Why do most languages have something like a word that sounds like mama that means mother? Etymology, the study of the history of language and words, tells us part of the story, but biology tells us the other part. And we really can figure out why some things come to stand for other things, […]
Iconic L: Of Leisure, Luck and Lilith
This post has been drafted for over a year, but I never found the right time, so I am expanding it for A to Z posting it under Iconic L: Leisure, Luck, and Lilith. Leisure because this is an iconic element that every person, women included, should incorporate into their life and personal ideology. We […]
Clever Gifts Of Storytelling Grandmas
I hope you will consider how the gifts you choose for grandchildren, nieces, and nephews build relationships and generate storytelling, sharing, and yes, even learning. Updated for 2017 Originally posted October 22nd, 2015 Disclosure: Gabrielle Polt Balkan, author of The 50 States is my step-daughter. Other than parental pride per the atlas, and the Amazon […]
December Already
How can it be December already? It was carved pumpkins, then pumpkin pie, and now we are readying for Christmas trees, dreidels, and multi-color candles. December brings one of my favorite memories with it. When my daughter was little, no more than four, and attending nursery school, songs of the season were a big deal […]
Capture Legacy Stories This Holiday Season
The Holiday Season is Here I write this, reworking a post from two years ago, just before Thanksgiving. We are in the weekend for preparation before what we affectionately call Turkey Day in the U.S. I do not want to add to anyone’s stress levels, but beyond setting up your tech to record the Macy’s […]
Saved Seeds and Grandma's Egg Noodles
My grandmother saved seeds; my grand-daughters are served non-GMO food whenever possible. This one sentence, personal vignette is a story of five generations of women. It involves changes in farming, from truck gardens to agribusiness. It is a reflection of how women procure food for their families. Hints, implications, context, and reference are implicit nuance, […]