Elaine's Blog

The 3 Letter Magical Name! Pie! The Ancient Egyptians created the first example of what we know as pies today. Later on, closer to the 5th Century BC, the Ancient Greeks were believed to invent pie pastry as it is mentioned in the plays of the writer Aristophanes and it was possible to work as a ...

Dance, Drum, Community, Food, Pride………Introducing the Pow Wow  How the Powwow BeganThe modern powwow and many styles of contemporary powwow dancing have their roots in the historic warrior societies of the Southern and Northern Plains. Over time, these dances, ceremonies, and gatherings have evol...

A Place Worth a Visit: Swannanoa Palace In VirginiaSwannanoa is an Italian Renaissance Revival villa built in 1912 by millionaire and philanthropist James H. Dooley (1841–1922) above Rockfish Gap on the border of northern Nelson County and Augusta County, Virginia, in the US. It is partially base...

What A Wonderful Custom: Gift Giving! Gift wrapping is the act of enclosing a gift in some sort of material. Wrapping paper is a kind of paper designed for gift wrapping. An alternative to gift wrapping is using a gift box or bag. A wrapped or boxed gift may be held closed with ribbon and topped ...

A Day To Talk About: December 21st!  Let’s talk about December 21, as some consider it the most magical time of the year.  Lots of wedding and engagements happen on this day of the year.  Dec. 21: The Winter Solstice Explained:For northern latitudes, the solstice marks the beginning of winter, bu...

Surprise!  Native American Food Helped Today’s Menu! Order Please!  From acorn bread to fry bread, succotash to beef stew, Native American cuisine has been a staple in homes across America for centuries.Today, these traditional dishes are still consumed in homes and restaurants throughout the cou...

ABC It is Easy As 1,2,3……May I present our Calendar? December Is Our Star! Have you ever wondered, “How did the months of the year get their names?” The months’ names reflect a mix of gods, goddesses, rulers, and numbers. Discover how our calendar developed into what it is today. How Our Calendar...

Who Would Like to Raise Your Hand and Be First?  Yes, Virginia!   The first successful Electric Streetcar was invented in 1888. Our list of impressive things invented in Virginia begins with the first electric streetcar. After 74 attempts around the world to create a proper electric trolley railw...

When You Think Of Fall You Think Of Apples! Yum! An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (Malus domestica). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus siever...

Warning! Do Not Take This Ride Share On or Near Halloween!  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow resurfaces every year around Halloween. Washington Irving's 1820 tale of a headless horseman who terrorizes the real-life village of Sleepy Hollow is considered one of America's first ghost stories—and one of ...