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Cheshire Cat
One of the (many) oddball characters in Alice in Wonderland is the Cheshire Cat. He doesn’t really do much in the story besides grin, and then gradually disappear (except for his grin). Have you ever wondered why a grinning feline would be called a “Cheshire Cat”? Lewis Carroll could have just invented it — he Continue reading
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Sewers
It would be pretty unlikely to find a sewer in a sewer, and although a sewer might work in a sewer’s vicinity, if the sewer malfunctioned or ceased working altogether the sewer would almost certainly move to a new location a comfortable distance from the sewer. What we have there is a perfectly good sentence, Continue reading
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August 13
August 13 is the most sinister of days — it’s International Lefthanders Day. Somewhere around ten percent of the people in the world are left-handed, and for some reason, men are somewhat more likely to be left handed than women. The word “sinister” came from Latin, where it originally meant left-handed — but even then Continue reading
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Eating Your Words
Dog and Ferret were due in Hare’s meadow, along with the rest of the guests, at about noon. Squirrel and Raccoon were helping Hare get everything ready for Sunday Brunch. Magpie, was watching from a low branch in Hare’s oak tree and explaining — the whole event had been her idea. “Tell me again, why Continue reading
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Vinegar
As liquids used in cooking go, vinegar is not particularly remarkable. It’s basically diluted acetic acid. The interesting aspect of vinegar is the enormous variety of ways you can make it. The word “vinegar” came originally from Old French (“van egre”) in the early 1300s. One of the oldest surviving mentions of “vinegar” is from Continue reading
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August 12
It’s August 12, the “Glorious Twelfth” in England, where it’s the opening day of grouse hunting season. Except if the 12th falls on a Sunday, they open the season on Monday because it’s illegal to shoot birds on Sundays there. It’s not clear to me whether Sundays are okay for shooting things other than birds. Continue reading
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Acorn Caps
Beaver was introducing Goose to Porcupine, Hedgehog, Squirrel, and Raccoon. Those four met at Porcupine’s house every Tuesday to play Acorn Caps, a game they loved, but that they couldn’t get anyone else to play. Not even Otter or Muskrat, who loved games. “Goose is just visiting,” said Beaver. “She stopped in my pond on Continue reading
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English as Prescribed
Let’s talk about “proper English.” English is not a centrally-managed language; it’s a dynamic set of conventions, and for the most part as long as you can make yourself understood, it works. But there’s also a set of social assumptions associated with how you use English; an assumption (that’s drummed into many of us in Continue reading
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Abigails and Andrews
If you know someone named Abigail or Andrew, you might want to think twice about whether to share this with them. Those names, you see, have in the past been used to mean different things. Starting in the 1600s – or possibly earlier – an “abigail” was a maidservant. Nobody is quite sure how this Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. I shouldn’t be surprised, but she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my other blog, Techlimitics, where I’m grappling with the nature of simplicity.
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peterharbeson@me.com