PICKLES AND CHOCOLATE by Joyce Ray Wheeler Actually this title sounds a lot like the wild cravings of a pregnant woman ! Instead it refers to the totally unorganized, disconnected bits and pieces this article contains. Allow me to try to clarify. People who know me well are fully aware that I’m a confirmed chocoholic . I […]
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DYK: Above board? What is the board?
DYK: Did you know? In the phrase ‘Above board’ What exactly is the board? The board is a table and comes from gambling activities. See larger image Faith and Courage: A Novel of Colonial America (Tapestry of Love) (Paperback) By (author): Causey, Donna R List Price: $13.33 New From: $13.33 In Stock
Kearny Cottage in New Jersey – built by an Irish man in 1780 – holds many secrets
*Note: Some of the language below may be a little antiquated because its excerpts and transcriptions from a the book -Transcription from Historic Houses of New Jersey By Weymer Jay Mills .J. B. Lippincott Company – written in 1902 = The original words provide a unique glimpse of the people and early times in New Jersey. Almost […]
DYK: Did you ever receive the short stick?
DYK: Did you know? The short stick comes from candle making – Candles were expensive to make, so often reeds were dipped in tallow and burned instead. When visitors came, it was the custom for guests to make their exit by the time the lights went out. Therefore, if your host didn’t want you to […]
DYK: Strike while the iron is hot – what does it mean?
DYK: Did you know? “Strike while the iron” is a phrase that means to take action immediately in order to have a better chance of success. It comes from the days when blacksmiths lifted iron objects from the furnace and hammered it. They could only hammer the object into shape while the iron was hot, before it […]
See You at the Pole – It had humble beginnings and has really grown
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS BY INEZ MCCOLLUM From early days the school has been a gathering place for the community. I remember when my children were in elementary school there were some upcoming court rulings that would adversely affect our neighborhood school. We parents gathered peacefully outside the school after our children were inside for their classes. […]
DYK: Is your house spic and span clean?
DYK: Did you know? The saying ‘spic and span’ meant new. A span was a wood shaving. If something was newly built it would have tell-tale wood chips so it was ‘span new’ spick is an old word for a nail. New spicks or nails would be shiny. However words and phrases often change their […]
Interesting story about President George Washington General Greene’s wife – Van Veghten House [pictures]
*Note: Some of the language below may be a little antiquated because its excerpts and transcriptions from a the book -Transcription from Historic Houses of New Jersey By Weymer Jay Mills .J. B. Lippincott Company – written in 1902 = The original words provide a unique glimpse of the people and early times in New […]
DYK: Have you ever pulled out all the stops?
DYK: Did you know? Pulling out a stop lets air flow through a pipe and make a sound. Prior to the introduction of pipe organs the word ‘stop’ had, in a musical context, been used to mean ‘note’ or ‘key’. Organs have stops to control the air flow through the pipes and pulling them out […]
Aunt Phyliss was unique and I loved her dearly
My Aunt Phyliss by Bob Doherty My granddaddy, Mike, had nine children; four boys and five girls. My grandmother died before three of the children were old enough to take care of themselves. Since the oldest girl had married before her mother died the duties of the woman of the house fell to the second […]