After first sticking his back leg in my tea and then kicking it all over me, Louis Catorze settled down with me to watch one of those maximum security prison documentaries. (We’re more low-brow than one would imagine – it’s not all Balzac and Baudelaire here at Le Château.) And it seems that, in Indiana State maximum security prison, they have a cat adoption scheme. 

I initially had mixed feelings about the idea. My first thought was the safety of the animals: if you’ve killed a human in cold blood and are quite casual and blasé about it, you’re unlikely to have much compassion or empathy for an animal, right? But the cats look happy, glossy and well-fed, pitter-pattering freely between cells but mainly sticking to their one Cat Daddy, whom they clearly love. Even if he happens to be a serial torturer or murderer. 

My second thought:…

(1)John Marshall the Scotisman, (2) Joseph Marshall, (3) Major Elihu Marshall, (4) Elizabeth (Marshall) Guion, (5) Elijah Guion, (6) Elijah Guion II, (7) Alfred Beck Guion, (8) Alfred Duryee Guion, (9) Alfred Peabody Guion, (10) Judith Anne Guion

The fact is very little is known about John Marshall. Unlike our other immigrant ancestors, he lived in Boston all his life after coming to America, and never had any trouble with the Puritans — he and his wife attended the First Church of Boston for many years and apparently were well content to do so. That church was the head and front of established Puritanism; one historian calls it the “Vatican of Massachusetts Bay Colony”. The Marshals attended it under the pastorate of the mighty Rev. John Cotton, most scholarly and eloquent of Puritan preachers, who was a leader in the banishment of Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson; after Cotton’s death…

(1) Stephen Hussey, (2) Abigaill (Hussey) Marshall, (3) Major Elihu Marshall, (4) Elizabeth (Marshall) Guion, (5) Elijah Guion, (6) Elijah Guion II, (7) Alfred Beck Guion, (8) Alfred Duryee Guion, (9) Alfred Peabody Guion, (10) Judith Anne Guion

http://www.hamptonhistoricalsociety.org/foundpk.htm

The Nantucket period of our story can be said to begin with young Stephen Hussey, our first American-born ancestor, son of Christopher and Theodate, whom Stephen Bachiler, his grandfather, had christened at Lynn. Young Stephen was born in October of 1630, and had grown up at Lynn, Newbury and Hampton. When his father, Christopher Hussey, and Robert Pike, bought a share in the Nantucket company in 1659, Stephen was commissioned to go to Nantucket and operate their holding. He went to the island in 1660, with the very first settlers and was among Nantucket’s leading men for more than a half-century after that — in fact, until his death in 1718.

  photo taken at mid-day

Follow The Vikings Roadshow came to Waterford on the Easter weekend. I guess, attendance would be greater if the festival took place on some other weekend, but what to do – even Google never does Easter Doodles  At least we know for sure that the Vikings have been eventually converted 

Familiar streets look different. Amazing actors and dancers from many European countries came to Waterford- or rather Veðrafjǫrðr– to celebrate our viking heritage. Famous for their spectacular performances, the Roadshow will tour another seven viking locations (twelve altogether) in the UK, Spain and Scandinavia.

I only caught a glimpse of the night show, but you can see plenty of images on their website.

Ancient viking civilization made a major impact on European history and culture. Far from being just barbaric raiders, the vikings left the legacy that is still evident today in various parts of the world.

You can learn…

  Results from my current knitting project – hats in shades of brown

   Me modeling the latest hat