You know you’re desperate when you ask what you should blog about, your eight-year-old says “butterflies,” and you start Googling!… Read more Butterfly Collecting Trivia
Category: Origins
Puffing Billy to Roomba: A Vacuum Cleaner Timeline
The Earliest Vacuum Cleaners The first patent for what we could call a vacuum cleaner was submitted by American inventor… Read more Puffing Billy to Roomba: A Vacuum Cleaner Timeline
The Cure Cottages of Saranac Lake
My in laws are spending a few days at Saranac Lake in upstate New York and they mentioned that there… Read more The Cure Cottages of Saranac Lake
Mint Julep, Anyone?
I thought it would be fun to make some cocktails this summer and the natural progression was to then look… Read more Mint Julep, Anyone?
Point Farms Summer Resort
On Saturday we had a picnic at Point Farms Provincial Park near Goderich, Ontario. It’s now a campground with beach… Read more Point Farms Summer Resort
The Short History of Chocolate Truffles
In January I wrote about the long history of truffles; now I thought it would be easy to find out… Read more The Short History of Chocolate Truffles
Did You Know? The First Ferris Wheel
The biggest splurge of our wedding was renting a Ferris wheel. This type of Ferris wheel with seats that hold… Read more Did You Know? The First Ferris Wheel
Dead Sea Scroll Discovery
In my last post I forgot to share something I learned in March — archaeologists recently discovered the first Dead… Read more Dead Sea Scroll Discovery
The Surpisingly Interesting History of Crocuses
At the end of last week the kids found the first crocus blooming in our front yard. This of course… Read more The Surpisingly Interesting History of Crocuses
Did You Know? Books Inspired by Toys
You probably know that Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by Christopher Robin’s stuffed bear, but did you know that the Thomas the… Read more Did You Know? Books Inspired by Toys
Who Was Saint Valentine?
Five years ago I posted a history of valentines (with lots of interesting pictures). This year I decided to look… Read more Who Was Saint Valentine?
The Long History of Truffles
Priced between $900 and $3000 per pound, truffles are one of the delicacies of haute cuisine. Truffles are fungi that… Read more The Long History of Truffles
Knock, Knock. Who’s There?
Do you know when knock-knock jokes appeared? Let me enlighten you with some quotes from the NPR article “The Secret… Read more Knock, Knock. Who’s There?