Delightfully Weird Holiday Traditions Around the World

“Many of our memorable and enduring Christmas traditions include different kinds of lights—lights on trees, lights in and on our homes, candles on our tables. May the beautiful lights of every holiday season remind us of Him who is the source of all light.” —David A. Bednar

Hong Kong Christmas 2020 – Schedule of Top Events and Details

• “At Christmas, all roads lead home.”~ Marjorie Holmes

The Seven Churches of Asia Minor – Anatolia

In this time of major celebration at least in countries that are predominately Chrisian —This is the main holiday of the year and in normal years it involved major parties, buying sprees and don’t forget all those trees (I heard a report laely that stated trees are selling out majorly fast this year) and of course travel (which will if Thanksiving was any indicator pose a major problem to health and health care workers everywhere).

What I’m doing this year is looking at the various symbols that we find about in the celebration—-the first I picked was Santa Claus….Many don’t realise that  this particular character of Christmas actually takes his origins from a Christian saint:  Nicholas—

The absence of the “hard facts” of history is not necessarily an obstacle to the popularity of saints, as the devotion to Saint Nicholas shows. Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is claimed that after the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by Christian artists. And yet historically, we can pinpoint only the fact that Nicholas was the fourth-century bishop of Myra, a city in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor.

Fransican Media

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-nicholas

St. Nicholas | Biography, Facts, & Feast Day | Britannica

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

St. Nicholas: Facts and Legends

But how, when and where did this man (pictured above)

take over the idenity of this one?

Image from the St. Nicholas Center
www.stnicholascenter.org

Saint Nicholas and the Origin of Santa Claus

7 Versions of Santa Claus: Saintly and Dark

The saint’s name Nicholas is of Greek origin and means “victor of people.

24 Stories About Meeting Santa That Will Fill You with the Christmas Spirit

Wonderful Christmas Traditions of Greece

Funny Christmas Stories

Italian Christmas Traditions

So we had this church man who was known for his charity, who passed away in December (6th) 343 AD (assuming that may be an estimate?)  and after his death miracles were attributed to him and items related to him and he became to be known as the protector of children and sailors as well as being associated with gift-giving.

He was a popular saint until the reformation when the worship of saints was given up by the reformers, while the original church retained their worship—this was in the 16th century which also marks the decline of worship of St. Nicholas.

The Dutch are credited with continuing in their celebration of the Saint—despite the fact that the Netherlands were predomnately Protestant.–this celebration was primarily on Dec 5th  (the day before Sinterklass’ day on the 6th) when he delivers the presents placed in the shoes the children set out for him just for this purpose—-not stockings—but close.

What happens at Christmas in the Netherlands? A guide to the …

Russian Christmas – Traditions, Gifts, and Recipes

December 25th is a public holiday for Christmas in Bangladesh even though only about 0.3% of the population, of about 170 million people, are Christians! (Over 85% of people in Bangladesh are Muslims.)

Austrian Christmas Traditions | Discover Christmas Anew

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SANTA CLAUS AND FATHER CHRISTMAS

It was the Dutch then that brought St. Nick to the colonies when they founded New Amsterdam–where NYC is today—-The colony eventually fell under contol of the British  and St Nick  was to gradually move thru the colonies which became  states  after the American Revolution and become a tradition in the democracy—-

And in England Christmas and the whole concept and a large number of the way thing are celebrated was changed in Victorian times and Queen VIctoria’s marriage to Albert.  Albert was from:  Saxe–Coburg and Gotha (German: Sachsen–Coburg und Gotha),

Saxe–Coburg-Gotha (German: [saks ˈkoːbʊɐ̯k ˈɡoːtaː]), was an Ernestine, Thuringian duchy ruled by a branch of the House of Wettin, consisting of territories in the present-day states of Thuringia and Bavaria in Germany.  Wikipedia

Victorian Christmas – History of Christmas – BBC

Christmas Traditions in Austria, Germany, Switzerland

German-born American illustrator Thomas Nast (1840-1902) helped create the modern version of Santa as jolly, chubby, and dressed mainly in red. Coca-Cola further solidified his image in the mainstream media in 1931 when they used him in their advertising.

A Pictorial History of Santa Claus

Christmas in Spain

The Naughty List and the History of That Dreaded Lump of Coal

17 Things You Never Knew About Santa Claus

So there you have the basics—from an obscure member of early 4th century Catholic Clergy that became more famous post demise and that the Reformation couldn’t do away wth—-and the Dutch who kept his legend alive with a few twists of their own—-and the USA where he became a symbol for a soft drink company and as they say the rest is history….Wow only in the 21st century. can all this make perfect sense and not make us think anything was weird about it…..

Of course Santa has his purposes—-he appears at stores—-and malls and gets the child to tell him what he/she wants for Christmas—thus being a great draw to get you to the store/mall and see all the things they hae availalbe for Christmas and allows the parent to overhear the wants from their children to make their gift giving as on he mark as their budgets to allow.   Oh and we can never forget the staying on the good list and the dread of a lump of coal.

And it give TV and movies a character to play with for the month of December—or if you’re the Hallmark channel a couple of months at least.  Also all manner of variations can be made on the costume.  He is featured everywhere from cards to decor and he is the star of parades all over the country ie. Macy’s parade for.  He is used by parents to get better behavior at least in the younger children.   A fact that he’s still inspiring is always a good thing..

How Does South America Celebrate Christmas?

In Europe, before the 16th century, gifts were exchanged on December 6th, the feast of St. Nicholas. Later, German protestants began celebrating Christkindl on December 25, a feast day for the Christ child._[\\

Christmas Celebration in Cuba

How Coca-Cola Invented The Father of Christmas (Or did they?)

The Lodge of Edinburgh

At The Movies With Dinos

Ley lines involve earth energy.  Where the lines cross, vortices or spirals of energy often cross.  Power can fracture off main ones and appear almost anywhere.  It is strongest at dawn and dusk and changes at full moons and Solstice.  Lines can be detected with a pendulum.

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

She Spoke: 14 Women Who Raised Their Voices and Changed the World 

St. Michael le Belfrey

High Petergate, York YO1 7EN,

United Kingdom

This church was built between 1524 and 1536 (Reign of Henry VIII)  However it has been estimated that there has been a church here since Saxon times in the 5th century.

Built next to York Minster 

it is said that it was built to allow those that worked at the Minster to get away from their work site and be quiet and pray.   Today it is a local church who services the locals that live outside the parish—since there are so few people who live in the parish as most of that area in York holds only shops and the like.

The most famous worshiper here was Guy Fawkes (there is a display in the church regarding him.) who was born into the Church of England but after the death of his father and his mother’s remarriage he became a Roman Catholic like his stepfather.  He eventually fought for the Spanish army (Catholic) against the Dutch (protestants) and helped the Spaish capture Calais. (1596).  His knowledge in gunpowder made him a perfect candidate to prepare gun power to blow up the Houses of Parliament (1605).  He was caught and eventually put to death for this—-to this day they celebrate Guy Fawkes Day in the UK.

The Role of Music in the Civil Rights Movement

After the Roman invasion, Britons even took on  Roman names, showing that the britons had adopted Roman ways and considered themselves part of the Roman world.

This is an article from the late 1990’s—just a bit of Nostalgia—-check out the second for some movies and stuff filmed there too

Disney cancels all cruises until at least March

Nearly 10 Million People Flew Over Thanksgiving, According to TSA

Imbolic (2/1):  Imbollg or “in the belly” (pregnate animals)..  Renewed fertiity–began in ddarkness and moved to light:  Days go from sunset to sunset.

Veggie-Packed Stir-Fry Suppers

How to manage Your Virus Risk

December 4, 2020

THE BEST GINS TO BUY FOR CHRISTMAS

Williston in Levy County Florida was established in 1885 by J.M. Willis who namedit for himself.

Abandoned Virginia Renaissance Faire

Eat, drink and be merry this December at Swan

Maiden Castle:   A hill fort 1.6 miles south west of Dorchester, in the English county of Dorset.   In addition to thr fort legends says it was once a pagan place of worship.

21 Best Places to Go in 2021

Molly Goodhead’s Raw Bar & Restaurant

Zone Out in Ozona Florida

Bad Diets Pass Obesity ‘Programming’ to Offspring

Menw the Druid:  was he son of Teirg Wardd in the time of Arhur.  His name means intellegent and he was one of the three greatest magicians in Britain.

What’s on your list for the Dog or Cat Lover in your life? 

Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – Grasmere, Cumbria, UK.

Grassmere

(From Gris–Old Norse for swine–occurs in many local names)

The Norse settlers cleared the land around Grassmerem anbd the Easedale Valley in the west for grazing pigs and sheep.  The beautiful setting of the illag, overlooked by Hehm Crag, with its summit rocks rsembling a lion couchant and a lamb has secured a mention in every guidbook written about the Lakes since 1770, the year in which Wm. Wordsworth was born at Cockermouth.  In 1790 he ame, with his sister Dorothy, to live in a simple lime-washed cottage at Town End, where the best houses of lay astride the old road leading up to White Moss common and Rydal.  The name of this cottage, once an inn called the Dove and  Olive Branch was shortened to  “Dove” and the Wordsworth spent an idyllic nine years there entertaining literary friends such as Coleridge and SIr Walter Scott.  Later Dove Cottage was let to Thomas de Quincey.  In 1880’s a Trust was established to preserve the building and in 19365 the museum across the road was opened, containing manuscripts, first editions and a model of a farm kitchen of 1800s  The Trustees are in the process of creating a permanent study centre and exhibition in converted buildings nearby.

The Shell Book of English VIllages.

Carrot Seed:  Vitalize and fortifies the physical body.  Enhances healing and recuperative prosesses.  A tonic for the liver and gallbladder.  Assists detoxification of the body.  Purfies and detoxifies the blood.  Beneficial for Menstrual problems and PMS.   A dieuretic.  Revertilized aging skins.  Uses:  Bath,  massage,  skin care, diffusser.

Carnival cancels cruises through February

Rocking Metal Eagle Outdoor Decor

The decant of the displayed National Collection for Inspiring People

Mordred (Medraut in Welsh):  Nephew—some stories say son—of King Arthur—other stories do not relate the two.  Son of King Lot and Morgana.  He and Arthur died at the same battle (Camluan)–some legends say that they killed each other.

Join Old Town Trolley and Conch Tour Train of Key West

Explore Texas

Washington-on-the Brazos State Historic Site

Texas was born here in 1836 when Independence from Mexico was declared.  Independence hall has interactive exhibits.  There are hiking trails, picnic ara and a gift shop.

Star of the Republic Museum

Details Texas as a nation.

Barrington Living History Farm

you can tour the home of Texas’ last president, Anson Jones, and see a working cotton farm.  See chores and skills demonstrated.

Black Restaurant Week

In Celtic Mythology the Birch (Dec. 24-Jan 20) had a white stag and the Sun for a symbl.  It represented the rebiryth of the Sun from the winter.  The Birch represented the beginning of all thing, with energy and spontaneousness.

14 Ways to Celebrate Christmas with Crescents

Fairy Mounds

Tradition says that the hidden doors to the and of the fairies are frequently found in mounds and hills (Hallow Hills).  At night many people have sen sparkling lights and heard laughing voicrrs and beautiful music coming from these mounds.  It was considered very foolish to be nar these sites at dusk, midnight or dawn, as well as on the traditional eight days (for exampine–Samhain of the “thin veil“)

Advanced Celtic Shamanism

D.J. Conway

Where to celebrate the holidays in Old Florida: Best Christmas light displays

Morgan Le Faye (Morgaine or Morganna).  Arthur’s half sister and a pupil of Merlin she was a shape shifter and could spout wings and fly.

Taylor Swift Is Releasing a “Folklore” Special on Disney+

Deluxe Bacon Bath & Grooming Sampler (5pc Gift Set) – Bacon Bandages, Floss, Soap, Breath Mints & Lip Balm

Bette Midler

In Wales, it wa believed that a cat busilly scratching its ears foretold rain

Mysterious Monolith In US Desert Reportedly Disappears

Celtic Mythology

The Ash in mythology symbolizes the power of the sea.  It a also sacred to Gwydion –Tree of Enchantment from which he made his wands.  Such a wand was found in Anglesey on a dig there and dated from the First Century.

The Hawthorn is symbolic of the spiritual quest that demands chastity and purification following the earlier festivals of May.

The Celtic festival of Samhain was a time when doors were opened between the natural and the supernatural worlds.  For the Celts, this was the most important celebration of the entire year since it officially marked the beginning of WInter as well as the beginning of the Celtic New Years.

Elegant country hotel near the Malvern Hills with a Morgan classic car experience

Duke’s Head Hotel-–Inn here since 1683–in the 18th century it was a famous coaching inn with stages to Yarmouth, Norwork and London.  It is said that it is haunted by a maid servant executed in the square for poisoning her mistress

Timeless Christmas Candies You Can Make at Home

Al Capone 

Jan 17, 1899 – Jan 25, 1947

“Al Capone, the original “Scarface” (o named because of the three razor slashes left across his left cheek), was perhaps the most famous of all mobsters.  His  life of crime started in Brooklyn and then, in Chicago, he meteorically rose through the syndicate ranks to eventually control the bootleg liquor industry, which broght him an income of some $15 million a year.”

(Eventually convictied of tax evasion he ended up in the new Alcatraz where he developed metal issues due to syphills which he had admitted to having at his physical on entering the prison in 1931.  In 1939 he was judge harmlessly insance due to the disease and released.  He ended in Miami Beach where he fished off the dock for hours clad in his pj’s.  At age 48 he had a brain hemorrhage and died  Jan. 25, 1947.  )

“He is buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Ill.

Where Are They Buried?  How DId They DIe?

Tod Benoit

Sweden’s Southwestern Archipelago

The Dog Day of Summer are the 40 days beginning on July 3 and ending August 11, which concide wth the dawn rising of Sirius, the Dog Star–soon after the summer solstice.

Siberia’s Eerie Whale Bone Alley: Giant Ancient Whale Skulls, Bones Line the Sacred Site

The main picture, first and this last one are all random pictures taken on one of those trips to the UK

Christmas in Prague 

,

MasterPiecesGreen   Bay Packers Shake ‘n Score Game

This is available with other teams (16)—just Google “NFL Shake and Score”

I just included it as it was the cheapest I found

and another great gift for the person that found everything.

Yep I’m continuing the gift for that everything person

Advent Sunday

Because many reunions are outdoors weather is important.  When setting a date weather should be an important factor to consider the typical weather for the dates considered:  i.e. winter in Green Bay, or the rainy season in Florida).

Copper Cleaning Hacks

Our Heritage: Palatka, Florida’s Historic

West View Cemetery

Crill Avenue and Osceola Street
Palatka, FL 32177

His historic park dates back to  the 1840’s with theearliest gave said to be in a mousolem north of the Gazebo and then other burials were added as time went by with it eventually being divided into 3 sections:  One for Catholics, one for whites and one for blacks.

It seems that the site was once a dumping ground for the people who lived in the area and the different sites on line give all manner of accounts of items from buttons to oyster shells.

This area (or near by) was occupied by a fort .  And there are some rumors of another lost fort that I cold find nothing at all about except it was a mystery and thus open for all manner of speculation but……

The current area has been described as everything from a cemetery to a park and even a museum.    It’s oldest spot is of course around the gazebo and though I have never been there I have seen pictures of all manner of intereting and/or artistic stones.  Some of the more famous people who were placed here for their final rest are the state’s first elected governor:  William D. Moseley, and the Judge Benjamin Putnam, he had a county named after him by the way.  there’s also some mayors of the city of Palatka.

Find a Grave:  Westview Cemetery

Art Fair Calendar

Jungle Island (formerly Parrot Jungle) includeds Lemar and Flamingo encounters among many other offerings and a beach as well–All in Miami, Florida.

All the Celebrity Babies We Welcomed in 2020

Ostara

Ostra also known as Eostre, was a pagan goddess of fertility.  Easter, the Christian festival, which lies near the spring equinox, derives its name and its symbols from her.  The Easter egg, for example was originally Ostara’s emblem, a sigh of her wholeness and unfailing fertility.  SUch was the power of her fertility that estrogen, the hormone that prompts eg production in women is named after her.  Ostara’s arrival was marked by the blossoming of yellow flowr such a primroses and daffodils and the fresh green leaves.  Wiccans decorate eggs to honour Ostara.

Wicca book of Days

Sheena Morgan

A traditionally British Christmas

The early gods were indifferent to the justice or injustince of individual human acts.

History’s Secrets

Stretch Armstrong Figure

100 Drives 5000 Ideas

Aberffraw is the ancient royal seat of Kings in Wales.

Get Sconed this holiday season.

The real Gatsby was a woman: Lady Baillie and the glamorous 1920s

Leeds Castle

in Maidstone, Kent

It has been described as the most beautiful castle in the world and while I wouldn’t go quite that far I do find it beautiful and the use of a lake rather than a moat adds to this beauty.  I visied here over 10 years ago and enjoyed it immensley.

If your’e visiting from the US or another counttry the name of the castle Leeds can be a bit confusing as there is also a town called Leeds in the north in Yorkshire.

The castle has hundreds of acres of lands about it and these contain gardens and all manner of animals from those that live on the lake and the river that feed on it and then there are the more ornamental, the peacocks that also grace the gounds.  One thing of note is the swans—-the ones here actually being black and not white—I am always amazed on how much bigger British swans are compared to ours (their deers are much bigger as well but am not sure any of those grace the grounds here).  Oh and word has it that they were a gift from WInston Churchhill to the owner of the estate at that time Lady Baillie.  

THE MAZE & UNDERGROUND GROTTO

This Office Gift Exchange is a Real Killer

If this is a real picture of the Brontës, then I’m Heathcliff!

Harworth

In truth the brilliant children of Patrick and Marie Bronte have lit up with romane a village so gim and stark by nature that it appalled Marir when her parson husband brought the family ther in 1820.  She died nine months later and her last words were “Oh God, my poor children.”

Rapid expansion of the weaving indury in the 18th c had left Haworth a legacy of congested dwellings,  plluted water and inadequate sanitation.  Pigs roamed the streets, there was a dung hill before each door and small pox were rife.  A Board of Health investigaion  in 1850 found that the average age at death wa 28.5 years, so at least in one respect, Branwell, Emily and Anne, dying in the thee previous years at 31, 30 and 29 were pretty average.

The Shell Book of English Villages

The Brontës’ Secret

Scotland’s most unique and unusual tartans from Irn-Bru to Nando’s

The plague pits of London can be found from Aldgate To to Walthamstow.

A walk through the Ancient Village of Walthamstow

Animal Face Balaclava Ski Mask – Orangutan

20 different ones to choose from.

Is Mars still volcanically active?

Jewelry in ancient Britain was made of bronze, cooper, silver and gold.  Torcs were worn around the neck, wrist cuffs or braclets, rings and brooches were all common forms of jewelry worn.  Smiths made metal beltsas well as thin headbands.  Many of these piece were set with colorful stones.

London’s 2020 Christmas Trees

Yoga Landed in the U.S. Way Earlier Than You’d Think—And Fitness Was Not the Point

Yoga:  Get Healthy while you keep active

During this period of lock downs and staying at home and being isolated—

How about Yoga????

It’s a great way to stretch your self and make your joints feel better…..and it is said to increase core strength, decrease your chance of of injury as well as help improving your depression and sex life.

It is a practice that can help all ages and both sees.  It can lead to better health by reducing your heart rate, lowering yur blood pressure and ease resperations.   It even helps with the anxiety and depression taht are such a common problem in this Pandemic.

Afraid to go out and participate:

ONLINE YOGA CLASSES

In 1882 a rail road depot was built in Winter Park, Fl. in March adn in September a road completed between there and Osceola.  There was also by this time a post office (in Roger’s House—one of the earliest house built in the town  or was it still a village?

35 Eerie Photos Of Abandoned Malls That Are Now Ruins Of A Lost Era

Ace of Pentacles

Marks on the everyday level, the start of a new project, which is likely to be successful.  So it will come u to show a new job, or a new business venture.  Usually this will be the sort of project that seems to continually grow, with each level of attainment producing–almost of itself–the next step of the journey

Cachet:  Tarot Reading

Mall Operators Find The Silver Lining With Online Shopping

WHAT’S ON IN WINDSOR

1154-89 Henry II was king of England

Thomas Becket was his Prime Minister and then became the

Archbishop of Canterbury.  He was murdered at that cathedral in 1170.

Oxford University began.

Historic Royal Palace Gardens 

Primitive group camping by permit only. Visitors must provide their own transportation to and from the island.

Kayaking to Makinson Island on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Florida

Oscola County–Florida

In the earlt 20th century Makinson Island — an island said to have been the the home of two Seminole chiefs, Emath a powerful 19th c ruler an Coacooche, one of the last their leaders.

in the Kissimmee-St. Cloud area

which was suppose to be developed was saved in its natural condition and was first open to the public.  The 132-acre island in

Lake Tohopekaliga contained hiking trails and lots of wildlife in its natural ecosystem.   In addition to the cypress swamp, citrus groves and oak hammocks ther were also pinicking areas.  Also available are the mandatory restrooms faciities,  primitive camping sites,  and an information area

The Paddling Center.                                                                                       

Kayak, Canoe, Paddleboard Guided Eco-Tours and Rentals                              “Catered Camping” on Makinson Island  Tour (Seasonal September-May)

MAKINSON ISLAND CONSERVATION AREA

The Perfect Family Vacation Spot

Makinson Island Tour and Jr Bald Eagle Sightings

Camping on MAKINSON island 

4 Terribly Designed International Cities

Zora Hurston left FLorida for NY where she received a scholarshp (Barnard College with a major in anthropology).  Following raduation in 1928, she collected folkore in Harlem and the southern US and went to the West Indie and Haiti to conduct research.  She was part of New York City’ Harlem Renaissance 

A winter wonderland

CAORUNN NEGRONI CHRISTMAS PUDDING RECIPE

In Scotland St. John’s Wort was once used to ward against fairies

A Beginner’s Guide to Winter Camping

Meavy Royal Oak

This hollow oak sets in the village square  near the entrance to the churchyard and is still alive (or it was when I was in 2008 when I was there.  This is a bit of a out of the way village, but our host took us out for a tour of the moors—she had been born and lived all her life in Plymouth and  we had talked before I had come to England on wanting to see Dartmoor—-I thought she was going to refer us to a tour, but she took us herself and we had a wonderful drive about the moor including this stop in an isolated little village where we wandered about.  This was on a trip where when we left her inn and town we rented a car and spent time driving about Cornwall then eventually on to Wales (we would then take a train to the coast and take a ferry to Ireland where we would get another rental car and drive all over again—a great adventure).

This is another of my pictures.

WATCH: The Chilling New Trailer for UFO Cult Docuseries Heaven’s Gate: The Cult Of Cults

As you can see above we are still including gifts for the person who has everything.

13 Twists on Traditional Pumpkin Pie

The most important decision when planning a family reunion is choosing a date.  Many family reunions are planned at leasst a year in advance, allowing everyone to set aside time and money.  Propose a date or several options to the family members and select the date with the fewest conflicts

Huge iceberg A-68A nears South Georgia Island

Old-Time Florida At Its Best: The Immense Charms Of Cedar Key

A quick look out and about in a part of  Florida you might not know about

Cedar Key

If you are like me you’ll fall in love with this lovely island  (south of Steinhatchee on the Gulf Coast) as soon as you coss the bridge.  Its small, and sleepy compared to the larger and more hip tourist areas of Florida.  But I can’t be the only one as there are a steady group of visitors that speak a day or the weekend on this laid back bit of older Florida.  But there are a lot of things to do here:  Kayaking through the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge; explore the beaches;  

Stroll the old fashion street, shop at the unique shops and don’t forget to visit the galleries of original art from the town’s own colony—

check it out:  Top Things to Do in Cedar Key, Florida

and here’s a virtual tour to further make your day:

Florida’s Historic Places: The Cedar Keys

THE SHOW MUST GO ON… OUTSIDE!:  Enjoy an Outdoor Musical Performance

The Best Online Book Deals

Beltany Stone Circle: Bronze Age Megalithic Site is a Gem in Ireland’s Ancient Landscape

Beltany Stone Circle

Nr Stabane, County Donegal

Mysterious stones in Idyllic Surroundings

A muddy climb along a rough path brings you to the exposed summit of Tops Hill, where stands the truly enchanting stone circle of Beltany, a name derived from Baal Tinnr (‘The Fire of Baal’), which suggests that the pagan practice of sun worship was once carried out at this lovely spot.  The circle, comprising of 64 stones but originally far larger is stometimes referred to as ‘the Stonehenge of Donegal’, although archaeology dates it to around 2000 BC making it a good 200 years older than Stonehenge.

Mystical Britain and Ireland

Richard Jones

Beltany Stone Circle, Donegal, Ireland – May Magic

How to Look Chic While Bundling Up

Britain’s currency is the pound sterling.  1 pound equals 100 p (pence).

A quid is same thing as a pound.

Best exchange rates  Credit Cards and ATM machines usually,, with banks not quite as good but OK.

Breau de Change and the like don’t give very good rates while Airports, hotels and shops have high exchange fees!

Historic Holiday Décor: Vintage Florida

7 British Government Scandals

www.swarovski.com

Supernatural Star Jensen Ackles Is Ready for What’s Next. Are You?

Greshornish House (Scotland):  Set in 10 acres of gardens and wood grounds the house dates from 18th century with 19th century extension..  Residence and hotel once held by the MacLeods–it is also said to have a haunted room.

As coronavirus cases surge nationwide, health experts sound the alarm in Mass.

Richard III was blue-eyed, blond, but should he have been king? DNA puzzle

Richard in the North

Richard also concentrated his religious paronage in the north.  While he was a major founder of Queens College, Cambridge  (establishing four fellowships whose holdes were to pray fo the good estaes of the founder and his family and for the souls of servants slain at Barnet and Tewkesbury) and a patron of Allhallows Barking by the Tower

his principal benefactions and foundations were north.  From 1474 he was, with his duches, a member of the fraternity of Durham Priory;  by 1476 he was considered to be the priory’s very special lord, and he was an almost annual visitor to the Cathedral,  oribabkt ib the occasion of one of St. Cuthbert’s two fasts.  He took up the responsibilities of the lord of Middleham  as a patron of Coverham Abbey   generously.  In 1478 he received permission to found and endow two ambitious collegiate chapels, one at Middleham 

with six priests which was establishrf in 1480, the other at Barnard Castle with twelve priests which did not matrialize.  AN altogether more ambitious and gafter he became king.randiose scheme for a charity served by no fewer than 100 priests in York Minster was launched   This probably his intended mausoleum, more than anything due demonstratrs the extent which he identified himself with his adopted region

Richard III and The Princes in the Tower

A.J. Pollard

Uncovering the secrets of Coverham

Melting Snowman Hot Chocolate Bomb

How Not to Become a Crotchety Old Man

Butterfly Moving Puzzle Box

The St. George Taveran on Belgravia Road  in London is a Victorian PUb and one of the first cabaret saloons in the city.

GAY KEY WEST EVENTS CALENDAR

Key West Has Long Been a Site for Gay visitors and its Gay population has been established for many years.

I spent many vacations in Key West……

The Key West Citizen on 3/10/98 had the followinTitle for an article

The changing face of the gay tourist.

with a follow-up

A little grayer, a little less flamboyant, but with a lot more money to spend.

I have wander to other areas to spend my time and haven’t been there since 2006 and don’t know what the gay scene in Key West  is any more– so thought I  would check the clubs I remember:

First I checked for the 801 featured in the Ads  here and I  see they are keepin on:  OPEN 7 DAYS NOON-4:00AM!  and it has occupied the same coral-pink building for more than three decades

La Te Da (By George Piano Bar, Terrace Bar, Crystal Room) – restaurant/mixed bar

This is another one I remember but now it’s a laid-back, upscale Mixed gay-straight resort  I remember it as all gay resort—one of the major ones in the town.

I didn’t find any others that rang a bell but I do se that though some I knew are no longer there—-I do see that there is still an active tourist destination for the gay tourist and so though I don’t  find many that ring a bell it’s been 14 years since I was last there and I apologize that I may have forgotten some that are still there.

Gay Key West: your essential guide to the best gay bars, clubs, beaches and hotels

Why Palm Beach Is Becoming a New Mecca for Blue-Chip Art

Zoo Lights Miami – Select Nights

Geographically, Africa is one of the oldest countinents on earth, comprised of the deserts (the Sahara,  Kalahari,  and Namib) 

vast rain forests, numerous lakes and major rivers (inclding the Niger, and Zambezi) , tall mountains and savannahs, the world’s largest river, the Nile, runs from Lake Victoria

 in Uganda   at its southern end, through Sudan, into Egypt and north to the Mediterranean sea.

The New Book of Goddesses & Heroines

Patricia Monaghan

Ancient Egypt

THE LONDON FIVER – FIVE LONDON CHRISTMAS MOVIES

The Hawiian Islands are a string of islands born from volcanic eruption.  It is estimated that they were discovered by the Polynesians around AD 400 and by 1200 had been settled by the desencents of the same people.

BRIT HISTORY: THE NAZI OCCUPATION OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS

Motion Sensor Howling Wolf Sculpture

CHRISTMAS AT WINDSOR CASTLE

Relaxing Warwickshire stay with championship golf 

Dalton the Animated Storytelling Dragon

Archaeologists Just Restored An Ancient Egyptian Temple To What It Looked Like 2,000 Years Ago

Scriptoria in early monestaries were the site of learning and preservation of manuscripts.  Here these were translated, copied and even illuminated with artistic illustrations to highlight their contents.  It is said that until the rise of the universities, the monesteries’ librarys were the most important in the western world.

Our 87 Best Thanksgiving Cocktails and Drink Recipes

Grow Your Own Oyster Mushrooms

Antarctica’s blue whales return to South Georgia a century after they were nearly wiped out

——and the next day we have white hair and whiskers!!!!!

American Music Awards 2020: Fashion—Live From the Red Carpet

Llewellyn’s 2021 Witches’ Datebook

The Best Ski Resorts in the U.S. and Canada: 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards

All three pictures out and about Cornwall–main/first and this one

World Coins from History?

• In today’s blog I have included some gift suggestions for the person who has everything…..just click on the name below the picture and you  can go to the site where this is for sale—it was the cheapest site I found—but there might be more out there….ENJOY.

• Turkey Cheese Ball

DNA Reveals Earliest Twins Buried 30,000 Years Ago in Austria

on Amazon

This interactive tool figures out your COVID-19 risk of attending an event

Carnival Cruise Line cancels all sailings through January

Victorian Christmas Stroll

York City Art Museum has a collection of about 120 old masters

Dolly Parton: Singer, Songwriter, Pandemic Savior?

5 Essential Thanksgiving Safety Reminders Doctors Want You to Remember

William B. Travis, Citizen of Texas–Webinar

Spilsbury

7 National Parks That Are Even Better in Winter

The Christmas tree is a tradition that has persisted over the years and has been ascribed to Martin Luther by many in the Christian church there is much to show that it was a pre-Christian tradition which is felt to be an evolution of the rite of selecting and harvesting a “sacred Tree.

12 Classic Horror Audiobooks You Can Listen for Free on Youtube

Texas Forest Trail Region:  Gateway to Texas

This is the region of Sam Huston, who lived here for many years—Before he came to Texas he lived with Cherokee in Oklahoma and was governor of Tennessee before leading Texans in a fight for their independence from Mexico (1836).  He became the first elected President of the Republic of Texas and when they became a state he became a US Senator and governor.

During the Civil War Texas chose secession and  after the Civil War, in the 1870’s the railroad expanded into East Texas with a rise in the timber industry that destroyed many old-growth forest, but there was eventually conservation and the modern forest industry.

By the 1900’s it had become a place of oil wells (the first Lucas gusher was  near Beaumont).  In the 1930s, oil was discovered in Gladewater and Kilgore as well. and brought many people to the area who were seeking relief from the Great Depression.

Clues to Mars life in Earth’s Atacama Desert?

A Virtual Feast: Online Thanksgiving Cooking, Crafting, and History Events

*Please note that Colours is now:  Marrero’s Guest Mansion (adult only 21yr +)

Haunted Marerro’s Guest Mansion – Haunted Key West

Colours* in Key West

Only one half a block from Duval Street in Key West, in the heart of Old Town, sits a Victoian mansion that has been converted to a lovely guest house.  From one of the upstairs guest rooms, the Key West scene play out below the balcony:  The island of Key West, which could be accessed only by boat before the 1900s, is dotted with homes that reflect many cultures.  Colours–with its open porch, ceiling fans, and carved balustrade—is an example of the houses constructed when Key West was home to fortune-seeking wreckers (sea wreck salvagers) and cigar makers.  and cigar makers.  In 1888 the city directory made note of the fact that “Key West pays nineteen-twentieths of the internal revenue collected in the state of Florida, which is largely due to…cigar manufacturing.”  One of these prominent manufacturers Cuban Francisco Marrero, built his home at 410 Fleming Street with profits from the cigar industry.

Haunt Hunter’s Guide to Florida

Joyce Elson Moore

The Most Haunted Places In Key West – Ghosts & Gravestones

There are nearly 500 miles of US 27 in Florida.

Masks Work. Really. We’ll Show You How

Winter Solstice Traditions and Celebration Ideas

Winter Solstice (Yule) is December 21.

Winter Solstice is the time of year when the darkening of the day—the shorter hours of sunlight and more of darkness—is reversed and we start to return to the light.

In many area of Europe there is a long tradition of burning the Yule Log   (at midsummer the tradition is burning bonfires at Summer Solstice. The one is done indoors due to the weather the summer one outside for the same reason.)

Ancient traditions call for the placing of mistletoe about the fire,  it is a plant that was scared to the Druids, who were priests as well as statesmen and teachers of the older Celtic world.  Mistletoe was used for other things, including helping women conceive.

It is also said that the use of the Christmas tree comes from this period as part of old rituals of the pagan past.  This was a time to celebrate the return of the sun and the renewal of the earth and the celebrants life upon it.  Branches from trees like the pine were brought into the home so that its fragrances could bring a further promise of the returned sun and summer growth as well as cheer the spirit of the persons who lived there sheltering from the storms without.

WINTER SOLSTICE DATE, FACTS, FOLKLORE, AND MORE

Holocaust Center Opens New Exhibit

In ancient day sudden (no evidence of illness before hand), inexplicable disease that caused a physical wasting of the body or mental deterioration were thought to have been caused by fairies.

Lehman’s

The Eleanor Crosses: Longshanks’ love set in stone

How to Cope With Homesickness Over the Holidays

15 Gorgeous Fall Table Decorations Inspired by Books

Plant-Based Thanksgiving Menu

all the pictures are of my first trip to Tintagel

The main one is I believe the Old Post Office , the top one is a B&B we stayed at this one is a church on the hill—one dating back to Norman times.  It is a great place to visit.

Grey’s Anatomy Just Teased Another Major Character’s Return—Who Could It Be? 

Today we return to my memories and a review of a tour I took in 2005.  This is a small group tour which allows for more attention from the guides and more detailed journeys but does cost more money than the bigger tours so that is something that if we ever get out of our houses is something you can decide on.

Now the next day I ran away—I had breakfast with the group but then advised that I was going out on my own for the day — I got some money for lunch and went back to Old Town where I explored every close–the alleys hat run off The Royal Mile–and most of the listed attractions that we didn’t make the day before and a few they hadn’t even mentioned—-stopped at a divine Chocolate Cafe —- I can’t remember the name but they even had chocolate cocktails and generally had a great day and returned in time for dinner—-but will show you the plan for the rest of the group.

August 18, Thursday

The group continued their exploration of Edinburgh which included a walking tour of the New Town  on the other side of Princess Street, so called because it is a mere 200 years old as compared with the 1,000 years of history encompassed by the Old Town.  From the Calton Hill enjoy Robert Lewis Stevenson’s favorite view of his beloved city and beyond to Arthur’s Seat, the Firth of Forth and the Lomond Hills of Fife.    They sauntered down George Street with it lovely architecture and cross pretty Charlotte Square, completely surrounded by beautiful Georgian “rows”.  Designed by the great Robert Adams, the north side of the square is considered to be  “one of Europe’s finest pieces of civic architecture.”  They had the option to visit the Georgian House, Bute House beautifully restored and elegantly furnished by the National Trust for Scotland, which also  own next door, now the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland.

After lunch they enjoyed a free afternoon, perhaps to visit some of the many excellent museums and galleries in this delightful city.

I met them later for a special farewell dinner with traditional Scottish music.

Somewhere near or at Tintagel Castle, Tintagel, Cornwall, UK

Go back in my blogs to June 2016 to see my adventures out of a base in Tintagel.

Thanksgiving Dinner Guide to Miami Restaurants in 2020

https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/the-everyday-guide-to-beer

Shop PBS:  Travel

7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice occurs traditionally on December 21st, the shortest day of the year—a time that was magic as well as frightening—when mankind faced this day with so little light and a possibility at least in their mind of the light possibly deserting them for life and leaving them to cope in the darkness—something humans are not always very good at—-a time for predators and ghost and goblins.  Add the scant sources for food and the decreasing supplies  What better time to establish a celebration to dare I say BEG for the return of the light and with it the warmth, the migratory birds, and on and on.

Oh and it is of note that the ancient Roman’s calendar gave the date of this shortest day as December 25 not 21st.  The date they celebrated the birth of Mithras ( which like a lot of the Roman Gods were borrowed from other countries–in this case Persia), of the Unconquered God.  Other gods that celebrated on the Winter Solstice:  The pagan Divine Child, Norsemen’s lord,Frey.  Finally in 350 AD Pope Julius decided that they would preform Chrit’s Mass (or Christmas) on this date as it was already accepted by the people to celebrate a god’s birth—-it’ wasn’t until about 450 AD that the eastern that the astern church agreed to honor the birth on that date.  One Bishop (of Constantinople was sure it was a great day for Christians to celebrate to distract them from the heathen celebrations that were also going on.

Traditions still used that were original to the pagan worship include the use of evergreens for decor, ornaments hung on the evergreen tree, gifts, carols and of course the Yule log burning to name a few.

Winter Solstice Sunset Walking Tour 2020

Avebury Stone Circle Winter Solstice Experience Tour

Winter Solstice (2020) Orkney Islands

Argyll & the Isles

Strawbrrry Hill House

Strawberry Hill was, and remains, a fantasy.  A man possessed o great self-knowledge, Walpole pinpointed the moment his love affair with all things gothic began: with his first sight of Kings College, Cambridge. during his time as an undergraduate ther.  “Art and Palladio had not rrached thr land nor methodised the Vandal builder’s hand,” he marveled.  And indeed, for anyone who had ever set foot inside the Oxbridge college, it stands to rrason that Walpole’s mock-castle confection should feature a faux baronial hall,, complete with coats of arms and images of supposed ancestors dating back to thr crusaders.  While Walpole was not without a distinguished  lineage, claiming his mother to descend from the early Welsh King, Cadwallader, the idea triggered a particular interest in relics and curios beyond those of his own family.  Strawberry Hill became a repository, and Walpole collected assiduously, from James I’s gloves to Cardinal Wolsey‘s Oliver Cromwell’shat.  nightcap, alas, remained ever a stranger to Strawberry Hill, after Walpol was outbid for it.

Gothic Fantasy

Discover Britain

Nancy Alsop

The Gothic Life and Times of Horace Walpole – Longreads

Hill forts were used from the early Iron Age but had fallen into disuse and were retired by thee time it is believed that Arthur existed (maybe).

What is a Hillfort? All About Ancient Fortresses in Iron Age Europe

SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT SARASOTA

Sarasota, Florida

The name of the town is a mystery, though it has been speculated that it was probably a Calusa Indian name, though Spanish possibility have been attempted and a Spanish lady named “Sara de Sota” has been suggested but I didn’t see anything historical about her anywhere.  No meaning for it has ever been suggested.

It is a name that’s been around for a long time–having designated part of the shore line in the area for years.  Also there are reports for multiple variations on the name having been found on maps published during the eighteenth and nineteenth century.

The town itself grew from a settlement begun by William Whitaker in 1843 across the bay.from an abandoned fishing camp and Indian trading station  which legend says was called Sarasota when Whitaker came here.

Marie Shelby Botanical Gardens

1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236

Phone: (941) 366-5731

These Gardens have an extensive collection of tropical plants–especially orchids.  Waterfront gardens.

Myakka River State Park

13208 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241

28,000 acres with rivers, lake, marsh, hammock and parries   Camping ranging from cabins to rustic sites.

Basketville

401 S. Tamiami Trail

Ringling Museum

5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243

68 acre state-run Ringling spread between US 41 and Sarasota Bay.  Includes Ringling’s beautifully furnished mansion, a circus museum and an Art museum.  Ringling built the mansion and was instrumental in bringing culture and rich northerners to Sarasota.  Ringling collected art and though he lost his fortune in the depression he held on to his art till he died at age 70 of pneumonia in 1936.  The US IRS was after him for back taxes and would have claimed the art collection, except he left it to the state of Florida and as you can see they’ve held on ever since.

TIPS FOR VISITING THE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART

Sushi by Bou @ Former Versace Mansion Re-Open

Sea Brook, TX:  AREA ATTRACTIONS

Where to watch tomorrow’s historic SpaceX Crew-1 launch

Benzoin:  Warms and opens the heart.  Emotionally balancing and comforting, eases sadness depression, weariness, grief, anger anxiety.  Helps activate and balance the crown and base chakras.

How well do you know presidential pets?

• Suburb of Orlando, FL

FOREST CITY

Now unless you live in Central Florida that’s a town you may not have heard of this town.  Forest City’s population is 14,702 people. Since 2010, it has had a population growth of 5.6%,

It’s been settled since the late 1800s–with the earliest settlers being Swedish, three of whom had groves until the Great Freeze of 1895-–-They were probably from the Sanford Colony.  

After 1886, the orange crop was carried over a railway branch line from here to the springs for transfer to a boat and eventually down the St John’s RIver.

Back in the day, in the center of town (now SR 431) there was railroad lines and depot, a general store, a two story boarding house, the Pound’s House and a saw mill.

Forrest city managed to survive the freeze and replanted the citrus groves.By the 1920’s there were several large citrus related business in the town.  By 1926 they included Chester C. Fosgate packing house and this was followed by a juice and canning plant  in Florida in 1928.

During this time (1925 the Seventh Day Adventist church purchased 500 acres  north of town on SR 435 between Bear Lake and Lake Brantley Road and Winyah Lake Academy was born and has now grown into not just a boarding school,, but also hosts a church and nursing home and has been renamed Forest Lake Academy

The citrus industry was again mostly destroyed by another great freeze and there are little or no remains of those huge groves left in Central Florida,

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party

Fosterage:  Children raised in another family’s home.  This tradition lasted in Scotland till the 18th c.  Started at the age of 7 and lasted until the age of decision 17 years for a boy and 14 for a girl.  They were taught music, poetry, music and the boys warfare, the virtues of single combat and the high value of honor.

Aliens, The Vatican, And Cannibals: 11 Haunting Disappearances That Remain Unsolved

Jenny Greenteeth: is an evil water creature found in Lancashire, which attacks and drowns the unwary, the only sign of its presence is green scum on the water

The Scottish gin island retreat we can’t wait to escape to next summer

This is half of the stair ways to get to Tintagel Castle—-at least that use to be the way—-which is why I was in Tintagel in 2016 I didn’t go to the island as I had a bit of a knee injury and there was no way I was gonna try that—they have since put a bridge across at the top but the Corona distancing issue have changed that and while you cross over on that one—-on the way back you take the old way to avoid too close a contact.   This picture was taken at my first visit to the area in 2008.  I recommend seeing Cornwall and staying in Tintagel was great—just return on my blog to 2016/June and check it out.

The castle was great and since I probably won’t be back until 2021 I hopefully can just look down on this early days and laugh—Hopefully.

Oh and the main picture is from somewhere in the UK but where or when sorry—its typical of so many village and even larger towns i visited

Newly Uncovered Document Reveals How Henry VIII Planned Every Detail Of Anne Boleyn’s Beheading

For humans interested in our planet and connections to the people living on it.

So on a Saturday Morning in August we started on our new adventure—and on our way to the Hotel we stopped at

Aberfoyle

where we had lunch at a Woolen Mill 

where we also toured and learned the story of Scottish wool industry

Then it was on to our hotel which is in the foothills of the Trossachs, and at which we spent three nights.

Forest Hills Hotel

Now the McDonald’s Forest Hills Hotel

Kinlochard

Aberfoyle

The hotel had a beautiful view of Loch Ard  and was deep in a 25 acre private area with landscaped gardens and pathways and had great food and and an indoor swimming pool and sauna.

While we were there was a wedding on one of the terraces overlooking the lake—its my most vivid memory of the hotel—with the groom and his attendants all in formal kilts attire—-this vacation wasn’t cheap but it was well worth the price.  It was outside the dining room so we could view it along with the lovely scenery — so great

Aberfoyle is a testament to the early power of literary tourism. 

Stirling Castle from the West 

Sunday we left the hotel for

Sterling

to see Sterling Castle where James VI  of Scotland (and eventually James I of England)m son of Mary Queen of Scots,  

was crowned.

Historic Scotland described Stirling Castle as “without doubt the grandest of all Scottish castles, both in its situation and in its architecture.”

Places to visit include

Queen Anne’s Garden

The Prince’s Tower

The Lower and Upper Squares

The Chapel Royal

King’s Old Buildings

and

The Palace

and 

the Great Hall of

James IV; 

it’s stunning renovations completed in 1999 (just 6 years before our visit), was one of the largest historical restoration ever undertaken in Europe.  You could also visit the medieval kitchen with its glimpse of culinary efforts that both amaze and appall our modern concepts.

and standing at

Queen Victoria’s Lookout

from which you can see

The King’s Knot

the Carse of Stirling

and the heights of

Ben Lomond.

Stirling Castle Tour

Our next stop from Stirling on to

Crieff

to visit the

Glenturrert Distillery

which is reputed to be the oldest working distillery in Scotland,

where we toured and then had lunch.

Then our bus took us into the Scottish Highlands to

Kenmore

where we toured a Stone Age Crannog (dwelling)  was a great afternoon—the guides here at that time where college age students that had worked here for the summer from all over the world—in fact our guide was a lovely young lady who had been working here all summer and was putting in her last day on the job before she returned to the USA, the love of the work being done here was evident in her presentation to us about the site.  The Crannog was built over the waters of Loch Tay.  It is a carefully researched and accurately completed to bring the Stone Age to life for us.

Then it was on to the Highland Town of

Pitlochry 

where we had dinner and then attended a performance of

Beyond Broadway 

at the

Festival Theatre.

then back to Forest Hills Hotel to put an end to our late night outing.

Glenturrert Virtual Tour

About Pitlochry – Pitlochry Scotland – Pitlochry Tourist Guide

Monday August 15

We leave the Forest Hills Hotel for another day–and back to Glasgow

destination

University of Glasgow’s campus and

The Hunterian Art Gallery,

which includes the reconstructed house of Charles Mackintosh

who I am told is a pioneer architect and designer in the Art Nouveau tradition—-all I can say the house was amazing—not sure I can live in it—-but I’d sure love to visit it again.  Mackintosh’s wife Margaret MacDonald, designed furnishing in the house.  There are many paintings by Whistler hung there, as well.

The museum also included the

Burrell Collection

Burrell was a millionaire ship owner and self-taught art collector who amassed a splendid collection of art and artifacts from ancient civilizations, Oriental art—with a lot of Chinese porcelain, pottery, jade and bronzes, as well as Japanese prints.  Near Eastern ceramics and carpets .  Medieval post-Medieval European Art (inluding world-famous tapestries and stained glass), and many paintings (especially French Impressionists), drawings and bronzes.  After Sir William gave the entire collection to the Scottish nation, it was many years before a suitable site was found on which to build the lovely gallery with its glorious vistas of the surrounding parkland.  And we had lunch on our own with a stipend at Burrell

After lunch we left the museum and made a short visit to

Glasgow Cathedral

which by the way is the only Scottish mainland cathedral to survive the Reformation untouched.

We then continued on to

New Lanark 

this is a cotton mill and community created by Robert Owen in 1785 

where unlike similar institutions around the country and the world for that matter the mill workers lived in comfortable surroundings at least a century ahead of the norm for the rest of the world.  A village store was the insperation for the co-operative movement and Owen himself moved on to found Indiana’s New Harmony project.

and finally one more stop at the lovely woodland site

Falls of Clyde

and then back to the hotel (Forest Hills still)

As I mentioned before this tour was all inclusive and included all meals during the program, except meals in transit to, from and between programs.   Also stops during the walks to get a coffee, snack etc was also not covered

Also it was necessary that the participant be able to do considerable walking as tour included castles museums, fishing villages and palaces as well as Edinburgh which is pretty much up and down in a lot of the areas.

Please  come back next Tuesday for the second part of this tour days Aug 16-19.   

 Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Hill House

9 Ways to Make Chicken Pot Pie in 20 Minutes

63 Of The Shortest Celebrity Marriages

these were found all over London for while prostitution was legal, the ladies of the evening were not allowed to pick up customers on the street—so stacks of these were left in telephone booths (obviously a few years ago) and my late husband pick up many of these cards (that are exactly like post cards) and brought them home as souvenirs to share with his friends.

Elizabeth Brownrigg: Child Abuse and Murder in the 18th Century

Grosmont is a  town set in the North Yorkshire Moors and is the northern terminus of the 18 mile long North Yorkshire Moors Railroad, one of the world’s oldest lines–built in the 1830’s.

It takes it’s name from a small priory founded about 1200, which stood near by on the north bank of the River Esk.  It has since been lost to all.

The Station Tavern, which is family run was built in 1836 next to the railway station.   It has a bar, and separate dining room as well as a patio area outside.

Grosmont also has a Gallery and Jazz Cafe which offers fine art, hot coffee and cool jazz on Front Street.  The building at one time has been an undertakers Joiner’s workshop from Victorian time and then in the 1950’s a petrol station.

As well as a Co-op Shop with extensive arts and crafts as well as railway souvenirs available for purchase.

Enzian and Ace Cafe team up for a downtown Orlando screening of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’

Get A Corner Of Canary Wharf To Call Your Own With Shared Ownership

Explore art and archaeological sites in Lebanon through virtual tours

Lebanon

It’s fate has always been dictated by it’s geographical situation.  A place of passage, meeting and exchange, in touch, like Syria,  with the interior of the continent.  Lebanon is even more than this, from the earliest antiquity its inhabitants, dwelling in cities clustered on the shore, were sailors and merchants traveling to Egypt and the West, and they were later to scatter far afield, founding trading posts and colonies throughout the entire Mediterranean.

Larousse  Encyclopedia of Archaeology

General Editor:  Gilbert Charles-Picard

Translated from French by Anne Ward

VIRTUAL TOURS OF LEBANON’S SITES

Gifts for Cooks

5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime

Things to Do in the Texas Hill Country

Historic Dance Halls of Texas

Texas Hill Country

Did you know that there was a German Settlement in the Hill Country of Texas  and that they built community centers to carry on Old World music and dance that would bcome Cowboy dancehalls?  And many of these halls still exist with still featuring the traditional German music while others keep up Texas two-steppin.

These include

Gruene Hall

Near New Braunfels

Luckenbach Dance Hall

near Fredericksburg

The Spirit of a Bandera Dance Hall Lives On

Betty’s Best Nutella® Thanksgiving Recipes

HOW TO FRAME YOUR SHOTS TO AVOID EXCESSIVE CROPPING

Hay-on-Wye Guide: The Adorably Cute Book Town of Wales

Hay-on-Wye

Brfore Hay-on-Wye was known for books it was just a bustling market town, and had been for over 700 yrars.  On Thursdays, its Memorial Square, Cheddar Market, Butter Market and the area around the Clock Tower were teeming with locals and tourists alike, jostling for a bargain at more than 40 stalls.

Until the 20th century, Hay-on-Wye was known for little more than this, and the fact that Francis Kilvert, the Victorian diarist, lived nearby.  Then there was also a local solicitor who purportedly got rid of his wife in the early 20th century by putting weed killer in her breakfast.  Yet Hay-on-Wye gained rral popularity when a local man called Richard Booth set out for America on a mission to boost the prospects of his hometown.  Noticing libraries there were closing, he skipped back containers of second-hand books and opened a bookshop in 1961.  Others followed suit and an emboldened Booth even declared the town an independent state and himself king, as part of an April Food Day publicity stunt in 1977.  Eleven years later, Hay Literary Festival was launched, bringing thousands of visitors to a town that had such humble beginnings.

Expanding Your Horizons

By Jenny Rowe

Discover Britain

December 2019

A Visit To Hay On Wye, Hereford, Wales

From Daytona International Speedway

November 7th: Home for the Holidays – Holiday Open House

Artist spotlight – Ruby C. Williams

 

Otadin:  a fierce British tribe used by the Romans to guard the (Harian’s) Wall

Home For the Holidays

Historic Key West cemetery: A scenic stop that is full of stories

More of the Key  West cemetery

The grave of Earl Johnson (above) but I understand that while the grave stone still stands, this strikings statue no longer stands on the grave–it was destroyed by a storm.  Johnson resided in Key West’s Oldest House from about 1940 until his death in 1972. The home had long been the family home and was occupied by the same family for over 140 years.a

Also located here is the Watling Crypt, the final resting place of Captain Francis Watlington,  

a mariner who lived from 1804-1886 and he owned “The Oldest House”, which Johnson was its last family heir.

Walk a bit further and you will see an overgrown lot and decaying, but ornate fence which contains four generations of the Porter Clan

.  Joseph Yates Porter actually founded Public Health Bureau in Florida

Captain Francis Watlington House,

Planning a weekend getaway?

The Natural History Museum in London

collection include an actual vial of stardust.  The microscopic diamonds are “the oldest things you will ever see” –they were formed billions of years ago before our solar system existed.

The World’s Most Spectacular Holiday Light Displays

Miami Beach

Jewish Museum of Florida (NR listed 1980)

301 Washington Ave

305-672-5044

The Jewish Museum of Florida is located in a former synagogue that housed Miami Beach’s first Jewish congregation. In addition to the permanent exhibit, “Florida Jews in the Military,” the museum houses the MOSAIC, Photo collection of Florida Jewish History.  The museum’s collections and research center reflects Florida Jewish history since 1763 and is available for use by the public. The adjacent building at 311 Washington served during World War II as a USO facility for the many personnel then stationed in th Miami Beach community.

Florida World War II Heritage Trail

A Florida Heritage Public Publication

Virtual Event:  Birdwatching 101: How to Study Birds

Foods that may prevent sleep

Foods and drinks with caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate

Alcohol (especially excess)

Sugar and food high in sugar or refined carbohydrates

Foods likely to cause gas, heartburn, or indigestion, such as fatty or spicy food, garlic, beans, cucumbers and peanuts.

High protein foods like meat that inhibit sleep by blocking the synthesis of serotonin and make us more alert.

BEACH BREAKS FOR 2021

Cornwall—-if you haven’t read it yet you can go back to June 2016 to join me on my solo trip to corn wall — where I stayed at a small inn in Tintagel and wandered about by bus for a month.

TINTAGEL CASTLE: HISTORY AND LEGEND

People Make Glasgow | Official Guide to the City of Glasgow

Glasgow is an elegant city—and while my heart belongs to the ancient streets and alleys of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile I also enjoy my visit to Glasgow

Four New Mexican Hotels to Beat the Cold-Weather Blues

The Longwood Hotel

This historical hotel is now an office building:  It’s wooden-frame vernacular with Italianate details faces the Henck-Tinker Building across 427/Ronald Reagan.

In 1883, E.W. Hench had Josiah Clouser build the hotel which was completed in 1888 and was calld the Waltham hotel, until 1893 when it became the Longwood  Hotel.  Unfortunately 1893 was the winter (into 1894) of a historically severe freeze—there are reports that the temperature dropped so rapidly that it froze the sap in the citrus trees causing them to explore with bark flying everywhere.  90% of the trees were destroyed taking the economy with it.  The hotel closed soon after.  It was eventually purchased by George E. Clark who renaed it the St. George Hotel.

A year later, Clark died and the hotel changed again this time into the Orange and Black Hotel, a gambling house.  It had two subsequent owners until 1932 when it was used for the George Barr Umpire School.  And five years later it had another owner.  In 1966 “Johnny Tiger” was filmed here.  It starred Chad Everett as a half-breed Seminole influenced by a school teacher played by Robert Taylor.  In 1979 Cornell Univeristy used it for a hotel operation school.  In the 1980s it was renovated for offices.

There have been reports that the hotel is haunted with lights that go off and on in different areas, foot steps have been heard when no one was  in the building and elevators that open and run by itself.  Cold spots and shuffling sounds have been reported on the 3rd floor.  Report of “people” in the building resulted in room-by-room search by the local police but no one was found.   I knew one lady who told me she never believed in ghosts until she experienced the building and offered to introduce me to the ghost if I ever dropped by—sadly I was not able to do so.

Longwood Walking Tours

York Minster:  Sunday Prayers and Digital Worship Schedules

Although not as high as in protein as legumes, many other foods such as nuts, seeds, nut better, gains and even vegetables like spinach and broccoli add protein to the diet.

The Palace of Gold (New Vrindaban), Hare Krishna Temple, Moundsville, WV  

 near Atlit on the northern coast of Israel, about 8.1 miles south of Haifa.

The fight over Château Pèlerin—the ancient Crusader fortress

Templar Castles

Generalized statements about Templar castles are apt to be even more confusing than other generalizations about them:  for instance the greatest of Templar Castles.  At’lit or Castle Pilgrim, built to be impregnable and never in fact taken by the Templars’ enemies, was not built until 1218.  Thus to list the castles or speak generally of their characteristics would be to present a false picture of the situation in the twelfth century.  The Templars never held more than ten or so castles at any given moment in their history, far less than the Hospitallers, who already held as many as seven or eight castles by 1160, and at one time or another possessed a total of 56 castles in Latin Syria

The Templar Knights of God

Edward Burman

10 Crusader Castles

Lakeside Inn Mt Dora, Florida one of my favorite towns in central Fl.

Edinburgh’s Real Mary King’s Close to broadcast first ever paranormal investigation

Loring Chase first saw the area that is now Winter Park (Florida) in Feb. 1881 and bought 600 acres for $13,000 in partnership with his Mass. boyhood friend.  Oliver Chapman, who was visiting relatives in Sorrento.

How This 600-Year-Old Castle Weathered Wars And Fires To Become A Symbol Of Okinawa

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So Hello——The world (i.e. USA) is a bit crazy now…so thought I”d Start your week with one of those driving tours about Central Florida with some fun information and points of interest to give you some opportunities to exit the car for some fun.

Take I – 4  East from Tampa, Lakeland, Kissimmee and Orlando—you get the idea…..from Daytona, New Smyrna, Deland and the like it would be west I-4.

Exit on route 46 west.  This will take you away from Sanford

You might however like to spend some time in Sanford.

Sanford was once the last stop on a Riverboat that took passengers from ocean voyages that ended in Jacksonville, Florida—from there future settlers and tourists could board a Riverboat that came down the St. John’s River you to Sanford.

It was from Sanford that the Southern Railroad began its journey to Tampa.  The railroad was completed to Orlando in 1889, Kissimmee 1882 and Tampa in 1884.

Sanford was also known for its produce and was named after an honorary General who once owned most of the farms in the area and whose name was actually spelled Sanford.

If you decide you will come to The Central Florida Zoological Society 

Which is a lovely place to visit and has all manner of animals to see and there are zip lines, merri-go- round and much more.

Have a lunch or dinner  cruise on the St. John’s RIver

maybe a picnic in Ft. Mellon Parks

in fact you might just want to spend the full day in Sanford (this site includes a virtual tour of the downtown)

If you decide to do that you can just pick up the path again at the next section

Limo Cycle Tours

Brews & Bites Tour

Continue West on 46

Mount Plymouth:  A 1925 brochure called it  “a grand and exalted winter playground:  The Golf Capital of the world.

Last time I was there in the area the golf course was still there south of the town, but had been closed for awhile now.  Needless to say the playground is long gone.

In the 1880’s the area thrived and the railroad out of Sanford passed thru here, but in 1894-95 brought a freeze and many of the settlers left the era and those that stayed and new homesteaders farmed the land and the new crops became cattle and turpentine.

In 1920 the land boomers arrived followed shortly by the city’s golf course as well as a large hotel  (see picture below) which once the tourists left became a school for awhile and is now long gone.  The golf course may be gone as well now, but there were 4 “gingerbread” houses adorned with flamingos and heron that survived it all.

Sorrento’s  Oak Haven Farms & Winery and You Pick Strawberries

Exploring “Little Switerzland”

QUIET VILLAGE IN THE HILLS HARBORS A GLAMOROUS PAST

Continue on 46 and you will come to

Sorrento:  In 1800 this town was a hub of the area with saw mills, lumber yards, a citrus packing house, a drugstore, two general stores and a hotel–it’s hotel, the Averil House burned in 1910.

ROCK SPRINGS RUN STATE RESERVE

You will come to 441—-you can either turn north (right) here or you can continue on to Mount Dora, and enjoy some of the great activities and things to do here.

This charming town on Lake Dora is home to many retirees.  It also contains quaint Victorian Houses complete with lawn bowling in the downtown which also contains antiques and curios shop.  It was once painted pink for a movie (Honky Tonk Freeway).  The 1883 Lake Side Inn is harming and a perfect place to spend a romantic weekend—oh and don’t miss the Ice House Playhouse and be sure to take a Lake Dora Cruise.

Activities & “Things to do” in Mount Dora, FL

Welcome to Mount Dora!

a beautiful lakefront town 

You can always return to 441 after a visit or on a later weekend

Continue on 441 thru Tavares

Tavares:  founded in 1870’s by Major St. Clair-Abrams.  In 1880 the major had a channel dug across the neck of land which separated lake Dora and Lake Eustis, so the Major’s three steamers could use the channel with ease.  IT was the main mean of commerce until the railroad came in 1885.

A popular recreation site for  years, a picnic area was developed in 1902 where Riverest Park is location today.  Even a small zoo was run for several years on the west bank of Summerall Park.

Points of Interest include

Hickory Point

and Sparks Village Boat Ramp on Lake Harris

and Summerall Park on Lk. Dora.

as well as two golf courses

Tavares

Activities

Tavares, Florida Activities

Continue on 441 until you reach Leesburg

Leesburg is where you’ll find beautiful turn-of-the century homes and buildings.  antique stores, a golf course as well as hotels, trailer parks and fish camps for the overnight visitor.

Leesburg is Lake County’s oldest city and at one time was the county seat while a part of Sumter County. The city claimed 1857 as its birthday when Leesburg celebrated its centennial in 1957, recognizing the year that the city’s namesake, Evander Lee, and his family came to the area.

Leesburg is Lake County’s oldest city and at one time was the county seat while a part of Sumter County. The city claimed 1857 as its birthday when Leesburg celebrated its centennial in 1957, recognizing the year that the city’s namesake, Evander Lee, and his family came to the area.

A Great Place to Play

Driving Downtown Leesburg FL

Continue on 441 until you come to 44 and turn left–West to Wildwood

Wildwood

  According to tradition, this is how Wildwood obtained its name before it was a community.  In 1877, a crew of workmen and a surveyor were putting in a telegraph line south of Ocala.  The surveyor was required to report in from time to time.  So when the surveyor called in and the office asked “Where are you?”  He paused, and the answer he gave was, “I don’t know, except in the wild woods.”

Community spirit is still alive and well in Wildwood. Residents are working together to revitalize many of the historic buildings, including the Baker Home on County Road 44-A on the east side of The Villages. Built by Senator David Hume Baker in the late 1800s, the Victorian-style house and five acres of property were donated to the City of Wildwood. The house is currently being renovated to become the home of the Wildwood Area Historical Society. Several fundraising events have recently taken place and tours will be available later in the year.

Wildwood has long been the home of the Three Flags Resort RV Park with full amenities

Continue on 44  to I-75 and go North

Restaurants in Wildwood

Baker House

exit on route 484 going west

Things to do in Dunellon

Happy Acres Ranch

Since we’re all returning to different destinations:  Please consult a map service on line—or your car or phone’s  GPS system to get you home safely and I hope you enjoyed the adventure into old time Florida

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