Categories
America Book Club Fashion History

Women’s Head Coverings: “The Minister’s Black Veil” (part VI of VIII)

“The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: This 1836 short story explores themes of secret sin and the nature of humanity. It tells the tale of Reverend Mr. Hooper, who suddenly begins wearing a black veil over his face, causing unease among his congregation. The veil symbolizes the hidden sins that individuals carry, prompting readers […]

Categories
Fashion Fine Arts

Women’s Head Coverings: Veils (part V of VIII)

Medieval Catholic women of all classes wore veils, though the style and material varied by social rank. Married women and widows typically wore veils to symbolize chastity and devotion to family or faith. Unmarried young women sometimes wore simpler, lighter veils or ribbons, often white to signify purity, while older women chose heavier, darker veils. […]

Categories
Curated Absurdity History Lasting Love

The Versatile Whoopee Cushion

I introduced my son to the United States intellectual property protection system years ago. We noticed that our self-inflating whoopee cushion was patented! But innovation never rests! It turns out that the self-inflating whoopee cushion is the subject of intense research and development. What is the Whoopee Cushion? But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. […]

Categories
Agriculture Collapse of Democracy/Civilization/etc. Food Heros WLBOTT Corporate

Sweet Potato Preparedness (part III of III): Spiritual Guidance and a Proactive WLBOTT

WLBOTT has a mission to keep some sweet potato vines alive through the winter. Here we reach out to the spiritual community. This proved very challenging. There are very few “Christian” churches left in ‘Merica that recognize the Gospels or the Sermon on the Mount (too woke). As we presented our concept of incorporating vine […]

Categories
Agriculture Fashion Late Stage Capitalism WLBOTT Corporate

Sweet Potato Preparedness (part II of III): Will the Marketplace Save Us?

WLBOTT has a mission to keep some sweet potato vines alive through the winter. We must think outside the box. We hope to enlist the aid of the spiritual community, as well as tapping into the crass consumerism that defines much of ‘Merica. This BLOTT will focus on ‘Merica’s highest ideal: money. Can Capitalism Solve […]

Categories
Agriculture Meaning of Life Random Acts of WLBOTTness The land, the people, the culture

Sweet Potato Preparedness (part I of III): We Say Farewell

Even though it is currently a balmy 68°F / 20° C at 4:37am at WLBOTT HQ, we are expecting some cold weather in a few days. Although not in the official forecast, a low of 41° can leave a dusting of frost. This presents an existential threat to the sweet potatoes. As regular readers of […]

Categories
Fashion Fine Arts History

Women’s Head Coverings: Paintings (part IV of VIII)

Many medieval and Renaissance paintings prominently feature women’s head coverings, providing a visual record of the styles and cultural norms of the time. These paintings offer insight into the variety of head coverings worn across different regions, classes, and stages of life. Portrait of a Young Girl (Petrus Christus c. 1465-1470) Portrait of a Young […]

Categories
Europe Fashion Tess Twinehart

Women’s Head Coverings: The Wimple (part III of VIII)

The wimple was a common medieval head covering, particularly for married women and nuns. It was a close-fitting cloth that covered the neck, chin, and sometimes even the cheeks, framing the face. The wimple was often worn with a veil draped over it and was seen as a respectable, modest form of dress. It symbolized […]

Categories
Europe Fashion Fine Arts History

Women’s Head Coverings (part II of VIII)

Oh, have we discovered a delightful rabbit hole. We were continuing the theme of Women’s Head Coverings, this time focusing on Catholic traditions. But this led us to head coverings in medieval paintings, which led us to the Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. WLBOTT: G, are there medieval or renaissance paintings that feature women’s […]

Categories
Destinations Fashion The land, the people, the culture

Women’s Head Coverings (part I of VIII)

Today WLBOTT present the first in a series about women’s head coverings. First we’ll look at the various head covering in the Muslim community. In the Islamic tradition, head coverings have deep cultural, religious, and historical significance, varying widely in interpretation and practice. The concept of modesty, or hijab, goes beyond just head coverings and […]