi-swiss-guards-a-sculptured-lion/) - I’m just back from a cruise on the Rhine River. The route started in Amsterdam. We passed at or near Leiden and Cologne with its world famous cathedral before taking a short detour on the Moselle to visit Chochen and then returning to the Rhine to pass near Koblentz, Heidelberg, Strasbourg, and Lucerne. The weather
- [Random Thoughts on Packing & Luggage](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/random-thoughts-on-packing-luggage/) - Technically, travel is any activity that takes us from one place to another. Thus, we travel from home to work, or school, or even the grocery store. But, generally, when the word travel is mentioned, it means the destination is somewhere more exciting, and possibly a distance of time and space away from home. We
- [Tavern Entertainments in 18th Century America](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tavern-entertainments-in-18th-century-america/) - As noted in the first installment, eighteenth century American taverns were a necessary community institution — a place where travelers and residents could grab a meal, read the newspaper, or conduct business. In appearance, taverns looked much like a large house with chimneys at either end. The ground floor and primary place of business featured
- [18th Century Taverns for Business & Pleasure](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/18th-century-taverns-for-business-pleasure/) - A quick research dive introduced to Mary Burke who kept a tavern in Saugus, Massachusetts. The advertisement she placed in the Columbian Centinel in April 1792 reminded customers that her house will be open every day in the week except the Sabbath…Larder will be consistently furnished with the choicest and most suitable provisions – her
- [Do you "Spring Clean"?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/do-you-spring-clean/) - There are many signs of spring: The days grow longer; daffodils and tulips burst through the soil; cherry trees blossom; baseball season open;, gardeners prepare soil and plant seeds, and in households throughout the land, the annual ritual of Spring Cleaning begins. Spring Cleaning began long before Marie Kondo explained how we should tidy-up our
- [Lessons from an Antarctic Cruise: The Journey Really is as Important as the Destination](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lessons-from-an-antarctic-cruise-the-journey-really-is-as-important-as-the-destination/) - On January 5 Le Lyrial departed from Ushuaia for a voyage to Antartica. On the way, we visited West Falkland and South Georgia. We saw penguins, seals, and all manner of birds. It was a life-changing journey on magical seas. On January 17 Le Lyrial approached Neko Harbor where we would have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
- [Lessons from an Antarctica Cruise: Wildlife Recovery](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lessons-from-an-antarctica-cruise-wildlife-recovery/) - King Penguins, Elephant Seals, & Fur Seals From my perspective, South Georgia brought more dramatic experiences than the Antarctic Peninsula. During the two days we cruised off South Georgia, we stopped at several bays and rode zodiacs to shore in order to visit populations of Fur Seals, Elephant Seals, and King Penguins. Equally dramatic was
- [Lessons from an Antarctica Cruise: Endurance](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lessons-from-an-antarctica-cruise-endurance/) - After our first expeditions ashore on West Falkland, Le Lyrial began a journey of two days across the Scotia Sea to South Georgia. Scotia Sea, which covers the waters between Drake Passage, Tierra del Fuego, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Island, the South Orkney Islands, and Antarctica, was our first experience in choppy ocean water.
- [Lessons from an Antarctica Cruise: Humility](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lessons-from-an-antarctica-cruise-humility/) - I usually greet the new year with my annual list of goals: finish my research; write the book; travel to a new place. Occasionally, ‘clean the house’ makes it in small print at the bottom of the list, right after 'straighten out the file drawer.' The last goal is more about the idea of a
- [WASSAIL!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/wassail/) - Wassail,( pronounced WAA - sl), comes from Old Norse ves heill, "Be Well", and is a custom of long-standing. In the 14th century, the term referred to a warm beverage [recipe below] that included alcoholic spirits. The term also described the resulting raucous behavior in which wassailers called upon members of higher classes to wish
- [Christmas Carols, or, Boar's Heads, Angels, & Partridges](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-carols-or-boars-heads-angels-partridges/) - With Thanksgiving behind us, we are on the cusp of Christmas Carol season. Retailers started playing the melodies weeks ago, but soon there will be a full roster of community, church, and school programs featuring traditional carols. On the left, is a sedate picture of a mother and her daughters singing in the dignified repose
- [Thanksgiving in 18th Century Salem, Mass.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thanksgiving-in-18th-century-salem-mass/) - This is a blog about Thanksgiving, the quintessential American holiday. It is not about the First Thanksgiving, or the late 19th century Thanksgiving, or the 20th Century Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving story is about Thanksgiving in late 18th and early 19th century New England, specifically Salem, Massachusetts, the setting of my upcoming novel. At
- [Candy Corn: The Halloween Candy People Love or Hate](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/candy-corn-the-halloween-candy-people-love-or-hate/) - Besides Halloween, can you think of a day that celebrates: Witches and goblins? Ghosts and hobgoblins? Driving past cemeteries in the dead of night? Haunted Houses and Pumpkins Delights? Not to mention children and adults overdosed on sugar? All kinds of fun-sized candy are welcome in the “Trick or Treat” basket. Statistically, the favorite Halloween
- [The Science & Emotion of Colors](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-science-emotion-of-colors/) - Sun Tzu, author of the Art of War, observed that “There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever be seen.” Seems straightforward, but there are several ways to look at what color is. Sun Tzu's reference to primary colors privileged the colors of Blue, Yellow,
- [Individuality, Ownership & the Importance of Spousal Names](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/individuality-ownership-the-importance-of-spousal-names/) - “What’s in a name?” Juliet asked. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare put these words into Juliet Capulet’s mouth, to show that her love for Romeo was not restricted by his membership in the Montague family. The label of his name was immaterial to her, but, tragically, it would
- [Jane Teakittle, Tea Boycotts & American Revolution](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/jane-teakittle-tea-boycotts-american-revolution/) - Among the archive files, I found the following public notice in the Salem Gazette, Newbury & Marblehead Advertiser. Sept 13 1774To the Printer of the Salem Gazette , &c.Mr. Russell,You are requested to publish the following Bond, wrote by a Young Lady in Boston in 1737 (who was much grieved at the pernicious practice of
- [Ill-Fated Love: Eliza Emery & David Burditt, Part 2](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ill-fated-love-eliza-emery-david-burditt-part-2/) - The brief correspondence between Eliza Emery Burditt and Capt. John Crowninshield offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people. The story of young Mr. and Mrs. Burditt's courtship and early married life of is told here. But just to recap the outline of their romance, Burditt commanded the brig Telemachus. Imagine him dashing and
- [Ill-Fated Love: Eliza Emery & David Burditt, Part 1](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ill-fated-love-eliza-emery-david-burditt-part-1/) - Research can turn up fascinating stories that aren’t directly related to the topic being investigated. Last October, I shared the story of Lady Agnes Frankland, the poor girl from Marblehead, Massachusetts who married an English Aristocrat. Last week while transcribing research notes I gathered at the Phillips Library, I met Eliza Burditt whose ill-fated romance
- [Rules For Teachers, or, Teaching Before it Became a Profession](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rules-for-teachers-or-teaching-before-it-became-a-profession/) - Hawai`i Public School students and teachers went back to their classrooms last Monday, August 1st. I probably will never get used to the present calendar for the school year. I recognize it, without entirely buying into the new system. When I attended school, we started about the third week in August and finished about the
- [Do We Want Our "Hair on Fire"?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/do-we-want-our-hair-on-fire/) - The definitions are clear, the phrase Hair On Fire refers to a situation in which someone is impassioned, wild, crazy, filled with rage, frantic, and/or overwhelmed — but not necessarily out of control. You can probably remember one more realities in your life when you felt like your hair was on fire. You might have
- [Lady Mount-Edgcumbe, Faro's Daughter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lady-mount-edgcumbe-faros-daughter/) - Have you ever taken a rapid, probably shallow breath, and said, “I feel like my hair is on fire.”? It isn’t, of course. It’s the same hair you’ve always had. It still sits on your head, and the flames that seem real to you are entirely invisible. You might be interested to find out that
- [Whither the Office Worker?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whither-the-office-worker/) - Long ago, before public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 sent workers home, about 50 per cent of Americans in the work force spent their days in an office, either in cramped open spaces or small cubicles spread out across a large room. During my early employment history, I worked in large desk-filled
- [On-Site Research: My Visit to Salem MA, pt. 2](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/on-site-research-my-visit-to-salem-ma-pt-2/) - The picture on the left looks back to shore from a mid-point on Derby Wharf. On the left side with a cupola, you can just see the red brick Customs House. Next to it, on the right, is Hawke's House and the next house is Derby House, also built of red brick. Note the Derby
- [On-Site Research: My Visit to Salem MA, pt. 1](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/on-site-research-my-visit-to-salem-ma-pt-1/) - Site visits are an important part of my writing research, because being where my characters’ experiences occurred gives me a greater sense of closeness to their lives. My most recent book, Saxon Heroines, took me back to Whitby Abbey where I videoed waves pounding on the headland. When writing Rama’s Labyrinth, I visited Mukti Mission
- [Main Street in Rowley Mass.: A Step Back in Time](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/main-street-in-rowley-mass-a-step-back-in-time/) - When I was young, I enjoyed visiting “historic” houses. At that time, I equated “historic” with an 18th or 19th century house. A house that was simply “old” didn’t impress me much, because a house from 1930 didn’t strike me as being all that different from a house of 1960. But a house from 1830
- [Rowley: A Small New England Town](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rowley-a-small-new-england-town/) - The thing about research trips, or any sort of travel, is that you never know what you will discover. Case in point: Rowley, Massachusetts, a small town, population 6,161, on the Massachusetts North Shore. Prior to my visit to the Phillips Library, now located in Rowley, I knew nothing about this delightful small town that
- [The Phillips Library: Born in Salem, Mass.; Now Residing at Rowley](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-phillips-library-born-in-salem-mass-now-residing-at-rowley/) - I’m developing a novel based on the Crowninshield Family, seafarers and merchants based in Salem, Massachusetts during the late 18th century. The family was large and fractious, and the extent of their business dealings stretched from Europe to India to the Cape of Good Hope and numerous trading stops in-between. In an age lacking texts,
- [#BreakTheBias —International Women's Day 2022](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/breakthebias-international-womens-day-2022/) - I'm posting this blog on Monday, February 28. Tomorrow, March 1, is Mardi Gras. Next Tuesday, March 8, is International Women’s Day. I mention this because the words Mardi Gras are instantly recognized as an amazing festival with parades, parties, and raucous behavior. But the words International Women’s Day exist in a sort of limbo,
- ["Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/cupid-draw-back-your-bow/) - ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ Illustrations Cupid Shooting a Bow. Charles-Andre van loo. 1761. Vulcan & Venus. Louis Jean Francois Legrenee Mars, Venus & Cupid. Peter Paul Rubens. Eros Farnese. Haiduc. Apollo & Daphne. Nicolas Poussin. 1625. Echo & Narcissus. John William Waterhouse. 1903. Woman & Cupid. Cupid and Psyche. Jean-Francois de Troy. Cupid Pleads
- [Gung Hay Fat Choy -- Year of the Tiger](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/gung-hay-fat-choy-year-of-the-tiger/) - The Year of the Tiger begins tomorrow, February 1st , but celebrations for the Lunar New Year take place from January 31st through February 15th. New Year —New Luck Prior to the first day of the new year, people deep clean their homes to remove huiqi [inauspicious breaths] and to appease the gods who will
- [Making Achievable New Year Resolutions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/making-achievable-new-year-resolutions/) - On December 31st did you, perhaps in an altered state, solemnly resolve, affirm, or swear that you would make positive changes in 2022? Last year 43 percent of Americans vowed to change in 2021; this year only 29 percent expected to take the plunge. Of those making new year’s resolutions, 80 percent will either fail
- [Yule Tide Festivals](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/yule-tide-festivals/) - Winter Solstice on December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere is both the shortest day of the year, and the first day of Winter. The word solstice finds its root in the Latin words sol for sun and sistere, meaning "to stand." The term also refers to new birth, as a new year rises from the
- [The Miraculous Gifts of St. Nicholas](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-miraculous-gifts-of-st-nicholas/) - The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. These often over-looked lines from Clement Clarke Moore's famous poem about the night before Christmas raise at least two pertinent questions: Who was St. Nicholas? And, why does he need stockings? The Real St. Nicholas St. Nicholas
- [Time to "Deck the Halls"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/time-to-deck-the-halls/) - With December almost upon us, it’s time to think about decorating for the festive season — a custom with long roots in our cultural history. Among the songs of the season, Deck the Halls seems to be about decorating dwellings and shops for Christmas, but, like many customs, the song and its meaning has changed
- [Thanksgiving in 18th Century New England](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thanksgiving-in-18th-century-new-england/) - Recent research for my current project has turned up a few interesting insights into how eighteenth century New Englanders celebrated Thanksgiving, which makes an interesting change for the annual stories about the first Thanksgiving in 1621. Over a hundred years since the Pilgrims stepped ashore, colonial Americans did not worry about starvation or share the
- [The Disappearance of Glen & Bessie Hyde](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-disappearance-of-glen-bessie-hyde/) - In November 1928, Glen & Bessie Hyde disappeared while on an expedition to run all the rapids on the Colorado River. They were never seen again. The newlyweds were engaged in a publicity stunt they hoped would earn them fame and fortune. Obscure fame they still have; fortune, not so much. In many ways, it
- [Tremont House: America's First Luxury Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tremont-house-americas-first-luxury-hotel/) - I once had a professor who advised his graduate students that one should never chase rabbits while hunting for bear. The metaphor was his way of saying that while doing research, one should not follow enticing facts unless they are directly related to the current research project. Otherwise, the project will never get done. It’s
- [The Challenge of National Novel Writing Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-challenge-of-national-novel-writing-month/) - In 1999 writer Chris Baty, who specializes in helping writers, challenged his friends to write 50,000 words and produce a novel during the 30 days of November. That year, 21 aspiring writers accepted the challenge. Fast forward to 2017 when 306,230 participants from around the world officially accepted the National Novel Writing Month challenge. The
- [Lady Agnes Frankland —A Rags to Riches Fable](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lady-agnes-frankland-a-rags-to-riches-fable/) - I’m writing a story that occurs in Salem, Massachusetts between 1760 and 1820. It’s an interesting period in American history, a time when English people in North America decided to break away from Great Britain. The famous skirmishes at Lexington and Concord took place in April 1775, and agitated citizens of Massachusetts began choosing sides
- [Pumpkin Spice & All Things Nice](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pumpkin-spice-all-things-nice/) - There are many ways we know the season of Autumn has begun. The calendar informs us the official date is September 22. People whose school days ended sometime in the last century associate Autumn with the beginning of school. There’s the turning of the leaves, the nights drawing in, and the nip in the air.
- [The Rehabilitation of Victoria Woodhull](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-rehabilitation-of-victoria-woodhull/) - Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to address a Congressional Committee and the first woman to run for president. She and her sister were known as spiritualists as well as being the first women to own a newspaper and a stock brokerage. But Victoria Woodhull's most notorious reputation was her advocacy for free love. Thomas
- [Beecher-Tilton Scandal: Part 2](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/beecher-tilton-scandal-part-2/) - She Said - He Said - She Said Unable to ignore the public scandal surrounding allegations of an affair between himself and Mrs. Elizabeth Tilton, Reverend Henry Ward Beecher requested Plymouth Church to appoint a committee to investigate the charges. With reporters in attendance, committee members began gathering evidence on June 27, 1874. On July
- [Beecher-Tilton Scandal: Part 1](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/beecher-tilton-scandal-part-1/) - Illustration at left stresses Henry Ward Beecher's hypocrisy in his relationship with Elizabeth Tilton. Center drawing of Mrs. Tilton seated in Beecher's lap; a reference in the bottom left to Beecher and a Mrs. Moulton, and other negative references to Beecher. On May 22, 1871 the New York World printed a letter written by Victoria
- [Victoria Woodhull: The First Woman to Run for President](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/victoria-woodhull-the-first-woman-to-run-for-president/) - Victoria Clafllin Woodhull lived life on her own terms and if her terms were scandalous, all the better. She was the seventh of ten children born to unmarried parents. Her mother, a believer in spiritualism; her father, a some-time lawyer and con man. As a child, Victoria worked as a fortune teller and child preacher,
- [Mischievous Tanuki](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mischievous-tanuki/) - ? ? ? Illustrations Tanuki outside Sakuraya Restaurant on Miyajima Island by Author. Tanuki in Higashiyama Zoo by KKPCW. Four Tanuki in Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa. Rainy Day Tanuki woodblock by Yoshitoshi. 1881. Tanuki at Daijanji Buddhist Temple by Author. Tanuki Kettle Walks Tightrope. 1886. The Magic Tea Kettle. Public Relations Office. Government of Japan. 2015. "Mythology
- [The Sewing Machine Revolutionized Stitchery](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-sewing-machine-revolutionized-stitchery/) - The sewing machine, beloved by stitching hobbyists and home fashionistas, was invented by French tailor Barthelemy Thimonnier. In 1830 he patented a mechanical device that could produce a simple chain stitch that would allow uniforms for the French army to be mass produced, rather than sewn by hand. Thimonnier’s innovation was not well-received. Realizing mechanized
- [Aphra Behn: Restoration Playwright](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/aphra-behn-restoration-playwright/) - In 1929 Virginia Woolf published A Room of One’s Own in which she argued that if a woman is going to write fiction, she must have money and a room of her own. Woolf developed her theme by looking at female writers in history, many of whom did not publish their writings. In her observations
- [Lady Mary Wroth & the English Renaissance](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lady-mary-wroth-the-english-renaissance/) - When we think of women novelists writing in the English language, Jane Austin is usually the first name that comes to mind. It's fair to say the Jane Austin was the first to have a popular impact, but the first female author writing in English was Mary Wroth (1587-1653). Jane Austin's work came out 200
- [More Mysteries: Dark, Cozy, & Curious](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/more-mysteries-dark-cozy-curious/) - I kicked off this year’s Summer Reads with murder mysteries set in Yorkshire, so perhaps it’s fitting to end the series with a darker story set in the same locale. Grimm Up North by David J. Gatward Grimm Up North: A Yorkshire Murder Mystery is the first volume in the DCI Harry Grimm crime novels.
- [An 18th Century Formal Dinner](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/an-18th-century-formal-dinner/) - Over the past two weeks, we’ve dressed a lady and a gentleman in 18th century clothing, so it seems only fair that we give these fashionable people a destination. In this case, they are attending a formal dinner. Table manners were different in the 18th century. As you may have observed from Jane Austin dramas,
- [Gentlemen's Fashion in the 18th Century](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/gentlemens-fashion-in-the-18th-century/) - ?. ?. ? On the Terrace at Tuileries, 1798. Man's Shirt, 18th century. Attribution: Auckland Museum. Man's 3-Piece Suit, 1786. Man's Waistcoat, 1760. Photo by Marshall Astor. Portrait of a Man, 1765. Englishman, 1786. Douglas Perkins. "Why did Colonial Men Wear Wigs?" Medium. Lydia Edwards. How to Read a Suit: A Guide to Changing Men's
- [An 18th Century Woman Gets Dressed](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/an-18th-century-woman-gets-dressed/) - Research Results Researching 18th and early 19th century fashion gives me a good sense of how the ladies in my current project dressed, and the length of time it took to pull oneself together. My later characters are contemporaries of the women created by Jane Austin. It's worth bearing in mind that all women wore
- [Mystery Reads](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mystery-reads/) - I like good historical fiction, but while in mindless escape mode as I lie on a hammock, I want stories that engage my attention but don't require much thought on my part. My recent reading choices lean towards mysteries that don't dwell too much on crime details. And if there's a dash of romance involved,
- [Stories of Fanciful Pigs: Porky Pig, 3 Little Pigs, &  the Mathematical Yellow Pig](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/stories-of-fanciful-pigs-porky-pig-3-little-pigs-the-mathematical-yellow-pig/) - The Three Little Pigs The story of The Three Little Pigs is a grisly folk tale that, at least for the pigs, had a happy ending. As you may remember, the story goes like this. Once upon a time, a mother pig didn't have enough food to feed her family, so she sent her three
- [Pickleball Isn't Played With Pickles](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pickleball-isnt-played-with-pickles/) - The Birth of Pickleball ? ? ? ? Illustrations Cottages on Bainbridge Island by Ecoscapes Woman playing badminton about 1820 Dog playing with tennis ball by Ossewa Pickleball by Bananajoe42 Pickleball pictogram by Lincoln227 Play Pickleball International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) The Professional Tour of Pickleball Jane Wells. "Why Pickleball Is Seeing A Pandemic Boom."
- [SLIP - SLOP - SLAP : Pick the Right Sunscreen to Protect Yourself & Coral Reefs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/slip-slop-slap-pick-the-right-sunscreen-to-protect-yourself-coral-reefs/) - Good Housekeeping list of zinc oxide sunscreens : Sunforgettable Total Protection Body Shield SPF50; Coppertone Pure & Simple SPFG 50 Sunscreen; Eryfotona Acinica Sunscreen SPF 50+; Bare Republic Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30; Sun Bum Mineral SPF 30 Non-tinted Sunscreen Face Lotion; MD Solar Sciences Mineral Moisture Defense Sunscreen SPF 50; Bare Republic Mineral
- [Summer Ferris Wheels](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-ferris-wheels/) - ?‍♀️. ?‍♀️. ?‍♀️ Illustrations Restored Vintage Poster, Palisades Amusement Park Ferris wheel for Columbian Exposition High Roller Observation Wheel by CRJO-CRJO Palisades Amusement Park Postcard Christopher Maag. "George Ferris Stole the Ferris Wheel from New Jersey." North Jersey. May 6, 2019. Jamie Malanowski. "Brief History of the Ferris Wheel." Smithsonian Magazine. June 2015.
- [How to Adopt a Cat & Communicate With It](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/how-to-adopt-a-cat-communicate-with-it/) - June is Adopt-A-Cat-Month, which is a purrr-fect reason for me to blog about felines. Cat Adoption has multiple applications. Sometimes the cat adopts us, as our cat Hoku did when, as a kitten, he came to our patio door every night. Some cats are thrust upon us, as was the case when my daughter brought
- [Beach Reads for Summer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/beach-reads-for-summer/) - Illustrations Woman Reading on the Beach by jgoge. Old Fashioned Cocktail by Rochelle Hartman.
- ["Would You Like to Ride in my Beautiful Balloon?"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/would-you-like-to-ride-in-my-beautiful-balloon/) - ? ? ? Illustrations Hot Air Balloons in Cappadocia, Turkey. By Author. Ed Yost. Hot Air Balloon, 1783. Montgolfier Brothers Flight, Paris. View of Paris by Matthaus Merian, 1648 Champaigne & Glass by Nigel Wade. Preparing & Flying Hot Air Balloon, Maasai Mara, Kenya. By Author. National Balloon Museum. Paul Rubio. "9 Best Places to
- [Flowers Bring Happiness](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/flowers-bring-happiness/) - ?. ?. ? Illustrations Smiling Face With Smiling Eyes Emoji. Attribution: Vincent Le Moign Nanki-Poo Rose by Gunnar Ries Gallery Flower Photos by Author Loretta G Breuning. "Why Flowers Make Us Happy." Psychology Today. June 21 2017. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, et. Al. “An Environmental Approach to Postive Emotion: Flowers.” Evolutionary Psychology. 2005. 3: 104-132. Leonard Perry.
- [Leftovers: Once Virtuous, Now Annoying](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/leftovers-once-virtuous-now-annoying/) - Except for point number 5 advising less wheat and meat products, this 1917 poster for about the acquisition, preparation, and consumption of food is similar to advice we receive today. Number 6, “use what is left” is tricky, because it refers to the dreaded food category of “leftovers.” One 1948 cook book observed, the word
- [Jumping Frogs In Calaveras County](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/jumping-frogs-in-calaveras-county/) - *The International Frog Jumping Contest has only been cancelled twice: in 1933 during the Great Depression, and last year, due to COVID-19. ? ? ? The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Illustrations "Couple of Jackasses" by Imnop88a. Mark Twain Cabin, Sonora, Tuolumne County CA. Mark Twain 1867. Angels Camp Mercantile. Three pictures of Frog
- [Hamburgers + Car Hops = Fast Food](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hamburgers-car-hops-fast-food/) - At its most basic version, a hamburger is a sandwich featuring one or more patties of ground meat served inside a bread roll. From here variations begin. Besides meat, hamburgers come with other ingredients inside the bun from lettuce to pickles; tomatoes to onions, and then there’s the sauce. Mustard, ketchup, mayo, or the so-called
- [May Day Celebrations](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/may-day-celebrations/) - The Celts believed that the time we define as May Day was midway between the Winter and Summer Solstice when darkness turned to light. They celebrated the return of fertility to the world with a festival called Beltane. Rituals protected sprouting crops and livestock returning to summer pastures. As customs changed, May celebrations turned into
- [It's Administrative Professionals Week: From Secretary to Administrative Professional](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/its-administrative-professionals-week-from-secretary-to-administrative-professional/) - Smart typewriters were soon obsolete with the advent of personal computers, and software programs. The boss could now write his or her own letters and send them directly to the printer. He or she could even [gasp] make appointments on a joint software calendar. The position of secretary became redundant in favor of Administrative Professionals
- [Pecans: An American Nut](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pecans-an-american-nut/) - After watching the video, I concluded two things. Pecan pie is, technically, not difficult to make. It is, however, far too time consuming for me. Besides, I'd have to triple my walking time to work off the sugar. ??? Illustrations Carya illinoinensis - Pecan, 1812 Two Pecan Halves by Markus Brunner In-husk pecan nuts Avocado-Pecan
- [Walking: A Beneficial Activity](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/walking-a-beneficial-activity/) - ??? *Quoted in "Incandescently Healthy." Willow & Thatch. Illustrations Morning Walking Dress, 1810 A Garden Stroll by George Goodwin Kilburne 2010 USA Track & Field Championships by Phil Roeder Man Walking Icon Stance & swing phase of a gait cycle. By Rlawson9 People Walking in Caleta de las Monjas by Ian D Keating Phil Edwards.
- [White House Easter Egg Rolls from Yesteryear](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/white-house-easter-egg-rolls-from-yesteryear/) - There are several ways to roll eggs. This Russian postcard shows children placing individual eggs, possibly hard-boiled, on an incline to see which would roll the furthest. In another custom, children roll hardboiled, decorated eggs down grassy hills in a competition to see whose egg rolls the farthest without breaking. The latter competition usually took
- [Pysanky aka Ukrainian Easter Eggs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pysanky-aka-ukrainian-easter-eggs/) - ??? Illustrations Pysachok by Luba Petrusha Chickens & a Park Vase by Albertus Verhoesen Variety of styluses by Lubap Basket of pysanky by Lubap
- [First Ladies Move into a Post-War World](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/first-ladies-move-into-a-post-war-world/) - Illustrations Charger Plate, Eisenhower Presidential China. *Mamie Eisenhower augmented the Truman Presidential China Service by purchasing 120 "charger" plates. these plates remain in front of the diner during the main meal. Other plates, such as salad plates or dinner plates, are placed on top of the charger plate. Eleanor Roosevelt in her wedding dress, 1905.
- [First Ladies in the "Roaring Twenties"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/first-ladies-in-the-roaring-twenties/) - For various reasons, we are more aware of some First Ladies than others. Last week, I skipped over Edith Roosevelt and Helen Taft in favor of closing the blog with Edith Wilson. This week, I intended to begin with Lou Hoover, but I started thinking about 1920 as a pivotal year. The United States had
- [First Ladies in Unusual Circumstances](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/first-ladies-in-unusual-circumstances/) - After the civil war, American First Ladies were women with direct experience in the social movements of their time. As young women, none had any expectation of the office they would hold, but their role as presidential spouses continued to bring change to the White House. The Election of 1876 After eight years in the
- [First Ladies: Expanding the Role](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/first-ladies-expanding-the-role/) - During the course of the nineteenth century, First Ladies emerged from behind their husband’s careers to become separate personalities. Though these women were still identified most broadly as wives and mothers, social expectations changed. This second installment in my series about First Ladies profiles a selection of nineteenth century First Ladies who caught my interest:
- [First Ladies: Creating the Role](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/first-ladies-creating-the-role/) - As Jill Biden takes her place as the 43rd official “First Lady” of the United States, it’s a good time to look at how the role has evolved since Martha Washington inaugurated the position in 1789. At that time, with no precedent for her position, many referred to the President’s wife as Lady Washington. The
- [The Danish Art of Hygge](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-danish-art-of-hygge/) - *In 2020 The Gallup World Happiness Report rated Denmark as the second happiest country in the world, after Finland. ** The 2016 Oxford Dictionaries Word of the year was post-truth, adjective, "relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief." [Languages.OUP]
- [Christmas Star 2020](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-star-2020/) - December Heavens Holiday happenings are a part of history, but their commemoration isn't always entirely accurate. We don't know when Jesus was born. Nor do we know if there was a simultaneous Great Conjunction of planets. But we do know that Christians celebrate Jesus's birth on December 25th. And this year, we know there will
- [Christmas Cards: From Convenient Greeting to Annual Burden](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-cards-from-convenient-greeting-to-annual-burden/) - I grew up in a different America, one that had one black plastic rotary phone per household and one black & white family television powered by tubes. Yes, it was that long ago. Christmas trees were “live” with scraggly branches and decorated with strands of tinsel that had to be correctly placed, usually by a
- [SANTA, ELVES, & LIFE ON THE NORTH POLE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/santa-elves-life-on-the-north-pole/) - Illustrations Norman Rockwell. Santa with his Elves. 1922. The Workshop of Santa Claus. Godey's Lady's Book. 1873. Couple in Sled Pulled by Reindeer. Nome, AL. Early 20th century. Santa Clause and his Reindeer. 1870. Merry Old Santa Claus by Thomas Nast, 1881. Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L.Frank Baum. "Did Coca-Cola Create Santa
- [The First Thanksgiving Feast](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-first-thanksgiving-feast/) - Over the years, historians have shared stories about the multi-cultural harvest event that took place in Plymouth in 1621. The usual version is that when the Pilgrims arrived on Cape Cod, the Wampanoag People showed them how to plant corn, and that when the harvest came in, everyone celebrated. If you don’t look too closely,
- [Cranberries — An American Fruit](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/cranberries-an-american-fruit/) - ??? Illustrations Freedom From Want [The Thanksgiving Picture] 1943 by Norman Rockwell. The Cranberry. Bradley Fertilizer Co. Sandhill Crane in New Mexico by Cclehnen. Cranberry Flower by Bernd Hayhold. Gathering Cranberries Near Cape Cod, MA. Wet Harvest at a NJ Cranberry Bog. Ocean Spray Logo. Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. Cranberry Sauce From a Can by
- [Lillian Gilbreth & The Modern American Kitchen](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lillian-gilbreth-the-modern-american-kitchen/) - This is a story about Lillian Gilbreth and how she applied principles of scientific management developed by Frederick Taylor to modernize American kitchens. Taylor believed there was one best way to accomplish any task. The trick is to find it. Once the method is discovered, tools and work methods can be standardized to increase efficient
- [Daylight Saving - It's About Time](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/daylight-saving-its-about-time/) - Do you have a traditional clock or watch? Did you remember to push time back an hour? If you use a smart device to find "tell" time, the change happened automatically. If, like me, you still wear an old-fashioned watch, the adjustment requires a bit more attention. Daylight Saving happens twice every year, forward in
- [Ichabod Disappears](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ichabod-disappears/) - Happy Halloween! Sleepy Hollow. 1884. Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane by John Quidor Jack-o-Lantern by Achat1999 Sleepy Hollow Sunday Morning Katrina Welcome to Sleepy Hollow sign photographed by Chris Kirkman. Ross D. Levi. "A Fall Weekend in Sleepy Hollow NY." I Love New York. Aug 15, 2019. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Gutenberg Project.
- [Ichabod Crane Flees The Headless Horseman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ichabod-crane-flees-the-headless-horseman/) - Ichabod Crane is a poor man with aspirations; a lover of ghost stories who fears the dark. In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving creates an unsympathetic character as the subject of his American ghost story. Last week, Ichabod courted Katrina Van Tassel, hoping she would accept him as a suitor. One wonders why
- [Ichabod Crane Goes a-Courtin'](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ichabod-crane-goes-a-courtin/) - In honor of Halloween, I'm sharing Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow this month. It's about more than a wild horseback ride in the dead of night. Last week we met Ichabod Crane, a man of unfortunate appearance and few prospects. Nevertheless, Ichabod persevered in his quest for a comfortable life. Ichabod set his
- [Meet Ichabod Crane - Credulous Schoolteacher](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/meet-ichabod-crane-credulous-schoolteacher/) - October is best known for Halloween, a spooky holiday on the last evening of the month. The day is associated with costumes, ‘trick-or-treating,’ and spooky stories of ghosts and other supernatural beings. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, published by American writer Washington Irving in 1819, is one of the most well-known. The famous headless horseman
- [West v.West:The Salem Scandal of 1806,Part 3](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/west-v-westthe-salem-scandal-of-1806part-3/) - On November 19, 1806, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts declared the matrimonial bonds of Elizabeth Derby West and Nathaniel West to be dissolved on grounds of Nathaniel’s adulterous activities. Elizabeth charged these acts took place both before and after the new divorce law passed on March 7, 1806. The court disagreed, ruling that evidence
- [West v.West:The Salem Scandal of 1806, Part 2](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/west-v-westthe-salem-scandal-of-1806-part-2/) - On May 23, 1783, Elizabeth Derby married Nathaniel West. As noted in last week’s blog, Betsey, as she was known, was the eldest daughter of the richest man in Salem, Massachusetts. Betsey was 21 years old, free to marry the man of her choice. Nathaniel West, five years older than his bride, had been sailing
- [West v. West:The Salem Scandal of 1806, Part I](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/west-v-westthe-salem-scandal-of-1806-part-i/) - In 1761 Elias Hasket Derby, age 22, married Elizabeth Crowninshield, age 26. When they married, Elias’ father built them a brick house on Salem’s waterfront. Elizabeth’s father provided household items, including furniture, linen, brass kettles, and looking glasses. Elias acquired a new beaver hat to mark the occasion. The couple were well-suited. The Derby family
- [Last of the Summer Reads](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/last-of-the-summer-reads-2/) - Before we bid farewell to summer, there’s still time to enjoy a final three fictional escapes. Each story is attached to a place, and one or more points in history. Each involves at least one feisty heroine who takes control of her own life, however reluctantly. I almost didn’t pick up The Lions of Fifth
- [Hunting Unicorns](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hunting-unicorns/) - Unicorns are elusive creatures, though I’m not sure they can be called shy. In the Middle Ages, about the time unicorns became officially magical, people thought the creatures symbolized purity. This is probably why the standard color for unicorns is white. On the other hand, unicorns were said to be vain creatures who happily spent
- [Unicorn Tales](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/unicorn-tales/) - ??? Illustrations Unicorn Illustration from A Description of Three Hundred Animals. 1753 Indus Seal - "Unicorn" Indian Museum. Kolkata. by Royroydeb. Journey to Noah's Ark by Lambert de Honda James I of England by John de Critz Unicorn Drops. Oryx Gazelle by Charles J. Sharp. Pod of Narwhals. Gertrude Landa. "The Giant of the Flood."
- [The Earl of Northumbria, His Illegitimate Son, & The Smithsonian Institution](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-earl-of-northumbria-his-illegitimate-son-the-smithsonian-institution/) - James Smithson could never have imagined the Institution he founded, and how well it fulfills his mandate to increase and diffuse knowledge. ??? Illustrations Rotunda, National Museum of Natural History by James DeLoreto, Smithsonian, 2015. Elizabeth Percy by Joshua Reynolds. Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland. James Macie Smithson at Oxford. James Smithson, 1816. The
- [Too Much To Do? Simplify](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/too-much-to-do-simplify/) - Do you sometimes feel like you’re trying to juggle too many objects in the air? Forget sometimes. Do you frequently and often feel like you multitask more than is even remotely healthy? We’ve all been there, and many of us still are. It is a conundrum of our culture that we fill our mental and
- [Summer Reads: Mysteries in Exotic Places](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-mysteries-in-exotic-places/) - It’s the end of July, the height of the summer season. Many of us have emotional baggage — those suitcases and backpacks that finally accept they won’t be going anywhere this summer. But we can still escape into other worlds via mysteries with intriguing locales. This month’s episode of Summer Reads features mysteries in locales
- ["By the Beautiful Sea"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/by-the-beautiful-sea/) - ??‍♀️??‍♂️??‍♂️ Illustrations Bathing Machine Gals. Mermaids at Brighton by William Heath, 1829. "Don't Be Afraid." c.1910. Bathing Suit, 1858. Measuring Bathing Suits. John K. Walton. "The Seaside Resort: A British Cultural Export." History in Focus. Chris Wild. “1920s The Swimwear Police." Mashable.
- [ICE COLD LEMONADE ON A HOT SUMMER DAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ice-cold-lemonade-on-a-hot-summer-day/) - Wash lemons thoroughly, so you can zest the rind. Roll lemons firmly on a hard surface until they become soft. This will make them easier to juice.Zest 2-3 lemons. Set asideIn a pot over medium heat, add sugar, lemon zest and 2 cups of water.Simmer lightly for about 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolves
- [From Happy Faces to Emoji](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/from-happy-faces-to-emoji/) - ??? Illustrations Smiley face by en:User:Mystic Emoji face with tears of joy by Twitter "Oxford Dictionaries 2015 World of the Year is an Emoji." PBS. Nov. 17, 2015. "The Wired Guide to Emoji." Wired. Feb. 1, 2018.
- [Summer Reads: Historical Fiction](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-historical-fiction/) - ??? Illustrations Woman reading at the beach by jgoge. Rune Stone of Jellinge, Denmark by Sven Rosborn. Hoard of Viking treasure in Leiden Museum by Marieke Kuijjer. [Objects are silver.] Thomas Cromwell after Hans Holbein the Younger, 1537. Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein. Portrait of Mary, Queen of England.
- [Don't Forget Your Sunglasses](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/dont-forget-your-sunglasses/) - Illustrations Sunglass emoji from Streamline Emoji Project by Vincenzo Le Moign. Cariacture of William Crookes, 1902. Tortoise Shell Hair Comb by Auckland Museum. Boardwalk in Atlantic City postcard. Tom Cruise in Ray Ban Sunglasses by Eva Rinaldi. Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Oakley Wraparound Sunglasses. Kyle Osbrink. "9 Surprising Moments in the History of
- [GARDENIAS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/gardenias/) - Jungle Gardenia: The World's Most Exotic Perfume In 1932 an American firm called Tuvache introduced Jungle Gardenia. One writer described the scent as a combination of wet gardenia and sweet tuberose. The fragrance blended gardenia, jasmine, and lily-of-the-valley to produce a strong scent. American Bernadine Angus, founder of Tuvache, didn't object when newspapers reported her
- [A TOAST TO ICED TEA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-toast-to-iced-tea/) - Of course, as an historian, I can’t let my investigation of iced tea in America end here. For one thing, iced tea was once a rather alcoholic punch. In the beginning . . . In 1795, Andre Michaux introduced several plants associated with the American Southeast —specifically: tea, camellias, gardenias, and azaleas — to Charleston
- [TWO CAT TALES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/two-cat-tales/) - Puss-in-Boots Puss-in-Boots, also called The Master Cat, is about a cat who decided to make his master’s fortune, an altruistic goal not normally credited to a cat. It must be noted that the cat's good fortune relies upon his master's success. The story begins with an inheritance. A miller had three sons. When he died,
- [Ketchup: The All-American Condiment](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ketchup-the-all-american-condiment/) - Tomato Ketchup Becomes Popular One of the first recipes for a tomato ketchup comes from James Mease of Philadelphia in 1812. He favored tomato pulp, unknown spices, and brandy. Jonas Yerkes came out with the first bottled ketchup in 1837. Early ketchup producers faced a challenge, because the tomato growing season was short and
- [TOMATOES: FRUITS, VEGETABLES, OR LOVE APPLES?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tomatoes-fruits-vegetables-or-love-apples/) - Most vegetable gardens, whether in the back yard or in pots on the balcony, feature tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash [usually the prolific zucchini]. All are easy to grow and attractive with their lush leaves and yellow flowers. I enjoy the lacy effect of these tomato blossoms in my garden. Americans also like the taste of
- [VICTORY OVER SMALL POX](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/victory-over-small-pox/) - While spending time sheltering-in-place at home, I, like many other people, considered previous pandemics. Many media stories compare COVID-19 to the 1918 H1N1 virus pandemic. But that event is one of many throughout history, including small pox, also known as the speckled monster, a virulent viral disease once endemic in Europe, Asia, and Arabia. It
- [MADAGASCAR LEMURS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/madagascar-lemurs/) - ??? Photo of Ylang-Ylang blossom by Forestowlet. Seaside photo by Author. All other photos by Juliet Lemon. James Sleigh. It's Essential:The Ylang Ylang Trade on Nosy Be. 2019. Travel Arrangements by Abercrombie & Kent Juliet Lemon Photography
- [GORILLA TREKKING IN RWANDA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/gorilla-trekking-in-rwanda/) - Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. Volcanos National Park Rwanda Visiting the Iby-iwacu Cultural Village Centre. Mission Africa Safaris “What are the differences between hiking and Trekking?” Skilled Adventurer Kevin Sack. "Trekking with the Gorillas of Rwanda." New York Times. Oct 23, 2015. Julius Bizimungu. "Revenue from Gorilla Tourism Grows." The New Times. Aug. 22, 2019. Travel
- [DO YOU WANT TO SEE A TIGER? COME TO RANTHAMBORE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/do-you-want-to-see-a-tiger-come-to-ranthambore/) - If you want to see the elusive tiger, Ranthambore National Park and Tiger Reserve is a good place to look. Deer are the primary source of food for tigers, and at Ranthambore there are plenty of deer to choose from. The spotted Axis deer are called cheetah in Hindi because cheetah means spots. Sambar deer
- [PRIMATES & BEARS IN SANDAKAN, BORNEO](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/primates-bears-in-sandakan-borneo/) - Borneo is the third largest island in the world, following Greenland and New Guinea, and belongs to three countries Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. Sandakan, located in the state of Sabah in Malaysia, is home to a variety of wildlife, and I visited some of them on my recent travels. Just as I completed this blog,
- ["I Love Cebu" Is an Accurate Song](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/i-love-cebu-is-an-accurate-song/) - And in case you haven’t heard “I Love Cebu,” it’s a catchy tune. Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary "The Tarsier is More Sensitive Than You Know." The Good Trip. "Magnificent Chocolate Hills of Bohol." Unusual Places. Loboc Children's Choir. Bohol.
- [SAFARI IN MAASAI MARA, KENYA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/safari-in-maasai-mara-kenya/) - The most magical location of my wildlife safari was the Maasai Mara National Reserve, a savanna wilderness in southwest Kenya that borders on the Serengeti in Tanzania. The site in the Great Rift Valley features grassy plains and rolling hills crossed by the Mara and Talek Rivers. The famous migration of wildebeests from the Serengeti
- [SNOW MONKEYS & CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN JAPAN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/snow-monkeys-cherry-blossoms-in-japan/) - Cherry Blossoms The snow monkeys are famous, but they don’t symbolize Japan. That honor goes to Mt. Fuji, and the cherry blossoms that bloom for two weeks every spring. The flowering begins in the south and moves north to Hokkaido. During the season, the Japanese Meteorological Agency gives a nightly report on the cherry blossom
- [Saints & Snakes](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/saints-snakes/) - Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day. A day to drink green beer, catch a leprechaun, and cheer the Emerald Isle and it’s legends. So, of course, this blog has something to do with St. Patrick, but it has more to do with snakes. In the Christian tradition, it’s fair to say snakes have a bad rap.
- [Beware the Ides of March](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/beware-the-ides-of-march/) - When I was in high school during the last century, students studied Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in 10th grade. Besides grappling with impossible language and syntax, we encountered the soothsayer’s warning in Act 1, Scene 2. Caesar and his advisors make their way through a crowd on a festival day, perhaps the festival of Lupercalia, an
- [Women's History Month: An Unfinished Revolution](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/womens-history-month-an-unfinished-revolution/) - ?‍???‍???‍? Women Suffragists Demonstrate 1913 Sheryl Sandberg. World Economic Forum 2011. International Women’s Day 2020 Theme. UNWomen. Dec 11, 2019 National Women’s History Alliance Kristen Bellstrom and Emma Hinchliffe. "Meet the 2019 Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business." Fortune. Sept. 23, 2019. Meera Jagannathan. "Do You Want to be CEO?" Market Watch. July 21, 2019.
- [Jumpin' Jiminy: It's Leap Year](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/jumpin-jiminy-its-leap-year/) - You may not have noticed, but we have an extra day this month. Leap Day, February 29, is this Saturday. For most of us, it’s just another day, but it’s existence is what keeps our solar calendar in sync with the earth’s orbit around the sun. So let’s do some calendrical history. The Ancient Romans
- [Practice Random Acts of Kindness](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/practice-random-acts-of-kindness/) - It seems that every event has its boosters which is why there are so many commemorative days like Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day which happened on Feb. 1 (not an entirely bad idea) or National Chopsticks Day that inspired a previous blog. But today shines light on a practice we would all benefit from.
- [Romantic Love in the Digital Age](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/romantic-love-in-the-digital-age/) - GOOD NIGHT, GOOD NIGHT. PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW, THAT I SHALL SAY GOOD NIGHT TILL IT BE TOMORROW. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, written in 1594, encapsulates romantic love at its most appealing. Juliet speaks these words as Romeo departs from her balcony, her longing and complete surrender a match for Romeo’s intense commitment. Unfortunately,
- [The History & Impact of Chopsticks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-history-impact-of-chopsticks/) - Did you know February 6 is National Chopstick Day? It’s an obscure commemoration for unique eating utensils used by about one-third of the world’s population. Chopstick use requires a surprising amount of dexterity, and involves 30 joints and 50 muscles in the right-hand fingers, wrist, arm, and shoulder. In other words, using chopsticks is harder
- [How Do Groundhogs Predict Weather? Not very well.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/how-do-groundhogs-predict-weather-not-very-well/) - Groundhog Day 2019: Punxsutawney Phil Makes His Weather Prediction. CBS News. Feb. 2, 2019. Punxsutawney Pennsylvania by Doug Kerr. Groundhog Standing1 by Erin Silversmith. Groundhog Day 2005 by Aaron Silvers. Welcome to Gobblers Knob, Groundhog Day 2005 by Silvers Family. Punxsutawney Phil, Feb. 18, 2018 by Chris Flook. Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Alina Bradford. "Facts About
- [Welcome the Year of the Rat](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/welcome-the-year-of-the-rat/) - The official date for Chinese New Year is this Saturday, January 25, though preparations began last Thursday. Each year corresponds to an animal in the Chinese zodiac created by the celestial Jade Emperor who invited twelve animals to serve as his guards. The earlier an animal passed through the heavenly gate, the higher rank it
- [RESOLUTIONS: No. GOALS: Probably.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/resolutions-no-goals-probably/) - Last week I suggested everyone should ignore the annual guilt-ridden exercise of making resolutions. But it’s a hard custom to shake, which makes worth spending a little time analyzing the process. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Puritans spent their birthdays and January 1 in an exercise of intense introspection. During the process, they looked
- [BEING IN THE FLOW IS LIKE CATCHING THE BRASS RING](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/being-in-the-flow-is-like-catching-the-brass-ring/) - 2020 New Year Celebration in Paris by DDupard Holyoke Merry Go Round Carousel 05 by Joe Mabel Black Magic View by Nosha (catching the brass ring) 2010 Mavericks Surfing Competition by Shalom Jacobovitz David Howell - London Chess Classic 2010 by Pawel Grochowalski Lady at Writing Desk Rachel Novak. "History of Brass Rings." Henassgen Hardware.
- [Mistletoe Kisses, Roasted Chestnuts & The Christmas Song](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mistletoe-kisses-roasted-chestnuts-the-christmas-song/) - I hope you enjoyed the "Holiday Evergreen Series." This is my last blog of 2019. I wish you the happiest of holidays and will see you again next year. Holly & Mistletoe Card. Public Domain. Children Kiss Under the Mistletoe, Woolson Spice Company. Public Domain. French Chestnut Vendor, 1881. English Chestnuts Over an Open Fire
- [Holly, Ivy & Christmas](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/holly-ivy-christmas/) - ??? Sled with holly, 1907. Public Domain. Holly by AnemoneProjectors. Ivy. Public Domain. Holly Branch with Bird. Public Domain. Medieaeval Baebes: Veni Coronaberis Sam Abramson." Why do we decorate with holly at Christmas?" How Stuff Works. David Beaulieu. "The Holly and the Ivy: History Behind the Song." The Spruce. Nov. 24, 2019.
- [Christmas Trees -- Symbols of Hope](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-trees-symbols-of-hope/) - It’s December, and almost everywhere you look there are Christmas trees, evergreen boughs, and other symbols of this end-of-the-year “Season.” Long before Santa ever came on the scene, people in the Northern Hemisphere worried about the winter darkness. Some thought winter came because the Sun God was ill, and celebrated the Solstice because at long
- [Turkey, Football, & Shopping](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/turkey-football-shopping/) - At its most basic level, the holiday of Thanksgiving is about being grateful and eating a special meal. The menu generally includes a roast turkey, or tofu turkey. Pumpkin pie is a staple dessert choice, but far from the only one. The rest of the menu includes family favorites. Once the meal is over, thoughts
- [POINSETTIA: AMERICA’S CHRISTMAS FLOWER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/poinsettia-americas-christmas-flower/) - ??? Little Mexican Girl, 1905. Poinsettias, Hawai`i, 1959. John Roberts Poinsett. Illustration of Poinsettia Pulcherrima, 1880. Other Photos by Author. Poinsettias at Christmas. Why Christmas. Matt Krantz. "Paul Ecke, Sr.: 'Poinsettia King' Cultivated a Holiday Tradition." Investor's Business Daily. Nov. 21, 2018.
- [Whitby: The West Cliff & Beyond](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whitby-the-west-cliff-beyond/) - There’s one last sight to see before crossing the Swing Bridge to the West Side of Whitby. If you take a left before crossing the bridge, you’ll be on Grape Lane, a narrow thoroughfare of some interest. Some say Grape Lane was known of Grope Lane, a place where prostitutes plied their trade among the
- [Whitby: Crossing the River Esk](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whitby-crossing-the-river-esk/) - Just below the Abbey and the last stop before leaving the Eastern Headland, there’s a squat church founded by monks from Whitby Abbey in about 1100. Most of the present interior dates from the 18th century, including heat derived from a cast-iron coal burning stove, and candle light from wall sconces and a bronze chandelier.
- [Whitby, Where Dracula Came Ashore](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whitby-where-dracula-came-ashore/) - In 1992 Francis Ford Coppola released a more psychological form of horror: Bram Stoker’s Dracula with Gary Oldman as Dracula and Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Helsing. Two years later, perhaps inspired by Coppola’s movie, Whitby began to host Goth Weekends, held in April and October. People dress up in Goth and Seampunk attire, and roam
- [Whitby: The East Cliff Headland](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whitby-the-east-cliff-headland/) - Writing is an exercise in imagination. And one of my favorite places to let my creativity run wild is Whitby, on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk. This is a photo from the west entrance to the ruins of Whitby Abbey, a Benedictine monastery from the 12th century. With
- [The Globe Theater, Then & Now](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-globe-theater-then-now/) - ??? New Globe Theater from Thames side. By Aiwok Exterior View of Globe Theater, 1612 Title page, First folio of Shakespeare plays. 1623 Other photos by Author. Shakespeare's Globe Theater. Shakespeare's Globe Theater Facts. No Sweat Shakespeare. Rebuilding the Globe Theater. Inspired Diversions. April 11, 2006. Bruce T. "History of the Globe Theater." Theater Seat
- [The ROYAL ALBERT HALL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-royal-albert-hall/) - ??? Royal Albert Hall by Bene Riobó Opening of Royal Albert Hall, 1871. Royal Albert Hall from center of gallery [mushrooms] by © User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA-4.0 The Organ, 1871. Other Photos by Author. "Royal Albert Hall was Furious." Royal Albert Hall. Apr. 1, 2015.
- [The Albert Memorial](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-albert-memorial/) - At the edge of Kensington Gardens on the boundary to Hyde Park stands the Albert Memorial, an incongruous and massive example of the Gothic Revival Style popular during the Victorian Age. The structure, built primarily by public subscription, honored Victoria’s consort, a man without a clear portfolio now credited with bringing the monarchy into the
- [Kensington Palace: A Home for Princesses & Royal Duchesses](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/kensington-palace-a-home-for-princesses-royal-duchesses/) - When Victoria became queen in 1837, she immediately moved to Buckingham Palace and demoted Kensington Palace to a residence for members of her extended family and various retainers. THE DUCHESS OF TECK Mary Adelaide was George III's granddaughter. Prohibited by royal protocol from marrying anyone who wasn't also a royal, she was a spinster of
- [Japanese Culture: Gardens & Bonsai](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/japanese-culture-gardens-bonsai/) - In 2002 Kobayashi founded the Shunkaen Bonsai Museum in the Chibu district on the outskirts of Tokyo. There are over 1,000 different bonsai on display, some for sale for thousands of dollars. But the museum is not simply a nursery. It's also a tea house so visitors can see how bonsai should be displayed in
- [Fanny Farmer & Modern Cooking](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/fanny-farmer-modern-cooking/) - Compare Lydia's recipe with modern directions Modern recipe from the Old Sturbridge Village website. 6-8+ apples 2 cups of milk 3 eggs ½ cup of brown sugar ½ teaspoon of cinnamon Preheat the oven to 350⁰F Grease a deep casserole dish (round or rectangular- 9 by 9 inches square or a 9 inch deep pie
- [Summer Reads: 3 Thrillers for Summer Afternoons](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-3-thrillers-for-summer-afternoons/) - Summer is a nice time to get away from my usual reading topics and look for something off my beaten track. And one of the side tracks I most enjoy is a “thriller” that is more mystery than violence; more story than hard-boiled detective. Which brings me to John Grisham, prolific writer of 29 novels
- [Uncle Sam: Symbol of America](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/uncle-sam-symbol-of-america/) - Uncle Sam with his stove pipe hat, white hair, lanky body, and red and white striped pants remains a visual symbol of the United States. He first appeared during the War of 1812, and received his nickname on Sept. 7, 1813. At the time, he was overshadowed by a figure we no longer think about:
- [The Flag at Ft. McHenry & the Star-Spangled Banner](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-flag-at-ft-mchenry-the-star-spangled-banner/) - Today the 206-year-old flag resides at National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian Institution, in a special pressurized chamber to protect it from light, humidity, and pollution. *The 15-Star Flag represented the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Rhode Island,
- [Kensington Palace: The First Occupants](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/kensington-palace-the-first-occupants/) - For more years than I’m going to mention, I’ve stayed in the Kensington area of London when I travel for my urban fix and British Library research. If you’re familiar with London’s layout, you’ll quickly point out that the library is on the other side of the city. Thankfully, it’s a quick trip on The
- [Pay Phones, Phone Booths & Superman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pay-phones-phone-booths-superman/) - But Clark could change anywhere — a closet, a stairwell, jumping out a window, or while flying. In 1991, there were about two million pay telephones in the United States. Today the figure is 5 percent of that. The major telephone companies have exited the service, since usage doesn’t pay for costs. But smaller companies
- [We All Scream for Ice Cream*](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/we-all-scream-for-ice-cream/) - ??? Clip Art Waffle Cone. Marco Polo. Public Domain. Horlucks Ice Cream Soda Fountain. Public Domain. Ice Cream Sundae. Public Domain. Waffle Cone by Bbxxayay. Inflation Calculator. Tori Avery. "Explore the Delicious History of Ice Cream." The History Kitchen. PBS. July 10, 2012. Jeff Wells. "Ice Cream Sundae." Mental Floss. July 20, 2016.
- [Summer Reads: Prominent Women Lost in Shadow](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-prominent-women-lost-in-shadow/) - ??? Margaret Tudor by Daniel Mytens Katherine of Aragon by Michael Sittow Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon by Jan Gossaert Bess of Hardwick by rowland Lockey Hardwick Hall by Thomas Allom
- [Cultural Japan: Matsue Castle & the Village of Shirakawa-go](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/cultural-japan-matsue-castle-the-village-of-shirakawa-go/) - Matsue Castle is one of 12 original castles in Japan. I, of course, had to visit it. The castle is, more accurately, the castle keep, a structure built for fighting rather than luxurious living. That took place in a palace, now long gone. Like castles everywhere, Matsue Castle is built at a high elevation. The
- [Japanese Culture: Land of Geishas](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/japanese-culture-land-of-geishas/) - First year maikos only color their lower lip red. In the second year, lipstick is added to the upper lip. A new geisha only colors the upper lip. The lips are supposed to give the illusion of a flower bud. Geishas don’t generally wear such elaborate make up. As mature women, they allow their skin
- [Japanese Culture: Buddhist Temples & Shinto Shrines](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/japanese-culture-buddhist-temples-shinto-shrines/) - Although it's possible to visit Japan without visiting a temple, I think its improbable since shrines can be found everywhere you look. The Torii Gate, one of the most famous symbols of Japan, is part of the Itsukushima-jinja Shinto shrine on the Island of Miyajima. Approaching by sea at high tide, the gate is an
- [Japanese Culture: Taiko, Kabuki, & Bunraku](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/japanese-culture-taiko-kabuki-bunraku/) - Miyabiya Super Kabuki At Kanazawa we were treated to Super Kabuki by Miyabiya. Kabuki is a traditional art form of dance and drama. The actors in Miyabiya give tradition a modern twist with lighting and extravagant drama. Bunraku Puppets Today’s last cultural gem is Bunraku puppetry, traditional Japanese puppet theater, sometimes called ningyo joruri. Its
- [Luggage Luxury](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/luggage-luxury/) - Packing for a well-deserved holiday can be stressful, depending on the length of the trip and the expected activities. If all you need is a couple swimsuits, shorts, T-shirts, and maybe a long skirt for evening, there’s no problem fitting everything into a carry-on bag. But if the journey requires business casual as well as
- [Summer Reads: 3 Novels by Lindsay Jayne Ashford](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-3-novels-by-lindsay-jayne-ashford/) - I always associate summer with time for leisure reading, whether it’s a day at the beach, a Saturday afternoon in a hammock under a shady tree, or on an airplane. [Sidebar: I do hope these young women remembered to Slip-Slop-Slap, as well as Wrap their eyes in sun glasses. But I digress.] Today’s blog begins
- [Nostalgia for "Good Old Summer Time"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/nostalgia-for-good-old-summer-time/) - Illustrations: Summer Splash, Lake Dunmore, US Slip-Slop-Slap-Wrap Girl in Sprinkler by Austin Kirk Ladies' Home Journal Advertisement for a GE Refridgerator Girl Twirling Hula Hoop, 1958 by BeenAroundAWhile Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in Beach Party Films. Public Domain
- [A Lamb's Tale](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-lambs-tale/) - Perhaps Thomas Edison recited the most famous rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb. In 1877 Edison demonstrated his new invention: the phonograph. As he recalled events a year later: "I designed a little machine using a cylinder provided with grooves around the surface. Over this was to be placed tinfoil, which easily received and
- [Nylon Stockings: Why or Why Not?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/nylon-stockings-why-or-why-not/) - In 2009 journalist Gail Collins wrote a Letter to Young American Women, advising them that if they had come of age in 1960 they would feel more restricted, “if only because you were doomed to spend you days in a skirt, nylon stockings and girdle. (Everybody wore a girdle back then, even Barbie, the individual
- [Backyard Grilling](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/backyard-grilling/) - Paul Pircerni was best known for his role as Elliot Ness’s partner in The Untoucables. The claim that the dome shape reflects heat evenly has not been proven. ??? Meat on Barbecue Grill by Martin Steiger Gassgrillwagen Landmann Cronos 12771 by S. John, Elsterwerda Open Hearth Cooking by Billy Hathorn Reliable Gas Stove and Ranges.
- [May Day Maypoles](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/may-day-maypoles/) - On Wednesday, May 1, the Northern Hemisphere celebrates May Day. In recent times the celebrations take the form of school sports days, many featuring maypole dancing. But in the distant past, May Day marked the change from darkness to light as days became longer and green sprouts returned to the earth. Ancient Celts celebrated with
- [Notre Dame on Fire](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/notre-dame-on-fire/) - The organ suffered water damage, but was saved by the water firefighters sprayed onto the pipes which kept them from melting. The full extent of damage isn’t yet known. Gothic cathedrals were designed to emulate heaven on earth. The towering nave and stained glass windows brought light and color into a space carved out of
- [Titanic Survivors: The Socialite, The Actress, and The "Unsinkable" Woman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/titanic-survivors-the-socialite-the-actress-and-the-unsinkable-woman/) - ??? Headline from New York Herald Madeleine Astor, 1910 John Jacob Astor, 1909 Dorothy Gibson Maggie Brown Joanne Davidson. “Unimaginable Molly Brown: High Society and Union Sympathizer. The Denver Post. Oct. 16, 2017. Andrew Wilson. “Why the Titanic Still Fascinates Us.” Smithsonian Magazine. March 2012.
- [Titanic - The Ship That Wasn't Supposed to Sink](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/titanic-the-ship-that-wasnt-supposed-to-sink/) - Wednesday marks another historic anniversary. It's the day the RMS Titanic departed Southampton on her maiden voyage. The Titanic, premier ship of the White Star Line, represented the utmost in luxury. She was a marvel of modern engineering. Sixteen watertight compartments featured remotely activated watertight doors. There was no way seawater could enter the compartments,
- [PANDITA RAMABAI'S DAY OF RECOGNITION](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pandita-ramabais-day-of-recognition/) - Friday, April 5 is the day the Episcopal Church (USA) dedicates to Pandita Mary Ramabai. It’s also the date of her death in 1922. At the time of her birth in 1858, Rama was an unlikely candidate for Christian recognition. Her father was an itinerant shastri who took his family from temple to temple. He
- [Dinner with Penelope](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/dinner-with-penelope/) - The question came up yesterday. If I could have dinner with any literary heroine, who would I invite? I felt like should choose Elizabeth Bennett, because her character resonates with modern readers. But then I thought, one has tea with Elizabeth Bennett, not dinner. So, I set her to the side. Next I thought of
- [Honey - Nectar of the Gods](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/honey-nectar-of-the-gods/) - Spring officially begins on Wednesday, though winter is often slow in leaving. As the earth warms up, flowers begin to peek through, inviting bees to gather pollen. Bees, of course, produce honey from floral nectar and store it in wax honeycombs within their hives. During their six-week lifespan, each worker bee produces half a teaspoon
- [St Patrick’s Day and the ‘Wearin’ o' the Green’](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/st-patricks-day-and-the-wearin-o-the-green/) - Next Sunday, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day. You might wonder how a dour saint from fifth century Ireland could inspire our celebratory madness of green beer, parades, and dancing. And if such a man existed. The answer is . . . Well, let me tell you the stories first. In the year 387 in
- [FAT TUESDAY IS UPON US](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/fat-tuesday-is-upon-us/) - Fat Tuesday has no fixed date. It floats around the calendar sometime in February or March depending on the date for Easter, a moveable feast that occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. Our calendar defines the Spring Equinox as March 21, but it can’t control the phases
- [My Writer's Lair](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/my-writers-lair/) - This is the view from my writing desk, and I’m in the midst of assessing my writing space. It’s rainy this afternoon, so the skies are grey and cheerless, but at least light still comes through. On a clear day, I get a more joyful view. You can see a bit of my basic configuration:
- [The White Rabbit Needs a Cup of Tea](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-white-rabbit-needs-a-cup-of-tea/) - “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” Poor White Rabbit. He was under such stress, always looking at his watch and fretting. And we do exactly the same. Over-scheduling. Multi-Tasking. Running from here to there and back again. Texting while walking. Listening to podcasts while jogging. Fidgeting while waiting in the spa Quiet Room.
- [Two Coins: A Few Character Profiles](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/two-coins-a-few-character-profiles/) - Last week I shared the places associated with Two Coins: A Biographical Novel. This week I’m introducing some of the people who grace its pages. With one exception, my selection is limited to characters with a visual record. Two Coins focuses on the libel case Mary Pigot filed against The Reverend William Hastie. Though I
- [Two Coins: A Sense of Place](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/two-coins-a-sense-of-place/) - My latest book, Two Coins: A Biographical Novel, officially released this past Friday, February 1, 2019. And, I’m excited to share some of the background to Mary Pigot’s story, and how I found it. While doing research for Rama’s Labyrinth, I ran across several references to the case of Pigot vs. Hastie, a civil suit
- [SELDOM EFFECTIVE COLD REMEDIES THROUGH THE AGES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/seldom-effective-cold-remedies-through-the-ages/) - Since we’re about half way through the 2018-19 cold and flu season, it seems appropriate to mention various ways people have ineffectively looked for remedies. There is still no cure for the common cold, but that’s not because remedies haven’t been attempted. We now know that over 200 viruses are able to cause a cold,
- ["Tidying Up"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tidying-up/) - Did anyone select decluttering as a goal for 2019? Many folks do. That’s why there are so many plastic bins on sale now, because, if you can fit all your extra stuff into plastic bins, you can stack the bins in a closet or garage or storage unit and never think about the items again
- [Three Monkeys & Four Agreements](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/three-monkeys-four-agreements/) - As we settle into the new year, it’s as good a time as any to reflect on old and new wisdom. [The new wisdom is like the old, but with more directions.] This wooden depiction of the Three Monkeys sat on the bookshelf in my parents’ house. Presently, it’s on my fireplace mantle. It
- [RESOLVE TO EVOLVE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/resolve-to-evolve/) - Today is the first Monday of 2019 and my calendar pages are already filled with appointments, tasks and things I’m not supposed to forget. Inevitably, I’ll forget something, and some tasks are still left over from 2018. But for the moment, efficiency and order appear possible. Who knows? This could be the year I finally
- [ST. PETERSBURG: VISITING ST. ISAAC'S CATHEDRAL & SQUARE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/st-petersburg-visiting-st-isaacs-cathedral-square/) - I doubt any visitor to St. Petersburg misses St. Isaac’s Square, so it seems fitting that St. Isaac’s Square and its namesake cathedral are the focus of this final visit to the sights of St. Petersburg. Catherine the Great’s grandson Nicolas I who ruled from 1825 to 1855 laid out the square with St. Isaac’s
- [ST. PETERSBURG: THE CATHEDRAL of SAINTS PETER & PAUL and THE CHURCH OF THE SAVIOR ON THE SPILLED BLOOD](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/st-petersburg-the-cathedral-of-saints-peter-paul-and-the-church-of-the-savior-on-the-spilled-blood/) - The CATHEDRAL OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL was the second church in St. Petersburg. The first church was a wooden building consecrated in 1704. But it was never meant to last. Peter the Great wanted a cathedral to rival any building in Western Europe and brought in architect Domenico Trezzini to build a Baroque structure
- [ST. PETERSBURG: THE FABERGE MUSEUM](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/st-petersburg-the-faberge-museum/) - The Season of Gift-Giving is upon us, and though most of us won’t be giving away Imperial Easter Eggs by Faberge, it’s fun to see gifts fit for a tsarina. I include the Imperial Eggs this month rather than the Easter season when they were given, because they're very much a part the series on
- [THE CATHERINE PALACE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-catherine-palace/) - One of the interesting aspects of travel is that often what you think is true turns out to be slightly different. The complex I’d always thought of as Catherine’s Summer Palace never had that name. Officially the structure was called the Great Palace of Tsarskoye Selo until 1910, after which it was called simply The
- [PETERHOF: THE RUSSIAN VERSAILLES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/peterhof-the-russian-versailles/) - Peter the Great became the first of the Romanov tzars in 1682. Standing at six feet, seven inches tall he was an imposing figure. Today his legacy still dominates St. Petersburg, the city he founded on the banks of the Neva River as his Window to the West. So, it seems fitting to begin our
- [From Gottland to Stockholm](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/from-gottland-to-stockholm/) - Once a major trading center in the Hanseatic League, VISBY on the ISLAND of GOTTLAND is a charming glimpse into the past, said to be the best preserved medieval city in Scandinavia. The 13th century walls are the strongest and most extensive in Scandinavia. At the opposite extreme, is Gallows Hill, probably built in the
- [Karlskrona, Sweden — A Step Back in Time](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/karlskrona-sweden-a-step-back-in-time/) - Once upon a time in the 17th century, Sweden took direct control of the Baltic region and emerged as a Great Power. In 1680 Charles IX decided to relocate the Royal Swedish Navy from Stockholm to Trossö Island, one of thirty islands in the Blekinge archipelago. The new city was called Karlskrona - In 1711,
- [MERMAIDS, MERMEN & TIVOLI GARDENS — COPENHAGEN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mermaids-mermen-tivoli-gardens-copenhagen/) - Possibly the most famous site in Copenhagen, the bronze Little Mermaid sits on a rock at the shoreline of the Langelinie Promenade. The eternally young mermaid personifies Hans Christian Anderson’s somewhat gruesome well-known tale of a young mermaid who gave up her pleasant life underwater to win her true love. You can read the story
- [PALANGA, LITHUANIA - “LET THY UNITY FLOURISH”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/palanga-lithuania-let-thy-unity-flourish/) - Palanga is on the shore of the Baltic Sea and the busiest summer resort in Lithuania. In addition to seaside activities, Palanga is famous for its Botanical Garden and the Amber Museum located within a Neo-Renaissance palace museum completed in 1897. The garden covers just over 247 acres with forests of pine and fir trees,
- [RIGA, LATVIA — MOTTO: “FATHERLAND AND FREEDOM”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/riga-latvia-motto-fatherland-and-freedom/) - Like other Baltic States, Latvia first appeared on European maps after World War I when Russia relinquished several nations. During World War II, the Soviet Union held Latvia until the Germans took over. After the war, Latvia again fell under Soviet control, finally gaining her independence in 1991. Since that time, Riga has become a
- [Tallinn, Estonia -- "Postively Surprising"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tallinn-estonia-postively-surprising/) - We don’t hear much about the Baltic States, so I thought it might be useful to look at a map before visiting Tallinn, Estonia. The states on this map are Finland, The Russian Federation, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania spent much of their history dominated by regional powers, primarily Russia and
- [A Day in Helsinki](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-day-in-helsinki/) - Last week I held an impromptu photo contest to guess where I took two pictures. Alas, no one tried to guess, but today I’ll still give you the answers. The first photo, shown at left, is indeed tricky. It’s the ceiling of Temppeliaukio Church, also known as the Rock Church, in Helsinki, Finland. Today's
- [Summer Vacation on the Baltic Sea](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-vacation-on-the-baltic-sea/) - During the past few weeks, my newsletters and blog posts have been less meticulous than usual. One blog post turned up twice with different titles. Blog announcements on social media didn’t turn up on their usual schedule, and normal postings didn’t happen. All fell victims to . . . summer vacation. It was a bucket
- [OKTOBERFEST STARTS SATURDAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/oktoberfest-starts-saturday/) - Saturday is the Autumn Equinox. Lying between Summer and Winter, Autumn has a languid feeling, especially at the beginning. The nights are shorter, but Daylight Savings Time is still in effect. The days are cooler, but not cold. Football comes into its regular season. And best of all, Oktoberfest begins in Munich this Saturday
- [Beauty's Attraction](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/beautys-attraction/) - Since ancient times women and men have enhanced their physical appearance. How ancient, you ask. Cleopatra used a lip color that got its reddish tint from ground carmine beetles. Before you wrinkle your nose in disgust, consider that modern lipstick formulas contain cochineal or carmine. The female cochineal are harvested in Peru and the Canary
- [SEPTEMBER TRIVIA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/september-trivia/) - September is one of those transitional months. When it begins, the weather is still hot. By the last week, leaves are beginning to change color. The Anglo-Saxons called this month Gerst monath, Barley Month. It was the month for harvesting barley which was processed into a malt barley used in brewing beer. The name September
- [LAST OF THE SUMMER READS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/last-of-the-summer-reads/) - Throughout the summer I’ve highlighted books I enjoyed reading. It’s the last week of August, and today is the final installment of Summer Reads for 2018. I don’t know if the books under discussion have been to your taste. They're all books I enjoyed with historical fiction and literary fiction the most represented genres. The
- [INGREDIENTS OF AN ALTERED APPEARANCE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ingredients-of-an-altered-appearance/) - Since ancient times women and men have altered their physical appearance to become more attractive to themselves and others. "How ancient?" you ask. Cleopatra used a lip color that got its reddish tint from ground carmine beetles. Before you wrinkle your nose in disgust, consider that modern lipstick formulas contain cochineal or carmine. Cochineal are
- [SUMMER READS: Women's Fiction by Carolyn Brown](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-womens-fiction-by-carolyn-brown/) - It’s the middle of August. It’s hot and often humid. A time when a hammock looks pretty good. This portrait of a woman doing her correspondence while sitting in a hammock under the trees is a cooling view. Perhaps there’s a breeze. What if, instead of dutifully looking through her letters, the woman reclined with
- [Women's Equality Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/womens-equality-day/) - FEMINISM: THE FIRST WAVE The fight for women’s equality in the United States began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Advocates worked tirelessly circulating petitions, holding rallies and conventions, and marching in public parades. In this parade, 20,000 women marched in New York City, many of them wearing white as a symbol of purity.
- [Back to School](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/back-to-school/) - Hawaii Public Schools start today, so it seems appropriate to look at how school days have changed over the past one hundred years or so. For example, there is a popular list of Rules for Teachers dated 1915 that makes me wonder why anyone took up the profession. Note the assumption that teaching was a
- [SUMMER READS: Two Novels of Forgotten Women](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-two-novels-of-forgotten-women/) - THE HANDFASTED WIFE It's 1065 and Edith Swanneck is worried, because "These days everyone talked of how important a church wedding was, a priest listening to vows exchanged in the church porch and then blessing the marriage.” [Handfasted Wife, Chapter 1] Edith Swanneck didn't stand on the church porch with her husband Harold Godwinson. They
- [THE BENEFITS OF TRAVEL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-benefits-of-travel/) - Above the earth in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia. What could be more magical? No stress. No sense of routine. Heightened senses in an unfamiliar reality. It's a perfect vacation activity, but not something you can do on a four day break from work. Vacation travel raises suspicions. Once upon a time, the average
- [SUMMER READS: Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton & Patsy Jefferson Randolph](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-elizabeth-schuyler-hamilton-patsy-jefferson-randolph/) - We see Alexander Hamilton every time we take out a ten dollar bill. Our first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton believed in a strong central government led by the executive branch, established the national debt as a means of developing international credit, and built the Bank of the United States. Alone among the Founding Fathers,
- [LIVING SMALL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/living-small/) - Once upon a time, most people lived small, but they weren’t necessarily happy about it. This one room cottage is part of the Ulster Folk Museum in Northern Ireland. It looks charming with its thatched roof and graveled pathway. Inside we see a sitting/sleeping area next to the fire, with kitchen materials close to hand.
- [SUMMER READS: TWO BEACH BOOKS ABOUT BEGINNERS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-two-beach-books-about-beginners/) - Changing up the reading list a little with two novels about families and growing up. Officially the genre is called coming-of-age, and though it specifically refers to the transition from youth to adulthood, I don’t think it’s a process that’s ever complete. Both of these novels are engaging, and good vacation reading. MATCHMAKING FOR
- [HAPPINESS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/happiness/) - Summer is a happy time for me, but I suspect that's my preconceived attitude. I want summer to be happy, because it contains so many things I like. Happiness is an elusive concept. We all want to be happy, but we don’t define happiness in the same way, which makes becoming “happy” a bit tricky.
- [SUMMER READS: TWO NOVELS BY SUJATA MASSEY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-two-novels-by-sujata-massey/) - Good historical fiction takes the reader into an authentic world where the story is presented against the backdrop of actual customs and material culture, for example, food as it is eaten and prepared or family customs such as purdah, the seclusion of women within the household. When there’s also a mystery involved, it becomes more
- [WRITERLY CATS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/writerly-cats/) - Cats, readers, and writers just seem to go together. Before Big Box Bookstores and long before Amazon, cats used to be frequent residents in independent bookstores. Alas, the opportunity to scratch kitty ears at the cash register is gone, but readers still cuddle up with cats, as do writers. MARK TWAIN, American humorist, was particularly
- [Summer Reads: Two Novels by Rosamunde Pilcher](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-reads-two-novels-by-rosamunde-pilcher/) - If you’re one of the many viewers of Poldark, this coastline may look familiar. It’s Lelant Engine, near Pendeen in Cornwall. Cornwall, a peninsula in South West England surrounded by the English Channel and Celtic Sea, is noted for its scenery and beaches. Tourism is an important part of the economy. Poldark, based on the
- [BEACH TIME](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/beach-time/) - Since 1991 Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, better known as Dr. Beach, has released a list of America’s Best Beaches on Memorial Day Weekend. This year, first place honors went to Kapalua Bay Beach on Maui. Hapuna Beach State Park on the Big Island was also on the list, in eighth place. Hawai`i isn’t the only
- [THE LEGEND OF `ŌHI`A AND LEHUA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-legend-of-ohia-and-lehua/) - In the midst of an on-going eruption from Kīlauea Volcano, it’s hard to avoid thinking about Goddess Pele who makes her home in the volcano. There are many stories about Pele who is viewed both as a beautiful young woman and an old hag. She appears on roadways, hitches rides, and disappears. Pele is a
- [SWIMWEAR BY THE SEA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/swimwear-by-the-sea/) - Summer will soon be upon us — the time of year when many of us will be seen in swim wear or, as it used to be called, bathing costumes. Summer wasn’t always synonymous with a seaside vacation. A convergence of factors in the mid-nineteenth century introduced the annual ritual to American life. Railways made
- [LADIES, MOTHERS DAY & AFTERNOON TEA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ladies-mothers-day-afternoon-tea/) - Next Sunday is Mother’s Day, a commemorative day established by Anna Marie Jarvis in 1911 as a tribute to her mother and all mothers. In 1911 the day usually involved church services. Over time the celebration evolved into a sentimental event with all manner of gifts and cards for mom. In recent years mothers, daughters,
- [MAY DAY IS LEI DAY IN HAWAI`I](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/may-day-is-lei-day-in-hawaii/) - Lei Day, officially launched in 1928, is a popular festival in Hawai`i. Don Blanding, then a columnist for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, came up with the idea, later saying that at the time Hawai`i had no day that was special. Why not have a Lei Day - a day when everyone could wear lei and give
- [Packing and Travel Hacks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/packing-and-travel-hacks/) - It’s the end of April. Rain is streaming down my windows. I’m thinking about summer holidays — the kind that require a passport or at least an airline ticket. Although I know I’ll enjoy my destination, there are two things I dread: making the travel arrangements and packing. Travel arrangements are fairly straightforward. Packing is
- [Moghul & Persian Gardens of Paradise](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/moghul-persian-gardens-of-paradise/) - The Taj Mahal is many things. It’s a seventeenth century mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal. As such, it’s often called a monument to love. Mumtaz Mahal Begum (Exalted One of the Palace) was the Shah's second wife, and chief consort. She died giving birth to her fourteenth child. Shah
- [Natural Gardens in China & Japan](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/natural-gardens-in-china-japan/) - Long before Capability Brown improved English landscapes, Chinese and Japanese garden designers created “natural” gardens. Ji Cheng (1582-1642) observed in the seventeenth century that the purpose of a Chinese garden is to "hide the vulgar and the common as far as the eye can see, and include the excellent and the splendid." In this photo, there
- [The Landscape Gardens of Capability Brown](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-landscape-gardens-of-capability-brown/) - Although gardening takes place all year round, it comes to mind most readily in the spring. April is a good month for planting trees, shrubs, and annual flowering bulbs that bloom in summer. These might include dahlias and gladiolas. It’s also time to plant seeds for marigolds and zinnias. If you go to your local
- [Peter Rabbit Hops Into Spring](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/peter-rabbit-hops-into-spring/) - One of the many signs of spring is cute bunny rabbits like this one on the 1902 cover Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit. Potter, who wrote and illustrated the book, was the first children’s author to dress small furry animals in jackets and dresses, perhaps inspired by the many small pets she kept
- [Spring Traditions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/spring-traditions/) - Six weeks ago the groundhog saw his shadow and declared winter wasn't over. Between then and now we’ve had indicators that spring was on the way. Holi, a moveable festival, took place on March 2. Daylight Savings Time in the U.S. started last Sunday. But tomorrow is the Spring Equinox when Spring becomes official in
- [Catching Leprechauns](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/catching-leprechauns/) - With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on Saturday, it’s time to think about how to catch leprechauns, the wee people associated with Ireland and gold. Leprechauns aren’t easy to find. Rumor has it these small fairies were once about two feet tall, but they've become smaller over time until now they can fit in
- [The Positive Benefits of Routine](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-positive-benefits-of-routine/) - ROUTINE: Definition: a sequence of actions regularly followed. Example: Awaking after a lengthy sleep. RUT: Definition: Habit of behavior that has become dull and unproductive, but is hard to change. Example: “You’re in a rut.” No one ever says: “You’re in a routine.” In fact, the word rut is almost never said with a
- [HOLI - THE FESTIVAL OF COLORS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/holi-the-festival-of-colors/) - At the beginning of this month, Punxsutawney Phil (America’s official groundhog) assigned us six more weeks of winter. This is approximately the time between Groundhog Day on February 2 and the Spring Equinox on March 20. If you think that’s too long to wait for Spring, you might want to celebrate HOLI - THE FESTIVAL
- [WASHINGTON'S MONUMENT](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/washingtons-monument/) - Presidents’ Day is meant to honor all American presidents, but if any president comes to mind, it’s usually George Washington. A self-made gentleman, Washington became a consummate politician. Commander of the Continental Army. Chair of the Constitutional Congress. First President of the United States. He had his detractors, but most Americans saw the Virginian as
- [2018: Year of the Dog](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/2018-year-of-the-dog/) - Friday marks the lunar new year, generally known as Chinese New Year. Since the festival follows the moon, it can occur any time between January 21 and February 20. This year the Chinese Zodiac Calendar turns to the Year of the Dog and is the first to celebrate the Earth Dog since 1948. People born
- [Valentine Traditions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/valentine-traditions/) - Did you notice? Before Holiday Decorations came down, Valentine’s Day cards were out. Once again a commemorative day many dread is upon us. It wasn’t always so. St. Valentine of Rome didn’t give flowers, candy, or cards. He gave soldiers the marriage sacrament. Claudius II declared soldiers couldn't marry. He thought it reduced their fighting
- [Daily Planners, Digital PDA's, and Bullet Journals](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/daily-planners-digital-pdas-and-bullet-journals/) - In the beginning of my calendrical life, there was a small book with twelve monthly calendars and the days divided into little squares. With tiny handwriting, one could fill in the squares. 10:00 Dentist. That sort of thing. There was often an address book in the back, and perhaps a couple blank pages for notes.
- [Be S.M.A.R.T This Year](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/be-s-m-a-r-t-this-year/) - Did you make any resolutions for 2018 — any promises to yourself to become a better person? A recent poll by Marist College in New York revealed 12 per cent of respondents resolve to do just that. An equal number want to lose weight, which may be their version of being a better person. Or
- [Journals, Peacocks, and New Year Resolutions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/journals-peacocks-and-new-year-resolutions/) - “We will open the book," wrote the poet Edith Lovejoy Pierce. "The pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Do you have a blank journal where you jot down musings, observations, or reminders? Many of us
- [HOGMANAY & THE VICTORIAN NEW YEAR](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hogmanay-the-victorian-new-year/) - Sometimes it seems that without Queen Victoria and Prince Albert western culture might not have any traditions to see out the old year and bring in the new. I exaggerate, of course, but not by much. Albert brought Christmas trees to England, kicking off our annual December traditions. But Victoria found Scottish customs at the
- [Yule-Tide Cheer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/yule-tide-cheer/) - The days draw progressively shorter in the Northern Hemisphere until Winter Solstice on December 21st. As you might imagine, there are a number of traditions associated with this event that subsequently became part of the Christmas holiday celebration. Here’s a brief overview of Yule celebrations of past and present. ANCIENT CELEBRATIONS The Norse god Odin
- [SANTA CLAUS: FROM HUMBLE SAINT TO INTERNATIONAL ICON](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/santa-claus-from-humble-saint-to-international-icon/) - Last week’s blog was about St. Nicholas and his miraculous good deeds. This week is about how St. Nicholas turned into Santa Claus, a figure known around the world. The new and improved St. Nicholas got his start in the Middle Ages, that strange point in history between ancient and modern Europe. Princess Theophano of
- [St. Nicholas and the Three Bags of Gold](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/st-nicholas-and-the-three-bags-of-gold/) - December is a strange month for many reasons, not the least of which is celebration of an older man in a red suit who climbs down chimneys to leave gifts for “good” girls and boys. Not to mention the pitter patter of reindeer hooves on the roof. We had a problem with pigeons a few
- [Toilet Paper -- Over, Under, or Just Right](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/toilet-paper-over-under-or-just-right/) - As faithful readers know, I like to look up anniversaries of events that changed modern life. So imagine my delight when I discovered December 22, 1891 is the date Seth Wheeler received the patent for his toilet paper roll. I’m informing you now because life gets hectic that close to Christmas and you might want
- [Thanksgiving Trivia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thanksgiving-trivia/) - If you’re looking for silly activities after your Thanksgiving meal, why not play Thanksgiving Trivia? Category 1: How did Thanksgiving get started? Before Thanksgiving meant too much food, football games, and the Macy’s Day Parade, it was a day to thank God for, in the case of Pilgrims, sustenance itself. The first Pilgrims to America
- [NANOWRIMO aka National Novel Writing Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/nanowrimo-aka-national-novel-writing-month/) - Writers are solitary people who play with imaginary friends. We function best in spaces where we can shut the door. If that isn’t possible, we’re known to wear noise-cancelling headphones. Ernest Hemingway famously said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” He failed to mention that
- [Thoughts on Weekends aka Work-Life Balance](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thoughts-on-weekends-aka-work-life-balance/) - On Fridays I post a floral picture and wish everyone a good weekend. But even as I extend my wishes, I realize that what I think of when I use the word “weekend” isn’t accurate. Many people work on weekends as part of their regular hours. Others bring work home. I did that for years.
- [JACK-O'-LANTERNS & STINGY JACK](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/jack-o-lanterns-stingy-jack/) - Jack-o’-Lanterns carved from orange pumpkins are a Halloween staple. Traditionally the pumpkin is cleaned out, it’s shell carved into a scary face, and a candle placed inside. As simple or as elaborate as the artist decides. But why do we call them Jack-o’-Lanterns? Why not Carved Pumpkins or Scary Faces in an Orange Vegetable? There
- ["We're This Close" - World Polio Day, October 24th, 2017](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/were-this-close-world-polio-day-october-24th-2017/) - Once polio ranked as one of the most feared diseases in the United States. Today most Americans don’t give the disease a second thought. The first recorded polio outbreak in the United States was in 1894 when Vermont reported 132 cases. In 1916, 27,000 cases in New York City resulted in 6,000 deaths. Researchers began
- [Getaway to Volcano, Hawai`i](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/getaway-to-volcano-hawaii/) - Sometimes you want to getaway without going anywhere. That’s a good time to explore areas close to home that people travel hundreds of miles to visit. Last week I decided to travel thirty miles to Volcano Village, and to look at it as if I’d never been there before. The weather was perfect and the
- [The Chicken Dance Comes to America](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-chicken-dance-comes-to-america/) - This is a picture of 30,000 participants following former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson in the Chicken Dance at the 2015 Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. The popular Chicken Dance has an unusual history, as many dances do. Werner Thomas, a Swiss musician who played the accordion at Swiss holiday resorts, said he came up with the tune about
- [Kale - The Queen of Greens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/kale-the-queen-of-greens/) - In the world of wacky commemorative days, the first Wednesday of October is National Kale Day, now in it’s fourth year. Organizers what to spread the word about the Queen of Greens. In fact, if you go to the website, you can join Team Kale and become part of the Kale Army. Exciting, isn’t it?
- [Durga Puja 2017](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/durga-puja-2017/) - Durga Puja, the annual festival in honor of Goddess Durga, begins tomorrow, September 26 and continues until Saturday, September 30. It’s a moveable festival with dates coinciding with the sixth through tenth day of the bright lunar fortnight in the Hindu month of Ashvin. For five days revelers in Kolkata engage in pandal hopping,
- [DNA TESTS "PROVE" FEMALE VIKING WARRIOR](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/dna-tests-prove-female-viking-warrior/) - It is impossible for anyone to look at anything with a completely unbiased eye. No matter how much we try to adjust for personal and cultural bias, none of us can completely escape what we think of as obvious. In 1871 Hjalmar Stolpe, a trained entomologist, went to the Swedish town of Birka looking for
- [Meet Hoku, My Diabetic Cat](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/meet-hoku-my-diabetic-cat/) - I’m not sure if we adopted Hoku or he adopted us. He showed up on our back lanai (patio) one evening as a small kitten. He looked like a minature version of one of our cats. (At the time we had two cats, two dogs, and two daughters at home.) The girls dubbed him Son
- [Female Voices on Digital Devices](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/female-voices-on-digital-devices/) - Electronic assistants scatter across my desk. There’s the cordless telephone, the iPhone which I use more frequently because I don’t have to put in the numbers, and my Echo Show from Amazon, which I mostly use as a very upscale music device. Siri lives on my Apple devices, but I seldom call for her services.
- [Qixi - Chinese Festival for Lovers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/qixi-chinese-festival-for-lovers/) - Today, August 28, 2017, marks the Qixi Festival, a tribute to love often called Chinese Valentine’s Day. The Festival originated during the Han Dynasty to commemorate the Tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver. There are several versions of the story which goes like this. The Queen of Heaven had seven daughters who were bored
- [Coffee: Stimulant or Hindrance?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/coffee-stimulant-or-hindrance/) - Considering our craze for gourmet coffee, you probably know coffee is more than a flavored beverage made by adding ground, roasted coffee beans to boiling water. Coffee is part of western culture and has been since Pasqua Rosee opened The Turks Head in 1652. Rosee, originally from Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire, advertised coffee’s many
- ["Should I Kill Myself, or Have a Cup of Coffee?" - Albert Camus](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/should-i-kill-myself-or-have-a-cup-of-coffee-albert-camus/) - Calliope, Muse of Eloquence and Epic Poetry just highjacked my blog for the second time. Last time she led me to scandal when I wanted to write about washing machines. This morning I expected to write about the social ritual known as “Morning Coffee.” “No, No,” Calliope said wagging her finger and pointing at my
- [Farewell to Summer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/farewell-to-summer/) - I sometimes think, if fact I pretty much know, that though I may hold a summer ideal analogous to a surfer at sunset after a hard day in the sea, it’s not the norm for most people. In my mind’s nostalgia for “the good old days,” summer was a time noted for a complete lack
- [TALES OF AUGUST: Dogs, Lammas, Gems & Flowers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tales-of-august-dogs-lammas-gems-flowers/) - THE DOG DAYS OF AUGUST ARE UPON US More correctly the Dog Days of Summer since they date from about the July 3 through August 11th when summer weather is sultry and Sirus, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the sun. The Ancient Greeks thought of the constellation Canis Major as a
- [Wash Day Miracle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/wash-day-miracle/) - We don’t think much about washing clothes. Which is to say most of us don’t think it’s an enjoyable occupation. This is true whether we take our washing to the laundromat, or have the luxury of a home machine. For some bizarre reason, every time I use the washing machine, I think it’s some kind
- [Washing Machine Leads to 1920s Scandal](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/washing-machine-leads-to-1920s-scandal/) - This started out to be a blog about early labor saving devices, so I started researching washing “machines.” The machine on the left has a tub, agitator, and wringer. All improved the washing experience. As a term, "Washing Machines" wasn't getting me what I wanted, so I entered "Wash Day," which led me to a 1915
- [Whacking Moles](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whacking-moles/) - One of the great things about vacations is that while you’re away, Life’s game of Whack-A-Mole is suspended. This doesn’t happen on a staycation, because you’re still at home with the dishes, cooking, and whatever else you need to do on a daily basis. But vacation — aahhh! For days or perhaps weeks, there's nothing
- [Hong Kong - Last Stop on My China Tour](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hong-kong-last-stop-on-my-china-tour/) - Hong Kong could be said to be a spoil of war, the First Opium War to be specific. In the eighteenth century the British discovered Chinese trade goods, particularly silk, porcelain, and tea. So the Chinese looked over British items for sale and found little to their taste. Gold was always welcome, but the
- [KARST FORMATIONS AT GUILIN & YANGSHUO](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/karst-formations-at-guilin-yangshuo/) - The view approaching Guilin Liangjiang International Airport revealed a landscape of rice paddies, karst, and the Li River. [Karst is a term describing the limestone cylinders pushing up from the ocean floor.] Guilin sits on the west bank of the Li River and is part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. About a fourth of
- [ZHUJIAJIAO - THE VENICE OF SHANGHAI](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/zhujiajiao-the-venice-of-shanghai/) - Zhujiajiao is slightly less than thirty miles from Shanghai, but it feels worlds away. The village is a typical water town established under the Ming Dynasty. Once a mercantile center for textiles and rice, Zhujiajiao now welcomes tourists to its canals and traditional shopping area. Typical activities are strolling along the half mile Great
- [From Ancient Han to Bustling Shanghai](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/from-ancient-han-to-bustling-shanghai/) - Before leaving Shaanxi Province for Shanghai, our tour group stopped at the Yangling Museum, also known as the Yang Mausoleum of Han. The occupants are Emperor Jing, the fourth emperor of the western Han, and his Empress Wang. The Han Dynasty followed Qin Shih Huang. This museum is unusual, because in order to protect the
- [Terra-Cotta Warriors at Xi'an](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/terra-cotta-warriors-at-xian/) - In March 1974 peasants from Xiyang Village were sinking a well in an area south of their village. At the depth of 4.5 meters they encountered shards of pottery, bronze triggers and arrowheads, and a brick-paved floor. They reported their discovery to the Cultural Centre of Lintong County. The archeological team identified the pottery as
- [MEMORIAL DAY & PUNCHBOWL CEMETERY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/memorial-day-punchbowl-cemetery/) - The first official Decoration Day was on May 30, 1868 at Arlington Cemetery. General James Garfield gave a speech, and 5,000 participants decorated the 20,000+ Union and Confederate graves. Local observances soon took place throughout the country as a time to remember and a time to enjoy ceremonies, parades, and speeches. After World War I,
- [XI'AN: Noodles & History](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/xian-noodles-history/) - Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, nestles between the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Wei River in the north. Even from the air, the area looks prosperous. Under the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Xi`an, then known as Chang-an, was one of the biggest international cities of its time, noted for its cosmopolitan population. The
- [TIĀN TÁN: THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tian-tan-the-temple-of-heaven/) - Once Chinese Emperors stood as the intermediaries between gods and humanity, the conduits of harmony and prosperity on earth. Twice a year the Emperor approached the gods for ritual prayer. In the spring, he prayed for a good harvest. In the fall, he expressed gratitude for the bounty received. In preparation for the rituals, the
- [It Really is a Great Wall](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/it-really-is-a-great-wall/) - I’ve been on the road again, this time on an elegant nine-person tour of China with A&K. We stopped at the major tourist destinations: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin/Yangshuo, and Hong Kong. I saw and learned a great deal, despite the reality that tourists are directed only to the most noteworthy locations. I expected to see
- [HAPPY ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS' WEEK](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/happy-administrative-professionals-week/) - Once upon a time, perhaps around 1955, there were four career paths for women. In alphabetical order women could become nurses, secretaries, teachers, or wives. Wives, of course, didn’t work. [Note the fictional aspect here. Of course wives worked, and there were lots of jobs done by women. But technically a job isn't a career.
- [EMANCIPATION DAY IN D. C. BUMPS TAX DAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/emancipation-day-in-d-c-bumps-tax-day/) - Riddle: If April 15 is the deadline for filing Federal Income Tax, why is this year’s deadline extended to April 18? Normally, if the 15th falls on a weekend or a holiday, the deadline is extended to the next work day. This year April 15 was on Saturday, so you might think the due date
- [FATHER DAMIEN - HAWAI`I'S FIRST SAINT](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/father-damien-hawaiis-first-saint/) - In 1873 Father Damien accepted a call to serve people who lived with Hansen’s Disease on an isolated peninsula called Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka`i. Father Damien spent the rest of his life serving St. Philomina Catholic Church, building houses, schools, and hospitals, caring for patients and dressing their wounds, making coffins, digging
- [RAMA'S LABYRINTH - Free Kindle Edition April 2-6](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ramas-labyrinth-free-kindle-edition-april-2-6/) - Wednesday, April 5th is Pandita Mary Ramabai’s saint’s day in the Church of England and Episcopal Church. In commemoration and as a special thank you, the Kindle edition of Rama’s Labyrinth is available at no charge until Thursday, April 6. WHO WAS MARY RAMA? Mary is Rama’s baptismal name. When Rama traveled to the Community
- [CUPCAKE BREAK!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/cupcake-break/) - Life is stressful these days. It must be time for a cupcake break. Fun, exuberant little cakes, the cup cake is almost sincere in its potential for simplicity. There’s automatic portion control. The little cakes bake more quickly than regular cakes which makes them energy efficient. Serving cupcakes, especially with their paper wrappers, is less
- [THE MADNESS OF MARCH](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-madness-of-march/) - March Madness, the biggest collegiate basketball tournament of the year, is in full swing. Some might say the entire game of basketball is somewhat “mad,” an invented game of known origins. I use “mad” in the English sense: being of unsound mind or mad as a March hare. [More on the hare, later.] In NCAA
- [IRISH IMMIGRANTS & ST. PATRICK'S DAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/irish-immigrants-st-patricks-day/) - This Friday is St. Patrick’s Day. There will be quantities of green beer, lots of people wearing green, parades, consumption of corned beef & cabbage, and festivities for young and old. The day is so much a part of American culture that it’s easy to forget the Irish were once unwanted immigrants. Between 1820 and
- [ART, HISTORY, POLITICS, & DOLLS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/art-history-politics-dolls/) - You know it’s March when cherry trees prepare to bloom. It’s also a month of female-oriented events. In the U.S. the entire month carries the label “Women’s History Month.” Go to any library or school campus, and you’ll probably see displays of notable women. Visibility in a good thing, but is it enough? Wednesday, March 8
- [Is There a "Perfect" Closet?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/is-there-a-perfect-closet/) - Spring officially begins in about a month. Some people think of bunnies and chicks. Some wonder if they should clean something. I dream of organizing my closet. There’s nothing really wrong with my closet. It has a rack and top shelf on either side. One side has a dresser with room to stand the
- [SOLITAIRE, A Sometimes Guilty Pleasure](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/solitaire-a-sometimes-guilty-pleasure/) - It’s true, Your Honor. I play Computer Solitaire - and not even a complicated version. I play Klondike, the same game I learned to play with - gasp - actual playing cards. I love the colorful backgrounds, the tiny cards and the happy dance they do when I occasionally win. I love how looking a
- [Tamar, Judah & Justice](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tamar-judah-justice/) - This is Tamar’s story. It’s not a story you heard in Sunday School but it is in the Bible. Funny how only certain stories get picked out for retelling - especially if the story’s about a woman. Very few women even show up in the Bible as any feminist theologian will tell you. The image
- [PARESWANATH TEMPLE - AN OASIS IN KOLKATA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pareswanath-temple-an-oasis-in-kolkata/) - There's one more destination I want to tell you about from my recent trip to Kolkata. Pareswanath Temple is a jewel of serenity. My guide Anup Saha suggested we visit the temple and I'm so glad he did. As we walked up Badridas Temple Street in northeast Kolkata, I had no idea what to expect.
- [Controversial Elections - Part 2](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/controversial-elections-part-2/) - The 2016 Election isn't the first time votes in the Electoral College determined the winner despite the popular vote going to the other candidate. Last week we looked at what the Electoral College is. You can access the discussion and a look at early electoral controversies here. Each state's Electoral Votes is the tally
- [The Electoral College & Historic Controversy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-electoral-college-historic-controversy/) - Image: George Washington This past Friday, January 20, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States. The election was close. The popular vote went to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, but the Electoral Vote - the vote that actually elects the president went to Donald Trump. Donald Trump -- Republican -- 304 Electoral
- [Capt. Queeg, Col. Jessup, & Rev. Hastie?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/capt-queeg-col-jessup-rev-hastie/) - CAPT. QUEEG Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny appeared in 1951, one of many post World War II novels. The book sold well and won a Pulitzer Prize. The story of Ensign Willie Keith’s experiences aboard the minesweeper U.S.S. Caine resonated with men and women trying to make sense of the war that shaped their adult
- [S.M.A.R.T. GOALS for 2017](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/s-m-a-r-t-goals-for-2017/) - Here it is - my first blog of 2017. Ouch! Still hurts to write the new date. As the illustration points out, it seems 1913 was only the day before yesterday. But time marches on and so does another year of celebratory rituals. Rituals are closely related to routines, and one of my regular
- [POINSETTIAS & CHRISTMAS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/poinsettias-christmas/) - Poinsettia plants appear every December in plant stores, florists, grocery stores, fund raising inventories, and even back yards. They come in a variety of colors. Red remains the most popular, but there are whites, pink and whites, purple, yellow, orange and salmon. This year I chose red, but I’ve also had pinks and whites.
- [SIKKIM - LAND OF MONASTERIES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sikkim-land-of-monasteries/) - The name Himalayas brings up many images. Of course Mount Everest comes immediately to mind. But there’s more to this range of mountains that stretches from Pakistan in the west across India, Bhutan and Nepal before ending in China. Tibetan Buddhism also has an association with the region, although China swallowed Tibet itself in 1950. Within
- [CALCUTTA, MARY PIGOT & ME - Where She Was](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/calcutta-mary-pigot-me-where-she-was/) - As you may recall from a previous blog about Kolkata, I went to that historic city in search of clues about Mary Pigot, the protagonist in my current project. Calcutta was the capital of the British Raj until December 1911 when British administrators removed to New Delhi, and buildings in Calcutta’s historic district remain
- [FINDING TRANQUILITY AT PUAKO, HAWAI`I](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/finding-tranquility-at-puako-hawaii/) - Did you feast on Thanksgiving excess? I did. Did you dash out for Black Friday Shopping? I didn't - a possible mistake given the bargains I’ve undoubtedly missed. But I needed something else. I needed to metaphorically sail away into a Sea of Tranquility Everyone who looks can find their own favorite place to
- [KOLKATA, MARY PIGOT, & ME - Where She Wasn't](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/kolkata-mary-pigot-me-where-she-wasnt/) - My recent visit to Kolkata, like my visit to Edinburgh early last summer, is directly related to my current research project. This book is about Mary Pigot and the lawsuit she filed in 1883 against a prominent male missionary. Mary charged William Hastie with malicious libel. We would call his actions defamation of character. With
- [DURGA PUJA - THE GODDESS RETURNS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/durga-puja-the-goddess-returns/) - Durga Puja occurs in every autumn, immediately before Diwali, and is the largest festival in Calcutta. This year’s festival dates were October 7 through 11. Happily I was in the city a week before the event, and so was able to see the final stages of preparation. Durga Puja is celebrated throughout India, but
- [GODDESS DURGA SLAYS THE DEMON](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/goddess-durga-slays-the-demon/) - One of the great things about the way I write historical fiction is the necessity of research travel. My current project took me first to London and Edinburgh to investigate written records [See blogs from July]. But a visit to the site of events in the story took me back to India, this time
- [FRANKENSTEIN & THE CREATION OF A HALLOWEEN MONSTER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/frankenstein-the-creation-of-a-halloween-monster/) - Today is Halloween - a day of Spooktacular parties, costumes, ghost stories, and watching scary movies. And let us not forget the annual showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Halloween is a day when, potentially, nothing is as it seems to be. For instance, who would have thought a young woman in pre-Victorian England
- [DIWALI - A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/diwali-a-festival-of-lights/) - Diwali is a Hindu festival occurring between mid-October and mid-November. This year the celebration takes place from October 29 until November 1. Although there are variations in how the festival is celebrated, its purpose commemorates the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It's a time of family and friends dedicated to
- [Blue Zones Come to Hilo](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/blue-zones-come-to-hilo/) - Once upon a time, people thought that somewhere in the New World there existed a Fountain of Youth. They thought anyone who drank from it would be restored to youthful vitality which was the next best thing to immortality. It’s unclear whether the lucky finder would have to camp nearby and drink from it
- [Library of Congress - Our National Repository](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/library-of-congress-our-national-repository/) - When you think of Washington D.C., what comes to mind? Most people think of visiting the White House, the Capital Building, and Mount Vernon. Maybe various exhibits at the Smithsonian Museum. But, unless you’re an academic researcher, you might overlook the Library of Congress, and it’s well worth an excursion. Congress established the
- [MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY - A Tale of Confusion](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mad-hatters-tea-party-a-tale-of-confusion/) - A couple weeks ago, we met the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland as an example of what could happen to hatters who used mercury nitrate in the production of fur hats. Such a colorful character is worthy of his own entry, especially near October 6, a date which corresponds nicely to the price
- [The Real "Johnny Appleseed"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-real-johnny-appleseed/) - Fall is upon us - time for colorful autumn leaves and other fruits of the season. Apples and pumpkins with their golden colors come to mind. The days are still long and the nights a bit crisp. Halloween candy is in the stores. But let’s go back to apples. Apples have been part of
- [Elephants, Ivory & Conservation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/elephants-ivory-conservation/) - One of the most amazing privileges of my life was to visit two safari lodges near Kruger National Park in South Africa. We climbed in jeeps at dawn and dusk to view animals who were so accustomed to the vehicles’ noise and shape they paid no attention - provided we stayed seated. I had no
- [Curious Notes on Felt Hats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/curious-notes-on-felt-hats/) - Winston Churchill is known for many things. He smoked a cigar. He spoke in what I think of as a Shakespearean voice. He led Britain in World War II. And he never was seen outside without a hat. He seems to me to be a fitting image for Felt Hat Day which you may
- [York Minster](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/york-minster/) - Though there are taller buildings now, York Minster continues to tower over the City of York and the entire Yorkshire region. I'm a huge fan of this stone monument and in awe of the lives it has touched - some for the better, others not so much. This last stop on my research trip
- [YORK SIGHTS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/york-sights/) - I’m a frequent visitor to York. I have friends and family there. But I never fail to wander around the walled city, stopping at familiar places and discovering new sights. Here in historical order are a few of the places I enjoyed on this visit. St Mary’s Abbey St Mary’s Abbey was a 10-acre
- [Mystery Plays at York Minster](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mystery-plays-at-york-minster/) - After the adventures in Edinburgh, it was time to head south again. Next stop, the City of York, one of my favorite places in England. And my favorite spot in York is York Minster. The city is never the same as it was the last time, but this time I was in for a big
- [Visiting Royal Yacht Britannia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/visiting-royal-yacht-britannia/) - Visiting the Royal Yacht Britannia was the major highlight of my visit to Scotland. Part royal country house, part diplomatic symbol, Britannia served the Royal Family for over 40 years, sailing a million miles on her journeys around the world. Britannia replaced the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert II, decommissioned in 1939, and is the only
- [COMMUTING PAST GRASSMARKET, EDINBURGH](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/commuting-past-grassmarket/) - Much as I could have happily spent all my time in Edinburgh eating, drinking, and sightseeing - I was there for a purpose. Not that the first three options aren’t a worthy full-time occupation. Nevertheless, I came to Edinburgh to do research at the Scottish National Library which is the repository for the Church of
- [FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EDINBURGH](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/first-impressions-of-edinburgh/) - I don’t know anyone who thinks about Edinburgh without envisioning the castle that looms over the entire city, both Old Town and New Town, so I think it only fair to begin the saga of my Edinburgh sojourn with a bit of background on this iconic sight. Though visible from throughout the
- [London Highlights](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/london-highlights/) - I often visit London and stay in Kensington, usually combining research and family adventures. In the past we’ve eaten lunch at various neighborhood pubs, particularly the Gloucester Arms. So, naturally the day after our arrival we made our way to our favorite pub on Gloucester Road, only to find the menu had undergone a drastic
- [“MALICE” AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/malice-at-the-british-library/) - I’m embarking on a new literary discovery adventure, presently titled "MALICE." The story revolves around a Eurasian woman in nineteenth century Calcutta and the civil lawsuit she filed in 1883. Mary Pigot publicly accused an esteemed Scottish missionary with malicious libel — an intentional act meant to cause harm. The case was reported in full
- [TEDDY BEAR PICNICS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/teddy-bear-picnics/) - “If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise If you go down in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain Because today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.” Well, technically, the teddy
- [Our Ongoing Accomplishment](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/our-ongoing-accomplishment/) - Not everyone agreed the North American colonies should separate from Great Britain. The debate among delegates to the Second Continental Congress took place on July 1, 1776. Delegates met on a hot and steamy morning. At 10:00 the doors to the debating hall were closed. Richard Henry Lee’s motion that the colonies should declare their
- [SLIP, SLOP, SLAP](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/slip-slop-slap/) - Ah, summer time. Especially when there’s soft sun and cool breezes like this sunset picture of Tauranga Harbour on the North Island of New Zealand. But the sun isn’t entirely our friend. Its UV rays damage our skin and eyes. Despite warnings about skin cancer, a day in the sun remains one of our
- [Summer Solstice Stories](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/summer-solstice-stories/) - Tuesdays are getting noticed this year. Last week Tuesday was Flag Day. This week, June 21st marks Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere. As this diagram illustrates, Solstice is the moment when the sun reaches its most northerly point on the celestial sphere. In other words, it’s the longest day of the year. The next
- [Our Grand Old Flag](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/our-grand-old-flag/) - In our rush from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July, we often miss Flag Day. I’m guilty of that myself. I think the reason we pass by the day honoring the adoption the American flag is because there’s no holiday attached. No fireworks. No bands. Just a day like any other. In June 1777
- [Old Maid's Day - Really?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/old-maids-day-really/) - Darn - I missed it. Saturday, June 4th was National Old Maid’s Day, still on the list of June holidays and observed with reluctance by writers who rush to assure us modern women do quite well without marriage. And yet, I think the day shouldn’t pass completely unnoticed. Up until the 21st century,
- [MEMORIAL DAY - A Time to Remember](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/memorial-day-a-time-to-remember-2/) - It's an awesome sight - row upon row of uniform white gravestones, each with a small American flag. The grass is verdantly green. The trees majestic. Far from the horror that brought many of the permanent residents to Arlington National Cemetary. There are 147 national cemeteries across the United States. In addition the American Battle
- [PRIDE, PREJUDICE, & ELIGIBLE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pride-prejudice-eligible/) - Over two hundred years ago Jane Austen observed : “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” As a writer Jane Austen saw and recorded many human foibles but this quote from Pride and Prejudice is the one most often
- [WALKIN' THE MALL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/walkin-the-mall/) - On average Hilo gets 126.72 inches of rain annually. It’s not all hard rain, but I’m a ‘fair-weather’ walker. I don’t even like drizzles. So for me when it rains, Liliuokalani Park isn’t an attractive place to walk. Unless of course, I’m already there when the skies open up. Once I’m wet, I’m wet. But,
- [Travel Light](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/travel-light/) - I have a research trip to Scotland coming up this summer, and have vaguely started thinking about what to pack. My desire to travel light seldom happens, because I’m usually going to places with opposite climates or have a gamut of activities from research jeans wear to elegant evenings. But this trip the possibility of
- [RHODODENDRONS BLOOM IN THE SPRING -- Tra-La](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rhododendrons-bloom-in-the-spring-tra-la/) - I spent a few days in Seattle last week. To my delight, flowering rhododendrons reminded me of the best part of a Seattle spring. The season is all too short — delightful blossoms replaced by green foliage by summer. But while they bloom, rhododendrons are nothing short of spectacular. As I strolled through a
- [SURMOUNTING "THE WALL"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/surmounting-the-wall/) - How often has this happened to you? You’re concentrating on a task ... or thinking about concentrating on a task, and suddenly you realize you’ve been asleep. If you were in the act of writing at the time, there's a wiggly line slithering off the edge of the page. Not only are the notes
- [Liliuokalani Gardens: An Oasis in Time](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/liliuokalani-gardens-an-oasis-in-time/) - Twice a week I treat myself to a morning walk around the perimeter of Liliuokalani Gardens, one of Hilo’s best known landmarks. On a perfect morning, the combination of morning sun, glittering sea, and the emerald lawn of the Japanese Garden are the perfect renewal for body, mind and spirit. Liliuokalani Gardens sit on 30
- [Koa Cat's Illustrious Ancestors](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/koa-cats-illustrious-ancestors/) - This is Koa Cat in her younger days and she's about to get her 10 minutes of fame, because Koa provided today's inspiration. Tuesday morning I was sitting in my garden while talking to my daughter via cell phone. Koa Cat was trotting around doing cat-like activities. Suddenly there was a distinct thump and Koa
- ["Spring-Clean" is a Verb](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/spring-clean-is-a-verb/) - Until today, I didn’t know “spring-clean” is a verb. So the ladies in our featured image may not be sweeping the floor. They could be spring-cleaning it. If so, I’m sure they’ll remember to clean their brooms afterwards. When used as a noun, a spring clean is a thorough cleaning of a house, often undertaken
- [AUTHORITATIVE FEMALE VOICES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/authoritative-female-voices/) - Since today is the last Monday of Women’s History Month 2016, I thought it might be interesting to look at why the majority of technological voices are female. A few weeks ago we looked the popularity of “female” robots. Realistically, most of us are unlikely to ever encounter a life-size robot of any gender, but
- [EGG BUNNIES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/egg-bunnies/) - Easter bunnies are an American tradition. So are their eggs. Where would we be without Easter Egg Hunts for the children and chocolate bunnies for their parents? Like many customs, the concept of Easter bunnies and their colorful eggs is a distinctly odd mixture of European pagan origins and Christian adaptations. Imagine yourself in a
- [25 YEARS OF WOMEN'S STUDIES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/25-years-of-womens-studies/) - March is National Women’s History Month – Today it’s a time to celebrate women’s achievements, but in March of 1978 women were virtually invisible. The most public position women held was as wives and mothers. Professionally women were teachers, nurses, and secretaries – at least until marriage took them away from all that drudgery. The
- [International Women's Day: We Can Do It](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/international-womens-day-we-can-do-it/) - The “We Can Do It” poster was first produced in 1943 by Westinghouse Electric to boost worker morale. It was part of a series of posters displayed by the company. The phrase “we can do it” wasn’t about female war workers in particular. It meant Westinghouse employees could war reach production goals by working
- [Maria, Ava, and Frieda the Shredder](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/maria-ava-and-frieda-the-shredder/) - Meet the antiquated shredding machine my co-shredder and I called “Frieda.” We were doing a community service project. Neither of us was good at construction work, but we were quite the shredding team. And there were boxes and boxes of documents that Frieda wanted to, shall we say, consume. [Sidebar: The name Frieda comes from
- [PLAN NOW FOR LEAP DAY TRADITIONS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/plan-now-for-leap-day-traditions/) - Every four years the calendar has a hic-cup, otherwise known as February 29th, the Leap Day in a Leap Year. It appears that no one knows quite what to do with that extra day. For most of us, it will be a day filled with our usual activities. But for some people, February 29th
- [Days of Grace](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/days-of-grace/) - My recent visit to the Honolulu Museum of Art was prompted by two exhibits on women artists in Territorial Hawai`i. One exhibit focused on Women Artists in Hawai`i: 1900-1950, which encompasses most of the Territorial period. Both residents and visitors to the islands, these women had much to contribute to Honolulu’s (to me) surprisingly vibrant
- [CARNIVAL, MARDI GRAS & FAT TUESDAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/carnival-mardi-gras-fat-tuesday/) - My unpretentious papier mache mask is a little worse for wear, but to me this kitty face represents Carnival in Venice, a season celebrated from the day after Christmas until the day before Lent. Venetian masks are famous, and it's said that mask shops are more numerous in Venice that greengrocers or butchers. This makes
- [HARAJUKU: Hello Kitty's Fashion Successor](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/harajuku-hello-kittys-fashion-successor/) - The Honolulu Museum of Art is an oasis in busy Honolulu. The institution was founded by Anna Rice Cooke. She and her husband Charles Montegue Cooke collected art. Eventually the collection outgrew their home on Beretania Street and Anna decided to establish an art museum on the site. She wanted it to be multi-cultural
- [CENTURY OF SERVICE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/century-of-service/) - This is a story about hard work, commitment, and a family owned business marking its 100th anniversary this year. It is a Hawai`i story and an American story. It's a story worth telling. Koichi Taniguchi left Japan in 1907. He was seventeen years old when he arrived in Honolulu. The young man worked at
- [For Positive Energy: Get Rid of Clutter!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/for-positive-energy-get-rid-of-clutter/) - According to Feng Shui principles, January is “get organized month.” I guess it’s all those pristine new calendars – the ones we still buy even though our entire life is held captive by smart phones. When I think of getting organized, clearing my desk comes to mind. Simply shoving paper into drawers doesn’t count,
- [No More Sugar From Hawai`i](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/no-more-sugar-from-hawaii/) - For generations sugar production dominated the political, economic, and cultural profile of Hawai`i. At the end of this year the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, better known as C & H, will process its last crop and lay off its last worker. Parent company Alexander & Baldwin will divide 36,000 acres on Maui into smaller
- [JANUS & THE FIRST NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/janus-the-first-new-year-resolutions/) - The image of Father Time handing his hourglass and sickle over to Young New Year is long embedded in western culture. In this postcard from 1910, Father Time looks happy and energetic as he advises his protégé on the year ahead. A fresh new year offers everyone the endless possibilities of positive change and new
- [FRUITCAKE: Seasonal Delicacy or Worst Dessert Ever?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/fruitcake-seasonal-delicacy-or-worst-dessert-ever/) - I suddenly realized that while I’ve been writing about holiday traditions: the cookies, the presents, the magic, the colors, and of course, the stress, I neglected to mention that December is also National Fruitcake Month – with a special commemorative day December 27th. Holiday fruitcake aka Christmas Cake aka the best or the worst
- [Most Wonderful Time of the Year?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/) - It was 1963 when singer Andy Williams first shared his view that “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Why is that you ask? Andy croons: ... With the kids jingle belling And everyone telling you be of good cheer It's the most wonderful time of the year It's the hap-happiest season of
- [HOLIDAY COLORS of RED & GREEN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/holiday-colors-of-red-green/) - Red and Green are the colors most often associated with Christmas and the month of December. Freshly cut evergreen trees are green. Santa Claus wears the same red suit every year. I sometimes wonder why he delivers so many items of clothing but never updates his look. For thousands of years people in European
- [COPING WITH HOLIDAY STRESS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/coping-with-holiday-stress/) - Monday. November 30. You’ve survived the madness called Thanksgiving. Black Friday is over. Tomorrow you’ll turn the calendar page and realize it’s December, the month where joy and anticipation collide with stress, indecision, and over-indulgence. Before you jump in with both feet, consider scheduling in moments of serenity, calm, and gratitude. Today’s featured image
- [HOW TO ORGANIZE THANKSGIVING DINNER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/how-to-organize-thanksgiving-dinner/) - To aid in your Thanksgiving preparations, I have modified a schedule I first heard in home economics class shortly after the pilgrims invented this annual feast. Are you ready? T-DAY MINUS 5 and 4. The weekend before the Thanksgiving holiday, is behind us now. But this is what you should have done. Clean your kitchen.
- [PRIMAL SCREAM](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/primal-scream-2/) - This is how I felt on Saturday, the day after ISIS attacks in Paris left 129 dead and 352 wounded. The casualties were ordinary people enjoying a warm Friday evening. Their crime – being in target locations. A soccer stadium, a concert hall, and several cafes. The enormity of the attack, the innocence of the
- [The Poppies are Free](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-poppies-are-free/) - I hadn’t seen one in years. People used to wear red poppy pins near Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day to commemorate the men and women in the military who died in American service. Last week as I was going into the grocery store, an older gentleman came up to me. He was holding out a
- [The Writer's Lair](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-writers-lair/) - Every writer has a lair. It may be in the empty space under the stair. [Sorry, I couldn’t help that one.] It might be in the garage, or the laundry room, or any place really. This is a photo of the desk area where I wrote Rama’s Labyrinth. There’s a window on the right, so
- [Rama's Labyrinth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ramas-labyrinth/) - This past week has been exceptionally exciting. Rama’s Labyrinth, the book I’ve been working on for over five years, is now available on Amazon.com (some readers will find it on Amazon.co.uk). The ebook is US$2.99 and the softcover print volume is US$19.99. Rama’s Labyrinth is a biographical historical novel. We meet Rama in India when
- [AN AMERICAN GHOST STORY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/an-american-ghost-story/) - 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
- [TAJ MAHAL GARDENS & LORD CURZON](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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'](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/abraham-clarks-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](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/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,
- [Packing for the Summer Silly Season](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/packing-for-the-summer-silly-season/) - Summer is sometimes called “the silly season,” perhaps because the warm to stifling weather encourages us to shed layers of clothing and decorum. This 1939 poster advertises a seaside extension for visitors to the World’s Fair in New York City. What could be better than a stopover at Sea Cliff, Long Island? At 250 feet
- [Make Laundry Day a Happy Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/make-laundry-day-a-happy-day/) - Throughout history, there has been laundry. As proof I submit today’s featured image of women in ancient Greece filling a wash tub. And, as long as there has been laundry, people — usually women — have complained about having to do it. But the truth is, washing clothes today isn’t nearly the chore that it
- [A Bird, A Boy, & A Painting: Donna Tartt's Goldfinch](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-bird-a-boy-a-painting-donna-tartts-goldfinch/) - The European goldfinch is a small bird with a red face, black and white head, warm brown upper parts and whiter underparts. The male has a dark mask just behind the eye. This seventeenth century oil on wood painting by Calen Febritius captures the life of a pet goldfinch, no doubt kept for its cheery
- [MEMORIAL DAY - A TIME TO REMEMBER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/memorial-day-a-time-to-remember/) - Memorial Day is a somber day of remembrance. A time to remember the men and women in our Armed Forces who sacrificed their lives in service to their country. One million two hundred sixty-four thousand Americans have died in our nation’s wars. Roughly six hundred twenty thousand men, almost half the total number of deaths,
- [Naughty Nellie and the Honest Cop](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/naughty-nellie-and-the-honest-cop/) - In 1900 Aberdeen was known as the Hellhole of the Pacific and more ominously The Port of Missing Men, a reference to the high murder rate. Aberdeen was a boomtown fueled by the timber industry and home to a wide-open social life for the two thousand or so loggers and sailors who came into town
- [NAUGHTY NELLIE - "a madam of legendary proportion"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/naughty-nellie-a-madam-of-legendary-proportion/) - I met Nellie Curtis at The Pike Brewing Company Pub located at the edge of Seattle’s Pike Place Market in the old LaSalle Hotel Building. Seattle is known for its microbreweries. My daughter thought it would be fun to check out Pike Brewing founded in 1989. We ordered the tasting sampler. First on the list
- [Retired Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett - A Remembrance](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/retired-guide-dog-spencer-mcgarrett-a-remembrance/) - Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett became an integral part of our family the day he arrived as a well-trained, gangly one-year-old puppy, ready for life in the tropics. The Handsome Bloke spent a month training with Spencer at Guide Dogs Victoria in Australia before Spencer’s adventures began. Two years ago Spencer retired. Reflecting on his life,
- [POMPEII -- MORE THAN A HISTORY LESSON](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pompeii-more-than-a-history-lesson/) - I was in Seattle for business meetings last week. But as the saying goes, ‘all work and no play makes Sandra a dull girl.’ Remedy – indulge in Seattle’s cultural delights. The historian in me won the toss, so my first visit was to the Pacific Science Center’s Pompeii: The Exhibition. It’s not the first
- [HAPA-HAOLE HAWAIIAN MUSIC – A SAMPLING](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hapa-haole-hawaiian-music-a-sampling/) - Hapa-haole technically means half-foreign, or half Hawaiian and half something else. Musically the term refers to a type of music founded on traditional Hawaiian mele with something added. James Revell Carr suggests King Kalākaua sponsored hula ku`i, a new style of hula accompanied by western instruments, including the guitar, banjo, violin, accordion, and ukulele. From
- [CRAFT FAIRS AT THE MERRIE MONARCH FESTIVAL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/craft-fairs-at-the-merrie-monarch-festival/) - As anyone in my family will tell you, I’m not much of a shopper. There are several reasons for this, starting with the fact I don’t like traffic or trolling for a parking space. But despite the daunting prospect of full parking lots and possible inclement weather, I do appreciate beautiful things, which is
- [Scandal at Highclere Castle / Downton Abbey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/scandal-at-highclere-castle-downton-abbey/) - Last week I wrote about Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey is filmed. But what about the Earls of Carnarvon who have made Highclere Castle their “seat” since 1679? [Sidebar: This is interesting, since Carnarvon is actually in North Wales. Then again, few English lords choose to live in Wales.] I began looking at the
- [Penguins, Sea Turtles, and Mangroves](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/penguins-sea-turtles-and-mangroves/) - Unlike their cousins, the Emperor Penguins of Antarctica, Galapagos Penguins are petite creatures weighing five pounds or less. What they lack in impressive stature, they make up for in what I call the “cuddly factor.” I first saw them traveling along the coastline of Bartolome Island in a zodiac. Oblivious to gawking tourists, two
- [A Day in Puerto Ayora](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-day-in-puerto-ayora/) - There’s more to do on Santa Cruz Island than visit Giant Tortoises. Strolling down Avenida Charles Darwin, the main street, there’s lots to see. There are nightclubs, one of which is Andy’s Bongo Bar. I heard it’s a place where tourists and locals mingle to the sound of music videos. I was more intrigued by
- [GALAPAGOS GIANT TORTOISES – Bring Sunscreen](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/galapagos-giant-tortoises-bring-sunscreen/) - The description read: “Manzanillo Ecological Reserve,” native ground of the Galapagos’ Giant Tortoises. What to bring: closed shoes, long pants, sun protection, water, hat, sun glasses, insect repellant, and money.” Money? We landed on the island of Santa Cruz, boarded a bus and left the dry shore area behind as we climbed
- [Exploring Genovesa Island, Galapagos](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/exploring-genovesa-island-galapagos/) - Galapagos Factoids The Galapagos Islands are 600 miles west of Ecuador’s Pacific coastline. Ecuador annexed Galapagos Islands in 1832, three years before Charles Darwin encountered the islands during his service as a naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle. To this day, Darwin’s name is the one most closely associated with the Galapagos, due to the islands’
- [Walking Through Machu Picchu](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/walking-through-machu-picchu/) - A first glance, I wondered if I had arrived at the correct mountain top. The entrance turnstiles to Machu Picchu are a few yards away from the Sanctuary Lodge. Once visitors clear the entrance, they climb a short hill and suddenly the ancient city spreads out beneath one of the most famously photographed sites in the
- [Getting To Machu Picchu](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/getting-to-machu-picchu/) - Machu Picchu is perhaps the best-known tourist destination in Peru. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and named one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Machu Picchu hosts approximately 2,500 visitors a day. That’s about 300,000 people tramping around the sacred site each year. Last month, I was one of them.
- [LIMA - City of Kings](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/lima-city-of-kings/) - I’ve been recharging my creative batteries – away from home without an agenda. Specifically, the Handsome Bloke and I visited what writer Patrick O’Brian called the “far side of the world,” and our itinerary identified as Lima and Machu Picchu in Peru and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. It’s a long way from Hawai`i to Peru. Actually,
- [CALENDRICAL TRIVIA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/calendrical-trivia/) - Oh, the joys of winter, especially if the lake freezes. In the 1820s, Jane Austin’s contemporaries frolicked in snow and ice. Clearly these young men are showing off, while the boys in the background focus on their own games. January is the month of Janus, the Roman god who looks both forward and back, supervising
- [REASONABLE RESOLUTIONS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/reasonable-resolutions/) - Each Resolution that I make My conscience sorely troubles Because I find they always break As easy as soap bubbles. It’s happened again. Another perfectly good year coming to a close. Another chance to start over again with a new set of goals, or maybe recycle ones from last year. Actress and screenwriter
- [WASSAIL & WINTER SOLSTICE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/wassail-winter-solstice/) - Yesterday, December 21st, marked the ancient observance of Winter Solstice and the more recent traditional fourth Sunday of Advent. If you’re curious about the source of customs related to winter and Christmas, look no further than December 21st. In the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice marks the longest night and shortest day. The day which marks
- [Twelve Days of Gifting](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/twelve-days-of-gifting/) - There are nine shopping days left before Christmas Day, UNLESS you subscribe to the ancient custom of celebrating Christmas for twelve days instead of one. That gives you until January 5 to complete your gifting A total of twenty-one days. Of course, everyone expects their presents on December 25th, but if you run late, explain
- [Entertaining the Bride-Elect, 1939](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/entertaining-the-bride-elect-1939/) - On Sunday, December 3, 1939 the Hilo Tribune Herald noted that “being a very popular bride-elect of the winter season, Miss Helen Henderson is being entertained at one party after another each week by her many friends and relatives in Hilo and the Big Island. The wedding will take place on December 16 at the
- [Francis Hyde I’i Brown: “The Last Ali`i”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/francis-hyde-ii-brown-the-last-alii/) - This is a story about family, love, and history, with a light touch of scandal. The story happened at the Eva Parker Woods Cottage Museum, a wooden structure that rises above fishponds to face the sea. But the story isn’t about Eva. It’s about Francis Hyde I`i Brown, a public man who lived a secluded
- [YE THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ye-thanksgiving-celebration/) - Once upon a time on November 11th, 1620, a ship called the Mayflower dropped anchor at the tip of Cape Cod. The 102 passengers thought they were going to Virginia, but things don’t always turn out as expected. The Pilgrims made the best of a bad situation and built shelters on shore. It was a
- [BLACK CATS & NUTCRACKERS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/black-cats-nutcrackers/) - Spoiler Alert – Don’t read this blog if you dislike Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. Today’s image shows what happens when holiday decorations crash into each other. This phenomenon often occurs at craft and card stores, where we're sure to find Valentine’s decorations and cards on January 2. But such confusion is seldom on public display at
- [Kilauea Lodge & The Fireplace of Friendship](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/kilauea-lodge-the-fireplace-of-friendship/) - Kilauea Lodge may be the most famous structure in Volcano Village. Visitors and tourists comment on the excellent food and serene atmosphere. Only a mile from Volcano National Park, the lodge is a pleasant place to stay while exploring the area. Hiloans often drive approximately thirty miles southwest on Highway 11 for a brief “staycation.”
- [BONFIRE NIGHT: The 5th of November](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/bonfire-night-the-5th-of-november/) - Remember, Remember! The fifth of November, The Gunpowder treason and plot; I know of no reason Why the Gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! Once upon a time, thirteen conspirators decided to blow up the House of Lords. Known as the Gunpowder Plot and foiled at its source, Catholic sympathizers wanted to kill James
- [THE 100-TH POST](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-100-th-post/) - If I gambled, I’d bet you expect me to write about Halloween again. Normally I would, but this post is even more special than things that go bump in the night. This is my 100th blog post. WoW – Triple Digits! It all began with the first post on September 17, 2012. I
- [Witches, Broomsticks, & Hallucinogenic Drugs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/witches-broomsticks-hallucinogenic-drugs/) - We recognize a witch when we see one, right? Take the one on this sign, innocuously travelling by broom. We know her by her conical black hat, hooked nose, and pointed chin. This witch has pretty good posture – no hump on her back. Do you think she practices yoga? The dead giveaway, of course,
- [HALLOWEEN WASN’T ALWAYS FUN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/halloween-wasnt-always-fun/) - Halloween wasn’t always a children’s holiday. It wasn’t about dressing up in funny clothes, wearing masks and/or heavy makeup, and hitting your neighbors up for candy. And it definitely wasn’t fun. All Hallows Eve was a very serious night when the souls of the dead returned, flying through the air to find relatives or enemies
- [IMMORTAL HELEN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/immortal-helen/) - The night before her marriage to Menelaus, Helen joined other young girls to dance and sing on the last night of her youth. In the morning, Helen joined in the preparations for her new adult life. Within the immense palace complex, a massive banquet is being prepared. Accounts of entertainments
- [QUEEN LEDA'S DAUGHTER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/queen-ledas-daughter/) - I’m reading an engaging book, Helen of Troy by Bettany Hughes. The author uses ancient literature, modern archeology, and personal visits to ancient sites to unravel the Helen’s myth. Was she a goddess? A slut? A woman with no voice or one who made her own way? Do we judge her too harshly? Have we
- [How My Mother Learned to Cook](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/how-my-mother-learned-to-cook/) - My mother couldn’t cook. She could, however, follow directions to their furthest extreme. When she got married in 1946, she purchased three cookbooks. The books lived on a kitchen shelf and were so well used that two of them are held together with now brittle cellophane tape. I don’t know if the third book was
- [GODDESS PELE'S PATH](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/goddess-peles-path/) - Goddess Pele, creates land and destroys whatever impedes the process, whether vacant forest or inhabited towns. The land is hers, and she does with it as she likes, when she likes. The goddess can be beautiful and loving as shown here in Arthur Johnson’s depiction of Pele carrying her embryonic sister Hia`aka in an egg.
- [Better with Butter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/better-with-butter/) - I went to Europe for the first time when I was 19. It was there that I discovered two food products. The first was disgusting white, greasy glob that the purveyors identified as margarine. This was a revelation to me since U.S. margarine was infused with some sort of yellow food coloring. The moment I
- [THE MANY "FACES" OF LABOR DAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-many-faces-of-labor-day/) - The symbolism of Labor Day has come a long way from its roots as a day to celebrate the contributions of the men and women who built American industry. For most of us, the day marks the end of summer. Ah, summer, the mythical season of endless days of relaxation. Labor Day marks the return
- [“GIVE MORE THAN YOU TAKE”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/give-more-than-you-take/) - (Quotation by B. K. S. Iyengar, 2002) Approximately 20.4 million Americans, 8.7 percent of the adult population, practice yoga. I’m one of them. Without the work of B. K. S. Iyengar, it’s unlikely most practitioners would even know yoga exists, let alone be able to do the poses. He was the teacher who introduced
- [ROTARIANS, RUNNERS, & WINE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/rotarians-runners-wine/) - Rotary Club of Hilo Bay staffs Aid Station Number 5 at the annual Volcano Rain Forest Run. Station 5 at the corner of Wright and Amaumau Roads had a slightly funky appearance this year due to the first purple portable toilet I’ve seen. I’m more accustomed to motley green or brown colors. But purple has
- [WHEW! WHAT A WEEK IT WAS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whew-what-a-week-it-was/) - Last week featured three large events in three different life categories - Personal, Statewide Severe Weather, and State Political Shifts. In chronological order: Tuesday - Personal A few weeks ago I went to the optometrist for my annual check-up. I was hoping for a stronger glasses prescription. Little did I know, what my eyes were
- [A SYMPHONY OF ORCHIDS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-symphony-of-orchids/) - ORCHIDS. The very word conjures up exotic flowers and romance. At one time, every girl hoped her escort to the high school prom would give her a large orchid corsage. Ideally, the corsage should look like this. The blossoms screamed expense, status, and an adoring boyfriend. Alas, most boys could barely afford a
- [WHITE DUCK TALES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/white-duck-tales/) - Last Monday, the Seattle Times ran a story about Darin Welker, a US Army veteran who fought in the 2005 Iraq War. Mr. Welker ran afoul of the law (pun intended), because he keeps 14 pet ducks at his home in West Lafayette, Ohio, where the personable birds are classified as farm animals. Fowl and
- [Sandra & The PNWA Conference](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sandra-the-pnwa-conference/) - Today's featured image is a Wildebeest scratching his head in the dirt. It perfectly illustrates how I feel after spending the weekend at the 59th Pacific Northwest Writers' Conference in Seattle. The conference is well-organized. The sessions are high quality. The information -- there's just too much for my synapses to digest. So, what did
- [TEN REASONS TO GO TO A WRITERS’ CONFERENCE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ten-reasons-to-go-to-a-writers-conference/) - As a “general” rule (ever wonder why there’s no “private first class” rule?) fiction writers are shy. That’s why they create artificial worlds and imaginary friends. Writers like to sit at a cozy desk more than they like to go to parties, because at parties they have to talk to actual people. Or else sit
- [NANI MAU GARDENS – An Oasis of Floral Enchantment](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/nani-mau-gardens-an-oasis-of-floral-enchantment/) - Once upon a time in paradise, Makato Nitahara transformed a 20-acre papaya patch into a tropical dream. I don’t know what inspired him – perhaps just the joyful satisfaction of creation. Nitahara called his garden Nani Mau – Forever Beautiful. In 1972 Nitahara opened his garden to the public, and it's been a
- [MOKU`AIKAUA CHURCH: Historic Past, Present Crisis & Unknown Future](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/mokuaikaua-church-historic-past-present-crisis-unknown-future/) - Church history and present efforts to preserve the structure
- [WHALES, RAPTORS, & BEARS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whales-raptors-bears/) - This is the last installment of my “Cruise Adventures in Alaska” series. And, I must say, from my perspective these events were the best of all. KODIAK After leaving Homer on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, we cruised across Shelikof Strait to Kodiak Island (Kodak city population 6,130). Kodiak is the second largest island in the U.S.
- [AN ALASKAN JOURNEY - Part 2](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/an-alaskan-journey-part-2/) - THE WETTEST AMERICAN CITY Before continuing our Alaskan Cruise itinerary, I need to clarify which city is the second rainiest city in the U.S. Last week I wrote that Ketchikan, Alaska is the rainiest city in the United States, and Hilo, Hawai`i is the third rainiest city. Which led to an obvious question – What’s
- [TALES FROM ALASKA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tales-from-alaska/) - I just got back from an Alaskan Cruise, and I’ve got so much to tell you, it’s going to take at least three blogs. After a quick overview of the “cruise”, I’ll move on to what I enjoyed most – excursions into Alaska’s majestic scenery and wildlife. THE ms AMSTERDAM Holland America’s mid-size
- [An Old-Fashioned Vacation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/an-old-fashioned-vacation/) - I’m on vacation. On a very nice cruise ship. With a spa. Looking at lovely scenery. Without a consistent Internet connection. International roaming rates may apply. Huh? I’m not particularly tech-savvy. I cheerfully admit my iPhone is smarter about itself than I’ll ever be. There are probably millions of things I could access on the
- [WHAT'S IN A NAME?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/whats-in-a-name/) - Last week the Social Security Administration released two lists: The Ten Most Popular Names for Girls in 2013, and The Ten Most Popular Names for Boys in 2013. The list comes out annually just before Mother’s Day. Choosing baby names can be a nerve-racking experience. Once upon a time, it was a relatively simple affair
- [POST MOTHER'S DAY REFLECTIONS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/post-mothers-day-reflections/) - Now that the flowers are in water, the brunches eaten, and the cards placed somewhere conspicuous, it might be fun to take a look at the history of the annual sentimental celebration called Mother's Day. As far as I’m concerned, mothers are those women in our lives who nurture us, believe in us, and love
- [¡FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/feliz-cinco-de-mayo/) - The phrase “Fifth of May” doesn’t have much meaning, but translate it into Spanish, Cinco de Mayo, and it’s a celebration with parades, parties, and special food. But why is it celebrated? If you guessed a Mexican victory in battle occurred on May 5, you’re correct. If you know the year, 1862, you’re ready to
- [MAKE A LIST – CHECK IT TWICE – DO IT ANYWAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/make-a-list-check-it-twice-do-it-anyway/) - People have made lists as long as they’ve been able to write things down. Take this monk, for example. He could be contemplating the relative size of angels in order to solve an age-old question: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Or, he could be trying to remember what he
- ["STINGING NETTLES" TASTE LIKE SPINACH](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/stinging-nettles-taste-like-spinach/) - Like many Americans, I’ve been eating since November – Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas cookies, and Valentine’s indulgences. I completed my eating frenzy yesterday with a chocolate bunny (ears first, of course). This means it’s time for another annual custom -- shedding winter padding and getting ready for “bikini weather” or in my case, “basketball shorts weather.”
- [WINCHESTER HOUSE: THE MANSION A SÉANCE BUILT](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/winchester-house-the-mansion-a-seance-built/) - Today’s adventure takes us to San Jose, California. Years ago, before Silicon Valley took off, I visited that fair city. Return with me to stroll through the Winchester Mystery House, premier San Jose tourist destination. Climb staircases to nowhere. Look through Tiffany glass windows with a view of absolutely nothing. Learn what you can do
- [NO HOUSEWORK DAY & OTHER APRIL CELEBRATIONS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/no-housework-day-other-april-celebrations/) - I subscribe to Darcy Pattison’s blog. Today’s entry announced that tomorrow, April 8, is Draw a Bird Day. Never heard of it? Neither had I. The day honors Dorie Cooper. In 1943 Dorie, aged 7, visited her wounded uncle in the hospital. Trying to cheer up a man who'd just lost his leg to a
- [I AM RAPUNZEL, HUNTRESS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/i-am-rapunzel-huntress/) - My son took one of those silly “who are you?” tests, and posted the results on Facebook. On the question of “What is Your Medieval Profession?” (http://www.playbuzz.com/gregs/what-is-your-medieval-profession), my son placed as a Hunter. This seemed strange, because he's not the sort who goes around with bows and arrows trying to kill Bambi’s mother. But he
- [IN PRAISE OF APPLE TECH SUPPORT, or, How the Lost was Found](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/in-praise-of-apple-tech-support-or-how-the-lost-was-found/) - I use the MacBook Air and once had over 1,000 photos stored on the hard drive. The Handsome Bloke kept telling me to transfer them to an external drive. But you know how it is. I hadn’t gotten around to it. Then, for the past several weeks I’ve been getting a message saying that my
- [ARIZONA IN MY MIND](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/arizona-in-my-mind/) - Seattle Mariners Spring Training (the subject of last week's blog) took the Handsome Bloke and I to Phoenix, Arizona. It was the second time I'd been to Arizona. The first time was when I was in middle school - a family trip with the cousins. We visited the Grand Canyon, though at the time we
- [BASEBALL - Symbol of Summer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/baseball-symbol-of-summer/) - “Baseball, it is said, is only a game” – George F. Will Baseball has teams of nine players. The playing field has a diamond shape. There are nine innings and numerous time outs, but no maximum time. Baseball players don’t wear spandex. In comparison to other athletes, they appear modest. The game itself is straightforward.
- [SOME PROPERTIES OF GLITTER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/some-properties-of-glitter/) - Ever had the urge to assemble of bowl of multi-colored glitter and just throw it in the air while you ran around the room? Ever curbed that urge by thinking about how you’d never get the glitter out of the carpet? If you answered yes to the first question, you are either a water sprite
- [LEARNED A NEW LANGUAGE LATELY?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/learned-a-new-language-lately/) - Are you old enough to remember foreign language laboratories where students strained to hear a question in, for example, German, and answer it correctly in the microphone, all the while desperately hoping the instructor wasn’t listening to you? Yeah, me too. When I was fourteen, my mother decided I would take Latin. It wasn’t a
- [WRITERLY EXCUSES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/writerly-excuses/) - “My sore throats are always worse than anyone’s.” Jane Austin, timeless observer of human foibles, hit the nail on the head (or should it be the tissue in the hand) when she pointed out that her sore throats were worse than anyone else’s. I think we all feel that way. Today's featured image is a
- [HANDSOME BLOKE CHECKS SUPER BOWL OFF BUCKET LIST](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/handsome-bloke-checks-super-bowl-off-bucket-list/) - NFL Super Bowl XLVIII is history. Super Bowl 48 – the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Denver Broncos (or should I say, Peyton Manning?) Or, as some say, a diversion from the Bruno Mars Half Time Show. But that’s not today's story. This is a personal story about a man, a dog, a wife, a daughter,
- [GODDESS GANGA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/goddess-ganga/) - There I was, trying to write a scene in my fictionalized biography of the Pandita Ramabai, and failing. At this point in the story, Rama is nine years old. It’s hard to write from a child’s perspective. The family is in Varanasi, the holiest city in India. Pilgrims and tourists daily arrive in great numbers.
- [SLOW COOKERS, MICROWAVES, & AFTERNOON DELIGHTS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/slow-cookers-microwaves-afternoon-delights/) - A couple days ago I decided to cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker. Being inordinately pleased with myself, I posted my mundane accomplishment on Facebook. And then posed a question. What did my friends think was the better kitchen appliance – the slow cooker or the microwave? Results at the end of this
- [KUNG HEE FAT CHOY!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/kung-hee-fat-choy/) - In case you missed the New Year Celebrations on December 31st, you have another opportunity on January 31, day of the lunar new year. Decorate with Red Chinese Lanterns. Gift your friends with red money envelopes. Welcome the Year of the Horse which, according to astrologer Susan Levitt, will be a time of high energy
- [PURSUING HAPPINESS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pursuing-happiness/) - In 1988, Bobby McFerrin recorded Don’t Worry, Be Happy and won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance. [McFerrin made all the sounds himself.] Robin Williams and Bill Irwin joined McFerrin on the YouTube video.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU] Crazy, gleeful, unrealistic – but, aside from a warm puppy, isn’t that what happiness
- [2014 – VIVA LA REVOLUTION!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/2014-viva-la-revolution/) - Seems like the custom of lighting fireworks on New Year’s Eve is global. My son took the photo at right. New Year’s fireworks at Kailua Bay, Hawai`i. These colorful, artificial stars in the sky always make me smile in awe. Americans also have fireworks displays on the 4th of July, anniversary of the signing of
- [NEW YEAR DREAMS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/new-year-dreams/) - I’m writing this on December 30 – exactly mid-way between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Time to take a deep breath before rushing to those New Year’s Eve parties – If you aren’t rushing already. Americans, especially the ones involved in retail, are always rushing. I’m picking a bit on retailers, because on Friday
- [LET US COMMENCE OUR CELEBRATIONS!](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/let-us-commence-our-celebrations/) - Not everyone enjoys December holidays. For every memory of joyful family traditions, there are other memories. Life does not stop – which is why the holidays can never be as perfect as we imagine. Holidays are about the past. They remind us of something important to an individual, family, or group. The month of December
- [WHY SEND HOLIDAY CARDS?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/why-send-holiday-cards/) - The year-end holiday season brings joy to children looking forward to school vacation and lots of “stuff.” Adults, drowning in a deluge of tasks, find joyful anticipation transforming into what I call “the season of eating and drinking” – all calorie free, of course. By this time, organized veterans of the season have put up
- [SONGS OF THE SEASON](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/songs-of-the-season/) - For people who like to sing, the Christmas season provides ample opportunities. Many of us had our first experiences as children in nursery school pageants, singing our hearts out to an audience of long suffering parents waiting to see their personal child on the stage. The repertoire usually consisted ( and perhaps it still does)
- [WHY IS THERE A TREE IN THE LIVING ROOM?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/why-is-there-a-tree-in-the-living-room/) - When I was a child – sometime during the first Roosevelt Administration – the annual Christmas Tree was a truly strange thing. All year my mother tenaciously swept anything resembling nature out of the house. Then, without warning, there was a tree in the living room, usually accompanied by muttering about having to pick up
- [A DANGEROUS SEASON FOR TURKEYS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/a-dangerous-season-for-turkeys/) - Once again we have arrived at the official Holiday Season. It is three days until Thanksgiving which this year also marks the first day of Hanukkah – a joint festival that no matter what year you were born, will not recur in our lifetime. In four days we celebrate the annual Black Friday Shopping Extravaganza,
- [THANKSGIVING & THE FOUR FREEDOMS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thanksgiving-the-four-freedoms/) - Next Thursday Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving. Some will feast with Butterball turkeys; some will go vegan and create turkeys out of tofu. Some folks will skip the turkey and head straight for pie and football. But just for a moment, allow me to take you back to January 6, 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt
- [CHECKING OUT, CHECKING IN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/checking-out-checking-in/) - There is a children's game to help kids learn geography. It's called "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?" Carmen leads a gang of nefarious henchmen who hatch various crimes. The "Chief" is hot on her trail with assistance from "gumshoes," the kids who put together clues to prevent the geographical crime. Carmen herself eludes
- [NOT ENOUGH TO DO?  WRITE A NOVEL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/not-enough-to-do-write-a-novel/) - In writer jargon, November is NaNoWriMo. That’s National Novel Writing Month to the rest of us. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of aspiring and even published writers agree that if you want to write that novel – the one you could do better than J.K. Rowling – this is the magical month to get it out of
- [“THE GOBBLE-UNS ‘LL GIT YOU, EF YOU DON’T WATCH OUT!”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-gobble-uns-ll-git-you-ef-you-dont-watch-out/) - Halloween is a distinctly odd holiday – initially a day when the boundary between the living and the dead was more than a little blurred. How it became a celebration of costume, children, and candy treats … well, it seems a bit odd to me. Living humans are generally a bit nervous around the dead.
- [PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/photographic-memories/) - Once upon a time, people went on vacations and took something called “slides.” Shortly after they returned home, these now knowledgeable former tourists rushed to develop the slides so they could invite friends, acquaintances, and the occasional unlucky stranger to join them for light refreshments and a “slide show.” The host loaded slides into a
- [TALES OF TRAVEL, MURDER, & MYSTERY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tales-of-travel-murder-mystery/) - I’m always uncomfortable with the thought that I might have an unfilled spare moment. This contributes to my habit of always having something to read. My compulsion is not entirely unique. No less an author than Oscar Wilde put the following words in the mouth of one of his more pretentious characters. “I never travel
- [FLIGHT TO ANOTHER WORLD](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/flight-to-another-world/) - After 3 weeks in Agra, it was time to leave on Saturday. So I took a few last pictures of my host's upscale, professional neighborhood. Gated homes for doctors and lawyers, a temple, the occasional cow in the common area, and, first seen on the day of departure, donkeys near the improvisational housing across the
- [ROAD TO YAMUNA RIVER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/road-to-yamuna-river/) - My Agra host lives in a very nice neighborhood on the western side of Agra. Usually, when we get to the main road, we turn right. This takes us into the town and its traffic. The other day we turned left. In moments we were in a countryside of wheat fields, cattle, and goats, driving
- [GETTING SETTLED IN AGRA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/getting-settled-in-agra/) - Time is strange here in Agra -- that feeling that you just got here but have always been here. We are especially fortunate on this visit, because we are staying with friends. this allows us to experience patterns of regular life in a professional Indian household. The first thing I've learned is that the home
- [AH, INDIA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ah-india/) - Sunday I arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi for my fourth visit to India. I am constantly drawn back to this place of chaos and contrast, and relish the chance to see the world from a perspective so different I cannot adequately describe it. Today's blog features a few interesting sights on the
- [BILE BEANS - PRECURSOR TO LIFESTYLE DRUGS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/bile-beans-precursor-to-lifestyle-drugs/) - Crossing the Lord Mayor’s Walk in York (UK), I could not help but notice the prescriptive sign above. The first time I saw it, I was running late and scampered across the street on my way to St. John’s University. The sign greeted me daily for about a week. On more leisurely mornings, I
- [EGYPT, AN ALABASTER POT, & MEMORIES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/egypt-an-alabaster-pot-memories/) - In 2008 I visited an Egypt that no longer exists, and brought home this alabaster pot. The seller urged me to put a lamp inside. I didn’t take his advice, yet every day the pot shines light on what once was. The pot sits on the cupboard that houses the television set. As news reports
- [MY ROTARY DAY IN VOLCANO](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/my-rotary-day-in-volcano/) - This past Saturday I participated in two events held in Volcano Village, about 30 miles away from Hilo. The first was staffing an aid station for the 4th Annual Rain Forest Run; the second was a visit to Volcano Winery. As a member of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay, I could join both activities,
- [MUFFETT, A VERY SENIOR KITTY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/muffett-a-very-senior-kitty/) - Muffett is our senior cat. She’s been with us for 18 years – which equals 88 human years. I remember the day we brought her home from the Humane Society. There were two kittens in the cage: a tortoise shell female and a ginger yellow male. When I held the girl, she quickly deduced
- [HISTORIAN & WRITER DISCUSS A PICTURE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/historian-writer-discuss-a-picture/) - Historian sniffs: “It isn’t a picture. It is a painting. Oil on canvas, mounted on a parquet panel.” Writer pouts: “You know what your problem is? You are too literal. What are paintings if not pictures telling a story. Who do you think this woman was?” Historian: “As the title indicates, she was an
- [OLYMPIC HOTEL: DOYENNE OF 1920s SEATTLE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/olympic-hotel-doyenne-of-1920s-seattle/) - OLYMPIC HOTEL. When I was a high school student in a Seattle bedroom community on the other side of Lake Washington, those two words symbolized all that was posh and sophisticated. I never dreamed I could set foot inside such an illustrious palace, let alone stay there regularly. The Olympic Hotel is a palace of
- [“THE TARGET WAS ONE ENEMY CASUALTY AT THE END OF A RIFLE”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-target-was-one-enemy-casualty-at-the-end-of-a-rifle/) - In his retirement, my father collected biographies about World War II leaders. He said he wanted to understand what really happened in the war that dominated his adult life. My father was a navy man then, a middle grade officer. I don’t know if he found what he was looking for. I don’t know if
- [DAY TOUR IN SEATTLE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/day-tour-in-seattle/) - I visit Seattle 2-3 times a year to visit family, eat, and take a break in familiar surroundings. I did my undergraduate BA degree at the University of Washington – before they bricked over the grassy area near the library to create “Red Square” above the Central Garage. If you know when that happened, you
- [FISH LIBERATION DAY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/fish-liberation-day/) - Once upon a time, four or five years ago, I decided it would be nice to have a fountain in the back garden. Sort of a trickling brook. I found a nice place for it – or at least I thought so at the time. My daughter and her boyfriend were staying with us. I
- [CLEAN HOUSE - CLEANSED MIND?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/clean-house-cleansed-mind/) - Some of my Twitter followers know I recently cleaned out my closet (because I couldn’t find anything to wear) and rediscovered “the collection room” floor (I knew it had to be there somewhere). When Matthew Wright (no relation), member of the #myWANA hashtag group on Twitter, realized I'd inadvertently begun cleaning my closet,
- [PUPPY BLOGGER RIDES HIS FIRST TRAIN](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/puppy-blogger-rides-his-first-train/) - As promised, I, Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett, am back to tell you about my experience riding the train in Canada. I wanted to show you a picture from Canada, but, alas, Sandra doesn’t take many pictures of me. I don’t know why not, since I am amazingly handsome. But, to her, I guess I’m just
- [SPENCER THE PUPPY BLOGGER GOES TO CANADA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/spencer-the-puppy-blogger-goes-to-canada/) - Hello – Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett, puppy blogger, is back. Last time, I told you how I grew up at Guide Dogs Victoria in Melbourne, Australia and was assigned to join the Handsome Bloke in Hawai`i. Today, I’m going to tell you about my first travel adventure with the Handsome Bloke. I learned lots
- [THE “XX FACTOR” – REALLY?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-xx-factor-really/) - Life is where we live when we aren’t traveling. In my life as women’s historian and writer, I’m continually intrigued by the question of whether women’s professional careers are blocked a “glass ceiling” or any other impediments. The latest author to catch my eye on this subject is Alison Wolf, Professor of Public Sector Management
- [THE BEACHES AT WAIKĪKĪ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-beaches-at-waikiki/) - Travel is a state of mind, an openness to new realities. It is challenging to travel close to one’s home. The terrain is too familiar; our eyes fail to see the nuances, the unique communities of place, or the historic context that can make the ordinary extraordinary. So, today I invite you to join me
- [ELLORA CAVES – SITE OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ellora-caves-site-of-religious-tolerance/) - The Ellora Caves are eighteen miles northwest of Aurangabad, a small town in the Indian state of Maharashtria. Like the Ajanta Caves, the Ellora Caves are carved from a sheer vertical rock face. Unlike Ajanta, Ellora represents a more tolerant age during the Gupta period. At Ellora, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain devotees coexisted and created
- [PILGRIMAGE TO THE AJANTA CAVES](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/pilgrimage-to-the-ajanta-caves/) - It was a beautiful day in Augrangabad, India. The early morning was pleasantly warm. At mid-morning we neared the day’s temperature of 40∘ Centegrade – which is roughly 110∘ Fahrenheit for those of us who have yet to switch to metric. Either way, it was very warm. But, as the saying goes: “At least it
- [MONKEY BUSINESS AT PENCH NATIONAL PARK, INDIA, OR,   CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH THE COMMON LANGUR MONKEY ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/monkey-business-at-pench-national-park-india-or-close-encounter-with-the-common-langur-monkey/) - Namaste – I'm glad to be with you again. As you may know from my few Facebook postings, I’ve been in India for three and a half weeks. I have lots of stories to tell. I would have told them sooner, but 1.) Internet connection was not always the best, and 2.) I was doing
- [“THE LADY’S NOT FOR TURNING”  	– Margaret Thatcher, 1925-2013 ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-ladys-not-for-turning-margaret-thatcher-1925-2013/) - Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979-1990, died last Monday, from a stroke. She was 87 years old. Her detractors are ecstatic – making “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” from the Wizard of Oz near the top of the charts and holding celebratory “Death Parties.” They hold her responsible for current
- [COMPUTERS & MAGIC or THE TECHS I NEED TAKE THE WEEKEND OFF](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/computers-magic-or-the-techs-i-need-take-the-weekend-off/) - Magic: the operative word for anything relating to computers. I have seen IT personnel, in unguarded moments; wave their hands over the offending machine, and restart it. Sometimes, it works. Other times, they shoot a few hoops, and try again. When everything works, I take my computer buddies for granted. But when they
- [EASTER - SPRING - THE EXPECTATION OF NEW LIFE](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/easter-spring-the-expectation-of-new-life/) - OSTARA: PAGAN GODDESS OF SPRING Ostara, an obscure Germanic goddess, lent her name to the annual season of Easter. Anglo-Saxon accounts mention feasts in her honor held in April. EASTER: CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION The early Christian Church superimposed its teaching on many ancient holidays, among them celebrations to welcome Spring’s return. Easter is
- [NEW GENERATIONS AT THE MANAGO HOTEL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/new-generations-at-the-manago-hotel/) - In 1929, Osame Manago took her children to Japan. Her father said, “seeing [them] was worth more than a house filled with gold.” But the triumphant visit became bittersweet on the day Osame and her family prepared to leave. Osame’s sister observed that at seven months old, Osame’s baby was “so young that she couldn’t tell
- [MANAGO HOTEL HISTORY – THE FOUNDERS “If you can sign your name, that’s enough.” ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/manago-hotel-history-the-founders-if-you-can-sign-your-name-thats-enough/) - Staying the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook, Hawai`i is like accepting an invitation to join the family. Three generations of Managos collectively offer their hospitality when you step into the lobby with its old style counter space. Just sign the guest book, allow a credit card imprint, and take your key with its plastic
- [STEP INTO OLD HAWAI`I AT THE MANAGO HOTEL](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/step-into-old-hawaii-at-the-manago-hotel/) - The Manago Hotel on Hawai`i’s Kona Coast offers visitors a glimpse of rapidly disappearing “Old Hawai`i.” If you require hotel amenities equaling those at the Four Seasons, this is not the place for you. But, if you have a sense of adventure and a desire to experience a different slice of life, the Manago can
- [PURNA YOGA, VOLCANOES, &  MOMENTS FROM OLD HAWAI`I](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/purna-yoga-volcanoes-moments-from-old-hawaii/) - You may be wondering what Purna Yoga, Volcanoes, and Old Hawai`i could possibly have in common. All contribute to my creative growth as a writer and my joy in the history of Hawai`i. So let us begin. Purna Yoga I didn’t post last week, because I attended a four-day yoga workshop at Big Island Yoga
- [SIX FEBRUARY HOLIDAYS IN THE SAME WEEK](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/six-february-holidays-in-the-same-week/) - Whew! There were more holidays last week than during the official “Holiday Season.” Funny word “holiday.” It’s a contraction of Holy Days. Most folks don’t think of holidays as religious – we think of free time, decorations, special food, gifts, and shopping. But, for those so inclined, there is opportunity for contemplation and purification. CHINESE
- [GUNG HEI FAT CHOY - HAPPY LUNAR (CHINESE) NEW YEAR](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/gung-hei-fat-choy-happy-lunar-chinese-new-year/) - “Okay, I’ll bite. Why are you wishing me a Happy New Year when we already celebrated the New Year on January 1?” Excellent Question, Grasshopper. (Historian settles in for a lengthy chat.) The January 1 date is completely arbitrary, a result of the introduction of the Julian calendar in 45 BCE. “Could you answer my
- [GUIDE DOG SPENCER McGARRETT-PUPPY BLOGGER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/guide-dog-spencer-mcgarrett-puppy-blogger/) - Hello. Guide Dog Spencer McGarrett here. Have you been reading Sandra’s recent blogs? Clearly Writer and Historian are completely out of control. I tried to get Travellor to impose some discipline, but she refused. Probably because she thought she would get the next blog spot. While they were squabbling, I pulled Sandra aside. “Please, can
- [SANDRA WAGNER-WRIGHT'S BLOG: WRITER-HISTORIAN-TRAVELLER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sandra-wagner-wrights-blog-writer-historian-traveller-2/) - Regular readers may have noticed my slogan: “Sandra Wagner-Wright – Writer, Historian.” Actually, it was supposed to say Writer-Historian-Traveller, but Traveller didn’t show up at the web designer appointment. Writer and Historian arrived early, and may have locked the door. Lately, Historian has been dominating this blog, and would like to point out that today
- [LORETTA & THE BOLLYWOOD DANCER RESOLUTION](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/loretta-the-bollywood-dancer-resolution/) - Resolution: A firm decision to either do something, or not do something. Did you make New Year’s Resolutions for 2013? Loretta resolved to find an exercise program she could stick with. Voice Over: During the first week of January, gym memberships spike. Loretta, a normal could-be-in-better-shape middle-aged woman, walks into gym full of young hard
- [ELEVENTH DAY CHRISTMAS BASH](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/eleventh-day-christmas-bash/) - Sorry I missed last week. Christmas village residents did not want to go back into storage. The ungrateful wretches attacked me and tied me up with cheap garlands. While I gnawed my way out, I got a song stuck in my head. Which brings me to today’s topic: What famous Christmas carol takes a long
- [CHRISTMAS IS COMING -- THE GOOSE IS GETTING FAT](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/christmas-is-coming-the-goose-is-getting-fat/) - Christmas -- Some celebrate the day as a holiday for presents and feasting. For others, Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, honored by Christians as the Messiah. On that first Christmas, angels appeared to shepherds (talk about a light show), and a few weeks/months later wise men appeared with gifts. Such diversity of
- [HALLELUJAH! – It’s Time to Sing Messiah](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/hallelujah-its-time-to-sing-messiah/) - Christmas is a time when otherwise ordinary people burst into song. Children and adults sing carols to their families, their friends, unsuspecting pets, and even venture into assisted living facilities. Little kids learn Jingle Bells. Adults throw caution to the winds and participate in Messiah Sing-a-Longs. An extreme version of this activity is “Christmas Food
- [On Christmas Pudding](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/on-christmas-pudding/) - I sat enjoying the evening breeze, when the Handsome Bloke said, “I fancy Christmas Pudding this year.” Was he joking? No, he wore a meaningful look. “Oh,” said I. “I don’t suppose our grocery store has any in for the holidays?” “I’ll ask.” Wait a minute! What about the picture? What is the picture
- [Thanksgiving & Holiday Shopping -- Two American Traditions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/thanksgiving-holiday-shopping-two-american-traditions/) - Sorry I missed our date last week. I was busy doing Thanksgiving, and rolling my eyes at news stories about our annual shopping frenzy. I remember when Thanksgiving was about eating and watching football. Today the topic is shopping. How did Black Friday become a national event? Why do we put ourselves through this annual
- [How I Attempt to Pack Light](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/how-i-attempt-to-pack-light/) - I traveled to India this year, also the United Kingdom, Seattle, and made several short trips within my home state of Hawai`i. Day trips are not such a big deal, so long as I remember to put my hand gel in a plastic bag. But any trip requiring an overnight stay looms over my head
- [TICK TOCK GOES MY CLOCK](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tick-tock-goes-my-clock/) - I suffer from intermittent Time Evaporation Syndrome (TES), a curious state in which one wakes up at 6:00 in the morning, and suddenly, without warning, it is noon – or dinnertime – or midnight. You get the idea. And there is absolutely no indication what transpired between, say, 6:00 and noon. TES is most often
- [On Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/on-gardens/) - I like gardens that are gracious, well-kept, and delight the visitor with a multitude of textures, fragrances, water features, and vistas. I like gardens that allow people to walk on the grass, assuming they pick up their litter when they leave. Gardens give me space for contemplation and renewal. Many people are able to coax
- [York: City of Ghosts](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/york-city-of-ghosts/) - A very good day to you, me hearties. I’ve been sitting at the bar of The Golden Fleece in York for a very long time, judging by my attire. (Ah-hem) And, since it is approaching Halloween, I have taken over this here blog from Sandra Wagner-Wright. She don’t know nothin’ about ghosts, but I can
- [YORK - where "the gates are bars & the bars are pubs"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/york-where-the-gates-are-bars-the-bars-are-pubs/) - As some of you know, I was recently in UK. My last blog featured the fabulous afternoon tea at the Milestone Hotel, but if you follow me on Facebook, you know I began the journey home last Saturday. First stop, Seattle, where I have been experiencing really bad jet lag. Which is why
- [Afternoon Tea at the Milestone Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/afternoon-tea-at-the-milestone-hotel/) - London is my favorite international city – and not just because the people speak various forms of English. Central London is easy to navigate, has countless treasures, and is the location of the British Museum and the British Library. It is a wonderful place to visit, work, and play. I stay in the area called
- [Buckingham Palace - A Splendid Residence](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/buckingham-palace-a-splendid-residence/) - Buckingham Palace – A Splendid Residence Two days ago I visited one of the most famous palaces in the world. If you guessed Buckingham Palace, home of Queen Elizabeth II, you are absolutely correct. This was my second visit to Buckingham Palace. Last year I took the standard day tour with audio guide. This year,
- [SANDRA WAGNER-WRIGHT'S BLOG - WRITER, HISTORIAN, TRAVELLER](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sandra-wagner-wrights-blog-writer-historian-traveller/) - Aloha. Thank you for spending a few minutes with my blog. I am not just being polite. Your time is valuable, and you are sharing it with me. When I began thinking about this blog, I did some research. According to En.wordpress.com/stats, there are over 55 million blog sites at wordpress.com alone. Wordpress reports 500,000
- [WAS JESUS MARRIED?](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/was-jesus-married/) - As a writer and an historian, I’m always interested in the way history can be squeezed into unusual and compelling stories. For example, in 2003 author Dan Brown released a mystery-thriller called The DaVinci Code. [Sidebar: Dan Brown has a pretty cool website for a writer. Check it out at www.danbrown.com] Not only did The

## Pages

- [Home](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/) - “Sandra Wagner-Wright is an excellent storyteller with a natural flair for historical accuracy & powerful character development.” Seattle Book Review Sandra Wagner-Wright holds the doctoral degree in history and taught women’s, global, and American history at the University of Hawai`i before transitioning into writing historical fiction. A stickler for historical accuracy, Sandra immerses herself in
- [All Books](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/all-books/) - Salem Stories Series First Place Winner, Chanticleer 2024 Series Book Awards Click on a novel cover to learn more “. . . These meticulously researched novels explore how personal ambition and family loyalty shape the founding of American maritime commerce, told through the perspectives of both powerful patriarchs and the strong women who guide them
- [Privacy Policy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/privacy-policy/) - At Sandra Wagner-Wright, privacy matters. This website is designed to share information about my books, blog articles, and related content while collecting as little personal information as possible. Information Collected This website may collect limited personal information in the following ways: Comments on Blog Posts If a visitor leaves a comment on a blog post,
- [The Life & Times of Sarah Good, Accused Witch](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/the-life-times-of-sarah-good/) - In 1672, two young women share a similar social position. Their parents are financially comfortable, their homes secure. But life works out differently for Sarah Solart Poole Good and Ann Carr Putnam. Sarah suffers increasing financial hardship before falling into vagrancy and madness. Ann marries the son of the richest man in Salem Village and
- [Book Club Questions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club-questions-life-times/) - What is your first impression of Sarah Solart? Describe her personality. Describe Putnam family dynamics. What is your first impression of Salem Village? Does the village change much between 1672 and 1692? Do you think the selection process appointing Reverend Bayley minister for the Salem Village church was fair? What was your first impression of
- [Book Club](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club/) - MY BOOK CLUB PAGES Click the cover to access each book’s book club questions. Salem Stories Series Women of Determination & Courage Series
- [Rama's Labyrinth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ramas-labyrinth/) - Born in British India to an itinerant Sanskrit scholar, Rama defied social boundaries to recite the sacred legends. Eventually, she appeared before a panel of experts in British Calcutta, earned the title Pandita, and became a public lecturer until she married. As a widow, Rama returned to her profession before traveling to England for further
- [Two Coins](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/two-coins/) - In late 19th century British Calcutta, Mary Pigot became Lady Superintendent of the Scottish Female Mission with a commitment to the students and staff under her supervision. Sometimes she overstepped her place within the Scottish Mission. Occasionally she lost her temper. Gossip said Mary spent too much time with a married male missionary. Rumors said
- [Ambition, Arrogance and Pride](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/ambition-arrogance-and-pride/) - Three Weddings — Two Rival Families Richard Derby, a young man of modest prospects, made his living at sea until he retired to establish a merchant house. With one exception, his sons followed in his footsteps. Hasket Derby remained in Salem learning the business. Richard’s daughter Mary married George Crowninshield; his son Hasket married George’s
- [Sea Tigers & Merchants](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/sea-tigers-merchants/) - In 1790 the United States has a new Constitution. George Washington presides as the first elected president. Abroad, France and Britain are at war. And by 1795, seafaring Americans are accosted on the high seas by French privateers and British naval ships Tensions rise as American merchants continue to trade. Among them, Hasket Derby and
- [Saxon Heroines](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/saxon-heroines/) - Seventh century Northumbria, the damp kingdom north of the River Humber, is a land dominated by ambitious kings and conflicting gods struggling for dominance. Four royal women using their wits and charm guide the warring kingdoms into the new Christian age. Queen Ethelberga encourages Edwin of Northumbria to convert to Christianity. Abbess Hild becomes the
- [A Few Words About Me](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/about/) - Interviews: Historical Novel Society, 2025; All Author, 2023; Historical Novel Society, 2023; Book Life, 2023; Kirkus Reviews, 2022 Sandra's Thoughts Have you been on a job interview and heard the dreaded words, "Tell us a little about yourself." And you wonder to yourself, should I mention I was six years old when I got my
- [Upcoming books in the Salem Stories Series](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/coming-soon/) - Salem Stories: Book 3 Family Ties Still Bind In 1799 both Elias Hasket Derby and his wife die, and their company fails soon after. Meanwhile, the Crowninshield family rises in business and politics. The situation changes in 1807 when Jacob Crowninshield dies from tuberculosis. Brother Benjamin takes his place in politics and serves as Secretary
- [Book Club Questions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club-questions-rama/) - Characterize the members of Rama’s family. What do Anant Shastri, Laxmibai, Shrinivas, and Krishna want? What keeps them from achieving their desires? What is a woman’s position in the family? Does she have any control over her life? What does it mean when Anant Shastri names Rama as a scholar? How do Rama and her
- [Book Club Questions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club-questions-two-coins/) - Who were your favorite characters? Why? What was the Church of Scotland mission in Calcutta like before Reverend Hastie arrived in 1879? Were relations between the College and the Female Mission cordial? Why did William Hastie accept a call to Calcutta? What did he hope to accomplish? Did you like William Hastie? Was he a
- [Book Club Questions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club-questions-saxon/) - Who were your favorite characters? Why? What did you think about Queen Ethelburga? How much control did she have over her own life? What did you think of Bishop Paulinus? How much influence did he have on King Edwin’s decision to convert? King Edwin made a huge decision when he converted to the Christian church.
- [Book Club Questions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club-questions-sea-tigers/) - What was your first impression of Lizzie Rowell? Did your opinion of her change over the course of the book? Does she make good decisions? The Derby and Crowninshield families are closely related through marriage, yet they function as business and political rivals. What were their family dynamics? What type of future does Captain Geroge
- [Nonfiction Books & Articles](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/nonfiction-books/) - Ships, Furs, and Sandalwood: A Yankee Trader in Hawai’i, 1823-1825 Charles H. Hammatt arrived in Honolulu in 1823 anxious to do business, not to save souls. Young, confident, and ambitious, Hammatt had been entrusted by a mercantile firm in Boston with the delicate task of negotiating trade agreements with Hawaiian royalty to secure sandalwood for
- [Book Club Questions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/book-club-questions-ambition/) - Who were your favorite characters? Why? How much autonomy did middling-class women have in the eighteenth century? To what extent could they control their own destiny? How much choice did middling-class women have in selecting their husbands? Did men have the same restrictions regarding their choice of wife? What role did fashion play in restricting
- [Home](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/home/) - “Sandra Wagner-Wright is an excellent storyteller with a natural flair for historical accuracy & powerful character development.” Seattle Book Review Sandra Wagner-Wright holds the doctoral degree in history and taught women’s, global, and American history at the University of Hawai`i before transitioning into writing historical fiction. A stickler for historical accuracy, Sandra immerses herself in
- [](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/home-page/) - Ambition, Arrogance & Pride Finalist: 2023 Goethe Prize for Late Historical Fiction View Book Sample | Hear Audiobook SampleAmbition, Arrogance & Pride: Families & Rivals in 18th Century SalemRichard Derby, a young man of modest prospects, made his living at sea until he retired to establish a merchant house. With one exception, his sons followed in his
- [Reviews of Sea Tigers & Merchants: A New American Generation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/reviews-of-sea-tigers-merchants-a-new-american-generation/) - Sandra Wagner-Wright’s meticulous research is the first thing that leaps out at you from this vibrant novel, bringing historical figures and events to life with rich authenticity, strong attitudes, exemplary dialogue touches, and cinematically good descriptions.”
- [Reviews of Ambition, Arrogance & Pride: Families & Rivals in 18th Century Salem](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/reviews-of-ambition-arrogance-pride-families-rivals-in-18th-century-salem/) - “Sandra Wagner-Wright is an excellent storyteller with a natural flair for historical accuracy and powerful character development.” – SEATTLE BOOK REVIEW “If you love Jane Austin, you will love Sandra Wagner-Wright”– READER’S FAVORITE “Wagner-Wright’s prose is both engaging and descriptive, and her attention to detail and passion for the families’ history shines through with every word.”– THE BOOKLIFE PRIZE “Wagner-Wright breathes
- [Photo Gallery: Rama’s Labrynth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/photo-gallery-ramas-labyrinth/) - SANDRA'S BOOKS: Ambition, Arrogance & Pride; Saxon Heroines; Two Coins; Rama's Labyrinth
- [Photo Gallery: Two Coins](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/photo-gallery/) - SANDRA'S BOOKS: Ambition, Arrogance & Pride; Saxon Heroines; Two Coins; Rama's Labyrinth
- [Presentations](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/presentations/) - Oxford Round Tables 2011 “Common Denominators in Successful Female Statecraft:The Political Legacies of Queen Elizabeth I, Margaret Thatcher, & Indira Gandhi.”Oxford Round Table. Traits of Women in Power: A View from History.Harris Manchester College. Oxford University. July-August 2011. 2010 “Shattering the Glass Ceiling: The Career Trajectories of Carly Fiorina & Indra Nooyi.”Oxford Round Table. Women
- [Publications](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/publications-2/) - Articles in Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table “Birth, Marriage, Honor & Poverty: Ramifications of Traditional Hindu Culture & Custom on Modern Indian Women.” “Looking Through Shattered Glass: The Career Trajectories of Carly Fiorina and Indra Nooyi.” Forum on Public Policy, Vol. 2010, No. 4/5 (December 2010). Abstract: In 2005,
- [Reviews of Saxon Heroines: A Northumbrian Novel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/reviews-of-saxon-heroines-a-northumbrian-novel/) - “…dramatically gripping novel…A captivating account of the lives of extraordinary women in perilous times.” — Kirkus "[A] fascinating story of upheaval in early Britain . . . Historical fiction readers will be absorbed by this intricate tale of memorable Northumbrian women fighting for change." -- BookLife “Old gods fall as Christianity rises across northern Europe with
- [Reviews of Two Coins](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/projects/) - View Book Sample | Hear Audiobook SampleTwo Coins: A Biographical NovelThe Great Scandal of British CalcuttaIt's 1883, and newspapers are flying off the shelves in Calcutta, Edinburgh and London. Mary Pigot, lady superintendent of the Scottish Female Mission in Calcutta, has been charged by The Reverend William Hastie with mismanagement and immorality, and she's fighting back! Also
- [Photo Gallery: Saxon Heroines](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/photo-gallery-saxon-heroines/) - SANDRA'S BOOKS: Ambition, Arrogance & Pride; Saxon Heroines; Two Coins; Rama's Labyrinth
- [Audiobooks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/audiobooks/) - Review of "Ambition, Arrogance & Pride" Wagner-Wright's fluid prose lends itself to being read aloud, and listeners will be wholly transported by this tale of early Americana. -- Chanticleer Reviews View Book Sample | Hear Audiobook SampleAmbition, Arrogance & Pride: Families & Rivals in 18th Century Salem (Audiobook)Three Weddings — Two Rival Families Richard Derby, a young
- [Books](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/) - View Book Sample Two Coins: A Biographical Novel The Great Scandal of British Calcutta It’s 1883, and newspapers are flying off the shelves in Calcutta, Edinburgh and London. Mary Pigot, lady superintendent of the Scottish Female Mission in Calcutta, has been charged by The Reverend William Hastie with mismanagement and immorality, and she’s fighting back!
- [Contact](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/contact/) - Name Email Message Send
- [A Missionary Detour: Heaven by Way of the Big Island](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/presentations/a-missionary-detour-heaven-by-way-of-the-big-island/) - View Slideshow | View/Download PDF PDF
- [Common Denominators in Successful Female Statecraft: The Political Legacies of Queen Elizabeth I, Margaret Thatcher, & Indira Gandhi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/presentations/common-denominators-in-successful-female-statecraft-the-political-legacies-of-queen-elizabeth-i-margaret-thatcher-indira-gandhi/) - View Slideshow | View/Download PDF PDF
- [“Looking Through Shattered Glass: The Career Trajectories of Carly Fiorina and Indra Nooyi.”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/articles-in-forum-on-public-policy-a-journal-of-the-oxford-round-table/) - Forum on Public Policy, Vol. 2010, No. 4/5 (December 2010). Abstract: In 2005, Fortune Magazine published "How Corporate America is Betraying Women." The article‘s focus was that although sex discrimination in the United States became illegal in 1965, women continued to experience significant salary and promotion differentials in corporate America. A more common phrase for
- [“When Unity is Torn Asunder: The Distressing Case of Thomas & Lucia Holman.”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/articles-published-elsewhere-2/articles-published-elsewhere/) - Pacific Studies 15.2 (1992) 39-60 Abstract: Missionaries pose problems from a historical, social, and even religious perspective. They are the ground troops in a multifaceted war for souls. They carry the banner of a particular type of European or American culture, a conviction that their interpretation of God and the millennium is the only correct
- [Common Denominators in Successful Female Statecraft: The Political Legacies of Queen Elizabeth I, Indira Gandhi, and Margaret Thatcher](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/common-denominators-in-successful-female-statecraft-the-political-legacies-of-queen-elizabeth-i-indira-gandhi-and-margaret-thatcher/) - Common Denominators in Successful Female Statecraft: The Political Legacies of Queen Elizabeth I, Indira Gandhi, and Margaret Thatcher Forum on Public Policy, Vol 2012, no 1 Standard literature on female leadership styles posits that successful women deny their inherent feminine characteristics in favor of masculine attributes. Sara Louise Muir (2011) counters this view, asserting that
- [Book Reviews](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/invited-book-reviews/) - Hawaiian Music in Motion: Mariners, Missionaries, and MinstrelsBy James Revell CarrWestern Historical Quarterly. Winter 2015 Missionaries in Hawai‘i: the Lives of Peter and Fanny Gulick, 1797-1883.By Clifford PutneyThe New England Quarterly. March 2011 Possessing the Pacific: Land, Settlers, and Indigenous People from Australia to Alaska.By Stuart BannerThe Historian. 72:1. 243-244. Spring 2010 Honolulu: the First
- [Reviews for Two Coins](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/projects/reviews-for-two-coins/) - WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT TWO COINS Kirkus Starred Review "... when the trial starts, its momentum resembles that of a competitive sporting event. Wagner-Wright's extensive research allows her to stay remarkably true to history, while her creativity brings an outstanding story of courage and fortitude to life." —Kirkus Reviews 5 Stars "A
- [“Effect of World War I on the German Community in Hawaii.”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/articles-published-elsewhere-2/effect-of-world-war-i-on-the-german-community-in-hawaii-article/) - Hawaiian Journal of History 14 (1980) 109-140 Abstract: In his introduction to Kamaaina—A Century in Hawaii, William A. Simonds states that the founders of American Factors were "European," but immediately assures the reader that "today the business is 100% American." The founders of American Factors were, in fact, German, a point which he later acknowledged.
- [“Mission & Motivation: The Theology of the Early American Mission in Hawaii.”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/articles-published-elsewhere-2/mission-motivation-the-theology-of-the-early-american-mission-in-hawaii-article/) - Hawaiian Journal of History 19 (1985) 62-70 Abstract: On March 30, 1820 the Pioneer Company of missionaries to the Sandwich Islands arrived at Kawaihae on the Big Island of Hawai'i. The company included two missionaries, twelve assistant missionaries, five children, and three Hawaiian helpers. The assistant missionaries included a doctor, a farmer, a printer, two
- [“Birth, Marriage, Honor & Poverty: Ramifications of Traditional Hindu Culture & Custom on Modern Indian Women.”](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/birth-marriage-honor-poverty-ramifications-of-traditional-hindu-culture-custom-on-modern-indian-women-article/) - Forum on Public Policy, Summer 2007 Abstract: This paper focuses on two extreme practices of violence against women that occur most commonly in northern India: son preference and dowry-related deaths. Both practices occur in the private, domestic realm and are based on customary indigenous practices allegedly built upon Hindu religious teaching. Son preference and dowry-
- [Articles Published Elsewhere](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/articles-published-elsewhere-2/)

## Books

- [Sea Tigers & Merchants: A New American Generation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/sea-tigers-merchants-a-new-american-generation/) - In 1790 the United States has a new Constitution. George Washington presides as the first elected president. Abroad, France and Britain are at war. And by 1795, seafaring Americans are accosted on the high seas by French privateers and British naval ships Tensions rise as American merchants continue to trade. Among them, Hasket Derby and
- [Ambition, Arrogance & Pride: Families & Rivals in 18th Century Salem](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/ambition-arrogance-pride-families-rivals-in-18th-century-salem/) - Three Weddings — Two Rival Families Richard Derby, a young man of modest prospects, made his living at sea until he retired to establish a merchant house. With one exception, his sons followed in his footsteps. Hasket Derby remained in Salem learning the business. Richard’s daughter Mary married George Crowninshield; his son Hasket married George’s
- [Rama's Labyrinth: A Biographical Novel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/ramas-labyrinth-a-biographical-novel/) - Educated and inquisitive, Pandita Ramabai was born in 1858 near Gangamul in the Western Ghat mountains of southern India. The daughter of a Sanskrit scholar, she rose to become a respected scholar herself, in a time when women rarely held such positions. But having lost nearly everyone she loved to famine or cholera, Rama spent
- [Two Coins: A Biographical Novel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/two-coins-a-biographical-novel/) - After ten years of hard work growing the mission, raising funds and educating women, Mary's career is now in ruins. With nothing to lose, she takes her case to the Calcutta High Court and sues Hastie for malicious libel. A woman publicly suing a man! It's just the type of scandal that sells lots of
- [Ambition, Arrogance & Pride: Families & Rivals in 18th Century Salem (Audiobook)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/ambition-arrogance-pride-families-rivals-in-18th-century-salem-audiobook/) - Three Weddings — Two Rival Families Richard Derby, a young man of modest prospects, made his living at sea until he retired to establish a merchant house. With one exception, his sons followed in his footsteps. Hasket Derby remained in Salem learning the business. Richard’s daughter Mary married George Crowninshield; his son Hasket married George’s
- [Saxon Heroines: A Northumbrian Novel (audiobook)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/saxon-heroines-a-northumbrian-novel-audiobook/) - Seventh century England is a hodgepodge of warring Anglo-Saxon states filled with shifting alliances and treacherous grabs for royal power. Kings rise and fall, depending on Woden's Luck. Northumbrian, the damp kingdom north of the river Humber, is a state riven with rivalries and kings determined to expand at any cost. Women have no obvious
- [Rama's Labyrinth (audiobook)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/ramas-labyrinth-audiobook/) - Educated and inquisitive, Pandita Ramabai was born in 1858 near Gangamul in the Western Ghat mountains of southern India. The daughter of a Sanskrit scholar, she rose to become a respected scholar herself, in a time when women rarely held such positions. But having lost nearly everyone she loved to famine or cholera, Rama spent
- [Saxon Heroines: A Northumbrian Novel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/saxon-heroines-a-northumbrian-novel/) - Seventh century England is a hodgepodge of warring Anglo-Saxon states filled with shifting alliances and treacherous grabs for royal power. Kings rise and fall, depending on Woden's Luck. Northumbrian, the damp kingdom north of the river Humber, is a state riven with rivalries and kings determined to expand at any cost. Women have no obvious
- [Two Coins (Audiobook)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/two-coins-audiobook/) - It’s 1883, and newspapers are flying off the shelves in Calcutta, Edinburgh and London. Mary Pigot, lady superintendent of the Scottish Female Mission in Calcutta, has been charged by The Reverend William Hastie with mismanagement and immorality, and she’s fighting back!
- [The Structure of the Missionary Call to the Sandwich Islands 1790-1830: Sojourners Among Strangers (Distinguished Dissertations Series)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/the-structure-of-the-missionary-call-to-the-sandwich-islands-1790-1830-sojourners-among-strangers-distinguished-dissertations-series/)
- [Ships, Furs, and Sandalwood: A Yankee Trader in Hawai'i, 1823-1825](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/ships-furs-and-sandalwood-a-yankee-trader-in-hawaii-1823-1825/) - "We have no fears of your falling into any of the vices you will find at the Islands," his employers wrote in their detailed instructions, "but it may be well to reflect on them, to be better prepared to reside in a Society where indolence, intemperance, debauchery, and gambling are so fashionable." Hammatt remained in
- [For beer and the Bible : one hundred years at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1900-2000](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/for-beer-and-the-bible-one-hundred-years-at-the-lutheran-church-of-honolulu-1900-2000/)
- [History of the Macadamia Nut Industry in Hawaii, 1881-1981: From Bush Nut to Gourmet's Delight](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/books/history-of-the-macadamia-nut-industry-in-hawaii-1881-1981-from-bush-nut-to-gourmets-delight/)

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- [Shrove Tuesday](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/shrove-tuesday/)
- [Ash Wednesday](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ash-wednesday/)
- [Valentine’s Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/valentines-day/)
- [Cupid](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cupid/)
- [Vasant Panchami](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/vasant-panchami/)
- [Sarasvati](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sarasvati/)
- [George Washington](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/george-washington/)
- [Abraham Lincoln](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/abraham-lincoln/)
- [Presidents’ Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/presidents-day/)
- [Yamuna River](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/yamuna-river/)
- [Purna Yoga](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/purna-yoga/)
- [Aadil Palkhivala](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aadil-palkhivala/)
- [Manago Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/manago-hotel/)
- [Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hawaii-volcanoes-national-park/)
- [goddess Pele](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goddess-pele/)
- [Kīlauea Summit](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kilauea-summit/)
- [Legend of `Ōhi`a and Lehua](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/legend-of-ohia-and-lehua/)
- [‘ōhia lehua tree](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ohia-lehua-tree/)
- [Hawaiian History](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hawaiian-history/)
- [Kona Coast](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kona-coast/)
- [Captain Cook](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/captain-cook/)
- [Kailua-Kona](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kailua-kona/)
- [Keauhou](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/keauhou/)
- [Dwight Manago](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dwight-manago/)
- [Cheryl Manago](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cheryl-manago/)
- [Kinzo Manago](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kinzo-manago/)
- [Osame Manago](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/osame-manago/)
- [picture brides](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/picture-brides/)
- [Harold Manago](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/harold-manago/)
- [Pearl Harbor](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pearl-harbor/)
- [442nd Regimental Combat Unit](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/442nd-regimental-combat-unit/)
- [Big Island](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/big-island/)
- [Easter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/easter/)
- [Ostara](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ostara/)
- [Spring](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/spring/)
- [eggs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/eggs/)
- [Christ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/christ/)
- [Resurrection](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/resurrection/)
- [Faberge Eggs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/faberge-eggs/)
- [Edward I](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/edward-i/)
- [Alexander III](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alexander-iii/)
- [Peter Carl Faberge](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/peter-carl-faberge/)
- [MFC](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mfc/)
- [Multi-Function Center](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/multi-function-center/)
- [magic](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/magic/)
- [installing MFC](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/installing-mfc/)
- [Margaret Thatcher](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/margaret-thatcher/)
- [Iron Lady](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/iron-lady/)
- [Falkland Islands War](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/falkland-islands-war/)
- [Common Langur Monkey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/common-langur-monkey/)
- [monkeys](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/monkeys/)
- [Baghvan](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/baghvan/)
- [Taj Safari Lodge](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/taj-safari-lodge/)
- [Taj](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/taj/)
- [Pench National Park](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pench-national-park/)
- [Project Tiger](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/project-tiger/)
- [Hanuman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hanuman/)
- [gong](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gong/)
- [ice bucket](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ice-bucket/)
- [Aurangabad](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aurangabad/)
- [Maharashtra](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/maharashtra/)
- [Ajanta Caves](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ajanta-caves/)
- [Buddhism](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/buddhism/)
- [Hinayana Buddhism](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hinayana-buddhism/)
- [Mahayana Buddhism](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mahayana-buddhism/)
- [Ellora Caves](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ellora-caves/)
- [Jainism](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jainism/)
- [Hinduism](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hinduism/)
- [Kailasa Temple](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kailasa-temple/)
- [Waikīkī Beach](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/waikiki-beach/)
- [War Memorial Natorium](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/war-memorial-natorium/)
- [Halekulani Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/halekulani-hotel/)
- [Royal Hawaiian Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/royal-hawaiian-hotel/)
- [Moana Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/moana-hotel/)
- [Moana Surfrider Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/moana-surfrider-hotel/)
- [Hale Koa Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hale-koa-hotel/)
- [Fred Van Dyke](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fred-van-dyke/)
- [Makua and Kila](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/makua-and-kila/)
- [Hillary Clinton](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hillary-clinton/)
- [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/irene-rosenfeld/)
- [Ursula M. Burns](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ursula-m-burns/)
- [Nancy Pelosi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nancy-pelosi/)
- [“glass ceiling](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/glass-ceiling/)
- [” Alison Wolf](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alison-wolf/)
- [Sheryl Sandburg](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sheryl-sandburg/)
- [Sarah Louise Muir](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sarah-louise-muir/)
- [“XX Factor](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/xx-factor/)
- [Canada](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/canada/)
- [Canadian Rockies](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/canadian-rockies/)
- [Canada Rail Vacations](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/canada-rail-vacations/)
- [Matthew Wright](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/matthew-wright/)
- [Lynn Kelley](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lynn-kelley/)
- [Mr. Clean](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mr-clean/)
- [Ajax](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ajax/)
- [Hilo Lagoon Center](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilo-lagoon-center/)
- [koi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/koi/)
- [guppies](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/guppies/)
- [water features](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/water-features/)
- [pond fish](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pond-fish/)
- [Fish Liberation Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fish-liberation-day/)
- [Olympic Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/olympic-hotel/)
- [Fairmont Olympic Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fairmont-olympic-hotel/)
- [University of Washington](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/university-of-washington/)
- [Seattle Duck Tour](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seattle-duck-tour/)
- [Seattle Space Needle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seattle-space-needle/)
- [Pike Place Market](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pike-place-market/)
- [Pike Place Fish Market](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pike-place-fish-market/)
- [Seattle Monorail](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seattle-monorail/)
- [Sky City Restaurant](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sky-city-restaurant/)
- [Douglas MacArthur](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/douglas-macarthur/)
- [World War II](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/world-war-ii/)
- [Korean Conflict](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/korean-conflict/)
- [war](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/war/)
- [William Manchester](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/william-manchester/)
- [American Caesar](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/american-caesar/)
- [Philippines](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/philippines/)
- [West Point](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/west-point/)
- [United Nations](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/united-nations/)
- [USS Missouri](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/uss-missouri/)
- [Studs Terkel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/studs-terkel/)
- [The Good War](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/the-good-war/)
- [cats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cats-2/)
- [geriatric cats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/geriatric-cats/)
- [Humane Society](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/humane-society/)
- [Volcano Village HI](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-village-hi/)
- [Kilauea Volcano](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kilauea-volcano/)
- [Rain Forest Run](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rain-forest-run/)
- [Volcano Art Center](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-art-center/)
- [Volcano Winery](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-winery/)
- [Rotary Club of Hilo Bay](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rotary-club-of-hilo-bay/)
- [Rotary International](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rotary-international/)
- [Halema`uma`u Crater](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/halemaumau-crater/)
- [Mauna Loa](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mauna-loa/)
- [Nile River](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nile-river/)
- [Current Events in Egypt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/current-events-in-egypt/)
- [souvenirs.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/souvenirs/)
- [Egypt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/egypt/)
- [Alabaster Pots](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alabaster-pots/)
- [Bile Beans](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bile-beans/)
- [patent medicine](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/patent-medicine/)
- [York UK](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/york-uk/)
- [St. John’s University](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-johns-university/)
- [York Civic Trust](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/york-civic-trust/)
- [Sloan’s Liniment](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sloans-liniment/)
- [aloin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aloin/)
- [FDA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fda/)
- [Vick’s Vapour Rub](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/vicks-vapour-rub/)
- [Walker’s Foot Powder](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/walkers-foot-powder/)
- [Lord Mayor’s Walk-York](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lord-mayors-walk-york/)
- [Agra](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/agra/)
- [Agra-India](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/agra-india/)
- [Traffic-India](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/traffic-india/)
- [travel checks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/travel-checks/)
- [Sand](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sand/)
- [goats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goats/)
- [Lord Ganesha](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lord-ganesha/)
- [Lord Shiiva](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lord-shiiva/)
- [Ganeshchaturthi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ganeshchaturthi/)
- [Delhi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/delhi/)
- [Taj Palace Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/taj-palace-hotel/)
- [British Airways](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/british-airways/)
- [P. D. James](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/p-d-james/)
- [A Mind to Murder](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/a-mind-to-murder/)
- [Adam Dalgliesh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/adam-dalgliesh/)
- [Connie Willis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/connie-willis/)
- [Doomsday Book](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/doomsday-book/)
- [Ann Eliza Young](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ann-eliza-young/)
- [19th Wife](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/19th-wife/)
- [David Ebershoff](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/david-ebershoff/)
- [Dorothea Benton Frank](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dorothea-benton-frank/)
- [Last Original Wife](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/last-original-wife/)
- [Jim Williams](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jim-williams/)
- [Savannah](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/savannah/)
- [Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/midnight-in-the-garden-of-good-evil/)
- [John Berendt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-berendt/)
- [Oscar Wilde](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/oscar-wilde/)
- [Shopping in Agra](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/shopping-in-agra/)
- [Easyday](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/easyday/)
- [Bharti Enterprises](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bharti-enterprises/)
- [Wal-Mart](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wal-mart/)
- [MacDonald’s](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/macdonalds/)
- [Ronald MacDonald](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ronald-macdonald/)
- [Masala Grill Sandwich](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/masala-grill-sandwich/)
- [slide shows](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/slide-shows/)
- [goblins](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goblins/)
- [James Whitcomb Riley](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/james-whitcomb-riley/)
- [Little Orphant Annie](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/little-orphant-annie/)
- [Linda Collison](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/linda-collison/)
- [Looking for Redfeather](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/looking-for-redfeather/)
- [NaNoWriMo](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nanowrimo/)
- [National Novel Writing Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-novel-writing-month/)
- [J.K. Rowling](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/j-k-rowling/)
- [Maui](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/maui/)
- [Lumeria](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lumeria/)
- [Savitri](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/savitri/)
- [Alive and Shine Centers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alive-and-shine-centers/)
- [Carmen Sandiego](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/carmen-sandiego/)
- [domestic turkey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/domestic-turkey/)
- [wild turkey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wild-turkey/)
- [Jamestown](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jamestown/)
- [Plymouth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/plymouth/)
- [Benjamin Franklin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/benjamin-franklin/)
- [John James Audubon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-james-audubon/)
- [Turkeys](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/turkeys/)
- [Christmas Trees](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/christmas-trees/)
- [O Tannenbaum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/o-tannenbaum/)
- [O Christmas Tree](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/o-christmas-tree/)
- [Christmas carols](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/christmas-carols/)
- [Mark Lowry](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mark-lowry/)
- [Buddy Green](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/buddy-green/)
- [Mary Mattea](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mary-mattea/)
- [Joseph Martin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/joseph-martin/)
- [Appalachian Winter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/appalachian-winter/)
- [Jingle Bells](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jingle-bells/)
- [Mary Did you Know](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mary-did-you-know/)
- [holiday cards](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/holiday-cards/)
- [Christmas cards](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/christmas-cards/)
- [Mele Kalikimaka](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mele-kalikimaka/)
- [Uncle Sam](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/uncle-sam/)
- [Santa](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/santa/)
- [USPS](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/usps/)
- [Victorian Cards](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/victorian-cards/)
- [Commencement](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/commencement/)
- [December](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/december/)
- [New Year's Eve](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/new-years-eve/)
- [New Year's Resolutions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/new-years-resolutions/)
- [firecrackers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/firecrackers/)
- [New Year's Resolutions; resolutions; revolutions; Krueger National Park; Sandra Wagner-Wright; South Africa; Kailua-Kona; lion; rhinoceros](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/new-years-resolutions-resolutions-revolutions-krueger-national-park-sandra-wagner-wright-south-africa-kailua-kona-lion-rhinoceros/)
- [Robin Williams](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/robin-williams/)
- [Bill Irwin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bill-irwin/)
- [Monty Python](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/monty-python/)
- [Life of Brian](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/life-of-brian/)
- [Look on the Bright Side of Life](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/look-on-the-bright-side-of-life/)
- [Martin Seligman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/martin-seligman/)
- [Positive Psychology](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/positive-psychology/)
- [Jane Austin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jane-austin/)
- [Declaration of Independence](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/declaration-of-independence/)
- [Kate Bratskeir](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kate-bratskeir/)
- [authentic happiness](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/authentic-happiness/)
- [Don’t Worry Be Happy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dont-worry-be-happy/)
- [Year of the Horse](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/year-of-the-horse/)
- [Roxanne Webber](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/roxanne-webber/)
- [Susan Levitt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/susan-levitt/)
- [Food for Chinese New Year](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/food-for-chinese-new-year/)
- [microwave oven](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/microwave-oven/)
- [slow cooker](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/slow-cooker/)
- [crock pot](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/crock-pot/)
- [wood-burning stove](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wood-burning-stove/)
- [Vincent van Gogh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/vincent-van-gogh/)
- [Percy Spencer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/percy-spencer/)
- [Benjamin Thompson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/benjamin-thompson/)
- [Ratheon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ratheon/)
- [Radarange](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/radarange/)
- [Corning Ware](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/corning-ware/)
- [Irving Naxon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/irving-naxon/)
- [Naxon Utilities Corp.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/naxon-utilities-corp/)
- [Rival Company](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rival-company/)
- [Naxon Beanery All-Purpose Cooker](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/naxon-beanery-all-purpose-cooker/)
- [Amana](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/amana/)
- [Pandita Ramabai](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pandita-ramabai/)
- [Goddess Ganga](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goddess-ganga/)
- [King Shantanu](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/king-shantanu/)
- [Vasishtha](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/vasishtha/)
- [Astavasus Brothers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/astavasus-brothers/)
- [Kisho Bhattacharjee](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kisho-bhattacharjee/)
- [Ganga Aarti](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ganga-aarti/)
- [Varanasi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/varanasi/)
- [Cassandra Cabaong](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cassandra-cabaong/)
- [Super Bowl XLVIII](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/super-bowl-xlviii/)
- [Seattle Seahawks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seattle-seahawks/)
- [Denver Broncos](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/denver-broncos/)
- [Bucket List](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bucket-list/)
- [MetLife Field](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/metlife-field/)
- [Bruno Mars](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bruno-mars/)
- [Peyton Manning](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/peyton-manning/)
- [Qwest Field](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/qwest-field/)
- [Jane Austen](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jane-austen/)
- [excuses](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/excuses/)
- [sore throat](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sore-throat/)
- [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/anne-morrow-lindbergh/)
- [roses](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/roses/)
- [Aphrodite](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aphrodite/)
- [Steven Wright](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/steven-wright/)
- [writing process](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/writing-process/)
- [Hindi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hindi/)
- [Rosetta Stone](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rosetta-stone/)
- [Latin language](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/latin-language/)
- [German language](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/german-language/)
- [dementia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dementia/)
- [glitter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/glitter/)
- [St. Patrick’s Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-patricks-day/)
- [green beer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/green-beer/)
- [hats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hats/)
- [National Craft Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-craft-month/)
- [Cactus League](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cactus-league/)
- [Camelback Ranch Baseball](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/camelback-ranch-baseball/)
- [Goodyear Ball Park](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goodyear-ball-park/)
- [Peoria Sports Complex](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/peoria-sports-complex/)
- [Seattle Mariners](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seattle-mariners/)
- [Cincinnati Reds](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cincinnati-reds/)
- [Cleveland Indians](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cleveland-indians/)
- [Los Angeles Dodgers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/los-angeles-dodgers/)
- [San Diego Padres](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/san-diego-padres/)
- [Chicago White Sox](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/chicago-white-sox/)
- [Sonoran Desert](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sonoran-desert/)
- [Phoenix AZ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/phoenix-az/)
- [baseball](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/baseball/)
- [Baseball Spring Training](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/baseball-spring-training/)
- [Grand Canyon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/grand-canyon/)
- [Flagstaff AZ](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/flagstaff-az/)
- [MacBook Air](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/macbook-air/)
- [Apple Tech Support](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/apple-tech-support/)
- [fairy tales](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fairy-tales/)
- [Rapunzel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rapunzel/)
- [middle ages](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/middle-ages/)
- [personality types](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/personality-types/)
- [Jennifer Simmons](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jennifer-simmons/)
- [Greg Summers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/greg-summers/)
- [Take our Daughters & Sons to work Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/take-our-daughters-sons-to-work-day/)
- [Administrative Professionals Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/administrative-professionals-day/)
- [National Garlic Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-garlic-day/)
- [Tax Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tax-day/)
- [National Stress Awareness Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-stress-awareness-day/)
- [National Cheeseball Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-cheeseball-day/)
- [Barbershop Quartet Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/barbershop-quartet-day/)
- [Draw a Bird Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/draw-a-bird-day/)
- [No Housework Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/no-housework-day/)
- [Darcy Pattison](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/darcy-pattison/)
- [Dorie Cooper](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dorie-cooper/)
- [Sarah Winchester](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sarah-winchester/)
- [Winchester Mystery House](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/winchester-mystery-house/)
- [Oliver Winchester](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/oliver-winchester/)
- [Henry rifle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/henry-rifle/)
- [Winchester Repeating Rifle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/winchester-repeating-rifle/)
- [William Wirt Winchester](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/william-wirt-winchester/)
- [B. Tyler Henry](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/b-tyler-henry/)
- [Winchester Repeating Arms Company](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/winchester-repeating-arms-company/)
- [San Jose CA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/san-jose-ca/)
- [stinging nettles. Stinging Nettle Soup](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/stinging-nettles-stinging-nettle-soup/)
- [spinach](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/spinach/)
- [St John Restaurant](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-john-restaurant/)
- [To-Do Lists](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/to-do-lists/)
- [Lists](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lists/)
- [Richard Branson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/richard-branson/)
- [Virgin Galactic](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/virgin-galactic/)
- [Linton Weeks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/linton-weeks/)
- [NPR](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/npr/)
- [Arthur Fry](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/arthur-fry/)
- [Post-It Notes](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/post-it-notes/)
- [Cinco de Mayo](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cinco-de-mayo/)
- [President George W. Bush](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/president-george-w-bush/)
- [President Benito Juarez](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/president-benito-juarez/)
- [Mother's Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mothers-day/)
- [Anna Jarvis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/anna-jarvis/)
- [Woodrow Wilson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/woodrow-wilson/)
- [Jame's Whistler](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/james-whistler/)
- [Whistler's Mother](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/whistlers-mother/)
- [Oprah Winfrey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/oprah-winfrey/)
- [Gerald Ford Jr.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gerald-ford-jr/)
- [Judith Sargent Murray](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/judith-sargent-murray/)
- [Sophia Loren](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sophia-loren/)
- [boys’ names](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/boys-names/)
- [girls’ names](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/girls-names/)
- [Judith](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/judith/)
- [Sophia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sophia/)
- [Prince William](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/prince-william/)
- [William the Conqueror](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/william-the-conqueror/)
- [Bruce Lansky](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bruce-lansky/)
- [vacation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/vacation/)
- [cruise ship](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cruise-ship/)
- [Alaska](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alaska/)
- [Holland America](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/holland-america/)
- [ms Amsterdam](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ms-amsterdam/)
- [Juneau](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/juneau/)
- [Tracy Arm](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tracy-arm/)
- [Ketchikan](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ketchikan/)
- [St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-nicholas-russian-orthodox-church/)
- [Joe Juneau](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/joe-juneau/)
- [Richard Harris](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/richard-harris/)
- [Tongass National Forest](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tongass-national-forest/)
- [Tracy Army-Fords Terror Wilderness](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tracy-army-fords-terror-wilderness/)
- [Sawyer’s Glaciers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sawyers-glaciers/)
- [George Inlet Lodge](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/george-inlet-lodge/)
- [Chief Kaawa.ée](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/chief-kaawa-ee/)
- [Anchorage](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/anchorage/)
- [Whittier](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/whittier/)
- [Klondike Express](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/klondike-express/)
- [26 Glaciers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/26-glaciers/)
- [Prince William Sound](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/prince-william-sound/)
- [Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/anton-anderson-memorial-tunnel/)
- [Tom Bodett](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tom-bodett/)
- [Homer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/homer/)
- [Seldovia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seldovia/)
- [Gull Island](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gull-island/)
- [Time Bandit](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/time-bandit/)
- [Kodiak](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kodiak/)
- [Hubbard Glacier](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hubbard-glacier/)
- [Sitka](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sitka/)
- [Allen Marine Tours](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/allen-marine-tours/)
- [Alaska Raptor Center](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alaska-raptor-center/)
- [Fortress of the Bear](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fortress-of-the-bear/)
- [Moku`aikaua Church](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mokuaikaua-church/)
- [missionaries](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/missionaries/)
- [Asa Thurston](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/asa-thurston/)
- [Lucy Thurston](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lucy-thurston/)
- [Hiram Bingham](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hiram-bingham/)
- [King Liholiho](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/king-liholiho/)
- [America’s Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/americas-eleven-most-endangered-historic-places/)
- [National Register of Historic Places](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-register-of-historic-places/)
- [National Trust form Historic Preservation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/national-trust-form-historic-preservation/)
- [Nani Mau Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nani-mau-gardens/)
- [Hilo HI](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilo-hi/)
- [Makato Nitahara](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/makato-nitahara/)
- [Pacific Northwest Writers' Conference](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pacific-northwest-writers-conference/)
- [Sandra Wager-Wright](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sandra-wager-wright/)
- [writers' conferences](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/writers-conferences/)
- [Darin Welker](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/darin-welker/)
- [therapy ducks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/therapy-ducks/)
- [Aflac Duck](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aflac-duck/)
- [Aflac Group Insurance](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aflac-group-insurance/)
- [therapy animals](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/therapy-animals/)
- [Hilo Orchid Society](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilo-orchid-society/)
- [Orchid Isle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/orchid-isle/)
- [Billy Kenoi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/billy-kenoi/)
- [orchids](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/orchids/)
- [Glaucoma](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/glaucoma/)
- [Laser Iridotomy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/laser-iridotomy/)
- [Hurricane Iselle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hurricane-iselle/)
- [Hurricane Dot](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hurricane-dot/)
- [Hurricane Julio](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hurricane-julio/)
- [Hurricane `Iwa](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hurricane-iwa/)
- [Hurricane `Iniki](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hurricane-iniki/)
- [Brian Schatz](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/brian-schatz/)
- [Colleen Hanabusa](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/colleen-hanabusa/)
- [Puna](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/puna/)
- [Hamakua Coast](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hamakua-coast/)
- [Hawai`i Primary Election](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hawaii-primary-election/)
- [Neil Abercrombie](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/neil-abercrombie/)
- [David Ige](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/david-ige/)
- [Helen Keller](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/helen-keller/)
- [Ka`u](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kau/)
- [Hilo](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilo/)
- [Rotary](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rotary/)
- [Rotarian](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rotarian/)
- [Volcano Rain Forest Run](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-rain-forest-run/)
- [Volcano HI](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-hi/)
- [Lynn “Doc” McKinney](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lynn-doc-mckinney/)
- [Del Bothof](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/del-bothof/)
- [Marie Bothof](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/marie-bothof/)
- [tea](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tea/)
- [Estate Tea](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/estate-tea/)
- [Volcano Village](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-village/)
- [B. K. S. Iyengar](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/b-k-s-iyengar/)
- [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/yehudi-menuhin/)
- [Iyengar Yoga](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/iyengar-yoga/)
- [Labor Day Celebrations](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/labor-day-celebrations/)
- [Labor Day History](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/labor-day-history/)
- [Wearing White](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wearing-white/)
- [butter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/butter/)
- [margarine](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/margarine/)
- [Allison Aubrey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/allison-aubrey/)
- [Hawai`i Tribune Herald](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hawaii-tribune-herald/)
- [Tom Callis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/tom-callis/)
- [Pele](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pele/)
- [Hi`iaka](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hiiaka/)
- [Catarina Zaragoza](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/catarina-zaragoza/)
- [Pāhoa](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pahoa/)
- [Namakaokahai](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/namakaokahai/)
- [Kīlauea](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kilauea/)
- [William Ellis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/william-ellis/)
- [Kapoho](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kapoho/)
- [Kalapana](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kalapana/)
- [Kalapana Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kalapana-gardens/)
- [Royal Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/royal-gardens/)
- [Kaimū](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kaimu/)
- [Ka`ohe Homesteads](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kaohe-homesteads/)
- [The Settlement Cook Book](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/the-settlement-cook-book/)
- [Mrs. Simon Kander](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mrs-simon-kander/)
- [Elizabeth Black Kander](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/elizabeth-black-kander/)
- [American Woman’s Cook Book](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/american-womans-cook-book/)
- [Teresa Ruth Berolzheimer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/teresa-ruth-berolzheimer/)
- [Jean Mattimore](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jean-mattimore/)
- [Clarke Mattimore](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/clarke-mattimore/)
- [Cooking by the Clock](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cooking-by-the-clock/)
- [Bettany Hughes](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bettany-hughes/)
- [Helen of Troy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/helen-of-troy/)
- [Leda and the Swan](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/leda-and-the-swan/)
- [Zeus](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/zeus/)
- [Illiad](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/illiad/)
- [Paris](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/paris/)
- [Troy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/troy/)
- [Mycenae](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mycenae/)
- [Carlo Ginzburg](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/carlo-ginzburg/)
- [Good Walkers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/good-walkers/)
- [Halloween. benandanti](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/halloween-benandanti/)
- [witches](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/witches/)
- [benandanti](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/benandanti/)
- [ergot](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ergot/)
- [rye grain](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rye-grain/)
- [100th blog](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/100th-blog/)
- [Guy Fawkes](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/guy-fawkes/)
- [Fifth of November](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fifth-of-november/)
- [bonfires](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bonfires/)
- [Gunpowder Plot](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gunpowder-plot/)
- [Volcano Hawaii](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/volcano-hawaii/)
- [Kilauea Lodge](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kilauea-lodge/)
- [Hale-O-Aloha](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hale-o-aloha/)
- [Fireplace of Friendship](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fireplace-of-friendship/)
- [Harold V. Lucas](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/harold-v-lucas/)
- [Thomas A. Jaggar](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/thomas-a-jaggar/)
- [YMCA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ymca/)
- [Lorna Jeyte](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lorna-jeyte/)
- [Albert Jeyte](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/albert-jeyte/)
- [Alan McNarie](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alan-mcnarie/)
- [International Lions Clubs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/international-lions-clubs/)
- [decorations](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/decorations/)
- [Norman Rockwell](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/norman-rockwell/)
- [Pilgrims](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pilgrims/)
- [Lydia Marie Child](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lydia-marie-child/)
- [Governor Bradford](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/governor-bradford/)
- [Currier & Ives](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/currier-ives/)
- [Francis Hyde i`i Brown](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/francis-hyde-ii-brown/)
- [Eva Parker Woods Cottage Museum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/eva-parker-woods-cottage-museum/)
- [John Papa I`i](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-papa-ii/)
- [Fragments of Hawaiian History](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fragments-of-hawaiian-history/)
- [Stephanie Wichman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/stephanie-wichman/)
- [St. Andrew’s](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-andrews/)
- [Pebble Beach](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pebble-beach/)
- [Kenneth Brown](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kenneth-brown/)
- [Winona Love](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/winona-love/)
- [Kalahuipua`a](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kalahuipuaa/)
- [David O. Selznick](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/david-o-selznick/)
- [Delores del Rio](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/delores-del-rio/)
- [Mauna Lani Resort](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mauna-lani-resort/)
- [Noboru Gotoh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/noboru-gotoh/)
- [Helen Henderson Chillingworth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/helen-henderson-chillingworth/)
- [Mrs George Glover (Marion)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mrs-george-glover-marion/)
- [Mrs. H. V. Patten](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mrs-h-v-patten/)
- [Mrs Gwynn Matthias](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mrs-gwynn-matthias/)
- [Mrs. Gilbert Hay](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mrs-gilbert-hay/)
- [Mrs. Harold Henderson (Dorothy)](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mrs-harold-henderson-dorothy/)
- [Christmas songs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/christmas-songs/)
- [Winter Solstice](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/winter-solstice/)
- [Yule Log](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/yule-log/)
- [Wassail](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wassail/)
- [Father Time](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/father-time/)
- [New Year Baby](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/new-year-baby/)
- [James Agate](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/james-agate/)
- [Nia Vardalos](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nia-vardalos/)
- [New Year Resolutions](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/new-year-resolutions/)
- [calendars](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/calendars/)
- [Sumer](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sumer/)
- [Gregory XIII](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gregory-xiii/)
- [Copernican System](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/copernican-system/)
- [Benedict XIV](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/benedict-xiv/)
- [Janus](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/janus/)
- [South America](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/south-america/)
- [Peru](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/peru/)
- [Silversea Cruises](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/silversea-cruises/)
- [Akorn Destination Management](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/akorn-destination-management/)
- [Lima](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lima/)
- [Miraflores](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/miraflores/)
- [Huaca Pucllana](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/huaca-pucllana/)
- [Museo Larco](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/museo-larco/)
- [Rafael Larco Hoyle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rafael-larco-hoyle/)
- [Francisco Pizarro](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/francisco-pizarro/)
- [Lima City Palace](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lima-city-palace/)
- [Lima City Cathedral](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lima-city-cathedral/)
- [Cathedral & Monastery of San Francisco](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cathedral-monastery-of-san-francisco/)
- [Diego de la Puente](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/diego-de-la-puente/)
- [Machu Picchu](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/machu-picchu/)
- [Jose Angel Ayerbe](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jose-angel-ayerbe/)
- [Cuzco](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cuzco/)
- [Incas](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/incas/)
- [Hotel Monasterio](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hotel-monasterio/)
- [Hiram Bingham Luxury Train](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hiram-bingham-luxury-train/)
- [PeruRail](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/perurail/)
- [Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sanctuary-lodge-at-machu-picchu/)
- [Silverseas Cruises](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/silverseas-cruises/)
- [Hiram Bingham III](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hiram-bingham-iii/)
- [Galapagos Islands](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/galapagos-islands/)
- [Genovesa Island](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/genovesa-island/)
- [Ecuador](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ecuador/)
- [Baltra Island](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/baltra-island/)
- [Charles Darwin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/charles-darwin/)
- [Silver Galapagos](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/silver-galapagos/)
- [San Christobal](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/san-christobal/)
- [Manzanilla Ranch](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/manzanilla-ranch/)
- [Poison Apple Tree](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/poison-apple-tree/)
- [Puerto Baquerzizo Morino](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/puerto-baquerzizo-morino/)
- [Galapagos Giant Tortoises](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/galapagos-giant-tortoises/)
- [Santa Cruz Island](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/santa-cruz-island/)
- [Andy’s Bongo Bar](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/andys-bongo-bar/)
- [Darwin’s Cotton](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/darwins-cotton/)
- [Puerto Ayora](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/puerto-ayora/)
- [Galapagos Green Sea Turtle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/galapagos-green-sea-turtle/)
- [Galapagos Penguins](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/galapagos-penguins/)
- [Downton Abbey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/downton-abbey/)
- [Highclere Castle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/highclere-castle/)
- [Upstairs-Downstairs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/upstairs-downstairs/)
- [Julian Fellowes](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/julian-fellowes/)
- [Fifth Earl of Carnarvon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fifth-earl-of-carnarvon/)
- [Almina Carnarvon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/almina-carnarvon/)
- [Prince Victor Duleep Singh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/prince-victor-duleep-singh/)
- [Sir Alfred de Rothschild](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sir-alfred-de-rothschild/)
- [Dorothy Dennistoun](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dorothy-dennistoun/)
- [Ian Dennistoun](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ian-dennistoun/)
- [Merrie Monarch Festival](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/merrie-monarch-festival/)
- [Invitational Hawaiian Arts Fair](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/invitational-hawaiian-arts-fair/)
- [Nelson Makua](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nelson-makua/)
- [Hawaii Arts Crafts & Food Festival](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hawaii-arts-crafts-food-festival/)
- [Hilo Shopping Center](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilo-shopping-center/)
- [Marcia Prose](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/marcia-prose/)
- [James Revell Carr](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/james-revell-carr/)
- [hapa-haole music](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hapa-haole-music/)
- [Joseph Kapeau Ae`a](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/joseph-kapeau-aea/)
- [MacDowell Sisters](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/macdowell-sisters/)
- [Sonny Cunha](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sonny-cunha/)
- [Harry Owen](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/harry-owen/)
- [Bing Crosby](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bing-crosby/)
- [Sweet Leilani](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sweet-leilani/)
- [Pacific Science Center](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pacific-science-center/)
- [Pompeii](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pompeii/)
- [Mt. Vesuvius](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mt-vesuvius/)
- [David Golding Wedding Photography](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/david-golding-wedding-photography/)
- [Pike Brewing Company](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pike-brewing-company/)
- [Nellie Curtis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nellie-curtis/)
- [LaSalle Hotel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lasalle-hotel/)
- [Nick Yantsin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nick-yantsin/)
- [Aberdeen WA](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/aberdeen-wa/)
- [Pike Brewing Co.](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pike-brewing-co/)
- [Memorial Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/memorial-day/)
- [Kelly Strong](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kelly-strong/)
- [Donna Tartt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/donna-tartt/)
- [The Goldfinch](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/the-goldfinch/)
- [Calen Febritius](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/calen-febritius/)
- [Stephen King](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/stephen-king/)
- [European goldfinch](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/european-goldfinch/)
- [2013 Pultizer Prize](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/2013-pultizer-prize/)
- [literary fiction](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/literary-fiction/)
- [book review](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/book-review/)
- [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jerry-seinfeld/)
- [laundry](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/laundry/)
- [washing machines](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/washing-machines/)
- [Sea Cliff NY](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sea-cliff-ny/)
- [Magna Carta](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/magna-carta/)
- [Henry II](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/henry-ii/)
- [Richard I](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/richard-i/)
- [Eleanor of Acquitaine](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/eleanor-of-acquitaine/)
- [King John](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/king-john/)
- [British Library](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/british-library/)
- [Pope Innocent III](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pope-innocent-iii/)
- [Thomas Jefferson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/thomas-jefferson/)
- [Abraham Curtis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/abraham-curtis/)
- [Honor](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/honor/)
- [Gordon S. Wood](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gordon-s-wood/)
- [Wizard of Oz](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wizard-of-oz/)
- [The Wonderful Wizard of Oz](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz/)
- [L. Frank Baum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/l-frank-baum/)
- [Douglas Smith](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/douglas-smith/)
- [Wicked](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/wicked/)
- [Steven Schwartz](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/steven-schwartz/)
- [Gregory Maguire](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gregory-maguire/)
- [Hugh Rockoff](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hugh-rockoff/)
- [David Hammes](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/david-hammes/)
- [William Jennings Bryan](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/william-jennings-bryan/)
- [Free Silver](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/free-silver/)
- [David Lyman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/david-lyman/)
- [Sarah Lyman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sarah-lyman/)
- [Lyman House & Museum](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lyman-house-museum/)
- [Hilo Bay Cafe](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilo-bay-cafe/)
- [Isabella Bird](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/isabella-bird/)
- [Orlando Hammond Lyman](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/orlando-hammond-lyman/)
- [Shelby Smith](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/shelby-smith/)
- [Rick Kelly](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rick-kelly/)
- [Yasuji Takasaki Memorial Scholarship](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/yasuji-takasaki-memorial-scholarship/)
- [Sheds](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sheds/)
- [Man Caves](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/man-caves/)
- [She Sheds](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/she-sheds/)
- [Sandra Wagner-Wright; Bill Gates; Microsoft; John D. Rockefeller; Standard Oil; Andrew Carnegie; Steel](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sandra-wagner-wright-bill-gates-microsoft-john-d-rockefeller-standard-oil-andrew-carnegie-steel/)
- [Justin Wolfers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/justin-wolfers/)
- [Labor Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/labor-day/)
- [Language of Flowers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/language-of-flowers/)
- [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mary-wortley-montagu/)
- [Hanakotoba](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hanakotoba/)
- [Carol Cooper](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/carol-cooper/)
- [speed dating](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/speed-dating/)
- [One Night at the Jacaranda](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/one-night-at-the-jacaranda/)
- [Chocolate](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/chocolate/)
- [Chocolate Pots](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/chocolate-pots/)
- [Harvest](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/harvest/)
- [Autumn](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/autumn/)
- [scarecrows](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/scarecrows/)
- [United Kingdom](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/united-kingdom/)
- [India](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/india/)
- [Seattle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/seattle/)
- [Dogs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dogs/)
- [Guide Dogs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/guide-dogs/)
- [Labrador Retrievers](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/labrador-retrievers/)
- [Yoga](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/yoga/)
- [Cleaning](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cleaning/)
- [Taj Mahal](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/taj-mahal/)
- [Lord Curzon](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lord-curzon/)
- [Washington Irving](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/washington-irving/)
- [Legend of Sleepy Hollow](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/legend-of-sleepy-hollow/)
- [Ichabod Crane](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ichabod-crane/)
- [Rama's Labyrinth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ramas-labyrinth/)
- [NaNoWrMo](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/nanowrmo/)
- [Buddy Poppy](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/buddy-poppy/)
- [Flanders Fields](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/flanders-fields/)
- [John McCrae](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-mccrae/)
- [Moina Michael](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/moina-michael/)
- [Veteran’s Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/veterans-day/)
- [Paris Bombings](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/paris-bombings/)
- [walking](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/walking/)
- [stress relief](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/stress-relief/)
- [holiday stress](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/holiday-stress/)
- [Red & Green](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/red-green/)
- [Paradise Plays](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/paradise-plays/)
- [perfect holidays](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/perfect-holidays/)
- [Andy Williams](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/andy-williams/)
- [fruitcake](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fruitcake/)
- [Ronald Takaki](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ronald-takaki/)
- [Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hawaiian-commercial-sugar-company/)
- [Alexander & Baldwin](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alexander-baldwin/)
- [sugar cane](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sugar-cane/)
- [feng shui](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/feng-shui/)
- [organization](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/organization/)
- [de-cluttering](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/de-cluttering/)
- [clutter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/clutter/)
- [Minimalist Living](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/minimalist-living/)
- [KTA Super Stores](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kta-super-stores/)
- [Koichi Taniguchi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/koichi-taniguchi/)
- [Barry Taniguchi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/barry-taniguchi/)
- [Harajuku](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/harajuku/)
- [Venice](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/venice/)
- [New Orleans](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/new-orleans/)
- [If Ever I Cease to Love](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/if-ever-i-cease-to-love/)
- [Grace Hudson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/grace-hudson/)
- [Territorial Hawai`i](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/territorial-hawaii/)
- [Leap Year](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/leap-year/)
- [Leap Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/leap-day/)
- [Leap Year Cocktail](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/leap-year-cocktail/)
- [St. Brigid](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-brigid/)
- [St. Patrick](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-patrick/)
- [leaplings](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/leaplings/)
- [Metropolis](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/metropolis/)
- [Ex Machina](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ex-machina/)
- [female robots](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/female-robots/)
- [International Women’s Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/international-womens-day/)
- [Equal Pay Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/equal-pay-day/)
- [#PledgeForParity](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pledgeforparity/)
- ["We Can Do It"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/we-can-do-it/)
- [Women's History Month](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/womens-history-month/)
- [Juana Romani](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/juana-romani/)
- [University of Hawai`i at Hilo](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/university-of-hawaii-at-hilo/)
- [Women's Studies](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/womens-studies/)
- [Easter bunny](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/easter-bunny/)
- [Easter eggs](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/easter-eggs/)
- [Siri](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/siri/)
- [Female Voices](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/female-voices/)
- [Clifford Nass](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/clifford-nass/)
- ["2001: A Space Odyssey"](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/2001-a-space-odyssey/)
- [spring-cleaning](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/spring-cleaning/)
- [mummified cats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mummified-cats/)
- [cats and prey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/cats-and-prey/)
- [Goddess Bastet](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goddess-bastet/)
- [Liliuokalani Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/liliuokalani-gardens/)
- [Japanese Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/japanese-gardens/)
- ["hitting a brick wall](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hitting-a-brick-wall/)
- [" crash dummies](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/crash-dummies/)
- [meditation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/meditation/)
- [rhododendrons](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/rhododendrons/)
- [Pacific North West](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pacific-north-west/)
- [packing light](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/packing-light/)
- [pack a kilt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pack-a-kilt/)
- [Mall Walking](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mall-walking/)
- [shopping malls](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/shopping-malls/)
- [Prince Kuhio Plaza](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/prince-kuhio-plaza/)
- [Colin Firth](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/colin-firth/)
- [Pride & Prejudice](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/pride-prejudice/)
- [Eligible](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/eligible/)
- [Decoration Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/decoration-day/)
- [Arlington Cemetery](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/arlington-cemetery/)
- [Old Maid card game](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/old-maid-card-game/)
- [Old Maids](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/old-maids/)
- [Old Maid’s Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/old-maids-day/)
- [Old Maid Cocktail](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/old-maid-cocktail/)
- [Flag Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/flag-day/)
- [George M. Cohan](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/george-m-cohan/)
- [Summer Solstice](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/summer-solstice/)
- [Stonehenge](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/stonehenge/)
- [sun protection](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sun-protection/)
- [slip-slap-slop](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/slip-slap-slop/)
- [Fourth of July](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/fourth-of-july/)
- [John Adams](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-adams/)
- [U.S. Constitution](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/u-s-constitution/)
- [Teddy Bears](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/teddy-bears/)
- [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/theodore-roosevelt/)
- [Teddy Bear Picnic](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/teddy-bear-picnic/)
- [George III](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/george-iii/)
- [Da Mario](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/da-mario/)
- [Kensington Gardens](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kensington-gardens/)
- [Kings Cross](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kings-cross/)
- [Platform 9-3/4s](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/platform-9-34s/)
- [Edinburgh Castle](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/edinburgh-castle/)
- [Edinburgh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/edinburgh/)
- [Scotland](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/scotland/)
- [Hilton DoubleTree Edinburgh](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hilton-doubletree-edinburgh/)
- [Greyfriars Bobby](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/greyfriars-bobby/)
- [West Port Garden](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/west-port-garden/)
- [GrassMarket](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/grassmarket/)
- [Elephant House](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/elephant-house/)
- [Royal Yacht Britannia](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/royal-yacht-britannia/)
- [Bettys Cafe & Tea Room](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bettys-cafe-tea-room/)
- [St William's College](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-williams-college/)
- [St Mary's Abbey](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-marys-abbey/)
- [Holy Trinity Church](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/holy-trinity-church/)
- [Merchant Adventurers' Hall](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/merchant-adventurers-hall/)
- [York Minster](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/york-minster/)
- [felt hats](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/felt-hats/)
- [Felt Hat Day](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/felt-hat-day/)
- [Johnny Appleseed](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/johnny-appleseed/)
- [Lewis Carroll](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/lewis-carroll/)
- [Alice in Wonderland](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/alice-in-wonderland/)
- [Johnny Depp](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/johnny-depp/)
- [Diwali](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/diwali/)
- [Frankenstein](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/frankenstein/)
- [Mary Shelley](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mary-shelley/)
- [Dan Buettner](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dan-buettner/)
- [Blue Zones](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/blue-zones/)
- [Library of Congress](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/library-of-congress/)
- [Carla Hayden](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/carla-hayden/)
- [Elephant Conservation](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/elephant-conservation/)
- [Goddess Lakshmi](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goddess-lakshmi/)
- [Mad Hatter](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mad-hatter/)
- [Kolkata](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kolkata/)
- [Goddess Durga](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/goddess-durga/)
- [Durga Puja](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/durga-puja/)
- [Indian festivals](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/indian-festivals/)
- [Calcutta](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/calcutta/)
- [St. Paul's Kolkata](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-pauls-kolkata/)
- [Hooghly River](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hooghly-river/)
- [Dalhousie Square](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/dalhousie-square/)
- [Writers' Building-Kolkata](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/writers-building-kolkata/)
- [Puako Hawai`i](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/puako-hawaii/)
- [Scottish Church College](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/scottish-church-college/)
- [Bethune College](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/bethune-college/)
- [Kolkata High Court](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/kolkata-high-court/)
- [St. Andrew's Kirk](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-andrews-kirk/)
- [St. John's Church](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/st-johns-church/)
- [Mary Pigot](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/mary-pigot/)
- [Himalayas](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/himalayas/)
- [Sikkim](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/sikkim/)
- [Hope Cook](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/hope-cook/)
- [Gangtok](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/gangtok/)
- [poinsettias](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/poinsettias/)
- [John Poinsett](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-poinsett/)
- [Christmas Flower](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/christmas-flower/)
- [S.M.A.R.T. goal setting](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/s-m-a-r-t-goal-setting/)
- [Ellen Degeneres](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/ellen-degeneres/)
- [Procrastination](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/procrastination/)
- [The Caine Mutiny](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/the-caine-mutiny/)
- [A Few Good Men](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/a-few-good-men/)
- [Capt. Queeg](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/capt-queeg/)
- [Humphrey Bogart](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/humphrey-bogart/)
- [Jack Nicholson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/jack-nicholson/)
- [Electoral College](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/electoral-college/)
- [John Quincy Adams](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/john-quincy-adams/)
- [Andrew Jackson](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/tag/andrew-jackson/)

## Authors

- [Sandra Wagner Wright](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/authors/sandra-wagner-wright/) - Sandra Wagner-Wright holds the doctoral degree in history and taught women’s and global history at the University of Hawai`i. When she’s not researching or writing, Sandra enjoys travel, including trips to India, China, and St. Petersburg, Russia. Sandra particularly likes writing about strong women who make a difference. She lives in Hilo, Hawai`i with her family and writes a weekly blog relating to history, travel, and the idiosyncrasies of life.
- [Charles H Hammatt](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/authors/charles-h-hammatt/)

## Genres

- [Biographical Fiction](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/genre/biographical-fiction/)
- [Non-Fiction](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/genre/non-fiction/)

## Series

- [Women of Determination and Courage](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/series/women-of-determination-and-courage/)

## Tags

- [Audiobooks](https://sandrawagnerwright.com/bookstag/audiobooks/)