Happy Birthday to…Royals and Geniuses

First…The Royals! 

Happy 708^th Birthday to Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor 

King of Bohemia (1346 to 1378)

 

Born: May 14, 1316

Birthplace: Prague, Czechia

Died: November 29, 1378 (62 years old)

 

Charles IV, crowned king of Bohemia in 1346, king of Italy in 1355, and king of Burgundy in 1365, holds the distinction of ruling over the Holy Roman Empire and all its kingdoms. He became Holy Roman Emperor in 1355. During his reign, Prague became the empire’s capital city.

 

The multi-lingual ruler was fluent in Czech, Latin, Italian, French, and German. He built the first university in Central Europe plus several castles and churches. He married four times and may have had as many as fourteen children—counting one reputedly born to an anonymous woman who was not one of his wives.

 

Happy 471^st Birthday to Margaret of Valois 

Queen Consort of Navarre (1572 - 1599) and France (1589 - 1599) 

 

Born: May 14, 1553

Birthplace: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

Died: March 27, 1615 (61 years old)

 

Margaret’s marriage to Henry of Navarre, later King Henry IV of France, had more to do with politics than romance. The alliance was intended to ease tensions between Protestants and Catholics. However, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre occurred only a few days after the wedding.

 

The infamous Catherine de’ Medici, Margaret’s mother, might have been involved in the horrific violence. Catherine is also suspected of poisoning Queen Jeanne III, Henry’s mother, who opposed his marriage to Margaret and died before the wedding took place.

 

In later years, Margaret’s brother, King Henry III, threw her into prison. So did her husband. Their childless marriage was officially nullified in 1599 even though they’d divorced several years before and Henry had remarried.

 

During Margaret’s imprisonment, she wrote her memoirs, published after her death in 1628. This work is “reckoned as one of 16th century’s best literary works” (Memoirs).

 

Happy 170^th Birthday to Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

“Grandest of the Grand Duchesses” and “Her Imperial Highness” (as daughter-in-law to the Emperor Alexander II of Russia).

 

Born: May 14, 1854

Birthplace: Ludwigslust Palace, Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Confederation

Died: September 6, 1920 (66 years old)

 

Fun Facts:

• Marie was the first “Foreign Princess married to a Grand Duke to retain her own religion” since she refused to denounce Lutheranism and convert to the Roman Catholic Church (Gelardi).
• Though a German-born princess she supported Russia during World War I and strongly denounced German Emperor Wilhelm II.
• An addicted gambler, she was temporarily banned from Nicholas II’s court for defying “a prohibition on the playing of roulette and baccarat in private homes” (Morgan).
• Catherine the Great was her great-great-great-grandmother.
• “Marie was the last of the Romanovs to escape Revolutionary Russia and the first to die in exile” (Wikipedia).

And Now…The Geniuses

Happy 188^th Birthday to Wilhelm Steinitz

First World Chess Champion

 

Born: May 14, 1836

Birthplace: Prague, Czechia

Died: August 12, 1900 (64 years old)

 

The thirteenth son of a tailor, Wilhelm was twelve when he learned to play chess. As a young adult, he entered tournaments and within a few years had established himself as one of the world’s top players. He later developed a different style of play and eventually became a chess journalist.

 

He returned to competitive tournament play for a time and moved to New York in 1883. He founded the International Chess Magazine in 1885.

Sadly, his accomplishments as an influential chess theoretician, tournament player, and writer didn’t bring him financial security. He died a pauper, leaving his second wife and two young children.

 

Happy 106^th Birthday to William T. Tutte

British-Canadian Mathematician; World War II Codebreaker

 

Born: May 14, 1917

Birthplace: Newmarket, Suffolk, England

Died: May 2, 2002 (almost 85 years old)

 

William T. Tutte, a gifted mathematician, is credited with the bulk-decryption of top-secret messages originating with the Lorenz rotor cipher machine. This system was used by the German Wehrmacht High Command during World War II. 

 

Tutte’s parents, an estate gardener and a housekeeper, worked at Fitzroy House in Newmarket, Suffolk, when he was born in 1917. He graduated with first-class honors from Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied natural sciences and chemistry. During his graduate studies, he transferred from physical chemistry to mathematics. 

 

Tutte and three friends were among “the first to solve the problem of squaring the square, and the first to solve the problem without a squared sub-rectangle. Together the four created the pseudonym Blanche Descartes, under which Tutte published occasionally for years” (Smith).

 

In addition to his important decryption work during the war, Tutte is also known for his numerous mathematical accomplishments, including his foundational work in graph theory and matroid theory.

 

Your Turn

 

Whose birthday party do you most want to attend? You can…

• Talk about languages and architecture with Charles;
• Discuss French history with Margaret;
• Play baccarat with Marie;
• Play chess with Wilhelm; or
• Break codes or “square the square” with William.

Johnnie Alexander imagines stories you won’t forget in multiple genres. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, she shares a life of quiet adventure with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her racoon-treeing papillon. Visit her at johnnie-alexander.com.

Photos ~ all images designed with Canva.

 

Charles IV ~ John Ocko votive picture-fragment.jpg. Created 1371. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 2 August 2018. Public domain.

 

Background of Charles IV image ~ Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by Charles IV. Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa). CC BY-SA 2.0. File:Karte Böhmen unter Karl IV.png. Created: see file history. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 16 December 2013.

 

Portrait of Princess Margaret of Valois by François Clouet, 16th century. Marguerite de France reine de Navarre (1553-1615). File:Clouet Margerite of Valois.jpg. Created: Mid-16th century. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 6 April 2010. Public domain.

 

Portrait of Queen Margaret of Valois. 16th century. François Clouet. File: MargueritedeValois.jpg. Created: 1571. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 7 February 2007. Public domain.

 

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (the Elder) of Russia, nee Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Unknown author. File: Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia.jpg. Created: late 1880s. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 24 March 2020. Public domain.

 

Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900). Unknown author. File: Wilhelm Steinitz2.jpg. Created: 1900. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 6 March 2010. Public domain.

 

William T. Tutte. Original publication: Newmarket Journal. Immediate source: http://www.newmarketjournal.co.uk/news/new-sculpture-honours-forgotten-war-hero-1-6290664. File: W. T. Tutte.jpg. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 7 May 2017. Fair use. Also found on Duck Duck Go Images ~ “Free to Share and Use.” 

 

Background of W.T. Tutte image ~ the Lorenz SZ42 machine with its covers removed. Bletchley Park museum. File: Lorenz-SZ42-2.jpg. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 4 November 2016. Public domain.

 

Sources

 

Gelardi, Julia P. The Romanov Women: From Splendour to Revolution from 1847-1918 (Reprint ed.). St. Martin's Griffin, pp. 47. ISBN 978-1250001610. The quote from Ms. Gelardi’s book is a partial quote from British diplomat Lord Augustus Loftus.

 

Memoir ~ quote regarding Margaret of France. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/margaret-of-france-6774.php (accessed 4 May 2024).

 

Morgan, Diane (2007). From Satan’s Crown to the Holy Grail: Emeralds in Myth, Magic and History. Westport, Ct: Praeger, pp. 134. ISBN 978-0275991234.

 

Smith, Cedric A. B.; Abbott, Steve (March 2003), "The Story of Blanche Descartes", The Mathematical Gazette, 87 (508): pp. 23–33, doi:10.1017/S0025557200172067, ISSN 0025-5572, JSTOR 3620560, S2CID 192758206. 

 

Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_Marie_of_Mecklenburg-Schwerin, (accessed 4 May 2024).

 

From Washouts to Pirates, Travel in 14th-Century England

This post is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

A portion of the Roman Road, now a bridle path, near Slinfold, photo by Andy Potter; [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Travel in 14th-Century England depended on status and wealth. Most people were villiens, laborers who farmed land they rented from a lord. Travel for them consisted of going by foot to the nearest market town, where they could sell wares and purchase goods. Almost all towns and villages were less than 15 miles apart, which made an easy walking distance with a night’s lodging possible. People walked more in those days and had strong legs, a fact documented by forensic examination of human skeletons from that era.

Those riding on the back of horse, mules, or donkeys could travel on to the next town before needing to stop. Wagons and carriages weren’t a common means of transportation, even for the nobility. Wheeled carts were useful for short trips, but the poor roads limited their value for longer journeys.

Inns weren’t plentiful and didn’t take everyone. The cost of a bed in an inn wasn’t practical for villiens, who had to be resourceful. They could hope to spend the night in a friend’s home. Farms and cottages might offer hospitality. Sleeping conditions could be rough. Rather than finding a bed for the night, a villien would be thankful to sleep on a pallet in the corner of a kitchen. Churches maintained hostels where the poor could stay.

People didn’t usually employ maps, which meant that finding your way on a land journey called for knowledge of the route or hiring a guide. Roads were usually muddy tracks forged from need and frequent use. Those whose course took them along one of the few remaining Roman roads did a little better. Travelers often had to ford streams and rivers. Bridges might be in poor shape, missing, or washed out altogether.

Those travelling the same direction frequently banded together for safety’s sake. Dangers lurked in the form of wolves, boars, or robbers. Most travelers carried weapons for self-defense.

Sometimes people transported goods by rivers, thus avoiding the difficulties of land travel. They paid a toll for this privilege.

Sea voyages were unreliable, cramped, and filthy. Ships carried passengers into other kinds of danger. A storm might drive the vessel off course or send it, and everyone aboard, to the bottom of the sea. Pirates were a known threat.

Travel in the Middle Ages was a challenging business for the average person. It presented inconveniences and dangers and could be quite an adventure.

About Janalyn Voigt

Escape into creative worlds of fiction with Janalyn Voigt. Her unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of beauty and danger for readers. Tales of Faeraven, her medieval epic fantasy series beginning with DawnSinger, carries the reader into a land only imagined in dreams. Her western historical romance novels have received acclaim from Library journal and Romantic Times. 

Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors.

DawnSinger (Tales of Faeraven, book 1)

The High Queen is dying… At the royal summons, Shae mounts a wingabeast and soars through the air to the high hold of Faeraven, where all is not as it seems. Visions warn her of danger, and a dark soul touches hers in the night. When she encounters an attractive but disturbing musician, her wayward heart awakens.

But then there is Kai, a guardian of Faeraven and of Shae. Secrets bind him to her, and her safety lies at the center of every decision he makes. On a desperate journey fraught with peril and the unknown, they battle warlike garns, waevens, ferocious raptors, and the wraiths of their own regrets. Yet, they must endure the campaign long enough to release the DawnKing—and the salvation he offers—into a divided land. To prevail, each must learn that sometimes victory comes only through surrender. 

Learn More.

Plan a Medieval Garden (Pictorial Guide)

Winds will howl and snow may fall, but one of winter's greatest consolations is time to snuggle down by the fire with a cup of something warm and plan your garden. This is usually, in my household, accompanied by much engrossed reading of seed catalogs, an art form all their own. If you don't receive any, never fear. Just order a catalog from a seed company online and others are bound to follow.

In this post I'll cover the elements of a medieval pleasure garden and explain why it's a good idea to incorporate them into your own planning. This is a topic that calls for pictures, don't you think? After the bustle of the holidays, staring at pretty images might hold a certain appeal.

Plan a Medieval Garden

Medieval gardens had various functions. There were kitchen gardens, infirmary gardens, cemetery orchards, vineyards, as well as vegetable and herb gardens. Medieval pleasure gardens were places to unwind, do needlework, flirt a little or court in earnest, listen to music being played (the non-CD variety), read poetry or other literature, and enjoy art.

Enclosure

One of the distinguishing elements of a medieval garden was its walls. These were made of stone, brick, hedge, rammed earth, wattle, lattice, strong fences called palisades, trees, topiary, or the walls of the building it adjoined. This gave the visitor to a medieval garden a feeling of being set aside in a world apart. For Christians, walls symbolized the virginity of Mary, mother of Christ and derived from Song of Solomon 4:12: "A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A rock garden locked, a spring sealed up."

France: Alhambra palace gardens by Bruno befreetv (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

“A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.” - See more at: http://www.bl.uk/collection-items/roman-de-la-rose#sthash.i1xXzkXu.dpuf

France: Cloister of Saint-Leonce Cathedral, Frejus by Patricia.fidi (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Netherlands: Medieval garden wall, east of the Coendersborg estate in Nuis By KinghenryIX (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 nl (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nl/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons

Lawns

A European medieval garden usually contained a launde, the Middle English word originally used to describe a forest glade. Medieval lawns were at first made of flower-strewn grasses, chamomile, or thyme to emulate the look of a meadow. Later in the middle ages, the short-cropped lawn came in favor.

England: Medieval pleasure garden illustration from Roman de la Rose, ca. 1490-1500 held by the British Library

Italy: Medieval Garden, Perugia by Grifomaniacs via Wikimedia Commons

England: Mannington Hall - south elevation. The view was taken across the moat, from the south lawn by Evelyn Simak [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Raised or Sunken Garden Beds

In milder climates, beds were usually raised and lined with boards or wattle to improve drainage. Medieval gardens in a sunnier climate might have sunken beds to capture needed moisture. Beds were edged with plants, bricks, stones, or wattle (woven willow). Besides bringing beauty to the garden, edgings protected plants from being foraged by animals.

France: The medieval garden at the bottom of the castle of Sainte-Agnès (Alpes-Maritimes, France)By Tangopaso (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

England: Rodemack, the medieval garden by Dguendel (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

France : Medieval Garden Musee de l'Oeuvre Notre Dame, Strasbourg by Pethrus (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Water Features

Medieval gardens generally included a water feature as a central focus, much as we use them today. These included wells, springs falling into a pool, streams, and tiered fountains.

Spain: Alhambra palace gardens in Granada I, Wela49 [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

England: the garden and fountain at Westminster Abbey, London.by Anthony M. from Rome, Italy (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Spain: the Alhambra palace gardens by night. Image from Grand Parc - Bordeaux, France from France [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Garden Walks

Garden paths of course had their practical use but also were an invitation to wander among nature's beauty. As today, these walkways were made from grass, packed dirt, brick, gravel, stone, or paving materials.

France: Avenue of Hornbeams, in the gardens of Eyrignac Manor, in Dordogne by TwoWings (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

England: Rodemack, the town wall at the medieval gardenBy Dguendel (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

England: A view of Belsay Castle at the beginning of the return garden walk by HARTLEPOOLMARINA2014 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Garden Seats

A place to while away an afternoon was an important feature in a medieval garden. Garden seats of turf, marble, or other kinds of stone were rectangular, circular, U-shaped, or L-shaped and might be built in the fashion of raised beds enclosed by planks, brick, wattle, or even sod. Garden seats would be placed either in the center of the garden or along the edge and sometimes were encorporated into the enclosure.

Netherlands: Honor Making a Chaplet of Roses tapestry from the The Cloisters Collection shows a U-shaped garden seat, also known as excedra, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Germany : Maria Rose Haag with saints and donors Date circa 1420-1430 by Kölner Maler um 1430 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Germany: You can see how the turfed garden benches were used in these images of Saint Anne with Mary and Jesus and a kneeling Carthusian monk with Saint Barbara circa 1490 in the Master of the Brunswick Diptych (fl. between 1480 and 1510) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Some Last Thoughts

History books tend to focus on the darker parts of medieval living, but these images make the middle ages seem downright civilized, don't they? They could even be said to put our rushed modern world to shame. Recapturing the a bygone lifestyle in your garden can add richness to a harried life.

A castle garden features in Tales of Faeraven, a medieval epic fantasy series based on 13th-Century Europe. 

In the garden, mysterious breezes filter through the trees, and the fountain at the garden's heart sheds rainbows of light-infused water while telling a story of courage from the history of its people. 

In the mode of the middle ages, the inner garden yields its share of intrigue, romance, chivalry, and music.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. Look for her upcoming western historical fiction. She also writes fantasy. Beginning with DawnSinger, Janalyn's epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven, carries readers into a land only imagined in dreams.

Bohemian by ethnicity and mindset, Janalyn is an eclectic artist who creates in multiple disciplines. (she also draws, sings, writes poetry, and toys with a camera.)

Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, she loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors with her family.

Visit Janalyn Voigt's website.

References and Further Reading

• British Museum, Roman de la Rose 
• Medieval and Rennaisance Gardens | gallowglass.org
• The History of Lawns | Planet Natural
• Life in a Medieval Castle: Medieval Gardens | castlesandmanorhouses.com 

Christmas Trivia and giveaways!

Debbie Lynne Costello here with a few questions for you. Who out there loves Christmas? Do you consider yourself a pretty good expert on things about the Christmas holiday? We all love a little trivia, right? I've put together some fun Christmas trivia to test you knowledge. So grab a pencil and a piece of paper and write down your answers. When you finished you can continue to scroll down for the answers. Good Luck and no googling! LOL!!

Let me know how you did and which ones surprised you or stumped you. I'm giving away a copy of SWORD OF FORGIVENESS, and a glass Christmas ornament. Share on FB and/or twitter and let me know for an extra entry. After 10 people leave comments I'll add another Christmas ornament for every 5 new commenters. I'd love to give away 5 or more ornaments! Don't forget to leave your email address and let me know if you shared. Giveaway ends 12/12.

Public Domain By Gerard van Honthorst - Google Art Project, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45542035

1) What year did December 25th become the official date for Christmas?

2) Who was the person responsible for making December 25th Christ's birthday?

3) What is the earliest known Christmas tree decoration?

4) This country's Christmas trees had mass destruction of their trees. So people could still celebrate the holiday with a tree they made the first artificial Christmas tree out of dyed goose feathers. What country was this?

5) What year were Christmas trees first sold in the US?

6) What was the first state to recognize Christmas in 1836?

7) When did December 25th become an official United States holiday?

8) What was the last state in 1907 to declare Christmas a legal holiday?

9) How many days is the Yule Log burned?

                                              PUblic Domain Wiki By Robert Chambers - The Book of Days 

11) Who outlawed Christmas celebrations and carols in England from 1649-1660?

12) There are two claims to what president put the first tree in the White House. Who are those 2 presidents? 

13) What environmentalist president banned the Christmas tree from the White House? 

14) What was invented and commissioned by Sir Henry Cole in 1843?

15) Why was December 25th chosen for Christmas?

16) How much did it cost to send a Christmas card within the same city early in the Victorian era? 

17) What country created eggnog?

18) What automobile manufacturer was born on December 25th, 1878?
 
19) What country did Joseph, Mary, and Jesus go to after they left Bethlehem?

20) What year were flashing Christmas lights introduced? 

Now some less historical but fun trivia.

21) What shone out of the darkness in the song, "Go Tell it on the Mountain"?

22) What two words were used to describe Santa's beard in "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause"?

23) In "Frosty the Snowman", what are the hills made of?

24) In "Little Town of Bethlehem", what kind of souls will receive Him (Christ) still?

25) In the last verse of "Jingle Bells", the writer tells the young men to get a certain type of horse, that can go a certain speed, and to hitch him to your sleigh and you will lead the way. What is the type of horse and how fast can this horse run?

26) What was the last thing that Frosty said?

27) What does Alvin the chipmunk want for Christmas?

28) How many wisemen were there according to the bible?

29) In the song "Silver Bells", what is dressed in holiday style?

30) Where is everyone dancing and prancing in the song, "Jingle Bell Rock"?

31) What is the biggest selling single song of all time?

32) In "The Night Before Christmas", which reindeer was never mentioned?

33) What was Scrooges deceased business partner's name?

34) What is Tiny Tim's Father's name?

35) In "Winter Wonderland", where can you build a snowman?

36) In Miracle on 34th Street, Kris Kringle tells a shopper that the rival store, Gimbels, has better what?

37) Which Ghost did Ebenezer Scrooge fear the most?

38) In A Charlie Brown Christmas, how much does Lucy charge for her psychiatric advice? 

39)  How many gifts would you receive if you received all the gifts in "The Twelve Days of Christmas"?

40) How many times was Santa Clause mentioned in "The Night Before Christmas"?

And now your answers to see how you did.

1) 350 AD
2) Pope Julius I
3) Apples
4) Germany
5) 1850
6) Alabama
7) 1870
8) Oklahoma
9) 12 days
10) 4th century, Turkey
11) Oliver Cromwell
12) President Franklin Pierce and President Benjamin Harrison
13) President Teddy Roosevelt in 1901
14) The Christmas Card
15) Because pagans were exalting false deities on that date and the church leaders thought to steer them to the One and True Deity. The Christ.
16) It was delivered by servants
17) England
18) Louis Joseph Chevrolet
19) Egypt
20) They were introduced in 1930
21) A heavenly light
22) snowy white
23) snow
24) meek souls
25) bobtailed bay, 42 is his speed
26) I'll be back again some day.
27) A hoola-hoop 
28) The Bible doesn't say
29) sidewalks
30) Jingle Bell Square
31) White Christmas
32) Rudolf
33) Jacob Marley
34) Bob Cratchit
35) In the meadow
36) Skates
37) The Ghost of Christmas yet to come
38) five cents
39) 364 gifts
40) None!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

When her father died, she had promised herself no man would own her again, yet who could defy an edict of the king? After the death of her cruel father, Brithwin is determined never again to live under the harsh rule of any man. Independent and resourceful, she longs to be left alone to manage her father’s estate. But she soon discovers a woman has few choices when the king decrees she is to marry Royce, the Lord of Rosencraig. As if the unwelcome marriage isn’t enough, her new husband accuses her of murdering his family, and she is faced with a challenge of either proving her innocence or facing possible execution.
Royce of Hawkwood returns home after setting down a rebellion to find his family brutally murdered. When all fingers point to his betrothed and attempts are made on his life, Royce must wade through murky waters to uncover the truth. Yet Brithwin’s wise and kind nature begin to break down the walls of his heart, and he soon finds himself in a race to discover who is behind the evil plot before Brithwin is the next victim. 
 
 

Debbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was about eight years old. She studied journalism at Heritage University. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children's Director. Debbie Lynne has shown and raised Shetland Sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now and then. In their spare time, she and her husband take pleasure in camping and riding their Arabian and Tennessee Walking horses.






Pictures are courtesy of Wiki.

Five Centuries-Old Slang Expressions We Still Use Today

 

Since you are reading this, I assume you enjoy history. Do you also find words and their meanings fascinating? If so, you’re in for a treat because today we’ll explore the origin and meaning of five expressions from history that we still use today.

Bean counting comes to us courtesy of the ancient Greeks, who voted with this foodstuff. Today we use the expression to mean over-precise, and usually annoying, data tracking. Being called a bean counter is definitely no compliment.

To spill the beans, or reveal a secret sooner than intended, also hails from this practice for reasons that can be imagined. If the container holding the different colored beans used for tallying, white for yes and black for no, accidentally tipped over, results might be revealed early.

If you’ve ever had to eat humble pie, or display the humility to admit a mistake, it may interest you to know that in medieval times a deer’s innards and trimmings, or umbles, might be baked into pies and served at the lower tables during a feast. In 1663, Samuel Pepys, praised a particular cook in his diary for her rendition of this dish.

We can thank excellent fabric dyers in Coventry, England, for the term true blue. Describing a person who remains loyal to himself, to another, or to a cause, this expression originally referred to blue fabric dyed to remain colorfast. John Rays, in A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs (1st edition; ca. 1670) mentions the stellar reputation of Coventry's fabric dyers.



The Covenanters, a group of Scottish loyalists who adhered to the National Covenant despite the rule of James I, would later take up the term. Members wore a blue badge to show their allegiance.


In England and Ireland, conservatives known as Tories rallied the color to their cause. The United Kingdom’s conservative party still uses this color.






Red letter days, in modern calendars, are those marking important events, a practice handed down from medieval times. In the Boke of Eneydos (ca. 1490), William Caxton explained how churches recorded holy days and church festivals “with rede letters of coloure of pupre.” Pupre was a kind of red dye.








In the 1300’s a no man’s land referred to a wasteland between one kingdom and another. In feudal culture, wild lands were considered fearsome, and people mainly preferred to shelter near a castle stronghold.

The term didn't mean the space between two conflicting armies until World War I.



It’s fun to connect with the past in everyday living. I've given just a smattering here, but many of the words we use have survived, or even acquired additional usefulness, through time. They link us, indelibly, to those who have gone before us in a younger world.

About the Author

Escape into creative worlds of fiction with Janalyn Voigt, an author whose unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers.

Beginning with DawnSinger, Janalyn's epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven, carries readers into a land only imagined in dreams.
 
Janalyn is represented by Sarah Joy Freese of Wordserve Literary. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, she loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors with her family.

Source

• http://m.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/21/958188/-The-Mad-Logophile-Olde-Slang