Blog

The history of slavery in a nutshell

When talking about slavery so many people seem to think of the cross-Atlantic slave trade to the Americas in the 17th and 18h centuries.  We think of films like “Twelve Years a Slave” or “Gone with the Wind”. But that is only a tiny fraction of the story. . This is the Code of Hammurabi, […]

Posted 4 years ago

The story of Madame Tussaud.

I recently gave a talk about Mme Tussaud to the U3A.  Here it is, in a nutshell. .  Marie aged 24 Anna Maria Grossholtz, called Marie, was born in Strasbourg, France, in 1761.  Her father, Joseph Grossholtz, was killed in the Seven Years’ War just a few months before she was born. While Marie was […]

Posted 4 years ago

Occupying myself during Covid19 lock down ! March 2020

     oak tree, Sussex. Lovely, lovely England.   abandoned mill, Sussex     last of the bluebells   Rio – Donya’s horse      www.turquoisemoon.co.uk  Patchwork cot quilt for baby boy

Posted 5 years ago

The British Empire was a force for good, not evil.

Never was the British Empire evil …   Everything I am, everything I have, and everything that my children and grandchildren will ever be is because of Great Britain.   I am an American.   Great Britain has done more positive good, spread more hope and wealth and prosperity, and been a part of more […]

Posted 5 years ago

Painted furniture and murals by Catherine Broughton

   mural in a WC room The charity shop receives a lot of donations that have to be binned because they have limited space and need to be sure any donations will sell. These candle holders were off-white, stained, unattractive and heading for the bin. I painted them red and then put a Christmas design […]

Posted 5 years ago

Snippets of French history: the French-Indian war

Yesterday the neighbour’s boy came by and asked me to draw a Red Indian for him. This, in turn, made me wonder about the French role in the Last of the Mohicans. England and France were at war in Europe from 1756 to 1763 – the Seven Years War. Elements of the conflict spilled over […]

Posted 6 years ago

Snippets of French history: Nostradamus

Michel de Notredame (1503 – 1566), usually Latinised as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer, physician and reputed seer, who is best known for his book Les Propheties, a collection of over 900 “poems” allegedly predicting the future. The first book was published in 1555 and has rarely been out of print since.  It predicts world events, to include both World Wars and Hitler – […]

Posted 6 years ago

Food for Thought: your holiday in France

  www.seasidefrance.com Always book direct with the owner if you can.  We have just taken a booking via one of the big sites (I’d best not say the name) and they charged our guest an extra £189 “booking fee”.  This is on top of the “booking fee” they charge me. Fair enough, everybody has to […]

Posted 6 years ago

Buildings: amazing places to visit in the Charente Maritime

Places for you to visit, not far from us at Rochebonne, Charente Maritime. The French sometimes call it “le 17” as the number of the departement.  The following are an easy drive.  www.seasidefrance.com  Brouage, about 10 mins in the car. The wiggeldy road leading all the way to it across the marshlands was built with […]

Posted 6 years ago

La Saint-Valentin

Saint Valentine, officially Saint Valentine of Rome, was a widely recognized 3rd-century Roman saint, commemorated in Christianity on February 14. Since the Middle Ages he is associated with a tradition of courtly love.  In French it is La Saint-Valentin, and is almost as widely celebrated as it is in the UK.  St Valentine of Terni […]

Posted 6 years ago

Books now available on Amazon:

A Call From France
French Sand
Kefani: An African Childhood
The Man With Green Fingers
Saying Nothing