July 20, 2012
I’m still thinking about my doughnut, bacon, maple post from last week.
I was recently on a road trip and stopped (twice) at a doughnut shop (Dunkin Donuts) and was dismayed at the poor quality of the product. These shops advertise that they offer quality goods, (mostly) twenty-four hours a day. Not this time. The donuts were stale.
A bit later, on another trip, I encountered a stellar doughnut shop, on my way to the airport in Roanoke, Virginia (Krispy Kreme). It was all one could expect – friendly, white-haired ladies in aprons at the counter, a bright, clean shop, a wide selection of fresh, fresh doughnuts, a wonderful aroma. Doughnut heaven.
I know this is a frivolous post and doughnuts are nutritional instruments of the devil, but oh they can be so good. We don’t have many doughnut shops where I live. Ich ben wanting ein berliner.
Jelly doughnut ref: Serious Eats
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged doughnut shop, doughnut shops, doughnuts, Dunkin Donuts, food, ich ben ein berliner, jelly doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, travel, whimsey | 2 Comments »
July 19, 2012
The Mary Rose was Henry VII’s flag ship. She sank precipitously in the Solent Strait between England and the Isle of Wight on July 19, 1545, after leading the English ships into battle with the French.
The Mary Rose was one of the first ships that was built expressly as a warship; earlier naval vessels were often refitted from merchant tasks. She was one of the first ships built in Henry VII’s expansion of the British Navy. She was also one of the first warships configured so that she could fire a broadside. The monarch oversaw her construction in the shipyards in Portsmouth.
The Mary Rose sank quickly and yet the reasons are not clear. She was, however, located and raised between 1979 and 1982. The ship is undergoing conservation and many of her artifacts are on display at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged British Navy, broadside, Henry VIII, history, Isle of Wight, Mary Rose, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, sinking, Solent Strait | Leave a Comment »
July 17, 2012
On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its doors in Anaheim, California. Still a popular site, Disneyland has had a larger cumulative number of visitors than any other theme park on earth. (ref: Theme park attendance report 2010 and Wiki).
I may be the only person on the planet who has never been to a Disney location.
Aerial view of Disneyland 1956.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Disneyland, theme park, travel | Leave a Comment »
July 15, 2012
Because today is St. Swithin’s Day. Here is some background.
Swithin was Bishop of Winchester in the 9th century. Little is known of his life, although he was rumored to be humble and charitable. He is best known these days because of this weather forecasting ditty:
St Swithin’s Day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain:
St. Swithin’s Day, if thou be fair,
For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.’
He was said to have asked to be buried outside the cathedral where people would pass by his remains and the rain would fall on him. One hundred years later, his relics were moved (translated) into a shrine in the new church. Miracles were associated with this translation and Swithin was canonized.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cathedral, history, holidays, miracle, rain, St. Swithin, weather, weather forecasting, Winchester | Leave a Comment »
July 13, 2012
Thanks to Robb and Regan for this reference.
I have posted before about craft-cat connections. I do know someone who has knit objects from dog hair. In this book, the projects incorporate or are totally composed of hair that your cat is no longer using. Crafty recycling.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged animals, cat, cats, crafting, crafts, cute, fur balls, knitting, nature, sappy cat blogging, whimsey | 4 Comments »
July 13, 2012
Julius Caesar, born July 13, 100 C, in Rome.
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. (Wiki)
Here is Marlon Brando in the Caesar role – now there’s a Roman emperor for you.
The obvious culinary reference for me to make would be a recipe for a Caesar Salad – nope – here’s a recipe for a Bloody Caesar cocktail.
Rim tall glass with celery salt, fill with ice and ingredients. Garnish with a celery stick, straw, and lime.
Alla salute!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birthday, Bloody Caesar, bloody mary, cocktail, history, Julius Caesar, Marlon Brando, recipe, Roman Empire, Rome | Leave a Comment »
July 10, 2012
The founding of Dublin, Ireland in 988, represented by the raven banner of the Kingdom of Dublin.
In 988, Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill led the initial Irish conquest of Dublin. As a result the founding of Dublin is counted by some from the year 988, notwithstanding that a village has existed on the site of Dublin since before the Roman occupation of Great Britain nearly a thousand years earlier. Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill was dethroned by Brian Boru (1002–1014).
A short history of Dublin from the In Your Pocket Guide offers that,
The name Dublin comes from the Gaelic dubh linn or “black pool” – where the Poddle stream met the River Liffey to form a deep pool at Dublin Castle. The city’s modern name – Baile Áth Cliath – means the “town of the ford of the hurdles”. Ireland’s four principal routeways converged at a crossing place made of hurdles of interwoven saplings straddling the low-tide Liffey.
In spite of this venerable founding date, the area of modern Dublin has been occupied for at least 2000 years and was an early Norse settlement – indeed one of the longest Norse occupations outside of Scandinavia.
But settlement of this area goes back even further than the Vikings, witnessed by the Clare Dolman standing stones below:
All of this rich history contributed to the development of modern Dublin.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged brian boru, dubh linn, Dublin, Gaelic, history, Ireland, Norse, raven banner, Scandinavia, viking | Leave a Comment »
Gunsmoke and Knitting 