#st. mary's falls canal

[detroitlib]

Construction site of St. Mary's Falls Canal lock pit showing freshly-cut rock walls. Printed on front of photo: "No. 35, August 30, 1890, lock pit, St. Mary's Fall Canal, south face, west end."

Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library

[rabbitcruiser]

The Province of Canada was created by the Act of Union on July 23, 1840.

[mlwritersguild]

Parisian Holiday, by @deinde-prandium and @2manyfandoms2count

Assigned monuments: The Pantheon & the Canal St Martin

AO3 link; Alternate Universe, No Powers AU, Royalty AU, False Identity, Inspired by Roman Holiday (1953), Paris (City), Fluff, Fluff and Humor

Summary:

During a state visit to Paris, Prince Adrien Agreste finds an escape from his strict timetable. In the process, he crosses paths with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, an aspiring fashion designer turned tabloid reporter on a reluctant mission to score an exclusive scoop. She knows all about Prince Adrien. Or so she thinks.

For two days, Adrien becomes Félix, an ordinary tourist in Paris, and Marinette, his personal tour guide. As they make their way through Paris' most famous monuments, they might become a bit more than that – if their secrets don't get in the way.

-------------------------------------

Arts and History – The Pantheon

(Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris)

A staple of the Parisian skyline, the Pantheon is also a cultural hotspot. Beyond the eternal rest place of French notables (Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Pierre and Marie Curie, Josephine Baker, to cite a few), it is also an architectural wonder with its impressive triple dome and colonnade facade, and boasts an extensive art collection. Physics enthusiasts take note! The Pantheon is one of the places you can witness the Earth’s rotation, thanks to Foucault’s Pendulum. End your visit by climbing up to the Panorama, and enjoy the stunning 360° view of Paris!

Even though she’d been the one to drag them down the sewers, Marinette was glad to re-emerge into the streets. There was something to be said about seeing where you put your feet, and knowing that if you did, you weren’t likely to step into something you didn’t want to identify.

She stole a glance at Adrien – Félix, she reminded herself. It was safer to think of him as such, lest she slipped up in conversation and gave the whole jig up. There was just too much at stake.

She had to admit that, so far, the prince was defying all of her prejudice against the upper crust (not that she’d had a particularly bad opinion of it before meeting him, but she had expected him to be a lot snootier). As they wandered around, a slight frown creased his royal brow, but something told her it had more to do with him falling for her sewer crocodile legend, than falling on the questionable sewer floor. 

Just for that, she decided to give him something to smile about. 

“So, Félix,” she said breezily. “Where would you like to go next?”

Adrien’s attention snapped to her, his eyes wide. “Where would I want to go?”

“You’re the tourist.” Marinette shrugged, amused by his surprise. “You don’t have indefinite time to see everything.”

“Right,” he sighed wistfully. He dug his hands in his pockets and kicked a stray stone off the pavement. His face remained closed for a moment, and Marinette feared that she'd been a tad too harsh; then, he lit up with a hopeful smile. “Anywhere I want?” he asked.

“Mhmm,” she confirmed. 

He stared at her with star-struck eyes, like she’d offered him a pony, or whatever it was princes dreamed about. She felt her heart flutter in her chest.

“The Pantheon,” he finally announced, just as Marinette’s cheeks started to warm.

“The Pantheon,” she repeated, stopping in her tracks.

“Yep.” He stopped, too, and beamed at her.

“You’re in Paris for two days, and you want to see a bunch of dead people?” Marinette said slowly, scrunching her nose. Maybe she’d been right in thinking royals lived wildly different lives, after all.

“Actually, it’s not the dead people I’m interested in, even though I’m sure they’re all very important,” he chuckled. “I’m after Foucault’s pendulum.”

Marinette stared at him blankly.

“Not to steal it or anything!” he added quickly. “It’s just a really big deal in physics.”

He likes physics, she thought. It hadn’t been her favourite subject in school, but she supposed it hadn’t been uninteresting. 

Adrien’s eyes turned to pleading.

“Fine,” she sighed, turning around and going back on her steps, mentally figuring out the fastest way to the monument. She heard a pitter-patter as Adrien jogged up to her, looking every bit like a golden retriever with his newly-cut hair falling in his eyes.

Marinette suppressed a smile at the sight. 

The things she did for her job.

-----

“Wow,” Adrien marvelled as they stepped through the colonnade and into the Pantheon’s great marble hall.

Marinette could only nod in agreement. Their weekday visit meant that the monument was fairly empty, reinforcing the magnificence of it all; she felt tiny walking out in the open, the dome higher above them than she’d expected. She stared at the overarching fresca in awe, illuminated by a round window cut out at its apex.

“Ah, there it is!” 

Her attention snapped back to Adrien, who strode towards the centre of the room where a balustrade defined a round area. Inside, a long wire hung from the ceiling, attached to a golden sphere which swayed to-and-fro with a small amplitude. 

“I’d expected the movement to be more impressive, but I guess this still proves Foucault’s point,” Adrien muttered, resting his elbows on the barrier.

“And what would that be, again?” Marinette asked.

“That the Earth is spinning on itself,” he replied matter-of-factly. “See how the pendulum doesn’t go back on its tracks?” Marinette nodded. “Well, the pendulum’s axis doesn’t actually move; we do. If we didn’t, it would have a truly linear path.”

“Excellent explanation, young man,” a voice startled them. 

A man, wearing what Marinette assumed was the Pantheon’s guards’ uniform, complete with peaked cap, had made his way to Adrien’s side, and had apparently been listening in.

“Would you like to reset the pendulum?” he asked Adrien.

Her companion’s jaw went slack. “Could I? Really?”

“Wait, why does the pendulum need to be reset?” Marinette asked.

“You see, young lady, in an ideal universe, the pendulum  would swing all day long…” the guard started, hopping over the barrier to retrieve the pendulum.

“...but the friction makes it lose its momentum!” Adrien completed as the man handed him the wire.

“Exactly.”

Marinette watched Adrien reverently let go of the pendulum, which sailed through the circle before crossing it again in another direction. He looked mesmerised by the sight, his delighted smile widening with each trip of the pendulum; it truly baffled Marinette that he could be so enthusiastic about something so… simple. It made her wonder how he’d put up with his royal status, and his father’s reported strictness, for so long. 

Her eyes wandered to the hall’s paintings as she decided to make his rebellious outing as memorable as possible. When they landed on Adrien again, he’d stood up slightly, and looked like he was looking for something.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Well, the guidebook said something about being able to climb up and get a view of Paris…” Adrien said sheepishly.

Marinette nodded and joined him in scanning the room for any signs. Their guard friend caught their search and made his way back to them.

“Maybe I can help you now,” he said with a smile.

“I think you probably will,” Marinette smiled. “We're looking for the way up the dome.” 

“I'm so sorry, it hasn't reopened yet.” The guide grimaced and shook his head. “You'll have to come back in April!”

“Oh.” Adrien looked down at his shoes, his smile falling in the process.

Marinette's hands instinctively found their way to his forearm, squeezing it reassuringly.

“We’ll have to look into it. Thank you so much for your help!”

The man touched his cap and thanked them for the break. Adrien smiled at the joke, but Marinette noticed it didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

She found herself needing to bring back his prior enthusiasm. 

“Don’t worry,” she squeezed his arm again, and started guiding him towards the exit. “If what you want is to rise above Paris, then I have just the place for you.”

**********

Walks and Wanders – The Canal St Martin

(Quai de Jemmapes - 75010 Paris)

Extending over four kilometers, the Canal St. Martin has linked the Port de l’Arsenal to the La Villette canal basin since 1825. Punctuated with locks, swing bridges, Venetian-style footbridges, and lined with chestnut trees and squares, it is the focal point of one the most romantic places in Paris. Visitors can watch boats travel across the canal, while lovers and friends can soak in serenades by the water from the banks or bridges.

Adrien breathed deeply, taking aim in quiet concentration. Flicking his wrist, he let the rock fly toward the water at a perfect angle. It spun as it gently skimmed across the canal - once, twice, three times, leaving tiny ripples in its wake. 

Satisfied, Adrien watched as the stone slipped below the surface. Despite the calm stillness of the canal, he could feel the hum of the city, its energy thrumming through his veins. He smiled, marvelling at how much he’d seen in such a short time. The whole day had been a whirlwind…just like the tiny powerhouse standing next to him. 

Plop!

Whirlwind, indeed. No wonder she seemed to be struggling with their current activity. 

“I don’t get how you’re so good at this,” Marinette grumbled. “Is it that whole physics thing? Something something momentum Foucault’s pendulum?”

Adrien chuckled, oddly thrilled that she’d remembered his interest in physics. “The physics of skipping stones is fascinating. Did you know the Japanese have a different word for it? Mizu kiri – it means, water cutting.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to tell me that you learned how to skip stones in Japan?”

Adrien’s cheeks warmed, remembering the brutal critiques of a five-year-old Princess Kagami during their stone skipping “lessons” at the Japanese Imperial Palace. “Ah, I didn’t – I mean, no,” he stammered. “My friend taught me when we were kids. I’d practise at a pond near my house.” 

At least it wasn’t a complete lie. 

Marinette smiled in reply, but there was something in her eyes that made him think she wanted more. Not in the way that Chloe or Lila or even his father wanted things from him…rather, she looked at him like he was a puzzle, seeking to uncover a new piece with each stop on their tour. 

Truthfully, he felt a little like that about her, too. The more Adrien got to know Marinette, the more he longed to learn about her. And as vital as it was for him to keep his identity a secret, with each moment they spent together, the more he wanted to tell her…

Adrien shook the thought from his mind. “I could teach you?” he offered instead. “There’s a technique my friend taught me.”

“Your Japanese stone skipping master?” Marinette deadpanned.

“Fencing partner, actually,” he corrected. He picked up a rock lying nearby, and held it out to her. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Pursing her lips, Mariette took the rock from his hand, then hurled it with all her might. It sank into the canal with a resounding plop , and she groaned. 

Adrien grinned. “It’s an easy fix,” he said. “You’re raising your arm too high when you release it. Force helps, but it’s the angle that really matters. That, and finding the right rock.”

He bent down to select another stone. He reached over to grasp one, turning it over to examine its shape, only belatedly registering the small gasp that seemed to come from his companion. Adrien looked up to find a wide-eyed Marinette staring down at him. It was then that he realised he was kneeling right at her feet. “Sorry,” he mumbled, his cheeks colouring to match hers. “I just wanted the perfect one.” 

“Of course,” she replied. He wondered if her voice was just a little breathier than before. 

“Right, so…rocks,” he continued awkwardly. “They should be flat and smooth, and not too heavy. This one should work, but don’t throw it yet.”

“Why not?”

“There actually aren’t that many good rocks to choose from, so we need to save them,” he said. “First, I want you to practice shifting your weight like you would if you were going to throw it.”

Marinette scowled. “But how am I supposed to know I’m doing it right if I’m not throwing anything?”

Adrien blushed as the solution came to him. Tentatively, he stepped forward. “Um, I could…”

A beat passed, and Marinette’s eyes widened with understanding. “Oh,” she squeaked. “Yeah, that could work.” 

Nodding, Adrien skirted behind her, gently placing one hand on her shoulder and grasping her right hand with the other. “Keep your arm parallel with the surface of the water,” he murmured in her ear. “That way, when you release the stone, it follows the same trajectory.”

Marinette nodded, letting him guide her hand in a small arc before moving it across the front of her torso - once, twice, three times, their movements languid as the water of the canal. Adrien paused at the last pass, suddenly aware of the fact that she was effectively standing in his arms. He inhaled shakily, taking in the faint scent of strawberries…

Focus, you idiot, he said silently. The last thing he needed was for Marinette to realise how much her closeness was affecting him.

“So…you fence?”

Adrien exhaled, grateful for the distraction her question posed. “My childhood was very…programmed. Lots of different activities,” he said. “My father said it would build character, and my mother said it would help me learn about myself.”

“Were they right?” 

“Doubtful,” Adrien admitted. “I mean, I’m grateful for the opportunities that my family gave me. Truly. But I can’t say I really know who I am, other than a disappointment to them.” 

Marinette froze in his arms. “You’re wrong.”  

There was a touch of defiance, almost anger, in her voice that both surprised and amused him. “Oh?” he countered. “Who would you say I am, then?”

“Well, you’re a terrible drunk,” she snipped, refusing to turn around. “And despite all those activities, you’ve led a pretty sheltered life, which is probably why you’re scared of heights and enclosed spaces. But…you’re smart. And kind. And ridiculously talented at so many things, but humble. Like, I know you speak six languages – not because you told me, but because you’ve been helping tourists get directions all day. And you’re a total physics nerd, but the way you explain it doesn’t make me feel stupid…” Marinette sighed. “You’re just…a good person. That’s who you are.” 

Adrien remained silent, stunned by an assessment of his character that, for once, had nothing to do with his wealth or lineage. Although she’d known him for less than a day, Marinette seemed to understand him in ways no one else did. She seemed to see things in him that he’d never thought to see in himself. What’s more, she seemed to believe in him. 

He wanted her to believe in him.

He wanted her.  

And he wanted to tell her everything. 

The words slipped out before he could stop them. “There’s something else you should know about me.”

[todaysdocument]

West-bound vessels wait at Fort Brady Pier before passing through the Soo Locks, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, 7/4/1892.

Series: Construction and Renovation Photographs of St. Marys Falls Canal and Locks, ca. 1889 - 1941

Record Group 77: Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, 1789 - 1999

Image description: Ships and boats of various sizes are docked at the side of a pier. Their dark masts contrast with the light, cloudy sky. On the pier are piles of barrels and large blocks. A few people walk along the pier.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Monday 16 September 1833

7 ¾

11 ¾

fine morning F63° at 9 at which hour breakfast - no! had my valet de place up for 20 minutes and then breakfast in 25 minutes - out at 10 20 - to the cathedral founded by Henry the Lion with the collar and cross-between the horns that he took when he shot the beautiful deer that Charles the great (Charlemagne?) adorned with such costly decorations on account of its great beauty and then turned loose ordering no one to shoot it – two finely carved dormitories (the little side chapels turned into private mausolea) by Quellinus who did the altar at St. Mary  - handsome carving about the chaire and a grille of very curious iron-work looking exactly like tar-band tied up in boughs, and given in 155, by some iron-company – In the chancel beautiful brass recumbent whole length figure of Henry Bockholt evêque de Lübeck, ob. 1530 – Napoleon wished to take this to Paris but not solid and would not bear moving – bullet-hole in it that the French made to try its solidity – the precious stone in each eye, and the large one in the left hand gone long since – the clock I noticed the other day, but did not observe that the female figures strikes the quarters, and Death with a club in his right hand (2 time-glasses in the left) the hours – the globe at the top shews the phases and ages of the moon – In the chapel de Greverode so called because given by him, is the famous picture finished in 1471 of the passion and death of J. Xst, by Jean Hemling, a disciple of Albert Durer – the tears on the virgins face very good – the worst part of the picture is the body of notre saviour when taken from the X – is too flexible – too little like death – then to St. Marys’ church (one of the handsomest I ever saw) to see the famous Danse macare or Danse des morts par Holbein, in the sacristy – singular picture – very good – each Death in a different attitude and one between each pair of people – In one of the side chapels, a descent from the cross and on the inside of the door that shuts before it? a St. Olaff [Olaf] (the 1st Xtian king of the north) between 2 other figures both by Perugino – (not by Holbein or Lucas de Leide as Reichard says in the book I bought at Hamburg) – very good – the altar very fine by Quellinus of Antwerp and given by Friedhagen the burgomaster in 1709 whose bust in white marble is on the right of the altar a little back – the last supper in white marble (taken from Leonard da Vinci) is beautifully sculptured – and the 4 large – as life figures Religion Hope etc, are good – on the right, too, of the altar stands a tall Gothic crocketed fonte (brass) of 1472, very beautiful – weighing 6000 lbs. – the French wished to have taken it to Paris – In the chapel behind the altar and and opposite the astronomical clock is a very good picture (the entrance of our saviour into Jerusalem) in the Rafael style given lately by Overbeck an artist of Lubeck and now living in Rome – the sycamore tree into which -------- climbed is represented as a palm – the head and neck of the ass admirable; but the feet (white!) are those of a horse – the clock struck at 12 and 7 apostles instead of 12 came out at one door and went in at another having turned and bowed ridiculously to the virgin and child in passing – the other 5 apostles lost or out of order -  then went up to the great bell (cloche) of St. Marys’ (265 steps) for the view – amply repaid – nothing gives one such a good idea of a place – It is the Wackenitz [Wakenitz] whence runs to Ratzeburg and the Steckenitz, a canal, which falls into the Elbe at Lanenburg [Laufenburg] and into the Trave 2 lieues from the Baltic a little south of Lübeck – good town – 3?main streets and the streets striking down from them and thro’ them to the river – the old brick porte de Holstein very handsome reminds me much of the porte noire à Trêves – the front towards the town in quite in that style and has 2 towers, too, but with pointed flêches springing from them – the porte de Travemünd[e] is an old brick square tower with 5 or 6 tiers of Gothic windows such as in the porte de Holstein – Looking down on the roof of the church saw it partly green – it is Swedish copper at 22 schellings a lb. – the plates about seem about 2ft. English by 1ft. and cost 3 ½ marks each, but are less heavy and costly and last better than lead – the green is verdigrease – caused by the moisture of the air – the guide (Ritter) assured me the cathedral was

vid. p. 214 line 18.

also roofed with copper – no wood outside – my eyes deceived me much (vid. Saturday 214 line 18) – then to Friedhagens’ house near St. Marys’ church (vid. last p. line 21) – a wine merchant now lives there – went thro’ the great entrance room to the room so beautifully carved in oak – Napoleon ordered an artist to take a model of it – or too difficult to move it – impossible – moving would destroy it – 10 good pictures round the top – for these and all the ciselure en bois an Englishman said my valet de place offered £10,000! a small poor box fixed to the door, for strangers to put something into – Off from there at 12 55 for Israeldorf [Israelsdorf] village and forest of, the Bois de Boulogne of the good people of Lübeck – pass thro’ the porte de Travemünde turn left to the rampart, now grassy pleasure ground where are buried the 20,000 French and Prussians that fell before the town in 1806 – Blucher commanded 40,000 Prussians so broken down by their retreat from Jena could hardly stand – the cavalry not able to make a charge – the people of Lubeck hate Blucher for entering their free town, and thus causing all the carnage and ruin – no rich person here ever since – the battle lasted 3 or 4 days – Blicher was sitting at table in the very house in the Breitenstrasse where I bought the Danse of death this morning when the French entered by the Travemünde gate – just went down to the ferry across the Trave, and then returned to the Travemund [Travemünde] road a fine avenue of good limes all the way and gardens or forest almost all the way to Israeldorf [Israelsdorf]a little distance to the left of the T- road – the Russian consul has a country house and garden there, for which gave 10,000 marks – from this house to porte de T- in Lübeck walked sharply in 42 minutes .:. think the distance about 2 ½ English miles – a farm house near the forest where people get their coffee warmed and then take it in the wood – seats and tables there – a round peristyle white painted wood temple just looking over the river and in another a straw-thatched shed for shelter – long allies (no carriages roads) and nice walks in the wood and all the people come out here in fine weather – my guide had the cholera last June or July – twice – 1st time 3 days – 3nd 6 – was seized at midnight with violent cramps in his legs (calves) and arms and in ½ hour could not stand straight – oppression at the chest – could scarce breathe – perpetual thirst – just about the tops of his nails blue but nowhere else – got out of bed – took hot thé de Tilleul directly – and, after the 3rd drink, a little rhum and sugar in it – at last this [?] him into a perspiration and did him good – the smell of the perspiration intolerable – like the worst putridity – in the morning put on dry linen, and got out of bed – thinks this saved him, this and not being afraid – but for 4 months after the pains returned every night at midnight when he was in bed – afraid to lie down – not so bad when up – but the pains were gradually less and less – when once recovered, felt lighter and better than he was before – did not eat anything for some time – and when he did begin to eat felt unwell after it at first – [?] with something soft (flannel) is the best thing – does not believe it infectious – it is the air – yet it was a stranger that was the 1st victim here – died in an hour – he seems to believe there are some cases of it in the town now – 1600 died of it here – all buried in the cemetery we passed a little way out of the town – cholera patients to be buried in 24 hours but to have a hand cut off 1st to see if dead – some of the dead blue, some not – knows nothing of the marble coldness of the tongue – but the corpse instead of being stiff as in common cases is quite mou (soft) – the eyes sunk (lost) in the head in the course of an hour – the smell of the clothes

SH:7/ML/E/16/0114

during the perspiration quite horrible – ditto the smell of the excrements but the moment after death the perspiration being stopt, the perspiration ceases – fright is generally fatal – went to a very good bookseller shop (near the top of the Breitenstrasse) – a poste map (large) of Europe published at Berlin, 23 marks, mounted on calico had not Reichard’s Itineraries complete - had nothing knew of nothing on Denmark or Norway - bought Willmans’ livre de poste de l’Europe - went about the steam packet chez M.D.G. Witte - very civil - gave me the 2 quittances for myself and Miss F- and to pay him and  send the passports this evening or in the morning - a Russian from Reval not far from St Petersburg - said I might go quite well by Stockholm and Lapland to St Petersburg, on traineau, in 9br. 10br. January or February - to go to St P- myself and maid and valet de Place for £20 - said I should like to go merely to Lapland - might do it in 6 weeks - should take a person who knew well the language and country the Laplanders sauvages but bons sauvages - said I had better arrange my plans at Stockholm where everybody would know what was best to be done - the Leipzig Paques fair would be in April I might come over for it - could not go to Norway till June – he could send anything for me to England - or do anything for me here – home at 6 – dinner at 6 ¼ in 35 minutes then till 10 10 wrote the whole of today – very fine day – F66° now at 1 10 pm on my writing desk close to the candle – but it was warm this afternoon

Before Napoleon came, Lubeck divided into 2 governments noble and bourgeois. the cathedral belonged to the former St. Marys’ was cathedral to the latter – there was sanctuary in the noble part for offenders in the bourgeois part of the town – Napoleon put an end to this – would not have 2 governments

[best-travel-app]

Artfully Yours - Exploring the Canvas of the Best Travel Destinations in Kerala | Explurger

Kerala, dubbed “God’s Own Country,” offers stunning scenery, from dense forests and tranquil backwaters to majestic peaks and sun-kissed beaches. Its cuisine, rich in fermented foods, is gut-friendly, while its culture, vibrant festivals, and traditional practices make it a must-visit destination. If you’re wondering where to start, here are some of the best tourist attractions in Kerala.

1. Wayanad

Wayanad, perfect for a weekend getaway, boasts postcard-perfect landscapes and soothing weather. Each season showcases its unique beauty. Meet local tribes and explore their lifestyle.

Activities & Places to Visit: Edakkal Caves, Banasura Sagar Dam, Chembra Peak Trek, Soochipara Falls, Pookode Lake, Bamboo Rafting at Vythiri, Tea Tasting.

Best Time to Visit: October to February.

2. Alleppey (Alappuzha)

Known as the "Venice of the East," Alleppey is central to Kerala’s backwaters, surrounded by marshlands, lagoons, canals, and coconut groves. Experience the backwaters authentically by staying in houseboats.

Places to Visit: Vembanad Lake, Alleppey Beach, Punnapra Beach, Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Temple, St. Mary’s Basilica, Krishnapuram Palace, Bay Island Driftwood Museum.

Best Time to Visit: October to February.

3. Munnar

Munnar is a sought-after honeymoon destination with hills, tea plantations, and scenic views. It attracts those seeking solitude, relaxation, and peace. A visit to the tea plantations might turn you into a tea lover.

Places to Visit: Rajamala, Eravikulam National Park, Cheeyapara Waterfalls, Devikulam, Kundala Lake, TATA Tea Museum, and more.

Best Time to Visit: October to February, and March to June.

4. Cochin

Nicknamed the "Queen of the Arabian Sea," Kochi is a blend of traditional and modern lifestyles, and it’s also Kerala's financial, commercial, and industrial hub. Fort Kochi showcases cultural performances like Kalaripayattu and Kathakali.

Places to Visit: Vasco Da Gama Square, Kodannad Elephant Training Centre, Vypeen Island, Marine Drive, St. Francis Church, Lulu Mall, Kerala Kathakali Centre, and more.

Best Time to Visit: July to April.

5. Kovalam

Kovalam, known for its pristine beaches and endless shoreline, is less touristy than Goa. It offers aesthetic cafes and hotels with rocky shores and peaceful swims, surrounded by mangroves and estuaries.

Places to Visit: Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Vellayani Lake, Lighthouse Beach, Valiyathura Pier, Kovalam Beach, Neyyar Dam, Halcyon Castle, and more.

Best Time to Visit: September to March.

6. Thrissur

Thrissur is culturally the best travel destination in Kerala, filled with temples and famous for the Thrissur Pooram festival. It’s a religious hub for Hindu devotees and a global attraction for its lively festivals and decorated elephant processions.

Places to Visit: Athirapally Waterfalls, Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Vadakkunnathan Temple, Nattika Beach, Thrissur Zoo, and more.

Best Time to Visit: Throughout the year.

7. Thekkady

Thekkady, evergreen throughout the year, is known as the Spice Capital of India. Famous for Periyar Lake and Periyar Tiger Reserve, it offers jungle safaris, elephant rides, and visits to aromatic spice plantations.

Places to Visit: Periyar National Park, Periyar Lake, Spring Valley Mountain, Kumily, Vandiperiyar, Grampi, and more.

Best Time to Visit: Year-round.

8. Varkala

Varkala feels like a slice of Europe with beautiful beaches and cliffs facing the Arabian Sea. It’s a surfing hotspot with many schools and home to the ancient Janardhanswamy Temple.

Places to Visit: Varkala Cliff, Varkala Beaches, Papanasham Beach, Anjengo Fort, Janardhanswamy Temple, Kappil Lake, and more.

Best Time to Visit: Year-round.

Kerala offers diverse cuisine with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, often served on banana leaves, known as Sadya. The state's approach to food aligns with the Japanese concept of “Hara Hachi Bu,” advising to eat until 80% full.

Whether it’s beaches, mountains, or backwaters, Kerala promises picture-perfect scenes, soulful music, and gastronomic delights. Pack your bags for an unforgettable journey, but leave room for memories you’ll cherish forever. Explore the rich activities and natural beauty of this vibrant haven using the best travel apps.

[droliverghitea]

The History and Design of Venice’s Canals

Venice, a "floating city" in northwestern Italy that evokes history and grandeur, was constructed on a swampland. The city spans 118 swampy islands within the Venetian Lagoon and sits at the Adriatic Sea's head. About 150 canals run through the city, with bridges and walkways connecting various neighborhoods built on the various islands. Preeminent among these is The Grand Canal, which has the Basilica of St. Mary and Doge's Palace overlooking it.

Venice's original marshy islands had natural water channels separating them, which were used for catching fish and shellfish. Over the years, they were made wider and deeper. This allowed boats to navigate, and the lagoon was gradually drained, with a major settlement built in the 5th century AD.

Interestingly, the island of Torcello, situated on an island at the lagoon's northern end, was the original hub of commerce. Now largely uninhabited, with less than 20 residents, it was, in Venice's early years, a bustling port of 20,000 that included piers, fisheries, and churches.

The impetus of Venice's rapid expansion was barbarian conquerors who decimated much of northern Italy in 402, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Many former city dwellers moved into existing fishing communities as refugees. They envisioned the construction of a new city officially inaugurated in 421 AD.

In erecting this city, dug-out canals were solidified by lining them with thousands of pilings made from water-resistant wood such as alder, driven through mud and sand layers into a harder clay stratum beneath. On top of the pilings, wooden platforms with pilings were constructed and reinforced with stone, and it is on such foundations that Venice's classic buildings were erected.

Over time, Venice grew to encompass an intricate network of canals that required importing large quantities of wood from forested locations spanning modern-day Slovenia, Montenegro, and Croatia. These wood foundations have lived centuries largely intact because they are submerged in water lacking oxygen. The anaerobic conditions do not allow for the multiplying of microorganisms that would bore into the wood and cause it to decay over time. In addition, the saltwater nature of the marsh has ensured that minerals such as salt seep deep into the wood, creating a nearly stone-like hard material.

Relatively shallow, the depths of Venice's canals have to do with location, dredging work, and tide level and vary widely. The Canale Della Giudecca is the deepest, between 40 to 55 feet. The Grand Canal is around 16 feet in depth, while most tributary canals have depths of between five and seven feet, with the tide causing ebbs and flows of as much as three feet. While the canals around the city sometimes freeze over, this is extremely rare due to a temperate climate and the brackishness of the water. The last canal freezing occurred in 2012, with the previous event dating back to 1929.

One major trend in Venice over the centuries has been sinking, with the city's weight compacting the mud and dirt underneath it. This is accelerated by periodic flooding, which relates to high tide movements known as acqua alta, and much expenditure is dedicated to cleaning the canals. A combination of manual debris removal and mechanical dredging eliminates obstructions, enabling clear and free navigation and alleviating flooding concerns. In addition, wave action and erosion have compromised some canal walls over time, which are repaired using steel and concrete materials. Regulating the frequency, size, and speed of boats that ply the water also helps minimize canal deterioration and ensure that the world's most unique city remains afloat.

Unfortunately, this may not be enough: with the city having sunk nine inches in the past 100 years alone, scientists predict that, given global warming trends, the entire Adriatic coastline, including Venice, may be covered in water within a century.

[trialbymagicks]

The Immortal Mike Mulligan and His Magic Steam Shovel

Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel is a classic children's tale about an American Adam and his mechanical familiar struggling to adjust to the changing times. But what else does this cozy story teach us?

How To Start A Blog Post

Some of you may be familiar with a little classic called Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton, which you may have read as a child, or perhaps chances are you’re familiar with the movie and its gloriously persistent earworms.

But for the sake of the uninitiated and those who might need a refresher, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is a children’s book first published in 1939 during The Great Depression and later adapted into a 25-minute animated short film aired by HBO in 1990.

The book depicts the rise and fall of the steam shovel and its effect on the working class. Mike Mulligan, the symbol of then-modern industrial America, is made to face the reality that progress births new machines and he (as well as Mary Anne) must adapt to the changing times or fall into obscurity. Like in much of Virginia Lee Burton’s children’s books, the overlying theme is the importance of the power of friendship, and old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity in overcoming adversity and embracing change together. Or at least that’s a pattern I noticed in her stories that I’m familiar with.

The short film was animated in the style of Burton’s illustrations and is a very closely adapted read-through of the book interspersed with song sequences, so if you haven’t watched it yet and want to, it can be found on Youtube. Since the story is short and to the point, I will be spoiling all of it, so definitely go watch it first if you want to experience it for yourself before I ruin it.

But first, a brief history lesson!

A Rough Timeline Of The Steam Shovel’s Role In History

1796: Grimshaw of Boulton & Watt devised the first steam-powered excavator.

1833: William Brunton patented another steam-powered excavator which he provided further details on in 1836.

1839: William Otis received a patent for his steam shovel design and is credited as its inventor.

1854-1859: First large-scale use of steam power in North America is the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence River at Montreal.

1861-1865: American Civil War happens. Although excavators are starting to be used in the construction of the foundation of city buildings, the initial cost of the machines was high and the funds were low, particularly leading up to and during the war. Section gangs of men (a method perfected for work on railroads) were paid the costly wages of manual labor instead of hiring bulky expensive machines that would be difficult to maneuver and power throughout the construction site.

1884: Changes to the popular shovel design have been made by this point, but here the full-swing 360° revolving shovel was developed in England and became the preferred model. Expanding railway networks in the US and UK create high demand for steam shovels. The Marion Power Shovel Company, an American manufacturer, was founded and I mention this because it seems to be where Mary Anne got her name from in the book. Cute Easter Egg reference there.

1890: By this point, costs of non-powered labor for the construction of skyscrapers had risen to the point where switching over to steam power was the only option and the practice took off from there.

1904 -1914: The US took over the Panama Canal dig from France (which had started in 1881 but quit due to engineering problems and high worker mortality rates). One hundred and two (102) shovels worked in that decade-long dig: 77 were built by Bucyrus; the remaining 25 were Marion shovels. The shovel crews would race to see who could move the most dirt.

1914-1918: World War 1 starts a mere 2 weeks and 3 days before the Panama Canal officially opens.

????: At some point during all this, shovels start being used for mining and quarry work around the world and become more present in general construction operations.

1920s: Shovels gain more traction with the publicly funded road building programs around North America. Thousands of miles of State Highways were built during this time period, together with new factories, docks, ports, buildings, and grain elevators.

1929: The Great Depression began with the stock market crash.

1930s: Steam shovels lost out to the simpler, cheaper diesel-powered excavating shovels that were the forerunners of those still in use today.

1939-1945: World War 2 happened and… power shovel technology just kept advancing until the relics of the past became monuments to history. But hey, at least the Great Depression ended.

A historic Marion Steam Shovel located on Gulf Road in the Town of Le Roy, New York, United States.

In Which I Summarize The Plot

The tale of Mike Mulligan is a variation on the compelling classic of an American Adam alongside the likes of Rip Van Winkle, Paul Bunyan, and John Henry who walked before him. This archetype is a solitary figure – a self-made man, representative of immense possibilities, who follows his own whims or moral compass and is made vulnerable by his own ambition and optimism. He has a vision for the future of America that is inevitably altered and shaped by his experiences throughout the story. Generally, the American Adam will find himself faced with a change in the status quo and will have to either fight for “the old way” or adapt, becoming a symbol for the people around him in the process.

Mike’s story begins with the steam shovel’s rise to fame. He and Mary Anne dug canals, they “moved mountains” to make way for railroads, they flattened the land for highways and airports to be built, and they dig cellars for city skyscrapers. Just the promise of getting to see Mike and Mary Anne in action is enough to draw crowds to their construction sites. After all, part of the romantic appeal of steam shovels was watching them work, as you could see its wires and gears move while it operated. In exchange, having an audience to perform for encourages Mike and Mary Anne to work faster and better – something they are both quite proud of.

But then everything changed when the gasoline, electric, and diesel shovels entered the scene.

These new models were cheaper to maintain and could therefore be worked harder for less expense. As a result, Mike winds up unable to find a job because he refuses to give up Mary Anne and the old way. Instead, he is more than ever determined to prove their worth. Mike had always said he believed Mary Anne “could dig as much in a day as a hundred men could dig in a week” and he gets his chance to prove it when he drives Mary Anne out to a small town that is looking to have a cellar dug out for their new town hall.

Before he can be turned away, he places his bet that Mary Anne can dig the cellar in just one day and offers to accept no payment if he can’t live up to that boast – a hard offer for any stingy capitalist to refuse. So, he starts digging at sunrise the following day and basically within the span of a song sequence five whole towns have flocked to this hole in the ground to watch them work, and naturally that means Mike and Mary Anne make the deadline just as the sun sets. The only catch is that they’ve forgotten to leave a way out of the hole, so they’re stuck and the sly selectman Henry B. Swap says they won’t get paid on a technicality.

Fun fact: this is where Virginia Lee Burton realized she had literally dug her characters into a corner until 12-year-old family friend Dick Berkenbush, inspired by the steam heating system in his father’s garage, suggested turning Mary Anne into a furnace for the new town hall. (For a little more on Dick, I recommend checking out Melinda Johnson’s picture book review.) Burton rolled with this idea and credited him with a footnote on that page of the book where a young boy is shown as presenting the solution of making Mary Anne the furnace and hiring Mike as the janitor.

Everyone agrees that this is a good plan and both of our heroes get to retire for the rest of their days, satisfied with their final accomplishment. It’s a nice and simple story, but I have some thoughts.

The Part Where I Overthink Children’s Literature For Fun

Mike Mulligan is clearly an immortal god who’s having a rough time adjusting to the changing times and it shows.

First of all, I cannot stress enough that Mike and Mary Anne were there from The Beginning. “It was Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne and some others” who changed the shape of the land “for years and years.” Looking back at our trusty timeline, this was progress that realistically took decades to accomplish and these two were there on the front lines to pioneer these developments! Neither Mike nor Mary Anne ever ages. She hasn’t suffered the wear and tear of years of hard work because Mike has been keeping her spotless and in tip top shape as if it were still the day she had been created for mass production. But you’re telling me that a man who smokes like a chimney still looks as baby-faced as he was in his youth after decades of dedicated hard labor?

I’m just saying there’s some kind of magic at work here that is only enhanced by the strength of their companionship. The more charisma they exude, the more people they attract to watch them work. The bigger the crowd around them grows to be, the better and faster and harder they work. The louder the standing ovation they receive from their accomplishments, the more they seem to glow in all their youthful glory. The years just melt right off them and it all hinges on this system they have developed between them! They have a very codependent relationship. One could not achieve this result without the other.

For one thing, Mike doesn’t seem to have a stationary home to return to at any point. The movie shows him in the garage of a house in the beginning, but according to the book he appears to live inside Mary Anne’s compartment and uses her to travel from one job to the next. There’s one scene after the “No Steam Shovels Wanted” segment where he’s sitting outside, moping about how no one wants him and Mary Anne anymore, which is honestly an understandable reaction from anyone who has just realized the job market has shut them out from continuing to make a living. But this man is never depicted as having any attachments beyond Mary Anne, so I am inclined to believe that he doesn’t have a family to miss him either, which would therefore make Mary Anne both his home and his family.

Speaking of Mary Anne, let’s talk about the fact that steam shovels and their electric, diesel, and gasoline powered counterparts are sentient in this world. When we see the steam shovels in the scrap yard, they even have faces like Mary Anne does. This was mass genocide! They were murdered and their corpses were tossed in a heap like it was no big deal. Just look at Mary Anne. She is horrified. No wonder Mike is so repulsed by the idea of condemning her!

Yes, this is a children’s book and, in a lot of children’s media, most inanimate objects and animals are given sentience as a way to encourage children to emotionally relate to them – the sun has a face and one of the horses even TALKS by the end of the movie – but come on… this was terrifyingly dark, especially when you look at the imagery. The other three antagonist shovels are so blissfully unaware of the fate that may one day await them in that pit. Sure, they are shiny and new and exciting now, but the moment they fail to live up to the standard set for them, their human overlords will reduce them to scrap metal just as quickly because they are all still machines after all… Sentient machines, albeit, but that evidently means nothing to the majority of mankind.

Furthermore, due to her sentience, Mary Anne can operate without Mike pulling her levers as long as the fire within her remains lit. Perhaps the fire is what keeps her alive, considering the major difference between her and the others in the pit is that their fires eventually went out and they were left to rust in a junkyard until their eventual dismemberment. This would seem to imply that the relationship between her and Mike is one of master and familiar. He keeps her fire burning and shares his eternal youth with her, and she does the physical labor for him in return.

But the big question that has yet to be answered is this: which of them is channeling the energy of the onlookers and converting it directly into power for Mary Anne while they work? Is Mike the catalyst or is Mary Anne?

Which leads us into the climax of the story and a lot more food for thought…

Five whole towns worth of people just take the day off from their jobs and their lives to watch this guy dig a hole in the ground. The fire department, the doctors, and even the police! I sure hope there aren’t any actual fires, public safety violations, or general health crises to tend to for the day because clearly this strange man and his steam shovel are far more important. After all, they’re going to need a lot of power to pull off this bet and if five towns have to become living batteries to do it – well! You only live once, right? You may as well see something worth your time!

So, if Mike spent the entire day from sunrise to sunset digging that cellar to the point where he left himself no way to get out of that hole, when and where did he go to the bathroom? Did he just hold it in the entire time? Did he pop a squat in a corner with everyone looking on? Does he just not have any need for mortal bodily functions? I don’t have the answers, but it warrants asking.

And then, the townspeople make a big fuss about what they’re going to do about leaving Mike and Mary Anne in the pit for a while until someone goes to get a ladder to climb down to talk to him as though they hadn’t just collectively been screaming down into the pit the entire time. He can HEAR you, you know! The moment they have his verbal agreement to the plan, they begin building the town hall around our two immortal heroes without further ado, so what I want to know is did they just shake his hand, then climb out of the pit and yoink the ladder up after them before he could climb up? “Sorry, buddy, we know you just accomplished this impossible task and honestly we’re not quite sure how to feel about it while the adrenaline’s still injecting itself straight into our hearts, but you’re stuck down there now. You live here.”

At least the construction is finished before winter, so he hasn’t been freezing down there in that hole for months, but how did they line the cellar with concrete while Mike was inside? Was he sitting in Mary Anne’s compartment the entire time while it set and everyone else worked? Did anyone feed him? Does he even eat? Mrs. McGillicuddy brings him a fresh-baked apple pie every day once the town hall is built, so I wonder if she has been doing this since that first day he arrived. Could that be all she feeds him? I will admit that there is something poetic about an American Adam sustaining himself on that coveted all-American apple pie life. It’s like two tropes being married into one concentrated dose of the American Dream so pungent it hurts.

Maybe Mary Anne is the source of his power after all and that’s why he can’t leave her. And now he’s stuck there with her in that cellar forever, trying to make the most of it. He didn’t get his job back, he didn’t get the exact happy ending he’d been hoping for, he didn’t prove steam power was better than the competition… but at least he has a sweet gig as a janitor in a town that hails him as a hero and he technically does have a fixed home now.

Mary Anne, on the other hand, has completely had her freedom taken away from her. She may not have been murdered and reduced to scrap metal in the junkyard, but she is unable to travel or go outside ever again. It’s supposed to be heartwarming that she and Mike have found a different way to be useful… a different purpose than the one they had had all their lives… but it does feel pretty morbid when you realize this was done to Mary Anne intentionally without her permission. But you know… it could be worse…

Some Sources and Interesting Material

You can find more information about Virginia Lee Burton’s work on the Houghton Mifflin website. The Virginia Lee Burton and Steam Shovel Wikipedia pages were also incredibly helpful for me while I was pulling together the context I needed to create a rough timeline, but you can read a briefer examination of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel‘s historical context in this Newsweek article.

If you are interested in more in-depth reading material, I recommend Rise of the New York skyscraper, 1865-1913 by Sarah Landau. The excerpts I read to help fill out my timeline were fascinating. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something more philosophical to sink your teeth into, The Prindle Institute offers food for thought regarding the book’s themes.

Last but certainly not least, check out American Adam Myth for some other examples of characters in literature and how the trope evolved!

Note: This article was originally posted on WordPress on July 4, 2021.

[snellblogs]

Italy Journal 4

ITALY JOURNAL 4

Arsenale stop on Colonna,

Garibaldi street

Venice.

June 23

There were magnificent buildings everywhere, one was the Academia, the Art Gallery of Venice and it went on and on.  When we did disembark the water taxi it was to visit the Ca d’Oro, a museum that housed a private collection gifted to the State.  It was housed not in a museum but a private home. There was a floor of every kind of marble.  There were present day marbles but some that had been used in antiquity, or similar more modern marbles, in order to re- create the effect of ancient floors.  It made patterns of circles and from that rose columns and outside the long room was the Grand Canal and a private jetty. 

Upstairs were paintings and statues, some furniture pieces, but mostly pieces from the 15th and 16th ceneturies Italian art, the most famous being Mantegna’s St Sebastian. My favourite was an icon of the Vergin Mary and child, with that simplicity of ancient art prior to the renaissance.  Another favourite was a picture of three purveyors of the coin exchange because the central figure reminds me strongly of a family member, dressed in sixteenth century dress and beard.

We ate lunch sitting high above the Grand Canal with the world going by in boats and with us looking down on the excitement and the continual motion of the sea everywhere.

From there we walked further into this area passing a lovely closed church with a large statue of a monk in front of it, St Sarpo.  We were travelling on to the Ghetto. 

Everywhere around the central square the buildings are tall and ancient.  The buildings are pink like sugar, brown, some peeling and yet the signs of age are beautiful in this city.  The sun continued to shine and the guide was funny and entertaining.

There we saw one of the internal gardens in the city, where gardens are intensely private affairs, one just sees a few trees from a distance, drooping over a tall wall, sometimes with pink blooms, and occasionally as one approaches Garibaldi Street restaurants there’s the smell of jasmine or seringa,.

Travelling home by boat in the rush hour, there were boats everywhere.  We were on an express water taxi which felt like the driver was throwing the boat into the wharfs with a crash and grinding the gears and dashing off again like a wild horse.  We left the dock, dashed off again, throwing the boat into the heaving turquoise sea and the rush of the water traffic. 

We walked home through the Biennale gardens, with tall Cypress trees and a grey statue of Garibaldi.  At night in the gathering evening we came across the white Campanale that one can see from sea as one approaches Venice.  Beside it is San Pietro and San Anna which is falling down.  In the nearby area there are streets that are hushed and houses that are empty,  though there is some rejuvenation going on.  History and the present collide.

Tonight, there is a thunder storm and it is raining heavily.  Lovely to be here.

Lynne Pearl (Author of Thiel) (goodreads.com)

Welcome - Lynne Pearl

Amazon.co.uk: Lynne Pearl: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

(20+) Torbay & South Devon Writers Group | Facebook

[blessed-n-cursed]

🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁

Travel Bucket List

🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🍁🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦🍁

Canadian Museum of History

Parliament Hill Tour & Peace Flame

National Gallery

Belvedere Lookout in Gatineau Park

Ride the locks on the Rideau Canal

White Water Raft the Ottawa River (Beachburg)

canoe on Canoe Lake, Algonquin Park

Upper Canada Village

Thousand Island Boat Tour

Old Fort Henry

Sand Banks Provincial Park

Peterborough Lift Lock

Canadian Canoe Museum

Peterborough Petroglyphs Provincial Park

Ride up the CN Tower

Take a Toronto Islands Ferry

Royal Ontario Museum

Take the Toronto subway

St Lawrence Market

Toronto Zoo

Historic Fort York

Maid of the Mist boat ride

Walk around Niagara on the Lake

Visit a Niagara winery

Climb the Niagara Escarpment, in Hamilton

Royal Botanical Gardens Arboretum

McMichael Gallery (Group of 7 collection)

Holland Marsh

Ste Marie Among the Hurons, Midland

Wasaga Beach

Fathom Five Marine Park

MS Chi-Cheemaun Ferry

Drive around Manitoulin Island

Sudbury see the Superstack

Underground tour of a nickel mine

Cross the International Bridge into Michigan (passport required)

Ride the Agawa Railroad (in fall!) 🍁

See the midpoint of the Trans-Canada, Batchwana Bay

Cross the Nipigon River Bridge

Hike the Sleeping Giant

Ouimet Canyon

Historic Fort William

Kakabeka Falls

Boat Tour on Lake of the Woods (Kenora)

PS: If you want to join me , let me know!!

[andreacastrotrabajo]

Important events of the 20th century.

Group: Isabella canales, Isabella Bedoya, Andrea Castro y Jesús David Cordero. Grade 11°.

Events:

Sinking of the Titanic.

      2. Discovery of penicillin.

      3. The Korean War.

      4.Cuban revolution.

      5.Election of Nelson Mandela as President of SouthAfrica.

SINKING OF THE TITANIC:

The sinking of the RMS Titanic was a maritime catastrophe that occurred on the night of April 14-15, 1912, when the British ocean liner RMS Titanic —of the White Star Line shipping company—, which was making its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland.   The collision occurred on the starboard side at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, causing the ship to sink in less than three hours, at 02:20 a.m. on April 15.Some 1,500 people died from various blows, falls, drowning or hypothermia, which made this shipwreck the most fatal of the time and one of the greatest maritime tragedies in peacetime.

DISCOVERY OF PENICILLIN:

Discovery of penicillin and invention of antibiotics On October 24, 1945, Alexander Fleming received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of penicillin.  A finding that marked a before and after in medicine by assuming the starting signal for the development of antibiotics.

How was the discovery of penicillin?

Not everyone knows that the discovery of penicillin happened by chance.  It was one of those "lucky accidents" that dot the history of science.  The story continues to be curious. Alexander Fleming was Professor of Bacteriology at St. Mary's Hospital in London during 1928. Perhaps during that summer Dr. Fleming was in a special hurry to go on vacation;  The fact is that he left without thoroughly cleaning the laboratory.

Returning from a well-earned rest, Fleming began to clean the dirty Petri dishes.  In those Petri dishes they had been experimenting with bacteria, specifically Staphylococcus aureus, and Fleming observed something strange in one of them: there was mold growth, and around it a halo free of bacteria.  That mold gave off a substance capable of inhibiting bacterial growth. Fleming immediately isolated the fungus and tested its effectiveness against various types of bacteria.  Charles Tom identified the fungus as belonging to the species Penicillium notatum and Fleming named the substance penicillin.

THE KOREAN WAR:

The war broke out on June 25, 1950, when the first North Korean forces, estimated at 135,000 troops by the US Army, launched an attack across the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea in an attempt to seize full control of the Korean peninsula.  The United States, under President Harry Truman, responded with what was called a "police action," assembling a group of international allies under the auspices of "United Nations Command" to come to the aid of South Korea.

Twenty-two countries contributed combat troops or medical support units to the US-led effort.  Communist-controlled North Korea was supported by the Soviet Union and China, and Beijing became active on the military front in October 1950, sending almost a quarter of a million troops to the Korean peninsula while forces led by the United States were advancing towards the Chinese border with North Korea.

CUBAN REVOLUTION:

Since its eruption in 1959, the Cuban revolution was a severe blow to the undisputed hegemony of the United States in Latin America, as demonstrated in the North American attempt, through anti-Castro émigrés, to regain control of the island in 1961 through the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs, and in the so-called Missile Crisis in 1962, in which the United States promised not to invade Cuba and withdraw its nuclear missiles from Turkey, in exchange for the Soviet Union desisting from installing missiles on the island , after the detection, by US planes, of missile ramps and Soviet troops in Cuba.

The Cuban revolution also had profound political and ideological effects on Latin American leftist parties, many of which adopted strategies aimed at achieving revolutionary change through armed means.  In the case of Chile, the Socialist Party progressively radicalized its positions, questioning the effectiveness of the democratic system and proposing the need to impose socialism through violent means.  Some dozens of militants of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) even attended guerrilla training centers in Cuba.

ELECTION OF NELSON MANDELA  AS PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA:

In 1994, from April 26 to 29, South Africans participate in the first general elections with the right to universal vote.  Mandela, nominated for the presidency by the African National Congress and other parties, wins the elections with 62.65 percent of the votes, more than 12 million votes. Mandela headed a government of National Unity together with De Klerk and Thabo Mbeki, as vice presidents.

In his inaugural speech, Mandela said: We must act as a united people, for national reconciliation (...) May there be justice for all.  May there be peace for all.  May there be work, bread, water and salt for all (...) May this beautiful land never again experience the oppression of one by another or suffer the indignity of being the plague of the world”.

[wolfstar-myotp]

The Wolfstar Wedding

They’re nineteen when Remus proposes. It’s nothing big, not really — they’re sitting on the couch in their flat, legs tangled together, and Remus just blurts out “marry me”. It takes Sirius less than a second to say yes.

They tell James and Lily first, obviously. They’re both shocked; between Sirius “I’m never going to be tied down” Black and Remus “who could love a monster” Lupin, they never thought a wedding would be in the cards.

They tell the rest of their friends after a particularly bad Order meeting. As soon as the words “we’re engaged” come out of Sirius’ mouth, the mood is suddenly a lot less sombre. Mary insists on a party.

They’re engaged for two years. Sirius spends those entire two years planning with Lily whilst Remus and James run around doing all the little wedding tasks Sirius asks them to do.

Remus finds Sirius sitting near the fire one night, burning his brother’s invite to the wedding — he’d written it earlier in the day, forgetting that Regulus had been dead for three years now. Remus lets him cry into his chest.

James is Sirius’ best man, obviously. He’s the one who has to calm Sirius down when he starts to panic because “ohmygodmoonyissoperfect”.

Mary is Remus’ best woman. It would have been Peter, but he backed out last minute — stage fright.

It’s a small wedding, rather private (unfortunately, same-sex marriages weren’t legal yet). They have it in the Potters back garden, among the fallen brown leaves that, along with the nip in the air, are the only signs that they’re in the throes of Autumn.

Minerva is the guest of honour. She’s smiling throughout the entire ceremony, laughing when both Remus and Sirius offer a dance.

Grant is invited to the wedding, of course — he sits in the front row, wolf-whistling when they kiss.

They even invite Narcissa. She shows up without Lucius, bouncing baby Draco on her hip. She makes small talk with Lily, smiling when Harry and Draco stare at each other with huge eyes.

The parent dance is sad. Remus’ mother had died years ago, his father running as soon as his son was legally an adult. Marlene steps up, spinning Remus around, both laughing as they danced in their suits.

The parent dance is even sadder for Sirius. Walburga and Orion hadn’t received an invite, nor would they attend if they had. Euphemia and Fleamont Potter had passed away the year prior, leaving both their sons as orphans. James doesn’t hesitate. He grabs his brother’s hand, twirling him around the dance floor despite not being able to dance to save his life.

Their wedding night is perfect. They sit in the kitchen of their little flat, feeding each other ice cream and talking about their future for hours. Once they’re finally tired, they fall asleep in their bed, completely wrapped in each other.

They leave for their Honeymoon the next morning — they go to Venice and visit St. Mark’s Basilica, Canale Grande, Ponte di Rialto, San Giorgio Maggiore and Doges Palace. They take silly photographs in each one.

After a year of marriage, Sirius tells Remus he wants children. Remus tells him that they just can’t, tells him how the thought of his lycanthropy spreading to their child is unbearable.

Another year passes and Remus’ heart wrenches every time he sees Sirius with Harry.

After being married for three years, Remus asks Sirius if he still wants children. Sirius dodges the question, tells him he’s more than happy with the life they have right now. Remus doesn’t believe him. A month later, Remus tells Sirius about a certain potion he’s been studying. A male birth potion.

Sirius takes the potion. For seven months they watch as his stomach swells. On what would have been Sirius’ eighth month of pregnancy, he’s rushed to St Mungo’s. They cry as the mediwitch walks away with their stillborn daughter.

Sirius takes the potion another two times, but it’s always the same — their child dies before they even have a chance to name them. They’re told it’s the years of inbreeding in Sirius’ blood that’s killing their babies. Sirius speaks to no one for weeks.

It’s eight-year-old Harry Potter who gives them the idea to adopt. He’d been staying with his Uncles Moony and Padfoot, showing them his teddies that had gotten married and adopted a unicorn.

It’s another year before they’re allowed to adopt. They’ve moved out of their Soho flat and now live in a cottage in the Welsh countryside, where Remus has a thriving garden and Sirius can study to become a healer in peace. The letter arrives at breakfast and Sirius breaks down into tears when he reads it.

It’s at a magical orphanage where they meet their daughter. She’s four years old and has curly brown hair and blue eyes, with Remus’ intelligence and Sirius’ witty humour. Cassidy Lupin completes their family of three.

The day after Cassidy’s sixth birthday, Remus asks Sirius about the potion. Sirius’ face goes white and he begs Remus not to bring it up again. He doesn’t.

Months later, Remus is told he’s pregnant. No one is quite sure how, but there is definitely a baby growing inside Remus. Cassidy’s excitement is enough to distract them from how horribly pregnancy went for them last time.

Castor and Pollux Lupin are born on the first of September, 1992. Twins were a surprise to everybody, but Dorcas Mckinnon-Meadowes claims she knew all along.

They cry as they watch Cassidy board the Hogwarts Express for the first time, holding her cousin Harry’s hand tightly. They cry even more when they learn that their baby girl is a Ravenclaw and write to her immediately to tell her how proud they are.

It’s a quiet night in mid-summer when Sirius says it. They’re thirty-six years old with three children, yet they still sit as they did when they were nineteen — on the couch with their legs tangled together. “I adore you.” Sirius says, quietly. The simple divinity in those words make Remus smile.

[jackjolene]

My Sinking City Headcanons: Aftermath of Restarting the Cycle

This post goes into my headcanons about the aftermath of the “restart the cycle” ending of The Sinking City. While having Charles survive sacrificing himself goes against the spirit of the game and of Lovecraft’s themes, I want him to live, both for himself and for the crossover I’m coming up with right now.

Charles’ fall from the ledge is somewhat cushioned by the pile of skeletons in the pit, the result of centuries of Chosen sacrificing themselves for Humanity. Despite being badly injured from the fall and with Cthygonnaar threatening to drive himself insane, Charles is able to make his way to the entrance and don his diving suit. 

Surfacing at the base of the Central Monolith in the basement of the Church of St. Michael, Charlies is forced to make a run for it as the Monolith sinks back into the Earth. Outside, as dawn breaks over Oakmont, he watches as the other monoliths sink down as well and as the rain finally stops. The nightmare is over, both for him and for Oakmont.

While Charles is recovering from the fall in the Hospital of St. Mary’s, he is visited by all the people he’s helped in Oakmont. Even Mr. Throgmorton visits him. The one that Charles cherishes the most is Joy’s visit.  He is happy to find that while his powers have remained, the visions and nightmares have finally ended. When he’s finally let out of the hospital, he finds that positive change has come to Oakmont.

With the mental effects of Cthygonnaar gone, the people of Oakmont, native, Innsmouther, and newcomer alike, find their courage. Groups begin to organize and arm themselves, going into the infested areas and buildings to kill the wylebeasts. With the Fecund Mother dead, thanks to Charles, no more wylebeasts are being created, and the cleared areas stay that way.

Taking Charles’ words to heart, Mr. Throgmorton quits his campaign against the Innsmouthers. While still not fond of them, he is willing to give them and other newcomers to Oakmont the chance to prove themselves. Besides, he has other things to focus upon, such as rebuilding Oakmont and his own family lineage.

While the madness is gone and the wylebeasts are being wiped out, the waters have yet to recede. While most Oakmonters want to have it pumped out back into the ocean, Graham Carpenter takes inspiration from his time in Europe after the war and proposes utilizing the flooded streets as canals instead. Under this plan, Oakmont would become the “Venice of America”, and bring the tourism industry in.

While most newcomers, suddenly cured of the madness and able to leave Oakmont, do so immediately without looking back, Charles hesitates to follow them. He can feel the change in Oakmont, no longer under the influence of Cthygonnaar, and as Joy is inclined to stay in her hometown despite how it’s treated her, Charles decides to stay as well. After he gets his things from Boston, of course.

His room at the Devil’s Reef Hotel officially becomes his office/apartment when he returns with his belongings from Boston. As soon as he’s settled in, he returns to investigating, and with so much violence and horror coming to light as Oakmont recovers, he finds plenty of work.

He and Joy begin courting after he comes back from Boston. While her parents are reluctant about Charles being a newcomer, they can’t deny that Joy has been the happiest she’s been since her mouth was sown shut.

Two years later, on the day that Joy’s “sentence” ends, he and her parents accompany her to the Hospital of St. Mary’s to get the stitches out. Oakmont has recovered much by then; the wylebeasts are extinct, the boat wrecks, coral formations, and sea animal carcasses have been removed, and real effort is going into making the submerged streets into actual canals. And thanks to the advertising of the “Venice of the Americas”, more newcomers are arriving, bringing the population back up.

As soon as the last stitches are out, courtesy of Dr. Grant, Charles gets down on one knee. He takes a small box out of his pocket, opens it to reveal a ring, and asks Joy if she will marry him.

Her first, unhindered words in years are: “Yes, Charles, I will!”

More years later, the two of them have a family going. One of their sons, Jonathan by name, happens to take after his father’s old love of the sea and of diving. Like his father, he has great capacity for both good and evil, and his decisions, in one particular city, will have great repercussions for the world.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.19

639 – Ashina Jiesheshuai and his tribesmen assaulted Emperor Taizong at Jiucheng Palace. 715 – Pope Gregory II is elected. 1051 – Henry I of France marries the Rus' princess, Anne of Kiev. 1445 – John II of Castile defeats the Infantes of Aragon at the First Battle of Olmedo. 1499 – Catherine of Aragon is married by proxy to Arthur, Prince of Wales. Catherine is 13 and Arthur is 12. 1535 – French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships, 110 men, and Chief Donnacona's two sons (whom Cartier had kidnapped during his first voyage). 1536 – Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII of England, is beheaded for adultery, treason, and incest. 1542 – The Prome Kingdom falls to the Taungoo Dynasty in present-day Myanmar. 1568 – Queen Elizabeth I of England orders the arrest of Mary, Queen of Scots. 1643 – Thirty Years' War: French forces under the duc d'Enghien decisively defeat Spanish forces at the Battle of Rocroi, marking the symbolic end of Spain as a dominant land power. 1649 – An Act of Parliament declaring England a Commonwealth is passed by the Long Parliament. England would be a republic for the next eleven years. 1655 – The Invasion of Jamaica begins during the Anglo-Spanish War. 1743 – Jean-Pierre Christin developed the centigrade temperature scale. 1749 – King George II of Great Britain grants the Ohio Company a charter of land around the forks of the Ohio River. 1776 – American Revolutionary War: A Continental Army garrison surrenders in the Battle of The Cedars. 1780 – New England's Dark Day, an unusual darkening of the day sky, was observed over the New England states and parts of Canada. 1802 – Napoleon Bonaparte founds the Legion of Honour. 1828 – U.S. President John Quincy Adams signs the Tariff of 1828 into law, protecting wool manufacturers in the United States. 1845 – Captain Sir John Franklin and his ill-fated Arctic expedition depart from Greenhithe, England. 1848 – Mexican–American War: Mexico ratifies the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo thus ending the war and ceding California, Nevada, Utah and parts of four other modern-day U.S. states to the United States for US$15 million. 1911 – Parks Canada, the world's first national park service, is established as the Dominion Parks Branch under the Department of the Interior. 1917 – The Norwegian football club Rosenborg BK is founded. 1919 – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk lands at Samsun on the Anatolian Black Sea coast, initiating what is later termed the Turkish War of Independence. 1921 – The United States Congress passes the Emergency Quota Act establishing national quotas on immigration. 1922 – The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union is established. 1933 – Finnish cavalry general C. G. E. Mannerheim was appointed the field marshal. 1934 – Zveno and the Bulgarian Army engineer a coup d'état and install Kimon Georgiev as the new Prime Minister of Bulgaria. 1942 – World War II: In the aftermath of the Battle of the Coral Sea, Task Force 16 heads to Pearl Harbor. 1950 – A barge containing munitions destined for Pakistan explodes in the harbor at South Amboy, New Jersey, devastating the city. 1950 – Egypt announces that the Suez Canal is closed to Israeli ships and commerce. 1959 – The North Vietnamese Army establishes Group 559, whose responsibility is to determine how to maintain supply lines to South Vietnam; the resulting route is the Ho Chi Minh trail. 1961 – Venera program: Venera 1 becomes the first man-made object to fly by another planet by passing Venus (the probe had lost contact with Earth a month earlier and did not send back any data). 1961 – At Silchar Railway Station, Assam, 11 Bengalis die when police open fire on protesters demanding state recognition of Bengali language in the Bengali Language Movement. 1962 – A birthday salute to U.S. President John F. Kennedy takes place at Madison Square Garden, New York City. The highlight is Marilyn Monroe's rendition of "Happy Birthday". 1963 – The New York Post Sunday Magazine publishes Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. 1971 – Mars probe program: Mars 2 is launched by the Soviet Union. 1986 – The Firearm Owners Protection Act is signed into law by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. 1991 – Croatians vote for independence in a referendum. 1993 – SAM Colombia Flight 501 crashes on approach to José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia, killing 132. 1996 – Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on mission STS-77. 1997 – The Sierra Gorda biosphere, the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, is established as a result of grassroots efforts 2000 – Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-101 to resupply the International Space Station. 2007 – President of Romania Traian Băsescu survives an impeachment referendum and returns to office from suspension. 2010 – The Royal Thai Armed Forces concludes its crackdown on protests by forcing the surrender of United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship leaders. 2012 – Three gas cylinder bombs explode in front of a vocational school in the Italian city of Brindisi, killing one person and injuring five others. 2012 – A car bomb explodes near a military complex in the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, killing nine people. 2015 – The Refugio oil spill deposited 142,800 U.S. gallons (3,400 barrels) of crude oil onto an area in California considered one of the most biologically diverse coastlines of the west coast. 2016 – EgyptAir Flight 804 crashes into the Mediterranean Sea while traveling from Paris to Cairo, killing all on board. 2018 – The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is held at St George's Chapel, Windsor, with an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion.

[awhilesince]

Thursday, 16 January 1834

8 1/7..

12 10/..

very good grubble last night she said better done at last than ever it was before – ready at 9 20/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 52° – fine morning breakfast at 8 1/2 – we and Eugenie off to see the church at 9 1/4 – 1/2 hour there – very handsome old abbey church – 

Selby Abbey  CC BY-SA 2.0

near the chancel under a well preserved stone, buried 

‘Nathanael Spencer merchant born of Halifax the 23rd of February 1629 and here interred the 31st January 1689 also Mary his wife who dyed the 24th of July 1725 aged 89’– 

well cut arms at the head of the stone – arms a bend (from dexter to sinister) changed with 3 fleur de lis between 2 frets – wife’s arms a cross filling up the dexter quarter the sinister quarter parted fesson wise and the 2 other quarters forming equal band fesson wise – a small slab fixed near this monument against the chancel pillar records the death of Richard son of the above Nathanael Spencer, also a merchant born at Leeds 1 February 1662 and buried 13 February 1690 1 of our family married 1 of these Spencers? – Nave old Saxon – handsome old saxon west end – choir gothic and more modern – roof of nave and transept in very bad repair – a tumble down tower bore along with it great part of the north transept many years ago, and what was left was plainly walled up at the end – no assessments for the church now – the dissenters having opposed them – all repairs therefore now done by subscription – honorable Mr Edward, late of Stapylton park, Petre tho’ a Roman catholic gave the handsome crimson velvet fringed with gold altar cover – a very good man – what used to be the chapter house now a common-looking school-room – 

off from Selby at 10 10/.. perfectly flat but well-farmed country – several neat villages – Carleton, Snaith, Cawick, Rocliffe and Armyn – Snaith neat small town

St. Laurence Church, Snaith CC BY-SA 2.0

 – several trees blown down here and there – at 12 25/.. stop to change horses at Booth ferry, a largeish good Inn, with well stocked larder, and where we should have been apparently much better off than at Selby – at Goole in about 1/4 hour at 12 50/.. 35 minutes there walking thro’ the good corn and wool etc warehouses and walking round the large good basin well filled with craft, 1 or 2 largish Hull brigs apparently very sea-worthy – 

Aire and Calder Canal  CC BY-SA 3.0 

the Aire and Calder fine canal runs into the basin at one end which communicates with the Ouse at the other – between the basin and canal is a good broad leading to old Goole a small village about 1/4 mile off – Goole very flourish brick-built place – some very good-looking houses – back at the Ferry house in 17 minutes – waited 10 minutes for the servants eating – embark the carriage and over the water in 5 minutes but the whole business of em and disembarking took 19 minutes – the Aire falls into the Ouse (here a fine river) on the Ferry house (Wells very civil man) side about a hundred or two yards above the ferry – a small pot-house near where we disembarked – 

Aire and Calder Navigation blue plaque  CC BY-SA 4.0

Off again for North cave at 2 10/.. – stopt en passant at 2 27/.. 20 minutes to see Howden church of which the choir, chancel, and chapter house now form a fine ruin, the nave being fitted up as the present church – 

The ruins of Howden Minster CC BY-SA 3.0 

full of monuments with long-winded rigmarole Epitaphs – among the rest, 1 by the present dowager Mrs Saltmarshe to the virtues of her husband Phillip son of Arthur of Saltmarshe, and 1 to the memory of a Mr Jefferson, late a captain in the Blues, with a list of all the sums he left in charity – observe he died leaving issue only 2 natural daughters to 1 a Mrs Spofforth £1600, and to the other £6000 – there is still remaining a chapel in which are interred the families of Metham and Saltmarshe and 1 old monument of each name is still there – Howden a neat enough small cobble street paved town – still dead flat – at 3 3/4 (in 25 minutes) dinner in the carriage, cold fowl and the remains of our Lidgate tongue – at North cave at 4 2/.. – neat enough small village like market town? – pass Cave Castle (Henry ? Barnard Esquire) – the last time I passed this noticed the Lodge – on entering from the road left, square tower – right small thin, tall round tower – battlemented pass? over the gateway between the towers – Ellerken pretty village – Welton very neat pretty ditto – 

Welton Mill  CC BY-SA 2.0

just light enough to see murkily thro’ it – could just distinguish the Humber afterwards – should have had day- light for this drive – 

Alight at the Cross Keys, market place, Hull (now the best Inn) at 6 1/2 – tea at 7 1/2 – afterwards till 9 55/.. wrote out all the above of today – very fine, mild day – came to my  room at 11 1/4 Fahrenheit 55 ° at 11 3/4 p.m. – cut nails –

Parliament Street, Hull  CC BY-SA 2.0

left margin: John Washington great grand father of General George W– (Washington) lived at what is now Cave Castle and possessed part of the estate but emigrated to America in 1657, and settled at Bridges Creek Company Westmoreland, Virginia where the family has seemed ever since –

Follow the route (from Selby to Hull)

reference number: SH:7/ML/E/16/0159, SH:7/ML/E/16/0160

[timehasbeenbusy]

17 & 18 November 1828

Monday 17 November 1828

5¾

11 25/60

From 6 40/60 to 8 read from page 30 – 42 of the Brief History of Christ Hospital and wrote the whole of the above today – Breakfast at 8 20/60 – off to Halifax at 8 50/60 down the old bank to Mr Briggs – said I had seen Holt, and what I had said to him – Mr Briggs thought I had better give away the coals - getting them would be expensive – must have an engine – did not think they would pay – giving them away would not, said it was my present mind to get them at all rates – Mr Briggs said he would see Holt, and go with him to plan the ground, Mr Briggs shewed me an oak-root round table made at Brighhouse priced £20 – one not so handsome sold to Mr Stead for £25 - About 20 minutes there – then sat 25 minutes with Mrs Veitch (poorly in a bad cold), then at 9 ¾ got to Savile hill –the breakfast things not removed Mrs and 2 Miss Wilcocks – Miss Pickford much better for the baths of St Gervais, to spend the winter at Roma – to write there poste restante – Mrs Wilcocks going to write to her today – begged a little of her paper and wrote ⅓ of the first page small and close, hoping my letter to Genoa was received, giving my address in Paris – observing she could be complacent in writing full letters, all crossed, as I had just seen, to Mrs Wilcocks - to write to me before expecting to hear of or from me again – uncertain as to my stay here, but would not exceed 10 days or a fortnight – asked what beauties she most admired and what thought of this place and that – should not at this moment say of what use her information might be to me – thought that by hook and by crook, I should see her before the twelvemonth’s end –

 ½ hour at Savile hill –then went to Throps – not at home – could learn nothing – my job was but a small one – would think about it – Throp most likely to be at home between 12 and 2 – returned along the canal – the new lodge to Stonyroyde, nearly roofed gable-end, labells windows, little building expensively hewed – got home up the old bank at 12 – Letter from Mariana Scarbro’on my desk – 3 hurried pages 2½ pm yesterday, ‘great change – cannot last much longer – ‘the struggles are dreadfully severe, and it is indeed a trying scene to us all’ – Mariana sat up on Friday night, but says she bore it well – ‘as to myself, have no fears on my account – I am honestly and in truth the best of the set’ would ‘like me to write something more than a mere statement that life was no more ….to appear in the York paper ……..’some little tribute to his merits would be gratifying to us all’ will write tomorrow (ie today) if any thing happens – if not on Tuesday (ie tomorrow) – offers to bring my father cod, sounds as she passes through – Had just begun to write when (at 12 20/60) Miss Hudson of Hipperholme called for ½ an hour – going to send off a parcel from Whitleys tomorrow by the van in 3 or 4 days to Miss MacLean if I had any letter to send Whitley would enclose it in time tomorrow afternoon – said I was much obliged etc etc but a very bad correspondent abomined letter-writing only said what I had to say – did not believe I could make up my mind to write – thought I, no, I wont send in her parcel, I do not understand all this, they shall have it to themselves  Miss Hudson Miss Maclean had asked many questions about the place – it was not very beautiful country and she had said so – I abused the house – said much wanted doing at it – it was a doghole of a place as I always told people – I certainly never said much in its favour  -

Came upstairs again at 12 50/60 – from 1 to 3, wrote 3 pages to Mariana including the following ‘as to the request that I should write something more than a common obituary notice, be it remembered Mary, that I am not an advocate  for long paragraphs of this kind in newspapers, and, above all, that it is Steph, not I who can do this best – when I am serious, you know my repugnance to speak or write strongly in praise or dispraise – all that I need add is, that, were my own father in the circumstances of yours, and I heard I persuaded myself to write any thing more than a mere ‘announcement of the death, it would probably be something like the following’ –

‘Died on ------- at his house in Scarborough, in the ----- year of his age, after a long and ‘severe illness, William Belcombe Esquire, ---- years a resident physician in this city ‘where his talent soon established him at the head of his profession, where by his mild ‘and gentlemany manners, and active and useful benevolence, he was soon and lastingly endeared to all who knew him well – He was eminently successful in his practice which ‘was very extensive  ‘to the last of his professional career, he devoted a considerable ‘portion of every day to his numerous poor and‘gratis patients; and it does not fall to the ‘lot of every one to be more sincerely lamented, or to leave behind him a good name ‘better deserved – But Mary, do you not think, it would be best for Steph to draw up a ‘proper memoir to be inserted in the Genteman’s Magazine?  To do this, no-one is better fitted than your brother – As a professional man, he might give a brief and comprehensive sketch which, in doing credit to his father, might reflect some credit upon himself – your father’s practice which laid the foundation-stone ‘of his reputation in York, was, at that time new in England?  His services in the navy, experience in the ‘West Indies, studies and intimacies with the man of letters on the continent, mild treatment of insanity cases,‘not to forget (if thought proper) descent from an old and respectable Lancashire family, and his marriage with‘whom, - might, if well handled by his son, do some dutiful honour, and some practical good – give‘my best regards to Steph, and tell him so – Then write the following to Mr Birmingham ‘Shibden hall Monday 17 November‘1828 – Sir – Being domiciliated in Paris, I wish to take over with me, on my return, a small box of plate viz ‘1 tea-pot, a couple of dozen folks, dozen spoons, cream jug and sugar, - basin, snuffers and tray, and a couple of ‘waiters – I know, some particular permit is required for this from the French chef de douanes – I shall be much obliged to‘you to take the earliest opportunity of giving me all necessary information on this subject, direct to Mrs Lister,‘Shibden hall, Halifax, Yorkshire – on my arrival at Dover, I will pay you any expense that may have been ‘incurred on my account – I am, Sir etc etc A Lister’ – all which took me till 5 – then skimming over again Cronhelms Book-keeping – dressed – dined at 6 25/60 – at 7 sent off to the post by John, my letter to Mariana ‘Doctor Belcombe’s Scarborough’ and to Mr John Birmingham, Commissioner, Old Ship Hotel, Dover, Post paid’  then Sat talking till after 9 – wrote the last 3 lines – went up to bed ay 10 5/60 – very fine day not so damp and thick as these last few days – rather inclined to be a little frosty – reading the rules in Hutton’s Book-keeping, till 10 ¾

Tuesday 18 November 1828

5 50/60

11 10/60

Read the 1st 45 lines Saturday 2  I went out at 7½ - went to Cowgate wood – took the wallers from walling and stayed there to right the set started against the wood in Pearson’s great brow – stayed with them and did not get home till 10¼ - sent John to make holes for planting in Pump Lane – find on my desk letter from Mariana Scarbro’, 11 hurried lines dated yesterday 17th instant ‘at 5 minutes before 1 today my precious father breathed his last without a groan, tho’ from 11 yesterday to the same hour at night his sufferings were very severe, after that he became calm and composed until 5 this morning, when difficulty of breathing returned and continued till within a few minutes of his death - Steph was with us - my mother at this minute bears ‘up tolerably, and we all do our best – I will write again in a day or 2 – God bless you – always yours Mariana’ –Will she get my letter of yesterday today? What will she think of what I wrote to announce Dr Belcombe’s death? It will seem cold, praiseless, spiritless, heartless – how different our feelings!  Her expression precious father –shocks me – dear father – or simply father - It smites me best to think of those I love when gone as if they were still here – I never yet could say my poor uncle and Mr Sunderland’s exclamation on first seeing him a corpse ‘poor thing!’ shocked me more than I could describe -  Letter also from Isabella Norcliffe, Langton, they had heard a bad account of Dr Belcombe’ think it will be a happy release but I dread the effect it will produce upon Mariana, whose nerves are little able to bear such a shock – I fear there is no chance of our meeting at Lawton, as of course she will not leave Scarbro’ just at present’ – they leave Langton for Bath on the 2nd of December -