Bubbles really do freeze when it's zero degrees outside! I finally got it to work. Unfortunately my night time photography skills aren't great, so I have no proof. But I now believe!

Happy New Year and happy Twelfth Night to all who are still on Livejournal!

Happy Winter Solstice!

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My election endorsements for 2013 (Oxford, OH ( Read more... )

My grandmother, Shirley English, died in her sleep at home two weeks ago at the age of 92. She was my mother's mother, and experienced a rich and varied life, which she lived on her own terms. Rest in peace, Grandma. I miss you ( Read more... )

If I'd lived in 16th or 17th century England, I would have been highly likely to be accused of witchcraft, according to this test:

http://www.historyextra.com/witchtest

That doesn't really surprise me.

So several months ago I was invited to a wedding which will take place the weekend after labor day. I rsvp'd in time, and didn't think more about it, until last week. When I turned the invitation over, I noticed that it's a Victorian themed wedding. Does anyone have ideas on where to go for a Victorian costume in SW Ohio ( Read more... )

Merlin Stone issued an intriguing proposition. Our current dating system is based on the Christian religion (B.C./A.D.). This shapes the way we view history. For me, everything that happened B.C. is a sort of timeless jumble, and it's difficult to wrap my head around the chronology. Conversely, I tend to see A.D. as the start of the modern era ( Read more... )

I'd planned to see my grandmother in Toledo on Mother's Day, but came down with a virus and thought it best to stay away and not infect her. And so this weekend I went to her home for a make-up Mother's Day visit. I'm glad I did. My 91-year-old grandmother is weaker and less coherent than when I saw her last. She slept most of the day. But we ( Read more... )

In response to Israeli forces bombing Syria, someone in a Facebook post said, "That Holocaust they've been lying about for 68 years? It's about to get real, real soon." Here is my response:
( Read more... )