Category Archives: Uncategorized

New-York Tribune reports on the influenza epidemic of 1918

Posted on March 14, 2020 by

As U.S. women were struggling toward the vote, and World War I was nearing its end, an influenza pandemic broke out in 1918. The disease had hit earlier in the year and then passed, but in the fall, a more … Continue reading →

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Clubwomen and the environment

Posted on August 16, 2019 by

In 1910, the official proceedings of the convention of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs reported: We read in the papers that every time one of the great Sunday journals of New York City is issued, thirteen acres of timberland are … Continue reading →

Posted in genealogy, history, Uncategorized, women's rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Halfway Café

Posted on October 11, 2016 by

Here is a podcast of my short story, “The Halfway Café,” narrated by a dead woman and examining such questions as: Do our ancestors watch us? Why would they care if we mourn? An outtake from my mystery novel, Stone’s House, it … Continue reading →

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Playing games with the ancestors

Posted on May 6, 2016 by

Flinch, a game played with a custom-made deck of cards, was invented in 1901 by A.J. Patterson. He grew up on a farm in Michigan and graduated from high school at the age of sixteen. After working at jobs in … Continue reading →

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A Cuban grandfather hands down his stories and poems

Posted on February 24, 2016 by

A guest blog by John Casquarelli Storytelling is as natural to humans as eating. We create our myths and epics as a way of expressing our perceived knowledge, sharing what we believe we know about an event or a person. My … Continue reading →

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Water and Light

Posted on January 12, 2014 by

A 4-minute video. The ancestors told me to observe the elements of nature and find their energy within myself. I have become a student of water and fire—since fire is the source of light. Perhaps there is a portal at … Continue reading →

Video | Posted on January 12, 2014 by | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

The rich legacy of childless women

Posted on December 11, 2013 by

Rummaging through my family tree, I always feel a bit sad when I come across childless women. In the context of genealogy, it seems regrettable that they lack descendants to honor them. On the other hand, in the 19th and … Continue reading →

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“Can this be Hell?”

Posted on February 18, 2013 by

The diary of Connecticut POW Robert Kellogg indicates that it was raining the day my great-great-grandfather, William Davies, arrived at Andersonville Prison. Kellogg had already been there for a month, enduring the Georgia heat of mid- to late May of … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War, prisoners of war, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Letters to The Bookman

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

15.8.99 Dear Sirs: I have by chance met with a number of The Bookman containing [a] portion of an article on the scenes of the Wessex novels, & should feel obliged if you could send me the whole. Yours truly, … Continue reading →

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Grounding through a mineral ritual

Posted on September 15, 2011 by

While participating in a ritual is often a transformational experience, I’m finding that even helping out at a ritual can be nourishing. Last night Glenn led a group of five people through a mineral ritual at Sky Lake Lodge in … Continue reading →

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