As many of our readers know, Frank (my 100% Irish husband) worked for over 40 years as a professional musician – working from coast-to-coast, and also in the Arizona desert. One of the ditties we’ve heard him sing over the years went something like this: “I’m a rambler, I’m a gambler, I’m a long way […]
In May, 1945, as German troops were surrendering on the other side of the world, Japanese troops were fiercely defending the only remaining barrier (Okinawa and the Maeda Escarpment) to an allied invasion of their homeland. The men in the 77th Infantry Division were repeatedly trying to capture the Maeda Escarpment, an imposing rock face […]
Steinway & Sons was founded by a German immigrant named Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later changed to Steinway) in 1853. Heinrich began building pianos in 1835, and by 1839 his reputation as a piano builder grew throughout the Braunschweig area. In 1850 Heinrich immigrated to the United States with his family, taking jobs with several different piano manufacturers. In 1853 […]
National Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September after Labor Day in the United States—this year that will be September 10th. Many people honor their grandparents through a range of activities such as gift-giving, card-giving, and for children to invite their grandparents to school for a day where they participate in special […]
Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine Once the site of American soldiers on watch for British troops, the headland at Cape Elizabeth, Maine got a more permanent lookout when George Washington requested a lighthouse be built for the spot. First lit in 1791 (with the keepers’ house we see here added exactly 100 years […]
My children know that I love trivia, especially historical trivia. Not long ago, I received an e-mail from my eldest daughter asking “Did you know this, Mom?” Her e-mail read as follows: “The atom bomb was one of the defining inventions of the 20th Century. So how did science fiction writer HG Wells predict its […]
The first version of “Yankee Doodle” is generally attributed to a British army physician, Dr. Richard Schuckberg, during the French and Indian War. It was a satiric look at New England’s Yankees. According to one story, Shuckburgh wrote the song after seeing the appearance of Colonial troops under Colonel Thomas Fitch, V, the son of […]
The rose, the flower for those born in the month of June, is the national flower of both the United States and England. It is also state flower of several states including Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia, New York and Texas. Portland, Oregon holds an annual Rose Festival, and in Southern California’s annual Rose Parade features […]
1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and genty apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth […]
From its earliest days, America has been a nation of immigrants, starting with its original inhabitants, who crossed the land bridge connecting Asia and North America thousands of years ago. By the 1500s, the first Europeans, led by the Spanish and French, had begun establishing settlements in what would become the United States. The Pilgrims […]