Elaine's Blog

Winter; Here comes the White Walker  As the winter months approach, it’s important that we understand the dangers of it. Whether we love or hate the pretty snow, 62% of homeowners who suffered winter weather damage will still be dealing with the consequences for a while.Luckily, there are things ...

Winter 2023: Ask an Old Farmer  Founded in 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac’s timeless appeal has spanned three centuries, offering readers a trademark blend of long-range weather predictions, humor, fun facts, and valuable advice on gardening, cooking, fishing, conservation, and much more.  My grandpa...

Roll Out the Ole Yule Log! You Will Have a Barrel of Fun! Burning the Yule log is one of the oldest Christmas customs. In fact, it predates Christianity in pagan rituals that eventually merged with Christian holiday traditions in the early Middle Ages.Today, few Americans still follow the Old Wor...

No Matter a Peacock or Partridge it is still in a Pear Tree No matter if you love it or hate it, the "12 Days of Christmas" song is a holiday staple. Sure, you might prefer belting out other beloved Christmas carols like "Feliz Navidad" or Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You," but the...

Spooky, Creepy, Morbid, Yes Christmas Cards!  Some of the Earliest Christmas Cards Were Morbid and Creepy. Santa kidnapping children and murderous mice were par for the course in the Victorian-era Christmas card tradition.In the 19th century, before festive Christmas cards became the norm, Victor...

Plum Pudding: By Any Other Name and Holiday  Plum Pudding is often associated with Christmas thanks to Charles Dickens, but it is served at Thanksgiving as well and special occasions. Call it what you may it is delicious! Christmas pudding is sweet dried-fruit pudding traditionally served as part...

Thanksgiving: Thomas Jefferson Secret Holiday  Thomas Jefferson’s had a very Complicated Relationship with Thanksgiving. The third president declined to participate in the tradition. Since the United States became a nation, people have come together to count their blessings, feast on bountiful fo...

Did Florida Host the First Thanksgiving? What!!!!! More than 50 years before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Spanish colonists in Florida feasted with Native Americans in what some call the first Thanksgiving. Blaring trumpets and thundering artillery serenaded Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés as he...

Year The 1800’s; Time Thanksgiving The Urban/City Thanksgiving If you're eating out at one of New York City's restaurants this Thanksgiving, you're actually taking part in a long-standing tradition that goes back to the 19th century. During the height of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln m...

BOO! Pardon Me, Have you seen my Head? The Headless Horseman is a mythical figure in English and American folklore since the Middle Ages. This entity is very similar to the headless reapers or demonic fairy known as Dullahan in Irish myth.The most commonly known examples of the Headless Horseman ...