For the 175th anniversary of Texas' independence, I decided to walk myself, day by day, through the events of the Alamo siege and battle in quick bursts on Twitter, a medium uniquely suited for short, timely updates. Sometimes I was even able to tweet an event at the time of day it actually happened, which... Continue Reading →
The New Orleans Greys Flag
(Part of a series explaining the history behind my Texian Tees. Other entries: the De Zavala Flag; the Burnet Flag; the Gonzales Flag (Old Come and Take It); and the San Jacinto Flag. Click here to see and buy the shirts!) Ever since Alamo commander Buck Travis wrote, "I have answered the demand with a... Continue Reading →
The San Jacinto Flag
(Part of a series explaining the history behind my Texian Tees. Other entries: the De Zavala Flag; the Burnet Flag; the Gonzales Flag (Old Come and Take It); and the New Orleans Greys Flag. Click here to see and buy the shirts!) It's with sheer glee that I introduce my latest design. I've been working... Continue Reading →
What’s a British goddess like you doing on a Texas flag?
Compared to the stars, blocks of color and occasional cannon of other early Texas flags, the San Jacinto flag is a complex mass of symbolism. Here's a reproduction (which I have kinda brightened up) of the image at the center of the actual, refurbished flag, from Robert Maberry's 2001 book "Texas Flags": It's clear that... Continue Reading →
Capitol visit for San Jacinto Day
UPDATE: Well, it's just as well my photo didn't come out -- it's a copy of the flag that's on display right now, as I learn is normal when the Lege is not in session. But I'm told the real flag is up at the Bullock museum. Revising my plans 🙂 --------- Actually, I went... Continue Reading →
The De Zavala Flag
Description and history of the De Zavala flag of the Republic of Texas, including facts about the design of my De Zavala t-shirt and a link to purchase the shirt.
The Johanna Troutman Flag
(Part of a series explaining the history behind my Texian Tees. Other entries: the De Zavala Flag; the Burnet Flag; the Gonzales Flag (Old Come and Take It); and the New Orleans Greys Flag. Click here to see and buy the shirts!) A young woman in Georgia made this flag bearing a blue star for a... Continue Reading →
The Burnet Flag
(First in a series explaining the history behind my Texian Tees. Coming up: the De Zavala Flag; the Johanna Troutman Flag; the Gonzales Flag (Old Come and Take It); and the New Orleans Greys Flag. Click here to see and buy the shirts!) The first national flag of Texas, approved by President Sam Houston on... Continue Reading →
Mini-Colosseum found at Roman palace
Private games were held, probably for emperors, at a personal Colosseum found inside a "gigantic imperial palace" near the present-day Fiumicino airport, which serves Rome. The London Times has pictures. Accounts say it's lavishly built with luxury materials and seats 2,000. Clearly, the forerunner of the modern home theater. Who needs plasma when you can... Continue Reading →
Rome in a day
Classical history geek that I am, I went this afternoon to the “24 Hour Roman Construction Project,” an art event in which participants build a replica of Rome in a day. Starting at midnight with the two huts of Romulus and Remus, volunteers make structures, well, more or less to scale. Events, speakers and music... Continue Reading →
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