November Blues Welcome to November, the month of dreary rain, gunpowder plots, beheadings, doom, and gloom! Or so it would seem, according to history. The word ‘November’ comes from the Latin word novem meaning nine because November was once the ninth month of the year (in the Roman calendar.) Today, of course, in the Gregorian …
The term “dog days” dates back to ancient times when people in different parts of the world began drawing images of the sky by connecting the dots of stars, now called constellations. These dots allowed people around the world to “see” certain images. Our European ancestors saw bears (hence Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), some …
When you’ve been writing and publishing as long as I have, you’ve seen it all—or most of it! I wrote my first story when I was six and had my first article published in a local newspaper when I was twelve—which was a long time ago! But it was in the 1970s and 1980s that …
Although William Shakespeare apparently died in 1616 on this date (April 23rd), his words have remained timeless—partly because he was able to capture human emotions that are still relevant today. We still use many of the expressions he coined in his plays such as “love is blind” from The Merchant of Venice, “break the ice” …
“The First of April, some do say, Is set apart for All Fools’ Day. But why the people call it so, Nor I, nor they themselves do know. But on this day are people sent On purpose for pure merriment.” I wonder how many people still consider April 1st as being ‘open season’ to …
A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE A STUDENT OF LIFE February is Black History Month, honouring the triumphs and struggles of numerous African Americans throughout …
If, like me, you’re feeling a wee bit “witchy” during these COVID-19 days, here’s a piece of witchcraft history to ponder on. For instance, did you know that it was on September 22nd in 1692, 328 years ago, that the last eight witches in Salem were hung for their so-called crimes? The history of witchcraft …
Tomorrow, June 2nd, will mark sixty-seven years since a young Princess was crowned Queen in London, England, in 1953. Elizabeth II was following in the path of her illustrious ancestors. Exactly 462 years earlier in 1491, one of her ancestors, King Henry VIII, known primarily for the number of wives he had, was born that …
