And now a bit of church history...

Normally I share an object lesson or little life insight on Fridays, but this week, Regency Reflections featured an amazing article on the the shifts in faith and religion during the 18th and 19th centuries in England.

I think sometimes in America we forget all the turmoil and change that the churches went through  in Europe prior to the religious history in this country. The article, posted in three parts this week, looks at John Wesley and the start of the Methodist denomination, the impact of science and the industrial revolution on faith, and prominent and powerful English figures that held strong faith and values.

Today, I'm asking you to take the time you would normally spend reading my blog (okay, maybe a little more time than normal) and read God in the Regency by Regan Walker.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Try One of My Family's Favorite Recipes

I'm over on Regency Reflections today talking about how a last minute fix can become a family tradition. Try one of our favorite recipes!

Ask people to list traditional English meals, and you’re very likely to get Shepherd’s Pie in the list right next to Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, and Yorkshire pudding.

Slice of Cottage Pie. Note the meat and vegetables on the bottom layer and the potatoes on the top.

Shepherd’s Pie is really a particular version of a Cottage Pie. Technically, a Shepherd’s Pie should contain lamb or mutton while a Cottage Pie can contain the meat from pretty much any animal, though it usually contains beef.

Simply put, Cottage Pies are a mix of meat and vegetables topped with a heap of mashed potatoes....

Read the rest of the article here. 

Book Give-Away on Regency Reflections!

Louise Gouge is visiting on Regency Reflections today! There's an interesting interview and a chance to win her new Regency novel.

Check it out!

Funny Wedding Story on Regency Reflections today!

I'm posting over at Regency Reflections today. I'm talking about the funny things can happen at weddings. I even share a story from my own marriage ceremony.

Go to Regency Reflections now to read it!

How to Have an American Duke ~ Posting at Regency Reflections Today!

I'm posting over at Regency Reflections today.

If you've ever wondered how those aristocratic titles could jump to fourth or fifth cousins or even to someone in another country, check out the post! I even make up my own dukedom: The Duke of Handsomeshire.

How To Have An American Duke ~ Regency Reflections Post

March Madness Brackets ~ Posting at Regency Reflections today!

Yep, I'm over at Regency Reflections today talking about sports. As the country gears up for another round of collegiate basketball madness, I'm taking a look at what sporting events caused a ruckus in early 19th century England. Here's a sample:

Ah, Spring. When a young American man's fancy turns to brackets and basketballs and he is likely to put more consideration into picking which college to root for than he did selecting which college to attend. There's a reason it's called March Madness.

 Kristi here, and the fascination with sports is not a new one. The Regency era saw a culture on the cusp of the organized sporting events. While many games remained unofficial skirmishes, there were several championship challenges emerging by the beginning of the Victorian era. And of course, all of them got gambled on....

Read the rest of the article!

Once you've finished reading, pop back over here and tell me who to put on my March Madness brackets, because I am clueless.

The New and Old of Valentine's Cards

I'm hanging out at my second home today - Regency Reflections.

Come on over and check out some Valentine's cards, both new and old!

Be Mine, Valentine ~ The art of the handmade card

By the time the Regency time period came around, sending letters to your special valentine was a firmly established tradition in England.

While a few manufactured valentines were finding their way into shops, mass-produced, pre-printed valentines similar to what we see today (minus the cartoon characters) didn’t really make an appearance until the mid-1800s. Therefore, when our handsome heroes gave valentines to our heroines, they had to make them.

Want to read more? Click here to go to Regency Reflections.

New Regency Blog Opens Today

Regency Reflections starts today! I am so excited to be a part of this project. It should be a great home for Inspirational Regency discussion and information.

Come on over and check out my kick-off post.