Vintage Friday: Life in 1919

Can you imagine the world 100 years ago? 1919 was my father’s birth year, as well as an all-around momentous time in our cultural history. About thirty years prior, modern baking powder came into availability as a leavening agent for the home cook. Leavening creates air pockets to make a cake or quick bread rise… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Life in 1919

Fascinating Facts of Europe’s Oldest Writing

In modern day Turkey, known as the kingdom of Anatolia in ancient times, archaeologists recently discovered a variety of weights used by traders over 4,000 years ago. These were found in one of the 14 layers of the mound of Aemhoyuk. One of these was a piece of rock crystal, which– lo and behold—boasts an… Continue reading Fascinating Facts of Europe’s Oldest Writing

Vintage Friday: 17 Fast Facts of 1917

1917 What made the news a hundred years ago in 1917? The biggest crises involved World War I. Here’s a quick look at the year. Under President Woodrow Wilson the United States entered WWI against Germany and its allies. National Geographic published a stirring photo of thousands of Americans pledging their support to the President… Continue reading Vintage Friday: 17 Fast Facts of 1917

Vintage Friday: It’s Your Music 1939

Approaching Valentine’s Day we turn to a red hot saxophone number from 1939, Body and Soul, blown the socks off by Coleman Hawkins.  There’s something earthy and smoky about a low toned sax, don’t you think? I hope you enjoyed our sultry music in homage to Valentines everywhere and  lovers throughout time, Body and Soul.… Continue reading Vintage Friday: It’s Your Music 1939

Vintage Friday: Boston Cream Pie

With my birthday coming up (yikes, way too fast), I thought I’d splurge and focus on my favorite dessert, Boston Cream Pie. The purported history of Boston Cream Pie makes for fascinating reading and includes red herrings such as cream puffs made in Boston and a type of cakey jelly roll. The foreshadowing of Boston… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Boston Cream Pie

Vintage Friday: Autumn Leaves 1886

Autumn Leaves by A. Purinton    By happenstance I came across a female poet I was not familiar with, a New Englander named A. Purinton. Her compilation Autumn Leaves was published in 1886 in Massachusetts. Have you heard of her? She never sought to be published and wrote the lyrics for her own satisfaction. They… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Autumn Leaves 1886

Vintage Friday: Wordsmithing Hallow

 HALLOW  We all have favorite words, magical sounds we love to hear uttered. One of mine is hallow or hallows, also its form hallowed, especially drawn out and pronounced in three syllables. Hallow comes from the Old English noun halga, meaning holy person or saint. The verb form meant to make holy, to sanctify. And get… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Wordsmithing Hallow

Vintage Friday: Topaze

Topaze I hope you will come along with me on my continuing obsession with finding the few varieties of forgotten vintage perfumes with special meaning to me from the past. How did we live without eBay anyway? The first Avon scent I remember as a small child came in a tall, slender yellow bottle with… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Topaze

Vintage Friday: Walt Whitman

Born in Long Island, Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an influential American poet and one of the first poets to write in free verse. His work evoked controversy at the time because of its casual references to the physical body and sexual appetites. Whitman used first person and spoke as a… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Walt Whitman