Read more Andi’s Journal and Blasts from the Past posts in Andi’s Attic >> Fall 1882 Mother brought out the mail-order catalog the other day and said that if I didn’t like anything at Billings Shoe store in town that maybe I would find something here. I looked hard, but I could not find oneContinue reading “Squishy Shoes”
Category Archives: A Blast from the Past
Behind the Scenes in Chinatown
Andi’s, Jenny’s, and Lin Mei’s adventures in Chinatown, San Francisco, in 1881 match some of the true history behind the “smugglers” and slave traders in the book San Francisco Smugglers. I did a ton of research to get everything right about that. While an author uses about 10% of their research in the actual novel,Continue reading “Behind the Scenes in Chinatown”
Pistols Galore!
Read more Blasts from the Past in Andi’s Attic >> Note: Today and tomorrow are the last days to vote on the story you like best from the Mystery Horse writing contest >> Ends at 6pm Wednesday, May 11. Winners announced tomorrow. June 1885 These are my brothers’ favorite pages in the mail-order catalog. AndContinue reading “Pistols Galore!”
A Bear and Bull Fight
Read more journal entries in Andi’s Attic >> Andi’s Journal April 1888 I was never so shocked as I was last week, when Riley asked if I wanted to go along to Visalia. He wanted to go to the livestock auction down south since he’d heard they often sell at higher bidding than the auctionContinue reading “A Bear and Bull Fight”
Remembering the Yokuts
July 1886 When Shasta and I were out riding around in the foothills the other day, I came across an old, abandoned Indian dwelling. Right away it reminded me of the afternoon I spent with the Yokut Indians when I was about six years old. What a scary time! I was scared to death ofContinue reading “Remembering the Yokuts”
Make a Miner’s Stove
Here’s a fun activity that really works. But first, let’s find out what a gold-rush miner was and why he needed a “miner’s stove.” Hang on for a scary ride into the dark! The Midas mine in Goldtown (Goldtown Adventures) is a “hard-rock mine.” In this type of gold mine, the gold is embedded (stuck)Continue reading “Make a Miner’s Stove”
Finishing Schools – Part 2
Read more Blasts from the Past in Andi’s Attic >> Read part 1 >> Bonus: scroll to the end of this post to download a free PDF file of a true-to-life Diary of a Little Girl in Old New York set in 1849-1850 to see what a school was really like. Winter 1881 All righty!Continue reading “Finishing Schools – Part 2”
Finishing Schools – Part 1
Find more “Blast from the Past” posts in Andi’s Attic >> Winter 1881 There are two kinds of “city” schools during my time. The schools for the regular, public-school children, are pretty much like those of any public school in the 1880s. Some are divided into grades. Some are small and one-room, like the schoolContinue reading “Finishing Schools – Part 1”
Outlaw “Roundup”
Find more Blasts from the Past in Andi’s Attic >> This is a guest post from Abigail. If any of you have an interesting tale to tell about the Old West, contact Mrs. M and see about becoming a guest blogger. From Andi: Sometimes, living in the West can be downright scary. And one ofContinue reading “Outlaw “Roundup””
Earthquake!
Read more journal entries in Andi’s Attic >> Andi’s Journal March 1891 Somebody asked me if–living in California and all–I’ve ever experienced an earthquake. Let’s think about that a minute. California. Earthquake. Hmm . . . That would be a “yes,” I have. *scary* The picture at the top shows what Aunt Rebecca’s house lookedContinue reading “Earthquake!”
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