Gemstone Lore: Birthstones
You might be aware of your own birthstone, perhaps those of your loved ones—but did you know that the history of birth stones reaches back thousands of years, and has...
The Common Cause
Time and Oysters: My Take on Hot Pearl Summer
I don’t think there is anything as timeless and elegant as a string of pearls. Just the phrase may conjure up images of the effortless sophistication of Michelle Obama, or...
The Golden Light of Evening
Life is not back to normal, but no one is surprised. The days are long, sometimes too long, but the months are short and fleeting. Often I feel as though...
History of Jewelry: Middle East
Archeologists found a single pearl and gold earring in Bahrain, an island in the Persian gulf. It was estimated to be around 4,000 years old—one of the oldest ever found....
Eternal Love: Baucis and Philemon
To wrap up our unofficial Tragic Romance Month, I give you the story of tenderhearted Baucis and good-natured Philemon. This story is a look inside tradition, social connection, and pragma,...
Niulang and Zhinu, the Oxherd and the Weaver
There are many variations on this 2600 year old Chinese folk legend, including Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Indian versions, but here is the one I know. Seven sister goddesses were...
Echo and Narcissus: Enamored of A Ghost
Welcome to the second installment of what I’ve come to think of as Tragic Romance Month. Today, we draw again from the well of Ovid. Love does not always make...
Tragic Romance: Galatea and Acis
An etiological myth is a myth that serves a purpose. It offers an explanation for something we don’t fully understand. Persephone’s marriage is an etiological myth. Before we understood why...
Folkloric Spirits: An Introduction to Nymphs
The word “nymph” comes from the Greek numphe, meaning “bride,” but it didn’t exactly mean what you might imagine; generally, it referred to a certain stage of life, a young...
