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]
food for thought
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
The Open Window: A Timeless Pleasure of Oncoming Spring
Isn't it a pleasure to open your windows on a gently warm Spring day and welcome in the breeze? Where I now live, in central North Carolina, we experience four fully-fledged seasons. Winters are mild, summers are muggy. And, like most, I'm grateful for climate-controlled … [Read more...] about The Open Window: A Timeless Pleasure of Oncoming Spring
A life of layers: the Lens of Material Culture
Some bits of material culture come and go. Others stick with us for centuries. I am fascinated by what stays and what goes. How do our objects, our clothing, our pastimes reflect our present and our past? These are questions I want to explore here. I hope you join me … [Read more...] about A life of layers: the Lens of Material Culture
