an gaire tá mé le fáil go dtí seo go cad a cheapann liom Rourke i úrscéalta Báis ( JD Robb ) Breathnaíonn an nós

BUT

Since I started with Dragons yesterday I thought I’d just do a week of legends:  Today Merlin

Who hasn’t heard of the legendary magician, mage, what ever you want to call him.  He and his legendary friends and enemies have graced our literature, plays, stories, movies and now even TV for long before any living person has memory of.

Some feel that our legend of Merlin has grow from a Caledonian  (for those who don’t know that one–it is in Gaelic Scot “An Calaidh” which is a term that the Romans used for Scotland and particularly the Highlands where all the crazies came–so bad the Romans built a wall to hold them out) prophet Merlinus Celidonius.  It would seem that most of the legend comes from Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Celtic areas that stayed out of the focus of Roman and later Anglo Saxon as much as main stream Briton.

In other legends I have found Merlin was the son of a nun and a devil (this makes sense as Celtic beings of legend would seem demonic to the Christian–an imported theology–way of thinking.  I personally prefer the ones that say that Merlin was the son a beautiful girl who caught the eye of an obviously male fairy being).

I personally prefer the Merlin (Welsh Myrddin, latinized as Merlinus_) from the older legends and not the creature created by Hell to set on earth a creature that would counterbalance the good done by Jesus, but who was baptized and so not evil.  But rather the chief advisor to the War Lord; not what we think of as King; of a time that was betwixt and between when England was afloat between the Roman’s domination and the Saxon indoctrination.  A time when Monks attempted to convert the populace but Christianity warred with paganism and the Celts saw their greatest legend Arthur,  who didn’t search for a grail (which was introduced in the 13th century by the French) but fought for freedom.

Merlin’s chief problem is that in the legend he becomes enchanted with a woman variously named as Niniame, or Nimue or Viviane (I like the last one best) a fellow magician who enchants and seals the living mage into a tomb and takes over his duties attempting to save Arthur from his half sister Morgana.  This is believed to be a combination of Cetic legends made into one femme fatale, I guess the woman as being a serious issue to a man’s success isn’t anything new.

The French (and Geoffrey of Monmouth) did a lot to establish the legend as it developed today–scholars debate how much was mostly Monmouth and how much as items he gleamed from other sources in his time.  We do know that the legend was felt to be Welsh (I disagree and would place my war lord in Cornwall–where he was born at Tintagel,  Avalon at Glastonbury—while I would place Merlin as Welsh and the area of battles in England proper holding off the Saxons that used the Isle of Mann as their base of action.)

My least favorite Merlin Ever

I think Merlin in the era of the 13th century was a problem.  Like Ashe says:  “Things were Christian or heathen, white or black.  Magic was essentially heathen; therefore it was not good.”  We have came into an age where magic is again (at least to most of us) at least a possibility and so our legends have evolved.  Merlin has changed and moved along (for a fun look at the Legend:  Peter David’s KNIGHT LIFE—King Arthur is reborn and running for mayor in New York City—great fun).

One of my favorites

But skip the TV version where Morgana goes from high priestess of the Goddess to a nun…..REALLY?????

IF you’d like to see more of my idea check out https://www.pinterest.com/lindachase56829/my-novels/

“There is no such thing as a true tale. Truth has many faces and the truth is like to the old road to Avalon; it depends on your own will, and your own thoughts, whither the road will take you.”
― Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian

Barber, Richard:  KING ARTHUR HERO AND LEGEND

Coghlan, Ronan:  THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPAEDIA ARTHURIAN LEGENDS

Hopkins, Andrea: CHRONICLES OF KING ARTHUR

Loomis, R.S.: CELTIC MYTH AND ARTHURIAN ROMANCE                               THE GRAIL CELTIC MYTH TO CHRISTIAN   SYMBOL

Markale, Jean:  KING OF THE CELTS

No it’s not Christmas but I thought I’d shop early this year and keep the gift around until Dec. 25—you won’t mind if it’s a bit used will you?

1978 6″ GARFIELD GOOSH Clear Drinking Glass   $11.00

Yes I’m still around–running all over, all weekend doing this that and what ever….it’s beautiful weather here and staying in the 80s.

IN THEIR GLORY FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS LIMITED EDITION TWIN TOWERS NUMBERED PLATE   $11.70

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IN-THEIR-GLORY-FOREVER-IN-OUR-HEARTS-LIMITED-EDITION-TWIN-TOWERS-NUMBERED-PLATE-/261814297790?

TODAY LET’S DISCUSS DRAGONS….

IN this day and age dragons grace everything from statues  to T-shirts.  From cartoons to  cars.   I have long insisted that we got our original idea for Dragons from found Dinosaurs remnants:

I mean look at that..you could certainly postulate a lot of possibilities from finding something like this.  Dragons have been about in Mythology around the world.   Ancient Greeks believed that dead men turned to dragons once they descended below the earth.

Oriental dragon:

tend to be more snake like

While European ones

appear (to me at least) to be more like the dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs have a long history in fiction and legends

In fact England’s patron saint is George best known  for his dragon slaying–however it is interesting to note that George was a Roman soldier, never set foot in the country and was adopted by crusading (from Asia Minor)Normans (French men who conquered and ruled the country holding court speaking French) for some unknown reason.

This just might make sense as the Celts (early peoples in British Isles and Ireland) did not have any original dragon legends but the Scandinavians did and Normandy was settle by Norsemen/Viking, so the Normans were heirs to these legends.  You remember Vikings who even carved the creatures into their boats to frighten those they raided.

Edward Burne-Jones (19th c)  painted the patron saint rescuing a maiden from a dragon (which to me strangely resembles an animal we see a lot of here in Florida–alligator anyone?)

There’s a St. George-in-the-East church in London.  The name of the church was also the parish for the surrounding area, until subsumed into Metropolitan Borough of Stepney and abolished in 1927.

As well as one on Hanover Square which is fashionable for marriages (including Benj. Disraeli, George Elliot, Theodore Roosevelt and Percy Bysshe Shelley).

While my favorite in Bloomsbury has lions, unicorns and George I on the top of the steeple in a Roman toga.

Wales is associated with

Red Dragons that even appear on their flag.  Other dragon colors:  Gold for Arthur’s father, white for the Saxons (both Saxons and Britons viewed the dragon as a symbol of warlike invincibility)

Legend they live on in:

Arthur the Once and Future King’s father was Uther Pendragon (uther=Welsh for terrible, pen=son of, Dragon=chief.  The Celts took the borrowed legend’s Dragon name and used it for their chiefs).   In fact a dragon comet fore tells the death of Uther’s brother and his own kingship (a comet thought to be an actual event in AD 497).  Tristan (in a legend that may or may not be related to Arthur depending on the scholar you’re accessing) rides out to fight a dragon that belches flame-laced smoke.

Tetonic legend has Fafnir, the dragon king of Hades who can’t bear light and robs the earth of gold.  Greece had the Lernaean Hydra and Ladon, guardians who were beaten by Hercules.

and religion

Some scholars believe that the serpent in the Bible was actually a dragon–“the ultimate form of the serpent.”    In fact the Greek word dracon means snake.   Michael and the angels fought against a red dragon (called the Devil)

and finally is this a white horse

or a dragon?  South of Uffington in Great Britian it is believed to be the oldest existing hill figures in the UK.  374′ wide .  Legend puts it in the King Arthur or others with Anglo Saxon victories.  But it may date to the Bronze age.  Some say it’s the horse goddess Epona, another that it’s St. George’s horse or the Dragon itself (Interestingly a near by hill is called Dragon)

Vintage PEPSICOLA Bottled in Orlando BOTTLE  $8.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/225982106/vintage-pepsicola-bottled-in-orlando?ref=shop_home_active_4

“I believe in everything until it’s disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it’s in your mind. Who’s to say that dreams and nightmares aren’t as real as the here and now?”
― John Lennon

SOURCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_George_in_the_East

http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/13/top-ten-monsters-of-the-middle-ages/

Eyewitness Travel Guides:  Millennium Edition London

Fife, Graeme, Arthur the King

Fodor’s:  Exploring London 7th Ed.

Lake, Matt: Weird England

GOOD DAY–almost noon.  Avon Lady here today and we always have a gab fest, love her to pieces.

MINATURE BELL CREAM WITH COBULT PAINT OF WINDMILLS MADE IN HOLLAND  $9.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINATURE-BELL-CREAM-WITH-COBULT-PAINT-OF-WINDMILLS-MADE-IN-HOLLAND-/261809743846?

OMG-–how could you say NO to that face—

TODAY we’ll continue our week of TIME with collectible TIME PIECES

Technically what we call clock today should really be called TIME PIECES.    The word clock is from a Celtic word clagan/clocca which means bell.  A clock then is an instrument to keep time with a bell.   So if your clock doesn’t have a bell–yeah–it’s a time piece.  Then there’s clock which are carried on or with a person which are Watches.   And you thought this was gonna be simple–hey they all have one thing in common they let us keep track of time.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock

http://www.black-inventor.com/Benjamin-Banneker.asp

http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi72.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/world/daylight-saving-time-fast-facts/

Look Magazine 9/4/45

Almost 90 here today…I had to have the air on last night to get a decent sleep.  I KNOW  SHUT THE   UP.

1999 HERSEY’S VEHICLE SERIES CANISTER #3 TROLLEY  $8.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1999-HERSEY-039-S-VEHICLE-SERIES-CANISTER-3-TROLLEY-/261808534867?

What would help my sleep:

“He was dead. However, his nose throbbed painfully, which he thought odd in the circumstances.”
― Diana Gabaldon, Voyager

–

TWILIGHT TRINQUET PEWTER BOX “What If I’m not the hero?”   $24.50

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TWILIGHT-TRINQUET-PEWTER-BOX-034-What-If-I-039-m-not-the-hero-034-/261808544669?

Today I thought I’d do another time thing to celebrate the jump forward

TIME TRAVEL HAS BEEN A POINT OF INTEREST IN MANKIND LONG BEFORE CLAIRE WENT THRU THE STONES TO MEET HER SCOTTISH SOUL MATE JAMIE in the books 20 years ago and in the OUTLANDER  TV show in 2014.

Modern fiction is full of the genre.  While Claire’s journey appears to be some type of portal which I accessible at only given times of year and accessible by only certain persons other writers have used multiple ideas.  in LADY OF HAY Barbara Erskin has her heroine Jo pitched back in time when she is hypnotized for a series of articles she is writing.  During the hypnotic sessions she finds herself reliving the life of Matilda The Lady of Hay in the time of King John.  But even after the episode is over she continues to return to the past at increasingly frequent intervals until she is enmeshed in the life of the woman dead centuries before.

But we are not original in our stories of time travel.   There are Hindu stories (Mahabharata) in 700 B.C. which deal with traveling to many worlds and returning to find centuries have passed….not quite time travel but  close?

Maybe one of the best remembered in “Modern” fiction is Dicken’s  A CHRISTMAS CAROL where Scrooge travels to his past and future though this one again doesn’t quite make my requirements as it does not involve any real interaction of the character and the times, people and places he was viewing.

The late 19th century seemed very fruitful for time travel with authors like Mark Twain (A Yankee in the Court of King Arthur/1889) and H. G. Well (The Time Machine/1895) writing of time travel with Well’s book seeming to me to be one of the definitive early time travel examples, though I loved Twain’s story more.   It also might be noted that Edgar Allan Poe wrote a short story in Godey’s Lady Book (A Tale of the Ragged Mountain/April 1844) much earlier in the same century though I’ve never read that one.

The best selling Time travel book of all time:  according to Good Reads is THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE By Audrey Niffenegger (With the original OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon coming in 2nd and H.G. Well’s classic third and a novel by Stephen King and one by James Finney rounding out the top 5 )

In modern fiction time travel continues to take some bizarre turns with Lauren Beukes’ novel The Shinning Girls dealing with a serial killer who is a time traveler and Michael Crichton (best known for his restored dinosaurs) gave us archeologist (in Timeline) who find an up close and personal involvement with the past they are studying when they are returned in time to rescue a colege.

And of course there were movies with one of the best considered to be Back to the Future with Michael J. Fox seeming to garner the most popular across the board with a car time machine and a young man trying to remake his life in three different movies and time periods.  In most top 5’s are 12 Monkeys (now a TV show too) with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, a bizarre movie of time travel and insane assylums,  The  several versions of Well’s Time Machine (the most notable being one made in the 60’s) are varied but popular as well as Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and the Terminator 2.

My favorite in the category is a silly little piece where Hugh Jackmon, an English nobleman in New York to find a Rich American wife in the 18th century follows a man back thru a time warp into 20th century where he falls in love with a very modern young woman, Meg Ryan.  Kate & Leopold will never win any Sci-fi awards but it qualities for Fairy Tale TIME TRAVEL.  And makes me smile so that works for me.

1997 POSTCARDS FROM PARADISE ENGLISH SIGNED PAPERBACK ON KEY WEST $12.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1997-POSTCARDS-FROM-PARADISE-ENGLISH-SIGNED-PAPERBACK-ON-KEY-WEST-/261808555013?

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel_in_fiction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel

http://www.andersoninstitute.com/time-travel-in-science-fiction.html

http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/time_travel#sthash.0rOQpjHh.dpuf

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4018.The_Best_Time_Travel_Books_of_All_Time

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/recent-novels-use-time-travel-great-effect/?gclid=CjwKEAjwz_-nBRC0zbDb_YOT1TgSJACW2VEC-w4yjtogpvT5SuRkBwR1DoRO2VANqnTZdkxbJUCqVxoCLJjw_wcB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-time-travel-movies-20150204/donnie-darko-20150204

Still in the 80’s-had to have the a/c on in car when I went for groceries.

SUPER SPEED WEEKS ’94 PAPER NASCAR RACING

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUPER-SPEED-WEEKS-94-PAPER-NASCAR-RACING-/261806547584?ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

NOW IT’S TIME FOR JAMIE FRASER:

 BUSH CLASH 1995 OFFICAL RACE POSTER DAYTONA BEACH with EARNHARDT/GORDON   $40

http://chasingadventureorg.ipage.com/http/chasingadventureorg/wp-admin/post.php?post=1778&action=edit&message=6

So how’s the DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ADJUSTMENT  coming.    I thought we could look a little more about our time.

AND YOU THOUGHT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS WAS BAD:

in 1752 Britain and it’s American Colonies lost 11 days (September 3 -14) when Britain changed to the Georgian calendar.  There was even riots at the time in protest of the “stolen” days.

Calendars go back to ancient times and were based on lunar cycles (months were 29 or 30 days) and the Hebrew (adopted from the Babylonians–who also had 12 hour days) calendar year had 354 days.

The Egyptians developed a sun-cycle calendar with 365 days and this more scientific calendar was eventually adopted by Julius Caesar in 46 BC for Rome and thus most of the European world.

AND IT USE TO BE MUCH MORE CONFUSING:

A fragment of a Celtic bronze tablet found in 1897 from the last century AD in Burgandy showed that the Celts had lunar months with the previously noted 29 or 30 days.  But these days were counted (as the Jews and Moslems also did) from moon-rise to moon-rise with the days thus varying in the number of hours they contained.  And their year was again 354 day, which caused a problem as the earth took 365 days to form a year which would result in months coming at different times in the season every year.

In Wales before the Catholic Church introduced a standard time the day cycle was divided into 8 tides (3 hrs. each):  Dewaint (midnight); Pylgeint (dawn); Bore (morning); Anterth (vapourlessness); Nawn (noon); Echwydd (rest) Huyr or Gwechwydd (evening and Ucher (shadow).

On the continent the Celtic year had two halves beginning at Samhain (Nov. 1) which marked the end of the grazing season and the summer half began at Beltane (May 1) when cattle were driven through the smoke of a bonfire to magically protect them as the grazed.  In Ireland there were two further divisions Imbolic (2/1) and Lughnasa (8/1) as well as solstices and equinoxes which marked an 8 fold division.

AND THEN THERE WAS AD AND BC:

It is from the very first British historian the Venerable (ancient and worthy) Bede an Anglo-Saxon Monk that we appear to have started marking our years before and after Christ.  Previously the Roman’s based their system on the accession of each successive emperor. but Bede (725 AD/Reckoning of Time) called it a pagan system and suggested that the new Christian era might be better served by dating it from Christ’s birth.

The Julian calendar (reformed by Caesar in 45 BC) with a leap year to keep the calendar in pace with the sun and a month of July (guess who that was named after) was still the existing calendar at that time.

To this day our Calendar shows many of these previous influences with Sunday/the sun, Monday/the moon and Tiw’s day, Woden’s day, Thor’s-day and Freya’s day the last four all named after Germanic gods of war, wisdom, thunder and love.  The Roman’s contributed Saturn’s day and the Anglo-Saxon goddess of dawn and fertility Eastre is remembered at Easter.   The seven day week was introduced into Ireland by Chrisitianity.

SOURCES:

Herm, Gerhard, THE CELTS

Kirchner, Walther, WESTERN CIVILIZATION TO 1500

Lacey, Robert, GREAT TALES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY

O’hOgain, Daithi, THE LORE OF IRELAND

Pennick, Nigel, CELTIC SACRED LANDSCAPES

Reader’s Digest:  STRANGE STORIES, AMAZING FACT

Gonna be an 80 degree week—don’t know if I can handle that…what’s your temperature….outside that is???

Remember when:

BULLWINKLE MOOSE IN JERSEY STUFFED ANIMAL 2002 Boys & Girl by TOY NETWORK   $10.00

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HI TO A NEW WEEK

AND LESS THAN A MONTH  TILL THE RETURN….GOOD MORNING SAM

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFUL-BLUE-NAUTICAL-GROUP-OF-JUMPING-METAL-DOLPHINS-ON-SLICE-OF-GEODE-/261806372612?

TODAY we’re going for some more health tips:

AND I thought with

This being the first Monday after our time change (do they still not change time in Arizona? ) I’d give you some expert’s tips on getting by:

For Mental Stress:  the following (aroma therapy) oils are helpful:

Geranium

Lavender

Sandalwood

Basil

Bergamot

Grapefruit

Cardamom

Patchouli

THE COMPLETE BOOK OF ESSENTIAL OILS & AROMATHERAPY –Valerie Ann Wormwood

Sleep Problems are common during the change over.

If you’re into crystals try wearing blue stones to bed.  This is also suppose to be good for halting #nightmares.

CRYSTAL, GEM AND METAL MAGIC—Scott Cunningham

Change in Schedule can mean Constipation

1.  Drink a cup of hot coffee, tear or water in the morning–but be careful with too many caffeinated drinks they can actually make it worse.

2.  Eat fruits vegetables, legumes (bean thingys) and bran or other whole grains daily.

3.  Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.

4.  Exercise (walk, dance, jog)

5.  Try an over-the-counter fiber supplement (and take it with plenty of fluid)

6.  Avoid too much iron (check those multi vitamin/mineral amounts)

7.  Occasional (but only occasional) over-the-counter stool softeners may be necessary.

TAKING CARE–Michael B. Jacobs, MD

Fatigue Often Results from Time Changes

Interestingly the jury has gone out and is still debating the importance of Breakfast and while it is still considered essential for children it is no longer a must for adults.

Eating protein-rich food helps energy levels (broiled-chicken breast or a hard boiled egg) but if you include fatty items with it (like mayonnaise and high fat cheese on a turkey sandwich) you’ve defeated the effort.

400 mg of Vitamin C a day has been found to be helpful in defeating fatigue and can be ingested from  orange juice, strawberries, as well as broccoli.

Stick to several small meals a day rather then 3 large ones.

Avoid eating starchy  foods like pasta and potatoes especially for lunch (unless you’re a “carb craver” whom seem to be just the opposite).   Also sugars and coffee at least in the afternoons.

NEW FOODS FOR HEALING Selene Yeager

Stomach Upset can often result from changes on time

Try

Ripe bananas (natural antacids and stomach soother)

Cider vinegar or lemon juice in hot water (alkalizes an acid stomach)

Ginger tea (preferably from fresh ginger roots) warms and soothes

Hot peppermint tea (or fennel, lemon balm or cinnamon)

Slippery elm powder dissolved in hot water for immediate relief

Peppermint is excellent for general nausea  (as well as indigestion and travel sickness) and can be purchased in readymade teas

A GUIDE TO NATURAL HOME REMEDIES — Liz Bestic

And all this brings on Headaches and Migraines

These herbs have been found helpful for one or both

Butterbur

Cayenne Pepper

Chamomile and Valerian

Feverfew

Ginko

Passionflower

You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe “Daylight Saving Time.”   — Dave Barry  From newspaper column ’25 Things I Have Learned in 50 Years’ (Oct 1998), collected in Dave Barry Turns Fifty (2010),

OK YOU CAN HATE US.  It’s gonna be in the 80’s close to 90 here today while they’re predicting snow (or snow already on the ground) everywhere including Hawaii.  http://www.wunderground.com/news/hawaii-snow-winter-storm-warning

 PAMPHLET MELLING RACING 2001 NASCAR STACEY CAMPTON’S WINSTON CUP DODGE http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAMPHLET-MELLING-RACING-2001-NASCAR-STACEY-CAMPTONS-WINSTON-CUP-DODGE-/261800895565?ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

LESS THAN A MONTH TILL OUTLANDER’S BACK

take it off, take it all off

1996 CERAMIC BAILEY’S 3 PC. WHITE WOMAN CREAMER, MAN SUGAR BOWL AND MAN CUP SET     

Price:

US $36.66

+$6.70 shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-CERAMIC-BAILEYS-3-PC-WHITE-WOMAN-CREAMER-MAN-SUGAR-BOWL-AND-MAN-CUP-SET-/261800949695?ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

 

 

 

OK THOUGHT TODAY I’D DEAL WITH SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE FAMOUS (BUT PROBABLY NOT TO YOU) FOR THINGS MOST OF US NEVER ENCOUNTER:

ANDREW RANSON

St. Augustine the oldest city in North America was the focus of pirates (encouraged by the British) as well as the British fleet who protected their claims in area .  In the 17th century one of the ships landed near the inlet  to the city…accounts vary as to  whether the man in question was a pirate or not but in STRANGE FLORIDA by Charlie Carleson he was just one of several men put ashore by the captain  to forage for food and fresh water.   What they found were the Spanish who tortured them and eventually sentenced Ranson to be executed for being the leader of the pirate group.

The catch to the story came in October.   Execution involved  placing the  prisoner’s back against a post,  which a rope was thread through a  hole into a noose placed around the party’s neck and the executioner twisted the rope with a handle which he did several  times till  the body was lifeless, and then one more  time to be sure which actually broke the rope.  Later  when the priest took the body, he found Ranson alive, but suffering from a very sore throat.

The priest claimed a miracle, the authorities a malfunction, but when they came to get Ranson the priest refused to release him and claimed religious immunity for his charge. Ranson stayed alive but restricted to the church, with the priest going as far as Spain to claim a miracle–but again the civil authority disagreed. Back in St. Augustine and with a new governor the priest was able to get Ranson (a carpenter by trade) released from the sentence of death to work on building the castillio though he remained restricted. Eventually he helped the Spanish defend the city against the British invaders which pretty much maintained his restrictions to Florida. How he lived and died after that is all conjecture.

JACQUE CAZOTTE

 

 

 

In the 18th c this man a French writer reputedly (STRANGE STORIES AMAZING FACTS /Reader’s Digest) entertained a dinner party in Paris (1788) by predicting the future executions of many present. He told Nicolas Chamfort (playwright) that he would cut his wrist with a razor but not die (he worked for the revolutionaries but protested the Reign of Terror and tried to commit suicide but failed, he died a few months later. )  He told another he would die on the prison floor of poison rather than face execution and even predicted an atheist would become a devote Christian (which he did after being thrown into prison). Apparently all his predictions came about.  It is unknown if this was his only venture into fortune telling, however he himself remained in France and was arrested, released, rearrested, and finally faced Madame Guillotine and unlike our first gentleman he did not escape with just a sore throat.

 

 

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTTS

Many books, plays and movies have been made by this ill-fate young woman, who became queen at 6 days of age, with the death of her father but who would never sit a secure throne for long and eventually would be executed by her first cousin Elizabeth I for trying to usurp her throne. But what we’re looking at today is the execution.

 

First the executioner missed with the first blow hitting the former queen in the back of the head causing her to cry out.

 

The second blow cut most of the head free, but the remaining tissue had to be sawed through with the axe.

 

When the headman raised the head the lips were noted to be moving and continued for some time according to accounts (up to 15 min).

 

As the executioner raised the grizzly trophy by the hair it fell–seems Mary wore a wig to hide her white hair which had been trimmed very short and so he had no true grip.

 

Then one of her lap dogs which she had concealed in her clothes came forth covered in blood and cowered between her dropped head and severed neck.

 

To add insult to injury the body was sealed in a coffin and left to set for months before it was buried at Peterborough Cathedral and not France (where she had once been queen) as she requested.

 

However her son James (who became James I of England and was already James VI of Scotland) would eventually have her re-buried at Westminster Abbey where her tomb is one of the most impressive to this day.

 

BEHIND PALACE DOORS/Michael Farquhar

 

WHITE KEY WEST CAPTAIN TONY’S SALOON BASE BALL CAP AUTOGRAPHED BY THE LATE TONY Item Id: 261800992348 Price: $20.00 End time: Apr-03-15 17:30:51 PDT Listing fees: $0.30

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“Those who have witnessed executions say there is no sound worse than the weeping of mother watching her son being put to death.They’re wrong. There is one sound that is worse.There is silence.”
― Carolee Dean, Take Me There

 

 

 

 

 

Hello—still coughing but the warm dry weather is helping the recovery.

SMALL CERAMIC NOVELTY BLACK VASE WITY HUMMINGBIRD AND FLOWERS DEOCORATIONS    Starting bid:  US $1.50     http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMALL-CERAMIC-NOVELTY-BLACK-VASE-WITY-HUMMINGBIRD-AND-FLOWERS-DEOCORATIONS-/261799818462?ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%3A80%2Frover%2F0%2Fe12000.m43.l1123%2F7%3Feuid%3De90d7579e8d547f48074c98cce35adf6%26loc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcgi.ebay.com%252Fws%252FeBayISAPI.dll%253FViewItem%2526item%253D261799818462%2526ssPageName%253DADME%253AL%253ALCA%253AUS%253A1123%26srcrot%3De12000.m43.l1123&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

and my favorite subject:  http://www.vcpost.com/articles/46604/20150304/outlander-tv-series-cast-caitriona-balfe-sam-heughan-claire-randall-jamie-fraser-diana-gabaldon.htm

and my favorite episode–107 the Wedding (and WEDDING NIGHT)

TODAY WE’RE LOOKING AT A COLLECTIBLE AREA/AND THE ITEMS THAT ARE RELATED–TODAY IT’S PETER RABBIT

The Original Peter Rabbit Miniature Collection [Book]   $24.95 used    Even the books on the collectibles area listed—interesting.

Peter Rabbit is a fictional  character in  children’s stories by Beatrix Potter. He first appeared in The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902 and subsequently in five more books between 1904 and 1912.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Rabbit

EARLY PETER RABIT JIGSAW PUZZLE Sold Auction $131

Peter Rabbit was named after a pet rabbit Beatrix Potter had as a child called Peter Piper. The first Peter Rabbit story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was originally created in 1893 as a letter to Noel Moore, the five-year-old son of Potter’s former governess, Annie Moore.

PETER RABBIT’S RACING GAME:   $131 at Auction

“With the success of Porter’s stories come marketing efforts by companies that made children’s dishes, toys and games.  (KOVEL May 2013)

BENWICK PETER RABBIT FIGURINE (PETER RUNNING) —even with wooden base loose the 1948 piece went at auction for $357.

GRIMWADES PETER RABBIT CUP AND SAUCER SET (5 each) sold for 676

Fans of Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) may enjoy watching MISS POTTER,  the 2006 movie based on her life.  It stars Renee Zellweger as Potter and Ewan McGregor as her publisher, Norman Warne.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMDMD7q101I

THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT–FIRST EDITION—FIRST ISSUE

This book went for the highest price for the Feb. 2013 auction.  Potter’s first story-book 1901, which she had published privately before it was issued by the publisher in 1902.  The book features black and white line drawings with a color front piece.  Frederick Warne & Co was the first to publish the book with color illustrations.  Oh and the final auction output for this one $37,532.  (Kovel May 2013)

THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT, FIRST COMMERICAL EDITION IN DELUXE FORMAT, FIRST SECOND OR THIRD PRINTING  Auction:  $3,378

The Catalog for the Feb. 27, 2013 BEATRIX POTTER Auction, which also included items  related to her life and other stories can be viewed in the archives at www.liveauctioneers.com.  Auction was held at Bloomsbury Auctions (www.BloomsburyAuctions.com) London, England.

Special ITEM FEATURE:

PENNSYLVANIA SPICE CUPBOARD  c1760—estimate from Antique Roadshow:  $25,000 – $30,000

“Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were–Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. ”
― Beatrix Potter

81 HERE TODAY—and it’s what temperature where you are?

NANCY “Your Friendship Makes My Heart Sing” 1993 Prisilla HILLMAN  $30.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/224688576/nancy-your-friendship-makes-my-heart?ref=shop_home_active_1

It’d be hotter if he was around:

and he’ll be back in a month…9 pm 4/4—OUTLANDER RETURN

$6.00 USD                https://www.etsy.com/listing/224686560/vintage-brown-bead-with-gold-seperators?ref=shop_home_active_2 

We all know that there are vitamins, mineral and so on in liquid and pill form for all manner of health problems, improvement and general you might need it–but isn’t there an easier, more natural way to do all this than consume items that we hope has the stuff in them that they advertise.

TRY SEA VEGETABLES:  Popular with many cultures since ancient times,  these contain minerals way beyond their land-loving cousins, as well as antioxidants.  Studies show they have cholesterol lowering properties and abilities to modify menstrual cycles and current studies are looking at them as a preventative of some estrogen-related cancers (University of California).   And if that isn’t enough for you they contain large amounts of Vitamins B, C, E and K as well as iodine, and calcium.

Some sea veggies:

Chlorella (an algae)

Dulse

Kelp

Nori (aka laver)

Spirulina (an algae)

Wakame

MAKE SURE YOUR KID’S DIETS HAS ENOUGH EPA-DHA

Considered critical in infant development with influences on a healthy skin and found in tests to be lacking in ADHD children. Delicious Living/May 2014).  But testing has also questioned the usefulness of supplements.  So diet seems at this point the best direction.

Foods high in EPA-DHA (in order of content highest to lowest):

Flaxseed

Walnuts

Sardines

Salmon

Beef

Soybeans

Tofu

Shrimp

Brussels Sprouts

Cauliflower

HAVE A HISTORY OF CARDIAC ISSUES (or want to avoid same)OR STROKE

You need to eat lots of fruits, vegetable, nuts and non-fat protein (i.e. fish), while consuming minimal sugar and alcohol. (from a study in CIRCULATION)  and include exercise in your daily routine.

Other Suggestions:

Cook with Olive Oil

Drink Green tea 

Eat Dark Chocolate with a high cocoa content (a square or 2 day  –THE HEALTHY EDGE)

CLEAR CONGESTION BY AVOIDING PROBLEM FOODS

Though we often think of air borne sources for our nose problems it could be dietary.  Food irritants can cause build up (Emily . Kane, ND, LAc).   in the throat.

Foods that often cause a problem:

Dairy products

Grains

Corn

Chicken

Soy

FOR THE TUMMY

Try a ripe banana for an inflamed stomach (cider vinegar or lemon juice in hot water helps too)

Water;  Don’t drink it with a meal–dilutes gastric acid and blocks digestion and can block absorption.   (try it 10 min before or wait till 3 hrs. after)    A GUIDE TO NATURAL HOME REMEDIES — Liz Bestic

PROTECTING THE MAIN

Vitamin C in the diet with citrus fruits and juices

Vitamin E:  found in oils like sunflower and peanut or you might try a few servings a day of nuts or wheat germ.

Niacin–meats, grains, fish (especially tuna), turkey white meat and legumes (i.e. lentils) that stops damage from free radicals.

Fava–you know you eat them with brains and a good Chianti–Hannibal Lector style— (Broad Beans) are a favorite of Parkinson patients and appear to have some compounds in medicine used to treat the condition.

and finally like I promised in the title

EAT TO IMPROVE FERTILITY (YES you still need all the sweaty, messy stuff too thank goodness).

Victoria Maizes, MD (BE FRUITFUL: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MAXIMIZING FERTILITY AND GIVING BIRTH TO A HEALTHY CHILD)  recommends the Mediterranean Diet (which also reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s)  http://victoriamaizesmd.com/breast-cancer/diet/   which is abundant in unrefined grains legumes, fish, vegetables and fruit and of course Olive Oil.  And keep your weight within recommended guideline numbers.

Other inclusions:

Use whole fat dairy products

2-3 meals a week of wild salmon, sardines, herring or black cod

Avoid

Soda (all kinds including non-caffinated and diet)

Processed food

WIZARD of OZ ‘I Haven’t Got A Brain” #7537 Plate 1991 Second Issue Knowles by Rudy Laslo  $24.00 USD

https://www.etsy.com/listing/224685480/wizard-of-oz-i-havent-got-a-brain-7537?ref=shop_home_active_3

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

Sorry I’ve been gone for awhile, have been a bit under the weather and today is the first day I’ve felt well almost human.

why SAM?  http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Outlander-DVD-Extra-About-Sam-Heughan-Casting-36975649

MINATURE BELL CREAM WITH COBULT PAINT OF WINDMILLS MADE IN HOLLAND   Price:  US $10.00      http://www.ebay.com/itm/261760399942?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

TODAY:  WE’RE LOOKING AT SORRENTO, FLORIDA

According to PLACES IN THE SUN/Bloodworth & Morris this city received it’s name in 1875 from the book AGNES OF SORRENTO

The book I found was from the author who wrote Uncle Tom’ s Cabin a book some felt help contribute to the conflict between the states and whose writer (along with her family) spent some time  in Florida.  However in THE LOVER’S GUIDE TO FLORIDA/McCarthy, Editor—it says that the novel was Italian, so I looked again.    (it’s also mentioned that the book was popular at the time—but this book was written in 1862).

But no Italian writer, just Stowe’s book:  “This story revolves around Agnes, a beautiful young girl, in Italy.   When reading this book you can lose yourself in Italy and its people by Stowe’s use of poetic language.     One can almost touch the characters and smell the landscapes with her descriptions. Come to Italy with Harriet Beecher Stowe!”   (https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/phpworx/index.php?cmd=catalog-product&product_id=27&product_category_id=4)  This ad may be a bit misleading though as I find no record of her ever leaving the US so her descriptions may be a bit –inaccurate?

Oh the Book Lover’s book did mention that the name was drawn by a blindfolded person from a box of names put in by multiple persons.

So after all that pretty much all I have been able to establish I that Sorrento is a town east of Mt. Dora and had a population of less than 800  in 2000.

The area is basically scattered residential.

What I found:  A BRIEF HISTORY OF SORRENTO, FLORIDA  By Miss Hattie Allen

According to her obituary (“Eustis Lake Region News,” November 20, 1958):  “She had been a resident of Sorrento for 76 years, being a member of one of Sorrento’s pioneer families. Her grandfather, William Allen, operated one of the first general stores in Sorrento during the 1880’s.
“She was a member of the Presbyterian Church; DAR, serving as a state officer and as Regent [1938-1940, Historian, Treasurer, Vice Regent, and Chaplain] of Ocklawaha Chapter. She was organizing president of the Major Francis L. Dade Chapter of the U.S. Daughters of 1812; member of the Lake County Historical Society and had written a history of Sorrento. She was also a member of the Mayflower Society, member of Founder and Patriots of America, Presbyterian Aid Society and Sorrento-Mount Plymouth Civic Club.
“Miss Allen had been very active in DAR affairs for many years and for 17 years was a delegate to the Continental Congress of DAR. …”    http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=41945211  

She describes the area:  “Sorrento is located nineteen miles west of Sanford…The country is high and rolling and before the turpentine stills and lumber mills took their toll, was covered with forests and stately pines.”

and  goes on to note that the first settlers to the area were blacks:

“first white settlers found several colored families living about a mile north of Sorrento. They were slaves and children of slaves from the plantation of Mr. Delk at Rock Springs. When freed at the beginning of the Civil War, some joined the Union Army, but at the close of the war they returned to settle near the home of their mother, Aunt Hettie Weir, from whom many of the early settlers bought their first orange trees. Two other colored families lived on the Rock Springs road – Uncle Pete and Aunt Mary Frazier and their children and Joe Jenkins and his family. Their descendants still live in this section.   http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Felcchamber.com%2Ffiles%2FA_BRIEF_HISTORY_OF_SORRENTO.doc&ei=GJf0VND1LozbggSa4oOIAw&usg=AFQjCNEJiPKBFgNi9bSQWEdbUXlB28Ov5w&sig2=w5xc75k_lhVUbK2qzav1yw

Oak Haven Farms     32418 Avington Rd, Sorrento, FL 32776      http://berriesandwines.com/    Est. 1996.  It includes a country kitchen (U-roast hot dogs, soda, chips and home-style strawberry shortcake, milkshakes and ice cream) on Sundays and full weekends in late Dec-early April (Strawberry season).  In 2010 it added a vineyard with an onsite winery (authentic Sorrento wines including Strawberry, Blueberry, Mead and Muscadines:  ‘Carlos’ and ‘Noble’.

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/218383186/1960s-little-girl-nurse-with-teddy-bear?ref=shop_home_active_22

“Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.”
― Joseph Conrad