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who the heck are the tudors anyway?

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During the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, a rather obscure man named Henry Tudor took the crown of Richard III and declared himself Henry VII, King of England. What followed was a wild ride that only lasted three generations but gave us memorable characters like Henry VIII, "Bloody" Mary I, Thomas Cromwell, and Elizabeth I, otherwise known as Gloriana. Their influence is felt even today, as there are movies, books, TV shows, plays, and musicals about them and their tempestuous lives.  Tune in to my podcast, It's Tudors, Y'all! to find out how the story started. We start with Henry V and go in chronological order -mostly- all the way up to the coronation of Charles III in 2023.  This is a great podcast if you are new to the Tudor story, but if you are a Tudor nerd like me, I think you'll likely learn an interesting fact or two.   In Season 1, Episode 1, Who the Heck are the Tudors Anyway? we'll look at the start of an unlikely dynasty.  It's Tudors, Y'all!...

happy as a goose

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There is a lake close to my house where all the geese in the neighborhood gather. There is a small island in the lake where the geese sleep. Such a sweet moment, I think. Here's hoping 2025 will be as lovely and tranquil as sleepy geese. Happy New Year!

chess

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Hever Castle in Kent, the family home of Anne Boleyn and later the home of Anne of Cleves (Henry VIII gave it to her as part of her divorce settlement), is just beautiful. I was lucky enough to stay at the castle last month, just as the curators were getting it ready for Christmas. Hever has the most amazing chess board I've ever seen - it's a topiary on the grounds of the castle! There was also a lovely Celtic knot topiary. It was nose-nippingly cold but the frost lent a festive air.