My great-aunt and uncle delivered mail together on a rural route. My uncle drove his own car down the side of the road and my aunt rode along next to him, with the window rolled down. Mail would have been piled on the seat between them. She opened the mailboxes, placed the letters and packages inside, then flipped the red flag up.
Continue reading “Postal Service: The History of Mail”
“Cal-i-for-nia, here I come!” This is the song I was singing last July, when I prepared to travel along the Californian coast, from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Among the memorable experiences, one of the most impactful to my writer’s imagination, was one discovered by chance. China Rock. Continue reading “China Rock: A Historical Hook in California”
When Irish immigrants stepped off the end of the gangway in the mid 1820’s and onto Bytown’s Upper Canada soil, they were undoubtedly relieved that their harrowing journey was over. Left behind was the menace of tyranny. Before them lay the possibility of land ownership and hopes for a prosperous future. Continue reading “Malaria Devastated Bytown’s Irish”
I first became interested in Walt Whitman’s poetry after seeing him featured as a character in a Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman episode called The Body Electric. He was portrayed as a gentle nature loving man who extended great patience when people were judgmental. This was only a story, I know, but his personality was appealing. So, off I went to the library, in search of a copy of his collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. Continue reading “Walt Whitman: Part 1”
Standing on a Californian beach staring at the horizon where the ocean meets the sky, does cause one to reflect on the power that nature wields. What an incredible leap of faith, that people over the centuries ago built vessels to sail and row into its infinity. After all, how could they know how far the waters stretched or if indeed the world would end at an abrupt cliff and plunge them into some version of hell. Continue reading “Delving Deeper — Vikings in California?”
In Canada, most school children will hear the story of Laura Secord — how during the War of 1812, she travelled a great distance on foot to warn the British about an imminent American attack. Even adults are reminded of her courage through the Heritage Minute ad campaign run by Historica Canada. Still, some of us hear the name and our mouths water for a box of chocolates. Continue reading “Laura Secord’s Courage: War of 1812”