Reading Into Our Past…
In the brutal court of King Henry VIII, where power was won and lost with a simple whispered word. Lady Jane Boleyn stood at the edge of ambition and peril. She has often been painted the villain in Tudor lore as the […]
This is going to be a quick and simple blog post hopefully. I genuinely could use the thoughts of other blog writers and the wonderful readers here in this lovely community of thinkers. Please accept my sincerest apologies […]
Read more“Shells from the enemy rush overhead…bursting in a village which lies on the road home. They are strafing the village; the cars have a fair chance of being blown to pieces; it is as dark as pitch and the road will be full of new shell-holes. The drivers start their engines and turn the cars for home; the rain drives in their face as they go, and along the road in front of them the shells flash at intervals…” – John Masefield The American Colony in Paris took decisive action to aid soldiers during the summer of 1914 as German […]
Read moreThe scene for a royal dinner party was set in the first part of our conversation about the six wives of King Henry VIII. They shared their stories offering a glimpse into their joys, sorrows, and dreams. The complex dynamics of their lives with an infamous king were all very different. Each experience was unique unto itself yet somehow so similar too. The six wives of Henry all shared a strong spirit. This second part continues with the narrative of Henry’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves… In the first section of this two-part dinner party, I discussed the first three […]
Read moreI am writing today’s post on a whim, which will be very random. I am going to answer WordPress’s daily prompt. This is something that I’ve wanted to do for many months now because the prompts look like so much fun; however, there hasn’t been one that has pushed me to respond until today. There were a couple that I almost did but never found the time. WordPress posts these daily on the homepage and their Jetpack app. I often scroll through them because I enjoy reading the responses. I find them very amusing to read! The prompt question, which […]
Read more“I am no coward. I cannot be cowed by a mere Caesar. My spirit remains unconquerable. You have Rome; I have Egypt. The gods have decreed us both our destinies. Let us not pretend that we can alter their will. I shall not be paraded through your streets as a vanquished queen. My end will be as I choose, on my terms, with my dignity intact. I will not be triumphed over.”- Cleopatra The romance between Marc Antony and Cleopatra had the potential to alter the course of history. A love story that could have changed everything. If their ambitions […]
Read moreThe West was a place where legends were born, out of hardship and hope, where the freedom to forge your own destiny lay just beyond the next ridge. A mosaic of dreams, where every man with a rifle was a law unto himself. The West is the best thing that ever happened to America. We started out with nothing. Now we’ve got most of it… The West was a place of adventure and hope, where you could start over and make something of yourself. The West was always a great place for characters on the run. – Will Rogers
Read moreIn the last year or two, I have become quite obsessed with listening to audiobooks and podcasts. Honestly, there are very few things I enjoy more these days than listening to a good history podcast which is why I’m very excited to share my most recent find! An absolute gem and standout podcast that I’ve absolutley fallen in love with called “History’s Secret Heroes,” hosted by the incredibly talented and stunning Helena Bonhan Carter! I know right! What more could I have asked for!? I was very thrilled to discover she was narrating and hosting such an interesting show. BBC […]
Read more“I’ve been lucky. If you ask me, I’d say my greatest talent has been luck. I never want to let that go. I never want to stop being lucky. I’ve never been able to understand why I’ve been so lucky in my life. But I’ve tried to be grateful for it. It’s made me feel that there’s something more than luck. There’s fate. And it’s been kind to me.” – Clark Gable
Read more“No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this. I can truly say I had rather be at Mount Vernon with a friend or two about me, than to be attended at the seat of government by the officers of state and the representatives of every power of Europe. The charm and simplicity of the place and the beauty of the scenery around never fail to give me the highest pleasure. I should be content to pass the remnant of my days, which I hope will be but few, in a private, tranquil, and rural situation, in the […]
Read more“Never use the initial of a person’s name to designate him. Nothing is so odious as to hear a lady speak of her husband, or, indeed, anyone else, as Mr. B.” – Emily Thornwell
Read more“Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact, indeed, against the queen’s highness was unlawful, and the consenting thereunto by me: but touching the procurement and desire thereof by me or on my behalf, I do wash my hands thereof in innocency, before God and the face of you, good Christian people, this day.” – Lady Jane Grey
Read more“Shells are exploding everywhere, and not far away, with short moments of calm; we take advantage to run… we return with hearts pounding to burrow into the trench. Each time a shell hisses by too low, I cling to the back of the cook’s helper, it makes me feel a little secure, and he turns around with a smile. The fact is that we’re all afraid.” – Marie Osmont Today In History – The invasion of Normandy occurred on June 6th, 1944, and was codenamed Operation Overlord. The Allied operation launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World […]
Read more“Everyone’s born as clean as a whistle— As fresh as a daisy. And not a bit crazy. Staying that way’s a hard row for hoeing— As rough as a briar, Like walking through fire. This world, it’s dark, And this world, it’s scary. I’ve taken some hits, so no wonder I’m wary. It’s why I need you— You’re pure as the driven snow…Roses are red, love; violets are blue. Birds in the heavens know I love you.” – Suzzane Collins
Read moreIn today’s post, I’ve got a new short story! Earlier in the year and then recently again for a second time, I watched the Netflix’s series titled The Lost Pirate Kingdom. An excellent six-epsiode docuseries on the golden age of pirates. A subject I’ve always had an interest in. The series is such a fun documentary to watch! I’ve been left extremely inspired to write about a sea-fearing pirate captain.
Read more“That is when things got strange….After the battle was over, many wounded soldiers lay in a muddy field waiting for help. As night fell, their wounds began to glow. Doctors could not explain the phenomenon, but they did notice that the men whose wounds glowed had a better chance for survival than those whose wounds did not glow. They experienced lower rates of infections and healed faster. The soldiers called the light that helped save their lives the “Angel’s Glow.” Dr. Norbert Herzog and Dr. David Niesel
Read moreIn this world I will confess myself to be the king’s true wife, and in the next they will know how unreasonably I am afflicted…My tribulations are so great, my life so disturbed by the plans daily invented to further the king’s wicked intention, the surprises which the king gives me, with certain persons of his council, are so mortal, and my treatment is what God knows, that it is enough to shorten ten lives, much more mine… Joanna Denny (2006) Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England’s Tragic Queen
Read more“In thinking back on the days of Easy Company, I’m treasuring my remark to a grandson who asked, ‘Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?’ ‘No,’ I answered, ‘but I served in a company of heroes.‘” Band Of Brothers (TV Miniseires 2001)
Read more“Terrified, shrieking women, helpless old and young, people intent on their safety, people unselfishly supporting invalids or waiting for them, fugitives and lingerers alike – all heightened the confusion. When people looked back, menacing flames sprang up before them or outflanked them. When they escaped to a neighboring quarter, the fire followed – even districts believed remote proved to be involved. Finally, with no idea where or what to flee, they crowded onto the country roads or lay in the fields. Some who had lost everything – even their food for the day – could have escaped, but preferred to […]
Read moreThe lovely Eleanor of Aquitaine is truly a captivating queen because she defied the conventions of her time at every turn, showed an incredible amount of strength, and fought hard for those who sought out her help. She was the wife of not one, but two kings! Eleanor married King Louis VII of France first in 1137 AD and then later went on to have a tumultuous marriage to King Henry II of England.
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