Born Behind the Veil

Posted by May 3 2012, 10:35 am in ,

Lord Byron

Some children are born with a mask, a birth caul, made of a
thin membrane that covers their face. While these births are
very rare, they do hold special significance. Stories and myths abound about the caul. Many are pure fabrication.

The correct name for children born with a caul is Caulbearer. Because the member looks like a thin veil, people born this
way are referred to as being ‘born behind the veil.’

Men or women can be Caulbearers. They come from any social class, race or religious group. These births are not indigenous
to any geographical boundaries. There is some indication that
caul births tend to run in families. Statistics indicate there may
be as few as one caul birth in 80,000 births.

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4 Comments

The History of Wedding Gowns

Posted by Apr 3 2012, 12:02 am in ,

Marriage is one of the great public occasions in a person’s life at which the principals can revel in being the center of attention. For the bride, it is Her Big Day. For centuries women have tried to make their wedding dress special and memorable. Medieval Brides Royal princesses were more ‘royal’ on the wedding days. In medieval times, when royal weddings were great political events and used to seal alliances, the bride had to look majestic. She had to uphold the prestige of her country, impress the in-laws and their country with her own wealth, and if possible outdo

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1 Comment

Afternoon Tea

Posted by Feb 3 2012, 12:01 am in , , ,

Afternoon tea is a tradition we associate with Great Britain. Traditionally, dinner was served at 8:30 or 9:00 pm – a long time after the morning meal which was served between 7:00 and 9:00 am.  To fill the gap, and stop the grumblings of many tummies, tea was served. High tea, an early evening meal, was served between 5:00 and 7:00. It included hot dishes followed by cakes and bread, butter and jam. Sometimes cold meats would also be served. For the most part, high tea was served at the dining table. Afternoon tea, served in the late afternoon, was

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5 Comments

Lord of the Manor

Posted by Jan 3 2012, 12:01 pm in , , ,

I love to read historicals. Even more than reading them, I enjoy writing them. You would probably laugh if you read one of my first drafts. My hero was totally buff. He had to be since every minute of his waking day he was either coming or going to the practice fields with his men. In a later draft I introduced him to his estate room.  I needed him to be coming or going somewhere so what he did wasn’t important-or was it?   Moving characters from scene to scene can be a challenge. People just don’t appear. Where are

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2 Comments

Romance Over the Centuries

Posted by Dec 3 2011, 12:02 am in , ,

A few weeks ago I found a great post on Sapphire Phelan’s Passion Center. She had a great overview of the history of romance over the centuries. She provided insight into the etymology (origin) of words, history of romantic practices, and how love and marriage has changed over the centuries. The need to procreate and to be close to another person hasn’t changed over the centuries. It’s part of who and what we are. What has changed is how we go about it. The romance of it all. Sapphire’s post starts with the Greek explanation of the four types of

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2 Comments

On Writing

Posted by Nov 3 2011, 12:01 am in , , ,

In Mesopotamia, somewhere in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, dating back to 3700 B.C., someone put stone to tablet and hammered out a message and we’ve been hammering out messages ever since. What is the love affair with the written word? They have the power to move people and even nations; people steal them, go to war for them, suppress them, cry over them, and love them. I love painting with them, finding just the ones that transport you to another place all in the comfort of my comfy overstuffed chair. The dappled sunlight in the forest,

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2 Comments

The Renaissance and Women

Posted by Sep 3 2011, 4:01 am in , ,

It has long been held that the Renaissance began in Florence, Italy in the 14th century mostly because of the social and civic uniqueness of the city at that time.  The Renaissance was a cultural movement that saw the rise of literature, science, art, religion, and politics. It was an intellectual transformation that bridged the Middle Ages and Modern era. Women in the Renaissance were primarily the domestic caretakers of the children and the household. They were subordinate inferiors of men. Only a few wealthy women escaped the tasks of making clothes from scratch, the overall maintenance of the home,

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6 Comments

Women of Revolution

Posted by Jul 5 2011, 4:02 am in , , ,

Today, Americans celebrate Independence Day. It’s a time for waving flags, marching in parades, and eating grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. We speak about our Founding Fathers and the sacrifices they made. We don’t hear very much about the women. How it started: Spurred by what the colonists considered unjustly levied taxes on imported tea, the British commanders in the colonies and the colonists came to an impasse. The colonists rebelled and dumped the tea that was waiting to be off loaded into Boston Harbor (the Boston Tea Party). The British Prime Minister, Lord North, passed a series of laws

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5 Comments

The Druids

Posted by Jun 3 2011, 4:01 am in , ,

 Last month’s offering was about the ancient Avebury stones in Southern England. The stone circles and megaliths that pre-date written history leave much to the imagination. It’s no wonder they are the setting for mystical and magical stories. The Druids, a mystical order of people, have spurred legends and stories of magic, human sacrifice, and ancient rites. It seems like a match made in heaven! The earliest references to Druids are in the writings of Julius Caesar. He cited Greek and Roman texts from 200 BCE. These now lost early writings depicted the Druids as wise Celtic elders. The responsibility

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12 Comments

A Sacred Site

Posted by May 3 2011, 4:01 am in ,

I entered a contest after I wrote Knight of Runes, not with hopes of winning, which would have been awesome, but rather for feedback. More than anything, I wanted feedback. I did very well in the contest actually. Well, according to two of the three judges anyway. The swing in the third set of scores was, well that’s a blog for another day. Suffice it to say, I placed well but didn’t win. But I did get the feedback. Awesome! My story is a time travel. Our heroine says the right words, carries the correct talisman, and is standing in

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5 Comments

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  • Angelyn Schmid: These historical events certainly provide perspective, don’t they? Thanks for stopping by,...
  • Angelyn Schmid: abduction: fascinating. Was it someone famous? Lady Ferrers: I’ve heard of that one, but not in...
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