When I was growing up we celebrated Victoria Day with a huge scavenger hunt, dinner, and fireworks with a big… Read more The Long (Orange) History of Fireworks
Wedding Bells
Today is Andrew’s and my anniversary. When deciding what to blog about the second stanza of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem… Read more Wedding Bells
9 Things I Learned in April
Just because we’re stuck at home doesn’t mean we can’t learn all kinds of things! There’s no scientific evidence that… Read more 9 Things I Learned in April
Favourite Things: April Edition
I saw a t-shirt online that said, “2020 is a unique Leap Year. It has 29 days in February, 300… Read more Favourite Things: April Edition
Early Bird-Watching Books
Bird-watching is a hobby that really emerged in the 20th century. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “In the 19th century… Read more Early Bird-Watching Books
A Short History of 4/20
If you’ve ever wondered how April 20 became a holiday celebrating marijuana, you’ve come to the right place. Origin Myths… Read more A Short History of 4/20
Voltaire on Vaccinations
Talk about developing a vaccine for Covid-19 has got me thinking about Voltaire’s essay “Inoculation,” published in 1733. I thought… Read more Voltaire on Vaccinations
Did You Know? Nancy Drew
I don’t remember ever reading a Nancy Drew book when I was growing up, but I did read some of… Read more Did You Know? Nancy Drew
8 Things I Learned in March
Here are a bunch of mainly mundane things I learned recently (only one of which is related to Covid-19). This… Read more 8 Things I Learned in March
Favourite Things: March Edition
What can I say about March? Day by day more and more things were cancelled: no more church, no more… Read more Favourite Things: March Edition
Three Picture Books About J.S. Bach
Most of the picture books I review on this blog I enjoyed reading… Today I have the pleasure of including… Read more Three Picture Books About J.S. Bach
Poetry in Context: “I’ve been wandering…”
When Charlotte Bronte (1816-1855) and her siblings were young they created an imaginary world called the Glass Town Confederacy. This… Read more Poetry in Context: “I’ve been wandering…”
16 Picture Books Celebrating Women in History
It’s Women’s History Month and I’m sitting on my couch with a big stack of picture books featuring women who… Read more 16 Picture Books Celebrating Women in History