Making its American debut at the Seattle World's Fair in 1962, the extra-deep yet light Belgian waffle has become America's sweetheart. In most homes and restaurants, it has replaced the 4 x 8 or 6x6 small square waffle irons brought to America by Dutch immigrants....

Tongue -in-cheek teller of tall tales, Mark Twain went west in 1861, which is, coincidentally, the time period of my work in progress. He had poor luck mining, but his wry, witty, writings under the nom de plume, "Josh" caught the attention of an editor who offered to...

The confetti has settled. We've caught up on our eve of staying up later than is wise-- some of us--and our New Year's resolutions no longer feel quite so resolute. Did the ancient Babyonians' vows to their gods of loyalty, payment of debts, and returning that which...

Don't Forget 'Em! Auld lang syne, literally "old time since" was collected by famous Scotsman, Robert Burns, in the late 1700s. Wanting to save the auld language for future generations, it's said that he penned the words as an old fellow sang. Now, the song can be...

Pulled into port a bit late, so this Tuesday Trivia Tidbit is also late. "A square meal," "fair and square." They are terms that brought delight to sailors way back when. Someone who'd done a big watch or extra work usually got a square meal, all spots filled, which...

A Pacific NW Thanksgiving-- For generations, possibly millennia, Native American Nations would meet at the huckleberry grounds between Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens. It was kind of a huckleberry bee where people, young and old, would pick the abundance, dry them in...

In this Thanksgiving season where, historically, women do an absurd amount of work on top of their already absurd amount, I wonder at the four Puritan, and likely Wampanoag women, serving up a meal of thanks for all the Puritan and Wampanoag men and children. Why only...

As a child, I knew Winnie The Pooh was old, historical. I mean really, no one in my childhood days was lucky enough to have a Hundred Acre Woods to play in. We were fortunate enough to have a church down the street with trees and savanna-like grasses, and a creek a...

Got a burn? Slather it with honey. Cut your arm? Get some honey on that. It's been the go to for as long as people and bees have had a relationship -- which is pretty much forever. In American pioneer days, honey saved many a life. And now, despite the "better ways"...

Before the Victorian era, wrapping paper wasn't a thing. Tissue paper or cloth always wrapped people's Christmas presents. One year the tissue paper ran out at a shop, and the enterprising store dudes convinced shoppers that French envelope liner paper was all the...