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
Articles by Author Sandra
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
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”?
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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
