Thoughts

According to the website Mental Floss, it’s likely that bats were present at the earliest celebrations of proto-Halloween, not just symbolically but literally. As part of Samhain, the Celts lit large bonfires, which attracted insects. The insects, in turn, attracted bats, which soon became associated with the festival. Medieval folklore expanded upon the spooky connotation […]

It’s that time of year again when pumpkins are everywhere. But why do we carve pumpkins for Halloween, anyway? What is the story behind this tradition? Pumpkin carving has been around for centuries, and there are many different theories about its origins. I want to look at the history of pumpkin carving and explore some

Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in the world. People of all ages enjoy dressing up in costumes, eating candy, and going trick-or-treating. But where did this spooky holiday come from? And how did it become so popular? First, I want to explore the history of Halloween and discuss its traditions. Then I

Today I want to discuss a controversial topic, Columbus, and whether or not we should continue to celebrate him as the person who discovered America. A brief history recap, Christopher Columbus was looking for a new route to Asia. He believed he could sail west and find a shorter way to the East Indies. In

I am the family historian, and sometimes this time of the year, filled with the holidays our family celebrates, makes me feel very nostalgic! My home is filled with antiques from my grandmother’s era, my mother’s artwork, and my dad’s memorabilia from World War II. In addition, I have elegant serving pieces and glassware from

Logging was a big business in Arnold, CA, for centuries. The first lumber mills were established in the late 1800s, and the industry continued to grow until the early 1900s. At its peak, Arnold was home to dozens of lumber mills and logging companies. However, the industry began to decline in the 1920s, and by