Photo by Elliott B on Unsplash With Christmas a mere six days hence, wouldn’t it be entertaining to explore a few Regency Christmas trivia and traditions? I’m glad you agree with me! Here we go, in no special order: 1. Christmas Trees Were Not Yet Common The Christmas tree we know and love was not popular in the Regency era. It did not come to England until Queen Victoria’s reign, due to the fact that her husband, Prince Albert, brought the tradition with…
Image by G4889166 from Pixabay Aah, the joys of advancing age and receding memory. I knew I had a post due this week, but forget all about it until this morning! In keeping with December’s Christmas them, please enjoy an assortment of images to highlight the beauty of the Milky Way galaxy and the universe: Photo by NASA on Unsplash What, you might ask, does this have to do with the season? A lot, in my opinion. Image by Yol Gezer from Pixabay It is truly humbling and awe-inspiring…
Image by Claximoli from Pixabay December is here, so in keeping with Rowland family tradition, I’m going to start celebrating the season early. To be honest, I’m far from the first of my brothers and sisters to do this; my eldest sister started decorating before Halloween. But don’t worry, I have no plans to get sentimental right out of the gate. Instead, I came across an AI joke generator that I decided to try out. While the results aren’t side-splitting, with a few…
The weatherman was finally correct, unfortunately: The image at the top of the page is twenty-four hours earlier than the second picture. Snow started here two days ago and is forecast to continue until morning. To date (and I realize winter doesn’t begin for another four weeks or so), we’ve had more so far than we had all of last winter. The first major winter snowfall of 2024 happened in spring! Of course, it was closely followed by another and…
Image by Pexels from Pixabay I seem to recall mentioning my intention to rewrite and improve one of my earliest publications, “Hidden Desires”. When I began, I thought, foolishly it would seem, that I could finish the modifications and get it published in time to mark the new year. Today, I want to announce that I am fully committed to fulfilling that promise—twelve months later, but still in celebration of the dawn of 2025. I’ll spare you the reasons for the delay. Let’s…
Photo by Chris Sansbury on Unsplash I confess to feeling a little morose on this particular Monday. November 11 or “Remembrance Day” as it’s called here in Canada, is a day of reflection and gratitude for me and my family, as it is for many across the world. The day brings somber memories of my father, who passed away in November 2011. Dad served in the US Marine Corp during WW II. He spent the war in the South Pacific, and was on…
https://www.themusicman.uk/voiceplay/I As I’ve said before, ad nauseum, I love music. With few exceptions, my interests vary, from fifties country to sixties pop and emerging heavy rock to classical masterpieces both old and new. A beautiful and harmonious blend of instruments, with or without voices, has been known to bring me to tears. A cappella, though, occupies another level of musical splendor. Many of us can carry a tune when we have a melody to follow, but few can do that…
Image by Pepper Mint from Pixabay As the last days of summer slip away one more time, I struggle with a mix of nostalgia and surprise. Wasn’t it just June? The long, sunny days passed in a seeming blur, leaving me to wonder, where did they go? Here’s a look back at summer’s highlights and the memories that keep me going as the season fades and winter seems impatient for its turn. 1. Chasing Long Days and Warm Nights Time Outdoors: Summer means…
Image by TAI-Design from Pixabay Here are some fascinating trivia tidbits about the Regency Era in England (1811–1820), a period known for its distinctive social, cultural, and artistic developments: 1. Prince Regent’s Extravagance The period is named after George IV, who served as the Prince Regent due to his father George III’s mental illness. The Prince Regent was known for his lavish lifestyle and love of extravagant parties, often plunging the royal family into debt. His indulgent lifestyle made him both popular and…
Image by Tibor Janosi Mozes from Pixabay I want to introduce you to Lana Del Rey, a singer I found last week. A couple of her videos were included in an article I was reading and, in a rare moment of inspiration, I decided to listen to one called Video Games. I’m not sure what I expected, but this song was a pleasant surprise: This song is one of few recent releases I would bother listening to again. The arrangement is beautiful and…