Why did 19th century women wear their sun bonnets, or not? Women who don't wear bonnets... ...according to a Missouri newspaper column published in 1849. * A rennet-bag is the fourth stomach of a ruminant (cow), a traditional natural source of enzymes for making … [Read more...] about Snarky skincare advice for backwoods women [Mid-19th Century Sunbonnets, Part 1]
Food for Thought
Vintage Book Review: A Woman’s Story of Pioneer Illinois by Christiana Tillson [A Vibrant Retrospective]
A first-person account of log cabin living as a young wife and mother. Most of us can name at least one or two historically significant memoirs, such as Elie Wiesel's Night or the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Such first-person accounts of history add richness … [Read more...] about Vintage Book Review: A Woman’s Story of Pioneer Illinois by Christiana Tillson [A Vibrant Retrospective]
Grinning Pumpkins: Why Jack-O’-Lanterns are the best part of Halloween
Jack O'Lanterns might be my favorite part of the American tradition of Halloween. Perhaps this is because I don't have much of a sweet tooth or love of the horror genre, but I genuinely enjoy carving pumpkins and seeing my neighbors' creations. Walking down a neighborhood street, … [Read more...] about Grinning Pumpkins: Why Jack-O’-Lanterns are the best part of Halloween
Advent of Photography: Portraits for the Rest of Us
What if you had no photos of anyone you've ever known? Lately, I have been browsing various museums and historical society websites in search of portraits from the earliest age of photography. Whether they are daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, or albumen, they captivate … [Read more...] about Advent of Photography: Portraits for the Rest of Us
Ye Olde Nail Clippers: How did people trim their nails in the past?
I love the ordinary. What could be more ordinary than clipping your nails? Many a time have I pondered the difficulty of such a mundane task for people with no access to handy, purpose-built nail clippers, either in the past or the present. Thus, I was delighted to come … [Read more...] about Ye Olde Nail Clippers: How did people trim their nails in the past?
