The first lesson at Chichén Itzá is not written on a sign. It is in the way people slow down when El Castillo comes into view.

People do not all stop at once. Someone is still adjusting a hat, someone is reaching for a water bottle, and a guide is talking over the low buzz of the plaza. Then El Castillo clears the crowd, and the mood shifts in that quiet way old places sometimes manage. A finger goes up toward the steps, then toward the shadow line, then toward the pyramid itself, sitting calmly in all that open space.

There are some remarkable places and times in this world that intrigue, inspire, and cause intense fascination. One such place in the US is the Old Southwest. It lives large in our culture, art, history, and traditions. 

Luckily for us readers, an extraordinary new book is here to take us there: Legends & Lore of the Old Southwest.

Throughout their lifetime, many people will have experienced at least one power outage. Blackouts are not uncommon; they usually only last a few hours (Gorski, 2024), and power is returned quickly enough to prevent long-lasting consequences. If people know a big storm is coming, they may even get the chance to prepare for a blackout by stocking up on supplies or finding alternative power sources. The Northeast Blackout of 2003 was very different.

We have a fantastic, timely book and fascinating author interview to share with you today!

Unbalanced Ledger, by Mitch Ryan, offers a deep look into true community, philosophical ideals, and survival necessities.

The dust swirls over the silent ridges where on July 1-3, 1863, more than 50,000 soldiers gave their lives in what we know today as the bloodiest battle in American history. 

September 11, 2001 is one of the most recognizable dates in modern history. Many people in the United States will be able to tell you what happened on that day: two planes flew into the World Trade Center in New York City, one more hit the Pentagon, and a fourth plane was en route to Washington D.C. before crashing into an empty field in Pennsylvania.

Crandall Pharmacy was known to be a pillar of the small community in Mexico, New York. The pharmacy was started in 1941 by Douglass Crandall, a young graduate of Albany School of Pharmacy. With the help of his father, Ward Crandall, he acquired his first store: a tiny storefront on a busy road. 

Albany is most famous for being the State Capital of New York. Founded by the Dutch in 1614 as Fort Nassau and later Fort Orange, Albany became the State Capital in 1797. Due to its location along both the Hudson River and Erie Canal, Albany was a key hub for trade and transportation.