To The Manner Born

As Barry Manilow sang, it looks like we've made it.  We've survived long enough to once again celebrate Hogmany. Hogmany is th...

From The Straight Dope message board . The thread is illuminating. The Death of Bullwinkle You may have heard that Bullwinkle the M...

I was in Kansas City Saturday sharing a late Christmas with granddaughter Liz and her family.  On the way out of town I detoured across t...

You can teach old dogs new tricks, if the failure to learn is high enough.  Two years ago my bride gave me an IPAD for Christmas.  I reac...

Happy Boxing Day Good King Wenceslas looked out  On the feast of Stephen,  When the snow lay round about  Deep and crisp and even; ...

Merry Christmas to each and all my friends. Toad and Mrs. T

Today we celebrate Mondraniht, Mother's Night , a feast once held to honor the female gods and mother Earth in ancient German, Englis...

The holiday's are not all milk and cookies.  Bad things happen to good families during this otherwise festive time.  I stumbled upon ...

On December 17, 1864 Union General William Tecumseh Sherman and his army were nearing the Georgia coast. Four days earlier, his troops had o...

This weekend while you are locked away wrapping last minute holiday gifts and frantically searching for the television remote, pause one...

The joy of the winter holiday season is found in the repetition of cherish classics. Thinking of Quentin Blake reminded me of his work with...

“The Dye is cast: The People have passed the River and cutt away the Bridge: last Night Three Cargoes of Tea, were emptied into the Harbo...

Sir Quentin in his studio Today is Sir Quentin Blake's 81st birthday. Think back to your childhood story books.  Your mind slips ...

Your name says little about you but it speaks volumes about your parents. Children's names are clear markers of parents hopes, dreams,...

According to myth, created by those who never ventured far from the Mediterranean Sea, the Halcyon Days, which begin today (one week bef...

I enjoy learning the history, evolution and variety of what are now the Christmas holiday celebrations. The ancient pagan celebrations may ...

Many thanks to all and sundry for your support of Jess and her goal to win the ACM photo contest. Competition is stiff, but the votes ar...

Lost by Jess Earlier this year our buddy Jess spent several months studying in Morocco. She wrote about her experiences here   .  Je...

Daily Mail photo Moving into our new neighborhood I laughed each day as I watched an elderly neighbor "walk his dog". The d...