A Celebration of Bounty and Community - The Harvest Dinner

 

The harvest dinner. The very name conjures images of overflowing tables laden with seasonal produce, the warm glow of candlelight, and the joyful chatter of people gathered together in celebration. But what exactly is a harvest dinner, and why has it remained such a cherished tradition across cultures and throughout history? 

The tradition of a harvest supper came directly from English rural customs brought by the Pilgrims and other settlers to North America. In 17th-century England, the "harvest home" marked the end of the harvest season, when the last sheaf of grain was cut and a "corn dolly" was made. A feast followed, with roasted meats, fresh bread, seasonal vegetables, and ale, shared with workers.

                                                                          corn dolly

When the pilgrims arrived in Plymouth in 1621, they celebrated their first autumn harvest with the Wampanoag people. While the exact menu is unknown, accounts suggest roasted deer, local vegetables (onions, beans, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, carrots, peas), and cornmeal porridge. This was both a celebration of survival and a thanksgiving to God for the season's yield. 

In colonial and early American life, harvest suppers were communal events that brought together families, neighbors, and sometimes, visitors. 

For western homesteaders, September meant long days of harvesting, preserving, and preparing for winter. The supper was a pause to enjoy the fruits of labor--savory vegetable dishes, fruit pies, hot biscuits with jam, and hearty stews. These meals often included contributions from neighbors, reinforcing the culture of hospitality and mutual aid that defined rural life. 

Harvest time in the Old West rewarded months of hard work in the gardens, fields, and orchards. The fruits of their labor resulted in overflowing larders, cupboards, and tables. Since homesteads were few and far between, a harvest supper brought neighbors and friends together to enjoy the bounty and to give thanks to the Lord for His provision. For these homesteaders on the prairie, September meant long days that began before sunrise gathering eggs, harvesting crops,   

shelling beans, drying apples, and putting up vegetables for winter. Livestock needed to be fed, firewood needed cutting, the stove needed tending, and the bread box was empty...again!

   

But despite the tasks needed to be performed each day, the mention of a harvest supper produced joy and anticipation. With donations from every family and neighbor, the tables groaned under the weight of savory vegetables, stews, fruit pies, and the fragrant scent of fresh bread. Extra provisions were shared with all, no one went away empty-handed. In this wild and untamed land, the settlers' survival depended on looking out for one another. From all points East, North, and South, the pioneers had toted the heritage of hospitality by covered wagon, train, and horseback to share with their neighbors.

These suppers afforded busy families a chance to pause in the daily tasks, to offer thanks for a plentiful harvest and to share the fruits of their labor with the people they treasure most...a shared smile across the table, a hug from a long-distance sibling, or the ring of a child's laughter made all the hard work and long hours worthwhile.

Today, while the recipes may have changed, the spirit of the harvest supper remains the same...a time to gather, share, and give thanks for the season's work. In rural and cultural traditions, it still carries the warmth of its colonial and pioneer origins, rooted in the land, the community, and gratitude for the harvest.

 

The Packsaddle Librarians of Eastern Kentucky by Jo-Ann Roberts

 

Recently, I watched a PBS documentary about the Pack Horse Library, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program that delivered reading material the people who lived in the craggy, 10,000-square-mile portion of eastern Kentucky during the Great Depression. 

As I watched, I wondered if Dolly Parton was inspired to start her Imagination Library by these intrepid, innovative women!

Kentucky already trailed its neighbors in electricity and highways. And during the Depression food, education and economic opportunities were even scarcer for Appalachians.

And they also lacked books.

In the early 1930s, up to 31% of people in eastern Kentucky couldn't read. Though they wanted to learn, coal and railroads were poised to industrialize the region, raising the hopes of many Appalachians who were ready to take part in the coming prosperity.

"Workers viewed the sudden economic changes as a threat to their survival and literacy as a means of escape from a vicious economic trap." Donald C. Boyd.

This presented a challenge. In 1930, Kentucky only circulated one book per capita compared to the standard of five to ten. There had been earlier attempts to get books into the remote region. In 1913, a Kentuckian named May Stafford solicited money to take books to rural people on horseback, but her project only lasted one year. Local Berea College sent a horse-drawn book wagon into the mountains in the last teens and early 1920s. But that program ended by 1934, when the first WPA-sponsored packhorse library was formed in Leslie County.

Unlike many New Deal projects, the packhorse plan required help from locals. "Libraries" were housed in any facility that would step up, from churches to post offices. Librarians manned these outposts, giving books to carriers who then climbed aboard their mules or horses, saddlebags loaded with books and headed into the hills. They took their jobs as seriously as mail carriers and crossed streams in wintry conditions, feet frozen in the stirrups.

Librarians were paid $28 a month ($495 in today's dollars) to deliver books to the people, provided their own horses, or leased them from neighbors, using saddlebags, sacks, and pillowcases to carry books to people who had no way to get to libraries. These hardy women rode out at least twice a month, covering 100 to 120 miles a week to deliver books that were donated from women's clubs, schools, churches, and universities.

One librarian, Nan Milan, who carried books in an eight-mile radius from the Pine Mountain Settlement School, joked that the horses she rode had shorter legs on one side than the other so that they wouldn't slide off the steep mountain paths.

The librarian solicited donations of books, magazines, textbooks, Sunday school material, and newspapers from people in more affluent and accessible regions. Once the precious books were in a library's collection, the women did everything they could to preserve them. They repaired books, repurposing old Christmas cards as bookmarks so people would be less likely to dog-ear pages.

 As word of the campaign spread, books arrived from other states. A Kentuckian who had moved to California sent 500 books as a memorial to his mother. When materials became too worn to circulate, librarians made them into new books. They pasted stories and pictures from the worn books into binder, turning them into new reading material. Recipes, also pasted into binders and circulated throughout the mountains, proved so popular that Kentuckians started scrapbooks of quilt patterns, too.

In 1936, packhorse librarians served 50,000 families, and by 1937, 155 public schools. Children loved the program, and since they were so far from public libraries, most students had never checked out a book.

"'Bring me a book to read,' is the cry of every child as he runs to meet the librarian with whom he has become acquainted...not a certain book, but any kind of book." Pack Horse Library supervisor.

The Pack Horse Library Project also provided reading lessons. 

Librarians and book women would also read aloud to families. The librarians were also seen as educators, bringing new ideas into isolated areas. In order to do so, librarians had to deal with their community's suspicion of strangers and deal with a "hostility toward any outside influence". Librarians managed to overcome the attitude to such a degree that one family was reported as refusing to move to a new county because it lacked a packhorse library service.

The project ended in 1943 when the WPA stopped funding the program. While local communities tried to keep the libraries going, they were unable to continue without funding. It was only in the 1950s that the remote communities would have access to bookmobiles.

The women who participated in the project and the communities they served, had been forever changed by the simple, powerful act of bringing books and knowledge to those who need it most.

If you are interested, here is the link to watch the PBS documentary.

 The Pack Horse Librarians of Appalachia | Episode 1 | PBS

Meet Me in St. Louis...For an Ice Cream Cone!

Here's something to ponder if you happen to be waiting in line for that perennial favorite...an ice cream cone. Where do ice cream cones come from?

The exact origin of the combination of an edible wafter or waffle, the cone shaped, and the ice cream is unclear. edible wafers date back centuries, and they were long served alongside ice cream as an accompaniment. The most popular cone invention stories originated at the 1904 World's Fair, but they were almost certainly invented before that date and the actual story of who first used a rolled wafter to service ice cream is a murky story.

In 1807, a painting of a Parisian cafe holds an early clue that the cafe was known for serving ice cream, and the lower right corner of the image shows a woman licking something out of a handheld container that historians claim is the "first pictorial evidence for ice cream cones."

As ice cream grew in popularity in the 19th century, vendors began selling it on city streets in a variety of cups and containers, including cone-shaped glass utensils and the notoriously unsanitary "penny licks" -- tiny, stemmed glasses in which ices were sold at the British seashore and on London streets. Once the treat was consumed, the dishes were reused by the next customer without washing, potentially spreading disease.

In 1887, a British author, Agnes Marshall printed instructions for making "Cornets with Cream," cone-shaped vessels made of a sweet paste of blanches almonds and flour rolled around cornet molds, baked, and filled with sweetened vanilla-flavored whipped creams.

At the turn of the century Antonio Valvona filed a patent for a device to make biscuits cups or dishes that could be filled with ice cream then sold by vendors on the streets. In 1902, Valvona teamed up with Frank Marchiony, an Italian immigrant in New York. Valvona operated the firm's factory in England, while Marchiony ran the American operations on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Enter Marchiony's cousin, Italo Marchiony. In 1903, the cousin established a rival ice cream firm and filed a patent for his own "molding apparatus used in the manufacture of ice cream cups and the like." The illustrations from Italo's patent application showed precisely the kind of unusual shapes he was trying to mold tiny flat-bottomed teacups made of biscuit dough, complete with delicate handles.

And that's where things stood on the eve of the St. Louis World's Fair. People were eating ice cream from edible containers, but nothing that anyone today would consider an ice cream cone.

One thing we know for sure: visitors at the World's Fair ate plenty of ice cream in cones--or cornucopias, as they were called at the time. A patron wrote home to her family in South Carolina that the "waffle cornucopia filled with ice cream" was a treat widely enjoyed on "the Pike"--the Exposition's version of a midway.

A photo taken at the Fair shows a mother and her three children standing outside the "New York to the North Pole" attraction each holding an ice cream cone. The long cones have waffled sides and pointed bottoms familiar to us today instead of just a rolled-up waffle. 

 The myths about who concocted the first ice cream cones began with the most common 1904 St. Louis World's Fair story. Ernest Hamwi, an immigrant from Syria, was making zalabia, a wafer dessert, next to an ice cream stand. Hamwi suggested the combination when the ice cream vendor ran out of dishes. In the 1950s, the International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers named him the official creator. Still, stories of other "originators" of the ice cream cone continued to circulate in the years following the fair.

Yet, with so many competing after-the-fact stories and so little tangible evidence, it seems unlikely that we'll ever know who came up with the ice cream cone, the Fair did serve to popularize the cone, which for millions of people--our family included, will be forever grateful!

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My latest release...

North and South. Yankee and Rebel. Union and Confederate.
In the midst of the Civil War, can two hearts come together?
When the tide of war sweeps south and the Union Army invades and destroys the Georgia cotton mill where Kate Brodie is a nurse, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s branded a traitor and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely attention of a Yankee major makes the trip tolerable.

Union major, Griffin Fletcher loathes the part of his job that requires him to destroy homes, towns, and livelihoods of innocent civilians. But he’s sworn to uphold the Union at all costs. Yet, he vows to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Marietta. Especially the one whose fiery determination, proud stance, and soft heart draws him closer.

Determined to remain in the South, Kate makes a daring leap of faith to nurse wounded Yankee soldiers, never expecting Major Fletcher to be one of her patients. Along with his healing, they each faced the fears and prejudices that had brought them together.
With survival so tenuous, can faith help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy?

 CLICK HERE

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The series explores themes of courage, duty, and sacrifice during wartime, featuring spirited heroines who refuse to simply wait while war rages around them. Each sweet romance pairs these women with patriots facing choices between duty and desire. With emphasis on hope and unwavering love of country, these stories appeal to readers seeking historical romance with espionage elements and heroines who prove that even in uncertain times, love and freedom are worth the risk.

Swinging Through Time - A Short History of Porch Swings

Summer is officially here in North Carolina, although we've had several days of 90+ degree days in the spring. Along with the beautiful weather are the opportunities to create wonderful memories while reliving some of your past favorites.

There something about the warm breezes and the color of the sky that leads me back to my days spent visiting my maternal grandparents in upstate New York. We would take a daily walk, past the creek and Little League ballpark to visit my great Aunt Loretta (Grandma's sister) and Uncle John (Grandpa's brother). Yes, two sisters married two brothers!

It was while visiting Loretta and John that I discovered the wooden glider tucked beneath a grapevine-covered arbor in the yard. I'd make the swing go as wild and high as possible, knowing I'd get a scolding, but it was the freedom of flying without actually leave the ground. 

So, while writing my upcoming release, I knew I wanted to include a romantic scene between the two main characters. And where better to set the scene than on a porch swing on a warm summer night. But first, the research. The porch swing, with its timeless charm and comforting sway, has become an iconic piece of outdoor furniture. Originating centuries ago, porch swings have gracefully evolved from simple wooden slates to elaborate designs, becoming a staple in many homes.

The porch swing, as we recognize it today, owes much of its popularity to colonial American. In the 18th century, European settlers brought with them a love for outdoor living spaces. Porches became integral parts of homes, and swings made of simple wooden slats or ropes were installed to offer a comfortable retreat. These swings were often handmade, a testament to the craftsmanship of the time.

During the Victorian era in the 19th century, porch swings underwent a transformation, reflecting the ornate and elaborate design trends of the era. The swings became a symbol of relaxation and refined outdoor living, adding a touch of elegance to the porches of Victorian homes.

   


    

The early 20th century saw the golden age of porch swings, with their popularity reaching new heights. Manufacturers began producing porch swings on a larger scale, making them more accessible to a wider audience. This era saw the introduction of innovative designs and materials, including metal and wicker. The porch swing became synonymous with the idyllic American home, featured in homemaking magazines. 

As design trends shifted in the mid-20th century, porch swings adapted to more modern living. Sleek lines, minimalist designs, and the use of new materials like aluminum.

As the 21st century dawned, porch swings continued to be a beloved outdoor accessory.  Contemporary porch swings have become a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern materials. keeping pace with today's homeowners.

The history of porch swings is a testament to their enduring appeal. From their humble beginnings as simple suspended seats to the diverse choice of designs available today, porch swings have stood the test of time. Whether gracing a Victorian-era porch, a craftsman-style home, or a contemporary patio, these swinging benches offer an invitation to relaxation and leisure.

And maybe, just maybe, there is a little girl visiting her grandparents during summer vacations who wanted to swing high and fast, but who still needed solid ground beneath her feet.

Excerpt...

“There’s something important I want to discuss with you, Griffin.”

Looking up at the canopy of stars in the blue-black night, Griffin smiled. Despite what little time they’d been in each other’s company, he knew when something was troubling her. “Nice evening for courting, don’t you think?” he said before he raised her hand to his lips then meshed his fingers with hers. Even if the glow from the nearby lantern hadn’t confirmed it, he knew a rosy blush had risen to her cheeks. It was, as his mother reminded them, their wedding night.

“Your mother is about as subtle as a boulder.”

Her words were tinged with a note of laughter, and this time Griffin chuckled aloud. “That she is. She practically shoved the food down our throats then insisted we ‘go set’ as she calls it.”

“But she did promise that we could put Jack to bed.”

“Her one concession,” he noted, setting the swing into motion with the toe of his boot. “Now tell me what’s so important that has you worrying your bottom lip from the moment we came out here.”

Within the confines of the porch swing, their bodies touched from ankle to shoulders and when Kate inhaled a deep breath, Griffin couldn’t help but feel her uneasiness.

“I want to continue working with Dr. Wells as his nurse. There’s such a need, Griffin, with so many people either migrating West or choosing to settle in Marietta. And your mother tells me many enslaved folks often pass through here on their way North.”

“Did Mama mention that she often hid families fleeing slavery? She would hang a particular quilt, I think the pattern was called the Log Cabin. It would relay the message to that here was a safe place.”

Kate remained quiet for a long moment. “Now I know why you are an honorable man. You were raised with compassion, a duty to help the less fortunate, and with the guidance of a good woman.”

“And a time or two spent behind the woodshed.” His grin faded, thinking of his wild days as youth. Now, as he so often did, he gave thanks he didn’t find himself on the same slippery slope as Jasper Pike.

“I think working with Doc Moore is a fine idea. Why did you think I’d have objections?”

Kate’s shoulders orchestrated a shrug. “I’ve heard comments to the effect that once your husband returns from the fighting, he’ll want you to behave as a proper wife and have a passel of children.”

It had crossed his mind more than once wondering if Kate would be open to having children of their own. The thought added a different type of heat to the already warm night. “The war has changed a great many things, Kate, including what constitutes a proper wife. But I am curious about one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“The idea of having children.”

The words hung there as the swing slowed, the rhythmic easing of its bolts and hinges adding to the symphony of the katydids and night owls. “I’ve always been open to having children. Unfortunately, Hugh and I were never blessed with any. When he died, I consoled myself with the thought that at least he didn’t leave behind children who might not recover from the death of a father.”

“What regiment did he serve with?” Griffin hoped she didn’t mind the question.

“General Ambrose Wright,” she answered then gave a soft, tired sigh. “Hugh was proud of his Georgia heritage. Our fathers were friends from their university days in medical school in Augusta. I’d always scoffed at those twitterpated ninnies who fell in love at first sight…until I met Hugh at a dinner party. By the time dessert arrived, I knew he was the one. We’d been married eight years when the war broke out and he joined the Georgia Brigade. I’d already suffered the loss of my father at Manassas Junction three months after the war started, so when the news arrived about Hugh’s passing, I realized I was truly alone.”

“I’m sorry, Kate.” He pulled her closer against his shoulder. The battle resulted in a Confederate victory, shocking the North and boosting Southern morale.

She nodded her assent. Yet, her fragile smile didn’t convince him.

“There’s something more, isn’t there?”

With her eyes closed, she pulled in her bottom lip. “I can’t be sure but I believe I spotted Jasper Pike on the platform at the train station.”

“Pike?” A sudden coldness hit his core.

“Did you ever mention to him where you might be headed?”

A muscle jumped in Griffin’s cheek and his jaw clenched. “The last time I saw hide or hair of that—” He swallowed a word he wasn’t in the habit of using. “Just after he aimed his rifle and shot me in Marietta.”

“Oh, dear heavens, Griffin!” Kate’s hands flew to her heart and her eyes grew round. “But, Griffin, you never said anything. Pastor Alden or Opaline or I could have alerted someone to go after him.”

“I did tell Sergeant Dalton when he came to see me at the Methodist church after I was stitched up. And later when I returned to my regiment General Garrard took my statement. But by that time we were on the way to Atlanta. Scouring the countryside for—”the word surfaced again—“Pike wasn’t a priority for the Union Army. I guessed they figured he was either killed or deserted.”

“The detestable, odious man he is. Don’t they shoot or hang deserters?”

Griffin lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “If they find them. There are a dozen ways to desert. A soldier could wait until a platoon passed by, work his way to the end of line then head home on foot. Others might skulk in ravines and hide until the battle was over. Or like Pike,  slip into the woods and never be seen or heard from again.” He shifted his arm. Gently, with one long finger against her left cheek he turned her face toward him. “Put Jasper Pike out of your mind, Kate. I’m here now. Nothing is going to happen to you or Jack.”

Moisture filled her eyes. “And by volunteering to act as a deputy sheriff in Harmony for the week is how you plan to do it? You survived four years of war only to come home and have some…some outlaw…what if something happens to you?”

Griffin gave an exaggerated sigh. “As much as I’m honored by your concern, I’ve always wondered why is it that women often hear only part of the story?” Kate stiffened beside so he hurried to explain...again. “There are four fellas that volunteered to be deputies—should the need arise. I’m only, I repeat, only on standby and as an advisor.”

If Kate was considering a response, the appearance of his mother holding Jack calmed her misgivings.

“Here’s your boy, Papa.” In a gesture that seemed perfectly natural, Griffin stretched out his arms. Jack didn’t hesitate. He leaned forward and snuggled against his chest, finding a spot just beneath his chin before popping his thumb into his mouth. Unconditional love flowed through him. This child may not be of his body, but he was and always would be a child of his heart. He tightened his grip on the baby, enjoying his warmth.

The surprise on Kate’s face mirrored his own. She smiled, her eyes sparkling with—what he hoped—were happy tears.

His mother draped a lacy crocheted blanket over Jack. “Since it looks like the two of you have everything well in hand, I’ll tend to the dishes. “Oh, I moved Jack’s cot into my room for the night,” she added with a knowing waggle of her eyebrows before going inside the house.

This time even Griffin blushed. “That woman is nothing if not persistent.”

“Like a dog with a bone,” Kate muttered.

They sat in peaceful silence for several minutes until Jack’s head drooped further down on his chest and his thumb slid from his mouth.

Kate stood and reached for the lantern. “It’s time this little one was in bed.”

Cradling Jack, Griffin rose and followed his wife into the house. She pushed open the door to his mother’s room, which was illuminated by a milk glass kerosene lamp with a spray of violets etched on the shade, its wick turned low. The baby never whimpered when Griffin carefully laid him down then kissed his dark head.

Kate stood at the threshold, her arms wrapped around her waist. She didn’t move but only stared up at him, her blue eyes wide and luminous.

“I want us to be with him every night, Kate

Kate’s voice was low and smooth, and wrapped around his heart. “I was hoping you’d want to.”

Powerless to keep from capturing her mouth with his own, he tugged her closer. Her lips were soft and inviting, and held a sweetness he knew he’d never find anywhere else. With her soft curves molding to the contours of his body, he deepened the kiss and wrapped her in a fierce embrace. When her hands explored his shoulders then moved to caress his back with butterfly touches, he groaned. The desire for his wife was like nothing he’d ever known.

A noise from the kitchen reminded him where they were and he reluctantly ended the kiss. He didn’t release his hold on her knowing there was no reason not to lead her into their room. They were married in the eyes of the Lord. That should have been good enough for any man.

Yet, something held him back.

While it was obvious there was a growing affection between them, he also sensed an undercurrent of something he couldn’t quite define. Meeting under the worst of circumstances, he understood theirs wasn’t a conventional union. Mistrust, resentment, and broken homes and lives, along with booming cannon fire and Minie´ balls had been the hallmarks coloring their lives. If they were going to move forward and build a life together, it had to be based on mutual trust, honesty, and in time—hopefully—love.

North and South. Yankee and Rebel. Union and Confederate.
In the midst of the Civil War, can two hearts come together?
When the tide of war sweeps south and the Union Army invades and destroys the Georgia cotton mill where Kate Brodie is a nurse, not only is her livelihood destroyed but she’s branded a traitor and shipped northward with the other workers. Only the unlikely attention of a Yankee major makes the trip tolerable.

Union major, Griffin Fletcher loathes the part of his job that requires him to destroy homes, towns, and livelihoods of innocent civilians. But he’s sworn to uphold the Union at all costs. Yet, he vows to protect these women he’s been ordered to transport to Marietta. Especially the one whose fiery determination, proud stance, and soft heart draws him closer.

Determined to remain in the South, Kate makes a daring leap of faith to nurse wounded Yankee soldiers, never expecting Major Fletcher to be one of her patients. Along with his healing, they each faced the fears and prejudices that had brought them together.
With survival so tenuous, can faith help them find love in the midst of so much tragedy?

 Pre-Order Link

Petticoats and Patriots (8 book series)

Series Link

   

 

 

Gum Blankets in the Civil War - by Jo-Ann Roberts

 

I am not a fan of camping...I'll admit it. My idea of "roughing it" on vacation is a hotel room with Netflix and a hot shower! 

The one and only time we did go was in 1980-something when our children were small and at the invitation from friends. It was the hottest weekend of the summer, and my husband and I shared the top bunkbed in the camper, our noses about eight inches from the ceiling.

We've never gone again.

So, when I was plotting out my newest work in progress set during the Civil War, I had a scene where the MMC offers the FMC protection from a rainstorm. Knowing a blanket or a quilt would get soaked, offering no protection, I did some digging.

Today, we would think of these blankets as a type of tarpaulin, made of plastic to keep moisture from wicking through. In the mid-19th century, plastic was many decades away, and rubber, the top-of-line material for these blankets, was just coming into fashion. Developers in various parts of the world worked on developing rubber so that it would not become brittle at below freezing temperatures or begin to melt and get sticky at higher temperatures.

Civil War soldiers left their homes for camping trips which went on for four long years. Plastic tarps didn't yet exist, but most Union soldiers had a rubber blanket, sometimes called a gum blanket, or poncho with a slit to allow it to be worn over the body in wet weather. Soldiers could use the rubber blankets as ground cloths, or several soldiers to turn rubber blankets into a tent or just put one over the entrance to the tent.

 

The waterproof blankets issued during the Civil War generally had a cloth foundation layer, often cotton duck or muslin, which was then coated on one side with a waterproofing base. While some of these blankets may have been made with varnish, most were rubberized. Manufacturers of rubber blankets began by rubberizing both sides but soon switched to rubberizing only one side of the blanket. This This change kept costs of the blankets down and reduced the weight of items carried by soldiers as they marched from camp to camp or battle to battle, a factor that sometimes meant life or death. There were two variations on the rubber blanket--ponchos, which had a reinforced slit, so they could be put over the head, and simpler blanket, measuring 71 x 44 inches without the slit.

Soldiers were quick to recognize the value of rubber blankets. They would frequently abandon their heavy knapsacks, shedding unnecessary weight, and carrying only a bed roll around what few personal and valuable items they could not bear to be parted from.

The issuance of a rubber blanket to a Union soldier was even used as a recruiting inducement. One regiment in Philadelphia was particularly aggressive in using gum blankets as an inducement to voluntary enlistment by placing a classified advertisement in October 1862.

AVOID THE DRAFT --Join the 157 Regiment, Colonel WM. A.Gray

 Complete outfit, one month's pay in advance, all the bounties and a gum blanket

 Call at No. 627 Chestnut Street

Civil War ground cloths were more than just protective coverings--they were vital tools for soldiers in the field. Whether used for sleeping, sitting, or as part of a shelter, these rubberized blankets provided essential comfort and protection against the elements.

Girl Power - Ten Inventions by Women That Changed the World

In honor of Women's History Month here are ten groundbreaking inventions that changed the world and the course of history.

Though today, female patent holders have increased ten-fold from 1977 to present, there is still some way to go before female inventors are fairly represented. However, there are a number of women throughout history who defied social barriers to invent some of the most universally used and recognized programs, products, and devices that we all benefit from today.

The Computer Compiler

Rear Admiral Grace Hopper joined the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after being assigned to work on a new computer called the Mark 1, soon became the foremost developer of computer programming the 1950s. She translated instructions into computer-readable code and revolutionized how computers worked.

Nicknamed 'Amazing Grace', Hopper was also the first to popularize the term 'bug' and 'de-bugging' after a moth was removed from her computer. She continued working with computers until she retired from the Navy at age 79 as its oldest serving officer.

Wireless Transmission Technology

Hedy Lamarr was most well-known for her glittering acting career, appearing in films like

Samson and Delilah and White Cargo in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. However, during World War II she pioneered a way for radio guidance transmitters and torpedo receivers to simultaneously jump from one frequency to another.

Lamarr's technology formed the basis for modern-day WiFi technology, and though she has been dubbed the 'mother of WiFi', she never received a penny for her invention, which is estimated to be worth $30 billion today!

Windshield Wipers

One cold New York winter's day in 1903, real estate developer and rancher Mary Anderson was a passenger in a car. She noticed that her driver was repeatedly forced to open the window every time he needed to clear the snow from his windshield, which in turn made all of the passengers colder.

 

Her early invention of a rubber blade which could be moved inside the car to clear the snow was awarded a patent in 1903. However, car companies feared it would distract drivers, so never invested in her idea. Anderson never profited from her invention, even when wipers later became standard on cars.

Laser Cataract Surgery

In 1986, American scientist Patricia Bath invented and patented the Laserphaco Probe, a device that vastly improved laser eye surgery, allowing doctors to dissolve cataracts painlessly and quickly before applying new lenses to patient's eyes.  She went on to become the first African American to complete a residency in Ophthalmology and the first African American female doctor in the U.S. to patent a medical device.

Kevlar

DuPont researcher Stephanie Kwolek was trying

 to develop strong but lightweight plastics to

use in car tires when she discovered what came to be known as Kevlar, a strong, lightweight and heat-resistant material that has saved countless lives when used in bullet-proof vests. 

She patented her design in 1966, and it became a substitute for asbestos in the 1970s. The material is also used in applications such as bridge cables, canoes, and frying pans.

Caller I.D.

Physicist Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson's research in the 1970s developed the first called ID technology. Her breakthroughs also allowed others to invent the portable fax machine, solar cells, and fiber optic cables.

In addition to her inventions, she is the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the second African American woman in the U.S. to earn a doctorate in physics.

Computer Algorithms

From 1842-1843, brilliant mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote and published the first ever computer program. Based on a hypothetical future, Lovelace recognized the potential for machines to achieve more than pure calculation. While working with a mathematics professor on his theoretical invention of the analytic engine, Lovelace added her own notes which are credited as being the world's first computer program.

In addition to her reputation for dazzling intellect, Lovelace was known for being the 'mad, bad, and dangerous to know' daughter of Lord Byron, and was the belle of British society.

Stem Cell Isolation

In 1991, Ann Tsukamoto co-patented the process

 of isolating human stem cells found in bone

marrow. Her invention which allows damaged blood stem cells to be transplanted, has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and revolutionized certain cancer treatments, and has also led to many medical breakthroughs in the time since.                                                                                                                          Tsukamoto holds a total of 12 U.S. patents for her stem cell research.

The Automatic Dishwasher

Josephine Cochrane was a frequent dinner part host and wanted to create a machine that would both wash her dishes faster and be less likely to break them than her servants. She invented a machine which involved turning a wheel inside a copper boiler, and in contrast with other designs which relied on brushes, hers was the first automatic dishwasher to use water pressure.

 

Her alcoholic husband left her in severe debt which motivated her to patent her invention in 1886. She later opened her own production factory.

The Life Raft

Between 1878 and 1898, American entrepreneur and inventor Maria Beasley patented fifteen inventions in the U.S. Among the most pivotal was her invention of an improved version of the lift raft which had guard rails and was fireproof and foldable. Her life rafts were used on the Titanic, and though there famously weren't enough of them, her design saved over 700 lives.

 P.S. Friends, the movie, Hidden Figures, inspired this blog in honor of Women's History Month. If you haven't had an opportunity to see it, please take time to do so. It will reaffirm the importance of women in all facets of life. They were wives, mothers, friends, as well as scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. One of my top ten favorite movies. Highly recommend!!!!

Hidden Figures tells the inspiring true story of three African American women at NASA whose mathematical brilliance was pivotal in launching John Glenn into orbit during the Space Race. Set against the backdrop of 1960s racial and gender discrimination, it blends history, wit, and heartfelt drama. Critics praise its performances, uplifting message, and engaging storytelling, making it a must-watch for fans of biographical and socially resonant films.

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“Your journey doesn’t have to end in disappointment.”

Lila Hartley had waited for hours on the frozen train platform, a mail-order bride no one came to claim, her trunk beside her like a tombstone. The man who'd promised her marriage, a home, and a future, left her stranded two thousand miles from Boston with nothing but the clothes on her back and a heart full of shattered dreams.

Just when hope was fading, a man emerged from the white curtain of snow like an apparition, took off his coat, and changed her life.

Clay McCallister viewed every woman who had taken a chance on the frontier as the sister he’d failed…a woman who’d risked everything for the possibility of something better, much like the woman standing on the platform in the bitter cold.

Sometimes warmth doesn’t always come from fire — sometimes it comes from the heart.

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