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
Category: Origins
Did You Know? The Didache
In a discussion following our church service yesterday the pastor touched on a text of the early church called the… Read more Did You Know? The Didache
A Brief History of Paperbacks
I’d never thought much about the history of paperbacks till I encountered a brief discussion in this novel, which I’m… Read more A Brief History of Paperbacks
12 Facts About “Good King Wenceslas”
“Good King Wenceslas” is a popular Christmas carol, but I bet you don’t know much about the man behind the… Read more 12 Facts About “Good King Wenceslas”
Exploring Grey County: Damnation Corners
Earlier this month I shared that downtown Owen Sound has an intersection with four 19th century limestone churches, known as… Read more Exploring Grey County: Damnation Corners
Exploring Grey County: Salvation Corners
Our new house is a block north of “Salvation Corners” in Owen Sound, so nicknamed because of the four limestone… Read more Exploring Grey County: Salvation Corners
The History of Labyrinths
Our new house has a smaller yard than I’d hoped for, but just one house down is a baseball diamond… Read more The History of Labyrinths
Did You Know? Second Empire Architecture
Have you ever noticed houses with mansard roofs and dormer windows? In case you don’t know what I mean, here’s… Read more Did You Know? Second Empire Architecture
Autumnal Equinox Celebrations in History
For the first day of fall let’s take a look at some ways the autumnal equinox has been celebrated throughout… Read more Autumnal Equinox Celebrations in History
Tolkien’s Influences: Maxims I and Maxims II
A few months ago I wrote a post about The Wanderer, an Old English poem that inspired several aspects of… Read more Tolkien’s Influences: Maxims I and Maxims II
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ben & Jerry’s
This year I’ve been recommending a history podcast in my email newsletter each month. Of course this has led to… Read more 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ben & Jerry’s
Did You Know? Discovery of Vitamins
Do you have any idea when vitamins were discovered? I didn’t until I looked it up today. Thirteen vitamins were… Read more Did You Know? Discovery of Vitamins
Tolkien’s Influences: The Wanderer
In The Road to Middle Earth: How J.R.R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology Tom Shippey includes as an appendix “a… Read more Tolkien’s Influences: The Wanderer