Image to lead article

The Elucidating Grannies Follow Whispering Bones to Historic Jamestown

The Elucidating Grannies chose Jamestown as the first stop on our exploration of colonial life in Williamsburg, Virginia. The whisper of a young girl’s bones lured us there. For background on the origins of the Elucidating Grannies, see my previous post.

To show marks on bones that have been cannibalized

Cut marks on Jane Doe’s jaw bone

British colonists erected a fort on the James River in 1607, making Jamestown the first permanent British settlement in North America.

Jamestown was the logical first step on our quest to understand the nation’s colonial roots. But Liz and I also thought Jamestown would pique the interest of our grandkids–Eva, Abby, and Aydan. Because of research I’d done for my book Tomb Raiders: Real Tales of Grave Robberies, I knew Jamestown’s bones had a grisly story to tell about desperate people trying to survive in a desperate time. Read more

Image of the Grannies

The Elucidating Grannies

The Elucidating Grannies

 

On June 12, 2021, my sister Liz and I launched the inaugural journey of the Elucidating Grannies. Joining us were my nine-year-old granddaughter Eva and my sister’s two oldest grandchildren, Aydan, age 11, and Abby, age 10.

Grannies and Grandkids

The Elucidating Grannies Inaugural Adventure

 

Our destination: The Historic Triangle at Williamsburg, Virginia.

Our goal: to take our progeny on a time travelling adventure in which they explore colonial and revolutionary era American history.

Our mission: Through travel experiences, we will help our grandchildren learn history and social issues through the soles of their feet and the connections they make with their hearts.

Becoming the Elucidating Grannies

Taking on the role of expanding our grandkids’ minds was a natural evolution for Liz and I. We both have three children. When our kids were young, and money was lean, my sister and I took our collective clan on summer camping adventures with a distinct historical and sometimes literary bent.

Liz and I grew up devouring the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. When we became mothers, we read them out loud to our kids. So our first adventure in the late 1990s was on the trail of Pa Ingalls’ “itchy foot.” We traveled from the banks of Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, Minnesota to De Smet, South Dakota.

Read more

The Patriotic Blues

Patriotic Blues

I come from a family of eight kids. When we get together we sing, usually parodies aimed at one sibling or another. But when I was about nine years old, my sister Liz (2 years older) and I composed a song that stemmed from a deep love of country. In the true American tradition, we wrote a protest song. We have our parents to thank for that.

Read more

The Taste of Shared Humanity

 

In an age of immigration bans and border walls, it’s easy to see the world through an “us versus them” lens. But sometimes all it takes is a fleeting incident to alter one’s world view. 

When I was seven and traveling through India with my family, a bag of taffy helped me recognize the place of privilege I hold as a white, middle-class American. But that candy also helped me feel a kinship to other children.  Here’s my tale of discovering the taste of shared humanity. Read more

The author on a date

Finding myself in History: Dumped Before the Dance

Fall is the season for sweaters, leaf watching, and football games. With football comes Homecoming.

With Homecoming comes the dance and memories of strapless chiffon dresses and lingering kisses and…getting dumped. This trip down memory lane is for all ladies going single to the homecoming dance. Rock on, sisters.

Read more