Hearkening Back to Yesteryear!
Now, we know that you are not all from Southern California but also know that you would love to see these quaint little towns! Thanks to Angela and onlyinyourtown.com, we have this information.
Read moreNov 1
Now, we know that you are not all from Southern California but also know that you would love to see these quaint little towns! Thanks to Angela and onlyinyourtown.com, we have this information.
Read moreOct 31
It ‘s not exactly clear what ancient Celts did during Samhain, the pagan holiday we now link with Halloween, but historians have some idea thanks to a surviving bronze calendar.
Read moreOct 30
Turnips aren/t usually considered fancy fare — over the years they’ve served as livestock fodder and occasionally been used to pelt unpopular figures in public.
Read moreOct 27
Herbs have all kinds of wonderful qualities beyond there culinary uses. Rosemary has one you may not know about.
Read moreOct 26
If you need an easy, simple, inexpensive way to relieve some stress and help yourself to be generally healthier, we’ve got a Savvy Secret for you.
Read moreOct 25
Anita Blair was the first guide dog handler in El Paso, Texas, when she graduated from The Seeing Eye in March 1940 with Fawn, a German shepherd. The photo, below, is a black and white photo of Anita being guided by Fawn across a bustling city street in the early 1940s.
Read moreOct 24
On any given day, 37% of adults in the United States pick up a greasy bag of treats from their local fast-food joint. Fast food has been blamed for all kinds of societal ills, particularly ones that are nutrition-related, but we keep eating it anyway. Whether you consume fast food every day or avoid it at all costs, you might not know these six facts about some of America’s most popular fast-food chains.
Read moreOct 23
Niagara Falls is known for the many daredevils who have attempted stunts in its thundering waters.
Read moreOct 19
Oct 18
Did you know that the Bible is the most read and studied book of all time? Most people would agree that the pages of the Bible are filled with wisdom for our daily lives. Whether you happen to be a student of the Bible or not, this is some info you may not know, and we think some wise counsel.
Read moreOct 17
Albert Einstein was a brilliant man – we all know that!
He shares with us the secret to staying young.
Read moreOct 11
Need a quick pick me up that doesn’t cost a thing and will boost your wellness in a hurry? We’ve got that!
Read moreOct 10
We want to stand with our friends and neighbors and family members who are Jewish and to echo God’s Word from the Psalms that Israel would be delivered.
Your Two Chums,
Oct 10
We came across a beautiful definition of kindness that we simply had to share with you our chums.
Read moreOct 9
Despite spending most of their days trying to survive and thrive, early people across the globe needed something actually fun to do with their spare time … much like people today. Made from stone, bones, and other handy materials, early games weren’t too far off the ones we play today. And while humans eventually transitioned from stick-based games to those with dice, and later boards, the earliest games show that humans haven’t changed all that much in a quest for good-intentioned victory over family and friends.
Read moreOct 8
Original photo by Ian/Dagnlil Computing/ Alamy Stock Photo
Oscar Wilde was born in 1854 and died in 1900. During those all-too-brief years, he built a reputation that would long outlive him. And while today he is known for his literary works, he is arguably just as famous for his legendary wit — as well as the scandal and ensuing imprisonment that upturned his life.
As a literary figure, Wilde is perhaps best known for his play The Importance of Being Earnest, his only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and “The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” a poem he wrote in exile after his release from prison. But when Oscar Wilde’s name is mentioned, it’s not only his writing that people remember. The name is synonymous with flamboyant manners and rapier wit, and a certain type of genius that dazzled society, whether it was in the clubs of London or the lecture halls of the United States.
When Wilde went to the U.S. in 1882 to lecture primarily on aestheticism — an artistic movement that emphasized the aesthetic value of art, or “art for art’s sake” — he encountered a hostile press but was well received by the general public. The trip made him an international star. It also gave rise to one of the most famous quotes attributed to Wilde (though there’s no evidence to support the claim). When he arrived at U.S. customs to begin his tour (so the story goes), he was asked if he had anything to declare. With typical wit, he replied, “I have nothing to declare but my genius.”
Back in London, things turned sour when questions about Wilde’s private life spiraled out of control. His relationships with men became public knowledge, and soon he was charged with gross indecency and sentenced to two years hard labor. His name was tarnished, his reputation left in tatters, and he spent his remaining years in exile in France, where he died in a cheap hotel in 1900. It was a tragic end, and sadly, even today, the events of his life are perhaps more widely known than his work.
But there was a lot more to Wilde than writing, wit, and scandal: He was a complex man with a complex personality. To better understand the man behind the myth, here are a few things you might not know about the ostentatious, brilliant Oscar Wilde.
The Wilde name was well-known before Oscar made his mark. His father, Sir William Wilde, was an acclaimed otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) and ophthalmologist, who wrote significant works on medicine, archaeology, and folklore. His mother, Jane Wilde, was a poet and activist, known for her support of the Irish nationalist movement and women’s rights. As Wilde wrote in “De Profundis” (a letter he wrote from the Reading Gaol prison), “She and my father had bequeathed me a name they had made noble and honored not merely in literature, art, archaeology and science, but in the public history of my own country in its evolution as a nation.”
When Wilde was 12 years old, his little sister, Isola, died of meningitis. He was deeply affected by her death, and later wrote a poem in her memory called “Requiescat”. It’s a beautiful, lyrical poem, in which Isola seems to be at once dead and alive: “Tread lightly, she is near / Under the snow, / Speak gently, she can hear / The daisies grow.
J.E.C. Bodley, a friend of the young Wilde during his Oxford University days, said Wilde was “naïve, embarrassed, with a convulsive laugh, a lisp, and an Irish accent.”. But Wilde adjusted to life at Oxford, and became a brilliant student. He also lost his accent, stating later in life that “my Irish accent was one of the many things I forgot at Oxford”. Wilde’s voice in later life was described by the actor Franklin Dyall as “of the brown velvet order — mellifluous — rounded — in a sense giving it a plummy quality” and “practically pure cello.” Unfortunately, a recording of Wilde reading “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” turned out to be a fake, and no other recordings are known to exist.
While some of Wilde’s works can be described as quintessentially “English” plays, Wilde himself never abandoned his Irish roots. When public performances of his play Salomé were banned in Britain — on the basis of it being illegal to depict biblical characters on the stage — Wilde hit back in an interview, saying “I shall leave England and settle in France, where I will take out letters of naturalization. I will not consent to call myself a citizen of a country that shows such narrowness in its artistic judgment”. He then added, “I am not English; I’m Irish — which is quite another thing”.
In his early twenties, Wilde became besotted with a beautiful young woman called Florence Balcombe. When they first met, he told a friend, “I am just going out to bring an exquisitely pretty girl to afternoon service in the Cathedral. She is just seventeen with the most perfectly beautiful face I ever saw and not a sixpence of money”. They dated for months, but distance put a strain on their relationship. Then Florence met Bram Stoker, who would later go on to write Dracula. They married, and Wilde was devastated. He wrote Florence a letter in which he called their time together “two sweet years — the sweetest of all the years of my youth”. They remained friends for years after.
Due to Wilde’s well-documented relationships with men, people often don’t realize that he was married and had two children. Wilde married Constance Lloyd, an Irish author, in London in 1884. During their first two years of marriage they had two sons together, Cyril and Vyvyan. No one knows when Constance became aware of Oscar’s relations with men, but she met his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, in 1891. The ensuing scandal and Wilde’s imprisonment placed a great strain on their relationship. Constance changed her surname and moved to Switzerland. She died in 1898, and Oscar never saw his two sons again.
Wilde met Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas, who was 16 years his junior, in 1891. The two soon became lovers. Douglas was the third son of the Marquess of Queensberry, famous for creating the Queensberry Rules of boxing. When Queensberry found out about his son’s relationship, he tried to end it in various ways. At one point he left a card for Wilde, which simply said “For Oscar Wilde, posing sodomite.” This prompted Wilde to prosecute Queensberry for libel. It backfired terribly, and Wilde himself ended up in court on multiple charges of gross indecency. He was found guilty and sentenced to two years hard labor. All this occurred at the height of his fame and success, while The Importance of Being Earnest was still being performed in London. After his conviction, Wilde’s life was never the same.
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Wilde spent his last three years impoverished and in exile in France. Some of his closest friends visited him and stayed with him to the end, as Oscar faded away in a dingy hotel in Paris. He was a broken man, but his wit could not be destroyed. As he lay looking at the surroundings of his cheap hotel room, he uttered some of his final words: “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.” It was classic Oscar Wilde, and the quote is often listed among the greatest last words ever spoken.
Wilde feared that he had ruined his family name. In his letter “De Profundis,” he wrote: “I had disgraced that name [Wilde] eternally. I had made it a low byword among low people. I had dragged it through the very mire”. But Wilde, on this occasion, was wrong: His name would not be disgraced eternally, although it did take more than a century for an official annulment of his conviction.
In 2017, Wilde was one of some 75,000 gay men in England and Wales pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II. All of these men had been convicted for now-abolished sex offences. This royal pardon is informally known as the Turing Law, named after Alan Turing, the World War II codebreaker who, like Wilde, was convicted for his gay relationships. Turing was officially pardoned in 2013, 61 years later.
Today, Wilde is still remembered for his exuberant lifestyle and infamous imprisonment as much as for his work. Nonetheless, The Picture of Dorian Grayand The Importance of Being Earnest are still considered great literary masterpieces of the late Victorian period, and both display Wilde’s indomitable wit and consummate eye for beauty.
Oct 6
Oct 5
Concepts like faith, trust, hope, confidence, love and attitude can be hard to describe to a child, and if we are honest sometimes hard to grasp ourselves. We came across six lovely illustrations of these ideas and wanted to share them with you, our chums.
Read moreOct 3
On Sunday, Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, became our oldest living former President, celebrating his 99th birthday .
Read moreOct 2
In her 2017 debut novel, “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine,” Scottish author Gail Honeyman introduced readers to Eleanor Oliphant, a socially awkward young woman whose personal journey involves confronting both her deep loneliness and her traumatic past.
Read moreSep 29
Nutella Brownies are simple to make and simply delicious to eat! With 4 basic ingredients in less than 30 minutes you can make this yummy treat 🙂
Read moreSep 28
It’s probably no surprise that cucumbers are full of vitamins and minerals, but did you know that among many, many other uses, they can help you polish your shoes?
Read moreSep 27
Keeping your kitchen trash can smelling good can be a challenge. We have a plan…
Read moreSep 26
We thought it would be a great way to start a new week off by hearing the words of some of our Founding Fathers.
Read moreSep 26
Although society often places a disproportionate emphasis on attaining certain milestones at a young age, success is possible at any stage of life. Age brings with it unique insights associated with our lived experiences, which can lead to innovative ideas and solutions. But it’s not just a matter of having more experience — as we age, we may also become more resilient and more committed to our goals. Having overcome challenges and setbacks earlier in our lives, we’re often better equipped to successfully navigate the obstacles that come later.
We all continue to learn, grow, and evolve throughout our lives, and we may find our priorities and aspirations shifting as we grow older. The new skills and interests we develop can help us succeed in our pursuit of long-held ambitions or newfound passion projects. Research shows that success has nothing to do with age; it’s a combination of personality, persistence, intelligence, and luck.
So while achieving success is a personal journey with no one-size-fits-all definition, we hope these quotes act as a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.
Read moreSep 22
Etiquette is not something you learn about and act upon for no reason. It is clearly something that will keep you straight and feeling a part of things in a good way.
Read moreSep 21
If you are one off the thousands of people who don’t do well with dairy products or just want to eliminate some dairy from your diet, but hate the taste of dairy substitutes, we’ve got some great news for you!
Read moreSep 20
Sep 18
As you may recall, Corrie ten Boom is a woman your Two Chums admire and respect for her great and vast wisdom. So to start this week we are sharing some Words of Wisdom from her that we feel sure someone needs to hear…it might be you, if not to today then one day soon.
Read moreSep 15
If you’ve been around Two Chums for long you know we love our shortbread. On any given day, at any time of the day you could easily find either one of us with a cup of tea or coffee and piece of shortbread in our hand. So what makes this shortbread different?
Read moreSep 14
As Fall approaches so does soup weather. This Panera copy cake Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe from @instarecipe_lover is one we think you’ll want to have in your soup repertoire.
Read moreSep 13
There are some serious subjects out there that we need to be aware of with regard to our children and protecting our young ones. Still, sometimes someone comes along and calls out the humor in a situation or issue. We came across this quote on social media and thought this was one of those times.
Read moreSep 12
We all have unrealized hopes and dreams. And we can all use some encouragement from time to time. So on this day we offer you this encouragement:
Read moreSep 11
The date, September 11th, is forever etched in our minds as one of shock, sadness, and pain.
Read moreSep 11
We get going down the road of life and sometimes, we can be tempted to think that it is very serious business! It is really important to remember to find the “silly” in our days. Silliness usually brings with it laughter and that works really well to balance us!
Read more
Sep 8
It was one year ago today that we said goodbye to arguably the most respected and admired woman in the world, Queen Elizabeth II. We thought it a fitting way to remember this great lady to take look at some photos that captured her throughout her life and her unprecedented 70 year reign as Queen.
Read moreSep 7
If any of you have doggies, we have found a great way to keep track of them.
Read moreSep 6
Sep 4
More than 50 years after it premiered on June 30, 1971, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory continues to treat kids and adults alike to a deliciously bizarre viewing experience. Here are a handful of facts you might not know about this candylicious classic.
Read moreSep 4
We simply had to share this. We found it on social media and had to spread the joy!
Read moreSep 1
When folks learn that one of cotton candy’s creators cleaned teeth for a living, jaws inevitably drop.
Born in 1860, dentist William J. Morrison became president of the Tennessee State Dental Association in 1894. But Morrison was something of a polymath and a dabbler, and his varied interests also included writing children’s books and designing scientific processes. He patented methods for both turning cottonseed oil into a lard substitute and purifying Nashville’s public drinking water.
In 1897, Morrison and his fellow Nashvillian — confectioner John C. Wharton — collaborated on an “electric candy machine,” which received a patent within two years. Their device melted sugar into a whirling central chamber and then used air to push the sugar through a screen into a metal bowl, where wisps of the treat accumulated.
Morrison and Wharton debuted their snack, “fairy floss” at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904 (better known as the St. Louis World’s Fair). Over the seven-month event, at least 65,000 people purchased a wooden box of the stuff, netting Morrison and Wharton the modern equivalent of more than $500,000.
Whoa! That is so funny! They probably had more children needing their professional advice as well!
Enjoy your weekend!
Aug 31
The two-seater upholstered benches we associate with cozy couples were initially crafted with another duo in mind: a woman and her dress!
Fashionable attire in 18th-century Europe had reached voluminous proportions — panniers (a type of hooped undergarment) were all the rage, creating a wide-hipped silhouette that occasionally required wearers to pass through doors sideways.
Upper-class women with funds to spare on trending styles adopted billowing silhouettes that often caused an exhausting situation: the inability to sit down comfortably (or at all). Ever astute, furniture makers of the period caught on to the need for upsized seats that would allow women with such large gowns a moment of respite during social calls.
As the 1800s rolled around, so did new dress trends.
Women began shedding heavy layers of hoops and skirts for a slimmed-down silhouette that suddenly made small settees spacious. The midsize seats could now fit a conversation companion. When sweethearts began sitting side by side, the bench seats were renamed “love seats,” indicative of how courting couples could sit together for a (relatively) private conversation in public.
The seat’s new use rocketed it to popularity, with some featuring frames that physically divided young paramours. While the small sofas no longer act as upholstered chaperones, love seats are just as popular today — but mostly because they fit well in small homes and apartments.
Here’s to love!
Aug 30
Aug 29
Aug 28
It comes to us to share this which is something we found. We trust that it will reach just the right people and turn darkness into light.
Read moreAug 24
Well, as you well know, your Two Chums always try to look for the good! We saw this on social media and had to share it! The moral is that you can always see the bright side, no matter HOW awful something seems!
Read moreAug 23
Aug 22
It’s generally a good idea to keep your distance from lions, which is why it’s reassuring to know that hearing one doesn’t necessarily mean it’s nearby.
Read moreAug 21
This might be one of the most important women you never heard of before.
Read moreAug 18
Sometimes we just need a little something sweet that isn’t heavy but is satisfying. These Nutella Swirl Meringues hit the spot!
Read moreAug 17
We all seem to love pork. Whether its bacon or spare ribs or pulled pork sandwiches we love our pork, also sometimes called “the other white meat,” Often in a recipe or favorite dish you are asked to buy a certain portion of the pig…the hocks, the ribs, the shoulder, a butt roast. But do you have any idea where from that little piggy these cuts of meat come?
Read moreAug 15
Ahoy, mateys!
Everyone knows that in addition to making an excellent costume for Halloween, pirates are pretty fun, at least in their Disney-fied state with parrots, rum, jewels, and gold.
However, a lot of the modern stereotypes about pirates just don’t hold water. Here are a few facts about pirates that won’t get you cast out to sea.
Read moreAug 14
A good laugh will heal a lot of ailments! And a good pun certainly gives us a good laugh!
Read moreAug 10
Sometimes we come across great finds that we simply can’t keep to ourselves and just have to share with our chums.
Read moreAug 8
Boysenberries, and consequently boysenberry pie, became famous because of Knott’s Berry Farm and theme park in Buena Vista, California, literally just down the road from that other well known theme park and rival, Disneyland.
Read moreAug 7
The reedy hum of bagpipes calls to mind tartan attire and the loch-filled lands of Scotland, which is why it might be surprising to learn that the wind-powered instruments weren’t created there.
Read moreAug 4
Given that it is Friday and the weekend is upon us we thought there might possibly be some bacon in your weekend breakfast or brunch. We came across this article from americastestkitchen.com and knew we needed to share it with our chums.
Read moreAug 3
The story of the Brontës is one of tragedy and great literary achievement. Of the six children born to Maria Branwell and Patrick Brontë between 1814 and 1820, two died in childhood and none survived into their 40s (most were taken by the 19th-century tuberculosis epidemic that ravaged Europe). And yet, three of the Brontë sisters managed to write classic literary works that have endured long after their authors’ untimely deaths.
As children in their isolated home on the Yorkshire moors, Charlotte, Emily and Anne — along with their only brother, Branwell — began writing stories and creating fictional worlds. As adults, they were occasionally employed as teachers and governesses, but they never abandoned their love of literature. In 1846, the three sisters published a volume of poetry at their own expense. Due to the widely held prejudice against female writers, they adopted masculine pen names using their own initials: Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.
Their book of poetry sold only two copies, but the sisters were undeterred. The Brontës shared a steadfast attitude, a trait highlighted by their family friend Ellen Nussey, who described the siblings as “resolutely single-minded, eminently courageous, eminently simple in their habits, and eminently tender-hearted.” The trio soon began writing their own novels individually, many of which eventually became English literature classics.
Read moreAug 2
Always an icon of beauty and class, Audrey Hepburn had some very wise words to offer on the subject of beauty.
Read moreAug 1
“Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast” — so wrote William Shakespeare, who fully understood the importance of humor.
As an entertainer, Shakespeare had to capture the attention of the poor and wealthy alike, from common laborers who had to stand to watch plays (and were therefore known as “groundlings”) to lords and ladies who paid six pennies for a seat in the upper galleries. Tossing in a smattering of jokes, therefore, was a clever way to keep everyone — highborn or otherwise — amused during even the most somber of plays.
Read moreJul 28
We ran into some great quotes on Inspiring Quotes today! Be sure to embrace them!
Read moreJul 25
Well, it really is a very special day and I am doing a lot of celebrating today!
Read moreJul 24
If you have been on social media for a while, you might have actually read this before but we loved being reminded of it so hope you will as well.
Read moreJul 21
We bet you didn’t know those corks in your wine bottles could help you do this…
Read moreJul 18
Jul 17
Sometimes a little laughter can go a long way. So here’s to a little giggle compliments of Lucy…
Read moreJul 14
Jul 12
Did you know that generally speaking the shape, size and color of your plate may affect the way you eat or how you enjoy your food?
Read moreJul 11
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that he found it impossible to “read Plutarch without a tingling of the blood.”
Read moreJul 7
Asking your nearest and dearest to be in your bridal party is one way of honoring friends and family members, though the task once came with a lot more work than just throwing a couple of showers and a bachelor/bachelorette party.
Read moreJul 6
As the dog days of summer approach we all need a little break and sometimes a little treat to keep us going. Here it is…with a glass of iced tea or lemonade you have the perfect summer treat 🙂
Read moreJul 5
Jul 3
No one wants bugs of any kind in their home. Especially if you are having guests or when you are celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow. To ensure no spiders or wasps or other bugs are coming in out of the heat try this.
Read moreJun 29
Changing lanes in life can be very hard but change isn’t always bad!
Read moreJun 28
A good friend is a treasure: someone with whom you can spend all your time with and still have fun; someone who listens to your problems and shares their own; and, perhaps most importantly, someone who can tell you when you’ve made a mistake without causing a rift. bOur closest friends feel like family — they’re there through thick and thin, without judgment.
These relationships are so cherished that in 1935, the U.S. Congress decided to dedicate a national holiday to celebrate the closest friendships we have, our best friends. They settled on June 8, an often warm and breezy day when friends can get together outdoors and enjoy themselves. Apologies for missing this very important day but we ask, kindly, that you accept it today!
Some great quotes coming up that we are sure you can al relate to.
Read moreJun 26
Some personalities are born, while others are cooked up. The latter was the case with Betty Crocker! Can you believe it?!
Read moreJun 23
There is just one thing we would like to remind you of as we all roll into this weekend . . .
Read moreJun 22
In 1711, legendary English poet Alexander Pope composed one of his most famous works, An Essay on Criticism. Less of an essay and more of a lengthy poem, the piece features some of the greatest phrases in the English language, including “fools rush in” and “a little learning is a dangerous thing.” But it’s line 525 that has truly stood the test of time for its elegant simplicity in summarizing an undeniable truth: “To err is human.”
Read moreJun 21
This Summer Simmer Pot recipe is an easy “must have” from Williams -Sonoma.
Read moreJun 20
Milk plays a major part in human life — even for the most dedicated of vegans. Homo sapiens are biologically wired to be raised on our mother’s milk; the substance protects against short- and long-term illnesses while also sharing the mother’s antibodies with the newborn. Milk has also been the backbone of entire empires, and the substance even describes the very galaxy in which our planet resides. Here are seven amazing facts about milk (and its tasty plant-based alternatives) that’ll make you appreciate that carton in your fridge in a whole new way.
Although milk tastes much different than the H2O that comes out of the tap, the beverage is mostly water. Whole milk, for example, I s87% water, and the other 13% contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Because of its high water content, milk is also a good hydration source during hot summer days. For all the talk of different milk types (whole, 2%, or skim), the difference in water content is only 3% at most.
Milk looks white because it’s reflecting all the wavelengths of visible light, and the combination of reflected colors creates white. The particles in milk — including the protein casein, calcium complexes, and fat globules – scatter light, much as light scattering on snow makes it appear white. Sometimes milk can have a slight yellow hue caused by a cow’s diet — the pigment carotene, found in carrots and other vegetables, can cause color variations — and the vitamin riboflavin can also cause a yellowish-green hue. Skim milk, which is low in fat content, can sometimes be a bluish color because casein scatters blue slightly more than red.
Humans stand alone as the only mammals that drink the milk of another mammalian species. This is due to our history of animal husbandry, along with a genetic mutation that allows some humans to retain the enzyme lactase which breaks down milk’s lactose sugar in the digestive system — beyond infancy. However, this mutation is not found in the majority of the 8 billion Homo sapiens on planet Earth — in fact, 68% of us experience some form of lactose malabsorption.
Although humans stand alone when it comes to mammals, some other species do drink milk from other animals. The red-billed oxpecker is known to steal milk from the udders of impala, and shorebirds such as seagulls have similarly swiped milk from the teats of elephant seals.
The horse tribes of the Eurasian Steppes were one of the first cultures to adopt dairying, some 5,000 years ago. Because their vast plains weren’t fertile ground for agriculture, these nomadic tribes instead relied on animals and their milk for sustenance. Because they received much-needed calories from horse’s milk, these tribes could travel across land more quickly and maintain larger empires than their neighbors.
One of the remaining mysteries of milk’s importance in this era of human history is that 95% of Steppe people today lack the gene variant for digesting lactose, yet the population still gains a large portion of their calories from dairy products. One theory is that the microbiome found in the gut of Mongolians has somehow adapted to a millennia-long, dairy-heavy diet.
In 1857, French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur, discovered that microorganisms in the air caused lactic acid fermentation, aka the souring of milk. Pasteur also discovered (after a request from Emperor of France Napoleon III) that certain microbes caused wine to go bad, but by briefly heating the libation to around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, those microbes died off, leaving behind a sterilized (or as it would be later known, “pasteurized”) liquid that would stay fresh for longer.
Pasteurization for milk wasn’t introduced until 1886, but it was a game-changer, as diseases introduced via contaminated milk killed scores of infants in the 19th century. With the introduction of pasteurization, that number dropped significantly.
For years, dairy producers have sued alternative milk companies for using the word “milk” on their packaging — but history is not on their side. Evidence suggests that Romans had a complex understanding of the word “milk,” as the root of the word “lettuce” comes from “lact” (as in “lactate”). Many medieval cookbooks make reference to almond milk, and the earliest mention of soy milk can be found on a Chinese stone slab from around the first to third century CE. However, coconut milk has the longest history; archaeologists have recovered coconut graters among relics from Madagascar and Southeast Asia that date back to around 3000 to 1500 BCE.
The galaxy is home to hundreds of billions of stars, and stretches for truly mind-boggling distances. If you traveled the speed of light, it’d still take you 200,000 years just to cross its entirety. Its Western name — Milky Way — comes from a Greek myth in which the queen goddess Hera, while nursing the hero Heracles, pulled away her breast and sprayed her divine lactation across the cosmos. In fact, the root of the word “galaxy” is the Greek gála, meaning “milk”. The Romans also referred to the cosmos in Latin as Via Lactea, or “Road of Milk.” However, other cultures use different names to represent the great expanse of the starry sky. China, for example, calls it “銀河,” meaning “silver river,” and Sanskrit’s “Mandākinī” roughly means “unhurried.”
Well, what do you know!?
Take it from here, chums!
Jun 19
Yes, Fathers’ Day was yesterday but we ran into this interesting info which we knew you would all love to read about!
Read moreJun 16
You likely don’t know these men or their story. You should because it’s an important and inspiring one. Read on…
Read moreJun 15
Jun 14
We don’t have to wait for the weekends to have a special breakfast. This recipe is special and comes from an unexpected source.
Read moreJun 13
We dare say that there is nary a person who has not heard of the name “Einstein”. Here we have six facts about Albert Einstein that might surprise you.
Read moreJun 12
Some foods have uses beyond their obvious nutritional value. We’ve got 4 today that might surprise you and “freshen up” your life 🙂
Read moreJun 8
We all enjoy it but never seem to have enough. So do you know why sleep is so important to your health?
Read moreJun 7
Jun 5
It’s easy to lose track of items in the back of a dark pantry, which is why expiration dates can be so helpful in determining when to toss old foods. However, the “best by” dates we rely on aren’t always a true picture of how long a food is shelf-stable.
Food dating is mostly a voluntary process for grocery manufacturers, who often just estimate when their products will no longer be at their best quality. Luckily, there are some foods — like the six listed below — that are safe to keep using even if their expiration date has long passed.
Read moreJun 2
“June Is Bustin’ Out All Over,” as the song goes, and it’s one of the most fascinating months on the calendar.
Filled with holidays and long days in the U.S., the month is known best for the arrival of summer, and it is long awaited by the many sun lovers among us.
Here are a few fascinating facts about the month of June, from its ancient Roman moniker to its role as host to the newest national holiday in the U.S.
Read moreJun 1
It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary! – Paulo Coelho
The highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them. – John F. Kennedy
Read moreMay 31
It’s that time of year when we enjoy time in our gardens or pools, at picnics and BBQs, for hikes and evening walks….unfortunately it’s also that time of year that mosquitos enjoy us enjoying those things!
Read moreMay 30
Summer and warmer weather is on the way. In some places it’s already arrived. That means we will all be drinking more iced and chilled beverages. Whether you like cold brew coffee, iced tea, or fruit infused water we have a great find for you today!
Read moreMay 29
The war created prime conditions for poppies to flourish in Flanders and north-west France (and Gallipoli). Continual bombardment disturbed the soil and brought the seeds to the surface. They were fertilized by nitrogen in the explosives and lime from the shattered rubble of the buildings.
Read moreMay 26
Here we are again at the weekend when there is a national holiday to commemorate Memorial Day! We found some little-known facts about this Day which we would like to share with you.
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