#Rector Ann

[spaciousreasoning]

Celebrating a Birthday

June 8 is Pentecost Sunday. Also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun, it is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day after Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.

Today is World Oceans Day, Name Your Poison Day, National Cancer Thriver Day, National Kids Day, Race Unity Day, and World Brain Tumor Day.

June 8 is also Thomas Paine Day, the day the English-born American Founding Father, French Revolutionary, inventor, and political philosopher died in 1809. Born in Norfolk, England, in 1837, he authored “Common Sense” and “The American Crisis,” two of the most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, helping inspire colonial era patriots to declare independence from Great Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era ideals of human rights. I read “Common Sense” by the third grade, being highly interested in the American Revolution. It was probably one of the things that helped establish me as a liberal thinker.

It was another warm and sunny day, starting from a low of 53 degrees and rising all the way to 93.

This morning’s blood sugar was back down out of the red zone, at 155. Having taken the last of my antibiotics early in the day, I am hoping it remains lower in the days to follow. As long as I continue to maintain a decent diet, of course.

Nancy and I had our morning coffee and played some of the online brain games. We stopped before Keyword to have cinnamon toast. Then Nancy went to church, and I opted to stay at home with my bandaged arm.

Nancy reported that Rector Ann was back, though she only performed the baptism of a pair of young twins. Frank, the associate, presided and preached, and once again his homily was enjoyable.

A second copy of the NA history book showed up on our doorstep this morning. I texted Carol and she said to share one of the copies with Art. She also suggested that as one of the graphic designers I could have a copy from both of the publishers who printed the book. I do not think I need two copies of the book.

On Saturday, my Flickr account collected more than 6,000 views. That is almost as many views, as there were the day my waterfall photo made the Explore page. It is likely that yesterday’s count was due to all the extra covered bridge photos I posted.

Today I continued my work on Flickr by tagging numerous photos, adding them to various groups, and starting to add more pictures from the visit to Ireland in 2006. Thankfully, searching with Google I was able to come up with more information to post about the new selection of pictures. I am sure it will continue to be of use for any addition images I add to the collection from the adventure in Ireland.

When Nancy returned from church, she microwaved the leftover bits of the chicken and broccoli casserole, and we enjoyed those for lunch. We followed that with a short nap, after which we finally got around to completing the Keyword portion of today’s brain games.

At 5 p.m., we tuned in to the live presentation of the Tony Award show carried via the Paramount+ streaming platform. Cynthia Erivo did a wonderful job as host, and the first hour was quite enjoyable, even if many of the plays and performers were not familiar to us.

We left about 6 p.m. to drive out to the family’s residence in Marcola to celebrate Keira’s 21st birthday, which actually occurred earlier in the week. Since Nancy was driving, we left after dining but before dessert was served so she could get us home before it became too dark.

Then we watched a single episode of “Sherlock & Daughter.” Amelia went under cover to search for clues at Clara’s home and Sherlock visited prison under pretense of meeting his foe, Moriarty.

Tonight’s low could remain in the 60s, and it is likely we shall see another high in the 90s tomorrow.

Nancy has a chiropractic appointment in the morning, and I have my Zoom group at 5 p.m., though I have done no more work on the Fourth Step in the last week due to the limited use of my hand. I will go with what I have already prepared. Otherwise, we are most likely to remain inside most of the day in the comfort of artificial cooling.

[cdr-edwardlittle]

Edward Little's birth and baptism

Edward's birth and baptism places aren't as easy to pinpoint as we could think, so here is everything I gathered on the subject :

(With some speculations on my part because some documents contradict each other)

As I was in London, I took the opportunity to visit the site of St Mary's church in Hornsey, where Edward seems to have been baptised on Jan 12th 1812

The old medieval church was first mentioned in 1291, but by the 1820s the building was dilapidated and it was knocked down in 1832

After that, two new churches were built on these grounds, but none of them remains today, the churchyard was closed in 1892 and the third church was demolished in 1969

Today, only the bell tower from the first church still stands, surrounded by a park and a Primary school playground

Only him, his older sister Margaret Anne and older brother Cornelius Hayter seem to have been baptised here

(Margaret Anne on 18 Feb 1810 & Cornelius Hayter on 15 Nov 1810)

London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriage and Burials, 1538-1812

But for Edward and Cornelius Hayter, the register mentions

"baptized be the Rev° Matthew Irving Rector of Redmile, Leicestershire".

Given that information, we can speculate that the Reverant could have come to Hornsey especially to baptise them

---

From his baptism register and all the Ship Musters I have seen, I always assumed Edward was born in Hornsey

ADM 37/9921, HMA Scylla, The National Archives

But one of the muster I have checked recently mentions him actually being born in Stonehouse, Devon

ADM 37/7848, HMS Alert, The National Archives

From his service record, it is the same Edward Little

Given that his older brother (who was baptised just eleven months before Edward's birth) is also registered to have been baptised in Hornsey, I don't think the family moved to Stonehouse to move back to Hornsey in such a short time, maybe his mother could have been staying with family members in Stonehouse at the time of Edward's birth

I'm still looking into it, but for now, we can only speculate

[wondereads]

Sapphic Book Recs for Pride 2024

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Adult, high fantasy, 4.28 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Adult, sci-fantasy, 4.29 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.55 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Young Adult, thriller, 4.27 star average (my rating: 5 stars)

Crier's War by Nina Varela

Young Adult, high fantasy, 4.11 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

New Adult, low fantasy, 4.18 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Adult, space opera, 4.03 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Malice by Heather Walter

Adult, fantasy romance, 3.97 star average (my rating: 4.5 stars)

Beguiled by Cyla Panin

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.48 star average (my rating: 4 stars)

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Adult, high fantasy, 4.21 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

Ash by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, fantasy romance, 3.57 star average (my rating: 3.5 stars)

We Ate the Dark by Mallory Pearson

New Adult, horror fantasy, 3.04 star average (my rating: 3 stars)

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Adult, historical fantasy, 3.66 star average

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow

Adult, historical fantasy, 4.13 star average

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee

Young Adult, contemporary romance, 3.64 star average

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

Adult, high fantasy, 4.07 star average

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Adult, historical fantasy, 4 star average

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.17 star average

Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson

Young Adult, low fantasy, 3.4 star average

The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera

Adult, high fantasy, 3.84 star average

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Adult, horror sci-fi, 4.04 star average

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.65 star average

The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector

Adult, high fantasy, 4.23 star average

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Young Adult, historical romance, 4.28 star average

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta

Young Adult, dystopian sci-fi, 3.92 star average

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

Adult, high fantasy, 3.72 star average

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills

Young Adult, contemporary fiction, 4.25 star average

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Adult, gothic fantasy, 3.83 star average

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson

Adult, gothic fantasy, 4.12 star average

Seven Faceless Saints by M. K. Lobb

Young Adult, high fantasy, 3.5 star average

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

Young Adult, contemporary fantasy, 4.11 star average

The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling

Young Adult, paranormal romance, 3.64 star average

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Lin

Adult, mystery thriller, 3.63 star average

Once & Future by Cory McCarthy and A. R. Capetta

Young Adult, sci-fantasy, 3.57 star average

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Adult, high fantasy, 4.1 star average

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Young Adult, sci-fi horror, 3.48 star average

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfled

Young Adult, contemporary fiction/low fantasy, 3.69 star average

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in October 2024 🌈

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Happy reading!

❓What was the last queer book you read?

[ Release dates may have changed. List below! ]

❤️ Back in the Hunt - K. Sterling 🧡 The Connoisseur's Christmas Courtship - L.M. Bennett 💛 Shoestring Theory - Mariana Costa 💚 The Black Hunger - Nicholas Pullen 💙 Wild Fire - Radclyffe 💜 Because Fat Girl - Lauren Marie Fleming ❤️ The Ace and Aro Relationship Guide - Cody Daigle-Orians 🧡 Soul Survivors - River Kai 💛 Stolen Hearts - Michele Castleman 💙 Reverence - Milena McKay 💜 Love Immortal - Kit Vincent

❤️ Take a Sad Song - Ona Gritz 🧡 Showmance - Chad Beguelin 💛 Redundancies & Potentials - Dominique Dickey 💚 Alexander - Karla Nikole 💙 Rest in Peaches - Alex Brown 💜 Rise of the Wrecking Crew - Kalynn Bayron ❤️ Language Lessons - Sage Donnell 🧡 Legend of the White Snake - Sher Lee 💛 Sorcery and Small Magis - Maiga Doocy 💙 Cried Out - Kate Hawthorne 💜 Skysong - C.A. Wright 🌈 No Rules Tonight - Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada

❤️ My Mother's Ridiculous Rules for Dating - Philip William Stover 🧡 I Shall Never Fall in Love - Hari Conner 💛 Castle Swimmer - Wendy Martin 🧡 The Hollow and the Haunted - Camilla Raines 💙 How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? - Anna Montague 💜 The Arizona Triangle - Sydney Graves ❤️ Every Rule Undone - Nancy S.M. Waldman 🧡 Mister Nice - Jamie Jennings 💛 Under the Mistletoe with You - Lizzie Huxley-Jones 💙 How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster - Muriel Leung 💜 The Snowball Effect - Haley Cass 🌈 This Will Be Fun - E.B. Asher

❤️ Our Evenings - Alan Hollinghurst 🧡 Don't Let the Forest In - C.G. Drews 💛 Finding Delaware - Bree Wiley 💚 The Reeds - Arjun Basu 💙 The Bloodless Princes - Charlotte Bond 💜 Women's Hotel - Daniel M. Lavery ❤️ Alex McKenna and the Academy of Souls - Vicki-Ann Bush 🧡 A Vile Season - David Ferraro 💛 Synchronicity - J.J. Hale 💙 Writ of Love - Cassidy Crane 💜 Di-Curious - Erin Branch 🌈 Swordcrossed - Freya Marske

❤️ Stand Up! - Tori Sharp 🧡 Haunt Me, Baby - Rose Santoriello 💚 Planet Drag: Uncover the Global Herstory - Various 💙 Until We Shatter - Kate Dylan 💜 Metal from Heaven - August Clarke ❤️ Vicious Fates and Vast Futures - Tilly Bramley 🧡 The Daughter of Danray - Natalia Hernandez 💛 If I Stopped Haunting You - Colby Wilkens 💙 The Darkness Behind The Door - Mira Gonzalez 💜 Hunt Monsters, Do Magic, and Fall in Love - A.M. Weald 🌈 Jasmine Is Haunted - Mark Oshiro

❤️ Model Home - Rivers Solomon 🧡 Haunting Melody - Chloe Spencer 💛 The Door in Lake Mallion - S.M. Beiko 💚 The City in Glass - Nghi Vo 💙 Fang Fiction - Kate Stayman-London 💜 The Merriest Misters - Timothy Janovsky ❤️ Make the Season Bright - Ashley Herring Blake 🧡 My Kind of Trouble - L.A. Schwartz 💛 To Become A Flower - CEON 💙 What Was Lost - Melissa Connelly 💜 The Forbidden Book - Sacha Lamb 🌈 This Dark Paradise - Erin Luken

❤️ The Sound of Storms - Anya Keeler 🧡 Country Queers - Rae Garringer 💛 A Spell for Heartsickness - Alistair Reeves 💚 The Stars Inside Us - Kristy Gardner 💙 October's Ocean - Delaine Coppock 💜 Haunt Your Heart Out - Amber Roberts ❤️ The Dark Becomes Her - Judy I. Lin 🧡 Power Pose - Emily Silver 💛 The Magic You Make - Jason June 💙 House of Elephants - Claribel A. Ortega 💜 Tegan and Sara: Crush - Tegan Quin, Sara Quin, Tillie Walden 🌈 The Brightness Between Us - Eliot Schrefer

❤️ The Spring before Obergefell - Benjamin S. Grossberg 🧡 Pray For Him - Tyler Battaglia 💛 Coup de Grâce - Sofia Ajram 💚 Coal Gets In Your Veins - Cat Rector 💙 He Who Bleeds - Dorian Valentine 💜 The Revenge of Captain Vessia - Leslie Allen ❤️ Camelot's Tower - Brooke Matthews 🧡 The Manor - Tiffany E. Taylor 💛 Arcanum - Ashlyn Drewek 💙 Strange Beasts - Susan J. Morris 💜 On Vicious Worlds - Bethany Jacobs 🌈 Death Song - B. Ripley

❤️ Best Hex Ever - Nadia El-Fassi 🧡 I'll Be Gone for Christmas - Georgia K. Boone 💛 Make My Wish Come True - Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick 💚 Gentlest of Wild Things - Sarah Underwood 💙 Troth - E.H. Lupton 💜 Solis - Paola Mendoza & Abby Sher ❤️ Lucy, Uncensored - Mel Hammond, Teghan Hammond 🧡 Mama - Nikkya Hargrove 💛 Under All the Lights - Maya Ameyaw 💙 Reclaimed - Seth Haddon 💜 The Devil's Dilemma - Alex J. Adams 🌈 The Jovian Madrigals - Janneke de Beer

❤️ Blood Price - Nicole Evans 🧡 Worship Me - K.C. Blume 💛 All the Hearts You Eat - Hailey Piper 💚 The Nightmare Before Kissmas - Sara Raasch 💙 Rogue Community College - David R. Slayton 💜 Mistress of Hours - Emma Elizabeth ❤️ The Dog Trainer's Secret - Sav Uong 🧡 Most Wonderful - Georgia Clark 💛 Antenora - Dori Lumpkin 💙 House of Frank - Kay Synclaire 💜 Sir Callie and the Witch's War - Esme Symes-Smith 🌈 Prince of Fortune - Lisa Tirreno

[ojovivomotion]

The Real Portrait of Juliet & Pauline

In the gray heart of 1950s Christchurch, two teenage girls found each other and sealed a pact the world would never understand. Pauline Parker was introspective, working-class. Juliet Hulme, brilliant and magnetic, the daughter of a prominent university rector. Both were marked by childhood illnesses that had isolated them from others. But together, they created something far beyond friendship: they built a secret empire. They called it Borovnia—a kingdom of castles, princes, and gods, where they ruled above all, and where reality was nothing more than an inconvenient shadow.

Their bond was fierce, absolute. The lines between play, delusion, and desire blurred. Pauline’s diaries speak of “The Fourth World,” a higher dimension where human laws did not apply. In that mystical realm, their connection was sacred. But the real world began to close in. Parents grew suspicious. A forced separation loomed. And so, they decided to act.

On June 22, 1954, they took Honorah Rieper, Pauline’s mother, for a walk in the woods. They carried a brick hidden in a stocking. When they reached the chosen spot, they struck with ritualistic violence. Thirty-five blows. They killed her as if removing an obstacle in their story—as if she were just another character from Borovnia.

They claimed it was an accident. But the police found the diary. The words were chillingly clear: “The main idea for the day was to murder mother.”

Tried as minors, they were sentenced but released after five years. They were forbidden to see each other again. Juliet changed her name to Anne Perry and became a celebrated crime novelist—cruel irony—keeping her past hidden until it was uncovered decades later. Pauline lived in anonymity under a new name, devoting her life to repentance and silence.

Borovnia vanished. But the story remained like a dark echo: a murder born of love, fantasy, and shared madness. A broken fairy tale, where imagination did not save—but led straight to the abyss.

[scotianostra]

On 17th March 1565, Alexander Ales (also known as Alesius and Aless), theologian and reformer, died.

Alesius played an important role linking the Reformations of Scotland, then Germany, then England. He is believed to have been planning to translate Luther's German Bible into Scots, but it's more likely that he intended to use the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts which Luther himself had used.

These were dangerous times in Scotland, the reformation was just kicking off Patrick Hamilton, a friend of Ales was burnt at the stake for heresy, he himself was tried in his absence and also found guilty of heresy, by this time he had fled

it is said to have been the first Scot to meet Jean Calvin, Calvin and Ales were both refugees in Germany at the time.

He also spent time in England he was occasionally referred to as Alexander Alesius, Scotus, Doctor Theologiae, Henry VIII had broke with the church of Rome, I found a short snippet on a page about Anne Boleyn, he was visiting the English court at Greenwich Palace, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn had an argument. He couldn’t hear what it was about but it was clear to him that the King was angry. Six weeks later the Queen lost her head!

After a time teaching at Cambridge he ended up back in Germany where in Leipzig he passed the remainder of his days in peace and honour, and was twice elected Rector of the University there.

[fromthedeskoftheraven]

Get to know your moots!

Thank you lovely @oonajaeadira for the tag! 💖

What's the origin of your blog title? Ten years ago I decided to dip my toes into the fanfic pool and made a blog with a play on "why is a raven like a writing desk?" because I couldn't think of anything clever and I didn't want something fandom related.

OTP(s) + Shipname: Han/Leia, Aragorn/Arwen, Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter (Steggy), Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann, Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso (rebelcaptain)

Favourite colour: Purple and dark green

Favourite game: Oregon Trail

Song stuck in your head: Sailboat by Ben Rector

Weirdest habit/trait? I usually eat the different foods on my plate one at a time, from what I like least to best.

Hobbies: Sewing, baking, reading, playing Stardew Valley, hunting for the perfect pair of jeans.

If you work, what's your profession? Editing director for an educational publisher.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? Successful novelist or travel writer.

Something you're good at: Spelling, singing.

Something you're bad at: Math, sports.

Something you love: Museums.

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: Tudor history, the Tolkien cinematic universe, Star Wars, favorite travel destinations, whatever show I'm currently watching (right now it's La Máquina).

Something you hate: Mean people and the sociopathic lack of compassion and civility on social media.

Something you collect: Cookbooks, houseplants, cool rocks, antique teacups.

Something you forget: Anything you asked me to do five minutes ago and I said "oh yeah just a sec."

What's your love language? Giving and words of affirmation.

Favourite movie/show: Sense and Sensibility/The Great British Bake-off

Favourite food: All Indian food.

Favourite animal: Turtles.

What were you like as a child? Smart but socially awkward only child with a very dysfunctional home life who escaped into my imagination with reading and writing stories. A loner by necessity, which is a bad habit I've carried over into adulthood. I loved my dog and my stuffed animals more than anything in the world.

Favourite subject at school? English, history, and music.

Least favorite subject? Math and gym. (I don't even need to change Adira's answers)

What's your best character trait? Being fiercely loyal, protective, and nurturing with the people I love.

What's your worst character trait? Impatience and the hair-trigger frustration that goes with it.

If you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? I'd like to be a lot less worried about the future.

If you could travel in time who would you like to meet? Anne Boleyn. There's so much rumor and mystery about what she was really like and the events of her life and her own voice is mostly absent in the telling, so it would be interesting to hear her perspective.

Recommend one of your favourite fanfics (spread the love!): you can't go wrong with any of the Ezra fics from @insomniamamma and I especially love her Prickle universe.

No idea how much this one has been spread around, so if you've actually read this far, consider yourself tagged!

[whencyclopedia]

Youth of George Washington

The youth of George Washington (1732-1799), the first President of the United States, remains the least understood chapter of his life, shrouded in folklore and myths. Yet the experiences of his youth, and the bond he felt toward his older half-brother Lawrence, shaped the man he was to become and helped put him on the path toward revolution and the presidency.

Young George Washington with His Father

John C. McRae after G. G. White (Public Domain)

This article examines what is known about the lineage and youth of George Washington, from the first time his great-grandfather set foot on the shores of Virginia in 1657 until George's own coming of age in 1753, a year before the shots fired at the Battle of Fort Necessity changed the trajectory of his own life and, it can be argued, of world history.

Tall, strong, and somewhat physically awkward, the young George Washington grew up on a plantation just outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and moved to Mount Vernon as his brother's ward shortly after the death of their father. He became a land surveyor at the age of 16, measuring over 60,000 acres of land along the unmapped western frontier of Virginia. When Lawrence contracted a fatal case of tuberculosis, George accompanied him to Barbados, the only time he ever left the boundaries of the future United States; while there, he had a short but painful bout with smallpox, and for the first time came face to face with the military might of Great Britain. He had experienced much by his 21st birthday in 1753, although nothing could have prepared him for what was still to come.

Family & Parentage

The story of the Washington family in Virginia begins with a shipwreck. On 28 February 1657, the merchant vessel Seahorse of London ran aground on the shoals of the Potomac River during a storm; laden with precious tobacco, the ship had just embarked on its return voyage to England. Among its crew was a young Englishman named John Washington (b. 1633), who had taken to a life at sea after his father, an Anglican rector, had had his properties confiscated for his support of the Royalists during the English Civil Wars (1642-1651). As the crewmen went to work repairing the Seahorse of London, John Washington befriended several locals including Anne Pope, the daughter of a wealthy Maryland planter. It was perhaps out of love for Anne – or perhaps because he spied more opportunity in America than on the open seas – that induced John to stay behind after the crewmen sailed the repaired vessel back to England. John Washington married Anne Pope in late 1658, with the marriage ultimately producing five children.

Before his death in August 1677, John Washington made quite an impression on his adoptive home of Virginia. He had purchased or inherited upwards of 5,000 acres of land, upon which tobacco was planted and harvested by both enslaved Africans and white indentured servants. John's eldest son, Lawrence (b. 1659) was therefore left with a decent inheritance and was perfectly poised to enter public service. Before the age of 25, he served as both the Justice of the Peace and in the House of Burgesses, cementing the place of the Washington family among the colony's landed gentry. Around 1686, he married Mildred Warner, the daughter of the Speaker of the House of Burgesses, with whom he would have three children: John (1692-1746), Augustine (1694-1743), and Mildred (1698-1747). Lawrence died an early death in 1698, after which his widow remarried to an English merchant, George Gale, and moved her children to Whitehaven, England, before she died in 1701. Gale took care of the orphaned Washington children, enrolling the boys in the nearby grammar school at Appleby.

Augustine Washington, the middle child of Lawrence and Mildred, returned to Virginia sometime before he came of age in 1715 to claim his inheritance. Called 'Gus' by family and friends, he was tall, blond, and muscular, and was said to have been as gentle as he was strong. Upon his 21st birthday, he inherited 1,000 acres of land as well as six enslaved people; his marriage to Jane Butler that same year added another 1,700 acres to his already considerable amount of property. The couple settled on Gus' main plot of land at Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia, where construction soon began on a home called Wakefield. It was here that Jane gave birth to three surviving children: Lawrence (1718-1752), Augustine, Jr. (1720-1762), and Jane (1722-1735).

Wakefield House at Pope's Creek, Virginia

Benson J. Lossing & William Barritt (Public Domain)

Like his own father, Augustine entered public life, serving as Justice of the Peace and sheriff for Westmoreland County. He also continued buying up properties, including a tract of land near Accokeek Creek, 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Fredericksburg. It was on this land that rich deposits of iron were discovered in the late 1720s; looking to capitalize on this, Augustine began negotiating with the Principio Company, an association of British ironmasters and merchants, to construct an ironworks on the land. In 1729, Augustine went to England to finalize negotiations with his new business partners only to discover upon his return that his wife Jane had died. Distraught though he was, it was not customary for Virginian widowers to stay single for long, and, on 6 March 1731, Augustine Washington was remarried to 23-year-old Mary Ball.

Continue reading...

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

Inside Chiesa San Cristoforo a Novoli, where Marsilio was rector from 1474 through to his death. It was already established by 1069, which is when it starts showing up in extant records.

Ficino was elected rector January 6, 1474 by Filippo Sacramoro, vicar of Cardinal Piero Riario, archbishop of Florence. Witnesses included Niccolo Michelozzi (secretary to Lorenzo de’ Medici) and Taddeo Ugolini. The church was under patronage of several families, including the Rinieri.

We know from another record, dated October 1475 but referencing January 6, 1474, that Bernardo di Stoldo Rinieri was one of the participants in the election of Ficino, at the behest of Lorenzo de' Medici.

A close up of the left of the small portico - includes a detail of the traces of the 15th century fresco depicting the Annunciation to Joachim (you can see the angel bringing the good news that Anne was going to give birth to Mary, future mother of Christ).

There is also a fresco of Saint Christopher, attributed to a young Franciabigio (he of one of the famous renditions of Bathsheba bathing).

[shefanispeculator]

The Smoakstack is Paul Moak’s personal recording studio, established in 2004 and in 2009 moved to its current location in the heart of Berry Hill, Nashville, TN. Over 3000sq feet, Smoakstack is a large multi-room facility filled with Paul’s lifelong collection of instruments and recording equipment (click on “GEAR” to learn more). Alongside Paul’s productions, the Smoakstack has gained a reputation all its own and has been used by Band of Skulls, Avicii, Kelly Clarkson, Ann Wilson, The Indigo Girls, Brett Eldredge, Ellie Goulding, The Cold War Kids, All Sons and Daughters, Landon Pigg, Lucy Dacus, Ben Rector, Audrey Assad, Toby Keith, Building 429, Hailey Witters, as well as companies like JHS Pedals, Lacie, Sony Music, EMI, Atlantic Records, and more.

the smoakstack — Paul Moak (paulmoakmusic.com)

[burningvelvet]

An interesting parallel between two love interests (both named Edward) in the novels of Charlotte and Anne Brontë:

"'I once had a kind of rude tenderness of heart. When I was as old as you, I was a feeling fellow enough; partial to the unfledged, unfostered, and unlucky; but fortune has knocked me about since: she has even kneaded me with her knuckles, and now I flatter myself I am hard and tough as an Indian-rubber ball; pervious, though, through a chink or two still, and with one sentient point in the middle of the lump.

Yes: does that leave hope for me?'

'Hope of what, sir?'

'Of, my final re-transformation from Indian-rubber back to flesh?'

'Decidedly he has had too much wine,' I thought; and I did not know what answer to make to his queer question: how could I tell whether he was capable of being re-transformed?"

– Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Brontë

"'The ties that bind us to life are tougher than you imagine, or than any one can who has not felt how roughly they may be pulled without breaking. You might be miserable without a home, but even you could live; and not so miserably as you suppose. The human heart is like India-rubber; a little swells it, but great deal will not burst it. If 'little more than nothing' will disturb it, 'little less than all things will suffice' to break it. As in the outer members of our frame, there is a vital power inherent in itself, that strengthens it against external violence. Every blow that shakes it will serve to harden it against a future stroke; as constant labour thickens the skin of the hand, and strengthens its muscles instead of wasting them away: so that a day of arduous toil that might excoriate a lady's palm, would make no sensible impression on that of a hardy ploughman.

I speak from experience — partly my own. There was a time when I thought as you do — at least, I was frilly persuaded that home and its affections were the only things that made life tolerable: that, if deprived of these, existence would become a burden hard to be endured; but now I have no home . . .'"

– Agnes Grey (1847) by Anne Brontë

One of the other most glaring similarities I've noticed is that in Agnes Grey, a church rector is in love with a girl named Rosalie, where in Jane Eyre a minister is in love with a girl named Rosamund, and neither relationship succeeds. A more obvious one is that both novels also center on poor governesses.

[biboocat]

Agnes Grey (1847) by Anne Brönte. The following refrains from specific plot spoilers but has a general description of the novel’s content, so please skip if you wish to avoid any fortelling.

I was impressed by Agnes Grey’s candor in relating her unhappy experiences as a governess, a position she endures to help relieve her family’s poverty. She says at the start, “I do not fear to venture; and will candidly lay before the public what I would not disclose to the most intimate friend.” This candor and the elegant prose reminded me fondly of her elder sister Charlotte. As Agnes Grey becomes acquainted with the privileged world of her employers, she learns of their hauteur, insensitivity, and vanity. She is also highly critical of the Rector, an hypocritical clergyman who disdains the poor and ingratiates himself to the wealthy. In contrast she admires the newly arrived, young curate, who is unexceptional in appearance but is beautifully kind and thoughtful towards the poor and animals, and she says: “I was glad to see that all the world was not made up of the Bloomfield, Murray’s, Hatfields, Ashbys, etc.; and that human excellence was not a mere dream of the imagination.” The short length of the novel belies the powerful message it offers about the value of moral principles and conduct and how the hubris of class, wealth, and physical beauty can be inimical to attaining those virtues and happiness. Agnes Grey isn’t as richly complex as The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, but I found Agnes Grey more endearing.

This heartwarming scene in Agnes Grey shows how cats controlled Victorians just as effectively as they control people today.😸

[fangirlinglikeabus]

chapter 52 - fluctuations

“Ay, sir, a few months since. He should ‘a been wed afore, to a widow lady, but they couldn’t agree over the money; she’d a rare long purse, and Mr. Hargrave wanted it all to hisself; but she wouldn’t let it go, and so then they fell out. This one isn’t quite as rich, nor as handsome either; but she hasn’t been married before. She’s very plain, they say, and getting on to forty or past; and so, you know, if she didn’t jump at this hopportunity, she thought she’d never get a better. I guess she thought such a handsome young husband was worth all ’at ever she had, and he might take it and welcome; but I’ll lay she’ll rue her bargain afore long. They say she begins already to see ’at he isn’t not altogether that nice, generous, perlite, delightful gentleman ’at she thought him afore marriage; he begins a being careless and masterful already. Ay, and she’ll find him harder and carelesser nor she thinks on.”

a similar thing happens to mr hatfield the rector in agnes grey, anne bronte's other novel:

he made up to an elderly spinster, and married her, not long since, weighing her heavy purse against her faded charms, and expecting to find that solace in gold which was denied him in love, ha, ha!

now granted that particular piece of news is coming from a character who's unsympathetic to hatfield and frequently unpleasant about other women, so it makes sense that she'd gloat over the fact of marrying an older woman as a 'punishment' for him, but it is still striking to me how much more prominently the wife in question features in the lines from the tenant of wildfell hall, and the greater hint of tragedy that comes with that

(also i’m assuming the 'widow lady' is helen - except if that's the case this outside perspective has rendered her almost unrecognisable, which is interesting)

And then he discoursed upon his present position as ostler at the Rose and Crown, and how greatly superior this was to his former one, in comfort and freedom, though inferior in outward respectability;

this feels...pointed thematically

the character of the country through which we passed, that, in spite of the leafless trees and snowy ground, had for some time begun to manifest unequivocal signs of the approach to a country gentleman's seat.

this strikes me as a parallel to the way in which we, through gilbert's eyes, initially approach wildfell hall through the landscape and garden around it

and also to dispatch a short note to my mother (excellent son that I was), to assure her that I was still in existence

this cracks me up every time lmao

And then his wife advised him to it, they say: she’d brought most of the property, and it was her wish that this lady should have it.”

she’d brought most of the property and yet she can STILL only advise...at least helen's uncle was actually willing to listen to his wife in this case?

to come upon her now, when she was reinstated in her proper sphere, and claim a share in her prosperity, which, had it never failed her, would most certainly have kept her unknown to me for ever?

the use of the word sphere here really makes me think of the whole victorian 'separate spheres' ideology of gender, even if here it's more related to class

[veronicaleighauthor]

“Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen’s England”: A Review

DESCRIPTION:

The Church of England was at the heart of Jane Austen's world of elegance and upheaval. Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen's England explores the church's role in her life and novels, the challenges that church faced, and how it changed the world. In one volume, this book brings together resources from many sources to show the church at a pivotal time in history, when English Christians were freeing enslaved people, empowering the poor and oppressed, and challenging society's moral values and immoral behavior.

Readers will meet Anglicans, Dissenters, Evangelicals, women leaders, poets, social reformers, hymn writers, country parsons, authors, and more. Lovers of Jane Austen or of church history and the long eighteenth century will enjoy discovering all this and much more:

Why could Mr. Collins, a rector, afford to marry a poor woman, while Mr. Elton, a vicar, and Charles Hayter, a curate, could not?

Why did Mansfield Park's early readers (unlike most today) love Fanny Price?

What part did people of color, like Miss Lambe of Sanditon, play in English society?

Why did Elizabeth Bennet compliment her kind sister Jane on her "candour"?

What shirked religious duties caused Anne Elliot to question the integrity of her cousin William Elliot?

Which Austen characters exhibited "true honor," "false honor," or "no honor"?

How did William Wilberforce, Hannah More, and William Cowper (beloved poet of Marianne Dashwood and Jane Austen) bring "goodness" into fashion?

How did the French Revolution challenge England's complacency and draw the upper classes back to church?

How did Christians campaigning to abolish the slave trade pioneer modern methods of working for social causes?

Explore the church of Jane Austen's world in Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen's England.

AUTHOR BIO:

Brenda S. Cox is fascinated by the history of Jane Austen's time and the nuances of Austen's delightful and insightful books. Her own faith led her to start exploring the church in Austen's novels and world. She was excited to find new depths in Austen's works and astonishing connections with world-changing movements during this pivotal era in history. She spent almost ten years researching, including visits to England, hunting up many, many books and resources, some obscure and not easily available, and digging through them to answer her multiplying questions. So, she decided to write this book to provide all that information in one accessible place for others who love Jane Austen or history.A popular speaker at Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) meetings, Brenda Cox has shared about church-related topics, ranging from satirical cartoons to country curates, at regional and national meetings, and contributes regularly to their academic journal, Persuasions On-Line. She also loves connecting regularly with thousands of Austen fans at Jane Austen's World and on her own blog, Faith, Science, Joy, and Jane Austen. Brenda first discovered Austen as a young mom living overseas, when she came across a copy of Emma. After devouring it, she immediately bought a complete set of Austen's novels. Each time she re-reads the books, she falls in love again with Austen's humor, deep insights into life and human nature, and finesse as a writer. She is now passing that love on to her grandchildren, reading the novels aloud together as Austen's own family did. Brenda loves learning and appreciated the privilege of homeschooling her four children because she got to learn so much along with them. She also enjoys cross-stitching Jane Austen projects and reading a wide range of books. She worked internationally for many years and values the beautiful variety of cultures and languages, which she expressed in her book on languages, Who Talks Funny? She earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, a master's in applied linguistics, and, now in her third career, is loving writing about Jane. Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen's England is Brenda S. Cox's first book related to Jane Austen. Please visit her at brendascox.wordpress.com and as brendascoxregency on Facebook.

MY THOUGHTS:

For awhile now I’ve been searching for something - be it a book, documentary, or YouTube video that explains the Christianity/religious beliefs of the Regency Era. Specifically focusing on Jane Austen and her books, because Austen was a clergyman’s daughter, she was a Christian, and her convictions shaped her worldview and influenced her writing. As a 21st century American woman, I am a Christian and Protestant, however my understanding and worldview differs from Austen’s in certain respects. I also needed to read it for my own Regency Era novel, to make it more authentic.

“Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen’s England” by Brenda S. Cox has been on my radar for a few months now and I recently bought it and just devoured it. Not only did it address my questions about Jane Austen and her faith, but it broke down how the Anglican church functioned; the basic tenants of faith; baptism; Communion; forgiveness; prayer; the differences between rectors, vicars, and curates (there’s also more than one type of curate, didn’t know that!), livings. The book also covers the Evangelical movement and how the Methodist church began, and Austen’s feelings on Evangelicals, and how many other Anglicans felt about them. We’re also introduced to devout Christians of the era, some of who were contemporaries of Austen. The Wesley brothers, John Newton (author of hymn “Amazing Grace”), Hannah More (author of novels and tracts, and champion of reform), William Wilberforce (politician who dedicated most of his life to ending slavery and the slave trade); etc…

As I am rereading Austen, I feel I can better understand the characters’ religious convictions and when the words principles or serious subjects are used, I know what she is referring to. Though this book is primarily about Austen, church history, and religious beliefs, it did encourage me to examine my own faith and had me researching and going to the Scriptures. "Fashionable Goodness" is a must-read for any Austen-lover and Christian!

[scotianostra]

On 17th March 1565, Alexander Ales (also known as Alesius and Aless), theologian and reformer, died.

Alesius played an important role linking the Reformations of Scotland, with Germany, and England. He is believed to have been planning to translate Luther’s German Bible into Scots, but it’s more likely that he intended to use the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts which Luther himself had used. These were dangerous times in Scotland, the reformation was just kicking off Patrick Hamilton, a friend of Ales was burnt at the stake for heresy, he himself was tried in his absence and also found guilty of heresy, by this time he had fled it is said to have been the first Scot to meet Jean Calvin, Calvin and Ales were both refugees in Germany at the time.

He also spent time in England he was occasionally referred to as Alexander Alesius, Scotus, Doctor Theologiae, Henry VIII had broke with the church of Rome, I found a short snippet on a page about Anne Boleyn, Alexander was visiting the English court at Greenwich Palace, there he witnessed Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn had an argument. He couldn’t hear what it was about but it was clear to him that the King was angry.

Six weeks later the Queen lost her head!

After a time teaching at Cambridge he ended up back in Germany where in Leipzig he passed the remainder of his days in peace and honour, and was twice elected Rector of the University there.

You can find more on the man here https://www.tudorsociety.com/alexander-ales-alesius/

[spaciousreasoning]

Back to the Farm

In addition to Flag Day and Army Day, which turned out to be a bit of a fustercluck this year, this is World Blood Donor Day, National Bourbon Day, National Rosé Day, World Gin Day, World Blood Donor Day, Doll Day, International Bath Day, International Knit in Public Day, Monkey Around Day, National Strawberry Shortcake Day, and World Juggling Day.

On this day in 1822, Charles Babbage proposes a “difference engine” in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society. A difference engine is an automatic mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions. The name is derived from the method of finite differences, a way to interpolate or tabulate functions by using a small set of polynomial co-efficients. Some of the most common mathematical functions used in engineering, science and navigation are built from logarithmic and trigonometric functions, which can be approximated by polynomials, so a difference engine can compute many useful tables.

June 14 is the birthday of actor and singer Burl Ives (1909), actors Gene Barry and Sam Wanamaker (1919), journalist and politician Pierre Salinger (1925), singer-songwriter Boy George (1961), and tennis player Steffi Graf (1969).

The skies were blue this morning but the temperature remained cool, starting with a low of 44 degrees and reaching a high of just 70.

My blood sugar declined nicely, to 166. I would like to think the bit of walking done yesterday and the decent dinner helped.

Following our morning coffee and online brain games, Nancy and I had oatmeal for breakfast. Then we showered and dressed, and a little while later we headed out to Marcola. We wandered around the family farm with Kalen and her friend Iris and a total of four dogs. I took my new camera along and engaged in a bit of photographic fun.

Also present were Kurt, Kyle and Aaron, who were working on cutting hay and fiddling with the various related machines. Seran showed up with Sophie a little while later. Eventually Kalen, Iris, Nancy and I walked back to the dome. Nancy and I munched on chips and cheese while we visited a bit more.

Then Nancy and I headed for home, stopping briefly to take a few pictures of some big rolled hay bales along the way. We swung by Albertsons for some heavy cream and chicken bouillon, items necessary for making tonight’s dinner. We also got an iced mocha at Old Crow.

After taking a nap, I spent some time on Flickr. My account received 2,505 views for the day, and I uploaded three shots from the farm walk. Nancy had a glass of wine.

For our dinner, we heated the leftover rice, cooked some green beans, and stirred up an easy version of chicken piccata using a bit of chicken that had been put aside from that used for the Tuscan recipe we finished off yesterday. That turned out to be quite tasty.

Following the clean-up and a brief respite, we turned to our streaming for the evening. We began with Thursday’s Colbert, featuring guest John C. Reilly. Then we watched the final two episodes of “Sherlock & Daughter,” which left an opening for a possible sequel.

Tonight’s low may reach 44 degrees again, but tomorrow’s high promises to get into the 70s, with sunshine almost the entire day.

I will return to church tomorrow to handle the service stream, and Rector Ann will be back at work, both presiding and preaching. Sunday evening, of course, I will get to my recovery meeting. Between those occasions, there’s no telling what trouble we might get into tomorrow.