Let's get the weekend party started with Seven Degrees of Separation:
1. On this day in 1912, the Scout Association received a Royal Charter to incorporate throughout the British Commonwealth.
2. My son, an Eagle Scout, is hiking Sugarloaf Mountain today to train for a high adventure camp this summer at Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico (link).
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| Sugarloaf Mountain Release to Public Domain (link) |
3. Sugarloaf Mountain, in Frederick County, is listed on the National Natural Landmarks (link). The summit of Sugarloaf Mountain served as an observation point for the Union Army during the Civil War.
4. The National Natural Landmarks encompasses all fifty states, including seven sites in Hawaii. Yes, all things come back to Hawaii.
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| Stevenson at a Royal Luau Public Domain (link) |
5. In 1889, Hawaii welcomed Scotland's own Robert Lewis Stevenson. He hobnobbed with the Royal Family, including Princess Victoria KaŹ»iulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawekiu i Lunalilo Cleghorn (her father was Scottish). Yes, all things come back to Scotland.
6. Robert Lewis Stevenson's cousin, David Alan Stevenson, was a lighthouse engineer. Hawaii boasts a handful of historic lighthouses.
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| Diamond Head Lighthouse |
7. David Alan Stevenson was the father of Dorothy Emily Peploe. Under her penname D.E. Stevenson, she wrote more than 40 lighthearted romantic novels.
On January 7, Sourcebooks Landmark will release a reprint edition of THE TWO MRS. ABBOTTS, Book 3 in the Miss Buncle Series (link):
Nothing Goes Unnoticed in the Small Town of Wandlebury!
Much as changed in Wandlebury since Barbara Buncle (now Barbara Abbott) first moved to the charming English village. But as the mistress of her own home with two small children to look after, Barbara finds that she has distressingly little time to keep up with the goings-on of her friends and neighbors.
Luckily, Barbara's niece, Jerry Abbott, is more than willing to keep tabs on the news in Wandlebury. And with juicy tidbits of gossip about everything from inconvenient romantic entanglements to German spies hiding in the woods, there is plenty to keep the two Mrs. Abbotts busy in this humorous account of life in World War II England.
D.E. Stevenson delivers another well-crafted gem with The Two Mrs. Abbotts, the third and final book of the beloved Miss Buncle series.
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| WWII pillbox on Oahu's North Shore |
Sourcebooks Landmark is giving away a print copy of THE TWO MRS. ABBOTTS to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,
1. Check out the list of National Natural Landmarks in each US state (at this link). Have you visited any in your state? Do you have a favorite? For Canadian readers, feel free to share your favorite national landmark from the Great White North.
2. Sourcebooks' giveaway is open to all readers.
3. Comments are open through Thursday, January 9, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll contact the winner directly and post the winner's name on Sunday, January 12.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
