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Life IS history in the making. Every word we say, everything we do becomes history the moment it is said or done. Life void of memories leaves nothing but emptiness. For those who might consider history boring, think again: It is who we are, what we do and why we are here. We are certainly individuals in our thoughts and deeds but we all germinated from seeds planted long, long ago.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Pen Pals

Yesterday, Awakenings' sister site, catnipoflife, featured a reflection about Pen Pals. Ah-h-h! Those were the days when letters were considered treasures since they were personally hand-written. But, have you ever thought about writing during Colonial times? Keep in mind we are looking back, way back, before the manual typewriter, the Bic pen, even the #2 pencil, all the way back to the 17th century.

Writing with a Quill Pen
Ink Bottle and Quill: Wikipedia
Colonial Times
The backdrop for a unique form of writing during Colonial times
reflected a dimly lit atmosphere absorbed in pungent aromas from the kitchen.
Puritan life was harsh with very few amenities. 

Jump back in times past
Before the typewriter
Even ballpoint pens
Pencils or paper bags

With the quill of a goose
Dip the sharp tip in ink
Scratch out a meager note
On paper made from rags

Fold the paper closed
Tightly smooth each edge
Seal with drops of wax
Press with a brass stamp

Visualize this early writing
Under the faint glow from burning fat
Where leftover grease saved for lighting
Renders your Colonial day lamp

Imagine tapping coded messages
Flicking beads upon an abacus
While tantalizing, pungent aromas
Hover lazily about the air

Jump back to colonial times
Find a place in the kitchen
Freshly baked breads, spicy fruit pies
Invite you to take a chair


A Colonial Kitchen in Williamsburg, VA

©2012
Awakenings

Into the 18th century, crude writing instruments penned famous documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The writing style was intricate taking hours upon hours to complete even the simplest of pages.


Have you ever written with a quill pen or hand-lettered a design in calligraphy?





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6 comments:

  1. I was thinking about that the other day. I can't imagine how long it would have taken me to write my book!

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    1. Lisa, now that IS some food for thought! And to think that is exactly the way books were 'written' back in the day. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment:>) Hope you will visit again. . .

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  2. Hi Sharla! Wow, quill pens and the ink mess all over the hands! I am grateful to God that He chose me for such a time as this! I write everything long hand first, then I type it out. I enjoy the feel of a pencil in my hand, and I like knowing I have the originals, and that someday my daughter will. I feel the flow when I write and that makes it all worthwhile to me, more personal. Thank you for this post. Do you remember autograph books when we were little? Do you still have yours? Unfortunately I don't have mine anymore. :( unhappy face. God bless you, Sharla!

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    1. Hi, Deirdre. Forgot to say thank you for the visit in my message below:>) It is always good to hear from you.

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  3. YES! I do remember the autograph books! In fact, when we moved from Florida to Georgia, I found an old scrapbook and my high school autograh books. What neat treasures! In reading back over some of the entries, I uncontrollable laughted out loud!

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    1. Sorry about the misspellings - s/b uncontrollably laughed - I got so excited over the memory I was typing too fast, never watch the keys and forgot to read it over! LOL:>)

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