In 1848 the First Woman’s Right Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, as five women organized a meeting to protest the laws and customs that discriminated against women.  Thus began the crusade for equality and suffrage.  While those determined, courageous women are long gone, a visit to Seneca Falls today will still allow you to come face to face with their images at the Women’s Rights National Park.
You’ll get to “meet” the women via a group of bronze figures created by sculptor Lloyd Lily.  The figures include Elizabeth Cady Stanton (who was one of the authors of the …read more

Did you tomorrow, August 29th, is Chop Suey day? It’s another one of those “where did that come from?” holidays, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting or fun!
The date is not chosen at random, though. Legend has it that Chinese ambassador Li Hung Chang had his chef create it for a dinner party while they were on a diplomatic visit to New York City on August 29th, 1896. It’s an unverified claim, though, and more than likely people were just inspired by the visit.

Despite the myth, many say that chop suey is not actually an authentic Chinese dish, …read more

Exploring history, our theme for the week, can provide fascinating adventures my family and I found, whether it’s in your own backyard or as you travel around the country.  My love of history stems from my parents’ interest in our country and the world. 
 When we took family trips, Mother and Father enjoyed stopping at forts, old settlements, historic homes and parks.
When Jim I’ve traveled with our daughter, we’d read historic markers and learn about the countryside we traversed.  These stops made nice breaks in sometimes lengthy drives.  Some of them included:

Following portions of the Oregon Trail
Visiting Living History Farms in …read more

One person’s staycation is another person’s vacation.  You may be choosing to stay home and enjoy your city, but, depending on where you live, you may find that there are plenty of tourists who are visiting your city as well.
The Church of England, hoping to get in on the staycation trend, has launched a new Church of England Staycation web service to encourage locals to put churches and cathedrals in their stay at home travel plans.  Churches and cathedrals can provide a bit of sacred space, but they are also wonderful sources as museums, art galleries, architectural sites, history, and …read more

Sometimes we need an unexpected jolt to encourage us to pursue some of our creative dreams and ideas.  This has happened to inspire me to get going again on my desire to bring resources I research and write to the New Hampshire and US history programs in schools.
As a teacher, writer, and historical researcher, I’ve done this on a small scale with my programs in schools.  However, I’ve wanted to reach more teachers and children, as well as home schooling parents and help with creating activities, lessons, and programs that make history “come alive.”
Yesterday, a friend called to interview me about …read more

If there’s one food that just screams “summer picnic” or “summer barbecue,” it’s pork and beans served alongside a hamburger or hot dog. The side dish has been part of the American diet since the 1800s and though it’s typically purchased pre-made from a can, it’s not so hard to make your own!

In fact, a 1832 cookbook titled The American Frugal Housewife lists only three ingredients needed to make the dish: a quart of beans, a pound of pork, and pepper. It instructs that the beans should be placed in cold water and hung over the fire the night before …read more

Located 16 miles south of Washington DC, Mount Vernon, the estate of George and Martha Washington, sits atop an undeveloped area along the Potomac River.  The Washington’s acquired the estate in the mid 1700’s, and George oversaw the development of the estate, from design through furnishings, even while he was off fighting in the Revolutionary War.
Whether he was a control freak, or just didn’t trust Martha’s judgment, I’m not sure, but the results are most impressive.  Today Mount Vernon is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is open to the …read more

July 10th is Piña Colada day! The piña colada has been around since 1954 when, as the story goes, a bartender at the Caribe Hilton’s Beachcomber Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico was asked by the hotel manager to come up with a new signature drink that would appeal to their celebrity guests. After three months of experimenting, the piña colada was born.

Other stories include a “lost recipe” created by a Puerto Rican pirate to boost the morale of his men while at sea in the 1800’s, to a bar in Carcao in the 1960’s that created and sold a …read more

Not surprisingly, July is National Hot Dog Month in the United States. It’s not hard to guess why this is, what with the 4th of July kicking off a whole summer or opportunities for grilling and outdoor cooking!

Hot dogs have been part of the national diet since 1870, when German immigrant Charles Feltman began selling sausages in rolls at Coney Island. Though the creation of the hot dog itself is long-disputed, with some claims going back as far as 1480, the summertime favorite was an instant hit in the States.
The original Feltman shop even spawned one of the more famous …read more

Although I’ve had my own business for a little over a year, there are many lessons, experiences and memories from corporate life that I keep with me. Some of these details are inspiring, as they help me with the daily management of the-petset.com and some other references, make me shudder.
Like the day my boss through me into a lake. Let me elaborate:
Several years ago, I worked at a large international, luxury auto maker in New Jersey. Needless to say, the men:women ratio was enourmously unbalanced, in favor of men. You can imagine the fashion environment in a car company …read more