The Enigmatic Dance of Fairies

Fairies, mystical creatures of ancient legends and modern folklore, captivate our imaginations with their magical allure. Their enduring presence creates a tapestry of enchantment, intrigue, and mystique across various cultures and periods. They symbolize wonder, whimsy, and the potency of nature, often acting as benevolent guardians or mischievous tricksters. Over time, fairies have embodied different depictions, from Celtic folklore to Norse mythology. The places they inhabit, whether the household hearth or nature’s domain, as well as their relationship with humans, are diverse, from benevolent protectors to eerie beings who can pose dangers. Fairies remind us of the beauty and magic in the world around us. Continue reading The Enigmatic Dance of Fairies

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essays, History

How To Get Rid Of A Bad King

[ hint: it involves a swamp and a toad] Watching a doc the other night on King John, the brother of Richard the Lionheart, the crusader king. Ol’Johnny boy was known as a ruthless tyrant, of Robin Hood fame, who ruled Britain from 1199 till his death in 1216. He was the Magna Carta king, the reason for its creation, which eventually became the foundation … Continue reading How To Get Rid Of A Bad King

paulaB2018-12-082020-06-03Leave a comment

essays, Family, History, Stories

Tales She Told On Bristol Board

The one and only younger sister unit and I are in her truck a few nights ago, getting ready to get out and head over to Museum London, where her younger one was getting an award for her grade 8 Heritage Project, and we’d arrived a tad early. The niece #2 unit, the one getting the said award, is in the back, nose in her … Continue reading Tales She Told On Bristol Board

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essays, History

From This Place Am I

Standing on the covered porch, with that old Oak Tree for shade, awaits a woman who saw two wars, and whose ancestors bloodstain from the civil war lay in the closet in the hall. The tobacco barns off in the fields, as time went on, leaning more and more. Along dusty roads my Dad spent his youth as we drove by those places that defined … Continue reading From This Place Am I

paulaB2018-04-062018-04-062 Comments

essays, History, The Wisdom Files

You Know, Trojan Horses Fool Us All

The history geek that I am, in my spare time I can oft be found on the hunt for a new empire, epoch or otherwise to dive into, and this time it happened to be the Fall of Troy. So down I dove. The lecture I stumbled upon was from a scholar I was familiar, one Eric Cline. In 14 parts of 30 minutes each, … Continue reading You Know, Trojan Horses Fool Us All

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History

Of Queens And Amazons

Lost in the mists is a whole aspect of humanities past that we are only now beginning to understand, or even acknowledge. Continue reading Of Queens And Amazons

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History, letters

Those Ghosts Of Grey

Once upon a time, in a land far away… there is a place called Grey. I can feel the sunshine on my arm, gazing out the truck window at the rolling and wild countryside, the smell of the earth, the crunching of the gravel underneath our tires as we made our way up the long drive, enchantment lay before me. I don’t recall how we … Continue reading Those Ghosts Of Grey

paulaB2016-03-302020-09-257 Comments

History, letters

Duality And The Feminine

Few places in London have more mystique, more soul, than Guest House On The Mount. The structure of this charming “boutique hotel” was at one time a Nunnery, and on the grounds remain a few remnants of that time. The terraced lawns that grace the property feature a Mary grotto hollowed from the old roots of what looked to be a toppled Mother Oak’s roots. … Continue reading Duality And The Feminine

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essays, History

Dromgole & Co

The Bell Tavern was where 26-year-old Martin Dromgole boarded before he was murdered in 1865 on the back yard of a home where Braida & Henry’s law ofﬁces now stand. Accused of being the father of a child out of wedlock whose birth caused the death of the young mother, Dromgole was shot by the girl’s uncle when he attended the funeral. Continue reading Dromgole & Co

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History, letters

The Greatest Great

Hey Mom… ok, so last week I told you about our 3x’s Great Uncle David. That’s where I started, and I have a lot more info on them. First though….did you know that Dad’s related to half of North Carolina? I kid you not. We may dominate a lot of the graveyards in Oxford County up here, but, down there if ya spit you’ll hit a cousin. Last week Lex and … Continue reading The Greatest Great

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History, letters

Who Was David?

Hi Mom, I decided that maybe the best way to tell these stories I’m collecting is to tell them to you. It was for you I decided to start this research, so it seems apt that to you I should tell them to. The whole deep dive into the past helped me to cope with the loss of you, and do you know how often I’ve said to myself, … Continue reading Who Was David?

paulaB2014-10-052016-04-145 Comments

History, pictures

A Village Aglow

Yesterday was perfect – in every way possible. Perfect. Not too hot, not to cool. A beautiful breeze moved throughout my little abode, brushing away the winter woes. Freshly laundered bed linens hung on Grandma’s wooden cloths dryer all afternoon, soaking in the day. Last night I slumbered upon dreams of fresh summer days, and the scent of sunshine. Continue reading A Village Aglow

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Family, History

Living Amongst Gravestones and Ancestors

Last evening, once I had written my post, and settled down from yesterday’s ordeals…my sister calls… gotta listen to this song she says. [featured photo is me and Mom – c1970 – I was 3] Earlier she had done my, hit random and ask your question to the music “thang”…and this is what it gave her ~~ Coldplay’s latest album ‘Mylo Xyloto’ released in 2011 … Continue reading Living Amongst Gravestones and Ancestors

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