Month: June 2024

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Gentleman’s Game

ellenparkerwrites

Your turn, Mr. Henry.

Why, thank you Mr. Washington.

Can you picture them? Lawmakers after a day of heated discussion re-convene informally at the tavern for a pint of ale and a friendly game of billards.

I suppose the evening could be likened to a male-only cocktail party. After all, the tavern’s common rooms had other guests. A traveler or two with news from an outlying settlement. A local resident with opinions. Do you suppose aides to the Royal Governor mixed with the colonial lawmakers?

Fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois in the mid-19th century included taverns. The one of First Street was frequented by the Deutsch community and did not have a billiards table. The patrons played card games and sang along with the occasional musicians while they ate stew, drank beer, and exchanged news. Check out the sweet romance, New Dreams, for a story through immigrant eyes. Here’s the link: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Site for Campus Rest

ellenparkerwrites

A college campus during the break between spring and summer sessions extends a calmness. I can easily feature a student pausing here to shed a backpack and check a paper or perhaps return a phone call.

Our group of adults yielded right-of-way to the class of departing 8th graders in the upper left. For some reason or other — the chaperons at the back of the group appeared weary.

Americans were concerned with education from the beginning and established several colleges prior to independence.

Residents of fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois, in the 1850’s would have needed to travel to St. Louis or beyond for higher education. The local schools taught the basics only — but that included enough to operate a small business and understand the newspaper. Check out New Dreams, a sweet romance, for a story set in that time and place. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Not your usual Ancestor

ellenparkerwrites

I had to look twice. And then a third time. Was I really seeing a museum piece, circa 1835, which was an ancestor to a common high school fixture more than a century later?

This writing chair, with a painted finish, would have fit well into the home of a 19th century gentleman.

Fast forward a century and a quarter and the steel, plywood, and laminate model populated American classrooms. Our school even had a few designed for the left-handed among us. (Precursor to equity and inclusion?)

The Deutsch immigrants to fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois, varied widely in their ability to read and write. Perhaps a chair like this was used by a lady to write letters back to Europe. Check out the sweet romance, New Dreams, for more on this mid-19th century river town. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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The Stage is Ready

ellenparkerwrites

Have you purchased your ticket? Brought your valise?

The horses are coming around now. Are you all set for a journey to Yorktown?

With our nice, large wheels and a good team, we shouldn’t have any trouble crossing streams or moving along a muddy road. And the roof will keep us dry — for the most part.

Horse-drawn stages remained a fixture on the American scene well into the 19th century. Fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois depended on steamboats traveling the Mississippi River for most of their needs, but were connected to the stage capital by a stagecoach route. Check out the story of a few immigrants who arrived mid-century in New Dreams, a sweet, historical romance. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Seating sets the Mood

ellenparkerwrites

Waiting for friends at the hotel?

This arrangement sets the mood with modern construction with a historic mood. Comfortable too — I tested.

Slow the pace. Sit a spell. Think about all you’ve seen and done today — or yesterday. Have you come to enjoy the history of the area outside the hotel? Or are you here for a very modern, tech-centered conference?

The chairs don’t care. They extend their invitation to all.

In the sweet romance, New Dreams, seating in the apartment above the bakery is basic. Several side chairs around the table plus a settee in the sitting area — a portion of the large room defined by a piece of carpet. The immigrants who live here are busy building a new life and focused on function before elegance. Find their story here: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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20th Century Witness

ellenparkerwrites

Majestic, mature trees caught my attention during a recent vacation. Look at this one.

Yes, this is all one tree. According to the sign tacked to the trunk, it’s a hackberry. Graceful, sturdy branches would invite me to hoist myself up a bit and claim a seat — if it was located on my own property and not a public space.

I don’t know the age. But I suspect this was present as a much smaller tree when the 19th century turned into the 20th. Structures have been built, worn, and destroyed during that time. Others have been puzzled over and re-constructed within easy sight. For this particular tree stands on the Colonial Williamsburg property. I wonder how may people have paused in the shade and exchanged a bit of news. Perhaps business has been conducted within the dripline.

Trees were viewed as lumber and firewood in the sweet romance, New Dreams. While a few select specimens were spared by the settlers, the Americans and immigrants both wanted clear building lots and fields. In 1851, forest remained in patches. Take a step back in time here: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Powerful Entry

ellenparkerwrites

The moment I stepped across the threshold, I was reminded of another, larger space an ocean away.

The purpose of the wall display was to demonstrate power. Mission accomplished.

Yes, those are pistols and swords as the wall decor. Rifles and daggers are on the other walls of this entry. According to the docent, and I have no reason to doubt her, they are all in working order. I did not count the weapons — after all, the house tour needed to stay on schedule. I suppose the servant tasked with dusting keeps an accurate count.

The man putting on this display? The Royal Governor of the Colony of Virginia. Don’t worry — he’s been gone for years. The house is a restoration with many items from the 1700’s displayed.

In the sweet romance, NEW DREAMS, immigrants a century later display power and wealth by the quality of the goods for sale, in their clothing, and their bearing. Check out the story by following the link below: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Dual Purpose Planting

ellenparkerwrites

A number of common plants serve two or more purposes to humans. Fruit trees, for example, supply fruit, shade, and a varying amount of erosion prevention. Clover and alfalfa furnish animal food (hay) and replace nitrogen into the soil in addition to having a root system to hold the soil in place. The list is long.

Today, let’s consider one usually done on a small scale.

A grape arbor provides a pleasant, shady place to sit after a hard day’s work. Either in the vineyard where the vines are trained in lower rows, or in other activities.

And then you have the grapes. Table grapes? Raisins? Juice? Wine? Which one is your favorite?

Picture yourself on a nice little bench inside the arbor. You reach up and pluck one round, ripe grape from a bunch and pop it into your mouth. YUM!!!

Deutsch immigrants to America brought their grape growing and wine-making skills along and put them to use in their new home. In the sweet historical romance, New Dreams, Louisa brings the family knowledge of baking to fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois. Follow the link to learn more about the book. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE