In my blog about sailing around Cape Horn, I mentioned that sailing ships in the late 20th century and the 21st century are made with...

And what of the passengers on a California-bound ship in 1849? What could they expect? First class passengers’ fare was around $150...

So, what kind of people were sailors in the year 1849? The answer? A mixed lot. Typically, sailors were men who chose to make sailing...

Having grown up in a world where engines rule everything, the idea of being at the whim of the wind is hard for me to conceive. I’ve...

For this mountain girl, the idea of being surrounded by water for months is a pretty foreign concept. Perhaps was the case even for those...

We spend a lot of time thinking about it in our busy, 21st century lives - security or the lack of it. We have to watch and arm our...

Manuscript update: I’m happy to report that I have finished the manuscript for the newly renamed, “Zephyr’s Gantlet.” I now have it out...

It’s been quite a while since I last blogged and there’s a lot to catch up on. This blog will be less historical and more biographical in...

As eluded to in the last, I was led to this “what the…?" moment by a friend of the family who has traveled extensively in Nicaragua. My...

For many on the East Coast of the United States during the California Gold Rush, sailing around Cape Horn was a very popular option...

In our modern life of being able to communicate instantly, it is hard to imagine that historically, it could take as long as six months...

I’ve touched on the political and nationalism ambitions of President Polk when he took office, especially when it came to Mexico’s...

Most of you know that I’m an organic farmer (although I recently learned I can’t use the “o-word” since I refuse to be forced down the...

Technology is everywhere. Most of us wouldn’t be able to function without it in our lives. As a late baby boomer, I remember the first...

I’ve mentioned, in earlier blogs, my joy when I stumble upon a new idea or inspiration befitting my story’s time period of which I was...

I’ve written some pretty heavy blogs of late so I thought it might be refreshing for all of us to explore a lighter subject, one that...

A trip to Newbu

One benefit about having our children go to college out-of-state was the opportunity to visit them when they had a break and didn’t want...

Comparing the 44th American President with James K. Polk, the 11th , makes for an interesting study. Both share enormous ambition,...

I will likely never know what it is like to go somewhere without an understanding of what I am going to do once I arrive. Technology...