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

Surprise of the Breakfast Saga

Read this carefully. It is definitely not an accolade for a love story! Nevertheless, it’s interesting. From the Online and Medieval Classical Library comes this ditty sung by a man who is in heated argument with his wife over the meager dish she serves for breakfast. It is part of public domain Old Norse literature… Continue reading Surprise of the Breakfast Saga

Amazing Actress Doran Clark

Happy Birthday, Doran Clark! Born August 8th, 1954, Leo Sun Sign A couple of years ago I discovered vintage mysteries on one of the Hallmark channels and am enjoying delving into such shows as Columbo, Diagnosis Murder, Matlock, Hart to Hart, and especially Murder She Wrote. While watching these series from the 1980s and 90s,… Continue reading Amazing Actress Doran Clark

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

Mysterious Cave People 40,000 BCE

One of my favorite books is Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel. Did you read that one? The author’s creation of the Stone Age world mesmerized me. I loved seeing how the Cro-Magnon heroine contrasted with her Neanderthal family. Recently I came across some information about a little known extinct species of historic… Continue reading Mysterious Cave People 40,000 BCE

Vintage Friday: Cinco de Mayo

Here’s wishing you a festive Cinco de Mayo! COCKTAILS FOR THE DAY Watermelon Margarita Ingredients: 2 ½ cups of fresh watermelon cut into small chunks and with the seeds removed—place in a small baggie and freeze for two hours, 4 ounces tequila, 2 ounces Triple Sec orange liqueur, 3 tablespoons lime juice, lime wedge, coarse… Continue reading Vintage Friday: Cinco de Mayo

Vintage Friday: World Book Day

Stories help create a child. THE book that lit the fire on my passion for reading, writing, fairy tales, and mythology is actually a SET of books my parents bought me at age 3—the Young Folks Library. At that time my mother and father worked long hours at their restaurant business, but my paternal grandparents… Continue reading Vintage Friday: World Book Day

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: 13 Bullets for The Silent Speaker 1946

THE SILENT SPEAKER Author – Rex Stout First Published – 1946 Genre – Mystery Setting – Nero Wolfe’s brownstone and New York City Protagonists – Nero Wolfe, detective extraordinaire and tender of 10,000 orchids, and Archie Goodwin, gumshoe and Wolfe’s right-hand man. Murdered Man – Cheney Boone, Director of Price Regulation. Key Female – Phoebe Gunther,… Continue reading Vintage Friday: 13 Bullets for The Silent Speaker 1946