Laurel A. Rockefeller's Blog, page 9

Lyrics: Drive the Cold Winter Away

I love Christmas music – don’t you? Across most of my books there is usually at least one Christmas or other December holiday scene and at least one December holiday song.

Appearing in Mary Queen of the Scots: the Forgotten Reign and Queen Elizabeth Tudor: Journey to Gloriana, this is one of my favorite Christmas carols.

“Drive the Cold Winter Away” was written sometime in the 16th century.

Sheet music for “Drive the Cold Winter Away” featuring verses 1 and 7

Vs 1:

Al...

What to buy a pet bird – or bird person – for the holidays

Arwen, September 2022

I’m a bird person. Everyone knows it. In fact the first thing most people find out about me is that I’m a bird person. Always have been. Proof: five books about parrots (Preparing for My First Cockatiel, Preparing for My Senior Cockatiel, Mithril and Me: a Love Story, Show Me the Pretty Bird: a Comedy in Two Acts, and Lady Biya’s Guide to Medieval Aviculture). Across this blog you’ve read numerous bird-related posts. Everything from book excerpts to travel guid...

Martin Luther Teaches His Students. Excerpt from chapter three of “Katharina von Bora: First Lady of the Reformation.”

Martin Luther is one of the most famous theologians of all time. But few people realize the role Katharina von Bora Luther played in his trailblazing accomplishments. Never one looking for glory, but keenly aware that she would be looked to as a role model, Katharina’s work behind the scenes shaped the Protestant Reformation as keenly as her famous husband.

In this scene from “Katharina von Bora: First Lady of the Reformation” Martin leads his students in his now famous weekly Ta...

Delaying the Tower. Excerpt from chapter two: Second Person. Queen Elizabeth Tudor: Journey to Gloriana

The reign of Queen Mary I Tudor was a tumultuous time for England. As protestants raised their voices and risked their lives opposing Mary’s religious reforms, younger sister Elizabeth became a frequent focal point for protestant rebellions, much as their cousin Mary Stuart would over twenty years later.

In March 1554 Queen Mary ordered Elizabeth arrested on suspicion of conspiracy against her throne. Terrified, Elizabeth wrote desperately to her sister, a letter historians refer to as the ...

Greater Johnstown Restaurants: Where to Go and Which Ones to Avoid.

I love to eat out. I also love to photograph and review restaurants, even though I’ve only done so in the last several months. When traveling, it’s always helpful to check out available eateries in advance. Here are the places I’ve been to and what I think of them. Among my criteria: price and value for the price paid, quality of the food, decor, comfort of space including table/chairs, service, and overall quality of my dine-in experience. When available, links to an extended review of the ...

Greater Johnstown Restaurants: Where to Go and Which Ones to Avoid When Price and Quality Matter Most

I love to eat out. I also love to photograph and review restaurants, even though I’ve only done so in the last several months. When traveling, it’s always helpful to check out available eateries in advance. Here are the places I’ve been to and what I think of them. Among my criteria: price and value for the price paid, quality of the food, decor, comfort of space including table/chairs, service, and overall quality of my dine-in experience. When available, links to an extended review of the ...

Greater Johnstown Restaurants: Where to Go and Which Ones to Avoid

I love to eat out. I also love to photograph and review restaurants, even though I’ve only done so in the last several months. When traveling, it’s always helpful to check out available eateries in advance. Here are the places I’ve been to and what I think of them. Among my criteria: price and value for the price paid, quality of the food, decor, comfort of space including table/chairs, service, and overall quality of my dine-in experience. When available, links to an extended review of t...

Review: Hidden Valley Buffalo Ranch sauce

Ranch dressing is delicious on almost everything. Especially chicken. Like so many of us, I love chicken wings drenched in buffalo hot sauce, then dipped in ranch as I eat them.

Enter Hidden Valley Ranch company’s newest innovation: combining buffalo hot sauce with their classic ranch dressing. Though few of these sauces hold up to their promise (in particular the copycat of McDonald’s mac sauce), This one actually does. It tastes just like a good buffalo chicken wing dipped in their r...

Review: Johnstown Wendy’s Fails to Impress

I love writing restaurant reviews. There’s something really fun about checking out a place, taking photos, and telling you all about it.

On October 19th, 2024 I went with my neighbor to the Wendy’s at 1251 Scalp Ave in Richland PA. Zip: 15904. The restaurant is reachable by automobile or you can take the #17 Camtran bus to it from downtown Johnstown.

Wendy’s is located right next to Arby’s and across a parking lot from New Dimensions Dental. The bus stop closest to it is awkwardly ...

Review: Dish Drying Rack, Mainstays Expandable Dish Rack with Utensil Holder for Kitchen Countertop

Dish drying racks are one of those things we often take for granted. When we have a decent sized kitchen and sink shopping for a drying rack is a simple matter of browsing and then picking the one that fits our budget best while looking good too.

But living in small spaces complicates the matter – as many of us are finding out with high housing prices often forcing us into smaller homes than maybe we would prefer.

Since moving from the midwest twenty some years ago, all of my apartments h...